Rekindling the Music of the Night

By: K.C. Vaillancourt

Disclaimer - You know the drill…I do not own anything associated with The Phantom of the Opera or lyrics of any songs I use.

Just as a quick warning I do edit all my work before I post, have people read it, and read it aloud but there still may be some grammar mistakes. I apologize for them in advance.

Author Note – Thank you to those who take the time to review, follow, or favorite this Phanfic. Your continued support is what keeps the creative juices flowing.

I have started reading some of the other Phantom fan fictions out there. I have to say the ones I have read are beautifully written and I love what others have done with these characters.

There are some people's phantom fan fictions or fictions from other genres where I have left them thinking wow they are such better writer's than I am. Maybe I should throw in the towel but in the end I have realized that my doubts are simply not true. I may not be Tolkien or JK Rowling but I am an author. All authors have their own style of conveying a story to their readers. There will be some who like it and some who don't. That's ok.

I know there are typos or other errors in this story that I might have missed. What I remind myself is it's been over eight years since I have written anything. Once my son was born all my focus was on him and for a long time I couldn't find my creative spark. Now that I have, I know I am essentially starting over and with practice I will improve. The only way to improve is to write. I like to think of as a community of authors and readers who want to share and support others love of certain characters, movies, books, TV Shows, etc.

I am sure once Rekindling comes to an end I will read it start to finish and find places to improve. Whether it is adding a scene, trying to evoke more emotion or improve my descriptions and character development. That is the way writing is.

I'm sorry if it seems like I am getting up on a soap box but I feel like I have to reiterate my own definition of fan fiction. To me it's an opportunity for author's to take characters they love and create their own vision, even if it doesn't adhere to what the creator of those characters created. JK Rowling has said she loves that her fans have taken to writing Fan Fiction of her characters. She loves to see what another person's vision or what if is. This is why I warn my readers in advance that it is possible that the characters could end up OOC or that you are in an AU because when I start I let my creativity flow and see where I end up.

This story has also shown me that you never know what you're going to use after you leave school. I never paid much attention in history class when I was in high school but I have loved learning so much about the 19th century because of the extensive research I am doing while I write.

I think that is enough from me. Onto the story!


Moving Forward Inch by Inch

The sun slowly rose in the sky as Raoul returned home. He walked in the front door and was immediately greeted by Gerald. "Good Morning Sir."

"Fetch Rosalie and send her to my room." Raoul said throwing his cloak and jacket at Gerald and making his way upstairs. He sat down on his bed feeling exhaustion set in from lack of sleep. He let his mind drift to Christine. He had never seen the side of her he saw tonight. She seemed like a completely different woman from the one he married which only made him want her back that much more. He could see the contempt she had for him in her eyes but in the end she had still saved his life. Why? He wondered to himself. They could have killed him and fled without looking back. If things had gone the other way he would have killed Erik without a second thought. Perhaps she reasoned that by sparing my life I would do as she asked and let her go. He was brought back to reality when he heard a soft knock on the door. "Enter."

A petite woman in her early twenties with wavy light golden blonde hair and dark blue eyes slowly walked into his room. She wore a white blouse and long black pencil skirt. "You asked for me M. Vicomte."

"I did." Raoul stood removing his blood stained shirt and heard Rosalie gasp when she saw the slash across his chest. "As you can see I need some assistance."

She nodded and immediately went to get what she needed. She tried to control her nerves as she cleaned and bandaged his wounds being careful not to hurt him. When she was done she placed the dirty rags outside the door and turned around. "Is there anything else you require M. Vicomte?"

Raoul grinned as he approached her. "Indeed there is." He took her by the wrist and led her to his bed. He looked down at her and she shivered when she saw the burning lust in his eyes. "I know you have had a yearning for me for quite some time Rosalie. Even now you are trying to hide it. Am I right?"

"Yes, M. Vicomte." She responded feeling her heart begin to pound. "Given my station I know it is improper…" She tried to walk around him to leave the room but he kept hold of her wrist.

"We are alone here and I know you will not speak of what happens in this room to anyone. At the moment I care not about your station." Raoul forcefully turned her around and began removing her uniform along with her undergarments. He threw her on the bed as he removed what remained of his clothes and climbed on top of her.

When he was finished he looked at Rosalie with cold eyes. "Get dressed and leave me." He ordered. "As I said tell no one of what transpired here or you will regret it."

"Yes sir." Rosalie said gathering her clothing while holding back tears. She dressed and quickly left his room to return to her own quarters.

