A/N: Sorry for the slow update. This chapter was hard to write. I will have the next one done sooner though. Enjoy.
Chapter Thirteen
Collaboration
Days passed, and Maria slowly started to heal. The bruises on her face started to lighten, the pain in her side went away, and her right eye started to open a little. As the physical pain faded, the mental became much worse.
If Erik yelled, growled, or slammed anything, Maria would retreat into another room. Sometimes if he went to touch her, she would shrink away. She had terrible nightmares too. Erik watched and waited. He knew that one day she would return to who she was.
"You're wearing my shirt again," Erik observed as Maria came over to the makeshift table.
Maria smiled. "Do you mind?"
Erik shook his head and sat two plates down. He pulled out a chair and motioned to Maria. She sat down and began to sip her wine. Erik took his seat. He kept looking over at the organ.
"What's wrong?" Maria asked.
"I want to finish that opera, but I can not finish the love song," he sighed, turning to her.
Maria looked over at the organ. She noticed all the sheet music. Some was on top of the organ and a lot littered the floor. She shook her head and turned back to the table. She could feel Erik watching her while she ate. She looked up at him.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing," he said, standing.
Maria followed his movement as he got closer to her. She looked down at the stone floor as he reached to touch her.
Erik could see her tense and look away from him. He pulled his arm back and walked over to the lake. He hated having Maria this close and yet so far away. He sighed.
Maria looked over at him, feeling her heart ache for his touch, but she was so scared that he would want more. She slowly stood and retreated to the bed chamber. She sat down and put her head in her hands. Her heart, mind, and body seemed so confused. She pulled her legs up and laid down. She felt tears of sadness and uncertainty stinging at her lashes. She wiped them away and pulled her knees to her chest. She soon fell into a fitful sleep.
Maria awoke sometime during the night. The lair was silent. There was no organ, no music box, and no Erik. Maria sat up, fear biting at her. She once again pulled on Erik's shirt and started walking around.
The lair was so silent and lonely. Maria wanted to scream. She padded around the room and waited. Minutes, which felt like hours passed. She had walked the stones along the lake at least three times. Then she decided to go back to bed. Sleep eluded her as she laid there. She tossed and turned when sleep finally took over.
Erik watched as Madame Giry returned to her room. He had been meaning to come to talk to her sooner, but he couldn't bring himself to leave Maria. When she had fallen asleep, he returned to the opera house for the first time since Il Muto. Everyone still seemed in a fuss about what had happened.
Erik could only smile. He walked down to the Madame's room and slipped in with the shadows. He took a perch near the corner and waited.
Madame Giry spun around at hearing the soft swish of a cape. She searched the darkness with great intensity. She spotted him quickly.
"What do you want?" she hissed.
Erik stepped from the darkness with a mocking smile. "I want to inform you of something."
Madame Giry placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. Erik started to pace.
"I know it was you that killed Buquet," she said suddenly.
Erik spun around his fierce eyes locking with hers. They stared at each other for what seemed like hours. Finally Erik conceded and turned away.
"Have you missed Maria?" he asked softly.
Madame Giry felt heat rising in her face. She felt a wave of anger and hatred wash over her. She had been worried about Maria for a long time. After they had found Buquet's body, she had started searching the rafters for Erik, Maria, and the cause for the murder. She had found nothing. Her mind had told her not to fear for Maria. She had most likely gone to the chapel as she always did opening night. Then after investigating, Meg had discovered that Maria had not gone to the chapel.
"Where is she?" she asked defensively.
Erik turned to her. He wanted to walk out, leaving her to wonder; however, he didn't want her to come after him or tell anyone that he had been there.
"She is safe," he finally admitted.
"Safe where?"
Erik stepped toward the woman. She backed away, filling the hatred of this world coming off his body. She reared against her small dresser, knocking a brush to the floor.
"Maria is safe. That is all you need to know. If anyone asks about her, you tell them that she is in a hospital and can have no visitors."
Madame Giry nodded. She feared Erik's wrath. She looked down at the floor. She wanted to ask more questions, but she feared the answers. She turned back to him.
"Is she coming back?"
