A/N: The end of this chapter there is a dedication to Crossfade (the band) whose lyrics I have kind of adapted because I just think 'Cold' is so fitting for this chapter.

Chapter 29- Cold

Christine opened her eyes slowly and realised that there was light pouring in through the gap in the curtain. She leapt out of bed and pulled the curtain aside, it was daytime. She turned around and studied the room, to her disappointment, there was no Erik. She wasn't sure if she was furious or heartbroken that he had gone without her, leaving her alone in this room. Trapped within its walls because she had no idea where she was.

She soon decided that she was both heartbroken and angry.

She slumped back onto the bed, holding her face in her hands, shaking her head slowly. She was in a town somewhere north of London and she didn't know how to get back or even get around the town. She wanted to know where he was and what he had been thinking, she could barely believe that he wasn't there.

Paul and Thomas pulled up at the first Inn they found at the next town, it was a small house and the gentleman behind the counter seemed the jolly type. They were both suffering from lack of sleep, neither one of them had slept properly in two days and it was started to wear them both down. They needed to rest and this seemed like as good a place as any.

Paul slumped in the chair in the lobby and Thomas wandered over to the man behind the counter who smiled so brightly he forced a smile out of Thomas.

'Hello,' said Thomas, looking tired. 'We need a room for today and tonight.'

'Two rooms or a room with two beds sirs?' the man asked with a smile. Thomas glanced at Paul and shrugged.

'Two beds in one room will do.' He said with a nod. 'I doubt we will be here tonight anyway.'

'Very well Sir.'

Thomas took the key from him and paid him with a smile as Paul began to make his way along the corridor to their room. Thomas followed then stopped abruptly and turned to face the man at the counter.

'One more thing,' he shouted back. 'Have you had any new guests over the last couple of nights?'

'I always have new guests, you'll have to be more specific.' He replied.

'A man and a woman,' Paul said. 'The man would be wearing a white mask.'

The door clicked open and Erik stepped in, looking sheepish, with a bag under his arm. Christine scowled at him from the bed, the anger and hurt bubbling under her skin but she was secretly glad he had returned.

'Where have you been?' she asked with a harsh tone painting the colour of her voice. He looked at her and dug his hand into the bag then he handed her a piece of thick crusty bread. She took it from him and sunk her teeth into it, her mouth revelling in its flavour, her taste buds dancing at the prospect of food.

'Getting breakfast,' he said and sat in his seat, taking out a chunk of bread for himself. He ate his slowly, swallowing carefully, savouring its taste on his tongue. How long had it been since he had eaten? She held the bread in her hand for a moment, staring at him in front of her. He didn't flinch and the anger she had felt was non existent now, he had brought food and by the look in his eyes, he had brought news.

'What happened?' She asked and he allowed a smile to form across his lips.

'After you had fallen to sleep I must have too.' He said and bit off another large chunk of bread, chewed it slowly, before swallowing it down. 'I slept longer than I'd meant to.'

'So?' She asked. He stood up and wandered to the window where the curtain was still half open from earlier.

'You panicked.' He said simply, closing the curtain and turning his back to the window so that he was facing Christine.

'Excuse me?' she said.

'When you saw that I wasn't here.' He said without expression. 'You panicked.'

'No I didn't'

'Oh no?' he said as a smirk spread over his mouth.

'No!' she said, adamantly. He glanced back over his shoulder and looked at the window before glancing back at Christine and taking another mouthful of bread.

'Why was the curtain open then?' he asked, it seemed a reasonable question to him but obviously not to Christine as she sprung from her seat.

'What did you expect me to do?' she said, at him rather than to him.

'I expected to be back before you woke up.' He said, plainly.

'Why did you leave me?' she said, feeling a lump rising in her throat. 'Why did you leave me alone? You left me on my own!' Her eyes began to sting. 'I don't know where I am and you just went out without telling me, I thought you had gone. I thought you had left me alone!'

Erik's temper flared at the sight of her snivelling in disgusting self pity. He scowled at her and dropped his bread to the floor beside him, stepping over to her and grabbing both of her arms. He glared down at her, eyes burning into hers. The tears stayed clinging to her iris as the hurt took over her body, making her freeze in his hands.

'So now you know how it feels, Christine!' he spat. 'Now you know what it's like to feel like there is no one in the world who will protect you, be with you, care for you.' He growled in her face, watching her eyes blink open and shut at his wrath. 'You understand how it feels to be without a friend in the world, without love and sanctuary. Without hope!'

She knew what he was talking about, she did understand but she couldn't move.

'You…' she began, stuttering. 'Y…you… told… me to… leave.'

'I never really wanted you to go!' he said, his grip tightening on her arms. 'I didn't want you to leave!' he shook his head, his voice slowed. 'There were so many things you should have known!'

'Erik!' she said, his name puncturing the air like a knife.

'I loved you!' he said, fighting back tears as he looked into her eyes, so big, so brown. So sorry. 'I wanted you to stay!'

She was lost, her words were stuck in her throat. What could she say to this man? This man that she ruined with her youth and her naivety.

'I never wanted you to see the side of me that stays locked in so deep, the one that I try to keep buried. I didn't want you to see my temper, my hate, my horror. ' He looked at her, slowly his grip loosened but he didn't let go.

'Sometimes… you were cruel.' She said, allowing the tears to flow down her cheeks.

'I know…' he said and nodded. 'I'm sorry.' He whispered as she looked at his face, into his eyes. 'I'm sorry for the lies. I always thought that if you saw me in a different light, if I could keep you for long enough, you could see me stand on my own.'

He bowed his head, letting go of her arms, and stared at his feet.

'You can't keep people…' she said but her tone was soft, her tears still wetting her face, flowing so hard she couldn't stop them.

'I know… I know now.' He said and rubbed his face. 'I'm sorry… I just… I love you… I just didn't… I don't… the … what I meant to say is I'm sorry for the way I am. Or was. I don't mean to be so cold.'

Christine stared at him. Unable to speak she reached her arms out and slid them around his body holding him close. Her arms around him felt like paradise, it felt like safety and he didn't want her to let go. He wasn't sure how it had gotten to this point, to the point where her arms were locked around him and his around her. He didn't know where it had come from but he knew that it felt good, at least for now. She squeezed him tightly to her and rubbed the base of his back gently.

'It's okay,' she whispered, placing her lips gently on his ear. 'I'm sorry too.'