Chapter 29

A couple of weeks passed peacefully. And then the phone rang on Thursday evening, whilst we were in the library. Erik went to answer it, leaving me to put my book away. I picked up Ayesha and went to see who was on the phone. But I paused as I heard Erik's angry voice, hissing down the phone.

"No! You can't come here! Because I said no."

I frowned and looked in. Erik had his back to me.

"I said no. Now stay away." He slammed the receiver down.

"Who was that?" I asked. He jumped and turned to me.

"When did you…?"

"About two seconds ago. Who was it?"

"Nobody."

"You sound awfully annoyed at nobody." I pointed out. Erik ground his teeth and I put my hands up in surrender.

"OK, OK… None of my business. Got it."

He softened slightly and reached for me. Burying his face in my hair he murmured,

"It was just someone I used to know."

"Is everything alright?" I asked, running my hands through his thick, smooth hair as he nuzzled my neck.

"It's fine… really…"

I giggled slightly as he tickled my neck. He smirked and kissed me. But a small meow stopped us gong further. I glanced down at Ayesha who was looking up at us imploringly. I smiled at her and then looked up at Erik.

"Hey, when did we become one of those couples whose lives revolve around their cat?" he smiled and said,

"I suggest you put her to bed."

"Do you now?" I said, smiling.

"Yes, I do." He said, moving to kiss me again. Another meow and I looked down at Ayesha.

"OK, you're cute but if you keep interrupting like that you're going to get in trouble."

I scooped her up and carried her down to the kitchen.

"See, I'm quite patient, generally. But Erik isn't as won over by you as I am. So we've got to be careful around him." I told her, tucking her into her basket. She curled up happily enough, snuggling into the blankets. I smiled at her cuteness and switched the light off, moving up the stairs to the entrance hall. Erik was tapping in the security code, making sure the gates were locked for the night. I smiled at him.

"All done?"

"All done." He agreed. And before I could move he had swept me off my feet. Quite literally, carrying me up the stairs. I laughed, putting my arms around his neck.

"You're such an old-fashioned romantic." I told him as he carried me.

"I had an old-fashioned upbringing."

"And the romance?" I enquired

"An effect of your presence." He assured me.

Who can resist a romantic like that?

I had class the next day, and went shopping afterwards. I was stood at the checkout of the supermarket and saw someone from school was working at the till. I smiled at her.

"Hey Kirstie."

"Hi Christine. How's it going?" she asked cheerfully. I smiled.

"It's good. You?"

"I'm having the time of my life with a barcode reader." She said, waving it at me. I laughed and saw that there was someone queuing behind me. He looked foreign, maybe from India or somewhere like that. He was dressed in simple enough clothes, but for some reason he looked very out of place. I handed my card over to Kirstie, who swiped it through the till.

"Got enough food here?" She asked, eyeing the box. I laughed.

"I hate shopping, Kirstie. I just stock up for me and Erik and then try to avoid the whole experience for as long as possible."

Kirstie laughed and gave me a receipt and pen. I signed my name and handed it to her. As I did so, I noticed the man behind me staring at me. Wow. Apparently this guy hadn't heard of personal space boundaries. I edged away slightly, taking my card from Kirstie.

"I'll see you later, Kirstie."

"Bye Christine." She said, taking the newspaper from the man and tapping a price into the computer.

Once the food was securely strapped to my bike, I pulled on my helmet and turned the key in the ignition. As I did so, I saw the man emerge from the supermarket. He was looking around and he caught sight of me. More staring. I rolled my eyes and rode away.

I reached the gates of the Manor and started to tap in the code. But as I did so a car pulled up behind me. I stared at then groaned.

"For god's sake, what is he, a stalker?" I cried. The man climbed out and started towards me. I pulled my helmet off and looked at him.

"OK, why are you following me?"

"What's your name?" he asked me quickly. I blinked.

"Christine… who are you?"

"Is this Erik Lavonne's home?"

"Yes. And my home."

"You live here?" he looked surprised. I nodded.

"Yes. Now, who are you and why are you here?"

"I'm an old friend of Erik's." He said simply.

"Are you the guy who called last night?"

"Yes!" he said, smiling.

"The one Erik told not to come."

"Well… yes." He agreed, his smile fading somewhat. I hesitated and then said,

"I guess you should come in."

I opened the gates and we drove to the front door. I opened it and let us in, carrying the box of food under my arm.

"Erik? Are you here?" I called. There was no reply. I shrugged.

"He might be sleeping. He didn't get a lot of sleep last night." I told the man. He was looking around the entrance hall.

"What's your name?" I asked, shifting the box. It was quite heavy.

"Nadir Khan. Here, let me help you." He took the box and I smiled.

"Thanks. You can put it in the kitchen, and I'll find Erik. Are you staying in town?"

"Yes, the Lodge Hotel."

"Oh, in the town centre?" He nodded.

But as we went down into the kitchen, I found Erik was already there, sipping a cup of coffee and reading the paper. He looked up and smiled as I came in.

"How was class?"

But before I could reply, he saw Nadir. The coffee cup slammed down on the table, spilling the liquid over the newspaper. Nadir put the box down and looked around.

"This is a great house, Erik."

"I told you not to come here!" Erik spat, furiously. I had never seen him so angry. Nadir looked at him frankly.

"Erik, I've been looking for you for weeks now. You just disappeared from London, no sign of you. I got back from Persia, went to the shelter, your apartment, I even went to your mother's house but you were gone! For god's sake, I was worried out of my mind." He told him.

I jumped as Erik knocked the cup from the table. It shattered on the stone floor. Ayesha yowled, darting for the cupboard.

"Erik-" I started but he interrupted me.

"Go upstairs, Christine."

"But-"

"Now!" he shouted.

