Sorry this chappie took so long, my friends! I was out of town for a funeral-thing for my grandfather... So yeah, I hope I didn't keep you guys wating too long... And I don't plan on making you read through a long explanation and wait longer. On with the chapter!

Wait, one thing before I continue. If any of you are looking for a great fic to read, then check out "Tainted Innocence" by BelcaniOnTheRez. I'm her beta-reader, and it's a great fic. Read it and review it, people... please?

Disclaimer: I don't own PotO.

Erik slowly poled the boat up to his home. He had not the energy to do anything anymore, and he almost collapsed when he set foot in his house. Sluggishly he stumbled down the hallway and into his room, but he immediately backed out again when he saw all of the shattered glass and porcelain on the floor.

Reluctantly Erik opened the door to Jane's room. He had no other choice, so he dragged himself over to the bed and laid down. Instantly sad thoughts began to invade his mind.

Jane... gave herself to me on this bed. She did what no other woman has ever done for me before, right here. And how did I repay her? I threw her to the ground and yelled at her! I cursed her and let her leave without a single word of apology!

"Oh, Jane, I'm so sorry!" Erik shouted to the silence, a newfound energy in his voice. The dried tearstains on his face were rewetted (A/N: I'm pretty sure that's a word...) as he began to cry once more for Jane, and how much he hated himself. He sobbed silently until no more tears came, then he finally rolled over and fell into a fitful sleep.

Madame Giry hurried through Jane's door to find the young woman sitting on the bed, her head in her hands. Jane looked up as she entered, and the old woman noticed that she had recently been weeping.

"Jane, what is wrong?" Madame Giry asked. She took a seat beside Jane and laid a hand on her shoulder in an effort to comfort her.

The whole story poured from Jane's mouth without a moment's hesitation. Jane told them about how Erik had clearly not been in his right mind, and how he had harmed her. Meg, who had come in with her mother, listened in wonder as she heard of her friend's tragedy.

"When I first met him," she spoke at last, "I wouldn't have thought that he would harm you." Jane nodded in agreement.

"He wouldn't, not when he was in his right mind. I think he might have been intoxicated, or something of the sort. I don't rally know, but that's why I had to leave. Now I'm not only supposed to be worried for my own life," Jane murmured.

Meg gave her an inquisitive look, and Madame Giry took over and explained about the baby. She didn't tell Meg about the Ratcatcher, but instead made it seem like it was Erik's child. Meg's eyes grew wide, and she sat on the other side of Jane and hugged her.

It was Madame Giry who began to speak then, her hand gently brushing Jane's hair out of her face.

"Jane... you will get through this. Erik won't leave you forever. He knows that you love him, and he's not the type to leave you to care for your child all by yourself."

"But Madame," Jane whispered, "I'm afraid I did not take your advice. Erik doesn't know about the baby."

Madame Giry inhaled sharply, and Jane elapsed into a new series of sobs. She tried desperately to hold in her tears, but they came out anyway, as though she had no control over them. Meg hugged Jane tighter, feeling incredibly sorry for her friend.

"Oh, Jane..." Madame Giry breathed. She hesitated, then adapted a tone that she hoped was more comforting. "Everything will be okay, my dear. You'll see." She didn't believe those words very much herself, but she knew that Jane needed to be assured of something. "It will all turn out right in the end."

Jane raised her head and smiled through her tears. She had no more faith in those words as Madame Giry, but she grinned nevertheless. Madame Giry gave her a tight-lipped smile, then stood up.

"Well, Jane, Meg and I will take our leave, then, and give you some peace and quiet. If you need us, we shall be around the opera house. Again, we'll come back to see how you are doing later. For now, I recommend sleep. You have had a very exhausting day." Jane nodded, and Meg stood and took her mother's hand. Together they left, shutting the door behind them as quietly as they could.

With a small sigh, Jane leaned back onto the bed. She missed Erik more than anything now, but she was determined not to go crawling back to him. As much as she loved him and longed to return, she feared for her baby.

"Think of me

Think of me fondly when we've said goodbye

Remember me once in a while

Please promise me you'll try," she sang softly to herself, wondering if Erik was listening to her. She blinked back tears and closed her eyes so that they wouldn't fall. Slowly she fell into a troubled sleep.

Erik woke up early in the morning. He felt much more alive than he had the previous night, but his guilty feelings had not faded.

He felt that he didn't deserve to live after what he had done to Jane. He had... harmed her- actually harmed her! Erik shuddered as he recalled the memory, and he forced it from his mind.

I was right, Erik... the cruel voice in Erik's head spoke, I told you what you were, but you didn't listen. You were born a monster; you will die a monster. Nothing will ever save you from that fate...

"I don't want to live the life of a demon," Erik whispered.

Then you know what to do. If you don't want to live the life of a monster, Erik, there's actually only one thing you can do. The only escape for you, my friend, is death. Yes, death. The very thing you were running from before you ever laid eyes on Jane. Death is the answer...

Erik considered it. He thought about everything that would make him want to die, and then thought about everything that would make him want to live. One list was considerably longer than the other.

