Chapter Nineteen

Christine awoke shivering in the darkness of her bedroom. Erik had brought her here when they had arrived and she had almost immediately fell asleep. But now as she looked about the quiet room she began to cry, rememberence of what had happened to her overwhelming. Her father was most likely turning in his grave because of what had happened to her. Her sobs intensified when she saw her door open and Erik step in, worry creasing his face.

"Christine?" he whispered.

"E-Erik," was all she managed. He approached her and sat on the edge of her bed.

"I am sorry if I interrupted your sleep," she whispered after a moment. He took her hand in his.

"No...I was sitting by the door, I wanted to make sure you were alright," he replied. Christine removed herself from her blankets and crawled to him, curling herself onto his lap.

"They cannot reach you here, ma cherie," he whispered reassuringly.

"I know...but it still frightens me," she whispered. Erik pulled her closer and ran his hand up and down her back in a soothing gesture.

"Believe me when I say that I will get him back for what he did to you," he promised. Christine peered up at him through the darkness.

"Do you not think there has been to much blood shed between the two of you?" she asked. Erik frowned.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded. Christine did not reply immediately, wondering if she could tell him the truth.

"I...know about the fight between the two of you. I know about your parents," she whispered. Erik froze as he stared down at the little woman in his lap. How had she found out such a thing? And why was she not running from him screaming, knowing he had killed Philippe's father?

"How...?"

"I snuck into your room while you were ill, and found the notes in your trunk. I am sorry," she whispered. Erik sighed and turned his head away from her, looking out the window into the star filled night.

"I have done many things in my life I am not proud of, Christine. I am not a good man, nor have I ever pretended to be," he said softly. Christine's hand came up and cupped his cheek.

"I will never judge you for the things you cannot change, your face and your past both are what made you the person you are today," she whispered. He groaned and leaned into her touch.

"You are everything I am not, mon ange, so compassionate and beautiful," he whispered.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. Erik's eyes widened when she pressed her lips once more against his. He kissed her back, still unable to believe that she could kiss him so freely without any fear, even when she knew what it was he was hiding beneath the mask. They were interrupted when Rupert knocked on the door, coming in only when Erik shouted assent.

"My lord, please forgive me for the intrusion, but this letter just arrived for you, it is from Phillipe," he said. Erik snatched the parchement from the other mans hands and broke the seal. Rupert left them to their privacy and Erik read the letter aloud to Christine, believing she should know what was going on.

Wolf,

Your skill in removing Mademoiselle Daae is impressive but surely a foul mistake on your part. For while she was with me she would have in fact only suffered at the hands of Jacque until I had killed you. I had planned on letting her go after that, so the bitch could live with the fact that she had helped in your death. Now she will die with you, and it will be painful, I promise you that. You surprise me, Erik, allowing yourself to fall in love when you know she will never be able to feel that emotion towards you...oh, well, just another way to make you suffer.

Philippe Francois

"Christine, you must leave here," Erik said. Christine's eyes snapped to his. This was the last thing she wished to hear from him.

"What?"

"I will have Rupert take you far away from here where you will be safe," he said. Christine shook her head.

"No. I will not leave you here alone!" she cried. Erik was silent for a moment. No one had cared before, no one had wanted him safe. He needed to put his feelings for her aside, it would only lead to his heart being broken and he could not stand that again.

"You mean to much to me, Christine, I refuse to let you get hurt!" he said insistently. Christine could see he was pushing her away and she could not let that happen.

"No, Erik, please! Do not push me away!" she pleaded. Erik did not like the pleading look she had in her eyes, as if she could not live without him.

"You will not be hurt because of me, Christine," he whispered. Christine pressed as close to him as she was able.

"The only way you could ever hurt me is if you push me away...I love you, Erik," she whispered so softly he almost did not hear her. But he did, and he sighed. This innocent girl did not know what she was talking about.

"You do not love me, Christine. Please do not say things you do not mean," he replied. Christing looked up at him, a frown creasing her brow.

