One heart's darkness

Disclaimer: Yeah. I don't own 'em. Do you?

Erik: They don't. By the way, happy birthday, Malori!

Me: Aw, thanks, sweety!

Erik: I would have made you a birthday cake, but all the flour went into baking more Phantom cookies.

Me: That's alright.

Here is MY birthday present for YOU, my lovely readers:

Chapter Ten

Erik and Christine had fallen asleep in each other's arms. They had talked late into the night, but exhaustion had put them to sleep, even if they were still worrying.

Erik was a light sleeper, however, so he was woken the next day when he heard the door to the study open.

His eyes took a moment to adjust to the light, then they focused on the frail girl in the doorway.

Her dress was crumpled and her hair unkempt. She let her little bundle drop to the floor and her mask beside it.

The sunken eyes looked up at her father, unshed tears making them gleam like liquid gold, half hidden behind the mass of dark curls.

Erik jumped to his feet, for once not caring that Christine's head fell from his shoulder and woke her rather abruptly.

In a second, he had crossed the room and gathered his daughter in his arms, held her close and buried his face in her hair.

Then he pushed her away.

"How could you, Madeleine? Foolish girl, you are the most important thing in my life, how could you think any differently? How could you run away? I have never been so worried all my life!"

"I'm sorry, Papa, I don't know what to say," she said, her voice almost a whimper as the tears finally spilt over.

Christine stood up and put a hand on Erik's arm.

Madeleine looked at her mother for the first time since entering the room.

"I don't know what to expect from you," she told her bluntly, "You say you're my mother, but that word means nothing to me. What are you to be in my life?"

Erik watched the exchange curiously, but chose not to interfere.

"If you'll let me," Christine replied, her voice still calm but also thick with tears, "I will show you. I will be a mother to you and try to make up for the time that was stolen from us."

Madeleine still looked doubtful, but her mother simply took matters out of her hands, reached over and pulled the girl into her arms.

Her whole body stiffened in shock and it took her a moment to realise what was happening.

Her own arms came up slowly to wrap around her mother's slender body. Erik watched them with a smile on his distorted features.

His anger at Madeleine dissipated at the sight of the tears of happiness both women cried.

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Julie felt bad about lying, she always had. Even as a small child, she had always admitted to breaking dishes or eating candy she shouldn't have touched, instead of blaming the servants as many a spoilt child would have done.

Now, however, she hadn't had a choice. Her father was already shaken by the latest events, if her knew, that his daughter was off to search for the Ghost and his daughter, he wouldn't have taken the news very well.

So she had told him that she was going to the public library, a facility she had frequented for years now.

Since her father had been outside with her, she had told the driver of the brougham to take her to the library, in front of which she was now standing.

A harsh wind was ripping on her skirts and cloak and tousled her curls. Still, the Opera was not very far and she was more than capable of walking.

What she had not counted on was the small, deserted alley she had to go through, or the ruffians waiting there, still intoxicated with leftover liquor from last night and eager for anything with skirts.

They were all over the young woman before she even had the chance to call for help. Before they could do anything worse than beat her, however, someone noticed the commotion and they took of running.

Julie was left in that alleyway, bleeding and on the brink of consciousness.

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Erik and Madeleine had accompanied Christine back to the dressing room and where just saying their good-byes, when Meg burst in, her long blond hair coming lose of the braid and the dove grey dress she wore billowing behind her.

"It's Julie," she panted, her eyes wide with worry. "They found her behind the opera, beaten and unconscious, but nobody knows who did it!"

All three of them gasped and Christine made to follow Meg in a hurry, to be at her younger daughter's side, but turned back one last time. She was panting with fury and before anyone could stop her, she slapped Madeleine hard across the face.

The frail girl, not having anticipated the blow, staggered to the side, her eyes quickly filling with tears of pain and shock.

Erik stared at Christine, unable to comprehend what she had just done.

The small soprano was quick to explain, though.

"It was you!" she hissed, "I know it was! How extraordinarily like your father you are, unable to deal with competition, the lot of you!"

Her daughter just stared at her as if she had just grown a second head.

Erik, however, did not react so quietly.

"What?" he thundered, "How dare you! That from you, Christine. How dare you insult my daughter! It's you who is followed by strife and misfortune." He took a step closer to her, his eyes flashing menacingly, "Go back to your lovesick puppy of a Vicomte, madame, and bother him with your petty problems! We are better off without you!"

Christine was hurt by the coldness in Erik's eyes, but she refused to back down.

After all, she should have expected something like this. Hadn't Madeleine threatened to hurt Julie? And wasn't she the only one who had any motive for hurting her? The two adults seemed to have forgotten all about Madeleine's presence in the room.

"Perhaps I should be glad you think so, Erik," Christine said quietly, "because if you're relieved about me leaving, I don't have to hurt you anymore!"

Erik's voice, too, turned to a whisper. "Anymore? As if there were a part of me you haven't hurt yet,… my love!"

He took his daughter's arm and led her back through the mirror. Christine followed them with her eyes, sure that she had lost him for good this time.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that Madeleine had been involved in Julie's accident. But what if she hadn't been…? No, she simply refused to finish that thought.

The petite woman shook her head resolutely and departed for Julie's room, as she had been put up in one of the dressing rooms, having been found so close to the opera house.

The small frame of her daughter was almost swallowed by the gigantic heap of blankets on her and a half-empty cup of tea was resting on the nightstand.

Julie's entire forehead had been bandaged, as well as both of her wrists and her right elbow. However, her eyes were open and she smiled weakly as her mother entered.

"Sweetheart," Christine said softly, sitting down beside her and taking hold of her hand, "did Madeleine hurt you?"

Julie's eyes widened in shock.

"Maman, I hope you didn't believe that! It wasn't Madeleine, she never came near me! Oh, don't say you thought that!"

A cold hand closed around Christine's heart. "What have I done?" What had she done? She had cast aside the love of two wonderful people, whose only desire it had been to receive some of her affection.

She shut her eyes. Out of the darkness of her inner eyelids, two pairs of golden eyes seemed to stare at her. Sad, and ever accusing.

A/N: My Erik plushie is crying on the bed. Hmm. He needs some comforting hugs, I think. (hugs plushie) More Phantom cookies if you review, although the chappie was kind of short, I know, and I took forever, again. My muse was not cooperating. I don't think this chapter wanted to be written. Neccessary, though, for the plot. I'll try to update faster next time. Keep reviewing, I LOVE reviews!

P.F.A.