Chapter Three

I had to do something. As easy as it was to sit and ignore my problems, I would be forced to act soon.
The problem was I didn't have the slightest idea on what I would do.

Despite my feelings for Erik, I knew I would have to leave him. My motivation did not solely come from my affections for Raoul, or my concern for others. For it had been my concern and worry for the safety of my friends in the opera house that I had stayed with Erik for so long.

I knew the consequences that lay ahead of my decision to either leave or stay. I had stayed for much longer than I should have. I realized that it had been grief, panic and uncertainty that had caused me to rashly agree to live with Erik in the first place. But now reason was dawning on me, like the sunrise finally coming into view on a thick foggy morning.

We would destroy each other.

Erik had already kissed me and I had willingly returned his physical affections. I had given him enough opportunities to feel tempted. I slept in an unlocked room in his own home and only his powerful will stopped him from crossing the threshold. We had foolishly confessed our love to each other and I knew that Erik's love for me had already driven him into madness. This madness would soon come to claim me. And it was only a matter of time before Erik's desire overcame him and his basic instinct would put my virtue in serious jeopardy.

Once I left him, I would then be faced with the stigma that would follow my choice. It would be discovered that I had lived with a man who was neither my husband nor guardian for several months. I would be shamed.

Despite the terrible reality I would face, it would be worth it, if I could escape.

The next morning, I decided to make my way back to the opera house. I summoned up my courage to tell Erik I was going out and he looked at me dismissively.

"You may come and go as you please, Christine." He informed me. His tone was indifferent but I could sense his true feelings. On the contrary to his insane nature, Erik felt himself completely in control, and as long as I feared him, he would remain in control. He would slowly break me until all of my resistance had fled. Only time could tell how long that would take, which made the urgency to get away more pressing.

I quickly made my way to the passages that lead up to the door on the Rue Scribe. Winter was truly upon Paris and the frigid wind snuck up under my cloak and assaulted my neck. I could imagine Raoul in that moment, smiling and laughing and asking "Christine Daae, where is your scarf?"

My dear friend. How I regretted having dragged him into this hell. He must still be in such shock after what had happened. The uncertainty of what had transpired in the de Chagny carriage after our hasty exit from the ball troubled me. I sent up a silent prayer for my friends before I opened the main entrance to the building and stepped inside.

The solemn silence served as a reminder of the terrible events that had transpired in these halls. The image of Carlotta lying lifeless on the floor flashed before my eyes and I shuddered. I was not denying that Carlotta was a cruel woman. She had even inspired hatred in me, a feeling that I felt shocked and shamed to have. But she did not deserve to die in such a manner. No one did.

I could no longer trust my best friend. I was unsure if I would now have to treat Genny as a victim or as a predator. I admitted to myself that things would probably end up best for us all if she did go truly insane and was sent to an asylum. At least she would be safe. I dared not speak to anyone else or ask for help for fear of putting them at danger. If I attempted to contact Raoul, I would forfeit his life. With my allies and options dwindling at every moment, I felt all hope fleeing from me with every step. For I was certain that even now Erik was only a few steps behind me, watching and following my every turn.

Then I thought of one last chance; the mysterious Persian who had managed to pull me away the night of the masque. Now that I took the time to stop and think, I was impressed that he had been able to not only maneuver me out of Erik's grasp, but he had also allowed me to escape to the roof. I barely knew this man but he apparently knew a great deal about me. He knew that I had been with kept in the house by the lake. He also seemed aware of the consequences if anyone tried to take me away from Erik by force.

Raoul had mentioned that he was a police inspector. Perhaps he was my only hope.

I walked quicker, determined to cover every inch of the opera in hopes of seeing him. I made my way up the stairs and turned towards the hallways leading to the upper foyer. I had unwillingly walked in the same path a few nights ago when I had left Raoul and when I had been forced to gaze upon the scene of Carlotta's murder. Half a dozen officers of the Sûreté stood milling in the hallway and one of them spotted me; a concerned frown was covering his face.

"Mademoiselle, the opera is closed." He informed me. He walked forward and took my arm. "You'll need to leave." He started to guide me back the way I came.

"I'm looking for someone…" I managed to sputter out an excuse. "An inspector…"

"I'm sorry mademoiselle, but you have no business being here right now. Please." He informed me, the annoyance in his voice rising with each word.

"You don't understand. I need help. I need…" I pleaded. He was now using gentle force to pull me along the hallway as I stubbornly refused to let move away.

"Yes you do need help, Mademoiselle Daae." A voice called from behind us. Both the young officer and I turned simultaneously towards the direction of the voice. It came from a tall man in a crisp uniform, whose voice and face were familiar to me. I was looking for an inspector and I found one. Unfortunately it was not the one I was seeking.

"And we also need your help." Inspector Durand strolled up to us and I felt the hand fall away from my arm as the officer brought it sharply down to his side. With one stern look from his superior officer, the man slunk away back towards his comrades. Durand then focused his attention on me. "May I speak with you Mlle. Daae?" He asked, then glanced from side to side suspiciously. "That is if your gentleman friend doesn't object."

My heart nearly leapt in my throat. What did he know...about Erik? "W-Who?" I barely managed to cough up.

He grinned, dispelling his serious attitude for the moment. "Your young Vicomte, of course." he said. "The last time we spoke, he was very...defensive. And I have to ask you some questions that I hope won't disturb you, and I wouldn't want to deal with any of his outbursts."

Blood rushed to my cheeks, remembering our first meeting that had resulted in my fainting and Raoul swearing at the inspector. "The Vicomte and I are only friends..." I stammered.

He held up a hand dismissively. "Don't worry, mademoiselle. I'm not really concerned with people's personal affairs. My only concern is the public safety...and right now I am very much concerned about yours." His voice had now drifted back to the stern tone of a policeman. "Were you at the masque the night the murder occurred? I assume you have at least heard of it?"

I nodded. "I was there, Inspector."

"Did you see what happened? Did you see anything unusual?" he prodded. I shook my head no. "What were you doing exactly on that night?"

I tried to keep my voice as leveled as possible, even though I could feel my fingertips shaking, the tremors reaching up towards my throat. "I arrived late to the party, after the performance. I had one dance before I stepped outside for some air. It was very crowded, Inspector."

I watched Inspector Durand's teeth grab at his bottom lip and pull on it slowly in thought. "Were you with anyone that night? I mean, did you have an escort or even anyone you knew...underneath their masks."

To lie and say I was with no one would seem too suspicious, even to me. "I was with the de Chagny family." It was the truth. "I came to the party alone, but when I stepped outside I recognized the Vicomte and his younger sister, who of course I know from the opera." I felt very proud of myself in that moment. If Inspector Durand did question Raoul about my whereabouts that night, I was confident Raoul would confirm my 'little lie' to protect us. "I'm very close to Raoul and Genevieve de Chagny. We were childhood friends." I noticed the inspector raise an eyebrow as I mentioned Raoul again. "We were outside when we heard the commotion inside. The Vicomte summoned his carriage...it was clear in a few moments that it would not be wise to return inside with everyone rushing out. They drove me home and I haven't seen them since." I took a moment to catch my breath, praying that the Inspector believed my story.

He nodded slowly. Behind his shoulder I could still see the officers scurrying about like mice looking for scraps. Some had small notebooks and were jotting down unknown words at a furious pace. Unlike them, Durand hadn't bothered to record any evidence I had provided on paper. "Are they going to close the opera, Inspector?" I asked after a tense moment of silence between us.

His voice was gruff. "I think that is the least of your problems right now Mlle. Daae." he informed me. "I must be frank with you. When I examined the corpse of Madame Carlotta, I noticed something. Something that I had seen before and had dismissed as coincidence, but not after the other night." he looked around, concerned. "You need to hear this, but I am afraid of upsetting you. Would you like me to find you a chair so you can sit?"

I shook my head. I was sure no chair would help by now.

"I have seen this handiwork before. I tried not to keep track of how many times until recently. Men and women die every day in Paris. I have seen far too many deaths. But I've noticed something about Carlotta that reminded me of the body of M. Valerius. Both persons were attacked with such gruesome force and had similar wounds. It also reminded me of something I had seen in my youth, when I first joined the force." he clasped his hands together. "There were a series of murders all around my district. It was strange to have so many at any given time, especially in this district around the opera. The victims were dispatched in similar style, which lead us to believe they were the work of the same person. But as we started to gather clues, the murders stopped."