Erik felt a small smile play across his lips. He looked at the old woman.
"Why do you care?" he asked, putting a hand on one hip.
"She is like a daughter to me!"
Erik scoffed to hold in his laughter inside. He walked over to the small fainting chair and sat down. Madame Giry stared at him. He was acting like he was a guest in her room all the time.
"She will come back," Erik finally said. "But only when she wants to."
"What do I tell Meg and..?" Madame Giry stopped before she asked the next part. She wasn't sure if she should even ask. She feared Erik's hatred. "And what do I tell Raoul?"
Erik shot up from the seat as if he had been hit. He seized the woman by the arm with a vicious jerk and pulled her to his face.
"You tell him nothing," Erik ordered in an ominous whisper. "Unless you tell him that Maria is mine and no one else's."
Madame Giry yanked her arm free from his steel grip. She pushed past him and then turned.
"He will not let her go that easily."
Erik moved across the room to the door. He opened it with careful silence. He started to walk out and turned back.
"You saw what happened to Buquet."
Madame Giry felt as if she had been hit by a thousand pound brick. She had known that Erik had killed the pig, but she didn't know that he did it without reason. She only nodded to show him that she understood his threat.
Erik pulled his cloak close and disappeared. Madame Giry shut the door and leaned against it for support.
"God, forgive me for what I have done and please protect Maria."
Erik docked the boat against the rocks and jumped out. The lair was just as he left it. He started for the organ when he heard a soft mumble. He threw his cloak to the floor and looked over at the bed chamber. He walked in and found Maria lost in a terrible nightmare. He rushed to the bedside and started shaking her.
"Maria, Maria, wake up," he said.
Maria suddenly flew up into his arms with a frightened yelp. She looked around and pushed away from him.
"Get away!" She shouted.
"Maria, it's me, Erik."
Maria met his eyes. The horrified expression disappeared. She turned away from him and looked down at the bed sheets. Erik slowly put a hand on her bare shoulder. She didn't move, shudder, or tense beneath his touch. She looked up and then moved toward him. Erik wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to get away, but he found himself pulling her closer. Maria rested her head on his shoulder and put her arms around him.
"I thought you had left," she whispered.
Erik pulled her closer. "I would never leave you."
Maria pulled herself away from him and met his eyes again. She then leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. Erik looked at her, shocked. He pulled away and quickly stood.
"What?" Maria asked.
"Nothing," Erik lied. His feelings were going all over the place. He shook his head and walked out to the organ.
Maria watched him go, feeling sick inside. She had wanted so badly for him to hold her. She had never felt as safe as she did with him. Even in the darkness of his world she could see his light. She never wanted to be without him, and she had to tell him that. She stood and walked out of the bed room.
Erik was sitting at the organ, playing the most beautiful song Maria had ever heard. She slowly walked over and sat down next to him. He didn't move. Maria reached up and put her hand on top of his. He stopped and looked at her. She turned to him. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears. She gently touched his white mask and pulled his face toward hers. This time he didn't resist. He bent closer to her as she put her lips to his. The power of the kiss was amazing. It sent a fire down through his whole body. He went to pull away, but she held him in her embrace. Finally they both let go.
Erik looked at Maria. She was smiling brightly and her bruises had seemed to fade. He touched her cheeks and ran his fingers through her hair. She reached up and went to pull his mask away.
"Don't," he pleaded. "Don't. Don't take it off."
Maria pulled her hand away. She didn't want to see the anger and the pain she had seen before. She turned back to the organ. Erik pulled her close and began to play. Maria listened and rested her head on his shoulder. Then unexpectedly he stopped.
"What's wrong?" Maria asked, looking up.
"I don't know where to go from there. Every note, space, and lyric is off."
Maria looked at the music. It seemed perfect to her. She started to sing softly, the abruptly stopped. She sang it again and stopped at the same spot.
"The last note is too low and then the next is too high." She took the small pencil and started to change it.
She made the changes and then started the song over. She played and sang. Erik watched in awe when she sang the changes. The song sounded perfect. Finally she stopped and looked at him. A new, brighter light was shining in her face.
"That was wonderful," Erik said, touching her face. "Your Father would be proud."