Raoul laid in his bed for a while after he heard the door close. Finally he decided he needed to get up and continue his search. Christine may have saved his life but he was still determined to get her back and finish the phantom. He stretched as he stood. He felt refreshed even though he hadn't slept. He dressed and left his room going downstairs. He quickly found Gerald. "Did Anton return last night?"

"Late last night sir." Gerald informed him. "He is currently in the dining room having breakfast."

Gerald rolled his eyes as Raoul walked away. Not even a thank you. Gerald thought to himself. He truly has lost the proper politeness that a man of his station should have.

In the dining room, Anton was sitting at the table sipping coffee. Raoul joined him and the maid in the room immediately sprang into action setting a place for him and pouring him his own coffee. "Leave us." He ordered. She bowed her head and left to return to the kitchen. Raoul turned to Anton as he took a pastry from the platter in front of him. "I found them."

Anton put his coffee down. "Where?"

"At the Daae mausoleum right here in Paris. I have known Christine since childhood. I knew if they were considering leaving France she could never go without saying good bye to her father." Raoul continued to tell him everything that had transpired in the cemetery.

"So the infamous phantom has a name." Anton said.

Raoul nodded. "He does and he is as cunning as ever. He nearly killed me but Christine stopped him."

"You know I mean no disrespect but why would she save you from him."

"I thought about that myself. I even tried to goad him into doing it. I don't think she was saving my life as much as she was saving him. The Surete don't really care that he killed a couple nobodies at the opera house and they have no proof in the murders or that he caused the chandelier to come down. Had he killed a Vicomte that would have changed everything and Christine knew it." Raoul took a sip of his coffee. "They ran off and I thought they might go to the opera house but so far no one has found a sign they are there. Before I returned I did go to the head of the Surete and he agreed to help us in our search. What about you, did your journey turn up anything?"

Anton smiled. "Indeed it did. Our hunch about Bernard was right. He did lead us to the Giry's who were still at home but he only came forward because he was asked to. I heard them say that Bernard was to lead us astray a few times to give them time to escape."

"I trust you took care of him."

"His body will make a nice treat for the forest animals. I also heard them talking about a cabin behind the house where Christine and Erik were staying. I searched it but found nothing but these. I doubt they will lift your spirits but I brought back something else that might." He reached into his pocket and handed Raoul Christine's wedding rings."

Raoul closed his hand over them. "I saw she had taken them off last night." He placed them in his pocket. "Once Erik is dispensed with she will wear them again. What else do you have?"

"Follow me." Anton said as he rose from his seat.

Raoul followed him up to the attic and his lips curved into a sinister grin when he saw both Giry women bound to chairs being guarded by Victor and Vincent. He looked at Anton. "You're right. This lifts my spirits immensely." He slowly walked up to Meg who looked up at him with no fear in her eyes. Without warning he backhanded her across the face, twice.

Meg felt like her eye was going to explode from the pain radiating in her face and hated him even more now that she felt for herself a small taste of what Christine was subject to for years. She looked back up at him but still remained silent.

"Meg!" Madame Giry yelled. "Are you alright?"

"Keep quiet woman." Anton said as he pulled her head back by her long hair.

Raoul bent down leaning in to whisper in Meg's ear. "That was for what you did to me in Erik's lair." He grinned when he saw her eyes widen at the mention of the phantom's real name. He turned to face Madame Giry. "Where are they?"

"I am unsure of whom you are speaking of." Madame Giry replied her tone even as she regained control of herself.

"Christine and that freak, Erik." He said. "I know they are together. I saw them for myself at the cemetery. The four of you thought you were so smart to try to lead us out of Paris. Where were they planning to go from there?"

"You should have asked them when you saw them." Madame Giry replied with a slight grin. "We had no knowledge that they were gone never mind where they were going after they left."

Raoul was quiet for a moment. "I don't think you quite understand the situation you and your daughter are in. You see these men." He glanced at Anton, Vincent, and Victor. "They will do whatever it takes to make you talk if they have to." He walked back over to Meg caressing her cheek as she tried to pull away. "I would hate to see something happen to you or your beautiful daughter."

Madame Giry kept calm as she looked at Meg. "You are a coward. You hide behind these men to try to get any information by as you said, any means necessary, so you can reclaim what your twisted mind thinks is your property. No matter what you do to us you will get the same answer. We know nothing."

