Disclaimer: Oh you know Rosie!

A/N: As always an enormous thank you to my reviewers! I know, you're getting impatient, but as you know, I like to take my sweet time when getting to things in the plot, lol. But yeah, I'm trying to do two things at once plus encounters between Erik and Christine, so yeah, don't worry, all will be explained soon enough. :)

Oh and for one particular scene in this chapter… I need you to think Phantom of the Opera with Charles Dance, you'll know what scene I'm talking about if you've seen the movie. That was my inspiration :)

~~About 2 weeks have passed since the last chapter. If you're confused as to the timeline, it's been about a month and a half since the day Christine disappeared.~~

Christine listened intently from outside the house on the lake to make sure Erik was still at the organ. She felt guilty about leaving, but she hadn't wanted to disturb him and she would be back. Hopefully he wouldn't even notice she was gone. When he sat down at the organ, he was known to play for hours and she wouldn't be gone that long.

She found a passage that Erik had spoken of before so if she ever had need to go to the upper floors of the opera she could do so without having to cross the lake.

The passage started out as a straight, stone hallway, but ended at the foot of an incredibly long staircase. Christine climbed steadily, but began to tremble as she got closer to the top. There was a door as the staircase ended. She thought it a little strange; it was such an ordinary looking door. She turned the knob, stepped through and closed the door behind her. She stepped back and saw that from this side it appeared to be nothing but the wall. It was impossible to tell there was a door there at all.

She surveyed her surroundings; she was in a small foyer somewhere on the second floor. Precisely where she needed to be. She walked swiftly to Madame Giry's office and rapped on the door urgently.

The door opened and Madame Giry looked over Christine's shaking, pale form.

"May I speak to you a moment Madame?" Christine asked.

"Of course dear," Madame Giry said, stepping aside to let her into the room.

"Thank you."

Erik's fingers came down onto the keyboard in one last magnificent chord and the haunting music ceased. He stretched slightly and looked up at the clock. It was late, nearly time for supper.

He stood up and walked out of his room, "Christine?" he called.

But he received no answer. Wild thoughts began to run through his head. Surely she hadn't left him again. She had said she would tell him if she had intended to leave! She promised! He rushed through the house and out the door.

As soon as he stepped out of the house he spotted her and let out an enormous sigh of relief. Christine stood in the center of the dock outside of his home gazing across the lake.

"Christine?"

She seemed not to hear him right away. She turned her head slowly and gazed at him over her shoulder with forlorn despair. Erik watched her curiously. She walked farther along the dock until she came to the very edge still gazing across the lake.

Perhaps, she came out here to think and I should leave her alone, Erik thought.

He watched Christine for a moment longer, intending to go back inside when something happened that he didn't expect. Christine stepped right off of the dock and into the icy lake.

"Christine!" Erik yelled. He ran to the dock and looked into the water. Christine was not struggling or attempting to save herself at all and she was sinking fast. The water was deep on this side of the lake, even close to shore.

Without waiting a moment longer Erik dove into the lake after her. He pushed himself steadily downward. His arms extending, searching for Christine in the black depths. Finally his fingers brushed against her skirts, he found her waist and pulled her into his arms. He attempted to bring her back to the surface, but she began to fight him.

Erik had no time to be gentle with her; he easily over powered her and dragged her to the surface.

He gasped as the air filled his lungs as his head came above water. Christine coughed and sputtered beside him. Erik began to swim back to shore, but Christine began to fight again.

"Let go of me Erik!" she shouted, banging her fists against his chest. Erik stared at her a moment, her insanity was unnerving.

He grasped her tighter and swam toward shore.

"No!" she shouted, but it was no use. Erik had a firm grip on her and wasn't about to let her go.

Soon they were able to stand quite easily and the fight resumed as Christine tried to push Erik away. Eventually he simply picked her up and carried her back to the house. She screamed for him to let her go.

At the door he put her down and she attempted to run back to the lake.

"Christine!" Erik shouted, grabbing her arm. He pulled her back to him and clasped his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Christine stop this! What are you doing?" he demanded harshly.

Christine didn't answer. She collapsed onto the ground sobbing uncontrollably.

Erik followed her down, his face creased with worry. "Christine?" he questioned softly.

He put his hand out as if to touch her shoulder, but she smacked it away. "Don't touch me!" she yelled.

Erik recoiled quickly. His heart felt as if it had been torn in half at the sound of those words. The most hurtful words she could have said to him.

Christine stopped sobbing suddenly and realized with a start what she had just done.

"Oh Erik… I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" she stopped another sob choking her.

Erik stood up shakily and nodded his head, "I know what you meant Christine," he said coldly. "We should get you inside. You're soaking wet."

"Erik…" she pleaded, willing him to forgive her. She hadn't meant to say that to him. She hadn't meant it. How could she say something like that?! She hadn't meant it!

Erik turned away from her, opened the door and gestured her inside. 

Christine held out her hand for him to help her up, but he only glared at her. She didn't want him to touch her, she had so, and now he wouldn't.

She stood up shakily on her own and walked into the house.

"Dammit!" he yelled, whirling on his companion. "He was drunk wasn't he?"

The man did not respond which made him furious. "Wasn't he?" he shouted again.

The man seemed to find his voice then, "I…I didn't notice it sir."

"You've read the papers! This could ruin us! They're trying to connect this to the death of the vicomte! And unless I am much mistaken, Richard is likely to crack soon enough and betray us all!"

"I'm sorry sir…but…" the man paused as if working up the courage to say something that had been bothering him, "Wouldn't it be better to simply leave the Daae woman alone? I mean…the vicomte is dead, why do we need her as well?"

Jean's eyes flashed dangerously, "Because my revenge will not be complete until she is dead. What are you implying? That we should give up? Never."

"I'm sorry sir, it was just a suggestion."

Jean waved his hand to dismiss him. The man scurried away quickly as if he feared that if he stayed a moment longer he would not leave alive.

Jean sighed and walked to the mantle, he braced himself against it as he gazed into the fire. "What a fool you were Claude."

Christine walked tentatively out of her room about an hour later. She was dry, changed into her nightgown and robe, and wrapped in a blanket. Erik was sitting in an armchair by the fire, but immediately stood when he heard the door of Christine's room close as she entered the sitting room.

He walked towards his room, but Christine stood firmly, blocking the way to his room so he would have to step by her to get there.

He stopped a foot away from her for a moment, but then continued, brushing by her, "Excuse me mademoiselle."

"Erik wait," Christine said catching Erik's arm.

The expression that came over Erik's face was frightening, "You have requested that I not touch you mademoiselle, and I request that you return the favor."

Christine's eyes filled with tears at the coldness of his remark. "Oh Erik, I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean… Oh God Erik!" she cried and flung herself into his arms sobbing wildly.

His eyes widened as he caught her in the embrace for if he let go of her she would surely fall to the ground. She didn't seem able to support herself.

He held her sobbing figure in his arms, praying desperately that she would stop crying. He couldn't bear to watch her cry and he felt so powerless to stop it. "Dear Christine, please…don't cry so, please Christine," he pleaded.

Christine calmed a little after that and as soon as he was sure she would be able to stand on her own Erik released her from the embrace.

"My dear, please tell me, what is it?" Erik said gently.

 Christine bit her lip nervously, seemingly contemplating what to do. But then she quickly shook her head. "I dare not Erik," she whispered.

Another sob escaped her and she ran to her room, but this time the door did not close all the way. It remained open just a crack. A ray of light shown through the door and into the dimly lit sitting room. Perhaps there was hope for them yet.

A/N: Please review :) Any helpful criticisms are most welcome :)