Chapter 6: The Phantom's Release
3 days later
Rousseau received the letter from one of his men. He smiled and then called his men to arms.
" It's time we take that scoundrel and dragging him back to Paris," Rousseau said
He sent forth a letter to the town authorities about the false Comte. He and several men began early the next day.
" Erik, you will not win this," Rousseau thought, " You can not escape Captain Rousseau."
Erik opened the bedroom door and enter very quietly. He removed his dress coat, then undid his, black ascot. He removed the white mask and set it down onto the night stand, by his bedside.
" Erik, is that you?" Meg moaned
Erik turned around and replied, " Yes, it's me."
Meg rubbed her eyes and sat up to look at him. He walked to her as he removed his vest and knelt down into the soft bed. She looked at him and wrapped her arms around him.
" A letter came for you two days ago, while you were out," she said, " It's from Paris."
" Where is this letter?" he asked
" On the foyer table," Meg replied
Erik kissed her and wrapped his arms around her.
" How are you feeling?" he asked, " You said you were feeling ill."
" I feel better, but I still feel sick to my stomach," Meg replied, " But don't worry."
Erik nodded and kissed her head, then went down and grabbed the letter. He opened it and pulled out the letter.
Dear Erik,
Your love for my daughter, is it pure? Have you truly decided that she is the one for you? She seems happier then ever each time she writes. Each time she speaks of you Erik in her letter, your name just seems to be full of excitement. She indeed does love you. You have my blessing Erik to marry my daughter, but do it quickly Erik…Rousseau is wise to your games.
Sincerely,
Madame Giry
Erik folded the letter and nodded.
" Thank you Madame," he said, " I will take her away."
Erik walked back up and entered the room, he removed the satin pouch from his coat pocket, then walked to bed.
" Meg," he whispered
" Hmm?" Meg moaned
He leaned over and kissed her, with the deepest and most passionate kiss ever. She sat up and Erik took her in his arms and then grabbed her hand.
" There is so much in this life Meg," he whispered, " and there's only one more thing to do, to make our love completely ours."
Meg looked at Erik as he opened the pouch and pulled out the diamond ring. She looked at it and gasped, Erik kissed her neck and cheek.
" Marry me Meg, please save this love sick man from his solitude," Erik whispered
" I will marry you Erik, I would never leave your side," she said
Erik slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her.
" Oh, Erik," she whispered
A sudden knock on the large wooden door echoed through out the estate. Erik and Meg looked up and Erik stood up, he opened the door to listen.
" I'm looking for the Comte de Champney," a deep voice said
" He's asleep monsieur," the servant said
" Then wake him," the man barked
The servant nodded and Erik saw the man. He narrowed his eyes and shut the door. Meg looked at him seeing fear enter his eyes.
" They've come?" she asked
Erik opened the window and saw men lined up outside the estate. He looked at Meg and nodded. She got out of bed and grabbed his hand.
" You can't leave me Erik," she whispered
" No, I won't leave you," Erik said, " We're going to get out of here."
The servant knocked on the door and Erik locked it.
" Sir, the Captain is here," she said
" Send him away," Erik ordered
" He won't leave," she said
Erik looked at Meg and wrapped his cloak around her. She shook her head as he stared at her.
" Erik please," she pleaded, " You can't."
" Let me in that room," the captain's voice barked, " Erik I know your in there."
Erik pulled Meg to him and touched her face.
" Never, I won't leave you," Erik whispered
" Then we fight this together," Meg said
Erik nodded and opened the door, the captain seized Erik and Meg went after him.
" Erik!" she cried
" Your under arrest Erik, for kidnapping and murder," the captain said
" Let him go!" Meg cried
Erik was dragged downstairs and then he saw the last person he wanted to see.
" Well, well, look at this," Rousseau said
" Rousseau," Erik growled
" You've made a life for yourself Erik de Champney," Rousseau said, " It wasn't hard to find you Erik, you left a trail of death behind you. My two men dead, so they could not tell me where you were."
Erik was held by two men and he looked at Rousseau as he walked over to Meg.
" Meg Giry, it's good to see you're well," Rousseau said, " And my dear you look like death is ready to claim you."
" Let him go Rousseau," Meg said
Rousseau grabbed her by her wrist and she struggle.
" You loved a beast, over power," Rousseau growled
" You're the beast Rousseau, Erik is the power you could never have," Meg said
" We'll see how much power Erik has, when he's beheaded," Rousseau said, " of course if you wish for his freedom, I can do something."
Erik shook his head and Meg breathed deep.
" If you don't want to save his life Meg, then it will be easy to kill him right now," Rousseau said
" Erik," she whispered
" Don't do anything he says," Erik said
" Shut up you!" the captain shouted
He slapped Erik down to the floor and Rousseau walked over to Erik. Erik looked at Rousseau and spit on him. Rousseau grabbed Erik by his hair and looked at Meg.
" What will your choice be Meg?" Rousseau questioned
" Why make her lie to you?" Erik growled, " Just to save me."
Erik breathed deep and looked at Meg with pleading eyes.
" My love, please Erik," she whispered
" Don't go with him Meg, if you do, then our love was only a Phantom's love, the false being that I was," Erik whispered, " If I die, its for the love in my heart for you."
" What do you want me to do?" she asked
" My dear Meg, your getting smarter each day, but one thing that you haven't notice is my love for you," Rousseau said
Rousseau dropped Erik to the ground and Erik looked at Meg.
