A/N: Ok you might have noticed I have combined all the chapters that were in sections! I was meaning to do that for a while, and finally got around to it. I don't have much to say, except I'm still looking for a beta reader; so if you're interested, contact me! Now on with the story!
Twinkle22: Thanks! We'll have to see what happens to Nichole!
Kagome1514: Thanks! LOL. It's ok! Well for the HBP I did not put it down once while reading it. I took it everywhere with me!
RachErikaSam01: Thanks! And you are mostly right. Christine is scared that Erik might reappear as the Opera Ghost, end up doing something to Nichole, and then end up getting caught.
phantomadark: Thanks!
Glitter Queen of the Ice Show: LOL! We'll see!
Hybrid Knightress: Thanks! I'm glad you like it!
angelfish2: Thanks! LOL! –pulls out mop and bucket, just in case-
InuLvr7: Thanks! I love Nadir too. He's the only one who can really talk to Erik and not get Punjabed, and he's cool just for that. And Persians are very cool. I should know, I am one!
Carolinus the Opera Ghostess: Lol! It's ok!
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Erik stood outside Nadir's apartment, knocking impatiently on the door. His body was wrapped in a cloak, and his hat pulled down so low over his face, you could barley see the glimmer of light reflecting off his white mask. After what seemed a lifetime to him the door opened. "Finally," he growled to Nadir as he entered the apartment.
"Erik," Nadir replied. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Erik ignored him, and removed his cloak and hat, before sitting down in a chair in the main room.
Nadir sighed, and sat down across from him.
"I need you to watch Madeline for me," Erik said immediately after Nadir had taken a seat.
Nadir raised an eyebrow. "So you and Christine have made up?"
"Yes," Erik replied shortly. "She's hiding something from me and I need to find out what it is."
"Before I tell you if I will watch Madeline," Nadir began slowly, "You need to tell me everything that has happened since I left your house."
"I don't have time for this," Erik growled. "Christine is laying in bed with a twisted ankle, and I promised I would be back soon."
"You will tell me everything," Nadir replied calmly.
Erik glared at him, but quickly summed up everything that had happened in the last month or so.
Nadir was silent a moment taking in everything Erik had said. "I do not think you should spy on Christine." He held up a hand as Erik opened his mouth angrily to reply. "She obviously isn't saying anything for a reason. If you needed to know, she would tell you. However, I will help you. I will be waiting at the lake in four days time, but what ever you find out, I do not want to know. And if Christine asks me, I will tell her the truth."
"Fine," Erik replied coldly. "I must be going. I have wasted enough time here, and Christine is expecting me." He stood up, replacing his hat and cloak, and left the apartment.
Nadir smiled slightly, closed the door after him.
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Christine returned to rehearsals four days after she twisted her ankle. If it had been up to her she would have returned after the second day, but Erik refused to let her go. After Christine had left, he bundled Madeline in a blanket, and made his way across the lake. Nadir was waiting for them.
"I hope Christine did not see you," Erik said coldly to him in way of a greeting.
"I hide in the shadows when she went by me," Nadir replied calmly.
"Adir," Madeline squealed happily, reaching for him.
Nadir happily obliged, taking Madeline from Erik's arms.
"She has clean diapers in her room, along with anything you will need to keep her occupied. If she gets hungry there is food in the kitchen," Erik said.
Nadir nodded.
"Good-bye Madeline." Erik leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead, glared at Nadir, and left, sinking into the shadows. He decided to first search Christine's dressing room for any clues that might tell him how she got hurt. He arrived in front of the mirror in shock. Her dressing room was a mess! He hadn't noticed it before in his concern for Christine. He stood there for a second, before realizing that he was standing behind the closed mirror. He quickly opened it and stepped inside, getting a better view of the damage. How could Christine not have said anything to him? The familiar sensation of blood coursing through his body, that lead to Joseph Bouquet's death, over powered him. He closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm himself. Whoever did this would pay. Trying not to look around too much he walked back into the mirror, and headed towards the passage that led to Box Five. From there he would be able to watch rehearsals unnoticed.
Exiting the hollow pillar in Box Five, he knew he had to be careful. If Christine or any other members of the Opera staff saw him there would be trouble. He stayed hidden in the shadows as he watched morning rehearsals. He immediately noticed that no one would talk to Christine, that is to say no one beside the staff. The longer he watched his suspicions were narrowed down to one chorus member with black hair. She was always glaring at Christine. His suspicions were confirmed when Christine missed a note singing.
The woman with black hair smirked, and said to the woman next to her in a voice that carried all over the theater, "I could have sung that ten times better. It's amazing the managers don't fire her. Of course I heard that she has a reputation of sleeping with people. Isn't that how she got the lead in those opera's about three years ago?"
Erik's blood boiled, and his hand itched to pull out his Punjab lasso.
Christine however burned bright red, but determinedly started at Mousier Reyer, refusing to look at the woman.
"Mademoiselle Clovis, please. That was highly inappropriate and uncalled for," Mousier Reyer said shocked.
Mademoiselle Clovis smirked and turned away, as Mousier Reyer asked Christine to sing the line over.
Erik continued to watch rehearsals until they stopped for lunch, whereas he immediately left Box Five determined to have a "chat" with Mademoiselle Clovis.
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Erik was able to catch up with her rather quickly. He trailed her unseen in shadows, until they were alone in a corridor together.
"Mademoiselle Clovis, I presume," he said stepping out of a shadow right in front of her. She jumped in surprise, causing Erik to smirk. This was going to be easier than he thought.
She did not respond, but gaped at him white faced.
Erik stepped towards her, and she took a step back. He took another step forward, and she backed away from him again. Once more he stepped towards her, and she backed up, all the way against the wall.
Nichole's breathing became ragged as Erik took one more step closer to her. She had heard rumors about the Opera Ghost, but everyone said he was gone. That is everyone except the occasional ballet rat who swears they saw him. Until that point she had believed them as just that, just rumors, no truth to them at all. Now she knew the rumors were true, and she was struggling not to faint or scream.
"If you go near Christine de Chagny, or her say anything about her again, I will make it my top priority to hunt you down and kill you," Erik said, a smirk playing on his lips and his voice as cold as ice. "Do I make myself clear?"
Numbly, Nichole nodded.
"Good," Erik said stepping away from her. With a swish of his cloak, he disappeared into the shadows, staying long enough to see Nichole collapse on the floor.
Smiling to himself, he headed to Christine's dressing room, stopping only for a minute to watch Meg Giry kissing a male ballet dancer in another abandon corridor.
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A/N: So what did you think? Remember a long, long time ago (ok not that long, towards the middle of the story) when Meg gave Christine all that great advice on love, and a few of you asked me if Meg had a boyfriend. Well there's your answer! I've been trying to work it in for a while now, and that seems like the perfect place! LOL. Anyway, review!