Chapter Fifty-Nine: Battles of Pain and Hardship

"We have Christine, Desslar, you would be wise to put your pistol down!"

Erik's first reaction was one of disbelief. Michael was lying, the man would do anything to put Erik off guard and he did not appreciate the fact that the man was bringing his wife into it. Christine was safe in the trees with Nadir; no harm would come to her because there was no way anyone would be able to find her in this darkness.

"You have to come up with something better than that, Delauney!" Erik growled. Did the man think he was daft? He would not fall for such a ridiculous lie!

"Then I will just have to show you!"

Erik felt like his heart was being torn from his chest when Christine was forced into the room with Michael Delauney behind her, his pistol pointed at her head. Her eyes were closed and he could see the tears that had trailed down her cheeks. The first thing that Erik seemed to notice was that Delauney's arm was wrapped far to tightly around Christine's stomach and his first thought was for the baby. However the next thought was for the pistol pointed at Christine's head and the thought he had at the moment was how the hell it was so hard for Christine to listen when he told her something! He should have tied her to one of the trees where she had no way of escaping and ruining everything! However Erik found it difficult to feel anything anywhere close to disappointment when he saw her open her eyes very slowly to look at him, as if she was afraid of what she might see.

He could see that she was extremely disappointed in herself for allowing herself to become caught and he could also see that she was worried about what he thought of her now. All of this, however, was replaced when her eyes found his left shoulder and she knew immediately he was hurt. Christine's eyes once more found his and he saw the fear for him in the blue depths.

"You test my patience, Delauney, get your hands off of my wife," he growled softly. Michael smirked and Erik felt his fist clench, he would give anything to pound that man into a bloody pulp. Erik knew there were a couple more men standing outside the door and for the first time he really began to worry about his and Christine's future.

"Put your gun down, Desslar, and do not make me ask twice," he said, pressing the head of his pistol roughly into Christine's tender flesh for emphasis. Erik angrily tossed the pistol onto the ground and felt completely defenseless when he did so. Michael turned his head to look at his two men.

"Both of you, tie him up," Delauney said, before turning back to Erik, "If you struggle I will kill her."

The men came in and produced ropes that they used to bind Erik's hands roughly behind his back. Christine whimpered each time they pulled too roughly and she had to look away. Erik remained still as he was tied, even given the pain that was in his shoulder, and he did not once look away from Christine, she was what he was being strong for, he had to remember that.

"One of you come over here," Michael demanded when they were finished with Erik. The masked man watched silently as Delauney gave the pistol and Christine to the other man, instructing him to kill her if anything should go wrong.

"Erik," Christine whimpered in fear when Delauney began to approach Erik. Once more Erik said nothing. He did not know what to say.

"No...!" Christine pleaded when Michael produced a dagger. Erik closed his eyes for a moment, desperately trying to come up with some way to get himself and Christine out of this. He could only imagine what Delauney had planned for him with that sharp blade. Christine began to struggle and the man holding her cursed when she pushed back against him, causing him to lose his balance and drop the pistol. Michael turned angrily right when Christine ran towards them, not knowing what she was going to do but knowing she had to do something. Michael, however, seemed to know that she would try such a thing and he lunged for her, grabbing a rough handful of her hair in his hand. He yanked her head back so roughly Christine was surprised that it did not snap. Delauney forced her to meet his gaze and she had never seen such a look of pure loathing in anyone's eyes in her entire life.

"It is becoming weary this need you seem to have to save the day. You should know from past experiences that there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop me!" he growled, throwing her roughly to the ground.

"Christine..." Erik pleaded softly. He just wanted her to sit still, he did not want her hurt, and he did not like the sound her body made when it hit the floor. The man who had been holding her previously grabbed her once more and she had the pistol at her head again.

"Watch and learn, Madam Desslar, this is what happens to monsters..." Michael murmured, grasping Erik's mask and throwing it to the ground. Christine screamed when Delauney took the dagger and cruelly dug into Erik's already marred flesh. Erik groaned and looked everywhere but at Christine.

"Stop! Stop! Please!" Christine cried. Michael ignored her and dug another line into Erik's face, who groaned in immense pain. Christine began to plead with Delauney. She could not watch this; there was no way she could see him hurt in front of her eyes again. Not again.

"Please...do not make her see this," Erik whispered softly. He was not a man to beg, but he would give anything not to have Christine subjected to this.

"Oh, no...she is going to see all of this. She is going to watch you die. And when I am done with you, I am going to cut open her stomach while she is still breathing and kill the little whelp growing inside!" Delauney hissed. Christine screamed and Erik closed his eyes, praying to a God he had never truly believed in to help save them from this madness. His baby and his wife did not deserve this, it was his battle and he did not want them to pay the price.