" Let me have a moment with him," Meg said
" Let her have that moment, it's the only one she'll get," Rousseau said
The men walked off, but Rousseau stayed by the door. Meg walked to him and dropped to her knees.
" How could you?" Erik whispered, " How could you agree?"
" I haven't agreed to anything Erik," she whispered
He looked at her and Meg touched his face, she kissed him.
" I want to marry you Erik, and I want us to live a happy life," Meg said, " You, me and our baby."
Erik looked at her and questioned, " Our baby?"
Meg nodded and Erik could not believe what her heard. He grabbed her hands into his, they shook with fear and she placed her hands on his.
" I love you Erik, for all my life," she whispered
" I will get out," he said, " Rousseau thinks other wise."
Meg nodded and kissed him and he embraced her.
" We will be happy," Erik whispered
Rousseau looked at them and walked over, he grabbed Erik by his arms and dragged him away.
" Escort my fiancée to the carriage, I'll bring this trash back," Rousseau ordered
Erik's hands were tied and he was forced into a carriage, with little comfort. Rousseau looked at Erik and laughed.
" Your love was wasted on her, you delinquent," Rousseau said
He got up and rode with the coachman, he watched the carriage in front take off.
" Meg Giry, I will make you love me," Rousseau said
2 months later
Erik sat in the corner and looked out the barred window, he saw Meg and Madame Giry walking around. He could now see that Meg was with child a little better.
" Why?" he whispered
" Looks like he's down again," the guards said, " Cheer up Phantom you'll have everything back in no time…expect you woman."
Erik looked at the guards and turned away.
" He's like stray dog," the guards laughed
Meg looked at her mother and lowered her head.
" Erik and I were suppose to be married, now I'm being forced to marry a monster," she said
" Oh, my dear, you gave up one freedom for your beloved's life," Madame Giry said hugged her daughter
" I can't and refuse to marry him," Meg said, " I would rather die an unmarried woman than marry him."
" There's a child on the way, you can't afford that my dear daughter," Madame Giry said
Meg looked at the jail house and sighed. She placed her hand on her stomach and shook her head.
" Oh, Erik," she whispered
That evening Madame Giry made something warm and sat down with Meg. Meg looked at the warm soup and pushed it to the side.
" I'm not feeling well, I'm going to bed," Meg said
" Meg," Madame Giry said
Meg walked to her room and sat down and cried herself to sleep.
" I can't marry him," Meg cried
The next day Erik was given everything back, he looked at the fresh sunlight and cursed it. He heard the church bells from Notre Dame and turned away in bitterness.
" You haven't seen the last of Erik!" he shouted
Erik began to walk as people stared at him, they spit and threw raw vegetables at him.
" Burn in hell monster," they called
Erik continued to walk and not stopping until his aching body made him do so. He fell in the country road and laid there, as the sun tasted his flesh. He fell unconscious and did not move.
Meg stood at the alter and looked at the man to be her husband. His face so perfect and so handsome. Yes, Rousseau was all these things, but he wasn't Erik. She loved Erik and hated Rousseau, but in order to keep Erik alive, she was forced marry him. Tears fell from her face as Rousseau placed the wedding band on her finger. She was in tears by the time she was forced to say vows to him. When the part came to finally kiss the bride, Meg turned her cheek and let him kiss it. They walked down the isle, unhappy and happy, together.
" Now, my new wife, once that devil's child is born; you and I can have our own," he said
" Never will I sleep with another man, the only man I love and will ever love is Erik," Meg said
Rousseau slapped her across the face and she turned away.
" You stupid girl…when will you learn that my say is the law?" Rousseau growled
" Erik is more of a man than you will ever be," Meg said, " He treats me with respect. He's gentle with me and cares for my ideas."
" You are a woman you don't have ideas," Rousseau said
" And you are no more than a man in the Phantom's shadow," she said
She tore off her vale and left him in the streets of Paris.
Erik opened his eye and felt his body resting on a soft bed. He looked around and saw he was in a nice home. The door opened and Erik weakly looked up, seeing a servant, she placed a wash bowl beside his bed.
" Where am I?" Erik whispered
" Your safe Monsieur," she said
She walked off and called for her mistress and her master. Erik sighed and rolled up his tattered sleeves.
" So, your awake Monsieur," a familiar voice said
Erik looked up and saw Christine standing in the door way.
" Christine Daaé ," Erik whispered
Christine walked over as her, pink rose colored, dress flowed behind her. She sat down and reached over to the wash bowl and wrung out a cloth. She gently washed Erik's face and he looked at her like a child.
" You haven't changed Erik," Christine said
" Why did you save me?" he asked, " My life is over."
" It wasn't I who saved you Erik, it was Raoul," Christine said, " He and a servant saw you lying in the road on their way to Paris."
" He had pity on a carcass," Erik whispered
Christine nodded and grabbed Erik's hands, she felt his callused hands and a sudden sadness came over her.
" Erik, you are a free man, what do you want to do with your life?" Christine asked
Erik sat up and shook his head.
" I have to go back to Paris for Meg and my child," Erik said
" Child? You mean you and Meg were married?" Christine asked
" We would have been 2 months ago," Erik said
Christine stood up and looked at Erik, she sighed and shook her head.
" Then you have our support Erik," Christine said, " We're going to help you."
" Why? I've caused you both great pain," Erik asked
" Because we don't dwell in the past," Christine said
Erik lowered his head and Christine lifted his head.
" Erik, your not one to give in so easily so, why not have a powerful alliance," Christine said