Ok. so this chapter felt like it was a lot longer when i was writing it; not because it was arduous in any way but because quite a lot happens. I was only going to upload half of it to begin with but it seemed far too short... then i finished it and it seemed far too long... but it isn't? ANYWAY, I wont give away too much here, just read :)

Thanks to all the reviews. I love you for them, i really do. Hope you enjoy this one as much as i enjoyed writing it!

Phanty belongs to Leroux and Lloyd Weber.


"Your childhood home?" Christine repeated.

"Yes." Replied Erik, matter-of-factly. "Wait a minute, Christine." He said, stopping to remove jacket. "Perhaps I'm not used to this much sun." He laughed, loosening his collar. He stuffed the jacket into one of the bags tied to Caesar's saddle.

"Yes." She mused. "So, we are going to... your home?" Christine could not believe that of all places, Erik was taking her there. He had not discussed that part of his childhood with her, save for the hate he felt for his mother and she just knew that this would be yet another emotional upheaval for him.

"No. Not my home, my mother's home." He corrected, stroking Caesar. "It has been abandoned for more than ten years and you needn't worry, there is little chance of any sort of reunion, I assure you."

"Does she... not live there anymore?" Christine asked, apprehensively.

"She is dead, Christine."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"You couldn't have. Don't think on it. I told you what I felt for my mother." Christine watched him carefully as he spoke. Yes, he had told her. He had told her that she hated him for no good reason but upon speaking about it, she saw Erik's eyes flicker with something, if only briefly; regret? Disappointment? Love?

"Yes. Yes, you told me." She said, deciding not to pursue the discussion. "How do you get Caesar to listen to you? I was always terrible with horses! You should see what happens when I try to control them."

To this, Erik laughed heartily. Oh, how she loved the sound.

"Oh, Christine!" He laughed.

"What? What is so funny?" She asked.

"Nothing... it's just that I'm doing a good job of imagining what happens. Too good of a job!" Again, he laughed out loud.

She watched him. At least he was in a better mood. His moods could change so drastically, with the mere mention of a name, time or place. To see him this happy truly made up for everything.

"Well, I'm glad that you find it funny!" She teased.

"I do!"

"I like to see you laugh." She said, taking his free hand and interlacing her fingers with his.

"I know you do." He said; an accusatory grin on his face.

"No! I don't mean that!" She laughed. "I mean to see you actually happy. I so seldom see you like this." He smiled.

"I'm always happy when I'm around you." He squeezed her hand.

"I know." She said. Clearly, he didn't know what she meant. Maybe that was alright. Perhaps it was just a perfect moment in time; each of them momentarily forgetting their worries. Just happy to be alive and in the company of one another. Each moment with him was a triumph; a victory. Each moment out of a danger was another step towards their life together. Was it too much to ask just to be able to live? Perhaps it was... Erik had never been able to achieve such a simple feat.

"Ask me something." She said, looking at him.

"What? What do you mean?"

"It's a game. Anything; just ask me a question, something you don't know about me."

"Game?" Erik had never played a game. Not with his mother, certainly not with other children... and certainly not by himself.

"Yes. Yes. Just ask me something, and then I will ask you something."

"Alright." He laughed, seemingly perplexed by the whole concept and doubtful that such a simple thing could be enjoyable.

"What is...?" He looked around him, as if hoping assistance from the trees or the river. "What... What is your favourite colour?"

"That doesn't count!" She laughed and pushed him slightly.

"Why not?" He smiled. "You said ask a question. I asked a question."

"Yes but everyone asks that question. It's trivial..."

"Oh 'everyone' asks that. This game is trivial." He teased. "Do you know what my favourite colour is?"

"Well... no." She said.

"You see! You don't know. And I don't know yours so answer the question."

Christine rolled her eyes playfully.

"Alright, its teal."

"Teal is not a colour." He teased.

"Yes it is!" She laughed. "And anyway, you can't dispute the other person's answer, now come on."

"'Come on?' It's your turn... my favourite colour is red, in case you were interested."

"I could have guessed that."

"What does that mean?" He laughed. "I only wore it once in front of you." Both of them were enjoying themselves far too much to recall the circumstances under which he was referring to.

"Yes, and I could tell that it was your favourite colour."

"How?" He asked, his voice dripping with scepticism.

"By... by the way you walked!" She answered, clearly struggling with her reasoning.

"The way I walked. That's ridiculous." He rolled his eyes.

