Thank you for bearing with me. I appreciate any comments and reviews.

I hope you enjoy this latest chapter.

I do not own anything by Gaston Leroux, Andrew Lloyd Webber or Susan Kay. Everything else is my own work.

The Grapes of Wraith

Jean survived his time working with Erik… Only just, however.

There were only two days left of the Khans Honeymoon and the office being shut. The lake house was back to being Just Christine, the cats and Erik who was starting to be bothered by a strange feeling… He was missing Nadir, specifically annoying Nadir. This was made worse, because he was making good on his promise of completing the painting of the wedding party ready for the bride and groom's return.

Christine had been extra attentive since she had to admit Erik's temperament was tested quite severely whilst working with Jean, and it did not take long for her to notice that since he had completed the lighting and had almost finished the painting, Erik had lost a little of the spark he normally had.

ooo

One day left to go and Erik had completed the painting, with Raoul sitting on the back with the just married sign. When Christine noticed him wistfully staring into the fire in the sitting room, lost in thought.

"A sou for your thoughts?" Christine asked as she handed her beloved a cup of tea.

"I have not had a good bicker in ages!" Erik replied still staring at the fire. "The Vicomte just panics, and Jean looks like he is going to wet his undershorts!" he added, as Christine started to smile. "This is making you happy because?" Erik asked as he looked up at his wife.

"Admit it, you are missing Nadir!" she pointed out, "He means more to you than you want to let on!" Christine continued.

Erik looked indignant, "I am not missing the Daroga, I am merely missing a good argument!" Erik responded.

"If that is all you are missing, go and have another argument with Madame Giry!" Christine supplied as Erik on hearing her suggestion looked horrified.

"Not after last week!" Erik winced, "she was losing the debate and used the top of her cane like a croquet mallet on a rather tender part of my anatomy!" he pointed out as Christine started to snigger.

"Well, you did call her a Parisien Pest! So, no wonder she hit you!" Christine reminded him as her sniggers turned to laughs.

"It hurt!" Erik whined, "My right shin will never be the same again!"

"You ought to be grateful she did not hit you anywhere else!" Christine said between laughs. "Face it, you are missing Nadir. Just admit it!"

Erik rose from his reading chair and drew himself up haughtily, "Never!" he declared hotly, before stalking off to the music room, muttering about not missing the Persian Pain, as Christine continued to laugh at his antics.

A rousing version of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No 2 rang out from the music room, as Christine got her laughs under control and looked at the two cats who were lounging on the couch. "Daddy does miss Uncle Nadir really!" she told the Siamese.

"I DO NOT MISS THE DAROGA!" Erik shouted back as he continued playing.

Shaking her head and smiling Christine went to make supper, "You keep telling yourself that, because I do not believe you!" she said as she entered the kitchen.

ooo

The following evening, Nadir and Delphine had just arrived back at the Rue de Rivioli and were enjoying a cup of tea whilst reflecting on the events during their honeymoon.

"The food was wonderful!" Nadir exclaimed.

"I am just glad that my sister was happy to share her recipes with you for Darius to use as I can only cook basics" Delphine replied.

"I love you more for your smiles and being you!" Nadir replied with a smile.

"I am just sorry that little Rene became unwell during our last couple of days." Delphine sighed.

"I must admit it was not a problem to stay in the inn for the last night. I felt that your sister had enough to do looking after her poorly son, and…" Nadir confessed, "It was more to my liking." He added.

Delphine giggled, "Only because you had no interruptions overnight!" she pointed out.

"True!" Nadir replied, "and talking of no interruptions, let us have an early night" he added as Delphine smiled.

"Absolutely, I am very tired from the journey." She answered, before looking thoughtful, "Nadir, what are we going to do with my apartment, since I will be living here?" Delphine asked.

"I shall talk to Erik in the morning about turning it into your consulting rooms." Nadir replied as the newlyweds headed to bed.

ooo

The following morning started with Nadir feeling a little out of sorts. Darius made his master's coffee extra strong, and Delphine fussed over him before she left to her first clients of the day. Nadir himself put it down to too much fun and time without Erik, i.e., actually relaxing for once, shrugged and went about his plans for the day.

ooo

By the time Nadir made it to work, Erik was already on his second design and did not notice his friends return until Nadir was just taking off his jacket, then Erik appeared from his office. "I say, I thought that married life would have done you the power of good… I was wrong, you look like me on a bad day!" Erik quipped as Nadir slumped down in his desk chair. "I think you were missing me!" Erik added with a grin.

"Like a tack in my backside!" Nadir grumbled resulting in Erik scowling, before looking at the coffee Gilen was bringing to him like it was the elixir of life itself. Nadir grabbed the coffee from Gilen before he could even place it on the desk and drained the cup before proffering it back to the stunned office clerk indicating for a refill.

