Things are happening! Hope you like!
Really appreciate all the feedback and support. I really hope that I am meeting your Erik expectations.
Phanty belongs to Leroux and Lloyd Weber
"Thank you for taking me to see him, Raoul." Christine spoke absentmindedly as she looked out of the carriage window. She turned to him. "I know how hard it must have been on you. It truly was a selfless act and I will not forget your kindness."
Raoul took her hand.
"Christine, do not fret. I will do whatever it takes to ease your worries. I was prepared to share your burdens upon marriage and nothing has changed... even if you will not have me." Christine smiled; a mixture of guilt and gratitude played upon her features.
"And... I can tell by looking at you that it was harder on you than it was on me."
"Yes." She replied, turning to face the window once more. It was awful. There were no words for what she had seen; how helpless she had felt. How had things gone so wrong so quickly? Erik had sworn to protect her but what of him? He was with the only people on this earth he held any sort of fear towards and he had done nothing to help him. What could she have done? She looked through the window at the passing streets and buildings. Buildings she had seen many times during her time in Paris. They had always been comforting In their familiarity but tonight they made her feel ill at ease; Dark, looming... They seemed to be taunting her. Each building signified moments that passed; moments that were being wasted. They passed Avenue de l'Opera; still in construction. She allowed her eyes to follow the long strip until they were met with a welcoming sight;
Her home.
Erik's home.
The place where they had met.
The Opera; still standing as proud as ever in all of its triumphant glory.
"Have you spoken to Madame Giry at all?" She asked, suddenly reminded of all that she had been lax to remember over the last few days. She turned to Raoul to see him staring at the very same thing; a nostalgic look in his eyes.
"Yes." He mused. "I went to see her yesterday. She and Meg are quite well but they were asking about you."
"I am so relieved to hear that they are well. I... feel so selfish, I had completely forgotten about everyone else, all these people who were... who are so vitally important to me."
"Rightfully so, Christine. You have been trying to ensure your own and Erik's safety. Everyone will understand."
"I suppose you are right." She sighed as the Opera disappeared from view. "It all seems another world away, doesn't it?"
"Yes." He agreed solemnly. "Madame Giry told me that she came to visit you and that you were both doing quite well. When I heard that I was relieved as I hadn't heard from you since we left here."
"Yes I... Like I said, I had meant to write but..."
"It is alright." He smiled. "She said that you were visited by the Gendarmerie?"
"Yes!" She said, reminded of the fear she felt that night. "It was quite frightening. But thanks to her we got through it..."
"You have both been through a lot."
"...And it is not over." She said looking down to her hands in her lap.
When will it be over?
While I am sitting here, casually conversing with you Erik is being put through God knows what...
"So... did he tell you which house it was, exactly?" Raoul spoke, interrupting her spiral towards self-deprecation; a tendency Erik had. He had always excelled at it. Perhaps she had spent too much time with him. She smirked to herself.
"Christine?"
"No. He... never got the chance." She cast her eyes down. He never got the chance. She was dragged away and he was punished for her decisions... again.
"Ah." Raoul responded. He didn't know what to say to ease Christine's worry. There was nothing that he could say because perhaps this was something that he could not fix. "Have... have you ever been there? It... is quite a long street." Christine looked up at him anxiously.
"Will you not help me?"
"Of course I will!" He placed a reassuring hand over hers. "I only mean that it will take some time and..." He stared thoughtfully out of the same window she had been. "Time is not something that Erik has a lot of."
"I know. But we have no choice."
"Well I will stay with you for as long as it takes to find this man Erik was referring to. It will be alright, Christine..."
"How can you say that it will be alright?"
"We have to believe that it will be. You have to. You are the only hope he has..."
Christine sighed, frustrated. She bit her lip and stared out of the window once more.
"I know."
Darkness had now completely descended upon the city and the temperature had dropped significantly. With each lamp-light they passed, Christine was able to that it was beginning to snow. She worried for Erik. How would he get through the night? She had to tell herself that he would be alright. He had such strength and now that he knew she was alive, he would not give up the fight easily. She just hoped that they were able to get to him in time.
"Here will be fine." Raoul told the driver.
As they stepped out into the cold, dark street Christine could not help but be overwhelmed with grief. It came in a wave, heavy and thick and threatened to overcome her. She could not contain the barrage of sobs that had now taken hold. She leaned on a nearby building and began to weep uncontrollably.
"Christine..." Raoul called after paying the driver and looking around to see that she was not where he had left her. He rushed towards her. "Christine... are you alright? What is the matter?" He knew exactly what was wrong.
She held onto him and cried into the folds of his clothing.
"I... I can't do this, Raoul." She cried. "I... I cannot save him... It's all hopeless! It... it isn't fair..."
