Hey everyone, thanks for the reviews. Yes I know that Clorinda has been a little brat lately but you also have to remember that she is Erik's offspring. This is a pretty cool chapter so keep sending in your opinions or suggestions and don't forget to enjoy it among all things! Thanks again! I still don't own Erik or anyone but my own characters those being the guards I guess!

Christine was standing beside him wearing the most elegant evening gown he had ever laid eyes on and he in his usual evening suit that was complete with a black jacket and red cummerbund. It wasn't every night when he or Christine would spend and evening together. He had been preparing this night for the past few days making sure that everything was right. The roof of the palace was the perfect place to come and be alone with the one girl he loved. The small table in front of them had been prepared by his craftiness complete with a white table cloth and two gold candles sitting atop of it beside a bucket full of ice that had a bottle of white chardonnay sitting in it. He had set the table with the best china he could find in the palace and now it was time to lead his angel to her seat. After pulling out her chair Christine turned to Erik and passionately kissed him as if it were they're first kiss. After helping Christine take her seat Erik opened the bottle of Chardonnay and poured a fine amount into the glass that was placed beside her. Afterwards he did the same for his glass and took a seat across from his angel of music. A large plate covered by a silver lid was sat in the center of the table and Erik smiled at his angel proud at what he has prepared for her.

As Erik lifted up the lid, the dinner that he spent all day preparing was not there but instead hundreds of grasshoppers that all leapt towards Erik as soon as he lifted the lid. His chair flipped back and now he was on the ground with the hundreds of grasshoppers covering his body. As he looked up at Christine she was standing over him doing absolutely nothing as he lied there too weak to rise to his feet. She took off the ring that was on her finger, the ring that he had placed on her finger as a symbol of their marriage and through it on his chest before walking away. As he lied there her voice surrounded his ears singing such horrid words into his ears.

"You should have chose the grasshopper, you should have chose the grasshopper no one could ever love something a hideous as you! Your pity is all there is to love! You should have chose the grasshopper."

The doors of the roof flung open and the sight of an angry mob carrying torches and pitch forks came busting through grabbing his body and carrying him to the edge of the roof as the song about the grasshopper got louder and louder. As he was thrown off the roof, he felt himself falling and closed his eyes as he fell into the unknown.

Erik awoke screaming and gasping for air as he sat up in his bed full of sweat. The room was dark and the only light was coming from beneath the door in the hallway. He wasn't sure what time it was but the spot beside him where Christine once lied was empty leaving him frightened. After calming himself down, Erik groaned as he lied back down and moved his injured arm into a comfortable position. He couldn't understand why his arm was hurting him so much but figured that it was probably going to take a long time to heal. Seconds later, the door to the room opened, and Christine came running in wearing a day gown letting Erik know that it had to be sometime in the afternoon. She approached his side, and dabbed his forehead with a cloth that she had brought into the room with her.

"Christine?….what…what's going on? What time…is it?"

It's noon time angel, you just need to rest. You have a terrible fever and I spent all morning watching over you and just left a few moments ago to grab a cloth to dab across your forehead when I heard screaming from down the hall. Is everything alright?"

"I had a terrible dream is all."

"About what my love?"

"I don't want to discuss it."

Christine got to her feet and locked the bedroom door before crawling in bed with him. Erik sighed and got comfortable next to her.

"Christine please don't waste your time lying here with me. You need to work on finding Petri a family."

"You're more important my love. Besides I'm sending over a doctor so he can take the infection out of your arm. That's what's causing the fever and the nightmares my love."

Erik groaned at the thought of what was going to happen to him. Only once in his lifetime had he ever have to take the infection out of one of his body parts and he swore to himself that he would never do it to himself ever again. The thought of him poking a dagger in the fire place and taking out it's red hot end and burning it into his wound made him sick but now having to sit and watch a doctor do it made his stomach feel even worse.

"I think I'm going to be sick Christine."

"Oh Erik please don't make it any harder on yourself. It will only take the doctor a few moments to do and in a few days you'll feel much better."

The thought of his flesh burning and the horrible fermenting smell of the infection being released made his stomach quiver so much that he began to gag and leaned over the side of the bed and began to vomit into a spittoon that had been placed there.

"The thought of it makes you that sick?"

Erik coughed and wiped his mouth before turning back to face his angel.