Erik looked on bemused, "Are you feeling well?" he enquired as his Persian pal rubbed his throat and looked pained.

"Just a sore throat!" Nadir replied, "I think I got used to not being exposed to the foul air of Paris and now my body is complaining." He added.

Erik thought for a moment and shouted back to Gilen who was busy making more coffee. "Grab one of the little bottles marked emergency; unstopper it and add boiling water and two scoops of honey stir it and bring that back to the Daroga with his coffee and a strainer please!" Erik yelled, as Nadir groaned.

"Not that wretched flu remedy again please!" Nadir begged, "it tastes foul!"

"Yes, that remedy again!" Erik replied as Gilen placed the little bottle and its contents on the desk along with the refill of coffee. "Drink up!" Erik chirped "You will feel better in no time!" he added as Nadir cringed took the little bottle using the strainer tipped the liquid from the bottle into his coffee and downed the mixture in one go.

"Bleuch! That is worse in coffee than on its own!" Nadir complained bitterly as Erik stared at him.

"You were meant to place the strainer on the bottle drink the liquid contents and not the leaves inside then put it down and take the taste away with the coffee!" Erik pointed out with a sigh. "Another coffee for the… No just bring the pot and the sugar bowl out and leave them on the Daroga's desk for now please." Erik asked a rather puzzled Gilen, before he headed back into his office.

ooo

After about half an hour and a pot of coffee later, Nadir felt better and headed into Erik's office to discuss the conversion of Delphine's apartment.

"Ah! The wounded soldier returns!" Erik remarked as Nadir wandered in and sat down in front of the desk waiting as Erik finished adding to the design on his drafting table. "What brings you into my domain." He asked.

"How would we go about transforming Delphine's apartment into a consulting suite?" Nadir asked as Erik poured them both a brandy.

"Well, you will have to ask her landlord first if they mind us changing the apartment." Erik replied with a smile that confused his friend.

"Why the smile?" Nadir enquired, "we have to find out who the landlord is, Delphine does not know, her rent is paid to a gentleman called Henri who states he is an agent for the landlord," Nadir pointed out.

"Your lovely wife has her apartment on the Rue Dephot, does she not?" Erik enquired as he headed to a filing cabinet that Nadir had never seen opened before.

"Yes, First block on the right." Nadir replied as Erik located a key on his keychain and inserted into the lock on the cabinet, opened the second drawer from the top and located a folder with 'Rue Dephot' written on it before opening the folder and removed a contract from it.

"Ah, yes, I thought so!" Erik happily declared as he turned from the cabinet to face his now very confused friend. "I think the landlord of this building would have no objections to us converting your lovely wife's apartment."

Nadir eye his friend suspiciously "How would you know, we have not asked them yet?" he enquired peevishly, as Erik sat down grinning and still holding the contract.

"I think you have asked the landlord quite nicely!" Erik quipped as he handed the contract to a now extremely curious Nadir.

Nadir sat and read the contract very thoroughly before looking at his friend with a scowl. "This is not on the list of investments that you gave me to look after!" he grumbled, "Since when have you been a landlord?" he added as Erik started to snigger.

"Well 20,000 francs is a lot of money once a month and I really did not spend much, so I have a representative called Henri who collects the monies and pays them into one of the accounts you care for in my name, that and the fact that Henri is Madame Giry's brother and needed the work at the time. Erik added.

Nadir sighed and figured he really did not want to know anything more. "So, we have permission, so what design would you create?" Nadir enquired.

Erik grabbed a fresh sheet of drafting paper, "Let me think a moment," he answered.

ooo

One week later, Nadir had to admit he was impressed. Although the builders were still finishing the new load bearing walls, the front door opened into a comfortable hallway that would lead into a small main corridor that would run through the middle of the apartment. From which four little rooms two on each side set off from it where the clients could wait discreetly without being seen by other people. The corridor would then lead to a small kitchenette for refreshments and two water closets one for men and one for ladies. Finally, the consulting room where Delphine could meet with and guide her clients.

"This is going to be amazing!" Nadir commented with a cough as Erik finished giving the Forman the next set of designs and instructions.

After finishing with the Forman, Erik turned to face Nadir, "Thank you, you have been a thorn in my side for a week, now you are happy with what is going on, will you go home and take whatever it is that you have with you, I do not want to catch it!" he grumbled as Nadir rubbed his sore throat.

"Alright I am going!" Nadir grumbled, as he reluctantly left.

"Finally, I am Persian and Pestilence free!" Erik declared happily as he set about carving a detail for Delphine's office door frame.

ooo

Alas, although Erik remained Persian free for the rest of the project, he did not in fact stay pestilence free and by the completion of Delphine's apartment conversion Erik felt lousy.

ooo

The following morning after the completion of his project Erik woke to Christine hovering over him with a damp cloth and a concerned look on her face.

