So, yes. This took a little longer to write only because i wasnt sure where i wanted to go with some of the plot elements. That and uni...

Anyway, on with the show!

Phanty belongs to Leroux and Lloyd Weber


When Christine finally entered the room to ready for bed, one candle was still lit and Madame Giry was still awake.

"Why are you not asleep?" She asked, sitting down on the bed and attempting to untie her corset.

"I am overcome with worry child. Why else...? Here, let me do it." She said, assisting Christine in her struggle.

"Thank you." She smiled. "You must have a lot of questions?"

"Yes. I do. Questions about how you got away, about how you got here. About what happened after you disappeared below that stage... I was so worried, Christine."

"You know him though... you know Erik. Surely you did not worry about my safety around him?"

She shrugged her shoulders in a sign of dubious exasperation.

"In all the years I had known him, never had I seen him so desperate... I had known when he had revealed himself to you and as the months went on afterwards I heard from him less and less. I knew how much he loved you... how desperately he wanted you, needed you... only you could have possessed him to stand on that stage; to show himself in front of all those people. Can you imagine? A recluse like him? Surely then you knew of his affections... I saw it all unravel before his very eyes, all his hopes... I saw him shatter before your very gaze that night; all that he was- gone. Then I saw something change in him... almost as if something cracked; broke. The Erik I had known was gone in an instant and I was worried. You must understand Christine that you were his one last tie to the outside world... the one last redeeming aspect of the world he otherwise despised. And you denied him... truthfully; I did not know what he would do. I did not know this person he became."

"I hate it. I hate myself for what I did to him."

"So then, am I to assume that you have made your choice?"

"Yes! Yes, I have. I... chose Raoul but... then I couldn't leave him the way he was. I went back to see him and things escalated from there. Now, I can't imagine how I would feel if I hadn't gone back. Things would be very different for me..."

"Do you regret your choice?"

"No. No, I don't. What I meant was... how I would feel without him. I can't imagine it."

Madame Giry smiled.

"Were you worried when you came to the house? Were you worried that he had harmed me...?"

"I don't know what I thought. I was worried for both of you. I didn't know what to expect or what state I would find him in if I found him at all."

"Yes, I had the very same worries upon returning to find him. I'm so very glad that I did. But it seems strange, doesn't it? Meeting someone in such a way?"

Again she shrugged.

"People meet many different ways. I had always hoped for something between you two. Of course, I wanted you to make a choice true to your heart but deep down I had always hoped for your happiness to lie with Erik."

Christine changed and lay down on the bed.

"What of the Vicomte, Christine?" asked Madame Giry curiously.

"I told him that I would send him a letter when it was safe... I got half way through it but didn't quite know what to say. And now I don't know when ill be able to finish it."

"I could pass on a message if you'd like?"

"No... thank you but everything I say should be by my own hand. He deserves that much. "

"Yes, well... We should try to sleep." She said, blowing out the candle and leaving them in darkness save for the sliver of moonlight seeping through the open drapes.

"How can I possibly sleep when I know that they are out there?"

"I don't know. You must try, though."


Downstairs, Erik did not even attempt sleep; not because the sofa was ill-fitted to someone of his stature... it was far too small, it was more due to all that lay on his mind. Also the sense of duty he felt... How could he possibly sleep when the only two people in the world that showed him any sort of kindness or compassion slept under his roof? Anything could happen and he had to remain prepared and alert.

His thoughts raced as he lay back on the sofa. Had he made the right decision in waiting? Last time it had almost cost them their lives. He didn't have a choice... if they had tried to escape soon after receiving the note they would have been bested by whoever the sender was. Erik never liked to do what was expected of him...

Running his hand through his hair irritably he sat up. Would they even make it outside? If they did, would they get away? What were the chances of them actually outrunning them? He had no idea. He hadn't the faintest clue who these people were... Even if they managed to escape, what were the chances of a normal life? Trouble followed Erik and things did not tend to sort themselves out unless he sorted them out...

