Enjoy!
Nico
She must have fallen asleep.
Her head was throbbing when she awoke, from crying for several hours before finally collapsing against the softness of her bed.
There was a soft knocking at her door.
"Christine?" Meg's voice called from the other side. "Christine, are you awake?"
"Yes," Christine called back. "Come in!"
Meg appeared, smiling at the doorway. Her face instantly fell when she saw the disheveled state of her friend.
"What's the matter?" Meg asked, hurrying over to the large bed Christine was now sitting up in.
For a moment, Christine remained silent.
Then, she burst into tears.
"Christine?" Meg asked, immediately embracing the shaking woman. "What happened?"
Christine lifted her head from Meg's shoulder. "I have to leave this place, Meg," she sobbed. "I cannot stay here…with him."
Meg nodded. "I imagined this would be difficult for you," she acknowledged. "But you belong here, I just know it!"
"What are you talking about?" Christine asked, wiping her nose on her nightgown sleeve. "I don't belong here. I've never belonged with him."
Meg remained silent.
"Meg, don't you think that it's possible Raoul is alive as well? I mean, if you're here…and I'm here…and Erik…don't you think Raoul would be too?"
"The thought has crossed my mind," Meg admitted.
"Well, if he is alive, then I should be with him, shouldn't I?"
"Perhaps," Meg said quietly. "But perhaps not…maybe you've been given a second chance…a chance to choose another path…"
"Are you kidding me, Meg?" Christine interrupted, her voice sounding more modern than it had a moment ago. "Are you insinuating I should live here…with Erik? Instead of my husband?"
"He's not your husband anymore," Meg replied coolly. "We have different lives now."
"No," Christine shook her head. "We are the same as we were before…just in horribly different circumstances." She stood, pushing her hair from her eyes.
The sound of a loud doorbell rang through the house.
"Crap," Meg said, standing as well. "I have to get that."
"Who is it?" Christine asked, still sniffling.
"Erik's accountant Edwin," she said. "He's scheduled to meet with Erik today."
Christine nodded.
"You should meet him, Christine," Meg said, heading for the door. "There's something about him…something in his eyes I find intriguing."
"I have enough intrigue in my life at the moment, but thanks" Christine replied.
Meg smiled sadly. "I've left some clothing in your bathroom for you to change into…why don't you come down in a little bit? Maybe get something to eat?"
"I'll think about it," Christine said, heading for the bathroom.
About an hour later, Christine found herself slowly descending the long stairway leading to the main greeting room of the mansion, dressed in Meg's stylishly ripped jeans and a modest black tank top. On her feet were flip-flops, allowing her small pink toenails to peek out beneath the flair of the pants.
She felt underdressed, but didn't really care.
Laughter was coming from what Christine assumed was the mansion's equivalent to a living room.
The sound made her pause in her descent.
So familiar…
She rounded the corner at the base of the stairway, finding Erik and another man sitting comfortably in the sparsely decorated room.
The man had his back to her, yet there was something about his presence that made the hairs on the back of Christine's neck stand up.
"Mimi," Erik said, calling Christine by her former name. "Please, come in," he said, rising regally.
At his acknowledgement of her, the stranger turned around, looking over at her.
For just a moment, Christine felt a flicker of recognition.
She saw the same flicker in the man's eyes.
"Allow me to introduce you to Edwin Dalee, my accountant," Erik said.
Edwin moved closer to Christine, extending his hand. "It is my sincerest pleasure," he said, grasping her hand.
A memory flooded into Christine's mind.
"He's perfect," Christine said, running her finger down the baby in her arms' cheek. "Absolutely perfect."
"Of course he is," Raoul said, his voice carrying the same indifferent coolness it had for the past year or so.
Christine ignored the tone, too consumed with love over her new son to acknowledge it.
"I must meet with the adoption agency once more, just to finalize everything," Raoul said, putting his coat back on.
"Raoul," Christine said quietly, looking up at him. "You just got back from the agency. Can't you stay for just a bit longer? With myself and your son?"
Raoul looked down at the sleeping baby, an unidentifiable look clouding his eyes.
"I will return shortly," Raoul replied coldly.
Christine nodded. Had she been under any other circumstances, she would have argued with her increasingly cold husband.
But here, now, with her new son in her arms, she could think of nothing else.
Raoul regarded his wife and new son for a moment before leaving without another word.
"Mimi?" Erik's voice interrupted her thoughts softly. "Is everything alright?"
Christine blinked. Both Edwin and Erik were staring at her as she had not made a movement for several moments.
"Yes, fine," Christine replied. "Just a little tired."
"It's the Christmas season," Edwin offered. "Wears everyone out."
Christine nodded, unable to stop looking at Edwin's eyes…she was sure she had never met him before…yet there was something about him…
Edwin noticed her stare and cleared his throat. "If there's nothing else, Erik, I had better get going if I'm going to make it to the bank before it closes."
