A/N: As always, thanks to my beta, Le Chat Noir. Especially for the Meg/Raoul bits!
Episode 28: Hiding
By: Elektra
Elsewhere
The masked man watched the fight before him. It was a large-scale brawl made up of Hunters and … the others.
"This is a great show, do you not agree?" came a voice to his left. He looked to see his Father at his side, enjoying the carnage the two had set forth.
"They are a pitiful, these Hunters," the Masked one began. "They are missing their best man! How could they possibly hope to stop us?" He clicked his tongue. "Such a waste of energy."
One of the Hunters attempted to lunge at him – a female he once knew as Antoinette Giry. He easily strangled her with his rope, the catgut now stained dark red.
They hated him, these humans, because he was different. He wondered how they felt now that the freak was getting his revenge.
As the masked one made his way through the chaos, he heard something a few feet away.
An odd sound. Was someone singing?
He walked towards the sound until he found whom it belonged to. Before him stood the one he had wanted to protect, kneeling in a pool of blood as she sang a requiem for a friend.
The girl looked up at him. Her chocolate hair stained with the blood of the girl she cradled in her arms. She lay the body down gently and stood before him, her eyes filled with tears. "Why?" She asked. "I thought you loved me!
"You…" he began slowly, a sudden realization coming to him, "You are not supposed to be here!"
"I'm always here," she replied. "I'm supposed to be with YOU!"
He walked towards her as if in a trance and fell to his knees. "Angel?"
She looked down at him, blue eyes dimming as her body slowly faded away. "Erik…" her voice was quiet, full of longing and sadness as tears poured forth from her eyes.
"Don't let him do this to you…" she spoke. "You have your own mind! Don't let him inside!" She was gone then, disappearing into nothing.
The masked figure turned to the left, looking at something else entirely now. "Get out!" Erik ordered no one in particular. "Get out. NOW!"
The Leader shot up in his chair with a gasp. He closed his eyes a moment and took several deep breaths, then put a hand to his temple. "Damn it!" he hissed. "How the hell did he do that!"
There was a knock at the door. Shay looked up to see Laura coming in. "You look like hell," she muttered as she took in his disheveled appearance.
The Leader frowned. "I had a bad experience attempting to contact my son! What do you want, Laura?"
"You know what I want. What I've always wanted!" She said.
Shay took a deep breath. "That girl's influence on him is more powerful then I thought. What would you have me do?"
Laura smirked. "I think I know how to kill two birds with one stone…"
Khan Residence
Nadir entered Madeline's room with a small tray of food. "Drink this broth: it will make you feel better," he offered as he put the tray down and handed her the bowl of warm clear liquid.
The woman was shivering. The effects of the Leader's manipulation had worn off and left her like an addict without a fix.
"Where's my son..." she asked softly as she slowly sipped at the broth.
"He is busy, ma'am," Nadir replied. "I have called him and left a message informing him of your whereabouts."
Madeline nodded.
Truth be told, Nadir had left several messages. Erik had not replied to any of them. It was as if the boy had completely forgotten about the woman...
Or maybe he just doesn't care, Nadir thought. He was quite aware what Erik had gone through as a child, and there was no excuse for Madeline's behaviour. But still... the boy should at least show SOME interest in the woman's health and well-being.
Nadir let out a small sigh. Erik could be so infuriatingly stubborn.
Residence Lounge – the next morning
"Christine?" Erik's voice was greeted with a dropped plate as he entered the student lounge. Christine spun around and looked up at him, her blue eyes filled with….
…. Shock? Surprise?
He was hoping for something a little more positive, although perhaps he should not have snuck up on the poor girl. He always seemed to catch her off-guard and cause her to drop things.
"Erik!" she finally smiled and that smile almost undid him.
He looked away, fighting the urge to grab her and kiss her. He needed to talk. Maybe not here, but somewhere.
If his little breakdown at the Masquerade told him anything, it was that perhaps he wasn't quite ready to be a normal man – or boyfriend, for that matter - despite his words to the contrary.
The dream he had had, his father's mental invasion, only cemented that fact.
"What's wrong?" Christine asked when she saw the rigid lines of his body. She went up to him and took his hand. "Erik?"
Erik shook the hand away, and instead grasped Christine around the waist and lifted her off her feet, holding her little body tightly against him.
