Disclaimer: Baddies are mine…not that I really want them…

A/N: Man, this whole thing with those damn bad guys has to go! If it all seems like it resolved too quickly with them…I agree and I apologize, but I simply can't wrestle with them anymore so they are going bye bye.

Thank you to my reviewers!! You guys have all made me so happy!

L.M.: Come now, do you really think that Erik would let himself get caught? lol

Riene: :)

The following day Erik left Christine asleep in her room to fetch the newspaper from Madame Giry. It took him a very short amount of time as Madame Giry was waiting for him on the other side of the lake. She handed it to him without a word before she turned and left.

Erik returned to the house quickly. He opened the door and stepped inside silently. Christine was curled up on the divan in her robe with a book in her lap.

"Christine?" Erik said.

Christine dropped her book and jumped up, swinging around to face Erik with fear in her eyes. Realization sunk in and the fear Erik was sure he saw faded quickly. She eyed the paper in his hand. Erik stepped forward and handed it to her. He then went into the kitchen to make tea. Perhaps she would prefer privacy to read this particular article.

Christine opened the paper with trembling fingers and found the article without too much difficulty.

Culprits of the Chagny Murder Apprehended

Last night the police received information from an anonymous source concerning the location of the leader of the notorious gang, held responsible for the de Chagny murder and the kidnap of Christine Daae. The police surrounded the flat at once and found five men and the body of Jean Meyer. 

The five men found proved most helpful in releasing information to the police. Claude Myrtil, their leader for several years was killed the same night as the Vicomte de Chagny. Meyer was assumed dead as well, but survived and succeeded Myrtil.

            While Myrtil was in charge, it had been Meyer's plan that led to the Daae kidnapping.

            Police are relieved to have finally apprehended Meyer, the supposed bastard son of the late Comte Alexandre de Chagny, and believe that any other men supporting him will now fall apart without an apparent leader. Police also suspect that Meyer may have been criminally insane which will be investigated based on reports given by the five men in custody.

            Raoul de Chagny is survived by his two sisters and his fiancée, Christine Daae, who is known to be at a safe location although her exact whereabouts are unknown.

A few minutes later, Erik returned to Christine. He found her staring straight ahead as the paper shook in her hands. Erik walked toward her, he didn't silence his footsteps so she would hear him coming and she wouldn't be startled.

She said nothing. After a few moments she stood and calmly handed him the newspaper, then retreated to her room.

Erik realized that he would eventually have to pry her out of there. She hadn't eaten anything for nearly two days. While he could go much longer without eating, it wasn't healthy for Christine.

Christine never mentioned the article and Erik certainly had no reason to bring it up if she did not want to discuss what had happened.

Erik hadn't wanted to think about it before, but something had seemed to come over Christine. She seemed different although he couldn't quite say how. She seemed…broken. Her eyes were full of shadows as if a black veil had descended upon them. She was so distant, even after all of this time. Erik had assumed she was still mourning the death of the vicomte, but when he thought about it, this seemed different. He remembered how she had looked after her father died and this wasn't it. He wished he knew what was wrong. He could hear her sobbing in her room late at night and it tore his heart apart to listen. He wanted to go to her, to relieve her sadness, but he was helpless, he had no way to comfort her.

He tried different methods of cheering her up. He would buy her new things, acquire many books that she might like, take her to see the operas in the evenings. Sometimes these things seemed to distract her from her pain…for awhile, but then the gloom would settle over her again and Erik would be forced to watch helplessly as the door to her room closed behind her.

At times this was infuriating to Erik, he couldn't understand what was tormenting her so. Sometimes he was on the brink of simply demanding her to tell him, but somehow knew that this would only upset her more.

She was like an animal during hunting season, always tense, always on her guard, startled by the smallest of noises. She jumped when Erik entered the room, she would stiffen in fear, then relax again after a moment. Erik simply couldn't understand this behavior and he didn't know how much longer he could stand watching his angel tormented so.

