There is some sexual violating going on, but I promise it won't be anything to harsh. Erik however ends up with shattered pride for awhile. I'll let you see for yourself. The next chapter is beginning now.

Chapter 55: A Shattered Man

Fletcher stood in the doorway with 4 of his men and Monty, who had a lantern in his hands, standing behind him. Erik stood bringing Christine with him and pushing her behind him. He knew from the look on Fletcher's face what he wanted, but there was no way he would let her be dragged into this. Pierre, Lyle, and Meg looked up from the bed and were soon huddled together in fear for none of them had an idea as to what was going on.

"Where is the rest of the money?" Fletcher demanded

"I was sure I gave it all to you. Don't tell me you miscounted," Erik lied. He felt Christine grab his arm and shake in fear.

"Don't mock me you bastard. Now tell me where the money is. I could kill you now, but that would leave your wife all alone and me without that money."

"Leave her out of this. If you touch a single hair on her head I swear to you you'll be dead in an instant," Erik snarled his hands balled up into fists.

"Monty, grab the girl, you two take hold of him," Fletcher snarled.

Erik was about to jump at Fletcher leaving Christine unprotected. But it was too late. Two of the men grabbed him by the arms and pulled him back throwing him hard into the wall. Aside from the loud thud and the breath Erik sucked through his teeth he heard Christine's screams of protest as Monty dragged her to the center of the room.

"Christine! No, Christine. Let me go. CHRISTINE!" Erik shouted as he tried to pull away.

"Christine!" Meg cried as she tried to get up and go to her friend's side, but one of the other men stood in front of the bed glaring at her.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Um…no…nowhere," Meg stuttered timidly as she crept back between Pierre and Lyle.

"I thought so."

Monty had pulled the blanket from Christine revealing the red dress and Fletcher's eyes gazed upon her. Erik was trying as hard as he could to get away from his captures and get to her. He didn't want them to do anything to her. She looked at him her eyes beginning to fill with tears.

"Erik…" she started, but Fletcher grabbed her chin roughly between his fingers.

"Don't worry about him any more my darling. He'll be dead soon and then you can live a happy life here with me if you wish."

"I'll never stay here with you," Christine shouted slapping his hand.

That was a big mistake. Fletcher looked at his hand for a second then fiercely grabbed Christine around the waist and pulled her close to him. So close she could smell the liquor on his breath. He was drunk.

"Let her go Fletcher. Your battle is with me. I'm the one you want," Erik shouted trying to turn Fletcher's attention away from Christine.

"Oh, shut up will you. You're ruining the moment," Fletcher said to him and then looked at Christine with a smile.

Suddenly he slammed his mouth into hers causing her to give out a muffled whine and tears come to her eyes. She tried to pull away, but he only brought her closer with each struggle. Then the hand visible to Erik and the others moved up and began squeezing her breasts one at a time. Under his hungry mouth she was crying out for him to stop it, but he only continued the harassment.

Erik watched in horror at what was happening. No one was to do that to Christine, no one but him, without her permission of course. He fought hard trying to get to her and send Fletcher flying, but his captors were strong. As he took a second to catch his breath he saw Fletcher's hand start to move away from her breasts towards a new target.

"Stop, I'll tell you where the money is. Just stop tormenting her. I'll tell you where the money is if you just leave her alone," Erik finally blurted out.

Fletcher pulled away from Christine, who fell to the ground sobbing with fear from what had just happened to her. She looked at Erik with her angelic eyes and he swore he could see her whisper thank you.

"So, where is it? You obviously said that to protect your wife did you not?"

Erik nodded. "The money is in those two bags. All of it isn't there, because we used some of it for the Opera House, but it should be enough to satisfy a sex offender like you!"

Skin hit skin as Fletcher punched him on the right side of his face. For awhile all Erik could see was flashes of light before his eyes adjusted again. Fletcher had dug the money out of the bags and handed them to Monty. Then Erik felt a blow to his abdomen as the captive on his left elbowed him hard in the gut knocking the wind out of him and sending him to the floor in pain.

"Aw, is the Phantom to vulnerable to fight back?" Fletcher mocked.

Erik had no comeback; even if he did he wouldn't be able to speak. His head was throbbing and his chest heaved as he tried to get air in his lungs. Before he could react a loud crack filled his ears and he knew what was coming. Tight leather slammed into his back tearing at his clothes and his skin. With no air in his lungs he couldn't scream or cry out in anguish. Twice more the leather ripped into his flesh letting streams of blood wash over old wounds.

