AN: Ok, my diehards, the time has come for the story to complete the magic spell it's cast upon me! Hope you'll love, laugh, and maybe even cry...but most of all, I hope you all REVIEW! It makes me giddy
Thanks to everyone who's kept up with this story-- that is the greatest compliment to my fragile little ego :)
Disclaimer: Own nothin...or Christine would never end up with the Viscomte...
Last time...
"The man is gone, Erik." She looked into his eyes, trying to reassure him. "Whatever he did, whoever he was, he is not here."
"But someone's still after me." He coaxed her into his chest, and held her like glass. "And he could try to hurt you."
Christine tried to wriggle out of his soft hold, but it would not yield. "If you think that I'll leave you alone, you've got another thing coming."
"If you think I'll let anything happen to you when I can prevent it, you're insane." He finally pulled away, just enough to tilt her head up. He smoothed a curl gently. "It wouldn't be forever."
"How long would I stay with Antoinette and Nadir?"
"You won't be staying with them."
"Then--"
"You'll go somewhere I won't know about." Erik said, his voice thick. "I have to make sure you're safe."
"No." She shook her head. This couldn't be happening, not so suddenly. She refused to let this happen.
"If I can't track you, neither can he." He explained. This was not what he wanted. He wanted to be always with her, to be close enough to love her. But this was a new threat, and he couldn't take it lightly. He released her and took a step back. "Pack your things, Christine. I'll take you to Nadir's in the morning."
"Don't push me away, Erik!" She held on to the sleeve of his shirt. "I won't let you."
"You don't have a choice, Christine." His expression was deadly serious. "You're not staying here."
"Then you're going to have to drug me," She insisted.
"Don't think I won't." He shot back without skipping a beat, and it made her cringe.
"You would-"
"I would do anything I had to in order to protect you." Erik responded gravely. "You know that." This man could not, would not, be given the power to find her.
Christine covered her mouth with trembling hands. Everything was getting so out of hand! In the span of an hour, she realized, she'd lost the illusion of security they'd been living in for so long. One way or another, Erik was determined to make her leave, and she couldn't fight that. But that didn't make it ok.
"Don't do this. There has to be another way-"
"Yes, running." Erik scoffed. "Running until he found us. Nothing would be safe, you'd never have a home."
"But I'd have you!" Christine cried, her eyes brimming with fear. "Don't you understand that?"
"I'd find you," he spoke quietly, holding her shoulders. "When I found a way-"
"And what would you have me do, Erik, while I was left all alone?" She shied away from what she really wanted to say.
What is there for me, besides you?
"Live, Christine." He spoke with so much ache in his voice that it finally bid the tears to fall down Christine's face. "Find your place in the world again, and sing."
She shook him off, the hurt taking control. "Learn to be lonely, you mean."
Before he could reply, she was gone, locked behind the door of her old room.
A small trip had to be made, once the gun had been collected from his apartment. He drove beyon the outskirts of the city, just as the cold snow began to fall. It started out so white, he noticed. The snow was crisp white as it fell only to turn gray in the soot and dirt of the city, a dirty film to be crunched under your boots.
As he parked and got out into the bristling cold, this is what he was thinking. How much he hated the snow. And this city. But something kept him anchored here once more. A blood debt to be paid, and the time was fast approaching. He moved past the massive black gates with a determined gait. He had a specific reason to come here today. He knelt besire a silver slab, letting the brown slush of snow and earth soak into him.
I am not a praying man, he told that inscription. I have never believed in you, much less God. But, when this is all over, I'm leaving. I won't return here again. I only...I only wanted to see this once.
He rose carefully, and turned to the gates. There was a little more watching to do... When this is over, you won't have any hold over me.
He walked forward, his back turned to the glinting grave marker.
Joseph Buquet, R.I.P.
Christine was livid as she paced her room. There had to be another way! Something to keep them both safe, without having to separate. Why had he even suggested something so stupid? Didn't he know it wouldn't ever be worth it?
