Hey everyone here you go! Sorry about the delay...there really is no excuse for it so I won't even bother...just review!
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Erik continued to hold Christine as she wept for the status she now endured. He whispered words of comfort to her small frame and promised nothing but joy and serenity in the near future. Meg stood idly by watching the tender moment and feeling as though she were intruding on something important she quietly skipped out and remained just outside the entryway until Erik at long last came out looking weary and in need of an adequate night's rest. He ignored the blond as she followed him around in a timidly fashion only at long last turning to her when she asked him:
"Is she all right?" He seemed startled at the question as though he had long forgotten she was there at all.
"No." He replied sourly as he gritted his teeth. "But she will be."
The overly-confident, almost uncanny statement forced an acrimonious shiver to climb Meg's mind. And as so she remains in silence for a short time until she felt the need to conquer her curiosity practically bursting inside her.
"What are we going to do?" She whispered.
"We?" He asked with a sarcastic grin. "We young Giry are going to do nothing. You, on the other hand are going to retrieve your mother and send her here at once. And I do not care if she is busy so make no mind of her schedule." He replied firmly.
Meg of course did not need to be told twice for she fled as quickly as her legs would allow and without any farewells she left to do as she was directed. Erik waited until the girl had gone before sighing and tumbling into a neighboring chair. With many thoughts floating in his vector he sank he head in his hands and let out a tremendous sigh as an urge to scream raged through him. Never had he known such wrath! These people knew nothing of the truth and yet they would look to contaminate his angel's well-being and her career just to make a profit!
He stood up then and somberly retreated to the most desolate pit of the home leaving behind the candlelight, his love, and every rational thought he had ever possessed. When at last he reached the abandoned supply room he kicked over a large wooden chair before giving up on his legs and using his bare hands to and pick up the object, and smash it against the wall.
Oddly enough, the act seemed to calm him somewhat or a least enough to regain his sanity for he clenched his jaw and glanced at the hands that now held several splinters. He looked up at the dark wall that he knew only he was capable of seeing due to his unique nocturnal vision. He sighed once more feeling the events from the recent days taking its toll on him.
Suspend her from performing his opera? Ruin her good-name and reputation for measly rumors and the sake of some reckless justice? Oh no he would not stand for this! He could not allow her life to be destroyed for the sake of the Viscount justified death! It would not be vindicated let alone reasonable in any sense!
Oh how he wanted to seek revenge for her sake!
And yet as he reemerged from the darkness to join the candlelight and his beloved once more he knew he would not
...For he knew as badly as wanted vengeance, he wanted Christine's happiness even more.
And she could not be happy while being surrounded by hostility .
Erik sat once more and readjusted the wig he wore that now had become tangled due to his storming. He closed his eyes to the silence that engulfed around him and was nearly asleep himself when the sound of familiarized, rushed footsteps greeted his ears.
"Madam Giry." He greeted dully without even opening his eyes. "How nice to see you again." His manor was hardly an appropriate greeting but he nevertheless rose to greet them the oldest Giry and her daughter however rushed passed him with an authorized manor, Knocking him back in his seat with more force than he realized either woman was capable of.
"Where is she Erik?" Asked Madame Giry clearly intent on ignoring his sarcastic comment and derisive nature.
"The bedroom. But I warn you Madam she is in no mood-"
"Oh nonsense Erik." She exclaimed with her take charge attitude. "In times of crisis every girl need her mother. And since Christine's mother is no longer on this earth (Lord rest her soul) then I will simply have to suffice."
With that she and Meg disappeared leaving a speechless Erik alone once again with his pondering.
"Mother? Perhaps Erik is right, maybe we should just leave her be for a while, all this dreadful business might make her desire her to be alone-" Meg's opinion was cut off as her mother turned and glared at her with a stern glance. Meg shrugged herself and looked to the floor while her mother knocked gently on the door before entering.
Meg looked to her mother and shrugged at the sight of the darkness. Something they sure would not have expected from the soprano.
"Christine? Christine, dear are you hear?" Madame Giry asked.
"Yes." She whispered through a sniffle. "Just a moment."
A few seconds later a sconce of candles radiated the room with a brilliant light that Christine seemed to turn away from as soon as her eyes lay on them. Madam Giry approached her slowly before embracing the girl with a motherly like hug that lasted several minutes before she finally released her and guided her to sit on the bed. Meg soon joined them up pulling up a chair beside them.
"Oh Christine, Erik said you were sleeping..."
"I know." She replied hoarsely. "I pretended to be so he would go off and get some rest of his own." With that she looked up at Meg and smiled wearily. "He worries about me so."
Meg took her hand and smiled knowingly, while her mother gently stroked the girl's hair. "You must learn to concern for yourself Chéri. Erik is capable of taking care of himself, and at this phase you are the one who needs the taking care of."
Christine shivered at the abrupt cold that flew through her body and rested her head on the older woman's shoulder. "What are we to do now?" She asked more to herself than anyone else.
"Christine do not worry I am sure you and Erik will think of something!" Meg exclaimed excitedly.
"That's right my dear, we must stay optimistic here! I will speak with Erik and I am sure we can find someway to sort this out."