"That should teach you to hide things from me. This is only a mere helping of what's to come at high noon. So I suggest to you if you don't want to suffer again obey my orders," Fletcher yelled in his ear. "Let's go and count out the rest of the money boys. It's payday!"

The group left the room leaving their prisoners behind to lick their wounds and cower like animals in the glow of the forgotten lantern. Unable to bear the pain anymore Erik allowed himself to fall onto his side and just laid there. He had allowed them to do the unthinkable to Christine and now he was suffering, because his plan had failed.

Pierre jumped off the bed and came over to him. Meg rushed to Christine, who had remained on the floor sobbing and holding her arms tight around her afraid she would be touched in such a vile manner again.

Erik wanted to comfort her. Tell her no one would hurt her again, but he couldn't even get the word "sorry" out. He opened his mouth at least a dozen times, but nothing came out. Just raspy whines and gasps of air.

"Oh, Christine, I was so scared for you. Are you okay?" Meg asked pulling Christine into a tight hug.

"I can still taste the liquor on my tongue. I feel so violated," Christine sobbed. "I want to go home."

"I…promise…that I'll…get you home," Erik wheezed.

She looked over at him and their eyes locked for a few second before she crawled over to him and gently touched the right side of his face where the deformed skin was red and bloody from Fletcher's fist. He flinched from her touch and she backed away in fear.

"No, it's okay. Just be careful."

"Oh, Erik, why are they doing this?"

"They want to show us they have the upper hand," he said finally regaining the ability to speak, but he didn't dare move from the floor. "Something tells me they won't stop at killing me off. They want all of us to suffer. If I'm to ensure that you're safe then I have to get you out of here myself."

"But Erik your condition…" Christine started to make point of.

"Screw my condition. I'll take on every single one of them. I'm stronger than they think I am," he said pushing himself up off the floor, but his legs gave way and he fell into Christine's arms. "I guess I was wrong. I just don't want to see you used in that way ever again."

She held onto him her tears sliding off her face and landing on his. "He was so rough, almost as rough as Raoul became when he found out about what was going on. I was so scared. I'm just glad it didn't go any farther than it did."

"I wasn't going to allow that to happen to you. I hate them enough for what they did do. I was trying so hard to get to you and I couldn't even do that. Now the Opera House is as poor as it was when I destroyed it."

They all knew he was right. All the money they had made went right back to the employees and the theatre itself for other things like paint, lumber, plaster, and costumes. Erik rested his head in Christine's arms trying to comfort her in his own unique way. She acknowledged him and reached down to kiss his cheek.

"I love you Erik. I trust you to get us out of this mess somehow."

"I love you too, Christine, but just let me rest a bit. I don't think I can stay awake any longer," Erik said his eyelids growing heavy. "At least give me an hour."

"I'd give you anything you asked for," she said as her hands touched his back, but she pulled them back in alarm. "Erik you're bleeding."

Erik was too tired to care. He fell into a deep sleep as Christine pressed one of the blankets onto his back in order to stop the blood. He was in too much pain to care who or where he was. Lotte's words seemed to drift through his mind, "Sleep always makes the hurt go away." He knew at times that Lotte was right. Plus he was glad that she and Jacqueline weren't here suffering along with them. This was no place for them.

xxxxx

While Erik slept the others tried to come up with some kind of plan in his place.

"You should flee Paris Christine. Take your family and get as far from here as you can. Go somewhere where no one knows about Erik," Meg suggested.

"They can't leave," Lyle said sternly. "We all made it quite clear that Erik is one of the best managers and I think we're also aware that Erik wouldn't give up the Opera House not even for his own survival."

"But what about his daughter, his granddaughter, and Christine. They all need a place that is safe and will allow them days without fear. You can't expect them to continue going on like this."

"Meg, Lyle's right. Erik cares for us deeply, but the Opera House is our home and it's so important to him, because it is the only home he's ever known," Christine said looking up to glance at Erik, who was lying across the bed. "I won't take him from there unless he insists. I made a vow."

"I know, but it's just not safe here anymore. He may have made it 18 years without being caught, but that doesn't mean he'll make it after that. I know what kind of pain he went through. The bullet wound, the fire, the nightmares. Christine if he doesn't leave Paris soon and seek a less familiar place he may not be around much longer."

Christine didn't want to believe her, but she was right. "I just couldn't do it. I won't move him away from his home, unless he wants to. I'll let the idea past him, but he will have the choice on whether to indulge on your idea or not himself. I know he wants to protect us, but he is finally living a dream. He told me all he had ever wanted was to own the building he called home."

"If we do flee," Pierre piped in. "We could go out towards my parents place. No one knows of Erik there."

"But the last letter they sent fell into Raoul's hands. That's how he found out about us and that Fletcher fellow probably has the address."