"We'll see about that." Raoul growled and was about to walk toward Anton when he turned around. "You both disgust me. That man killed people. How could you aid such a madman?"

"You have done your share of illegal deeds yourself M. Vicomte. I am sure there is more blood on your hands than Bernard's. The way I see it Erik was and will always be a better man than you." Madame Giry told him.

Raoul kept his exterior calm as he looked at Madame Giry his insides burning with anger. "There is something I have always wanted to know. When you led me to his lair and stopped telling me that was as far as you dare go, did you know what was waiting for me?"

Madame Giry slowly nodded. "I had hoped the trap would kill you but you proved to be more formidable then I thought you were."

"You have no idea." Raoul whispered.

"Before you go M. Vicomte." Madame Giry said. "You may want to bear in mind that my daughter and I are beloved members of this community. Just because no one came forward does not mean no one knew where I was. If people begin to question our whereabouts, who do you think the prime suspect will be in our disappearance?"

Raoul laughed. "You were readying yourselves to escape. I could be questioned but it is not uncommon for people to pick up and leave these days."

"Your arrogance will always get the better of you." Madame Giry said narrowing her eyes. "It will be your downfall."

"We shall see." He turned and walked towards Anton. "You know what to do. I am returning to the opera house."

"I'll find you when I get what we need." Anton told him. Raoul nodded and left the room. He smiled as he walked downstairs and readied himself to leave the mansion. As he rode towards the opera house his smile widened. Word of the phantom's return had spread quickly through the streets just as he had hoped.

Christine was sitting at the dressing table brushing through her hair once more and tapping her foot on the floor. She had paced around the room for a while and finally sat using any distraction she could to calm her panic. Erik had left not long after she fell asleep and had been gone for hours. Her mind began to drift to all the horrible things that could have happened but she forced herself to think positive thoughts. Please let him be alright. She thought to herself.

She spun around when she heard a door behind her being slide open. She grabbed the dagger out of her boot ready to defend herself. She let out the breath she was holding in when she saw Erik enter the room. She put the dagger away and jumped to her feet running into his arms nearly knocking what he was carrying to the floor. She stepped back and felt him stiffen when she was about to remove his mask. "You promised." She reminded him.

"I remember." Erik told her. "It will take a bit of, getting used to."

She placed the mask on the bedside table nearest to her and turned around leaning up to give him a kiss. "Where have you been?"

He held up the bag of pastries he had brought back. "I went out to get breakfast."

"That's not all you did." Christine said hiding her disappointment that he would feel the need to deceive her. "I woke up when I heard the doors close. You've been gone for hours. Where did you go?"

Erik put the food he had brought back next to his mask and took Christine to sit on the bed. "I went to go see M. Firmin."

Christine's eyes widened. "You what?"

Erik hated to lie to her again but he didn't want to get her hopes up about her marriage incase M. Firmin failed to deliver. "I wanted to be sure he told no one what he knew about me or the Giry's."

"What would he know? I thought you hadn't seen the old managers since the night the opera house was destroyed."

Erik sighed, he knew now was the time to tell her. "There is something else I have kept from you. Before I tell you what it is I want to apologize for deceiving you once again. Two years after the opera house was left in ruins I returned. I needed to see it for myself and get a few things Madame Giry had left behind. As I was riding back to the Giry's it was getting dark and I don't know how I missed him but I realized I was being followed. I discretely dismounted Cesar and sent him ahead. When he was close enough I confronted the person following me. It was M. Andrews. He hoped I had died in the fire and revealed he knew who was hiding me. He swore to return with a mob to hunt me and the Giry's down."

"Did you kill him?" Christine whispered but in her heart she already knew the answer.

Erik nodded feeling his heart pound as he began to wonder how she would take this revelation. "At the time I couldn't see any other way of protecting the Giry's or myself. I buried him in the forest and returned to Madame Giry to tell her what happened. She was the one who started the stories about him going mad and being admitted to a mental facility. She also revealed to me that M. Firmin knew where she lived. He became curious about the things she was taking from the opera house and followed one of the wagons. When he found her he swore to keep her location a secret since he assumed she was hiding from me and even if he hadn't shown it he held her in high regard. She seemed to trust him but I didn't. I sent him a letter revealing what I had done to his former partner and threatening that the same fate awaited him if he were ever to talk. I have kept an eye on him ever since. I went to see him to make sure he was a man of his word."

"Is he?"

"Raoul came to see him and I could tell he was telling the truth when he told me he told him nothing."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this before?" Christine asked trying to keep the anger she felt from coming through in her voice.