With a stiffled sob she fell into a chair, only to feel something prod her hip. From her jeans pocket, she fished out her little cell phone. Erik had given it to her when she'd gotten lost walking around the neighborhood, and she'd promised to hold onto it ever since. Now she stared at it, hoping it would give her some sort of magic answer.
Antoinette. Hers was the only voice she could find reason in. Another woman, she was sure, would be sure to understand her point of view. She dialed the number quickly and held her breath as the phone rang.
"Hello, ma cherie." Antoinette picked up the phone with as much cheer as she could muster. Nadir, Christine assumed, must have already explained the situation.
"This man...and Erik...Nadir told you, right?" Christine wanted the words out, gone away from her so she could feel relieved. "Erik wants to make me go away."
"Where to?" Mrs. Giry had heard from her husband that the girl might be staying with them..
"Away from him. Not your home, but to somewhere he couldn't lead anyone else to." More tears fell. Dear, merciful God, did a human being ever run out of them?
Antoinette closed her eyes and breathed deeply, lettin it sink in. It was obvious that the girl was hurting, and she could understand, but safety was not something Erik could risk. "It's a smart move. He's thinking of you."
"But don't you understand? The last time we were separated..." The memory of that broken, beautiful man as he fell into her arms was too much.
'If I leave, you'll die. I know that now...'
"You were right then, and so was I. He would have died of a broken heart if you'd left him."
"Then-"
"No, not this time. He's trying to keep you safe. That's not suicidal or fatalistic-- that's love." Antoinette was unhappy witht he situation, but the selflessness Erik seemed to display made her feel very proud as well. "Knowing Erik, though, I know it wouldn't be for long."
"Why can't he just come with me, then?" Christine felt the slick cool of where the tears had streamed down her cheeks, and shuddered.
"Before you met Erik, you had a normal life. Aspirations. After everything, you've accepted his ring and are willing to give up everything and live quietly beside him. But he's giving you your wings, one last time, to fly away from his arms and toward the light again. Don't you understand, Christine? He not only wants to keep you safe, he wants you to have your sunlight once more."
Christine fell silent at the sudden revelation. Erik not only wanted to protect her life...he wanted to return it. It was humbling, the way he was so ready to give her everything without even telling her.
"But..." She cleared her throat with uncertainty, "but what if all I ever really wanted was him?" Even now, she missed those strong arms, the eyes that seemed like stained glass, and did not know what to do.
"Then, when this has ended, when Erik is satisfied, he will find you. Go to him then."
She hadn't even opened the door when he'd knocked and offered a tray of food. Erik was worried-- she hadn't eaten that day, and what he'd quickly made for supper had gone cold-- but he was still set on his course of action. He hadn't been lying when he said he'd make her leave. Though it would be painful, unbearably so, Erik would drug her if that's what it took. Wearily he sat down to his piano, but did not produce a single note.
He'd been such a fool. With happiness and a ring, he'd been so certain that everything would work itself out. Her dreams forgotten, his past behind him, this new life together had been an amazing castle in the sky that he could almost touch. But it didn't seem cruel to him, to have had this beautiful hope with her. He only ached, and understood.
"Is he going to hurt you?" Her question, spoken in the softest tones, surprised him. He turned, and answered without thinking twice about it.
"He might try." Erik smirked, and tried to make his tone light. The scars of worry were starting to form around Christine's beautiful dark brown eyes, and he would not stand for it. He reached for a stray curl, but her hands caught his with a warm pressure.
"Promise me." She searched his eyes. The smirk was fading. She released his hand and raised her left one for him to see. The ring glinted as she slid it off her finger.
"Christine-"
His worry was unfounded, he realized, as her other hand opened the palm of his hand. "Promise me, that you will not be harmed." Her lip quivered a little, but she remained strong. "Promise that you'll find me." She placed the ring in his palm, and closed his fingers over it. "Promise to return this, when you do-- this, and all of the plans we had together."
Erik understood. She would go willingly, to whatever corner of the earth he sent her to, as long as she knew he would find her. And finding her again was the one reason to keep living. She was inspiration and beauty and love. She was air.
"I promise."
