Thanks for the reviews! They make my day!

I tried to address some of the questions I've gotten in this chapter. It seems that my story needed some clarifications. Hopefully, this chapter will sort everything out.

Enjoy!

-Nico


"You should get some rest," Christine told Erik as she quietly re-entered Madame Giry's bedroom.

Erik looked up at her from the desk he was sitting at, scribbling a letter furiously. "Where is Madeline?" He asked her.

"With Meg," Christine replied, moving towards her husband. "She wanted to see another rehearsal; Meg wanted to take her."

Erik finished his note, signing it with a flourish and folding it carefully. He laid the quill over top of the note and stood, motioning for Christine to come into his arms.

She obliged, resting her head against Erik's steady heartbeat. "What are you planning, Erik?" She asked, her voice muffled.

Erik rested his chin atop Christine's head. "Much, actually," he confided. "I had contemplated having you contact the police, but, given my circumstances, I'm not quite ready to have our family the subject of authoritative scrutiny."

Christine nodded slowly. Although she knew her husband was an honorable, kind man, his past suggested otherwise.

And the police would be quick to remind him of that.

"My first order of business is to restore the underground sanctuary to a suitable living place for you, Madeline and myself," he continued. "As quickly as possible."

He moved away from her then, sorting through paperwork on one of Madame Giry's desks. It appeared that while Christine and Madeline had bathed and been outfitted in suitable attire, Erik had been busy.

"I will need your help, Christine," Erik informed her. "You must go into town."

Christine nodded.

"Madame Giry has already procured a large carriage for your use today, and has given Meg permission to accompany you." He handed her the note he had just completed. "You are to meet with my accountant."

"You mean Xavier?" Christine asked, taking the note from him. Erik nodded.

"Yes. He will be expecting you. He will accompany you today as well, as the rest of your errands will involve purchases. As you already know, Xavier is a confident. I trust him implicitly."

Christine smiled. She liked Xavier. Apparently, he had befriended Erik not long after the fire that almost destroyed the opera house seven years ago.

He was an honest, good man that maintained Erik's finances perfectly, and was compensated generously.

"I have compiled a detailed list of provisions within this letter," Erik continued. "Some you shall take with you in the carriage and bring back to the Opera House, some will be delivered. Remind Xavier that money is no object when it comes to the delivered items, some of which will be quite large."

Christine nodded, thankful that Erik had managed to squirrel away a great fortune while living within the Opera Populaire.

"This is important, Christine," Erik said. "Meg is not accompanying you simply for comfort. I have spoken with Madame Giry. Meg shall sign for any purchase that is to be delivered to the Opera Populaire, Xavier for the rest. At no time shall you place your name to paper," he instructed. "No record of you, myself, or Madeline will be made available to the public."

"Alright," Christine agreed, constantly amazed by her husband's intelligence; his ability to solve almost any problem. "Erik," she said quietly, "What about..."

She couldn't bring herself to speak Raoul's name.

Erik nodded. "I assume he believes us to be dead," he said, his voice cold. "Which may be for the best. I also assume that he has not carried out all the facets of his plan. From what you've told me about his association with Madame Giry and his continued patronage to the Opera Populaire, it is almost certain we shall be closer to him than I would like."

Goosebumps rose on Christine's skin. She shivered.

Erik noticed and stood before her, rubbing the cold from her arms.

"However, I take solace in the fact that I am in a place that I could manipulate with my eyes closed," he continued, his voice encouraging. "And if you remember, the last time he made it as far as the lair, it almost cost him his life," he added softly.

Christine remained silent and her heart wrenched as she remembered rowing away with Raoul that night so long ago.

"While we are here, I shall work as quickly as possible to relocate us to a suitable home," Erik continued.

"Relocate?" Christine asked.

"If he knew where we were, others would soon discover us. We must move; away from here, possibly even out of France altogether," he added.

"Leave France?" Christine whispered; the idea hadn't even occurred to her.

Erik pulled her into his arms once more, tipping her mouth to his. He kissed her deeply, tasting her for several minutes. He pulled away, smiling as she opened her eyes slowly, her breathing altered.

"I feel like I just agreed to something," she whispered, smiling back at him. "How is it that you still have this power over me?"