He pushed away his current train of thought, reveling in the fact that his angel was here. And she was solid in his arms. She wasn't going to fade away into nothing and leave him feeling lost, lonely and utterly desolate.
He only wished he could promise the same.
Christine slid her arms around his neck. "Something's bothering you. Talk to me."
Erik glanced around, still holding her, though feeling paranoid of someone walking in.
"Sorelli and Jammes filled everyone in on my mysterious boyfriend, Erik," Christine offered when she saw his eyes darting back and forth. "It's not like anyone is going to be shocked you exist."
Unfortunately, the duo had also asked Christine several rather inappropriate questions about Erik's talents… and she knew they had not meant singing. The girls were rather surprised to find Christine had yet to discover said talents and had momentarily thought her insane.
"I felt the sudden need to see you," Erik answered, snapping Christine from her blush-worthy thoughts. No, you felt the sudden need to talk to her… the rational part of his brain told him. He ignored that part as his mouth found hers. She relaxed into his embrace, her lips parting of their own volition to allow the kiss more intimacy.
He slowly pulled away and pressed his face against her neck.
How was he going to do this? How could he tell his little angel why… why he had come to the decision he had come to. She wouldn't understand.
He could imagine the conversation now – she'd say that his breakdown at the Masquerade wasn't a big deal, that everyone has their phobias.
Sweet soul that she was, she'd be patient. She'd be happy to wait until he grew out of it.
But he could no more grow out of his fear of exposure than he could grow out of that which he feared exposing.
Erik's horrid face would always be a part of him, and his fear of it being revealed, his flashbacks to those days when he was a child and made to suffer because of it, would always be in the back of his mind.
All the understanding from the girl in his arms couldn't change that. And he had no right to expect her to simply accept it. She deserved more than to be prisoner to his fears. She deserved someone who could go to a dance and not need to run away, not need to hide.
"Erik," Christine began gently. "You feel tense." He didn't answer, but Christine saw the shadow darken the golden depths behind his white mask. "Is something wrong?"
"No. Just an odd dream I had last night." He replied as he placed her back on her feet. Liar…his mind shouted at him. "I should not be here. Anyone can walk in."
"I know you're uncomfortable being out in the open like this, but it's okay. I promise. No one is going to care that my eccentric boyfriend is visiting," she smiled. Her voice was light and he could tell she was trying to cheer him up.
… and he loved her so very much for it.
He could feel his heart breaking. He could feel the sharp ache in his chest, the heavy weight of his body. But this would be for the better.
Better for her, at least.
"Yes, I suppose I am rather eccentric, aren't I…" he said softly, then met her eyes. "Christine, would you like to go somewhere private tonight?"
Khan Residence
"Mr. Khan, I appreciate all the help you have given me," Madeline spoke quietly as she stared at the man before her. "But I'm worried about the parole board. No doubt they'll be ready to lock me up as soon as I resurface."
Nadir shook his head. "Never fear, Madeline. I have connections in high places. Commander Gus Leroux is aware of your circumstances. He will see that you will not be penalized for what has happened."
Madeline nodded, then met Nadir's eyes. "My son… he doesn't want to see me, does he?" she asked.
Nadir took a deep breath. How could he answer that question and spare her feelings. He glanced away. "He has not replied to the messages I have left him."
She appeared resigned, as if she knew as much.
"I can ask Christine if she could speak to him," Nadir offered.
Madeline shook her head. "If he doesn't want to see me, I don't want her to get stuck in the middle of it," she replied, then stared down at the mug in her hands, her voice growing soft. "His coldness is no less then I deserve…"
D'argento's Restaurant – that night
Sitting at a table in a darkened corner of D'argento's, Meg had to take a moment to process the evening's strangeness.
First, of course, she was sitting across from the most eligible bachelor in town. That eligible bachelor had called her with dinner reservations yesterday, and still apologized for the late notice.
"I completely understand if you've already made plans. I wouldn't be so presumptuous, I just found some shi- stuff…and I'm anxious to show it to you."
"Of course! No, I'm not busy; I can't wait to tell you what I've got, too! What time should I meet you?"
Raoul paused. "Well, I thought I'd come pick you up, say around 7?"
"Oh!" Meg gasped. "That would be… very nice!"
