So sorry guys, have been crazy busy with work. Many of you probably think that I have given up on both of my stories but want to assure you that I haven't. I will finish them. So stick with me, as you have done :) You are all amazing! Here is the next chap. Hopefully it was worth the wait!

Phanty belongs to Leroux and Lloyd Weber.


Christine needed to contact the Giry's and Raoul. Now more than ever.

Raoul.

A whole new set of angst-laden thoughts and guilt-ridden memories rushed over her briefly. She didn't have the energy to think on those now. Not until everything was set right. She turned over and closed her eyes.

Please keep him safe, father.

The past weeks had been unlike anything she had ever experienced. She had felt fear, grief, anger, and love; all intense, all life changing but all exhausting. Finally she and Erik were given the opportunity to repair, both physically and emotionally and now she had lost him once more.

Christine rolled onto her back, forcing her eyes shut so that she could force sleep upon her anxious mind. The sooner she slept, the sooner she would wake and perhaps he would be closer to being found, being back in her arms or at least out of danger. Nadir seemed to believe that things weren't as serious as she had first believed, but how could she trust his word, regardless of who he was? Erik was everything to her now and because of her selfish, hurtful words he was gone. She sighed and turned over once more, restless with her thoughts. Yes, she had been hurtful, but so had he and he had stepped out into the night like she was nothing to him; like his words and her efforts had meant nothing at all. Surely she meant more than that to him. He was always making proclamations of his love for her. They can't have been lies, could they? They were both at fault for what had happened but she no longer cared. She would forget every word and take every ounce of blame if he would just return to her. She hoped that wherever he was, he had at least found warmth and shelter for the night.

She didn't know how long she was lying there in the darkness, torturing herself with notions that were out of her control, but thankfully, eventually exhaustion pulled her into a much needed sleep.


Christine awoke mere hours after falling asleep. Rubbing her eyes she stretched, reaching out to the side only to find that the space beside her was still just as empty as it had been prior to falling asleep. Tears stung at her eyes as the bitter realisation overcame her once more; She had not been dreaming. Erik was gone. She sat up and held her head in her hands and after a few deep breaths and a few moments of willing herself to stand up, she did so. She had had enough rest for now, and even if she hadn't, she knew that finding sleep again would be near impossible.

Folding her arms against the cold she walked over to Erik's bedroom window and peered out. There was only darkness, save for the mottled shapes she could see on the ground; dappled light the moon allowed through the thick cloud cover. The wind was still howling outside, rattling the ageing house with each strong gust. It would have been cosy under different circumstances… if Erik had been with her. She imagined him approaching her from behind as he had often done and wrapping his arms around her. She smiled at the thought before a tear slid down her cheek. Then, deciding that she could wait no longer, she walked back to the side of the bed and picked up the pocket watch that Erik had left behind.

Five in the morning.

Was that too early? From experience she knew that life in Paris did not begin until much later in the morning, but this was the country. Determined to turn this day around and to do everything in her power to aid the situation she threw the watch down upon the bed and started for Nadir's room to wake him.


"I don't think that we should take his money, Nadir." Christine began as her companion drew Erik's bag open and peered inside.

"He would allow it…" Nadir began, remembering that Erik had told him to use what he needed. "Trust me."

With a huff, Christine nodded and stood up straight, smoothing her skirts as she did.

Who could she trust? The man she had sworn her life to had disappeared.

"Oh no…" Nadir began.

Before Christine could enquire, Nadir had retrieved Erik's violin from within his bag- two strings had been snapped.

"He will not be happy. Although, he never is happy."

"Do you think that it was intentionally…"

"Broken? No. They are delicate things." He answered. Christine knew this more than most. On more than one occasion she had rendered her father's violin un-playable. Or at least that was what he had called it. "Most likely this has occurred during travel. Oh well. It serves him right for abandoning you." He handed her a small, brown bag. "Here, Christine. This is his money. Surprisingly after everything, it is all there. Well…" He shrugged. "Presumably."

"Contrary to what you say…" She began as she took the bag. "I still think that I should not go into town, not when I could assist you in your search for him."

