Risita: I'm sorry about the italics, but I'm not really sure how to establish the past from the present without it (Alot of times the characters will break out of their memories and it would go back to present day, and then go right back to their memories. I'm not sure how to do that without italics. And this is already been pre-written and I'm just looking it over and pasting it here.) I'm sorry but this will be the same.

Thank you everyone for the reviews. This chapter will be Erik's memories and reflections. He will come to a decision about what he should do, but before that he must make sure Christine will move on with her life. Angst warning.


Scars

Erik paced around his lair trying to get his mind off of Christine. He moved in with Madame Giry after the fire, but when she got a message from Christine, Madame Giry and her daughter left. Erik got angry with Madame Giry so he left to go back to his lair. And then Christine had to come back along and remind him of how much he misses her. He let out a sigh and sat down by his organ.

He looked over to the Phoenix bed she once slept in. The Phoenix was the black swan of song. It is said that the Phoenix would burn and then rise from its ashes. It was a symbol of rebirth, and the resurrection. Or in other cases it would be a symbol of change in a person. Overcoming obstacles and starting life anew. He had hoped Christine would help him to be like the Phoenix, but now his hopes were shattered.

He stared at the bed and then glanced over to a wooden box 10 feet next to him. Inside was his morphine. He had been drinking all night, and unfortunately he gets addicted to things very easily. Like the morphine or even opium. But he needed something to numb the pain. Erik did quit the drugs about 10 years ago when he started tutoring Christine, but now that she's no longer in his life, what's the point? He grabbed the box and injected morphine into his system. He closed his eyes and thought back on his childhood, and everything up till this point. Not like he was able to clearly think though.

His first memory was his mother running away from him, screaming in terror every time he tried to get close to her. His childhood was not typical. By the age of two and a half he was speaking perfect sentences in both French and English, and he learnt how to play the piano by age 3. Also he would draw architectural shapes and buildings. He became skilled in Math and Reading, and soon mastered the violin. His mother was astonished to say the least.

Besides learning, he only remembers a priest who came to visit and teach him, though he forgot his name (or he's too high and drunk to remember). And a woman, a good friend of his mother would come to visit a lot. He didn't have any friends, except for his dog Sasha. She was his best friend in the world. She was such a sweet, beautiful dog…and very protective of young Erik. Even to her death she defended him. One horrible night these terrible kids came to torment Erik, and she tried to scare them off. Then they killed her, in the dead of the night he heard her piecing cry. Rage built up in him, something he never felt before. He wanted to murder every single one of those kids. He wanted them to die a slow and painful death. And he would've gone through with it because he started fighting back. Erik shown so much strength for such a young boy and this scared the kids away. Erik ran to his poor dog, his only true friend, and carried her into the house. She died that night, and his faith in God died with her. That was because of the Priest's comment that animals had no souls so they don't go to heaven. What kind of God would not let such a beautiful and kind creature into heaven? She was truly an angel and he was going to deny her paradise? More rage built up inside of Erik at the thought of that. He was so upset that he barely even noticed that he was actually stabbed in the side of his stomach and was bleeding. That night Erik threw the worst temper tantrum ever. He broke everything in his sight and tore all the pillows apart. The rest of that night was a blur.

Erik wiped at tear from his eye as he remembered Sasha. He wished she could be there for him now to comfort him like she always used to. Whenever Erik went through rough times in his life he would imagine Sasha comforting him. Her big brown puppy eyes staring at him and tugging at his sleeves trying to get him to play with her. He knew that saying was true; dogs truly are man's best friend. His mind continued to reflect.

After that he healed up and two weeks later was his birthday. He then made a bad mistake in asking for a kiss from his mother as a birthday present. She went hysterical and forced him to look at himself in the mirror. Erik was horrified, never before did he see why he had to wear a mask. Once again, Erik went crazy and started throwing things everywhere.

That afternoon his mother took him to the fair. She went over to talk to someone as Erik looked around at all the sights. Never before had he gone out in broad daylight. 'Maybe she feels bad for the way she treated me' he thought.