She'd scrambled all day to put together an appropriate outfit: a skirt from Jammes paired with fitted black top and Sorelli's chandelier earrings looked chic but classic.
Meg panicked only a little when she tried to figure out how to get Christine away before the girl wondered why her ex-boyfriend was coming to pick Meg up. Luckily, it turned out Christine was heading out with Erik, and was gone well before Raoul had arrived.
Meg had fussed once more over her hair and makeup when she had heard a knock at the door. Raoul led her out, and not only opened the side door of the BMW, but also opened the door at D'argento's for her as well.
She had tried not to react as if this was wholly unexpected, but when he nearly beat the host to pull out Meg's chair, she had to suppress a smile. Raoul's manners were so far beyond RJ's manners that Meg wondered – not for the first time – why she still stayed with the unappreciative boy.
Now Raoul was ordering a bottle of wine for them to share, and asking her opinion on what she would prefer.
"I've never really done this before, and you seem very comfortable here, so whatever you get, I'm sure it'll be great," she demurred.
Raoul smiled. "You are easy to please!"
Meg blushed. "Well, it's not every day I get to go out to a really nice restaurant and have my… friend act all chivalrous."
After they'd settled into the meal, Meg found that Raoul was loath to discuss his findings. He wanted to talk about other things: about Meg's studies, her roles in the new fall dance concert, her thoughts on the most mundane of topics.
Meg enjoyed the easy repartee, learning that Raoul liked the Pops concerts better than traditional symphony fare, that he wished to get his MBA at some point, and that he felt rather lonely around so many artistically talented people.
"Don't worry," she said after a sip of wine. "I can't sing to save my life! All I can do is dance, and that doesn't get you very far if you aren't a triple threat."
Raoul frowned. "A what?"
"Triple threat? A singer, dancer, actor. Christine could have a really nice performing career ahead of her. Me? I'll be lucky to find gainful employment in any dance company."
"You have a lot of skill, from what I've heard. And you are intelligent. You could have your dance career and move onto any number of other pursuits."
Meg was silent. No one had ever said such a thing to her. She nervously took another sip of wine as their plates were taken away.
"Onto the business at hand, shall we?" Raoul fetched a folder and laid it on the table in between them. "These documents contain information on my brother's dealing with that man, Shay. It's a lot of dull data really, but I've made copies of the files and carefully replaced them back in my brother's office."
He opened the folder and sifted through the stack. "These are records of phone conversations. Philip is meticulous about keeping accurate records. I bet I could find the cassettes he uses to tape his conversations. They talk… a lot."
Meg took one of the highlighted pages and scanned it. "Have you determined what it is that Philip does for Shay?"
Raoul shook his head. "I'm working on that. What I do know is that Shay approached Phillip for consulting advice a few years ago. Said he wanted to diversify his portfolio. Then, it seems, he and Philip started investing together. When our parents died, we inherited a great deal of debt, and I gather that Shay has been instrumental in helping Philip secure and rebuild our families' financial standing."
"So Philip might be returning favours?"
"Maybe. I don't know. Outside of working as an investor and managing our estate, I thought he just… well, I don't know what he does. But he's keeping a lot of 'meaningless' data on his interactions with Shay. And I found this…"
He pulled out a small sheet of paper.
"This is information on Christine!" Meg gasped. "Why would Philip—"
"And why would it been in his files?" Raoul sighed. "If this had been on his Blackberry, I'd just assume he was keeping tabs on his little brother's social life. But this note, this isn't even his handwriting. It may be Shay's… though why he'd be interested in Christine, I have no idea."
Meg thought a moment. "Well, maybe it's not Christine per se, but who she associates herself with."
Raoul nodded, thinking about that. "Erik?"
Meg shrugged. "Possibly. He's apparently one of the best in the Guild. Know your enemy, and all that." She offered. "Anyway, I found some tidbits myself," she opened up her purse and pulled out a few sheets of paper.
"My mother and her little association have been tracking Shay for a while. Among other people." She began. " I couldn't get into her locked file cabinets, and I'm sure she has hiding places I know nothing about, but I did find these two memos." She handed the folded papers to Raoul.