"Christine!"

"He is the priority, Nadir!"

"Christine, listen to me. As I have said, I believe that Erik will return to us and when he does, he will be in need of food and supplies. You are helping him by venturing into town this morning. Know that."

"Alright, but I…"

"I will do everything in my power to find him, Mademoiselle. You have my word." Nadir cringed inwardly at what he was saying, what he was doing. He knew where Erik was, he was safe and sound right beside them and Nadir knew that all he had to do to ease Christine's pain was tell her that, but he could not. He was deceiving her and that great clod of a man was at fault.


"You shall not travel by foot, I will not allow it. Not in snowfall this thick!" Nadir asked as they stepped outside. The sun was just beginning to rise. He hoped that the village was in fact operating at these hours and that her trip would not be in vain.

"A horse would draw too much attention, I think." She said, looking down with a slight smirk. Apparently Nadir had become both over protective and overbearing in Erik's stead.

"You cannot walk all this way in the snow, Christine."

"Alright, then help me saddle Caesar." She started toward the small stable.

"No." Nadir blocked her path. "No. Please allow me."

She eyed him suspiciously.

"You have been through enough already." He reasoned. "Allow me, please. And I will saddle our other horse, as Caesar can be temperamental with anyone but Erik."

Christine shrugged irritably. Whatever got her there, she would do. She wanted it over and done with.


"Find him, Nadir." She said softly as she prepared to leave.

Nadir could only smile awkwardly. Thankfully, Christine was too grief stricken to take note.

As soon as he had readied Christine's horse and she had disappeared over the crest of the snow-covered road, Nadir rushed back to the house. Recalling Erik's request he reached into the bag in search of a mask for his friend which, thankfully, within moments he found. He strode across to what had now become Erik's sleeping quarters and opened the door.

Nadir rolled his eyes as his gaze met with his pathetically stubborn friend. Erik had fallen asleep sitting up, arms crossed and was quite comically snoring away with his head resting on his chest.

Nadir approached him and threw a somewhat friendly, yet frustrated kick into his legs that were now stretched out before him. His trousers, once kept impeccably clean were now covered in dirt.

"Wake up." He shot. Erik jolted awake, his eyes darting around frantically only to look up at Nadir and frown, irritated at the man before him.

"What in God's name do you think you're doing?!" He asked, his voice gruff from sleep. He wiped his eyes with the backs of his hands and yawned. "Well?" He demanded at Nadir who, apparently, should have answered by now.

"I came to give you this, you ungrateful lump!" Nadir threw the mask at his friend.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the divan this morning." Erik grumbled, picking up his mask and setting it beside him. He slowly stood, grimacing as he did so. Falling asleep in the position he had had been a poor choice.

"I suppose that this is a moot question, but what is wrong with you!?" Nadir questioned, enraged at his friend's mood.

Erik stood to full height and began to arch his back.

"Oh, Daroga. If I feel like this in the morning, I can only imagine what someone your age must go through each day."

"I am only two years older than you!"

"Yes, well you…" Erik yelled, holding his side. He had neglected to mind his rib and now it was plaguing him in a way that both ached and burned when he moved.

"Forgot, did you? Forgot what happened to you? Forgot what you did? Everything?"

"Apparently." He snapped, still holding his side. He leant against the wall behind him and took a deep, pained breath. "Where is Christine?" He asked, his tone now serious.

"She has gone into town."

Erik blinked at him, his brow furrowing as the seconds passed.

"Then why are you here!? You are supposed to be watching her! Go! Anything could happen!"

"I had to bring you your mask!"

"That does not matter! Go, Daroga!" Erik stood once more and pushed Nadir toward the door.

"Alright! I am leaving! I am leaving!"

"Go!"

Once alone once more, Erik approached Caesar, running his hand along his nose affectionately.

"Damn it, Daroga." He muttered under his breath. He looked up at his horse. "And how are you, my friend?" He asked with a smile. "Hungry?" He sighed. "You aren't alone in that."