He wondered when it would end; when they would be left in peace. Perhaps they never would? That was why he had retreated beneath the opera to begin with... because no matter where he went he could not find refuge from the world and its' unwarranted hate above ground. But that was no longer an option. He loved Christine more than anything and now he had damned her to suffer his fate.

Soon the sun began to rise. Save for the sunrise Erik had shared with Christine he had always despised the sight of it. Seeing it rise left a stale taste in his mouth and reminded him that it was time to descend back underground. He would vacate the world so that they could inhabit it, so that they could go about their business without being vexed by the presence of something such as him. Each time the sun rose he was reminded of who he was. After a while he stopped venturing above ground at all. It was filled with nothing but painful reminders of why he could never belong... never walk among the living...

Standing up and stretching he walked up the stairs and knocked on the bedroom door.

"Christine, Madame. We should prepare..." He said softly.

The door opened to reveal Christine in one of his shirts once more. This time he was too tired to protest her appearance. She walked out and closed the door behind her, a bashful smile on her face.

"How did you sleep?" He asked through a failed attempt at suppressing a yawn. In spite of all his efforts, he was human and he needed sleep.

"Not well... the same for you I think?" She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"No, not very well." He returned her embrace. "Is Madame Giry awake?"

"Yes. She is dressing, I believe."

"Good. You two dress... and fully prepare. We should leave shortly after Madame Giry does and we will only get one chance."


"Have you packed warm clothes, Christine? Like I said, it is a few days travel to... to where I plan to get to. We will have to sleep outside at some point..." Erik looked at her apprehensively, as if speaking these last words would change her mind entirely.

"Yes. Whatever you need me to do, I will do." She slipped her hand into his.

He smiled at her warmly before turning to Madame Giry.

"Are you ready, Madame?"

"Wait!" Christine said abruptly, releasing his hand. "I need to get something from upstairs."

She returned with a small piece of paper and as soon as Erik saw it he knew what it was; her letter, her letter to Raoul. He stared at it, his eyes narrowing with envy as Christine folded it and placed it in a small bag she was holding.

"What did you forget?" Erik asked, feigning ignorance.

"Oh..." She looked up guiltily. "Just... something for later."

He nodded suspiciously. Why was she hiding it from him?

"Alright... I am ready. What is the exact plan, Erik? Are we going to saddle Caesar and come back inside? Or are we leaving straight away...?"

"Immediately after preparing Caesar. We will pretend that we are going back inside... hopefully it will fool them into dropping their guard. And... then we mount him as quickly as possible and escape."

"There is so much that could go wrong..."

"I know. But we don't have any other option..."

She took a deep breath and nodded.

"I'm ready."

"Madame?"

"Yes."

"Again, I thank you." He said. "You have truly saved us... saved me... yet again."

"Good luck." She said walking up to where Erik stood and embracing him. He smiled awkwardly.

"Take care of one another." She embraced Christine who actually returned it, unlike her companion.

"I will miss you." Christine whispered.

Madame Giry looked at her adoptive daughter; tears in her eyes.

"Alright, it is time." She said, sniffing and turning around before emotion got the better of her. She walked toward the door purposefully and turned the handle.

Erik looked at Madame Giry. He could see the emotion flooding through her as she turned back to look at him but he knew that she would not betray herself once she opened the door. She would not betray him.

She took a deep breath and opened the door; the warm light of the rising sun flooded the small room but it was anything but comforting. She looked back once more and in an instant her face had changed. The expression on face was calm, stern and almost calculating. She was now wearing a mask and she wore it well...

"Alright." She said, walking outside; the volume of her voice raised slightly. "I will be back in the afternoon and we shall leave then."

Erik took a deep breath and stepped outside. Every sense, every instinct was warning against it but he had to make this believable... He waved as she walked towards her horse.

"Yes. Thank you for visiting, Madame. We shall see you this afternoon." He looked behind him to see Christine shrinking behind the door frame. He discreetly gestured for her to join him.

Christine. He mouthed.

"I'm scared..." She whispered.

You must.

