Hey ya everyone! Sorry it's been awhile! The other day I found 6 inches of water in the NEW finished basement in my mom's and my home…. So yeah. No more explanation necessary.

Thanks sosososoosososoos much to all of you who reviewed! YOU ARE WONDERFUL!

Chapter 8

Christine's Point of View

I saw my daughter run out from behind the mirror before I even registered it. She flew past me, the sound of tears echoing as she ran past my bed side. The same mirror I had walked though several times. That mirror that held my past. Oh no.

What exactly made me though on my robe and slippers and open the mirror I don't really know. My feet were moving before my mind and heart. I wanted to turn back as I saw my way being guided by fire. It was inevitable. My feet wouldn't stop moving. I was going to see Erik….

I was going down once more…..

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The fact that I jumped into a freezing cold lake while I was sick and felt nothing surprised me. The fact that I was swimming at the speed I was swimming at surprised me. The fact that I was going back was enough to make me just sink under the water's depths and never surface.

Before my mind registered anything at all, I was in the labyrinth again. It hadn't changed. Nothing. Not a thing. It was just the same as I remembered it.

I could sense Erik's presence as easy as you could feel rain or heat. He was there somewhere in the darkness. My eyes shifted around me taking in my surroundings, and then I felt a strong body against me back and a hand over my mouth.

"How DARE you allow to let your daughter to come here and ruin everything! How DARE you! Why? Why must you make me suffer Christine? Do you enjoy seeing my heart break? A daughter? I'm sure the fop was delighted. I am less then delighted Christine. A child? Why? Answer me!" he took his hand away from my mouth, and I sneezed.

"Are you sick?" he asked me with so hint of caring in his voice. I coughed and nodded to his question. "Don't cough; it's bad for your voice." He said in a monotone. I wanted to roll my eyes, but that was an unladylike gesture.

"A child is not a sin Erik…" I said softly gazing at his hard and angry face. He wore a loose tucked in undershirt and dress pants and typical back boots.

"It looks like the same nightdress you wore when I first brought you here…" he said his voice still hard and unfeeling.

"That's because it's the same one. And Erik, a child is a wonderful thing…"

"Yes, I'm sure. That's why my mother loved me more that ANYTHING else in the world." He said sarcastically. I wanted to shake him, to tell him to stop being blind, that Etolee was his, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything for that matter. I just stood there, a look of strength and defiance. And, he laughed. He laughed!

"Oh Christine, you don't have to pretend you're strong with me."

"I am strong Erik." I was angry now. He was the most wonderful and most unique and interesting man I have ever known, but sometimes he acted like a five year old. "I didn't used to be but I am now. Raising an abnormally gifted child does that to you." I didn't mean to drop the hint, but it slipped out. I wanted to see where this conversation took him. I wanted to know what he really felt. I would tell him soon enough, just not yet.

He just looked at me for awhile. I kept my stance straight and my fists clenched. My hair was curling up again as I waited for him to move, or to just say something.

"When did you have her?" he asked stiffly.

"Right after Raoul and I decided to end our relationship." I answered just as stiffly. He looked like he might cry or kill me, I wasn't quiet sure which.

"That's just wonderful. Why did he dump you off into the streets? Did you tell him of your lack of staying faithful to him?"

Oh I could just kill him! He had no right to say that! Oh if only he knew. I had a feeling I was going to leave with a wounded soul before this… discussion was over. I would take many more bashings.

"Yes… I did tell him as a matter of fact, and yes, I did leave in the poring rain with nothing then a few coins and thin coat and a child growing in me." He didn't expect that. His face showed a hint of compassion and sadness, but it left as fast as it had come.

"You seem to forgive and forget easily don't you?" he asked me, anger and disgust in his voice.

"No, I never forgot. I was on my own for just a little while, in case you're wondering how I lived… that is if you care. I stayed with Madame Giry and Meg. Then, Meg and Raoul were married and we all lived together…"

"WHAT? When did… how did…."

"I don't know, so please do not ask. You've been out of the picture a long time haven't you? All I know was from that point on till my ninth month somehow they started seeing each other and fell in love. Oh, you should see them together Erik, it's like the face of love. They adore each other so much! Oh and Meg's face just sparkles when she sees him. And Raoul, I don't think I've ever seen him smile that much."

"Stop torturing me Christine! You have no idea how much I loved you, how much I still do! How did little Giry feel having her husband's daughter and almost wife in the house?"

"If you love me so much why are you saying these things to me as if I were a…."

"You aren't Christine… my god you are not!" he yelled, the first hint of emotion in his voice that I had heard yet.

"Then why are you treating me like I was one? My god Erik! I have my pride…" He had hurt me almost to the point of tears. I couldn't take much more of his bashing and insults.

"You have no right speaking to me about pride!" he bellowed.

"It's not all about you Erik! You can't expect the world to fall ion their knees and weep for you and beg your forgiveness for the sins that have been done upon you! There are people who have it worse that you!"

"Ha! Name a few!" he roared back at me once more. I could feel the almost smug look come to my face.

"How would you feel if you couldn't talk, see or hear? I have heard of people like that. How would you feel if you couldn't walk? How would you feel if you had a mental disability? You're mind is one of the greatest in the world Erik! There are some who can do nothing for themselves because they have so many problems, but what is worse is that they don't even know it! How would you feel if you were that woman who lives under a bridge near by and can't even afford to feed her five children and has to look at their sad faces and hear their hungry bellies all day? I'm not saying what has been done to you means nothing and I am not saying that no one has done you wrong. But you can't turn around and do evil and wicked things Erik and expect for the world to understand and feel compassion for you. You have to rise above it and be the wonderful person that I and only I know that you are."

He looked at me. He didn't move, he didn't react at all. He sat there and took in what I had just said. The fact that he stood motionless almost scared me. What if he suddenly just lashed out at me in anger for what I had just said? The candles flickered around me and lit up Erik's face and shone off the porcelain mask that covered half of his face. The emotion of the speech I had just made had exhausted me with my sickness. The elegant red covered swan bed near me was looking very comforting. But I could show no sign of backing down. I had to stay up for just a few more moments. Even though I felt like collapsing where I stood. I felt cold and shivery all of a sudden. The fever was coming back at a rapid pace. I could feel myself almost swaying form side to side from the dizziness.

"You really have grown up. And you're raising your daughter perfectly by the way. She's so soft spoken and proper." He said the sarcasm almost dripping off his words. "Next time you see her; tell her not to go trespassing on anyone's property again. She's meek like you were once but unlike you she has courage and charisma. You could learn from her. Young de Changy's traits are most admiral you know. Just do one thing; don't ever talk about suffering around me when you have never suffered yourself. Everyone is always saving you from something, helping you so you aren't hurt because you're such a delicate flower." I couldn't stop the tears from falling. They fell hard and long and my vision blurred almost at once.

"Oh don't cry as a tool for compassion, it's really not attractive. Have you ever seen me cry? You have never suffered Christine, so don't talk to me about the painful subject you innocent child. I hope your daughter doesn't grow up to be like you, she'll never be able to do anything for herself."

"I have seen you cry!" I screamed as loud as my weak lungs could manage through my hot and angry tears. "You cried when I left you Erik! Don't pretend you haven't cared! And I suffered every day knowing my daughter never knew who her real father was!"

"What…?" my shuddering tears racked my body and hurt my head and caused my head to whirl. Erik just looked at me, his mouth open as my world collapsed before me and the fever became victorious over my weak body.

"Christine… Christine, is she… is she…?"

I collapsed to the ground…..

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