Chapter TwentyFive

DISCLAIMER: OK; I don't own phantom of the opera. Plain and simple

Karen was out of his home; but she had not left the Populiare. She had stopped to explain to Meg why she was leaving; and to say goodbye. Erik woke and when he put his mask on; thinking Karen was taking a shower or something; he saw the Forget-me-not flower resting on an envelope. He opened it and read it. His breath was caught in his throat; she had seen him with Christine; she had seen Christine kiss him. But she did not see him tell Christine that he no longer loved her; but was in love with Karen. He got up quickly and dressed. By the tear-stains on the paper; he saw it had hurt her to leave him. He secured his mask and went after her quickly; hoping he wasn't too late to catch her and explain it all. On his way out; he saw Meg Giry.

"Meg; Has Karen spoken to you?" Meg had fire in her eyes. She did not like it that Erik had kissed Christine when he was engaged to Karen.

"Yes. You slime ball. I can't believe you would do that to her!"

"Where did she say she was going?" Erik asked all at once; grabbing Meg by her shoulders and wanting to shake the answers out of her.

"What do you care? Now you can have Christine all to yourself." Erik shook his head and almost her shoulders.

"I told Christine that I was in love with Karen; but Karen didn't see that part; she must have taken off before it. Meg, You've got to believe me, I wouldn't ever lie, hurt, or cheat on Karen."

"I want to." Meg sighed. "I want to believe you. But people in hell want ice water." Erik growled and was growing angry with her.

"Tell me where she went! Damn it Meg!" He wanted to strangle her; he wanted to beat the answers out of her; but he couldn't. She was Karen's best friend. Meg sighed and told Erik where Karen was headed.


Karen sat in the carriage. Her bags at her feet and her back to the seat. She gazed out the window; and felt a cold tear fall down her face. She and Erik were too perfect for each other. Erik had a deformed face; Karen had a fatal illness that she had hoped was going to skip her.Erik had no family; and neither did Karen. Not anymore. She and Erik would have been each other's only family until they had a child.

Erik was such a passionate man. He had a child-like innocence about him; like a little boy crying for someone to love him. She loved him; and he had lied to her. She never felt so betrayed. Raphael had left her; that was true; and it did hurt. But she and Raphael weren't meant to be together. So losing Erik made her hurt worse. She had loved him; and he had been the first man she had ever made love to. She hoped he would be the only.

He never let her think she was going to be insane while she was sad. He did all he could to make her smile; he tried to make her happy again. He was her rock; and now that her rock had been moved; she was going to fall. No matter how hurt she was that she lost him; she didn't hate him. She still loved him with all her heart and soul. He was the one that made her believe that if she did not need to wear a corset; she would have been able to sing in an opera. She felt her tear drop from her face down onto her hand.

Erik and Christine would be happy together. She kept telling herself that it was better for him to love Christine; perhaps Karen was not meant to be with him, or anyone. She was meant to be alone; she was meant to have a fling with Erik; to experience what it was like when someone really, really cared about you.

She accused herself of losing him. Not because he had kissed Christine. But because of her break down. She could not get better fast enough; he grew bored with trying to take care of someone who couldn't be cared for. He sought out love elsewhere; and found it in his old love.

No matter how many reasons she ran through her head; she never found one that made since. Erik wouldn't leave her because of something she couldn't control. He kept saying that he loved her; he made it clear that he wouldn't ever leave her. But saying one thing; and actually going along with it are two different things. She looked down at her hand and her ring was still on her finger. It looked back at her, reflecting the love Erik had shown her. Reflecting those nights that were too good to end; reflecting the face of the man that was too good to be true. She wanted to slide the ring off her finger and throw it out the carriage. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. It was her ring that always seemed to remind her that Erik would always love her. Wether she be sick or healthy; rich or poor; sane or insane; anything. He wanted to spend his life with her.

That caused her to cry more. She was ready to give him everything. She wanted him to be her husband, her life companion. She shivered and looked out at the icy road; the masquerade ball would be coming to Paris soon; but she wouldn't be there to enjoy it. She would be working on her voice; her corset tolerance; and anything else she needed to be able to sing in the opera.

She didn't want to sing professionally. She was happy just singing to Erik; someone who would love her voice; even if it screeched; scratched; and cracked glass. Her voice lulled him to sleep when he was restless; and her voice was almost heard at the opera; had she not fainted from lack of air.


Erik ran into Christine in the stables as he stole one of the horses. She was tending to one; but when she saw him she threw herself all over him.

"Erik; where are you off to in such a hurry?" Christine asked; still trying to make him her's. He paid her no mind; he grabbed a black horse's reigns and lead it out. Christine road beside him on a white horse; but he paid her no mind. The second he got onto the horse's back; the horse galloped off. Christine was riding right beside him; asking why he was going so fast.

"Because of you." His voice was as cold as the snow. "My fiancee thinks I don't love her; and she ran off. I'm going to tell her it was a misunderstanding. I don't think she'll believe me because of you; but I'll sure as hell try." Christine was left in the dust; feeling bad. She made her horse gallop; and was once again at Erik's side.

"Let me come with you." She ordered; but he refused her.

"You've done enough. You always seem to ruin my life Christine." Erik meant what he was saying; he knew it; and he did not say what he did not mean. "I hate you."

"I'm going so I can talk her out of hating you." Christine argued. "She won't believe you on your own. I'm helping you Erik." He still did not want her to come; but he knew she was right. He allowed her to ride with him; while the two talked on the way. "You love her a lot."

"No shit." Erik replied coldly. He never thought he would be that ice cold towards Christine. His first love. "That's why I asked her to marry me."

"She probably hurts. Thinking you don't. Erik; was it true that you stayed with her while she was upset; no matter how much she yelled at you for nothing?" Erik nodded.

"Of course. When I love someone; I stay 'till the very final end."

"You didn't stay with me." She was trying to be sympathetic; but his eyes showed only ice.

"Christine; when I watched you leave with Raoul; that was the end. Karen's done so much for me that I can't believe I even loved you at all." He told her, half cold, half not. "She loves my face; she said that no matter how horrible everyone called it; it was never horrible to her."

"Then why are you only engaged? I would have thought you'd be married by now."

"She wanted to wait." Erik explained. "Until everything was OK. She wanted Raphael out of her life; she wanted people in the opera Populaire to accept me; after that; we would be married."


I was listening to a sad song. Learn to be Lonely. That song was so depressing here!