"This guy… or this thing… is really dangerous it seems." Raoul replied as he read the various printouts Meg had given him. " He's got your mom and her organization on high alert. Do you think he's," Raoul's voice softened into a whisper, "a vampire too?"
"Between you and me," said Meg, leaning in conspiratorially, "I think he's something worse."
Sunday Night - Preston Park
"So," Christine started quietly as her and Erik sat upon a log. "Why are we here?"
Erik said nothing as he tossed another twig onto the small campfire before them as they watched the sun set over the cliffs across the way.
Christine wasn't quite sure how they had ended up in the most secluded part of the bluffs. It was a good hour's drive by cab, which Erik had paid for. He had claimed that he simply wanted to be alone with her and needed some place private. She didn't mind, but he had been oddly quiet since they arrived.
He hadn't attempted to take advantage of the fact he was alone with her. She was both relieved and disappointed. However, she would have welcome an inappropriate grope right about now. It would have been far better than the anxiety she felt radiating off him.
"Erik?" She tried again, but he said nothing. "It's getting chilly," Christine pointed out.
Erik slid the lasso out of his pocket and tugged his black velvet duster off, placing it over her shoulders instead. He still remained quiet as ever. She was beginning to grow worried.
"Aren't you cold?" she asked. He was wearing only a thin black shirt, and she was quite sure the random patches of netting that decorated it did nothing to keep him warm. One of his newest purchases, she gathered.
Erik shook his head. "I will be fine…" He studied his leather-clad palms as if he had never seen them before, his uncovered fingers bending sharply, looking like long pale claws in the moonlight. He seemed to be debating silently with himself.
With a deep breath, he slid the mask off his face and allowed the breeze to cool his warm skin.
"Erik, careful!" Christine warned.
"I'd rather not hide right now, angel…"
Christine looked around frantically. "But someone could see!"
Erik grasped her chin and tilted her head up, forcing her to look at him. "Then let them see. I'm sick of hiding because I do not fit in!" he hissed harshly. His expression then softened as he cupped her cheek.
"I just worry about you, that's all," Christine began quietly, leaning into his touch, her eyes never leaving his.
"No need for such worry." He let a breath out slowly. "I am so very tired of pretending…" his voice sounded weary.
"Pretending?" Christine asked, realizing he was now talking about something quite different then his exposed visage.
Erik gently grasped Christine's wrists and pressed her hands against his chest, "Pretending that I could possibly have a normal life."
Christine shook her head, eyes growing wide as she feared where his words were leading. "No! Don't you dare!"
"Pretending It's not there!" he answered. "Pretending It's not eating away at me!"
"What's there, Erik?" She asked. "Please… what is it? What's wrong? Whatever it is, we can work it out!"
He shook his head. "Some things cannot be worked out, despite the best of intentions".
He put his hands to her face and pressed his forehead against hers. "I love you…" he continued, his beautiful voice cracking. "I love you so much. It's helping me fight what's inside. But the Leader… he keeps pulling it OUT! He keeps reminding me. He doesn't let me forget."
"Forget what?" she asked, and he could see the unshed tears in her eyes.
"That I'm different. That I have no right to try and be… normal."
"If it's your face-" she started, but he interrupted.
"My face is one thing. My nature is another. It was concern over the exposure of my face that had me running from your dance the other week. But it was my nature that had me purposely frightening the Ravelle students – and enjoying it."
"Don't…" she began, and he already saw one tear trail its way down her cheek. "Don't do what I think you're going to do!"
"If I could be saved, angel, you'd be the one thing… the only thing that could do it…" he offered a weak smile. "But… there is far more to it than that. The Leader… the leader showed me. Do you have any idea what is going on inside me, Christine?" he asked softly. "The war I'm constantly fighting?" he glanced away, unable to take the pain in her eyes.
"I need to confess something to you." he continued. "I am sure you already heard what happened to that boy, Bobby. Being the smart girl you are, you know who caused his accident off the roof."
Christine nodded. "But he'll be ok. He woke up the other day, and he's going to start rehabilitation. He… he doesn't remember exactly what happened, but-"
"That's not the point!" Erik snapped, then his tone grew softer when he saw her wince at his sharp tone. "The point is… I would not have cared if he HAD died." He saw her momentary shock. "And… while I am confessing here," he continued, "I also executed someone shortly after I returned to Ravelle. I did not care then either."