I leaned back against one of the marble rains, grasping it, white knuckled. I was no longer acting and held my breath waiting for what came next

"The victims were brutally stabbed...but there was something else. They had wounds all over their bodies, particularly on the face. Each was finished off with a cut throat. Many of my fellow officers believed it was the work of some mad devil that would cut men's throats and then go into a frenzy. However I had a theory that the stab wounds were done deliberately before the murderer ended their lives. He wanted to make them suffer."

"He?" I blurted out.

"Yes it had to be a man. The victims were men, large ones. And in the morgue we noticed burns and marks under the throat, under the lacerations. From a rope. I thought the murderer must have garroted the victim to the point of unconsciousness, in order to overpower them. Only a man could have such strength."

As he spoke, the faint hope dawned again in my mind, that Genny wasn't responsible for Carlotta's murder. She couldn't have overpowered her without help.

"When I saw M. Valerius, I had a dreadful feeling that it was the work of the same killer I had pursued years ago. Upon seeing the prima donna..." he paused and I noticed a trickle of sweat had formed on his brow, running from under his uniform hat. "I had no doubt that it was the same man. The wounds were nearly identical, designed to slowly bleed a person to death..." he stopped, wiping the perspiration with the back of his hand.

I wasn't sweating, but my heart was crashing against my rib cage, and beneath the skirt of my dress, I knew my knees were shaking so much they almost knocked into each other. I faced two terrible truths. Either Erik had murdered Carlotta himself, leaving Genny to take the blame or worse; he had instructed her on how to end the diva's life, guiding each stroke of the blade like a conductor leading his orchestra.

Now I did feel sick, just as before. But I forced myself to stand as straight as I could and not look too worried.

"The reason I'm telling you this is that I have a very strong suspicion that this murderer might somehow be connected to you." Durand continued. "I'm not accusing you, Mlle. Daae, but I can't ignore the fact that you have been in some way connected to these victims. Maybe it's nothing, or maybe it's a serious threat to your safety, because you share a connection to the latest victims." I could read right past his words. He did suspect me of something and he did think I was in danger.

How right he was.

He brought his hands to mine and grasped one of them. Holding it in front of his face, he once again pulled on his bottom lip with his teeth. "Help me catch this person… If you know anything of who he might be, if you even suspect anyone you are with...even if it might be your closest friend." he pleaded. He squeezed my hand, and for all of his cynical attitudes that came with his responsibilities as an officer of the law, I could feel the sincerity in his touch. "Or stay away from the opera...and keep yourself out of danger."

I loathed my secrets and the twisted reality I kept locked inside my mind. If I left the opera...everyone would be in danger.

He bowed his head over my hand before releasing it. "Now I will have to insist you leave. The opera will be closed while we try to catch this fiend." He turned and walked away. I headed obediently back down the main stairs, determined to slip to the stage once I was out of sight. My boots tapped lightly on the steps as I slowly walked. Then I froze mid step. My fingers curled into fists as the meaning of the inspector's words dawned on me.

Even if it might be your closest friend.

He suspected Raoul! I now saw the intention behind his words like a veil lifted from my eyes. He was the friend. Raoul had given the Inspector plenty of reasons to dislike him in their first meeting with how brashly he had acted. I knew it was only his love for me that drove him to act like that, but perhaps the Inspector had seen it as something else entirely. If he discovered what horrible things Frederich had done to me and how cruel Carlotta had acted towards me and Genny, under the right circumstances, everything could point to Raoul.

I pressed my nails into my hand so tightly that they started to bruise my palm, and in that moment I cursed Erik with all my heart. He was indeed the conductor behind all of this. I could feel the wet sting of tears welling at the corners of my eyes. I wiped at them as I descended the stairs rapidly, not caring who saw me. Despite my weeping, I didn't stop again as I turned the corner and made my way towards the stage area.

Before, I had no idea what to do. Now my mind was assaulted with hundreds of ideas. I wanted to stop my course and run the other way. Out of the opera and into the street. I would run as fast as my legs could carry me away from this place. I could turn around and plead to Inspector Durand, confess everything and beg for his protection. I wasn't sure if he and his men would have the brains or strength to track down Erik and bring him to justice, since he had apparently eluded them in the past.