One day, a thought came to Erik. He would go to Madame Giry; maybe…maybe Christine had spoken to Meg. Of course she would have, Meg was her friend after all wasn't she? And surely Meg would speak to her mother…

Erik made his way to the rehearsal room where the corps de ballet practiced. Rehearsal was meant to end in approximately thirty minutes. It made no difference to Erik. He was content to wait patiently in the passage that followed the mirrors in the room and watch the dancers. Well, he assumed he was content in doing so, but at times he could hardly bear to watch as certain members of the ballet missed step after step. He vaguely wondered how Madame Giry could stand to watch it all day.

At last Madame Giry dismissed them and they hurried away quickly, eager to get out of there.

"In my opinion you should have kept them longer," Erik said lightly.

Madame Giry laughed at this. "Monsieur, you know as well as I do that it wouldn't do any good."

Erik stepped through a concealed door and into the room. He immediately felt uncomfortable. The size and brightness of the room made him feel extremely exposed even though he knew they were alone.

Madame Giry saw this and suggested, "Perhaps you would like to talk somewhere else?"

"If you wish," Erik said, feigning indifference.

"Then I shall be in my office presently," she said and turned, sighing inwardly at Erik's stubbornness to admit his discomfort. Why he felt such a need to guard his pride she did not know. She wouldn't have thought any less of him; of course he would find such a large, open space uncomfortable.

Madame Giry walked through the corridors calmly. She wondered why Erik needed to speak with her, but felt at ease, as Erik hadn't seemed agitated at all.

As she closed the door to her office behind her, Erik immediately appeared.

"Please, sit down monsieur," she said gesturing to a chair in front of her desk as she seated herself behind it.

"Madame Giry I must speak with you about Christine," Erik said, deciding it would be best to cut to the chase.

Madame Giry frowned slightly. "Is everything all right?" she asked carefully.

"No.," Erik said without hesitation. "I don't know what to do. Christine is so withdrawn from everything, there's something wrong with her. I know it, but…I can't quite say what it is."

Erik studied Madame Giry a moment then continued, "Please Madame, it's driving me mad. If you know what is wrong, please tell me."

Erik stopped abruptly as he realized he had been pleading with her. The Phantom of the Opera does not beg.

Madame Giry's gaze met Erik's eyes sadly. She could see the pain he was in. It hurt him so much to see Christine distraught and she knew that. This was not going to be easy…

"May I speak with her monsieur?" Madame Giry asked.

Erik looked at her, wondering why she had evaded his question. "Of course."

He led Madame Giry below the opera and to his home. She rarely entered his house, but it felt normal at the moment.

Erik operated the mechanism to the outer door and they entered.

Christine was in the sitting room, reading on the divan. She jumped as they entered the room. When she saw Madame Giry following Erik into the room her expression became confused then changed to a small degree of fear.

"Madame Giry…" Christine said. "What…what a pleasant surprise," she said standing to greet her.

Madame Giry nodded her head in acknowledgement, then turned to face Erik. "I wonder if we might have a moment alone monsieur."

Erik glanced at Christine briefly. "As you wish," he said. He walked through the room and into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Madame Giry sat down on the divan next to Christine who had reseated herself.

"Christine, child, I know how difficult this has been for you," Madame Giry began. She watched as Christine's gaze quickly became fixed on the floor. "I know, I do," she said gently, taking Christine's hands in hers. "But…you must tell him."

Christine's gaze flew back to Madame Giry, her eyes wide with horror. "Oh no, Madame, I can't! No, no, I can't, I can't," Christine ranted running her fingers through her hair.

"No, no, no," she repeated.

"Christine!" Madame Giry said, reclaiming her hands. "Christine listen to me. He must know. It's tearing him apart to see you like this, but if he knew…"

"If he knew he'd…" Christine stopped. She realized she had no idea what he would do.

