Thank you everyone for your reviews and interest in this story. And now we find out Erik's reaction to Raoul's letter...

Christine's throat went dry. She went over to the bar and poured herself some water, then asked Erik if he wanted any. He shook his head. She drank the entire glass suddenly wishing that she had taken more time to consume the beverage, as she resumed back to her seat on the chaise lounge. Erik's gaze never left her, and she couldn't take the silence any longer.

"Erik…."

"Yes?"

"No." She smiled softly. "That's your name, isn't it?" She felt like such an idiot. Of course, that was his name. he responded to it, earlier.

"It is."

"I never knew it. Sounds bizarre, no? After all that's been between us, I never knew your name."

Erik crossed his legs. "You never asked me."

She bent her head down to avoid looking at him and Erik realized he didn't mean to sound so cold.

"I only meant that my name was never of any relevance."

She looked up then. "Of course, it was. You only chose to go by other ones."

"When I took up my life below the Opera House, I never intended to need any name at all. Others gave me my names. "Freak, Monster, Abomination, Ghost, Phantom…. Angel. Not always in that order. Yet I confess I never heard my name sound the way it did till I heard it from your lips just now."

She wasn't quite sure what to say at that. "What is your surname? I mean what does Mr. Y stand for?"

Erik laughed, and it surprised them both. She never had heard him laugh like that before. She found it sad that she never had a memory like that of him to share before.

"That's not my surname. I really don't have one. Well, I know my parents' name but…. I don't wish to have any ties to them. How I assumed the name Mr. Y is quite comical."

"I could use a laugh right about now." She then gave him a smirk.

The visible side of his mouth grinned. "I was buying the land to Phantasma and they asked me my name. I asked him why as if, what should it matter. I had money to pay for the land. The man started to refer to me as Mr. Y. I later found out that Americans seem to love short names or nicknames, if you will. There you have it."

Christine started to really laugh then and had to cover her mouth to stop, so she didn't wake up Gustave. "Thank you. I needed that."

"Christine, about the letter…."

"Please, don't. Not tonight. I can't even…."

"I had no idea you endured such a life because of my actions. I am so very sorry."

"I…."

"When you came back to me ten years ago and we…."

Christine turned away. "Erik, I can't talk about that now."

"Let me say this. I didn't really tell you before. After our glorious night together, after you not only made me a man, but you made me think of myself as a human being…. I was in such a euphoric state, but it was quickly dashed when I realized what a compromising situation I had put you in. I loved you, but I had nothing to offer you. I had no money; my home was in ruins and I was a wanted man by mobs and police alike. I wasn't what you needed."

He rubbed his hands on his legs, to calm himself. "I knew, or I thought the boy loved you and he could give you all the things you should have, that I never could. At least not then, anyway. I wanted to give you a gift. Your life back with me far away from it."

"You never even asked me what I wanted. You always made the choices for both of us."

Erik got up. "You have no idea how I wanted to kill myself after leaving you! I felt as if my heart was being ripped from my own body. I swear to you that nothing of the tortures I have endured in my life have ever compared to the pain that I felt for letting you go."

"Tortures…." What happened to you?

He ignored her and went on. "I had to know you would be cared for and safe. You have no idea what kind of life I led when I first came to this land. I didn't even know if I would make it out of France alive. What would have become of you, if they had found you with me? You would not have just been my victim, but they would have seen you as my accomplice. No, I robbed too much from you already."

"I wouldn't have cared. I loved you then."

Erik couldn't ignore the word then. Christine told them before that there was no now for them. Did faith change again for them? "If I had known about Gustave…." He then rushed to her side and clutched her hand in his, as he brought it to his heart. She didn't stop him.

"The years here were hard. I did things I swore I would never do again, but I did them to survive and to make my way. The only thing that kept me going was knowing that you had a good life. To know that the Vicomte mistreated you or took you for granted…. Christ, that means all of my sacrifices were for nothing!" He then looked at Christine with a sudden realization.

"Good God, did he ever hurt you physically, Christine?"

She was silent a bit longer than she should have been, and Erik got down on his knees.

"Dear Angel, forgive me. It is all my fault!" He buried his head in his hands.

She had expected him to go into a rage, not see him in such a state of remorsefulness. This was not the Phantom she remembered. "No, Erik, no! It is not your fault! You are not to blame for that at all. I never blamed you for that or for any of unhappiness in my marriage." She placed her hands on his head to try and comfort him.

"Raoul and I had a chance to make a life and we what we did or didn't do is on us."

He slowly got to his feet. "I never intended to invade your life again, as you called it." He smoothed his hair out and Christine wondered if his habit of doing that was merely a way for him to tell himself he was still in control. As if having a good appearance meant things were alright. She should have told him that nothing is ever what it seems. She and Raoul both knew that all too well. She then tilted her head to take a closer look at him. She thought that he must know that better than anyone.

"Despite my success and my life above ground, it meant nothing to me without you and your voice. Although I finally became accepted, I was only half a person. I thought one song. One song could satisfy me. I could hear my muse once more and then I would be able to let my song out. Just like Don Juan." He forced a smile. "Not an opera but an aria this time." He shook his head. "Then I learned about Gustave." Erik panicked when a question came to his mind. "Did he ever hurt the boy?"

Christine jumped to her feet. "No, he would never…. No, Raoul may have been neglectful with him, but he was never abusive or violent."

"So, he is only scared of me then?" Erik silently cursed his face.

Christine came towards him and caressed his visible cheek. "I'll talk to him about that. He is only a child, he didn't know."

"I don't blame him. It was my stupidity. I was under the misguided notion that maybe he could be the one to see that there was beauty underneath. As always, I pushed too hard, too fast."

"You aren't at fault. It must have been terrifying for you to come to that realization like that. You must know that I wanted so often for you to know. I am not sorry that you finally know the truth, Erik." She rested her hands on his chest and neither moved away. Their faces came closer together.

"Mother, please I'm scared. I had a bad dream and… "

They flew apart when they heard Gustave's voice but once the boy saw Erik, he screamed instantly.