A/N: Again, this story was my first - written months ago. Once more of my stories slow down, I'll go back and spell check everything. I never have time for a beta (nothing against them, but they're too slow! Why cant Beta's have no life and just stay on the comp 24/7? Sigh, so hard to find good help these days! LOL) so I currently beta my own stories. I am MUCH better at it now:D

Christine woke to the bright golden sun sinking in the sky. She estimated that it must be late afternoon. Stretching, she walked to Erik's bedroom and opened the door, but he wasn't there. Quickly she ran down the steps and into the kitchen. She found Erik there, sitting at the table as he read a newspaper.

"So, you finally wake? You must be starved." Erik said, putting the paper down.

"I am. But I didn't sleep that many hours, did I? It's only mid-afternoon."

"It is mid-afternoon, but on the second day of our arrival. You slept all of yesterday away. You needed the rest, so I didn't wake you."

She looked at him in shock. Never had she slept so long in her life! "Did you sleep, Erik?"

"I did. Not as long as you, but enough to keep me well rested for a while." He answered as he put a plate of fruit before her.

She picked up an apple, what she was so used to eating by now, and starting to eat as she read the paper upside down.

"Anything interesting in there?" She asked, pointing to it.

"No. Not a word about us, either, thankfully. It's my hope that it will stay that way."

Christine nodded, then ate in silence, not thinking of anything else to say.

And so the day passed. At nightfall, Erik retreated to his room, still carrying that same paper. Something must have been oddly fascinating to keep his interest so long. But with him gone, Christine needed something to do. Finally, she decided on a bath. When she got out, she put on only the Don Juan outfit - feeling great to actually dress like a normal girl - with just one layer of outerwear. She found it very ironic as well - her wearing the Don Juan dress as she willingly chose Erik to win all her love; much the same as the play he had written. Shaking her head, she went to her own room and tried to fall asleep. No such luck; she had slept too much already. Instead, she got up again and decided to clean the downstairs from her boredom until she grew weary enough to fall into bed.Christine awoke a little passed dawn, which she figured was from habit. She quietly walked to Erik's bedroom, yet once again the room was vacant. Running down the stairs, she found him missing in those rooms too. Her heart was just starting to pound, her mind filling up with dreadful thoughts, when he walked through the back door, biting into a green apple.

"Where were you?" She exclaimed, thanking the Lord above that he was safe.

"In the stables. Had to feed Horse." He replied grumpily.

"Is everything alright?"

"It would be, if I wasn't seeing what I am, in here."

She looked around. What was making him angry? "I don't understand-"

"It's clean!" Erik yelled out loudly, nearly knocking the wind out of Christine with just his glare.

"I had nothing to do last night and-"

"I told you your not to clean this house! If they come, they'll suspect that you werent exactly miserable here! In their eyes, you must look in every way like you were miserable!" He roared.

"In their eyes? Why do you think like they'll catch us?"

"Perhaps it's because they have all the odds for them...and we have just about none! And don't tell me not to be pessimistic - last time I tried to be optimistic, we nearly got killed."

Christine looked at him like a wounded puppy as he began to rip things apart, and have dust fly everywhere; ruining everything she was so proud of last night. Those hours of working had been for nothing. She felt tears sting her eyes. Not wanting to let him see her cry again, she ran up the stairs and into her room.

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Hunger brought her back down the stairs. Erik wasn't there, which this time, she thought of as a good thing. Perhaps if she stayed away from him today, she'd be on his good side tomorrow. She could only pray that this was so. Unfortunately, her prayers were once again overruled by fate, that had it's own mind.

She decided that she would cook up the food for this meal, and make enough for Erik to eat when he came back in, hoping that it would lighten his mood. She chopped up a few apples and other dried fruits - not all could she identify. Now, as she peered into the bag, she felt like blessing the old man. She found many spices in the bag that Erik had laid on the table. She grabbed a few of them, cinnamon and such sweeter ones, and stirred them until they were soft. She then put them on two plates, and cut a few slices of bread to go with it. Placing it just so, everything looked beautiful. She was just setting both plates on the table when the door slammed open.

"It's too late." He said drastically, thought to himself.

"What's too late, Erik?" Christine asked.

"Us. Escape. Living free. It's too late for those things now."

"Escape? From what?"

"From them, Christine! From the officers that now block every street corner!" He yelled angrily, throwing the newspaper onto the table, landing before her. She couldn't bring herself to look at it. Instead, she watched as Erik hid his face in his gloved palms and slid down the wall until he hit the floor. "There is no escape now." He was muttering. Christine felt her heart break in two as it sunk to her feet. They were going to be found out?

Erik was suddenly on his feet. Grabbing her wrist, he forced her up the stairs. Nearly tripping on her dress a few times, she cried out but he shushed her. It was not his words that silenced her, but the tears and broken -heart look on his face.

Only when he opened the door to that dirty, bug ridden room did she scream. "No Erik, please don't make me go in there!" She begged.

"They're coming, do you not understand? If they find you in a nice soft bed...will that convince them of your innocent later on? I assure you it wont! Go in, and stay there. No more screaming. And for God's sake, Christine - remember that you were kidnapped." He pushed her in, but she quickly turned around to through her arms around his neck.

"I'm so scared!" She whispered passionately. "Please hide yourself. Don't let them find you. They'll kill you! Erik..." She stopped. He stared back at her, but with total calmness. How could he be calm at a time like this? When she was shaking like a leaf?

"We knew they'd find us, Christine..."

"But not yet! Please, don't let them get you. Not yet. Do something! You're a great magician...surely there is something you can do!"

"Yet there is nothing. I am not that kind of magician. I can not poof myself anywhere I please. Now go, Christine. Before it's to late."

She looked straight into his green eyes. "I love you too much for you to die."

"Then I suppose I wont die." He whispered softly, kissing her forehead. When he pulled away, he shut the door on her, and she was submerged into darkness.

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