Hey everyone, thanks for the reviews! Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

Early the next morning, Erik awoke to notice Christine still asleep beside him. He needed to talk to Clorinda, and knew that it be best if he spoke to her alone. Erik rose to his feet, and picked up his clothes that he had thrown on the floor the night before. Afterwards, he dressed himself in some loose trousers and a comfortable shirt before taking his staff and limping down the hallway. The first place that he checked was the dining room, and that's where he found her. The room was empty except for Clorinda, she was sitting alone at the table with her head looking down at the bowl of oatmeal that was sat in front of her. Erik cautiously approached her, and stood behind her chair as she kept looking down into the bowl.

"Either you leave or I'm leaving." said Clorinda with such hate in her voice.

Erik sighed, and took a seat beside her before sitting his staff down beside him.

"Look Clorinda, I know that you're mad at me for lying to you but the truth is that I'm glad that you're my daughter."

"Then why did you lie about it my whole life? Even a few days ago when you handed me that fake birth certificate."

"No Clorinda, that was your real birth certificate."

Clorinda looked up at him with such curiosity.

"Then why was Raoul's name on it? Why wasn't your name on it Monsieur Kire?"

"Because I've done something's in my life that I'm not proud of and when I found out your mother was pregnant with you I became so scared. I was certain if anyone found out about you being my child you would surly be in danger. I've cared about you since the first time I laid eyes on you Clorinda. I want us to be a happy family and now that I'm married to your mother we can start now."

Clorinda quickly got to her feet and began to run away.

"No! I hate you Monsieur Kire! I hate you!"

Hearing this broke Erik's heart. He finally had a daughter and a wife, but he wasn't happy because they weren't happy. It was at that moment, that Alex came rushing in with Madam Giry at his side. He was dressed in his army uniform and seemed happy.

"Monsieur! It's over! The war is over!"

Hearing this gave Erik a sigh of relief.

"How? How did it end?" Erik was so curious as to how it happened.

"The Belgians came over the hill trying to cross into Italy and we were there waiting for them. We killed almost everyone of those bastards and finally the Captain surrendered and we've come up with an agreement that states that the Belgians can have but fifty more acres given to them. They have agreed and now the war is finally over! We can return to Paris and I am but done serving in this forsaken army."

Alex was so happy that he threw his hat on the floor, and ran through the halls shouting as Erik stood there in silence with Madam Giry. She approached him, and touched his hand with hers and looked into his eyes.

"I hope you will come back to Paris with the rest of us. I know you had planned to open this opera house back up, but Paris just couldn't be the same without you."

"No Madam, I can't go back with you. You know as well as I do that there are people who dislike me back in the city. I was actually thinking about leaving Clorinda and Christine with you and starting a new life elsewhere, alone."

This had caused Madam Giry to become so confused. He had married Christine not even twenty fours ago and he was already leaving her.

"Why Erik? You just married Christine! Why abandon her and your daughter now?"

"Because I found out that she married me because I made her promise me to if I got Clorinda's consent. Clorinda didn't consent to it and I lied to Christine telling her that she did. Now everything is in a shamble, my daughter knows that I'm really her father after I lied to her about that, and I know that Christine is upset with me too. I always thought that maybe Christine would love me for who I am, but who could love a monster? I want to just go back to the old days where I was fighting over Christine instead of fighting with her. To where I could be alone with her knowing that even though I couldn't touch her, she was willing to stay with me. No Madam, I think that before I return to Paris, I will spend some well needed time with my family."

"Good idea Erik, but remember that I will always care for you. Once you decide to return to Paris, your cellar will just as you left it."

"Just take Curtis and Kasdon's family with you, give them jobs in the Opera house until I get back."

Before leaving the room, Madam Giry nodded, and gave Erik a small smile.

"As you wish Monsieur."

When the sun came up, Erik stayed away from everyone as they said their goodbyes. Instead, Erik watched from the window as Kasdon loaded his family up and leave with Madam Giry, Meg, Marco, Nadir, Curtis, Alex, and Andre. It was then that Erik knew that it was now time to depart. After limping over to his bed, he packed up his things and then began to pack what ever belonged to Christine into her bag. He wasn't ready to return to Paris and he wasn't going to do it until he was ready. His family needed to regroup once more and the best way of doing it was to be together alone for a while. When Erik was younger, he once built a small cottage just outside of Chambersburg which wasn't far from where they were. It was mostly a place for him to heal his wounds that were caused by a band of gypsies in an attempt to escape from them. This was before he turned sixteen and before they caught up to him. Once he was back inside his cage, they took him to Paris where Madam Giry saved his life. The cottage was deep in the woods and away from any other living soul. A small brook surrounded it, and the only visitors were a few deer and small animals that lived in the woods. After packing, Christine was behind him before he could even pick up the bags.