"I was afraid if you knew I had killed again after you left with Raoul that you would walk out of my life again. It was before I knew how deeply you loved me. I'm sorry I didn't trust that you would never leave me."

Christine felt her anger disappear as she looked at him. "I understand. I had just come back and had already walked out on you once. How could you be sure I wouldn't do it again?" She took his hand. "I know that in our journey in order to protect us you may have to kill again. All I ask is that from today forward we promise to be honest with each other no matter what."

Erik nodded his head in agreement. "I'm sorry I deceived you, again."

Christine leaned over and kissed him. "You've already apologized." She looked over at the bag he brought back. "How were you able to get food without being seen?"

"I paid a boy on the street to go into a café." He got up and went to the door returning with two coffees handing one to her. He opened the bag and Christine licked her lips when she saw the pastries and croissants he had returned with. Erik was happy he had the boy buy as much as he did. They finished everything since they hadn't been able to have dinner the night before. They sat silently sipping their coffee. "When I was making my way back I heard people gossiping on the street about the return of the opera ghost. Also the Surete have joined in the search for us. I saw a few of them guarding the outside of the opera house."

"You said no one can find us here right?" Erik nodded in response. "Then maybe it would be safer for us to stay here for a few days. The gossip will die down. It always does. We will have to be careful getting food of course but the Surete are only going to search for so long and Raoul will move on when he doesn't find us here."

Erik smiled and leaned in to kiss her. "I was going to suggest the same thing." Of course for a different reason. He thought to himself. "I suppose brilliant minds think alike."

"I suppose they do. What about the Giry's though?" Christine asked feeling instantly concerned. "They have no idea what happened."

"They may be stubborn but they're smart women. If Meg came back to Paris she heard what happened and will return home. I gave them a list of people they could go to who will keep them safe."

Christine hoped he was right. "I have been thinking about something else while you were gone."

"What's that?"

"I don't think London will be far enough away. Raoul never spoke of them much so I guess it slipped my mind but his sisters settled there. He will not stop until you're dead and I am his again. Reaching out to them and the connections they may have there would not be out of the realm of possibility. I know they would be more than happy to help him. What if we went to America? It could be safest place for us and we would truly be free."

Erik was silent thinking over her suggestion. He had heard of America and what opportunities were available there. "I think you're right."

"Really?"

Erik took her free hand in his. "I think it would be the perfect place for a new start for both of us."

"So do I." Christine agreed her smile growing wider. They finished their coffee and Erik got up offering her his hand. He led her through the other door in the room and into his music room. It was as lovely as the bedroom with various cloths covering the walls. There was a mixture of books and neatly organized sheet music on shelves. A crimson upholstered chaise lounge was kitty cornered in the back of the room, with a small dining table not too far away from it. A grand organ sat in the center of the room with various sheets of music strewn over it. Christine's eyes lingered on the organ and she turned to look at Erik. "Would it be too much of a risk if you played?"

"These walls are fairly thick. Did you ever hear me play from the cavern?" Christine shook her head. "Then I think we'll be safe." Erik sat at the organ bench with Christine joining him. He saw the song that was sitting on the organ desk and decided to play it. His fingers slowly began to play as he started to sing. "I hurt myself today. To see if I still feel. I focus on the pain. The only thing that's real. The needle tears a hole. The old familiar sting. Try to kill it all away. But I remember everything. What have I become. My sweetest friend. Everyone I know. Goes away in the end. And you could have it all. My empire of dirt. I will let you down. I will make you hurt. I wear this crown of thorns. Upon my liars chair. Full of broken thoughts. I cannot repair. Beneath the stains of time. The feelings disappear. You are someone else. I am still right here. And you could have it all. My empire of dirt. I will let you down. I will make you hurt. If I could start again. A million miles away. I will keep myself. I would find a way."

He stopped playing and they both sat in silence for a few moments. "When did you compose that piece?" Christine whispered.

"After Madame Giry left." Erik told her while looking through the rest of the compositions that were on the organ. "I was truly alone after she was gone and fell into a deep sadness. One day I came in here and decided to channel the sadness I felt into music." Before she could say anything more Erik placed a new sheet of music on the desk and began to play.

Christine allowed her voice to flow with the music. "Who knows when love begins? Who knows what makes it start? One day it's simply there. Alive inside your heart. It slips into your thoughts. It infiltrates your soul. It takes you by surprise. Then seizes full control. Try to deny it. And try to resist. But love won't let you go."

