Title: Betrayal of Trust

Category: EC w/Raoul bashing

Rating: M

Summary: Raoul's not the man Christine thought him to be. What happens when Erik finds out? Will he be able to help?

AN: I must say thanks for all the wonderful reviews that I have been receiving. They're truly are appreciated. Thank you. So surprise, an update two days in row.

Chapter Nine

"NO!" Erik screamed as both Christine and Raoul fell and rolled into the lake below. He quickly dove in after them, searching the murky waters frantically for Christine. He broke he surface empty handed. "Christine" Erik yelled turning around looking around the water for her. He dove in the water four times search for his beloved but with no avail. He couldn't find her. He couldn't find Raoul. Neither of them had broken the surface. "Christine" Erik wailed, tears streaming down his cheeks. He dove down one final time not intending to come unless he had Christine in his arms. Erik swam through the waters, his eyes searching desperately for any sign of Christine. He was running out of air, his lungs felt like they would burst at any moment when his foot brushed something solid. He looked down and saw Raoul laying at the bottom of the lake, his eyes wide open with a shock expression. A small trail a blood floated up from his chest and mingled with the water. Erik swam down to him and looked around for Christine.

He found her pinned under the Vicomte's body unmoving, her eyes closed. Erik shoved Raoul aside and wrapped his arm around Christine's waist then pushed off the sandy bottom of the lake towards the surface. Erik let out a gasp when they reached the surface. As quickly as his limb's allowed him, Erik swam to shore pulling Christine with him. Once there he pulled her up on he bank and laid her flat on her back. She wasn't breathing. "Please Christine" he whimpered as he kneeled in front of her and began to try and pump the water out of her chest.

"Christine you can't leave me now, not now. Breath my love"

For three minutes Erik pumped her chest and Christine remand unresponsive. Erik cried out in grief and pulled her limp form against his chest. "Please God no" he begged "Don't take her from me, please I can't live without her. I beg of you please" Christine began to gurgle in his ear. Erik pulled her away from him and looked at her face. Christine was trying to cough up the water. "My love" Erik whispered and pulled her back against his chest and began to rub her back furiously, trying to help her bring the water up. Christine sputtered, coughing up water down Erik's back. Erik cried out in joy as she took a deep breath and began coughing. "It's alright cherie, I have you now. Your safe" Erik soothed in her ear and scooped her up in his arms carrying her back to her room. He laid her on the settee and ran to get a dry night gown and towel. "Come my dear sets get you out of these wet clothes, your going to catch pneumonia" Erik whispered kneeling down next tot the settee and covering her with the towel. "Erik your hurt" Christine mumbled touching his shoulder gently. Erik looked down at his shoulder, blood was seeping through his shirt. It was then that he felt the pain from the wound. Before he was to worried about Christine to notice. "Don't worry yourself my dear, its nothing. Lets get you settled first."

"Erik no" Christine said, her voice horse "You'll get an infection from that water. You have to take care of yourself. Please"

"Christine I need to take care of you first"

"No" she said pulling the night gown weakly from his hands "I can manage to get changed. Go and take care of that wound. I promise to wait here for you. What good would you be to me if that wound gets infected and you get sick?"

Erik sat back on his heels closed eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. Christine was right. He had to take care of himself in order to insure he would be fit to take care of her. "Very well" he said quietly "Be careful and call out to me if you need any assistance, I'll be close by" Christine smiled and nodded. Erik placed a chaste kiss on her forehead then hurried out and down to his room. He quickly changed his wet clothes and cleaned and bandage his wound. The wound wasn't deep enough to require stitches and for that Erik was grateful. "Erik are you alright" Christine yelled from the other room. Erik hurried back to her room at the sound of her voice.

Christine sat on the settee dressed in the dry night gown, her wet clothes lying in a heap on the floor next to her. Erik walked over to her and moved to pick her up but Christine stopped him. "No Erik, just help me walk to the bed. Your shoulder was injured, you don't need to be lifting me up and putting strain on it" she said. "Nonsense" he said and moved to pick her up. "Erik no" she said again placing a hand on his chest.