When Christine reached the town, the sun had almost entirely risen. She dismounted Caesar and tied him to a small tree near the entrance of the town centre. She was determined to enter the on foot so as not to arouse suspicion.

Like many of the provincial towns she had visited with her father, the majority of the streets were dirt, but cobblestones paved the centre of the area, meeting with a small well. In the middle of the day she imagined it to be littered with children, chasing one another, calling out, playing the childish games that while simple in nature, could as a child captivate the mind for hours on end.

Thankfully much of the town was ready to trade. As she arrived, shops and stalls were opening up, ready for business. Deciding to make this as quick and easy as she possibly could, Christine first bought their staples, flour, vegetables and meat. She then took a visit to the fruit market. She tried to talk as little as possible and in spite of the stares she received she tried not to make eye contact with anyone at all. Familiarity was not something she wanted where she was, where Erik was. She even managed to evade questions upon visiting the pharmacy, telling the man behind the counter that her supplies were purely for her stores and that of course no one was injured. Where did she live? She was just passing through. How long was she staying? She was not. She knew that she could not trust anyone given Erik's situation and the thought of what he went through in this very town made her sick to the stomach. She purchased some basic stationery; paper, quills, ink and sealant. Finally, she could write to Raoul and the Giry's and tell them that she was safe, that they were safe. She couldn't buy any clothing for she knew that such a purchase would raise too many questions, but something caught her eye as she exited the stationers.

A music shop.

She wanted to buy something for Erik, to make up for what had happened but also just because she felt the need to. She knew that a music shop was the perfect choice but what did he need? What could she get him that would be easy to carry and that wouldn't have her in a lasting discussion with the storeowner?

Of course!

The violin!

A friendly bell chimed as she entered the shop and she was immediately greeted by an unassuming, middle-aged man with half-moon glasses atop his nose.

"Bonjour." He said in an even voice.

"Bonjour Monsieur." She greeted. She knew that she would have to speak to him for she would have no hope of finding such things herself. "I am in need of strings for a violin." A brand new instrument would have been idea but she knew Erik would have scolded her for spending so much money on him, and not food.

"Soprano?"

"Yes!" She answered. She shook her head in embarrassment, of course, he was asking about the instrument. "Uh… I mean, is that the regular one?" She shifted uneasily where she stood. How could someone who wanted to spend their life with a man like Erik know such little about one of his favoured instruments?

"It is the most common, Mademoiselle."

"Alright." She thought for a moment before speaking. "I will take a set of those."

As she exited the shop she hoped she had made the right choice. She smiled as she thought of handing them to him, him stringing the violin and playing to her as he had done by the river that night before his capture. She took a deep breath and picked up her pace. The sooner she returned home, the sooner she could aid Nadir in his search. Hopefully the weather would continue to be calm until Erik had returned to her. As she mounted her horse, she wondered if Nadir had had any success.


Nadir had followed her, just as Erik had requested. He had remained hidden in the tree line as he shadowed her every move. He did not take Caesar, though he had planned to for it would have been too noisy. He couldn't help but feel sick to the stomach as he watched her, saw her face. She seemed utterly defeated, though he knew she wasn't. She seemed on the verge of tears for the duration of her journey. He only hoped that his old friend would reconsider, or at least reveal himself to her before he left. He hoped he would do it soon. He could very easily end Christine's suffering and yet he would not.

He watched her as she purchased fruit, meat, and took a little detour into the town's music shop. He smiled to himself at her thoughtfulness. Erik did not know what he had. If he did, he was doing a poor job of showing it.

Knowing that he could not allow Christine to enter the stable, he left before she did and managed to make it to the house as she was dismounting her horse. He was out to breath. Not because he had been searching for his friend but because he had been running to ensure that she didn't find him. It all seemed ridiculous.


She was determined to assist him in his 'search' as soon as she placed her purchases inside.

"I am going to light the fire again, for when we return." He said to her once inside.

"Or in case he does…" She added.

"Yes." Nadir replied uneasily. "I will need to chop some wood. After that we can go, alright?"

Christine nodded solemnly. She wondered where to leave Erik's gift. Perhaps on his bed for when he returned. If he returned. Tears stung her eyes and she took a deep breath in order to keep them in check.