"Nothing has ever made me through up before my angel but thinking of that makes me heave. My body isn't like other bodies and when the infection gets taken out of it the pain and the smell of it disgusts me so much."

"I'll stay with you my love."

A knock then occurred at the door, and Christine went to answer it. Erik watched in horror as Nadir walked through the door carrying his bag of supplies.

"Erik, my dead friend! Long time no see."

Erik was glad that Nadir was the one who had showed up, but the thought of what he was going to do began to make him dry heave once more.

"Something wrong Erik? You're usually a good patient with not a worry in the world."

Erik sat up, and closed his eyes to try and concentrate on something else.

"Just go ahead and do what you must my friend."

Christine had a seat beside him, as Nadir approached the bed and removed the sling from his arm. He then pulled up Erik's sleeve and cut the bandages from off of his injury to reveal the infection that was behind it. Nadir examined the bleeding wound that was covered in pus and looked very painful.

"Well my friend looks like I'm going to have to amputate it."

Erik began to dry heave once more as he looked at Nadir in such worriment.

"What?"

Nadir laughed and shook his head.

"I'm kidding Erik, just using some of my doctor humor that's all."

"It's not funny Nadir, it's bad enough that I hate doctors let alone hearing you say that I'm going to loose my arm."

Nadir got to his feet, and walked over to the fire place and placed the poker in the flames of the fire. This made Erik's anxiety hit the ceiling knowing what was going to happen in a few grueling seconds. Christine noticed it and kissed Erik on the neck, not getting hardly any reaction at all.

"Angel everything will be fine I promise you."

Nadir approached Erik once more, and began to clean his wound with a damp cloth. Moments later, Erik watched as Nadir took out the poker which was now flaming red and walked towards him. Christine could feel Erik's heart racing as he watched Nadir getting closer and closer. Christine turned his head to face her, and kissed him lightly on his cold lips.

"It's ok my angel, everything is going to be ok."

Before Erik could say anything, he felt the burning poker meet his flesh causing him to groan in agony as Nadir held it there for what seemed like forever. Once he removed it from his arm, he lied the poker down and wiped the oozing pus that was leaking from his wound and wrapped it in a bandage. Before leaving he took out a syringe and was about to insert it into Erik's arm when he stopped him.

"Wha…what's that?"

"it's something to help you sleep."

"No, please don't put me to sleep."

Christine tried to get Erik to lie down but he just wouldn't do it.

"Erik, you're weak and need your rest. Nadir is going to give you something to help you get some rest while your arm is in agony. Just let him give you the medicine."

"No! I don't want to be put to sleep so stop trying to make me do something that I don't want to have done to me."

"Erik."

"No, and I'm not afraid to hurt anyone who tries to force me to into having that needle forced into me."

Nadir shook his head and knelt down to Erik to meet him eye to eye.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way Erik. You can either let me put this in your arm or I'll stick this sharp needle somewhere that you wouldn't want it. You need this medicine and I'm not going to stop until I get it in you."

"Try me old man!"

Nadir sighed, and went towards Erik's arm as if he were going to stick the needle in it and then when Erik's hand came up to block his arm from coming down any further he moved fast and pricked the syringe needle into his buttocks.

"You despicable man!"

"I told you not to mess with me my friend. Now having it in the arm would have been much better than where you just got it."

Nadir then packed up his supplies and smiled at Christine before leaving the room. Christine kissed Erik on the forehead before tucking him in to leave.

"Chr…Christine, where are you going?"

"I told you that I have to go find Petri a new family."

"I thought we were going to do it together."

"I'll tell you what, I'll schedule the families to come in and you can interview them tomorrow."

"Ok."

After tucking Erik in, she handed him a small bell and clasped his boney fingers around it.

"If you need anything don't hesitate on ringing it. You just lie there and get your sleep to wear off the infection."

"Is Clorinda still punished?"

"Most definitely."

