Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with The Phantom of the Opera except the 2004 DVD, the 1987 soundtrack, and a rather unhealthy obsession with Gerard Butler. I am in no way profiting in this beyond the good feeling I get from giving Erik a (generally)happy ending. That said, on with the fic!

The sun broke through a crack in the curtains of Erik and Christine's room, slowly filling the room with light. Erik groaned as he woke slowly to find his eyes filled with light. Muttering to himself, he gave a start as he woke fully to find that his mask was gone, and that Christine was sleeping next to him, a smile gracing her face again. He reached out gently and brushed a lock of hair off her face as she began to stir.

"...Angel..." he whispered softly as her eyes opened and her smile widened.

"My Angel," she replied just as softly. They just laid there and looked at each other for a few moments, before Erik slowly reached over and pulled her over for a kiss. She giggled as they drew apart. "Do you have any idea how often I dreamed of waking up next to you, just like this?"

"Probably as often as I dreamed of the same, darling."

The next few moments between the two were spent trading long, slow kisses, before Erik finally pulled away completely.

"We should get up, chérie. It is gone ten."

By the time the two of them made it out of bed and into the kitchen, it was to find Nadir sitting in his normal chair, reading, and smirking in turns at them and the clock.

"Finally up, eh?"

"Daroga..." Erik said warningly, only to feel Christine's arms slipping around his waist and her stern look.

"Food, Erik," she reminded him.

"And then a trip to the Opera!" Nadir broke in cheerfully. Erik groaned.

"Have I mentioned that I have absolutely no desire to meet with managers?"

"Numerous times, darling," Christine said indifferently as she made her way over to the counters to find something for herself and her husband, as Nadir had already gotten something for himself.

"He really is not so bad, Erik," Nadir admonished the glowering man sitting across the table. "Nothing like the idiots they had passed off as managers at the Populaire. Lefèvre was all right, but André and Firmin... well."

"I have no desire to see any manager in any form, idiot or not. I dislike being with other people, especially when I'm showing my work."

"You'll be brilliant," Christine broke in as she set a mug of Nadir's strong tea in front of Erik. "Your music is amazing, they'll probably give you a job on the spot."

"I'm glad someone's so confident in me." He pulled his wife down into his lap, ignoring her protests that breakfast was going to burn. "We all know how brilliant my last performed work was."

"It was brilliant. Better than what they normally put on. At the point at which it was performed, however, everyone was much too on edge to appreciate it," Christine said firmly, shooting a glare at Nadir who was obviously laughing behind his book. "And what are you laughing at?"

"Absolutely nothing," he replied, finally letting a laugh loose.

"Daroga! I dislike being laughed at!" Erik growled.

"You dislike a lot of things. You'll live."

"Both of you, behave. Nadir, what is so funny?"

"The fact that Erik so obviously pays attention to everything you say. Forgive me, but it's funny to see the Erik I knew being ordered around by a little girl."

"I'm not a little girl! I'm-" She paused. "Seventeen. But that's beside the point!"

"He still listens to everything you say."

"He is sitting right here," Erik pointed out. "And Daroga, stay out of my affairs. I told you once, I'll tell you again, I do not like people who meddle in my business!"

"As I said before, you dislike a lot of things-"

They were interrupted this time by Christine letting out a small squeak of surprise and running over to the stove, where she'd left a pan over the heat. After making sure the contents were all right, she turned to face Erik and stuck out her tongue.

"I told you."

"But it is fine, is it not?"

"Yes. But only because I noticed it."

"Just eat, you two, we have to leave in an hour."

Breakfast was finished in silence, with Erik sending Nadir evil looks every time he started to laugh. After breakfast, Christine and Erik went into the bedroom to get ready, leaving Nadir to glance at the clock every few minutes. After half an hour had elapsed, he decided to go check on them.

What he heard surprised him.

"Erik, you don't have to be scared. You have done this before."

"I don't want to hurt you-"

"You won't, it doesn't hurt at all anymore. I've gotten used to it."

"You've got bruises all over you, darling."