"Erik you are awake!" she declared with relief, as her half asleep husband tried to find his bearings.

"Muummph!" Erik managed to reply as he wondered what was going on.

"Darling, you have a fever and have been fitfully sleeping all night. I do not think you are very well." Christine informed him as Erik became aware of the fact he ached from head to foot and a few other places.

"wo dyer mean?" Erik mumbled as he tried to work out why his jaw and neck ached even more when he tried to talk, and his speech was hampered.

"Erik, you have been tossing and turning all night drenched in sweat and running a fever." Christine told him, "You even had one of your horrible nightmares and physically kicked me out of bed during it!" she added "Please stay in bed and rest and I am going for Dr Rousso." She finished as she then bathed his forehead with the damp cloth.

As ever Erik was not having it and went to get up. Christine did the only thing she could to ensure his compliance, she called on her acting skills and started to cry, abruptly halting her husband's attempts to get up.

"Erik please stay in bed!" Christine said through her tears, "I am so worried about you!" she added as Erik settled back down in bed.

"Anything for you just do not cry!" Erik managed to whisper as Christine kissed him and promised to be back quickly.

ooo

Less than half an hour later saw Christine and Dr Rousso arriving at the rue Scribe gate, to find Nadir just about to enter the underground passage. Hearing footsteps Nadir turned to see Christine hurrying towards him with Dr Rousso following behind.

Noticing the worried expression on Christine's face, Nadir had to enquire. "I take it Erik is not well?" he asked cautiously

"From what Madame Jardinier has explained it is most likely a reoccurrence of a simple childhood malady." Dr Rousso explained as the three made their way down to the lake house.

ooo

Arriving back Christine went to make tea for everyone whilst Dr Rousso and Nadir went to see how Erik was doing.

As the two men entered the bedroom, they noticed Erik was out of bed and staring at his wigless head and maskless face in the scrap of mirror he kept in his armoire; even with his back to them and still in his night attire, they could tell Erik was rather annoyed. That was then confirmed as Erik spun round wobbled unsteadily for a moment and then glared at Nadir.

"You… You did this!" Erik hissed as he pointed to his swollen neck and cheeks.

"I… I... I am sorry Erik; I did not realise that was what I had until I woke up the day after you kicked me off site with my neck and cheeks swollen." Nadir stuttered looking very worried. "I stayed away till the swelling went down, when I realised, I had mumps, but it seems I have already given it to you!" he added as Erik went for his trusted catgut friend and realised his lasso was not in the sleeve of his pyjamas much to Nadir's relief

"MUMPS… I HAVE NEVER HAD MUMPS! Erik shouted hoarsely as he grabbed a large book from his bedside table and threw it in the general direction of Nadir with a loud bang as it missed the Daroga and hit the wall. "YOU GREAT BOOBY DO YOU REALISE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ME!"

Taking a deep breath Dr Rousso intervened, trying to reduce the tension currently in the room, "Let us all take a breath and let me first examine you, it may not be mumps." He said to a now furious Erik as he pointed to the bed and indicated Erik to lay down.

ooo

Christine knew better than to enter whilst Erik was with Dr Rousso. Due to Erik shouting she could hear what was going on clearly anyway, so she had set the tea tray down on a side table and had just picked up some needle work to do when again Erik's voice rang out.

"IT IS BLOODY MUMPS… I REALLY AM GOING TO KILL YOU THIS TIME!" he shouted. That was followed rapidly by two men exiting the bedroom door fighting each other to get out first. Dr Rousso won, and he was rather spritely for an older gentleman as he exited the bedroom and ran for the couch neatly vaulting over it, before hiding himself behind it.

Nadir rapidly followed but he made for the front door, struggled with opening it in his panic and ran out just as a now wig wearing and masked Erik, still in his pyjamas, dashed to the door after him.

"MUMPS… MUMPS!" He shouted from the doorway to the sound of rapidly retreating footsteps. "IF I END UP LIKE SULTANINA GRAPES I WILL GIVE YOU BLOODY GREAT LUMPS… GET BACK HERE YOU GREAT BOOBY!" Erik finished before lowering the volume of his voice, "I will never run after him in this state…however…" and with that Erik retreated towards his work room the door opened and then slammed shut.

"He seems to be feeling a bit better!" Christine commented apparently to herself.

"Only because I suspect he is currently murderously angry" a couch cushion apparently replied before Dr Rousso reappeared from his hiding place.

Christine sighed, "He has Mumps, so I was correct." She enquired as Dr Rousso climbed back over the couch and sat down,

"Yes, and apparently has never had it before, so there maybe complications." Dr Rousso added as Christine poured him a cup of tea for his nerves.

"The complications are they life threatening?" Christine asked suddenly nervous, "and what does this all have to do with grapes?"

The Dr went a fetching shade of red, before clearing his throat and taking a sip of his tea, "The uh… sultanina grape is… Um, seedless…that is the potential complication for catching mumps first time as a man not a boy" He answered, as Christine looked puzzled for a moment before she caught on to what Dr Rousso was implying.

"Seedless you say?" Christine remarked as her face took on an angry expression, "I need to locate my grape scissors before we find the Daroga and my husband then." She remarked as she stood up.

"Grape scissors why?" Dr Rousso asked cautiously as the now clearly angry soprano was heading to the kitchen.

"Because if Monsieur Khan has given my husband an illness that could ruin my chances of a family, then I shall be personally removing his grapes with my scissors!" came the terse reply from the kitchen.

ooo

Meanwhile a rather terrified Nadir had exited the rue Scribe at an amazing turn of pace and was heading straight down the Rue Auber, he was planning for a swift dash down Avenue de lOpera, figuring in his panic that he was safer on the larger roads than trying the back alleys as that would most likely be the route an angry Erik on foot would take.

Nadir had seen Erik angry, even murderously so, many times but this was the first time that level of anger was directed solely at him. Mumps was something Nadir had as a child, but it appears for everything else Erik suffered in his youth Mumps was not part of that.

Reaching the Avenue de lOpera, he came to the sudden realisation that he was no longer as fit as he had been in Persia, and that manic dash had taken its toll. This was confirmed when he reached a third of the way down the avenue and realised, he was slowing down even though his brain was insisting he keep running. Nadir had no choice but to slow down, look around for any possible fedora and opera cloak wearing men and then locate a café where he could sit inside, hide and rest.

ooo

Meanwhile Christine was packing a small valise ready to locate Erik and bring him back home., as Dr Rousso looked on. "Blanket to keep him warm, fresh clothing, bottle of remedy for his aches and pains, brush and comb for wig, cologne..., I think that is all I shall require." She remarked buckling the valise up.

Dr Rousso was staring at the pair or Grape scissors still sitting innocently on the side table. "I am relieved you have not packed those!" he remarked as Christine turned to look at what the doctor was staring at.

"Ah! Thank you for reminding me." She exclaimed as she picked up the scissors and went back into the kitchen, returning moments later with another pair of scissors that looked very battered and blunt.

Dr Rousso choked, as Christine placed the old scissors in her bag along with coins for a cab ride. "Surely you are not going to use those on Monsieur Nadir?" he exclaimed in shock.

Christine smiled wickedly, "Of course not I am just going to scare him into taking care of Erik, who as you know is a horrible patient." She replied, "And if I do feel the need to use them, as my husband says, they will be more painful as they are not sharp!" she added.

The poor Doctor was now wondering which of the Jardinier Couple was scarier, Erik or Christine. Monsieur Erik had definitely been a big influence on his wife.

ooo

Back on the Avenue de lOpera, Nadir had located a café and an inside seat at the back with a clear view of the avenue outside as the waitress brought the tired and frightened looking man a coffee and a brandy.

"Monsieur, you look like you have seen a ghost!" she remarked as she served him his drinks.

Nadir forced a carefree laugh, "Yes, I suppose I do look like I have seen a Ghost!" he remarked as the waitress turned and left him. "A very unwell and angry one at that!" he added to himself before he downed the brandy in one gulp.

ooo

It was a rather boring morning in the office, there were no appointments, and no Erik or Nadir, so to pass the time Gilen and Thomas were watching Parisians going about their day through the windows in the front of the office.

Their interest peaked when Gilen spotted an odd sight across the road. "Here Thomas, is that who I think it is?" he asked pointing as his friend looked over his shoulder.

"Yes, and he is wearing… Carpet slippers?" Thomas replied as the two young men sniggered, "Seriously? My father says the Vicomte de Chagny has a pair." He added as both friends stared out the window waiting for the next instalment.

ooo

A refreshed Nadir had finished his coffee and had a thought, as he continued his walk towards the Rue de Rivoli hopefully due to the coffee and rest stop delay, Erik would have turned up at the office first seen he was not there then tried the apartment, then given up and gone back home. Nadir knew this was rubbish thinking and Erik had always preferred ambush tactics, but the hope that he had gone back to the lake house to calm down, helped keep the Daroga sane as he made his way home.

As he was not far from his apartment, Nadir had relaxed his guard. Erik really was in no fit state to get him, otherwise, Nadir was certain he would have been strung up or thumped by now. This false lull in the situation resulted in Nadir missing a rather vital clue as he reached the steps up to his front door…

The large grey Arabian stallion with no bridal or saddle to be seen, who was calmly eating his downstairs neighbours' plants from their window boxes.