Eric trudged through the snow collapsing every few steps. Dreams flashed past his eyes but when he reached out to them they disappeared.
Eric crawled aimlessly his body screamed for him to stop and lay down, but he knew if he stopped he would never see Christine.
He found himself fighting tooth and nail to stay awake Eric couldn't see past his hand in the storm he just tried to crawl straight praying that he was still going in the right direction.
Weakly he drug himself till he hit something. Eric felt around the thing thinking it was a tree. It was a building, and lights were on inside!
Eric pulled himself up dealing for the door. He could hear a voice, one deep and gravelly, the other was more painful sobs. "Christine!" he choked unable to say anything above a whisper. He found the door turned the knob and fell in passing out.
Eric woke up facing Christine covered in cruel bruises and tied to a post. "You son of a bitch!" Eric screamed stumbling up to his feet flying himself forward toward the man.
Nasr dodged Eric's weak form, Eric hit the ground next to Christine who was trying to escape her bonds. Nasr approached Eric and grabbed his jacket and threw him against the wall, Eric pulled himself up trying to stand on his weak legs. Nasr hit Eric sending him to the ground again. The room spun as Eric tried to regain himself. Eric herd a bang weakly he turned his head in the sounds direction.
The Daroga stood in the doorway with his firearm still pointed and Nasr dead on the ground.
Eric watched him run to Christine and untie her. Before passing out again.
"Eric!" Christine screamed. Nadir ran to Eric's side feeling his pulse. "Come on Eric stay with me." He whispered.
"Christine! are you capable of finding some blankets?" Although Christine was in unimaginable pain she nodded, knowing Nadir wouldn't ask anything of her that wasn't urgent.
"Eric warm up!" Nadir almost shouted rubbing Eric's frozen form vigorously.
Eric began fighting Nadir trying to remove his jacket mumbling to himself.
Christine came back to Eric falling beside him to the ground. "Here are these" she announced as she watched Nadir tuck the quilts around Eric who was struggling to keep them off of him.
"Nadir what's wrong with him?" Christine asked her voice panicked.
"Hypothermia." He answered, "when the his temper drops below normal."
"To hot." Eric mumbled fighting the blankets tossing his head about.
Nadir pinned Eric's hands down.
It was so hot the cages, the yelling calling him names, Eric saw the shah coming towards him. "Please no!" Eric begged as the beatings began.
Eric tucked himself in a ball covering his head with his arms. "Please no!" He cried, pain filled screams came.
"I'm not a monster." Eric cried still covering his head. "Stop, stop, please." Eric whispered.
Christine shifted her eyes to Nadir. His face was stricken with with guilt. He told Eric something in another language seemingly apologizing.
The shivers started as Eric's body temperature rose. Nadir sighed in relief "keep him warm I'm going to find some makings for a fire."
Christine sat next to Eric warming his icy skin with her hands. "I'm here angel, please stay with me."
The shah and his men faded, Eric was still in a cage but this time there were people around him laughing, calling him a 'freak' 'monster' and 'demon'.
A man came to him a smile on his face and a club in his hand. "Show them what the devil created!" He yelled above the crowd, the club falling on Eric.
"One of the devils own demons!" He shouted pulling him up to face the mockers.
Eric was in tears now as Christine held him tight, he couldn't get warm.
"How is he?" Nadir asked setting the fire makings in the fireplace.
"He has a fever now, and he's dreaming a lot."
Nadir nodded.
"I'm the cause of his nightmares," Nadir burst his guilt over taking him. Christine looked at the man confused, he merely lowered his head refusing to speak.
"You should get some rest, I'll stay with him." Nadir mumbled getting up.
Christine shook her head "I want to be with him, please."
Nadir nodded leaving the two alone.
Christine lay down next to Eric, thoughts of that night folded through her mind. Shaking off the memories she curled down next to him and closed her eyes.
Eric slowly opened his eyes, his body ached, and he was so tired. "Christine" he mumbled attempting to get up to find her.
Christine woke up pulling Eric gently back down to her, "Eric I'm here, everything is ok." Whispered softly.
Eric turned his head seeing her face covered in black, blue, and purple bruises. "I'm going to kill him!" Eric barked throwing the quilts off of him.
"He's dead!" She told him grabbing his arm.
"I'll kill him," Eric growled again.
Christine pulled herself closer to him her voice firmer this time, "Eric listen to me, Nadir came soon after you and killed him."
Eric cocked his head towards her tears trailing down his face, "I tried to get here in time, before he," Eric paused looking at her torn clothes barely covering her bruised body. "Before he hurt you."
Christine went back to sleep, he watched her making sure no more harm came to her. She stirred and cried throughout the night. It killed him to see her beaten, "I'll never let you out of my sight again." he told her quietly giving her a kiss but quickly pulled away when she flinched in pain.
The sun peaked through the window feeling warm on his face, Christine stirred nestling on his chest. He looked at her smiling "Feeling better?" he asked once he was sure she was awake.
She moaned snuggling up to him.
"You are still a little feverish." she said concerned.
He smiled pulling her tighter, her warm body warming his.
Nadir walked in circles in the next room, "Has he been doing that all night?" Christine asked.
Eric nodded, getting up wrapping himself up with one of the quilts. "We should start home."
Christine sat up trying to adjust the Hannibal costume, wincing when she bumped a bruise.
Eric weakly walked over to the door leaning on the frame, "Nadir,we should go before the storm hits again."
Nadir opened the door his black hair was asque his face radiated pure exhaustion all he did was nod.
Eric harnessed up the team Nadir had brought. Wrapping Christine up he guided her into the carriage. The ride was silent, everyone seemed to be holding their breath, trying not to think of the horrific events that had happened in the last few hours.