"Shhh... no, it isn't fair. But you can save him."
"I can't... there is such little hope... we tried. We tried so hard to escape... but we are back in Paris, where we started..." She pointed out into the empty street. "HE is back where he started. It isn't fair!"
Raoul held her as she cried, just as he had done once before. He cringed at the cruel irony.
"We... we tried so hard. All he wanted was... was a normal live. He just wanted to live... WE just wanted to live... And I don't know what to do... I don't know how to fix it without him..."
"Christine, look at me." Raoul said softly. He gently held her head in his hands. "You are a strong woman. Erik is depending on you. He put all of his hope and trust in you because he knew that you could handle it. And you can. I know that it is hard. I know that every fibre of your being is telling you that you are too grief stricken; that you can barely function because you are worrying about him... I once went through the same thing..." As he said this, pain flickered across his eyes. He was talking about her. She hadn't the slightest idea that he had been so worried for her... that he was going through so much.
"Raoul... I..." She sniffed.
"I know that all you want to do is give up. But you cannot. Erik would not give up on you." She looked up at him then. How could he so openly, so selflessly give her this encouragement when he knew that he would not benefit from it? Regardless, he was right. Erik would not give up on her. Neither would Raoul. At some point, both men had suffered untold struggles to ensure her safety...
"I... I'm sorry." She said, wiping her eyes and looking down. Raoul knew exactly what she was apologising for.
"Please. I have already told you that there is no need. I know that you do not love me and... I have begun to accept it." He placed a tender hand on her cheek. "Either way, I would not dream of letting you go through something like this alone."Christine placed her hand over his and smiled in gratitude.
Small, furry snowflakes were beginning to land in her hair. Raoul looked up.
"Snowing..." He said absentmindedly. He smiled as he was enveloped by a warm memory; a time they had once shared under similar circumstances. As he began to look down his eyes caught sight of the street sign above Christine's head.
Rue de Rivoli
"Christine, look." He said, stepping back and pointing to the sign. "We are here."
"Where should we begin?" Christine asked, peering down into the overwhelmingly long street. Raoul sighed.
"The first house, I suppose."
Raoul stood in front of the first door confidently and knocked. He looked down at Christine who was watching him anxiously.
"We will find him." He whispered, taking her hand.
The door opened to reveal a small, balding man who seemed to be about sixty years of age.
"Can I help you?" He asked, peering down at Raoul and Christine over his grubby spectacles.
"Ah... Yes." Raoul stuttered. He shot a nervous look at Christine before clearing his throat. What was he to say? "Sorry... sorry to bother you Monsieur, but..."
"What is it?" The man asked impatiently, glancing over his shoulder then back at Raoul.
"Apologies. We are searching for someone... Uh..."
"Do you know anyone by the name of Erik?" Christine interrupted. The man looked down at her.
"Erik? No... no. No one by that name. Is that all? I am in the middle of my dinner."
"Yes... that is all. Are... are you sure?" Raoul asked.
"Am I sure? Of course I am sure. I remember the names of those I am acquainted with." The man began to shut the door. "Goodness me..."
"Thank you, Monsieur." Raoul called through the closed door.
"He was rude." Christine shot as they walked down the stairs and moved to the next house.
"Yes." Raoul smiled, amused by her anger.
They received similar reactions at the next three houses. People were quite short with them and no one had been acquainted with anyone by the name of Erik, except for a particularly aged woman who claimed that her grandfather had been called Erik...
"Do you know his surname? That might make this easier..." Raoul asked as the stood in front of the fifth house. Christine looked up at him, a perplexed expression on her face. He had never told her his surname and she had never thought to ask.
"No I... he never told me. However I think that if someone were acquainted with Erik, they would know it. I cannot imagine there are many people like him."
"Yes, I suppose you are right." He chuckled, knocking on the door.
"Coming!" A man's voice called from within the house.
"We will find him, Christine. Do not distress." Raoul whispered.
The door was opened to reveal a middle aged man, swarthy in complexion and an expectant smile upon his face.
"Bonsoir, how may I help you?" He said, looking at Raoul. When his gaze shifted to Christine, his eyes seemed to widen in recognition. "My goodness. Forgive me, are you Christine Daae?"
Christine was taken aback.
"I... yes, I am. May I ask how you are able to recognize me?"
"Oh, forgive me." He opened the door wider. "I have seen you perform, Mademoiselle..." He looked at Raoul. "...Madame?"
"No... Mademoiselle." Christine corrected awkwardly as she shot a nervous look at Raoul. "I do not understand. You saw me at the Opera?"
