Chapter Four

"Where did you ever come across this house?" Christine asked as she sipped her tea. She glanced at her husband, watching for any signs of needing to change the subject and when he gave none, she turned back to Madeleine.

The elder woman's smile was sad at this. "Charles – my husband – and I came here to visit Marie and I saw this old place. I fell in love with it. It had a… romantic look to it and I couldn't resist it. In turn, Charles couldn't resist anything to please me. He spoiled me terribly."

"It's beautiful," Christine said sincerely.

"Nonsense," Madeleine answered almost snappishly. "It's grown up and over long since and would be hardly worth a cent if I were to have to sell it."

Christine blinked in surprise at the grey haired woman's outburst of irritation. Silence poured out around them and the only audible sound was the clinking of china cups on the saucers. Finally the young soprano looked up to her husband at her side. "Will you show me the church later on? You told me once that it had a beautiful pipe organ."

"I don't believe that would be wise," Madeleine responded for her son.

Erik clenched one fist against his knee where it rested. "If she wishes to see it I have nothing I'd rather do than show it to her," he all but growled.

His mother's face turned dark with irritation. "At midnight?" she asked sarcastically.

"Why should we be contained in this house? I am no child anymore, Mother." His voice was cold and he stood slowly as he spoke, causing Christine to grab hastily for his hand, clinging to it. She didn't know what he was doing. If he meant to move closer to Madeleine, she wished to pull him back, but if he meant to leave, she wished to be there with him. Either way, she wanted her hand in his when his next action took place.

Madeleine straitened her shoulders, ignoring a soft protest from Marie at her side. "You are under by roof, Erik, need I remind you?"

"And you invited us here of your own accord!"

"The boys have grown to men, Erik, and they remember perfectly well. Do not be a complete fool."

The Phantom tensed at her words and his glare became nearly unbearable. "I do believe we're done here," he growled and started for the stairs. Christine followed him without a word, her hand still gripping his.

"How dare she?" Erik spat as he stormed the small attic room. His eyes seemed to glow in the dimming light.

"I'm sorry," his wife murmured. "I shouldn't have asked…"

"No, please do! I will show you the pipe organs, be it in the dead of night or under the burning sun! I will not hide for her sake."

Christine studied the floor for a moment before turning her eyes up to him again. "What boys?"

He stopped, eyes questioning.

"Your mother said, 'the boys have grown to men.' What did she mean?"

Erik sighed, sitting heavily on the bed. Christine moved to sit with him, her small hand against his arm. "We had a dog, Sasha, and some boys were after her." His voice was low and sad as he spoke, eyes never meeting his wife's. "I went out to take her back inside… away from them. The scar here-" his fingers barely met his shirt that covered the long scar along his rib cage that Christine had seen before – "a knife wound."

Tears welled in the young woman's eyes and she clung to her husband as if he might disappear before her eyes. "Perhaps we should not…"

"I'm weary of hiding," he murmured into her thick curls, kissing her head. "I cannot bare to keep you in darkness forever."

Christine shook her head widely, eyes frantic. The strong woman that she had become the last few months seemed to melt suddenly into the frightened and wandering child, longing for guidance, that Erik had first met from his place behind her mirror. "If you are there it's alright. As long as you are there. If I were to ever loose you the darkness would not be beautiful. It would be cold… Unfeeling..."

He watched her as she clung once again to him, tears streaming silently down her face. "Perhaps tonight, before we leave?"

"You wish to wait that long?"

"No," he admitted. "But if we left now we would be seen there."

A knock at the door cut Christine's next words off and they looked to see Marie peeking in. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just wanted to make sure…. I wanted to know… I'm sorry."

A smile tugged at Erik's lips, despite the circumstances. "It's alright."

"No," she murmured, shaking her head. "She has no right to keep you locked away as she did so many years ago. She has no right. I thought she was going to be different… When she saw you in the de Chagny house, it was."

"It was not this place."

"That's true, but that does not give her any excuse."

"I wasn't giving her one."

It was Marie's turn to smile a little. "Will you both leave?"

"What choice do I have?" Erik muttered. "I will not be a slave in this house. Of her. I will not be made the fool again."

Tears brimmed Marie's eyes. "Might I beg you to sit with her a bit longer, Erik?"

"A moment ago you were telling me how you saw what her actions were!"

"I do see!" she whimpered, frightened by the low tone of his voice. "It's just… You didn't see her all those years, Erik. After you left, all she could speak of was you. She'd go to your room for hours and I'd find her with a piece of mirror in her hand or your old violin. She'd sit at the piano until I nearly drug her away from it. She'd stare at your compositions, Erik, did you know that?"

"Why would she?" the Phantom spat.

"Madeleine was a child then too. She was only seventeen when you were born, did you know? She's grown up, but… She's still Madeleine and she will have to work through what she learned. She didn't realize what she'd done."

Erik's eyes burned with anger. "How could she not?"

"People are blind to what they don't want to see! Erik, dear… Go speak with her? If it does not turn out well, I will let the two of you return without another word."

The Phantom frowned deeply, eyes studying the crying woman before him. "Very well," he muttered. "It would be a waste if we were here a day, would it not?"

Christine stood from her place, eyes locking with her husband's. "Do you wish me to come?"

"This… is something I need to do myself," Erik murmured. He watched as her eyes dropped to the floor and her shoulders sagged. Did she long to be by his side so much? He smiled a bit and tipped her chin up with his finger, causing her to look at him. "But… to have you here when I return would be more than I dare to ask."

A smile brightened her face. "You wouldn't need to ask," she assured him. "I'll be right here waiting for you."

He nodded, turned, and left the two woman standing alone in the room.

LostS: Privacy… Hmm… I've been rather spoiled with it. I suppose God knew what He was doing when He didn't give me any siblings lol! (even though sometimes I still wish I had one) I have a fit when anyone invades my VERY large space bubble hehe.

Eleanor J: I like Ayesha:) My cat's nearly as spoiled as her, but not nearly as nice! My poor kitty doesn't like anyone unless she so feels inclined. Lol.

Lizzie Black: Thanks muchly

FreakinIdiot06: Yeah, poor Erik. It's okay, you're late on reviewing, I'm late on updating… it all works out.

Lynx Ryder: My cat thinks she's a dog… She growls at people. It's really funny! Haha! Glad you enjoyed the chapter! Phan girls seem to like angst more than even the average fanfiction reader… :grins: I fit in with this fandom! Yay!

AliciaRoseM: Thank you:blushes: