Erik and Raoul boarded the Lovely without a problem, but when they came to the room they were to stay in… well let us just say, dear reader, that is indeed where a problem began.

"What the hell?" Erik said, staring dumbstruck at the room in front of him.

"What?" Raoul pushed Erik aside and dropped his bag, mouth agape.

The room wasn't a bad room. It was a pleasing shade of tan with some red and gold on the walls. A small iron desk was anchored down in one corner and there as a small porthole in the wall that looked out on the ocean. On the right side of the room was a door that led to the other various places on the ship. It was in that door way that Erik and Raoul stood staring at the MASSIVE problem, although Erik was slightly more composed, having already resolved this problem.

"Viscount, you are sleeping on the floor." Erik brushed past a very shocked Raoul to place his bag and case at the bottom of the cot.

"Excuse me? No I am not." A very flustered Raoul stumbled into the room and dropped his stuff right next to, and almost on top of, Erik's.

Erik crossed over to the porthole and examined it for a moment before looking back to Raoul. "Then would the water be more comfortable? I do believe that I can fit you through here even if I have to cut off a limb or two… Maybe three, I'm not quite sure." He took a step toward the Viscount.

A terror-stricken look passed over Raoul's face. "N-no it f-fine. The f-floor is f-fine." He stammered, "let me just go and get some blankets and a pillow… I'll be right back." Raoul fled out of the room, leaving Erik to chuckle to himself.

"Good Viscount," he stretched out on the cot, "who's the dog now?"

Other than a few minor spats, the Viscount and Erik got on quite well. There was one rule that was to be followed and it was quite simple really. What Erik says goes. If that rule was followed everything was peachy. Let's just say Raoul learned pretty fast.

Within about three months the Lovely docked in New York and the dynamic duo (A/N: Musicman and Fopboy!) came to a parting. A parting that was fueled by words not so sweet…

"Fop."
"Monster."
"You have got to have a better insult."

"Do you think that 'Fop' never gets old?" Raoul spat back. Erik rolled his eyes and stepped off the ship. "Hmm? Do you!"

"Good bye Viscount, and do give my best regards to Christine and your forth coming child, however unlucky it is to have you as a father." Erik mock saluted the viscount and walked away from the ship.

"Crazy bastard!" A loud cry reached Erik's ears and caused him to laugh softly. If only Raoul knew…

Erik thoughts quickly turned to Meg and how he was going to find her. He walked down the street in the early morning hours, when the sun was just rising over the horizon. Erik sighed and looked around him for something resembling an inn or a barroom where he could find someone who might be able to point him in the correct direction. On either side of him were buildings that were quite tall and packed close together. It seemed as if he was in the middle class part of the town and it didn't seem he was in any imminent danger. A shrug fell off his shoulders as he spotted a bar on his left, and his feet made their way over there quickly. Before he went in he put up a hand to his face to make sure his mask was secure and in place.

As the door opened smells wafted out of the room, Erik could smell food. Saliva flooded his mouth as he thought about getting something to eat. He found a small table toward the back of the room facing what he believed to be a stage. A waitress came over to him, "Ello sir, what would you like on this fine mornin?" She was a petite thing, possibly about 5'2, 5'3 Erik wasn't sure. She had raven curls tucked up in a braid and she was wearing a black skirt and a flowing white blouse that was cut a bit to low for Erik's taste.

"A cup of tea and possibly pancakes, if you have any," Erik looked up at her face trying to avoid looking anywhere else. This must have been one of the whores that Raoul had told him about on the ship when they were having one of their good days.

A laugh bubbled up from the waitress's throat; it was a deep throaty laugh that chilled Erik in a way he really didn't like. This was definitely not Erik's typical environment that he was comfortable in. "Course we do suga, my name is Adele by the way," she winked at him, causing Erik to stare back in shock. Where was the company of Meg when he needed it? At times she could be a bit forward, but nothing like Adele. A shudder ran down the length of Erik's spine as Adele walked away. Oh God, what am I doing?

Adele came back with his tea and pancakes which were drenched in butter and syrup. As fast as Erik could, he scarfed down the food and stood to leave, putting some money down on the table. But just as he was about to walk out the door something caught his eye, or someone. Thinning blonde hair, cold icy blue eyes, and a slightly large man walked out of a back room to meet some men at a table close to Erik's. Thinking quickly, Erik sat back down and waved to Adele, "May I have another cup of tea?" She nodded and rushed to get it. Erik sipped the steaming liquid slowly listening to the conversation that took place not two tables away.

"The new girl is proving to be a problem." Jacques said to his companions. "I thought you were going to break her, Robert."