After Erik closed his eyes from the dose of Morphine given to him, Christine left the room and began to walk down the hall to get to work. She had asked Madam Giry to get a list of all the spouses wanting a child in the nearest town so that she could write to them telling each of the families to come in for an interview. She wanted to make sure that who ever was taking Petri was the best and she knew that Erik would make sure of that. Once she got a hold of the list which wasn't very big Christine began to look at each surname that was written on it. The names were way to much like royalty to be the names of any old pauper. Christine also knew that the next town over was populated with civilians who ran their own watch shops and metal businesses. After sitting down at her desk and taking Erik's quill in hand she began to write each family a letter stating that they were to come and meet the Count Monsieur Erik Kire the following morning to be interviewed about the placement of Master Petri. After each one being written she placed it into a yellowish envelope and sealed it with Erik's impression that was lying on the counter. After words she wrote each families name on the front of the letter and lied it aside to write the next one. After making sure that each family had a letter she tied it in some white ribbon and walked down the stairs to hand them to her messenger who would deliver the letters. By the time she sent her messenger out to deliver the letters, it was time to sit at the table and eat dinner with her family. Christine felt horrible about Erik not being able to join them for supper but he was far to ill to get into his Sundays best and walk down a long hall to sit in a chair that was far too uncomfortable to sit in and to eat a dinner that was too hot for him to swallow. It wasn't just the thought of him making it to the dining room that turned her off but also the thought of him having to get up out of that uncomfortable chair, to walk back down the long hallway, to get undressed out of his Sundays best. to climb into a tub of soapy water that was far too small for him, to get dressed into his pajamas and to climb into bed. No, it was better if he just lied where he was and bring him something to eat later. At her dinner table Clorinda sat there with her head down at her plate as she played around with her food while everyone else ate. Christine put up with it for a while but began to get agitated when everyone else was on the second course and she was still on her first.

"Clorinda, stop playing with your food and eat it before I give you something to cry about."

Clorinda looked up from her plate and began to play with her food even more than she was before just to agitate her mother greater than she already was.

"I hate meatloaf."

"What do you think that this is Buckingham Palace? Meatloaf is on the menu and that's what you will eat. There are thousands of starving children over in Paris who would love to have that now eat or go to bed hungry."

"Monsieur Kire always gets what he wants so why can't I? he didn't even have to come down here for dinner tonight so why did I have to? I'm being punished remember?"

Petri tuned to Clorinda and answered for Christine.

"Clorinda I really like you and everything but sometimes you can be cruel. I think if Monsieur Kire could be here with us he would but he's too ill to get out of bed."

"Thank you Petri and I wish Clorinda could realize that too." replied Christine.

"I thought you were on my side Petri, I guess my father has gotten to you too."

With that being said Clorinda got to her feet and stomped out of the room slamming the door on her way out.

"Don't worry about it Petri she's just angry that I punished her. She still loves you as much as the first day she met you." said Madam Giry taking a sip of her water.

Later on that evening as Christine prepared to turn in for the night she stood in the kitchen holding the ice box open trying to figure out what to bring Erik. At that moment, Nadir walked in dressed in his pajamas and smiled at the sight of Christine standing there.

"Oh good evening Christine, what brings you in here? Midnight snack?"

"No, I wanted to bring Erik something to eat but I don't know what to give him."

"Well I was coming down here to get a glass of juice but I'm always glad to help you out."

Nadir took out an empty bowl and rummaged through the ice box to find some fresh made ice cream.

"What's this?"

"I had one of my cooks make it this afternoon."

"This is perfect for someone in his condition."

Nadir scooped a bunch of the vanilla ice cream into the bowl and handed it to her. Christine looked down at the bowl and laughed.

"This isn't what I had in mind Nadir. Erik isn't going to eat ice cream he doesn't even know what it is."

"Good it'll give his taste buds a jump and a chance to get his mind off that pain."

Christine sighed and placed a spoon into it before walking up the stairs to get back to her room. Inside she found Erik groaning in agony in the room that was in complete darkness. After lighting a candle, she sat down beside him, and the shifting of the mattress caused him to yell in more agony.

"Oh baby I'm sorry."

"Please just put me out of my misery."

"My servants said that you didn't ring that bell all day. Did you not ring it because you didn't want to burden anyone or was it because you're just that stubborn to sit here all afternoon without relieving yourself of urine and thirst?"

"Please Christine understand that in order for me to urinate someone would have to help me un do my trousers, something that I do not enjoy having someone else do."

"Erik do you need to relieve yourself?"

"Only for the past eight hours."

"Come on Erik, I'll help you to the bathroom."