"Christine, are you sure--"
"Yes," she said quietly, "that's everything I'll need." She looked at the bags, then back at Erik. Night had fallen, and day's rational rays of light were beaming.
She was leaving this apartment. She might never see it again. But, before she left, she would have a walk around. Determined, she left Erik fixing little details and schedules with Nadir and walked out into the courtyard just behind the entrance. She'd always been ushered out, and had never really looked. The snow covered everything except an icy pathway, but the sun would soon fix that. What would it look like, she wondered, when everything had melted away?
Eyes. She felt eyes watching her, but they were not Erik's. He was still in the apartment, making sure Nadir knew what he was doing. Christine's breath hitched in her throat as she turned and peered close to the doorway. A young boy, her age, with golden brown hair watched her curiously. He was obviously surprised that she was outside.
"Don't worry, Miss. I'm not here to hurt you." His words were surprisingly gentle, and she took a few steps closer, so that all that separated them was shadow. "Did you escape?"
"Escape?" She nearly squeaked.
"From that man." He spoke with such anger in his blue eyes that Christine had no doubt about who this was.
"Joseph Buquet." She spoke his name slowly, trying to find the courage she needed. "I don't need to escape from him. He's letting me go." Her eyes held no malice as she looked into his surprised face, and her heart felt no resentment. She only worried and hoped now, in turns. "Let me say this, though. If you do anything to hurt him, I'll find you. I'll gladly burn in hell to make you pay for it." There was no threat, only honesty in her voice, which Buquet found more frightening.
"Why?" He whispered.
"It's funny, the way a circle works. You hate him enough to want to hurt him, but if you do, it'll make me want to hurt you in return. If it keeps going like this, everyone's hurt and no one's saved. It's sad."
"You-" The realization dawned on him. When had she... and with Erik!
"I'm leaving now. I hope you understood that what I said wasn't an idle threat."
"Why aren't you trying to stop me?"
"This is between you and Erik now. But don't you dare hurt him." With that, she turned and walked quickly away, hoping to God that something she said would move him. She had somewhere to be right now. She left the intruder in the shadows, confused by her words and the pain of longing written so clearly on her face. But it was obvious that her freedom wasn't what she longed for...
He held her hand as they drove, and as they checked her bags. Nadir and Antoinette were just up ahead, next to the escalators, and he kept his fingers laced with hers as they walked. He didn't know what to say, not when he could not ask her where she would go. Mrs. Giry's daughter had offered her dormitory as a temporary home to Christine, but after that, Erik would not allow himself to be informed. She was safer, more free, that way.
"I had a dream last night." Her soft voice wasn't sad, but it held a strange emotion all the same. Erik stopped, and so did she, but he did not turn to look at her. Instead he kept his gaze fixed on the stairs just beyond the detective and his wife.
"What was it about?"
"You, I think."
He had to smile a little at that. "Really?"
She nodded her head, but didn't turn to look at him. She squeezed his hand instead. "It was raining in the dream, and I...was standing in the middle of it. It was so strong, and when I blinked my eyes open all I could see was the water's silver mist. But you were there."
"Where was I standing?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "I couldn't see you through that rain. But I knew you were there with me." She took a step forward, even though he stood still. Their clasped hands were slowly coming apart. "You're always with me." She would not turn to see his reaction, whether it was solemn of heartbreaking. If she turned now, she knew, there would be no strength left in her.
"I like your dream." His smile never left his face, even as her fingers finally brushed free of his grasp. He watched her take those steps forward, and watched her as she was given papers and embraces before she got on the escalator. She seemed to speak a few words to Nadir, and he nodded. Not once did she turn to see him, never allowing him to see if she was crying or not.
He was grateful that she didn't try to say goodbye. This wasn't over. They both understood that.
AN: This is not the end! It made me sad, but I had to do it-- danger's afoot, and Erik had to keep her safe. More than that, though, is the fact that I hate stories where Christine never pursues her dreams. Well, that's just my take on it-- but you'll have to see where I go with this story! Maybe a romance/tragedy...? REVIEW AND STAY TUNED!