I recalled my frustrations of before. If I confessed, I would be an accomplice to murder. I would be arrested and sent to jail. I even feared being locked away in an asylum. Now in one fleeting thought of madness, I reasoned it would be better to be locked away. Behind real prison bars I would be safe from Erik, and Raoul and Genny would be free of any blame.

I could imagine a pair of cold metal handcuffs on my wrists already, but the thought didn't frighten me. It exhilarated me. I turned around to head back towards the foyer, determination leading every step.

I was stopped by the figure of a man, and my pace was so quick that I couldn't slow down and I succeeded in bumping into him in the most ungraceful manner. He caught me by the elbow as my body leaned forward and my eyes closed. A panic swept through me as I thought that I had once again been caught by Erik.

"Christine Daae." The voice that issued from the man who held me up was not Erik. My eyes flashed open to reveal the face of the mysterious Persian. There was no mistaking his identity now that I saw him without his mask. He wore a bowler hat, but underneath it he had fashioned a maroon cloth to cover his hair and part of his earlobes. A set of dark brows rested underneath his head-covering and below them, a pair of brilliant emerald eyes.

"Forgive me. I did not mean to startle you, although I am sure you are used to that by now." He explained. I pulled myself up out of his grasp and brushed my tear stained cheek with the back of my hand. "Where were you going?" he asked.

"I'm going mad." I whispered and sniffled, despite my best efforts to control myself. "That's where I am going."

"Please, do not be upset. I know that is a lot to ask of you, especially after all you have been through. You must listen to what I have to say. You must trust me. I'm here to help you." He instructed. His words were calm and measured, but even in my distraught state I could hear the intensity behind them.

"I don't think anyone can help me now, sir. Even you." I admitted.

"I beg you not to give up, mademoiselle." He pleaded. "I have been trying for the past few months to secure your freedom, but with little success." His words interested me.

"What do you mean?" The fingers of my hands that were lying slack against my dress now curled into fists, pressing the fabric roughly into my palms. If what he had told Raoul was true, if he claimed that he was supposed to be helping me, why had he waited for so long? Why was it only now that I was learning of his presence? I didn't want to believe him. "How do you know about me? How do you know about Erik? Tell me!" I hissed.

He put out his hands in front of his chest to calm me. He was wise enough not to reach out and touch me in that moment. "I will not try to pacify you Mademoiselle. Or tell you not to be upset. You have every right to be upset at me and my failures. I had hoped the night of the masque ball you and the Vicomte would be able to escape in the crowd, but I was mistaken. I underestimated Erik's determination once again and now I think we all know what he will do if you try to leave the opera."

I nodded grimly. "I have known Erik for many years." He continued. "I have seen him do horrible deeds, but even I would not think he would stoop this low. I have been observing him from the shadows just as he has been watching you. Once you disappeared, I had no doubt as to where you had gone." He looked around us both with a distrustful glance, before taking a few steps backwards into the corridor. I followed him till the point that the light from the gas lamp left both of our faces. "Erik and I were once friends, but certain circumstances drove us apart. His actions and my faithful devotion to him lead to me being banished from my country. I discovered he had settled in Paris and I learned of his house in the cellars, but I kept my distance. "

His eyes kept me captivated as he spoke. I looked into their depths and wondered of the untold story behind them. "I would never have thought Erik would be driven to hold someone prisoner against their will. Not after the fact that he had been subjected to the same cruel fate many times before."

I recalled the frightening conversation between Erik and me in the carriage; about the cage. "It was then I had to act, and I discovered the passage to the underground through your dressing room mirror. I managed to avoid the traps I had anticipated would be left for me, but once I reached the lake I was unsuccessful in crossing it. My stealth did not go undetected and it almost cost me my life." I watched as one of his hands reached up to touch his neck.

"He tried to kill you." I filled in the blank left by his silence. "I thought you said you and Erik were friends? Why would he try to kill you?"

"Because I interfered. Erik needs no other reason than that...according to his logic. I tried to take you away from him." He let his hand fall away from his neck with a sigh. "Apparently our friendship is obsolete now. I can now be counted as one of his enemies and the same fate awaits anyone else who tries to separate you two."

"Then what is to be done?" I asked, but I didn't bother to wait for an answer. "Nothing. I don't think you can help me now sir. I've already made up my mind. Now if you'll excuse me." I moved to walk past him, but he stopped me, grasping my wrist firmly.

"What exactly are you planning to do?" he scolded me.

"I'm going to confess to the murder of La Carlotta. I'm going to have the police throw me in jail or the mad house. I don't care at this point!" My voice wavered as it rose in volume. "Either way, I'll be away from Erik and no one else will get hurt because of me. It's the only way I can stop this madness."

"You are still quite naïve, young lady." My words seemed to have no effect on him as his reprimanding tone only increased. "Do you think that will stop Erik? You should know full well the depth of his obsession for you," His dark brows titled downward as his gaze on me intensified, and I suddenly felt very frightened of him. "You would take the blame for his crimes after all he has done? You would give up your own freedom?"

"I'll lose my freedom no matter what I do." I admitted. His words struck me. In my vain effort to put others before myself, I was willingly placing myself in danger. I would gain nothing by taking responsibility for Erik's actions except to let him get away, guilt free.

"Also, what makes you so sure that Erik will stop killing people? How will you protect the lives of your friends if you are locked up?" He pointed out, his reason slashing my plans to pieces like a sword through thin sheets.

"I could pacify him." I suggested. "I could make him promise not to harm anyone if I stayed with him. He would do anything I ask him."

"I'm afraid it will take more than that to stop Erik. Promises mean very little to him."

"Is it really so hopeless?" I whispered.

He made a vague attempt to smile at me. "If all hope were lost, I wouldn't be here. You at least have enough of the monster's trust for him to let you leave his home. So there is still a chance that I can help you win your freedom."

I shuddered at the word monster. Truly there was no loss of love between these two former friends.

"We must set a plan in place so that when the time comes to make your escape, Erik must be distracted. His attention must be turned away so that he will not have a chance to pursue you, for he will be pursued as well. If he is too busy protecting his own life, he will not have the opportunity to follow you."

I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks with realization that to save my own life, I would have to put Erik's in danger. That terrible scenario hadn't crossed my mind until now. I hated Erik for what he had done to me, but I still felt connected to him. I knew that once I left, I would lose that connection, that part of my soul that he had revived with his music and his passion. But I could not bear to think of leaving if it would cause his death.

Or worse. I could see now Erik's hands in shackles instead of mine. He would certainly be captured and tormented just like before. I now doubted my strength to go through with this.

"What must I do?"

"For the time being, I must ask that you remain with Erik. I will contact the Vicomte using the greatest secrecy so we can arrange your departure from Paris. Until that time you must promise me that you will not attempt to leave the opera house or escape on your own. It could mean disaster for us all."

My head felt like stone as I nodded in solemn agreement. "Genevieve," I whispered. "She must come with us. She is in great danger here as well. I won't leave unless she comes."

"I agree with you. I will contact the de Chagny brothers and insist they take you and their sister out of Paris. I will need a week, maybe more. I will contact you to let you know when. In the meantime, you must act as normal as possible. Return to the stage, sing, do whatever it takes to keep Erik happy."

He still was holding my hand and looked down at it in concern. "You're shaking." He noted. He lead us away from the shadowed corner and back towards the foyer. "I know why. You are afraid you will never leave this place. Please have courage, mademoiselle."

We rounded into another corridor and his grip loosened on my hand, but he did not release it. "This is where I must leave you, before we arouse any further suspicion. I will contact you soon." He bowed at the waist, his nose just resting above my hand. "Good day." I watched him walk away and out of sight. I dared to hope that his cryptic plan would work and if I played my part a while longer, I would be free. I glanced around hurriedly, once again afraid that Erik was lurking behind me. The hallway was silent. I couldn't even hear the Persian's retreating footsteps any longer.

Still, his words rang clearly in my ears.

Do whatever it takes to keep Erik happy.

More E/C angsty goodness in the next chapter I promise you!

Shout out to another beta reader who join my team, SesshomaruLover23! And also thanks to all of you readers and reviewers!