Christine practically laughed at this comment and sat up in almost angry fashion. "We should not have to sort this out!" She raged. "It should be easier than this, for every instinct inside me is telling me to tell the truth! Simply to emerge from this place and fix this misunderstanding by telling the truth!"
Madame Giry eyes widened at the sudden outburst by she but she bit her tongue and rose sternly to face the girl. "Christine think logically. If you do that then-"
"I know! I know Madam!" At this she descend on the bed once more and began sobbing yet again. "Erik would suffer if I did this. I-I cannot let this be."
Madam Giry also softened and reproached her by lending out her hand to hold. "Well, I must admit I never thought I would see the day: you and Erik all grown up, knowing what it means to be truly in love."
Christine looked up at her then to see the smiling woman lingering with some unidentified pride. "How did you know?" She asked at last.
"An old woman can tell these things of her children. But lets not concern ourselves with that now. The first thing we need to do is figure out how we are to alter this chaos." With that the women stood and Christine nodded intently as she and Meg followed her out to the main room where they found Erik sound asleep as nothing more than a dark figure engulfed in shadows.
Christine looked back and smiled at the girls and began to advance Erik carefully. She despised waking him but she knew they need him to figure out this situation to a clearer extend. She knelt down by his side and softly caressed the right side of his masked cheek causing him to stir slightly in his sleep. Out of the corner of her eye Christine could see Meg giggling slightly at the scene and Madam Giry eagerly shushing her daughter for her immaturity.
"Erik?" She whispered. "Its time to wake up my love...come back to me." At the sound of the request Erik's eyes darted open as though startled by the appeal. His features relaxed slightly as he came across Christine and her tearstained face and the sight inspired him to hurt those who had caused the flood of tears but decided against it. So instead to sooth his violent urge he instantly took her hand in his.
"Are you all right?"
She nodded eagerly in the hopes of resting his obvious fears. "Everything is all right dear," With that she gestured towards their guests. "The Giry's are here to lend a hand...as you requested?"
"Of course." With that he rose and gained his calmly, cool composer once more.
"Ladies." He greeted hardheartedly with a nod of his head. "Obviously we have a unappealing situation on our hands and-"
"Oh Erik stop this foolish formality and just get on with it! The fact of the matter is that you and Christine are in a considerable amount of trouble and somehow we have to find a way to rid you of it!" Christine smiled at the way Madame Giry could make Erik shrink from his position. It seemed a task only the ballet instructor would ever be capable of and it forced much respect from Christine who watched them with amusement evident in her grin.
"We'll have to leave." Christine said unhappily as she sat in the chair Erik had just come from. "If we tell them the truth then we shall most likely be arrested, and if we lie then the same will occur, either way one of us will end in jail and my career at the Opera Populaire will be more than over-"
Erik rushed to her side then cutting her off with a frightening composer. "But I-I can make them take you back! You shall sing in every and any part you wish-"
"But no one will take me seriously as an artist Erik. (Although I suspect they have not for quite some time) For the rest of my career I will have to learn to ignore unappealing whispers and rumors. I shall never have the security that I once thrived for here."
The calm tone in her voice and the serious and somber manor in which she said this hardened Erik's heart and he sighed miserably letting the hair fall in front of his face.
"Oh Christine, how can you every forgive me for this drama I have put you though? Truly my soul will be damned for all eternity for making you home such an unwelcome place for you-"
Christine smiled sadly and lifted his chin so that their eyes met. And began a proclamation for their ears only. "You once said that your home was where I was? Well my home is where you are Erik, I love you remember?" A slight tone of playfulness took her voice as she said this. "It doesn't matter where we go as long as we have one another and our music. Nothing else matters."
Erik resisted the urge to cry at that but luckily Madame Giry could sense the oncoming spirited emotion and knowing Erik's pride she gladly interrupted.
"So it's settled then. You and Erik will have to leave the House as soon as possible before someone around here actually thinks to check the cellars..." She rolled her eyes at the reminder of her ignorant employers.
"But where will they go mother?" Madam Giry sigh. "Well I suppose that will be up to them."
"I have more than enough savings." With that Erik disappeared into a room and came back mere moments later with a large envelope. "Find us a house Madam." With that he handed her the envelope to her and retreated to Christine.
"Something outside Paris." He stated continuing his instructions.
Meanwhile Madame Giry opened the envelope and she and Meg both looked at each other with widened eyes before returning their gaze to Erik.
"Are you sure Monsieur?" Meg asked. "This is a lot of money to entrust us with-"
"I am well aware of how much money is there Mademoiselle. Just do as I ask and we will figure out the details of our departure later."
Christine nodded in approval, just now realizing for the first time that she would probably be leaving the Opera Populaire permanently . The thought terrified her entirely. She had hardly even left the premises except for a brief walk or a light trip into town, and now here she was leaving the city with the man she loved only it wasn't exactly something she wholeheartedly wanted to do. After all she hadn't expected to live in the Opera Populaire all her life but nevertheless she had hoped that when she left she would be on her own will.
Something she would have expected for a long time.
An event she would have looked forward to.
…She didn't want to have to leave out of a twisted necessity.