"Erik, since you insist on behaving like the animal you are, you're going to stay here." She said in a horrible tone.

Erik was stubborn, and wouldn't beg her not to keep him there. So instead he said "fine, I don't care." He wanted to look at everything anyway, besides she would be back. Or at least that's what he thought.

When she did leave he waited there for 3 hours for her to return. But she never did. Erik started to worry and began crying. His heart began racing and he became instantly nervous. There were too many people around him, and it was starting to get really late. He started crying and called out for his mom. This attracted an old smelly man. He walked up to the boy and smiled, and then pulled off his mask. Erik gasped at the thought of his face being shown to a stranger.

"Well, well, well. We do have a devil's child on our hands." He smirked and put the mask back on the young boy. He then revealed a wet cloth and put it over the boy's mouth. Erik tried to scream but the world seemed to turn dark.

Erik sat there thinking. Why would his mother leave him there? Why couldn't she love him? Was he really THAT horrible? His mind continued through his life…

...mockery, beatings, and people. God, how he hated people. People laughing, throwing food, pointing, crying, yelling, cursing at him, poking him. All the things ran through his head. His master would beat him at least twice a day. Sometimes he was beaten 10 times in a day. His back still had the scars to prove that. But when he was almost at the age of 10, that's when Madame Giry saved him. And there he stayed in the Opera house until he was 13.

After 3 years of solitude he couldn't take it any more. So he traveled once again to Italy. There he restarted his love with architecture. He helped build and design some of the most beautiful buildings with the help of his new friend and mentor Giovanni. But his daughter came home after a long trip and demanded that she saw Erik's face. She became quite obsessed with him, and he in return felt somewhat attracted to her. But how could she love a monster like him? She was the first girl he decided to reveal himself to. Maybe she would learn to love him? Maybe she wasn't like everyone else. When she did take off his mask she ran away and fell off the roof of their two story house and died. In his mind, he blamed himself for her death and couldn't face Giovanni again. After that incident he ran away to Persia and met Nadir.

Erik stopped his train of thought; he didn't want to go into what happened in Persia. He reviewed everything he needed to review in his life. His decision was made up. It was time to do what was necessary.


Christine and Raoul were at the get together thrown by Raoul's father, the Comte De Chagny. The party was not at the house they were staying in, rather it was being held at Raoul's uncle's house. Many family members and friend's came, and Raoul was chatting with most of them.

Christine glanced around the room and spotted her future mother-in-law. Who was, for some odd reason, staring at her. Christine turned around and rolled her eyes about it.

She looked out the window and started to daydream once more. She was only at the party for 30 minutes and already she was bored out of her mind. Though she knew almost all the people there, she wasn't really friends with any of them. She walked over to the beverages and rested against the table.

Raoul spotted her and walked over. "Darling, come with me. I want you to meet some couples." He said warmly. Christine smiled and nodded as she walked with him over to any random couple to talk. Anything was better than just sitting around watching people.


Madame Giry was sitting in the parlor of the De Chagny manor reading a book when she heard a knock at the door. She got up and answered the door.

"My God, Erik…what are you doing here?" She said in shock.

"I came to give you something, and I need to do something." He proclaimed as he invited himself in.

"Erik, you know you should not be here!"

"I know, but there is something I must do." He said walking past her and up the stairs to Christine's bedroom.

"For God's sake Erik, what are you doing?" She ran after him into the room. He was throwing Christine's stuff all over the place.

"Erik! What the hell has gotten into you!" Madame Giry exclaimed. He ignored her and continued to rip pillows and throw clothes around the room. He broke some lamps, and other things that belonged to Christine.

Madame Giry stood in shock; the man has officially lost his mind.

"I must make her move on." He softly stated.

"What? How is this helping her to 'move on'?"

"She came to me…I want her to move on." He started. He then walked over to her big mirror and smashed it. "And if she knows I did all this she won't want anything to do with me."

Five minutes passed and Christine's room looked like a hurricane went through it. Erik then walked out of her room and went back down to the parlor room. Madame Giry walked after him but ran into Meg.

"Maman, what is going on?" She asked quietly.