Erik closed his eyes as he played listening to her beautiful voice and once again they allowed their voices to become one. "Once you've been possessed. Love never dies. Love never falters. Once it has spoken. Love is yours. Love never fades. Love never alters. Hearts may get broken. Love endures. Hearts may get broken. Love endures. And soon as you submit. Surrender flesh and bone. That love takes on a life. Much bigger than your own. It uses you at whim. And drives you to despair. And forces you to feel. More joy than you can bear. Love gives you pleasure. And love brings you pain. And yet when both are gone. Love will still remain. Once it has spoken. Love is yours. Love never dies. Love never alters. Hearts may get broken. Love endures. Hearts may get broken. Love never dies. Love will continue. Love keeps on beating. When you're gone. Love never dies. Once it is in you. Life may be fleeting. Love lives on. Life may be fleeting. Love lives on."

Erik turned to face Christine. "I adore singing with you." Christine took his hand in hers giving it a gentle kiss. "I was inspired by you to write that song. When I first saw you as a young woman, before I decided to be your angel of music. I had always hoped to hear you sing it one day."

Christine wiped a tear from her eye. "I can't believe you wrote such a beautiful song for me." She leaned up and pulled him into a tender kiss.

Later that same afternoon M. Firmin was riding in a carriage toward the De Cherbourg mansion. He kept the satchel the opera ghost had given him close. When he arrived he tipped the driver and told him to wait for him. He knocked on the front door and was immediately greeted by a maid. "Good afternoon monsieur how can I help you?"

"Bonjour, I am M. Richard Firmin. Is the Count De Cherbourg at home?" He asked.

"He is in his private study and has asked not to be disturbed." She informed him. "Is it possible for you stop back this evening?"

M. Firmin's hand tightened around the satchel. "Normally I would, however this is an extremely important and time sensitive matter. If you would kindly take me to him."

The maid nodded her head and motioned for M. Firmin to come in. He followed her through the mansion. She stopped at a sliding panel door and with slight hesitation knocked. "I told you I was not to be disturbed!" A voice shouted from inside.

"I am sorry for the interruption sir. A M. Richard Firmin requested to see you at once. He said it was an urgent and time sensitive matter."

There was silence for a few moments then the same voice spoke again. "Send him in."

The maid opened one of the doors and allowed M. Firmin inside. He nodded his thanks and approached the count who was sitting at a large mahogany desk flipping through papers. M. Firmin sat down across from him and waited for him to acknowledge his presence.

The Count De Cherbourg was a middle aged man with graying dark brown hair and light brown eyes. He ran his fingers through his hair as he looked through various bills that he needed to present in the Chamber of Deputies to the rest of the delegates. He sighed and looked up. "Please forgive me Richard. I did not mean to ignore you. It is good to see you my friend." He stood up and shook his hand. "It has been too long."

"It has." M. Firmin agreed sitting back down. "I have tried to keep to myself since news of the De Chagny situation made its way around."

"I understand. What can I do for you?"

"I have heard from an old, friend, of mine. The opera ghost." M. Firmin told him.

"The opera ghost?" Count De Cherbourg asked putting his papers down and folding his hands in front of him. "It was thought he disappeared for good. My wife told me this morning that the Surete were renewing the search for him and the Vicomtess De Chagny. Have you told them he came to see you?"

"No, and I don't plan to if I want to stay alive." M. Firmin told him. "I would also appreciate it if this conversation stayed strictly between us. You know what he is capable of from what I told you about him." He paused for a moment. "There is something I need you to do. Well actually it's something he, needs you to do."

"What would that be?"

"Have the marriage of the Vicomte and Vicomtess De Chagny annulled. The sooner the better."

Count De Cherbourg responded with a laugh but stopped when he saw that M. Firmin wasn't laughing. "You're serious?"

"Would I have come if I wasn't? Surely you have heard the rumors of why the Vicomtess left?"

"Everyone in high society has."

"They are in fact not rumors. This brutality is the reason he would like you to site in the bill to have the marriage annulled."

"Such a bill would take time to make it to the chamber and the Vicomtess would have to…"

M. Firmin raised his hand. "We don't have the time and he wants it done without the Vicomtess having to appear. He thought this..." He placed the satchel on the count's desk. "Would help move things along." The Count De Cherbourg opened the satchel and like M. Firmin his eye's widened. "He knows you and your wife have fallen on hard times. What's in that satchel could go a long way toward turning the tide."

