Hey everyone thanks again for the reviews. Once again I do not own any of the POTO Characters except Alex and a few of the made up ballerinas. Read and enjoy…

That night, Erik tucked his daughter in for the night. She hadn't moved from her bed all day and refused to speak to anyone. It hurt Erik to watch her lie there in sorrow all afternoon, but what could he do? Afterwards, Erik changed into his night clothes which resided of a white shirt that buttoned half way up his chest and a pair of black slacks. He then blew out the candles that lit his lair and removed his mask in the darkness. He then crawled into bed with Christine who also hadn't spoke a word to him since the morning. Erik wrapped his arms around Christine's body and felt her flinch as he did. She had never flinched before when he done this and it made Erik feel as if the problem she had was with him.

"I really wish you would talk to me Christine."

When Christine didn't answer him, Erik leaned over and tried to kiss her on the lips when she moved away to avoid it. Tears ran down Erik's cheeks, as he rolled over and moved his arms away from her.

"Oh Christine."

"Don't stop holding me Erik."

Erik looked over at Christine, and wrapped his arms around her chest once more.

"Tell me angel, what is wrong? You know you can tell me anything, I've told you that more than a billion times."

Christine touched his hand that was wrapped around her chest.

"Nothing is wrong with me Erik."

"Oh Christine please don't lie to me. Has someone hurt you? Tell me angel."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh Christine, you have bruises on your legs and you flinched when I touched you."

"No one has hurt me Erik and I would appreciate it if you stopped accusing me of such nonsense."

Erik touched turned Christine over on her back, and kissed her neck ever so softly. As he tried to put his hand up her night gown, she stopped him.

"Stop Erik,….just leave me alone."

Erik looked the other way and put his head down.

"You never denied me before."

"I'm sorry Erik…..it's just…it's just."

"It's just what?"

"Nothing I just want to go to sleep Erik."

Erik got up, and put on his cloak as Christine looked at him.

"Where on earth are you going this late?"

Erik placed his mask over his face and began to walk away.

"What do you care?"

Once Erik jumped into his gondola, he began to push himself away from all his problems. Being away from Clorinda and Christine to vent made him feel slightly better. When he docked his boat at the entrance of the stairway Erik walked up the stairs and opened the door to the roof. The night was snowy and the once cobble stone roof was now pure white, leaving his foot prints indented into it as he walked over to one of the gargoyles and had a seat against it. As he took a few deep breaths to relieve the stress from him he heard the sound of footsteps getting closer. When he turned around, Erik spotted Madam Giry standing behind him dressed in her night clothes and cloak.

"It's kind of cold out here to be taking a midnight stroll Erik."

"That it is Madam."

"I saw you storming through the halls just now. Is something wrong?"

Erik pulled his cloak closer to him to keep the wind from entering his body.

"It's Christine, she won't speak to me."

"What seems to be the problem?"

Erik got to his feet and waved his arms in anger.

"That's just it, I don't know what's wrong with her because she refuses to speak with me. Oh this is great too because my own daughter also refuses to speak to me. All her and Christine did was lie around in bed all day refusing to even look at me."

Madam Giry stood next to Erik, and patted him on the back.

"Calm down Erik, maybe they are just tired. When I get tired I get angry too."

"No, it can't be that."

"How so?"

"Because all Clorinda ever does is beg me to let her play the organ. Today I tested her and told her to come play the organ with me. I was trying to get her out of bed and all she did was just look at me and shake her head no. I knew right then and there that there was something wrong."

"Ok but that's Clorinda, what about Christine? How do you know that she isn't just tired?"

"Because tonight I lied with her in bed and put my arms around her. She flinched as if I were going to hurt her. Never once has she ever flinched when I touched her, not even when I came onto the stage during Don Juan Triumphant and held her close to me. There was something else too."

"What?"

"There were bruises on her legs, they looked so painful. She said that she got them during rehearsal the other day."

"That couldn't be possible, because we didn't have rehearsal the other day. It was cancelled because the conductor Ryer became ill with food poisoning and Nadir had to go to his aid."

Erik angrily kicked the snow and turned towards Madam Giry.

"Why would she lie to me? Who is she protecting? I just don't understand it Madam."

"Erik, do yourself a favor and try to rest. You're wearing yourself down to nothing over this. She is in your care now and I'm sure she'll come out of what ever state she's in and tell you what is wrong. I mean she's also been ill so you cannot blame her for her actions."

Erik walked over to the door of the roof and brushed the snow from off of him.

"Sick or not, I know my Christine and this isn't like her."

Erik walked back to his lair and couldn't find it in his heart to lie next to Christine. It was so much easier just to walk over to his organ and write his music. The next morning, after a night of writing his music he noticed Clorinda wake up and walk over to the water's edge and have a seat. Erik realized that it would be a perfect time to talk to his daughter even if it was at the water's edge. Erik walked over to her, and took a seat at her side.

"Good Morning Clorinda."

"Morning."

"Are you feeling any better today?"

"Not really Monsieur Kire."

"You know that you could tell me anything Clorinda, anything in the world no matter how bad it is."

Clorinda wiped the few tears that were in her eyes and looked away from Erik.

"I got scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Something really bad, something that I just couldn't understand."

"What Clorinda? Please tell me."

"I can't Monsieur, please I just can't."

Erik grabbed onto both of Clorinda's shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

"Clorinda please tell me what happened?"

Clorinda began to cry, and looked away from Erik.

"The other night I woke up from a nightmare about my mother dying. I just wanted to make sure that she was ok because I was so scared. I walked to her room…..and..and the door was locked. I heard noises coming from inside so I got down on the floor and looked under the door. There was a man…he was holding my mother down on the bed saying such cruel things to her."

Erik looked away and realized that's where the bruises on Christine's legs came from. Clorinda was completely sobbing at this point, making it hard for her to speak.

"She was trying to fight off the man but was fighting a loosing battle."

"Did she scream?"

"No, she couldn't, there was a scarf tied tightly around her mouth so that she couldn't make a sound. I was so scared Monsieur, I didn't know what else to do."

"What…What else was the man doing to Christine?"

Clorinda wiped the tears out of her eyes and shook her head.

"I don't know because I don't understand what he was doing to her."

"Tell me Clorinda."

"He…he had his trousers down and was lying on her and pushing himself into my mother. What was he doing Monsieur? What was the man doing to my mother?"

Erik began to sob, and wiped his eyes.

"Who was the man Clorinda?"

"Philippe."

At that moment, Erik's whole world came crashing down beneath him. He got to his feet and looked away from his daughter.

"Go upstairs, just leave your mother and me alone."

"But…but.."

"Just Go!"

Clorinda ran away, and Erik walked over to his bed and looked down upon Christine. She was lying awake but staring into oblivion.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why keep it all bottled up Christine?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I mean! Philippe he…he"

"He what?"

"He raped you Christine."

"Don't be serious."

At that moment, Erik tore the blankets from off her and lifted up her night gown revealing her chest and legs. He chest had scratches on them, and her legs were still badly bruised.

"Oh Christine, this is all my fault."

Christine began to sob, and pulled the covers over her wounded body.

"Just leave me alone Erik."

"He raped you Christine."

"How do you even know that it's true?"

"Because Clorinda watched the whole thing happen."

"How do you even know it's true?"

"Because you flinched when I touched you. In all the years I've stalked and tore you away from the world above never once did you flinch to my touch."

Christine wrapped the covers around her naked body, and let Erik take her in his arms and hold her closely to him.

"Please don't cry Christine."

"Oh Erik I feel so dirty, so used and dirty."

"This is all my fault, this is all Erik's fault."

"No Erik, don't blame yourself."

"If I wouldn't have left you alone this wouldn't have happened."

Christine just continued to cry, and Erik lied her down on the bed once more.

"Get your sleep Christine, you're going to need plenty of it."

Once Christine was asleep, Erik walked up stairs to the hall way. As he walked past Andre's office, he heard the familiar voice of Philippe. Erik walked into the office to find Philippe talking to Andre. Erik smiled evilly..

