Title: Wandering Child
Summary: Broken in mind and spirit, Erik returns to his lair to die...and wakes to find himself in a different time, with the same problems...and a new Christine. EC, mix of Leroux and ALW.
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with the Phantom of the Opera except the 2004 DVD, the 1987 Original London Cast Recording, and an unhealthy fixation on Gerard Butler.
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Nondescript shapes flitted around the cellar of the old Opera Populaire of Paris. Mere shades in the darkness, small moving patches that seemed to absorb what little light had infiltrated the endless tunnels.
"Ah, to be free again!" came a voice from the shape leading the pack. "Honestly, that body was the most constricting thing I have ever been!"
"Says the idiot who took on the assignment," pointed out one of the others.
"Well, it was for a good cause," amended the first. "And you had to take the other one, so I think I got the best part of the deal. Sixteen years, however, is a bit too long."
"Both of you be quiet. We are here to collect the items he left, and then we leave. This place is absolutely horrible."
A chorus of voices united in agreement to that comment as the whole group made their way once more toward the small house by the lake.
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Surprisingly, to Nadir at least, this 'new' Erik was an improvement on the 'old' one, in some aspects. The Erik that Nadir had known since the boy came into the world, had never had a very good temperament. He could go from laughing to throwing things in a rage in five minutes. He had never really excelled in school, though he had done alright, especially compared to most of the boys Nadir taught. He had been extremely introverted, due to being homeschooled and generally kept under lock and key in his parents' house; he had only become more antisocial after the death of his parents, and learning that he would have to meet other people his age. Erik had always been content to stay in his room with his electronics, his music, and whatever would keep him occupied.
The 'new' Erik- or was it old, since he came from 1871? Either way, he was certainly an improvement...from Nadir's side, anyway. While not exactly social- the boy had not yet gone out of the house, and it had been two weeks- he did not try to avoid Nadir. He would eat with Nadir, talk to him, ask lots of questions, and then go upstairs promptly at nine and read for two hours before going to sleep. In the two weeks he had been here, he had gone through about half of the books in his room, which easily counted fifty or more.
This Erik definetely knew a lot more than he had before. He could rattle off facts in as many subjects as Nadir threw at him, and then some. He was obviously brilliant; he had picked up almost immediatly on the various electronic devices around the house.
Perhaps the two biggest differences were his eating habits, and his musical tastes.
The 'Kraft Dinner incident' had been only the start of the changes made in Nadir's grocery trips. A lot of things were taken off the list- none of which Nadir had any problem seeing the end of- and a few things added that were actually quite good. That was fine.
Erik, growing up, had known he was different. Nadir had known him his whole life; Erik's parents, though meaning well, had never really taken to the young boy with what they called the Devil's face. They had never mistreated him physically, never called him names, but his childhood had been sorely lacking in parental guidance. In retaliation, Erik had tried to do everything he could to get his parents to like him, listening to 'normal' music, wearing a mask to please them, doing well in school but not 'showing off', which they didn't like either. Nadir had never been too fond of the older Websters; in his opinion, the kindest thing they ever did for Erik was to die and leave him alone. Of course, after years of listening to the generally horrible ballads of the radio and MTV, Erik had not lost the habit. He had kept on playing his strange music- nothing like the rock and roll of Nadir's time- and Nadir had let him, hoping he would grow out of it.
Imagine his surprise when, one day about a week after he changed as Nadir now thought of the whole affair, Erik came stalking down the stairs, taking them two at a time, demanding to know 'what the hell is the collection of rubbish up there?', and looking quite annoyed when all Nadir could do was laugh. Eventually, he managed to gather that the rubbish was the popular music of the day, and that his counterpart enjoyed it.
"Not a chance that it will be played again, mark my words," was Erik's sentiment as he headed back upstairs.
All in all, Nadir had no real problem with Erik the way he was now.
Except that he had no idea how this had happened.
One day the boy was a depressed young man; the next, he was cool, calm and collected, very nervous and afraid but ready to take whatever was thrown at him. It completely astonished him
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So it came to be that, four weeks, lots of reading, and numerous interesting encounters with the television and MTV later, Erik was setting off to high school for the first time in either of his lives.
"It will be fine. I asked one of my students to bring you around, she's the only one who takes all the same classes as you who is in my homeroom class with you. She's a year younger than you, though, brilliant girl."
"Wonderful. I'm not going," Erik grumbled from behind the paper he was currently reading. It was one of his ways to get up to speed on the world, and he often got to it before even Nadir.
"Yes, you are. You are not missing the first day of school because you are afraid of a few teenagers. You will be fine, just stay the way you normally are...completely and totally aloof and mysterious," Nadir teased. The only response he received was a grunt, to which he just rolled his eyes and continued on with his toast.
Twenty minutes later, Nadir was driving towards the school with a satisfied smirk on his face and a glowering Erik sitting next to him.
"Now. When we get there, you will just come straight with me to the classroom. Students stay in their homeroom until lunch time, to get lockers assigned, make sure schedules are good, things like that. Christine-"
"What!" Erik unterrupted. "What did you say her name is?"
"Christine..." Nadir replied uncertainly, raising an eyebrow at the boy. "Is that a problem?"
"No...no," Erik replied tensely. "Not a problem." Yes it is a problem, a voice in his head nagged.
"Alright then...Well, as I was saying, Christine will be in all your classes, and she will be hanging out with you for a while to make sure you get settled. She's a good girl, you'll find no trouble with her or Meg."
Meg? This is some very sick coincidence...
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This is no different from that cage, Erik thought bitterly as he followed Nadir through the crowded halls. Other students were staring at him. Not that he blamed them; a tall boy dressed in dark clothes, wearing a mask, was probably not what they were used to. He fell deeper into his thoughts, keeping an eye on Nadir, and only really snapping out of it when he realised that Nadir was talking to him.
"Sorry, what was that?"
"I said, we are almost there, but I need to stop in the staff room for a moment," Nadir repeated. "Students aren't allowed in, as is evidenced by the 'staff' in the title, so you will have to wait here for a moment." Erik nodded his consent and Nadir stepped through the door, calling out a greeting to whoever was in there. Erik stood by the door, feeling, and probably looking, completely out of place, even holding the backpack Nadir had insisted he bring. He could feel the stares burning into him but he ignored them, choosing instead to concentrate on the bird that was preening itself in a tree outside the window. Lucky thing, he thought, able to do as it wishes...and not go to school.
"Alright, let's go!" Nadir said, sounding altogether too happy for someone who had a morning with a bunch of teenagers to look forward to.
"You have some serious problems. For one, you are too happy for eight thirty in the morning," Erik complained as he followed the dark-skinned man down the hallway once more.
"I'm a teacher. All I need are minds for molding," he answered, then laughed as though it were terribly witty. Catching sight of Erik's raised eyebrow, he added, "Jack Black. School of Rock. Good movie, if a bit juvenile. I'll have to make you watch it." Erik just shook his head, coming to a stop as Nadir pulled his keys out of his pocket with a flourish.
"Still this excited about school, Mr. Khan? I'd have thought even you would be tired of us eventually," came a familiar voice from behind them. Erik turned slowly, almost fearfully, finally laying eyes on the petite girl once more.
Christine...
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Author's Note: Muahaha. And voilà, Christine. Poor Erik, Nadir isn't making things easy for him, is he? Oh well. More soon...I think. Unless school gets in the way --sigh--
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