XV
Erik lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He had spent the past week doing surprisingly little in the life of the theatre. He had attended two performances and sent his opinions on them, stolen some bread and cheese and spent the rest of his time composing. He even surprised himself with the fact that he hadn't even terrified the chorus.
"What day is it?" he wondered aloud.
It didn't really matter, still he wanted to know and resigned himself to go up and see. Taking his cloak and putting it on he climbed into the gondola and began to make his way through the labyrinth.
Antoinette lit the candle for her husband and sat on the small stone bench. The past week had been surprisingly uneventful other then the performances. Even those didn't cause as much trouble as they normally would and the chorus finally had a night off.
Poor Christine was still terribly sad over the death of her father. Antoinette had hoped that the busyness of the opera house would distract her somewhat, but it hadn't. She had no other friends except Meg and didn't try to make any either. Every day she would dance and then go to the chapel, and then she would either sit by herself or play quietly with Meg.
"I wish I knew what to do," she sighed. When Jules had died Meg had been too young to really know, and even now she didn't remember her father.
"About what?" Erik's voice echoed from above.
"Why don't you come out," Antoinette suggested.
"As you wish Madame."
He came from the shadows and, to Antoinette's surprise, sat down on the bench beside her. She raised her an eyebrow slightly, Erik was certainly not one to purposely get close to someone.
"Well?" he asked, "what do you wish to know?"
"Nothing you can help with. Your genius does not extend to such regions. I am worried about Christine Daae, the daughter of-"
"I know who her father was," Erik interrupted, "and why are you worried about her? She seemed to be a healthy enough child."
"Perhaps, but she misses her father something terrible. I had hoped that she might have cheered up somewhat, it has been two weeks…I am just concerned."
"I see…well perhaps she just needs time. It seemed to me as if her father was the only one she had, her best friend in a manner of speaking. To lose someone that close to you would be terribly devastating, no matter how young."
"Hmm, maybe you are right. Though I do not know how you would know about such things, at times you truly amaze me."
"I have seen things," he shrugged, "I do more in this theatre then simply terrorize the resident and make demands you know? I spend an unseemly amount of time observing its occupants and their lives."
"Their personal lives?"
"Come now Madame, do you really think so little of me?"
"Quite truthfully, I do not know what to think of you."
"Is that so Madame?"
"Unfortunately. I have known you for such a long time and I still cannot understand the way you think at times. In fact I find it quite strange to talk with you like this."
"Like what?" Erik asked, leaning against the window behind him.
"As if you were a normal man," she replied.
"I am normal!" Erik shouted, standing up and glaring at her, "I am just like everybody else on the inside, is that so hard to believe Madame, is it?"
Antoinette was frightened by his sudden outburst, she could see his hands clenched at his sides, hands hat she knew were capable of murder. His temper was ungovernable, that much she knew, if he was angry then he could not stop himself and that frightened her more then anything.
"Erik," she began weakly, not wanting to anger him further.
"Go away!" he snarled, "Go away! I want you out!"
Antoinette sighed and headed for the stairs, "I did not mean-"
"Go," his voice was barely above a whisper.
She heard the quiet sound of the trap door opening and knew that he had left as well. Back into the shadows of the theatre. Then she heard the tiny footsteps of Christine as she came around the corner.
"Bonjour Madame," she said in her tiny voice.
"My dear," she hoped her voice did not sound as weak as it felt, "where are you going?"
"To pray."
Antoinette thought about saying something, unsure if she wanted the little girl in the chapel while Erik might still be so near. But he had never hurt a child before and she knew somehow that he never would.
"Be quick then, supper will be soon."
"Alright," she murmured, nodding her head and hurrying on down the stairs to the small chapel.
Wow, took me long enough to update eh? Sorry about that, my dad has been playing some game on the computer and I haven't been able to get on like, at all! Seriously I finished the end of a video game and read the last 100 or sopages of a book while waiting one night and still didn't get on. Anyways, hope you enjoyed the new chapters and please read and review as always. Love you all!