"She has nothing to do with this!" Erik insisted loudly, as a scolding Michael dug another line over the deformed side of Erik's face. He winced and wondered briefly why Delauney was not ruining the good side of his face. Of course he did not want him to but he wondered if the man was only teasing him or waiting for the right moment. Christine turned away when once more Erik groaned softly in pain. This was all her fault. If she would have listened Erik perhaps might have been able to kill Delauney and return to her.

"She has made herself involved by marrying you, Desslar, and she will pay for such a ridiculous decision."

"Is it so hard for you to get over your hatred for Emma to see that Christine is not her mother?" Erik demanded. He would not have Christine punished for things that had happened in the past.

"This has nothing to do with Emma. This has to do with the fact that you had a hand in both of my sons' deaths. You can call it revenge," Delauney growled.

"Please, Monsieur, do not do this!" Christine gasped when Erik cried out in pain. She could not watch this and had to turn away.

Something rushing past the door caught her attention and she tried to make it look as if she were not staring at anyone because as the figure flashed by again Christine realized who it was.

Nadir.

Thank God! She wondered if he knew that Raoul and Anthony were hurt. She just prayed not to badly. She looked frantically toward Erik to see him being subjected to another cut, his face now covered in blood. Christine knew that she had to distract all of them somehow so Nadir could surprise them all and perhaps kill Delauney and his men. She thought desperately of something to say or do that would perhaps get Michael's attention.

"You are going to watch this, Madam, and you are going to know pain," Michael growled. He ordered the man who was holding her to bring her to him and when she reached them he forced her down onto her knees so she and Erik were kneeling inches away from each other. Though her hands were untied the man still had the pistol at her head and she knew she could not do anything foolish. Christine's eyes welled with tears when she saw the extent of damage Michael had already inflicted. His eyes searched hers and it was as if he was searching for some kind of hope in her eyes. Michael roughly grabbed Erik's chin so he could look no where else but at Christine and carved into the flesh that had been burned so long ago.

As much as Christine wanted to close her eyes she just could not do so. She needed to give him strength, each cut was causing her to whimper. Hesitantly her hand came out and touched the side of his neck, very lightly. Erik closed his eyes even when Michael dug another line. He concentrated on the warmth of Christine's hand and the strength it seemed to give him from so light a touch. He tried to think about the times they had spent together that meant everything to him...making love, the masquerade, showing his face to her for the first time, finding out she was pregnant, all were things he would never forget and he wanted to focus only on the good things. Christine looked up at Michael and took a deep breath before speaking.

"Did your sons want children, Michael?" Christine wondered softly. Michael stiffened, the blade of his dagger resting against Erik's face. Erik was leaning forward from blood loss, his eyes closed to try and block out the pain. His eyes opened slightly when Christine spoke and he wondered what in the world she was doing.

"What?" he whispered dangerously. Erik looked from Delauney to Christine in worry.

"Christine..." Erik warned. She was treading in dangerous waters and he desperately did not want her to drown. Christine, however, kept her head high as she repeated what she had said.

"Did your sons want children?"

"How dare you mention them, you little trollop!" Michael growled. Both of his men glanced at each other, wondering how in the world this little woman was willing to stand up to a man as dangerous as Michael Delauney.

"I suppose no woman was willing to give them that."

Erik knew that if they got out of this alive he would have to have a talk with Christine about when to keep her mouth shut, like right now for instance.

"What do you mean by that?" Michael demanded, turning away from Erik to stare angrily at the beautiful woman before him.

"Your eldest son raped my mother, his own sister...your youngest attempts to rape me, and the woman my brother loves...so it would seem that charm does not run in your family..."

Christine took a deep breath to keep from crying out when the back of his hand connected with her cheek. Erik growled and began to struggle against the bonds that held him.

"Are you like them, Monsieur? Do you have trouble when it comes to self-control? Your sons were animals; they had to learn it from someone!"

Once more he hit her but Christine was beyond pain. She glanced at Erik, hoping he knew what she was doing. It was no longer about distracting them for Nadir; it was because she wanted Michael to turn away from Erik. The blood on his face had run down his neck and was staining his shirt and she no longer could stand what was being done to him. So she would make Michael angry at her and he would leave Erik alone.

"You are worse than your mother ever was, and it is just too bad that my son did not do to you what Isaac did to Emma," Michael growled.

