Title: This is the Choice
Rating: T
Summary: Christine makes her choice. EC, ALW with Leroux hints.
A/N: A fic inspired by my sister and I crying over the ending one night and wishing Erik could have his happily ever after. Started out as a one shot...decided to add more. Enjoy :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with The Phantom of the Opera except the 2004 DVD, the 1987 soundtrack, and a rather unhealthy fixation on Gerard Butler/Erik. I am in no way profiting in this beyond the good feeling I get from giving Erik a happy ending. That said, on with the fic!
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Decisions Are Made and Plans Are Laid
Decisions were made, plans were laid, and Nadir's house was in a constant flurry of movement over the next few weeks. After much deliberation, Nadir and Erik had finally come to a decision. Both Erik and Christine had wanted to stay in France, but both knew that it wouldn't be a good idea with the de Chagny family in as much power as they were. A French city, therefore, was the obvious choice, and Nadir, the well-travelled man that he was, immediatly suggested the Canadian city of Montréal. To Erik and Christine, it seemed perfect: their native language, nobody would know them, the Opera ghost would be seem only as a myth, and it was far from France.
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"Must you do that! You insufferable idiot, I have no idea why I keep you around!" Christine looked up from her packing just in time to see her fiancé storm into the bedroom.
"Must be because of my brilliant wit, wonderful humor, perfect good looks, oh, as well as the fact that I'm the only person who can stand to be around you for more than five minutes at a time!" Nadir drifted cheerfully through the house after Erik, who had flung himself down into a chair opposite Christine.
"Hardly the only person, Monsieur Khan, unless you find me invisible," Christine pointed out, her back to the two of them.
"Ah, yes, Mademoiselle Daaé, I had forgotten about you!" She couldn't see either of them, but she knew that he was grinning and Erik, ready to strangle him.
"There, done," she exclaimed as she folded and placed the last skirt into the case and closed it with a satisfying click. "That's most of the packing, isn't it?"
"Everything that we will be bringing, my dear."
That was part of the plan: travel as light as possible, bringing only what they needed. Erik and Nadir had returned to the house under the lake, and brought back with them most of Erik's possessions, especially his music. That was another part of the allure to Montréal: The Opéra Royale de Montréal. Nadir had assured them both that it was a quality establishment, quite worthy of their talents. Hearing that had changed Erik's mood considerably, and he spent most of his time- when not arguing with Nadir or helping Christine get everything ready- composing more music.
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Those brown eyes haunted him. Those beautiful brown eyes, that had looked at him in love, and betrayed him, becoming stained with lust as she danced with the monster that touched her with his filthy hands. Eyes that had begged him to save her, and betrayed him again as she kissed the beast, and returned to him only to leave again. He had heard her as he left, telling her angel that she would never leave him.
"You're mine," came the harsh whisper in the night. Speeding away from the de Chagny mansion came a shadow on a black horse, wild laughter whipping away in the wind...
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Nadir smiled over the cover of his book at the young couple across from him. They were on the train now, from Halifax to Montréal, and Christine had fallen asleep immediatly with Erik in quick succession. The boat trip across had been uneventful; pleasant, even, except for a small case of seasickness on Christine's part. It was mid-October now, and Nadir was anxious to get to their new home. He had had a feeling that something was going to happen; these feelings of his were rarely wrong, unfortunately.
The train pulled into the Truro station to pick up and drop off passengers, and Nadir put his book down with a sigh. Might as well sleep as the chance came.
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When her eyes opened again, the first thing Christine noticed was that the train had slowed down. Wondering where they were, she sat up straighter, smiling as Erik awoke with a start at feeling his pillow move.
"Go back to sleep if you want, I only want to find out where we are," Christine explained.
"I'll go with you."
She smiled, knowing she wouldn't be talking him out of it any time soon. Neither got out the door, however, as the whistle blew and the conductor's voice was heard throughout the train:
"All passengers for Montréal! Tous passagers pour Montréal!"
Nadir woke and blinked blearily at them. "Lady and gentleman, I do believe this is our station." Not bothering to hide a huge yawn, he got up, gallantly holding the door open as Christine passed through. "To our new home!"
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"A tall man with a mask, dark hair, green eyes; thin but obviously strong."
"An' the lady?"
"A little shorter than I stand now, with long, curly brown hair and brown eyes. There was also another man with them, perhaps, a little taller than I with dark skin and eyes."
"Yeah, we seen the likes o' two men an' a woman like that, mes'r, that be Mes'r Khan, 'is friend, and the friend's fiancée," the dockhand slurred slightly in Raoul's direction. "Right beau'ful she was too, on'y the tall one wouldn' let us near 'er." Trying not to let his rage and his obvious distaste of the man show, Raoul asked patiently,
"Could you tell me where they were headed, please?"
"O'er t' Canada, them were goin'. Right funny place to be takin' a lady, mes'r, or so said m' friend-"
"Thank you for your time, sir, it is much appreciated," Raoul cut in, not wishing to be there for the rest of the day.
"G'day, mes'r," the dockhand's voice followed him as he left.
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A/N: Blah, short chapter...just two pages. I wanted them out of France before the action starts, though. And, action starting tomorrow, guaranteed! Will post chapter four tomorrow.
Good? Bad? Tolerable? Let me know in a review :)