Chapter 19

Erik's health returned to him after he moved to London, to the point he left better than he had ever in his entire life, all thanks to meeting Sasha. He was convince having something to live for, something that made life worth living, could cure any sickness. He even lost the need for his Morphine addiction, and quite for his Daughter's sake. His daughter's love was enough for him to live on. Prior to meeting her, He believed god enjoyed watching him go through torture, and thats why he couldn't die, but his philosophy changed. He needed to go through so much pain to appreciate the heaven he had been granted.

In his entire life, he never imagined a life like this, spending countless hours walking in the rose gardens with her daughter, being with his lover again, and enjoying discussions with Sasha and her James. The were just as witty as Erik himself, and always gave him a run for his money when they got into a heated debate.

It took almost a year for him to expose himself to James, but he quickly learned to love the boy. He was the perfect match for Sasha, like her in so many ways, and very much like Erik too, all of them wise beyond their years. Since he met James, He could see the love in the boy's eyes for his daughter. He loved her just as much as he loves Christine. Erik hoped they boy would marry Sasha, no man could be better for her, but one thing stood in the way, Raoul. Raoul was clueless to the rather obvious romance between the two of them, even if he knew, he would never allow it. He would never disgrace his family name by allowing his 'daughter' to marry someone so low in class, it was bad enough he married a performer, but a stable boy, that was purely absurd. The De Chagny blood was highly regarded in society, but help more impurities than any one could dream of. Society knew about some of them, especially after word got out about Raoul's regular visits to places of ill repute, after he recently contracted Syphilis, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. They had no idea about the affairs involving Erik and Christine, Sasha's rebellious nature towards the concept of how a Lady should act, her relationship with James, as well as Raoul and his brother's rather wild youth, involving many of the ballet girls, one, leading to the birth of a bastard.

Erik's joy for life only increase when his long time friend, Nadir, with the helping push from his new wife, moved to London. Erik wasn't the only one to enjoy the move, Christine was ecstatic to have her old friend back. Nadir and Meg visited them regularly. Meg and Christine would sit around, talking about the latest gossip, while Nadir would slip away to find Erik. Shortly after their relocation, Meg gave birth to a son. In Erik's Eyes, he never saw a better father than Nadir. He had always loved children, having one of his own once, back in Persia, who sadly died after Erik first met Nadir, of the same disease Nadir's first wife lost her life to. Nadir spent every moment trying to please the child, or his wife, much like Erik tried to make up his absence for Sasha, but he knew he couldn't be like Nadir, not with Raoul around, not while he still hides from the world.

Erik sat back against the barn wall, reading an old book, waiting for Sasha and James. They had decided to go for a ride out together, and were late coming back. In the five years he had known the young couple, it always brought joy to him to see his daughter experience the sweet, gay ecstasy of love, and at such a young age, she only met her eighteenth year a few weeks ago.

"The two are probably to busy with one another to notice the time." He told himself, as he returned to the yellowing pages of the old book. Most fathers would be appalled at the thought of their child with a man before marriage, but not Erik. After all, he never married his love, and Sasha was never a child in his eyes, she never had the mind frame of a child, she was a wise women trapped in a youths body.

He had read this particular book hundreds of times, always enjoying the sweet irony. He had always wished his own Mephistopheles would save him from his own hell, no matter the cost. He had always related to Faust, living alone, always longing for a better life, getting a chance to renew it. Just like Faust, he was at the lowest point in him pathetic life, were death was gladly welcomed. He contemplated taking his own life, there were so many ways he could, and quickly too, but he could never go through with it. He had to much Pride. Only the weak would give up the fight, and no real gentleman would admit such a weakness. His stubborn pride paid off, when god sent him his saviour. She took him out of his cursed life, and granted him beauty, freedom, happiness, and most of all, love. She couldn't change who he was, or what he looked like, but she brought out his inner beauty, and the tenderness he buried away when he first learned about the cruelty of the world.

That day stuck in his mind, were ever he went, were every he ran to, it remained. The pain he felt, both from the men's physical beating, but the emotional scare it left. Knowing they killed the one thing that ever loved him, the only thing that showed any affection for him, his mother's dog. They killed her because he was a monster, because they couldn't see the real him. He could still feel her limp body cradled in his arms, the smell of rain and blood, the guilt he felt for causing her pain. She had tried to save him from the men, but they took her life. He had only told Christine how much that event effected him, it was the event that lead to his hatred of society. She new the significances of that day, she gave their daughter the same name of that blessed dog, Sasha.

Erik lost himself in his thoughts, and hadn't heard the sound of someone entering the barn. When the person came into his sight, Erik snapped his head up, and stared into the blood shot eyes of Raoul.

"Where is she?" He hissed out, his eyes narrowing on Erik's white mask. Erik could smell the whiskey on his breath.

"Monsieur, your drunk, you should be in bed." He spoke in his most persuasive tone.

"Where is that little bitch?" He started to scream.

"Why sir, I don't know who you are referencing to." Erik found it strange that that Raoul didn't realise who he was speaking with.

"Damn whore!" He began to pace back and forth. "She has crossed the line. A Stable boy! My name in ruined!" Erik was taken aback that Raoul knew about Sasha and James, finally.

"Why sir, I believe you were the one to ruin your reputation, after all, your the one with Syphilis."

"I should have killed her when she was born, when your little demon entered this world! I shouldn't have listened to Christine, she should have been sent to hell where she belongs!"

'So he knows who I am' Erik thought. 'They why is he just talking to me? He is a jealous man, why is he not furious at finding me here?' Behind Raoul, he saw James and Sasha dismount the horse, and enter the barn. Sasha stopped dead in her tracks, fright filled her eye. Erik shot them a warning glance, then returned his attention to Raoul.

"This is all your fault Erik, you changed her, you made her like you! Oh yes, you didn't know I knew your were still alive, or that you had returned, but I knew, since the day we returned from Paris."

"She was always like me, you were just to stupid to see."

With agility even Erik couldn't match, Raoul picked up on of the pitchforks off the pile of hay, and rammed it into Erik's chest. He fell to the floor, grasping his pulsing chest. Blood began to flow from his chest, then from between his gentle lips.

"Father!" Sasha's voice cut through the air, as she ran to him. She cradled His body, holding his head in the crook of her arm. James threw a punch at Raoul, who, in fright, ran off into the darkness, leaving Erik to die in peace.

"Sasha." His hand reached up to her cheek, and wiped away a tear. "I love you, My Daughter."

"Father, please." She choked out, but it was too late, his laboured breath ad silenced, as his life slipped away. She pressed him to her chest, weeping into his black wig. James slowly made his way to Sasha, and somehow separated her body from his. He held her close to his chest, letting her tears catch in his shirt.