Pierre's face went white. "They could ruin the vineyard. Oh, man why that did never cross my mind before?"

"Calm down. I'm sure they never considered it. If we get out of here will send them a note," Christine offered, but Pierre had begun to pace along the other side of the room.

Erik stirred on the bed and Christine came and kneeled next to him. He opened his eyes and smiled at her. "Has it been only an hour?"

She pulled out his pocket watch, which he had given her for safe keeping. "Yeah, it has. Did you have a good rest?"

"Could have been better, but it will have to do. I'd be much happier if you join me up here."

She climbed up and lay on her side so she could continue to look at everyone sitting on the floor. Erik rolled onto his side and draped his arm around her waist. "I missed you in my dreams," he whispered into her ear.

"I missed you while awake," she replied linking her fingers with his.

"So it looks like the four of you were discussing something. What did I miss?"

Christine hesitated. She wasn't ready to tell him when Meg jumped in. "I had suggested you and your family flee from Paris if you get out of here alive. It's the only way to protect them."

Erik sat up and stared at her. "Are you sure that's the only answer to this problem?"

"It's the best answer I can come up with. Besides Christine is like a sister to me and I didn't approve of seeing her violated like that. As my adopted brother-in-law it's your job to take care of her."

He turned away and looked at the wall. "I know it's my responsibility, but the Opera House. I can't…"

"What do you love more Erik? Christine or the Opera House?" Meg snapped.

"Meg, leave him alone. He's got enough on his mind as it is," Christine said sitting up and wrapping her arms around Erik's neck. She felt him place a hand over hers and sighed as she leaned her head between his shoulder blades.

"I guess I got to live my dream even if for just a little while. If that is the only suggestion then I'll take my family away from here. We'll go as far as we have to in order to be free from the cruelty of the Paris streets," Erik whispered.

Lyle stood up. "But Erik you're the best management the Opera House has had. What if your replacement is worse off than you were? Some of us may lose our jobs. The talent you say we possess may not be enough for the next manager. If I lose my job I'll have no home, no food, or any way to provide for Madeline when we get married."

"It's your decision Erik. Protect your family or the Opera House and your employees," Meg cried. "Either way someone is going to suffer.

Christine felt Erik shudder under her and knew that Meg's words were crushing his pride. She was resting upon a broken man, that had had ever curse word, harsh statement, and cruel laughter thrown into his face, which for years he had ignored or let go, but now all of that was collapsing upon his heart and ego. Her love was probably the only thing that could save him now.

She pulled her hands up along his chest and placed small kisses along his neck. Erik closed his eyes letting her do as she willed, because he wanted to feel her love for him. To know that she was willing to stay with him until the hour of his death gave him some comfort, but Meg's words had taken the little self-esteem he had left and ripped it to shreds. In his own eyes he was worthless, but at least to Christine he was something. A loving and caring husband, a father, and a grandfather.

He turned around on the bed so she was facing him. Reaching out to her he put his arms around her waist and drew her close. "I'm so sorry about before my love. About not giving you the comfort you deserved after he had done those things to you. Only I am allowed to do those things to you. For you know very well that I would never force you to do anything or touch you without your permission especially in that way," he whispered into her ear.

"I know. I'm just glad you stopped him before…" her words were lost in a sea of tears. Erik pulled her closer and ran his fingers through her hair. "I hated him and how he touched me. It was awful."

"Shhh, it's all over now. I will never let anyone touch you like that again," he promised kissing her forehead.

"But Erik does that include you?"

"Of course not. But I will always be gentle with you. Trust me Christine."

"I trust you my Angel. I trust you with my heart, my soul, and…" she whispered the last two words into his ear. "…my body."

"So, Erik what will it be? The Opera House or Christine?" Meg yelled breaking the silence.

He glared at her, but then looked as if he was thinking. Christine looked up at him and he wiped away a few stray tears. "My heart belongs to both. In ways one more than the other, but I can't abandon them both. The Opera House is my home, the place where I met my beautiful wife, and raised both my daughter and my granddaughter. Even though there may be bad memories there are plenty of good memories that make up for them. Besides if I do make it out of here in one piece then I will make sure that all of those men are taken to jail for their crimes. I don't wish to kill again, but if I have to I will."

"But you're already responsible for four murders Erik. Don't add to it," Meg pointed out.

"I'm well aware of that Meg."

Pierre had long since stopped pacing and was now studying the door. "Hey everyone I think I figured a way out of here."

Okay that's enough for tonight. Hope you guys like it and I want to hear from all of you. Sorry for not having a longer author's note.