He led her to the settee and then took her hands in his. She squeezed them before she reached up and touched his mask.

"I need to see you."

He nodded instantly. "I would have removed it sooner but I was so confused before."

She removed his mask carefully and placed it on the cushion beside her. She then entangled their fingers together once more.

"Angel, speak freely. Don't be afraid to tell me anything. I don't want you to ever think you can't share something with me because of how I will react."

"I'm not afraid to tell you but you must hold your temper."

He arched his brow but then sighed. "I will try."

She frowned. "Try?"

"I don't want to lie to you. Trying is the best I can do and you should know that if I tell you I will try, then you know I will do whatever possible to hold myself in check."

She nodded. "I do know," She caressed his marred cheek. "I was late because Raoul came to see me."

"Raoul?!" Erik didn't know what else to say but he wanted to bolt towards the door and pound Raoul's face but he couldn't. He had to try. For her.

Christine sensed him stiffen. "Erik, you said you would try…." She squeezed his fingers.

He closed his eyes and forced himself to remain calm. I can do better. "How did he find you?"

"He said someone told him where I was."

"Whoever it was, they will be dismissed at once." He didn't say it in anger, it was matter of fact.

"Erik, we never told anyone otherwise. Now, are you going to let me finish…? This is difficult enough."

"Difficult?" He looked worried but didn't want to interrupt her. "I'm sorry, please go on."

"At first it was rather nice. We talked and we agreed that we didn't belong together. He even offered to grant me an annulment."

"He did?" Erik was suspicious.

"I told him no. I wouldn't have felt right about it."

"So a divorce then….?"

"He said I could file for it and he would make it easy for me."

"Well maybe the man has some decently in him after all." He was about to apologize for his thoughts when Christine spoke up.

"Don't be so sure."

"What do you mean?" He prepared himself for what was to come next.

"Erik, everything was fine until he brought up Gustave." She then panicked. "He wanted Gustave to live with him for half of the year in France!"

"Half a year?! A child alone without his mother? Was he drunk? What the Hell is the matter with that Fop?"

"Erik, you have to understand, I wasn't thinking straight. I was petrified. All I could think about was Gustave being away from me… From us."

"What do you mean?"

"We argued and it was horrible. He threatened to file for full custody and since I was fling for the divorce…."

"That Bastard!"

"Please, understand I didn't know what else to do. All I knew was that I wouldn't have Raoul take our son from us like that. I couldn't go on living a lie."

Suddenly he knew. "You….You told him the truth?"

She nodded. "I told him Gustave wasn't his son." She then stood up and cursed herself for being so reckless. "Erik, I know I made a mistake but I couldn't….."

He stopped her words, when he pressed his lips urgently to hers. They kissed for some time, before Christine came out of her trance and gasped for air.

"I thought you would be angry. I know we were going to talk about it more before we…"

"I know but….I don't know. I mean, I feel so much but it's not anger. Oh I'm angry that maggot dared to try and take a child, a child that is yours and mine. That he would disregard Gustave's well-being all for the sake of getting back at us. I could kill him but you….. How could I be mad at you for acknowledging me as the birth father? You told him that we were….That you loved me as a man and Gustave was a product of that love. You claimed me in the most personal way possible."

"Oh angel, I would have done so forever ago, if I had that night to do over again."

He took her hand and kissed it. "Before, I had to show you my love by letting you go but now, now things have changed. Now, I'm going to prove my love by holding on."

She embraced him. "Hold me and don't let go."

He did just that. "What happened afterwards?"

"He left and then suddenly I was locked inside."

"He locked you inside a room….Like an animal….Like a cage?" He loosened his hold to look at her.

"Don't let me go." She then kissed his lips. "Mr. Walker got me out…. It wasn't that terrible. I was only scared of what you might have thought, when you didn't see me."

"Walker? What was he doing there?"

"Apparently he decided to follow us, as he was convinced the trip wasn't safe. He found some people last week at Phantasma that didn't seem right."

"And he didn't tell me?"

"Erik….." She pressed herself against him. "Calm down, love."

"So he knew where I was?"

"He did. He only wanted to protect us, angel."

"We should get back. I don't like any of this and with de Chagny loose…."

"Mr. Walker said no one would allow Raoul within two inches from Gustave. He went back to personally watch over him."

"Well that's relief at least but he had no right to keep this information from me." Erik knew something wasn't right. "If Raoul didn't lock you in, who would do that and why?"

"I don't know, Erik. I can't see how Raoul could have done so but I don't know him anymore." I don't think I ever really did.

He held her and kissed the top of her head. "Let's go home."