"Erik, where are we going?"

"Away for a while so that…..so that we can work out our problems."

"Running away from them isn't going to help."

"Just….just get Clorinda so we can leave."

With that being said, Erik threw the two bags over his back and limped out of the room. Once he was outside, he began to tie the bags to his horse that was given to him by Kasdon. All he wanted to do was get to the cottage before nightfall so that he could relax his aching leg. Seconds later Christine was at his side, with Clorinda standing as far back as she could. After helping Christine who was dressed warmly up onto the horse, he turned to Clorinda.

"Come Clorinda, let me help you up to your mother."

She didn't move, and just stood perfectly still with her arms crossed.

"Clorinda! Now I'm you're father and you will do as I say! Come now!"

Again she didn't move, making Erik even more angrier by the second. Christine looked over at her daughter and motioned her to come towards her.

"Clorinda, come on sweetheart, do as your father asks you."

Clorinda gave Erik a look of disgust before shaking her head no and continuing to stand still.

"I'm not going with you or Monsieur Kire! I'm staying here and starting my own city in this building! I don't need you mother and I sure don't need that despicable liar! I'll be perfectly fine!"

Christine hated that Clorinda inherited all of Erik's traits, even stubbornness. She watched as Erik limped towards Clorinda in agony, as she backed up further and further as he kept moaning as he pushed himself to try walk faster.

"Erik stop this! You're going to hurt yourself even more! As for you young lady you get yourself over to this horse at once or by God I'll make sure you never play with Petrie ever again!"

This had worked, in an instant Clorinda stopped walking away from Erik and ran over to the horse so that Christine could lift her up. Once Clorinda was sat in front of Christine, Erik huffed and puffed in agony as he limped back over to the horse and easily lifted himself up onto it's back. Once Christine handed him the reins, he whipped them forward, causing the horse to gallop away from the building they called home for the shortest of time. As the horse galloped faster and faster Erik tried not to yell in agony but couldn't help but cringe as his injured leg kept hitting the saddle.

"Are you ok?" asked Christine.

"Yes fine, I'll be fine as soon as we're there." he replied.

It seemed that Clorinda hadn't spoken a single word throughout the whole trip because she was so silent. Erik knew that she was mad at him and didn't bother talking to her or Christine. Once Italy was behind them, they came to a patch of woods that were covered in snow. As much as Erik hated Winter, he hated Summer just as much because of it's heat. The summer weather wasn't far away and once the snow would melt the heat would surly bring him discomfort. It was mostly his mask that made him hate the summer so much. Once he was hot, the heat would make his face very sultry and with him having to constantly take off his mask to wipe the sweat from his face it caused infection to his flesh. He also hated the winter so much because the cold air would make his flesh very dry causing just as much irritation as in the winter. To Erik all the seasons were like a loose loose situation, that is every season except the spring. The spring brought such beautiful weather causing all the flowers to bloom in a variety of colors and not one ounce of it causing him any pain what so ever. Spring, that's what made him think of Christine. She was so beautiful, beautiful like a blooming rose bush in a spring garden, beautiful like the cloudless sky that appeared over his head. She was his perfect spring and he was going to be sure to enjoy her just as he enjoyed the spring season. It seemed as though they had traveled all day and just as it was getting dark outside they arrived. The cottage was just as Erik left it years ago, small but beautiful. Log framing, wooden shutter, surrounded by trees and a small brook, everything was perfect.

"Oh Erik, it's beautiful." gasped Christine as they got closer and closer to it.

"It's not much, but it's home." he replied with such assurance.

Christine jumped down from the horse, and then helped Erik down as well. She was sure that he needed to lie down from the long journey and he needed to do it soon. Erik watched Christine walk closer to it before glancing up at Clorinda who was not impressed and sitting up on the horse with her arms crossed.

"We're going inside if you want to join us." said Erik kindly.

Clorinda didn't even give Erik the slightest look of interest, and didn't move from her spot. After giving out a huge sigh, Erik limped towards the doorway and opened it up so he and Christine could enter. Once the door was open, a large cloud of dust exited making way for them. Christine gasped in excitement as she stared at the beauty within the cottage. Inside was nothing more than a family area with a few old couches that looked as if they belonged to the king of England himself and a fire place used for cooking. Erik pointed to the loft area, and motioned her to go up the steps.

