A.N: This chapter is dedicated to Brittney, Katie, Hana, Ashley, and those who I might have forgotten to mention.

I'm sorry it took so long, I had a major motivation block. I guess I was bummed at the amount of reviews I got for the last chapter. Seeing as this one is so important, it would be great if you all reviewed. I'd really appreciate it.

Chapter Sixteen: Preparations for Disaster

Over the next five months, the opera performed each night to a full house. People began to whisper about Sarine's enlarging stomach, but dared not say anything to her or Erik. In two weeks their wedding was to take place in the Notre Dame cathedral to a small reception. Most of the original cast members were invited, plus Jonathan, Madame Giry, Meg Giry and Sarine's sister Brittney. Erik looked at Sarine in surprise when she wrote out an invitation to Brittney.

"I didn't know that you had a sister," Erik said, writing out an invitation to his friend Nadir.

Sarine nodded as she finished the invitation, "Yeah, she's two years older than me, and married to this man named Joshua Peters. She had me as her maid of honor, so she will be mine. Rose, Amy and Tara will be my bridesmaids. I thought I had told you that I had a sister."

He shook his head, "No, you've never mentioned her. Are you two close?"

"So close I'm surprised I never talked of her." Sarine said, standing up. "I'm sure she'll love you. She gets along with just about everyone, and I've yet to meet someone who dislikes her."

Erik said nothing, standing up beside her and wrapping his arm around her waist. He gently placed a hand on her stomach and smiled. Sarine smiled at him and leaned her head on his shoulder for a moment before she pulled away.

"I have to go check on the mail in my office. I've neglected it all day, and I'm sure our favourite composer would like his mail," she said, grinning back to Erik as she walked down the hallways to her office mirror.

Instantly she groaned at the sight of the mail piled up on her desk. Patiently, she sat down and went through each one. Bills, requests for tickets, letters. Sarine picked up one and smiled. The death's head seal no longer inflicted fear in her heart when it was on a letter. Erik had become accustomed to writing her little love letters for when she sorted the mail, and he seemed to realize how much they brightened her day. She broke the seal and pulled out the letter.

"Dearest Sarine,

When I woke up this morning and looked over at you sleeping there beside me, full with our child, the thought of how truly blessed I am floated through my mind once again. Not just because of your astonishing beauty, but of your even more beautiful soul. You have such an untarnishable purity in everything you do. Remember how much I love you.

Love, Erik."

Tears formed in Sarine's eyes as she read the letter. She made a mental note to be extra sweet to him later that day. She set the letter aside with a smile and picked up the next piece of mail.

The next half-hour was consumed with her reading and answering mail. Sarine sighed as she picked up the last letter.

"Mlle. Toumont,

Your presence is required at my residence to talk about the future of the theatre. This meeting is urgent! Please arrive at 263 Rue Pine at 2:30 p.m."

Sarine searched the letter for a return address, but there was none. Looking at the clock, it was 2:15, so she wrote down the address, grabbed her cloak, and ran out the door. Quickly, she hailed a cab.

As she bounced along in the carriage, Sarine took notice that they were heading deeper into the country. The houses were placed farther apart, separated every so often by a farm. As they pulled into one of the random farms, Sarine asked the driver if they were at the correct address. Pulling to a stop, he assured her that it was indeed the right address. Sarine climbed out and walked to the front door of the barn house. On the door was a note saying the owner was working in the barn, so Sarine headed that way.

The barn looked like it was about to fall apart, with boards missing and the green paint peeling away. Sarine had doubts about the meeting, but she opened the barn door anyway.

Once inside, she looked around for the owner. She walked to the middle of the barn and called out a meek "hello?" hoping she would receive a reply.

The only thing she heard was the barn door being locked. She turned and ran to the door, banging on it. She looked down to see a note being slipped under the door. Quickly, Sarine picked up the note. Her breath was caught as she read the words,

"Sarine,

I told you he would be mine.

Christine"

Sarine began slamming her fists against the door, yelling in anger. When the stench of gasoline filled her nostrils, she started to panic. Suddenly Christine's plan became apparent. She was going to burn down the barn, and with her in it. As she began to see the orange flames lick through the wood and windows, She blacked out.

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Erik looked up at the clock, impatient. He hated being away from his fiancée for too long. He took notice that it was exactly two-thirty.

"Hm… She should be done with the mail by now…" he muttered to himself.

Pulling on only a cloak over his white shirt and black pants, he started down the hallway that led to her office. Looking through the mirror, he frowned when he saw she wasn't there, so he slid the mirror over and walked to her desk. The first thing to catch his eye was the note he wrote her. He smiled as he scanned her desk, his eyes falling on the letter. He picked it up, read it, then looked at the clock. He still had time to go and join her. So he walked out of the opera house and hailed a cab.

The ride took about fifteen minutes. As they neared the address, Erik's heart was stricken with fear as he smelt and saw smoke. He ordered the driver to speed up.

Jumping out before the cam came to a stop, Erik ran to the front door, praying. Those prayers were shattered when he read the note and realized that Sarine was in the burning barn. So he ran as fast as his legs could take him, before stopping about ten feet from the door of the barn.

"SARINE!" he yelled.

When he heard coughing from inside, he ran up to the door. Seeing as it was badly damaged already, he took a few steps back. Covering himself with his cape, he ran at the door, breaking through it easily. He dropped his burning cape and searched through the flames for Sarine.

There! She lay on her side, passed out, with flames licking at her dress and face. Erik ran over to her and patted out the flames on her dress. With horror, he saw that the left side of her face was badly burned. He quickly lifted her up and turned back to the door. Even though there was a wall of flames, he ran at it and jumped, tumbling out the other side.

After a few moments, he sat up and checked Sarine. Tears began falling down his cheeks as he saw her burned face and body. He picked her up and ran to the waiting carriage. Yelling to the driver to drive to the hospital, he kneeled beside Sarine, who lay on the seat.

Within minutes they were at the nearest hospital. Erik jumped out and carried Sarine carefully to the emergency room. The nurse immediately checked her in and led Erik to a room. Almost instantly, the room filled with so many doctors that Erik was forced to move out into the hallway.

An hour later, a doctor came out of the room and pulled Erik aside.

"Your fiancée suffered third degree burns to most of her body, and to the left side of her face. The baby will be all right, but her scarring will be permanent. She was lucky you got her here so quickly."

Erik stared down at the tiled floor in horror as the doctor walked away. His baby would live, but his beautiful Sarine would be as scarred as he was. Once all the doctors left, he walked into the room and let out a choked sob at the sight before him.

Sarine lay in the bed, her entire body covered in bandages. Erik walked over to the side of the bed and took her bandaged hand gently, looking down at her. As the grief and relief flooded over him, he leaned down and sobbed into their hands. When his sobbing slowed, he finally fell asleep, his dreams plagued with fire.

Well, there's the big chapter. There is more to come, but only about one or two. Seriously, though. Please review. It makes me feel special.