Suddenly, the door opened.

"Nadir, where should we keep the…"

She looked up to see Erik standing in the doorway.


After spending the morning pondering the subject Erik decided that he would enter the house. It would be easy enough simply to avoid her, wouldn't it? Avoid facing what he could not? He needed shelter from the cold if nothing else and though life without Christine would surely not be worth living, until he had made his mind up either way, he would rather be comfortable. Perhaps after he recovered he would leave. Perhaps after a day he would leave. Erik was beginning to hunger and he was beginning to thirst. He was cold, tired, and his wounds needed cleaning, as did he. He looked down at his boots and scoffed to himself. Thirty-six and already putting comfort over pride. Old age would surely be difficult for someone like him.

Yes, he would reside in the house until he decided where to go, or until Christine came to her senses and left. There was nothing wrong with that, was there?

Christine… what would he say to her? What would he say when he entered the house and saw her standing before him in all of her perfection? What could he say to her? What did he want to say to her? He wanted to explain himself, apologize for what he had said but what would be the point? She had made her sentiments known to him and words such as those were not easily forgotten. They were hurtful but they were true, weren't they? He had deceived her, and only a monster would have said such things to the woman he loved. He was a beast. Spending this time with Christine had not changed him and it never would.

Taking a deep breath he stood walked to the house. His house. This was going to be painful and it was going to be difficult, but the sooner he entered, the sooner she would question him and the sooner he could return to himself. Return to the safety of solitude. Where would he sleep? Perhaps he would have to use his mother's room if only to allow for privacy. No, she would not have wanted that. He would sleep in the living room.

Erik looked down at his boots once more, the same pair he had been wearing for weeks now. They were filthy.

Stop stalling.

Stop wasting time.

Once he entered it would be over. He would tell Christine that she is better off without him and realising her folly she would leave promptly. He didn't want that, no. But it was for the best. Placing a cold hand on the doorknob he turned it and entered the house.

Christine was standing before him just as he had imagined, a look of shock on her face. She dropped what she as holding; several potatoes went rolling across the floor.

"Erik." She muttered. He looked down and stepped inside, his boots scraping on the floorboards as he did so. He had brought mud inside. His mother would have killed him. Awkwardly and in silence, he closed the door behind him and glanced up at her briefly before staring at the floor once more.

"Erik." Immediately she rushed toward him, taking hold of his body and gripping him desperately. He was back. He was safe, and he was in her arms. She could hardly believe that he was standing before her. There he was, standing in front of the door. Under the same roof as her once more. His clothes were dishevelled and dirty, his wound was bleeding and he looked as though he had had less sleep than she, but how amazing it was just to be able to look on him again.

Erik's arms remained at his sides. Why was she embracing him? Oh, how good it felt, but why was she doing this to him? He grimaced at the pain caused by her embrace, both physically and everything else, but he said nothing. He longed to touch her, longed to hold her, but he could not. His pride was preventing him from doing so, yes, but the better part of him was still convinced of all that had been said; the accusations she had made, and the harsh words that had left his own mouth. Allowing himself the indulgence of her touch would now only be selfish, and it would only make things harder for him.

"I was so worried! Where did you go!? I am so sorry for what I said." Christine cried into his chest. "I didn't mean a word of it. This whole time I've just been wanting to apologise and… I… I am just so sorry!" Erik's warmth was that which she had yearned for, but it took her several moments to realise that he was not returning her embrace. She pulled away and looked up at him and his expression was that which she could not identify. Pain. That was evident, and yes, there was love, but what else? His eyes seemed somewhat glazed over; there was a steely hardness to them that she used to see before that fateful night of Don Juan.

"Where were you?" She probed, somewhat choosing to ignore his cold greeting. "Are you back?"

He did not meet her gaze.

"Erik… Answer me." She managed, wiping a tear that had escaped her eye. His eyes narrowed slightly; almost a flinch, but still he did not speak. She shook him slightly. "What is it!"

Finally, tears gathering in his own eyes, he looked down at her.