Slowly, Christine walked towards his outstretched hand just as she had done so many times. As soon as she had reached it she clung to him as if he were the only thing keeping her anchored in this terrifying moment. She looked up just in time to see Madame Giry riding away and it took all she had not to burst into tears in front of all her spectators...

Sensing her anguish, Erik squeezed her hand reassuringly. All he wanted to do was to kiss her, to hold her, to tell her that he would keep her safe at all costs... but he could not. Not yet.

"Come, Christine. Let us prepare Caesar for this afternoon... then we can have something to eat?" That was it. That was all he could do and those listening would either believe it or they wouldn't. They walked back inside and the moment the door was closed Christine clung to Erik and wept.

"I'm so scared..." She cried.

"I know." He soothed, holding her tightly. He placed a small, tender kiss on her forehead. She looked up at him and he could not help but smile. Her face was tear-stained and her expression read that of angst but all it did was remind him of why she looked like that. She had chosen him. In spite of everything they had gone through so far, she had stayed. "I love you." He whispered, wiping the tears from her face. "... But we need to go."

Picking up the majority of what he had packed for them he walked towards the back door.

"Come." He said, smiling warmly.

"I... don't think I can do this, Erik."

"You can. Yes, you can... you must."

He opened the back door and Christine meekly trailed behind him. Before she knew it he had fastened their baggage to Caesar and it was time...

He looked down at Christine.

"All packed... Ready for this afternoon." His eyes were begging her to comply.

It's now or never.

"Yes." She said, turning to him. Did that mean yes...? He searched her face for the emotions she could not allow herself to show.

"Yes." She repeated quietly, nodding ever so slightly.

This was all he needed. In a second he had whisked her up onto Caesar and was about to jump up himself when something caught his eye as it fluttered to the ground; her note...

With the second he had to spare he bent down and picked it up without her noticing... He felt awful in doing so and her obvious ignorance to the occurrence only served to heighten his self-loathing. In spite of himself though, he was curious... Perhaps his jealous nature would get the better of him and he would read it. Perhaps he would not... it would have to wait. He would deal with it later...

Remembering the urgency of the situation he jumped up himself; the adrenalin momentarily masking any pain he felt.

Yes. Yes. It had worked! Maybe they would get away!

At the slight presence of the stirrups on either side of him Caesar took off and was quickly gathering speed. Just as Erik had expected, he heard voices shouting from behind him as soon as they had taken off.

"There he is!" A voice called.

"He's getting away!" Yelled another.

"Hold on, Christine." He yelled behind him. They raced around to the front of the house and down the dirt track. She held him tighter and shot a glance over her shoulder.

"They have horses, Erik!" She yelled. "How do they have horses!? They will catch us!"

"They won't." He said, hastening Caesar's gallop. They raced down the dirt track and took a left at the first opportunity. Travelling through the greenery was too much of a risk. Erik didn't know how many of these people there were or where they would be hiding.

Christine looked behind her again.

"They're still coming, Erik. There are more of them."

Erik shot a quick glance behind him to see five men hot on their heels. One of them looked familiar... He turned around again in an attempt to identify the face he recognized.

Then, he knew.

The face belonged to someone he had once known...

Then, the face had belonged to a boy he had seen around the gypsy camp when he was a child. He had seen this boy walking freely about the camp and had always wondered why he was not allowed to lead such a life; a life of freedom. One day, the boy had entered his tent. Foolishly, Erik had thought it a sign of friendship. He failed to see what there was to fear from a child like himself. In a severe error in judgement Erik had told this boy his plans of escape. That night he was beaten so badly that he was not... displayed for two weeks. He would never forget it. He still had the scars...

From that day onward the boy would be inside his tent; inside his cage whenever he was... ill-treated. As a child it hadn't made any sense; he had been just another spectator. He could not understand the child's betrayal but he never attempted to. Now it was all too clear. That boy had been his master's son...

And now, he wanted revenge... he wanted to claim back his prize winning trophy.

Erik's stomach lurched.

His chest tightened.

That was who they were...

That was what they wanted...

They would never stop...

"Christine..." He said.

"What is it?"

"Christine..." He began; his voice heavy. "I... I know who they are..."