Erik looked down at Christine annoyed. Why was she being so difficult? He wasn't a child. He knew his limitations. He wanted to tell her that she was being difficult and that he knew what to do in this situation but he had a feeling that wouldn't go over well. It didn't the first time he tried it with her so he could hardly expect it to work the second time. Erik closed his eyes and smiled at the memory. He let out a small chuckle. He could still see Christine's shocked face clearly in his mind. "What's so funny?" Christine asked her eyes narrowing. Erik sighed and sat down next to her.

"I was just remembering another time that you were being so difficult"

"What do you mean you remember a time when I was difficult? Erik I am not difficult" she said defensively, looking away from him. "Ahh my sweet cherie" Erik said and pulled her against his chest " Don't tell me you have forgotten the time when you insisted on cooking that four course meal for us. You insisted you knew what you were doing"

"I did know what I was doing. The chicken was suppose to be that colour" she said trying to fight off the smile that was creeping up on her face.

"I don't know about you Christine, but I never saw a recipe that said 'cook chicken until black'" Christine swatted his arm and let out a chuckle at the memory.

Erik was hard at work on his manuscript. Christine watch him work almost non stop at it for three days. He would only take a break for Christine's singing lessons and to dine with her for a quick supper. Christine amused herself most of the time with books from Erik's vast library but as she heard him groan and curse under his breath more often she knew he needed break. He needed something to take his mind off of his work and relax for a view hours. Christine got a wonderful idea. Erik had numerous cooking books in his collection, a wonderful meal would be perfect to relax him. He had all sorts of spices and foods in his kitchen, she would make him a wonderful supper.

Dashing to the section of cook books she scanned the shelf until she found the one she wanted. "Erik I'm going to make us a nice supper tonight" she yelled as she hurried towards the kitchen. Erik mumbled something unledgible and continued working. Christine shook her head and search around for matches to light to the stove.

Two hours later strange smells from the kitchen cause Erik to look up from his work. He walked to the kitchen and peak inside. Their was Christine running around frantically looking absolutely disheveled. The front of the apron she wore was splashed with sauce. Her dress sleeves were pulled up to her elbows. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun and her cheeks were dotted with flour. Erik thought she looked absolutely adorable. She stopped in front of some bread dough and started kneeding it. "My dear are you need of assistance" Erik asked, a smile in his voice. Christine's head jerked up at the sound of his voice. "Erik you startled me. No, no I don't need help I have everything under.." A pot on the stove started to bubble over "Blast" Christine muttered and ran over to the stove taking the pot off and wiping up the messy with a near by towel. "I have everything under control" she finished, flashing him a smile as she went back to the dough.

"I want you to go and relax Erik. I'm making you a special supper to take your mind off things"

"I like to help you Christine" Erik said his eyes scanning the kitchen his eyes landing nervously on what appeared to be a chicken lying in a roasting pan waiting to be cooked.

"Nonsense. Here"

She stuffed a dark brown cookie in his hand and shooed him out towards his study with her arms.

"I just made those today so there's plenty more for after supper. I'll call you when its ready"

Erik smiled and watched Christine hurry back to the kitchen.

Erik walked to his study and sat down in a chair by the fire. He looked down at the cookie and shook his head smiling. Never did he imagine that he, Erik, the opera ghost, the phantom of the opera would be sitting in his study eating cookies while the woman he loved more then anything was in the kitchen attempting to make him supper. He was suppose to be a dark, fearsome man. It didn't fit his profile. What shocked him even more was that he actually like it. It was strange comfort. It made him feel like a normal man. He didn't think it possible but at the moment he felt he loved Christine even more. Erik took a bite of cookie which crumbled in his hand. "Sweet Christine" he chuckled and ate the bits in his hand.