"I am not back." He said softly, his voice faltering. Christine's face fell. He had not planned to show emotion during this encounter but Christine had that affect on him. She always had. "I apologise for the duress I have put you through, and everything else." He gently removed her hands from his waist. "I will be here for a little while, until I am able to properly organise to leave…"

"What? What are you…"

He continued on in an even voice and he looked away from her.

"You may stay for as long as you wish, of course. You may stay here forever if you are in need." He took a deep breath. "I wish to apologise for what I said. You don't deserve to be spoken to like that. And… and I wish thank you for all that you have done for me and shown me and I…" His voice faltered once more. "I still love you more than you could ever comprehend. I always will. It's important that you know that, Christine, but I think that we should…" He cleared his throat in attempt to keep his emotions in check. However he was doing a poor job of it. A tear escaped his eye. He swiftly wiped it and continued. "I think that we should leave this where it is."

"What? You... you don't honestly believe that. You don't mean that."

Erik slipped his hands into his pockets, gripping the material inside in pained frustration.

"I do." He spoke.

"Erik, please. I can see that you are upset…"

Erik scoffed.

"Why are you acting so indifferent towards me?"

Because it is the only way I can deal with this pain.

"What do you want me to say?" He said with a cynical grimace. He looked down at her.

"I want you to say what you feel, not what you think you should say. Not what you planned to say."

Erik looked ahead without speaking.

"I was worried about you, do you know that? I was out of my mind with worry. Wondering if you were hurt, if you had frozen to death, been found, been killed. Did you even think about that when you left? After all that we had been through together I would think that you would be more considerate of me."

Erik kept silent. Christine continued.

"You just said that I don't deserve to be spoken to poorly and yet… and yet you… are you even listening to me? Do you even care?! Say something!" She pushed him backward slightly in frustration. He clicked his tongue and grimaced as she had aggravated his injury again.

"What do you want from me, Christine!?" He finally replied, raising his voice. Christine jumped slightly.

"I want you! I want to speak with you about what happened and apologise and…"

"I am trying to make this easy! To make it simple for you!"

"Do you not love me anymore?"

"I am trying to do what is best for you! Is that not love!? And you know that I do! I have just told you that I do!"

"What is best for me, Erik?" She asked sarcastically. "Please tell me."

"What is best for you is a life without me in it. I think that these past weeks are evidence of that, don't you? All I have done is put you in danger, in harms way. Everything you said was correct and I have no right to... to be here with you. You deserve better."

"Erik I did not mean the things I said."

"Yes you did." He said calmly. "And they were true."

"Let me explain myself. Can we not discuss this?"

"I did not return for that." He said curtly. Christine looked at him, tears in her eyes. She took a step forward and placed her hand on his chest, her thumb gently caressing his skin through the fabric.

"Please…" She said in a small voice.

"Christine…" He whispered, defeated. "I can't."

The door opened once more and Nadir stepped inside, arms full of chopped wood.

"Erik." He began, feigning surprise. "Where were you?!"

Erik looked at his friend.

"Erik." Christine continued, ignoring Nadir and searching his eyes that would not meet hers. She pulled his face down gently. "I love you." Finally, his gaze returned to hers. "What of our engagement?"

At these words he almost wept, the tears that had welled in his eyes rolled down his cheeks but he made no sound.

"Christine." He repeated.

Nadir unloaded what he was carrying and swiftly left the room, clearly wanting to take no part in the current discussion. Erik took a step backward. The only way he could deal with this anguish was to be away from her.

"Please, leave me be." He said coldly. Christine watched him in pained disbelief as he climbed the stairs, entered what was once his mother's room and closed the door.

Once behind the door, Erik slid to the floor, head in his hands. Now he was alone. He was alone just as it always was and he felt just as tormented as he always had. He wouldn't stay in this room. He couldn't, but he needed to get away from her. Find respite away from her gaze. Find somewhere he could open his eyes and not see her, but now, as he lay down on what was now Nadir's bed, he found that as he closed them, she was there. She was there and she always would be.


What did you think?! :)