Hey everyone thanks for continuing to read my story! Here's the next chapter.

Very early the next morning Erik awoke to the sound of crying. As he opened his eyes he noticed that it was still dark outside and that it was raining by the sound of the water hitting the windows. Erik rose to his feet and walked over to where Clorinda was lying and realized that she was crying. He immediately lied down beside her and for the first time since the train accident he saw her open her eyes and look directly at him. She had scratches all over her face but she was alive and that's all that mattered.

"Daddy?" replied Clorinda with the lowest of whimpers as she glanced at Erik. Erik was so happy to hear his daughter's voice again that he too began to cry.

"Oh Clorinda, I'm here it's alright." after saying that, Erik watched his daughter close her eyes again and fall asleep. He had heard her speak to him and that was all that mattered. His daughter was alive and she would surly get well again and when she did things were going to be much different between them. After he was sure that she was asleep Erik rose and walked over to the wardrobe closet to get dressed for the day's outing. He loved going out in stormy weather better than going out when the sun was shining because less people would see him. After taking out a pair of black trousers and a white shirt he changed into them and then through on a black over coat with a hood to keep him dry. After adjusting the wig and his white mask he turned to see that Christine was no longer lying in bed and no where to be seen. He didn't want to call out her name because he would surly wake Clorinda up so instead he walked over to her wardrobe closet and opened it to see Christine standing inside of it throwing on a pink velvet cloak. She turned and gently kissed him, glad to see that the rain wasn't stopping him from wanting to go out.

"I see that you're ready to go my love." replied Christine as she pulled the hood over her head of curly chocolate locks.

"Of course, I ride better in rain than in the blasted sunlight anyhow." replied Erik pulling the hood of his coat over his head as well. Christine grabbed her letters and tied them all together with a piece of black ribbon that was sitting on the desk and then leaned down to tuck her daughter in.

"She spoke to me this morning Christine. I think she's going to pull through this just fine."

Christine kissed Clorinda on the cheek and got up to walk out with her angel of music.

"She has your fast recovering body my love. She is all you from her beautiful eyes down to her musical talent." replied Christine taking Erik's arm in hers as they walked through the quiet halls of the palace.

"I wish she were more like you Christine. A child inheriting all of my genes isn't healthy at all. It's bad enough that she looks like me let alone act like me."

"Erik, I love her the way she is. Just because she doesn't have curly brown hair and an interest in singing or dancing doesn't make her bad."

Erik sighed and continued to walk towards the door of the palace.

"It's not that she won't sing Christine, she can't. Have you ever heard her? She sounds worse than Carlotta with a soar throat. Her dancing? Madam Giry has never seen a worse one than her. She can't stay in line nor can she remember the choreography. No instead she paints and composes just like me."

Once they were outside, Erik walked with Christine in the pouring rain to the barn to fetch their horse. Once they were inside they found themselves both drenched with the summer's rain and couldn't help but laugh at what they looked like.

"Are you sure you want to ride in this?" asked Christine as she wrung out her cloak.

"Of course, a little rain isn't such a bad thing my love." replied Erik as he approached one of the stallions. After grabbing it's reigns and bringing it out of it's stable he climbed up onto it with his arm still in it's sling and held out his good hand to help Christine up. After lifting her next to him they galloped through the rain as Christine held onto him laughing as it hit her face.

Back inside the palace, Clorinda awoke and looked around the room for her parents but noticed that they were no where to be found. Deciding to look further for them, she entered the hallway and walked to the music room to spot what looked like her father sitting at the piano. As she approached him she noticed that it wasn't her father or anyone she had ever seen before.

"What are you doing in here?" asked Clorinda in anger. The man who was Raoul turned to her and put away the papers that he was rummaging through.

"I'd like to ask you the same question little girl." replied Raoul as he finished piling the papers up. Afterwards he stared at the girl who had blonde hair, blue eyes and a scar on the right side of her face and couldn't help but wonder why she looked so familiar.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" asked Raoul, his voice full of such concern.

Clorinda just crossed her arms and looked at him with such disgust on her face.

"I don't know you, and that's all that matters. I want to know why you're in here."

"Because this is my palace little girl, I am the Viscount De Changy. Who on earth might you be? Telling me where I can and can't go within the walls of my own home."

"Sorry, I don't talk to strangers. My father says that it's bad." replied Clorinda.

"Your father? Who is your father? Do I know him?" asked Raoul still staring at the child in front of him. He was sure that the girl who stood before him was of someone he knew.