"That just shows what a weakling your sons really were," she whispered. Michael said nothing. He raised the dagger covered with Erik's blood and ran it down Christine's cheek, smearing it with her husband's blood. Christine closed her eyes, not liking the smell that filled her nose. Michael was looking at her silently, as if thinking about something that she reminded him of.

"Why Desslar?"

Christine's eyes found Delauney's. What was he talking about? He had asked the question so softly she almost did not hear him.

"What?"

"How is it you managed to fall in love with that?" he demanded. Christine said nothing for a moment, studying the man who had caused her husband and her mother so much torment in their lives. She knew why he was doing this. Erik had found the love of a woman when he had never really known such a thing, neither had his sons. The man that he considered a demon, and who looked like one, had found the one thing that none of the Delauney men had ever been able to find in someone else. What did Desslar do to deserve this when his own sons were rotting in the ground, having never known what it was like to truly be happy?

"He is not the demon in this room, and no matter what happens here tonight he will always be a better man than you and your sons. No matter what you do that will not change. I have learned to see beyond outer appearances to the heart within. His is passionate and gold, yours is black and wilting..."

Erik closed his eyes at the sincerity that he heard in her voice. He had done many things in his life that he regretted, but marrying this woman would never be one of them. Of course it had been wrong in the beginning; he should have never forced a young woman to marry a masked man she knew absolutely nothing about. He admitted he never believed she would fall in love with him or him with her but it seemed that they were truly meant to be together, and Erik cursed Delauney for wanting to try and ruin that.

Michael turned away from Christine for a moment, as if contemplating this before turning back to her. The look in his eyes frightened her. His mood had changed dramatically and she knew that she would pay for the things she had said about his sons.

"Hold her still," he demanded of the man with the pistol. When the man did as said Michael's hands grasped her cloak and roughly tore it from her body, dropping it to the floor, forgotten. Erik began struggling again. Christine was kneeling there in nothing but her chemise, which really did not hide the stunning curves of her body and the slight swell of her stomach. Michael ran the blade of the dagger over the swell of Christine's stomach and she took a shuddering sob. Not her baby, anything but her baby! Erik, too, cried out softly.

"Delauney, not my child...anything but that," Erik pleaded. Michael had a distant look in his eyes, as if he were not really there and Christine worried that he was slowly going mad.

"You killed my oldest child, Desslar, do you not believe that I should return the favor?" he murmured, pressing a little harder with the tip of the knife. Christine whimpered.

"Please, Monsieur...not my baby," Christine pleaded softly, her eyes finding Erik's. She would never forget the look of total pain on his face and knowing that she was the reason that all of this had happened. He had died a little bit inside when Michael had struck her and now that he was threatening their child and she would not blame him if he never forgave her...she did not deserve him.

"The two of you do not deserve this infant...my sons should have had a family with children and a wife as stunning as you are, Madam," he murmured, his eyes meeting hers. Christine looked away, disgusted; she could not look at his face and know what he had planned without wanting to be sick. She glanced at the door but saw no sign of Nadir. She began to worry. Where had he gone? Did he go to try and wake Anthony up? She was sure that they could use as much help as they could get. She just prayed it was not to late.

"Your sons made their decision...please; my baby has done nothing to you!" Christine whispered desperately. Erik was no longer saying anything and she began to feel frightened.

"Your baby is Erik's baby, and because of that he is doomed for death. Perhaps you should have thought about the consequences before you lay down with a monster!"

"Bastard," Erik growled. Michael simply smirked.

"Tie her to the bed and make sure she cannot squirm!" Delauney growled. Christine cried out when the man who was holding her dragged her to the bed. Erik fought this time, and managed to pull away from them only to be shoved back roughly by Michael.

"Oh, no, Desslar, you are going to see this and you are going to wish you had never crossed me," he growled. Erik looked helplessly at Christine who was struggling as they tied her hands to the bed they had not too long ago made love in. God, if Michael got away with this Erik would die...Christine could die from blood loss from Michael trying to remove the baby and if she died he would follow along with her and their unborn child. That baby deserved a chance at life, it did not matter who its father was! Michael walked to Christine's side. When Christine was given the chance she spit in his face. Michael said nothing but the look on his face as he wiped the saliva off could have killed her if looks were deadly. In retaliation Michael took the dagger and slit a hole in the chemise Christine was wearing. She turned away and looked at Erik, her eyes pleading with him to forgive her.

