Hey everyone, thanks for the reviews. I won't keep you from wanting to read another chapter of my story. R&R

Clorinda stood in front of her mother wanting to know if what Philippe said to her was true. Christine didn't know what to say and before she could speak the horrid sound of Erik coughing had given her an excuse to switch the subject.

"Honey, go and get Monsieur Kire a glass of water."

"But.."

"No buts just go."

When Clorinda left, Christine looked down at Erik and gently touched his face.

"Shh..sweetheart you need to save your strength."

Erik looked up at her and tried to touch her hand.

"It…It hurts to talk."

"Then don't speak Erik, just stay silent. I can understand your needs just by your touch."

Just then Clorinda brought Christine a glass of water and she held it up to Erik's lips.

"Drink this my angel."

Erik stayed silent and just did as he was told and drank the water. As he began to swallow, a agonizing pain localized in his chest causing him to cry out in pain. Christine immediately rubbed his chest with her soft hands, and calmed him down.

"Is there anything I can do mommy?"

"No Clorinda, it's pretty late you should go to sleep."

Clorinda kissed Christine goodnight, and walked over to the bedding of pillows and lied down. Christine lied down next to Erik and held him in her arms as she kept him safe.

"Are you warm enough?"

Erik opened his mouth to speak, but only wound up cringing in pain.

"Oh Erik my poor poor angel."

"Oh…Christine……..look at me."

"I am Erik, and I couldn't love you any less."

"I'm so cold."

Christine covered Erik up and kissed his cheek.

"I love you Christine."

"I love you too Erik."

"After what happened to you would you ever be able to look at me the same way?"

"What do you mean?"

"Philippe raped you, how could you ever look at me the same again?"

"Oh Erik, I love you ever so much. How could I not ever want to sleep with you again? You are the best that I ever had and you know it."

"I have needed you so much in the last few days Christine."

"Why didn't you just say so Erik?"

"Because we've been through so much in the last few days."

Christine began to kiss Erik, and he pushed her away.

"Christine, I can't breath enough as it is and when you do this to me it makes me struggle for air."

"Right, this isn't the most perfect thing to do."

Erik nuzzled into Christine's arms, and closed his eyes.

"It is so hard for me to breath."

"You're lucky that Nadir got your lungs back to the way they were."

"Lets make a promise to each other."

"What's that?"

"That when we get better we take one night and go do something."

Christine kissed Erik on the cheek and smiled at the beautiful words that had just come out of his mouth.

"Yes, of course my love."

"One more favor my dearest Christine."

"Anything."

"Stay with me while I sleep."

Christine continued to wrap her arms gently around Erik and lied her head on his shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere."

The next morning, Christine awoke to find Erik still asleep next to her. She didn't want to wake him up because of his pain so just held him a bit longer before she would get up and feed Clorinda. Christine had awoken through the night to find Erik tossing and turning because of his pain, which made Christine feel so sad to see her angel suffering like he was. Now that he was in a comfortable position, Christine didn't want to deprive him from sleep. Very easily, Christine unwrapped her arms from around him, and lied him down on the pillows that were against the headboard of his bed. She then got to her feet, and covered Erik up in his blankets before walking out of his bed chambers. Once she entered his lair, Christine walked over to Erik's art table to see Clorinda sitting there drawing. She approached her daughter and looked at the beautiful pencil drawn sketch of a forest that she was working on.

"What are you working on Clorinda?"

"Something for Monsieur Kire. I thought that maybe this would make him feel better."

Christine picked her daughter up and carried her away from Erik's art supplies.

"Come on sweetie, Monsieur Kire wouldn't like it if he found you using his art supplies."

"Is he going to be ok?"

"I don't know honey, he's in a lot of pain."

Christine sat Clorinda down at the table and walked over to the counter to get her something to eat.

"What Philippe did to him was wrong mother."

"Yes, I know and I am going to make a point to talk to him about it."

"You should stay away from him."

"Look sweet heart just keep your mind on being a little girl and not on adult issues."

"Yes mother."

Christine poured Clorinda a glass of juice and placed a few pieces of jammed toast on a plate. She then watched her daughter devour the small breakfast.