"My father is Monsieur Kire, the great composer." replied Clorinda her voice filled with such pride. Raoul gasped for a second and turned away from her and lied his hands on the keys on the piano.

"Erik, of course no wonder you looked….so familiar. You look just like him, I wouldn't even have thought about Christine being your mother when you look so much like your father. How old did you say you were?"

"I didn't."

"Right, you must be about…oh around what? 6?"

"5 Monsieur, why?"

Raoul banged his fingers down on the keys of the piano causing a loud noise to occur throughout the room.

"That is when I was with your mother, surly she lied with that monster when I was still with her. Tell me is it just you or do you have siblings as well?"

"I don't understand Monsieur, what are you talking about? I had a brother but he didn't last long because he was born early. Father says that under the circumstances it was best to give him right back to the lord."

"I'm Raoul De Changy and I was with your mother before your father came into the picture! Did you stop to wonder that maybe the reason he gave the child right back to the lord was because he can't create anything without destroying it? Look at your face, even he left that mark upon you! Just imagine what your brother looked like, probably worse than him."

Clorinda thought a moment and then remembered months ago when Erik told her that Raoul was her father and that he was dead. Surly something wasn't right because the man before her wasn't supposed to be alive and even if he was what now? He was supposed to be her real father but it couldn't be true because Erik was who she looked like. Then again both her father and Raoul had blonde hair and blue eyes but what about the scar? That surly told the truth because Erik was the only one that carried that trait. Then what about what his brother's did to her mother? Philippe had caused the most harm and now she was face to face with his brother. Clorinda slowly backed up to the door, and have Raoul a disgusted look.

"You aren't to be in my father's music room and I forbid you to speak about him that way! you should leave at once before I tell him that you were in here."

"Maybe you should consider the fact that if you don't leave this room at once this might not be your father's room anymore!" yelled Raoul at the top of his lungs. Clorinda then ran out of the room slamming the door shut leaving Raoul to begin to rummage through Erik's music once more.

Once Erik arrived in town, he halted his horse and hopped off of it and helped Christine down. It was still raining when they entered the post office and Christine tore back her hood as she approached the counter while Erik kept his hood up to hide his face and walked down an isle of office supplies while Christine dealt with the post master.

"What can I do for you Madam?" asked the post master

"I have these thank you letters that I needed to send out." Christine handed the stack of letters to the post master and watched as he took out his book to write down how many were in the stack. As Erik stood in the isle looking at the quills and ink he noticed something shiny sitting upon the shelf and picked it up. He had never seen such a contraption before and wondered what on earth it could be? It was a short silver metal rod with a pointed golden end sharp enough to pierce the human flesh. Erik carried it up to Christine and showed it to her. Christine held it in her hand and examined it very closely.

"That is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. What on earth is it?" asked Erik.

The post master quickly interrupted and grabbed it from out of Christine's hands.

"This Monsieur is the very first Fountain Pen."

"Fountain what?" questioned Erik.

"Fountain pen." replied the post master.

"But why on earth would anyone call it that?" asked Christine.

The post master smiled and unscrewed the top of the pen and took out it's contents which were an empty tube and a small spring.

"This." he replied showing off the empty tube to Christine and Erik. "You fill up with your ink and then you screw it back into the pen. Then you just write what ever it is that you want. Makes writing easier without having to constantly dip a quill into a bottle of ink."

"How many have you sold?" asked Erik.

"Not many but then again I've only had them in for a few days. They have been used for the last few years by famous authors and musicians but they are rather expensive."

"How much do they run?" asked Christine.

"60 francs exactly." replied the post master.

Erik nodded and walked out leaving Christine alone with the post master. She was about to leave when she took out her coin purse and handed the post master 60 francs.

"I'll take one if your wrap it up in a box so it won't get wet in the rain."

"You have a deal."

Outside Erik waited for Christine in the rain and when she finally came out he greeted her with his arm wanting her to take hold of it.

"Are you hungry my love? We could always get something to eat in the pub. We have never gone out to eat before."

Erik didn't want to go but couldn't say no to his love. So nodded and followed her to the nearest pub. When inside, they waited to be shown to their table and as they stood there they noticed that the whole place was lit by candles. It looked just like Erik's lair if it were a restaurant making the both of them feel comfortable. The waitress then approached them and greeted with a smile/

"Just two?"