"It's not! And you looked so handsome in red; I knew that it had to be your favourite colour."

Her logic made no sense, but did she just call him handsome? Did that meant that she thought it at the time? When she was engaged to Raoul? Erik looked at her, mouth agape. Suddenly he felt extremely self conscious.

"And now you're turning your favourite colour." She teased. Erik turned away, feeling the heat in his cheeks intensify as she pointed it out.

"Don't embarrass me, Christine." He smiled.

"You're blushing!" She said, now intentionally embarrassing him, poking him as she teased.

"Stop it!" He laughed; more annoyed than actually uncomfortable. "Stop that! Stop it or..."

"Stop it or what?" She teased, still poking him.

"Stop it or... I'll throw you in the river!" He said, grabbing her hands so that she would stop.

"You wouldn't dare!" She tested him, smiling.

"Wouldn't I?" He teased; a devilish grin on his face. Before she could answer he had whisked her up into his arms and was walking toward the riverbank. Caesar let out a confused snort as his master walked past him.

"Put me down!" She demanded through laughter.

"No, I don't think so." He said nonchalantly in order to panic her further. "I think that a little revenge is in order."

"Erik! Don't you dare! " She laughed, holding onto his neck so that he could not release her if he tried.

"I'll do it!" He laughed, pretending to lower her into the water.

Stretching her arm over his shoulder, around to his back and managing to reach his ribs, she furiously tickled him in the hopes of him releasing her. It seemed to have been enough because immediately he yelled, his knees buckled and they fell together onto the grass in a heap of laugher.

"That wasn't fair, my dear!" He laughed, still lying on his back.

"What is fair?" She replied, rolling off him and lying beside him. "You would have me take a swim at these temperatures!"

"You know that I wouldn't have been so cruel, surely."

"I don't know that" She smiled. "See, I told you that it would be fun." She turned to look at him to see him simply staring at sky.

"Yes..." He replied distantly. "Fun."

"What's wrong?" She asked, reaching over and placing her hand on his chest. He placed his hand over hers and smiled distantly.

"I just wish that... we could stay here. That we could just be; just live and enjoy each other as others can... without worry." Christine moved closer to him and held him.

"Soon, we will be able to do that." She spoke with her face against his neck. "I will give you the life you deserve, Erik. I promise you that."

He turned to her and smiled that crooked smile she loved so much.

"I love you, Christine." He said; it was the first time he had said it uninhibited; without feeling nervous, scared or anxious. He simply said it as any other man would have. Christine moved on top of him and kissed him deeply. He gratefully accepted.

"I love you, too." She said, placing another on his cheek. He held her head in his hands and stared into her eyes. She was so perfect and against all odds, she loved him. She loved him and she was not afraid to say it.

Their moment would not have been broken had it not been for the harassed yells and the cluster of horses hooves that could be heard approaching.

Erik shot up.

"We have to leave." He said. "It's them. They have found us."

They rushed up the embankment toward Caesar as quickly as they could but it was not quite quick enough. Before they could reach the horse, the gypsies were upon them.

"Quickly! Grab him!" Yelled one of the men as he hastily dismounted his horse. Erik pulled Christine behind him. How had he made such an error? He cursed himself. No matter how hard he tried, he kept putting Christine in danger.

Two of the men moved towards Erik, each coming from opposite directions. His eyes darted between them both; trying to decipher which one of them was the greater threat, trying to decide which way to tell Christine to run... if it was even worth it? He could see that they had pistols and before he could take a step in either direction, one was pointed at him.

He was now surrounded by five men and they were moving closer.

"Stay back!" He threatened. What could he possibly do if they didn't? He hadn't a weapon... he hadn't a hope in the world. "Don't you dare come any closer!" He warned. Before he knew what was happening, then men were upon them both; hands pulled at him, at them both; prying them apart.

"No..! No!" He struggled. "Don't touch her!"

"Erik..." she cried out to him but he could not do anything to help her.

He fought with all the strength he had but it was not enough. Within seconds he and Christine were separated. He hated the fact that someone else was touching her, hurting her. He wanted to kill them. He wanted to kill them all! He wanted to cry. He wanted to break down and give up for the anger he felt was debilitating. He finally had her. This could not happen!

"No!" He struggled. "Let go of me!" The men holding him were struggling to maintain their footing. Then, someone yelled something and he was momentarily silenced by a hard punch in the stomach.

