Chapter Thirty-One
Masquerade of Don Juan
Part 2

A/N: Sorry for the long delay in updating, fanfiction would not allow me to log into my account, well here it is now!

"What are you doing in here, Mademoiselle?" Christine asked, pulling Erik's coat more tightly around herself, trying to ignore the fact that she had a gun in her hands. Natasha said nothing but the look in her eyes was pure hatred. Christine very suddenly wished Erik was with her. He would protect her. Tonight had been so special to her, spending time with Erik had been wonderful and she knew that she was growing closer to him. Could nothing ever end happily? They had been opposites, still were, but somehow they were making things work. She knew that there would be times in the future where they had arguments like the ones they had had when they were first married but Christine looked forward to them.

Natasha shook her head and her gorgeous eyes roamed over Christine. "I just do not know what he sees in you."

Christine stared at the woman in front of her a long time.

"What?"

"Your husband."

The word was hissed through clenched teeth. Christine could not believe that this was the reason Natasha had a gun in her hands. She was jealous that Erik had married her. For such a long time she would have been happy to give this woman Erik if it meant her freedom. Now she was not so sure if she could make that decision after she had given him everything that she was.

"You had nothing to offer him but your body," Christine said, knowing that such a statement could get her killed but unable to stay quiet. Even as a child she had always had something to say and now was no different. Natasha's green eyes flashed. How dare this insolent little brat tell her what Erik wanted from her?

She raised the pistol warningly. "Remember your place, Madam."

"I know my place, Natasha. I am Erik's wife, and it seems that you are willing to kill me because I have what you do not."

"In many ways I wish that you were the only one that had Erik's heart, it would be so easy to dispose of you. But I know why he married you and believe me, my dear, neither of us win with him."

Christine did not like that statement at all. What in Heaven's name did she mean by that? "And what reason did he marry me?"

"Oh, you are a smart girl, think about it," Natasha said with disdain. Christine knew she was a woman of intelligence, she did not need this woman to remind of her of that. But she could not think of any reason why Erik would want to marry her. It had been arranged because Erik had saved her fathers life and for some reason unknown to her her father was the reason Erik wore his mask. That was the reason she had been forced to marry him, Natasha knew nothing.

"You are the only link he has to your mother," Natasha murmured, breaking into Christine's thoughts like a persistent bug in her ear. Her eyes flew to the other woman's. How had she known about her mother?

"You know nothing about my mother and you have no right to speak of her," Christine whispered, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. How was it her mother always managed to come up? Was what she was saying true? Did Erik only want her because she was her mother's daughter? No, that could not be right, they loved each other like a brother and a sister! Not lovers...

"Look at you! I had seen your mother several times before she died, sweeting, and you are almost an exact replica of her beauty," Natasha said. Christine knew she had to be lying; she could not have seen her mother! She had never met Natasha until after she had been married to Erik!

"That means nothing," Christine whispered, desperately needing to believe it. Natasha did not say anything. She knew she did not have to. She had planted that seed of doubt in the young girls mind and that was what she had wanted. Natasha waved the pistol in the direction of the door, where the uproar of people was still clearly heard.

"Now turn toward the door," she instructed. Christine did not move.

"If you are going to kill me I want you to look in my eyes when you do so."

Natasha smirked.

"I am not going to kill you...yet, now turn around," Natasha said a little more impatiently. Christine did not want to but she slowly turned around. Natasha came up behind her and Christine tensed when the head of the pistol was pressed cruelly into the middle of her back.

"Now walk," she spat at her. Christine swallowed and shut her eyes for a moment. She was going to make her go into that crowd wearing only Erik's evening coat. God only knew what she was going to do once they got there. On bare feet Christine slowly began to walk, the pressure of the pistol never leaving her back. She opened the door and was dismayed that she had forgotten just how many people were there. No one really noticed them as they made their way to the center of the room and Christine looked around frantically for Erik. A man did see her eventually and he whistled, which caught everyone's attention in the room because it was just loud enough. Women gasped in disbelief that Christine would shame herself and come out in public with so little on. The men did not really know what to do. She looked beautiful but many of them were married and could say nothing or would have to hear about it from their wives. All of them were so caught up in the fact that Christine was nearly naked that no one noticed the gun Natasha had pointed at her back.

"You see what are young hostess was doing while you were all enjoying yourselves? She was enjoying herself in a much different way," Natasha declared, making sure her voice was loud enough for all to hear. The music had stopped and the room had become deathly quiet. Christine wanted to look away from the looks of disgust that were thrown at her from behind the masks of so many people.