"Yes I..." The man said distantly. "I have had... some business there over the years. I do not visit often but I was fortunate enough to see your debut performance." He smiled. "Forgive my manners. I am Monsieur Khan. Nadir Khan." He shook their hands enthusiastically. Christine smiled awkwardly as Raoul introduced himself. "If I may, what brings you to my door in this weather... at this hour?"
Christine knew that it was a long shot and her experiences with the past few houses had not exactly encouraged her but this man had spent time at the Opera. Perhaps she was getting closer. Regardless, it did not hurt to ask.
"Monsieur Khan... we are looking for someone." She began.
"Ah well. I was a policeman at one time in my life. Perhaps I can help you. Who is it that you are looking for?"
Christine took a deep breath.
"Monsieur... do you know anyone by the name of Erik?"
Nadir looked at her, mouth agape. His eyes narrowed and searched her face for answers. How could this woman know of Erik? It could not be the same person.
"He... told me to find someone who lived on Rue de Rivoli, but did not give me a name. Do... you know him Monsieur?" He looked up at Nadir, her eyes hopeful... desperate.
"Allah..." He began, staring at her in stupefaction as recognition dawned on him. "You are Erik's Christine..."
Christine's eyes widened and without a second thought she pulled Nadir into an embrace.
"Thank god... thank god." She cried. "I have found you..."
Raoul was silent; shocked by Christine's actions and in awe at the fact that they had finally found the man they were in search of.
Nadir laughed and returned the embrace awkwardly.
"Yes... you... you have found me."
Christine began to cry once more.
"What is the matter, Christine Daae? Why do you weep..?" Nadir pulled away and looked into her eyes, a stern expression on his face. "What has happened? What has he done?"
"He... he is in trouble." She whimpered, wiping her eyes.
Nadir sighed.
"You had better come inside, both of you." He opened the door and let them in before peering out into the darkness and closing it abruptly.
Erik was freezing; now unable to control his shaking. The cold was sneaking in through the hole which just hours before had allowed him light and warmth. He was in complete darkness which thankfully, was something he had become well accustomed to. The metal cuffs were beginning to cut into his skin and he could feel his strength depleting from lack of food. His body ached and he was beginning to thirst. If only he could sit... just for a little while...
But Christine was alive.
Christine was alive and she loved him.
How foolish he had been. He had always had a penchant for the dramatic; for overreacting. In his life, the worst conclusion had always been the right one. The worst scenario had always come to pass. It had all changed since Christine. But would she find Nadir? Would he be able to help? If there was anyone who could help and be discreet about it, it was Nadir. But would they return before it was too late? He had been all over Europe the last time he had been with the gypsies. If they were to leave, Christine may never be able to find him.
He hoped that she realized the gravity of the situation, of what he had told her; the faith he had put in her. She was his only hope.
She always had been...
She had been his only hope for happiness, for a normal life, for redemption. Would she be his saviour too?
The door to the cellar opened once more and Emile came into view with a lamp in his hand. Erik narrowed his eyes as light came in contact with his eyes for the first time in what felt like hours.
"Wh-what do y-you want..?" Erik stammered. He flinched slightly as he spoke, feeling the presence of a cut on his lip.
"I just thought you would like to know that we will be moving along soon. Perhaps tonight, or tomorrow. Now that we have what we want..." He moved the lamp closer to Erik's face and reached out, attempting to hold his chin up to the light. Erik jerked away. Emile smirked. "There is no need for us to stay here any longer."
Erik turned away and said nothing. The warmth of Emile's lamp made him maddeningly aware how cold he actually was and he wanted nothing more than to move to closer to it.
"So then, how are you, my friend? Cold? Hungry? In pain?" He asked, a smile on his face.
Erik ignored him. Yes, he was all of those things and more.
"So, now you know that your Christine is alive..."
"Yes." Erik finally spoke and looked up to meet Emile's gaze. "She is alive and safe. You have nothing to use against me." He smiled smugly.
"She is alive and safe yes. But she will return. And I will not be so civil when she does."
Erik looked down once more.
"No doubt she is concocting some sort of plan to free you... Anyway we will be gone long before then, so there is no need to think on that. Or... perhaps she is not planning on returning. Perhaps she is glad to be rid of you. She did turn up with another man, did she not?"
"You cannot use her against me anymore, Emile. You have nothing. I am not that boy you once knew. You cannot make me anything I do not wish to do."
So you should just kill me.
He wanted to say it. It would have given him such satisfaction. But he could not. For once he had something to live for, Christine would come back for him and he had to be ready for when she did. Aside from that, he could never leave the world knowing that someone like Emile was alive... He could not put Christine at such risk.
"We will see, my old friend. We will see."
With that, he left and Erik was once more enveloped in darkness. He closed his eyes and did what he had always done when there was nothing but the dark to accompany him.
He thought of Christine.
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