"E-E-Erik...I-I a-a-a-am s-sorry!" she sobbed softly when she felt the first prick of the dagger slicing skin. Erik stood up so quickly that the man who was supposed to be watching him did not have a chance to react. Erik's hands were still tied behind his back but Erik was not thinking about that. His only thought was to get Michael and the dagger away from his wife. Michael turned when the two men in the room shouted but it was not soon enough. Erik barreled into him, knocking both of them to the ground. Christine screamed because she knew Michael still had the dagger in his hand. One of the other men in the room raised his pistol to fire at Erik but before he could even pull the trigger he fell to the ground; dead. Christine began to cry when Nadir and Anthony came running into the room, their pistols raised as they quickly got rid of Michael's two henchmen. Anthony aimed and fired and Michael collapsed on Erik.

The head of the bed was banging against the wall as Christine began to yank her arms, trying to get them undone. Erik shoved Michael Delauney off of him and stood, tripping towards Christine. Her eyes grew round when she realized what was wrong...he had been stabbed. A sob became caught in her throat as she saw a flashback of the time he had been shot and had 'died' in his arms. The wound on his shoulder was also still bleeding and Christine knew they needed to have him bandaged before he lost to much blood. He untied her hands and sat down heavily at her side. Christine sat up.

"Oh, Erik..." she whispered. She raised her hand and tried to wipe some of the blood that was covering his face but more just seemed to take its place. He held out his arms, ignoring the pain from his wounds and she moved into his embrace, allowing herself to cry. Their reunion was short lived however when Anthony growled and Nadir cursed under his breath. Erik turned to look and see what was the matter.

Michael was not there.

"Both of you stop!" Erik growled when the two men went to go after Delauney. They looked at him in disbelief.

"He is mine. He will pay for what he did to her," he growled. Nadir glanced at Anthony who was looking at the man in admiration. He looked for all the world a fallen warrior who still had enough strength in him for one last battle. Blood covered his face and dripped down his neck. His shoulder was hanging rather limply from his bullet wound and he had one hand on the stab wound at his side and the other wrapped around a sobbing Christine. Neither Nadir nor Anthony had ever met a man more courageous it seemed, than the one in front of them. With obvious reluctance he pulled away from Christine and Anthony went to his sister's side.

"Put something on her, Daae. Nadir, go and see to it that Chagny is alright, I am sure Mademoiselle Meg will not appreciate it if we leave him for dead," Erik said, grabbing a pistol. He began to walk slowly towards the door when he heard the bed squeak as Christine came flying out of it. He felt her hand slip into his and he turned to look at her. It was a little hard to look at her with his right eye because it seemed some of his blood had gotten into it. She whispered how sorry she was and Erik shook his head, saying nothing. He would have to have a talk with her about all of this when everything was finished. Thankfully Anthony came and gently took his sister by the shoulders, guiding her back towards the bed.

Christine turned desperately to look at him as he walked out of the door and she felt her heart sink...with her rash actions-which had done nothing but get him hurt-she might have ruined the relationship they had fought so hard to build.

0000000000

When Erik stepped into the chilly night he knew that Michael had to of taken off on foot. The horses they had ridden up on had scattered thanks to the bullets and this came to a great advantage to Erik. Now he would be able to track the man down a lot faster and that was good seeing as time was not on his side. He was losing more blood with every step he took and he did feel light headed, but he blocked all of that out of his mind because he would see Michael Delauney dead if it were the last thing he did.

As he walked, he ignored his pain by thinking of Christine. Disappointment was to strong a word for what he was feeling for her at the moment. He could not get it out of his mind the image of her tied to that bed as Michael prepared to cut their baby right out of her! How was he supposed to witness something like that and not go mad? He had asked her only to stay in the trees with Nadir and the other two women. She, of course, had a problem with authority and had not listened! How could he stay with her if every moment he was worried about her safety because of her own recklessness? And of course Nadir was not in his good graces either. How had he let Christine come to the house when Erik had told him that he trusted the man with her life? Did he not realize that nothing good would come her coming to that cottage? Was he the only one who could see the need for safety?

Rustling in the trees brought him out of his thoughts and he pointed his pistol at the spot. Michael had been shot, as had Erik, so both of them were in neither condition to fight. Erik knew however that he was able to stand pain a lot more than Michael was and that gave him an advantage.

"Step out of the trees, Delauney, or I will be forced to come in after you!"

0000000000

Author's note: Erik and Christine have problems! She should have listened when Erik told her to! Anyways, sorry that it took me so long to get this chapter to all of you! This was my last week of my summer class(I received an A!) and now I will be spending much more time on my writing, I promise, as you all could probably tell this story is slowly coming to an end. I would say we have about five chapters to go, if not a little less, and not including the epilogue I already have written, and so I hope you enjoy this chapter and please read and review, I would appreciate it! DJT