A/N: Here we go…

Ch. 8 – Old Wounds

Using his reprimanding tone that she had been so accustomed to many years ago, he inquired, "Did I not instruct that you were to remain in your cabin?"

At the sound of his voice she closed her eyes. She did not yet trust herself to speak. She felt him closing the gap between them and suddenly he was directly behind her. "Curiosity killed the cat, Christine."

Opening her eyes, she inclined her head toward him and calmly said, "You are threatening me?"

He was pleased with her response; she had grown up and learned to defend herself. "Never would I threaten you, my dear. I was merely reminded of that phrase as I entered and saw you." When she made no move to turn or speak he asked, "Your son is well today?"

"Yes, thanks to you. He has asked after you several times." She could feel her control slipping as he stood behind her silently. Her rage was bubbling up to the surface, and before she could stop, she spun around and faced him with anger in her eyes. "Why are you doing this to me again?"

"I have done nothing to you Christine. I had intended that you would never know I was the captain of this ship."

"Were that true, you wouldn't have spent every day winning over my son's heart and mind. You were using him to get to me, admit it."

"You flatter yourself. The boy is merely good companionship and I could not help but feel compassion for his…affliction? I would imagine that when he was born, his face came as quite the unpleasant shock to you both. A daily reminder of the past."

"Now it is you who flatter yourself."

"Tell me Christine, did you think that God had marked Charles to remind you of the man that you had cast aside without a thought?"

"Do you really believe that? That I never gave you a thought? Until this evening, I mourned you everyday for the last seven years!"

"You lie. You lived your storybook romance with your prince. A good princess would never darken her thoughts to think on the monster that had been vanquished by her fair love."

"I assume that you already know that Raoul has died, and I will not lead you to believe that our marriage was not a happy one at times." Erik winced at that statement. "But do not assume that you know the heart that beats inside of my chest and its desires. How can you forget all of the years that we shared before Raoul came to the Opera?"

"You forgot them easily enough once he was there!"

"I was a child! Your deceit frightened me. I had thought that I could trust you, that you were there to take the place of my father. But when you revealed yourself to be a flesh and blood man who desired me, I was overwhelmed and felt betrayed."

"You ran from my face. You couldn't bear to consider a creature worthy of your love."

"Erik you are deluded!" she shouted with a laugh.

"What did you call me?" He asked incredulously.

"I only spoke your given name. Or would you prefer I continued to call you Angel? Master perhaps?"

"How did you learn my name? Was it Stone?" He could not believe that his first mate would betray him so boldly.

"Raoul had you investigated and your name was uncovered along the way. Does it truly matter?"

A satisfied grin crossed his face, "Investigated you say? He was nervous that I would re-emerge in your lives? Take you from him again?"

"We both thought of the possibility. But you didn't come for me."

"When I let you go Christine, I gave up all hope of ever having you for myself. And despite what we both know to be my true nature, I wished you and your Vicomte every happiness. If I had wanted you unhappy, I would have accepted your kiss and forced you to stay with me."

"Your noble act touches me," she said sarcastically.

"So it seems that each time I have tried to act with your interest at heart, I have served only to incur your wrath. First the night of Don Juan and now by saving your son."

"I have never forgiven you. Even as I missed you in my heart, I couldn't forgive your actions."

"For what I did to your precious husband?" he spat out.

"For never giving me the opportunity to choose you of my own free will!"

"What?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You manipulated every situation. You lied, you killed, you controlled my very thoughts but you never let me just love you. Even at the end, you held Raoul's life over my head to force me to stay with you. Would it not have been so much sweeter had I come to you because I wanted you?"

"I was a pathetic fool, you're right. But you cannot stand here and say that you would have chosen me over perfection. Even I am not that much of a fool."

"Now we shall never know." Sadness was etched in her face as she moved to the opposite side of the room. "Please Erik, I beg you not to use my son against me. He is all I have left in this world."

"Your son is not a pawn in some game that I am playing. I will not bring darkness into your life again Christine."

"I don't trust you." She had made an unwitting mistake; the words seemed to trigger his rage. Like a panther, he streaked across the room and grabbed her by the arms and pulled her face to within inches of his own.

"You have been on this ship for three weeks and I have not even laid eyes on your face until last night. If I were not worthy of your trust, believe me, my meddling first mate would have been found hanging in his stateroom, my hated enemy's son would have been tossed to the sharks and you, my dear, would have finally eased the lust in my heart that I have carried for the last… seven… years." His final three words were said with emphasis, as he paused between each one.

Electricity was shooting through her body as his raw passion for her was evident in his entire being. She was instantly ashamed at her response to him. He had just threatened the life of her friend and her son, but all she could think of was the threat to her body. She had felt this way the night of Don Juan. No matter right or wrong, a part of her responded to him. A part of her that had lay dormant since that night and was now reawakening. Her love for Raoul had always been based on security and companionship and idealism. But, as much as she wanted to deny it, she loved Erik too, and this love was based on passion and music and kinship. They had rescued each other from loneliness so long ago, forging a bond between them. That bond had been broken through his lies and her betrayal.

That fateful night there had been only one way to break his spell and regain her wits. Sensing her thoughts, as she raised her hand he grabbed her wrist, "You will not strip me of my dignity this time! Do you miss my horrid face or are you curious to see if it is still as gruesome as you remember?" He pushed her from him, disgusted with himself and his behavior. How does she do this to me, he wondered. He lost all self-control when she was around; all sense of propriety was forgotten. He was reduced to animal instincts and his need for her acceptance caused him to forgo rational thought of right and wrong.

"I hate you." She whispered.

"We have something in common then as I have made self-loathing into somewhat of an art form." He picked up the closest thing at hand, a glass paperweight, and hurled it at the wall. She stared up at him, tears falling unhindered. The pain in the room was palpable.

After long moments of silence, he finally had regained control enough to speak, "There is no need for you to be sequestered any longer. Now that my latest deception has been uncovered, you are free to roam the ship at will." His eyes had been fixed on a point above her head, and now he lowered his gaze to hers, his eyes filled with despair. "I beg you Christine, if you catch sight of me, please turn and walk the other way. The very sight of you is torture to my soul."

She rose to her feet and walked to the door. Her heart was aching for him, and at the same time fearing him. Before she left, she dealt the killing blow, "Do not attempt to see my son again outside of my presence." Before he could respond, she exited.

Once outside of his room with the door shut, she doubled over, falling to her knees. Uncontrollable sobs wracked her slight frame. Stone had heard them shouting earlier and had kept an eye out in the hallway in case she had needed his assistance. Now, he moved silently to her and lifted her to her feet. Slipping an arm around her shoulders he steered her back to her cabin and helped her inside. Closing her door, he stood stock still in the passage and listened as his Captain destroyed everything that he put his hands on in his quarters.

A/N: Please review after reading. I had a tough time with this chapter and would love to hear your thoughts on it.