I stared at him. He had both hands flat on the table, leaning on it heavily. His breath was harsh and he was glaring at Nadir. I didn't move and he shouted,

"God damn it, Christine, get out!"

I ran, slamming the door shut behind me. Tears threatened but I didn't let them fall. I shook though. My hands trembled, and there was a lump in my throat. I had never seen him that way before. I hadn't known that he was capable of that kind of anger.

…went to your mother's house…

Erik's mother? Was she alive? I didn't know, and I wasn't about to ask Erik for details. I could hear him shouting, arguing with Nadir, but couldn't hear the words clearly. I sink onto the bottom step of the staircase, staring at the door. I chew on my nail, without realising I'm doing it.

He had scared me. I didn't understand it. How could he have turned from the romantic man who had carried me to bed last night to shouting, furious creature like that? It didn't seem possible. But then, I had always thought of my father as soft-spoken man and he had proved me wrong.

It was about ten minutes later when the shouting stopped. I stood as the door opened and Nadir came out. He glanced at me, made as if to speak, and then closed his mouth, shook his head and went to the door. I went down the steps to the kitchen.

Erik was slumped at the table, his head in his hands. I swallowed hard.

"Erik?"

He made no sign that he had heard me. I didn't move closer and wrapped my arms around myself, trying to comfort myself.

"Has he gone?" his voice was hoarse. Ten minutes of continuous shouting will do that to you. I replied,

"Yes. He's gone."

It was then that I realised that he was crying. I wanted to comfort him. But I couldn't bring myself to move. I waited for him to talk. He didn't. I bent and started to pick up the shards of the coffee cup. He didn't lift his head from his hands. I mopped the coffee up and winced as a shard of pottery sliced into my hand. I had missed a piece.

I went to the sink and rinsed the blood away. Then I held my hand close to my face as I tried to work the fragment from the cut. And then Erik turned me gently, taking my hand and carefully removing the piece. He held the cut under the water again and pressed a paper towel to it, drying it carefully.

All without a word.

I didn't speak. The silence was too fragile. Erik found a sticking plaster and put it over the cut. And then he lifted my hand to his lips, kissing it gently. The tears were still wet on his cheeks. I reached up and brushed them away clumsily. He clasped that hand too, pressing it to his unmasked cheek. I reached up on tiptoe and pressed my forehead against his.

Not a word.

Our lips met, brushing clumsily. None of the passion or heartfelt love of our previous kisses. Just simple needing. I needed him and he needed me. Nothing more than that and nothing less.

Just being there was enough.

A while later, we lay in Erik's bed. Still not a word had passed between us. His face was calm and his eyes soft. I stroked his hair gently, loving the feel of his soft hair through my fingers. He smiled slightly, pulling me close to him. I pressed my face against his chest, sharing his warmth. His arms snaked around me and he sighed deeply into my hair.

I didn't speak. I traced a pattern on his arm with the tip of my finger and then asked quietly,

"Will you tell me about Nadir?" he tensed slightly and then sighed again.

"I knew him when I was living in London, while Don Juan Triumphant was being prepared. He was a friend."

"What happened?"

"He was with me when the Opera House burned down. He had to go to Persia, but he told me that when I got back he would help me get another Opera performed. He was in Persia for several years. While he was there I came here. I didn't tell him that I'd gone."

"Why not?"

He shook his head.

"I wanted to forget everything that had happened. I wanted to escape it all and I knew that Nadir would only bring the past back to haunt me."

"But you were so angry at him…" I said. Erik swallowed.

"I didn't want him to come here."

"Why not?" I asked. Erik took some time in replying.

"I didn't want him to see you."

I pulled away sharply, looking at him.

"What? Why?" He sat up and reached for me, but I wouldn't let him take me back just yet.

"Christine, it's not because of you. It's because of him."

"Well, I'm so glad you cleared that up for me!" I said crossly. Erik shook his head.

"Don't get me wrong, Christine. Nadir was my only friend in London, but that was a part of my life that I had left behind. His coming here… I have a lot of ghosts in my past. I don't want you to know about them."

"Why not? Why can't you tell me?" I asked, still furious at him. Erik looked me in the eye.

"I've done many things that I'm not proud of. Too many. Things that… that would make you look at me differently."

That made me snap. I threw the covers back and climbed out of bed. Erik stared at me.

"Christine?"

"Don't give me that bullshit, Erik!" I said furiously, picking up my clothes and starting to pull them on.

"What's wrong?" he said, sounding confused. I glared at him.

"You! Why are you so paranoid?"

"Paranoid?"

"Yes, paranoid! Why can't you tell me? You know everything about me. There's nothing that I've hidden from you, but the moment I try to find out about you, you just clam up!"

"Christine, there are circumstances-"

"There are always circumstances, Erik! You don't have to be mysterious. Why do you think I'm here? Because I love you, and I trust you. But clearly you don't trust me!"

"Of course I trust you!"

"Then tell me!" I cried, exasperated.

Erik stared at me, swallowed and then closed his eyes. I looked at him for a moment and then turned, leaving the bedroom.

I took a ride on my motorbike, going over the scene in my head. Maybe I had been a little rash, a little harsh on him. But I couldn't understand why he wouldn't tell me. What could he have possibly done that he thought would make me run?

I went to the only other person who knew. I turned my bike around and headed for the Lodge Hotel.

A/N: Enter Nadir! I have read Leroux's book. Well, most of it. But I really couldn't understand a lot of it. I'm going to have to try it again, but I think I got some of it at least. Anyway, since this is an AU I can pretty much do what I want with the characters, so Nadir can do what I want. don't you just love fanfiction? I'll also try and work Meg into the next chapter, since so many of you seem to like her!

If you get a chance, check out Kagome1514's new story! It's her first POTO and is highly recommended!