Erik was still regarding Christine. "That will be all, Edwin." He said, his eyes fixed on Christine. "Thank you."
Edwin nodded, closing his leather briefcase. "Then I shall see you in two weeks."
He pulled on his coat and stood before Christine. "It was a pleasure to meet you," he said, bending to kiss her hand.
Christine's tongue felt as if it was glued to the top of her mouth.
"I'll show you out," Erik said, finally breaking his stare at Christine.
As the men left the room, Christine all but collapsed on one of the velvet chaise lounges in the room. She cradled her head in her hands, trying to still the swarm of emotions buzzing through her mind.
"The passage of time has done nothing for your manners," Erik said, re-entering the room.
"Where did you meet him?" Christine demanded.
Erik raised an eyebrow. "He is the most respected accountant currently living in France," he replied. "Of course, he is American, but I try not to hold that against him."
"I don't trust him," Christine blurted out suddenly.
Erik scoffed. "Luckily, the issue of trust is not one that concerns me when it comes to your relationship with Edwin. I trust him implicitly."
He regarded the woman sitting before him. Her face was starkly white; her eyes were reddened and puffy.
Not doubt as a direct result of their encounter the night before.
Erik cleared his throat uncomfortably. He had been too preoccupied with supplying Edwin with receipts, bank notes, and records of nearly three million dollars, which Erik was planning on relocating to a new, more secure account.
"Christine," he began softly. "I am not in the habit of apologizing for my actions, however, after last night's events…"
Christine held up a hand to stop him. "Please, Erik," she said. "It was difficult enough the first time…let's not relive the moment."
Erik felt as if he had been stabbed. "Perhaps you should let me speak," he said, his voice a little darker.
"Perhaps you do too much speaking," Christine countered.
Erik's eyes narrowed.
"I have rehearsal tonight," she continued. "My managers will be expecting me shortly. I will be requiring a taxi back to the Opera."
Erik's hands clenched into fists.
"You shall be transported back to the Opera," Erik said lowly. "But following this evening's rehearsal, you will return here."
"I most certainly will not," Christine countered. "I do not belong here, Erik."
"Perhaps you did not understand," Erik replied, anger tightening his voice. "The choice is not up to you. You will return here of your own free will, or I shall force you to come back."
Christine stared at him. "Why?"
"You are here for a reason, Christine," Erik replied. "Whether you realize it or not, you have been brought to me…you have been placed back into my life to lay to rest the ghosts of our past…you cannot ignore this precious gift."
"I have not chosen to return," Christine countered. "And the divine power that saw fit to present me as a gift," she practically spat the work, "also gave me the gift of free will…and the power to make my own choices."
"Christine…" Erik said in a warning tone.
"If I am to return here, it will be by force," she concluded, sticking her chin out defiantly.
Erik smiled darkly. "That, my love, can be arranged."
"It isn't fair!" Carlotta wailed dramatically, flopping down on the large bed in Raoul's impressive penthouse apartment. "You practically spent the entire day with her."
Raoul sighed. "I barely saw her for more than a moment," he replied.
"A moment is all it took for you to fall in love with her! You saw her on that stage and immediately made up your mind to have her! You told me!" Carlotta buried her face in one of the couple's plush pillows, sobbing hysterically. "You will leave me for her…even after all you owe me!"
Raoul sat next to his lover on the bed. "I will not make the same mistake twice, Carlotta," he said, trying to soothe the temperamental woman.
Carlotta sat up suddenly, her blond hair mussed, her eye makeup streaming down her face. "Remember this," she said, her voice pure venom. "You owe me. After what I did for you…for your barren wife."
"Carlotta…" Raoul said, trying to stop her.
"I made the ultimate sacrifice for you, on the promise that you would be mine…that you would inherit her money…only to discover that there was no money to inherit!"
"And that is why you have come back to me," Raoul explained for the thousandth time. "The final paperwork is in place…it is only a matter of time…"
"I have been waiting for more than a hundred years!" Carlotta burst out. " I have lost everything…given everything…"
"You didn't want the child," Raoul reminded her softly. Carlotta glared at him.
"He was my flesh…my blood…I gave him up on a promise…on a promise from you…"
"He was my flesh as well!" Raoul interjected. "Did I not give him every opportunity? Did he not have a good life? Was he not afforded every luxury available to a child?"
"Every luxury besides his true mother!" Carlotta yelled.
"Carlotta…I am trying…you must be patient…"
"My patience is wearing thin, Raoul," she said, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. "I will only wait for so long before I take matters into my own hands."
Raoul looked over at her. "What are you talking about, Carlotta?" He asked, aggravated.
Carlotta curled her long legs underneath her and smiled evilly. "That little twit thinks I am her friend…perhaps it is time I reintroduce myself…perhaps it is time for Miss Christine Daae to know the truth."
"You wouldn't…" Raoul said, standing up suddenly.
"Oh, I would," Carlotta replied. "Perhaps it would be best if you kept that in mind."
