Chapter 2

New Beginnings

Erik dragged Fantine back into the lair. A hush fell upon Christine and the boys when the father and daughter entered...they could tell that Fantine had been crying a lot, but they could also tell that Erik was extremely upset so they didnt dare to try and comfort her. Erik took her into a small back room and tied her leg to a heavy statue that he knew there was no way Fantine could move. As he walked away he drew the curtain so that the rest of the family couldnt see her and she couldnt see them...Christine tried to grab Erik and make him explain but he threw her to the side...she thought to herself that he hadnt used force against her like that since she first took his mask off...as she thought about old times she could still hear Fantine's cries coming from the small alcove so she went towards it hoping to untie her and make an attempt to comfort her daughter. But, before she could get there Erik screamed at her and told her to step away from Fantine. By that time the boys had already ran out of the main room and they were huddled by their bed rolls, trying not hear what was going on between the original 3 members of the family. It had became obvious to Christine what he was doing...Erik was dismantling the bottom of one of their boats used for getting back and forth from the surface; they now had two. He took the pieces of the boat and nailed them over the opening of the alcove that Fantine was now trapped in. He didn't want to kill her, just contain her, so he made sure to leave plenty of spaces between the wood slats. Fantine had reduced her crying to a whimper for fear of upsetting her brothers even more. Christine cried out to Erik...

MEANWHILE

All Phillipe thought of was the young girl by the name of Fantine he had met at the Opera House...he planned on going back there a lot in order to try and see her again...he asked his father about her...

"Father...did you know Fantine's mother? Was she Madmoiselle Daae?"

"Yes son...Fantine's mother was my childhood love..but now she is married with children..I was too late"

"Well Father...wether you want to admit it or not you are married with a child also!"

"I know! And im happy...but everyday i wonder what would have happened if I had taken her away with me"

"I wouldnt be here"

"You're right...I wouldnt be able to live without you, son" He gently pat Phillipe's head-his best attempt at a fatherly gesture

It wasnt closure enough for Phillipe but he saw it wasnt his place to talk about the Daaes any longer...from that day on though, he would believe in love at first sight...for as you know, seeing is believing...

BACK AT THE LAIR

"Why are you doing this? What was her crime!"

Erik stared at her with an intensity that pained her so much it hurt to look at him..

"You ask what her crime was but you shall never find out my angel...You would be too tempted by it...Now that I've won you I'm never letting you go"

Suddenly, Christine felt just as trapped as Fantine did...Fantine had managed to untie herself (which was what Erik had originally hoped for) but was still stuck in her prison.

"Bring the boys out her now...Don't stare at me Christine! Bring them out!"

Christine brought their sons out but held them close to her as she feared for their well-being. Then, Erik went on to explain what he had seen, leaving out who he had seen her with. He didnt want Christine tempted to journey out into the outside world herself. He said that Fantine would never be allowed out of the lair again, much less her new prison. He would only let her out if it was absolutely necessary...The boys were forbidden from talking to her, and Christine was monitored by Erik everytime she did talk to her...5 years went by like this...everyone eventually got used to it, but every night, Christine could hear Fantine crying and went to go comfort the child who was still a baby in her eyes...

One day, Erik came down with a severe illness...he was fading fast and Christine knew that she would be a widow not too long from then...he used the last bit of strength he had to pry the boards off of Fantine's cell for the final time...he made it his dying wish that she would leave the lair with the money that her parents had saved up for her and go find Phillipe and tell him how she felt for him...

"Father, how do you know how I feel for Phillipe? You barely saw us talking together..."

"Believe me...I know...I saw the same look in your mother's eyes as she watched Phillipe's father walk out of her life..."

Christine instantly knew who they were talking about...

"Erik, Fantine...the reason why all of this happened was...was...Raoul?" Christine said through her tears...

"Yes, my love...I didn't want you to ever leave me...I couldn't bear to lose you"

"Mother, I met Raoul's son...I love him...I do not know if he remembers me..but I remember him and I now make it my duty to tell him how i feel"

With that, Erik died...the boys went to say a prayer for their now dead father as Christine and Fantine prepared Fantine's things to go and see the boy...er...man that she loved.

please r&r...im not as happy with this chapter as the first one..but its ok...ill update very very soon because i already know what i want to do with the next chapter...thx----alyssa