"It's a gift," he replied.

Suddenly the door to Madame Giry's bedroom flung open. Madeline hurried in, Meg following, laughing at the child.

"Madeline! What are you wearing?" Christine asked. Madeline placed her hands on her hips, spinning around. A too-large tutu had been fastened to her waist, a bright pink-feathered boa draped around her shoulders.

A smear of red lipstick was on her tiny lips.

"Look!" Madeline said, smiling widely. "I'm the star! I'm Carlodda!"

"Heaven forbid!" Meg exclaimed. "Maddy, show your parents what I taught you."

Madeline nodded, moving her tiny feet into first position. She took a deep breath and began to sing in a soft, surprisingly on-pitch tone.

"Think of me, think of me fondly, when we say bye-bye! Remember me once in a while, please...please..." She stopped, biting her lip and looking at Meg.

"Please promise me you'll try," Christine said, her voice tight in her throat.

Madeline smiled. "Meggie said you'd remember that song! Now we can sing together, Mama!"

Christine stooped down, wiping the lipstick from her daughter's mouth. "Yes we can," she said. "Although I will ask that you wait to wear lipstick for at least a few more years."

"Al-right," Madeline relented, hurrying over to the mirror to be certain that she still looked wonderful, even without the lipstick.

"I'm sorry, Christine, she begged me," Meg said, smiling, although her eyes had been on Erik the entire time. "I love her already."

"It's alright," Christine said, seeing the nervousness in Meg's eyes.

It suddenly dawned on her that Meg had never met Erik before.

"Meg," Christine said softly, extending her hand to her friend. "Please allow me to introduce you to my husband, Erik."

Meg's eyes were wide as she looked at the large man before her. She dropped into a curtsey.

"Please, Mademoiselle," Erik said, nervousness in his voice as well. "You are practically family."

Christine beamed at her husband.

He took Meg's hand and lay a light kiss on the back. "I am pleased to finally meet you. I apologize for Christine's long absence from you."

Meg smiled, her fear immediately dissipating. This was not the Phantom of the Opera she had painted in her mind. "I understand, Sir," she said. "You've made her very happy."

"I hope so," Erik replied.

Meg looked to Christine. "Are you ready to leave, Christine? The carriage is being drawn as we speak."

Christine nodded, pulling the cloak Madame Giry had given her from the small closet she had been allotted. "Shall I bring Madeline?" She asked Erik.

"No, Madeline will stay here with Madame Giry," Erik replied. "She is looking forward to spending some time with her."

"Where are you going, Mama?" Madeline asked, pushing her way in the middle of the adults.

"Into town, just for a little while," she told her daughter. "I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time with Madame Giry."

"Are you going too, Papa?" Madeline asked.

"No, child. I'll be close by," he replied.

Seemingly satisfied with the answers she received, Madeline nodded. "Does your Mama have chocolates?" She asked Meg.

"Chocolates? She might..." Meg replied. "Why do you ask?"

Madeline looked at her parents. " I was supposed to get chocolates before I came here," she informed Meg.

Christine's stomach rolled as she realized who was supposed to give her daughter those chocolates.

"You'll have to ask my Mother," Meg told her. "But I have iton good authority that she has a secret candy stash somewhere," she added in a whisper. "Come, I'll bring you to her while your Mama gets ready."

Madeline's eyes lit up as she grabbed Meg's hand. "Bye-bye, Mama! Bring me back a present!"

Christine shook her head as she watched the pair leave. She turned to Erik.

"Be careful," Erik instructed, his face serious. "You must return to me."

Christine wrapped her arms around his neck. "Always," she replied, kissing him.


Raoul's heart was slamming against his chest.

"Driver!" He yelled through the open window of his elaborate carriage. "Get me closer to the entrance of the Opera Populaire!"

The driver obeyed, moving the carriage slowly.

Darkness invaded Raoul's heart as he watched the woman following Meg Giry to the large awaiting carriage.

Although her hood was partially obscuring her face, Raoul could recognize her from the sway in her walk, the curve of her lip, the shape of her body.

Christine.

His fist landed fiercely on his own leg in frustration.

She lived.