Erik sat in his study for a quarter of an hour listening to Christine rush about the kitchen. Every five minutes she would mumble 'blast' and he would hear a clan of pots. Finally he got up and walked back to the kitchen. Christine was bent over the stove removing a brown loaf of bread. "Christine dear, are you sure you don't need any help" he asked as his eyes scanned the kitchen, it was a mess.

"I'm positive. Everything is under control. The chicken should be ready soon. The soap is simmering. The bread is finished and the vegetables are boiling"

"Christine the vegetables are boiling over" Erik said calmly.

"What?"

Christine looked at the top of the stove where the vegetables were boiling over the rim of the pot. "Blast" shecursed and took them off the burner. "Christine come now" Erik said walking up to her "Don't be so difficult. Let me help, I'm actually quite the talented chief"

"Difficult?" she said turning towards him scowling "Difficult. How dare you even insinuate that I am difficult. You monsieur are making things difficult for me. Out. Out of my kitchen now" She pushed him out the door and shut it. "I am not difficult" he heard her mumble as he stared at the closed door in shock at her outburst. An hour later a exhausted looking Christine came to the study. She had changed her dress but she looked extremely tired. "Dinner is ready Erik" she said and lead him to the dining room. The table was beautifully set, candles glowed and half a dozen silver platters adorned the table. Erik seated Christine then sat down himself. "It smells delicious my dear" Erik said avoiding Christine's eyes.

"I do hope you like it. I wanted to do something special for you. You've been working so hard these last few days"

"I'm sure I will my dear"

He made it through the lumpy mushroom cream soup. The vegetables looked edible but the chicken was black. "I know it's a little over done" Christine said in reference to the chicken "but I wasn't sure how long to cook it and I wanted to make sure it was cook. Meg once got a really bad upset stomach from chicken not being cook" "It looks perfect cherie" Erik said and cut himself a piece. Christine watched him nervously, bitting her lip as he took his first bite. It crunch in his mouth like toast. Erik swallowed and nodded. "Delicious" he said and forced himself to take another bite. The breathtaking smile she gave him was worth eating the entire chicken. It warmed his heart. "I'm so glad you liked it Erik, I worked so hard" she said happily her eyes drooping slightly. Ten minutes into the meal Christine dozed off at the table. Erik put down his fork and quietly got up from the table. He gently picked her up and carried her to her bed. He carefully laid her down and covered her up. Kissing her on the cheek he whispered "Thank you Christine for making me feel human" "Your welcome" she mumbled and snuggled into the sheets.

"I cant' believe you actually ate it Erik" Christine laughed. "I would of ate the whole thing if it made you happy Christine" Erik said softly and kissed her cheek.

"And that is why I love you so angel"

She lifted her face and kissed him on the lips. "Now with your assistance" she began, emphasizing the word assistance "I'll go lay down in bed. My chest is sore and I think some sleep will do me good" Erik held on to her waist tightly as they walked the short distance across the room to her bed. He got her settled under the covers then hurried out of the room for a moment. When he returned he sat down next to her and held out a pill and glass of water. "Take this. It will ease the pain"

Christine took the pill with out question and sat the glass on the bedside table. Erik took her hands in his and smiled.

"You call out for me if you need me Christine. No getting up. Promise me"

"I'll promise if you promise me the same thing. If your shoulder starts to becoming to painful. Wake me so I can take a look at it and make sure to take one of those pills yourself. Just because you're a man doesn't mean you have to 'face the pain'"

"Very well. Now close your eyes cherie and I'll see you when you wake"

Erik waited until Christine was fast asleep before he followed her wish's and took something for his pain. He then went and disposed of the body's in his lair. He started with Raoul's and Thomas'. He fished both out of the lake and placed them in the gondola with a thud. He then made his way to collect the body of Lemur but when he went to where he stabbed the man the body was missing. A small pool of blood remained on the floor. Erik's eyes darted quickly around the lair. Looking for signs of the man. He then did a through search of his house and came up empty. The man was gone. Erik knew though this was not over. Lemur would be back for revenge and Erik would be prepared.

...to be continued...