Now
Raoul barely makes it to Madame Giry's apartment. He slumps against the door frame, banging on the door with his entire fist and nearly falls through when little Meg opens it. "Monsieur de Changy! Mama! It's Monsieur de Changy!"

"What's this? Mon dieu, Monsieur! What has happened to you? The entire opera has been searching for you!"

Raoul manages a weak smile. "Madame, you'll forgive me if I don't tell you everything now," he croaks, his voice almost gone. Erik will kill me for that he thinks, amused. "I need a place to sleep, and perhaps a warm fire. I don't think I can travel home tonight, so if you would be so kind as to help me again?" He stumbles and then falls to the floor.

"Mama! What is wrong with him?"

Madame Giry bends over the vicomte, putting a hand to his forehead. "He has a fever, Meg. We must get him out of these wet clothes. Come, help me get him inside."

"Madame, if I might?" A white-gloved hand comes down and cups the vicomte's head. In a moment, the Phantom has Raoul cradled in his arms, and is moving away from the apartment.

"Monsieur! Bring that boy back here!"

"Madame, I assure you that..."

"None the less, Monsieur, the boy left himself in my care, not yours. I do not know what has been going on between the two of you of late, Erik, but I will not let you take him anywhere!"

"Do you mean to stop me?"

"God's sake, Erik, let her have her way." Raoul's voice cracks. "I j-just need to get warm." He starts to shake now, almost uncontrollably.

Erik looks down at Raoul, and whispers, "Shush. Your voice has been through enough."

Raoul begins to laugh, and it turns into a huge hacking cough.. Erik simply moves past the Girys and into the room, finding the couch closest to the fire and setting down the boy, beginning to pull his wet jacket off his quivering frame.

"No, Monsieur. That will be quite enough from you until he is quite warm and dry."

"Madame, you overstep your bounds!"

"Erik, he came to me! That is all I need to know just now. I will not let you treat him until I have heard the story from his lips. And, Monsieur, if you have nothing but his best interests at heart, what is that mark around his throat?"

Erik looks down at the lasso mark, closes his eyes, then stands and moves away. "Very well, Madame. Tell me when I may be of assistance." He walks into the next room.

"Meg, come and help me. He's soaked to the bone."

Then
"I am sorry, Christine. I lost my head. Of course our engagement is not off."

"Oh, Raoul, you said such hateful things."

"I am so sorry Christine. I love you. I know you did only what you thought was best for us. Still, next time I will take care of anything like that, alright?"

"Alright Raoul."

Now
"What's he saying, Maman?"

"Something about Christine. I don't know Meg. Help me with this shoe."

Then
"You really should not be so rash, Raoul, but the fault is mine. I was very drunk, little brother, or I would not do anything of that kind. You know that. My Sorelli is quite enough for me, thank you."

"It's all right, Phillippe. I know you wouldn't betray me."

"Of course not little brother. I have spoiled you far too much for that. Continue with the Daae girl, if you wish. You could do far worse for a wife."

Now
"Indeed, brother. Not every wife would let you buy her chocolates and flowers."

"Maman? What?"

"He's hallucinating, Meg. It's nothing."

"Here, give him this." Erik's voice. Raoul turns his head towards it. "It will help him sleep."

Raoul feels a small prick in his arm, then all is silence.

As for reviews, well, I'm glad you are all enjoying it. If you don't understand Erik's idea, I can only hope that the story itself will clear that up for you as it progresses. Since I've taken so long to update, I'm not putting a requirement on my reviews for next chapter. It will be posted when it is done, which should be quite soon. It's quite a bit longer than this one (yay!).