Title: Muse
Author: kire evoli
Pairing: ErikChristine (because Raoul thinks hes soooo cool. )
Rating: PG-13 –R (slowly but surely, its getting there..)
Disclaimer: Sadly, and how ever much my little heart may break everytime I say this, I do not own 'The Phantom of the Opera' or Erik or Christine or anyone else...-- sigh If only I did...
Warning: Raoul-bashing, abnormally cranky Raoul. I don't really fancy the Vicomte so it may look like he's going to get some love but bah.
Genre: Romance/Drama
Summary: Raoul goes mad when he finds out that Christine, his fiancé, still yearns for the love of her phantom. Takes place a few days after the happenings in the labyrinth.
Author's Notes: Okay, I KNOW what you were all hoping for but I'm sorry! It's not in this chapter! I know I know, I'm evil. Buuut, I can promise you that your delicious rated R scene will be in later chapters. Honest promise! So do not fear! I mean, this chapter's still got some goodies, more sentimental stuff I guess. Don't get mad though, it'll come eventually. You'll just have to keep reading!

Muse: Chapter Seven

The light sprinkled in through the space between the closed curtains, shining its rays upon the two figures in the bed. Christine opened her eyes only to squint them from the sun. The light was too bright and she sunk her head lower for Erik's sleeping body to shade her eyes. He looked peaceful when he slept and she wondered what he was dreaming about. So often he had probably dreamt of her, of a life with her, and now that he had it she was curious as to whether he still was. She didn't remember if she dreamed, her mind was clouded by the indescribable rapture that she was feeling. She looked down at herself, her nightdress was still on, barely but she was still wearing it. Had they not done anything? She wondered, not really able to remember. Perhaps they had realized that the Vicomte was still downstairs and decided to stop. Or maybe it was Erik's wound. Had it pained him that much? She looked down at his shallow lesion, it seemed to be healing pretty well for only one night. Her heart lightened at the fact that he really was going to be okay and she found herself smiling again. She ran a hand over his well rounded shoulder, loving the feeling of his bare skin beneath her fingers. After a moment of dancing there, they trailed up to his face, where they rested on his mask. He had worn it all night, surely that had to be uncomfortable. The tips of her fingers lightly tapped the edge of his mask while she contemplated.

Erik sighed deeply, obviously still consumed by sleep. It was ages since his last peaceful sleep and even though there was a chance of the Vicomte awakening he took full advantage of it.

Christine knew he probably hadn't slept this well in years but she wondered if removing his mask would really wake him. After all, she was wearing his ring, only his ring. He couldn't be mad at her for removing it this time. It wasn't to humiliate him, it wasn't to scare anyone, but it was for comfort, for her. He thought his face frightened her so much that he'd even sleep in it. What she had said those days back was completely true. She wasn't the least bit afraid of his face, yet, he still tried to hide it. Her fingers clenched the edge of the mask tightly, and she could feel the roughness of disfigured flesh against them as her hand trembled, unsure of whether he'd be angry or not. He couldn't be angry she figured and without any more hesitation she lifted the mask from his face and reached back to set it on the nightstand. She smiled, he was still asleep, it couldn't have bothered him that much. With her courage still growing from the success of her first mission she placed her hand on the usually secret side of his face and waited for some type of reaction.

Erik awoke slowly, his eyes needing a moment to adjust to the scenery. He smiled at Christine for a moment before he realized which side of his face was visible and that her hand was on it, maskless. He shot up in the bed, his eyes staring at her sorrowfully. "Where is it?!" He yelled, his voice showing a hint of nervousness. He was afraid to let her seem him like this again.

"Erik!" She sat up in the bed and reached out for his cowering body. "I'm not afraid of you Erik! Stop thinking that I am!" Her hands finally caught his face where she wrapped her arms around his head and held it close against her bosom. "Erik, you're beautiful. You don't have to hide yourself from me." She ran her hands over his head and through his hair, allowing him to hold her tighter and nuzzle his face a bit further under her neck. "Don't be ashamed of your appearance, especially not around me. If I feared you, why would I have returned to you? I would have thrown away your ring and your love just as easily as you said it to me. None of this would have happened and Raoul wouldn't be unconscious downstairs." She gasped suddenly. "Raoul!"

The two got out of the bed and managed to get redressed, Christine finding a new cleaned shirt and vest for Erik to wear. Before leaving the room she picked up the mask and handed it to him. "You can wear it, but promise me that you won't ever wear it to bed again."

Erik took the mask and placed it back on his face. "If that is what you really want Christine."

She nodded as she headed out of the room. "You shouldn't have to worry about whether your fiancé is afraid of you or not." She laughed a little hoping that he would smile at her benevolent humor. Quickly, her smile disappeared as she reentered the room where the brawl had taken place the night before. The blood defiled letter opener and the candelabra were as they left them but the vicomte was nowhere in sight.

"Where did he go?" Erik said slowly, his vicious tone coming back.

Christine wondered why Raoul had not gone after them that night. Surely they both would have been vulnerable against his madness but he never even tried to break open the door. Now he was gone. "Where could he have fled to?"

Erik walked forward. "That stable boy. If he could tell where you went, he could tell where he went." He took Christine's hand and led her out of the manor towards the stable.

"Where is Raoul?" She asked the boy who was grooming one of the bay hackneys.

"I don't know miss." He answered staring at Erik, his eyes almost afraid to leave the sight of him.

"Of course you have to know!" She pressed, thinking that Raoul had told the boy to keep quiet.

"Honestly miss! I have no idea!" He put down the brush and backed up nervously. "He was muttering something about the opera house but I don't know what! I tried not to listen. He seemed furious and I figured that if I stayed out of his way, I wouldn't get fired."

"Get the horses and get that carriage ready." She said pointing to the carriage that the two had 'borrowed' from the man in the city. "We need to get to the opera house."

"Yes, miss." The boy said nodding his head as he went off to get the horses ready for travel.

"Why would Raoul want to go to the opera house?" Christine asked turning to Erik who was just as confused as she was.

"I don't know. Obviously for something. If he was just after us he would have attacked us last night."

Christine looked down at her locket, even though it was a gift from Raoul she still wore it. To her the meaning and value was that of her father not of him. She popped it open and stared at the picture for a few moments. As she stared her mind inquired as to why Raoul would be at the opera house. There wasn't anything there for him to get revenge on, unless, "Meg!" She screeched out. "Erik! Perhaps Raoul is after Meg!"

"Hmm?" Erik stared questioningly. "Why?"

"He'll hold her hostage to get me back! He wouldn't dare go after you again! But Meg, she wouldn't be able to protect herself from his insanity. I know it! He'll probably threaten to kill her unless I go back to him! I can't let that happen. I won't let her die to him! Erik, we have to go after him." She embraced him, the thought of her best friend being murdered by Raoul and his lunacy worrying her to tears.

"Don't worry. He won't harm her until we get there. He needs to threaten her in front of you." He said reassuring her of Meg's safety.

The boy soon came out of the stable, the horses and carriage ready. "You wish to go to the Populaire right miss?"

"Yes." She nodded as Erik helped her into the back and then seated himself next to her. She rested her head on his shoulder for comfort. Being close to him was all she needed to feel safe from the world. She knew he'd protect her from anything and if protecting her meant saving her best friend too, she knew he'd do it, for her. Not because he felt anything towards the young ballet girl, not because it was morally right to save her but for Christine. Because he knew it would make her happy. She smiled as he put his arm around her, she knew Raoul wouldn't get away with what he had done.