"You have to tell him eventually, you know that as well as I. You can't honestly think you can hide it from him forever," Madame Giry said.

Christine stared at her, hopelessly trying to grasp something that just wasn't there. "I could…I could go away. Yes, I could leave and…" She stopped, took a deep breath and then began to speak. "No, I guess I can't can I? I couldn't do that to him, I couldn't do that to myself…"

Madame Giry watched sadly as Christine fought with herself for a decision, even though they both already knew what it would have to be.

Christine let out a long, shaky breath, turning away from Madame Giry she whispered, "All right."

Madame Giry stood and went to the door of Erik's room. She knocked, "Monsieur?"

The door opened and Erik appeared in the doorway.

"We need to discuss something with you," Madame Giry said softly.

Erik raised an eyebrow. Madame Giry was acting very strange and it involved Christine… Well, it seemed the mystery would be solved very soon so Erik allowed Madame Giry to lead him to the sitting area where he seated himself in his chair. The first thing he noticed was Christine's trembling form on the divan. She was so pale. His heart panged in his chest as he watched a tear roll down her cheek. Oh how he wished she wouldn't cry. He couldn't bear to watch her cry any longer.

Madame Giry seated herself next to Christine, putting her arm around her shaking shoulders. More tears cascaded down Christine's cheeks as Madame Giry began to speak.

"Erik…Christine needs to tell you something…something very important."

Erik frowned; this was not what he was expecting. Whatever had happened was obviously worse than he had feared. He remained silent, but shifted his gaze to Christine. She met his gaze, staring into his eyes, so full of concern for her. She began to shake more violently and looked to Madame Giry for help.

"It will be all right Christine," she said gently.

Christine swallowed hard. Her throat suddenly seemed unbelievably dry. Tears still flowed from her eyes as she struggled to speak. "I…I…" She turned to Madame Giry. "I can't," she whispered.

Erik felt the blood rushing through his veins as he watched Christine. He couldn't stand this.

"Will someone kindly tell me what is going on," he said, struggling to keep his voice from becoming angry.

He wasn't really angry, but he felt he would burst at any moment with the suspense building and Christine beginning to sob on the divan.

"Please Madame," Christine begged. "I can't do this, please, tell him."

"I shouldn't do that Christine, this should be for you to tell," Madame Giry answered.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Erik burst out suddenly.

Christine fought to find courage to speak. She knew that Erik would not stand for much more of this nonsense.

She took one long deep breath, then slowly released it. She felt slightly calmer, though her trembling hadn't ceased.

"Erik," she said, calling to him, pleading with him to somehow understand without the words being spoken. "I'm pregnant."

And with that she crumpled into Madame Giry's arms in horror that the words had actually emitted from her mouth. Soon her sobs once again filled the room.

Erik's mind froze. It had never taken a human being so long to process such a simple phrase. He couldn't seem to move his body for several moments. At last he came to understand what had just been said. He stood up abruptly, nearly upsetting the table in front of him as he did so. He stormed a few yards away from the two women keeping his back turned as this information sank in.

"I don't understand," he muttered, half to himself. "She didn't marry that boy and…"

His body became numb, he couldn't move. He turned ever so slowly around to meet Madame Giry's eyes and she nodded, tears beginning to glisten in her eyes as well.

"No…" Erik said in a barely audible whisper. He understood suddenly exactly what this meant.

His eyes widened in horror as he looked at Christine, her face buried in Madame Giry's dress. It seemed as if time had slowed down. His reactions didn't come normally. There was a rushing sound in his ears. He looked at his hands, they had begun to tremble and soon his entire body shook with irrepressible fury.

He suddenly let out an inhuman cry of pure rage and flew out of the house with incredible speed.

Christine looked up as the door slammed, shaking the entire room.

"Erik!"

A/N: Well what do you think of that huh? Let me know! Please review! Oh and I promise much more angst…this will not be a story where Erik and Christine live in harmony and love and raise a kid, nope nope.