One Day I'll Fly Away…

A/N: Grab Tissues loves!

--A Small Flat in Paris

Christine was proud of herself, she had just managed to make enough money to purchase her own apartment and smiled as Gustave burst into their new home and began commenting on which places would be best for their small collection of belongings.

"And one day when I sell my opera, I can buy a piano and we'll put it right-."

"Alright, alright Gus! Relax Honey, we've only been here five minutes and you're already over-excited!"

Pulling her son into her arms, Christine laughed happily as she began to tickle the adorable bundle of five year old flesh.

--Apartment #131 Paris

Erik sat beside Nadir his eyes closed and sadness his only visage. Though both men knew how to treat people medically, both easily admitted that Jean's condition was far too severe for either of their unique experience. Antoinette had then taken care of quickly locating a doctor willing to treat with no questions asked. The man she found was from America more specifically, Louisiana. Apparently, the doctor had been in the American Civil War and knew a thing or two about infected bullet injuries. Five minutes passed and the doctor re-appeared looking sad and worn. Lifting his cold-blue eyes, the doctor turned towards the adults and sighed woefully.

"I'm afraid the boy is very sick and that the chances of his survival are very slim. However, I do believe there is a rather drastic procedure I could attempt to save his life…"

"We'll do whatever takes, if it means Jean will survive."

"It's not that simple, the boy would normally be just fine if I wrapped up the wounds and perhaps stitched the deeper cuts as I did on his face, but sadly his leg is far too infected to do this. I'm afraid the most I can do to save his life is remove the leg…"

Silence entered the room and was only broken by Erik's near-silent voice.

"Do you mean to tell me that the only way my son will survive is if we…amputate his leg…?"

"Yes, it is a very risky procedure mind you, and I only expect a fifty-fifty chance of him surviving…"

"What do you mean by that!"

"The surgery itself is very painful and carries a lot of risks, however if he lives through the healing process I guarantee he'll go on to live a happy, full, normal life."

"How the Hell will his life be normal if he's only got one leg!"

"The alternative Monsieur is to let your son lay there on that bed for weeks praying that the leg heals before he dies of illness! I have seen many with the same injury decide against surgery and watched, as they only got sicker and sicker until they finally died in the most painful fashion! By some godforsaken disease that ravishes their body to the point of non-recognition!"

Erik turned from the doctor, his face fearful and concerned.

"Do…do you guarantee his survival…?"

"If he survives the amputation and the healing process afterwards, than yes."

"But you cannot say he'll live as of right now?"

"No…in fact the more time he stays with that infected leg attached I'd say the shorter he has to live."

It was decided then that Jean would need an amputation in order to live. The doctor called for no assistance and only asked that everyone did not enter no matter how loudly Jean cried. The five exhausted forms of the adults gathered in the kitchen below. The doctor came out only once beforehand to gather a large tub of water and bring it into Jean's room. Erik was pacing impatiently back and forth across the length of the kitchen, Meg was attempting to knit, Antoinette was nervously tapping her foot, Theo was playing with Pierre and Gizelle, and Nadir was sitting quietly staring out a window. Suddenly screams filled the air, the most pain-filled and terrible screams anyone had ever heard. Before anyone could blink, Erik was running up the stairs heading directly towards Jean's room. Everyone chased after Erik, but it was Meg who quickly stopped the Phantom in his tracks. One swift smack to the head with a frying pan sent Erik tumbling straight into unconsciousness, the last thing he saw being Jean's door only several feet ahead of him.

--Five Hours later…Apartment #131

Erik woke to a pounding headache and a large bump on the back of his head. Sitting up, his attention turned towards Theo and his children who were all asleep in a chair nearest to the door.

'Humph, some guards…'

Sighing dismissively, Erik quickly crept past the three slumbering 'watchmen' and swiftly made his way to Jean. Opening the door, Erik quietly made his way inside Jean's room. The sight of his son almost made Erik weep. Jean was very pale, and was panting with an obvious effort to obtain more oxygen. His left leg was long gone, and it was apparent that he'd just recently had a bandage change for the blood from his left thigh was still not completely encompassing the leg stub's end. Wearily making his way over, Erik sat beside his son and gently stroked away the boy's curly hair from his sweaty brow. Gently, Erik began to sing in an effort to get Jean to relax and hopefully fall into a more peaceful sleep.

"Baby mine don't you cry, baby mine dry your eyes rest your head close to my heart never apart baby of mine. Little one when you play pay no heed what they say let your eyes sparkle and shine never a tear baby of mine."

Jean's worried forehead slowly relaxed and a small smile curled upon his lips. Softly, Erik placed a kiss to Jean's temple and let a few tears fall as Jean weakly mumbled in his sleep.

"Play that one again Da…it's my favorite…"

End Chapter 22

A/N: I actually cried while I wrote this one…review and tell me what you think. (Runs away crying)