"I've always bruised easily. Hurry up, or Nadir will wonder what has happened to us."

Behind the door, Nadir coughed loudly. "Is everything all right?" he called.

"Everything is fine," Erik answered.

"Yes, only Erik won't tighten my corset enough," Christine added. Nadir had to suppress a laugh. So that is what they were doing!

"Well, hurry up. Erik, women are strange creatures, those things don't hurt them. Just do as she says, man, we need to leave!

The only answer he received was a grumble from Erik and a laugh from Christine.

"Ah, Monsieur Leroux! Excellent to see you, sir!"

Well, he's certainly very exuberant, Erik thought as the manager of the Opéra Royale came toward their small group.

"And this must be your wife! Excellent, excellent. Well, shall we have Madame Leroux audition first, or would you like to look over the contract, Monsieur? Monsieur Khan has already brought me some of your work, we were all quite impressed."

Erik inclined his head slightly. "If you have already seen that, then I believe my wife would like to audition first, and the contracts will be handled afterwards." He turned to Christine. "Is that all right, Maria?" he asked, careful to make sure he used the name they had agreed upon for public use.

She nodded and smiled at him. "That will be fine."

M. Réyes clasped his hands and smiled. "Perfect. We will go straight to Monsieur Emberg, then. I remember Monsieur Khan mentioned that you warm up with your wife on the piano?"

"That is correct. I have been her teacher for several years, we have developed a system."

"Perfect, perfect, let us go, then!"

Erik sent Nadir a look. This man was interesting, if nothing else.

Screams followed him everywhere as he tried to follow them. Always just out of reach, just around a corner, he would catch a glimpse of her. Her long hair swinging as she was pulled along, her pleading eyes.

Those pleading eyes, that both threaten, and adore.

He had her, he had her, his Christine.

Once again, strains of music from Don Juan filled his mind.

The bridge is crossed so stand and watch it burn... we've past the point of no return...

He was holding her, that monster, contaminating her, and she was doing nothing to stop him. She was going back to him. She kissed him.

He would save her, he would get her away from the monster...

Sounds followed him again, this time laughter, singing, happy sounds. He ran from them, refusing to think of her happy with the monster...

James sighed as he stepped off the boat onto the foggy Halifax pier. Raoul certainly was determined. From what Philippe and the doctor had told him, Raoul did, in fact, have something wrong with his mind. The boy had apparently caught something down in those cellars, and it had caused him to go mad. How someone in his state had gotten this far, he had no idea.

But he had; and now, James had the ever so wonderful task of finding the boy.

Emberg had never seen anything like it. The Leroux' were quite amazing. He had, in fact, absolutely fallen for the piece which M. Khan brought in. It was musical genius, unadulterated, pure and simple. Madame Leroux, who gave her name as Maria, was supposedly magnificent as well. But the two of them together! M. Emberg, in his many years with the Opéra Royale, had never heard anything like it. The Leroux' and M. Khan had come onto the stage with M. Réyes, and M. Réyes had announced that 'Monsieur Leroux and his wife will be warming up together'. Naturally, M. Emberg had been a tiny bit put out at this, but he soon forgot about it at the prospect of getting his hands on the couple's talent.

"I am afraid that Madame Leroux will have to wait a while before getting a leading part, of course," M. Emberg told the musical couple after the wife's audition, with true regret in his voice. "Once she is better known, however, and that should take little time, with her talent, she will have many parts, many parts!"

Erik turned a little to send his wife a tiny smile. Things were going exactly as planned.

Author's Note: Another chapter. Muahaha. Raoul is sneaking ever closer... Anyway. Have had a sick day and a storm day consecutively, and prior to that, no Internet due to my father taking my modem away -grumbles- BUT because of that, I managed to get almost everything but the epilogue to this typed out! Go me ;) So I'll be posting every other day, probably. As well, started a new story, or rather, a new collection of stories: An Angel's Arising and Other Tales, it's just going to be a place for all my short little things that really have no place.

Thanks to everyone that has reviewed, hearing what people have to say about my work always helps :)