"Where is your husband, Madam?" she sneered. Christine said nothing, knowing Natasha was only doing this to humiliate them.

"You better have a good reason why you are doing this, Natasha," Erik's voice was laced with venom as he stepped from the crowd. Several people took a step back at the tone of his voice. Christine had never been so glad to see him in her life.

"Stay where you are, Erik, I have no qualms about killing her," Natasha said, making sure Erik could see the pistol. His fists clenched and his eyes found his wife's. She tried to smile reassuringly but it was difficult. Erik felt his heart stir in an unfamiliar feeling at the sight of her. She was half naked, all of her long, shapely legs bare and he knew there was nothing underneath and to him she had never looked more beautiful, even in her shameful position.

"Tell me something, Erik," Natasha commanded, snapping Erik's attention back to her. He said nothing, waiting for her to speak.

Natasha's eyes never left Erik's. "What does she have that I do not?"

Everyone in the room was obviously surprised by her question as was Erik, whose eyes widened only slightly behind the mask. Christine could hear something in the woman's tone that was familiar to her but she could not place it just yet.

"What?" Erik demanded.

"What made you choose Christine over me?" Natasha demanded, becoming angry. How dare he play daft with her?

"We were over a long time ago, Natasha! What the devil are you doing?" Erik nearly hissed. Erik could not believe that Natasha was holding Christine at gun point because she did not like the idea that he had married Christine instead of her. Christine suddenly knew the reason why she was doing this and the idea was not one that she liked to think about.

"She loves you," Christine whispered. Erik's eyes found hers. Natasha dug the pistol head cruelly into Christine's back and she winced.

"Shut up," she growled. Christine knew that that had to be the reason why she was behaving so rashly. She loved Erik and it was killing her that he had married another woman. In any other situation Christine might have felt bad for the woman but she had taken things to far.

"She loves you, Erik, and she is jealous of the fact that you married someone else!" Christine insisted, knowing it to be true. She cried out softly when the pistol dug even more deeply into her flesh.

"You will keep your mouth shut or I will kill you in front of him!" Natasha whispered furiously. She was angry at herself more then she was at Christine at the moment. How could she have let her emotions become so obvious? Deep down she had always known that she loved Erik from when she had first met him but she had never allowed herself to examine the feeling to closely. She had believed for a long time that perhaps he might be able to come to love her in time; she was beautiful enough, wasn't she?

They had always been good together and this greatness had told her that she might have a chance. But Erik had always had such a temper with her and she had always been so meek, giving in whenever they had an argument. Then she had become tired of backing down and had stood up to him, the fights had grown worse and soon it was too much. They had separated and Natasha had always hated herself for letting him go. Then, not long after he had married Christine he came to her home and they made love. He had been so desperate and the night had been full of pleasure and for one brief moment she had allowed herself to hope. That hope had been shattered tonight and she had gone against the plans that had been made for tonight.

"Natasha, you are acting foolish, let her go, now," Erik demanded, his voice cold and angry. Natasha had to fight back the tears that were in her eyes.

"I am not acting foolish, Erik!" she said angrily.

"Yes, you are-"

"Tell her you love her," Natasha interrupted. Erik stiffened and Christine swallowed the lump in her throat. This could not be happening! Christine's eyes found her husbands and his look was expressionless.

"What?" Erik said very softly. Natasha raised the pistol until it was pointed at Christine's head.

"Come closer and tell her you love her, and make me believe it," Natasha said. Erik did not move, surely this had to be a joke of some kind! How could he tell Christine he loved her when he was not sure that he did? He felt something for her, what that was he did not know? Natasha pressed the pistol roughly against Christine and Erik became aware of the tears in Natasha's eyes. She truly did love him...he could see it now. But he did not love her; he would never be able to love her.

"Move and tell her, Erik! And do not try anything, this gun will be pointed at her the entire time!" Natasha demanded. Erik slowly made his way toward the two women. Christine's eyes pleaded with him not to, she feared that Natasha might hurt him. Erik stopped when he was standing in front of Christine, his breath mingling with hers. Natasha backed up, but did not move the aim of the gun. The crowd was silent, transfixed by what was happening in front of them.

Erik's hands cupped his wife's beautiful face as he stared into her eyes, praying that he could do this and knowing that if he did not Christine would pay with her life. Christine's eyes were already moist and she laid her hands over his much larger ones.

