Chapter 18: Philippe and the Officers

"...and that was the last I saw of him." Philippe had called in the officers after an hour of waiting on his brother. He had hoped it wouldn't end tragic for Raoul but after the loss of Christine, Philippe couldn't push back the thoughts of his younger brother committed suicide.

"Has he talked about anything disturbing him?" a burly officer asked. He was the head of the police and knew that the royal family had been disturbed for he personally knew the relations.

"He lost his fiancé about two weeks ago." The officer nodded his head as if he knew what the man was saying.

"Mlle. Daae. She was a very good singer. I saw her on the night..." the officer didn't continue to talk because he believed Philippe knew what he was saying.

"...the Opera House was destroyed. Yes, it was a good performance but my brother was in tears when she held that look upon her face. Her heart was captured by the man known as 'The Phantom.' Then, the attempt to snatch her back, her retreated everything but her heart. I wish my brother had a chance at love." The Count could feel tears swell in his troubled eyes.

"We'll find him, Philippe. Knowing Raoul personally, he wouldn't kill himself." The officer, who Philippe later learned to be Pierre, patted his shoulder reassuringly. He left with his apprentice and notes that he took while questioning Philippe.

The older of the two Changy brothers ran upstairs after making sure the officer wouldn't return to read Raoul's journal to understand what he was going through.

Erik and Christine had been packing crazily and had stopped to take a break. Erik, of course, played on his organ but Christine chose not to sing but sat in a chair to relax properly. When Erik noticed Christine rocking back and forth and not singing with him, he stopped abruptly. He gave her a foreign look and said something Christine didn't understand.

"What did you say?" Christine gave a disturbed and annoyed look towards her husband. He gave her the gaze in return. There was silence between them for a moment. Then, Erik finally replied.

"I said, "You don't want to sing, FINE!" He stomped back to his organ bench, stressed out from the packing and the moving experience.

Christine just rolled her eyes and then focused them back on the book she was studying. She spoke out a couple minutes later. "I'm stressed too, Erik, but you must understand I don't want to sing at the moment." She got up and sat down by her husband.

She tried to remember the tune to "Think of Me" but messed up a couple of times. Erik took her hand in hand and guided her hands to play the melodic structure. It turned out to be much different than what Christine had expected.

"Anything else you would like to play?" Christine had moved onto Erik's lap and was plunging into a kiss but then he heard the shuffling of feet behind them. It was an out-of-breath Meg Giry.

"Meg...what...um..."Christine was starting to blush as she was about to kiss in front of her best friend. The young Giry started giggling but was met by Christine nudging her.

"It's harder to row here than I thought it was." She glanced at Erik, who usually had brought her down with either her mother or buddy. "Erik, Philippe has sent the police a little earlier than we had expected. You and Christine need to get out of here!" Meg was beginning to panic more than the couple.

Christine gave Erik a momentary look asking him what to do.

"I know just about every curve in this building. Should the need arise, Christine and I will come up and hide in another 'room' of mine. There is an alternative way out of here and we will get out."

Meg looked comforted along with the wife of the group. The older Giry came into view after hopping out of the gondola.

"I won't worry about them Meg. They are quite safe," The group decided to have lunch since Mme. had brought food for the mystifying duo.

Erik knew that it was time to take Christine and leave the living hell he had spent most of his life in but couldn't let go. Now, her safety was in danger, not to mention his as well, and they really needed to depart.

The officers were called into their line of duty and began their search for the 'Opera Ghost' early the next day. They gathered their finest detectives and representatives to search the charred site of the Opera Populaire once again.

Erik had fallen asleep in his chair with his book in hand the precious night. He was very sensitive to sound and heard the foot-steps of the search party. Frantically, but as quietly as possible, he made his way towards his wife.

"Christine, wake up." Christine shot straight up; frightened that Raoul was after her. After she had comprehended it was Erik, she calmed down a bit.

"Darling, we must leave. Throw your robe on and grab your bag. The police are here and we must find Antoinette." Although Christine still didn't quite understand who Erik was referring to, she didn't ask questions.

They had heard water splashing and went through the secret portal that Erik had used the night Christine left with Raoul. As he closed the drape the police invaded their home, destroying it and leaving nothing untouched.


Twinkle22: I hope this lived up to your expectations! I know it was a looooooooooong wait for this chapter but I'm getting stuck so if you have any recommendations, please e-mail me! )