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something important?"

Andre smiled, and motioned Erik to have a seat.

"Of course not Erik, we're partners."

"Thanks but I won't be staying long."

Philippe put out his hand for Erik to shake it, but Erik grabbed it and twisted it around his back.

"You have the nerve to put out your hand after what you did to Christine? You messed her up and now you're going to pay."

Andre ran behind his desk in fright.

"What is going on?"

At that moment, a fight broke out between Erik and Philippe that ended up in the halls that were full of ballerinas and actors who were rehearsing. Philippe got Erik down on the floor, and he began to punch him in the face. Madam Giry was one of the ones who stood around witnessing the fight going on. Props were broke and pots turned over as Philippe and Erik rolled around the stage beating the hell out of each other. Erik finally got the chance and took out his pocket knife and pointed it at Philippe.

"Go ahead you monster, see how far you go once I'm dead."

"You raped the love of my life."

"Yes, and she was so great Erik. She told me how I was the best, how I was the best lover she ever had. Why have a monster when she could have me? I'd do it again too."

Erik placed the knife down on the stage, and looked away.

"You're not worth it."

"Grown soft have we?"

Erik got to his feet, and turned to see Clorinda standing in the corner looking at him. As Erik made his way over to her Philippe got to his feet and picked up the knife. Before she could even scream a warning out to him, Philippe jumped on Erik's back and jabbed the knife into his chest causing him to fall to his knees. Philippe then tore off Erik's mask, revealing his hideous face to Clorinda.

"It's hideous isn't it?"

Clorinda didn't say a word as she stared at Erik's face.

"Meet your father Clorinda, he is the hideous creature that stands before you."

At that moment, Philippe took the knife out of his chest and walked away as Erik collapsed on the stage. Madam Giry quickly ran over to Erik, and removed his jacket to apply pressure on the wound on his chest.

"Erik, stay with me don't close your eyes."

Once Nadir arrived, Madam Giry lied Erik down on the stage. Nadir knew the problem as soon as he looked at Erik.

"He has a collapsed lung."

"What should I do?"

"He needs air."

Nadir undid every thing that was around Erik's neck so that he could breath easier.

"Come on Erik, breath."

Clorinda watched in horror until she couldn't stare any longer, and ran to her mother. Christine saw Clorinda jump into bed with her and cover herself with the blankets.

"Clorinda, what's wrong?"

Christine lifted the blankets up over Clorinda's head and saw her crying.

"What's wrong?"

"He's hurt, Philippe hurt him."

"Hurt who sweetie?"

"Monsieur Kire, he….he's dying."

Just then Christine heard the gates opening and saw Nadir carrying Erik's badly wounded body.

"Get up, Erik's hurt he needs to lie down."

Christine picked up her daughter, and moved out of the bed so Nadir could lie Erik down. Once he was lied down, Nadir removed his shirt and pressed down on his wound. Christine looked down at Erik who was gasping for air and couldn't stay awake.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He has a collapsed lung, Philippe did the honor."

Christine began to cry, and wanted to hold him so close to her.

"Will he live?"

Nadir took out a tube, and inserted it into Erik's wound.

"What are you doing?"

"Fixing his lung."

Christine heard Erik moan in agony as Nadir began to press air into the tube. Afterwards, Nadir stitched Erik's wound up and bandaged his chest.

"Let me know if he begins to get sick. He needs plenty of rest."

"Will he be ok?"

"He should recover but as of now it's hard to say. Stay with him Christine, comfort him through his pain."

Once Nadir left, Christine crawled into bed with Erik, and held him close to her. He couldn't speak and he couldn't even stay awake.

"You're going to be fine Erik, I'm going to stay with you till you recover."

Just then Clorinda approached the bed and looked at Erik's unmasked face.

"He has the mark."

"What mark Clorinda?"

"The same mark that I have on the right side of my cheek."

"You shouldn't speak of such things that you don't understand."

"No mother, I do understand. Philippe told me that Monsieur Kire is my father, is it true?"

At that moment, Christine didn't know what to say to her daughter…….

More to come soon….R&R