"Tell her," Natasha hissed. Christine never looked away from the man before her, wondering what it would sound like to hear him say those three little words.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice full of meaning. As everyone watched he leaned forward and kissed her with everything he had in him.

xXx

Christine closed her eyes and allowed herself to become consumed by Erik's kiss. His tongue and lips were persistent and Christine could almost taste this love he had just said he had for her. But it was all a lie, Natasha knew it and so did Erik. He had said those words because Christine would have died if he had not. Christine wished that they were true and the fact that they were not hurt her deeply. She was sure that Natasha had anticipated such feelings. Erik pulled away slowly, his lips lingering on hers. He laid his forehead against hers and Christine smiled at him. Several people in the crowd let out a breath of relief.

He had sounded believable. All eyes turned to Natasha, wondering what she was going to say about what had just happened. Natasha was trembling and several tears had slipped past her guard and she wiped them away furiously with her hand, hating the fact that she was weak enough to cry.

"I do not believe you."

A gun was aimed and fired.

xXx

Persia
1863


Emma smiled softly to herself and pulled her sleeping three year old son just a little more closer to her as she walked in the gardens. Erik had been tired that day and had asked if he could go to bed early. Emma had told him to rest up and sent him on his way. They had been in Persia a few months now and she was beginning to like it more and more. Perhaps it was because of the fact that it was Nadir's homeland. Sometimes, when she went out to the market, she would look for him, wondering and hoping that perhaps he had come back to his roots and she might be able to see him.

It had been three long years since she had laid eyes on the man she loved. Her father, as a cruel joke, had told them that they were going to Persia on a long holiday and Emma knew he had only made such a decision because of the fact that she missed Nadir so much and he happened to be from Persia. The only thing that had kept Emma going the past three years was the little boy in her arms and Erik. Without them she did not know what she would do.

Anthony was the pride and joy of her life and Erik had quickly taken to him as well, and he liked spending time with the young toddler. Erik, a boy of ten now, was growing into a handsome young man. He was becoming far to smart for his age and the things in Persia fascinated him.

She knew that he never left her side that much because he was always afraid something was going to happen to her. Emma would never tell him that Isaac had begun selling her to his friends for a profit and had even used her himself when he had become extremely intoxicated. Emma had felt dirty for weeks and spent hours in a hot bath, trying to rid herself of the smell of him on her and the feeling of him pressing her into the mattress. She would have left when it had first happened but they threatened Anthony's life constantly and there was always someone watching her, making sure she did not try anything idiotic. If Erik found out about these occurrences with Isaac she knew he would hate himself for not being able to protect her. But he was only a boy of ten and she refused to put such a weight on his young shoulders.

He had already seen far too much and it had made him harsh to everyone with the exception of herself. She knew he would never be mean or cruel to her. They loved one another so much. But when it came to the rest of her family, her two brothers and her father, there was a hatred Erik had for them that went much deeper then a ten year old should be able to feel.

Emma knew that if she were to tell Erik about what her brother was doing he would try and kill him and Isaac would kill Erik with a single blow. She would not risk his life like that, she refused to. She would do what she had to to make sure her son and Erik were safe and happy. Anything she had to do would be done. There was no way around it.

"Mademoiselle, it is rather late to be out alone," a strange voice said. Emma turned to see a man standing on the other side of the gate that surrounded the manor and the gardens. He was handsome but Emma had a deep distrust for gentlemen of late and she was alone and it was dark.

"Indeed, Monsieur, but it far to beautiful outside to waste ones time inside," she said politely.

"I must agree about the night sky...beautiful," he murmured. But he was not looking at the sky; he was looking at Emma, illuminated by the soft moonlight. Emma blushed when she noticed his stare and pulled the still sleeping Anthony closer.

"Is it not late for a gentleman like yourself to be walking the streets?" Emma wondered. She heard him chuckle and it was a deep and inviting sound.

"I find it is easier to think when one is by oneself," he said. Emma arched an elegant brow.

"You have much on your mind, Monsieur?" she wondered, not liking the fact that he seemed comfortable to be around.

"I think of the two of us you have more on your mind then I," he said. Emma said nothing, knowing that was why she had come out into the gardens. She had Anthony with her because she was afraid of one of her brothers trying something when she was not around. That was why she kept him at her side constantly. Erik was in no risk of harm, her family ignored him completely, not thinking he was one of the family.

"I have not met many French like myself, you are on holiday?" he asked.

"Yes, and yourself?" she wondered. Why in Heaven's name was she having a conversation with this stranger?

"Holiday as well," he answered. Emma heard her father shout her name and she glanced back at the house with a sigh.

"I should be going," she said sadly. He was the first man she had been able to have a conversation with since Nadir.

"Alright," he said, a little reluctantly. Emma smiled and went to the gate, stretching out her hand.

"I am Emma Delauney, by the way," she said. The gentleman smiled.

"Gustave Daae."