"No!" Cried Christine. "Leave him alone!" Erik raised a hand to her to let her know that he was alright but he did not look up until he was addressed by a new... yet familiar voice.

"Finally." It said. Erik looked up. It was just as he thought; Emile. His stomach dropped. Emile looked exactly the same; thin, lank black hair, deep set eyes... "My, you've grown." He said; a smug grin on his face as he walked toward Erik. "We've been following you! Why did you run, Erik? Why would you run from such an old friend?"

Erik could not speak; simply looked up at him. The mob had meant nothing to him; they were simply another obstacle for him to surpass... but this... This was his past coming back to haunt him; a past he had long thought dead. He had spent years trying to forget... and now that he was before Emile once more, he felt no better than that boy in the cage.

"That is you, Erik? Isn't it? You've crafted yourself a nice mask but... I think it's still you." He gestured to one of the other men who walked towards Erik, reaching for his mask.

"No!" he yelled, struggling backwards.

"No! Don't!" Cried Christine. "Leave him alone!" Emile gasped.

"And who is this, Erik?" He asked, walking towards Christine. For the first time, completely enraged at the thought of harm befalling Christine, Erik spoke.

"Don't you touch her!" He warned; venom in his voice.

"Ah! He speaks! I was beginning to think that you had lost your hearing! But then... I can't say that I heard you speak very much when we were children... No, it was mainly screaming I heard."

"Don't you dare touch her." Erik repeated. "Do what you wish with me but..." His voice softened. "...don't harm her."

"Oh... I do plan to do what I wish with you. I do. But, my friend..." He walked back to Erik and placed a hand on his shoulder. Erik shook it off immediately. "...you aren't really in a place to be making demands."

"Let her go Emile. Let her go and I swear that I won't fight."

"No! Erik! What are you saying?!" Christine struggled to be free but no matter what she did, she was not strong enough.

"We will take you, Erik. It doesn't matter me whether you fight or not." Trying to find empathy within this man was hopeless!

"Please!" He yelled, continuing his struggle but to no avail.

"Do you want to know how we found you?" Emile began, ignoring Erik's plea. Erik looked up at him, desperation in his eyes. He had to save Christine. No matter what, she had to escape. "It was the fire! Yes... quite careless of you!"

"Why are you toying with me?" Erik cried. "Just kill me and be done with it!"

"No!" Christine sobbed.

"Kill you? No, that isn't our intention at all. It has been a long time, but a debt still needs to be paid. You will pay for what you did to my father." Emile turned to one of the other men. "Tie his wrists. I have wasted enough time here." With that, he walked away.

"No! NO! Emile! Please... just let her go!" Erik looked at Christine, she was sobbing. She looked so afraid and there was nothing he could do about it. His heart was breaking with every tear she shed.

"EMILE! Come back!" He struggled. "Please!"

"Erik..." Christine began. He looked at her just in time to see the butt of a pistol come down upon her head.

"NO!" He yelled, struggling as hard as he possibly could but it was of no use. "Christine! No!" He began to weep. If Christine was hurt, he had nothing to lose. He struggled to see past her assailant but when he finally moved out of the way, Christine was lifeless in the dirt.

"NO! CHRISTINE!" He yelled. "Christine... Why... WHY?" He elbowed and punched all that he could reach and was given the same in return but he did not care. "I WILL KILL YOU! I will KILL you ALL! EMILE! I will KILL YOU!"

It took six men to restrain him until finally he was weeping so much that he had lost all strength. "Christine... Why did you do that... why?" He cried. What had he done? Christine could be dead and if she was, what was the point of it all? What was the point of her choosing him? Loving him? It hardly mattered now. It was all for nothing...

He collapsed in the dirt and did not fight when the men bound his hands together.

"Get up!" One of them cried. Erik ignored him. All he could was stare at her lifeless body; weeping for what could have been. For what was supposed to be.

"Christine..." He whispered almost to himself, broken. "Christine..."

"Get up, I said." The man repeated, pulling him roughly to his feet. It was only when Erik realised that he was being pulled away from Christine did he regain some of his strength.

"No! NO! I can't! I won't leave her!" He struggled away from the men once more. Christine's perfect face was the last thing he saw before feeling a sharp pain in his head...

And then...

Blackness...


The hell with this chapter, right? I mean FLUFF, FLUFF and then BAM! DRAMA. What will happen next? Is Christine alright? I am drained after writing that; so intense! Erik and Christine are all cute and then this drama ensues. I don't enjoy doing it, i don't!

Please review! :)