A/N I want to thank all the people who reviewed. I am so happy so many of you are enjoying this story. I really love this story to and so it makes me so thankful to have so many of you enjoying it to. I hope that you enjoy this next chapter and I hope even more that you will review it!

Ch. 13

Christine's POV

"So how far along are you?" Phillip asked as we sat idly chatting about non important things in his study.

"About eight months now. The baby shall be here soon and I can truly say that I am excited." I beamed as I placed my hand upon my round belly.

The eight months that had gone by had passed rather quickly. At times it seemed to me that I never really got to enjoy one stage of my pregnancy as I entered the beginning of another one.

"That is sweet; I can hardly wait to start my family with Meg." He said happily.

"I am so excited for you both; the fact that you two are getting married is so fantastic." I replied.

"Yes, I dare say that I never saw this day coming." Phillip admitted quietly. "So when do you think you will be heading home my dear?" He asked as he got up from his seat to fix himself a brandy.

I, myself had been wondering the same thing. I had already been here four months and I knew that I no longer loved Raoul. Everyone knew that I no longer possessed any kind of loving feeling for him. The only kind of feeling I had for Raoul as an extreme amount of hatred and fury. I would be lying if I said I didn't pity him. I really did, he had been so wonderful and gracious to me at the opera. He had helped me in my moment of need. It hurt me now to know that my moment of need had turned him into a madman.

"I guess I am not very certain of that right now. Hopefully Raoul will come to his senses and leave well enough alone." I replied as I took the glass of ice water that he had poured me.

I could see him scowl at my words. "Please Christine, forgive both him and I. I have been hoping and praying for the answer to rid my brother of this unfortunate insanity. I have tried so many times to talk to him, to make him see the light. I suppose that he never will, I promise you, you will be able to go home before you give birth." Phillip had taken my hand in his and gave it a tight squeeze.

I hopped out of my chair and pulled him into a hug. This man truly had changed from the man of prior. He was now a compassionate man who understood that some things just couldn't be helped. I no longer resented him for his views of Raoul's and my previous engagement. I no longer hated him for trying so hard to make me feel as if I was not worth anything other than to be some rich man's mistress. He was very much a different man now.

"Phillip! My dear brother and my betrothed." Raoul's voice broke in. we both turned our heads towards the door to see Raoul leaning against the door's frame. He looked to be in quite a maddening mood. I stepped away from Phillip and took a sip of my water. "Phillip would you please give us a bit of privacy." He smiled.

"Of course." Phillip said as he walked out of the room. He glanced back at me and gave me a curt nod and smile. "It was nice to chat with you Christine."

"Pleasant to chat with you also." I replied, trying to sound as innocent as I could.

Raoul didn't even look at me until Phillip and left the room and the doors had been shut. I was taken aback when I heard the click of the door's lock.

"Raoul, what is going on?" I asked him, my palms had already begun to sweat.

His calmness was beginning to unnerve me greatly. I knew the look in his eyes. Erik had gotten to this point a time or two. But I knew that Erik could come back from it, I wasn't to sure if I could say the same for Raoul. His eyes were glistened with madness.

"We are leaving Christine." He began, his voice was filled with a maddening cheer. "Leaving France altogether to someplace where we are complete unknowns."

"W-what do you m-mean we are leaving?" I stuttered. "I am not leaving to go somewhere with you. I cannot leave Raoul, I am pregnant for Christ's sake."

"Oh Christine, don't bring Christ into this." He teased. "You will come with me where ever I desire to go." He inched closer.

"NO I WILL NOT." I screeched at the top of my lungs. All of a sudden Raoul's hands were around my throat.

"Do not ever presume to tell me what you will and will not do. You belong with me and that is where you will stay." He said, his voice sounding ever so soft yet the meaning behind the words were deadly. I could feel his hand caress my cheek as his other hand continued to choke me. "Oh, can you not see it Christine? I love you and I only want what is best for you. It just seems that you don't see that I am the best for you."

He applied more pressure to my neck and suddenly let go. I couldn't hold myself up so all I could do was fall. I thankfully sucked in as much air as I could. I could feel the hot tears trickle down my cheeks. I couldn't believe that he had actually hurt me. Most importantly, he could have hurt my baby.

I grabbed my stomach and hoped the tiny person inside wasn't affected by Raoul's cruelty. "You are a monster Raoul. Do you hear me; I hate you with every fiber of my being. I hope that you rot in hell." I rasped out.

"SHUT UP CHRISTINE." He screamed back at me. "Go pack you clothes and say good bye to all that you know."

OOOO

Erik's POV

As I pulled up to the Vicomte's mansion, I smiled as my suspicions were confirmed. There it was; a carriage that bore the de Changy crest. I knew Raoul was in there and I knew that he had planned an easy get away. Little did he know, that was not going to be easy…

At least not for him.

OOOO

Christine's POV

I had packed my clothes as fast as I possibly could; I was not interested in another attack from Raoul. Although I was now prepared if he did decide to try to hurt me, before I headed to my room I ventured to the kitchen and grabbed a small knife that I knew could do the job if the occasion called for it. Threatening my life was one thing, but threatening the life of my unborn child was a step to far.

"Don't worry Christine." Raoul's voice rang out. "Past events will be left in the past and our futures will be happy and full of love."

I looked over and smile.

OOOO

The hour in the carriage had passed on slowly. Being so close to Raoul for a long period of time now made me sick. I had soon been informed that we would be staying in a small inn that night. As long as I had my own room I knew I'd be okay.

"Would you like for me to help you get settled?" Raoul called out to me as I began my climb up the stairs.

"I'd love for you to go to hell." I called back, the sooner he was away from me, the better.

When I found my room I opened the door and went to lye down on my bed. I wasn't feeling so hot at the moment. My stomach had begun to hurt a bit before we left the château.

I was awaked from my nap it seemed when I heard a knock on my door. I became aggravated at this. What the hell could the man possibly want?

"Go away Raoul." I yelled to the door.

I had closed my eyes when I again heard him knock.

"What the-" I said as I hauled my self out of the bed, which was a difficult feat considering how large I had become.

When I placed my hand on the door knob, I put my ear up to the wood. I heard nothing. When I opened it I found…

No one.

I looked up and down the hall as I walked out of my room. For some strange reason, this unnerved me.

"Now I am the one going mad." I muttered under my breath.

I walked back into my room and made sure that I locked the door. When I turned around I hit something. Before I got a chance to scream a hand was placed over my mouth.

"It's me Christine." Erik's voice rang through my ears; his eyes were alive with amusement.

When he removed his hand, I reached up and pressed my lips against his. I could feel him wrap his arms around me and I smiled inside. It had been so long since he had held me in his arms.

"It's a good thing to know that you missed me." He said as we broke apart.

"Be quiet." I said, tears of joy falling down my cheeks. "I am so glad that you are here."

"Where else do you think I'd be?" Erik asked.

"Erik, how will we ever leave here? Raoul has security everywhere and look at me. It's not too easy to get around." I told him.

"Well, where is Raoul now?"

The sound of a gun being cocked turned both Erik's and my head.

Raoul walked out of the closet, a mad gleam to his eye and a gun in hand. Suddenly I felt Erik shove me out of the way but doing so I had lost my balance. The last thing I remembered was hearing a gun shot.