"You think my feelings for you are childish?" she asked indignantly. She had just told him she loved him and here he was saying she did not mean it! How dare he judge her emotions?

"You do not know what it is like to love someone that way!" he replied, pulling away from her. He had loved someone once, and had learned the hard way that the feeling could never be returned from another. Christine could not believe what she was hearing.

"How do you know what I am feeling?" she demanded. He said nothing. The idea that he was rejecting her love made her sick to her stomach. Tears welled in her eyes without her permission. She took his hand and before he could pull it away placed it on her heart.

"This heart beats because of how much I care for you. The only reason I endured what Jacque did to me was because deep down I knew you would come for me!" she whispered. Erik stared at her, unable to say anything. He refused to let himself go and get hurt because of something Christine was confused about.

Christine took his hand and pressed it to her lips, her breath fanning his flesh.

"My breath quivers when you are near because of the thought that I might feel you close to me," she continued. When Erik pulled away from her Christine wondered what she would be able to do to prove her feelings for him were true. She took his hand once more and laid them at the corners of her eyes.

"My eyes have gazed upon the secret you hide beneath the white porcelain and yet I have just sworn that I love you," she whispered. Erik felt his throat become thick with emotion. He cared for her more then was right but he could not allow himself to get close to her. He would die if she ever turned from after pledging her love.

"I will leave you to rest, Christine," he whispered, pulling away and going to the door. He could hear Christine's quiet sobs behind him and it wretched at his heart.

"When you are done hiding, Erik, you know where to find me."

xXx

"What are your plans now, my love?" Carlotta asked, leaning against her husbands bare chest after making love. Philippe stared into the red wine in the glass in his hands as he pondered her question. The wench getting away had not come into his plans. The idea that Erik had bested him made him very angry. Luckily Carlotta was there for him to spend his violent nature. She never protested anything he did to her in bed because he knew how much she enjoyed it rough.

"They have fallen in love with eachother," he said thoughtfully, knowing it was true. The girl might deny it but he saw it in her eyes.

"Amazing, the wench must be a simpleton," Carlotta remarked. That was what confused Philippe. He knew Christine was far smarter then she let on and so the idea that she had fallen in love with Erik after seeing what he was hiding made no sense to him.

"Perhaps this love might be his undoing..." he murmured thoughtfully. Carlotta turned slightly to look at him. She saw the glint coming to his eyes and knew he had a wicked idea in his mind. She loved him when he was like this.

"How so?" she asked excitedly. The Black Wolf was long overdue for his visit with Death.

"If she were to die at my hands perhaps Erik would eventually go mad with his need for revenge. I know how Erik reacts when he is beyond angry. He will not think about what he is doing. This will give me an advantage so I can strike him down," he murmured, the thought holding more appeal as he talked about it.

"That might work...but how will we get into Erik's home in order to get to her?" Carlotta asked. Philippe would think about that until the plan was flawless. He told his wife that. She turned in his arms so she was pressing her bare breasts to his chest. He groaned softly and put his glass of wine down so he could kiss her.

"It will work this time, my love, I know it."

xXx

Rupert sighed as he heard his lordship swearing as he walked down the hall to his chambers. He had heard much of the conversation he had had with Mademoiselle Daae having gone to the room to make sure that the lady was alright after her ordeal. Rupert knew about the woman Erik had fallen in love with years ago.

When she had seen his face she had fled in terror. Erik was only trying to keep from being hurt and Rupert understood that to a degree. He personally believed that the young woman with them know was different. She was not like the woman before. He had a feeling Lord Erik was ruining what could ultimately turn to love between the two of them.

Rupert had been near that night Christine had seen his masters face and he had heard her scream echo throughout the manor. Yet she was still hear. He had seen the way she had clung to Erik so desperately as he had saved her. She would not do that if she feared him, no matter how thankful she was for being saved. She loved him and Rupert was going to do his best to make his master realize that.

xXx

A/N: I am so sorry that I have abandoned this story so long and I was looking at my past chapters, I am not satisfied with them. From here on I am not going to rush them and I am going to go more deeply into what they are thinking! I hope you guys still like this and review!