"Yes." replied Christine removing her wet hood. Erik kept his on as they followed her to a secluded corner where a beautiful little table that was lit by candles sat. Erik pulled out Christine's seat and when she sat down he pushed her in. Erik had a seat across from her and was about to look at the menu when he saw Christine reach over and remove the hood from off of his head. Erik just closed his eyes and wished that what happened was only a dream but it wasn't. when he opened his eyes once more he picked up his menu and glanced down into it with such sorrow.

"That's better, now I can see your handsome face while we enjoy our lunch." replied Christine smiling at him as she held up her menu to see what she wanted to order. She couldn't help but notice that Erik wasn't acting like himself and looked around to notice that the other customers were sitting at their tables and staring at him as if he were a freak just because he was wearing his mask. Without hesitation, Christine opened up the salt shaker that was placed on the table and through it towards the customers causing the salt to spill all over all the tables that they sat at.

"Now you have something to stare at!" shouted Christine before turning back to Erik. When she glared at the customers again she no longer saw any of them staring at Erik but at their own plates.

"That's better isn't it?" asked Christine as she picked up her menu again. Erik nervously kept reading his menu and then noticed the waitress approaching again.

"What can I get for the both of you?" she asked.

Christine placed down her menu and waited for Erik to do the same.

"Erik, what do you want to eat?"

Erik paused for a few moments and then finally placed down his menu and turned away from her. Christine knew that something was wrong but didn't want to embarrass him in front of the waitress so ordered for him.

"We'll both have the "Cassoulet" with sausage and two glasses of water."

When the waitress left, Christine placed her hand over his cold one and tried to get him to look at her. When he didn't she got up and sat down beside him to try and calm him down but he refused to look at her.

"Erik please tell me what's wrong. Is it something I did? Please let me know."

Erik slowly turned to her and ran his fingers through her curly wet hair. His fingers were cold as death against her flesh but she loved him with all her heart.

"You didn't have to do that for me Christine. You didn't have to make a fool of yourself just for my sake."

"I didn't make a fool out of myself Erik, please it's ok."

Christine looked up at Erik's mask and noticed that blood had begun to trickle from underneath his mask. She wanted to say something but didn't want to embarrass him in front of everyone. A few more moments went by and the trickle of blood was now at his jaw line and when it dripped onto his hand Erik looked down and smeared the red dot with his fingers. They both sat in silence for a few moments before Christine watched Erik rise to his feet.

"Excuse me Christine." was the only reply that she received as he walked towards the restroom. She felt so bad for her angel of music especially because of the condition that he was in. She had often reminded him about keeping his mask off of his face for at least a few hours everyday but with Raoul always being around now it seemed merely impossible. Christine sighed and took out the small wrapped box that held the Fountain pen inside of it and placed it down on the table. It seemed like the perfect time to give it to him since he was so upset and hoped that it would make him feel a little bit happier. When he returned a few minutes later, he sat down beside Christine once more and apologized.

"Christine, please forgive me for leaving you."

"Is your face ok?" asked Christine, her voice full of concern.

"It's irritated once again, so I stopped the bleeding but who knows how long that will last."

"I'll put together some ointment when we get back, that should help with the infection."

Before Erik could say a word, the waitress sat their lunch down on the table and they began to eat. Christine had to admit that she was pretty hungry but couldn't help but notice Erik who was hardly touching his food. Her angel had something on his mind, something that was preventing him from having a good time. She had been feeling upset the last few days and wasn't sure why but today being with him had made everything so much better up until now. Once they were finished eating, Erik walked up to pay for their lunch without even noticing the box sitting on the table. Christine picked it up again and placed it into her cloak before joining Erik to ride home. It was still raining outside and the air was humid causing the sounds of thunder to be heard off in the distance. Once they arrived back at the palace, Erik placed his horse back into the stables and walked with Christine back to their room where she watched him remove his coat and take a seat by the vanity to remove his mask. She hated seeing her angel hurt and would do anything to see him smile at her once more. Deciding that it was best to fix the ointment up before turning to him, Christine walked over to her medicine cabinet and took out the few things she needed to mix into the empty basin that sat on the table below it. She always added a half of a cup of water into the basin before adding the other medicines into it so that it had something to soak into. Christine had learned from many years of taking care of Erik what medications soothed his pain and which ones made his skin more irritated. Up until a year ago she finally got all the perfect ingredients mixed together so well that her ointment actually worked and medicated his infection. After adding the water she always placed 3 spoons full of flower for thickness, 4 crushed up aspirin pills, a tablespoon of whisky and a teaspoon of Laudanum for the irritation. After mixing it all together forming a creamy thick paste, she always added a dab of cinnamon to take away the horrid stench of the combination of all the medicines together. Once Christine was sure that her ointment was ready, she took the basin and walked over to the vanity where Erik sat in complete silence with his mask still in tact. Once she reached out for it, Erik ached in agony as she removed it slowly away from his face. As it began to come away Christine noticed that some of his dead irritated flesh was peeling off with the mask causing him more pain than he was already in.