"There's a bed upstairs if you want to go have a look. I can't climb the stairs, but your welcomed to go ahead."

Christine walked up the old wooden steps that consisted of nothing more than the bark of some trees, and ended up in the bedroom. The bed was an old carriage that was cut in half and had the seats removed from it so that a few pillows and blankets could be thrown into it. She had to admit that Erik was an architectural genius when it came to building things out of what ever supplies were available at the time. Everything was perfect and found herself excited about living there. After coming back down the stairs, she smiled at Erik who looked as if he were in a lot of pain.

"How Erik? How did you get that carriage up those steps?"

"I was injured very badly and needed a place to rest my head on. The only thing I found out in those woods was an abandoned carriage. I took the wheels off it and removed the top part of it and hauled it back here before tying a rope to it and dragging it up those stairs. I hope everything is livable Christine, I only want to make you happy."

"Yes Erik, everything is perfect and I am happy."

Erik looked out the window to see Clorinda still sitting up on the horse.

"She's not happy, my own child hates me and I don't blame her. I lied to her Christine, lied to you and her."

"She'll be ok Erik, once she adjusts to you being here she'll come around. It's just that her whole life you've been known as just "Monsieur Kire" a mentor and nothing more. She's just confused about what happens next. I mean her whole life she's known you as one thing and now she knows you as something else, I'd be mad too."

"I don't understand it though, she's called me father before by mistake. She's told me before that she wishes that I were her father. Well now I am and it's like she was lying to me the whole time."

"No Erik, she wasn't lying to you. She was telling you the truth but she knew you then as Monsieur Kire. She was certain that you weren't her father and that your kindness to her made her want you to be it. Now that she know you as her father it's just confusing to her to think that you knew the whole time and didn't say anything to her about it."

"I'm going to turn in for the evening Christine. Would you help me to bed please? I'd hate to ask you to go out and grab our bags because that is a gentleman's job but since I'm in agony it would be for the best."

"Yes Erik, I'll get Clorinda to help me."

"Please, don't bother the child with my burden."

"Nonsense Erik I'll go out and get them as soon as I'm finished helping you to bed."

Christine helped Erik easily up the stairs as she kept her arms around him. After sitting him down on the bed, she lied him back and covered him up after propping his injured leg up on some pillows.

"Sleep now Erik and I'll go outside and grab our belongings."

After going back downstairs, Christine walked outside and began to untie her bags from off of the horse as Clorinda still sat there in anger.

"The inside of it is nice, would you want to come see?"

"I don't want to live here in this stupid cottage and I don't want to live with that liar. I want to go home to Paris, where I belong."

"Oh Clorinda, I know that you're mad at Erik, even at me because of what we did but it was for your safety. Erik cared about you so much that he thought by you knowing would put you in danger."

"What about what he did to you mother? He married you when I didn't even say he could! He doesn't deserve you mother! Not him or any other woman! He's a monster! A monster for how he acts around people! For how he acts around me!"

"Clorinda! don't you ever speak of him that way! He has been so good to you and I. you might not know it, but he saved me from so much pain. All he ever did was love me and I owed him my hand in marriage."

"He's never going to be my father! I will never call him father, and I will never speak to him again!"

"That's a cruel punishment Clorinda."

"Cruel? Cruel? He's the cruel one Mother! He gave me this scar that's on my face! Why did you ever have me with such a monster?"

Christine was sick and tired of Clorinda's nonsense that she tore her from off of the horse's back and held her to her face.

"Now you listen to me young lady! As long as you live in your father's house you will respect him. I don't care if you don't call him father but you will respect him. You will not say a bad word about him while your under that roof or so help me God, I'll thrash that dirty mouth of yours. I should punish you for that little stunt you pulled back in Italy. What were you thinking? Making that poor man try and run to you? You know that he's hurt his leg and may I remind you how he got that way? Saving you Clorinda! So the next time you want to say something mean about Monsieur Kire I'd take a good look in the mirror as to who the real mean person is."

After letting Clorinda go, she handed her a bag.

"Help me carry these inside."

Clorinda picked up the bag and followed her mother to the doorway. Before letting Clorinda inside she turned to face her with serious eyes.

"Now remember what I said young lady, not a word!"

Clorinda's eyes faced her mothers before she nodded.

"Yes Mother."

Christine then moved aside and let Clorinda enter before shutting the door of the cottage, and leaving the outside world abandoned for yet another night.

More to come soon!