"I am working on it. She says nothing but 'He will come to save me." The man with cold sea green eyes said with a chuckle. "If she is talking about that man she was with earlier," he broke off shaking his head. The blood in Erik's veins boiled. That fight was in no way fair, and he was not at his full attention anyway. "But she is coming along nicely, less out spoken than when she was first here and more like the others. I will say that dancing has done her good, her body is most pleasing." Erik's jaw dropped, how dare they speak about Meg that way.

"Ah well, that is good, I must say Robert, I was worried for a moment." Jacques stood and put on his hat. "I am going to the warehouse to check on our new charges," a small chuckle escaped his lips. "Would you like to accompany me?" Robert stood and put on his hat and bid adieu to the other men sitting at the table. Jacques and Robert walked out the door in companionable silence. Hurriedly Erik stood, paid Adele, and rushed out the door. He could see the two men at the corner waiting for a good time to cross the street. Tapping into his anything but lost Phantom instinct, Erik followed them at a safe distance till they reached a large warehouse on the outskirts of town. Jacques and Robert disappeared in the front door leaving Erik outside by himself.

I wonder… Erik spied a series of windows along the side of the wall. The warehouse was rundown and there were no people anywhere around it. Erik guessed it was in seclusion, and he wondered what its purpose was. He slunk over to the window to peer inside. What he saw horrified him! There were many women in the room, some clothed, some not, but that was not what scared him. It was the small fact that Meg sat in a corner, half clothed, crying, and looking totally broken. Erik's heart wrenched as he looked on at his love, he felt like he was going to vomit. There looked to be about twenty women in the room, they all shared the same expression as Meg, broken and soulless. Tears ran down his cheeks matching the ones that ran down Meg's face.

Erik didn't know how much time passed as he looked through that window, dusk fell and the moon shone mockingly upon his huddled form that leaned against the window. It could have been a matter of minutes but it felt like years. A few of the girls talked, but most of them sat silently, dejectedly, or they slept. After a while Robert came in a door on the right side of the room. He walked toward Meg, all of the girls shied away from him as if he would burn them. Meg glanced up at Robert and fear appeared on her face. She tried to press herself up against the wall and become one with it. A sick grin appeared on Robert's face and he started speaking to her in an evil tone.

"Come with me willingly, dog. You know that resistance only makes everything worse."

"No, no, no, no. Please, not again. They hurt me so much. It hurts so much. Please not again, don't let them do this to me." Meg's whimpers barely came through the thin window. It made Erik want to scream, cry, and beat Robert to a pulp for what he was putting Meg through. He wasn't sure but he had a good idea of what this warehouse was used for. It was a whorehouse. Only this was different from the ones in Paris, the ones there, the women sold themselves and were not forced and captured. Erik had heard vaguely of something called human trafficking, he guessed that was what this house operated as, a base of some sort. Shudders racked Erik's body as he listened to Meg cry and plead with the man who was truly a monster.

"Aw, poor dog," Robert said mockingly. A look of false care passed over his face before it was replaced with rage. He bent down, took a handful of Meg's hair, and pulled her to her feet, causing her to cry out. He chuckled evilly. "Don't worry dog. You will only be serving one man tonight. That unlucky man will be me."

Meg only whimpered more and was answered by a punch that connected with her jaw, causing her to see stars. Meg silenced and Robert led her out of the door. Erik crawled to the next window and looked inside. This time Erik really did get sick. Inside was a torture chamber. Leering men stood leaning against the walls, staring at Meg with an incredibly nasty intent that gleamed in their eyes.

"Sorry boys, but she is mine today. You can have her sometime later. Maybe tomorrow if you are all good." The men looked devastated.

"Can we have one of the other ones?" One of them spoke up.

"I don't care, but when you leave, go through one of the other doors, and lock it. I am not to be disturbed." The men chuckled and left the room, going into the room where all the other women were.

"Now, to tend to me," Robert turned to Meg, causing her to cower in fear. "NOW!" He roared. Meg swallowed a sob, and did as she was bid.

Erik looked on horror stricken at the hell this man put Meg through while he repeatedly violated her. His brain didn't function as to tell him to look away from Meg's exposed body. All he could feel was the strong need to get Meg out of there. Tonight if at all possible.

After Robert was done, he threw Meg into the room with the others and locked the door. Meg collapsed in a heap and cried. "Where is he? Why hasn't he come yet? God help him. Maman help me, oh Maman. Please God, help all of us!" A knife stuck itself in Erik's heart and he put his hand to the glass pane. I'm here Meg, I'm coming my dear. A small red headed woman crawled over to Meg with a rag in her hand and gently wiped her new cuts and welts clean. "Scarlett, why isn't he here yet?" Meg looked up at the woman with tears in her eyes. Scarlett murmured soothing words in Meg's ear as she continued to clean her up.

