Disclaimer: Shock, shock, surprise, surprise, still not mine.
A/N: Let's cut to the chase shall we?
Erik sat quietly, gazing absently into the fire. He knew Christine was back in Paris. Nothing that occurred in his opera house could escape his knowledge. He felt oddly placid at the moment. The initial anger and despair he had felt earlier had faded into a dull ache. He was used to this however. He watched as the flames licked the logs and danced with one another in the grate. He was separated from reality and nothing would force him to return until he was ready to do so. Until he heard a loud shout echo through the cellars. He shook himself, the horrible ache returning as he wondered who had wandered down this far into the cellars. He forced himself to his feet and out of the house to investigate.
The shouts were still occurring. It was a strong male voice, and by the sound of it, the man was out of his mind with rage. There was another voice as well, a woman's voice. Erik recognized the voice, it was Madame Giry, but who was she with? Was she in danger?
Erik hurried faster toward the shouting, but stopped dead as the words the man was saying became coherent.
"Christine!"
Erik's mind didn't seem to be functioning properly. It began to twist and turn. Christine? Why would someone be down in the cellars shouting Christine's name? The voice continued to shout, it was getting closer now. It seemed familiar to Erik, but he couldn't place it as his mind spun faster and faster.
He could hear Madame Giry's words now as well. "Monsieur please! I promise you that she is not here! You must leave this place!"
Erik shrunk into the shadows as they came closer still. They rounded a bend at a run. Yes, the voice was familiar to Erik; it was none other than the Vicomte de Chagny. Erik stared. Why was he here? Slowly he put the pieces together. Raoul de Chagny, running around under the opera house, shouting Christine's name. Erik was beside himself. Did the Vicomte truly believe that he would take her again?
Raoul was hurtling down the passage toward his home with Madame Giry at his heels. Erik was surprised at her speed. As they passed where Erik was hiding, he reached out and grabbed Madame Giry's arm, pulling her into the shadows with him.
Madame Giry began to talk immediately. "Forgive me monsieur! I tried to stop him! Truly I did! But he wouldn't be stopped. He's convinced she is here monsieur! I don't know what put such an idea in his head…"
Erik held up his hand for Madame Giry's silence and she obeyed. "It is alright, but perhaps I should stop him before he destroys half of my home." And in a flash Erik was gone to do just that.
~~~Flashback to the night before~~~
Christine and Raoul sat together on the divan in front of the fire. Christine leaned against his chest as he held her close to him. It was so peaceful in the silent room. Christine's eyelids began to droop. She was soon asleep.
Her dreams had become less erratic since the move back to Paris. They'd pretty much stopped all together. But that night was the exception.
She jerked awake so suddenly that Raoul was also startled out of his doze.
"What's wrong Christine?" he asked her.
Christine stared at him for a moment, then forced a smile. "Oh I'm sorry I disturbed you Raoul. I think I just need to get some fresh air. It is quite late, why don't you go to bed. I'll see you in the morning."
"Alright my love. If you need anything you know where to find me." He kissed her tenderly on the forehead and headed towards his bedroom.
Christine watched him go and then made her way outside. Raoul watched her stand in front of the house, her arms wrapped around herself to guard against the chill breeze that was blowing. His face contorted with sadness. He knew she had had another nightmare, but respected that she wished to be alone. He turned away from the window and prepared for bed.
The next morning Raoul went downstairs for breakfast and was surprised to see that Christine was not there. She was always up before him. She enjoyed the mornings. But today she was nowhere to be found.
He peeked into her room, but she was not there. Of course, she must have gone for a walk. She did enjoy such things and it was a lovely day he noticed, glancing around the brightly sunlit room.
He waited for her. But minutes soon turned to hours and he began to really get nervous. Perhaps she had gone to the opera again. Yes, that was it. She had gone to visit her friend Meg the other day, who's to say she hadn't done so again? He couldn't wait any longer so he decided to see for himself.
