A/N: Thank you for all of your reviews guys! They made me very happy indeed. All of you totally rock. It's so fun to read your reactions. :)

Soldier of Darkness: Rampage of Doom…yes I think that sums it up, lol, that amused me.

Diva Mama: That song better not get stuck in my head…lol

And now without too much further ado, onto the next chapter in which poor Erik suffers a complete emotional break down. I think he needs a hug.

Tell me if you like this chapter guys, I'm a little iffy about some parts of it, so I really want your opinions. Thanks :)

Erik could not see. He was blinded by the terrible hate that suddenly coursed through his veins. Shaking violently, he ran from his home. It was the only thing he could do, he couldn't stay there with Christine's sobs resounding off of the walls. He had to get out of there…

He ran for the door that led to the Rue Scribe. It had never seemed so far away before. He suddenly felt as if he were drowning. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think. He just knew he had to get out.

The door was flung open and Erik stood gasping in the cool, night air. He lifted his hands in front of his eyes and watched them tremble in the moonlight. A hot wave of anger washed through him again, his hands clenched into fists and he threw his head back, letting a scream of agony escape his lips.

He had felt anger, then despair, but now his fury was returning yet again. His fingers itched to cause someone pain…someone, anyone. Just so someone else would have to suffer this as well. He could almost see the blood on his hands.

He began to run, not exactly seeing where he was going. He made his way into the slums somehow. Here there were people, but he did not heed the curious gaze of the destitute at the sight of such a well-dressed man running through the streets. For once he was not concerned with the eyes of humans seeing him. They were homeless, unimportant; it didn't matter, not tonight.

His thoughts were so wild and his body so filled with rage that he ran straight into someone. Both parties staggered back. A girl of about fourteen years stared up into Erik's eyes.

"Pardon me sir," she said, lowering her eyes.

Erik did not see her. He did not see an innocent girl, dressed in rags, with no place to go. He saw a person like any other, a person who wasn't feeling enough pain. He looked at her with blind fury and with one swift motion; the girl was flung aside, landing with a thud against the brick of a building.

There was a shout behind him. Erik turned to see a man running in his direction, shouting to leave the girl alone. Erik smirked at the man coming towards him, overweight, but the persona of a weak man who didn't really want any trouble. He did not even seem to have a weapon. All the better, Erik thought.

"Get away from her!" the man shouted in an attempt to seem brave.

He glared at Erik threateningly, but lost all of his bravado when Erik began to laugh, a cold, merciless laugh that ended as his lasso landed neatly around the man's neck. He pulled it slightly, and rapidly wrapped it around his arm, pulling the man to him.

Erik glared at him furiously, "Do you know how easy it would be to kill you right now?" Erik growled as the man pulled futilely on the rope around his neck.

Erik heard more angry cries behind him. He could see three men running in his direction while shouts of "Summon the police!" seemed to echo all around him.

Erik looked back at the man in his clutches, then to the girl who lay a few feet away. He gazed in horror at what he had done. He released the man who fell to the ground gasping. Erik swung around to face the men who were getting very close. Erik promptly disappeared into the shadows of the night. He wound his way through a maze of back streets and alleys.

He stopped when he was sure he was far enough away that they could not find him. He assessed his location. He was in an alley, quite far from the opera house, having fled in the opposite direction.

He leaned against a building, gasping for breath, trying to see through the hate that veiled his senses. He remembered why he was out in the streets at night; he remembered what had possessed him to attack those people.

Christine…

The horror of everything he had heard that night finally sunk in. His rage faded and he felt the agony of the truth of this situation. He couldn't stand to think of it, yet his mind was filled with only that. His Christine, his precious flower, had been…raped.

Another cry escaped his lips and he collapsed to the ground. He had known this, but hadn't put it to words until just now. His entire body shook and he made no attempt to control his emotions. Christine… She was so young, so innocent, how could this have happened?

He buried his face in his hands, tears streaming from his eyes, as he struggled to block the thought out of his mind. But it was no use. He couldn't hide from this. And Christine, oh God Christine… She had been all alone in this. How could he have been so blind? Why couldn't he have seen it? How broken she looked, the look of despair that never left her eyes.

Erik sat in that alley for a very long time. He knew he was being selfish, he knew that he should be with Christine. But he just couldn't be there right now. He couldn't. He couldn't face the awful reality of this, not yet. In the darkness and solitude he could pretend it was a dream. A terrible dream and that when he rose everything would be just fine.