"I'm being as gentle as I can angel." assured Christine as the mask finally came clear of his face. Once she got a good look at him, the infection looked more painful than Erik had been acting about it earlier. How badly she wanted to scold him for doing such harm to himself, but stayed calm with him. His distorted flesh was so full of infection and blood that it was hard to tell where it had started or where it ended.

"I'm going to clean your face up before I put the ointment on it." said Christine as she took a clean wash cloth and soaked it in a basin of water. Once she wrung it out, she gently began to dab his face clearing the blood away from it. Every few seconds he would gasp letting her know that she needed to be gentler on him and afterwards her touch would get softer. When the blood was off of his face Christine knew that she needed to act quickly before he would start to bleed again and began to apply the thick ointment all over his distorted flesh. Not only was the ointment a great pain reliever to Erik but was also thick enough to keep his face from bleeding out off it's infection. Though it was thick enough it had no color to it what so ever and just made his face look wet when it really wasn't.

"Now do me a favor and keep that damn mask off of your face." teased Christine as she finished up.

"Pretty hard when I've constantly have people besides you snooping around the palace." replied Erik in an angry tone of voice.

"I don't care if you have to stay in this room Erik, just keep that thing off of your face before it gets any more infected than it already is."

After placing the basin back over by the medicine cabinet Christine smiled and tuned back to Erik who was examining his face in the mirror of the vanity.

"You've been a good patent Erik and just as every good child gets a lollypop you deserve a reward too."

Before Erik could speak, Christine took out the small box once more from her cloak and handed it to him. He looked at the box for a few seconds before Christine had to coax him to open it.

"Open it Erik."

When he did and took out the Fountain Pen Christine watched as his eyes lit up. He looked so surprised to see the pen in his hands that he began to look angry with her.

"You shouldn't have done this Christine, it was way to expensive."

"Erik, when do you ever ask for something? You don't. it was only right that I bought you that. Now stop arguing with me and go write some of your music."

Erik rose to his feet and smiled at Christine before taking his pen and walking out of the room. Christine was still feeling sick and she had used the last of the aspirin on Erik's ointment so decided to walk across the hall to ask Madam Giry for some. Once she was let in, she couldn't help but notice that Madam Giry seemed mad at the fact that she had been out in the rain.

"You're going to freeze to death Christine, you shouldn't be running outside when the weather is so bad."

"We had a good time Madam Giry." replied Christine taking a seat in a chair that was next to the fire place.

"What is it that I can do for you Christine?" asked Madam Giry taking a seat beside her.

"I ran out of aspirin and wanted to borrow a few."

"Are you sick? You don't seem sick at all." questioned madam Giry with such concern.

"No, I've just been throwing up the last few days and I just haven't felt myself."

"Does Erik know?"

"No of course not, I didn't want him to worry. I just have an upset stomach is all."

Madam Giry smiled at Christine's remark and touched her stomach.

"I wouldn't worry about any aspirin Christine. Just tell me, have you been with Erik romantically since the birth of your still born son?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I be? He's my husband."

Once again Madam Giry smiled and patted Christine on the back.

"Don't worry Christine, you're not sick your with child. I can see it by the way you're glowing."

At that moment Christine's whole world came crashing down. She couldn't, she just couldn't do this to Erik all over again. It had been too soon, her dear sweet Erik was just getting over their son and now it was happening all over again.

"He'll be upset Madam Giry, upset that I let this happen again. Erik hasn't been himself since our son passed and now it's just happening all over again."

Madam Giry placed Christine's hands on her stomach and then placed hers on top of them.

"Do not worry Christine, everything will be fine. God wouldn't have done this to you again if he hadn't had a plan. Now why don't you go find Erik and tell him before he finds out some other way, or find Clorinda she's around here somewhere."

Christine nodded, and walked down the hallway only steps away from the music room. She knew that Erik's reaction wasn't going to be a good one but maybe this third time would be a charm. If what Madam Giry said was true Christine could only hope that this time God really had a plan……

More to come soon! Next chapter is gonna be a blast! R&R please thanks a lot!