Author's note: We don't want fluff yet. Fluff will come and more. Let me know if that's OK my story is still quite fluid and can take some change. Right now my speed is not too bad. I've been posting one chapter per day. R & R.
Knight to King's level 4
Dr. Julien Morel wasn't happy to be called out at this time of the night but he was the de Changy personal physician and for them he always on call. Dr. Morel took off his coat and in an absentminded gesture passed hand over his baldhead. Raoul took him to Erik's room and excused himself.
Christine had heard the carriage arrive and was waiting for them by the top of the staircase. She greeted the doctor and ushered him into the room. Doctor Morel walked into the room and asked the girl for the patient's symptoms. He took his glasses out of his coat pocket put them on and went to work. A man was thrashing about on the bed fighting for air. Looking closer at his new patient, he was shocked to see such a ravaged face. In recent years, during the war, he had seen faces like this but they had always been bloodied and the owners dead. As awful as it was his gaze held in abject fascination with the grooves and dips. With difficulty, he tore his eyes off and concentrated on the girl's face. It came to Christine that Erik would throw a fit if he knew of this intrusion and she began to bite her lip. Christine told the doctor the earlier details of his condition and that now he had started trembling. "I have covered him but he still shakes and can hardly breathe" The doctor asked her to leave the room so he could examine Erik.
When Raoul returned Christine stood outside wringing her hands outside the door.
"It will be all right Lotte"
He put her head on his shoulder and held her around the waist. Raoul was always so sure of himself. Christine wondered if all aristocrats always felt so self-assured. He never wondered if she would let him kiss her, if she would want to. It was assumed she would want to. Raoul had always led a charmed life and he didn't even know it. He was more than willing to share his life with her. It was comforting to have him on her side.
Raoul had a satisfied grin on his face. Finally, things were turning his way again. Lotte was back in his arms and the Creature was away from her. If it took pushing his body beyond the limit then he was willing to pay the price. "Lotte you must be tired" She nodded against his shoulder. "If you would let me I'll have one of the servants stay with him over night while you retire at least for a short while."
"Have I said thank you Raoul?"
"You don't need to"
Christine gave him a chaste peck on the cheek "Thank you so much Raoul you are a good friend"
When he was finished, Dr. Morel asked Christine to return to the room and closed the door.
"How long has he been on it?" He asked brusquely.
"On what doctor?"
"It's late in the day Mademoiselle; do not be coy with me. How long?" Dr. Morel was incensed to be he called out for something like this. This deformed man wasn't even a de Changy and now for the girl to play innocent took him beyond his limited patience.
"What is he on, Doctor?" her eyes told Dr. Morel that the young woman was indeed ignorant of his words. He looked at her well then. She is nothing but a child.
"This man's not shaking my dear, he's convulsing. Your friend is going through the stages of a morphine overdose." Christine's eyes widened and shook her head. "Morphine!"
"Didn't you know?"
She shook her head again. "If you had not sent for me he would have been dead by morning…not that I'm making promises but now he has a chance."
"We found this by him" She gave Dr. Morel Erik's box with the ampoules. The doctor took the box "Two ampoules are missing" he frowned and Christine's heart grew cold. Was that good? Bad? What did it mean for her angel's recovery? The doctor removed an ampoule and with a bit of a smile, he nodded. "They are of a weak concentration Mademoiselle. He probably didn't read it or he would have taken more"
The doctor took Erik's arm and traced a few dark lines on his arms. "See he is a regular user" he said to her. She looked at Erik's arm with dark lines made up of tiny punctures. It sickened her stomach. Poor Erik.
"I won't let him take anymore," She said firmly.
"No, no dear girl. That will surely kill him. Withdrawal has to be very gradual. When he has recuperated fully from this, maybe in a few months he can start treatment. He will need to go into a special sanatorium. Even then not everyone can beat it, dear girl."
"I will help him" The doctor didn't doubt her determination but knew it would take much more than that.
Dr. Morel washed his hands in the bowl, dried them and turned to the girl. "Young Raoul tells me you're his fiancé"
"Yes I am"
He nodded toward the bed. "And how is it you became acquainted with …the gentleman? He seems so much older than you?"
"He was my voice teacher," she said blushing. But he has taught me so much more.
"What happened to his face?" he knew he shouldn't have asked but he felt compelled to. He was lucky to have such a lovely woman at his side nursing him.
"Erik was born that way."
Christine looked down at Erik's sleeping form. Whatever the doctor had done or given him it calmed him down and eased his breathing. She felt a little guilty about saying that she was still Raoul's fiancé but if doing so would ensure Erik proper medical attention so be it. There would be enough time to solve that mess. She moved to his side and tucked the sheets about Erik a bit. Then remembering the Doctor she looked up at him and said "Thank you Doctor"
He hadn't seen a look of pure love like that for a long time. It made him want to go back home to his wife. "Keep him calm and warm. When he starts to vomit, it will mean that it's almost over. Let him have plenty of liquids and he will need rest. I will leave you this. It's Laudanum. If he starts to cramp up give him a few drops. It will help him relax and sleep."
"How often can I give it to him?" she asked with a little frown.
"Twice a day" He noticed how she hung on his words and made mental notes.
"In three days, I will return and we will begin his course of …injections. Meanwhile, keep the box save. Do you think you could administer them dear girl? I would prefer if he did not have direct access. " He took off his glasses and pocketed them.
"Of course I can. If it will help Erik I can do anything" She blushed again. The doctor looked at her petite form and firm stare and did not doubt her words. How did this severely deformed man manage to make this beauty fall in love with him? Dr. Morel was very acquainted with the inhumanity of humankind, of its inability to accept, that which is even slightly different. It was because of that knowledge that he was certain that this "Erik" must have led a life of suffering. He hoped Young Raoul was not very much in love with the girl for his sake. Snapping his bag closed, Dr. Morel passed a hand over his bare scalp, gathered his coat and walked out into the carriage to be taken back home.
