Hey everyone thanks for the awesome reviews!!! Here's the next chapter and it's probably the darkest one I have written so far but tell me what you think of it! Thanks! Erik still belongs to GL but I'm renting him for the time being!!

Erik walked with Petri into the next room which was nothing more than four walls and a desk where he took a seat to let the visitors come and interview them. After taking a seat, Erik motioned Petri to have a seat next to him. He could tell that Petri was anxious but also a little nervous as well.

"Don't worry Petri, everything is going to go great today and by tonight you'll have a new family I promise."

The door then opened, and a couple walked into the room. The woman had blonde hair, blue eyes, thin body and was wearing the most beautiful dress Erik had ever laid eyes on. The man was handsome, rich looking and was wearing a white tuxedo that Erik thought was the ugliest thing he had ever seen on a man. The man smiled and reached out to shake Erik's hand.

"Gregory Godwin Monsieur, and this is my lovely wife Hannah Godwin."

Erik broke away from Gregory's hand and reached out for Hannah's. After shaking it, Erik knew he was to kiss it but he took no part in anything such as that. The only woman he would ever do that to was Christine and besides, he knew that they were already staring down at his mask.

"I'm Monsieur Kire, It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Erik motioned for the Godwin couple to take a seat across from his desk, and then he took his seat as well. Afterwards, Erik took out his quill and opened a file that held all his paper work.

"Beside me here is Master Petri, he's just as excited to meet you both as I am."

Petri stood up to shake their hands and after receiving a hand shake from them both he sat back down and waited for Erik to continue.

"So why don't you tell me what brings you here today? The Countess tells me that you're looking for a son."

Gregory nodded, and moved his chair closer to Erik's desk.

"Yes we have five at home and were hoping to add a sixth. I own a work house you see and all my children were brought up on the saying "hard labor equals a day's meal."

Erik looked up from his paper and folded his hands in such confusion. He glanced over at Petri who's eyes were as big as saucers as to what Gregory had said.

"Monsieur Godwin? I think you have this whole situation wrong. Master Petri needs a home not a job. The letters that my Countess sent out were for couples looking for a child because they can't have any of their own. I also don't appreciate your morals when it comes to children. A work house isn't any where for a child and if I were you I would take your wife and leave this room before I call my guards on you. If you're looking for a slave you better find one elsewhere because you won't ever buy one off of me from this palace!"

Gregory pulled his wife up from her chair and didn't say a word as they both left the room as quick as they could. Erik patted Petri on the shoulder and heard him sigh.

"Don't worry, I would never hand you over to the work house Lad."

"I know Monsieur Kire."

The door then opened again, and another couple entered. The woman was dark haired and not as nicely dressed as the last one that Erik interviewed. Her husband was also not as nicely dressed as the last couple but he didn't want to judge simply on the way they looked. After shaking their hands, Erik introduced himself.

"I'm Monsieur Kire and this is Master Petri."

The woman smiled and knelt before Erik and so did her husband.

"Good afternoon Monsieur Count. I'm Elaina and this is my husband Pierre. We're from Paris but have relocated to a relative's house until things get better."

"You may rise."

Erik motioned them to sit down, and then he did as well.

"So you don't have any children?"

"No, we've tried but nothing has happened and we have begun to worry that we'll never have them. When the Countess sent us a letter telling us to come meet the boy we couldn't miss it for the world." Said Elaina.

"What is it that you do for a living Monsieur Pierre?"

"I'm a shoe repair man."

Erik continued to write what ever was being said on a piece of paper and then motioned Petri to stand up.

"Go ahead and tell the couple a little about yourself lad."

Petri looked at them and put his hands behind his back in nervousness as he began to speak.

"Um..I'm five years old and I love to dance and sing. My parents and I traveled around the world with our own magic show, that was before they died of course."

"Where is it that you're from?" asked Pierre

"I was born in Romania Monsieur."

Erik got a hold of the back of Petri's shirt and pulled him gently back a bit.

"Could you go out into the hall way for a moment while I speak to them alone?"

Petri nodded, and walked out into the hall way leaving Erik alone with the couple.

"I think you will be great parents to Master Petri. If you still want him to be your son say the words and I'll sign the papers now."

Erik waited for the words that never came and watched Pierre get to his feet.

"I think we've made a mistake coming here today?"

"Why? I think you would be great parents what changes your mind now?"

Pierre hesitated and then blurted out the horrible words that were on his mind.

"You see Monsieur Kire when we got the invite to come meet the boy we were thinking that we were coming to see……well to see a French boy not some Romanian Gypsy."

"Is there a problem with him being from Romania?"

"Yes they're nothing but a bunch of dirty animals to us. Everyone is going to say the same thing."

Erik immediately kicked his desk and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Get out! Get out of my office this instant! We'll see who has a family at the end of the day! Get out of here now!"