Erik sank into a deep stupor, his mind gradually exhausted itself and he ceased to think, ceased to feel. It was only when he saw the rays of the sun, signifying the dawn, that he seemed to come to himself. Shaking his head slightly he remembered where he was, what had happened. His face itched behind the mask where his tears had dried on his cheeks. He cursed his weakness. He had run away, when Christine needed him the most. He hadn't known what else to do… He had felt so trapped. The only logical thing to do at the time was to run. He was disgusted with himself, he had to return.

He rose slowly, his limbs frozen and stiff, and gradually he made his way to the opera house, taking care to stay in the shadows.

As he went through the Rue Scribe entrance, his emotions slowly began to return. His mind had been numb, but now it seemed to be awakening. In what seemed no time at all, he was standing at the door of his house, wondering how his feet had managed to carry him there without him noticing.

He unlocked it, but stopped before pushing it open. He again felt the urge to run, but Christine couldn't run and neither could he.

After several deep breaths, he opened the door and silently walked inside.

Madame Giry was on the divan in the sitting room. She had been watching the door and stood up abruptly when he entered. She noticed immediately that he lacked his usual majestic air.

"Are you all right Erik?" Madame Giry asked carefully.

He didn't answer; he walked over to his armchair and sank into it, facing away from her.

"Thank you for all you have done for her Madame," Erik said evenly. "Now I'm sure you have other things to do. I believe you know the way out."

Madame Giry stared sadly at the back of his chair, but did not disobey him. She turned to leave, stopping at the door.

"You know where I'll be," she said quietly, and exited.

Erik sighed and sank deeper into the chair, abandoning his posture completely.

A few moments later he heard a door open, and the soft sound of Christine's steps as she entered the room. She remained silent for several minutes, almost afraid to speak, afraid of what Erik would say, what he would do.

She swallowed hard. "Erik?" she whispered.

He stood and turned to face her. She was extremely pale, with deep shadows under her eyes, but composed for the most part. Erik felt himself tense as he gazed at her. He forced his anger into check; it would do no good now.

Christine swallowed again, trying furiously to force the lump out of her throat. "Erik I…I will leave at once if that is your wish," she said softly, casting her gaze to the floor, refusing to look him in the eye.

Erik stared at her. Leave? The thought of forcing Christine to leave had not crossed his mind for a moment. He could not imagine why she thought that he would want her to leave… Surely she didn't think that he was angry with her…

"Christine…I do not wish you to leave." He paused then; fervently praying what he was about to say was the truth and not a presumptuous fantasy. "This is your home Christine."

Christine's eyes darted up to his, showing him the tears that swam within them. "I do not disgust you?" she whispered.

Erik felt a tug at his heart as she said this. How could she think that? It was then that Erik understood the magnitude of what had been done to her. She couldn't truly believe that he would find her repulsive.

"Oh Christine…" Erik said softly. "Come here my dear," he said, holding out his hand.

Tears still glimmered in her eyes as she went to him and hesitantly took his hand.

"Christine, never say such things, you know that is not true, " he said gently.

She stared into his eyes, a glimmer of hope appearing in her own. "You wish me…to stay?" she asked slowly, trying to see what he was thinking.

Erik could not believe what she was saying. How could she ever doubt the way he felt about her. Nothing could ever change that. "Of course."

Christine let the tears that had been threatening her throughout their encounter fall at last. "Thank you Erik," she said.

They stood in silence for a moment before Christine stepped forward to enfold herself in Erik's protective arms.

Erik did not flinch as she did this, nor did he tense. This felt so right, to cradle her in his arms, to shield her from this terrible hand she had been dealt. He held onto her fiercely. Oh how badly he wanted to revenge what had been done to her, but the man who had caused all of this was already dead. Erik felt a certain remorse over this fact; he would have enjoyed killing him so much more if he had known.

Christine pulled away from him after a few moments, suddenly frightened again. "But Erik, what will we do?"

Erik paused, he did not know, all he knew was that he would not lose Christine over this. He avoided her question, feeling that the response of 'I don't know' wouldn't do any good.

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

"Do you promise that?" she demanded softly.

Erik hesitated, he would never break a promise to her, and this was one he wasn't sure he would be able to keep. "I can't promise that Christine. But I do promise that no one will ever hurt you again. I will always be here to protect you."

He hesitated, but continued, the connection between them giving him strength. "I love you Christine."

She paused.

"I know."

A/N: Ack! Fluff overload! lol

Sorry so short. Please Review! :)

Further Note: There will be a delay with the next chapter…my computer kind of caught fire last night…well not completely, but there was smoke and it was scary and I need to buy a new part for it, lol. So I apologize if your wait is a little longer than usual.