"Don't worry Meg, if Erik is at all the man you said he is he will be here soon." Scarlett said in broken French. She threw a glance up to the window Erik was looking through causing him to jump. Had she known that he was here the whole time? A small nod confirmed his guess. "Come dear, it's time to sleep. All the others are asleep and you should rest. Be careful, you are going to be sore in the morning." Meg let herself be led back to her corner where a small blanket rested. She curled up on it murmuring to herself.

"Maman please save me. I have done everything you wanted me to do. Please Maman. I try so hard to be strong, I have really. I cannot do it anymore. I can't. I just can't." Meg reached under her small pillow and pulled out a loop of string. As Erik looked closer he saw it was knotted in a repeating pattern. One knot, then ten, then one again repeating all the way around it till it came to the place it was tied. Under that was one knot then three, then one and finally something that vaguely resembled a cross. Meg had made herself a rosary! Erik had often seen her praying it before she went to bed. She had started that after her mother died. He guessed it was a way of being close to her mother, who always had done that.

More time passed and Erik watched to make sure all the men had left. Much to his despair, Robert didn't leave. He went up stairs and was soon passed out; Erik hoped he was a heavy sleeper. Erik climbed back down to the window that looked into the women's room. Inside all of the women were asleep, some on blankets, some huddled together on the cold floor for warmth. Erik examined the window and found much to his happiness that it was not secure in the wall. With some difficulty, it came loose and fell into his hands. He placed it on the ground well out of the way incase he should have to make a hurried exit. He tied his Punjab lasso around a tree that stood not a foot away from the window and carefully lowered himself down. He picked his way through the women and over to Meg. All at once he noticed her lack of clothing. A blush made its way over his cheeks and he took off his cape to place it around her. He bent down to pick her up, but when he did a hand clapped itself over his mouth and another twisted his arm behind his back.

"Who the hell are you and what do you want with Meg?" A voice hissed in his ear.

Erik's temper bubbled and he grabbed the hand over his mouth and yanked it off, drawing a gasp from his holder. He spun around to come face to face with the red haired Scarlett. "You know very well who I am. Notice the mask?" Erik pointed angrily.

Scarlett bit her lip. "I thought Giry was delusional. Can you get the rest of us out?" She whispered excitedly. Erik nodded and pointed to the lasso that hung from the window. A grin spread itself across Scarlett's face and she ran about waking the women.

"You have to climb up yourselves, I have to get Meg." Erik looked back at Meg who slept fitfully, as if having a nightmare. Some of the women climbed the rope and ran to the city where they would find freedom, others went back to sleep with the thought they were dreaming and didn't want to be subject to any false hope. Scarlett looked back at Erik with a smile then it dropped off her face. The door flew open and a livid Robert stood in the doorway.

"What the hell are you doing with my women?" He said panting.

"We are not your women." Scarlett said defiantly, standing up straight. Robert crossed over to her, quickly and dealt a blow to her that sent her sprawling to the floor. Erik shouted in rage. How dare that pitiful excuse for a man hit a woman!

"HOW DARE YOU!" He yelled, throwing punches at Roberts face and torso.

Meg's eyelids fluttered, "Erik?" Her eyes flew open and she took in the scene before her. Scarlet was on the floor with blood on her face and a blackening eye. "Oh my God," Meg breathed.

"Monster!" Robert answered Erik's punches with blows of his own. Only most of his were aimed at Erik's face. With ease Erik parried the blows all except one that contacted the right side of Erik's face sending his mask skittering to the floor. All punches ceased. "Y-you are a demon." Robert breathed.

A bloody smile spread across Erik's face. "Am I? Do you want the devil to repay you for your acts as he has me?" Robert shook his head frantically. "Good." Erik drew back his arm and punched Robert square in the face. Robert's nose crunched sickeningly and he fell to the floor.

"Oh my," Meg muttered to herself, with that she promptly collapsed on the floor. Scarlett got up slowly and gazed at Erik's face with scrutiny before turning her attention to Meg.

"Get her out." She ordered. Silently, Erik picked Meg up, making sure she was securely wrapped in his cloak and completely covered. He walked over to the lasso and with great difficulty, made his way up with Meg and out onto the soft grass. They were followed by a still bleeding Scarlett who shimmied up the lasso as if it was done everyday. "Well those girls that didn't get out are going to have a surprise when they wake up, won't they?"

"Why are you not afraid?" Erik asked her curiously.

"I've seen the stuff that that thing made us go through, and that is much worse than anything else." She said simply.

"I see." Erik nodded. "Do you need money? You helped Meg a lot from what I saw."

Scarlett shook her head, "I've got some money that was from before… well before everything. I will be on my way. If Meg ever needs to tell her to look me up." Erik nodded again, and in a blink of an eye Scarlett was gone. Erik was surprised; he was the only one he knew that could do that. Then again Scarlett seemed quite… well there was not any other thing to describe her as other than not normal. Erik shrugged and set off to the city where he would find an inn and then a ship home. He cradled Meg close, he never wanted to lose her again.