"I'm not really too sure, but its Erik. Something is bothering him obviously." A crash echoed throughout the house.

"Yeah, I can tell." Meg stated. They walked down the stairs and into the parlor which was starting to look as bad as Christine's room.

Erik looked over to Meg and Madame Giry and said, "You be sure to tell her who really did this. But not why."

"Raoul will call the police and you could be captured." Madame Giry said with a concerned look on her face.

"No, I highly doubt it." He sighed. "But I do want you to have this." Erik then handed her a letter.

"What is this?"

"Don't open it yet. Wait till tonight or something." He stated.

"Erik, what's going on?" She asked.

"I'm leaving."

"Where are you going to go?"

"Where I belong." He said. Madame Giry grew worried, what could he possibly mean by that? Erik turned around and walked out the front door. Madame Giry's hands were shaking. Somehow she knew something was not right. She denied his request and opened the letter then instead of waiting.

Dear Antoinette,

I don't know how to start a letter like this, but I have come to realize that I have been nothing but a burden for you. I took advantage of your kindness and ruined the lives of many because of my selfish acts. I never gave you the thanks you deserved. So I want to say it now, Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, however cold you think it may be, I am so very sorry for my actions and I am very thankful that you were like the mother I should have had all along. Enclosed is 600,000 francs. That is all the money I have, you can take it or repay it back to Andre and Firmin. I have no use for it now.

Thank you for saving me from the gypsies, thank you for giving me shelter, thank you for giving me clothes and food, thank you for being one of the few people who believed in me, thank you for being my friend, and thank you for actually putting up with me. I know we will never see each other again and I had to tell you all this. Goodbye, watch over Christine for me…make sure Raoul is good to her. And take care of yourself and your daughter. I wish you all well.

Again, thank you Antoinette. Just know that I am grateful, and that I love you.

Your Obedient Servant,

O.G.

Or better yet,
Erik.

Madame Giry read the letter twice. She knew somewhere deep inside of him was a glimpse of hope. She always knew, and she thanked God he was finally showing it. Before she knew it she was crying uncontrollably. Meg came over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I heard carriages pulling up, I believe they're home." She said. Madame Giry looked up at her daughter.

"Tell her that Erik came in here, do not say anything else. Tell them I'm out somewhere." She said getting up.

"Where are you going?" Meg asked.

"I'm going to find out where Erik is planning to go." And with that Madame Giry went out the side entrance of the house and headed towards the carriage Raoul and Christine were getting out of. When they were out of site she waved down the carriage and asked for a ride to the Opera House.


Meg paced around the room. What was she going to tell them? She had no time to think of an answer because they walked in right when she questioned herself. Christine's face went more white than usual and Raoul looked like he was about to have a heart attack.

"What happened?" Christine shrieked.

"Uhhh…well, something tells me that if I tell you you're going to get REALLY upset."

"Just tell us." Christine said more calmly.

"Erik." She replied. Christine and Raoul both looked at each other in a confused manner. Meg realized they didn't know his name so she corrected herself, "The Phantom."

Christine's face went even whiter than before. Raoul on the other hand became quite the opposite. He looked like he was going to explode. Soon he was shouting curses left and right. Meg stared at Christine. The look on her face was indescribable.

"Are you sure he did this?" She asked.

"Yes…he did." Meg replied.

"Then I'm going to find out why!" Christine ran out of the house and to the horses.

"Christine!" Meg shouted after her. Christine got on a horse and started riding to the Opera House herself.


Madame Giry made her way towards the Phantom's lair.

"Erik?" She shouted. "Erik? I need to talk to you."

He didn't reply, she looked into the lair and saw all of his things. So he didn't leave yet. The gate was closed but she swam around to find the sensor to open it up. When it went up she swam to the shore and looked around. She turned her head towards his organ, but he wasn't there. She turned her head to the right towards Christine's room.

Time seemed to slow down in that instant and her eyes felt like they were going to pop out of her head. Her jaw fell down; it felt like it would reach the floor. After what seemed like an eternity she yelled out in horror. "Erik!"