He chose to walk. The opera house wasn't far and it really was a beautiful day. He strode briskly toward his destination. He opened the door and heard the sounds of rehearsal in the auditorium. He went inside. He spotted Meg Giry quite easily. She was talking animatedly to two other girls in the ballet. Christine was nowhere to be seen.
He turned around and nearly ran into Madame Giry. "Oh pardon me Madame," he said, stepping aside to let her pass.
"Hello monsieur, what brings you to the opera?" she asked carefully.
"I was wondering if Christine had come to visit, I haven't seen her all morning."
"Well she hasn't been here, I'm sure of it. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to regain order. I left them for five minutes…"
He watched her as she walked down the aisle towards the stage. All of the ballet girls immediately jumped up at the sight of her.
Raoul frowned. Where could she be?
Christine did not return home that day. Needless to say, by nightfall Raoul was out of his mind with worry. His suspicions about her whereabouts automatically fell to one person. And casting aside any fear he had ever had of that person, he left immediately for the opera house.
~~~End Flashback~~~
Erik hurried toward his home. His fears that Raoul could find the entrance were confirmed when he found the door wide open. He sighed and hurried inside where he found Raoul frantically searching the house and still calling Christine's name.
Erik wasn't angry exactly, more frustrated. He just wanted to be left alone and now this man, insane with panic, was upsetting his home. He walked calmly toward Raoul. The Vicomte was no a threat to him.
"Monsieur," Erik said icily and Raoul spun around with ferocity, a wild look in his eyes.
"Where is she?" he growled.
Apparently he did think that Erik had taken Christine. Erik responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Why sir, I know not who you mean. Now if you would be so kind, I must request that you cease this mad search of my home. You will find no one here."
Erik watched the Vicomte flush with fury.
Erik was rather amused with his own reaction to Raoul being here. Surely Raoul should be dead by now. But he was strangely calm with the whole situation. It was somewhat amusing in a way, Raoul looking ready to kill while he stood surveying the scene.
"I'm not leaving without her," he said, obviously prepared to fight should need be.
Erik sighed. He was getting rather annoyed with this young man who had so much daring as to actually defy him. He waited for his anger to kick in, but it didn't. He had not the strength to be angry.
Erik was about to tell him that Christine was not here, as obviously he couldn't figure it out on his own, when he stopped. If Raoul was here searching for her…that meant that he did not know where she was.
"What happened?" Erik asked, struggling not to show too much concern. It was difficult; he could feel fear for Christine prickling through his body.
"She's not here?" Raoul said slowly.
Erik smiled sarcastically, "Oh very good monsieur, that didn't take you long at all."
Raoul ran a hand through his hair as he came to grips with that fact. Then it seemed he realized where exactly he was and what exactly he had been doing. He too seemed to think that he should have been dead by this point. Yet he still stood, alive, in the home of the phantom himself.
Raoul gulped. "She's…she's missing. She's gone. I didn't know what happened. She seemed to just disappear. And with her tendency to run to the opera house…what was I supposed to think?" He said all of this very fast as if in an attempt to save his life.
Erik was amused to see the fear in the young man's eyes. But he had no time to dwell on it. Christine…Christine was missing? Where could she have gone? What if she was in danger? Erik was afraid himself. If anything happened to Christine…
His eyes suddenly flashed with such fury Raoul shrunk back a little. Apparently he thought the anger was directed at him. But it wasn't. It was towards Erik's unseen and unnamed enemy. Christine was gone.
"Inform the police at once you fool!" Erik spat at Raoul. "Next time think logically before you do something foolish that you may still live to regret."
Raoul took this opportunity to run for it. He was shocked that he had been allowed to live. This was the second time he had barely escaped from this place with his life. But he did as Erik had instructed. He should have thought of that. But he hadn't. He had let his fear for Christine's safety consume him.
The music came to an abrupt stop at rehearsal. Several girls screamed as a loud roar echoed through the entire opera house.
"He's here!"
A/N: Review :)