Chapter Two: Rescuing Christine

Ever since she had left him, Erik visited the de Changy estate nightly, just to check on her and make sure that she as happy. Ever since he had observed their wedding three months ago, he had crept up to the same window every night and looked in on his Angel of Music. Erik quietly rode up on his black stallion, pulling him to a halt shortly before he knew that any one could have heard him. He tied up the horse to a nearby tree and crept slowly towards the window he knew he could find her in.

When he got there and looked into the window, the sight that he took in was breath taking. There lying on the floor was his angel. Blood trickled down her face and her hair was splayed all around her. He wanted to shout out, to crash through the window, but he held his ground. Suddenly, he heard a door open and footsteps come charging out. He dove into the shadows and made his body as flat as possible. Looking around, he saw the Vicomte ride off into the night on his white stallion. Making sure that no one else was around, he moved slowly around the house until he found an open door. Quietly, he turned the knob and crept inside.

It wasn't very hard to find the room that she lay in. Erik walked in and scooped Christine up into his arms, making sure not to hurt her further. Then he walked down the hall and back out the door that he had come in. Placing her across the saddle of his horse, he climbed on behind her and, after making sure the she was safe and that no one had seen him, rode off into the night.

There was warmth all around her. Christine had never felt this warm since her last visit to his world, his home. Slowly, she opened her eyes and took in her surroundings.

She saw the music box first. The papier-mache musical box with the figure of a monkey attached to the top of it. It's music played in her mind. She had not heard that music since that fateful night. Looking around some more, Christine saw the familiar black curtains around the plush, red swan bed. She tried to sit up, but ended up crying out in pain. Lying back down against the plush pillows, she knew exactly where she was, in Erik's home.

'If I'm here, where is Erik?" she thought to herself.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps. It was then that he appeared, carrying a bowl of cool water and some fresh bandages. "I see that you're awake," he said softly.

Christine took him in, looking him up and down. "How…How long have I been asleep?"

He placed the bowl down on a nearby table and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Since I brought you here, you've been sleeping for nearly three hours now," he replied.

Erik took a cloth and soaked it in the water, and, after making sure all the excess water was wrung out, he carefully dabbed at the cut on her forehead. "Christine, who did this to you?" he asked softly.

The question obviously struck a nerve with her because she tensed up. "I really don't want to talk about it Erik."

Respecting her wishes, he continued to dab at the cut. After it was clean, he rinsed the cloth out and set it off to the side. Then he looked at her, taking in the sight of her. It had been too long since he had been this close to her. For the past three months, all he had seen of his Angel of Music was her figure through a window. He longed to hold her in his arms, to run his fingers through her chocolate curls. But she was now the Vicomtesse de Changy and it wasn't his place to be thinking those thoughts.

"I have some clean clothes for you to wear," he said softly. "I borrowed them from your dressing room."

"Thank you, for everything," she replied.

Closing her eyes, she tried to get back to sleep, but it wasn't working. She opened her eyes once again and didn't see him. Fear began to wash over her. "Erik?"

He reappeared. "Yes?"

"Sing to me, please. I miss the sound of your voice. It's been too long since I've heard it."

"Anything for you, my angel," he replied, setting back down on the side of the bed.

"Past the point of no return, no backwards glances, our games of make believe are at a end…" his rich baritone voice echoed throughout his home. Soon, she was asleep and Erik set out to complete his tasks.