Christine sat the bowl of ice cream down on the night table, and helped Erik out of bed as he cringed in pain. After walking him to the bathroom, she stood him up in front of the toilet and un buttoned his trousers so that he could relieve himself.

"I can do it myself now Christine, I don't need you standing here watching me."

"Erik the last thing I need is for you to fall over and land on the floor. I won't watch you I promise."

Christine held him up straight as he did his business and then helped him pull his trousers up before walking him back out to the bedroom to lie him back down in their bed.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm still in a lot of pain but my bladder isn't full."

"I have something for you my love."

"What?"

"Food."

Erik didn't say yes or no to that and lied there as he watched Christine fetch the bowl with the weirdest looking substance he had ever seen piled up in it.

"You're joking right? This is just some sort of paradox correct?"

"No it's ice cream."

"ice what?"

Christine smiled, and put some on the spoon and began to hold it out towards Erik's lips.

"It's ice cream, vanilla actually to be exact. I had my cooks make some up this morning and I have yet to try it. Please eat it Erik, it will take your pain away."

Erik was willing to try anything that would take his pain away, and opened his mouth to let Christine place the spoonful of it onto his tongue. As soon as the coldness touched the warm flesh of his tongue he was in complete heaven. The sweet taste of it sent shivers down his spine and the sugar caused his blood pressure to rise enough to where his body was left with just the chill from the ice cream and not the pain from his arm.

"That tastes wonderful Christine."

Christine smiled at her angel and kept giving him as many spoonfuls as he would take.

"You never had ice cream before my love?"

"No but it's heaven in a bowl. My pain has faded away for the time being."

Christine smiled, and leaned down to taste his lips in a never ending kiss. His lips tasted of sticky rich vanilla and she never wanted to let go.

"Your lips taste so delicious my angel."

"Yours always do my Christine."

Christine smiled, and leaned down once more to passionately kiss her angel of music.

The next morning, Erik stood there in the mirror adjusting the shirt he had put Petri in. It was a white crisp shirt that he had found in the wardrobe closet and fit nicely on the thin boy who stood in front of him. As Erik placed a red vest over the white shirt Petri looked up at him and sighed full of boredom.

"Monsieur Kire, why do I have to dress like this?"

"Do you want a family or not lad?"

"Yes Monsieur."

"Well then you have to look respectable and dashing. If you were to wear those regular play clothes that you often dress in it would make you no different than the thousands of other orphans out there."

Erik had to admit that he was still in a lot of pain but with his arm in the sling and his mask placed over his face he felt a little bit better. He denied lying in that bed another day especially when today would be the day he decided who was best for Petri.

"You look dashing Lad, now brush your hair."

"Do I have to Monsieur Kire?"

"Your dark curly locks need to be groomed boy."

Petri sighed and took the brush from off the vanity and began to brush his hair until all the kinks in his curls were out leaving him looking like a million bucks. Erik then straightened the last button on Petri's shirt and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. Erik had to admit that Petri cleaned up pretty well when it came to looks. He had curly dark locks, dark Romanian skin and eyes as blue as the sky.

"Might I say that you look dashing my boy. I think today is the day that you will find a family."

"You look handsome too Monsieur Kire, I'm sure Madam Mousel is proud to have you as her husband."

Erik smiled as he looked at himself in the mirror and touched his mask.

"Now remember what I told you about being polite. Parents love a polite child but most of all just be yourself and everything will be fine."

Petri nodded, and Erik couldn't help but notice him lower his head.

"Something wrong lad?"

"It's just that what if I find a home and it's far far away? I'd miss Clorinda too much."

"Lad listen to me and listen good. Friends will come and they will go but that doesn't mean good bye forever. You need a family who will look after you among all things and Clorinda will always be your friend no matter what. You are a loveable boy who will be adored by someone wanting you in their lives. Now put a smile on that face and let's get you a family."

Petri smiled, and hugged Erik.

"Thank you Monsieur Kire."

"Don't get all emotional on me boy, just tell me, do you feel that today is the day? Tell me that you feel that today is the day you get a family."

"I feel it Monsieur Kire."

"Good, let's go destiny is waiting in the next room."

With that, Erik looked at himself one last time in the mirror making sure that he looked presentable and walked with Petri into the next room that held the boy's future………

More to come soon!!! Sorry to leave you all at a cliffy! Send me your opinions and thoughts! Thanks!