He met her eyes. "Now tell me, sweet angel… do you still not want me to do what you know I am going to do?"
Christine stared up at him, the silence stretching on forever. He saw she was taking in what he had just said… and then…
… and then, she slid her arms around him and buried her face against his chest.
"No," she whispered softly. "I STILL don't want you to leave me."
"And why not?" he asked. "I already told you that you can't save me."
"I don't believe you." Her voice was muffled against his shirt. "If you want me to… I can. I know I can! Because I lo-"
Erik suddenly jumped to his feet, breaking all physical contact as he sensed something dark approaching. "Get behind me!" he commanded.
He glanced down when Christine did not move, and saw an emotion in her eyes that he had never seen before – from anyone.
She opened her mouth to speak, but he yanked her to her feet and stepped protectively in front of her.
"I was wondering how long it would take them," Erik bent down and grasped his rope from the ground as two figures stepped out of the shadows. He slowly slid his mask back into place and focused his attention on the newcomers.
He knew they had come to take him. The Leader had told him where he belonged.
Christine stood behind Erik, grasping his arm in concern. "It's okay, Christine. I need to go," his voice was quiet.
Christine blinked at that. "What? No you don't!"
He turned to look at her. "It would be far too dangerous to stay here any longer. Dangerous for both of us." He gently smoothed a lock of hair off Christine's face, then leaned down to give her one last kiss. A kiss filled with intense emotion rather than hungry desire.
A good-bye kiss.
Erik turned his attention back to the intruders, and took a step towards them. Christine threw her arms around him from behind. "No! You can't just LEAVE! I won't let you!"
He turned in her embrace, smiling at her strong spirit and force of will - one of the things he loved so very much about her.
Erik gently ran his fingers through her hair, then slid his hands over her shoulders and down her arms, gently unhooking her steel grip before stepping away and turning his back to her once more.
"My wallet and cell phone are in the left pocket of the coat you now wear," He continued, his voice growing cold and distant. "Call a cab to take you home. Use my money to cover it... and take care of Isis and her kittens."
Erik could not meet her eyes. "I hope you find happiness, Christine. You deserve it. Far more then anyone else I know. Be relieved that you did not give your heart to me."
With that said, Erik headed towards the two who had come to claim him. Soon, they faded into the shadows of the trees that surrounded the small campfire.
Christine was rooted to the spot, unable to move. Unable to breathe. She finally shook herself out of her momentary stupor and ran into the trees after him.
"Erik?" She cried out. "I already DID give it to you, Erik! Please!" But she knew it was too little, too late.
Christine continued running, but soon found herself alone. In the dark. The frightening, intimidating dark that only felt safe when he was with her.
If Christine dared to proceed any further, she knew she would find herself lost.
"Bring him BACK!" she shouted, her demand going unheeded as she hugged his coat around herself. "Bring him BACK to me!"
She fell to her knees, silence the only thing that greeted her sobs.
Meg and Christine's Dorm
Meg walked into the dorm room quietly, not wanting to wake Christine in case she was sleeping. As it turned out, however, her best friend was not even in the room. No doubt she was having far too much fun making out with Erik somewhere.
Meg plopped herself down on her bed and looked up at the ceiling.
A wave of guilt suddenly swept over her – not only because she was sneaking around in her mother's private business, but also because she had enjoyed Raoul's company tonight more then she had ever enjoyed RJ's.
Then again, Raoul had not spent the evening attempting to relieve Meg of her clothing, as RJ so often did.
Meg frowned. Raoul is also Christine's ex, she reminded herself.
Christine had often commented that Raoul De Chagny was a decent guy, despite times when he'd act a little spoiled and immature. Meg knew that Christine had cared for Raoul while they were together, and that she still remained friends with him to this day.
It was only that Christine's heart had gone to someone else. But Christine had made it clear that had not been Raoul's fault. She had not wanted Meg to see him in a poor light when she had broken up with him last Christmas.
"I'm not in love with him," Christine had told her. "I'm fond of him. I care about him, but as for our future together," she shook her head. "I don't see it."
"And who DO you see a future with?" Meg had asked Christine at the time.
Well, that question had now been answered.
Meg wondered once again where Christine and Erik had disappeared too.
END OF EPISODE 28