Once they left, Erik took a seat at his desk once more and crossed off their names from the list. Petri then entered once more and had a seat beside Erik.

"Monsieur Kire? I liked that family. Why did you kick them out?"

"They were no good Petri. They'll be more today don't you worry."

Erik just didn't have the heart to tell Petri why he kicked them out. For the remainder of the day, things just got worse and worse. Every single couple that walked in to meet Petri walked out once they had found out what he really was making Erik angry. He just couldn't understand why everyone was being so cruel just because of the fact that he was a gypsy. He had promised Petri a family by the day's end and as the sun began to set Erik's promise was beginning to fade away. After the last family left Erik shut his book and put his quill away before walking with Petri into the hallway.

"Monsieur Kire, who do you think is going to be my new family?"

Erik couldn't help but notice how excited Petri looked and couldn't tell him, not now anyway. He had never seen Petri this happy before and to crush it now would be for him to burn in hell for all eternity. Lying to him wasn't going to make things any better but it would give him time to stall to think of another plan.

"I have to sit down and think about it Petri, I'll let you know as soon as I can."

"You're the best Monsieur Kire, thanks a lot for doing this for me."

After watching the small boy run off full of excitement, Erik walked into his bedroom and tore off his mask full of disgust. How he hated man kind and all of their cruelties, why would God take away a boy's loving family to have him never have another one ever again? He just couldn't understand why? Why wouldn't anyone want to adopt the boy who was the kindest of all? As Erik sat there at his desk in darkness with the only light being from a candle he pondered about the day's events. He would have sat there all night if not for the feeling of Christine's hands clasp around his shoulders.

"How did it go today Erik?"

"Please don't talk about today Christine, I have enough on my plate to deal with at the moment." Erik couldn't help but be angered over the whole situation.

"Erik please, what happened today?"

"I couldn't place Petri with a family."

"Why not?"

"Because no one would accept him that's why."

"What do you mean?"

"He's a gypsy and no one wants him that's why. Oh Christine I'm so angry with myself right now. I made that boy a promise and it's slowly fading away. How can I possibly look Petri in the eyes and tell him that I didn't get him a family because no one wants him? How Christine? I failed him today and it's all because he's a gypsy. I don't want him growing up an orphan like me Christine."

"We'll find a family for him Erik I'm sure of it. Nadir and Alex are looking for a son, maybe we could let them adopt him."

"No Christine it be too dangerous. It's bad enough that they're gay but if word got out about them adopting Petri all hell would break loose and something bad could happen to them. I don't want to send Petri to an orphanage and that's what it's coming down to. Madam Giry can't care for him and neither can any other family."

"Erik don't worry, we'll find him a family."

"Who Christine? Who is going to love that boy as much as his own family did? Sometimes God makes me so angry because of what he does. Why take away his family if he couldn't have another one?"

Christine kissed Erik on the neck and massaged his shoulders gently. Erik closed his eyes and sighed to the feeling of her touch.

"God I love you so much Christine."

"Then come to bed my angel."

"Not right now, I'm going to go get something to eat. You go ahead and I'll be back later."

Erik got to his feet and walked down the hall to get to the kitchen As he rummaged through the ice box, he found a container of the home made ice cream he had the night before and sat down at the table and stuck a spoon into it. As he began to eat it, he watched as Nadir came walking in almost yelled at the fright Erik caused him.

"Jesus, you literally scared the living hell out of me Erik. What are you doing down here this late and in the ice cream?"

"I was hungry."

"You know that stuff if good as hell to eat but keep eating it at the rate you are and one morning your ass is going to be sagging to the floor."

"Is there a reason you're in here?"

"Yea to get a drink."

"I'm just so angry with myself for not finding a home for Petri. No one wanted him because he's a gypsy. I don't know where to go from here Nadir."

"Alex and I are looking for a son why don't you let us adopt him?"

"No, I mean I'm sure you would make great parents but the mob would be faster on you than a bird flying to bread crumbs. It's better if you stayed out of this for your safety."

"Well I'm sure everything will work out, they always do."

After watching Nadir leave, Erik placed the ice cream back in the ice box and walked back to his room to see Christine in bed. He easily changed out of his clothes and lied beside her as Christine ran her fingers through her his hair.

"What did you eat my love? Wait don't tell me let me guess."

At that moment, Christine kissed Erik tasting his lips and never letting go. Once she broke away from the kiss, she smiled at him and shook her head.

"Vanilla ice cream? Erik you shouldn't make that a habit."

Erik gently leaned against her once more and began to kiss her letting his tongue slip into her mouth.

"Oh Erik I love you so much."

"Don't speak my angel, just kiss me."

Christine couldn't hold back from that request and easily kissed him as he sighed and groaned at the feeling of it.

"Oh Christine you tease me so much."

"Let me make your pain go away my angel."