"Alright, then," he mumbled to himself, "If death is the only path, then I'll take it. I'll take it..." He paused for a couple seconds. "I... do want to say goodbye to Jane, though."

The more Erik thought about it, the more he did want to say goodbye to Jane. He sat down in a chair, wondering how best to go about it, then suddenly his ears noticed the uneasy silence that filled his house whenever he wasn't doing anything to break it. It made him think more about his empty life without Jane, and how much he despised it.

Erik realized that he couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't live his life without Jane. He knew that she would never come back to him, and the voice was right. He did know what he had to do.

Quickly Erik grabbed his cloak and threw it over his shoulders. He stepped into the boat and took off, hurriedly poling the vessel through the water. It seemed to take forever, but at last he reached the opposite dock. He got out and ran the whole way to Jane's mirror.

The entire room was silent, and Erik saw at once that Jane was asleep. He grinned and slid the glass into the side frame, then walked into the room, his feet stepping from hard stone to plush carpet. Without a sound Erik crossed the room to Jane's bedside.

She's so beautiful... Erik marveled, I can't believe I actually... hurt her... He stood there and watched Jane sleep, his eyes occasionally observing how her chest rose and fell slightly with every breath she took. A small smile formed on Erik's face, the first since he had let Jane go.

Seconds turned into minutes before Erik knew it, and he glanced at the clock after a long time to find that almost an hour had been spent. He turned his attention back to Jane, and he tentatively extended and hand and grazed Jane's cheek with his fingertips.

Erik realized now that he had to have one more thing before he could die peacefully and happily. H had to feel his lips against Jane's skin, just one more time. Then he would be able to greet death.

Slowly Erik leaned down, until his face was mere centimeters from Jane's. He lowered his eyelids and was about to kiss her cheek when he stopped himself.

No matter how much Erik wanted it, he could never take a kiss from Jane without her consent. His soft, gentleman side wouldn't allow him to. With a small sigh, Erik stood up.

He swept his gaze around Jane's room, wishing he could really say goodbye to Jane somehow. The sight of a light green gown hanging over the side of Jane's changing screen made him curious. It was too elegant to be a normal outing dress.

Now thoroughly enticed, Erik started to look through the things on Jane's dresser top. There was nothing of any special value that he could find, until his eyes fell upon a small note on Jane's bedside table.

Erik picked it up and opened it, though it was too dark in Jane's room too read what it said. He tucked it into a fold in his cloak, then gave Jane one last look of the deepest longing before he left, silently shutting the mirror behind him.

The journey was slow, but at last Erik was standing in his main room again. He was extremely tired, but fortunately he was able to drag himself into the room that had once been Jane's. He lit a candle and pulled the note out, then sat down upon the bed to read it.

It was an invitation to a grand ball, one set for the date of the thirty-first of December, or New Years Eve. Erik's lips formed a small smirk as he read through the note, for at the same time he was quickly formulating a plan. He sat up from the bed when he was done with a triumphant attitude. He knew how he would be able to see Jane one last time.

PhantomAngel- Sorry, my friend! I hope it wasn't too long of a wait for you to have to suffer through. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And as much as I would love the plushie, you can keep it if you really want it... Oh what am I talking about? GIVE ME THAT PLUSHIE! LOL Just kidding.

Computerfreak101- LOL Good thing you have Maiana. I wouldn't have been sure whether or not you were flaming me. LOL I totally fell outta my chair laughing when I realized what you were doing. LOL with the flamethrower and the review card. LOL Thank you so much

TheAngel'sMaggie- HeHe very true, Erik is a god and a half... mmm... so sexy... LOL But thank you so much for the review, and that's exactly what I had in mind! Absence makes the heart fonder!

Yebbie Kay- LOL There's plenty of good fanfictions out there, Yebbie, you just have to look for them. And I think I already did call you but if you would get off your ass and pick up the phone every once in a while it would really help! LOL just kidding. Thanx for reviewing and I hope you liked the chappie!

xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx- LOL Sorry I haven't been online, I told you about the funeral-thing... but yeah, I might not be able to be on for a few more days because I have cousins over and I have to entertain, you know? LOL but I'll try, my friend, I'll try... Thank you for the review!

RoSeQuEeN- Don't worry, Erik and her will get back together eventually... unless I feel like being evil and re-writing my whole storyline... or at least the ending... LOL we'll see how I feel... Thank you for the review!

BelcaniOnTheRez- Thank you, my friend! I hope you get some new reviewers!

PhantomPhluter- HeHe I would, mellon nin, but everyone needs a healthy level of insanity, know what I'm saying? LOL Hope you liked this chapter.

Gabreil'sGirl- No, the Ratcatcher won't be coming back, but by now you probably know what the next conflict will be... LOL thank you for your great support and the excellent review.

VampireStalker- Poor Baby penguin... LOL but whoa... that is scary... august 3rd... Filipino origin... 14 yeras old... damn, that's too weird. LOL Anyways, thank you for the review, hope you liked this chappie!

Again, sorry this update took so long. I'm really tired (It's, like 12:03 right now, and I've been swimming ALL DAY LONG) so in short, please review, go read "Tainted Innocence," and... and... and... -snore- ...goodnight.