"Mother, you never answered my question from yesterday."

"And what is that?"

"Who is my father? Is it really Raoul or is it Monsieur Kire?"

"Why would you think that it is Monsieur Kire?"

"We both like the same things and we do sort of look alike."

"No honey, Monsieur Kire isn't your father."

"Then who is?"

"A man who you don't have to know about."

"Mother, who is the opera ghost?"

"What?"

"The opera ghost, I found love letters in your room from someone named the Opera ghost. Is that my father?"

Christine gave her daughter a dirty look, and got in her face.

"You have no right to be rooting in my room Clorinda, you stay out of my room from now on if you know what's good for you."

"I just want to know who my father is."

"You don't need to know who he is."

Christine then walked with a tray into Erik's bedchambers and pulled back the privacy drapes. After placing the tray on the nightstand she had a seat on the bed and gently tried to wake Erik up. She couldn't shake him because it would disturb his wound and touching him would cause pain as well. Christine gently planted a kiss on his lips, and he immediately opened his eyes.

"Good morning my love."

Erik didn't respond to her, and just nodded. Christine knew what the problem was and gently touched his face.

"Does it hurt to speak to me?"

When Erik nodded once more, Christine wiped her eyes that were forming tears.

"Then you don't have to speak to me if it hurts you."

Christine began to feed him, while Erik lied there helplessly.

"You know she wants to know Erik. I don't know what to tell her. What am I supposed to tell our daughter?"

"Don't tell her."

Christine kissed Erik on the fore head and covered him up.

"Get some rest sweetheart."

Erik nestled his head back down on his pillow, and closed his eyes as Christine walked away from him. Christine on the other hand got into the gondola and pushed herself through the murky waters. She then walked through the halls to get find the man who caused her love so much pain. As she walked, Andre approached her.

"Mademoiselle Daae."

"Yes Monsieur Andre?"

"Is Erik ok?"

"He's in a lot of pain, so much pain."

"Is there anything that I can do?"

Christine shook her head no.

"The only thing that can save my poor angel now is sleep."

"Tell him that I wished him well."

"I will."

With that, Christine kept walking, and then found Philippe talking to Meg in a corner of the theater.

"Meg, may I have a moment alone with Philippe?"

"Sure Christine."

Meg then walked away, and left Christine alone with Philippe.

"So Christine, what brings you around this part of the world?"

"You shouldn't even be here, you should be in jail."

"Really? Why do you say such words?"

"If I didn't have a daughter to take care of I would so kill you for what you did to Erik."

Philippe smiled and looked down at his hands.

"So how has Clorinda taken the news about him being her father?"

"She doesn't know and I suggest that you keep it that way."

"Give me one good reason why? I couldn't even get one good fuck out of you consensually, I had to force myself on you."

"Don't even bring that up Philippe, you hurt Erik and could have killed him."

"It's sad that I didn't get the chance to."

"Stay away from me and Erik Philippe, because next time I'm pressing charges against you."

At that moment, Philippe slammed Christine against the wall, and got into her face.

"No you listen to me, you better hope that I don't find you alone ever again because when I do I won't hesitate getting you pregnant next time."

He then through Christine down on the floor, and walked away. Meg who had seen the whole thing ran over to Christine and helped her up.

"Are you ok Christine?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine."

"Is it true?"

"What?"

"That Philippe raped you?"

"Is that what you want to know Meg? For god sakes just leave me alone."

"What on earth did I do? I just care about you. At least someone does."

"What? don't you think that Erik cares about me?"

Meg stood there shaking her head.

"If he truly cared about you he wouldn't have left you alone to be raped by Philippe."

"It's not his fault."

"Then who's fault is it?"

At that moment Christine pushed Meg down on the floor and kicked her.

"Stay away from me Meg! You are no longer my friend."

"Good, I hated you anyway."

Christine then traveled down to Erik's lair once more full of hate and sorrow. Never once until now had she ever had a fight with Meg and now they were no longer friends. She had a lover who was nearly on his death bed, a confused daughter, no friends and a heart full of hate. At that moment Christine didn't have any clue at all on what to do and Erik wasn't there to make a choice for her….

More to come soon…R&R