Erik lied on his back as Christine shifted her body onto his and began to kiss him once more. The feeling of it caused a great feeling to localize in his trousers causing him to want to make love to her so badly. As she began to play with the lining of them, Erik roughly kissed her wanting the moment to never end.

"Oh Christine that feels amazing."

Just as Erik began to roughly kiss her again he heard Christine begin to moan causing him to moan as well and before he could move any further he noticed a small shadow standing beside him. As he looked over he saw Clorinda standing there crushed at what she was witnessing. Erik stopped kissing Christine and they both looked over at their daughter.

"Clorinda? Darling? What are you doing in here?" asked Christine with such concern.

"Mother! How? How could you let this happen again?"

"What are you talking about sweetheart?"

"After what Philippe did to you you're letting Monsieur Kire do it to you as well?"

Clorinda was full of tears and Erik knew that she just didn't understand the difference between pleasure and pain. Before he could say anything to his daughter she ran out of the room in tears thinking that what she was doing to Christine was a hurting her. Erik plopped back onto his pillows and looked at Christine.

"This day just keeps on getting better and better. I can't find a family for Petri, Nadir gave me the worst talk in history down in the kitchen and now I can't even make love to you because now my daughter thinks that I'm raping you. When will this end Christine? When?"

Christine kissed Erik on the lips and covered herself up with some of the blankets.

"You should go have a talk with her Erik?"

"And tell her what? That I was making love to you? She wouldn't understand."

"Well do something."

Erik groaned and put on his robe before walking down the hallway to find Clorinda. As he walked to her room he saw her lying on her bed full of tears and didn't hesitate on entering.

"Clorinda?"

"Go away!"

"Clorinda, please talk to me."

"No! I said go away! I don't want to talk to you!"

"Why are you crying?"

Clorinda sat up and wiped her tears away before answering him.

"because Petri told me that he knows he's going to be sent to an orphanage. I came to your room to see if it was true and I found you hurting my mother."

"I wasn't hurting her Clorinda. You're too young to understand that what I was doing was loving your mother. I would never hurt her and I hope you know that. I love her and you with all my heart and I would never ever lie a hand on any of you."

Erik tucked his daughter back in beneath the sheets and kissed her goodnight.

"Just try to rest my love and I promise you that everything is going to be alright. I promise that Petri isn't going to an orphanage do you believe me?"

"Make it happen and then I'll believe you."

Erik sighed and walked to the door to leave. His daughter was angry with him and now Petri was thinking about his future at the orphanage. It was midnight and Erik knew that he had broken his promise to him. After walking down the hall, he stopped when he got to Petri's room to see him packing his belongings into a bag.

"Petri, what are you doing?"

"packing Monsieur Kire."

"Why? Why are you doing that for?"

"It's midnight Monsieur Kire and I know that you didn't find me a family."

"So? We'll try another day. I'm not kicking you out so you shouldn't be packing."

"I'm doing it because I know that you're going to send me to the orphanage."

Erik walked into the boy's room and unpacked his suitcase.

"I will never send you there I promise. I might have failed you today but I will never fail completely and send you to an orphanage. I promise you that much."

"but why Monsieur Kire? Why couldn't I find a family today?"

"I promise that tomorrow I will find you a family Petri even if I have to run to the end of the earth to get you one. I will not fail you in that I promise you."

Petri hugged Erik and sat down with him on his bed.

"You know Monsieur Kire sometimes I feel as if I would miss you if I left. You have been there for me when other's weren't. I hope that I can find someone like you to care for me."

"No Petri, you won't because there's only one me."

"I just want a family so bad."

Erik watched as Petri sat on the windowsill and place his head in his lap. It was like watching himself because at that age he was in the same state as Petri was. Erik approached him, and began to sing hoping that maybe it would lighten the mood.

"No more talk of darkness forget these wide eyes fears. I'm here with you beside you to guard you and to guide you. I will always listen through your pain and tears I'm here nothing can harm you you'll soon learn what love means. Say you'll keep your faith in me forever, let me lead you to a family. Say you'll have faith in me one day longer, promise me to keep that faith in you. Petri that's all I ask of you."

Petri looked at Erik and began to sing as well.

"All I want is freedom, a world that's full of light and you finding me family that will love and be happy to have me. So say you'll keep your faith in me forever, help me find a loving family. Say you'll have faith in me one day longer, promise me to keep the faith in you, Family, that's all I ask of you."

Erik tucked Petri back in bed and walked to the door.

"One more day Petri, one more day is all I ask of you. I promise that by tomorrow you'll have a family."

"You really promise Monsieur Kire?"

"Yes Petri I do."

After walking out of the room Erik only hoped that he made the right promise. How was he ever going to find a family who would accept a gypsy for a son in less than twenty four hours? Erik knew one thing and one thing only… "that tomorrow was going to be hell."

More to come soon!!! Sorry Cliffy again! Send me your thoughts! Thanks!