"There has to be…" The count's voice trailed off.

"Consider it a gift." M. Firmin said. "Now, can what he's asked for be done?"

The Count De Cherbourg closed the satchel and put it under his desk. "I will write the bill myself. If I were to present it to the chamber they would turn it down but I am close friends with many of the other delegates. With the right urging I will get the needed signatures and seals." He smiled at M. Firmir. "Once the bill is on its way to be filed I will bring her copy of it to you in two days at the latest."

M. Firmin stood up. "I appreciate it. I was also asked to pass along a message. Dead men, their wives, or friends can't enjoy the brides they take. If we cross him no amount of keeping our hands at the level of our eye will save us."

"I understand." Count De Cherbourg said standing to shake M. Firmin's hand.

"I will let you get back to your work." M. Firmin said and left the room as the count pulled out fresh papers and began writing.

M. Firmin climbed back into the carriage and was on his way home. His life was now in the hands of the count. If he didn't come through he could kiss his dreams of a new life good bye and prepare to be put in a coffin, if he was lucky.

After some discussion throughout the rest of the day Erik and Christine decided that Erik should be the one to go in and out of the opera house for food. They had just finished dinner and while he was out Erik put the satchels he had promised M. Firmin in the stables. Now they were sitting together on the Chaise lounge in the music room. "What do you think America will be like?" Christine asked him.

"I don't know." Erik answered. "I have heard many different things about the modernizations that make everyday life much simpler. How it is a land full of opportunity. There are also some beautiful sights. I think we will be happy there."

"So do I. I'm nervous but so excited about going to a whole new world. I remember when I was a young girl and used to travel with my father. It was always so exciting to see the sights of a new city. Do you think Madame Giry and Meg will come with us?" Christine asked as she made herself more comfortable in his arms.

"I suspect when we tell them our new destination Meg will not be able to contain her excitement. Madame Giry may hesitate leaving Europe but won't want to leave her daughter." Erik told her. "Getting out of France and to Liverpool will be our biggest obstacle."

Christine turned to look at him. "Liverpool?"

"That's where we have to go to board a white star line ship to America."

"How will we pay for the voyage?" Christine wondered. "I took some money from Raoul but it is nearly gone. I doubt it will be enough for that kind of travel."

"Not to worry ma Cherie. I have plenty of money for us to travel with. If you remember the managers of my opera house used to pay me a monthly salary. I have never been one to spend except to help some who were struggling. I have amassed a comfortable sum for us." Erik assured her. "I had some of it with me at the cabin but now that we're here I can get the rest of it."

"I guess coming back to Paris wasn't such a bad thing after all." Christine said getting up to pick a book from one of the shelves. She sat back down with him and was about to begin reading when Erik spoke.

"Why did you stop me from killing him?"

"Raoul?" Christine asked turning to look at him. Erik nodded. "If you think it's because I have lingering feelings for him you can dismiss those thoughts immediately. If you had killed a Vicomte it would have changed everything and he knew it. His men would have told them who killed him and all of France would become our prison. It's why he tried to get you to do it."

"You know him well." Erik said.

"Better than he realizes." Christine replied and opened the book beginning to read aloud. After the first few pages she stopped laying her head on his chest and letting out a long sigh. "It's like in the meadow when we were watching the horses. This is what I've always wanted."

"A simple life?" Erik asked.

"Exactly. Sitting in the arms of the man I love reading a book, sitting by a lake watching the sun set, or any of the other activities ordinary people above us take for granted. I can't wait until all of the hiding and running is over so we can have what everyone else has."

"We'll never have what everyone else has my love." Erik said with a smile. "We'll have so much better. Most of the people above us are struggling or are the people of high society whose marriages were arranged and are without love. They walk around thinking they are above everyone else and never show their true selves. We are free to be who we wish and travel as we like. They are trapped in their world until they join their ancestors in their family tomb." He caressed her shoulders. "Not to mention we share a love that I can only describe, as magical."

Christine leaned up and Erik wrapped his arms around her as their lips met. "I think that was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard." She laid back down in his arms and continued to read. Erik sat comfortably with his arms wrapped around her listening to her soft voice as she read Les Miserables. He tried to stay focused on the moment and continue to listen but his thoughts drifted beginning to make plans to get to Liverpool. Then he thought about M. Firmin, he hoped he would not have to wait long to get what he asked for. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and smiled as he thought about the way he planned to present her freedom to her.