Things are going to start slowing down a bit - we have covered almost four years in a few chapters. There are a few chapters left before our lovers meet, so just enjoy the build-up!!

From this point on, you will see a slow change in Erik...as his demons surface...again.

Enjoy!

DARK SIDE OF THE GLASS

CHAPTER 11

February 20, 1876, Paris, France

It had started snowing about an hour ago; it was coming down in large, lazy flakes that meticulously formed a pure white blanket over everything.

Raoul and Christine had come over to Annette and Meg's to spend the day with them. They had not seen each other since Christmas, and had a great deal of catching up to do.

"We had a quiet Christmas; they have all been that way since Erik left."

Meg looked at her mother with an indiscernible look in her eyes.

"He never spent Christmas with us."

Annette nodded, letting Meg know that she was well aware of that fact.

"I never knew where the intricately carved, hand-painted ornaments that showed up every year came from. They were packaged in the most beautiful boxes and wrapped so perfectly."

Her smile was laced with sadness, but her eyes spoke of an ageless happiness.

"Every year I got a new set of a dozen, with various Nativity scenes and winter scenes."

While Madam spoke, Christine thought back to the Christmas' she had spent with the Giry's. She remembered the look on Annette's face when those ornaments came every year, a few days before Christmas; she loved them very much.

"The wrapping always said that they came from Germany – and I have an aunt that lives there – I assumed she was the one sending them to me.

"Erik never said a word; and he never came to spend Christmas with me. No matter how many times I asked him, he said he was not family and Christmas was for family." She looked up and watched Christine's eyes drift closed in memories. "He was always gone this time of year…off on some trip somewhere. He refused to let me get him a gift, insisting that I use the money for far more important things."

"He made them…did he not?"

Annette nodded her head at the quiet question Meg had asked.

"They stopped coming when he left."

A part of him was in each piece and Annette treasured them like precious jewels.

"I have not mentioned to him that I know my aunt did not send them to me, although he allowed me to believe this."

Christine opened her eyes and wiped a tear – she remembered admiring the ornaments every year – they were exquisite.

"Is it fair…" she paused and pleaded with her eyes, "…for me to be so happy and loved when I left him to a world without love and full of loneliness?"

Annette went to her and gave her a tender hug. When she pulled back from the hug, she cupped Christine's face in her soft hands.

"It is what he wanted for you, Christine; happiness and love – he would have it no other way."

"But…"

"Listen, I was not going to tell you this, but I think you need to know…" Annette smiled at Christine and then turned to address Raoul and Meg also, "…he has been given guardianship of a young girl. She just turned sixteen a few months ago, and her name is Tarrah Sheldon. He has been coaching her voice and training her to be a diva. She made her debut a couple of months ago and Erik said she was magnificent and every seat sold out."

Christine felt a stab of pure jealousy shoot through her. He was teaching another – giving his music to another – she had been replaced. She imagined his intense, beguiling eyes looking at this girl as he used to look at her – the curve of his rare, but staggering smile – and the intoxicating touch of his gloved fingers over her skin.

A stark, rampant, shot of desire went through her and she suddenly felt ashamed. She realized that Erik had awakened her sensual side – shown her that she was a sensual being – but he had never done anything inappropriate toward her; what reason did she have to be jealous?

"She is his ward, is that what you are saying?"

Christine's question was chalked full of surprise and astonishment.

"Yes…she requested him when she stood before the courts. She is an orphan from Ireland and had no one else."

Raoul watched his wife's reaction to this news and noticed her suddenly quiet manner. She was coping with this newest development rather well, but he sensed she felt a twinge of jealousy.

They were interrupted when a loud knock caught them off guard. Madam Giry excused herself from the room to answer the door.

Richard Firmin stood in front of her, looking rakishly handsome and completely awestruck.

"Annette, good day…this just came…" he paused to hand her an envelope, "…for Erik; I thought I should bring it to you."

He smiled when her hand brushed his as she took in from him.

"Will not you come in, Richard…Raoul and Christine are here, as is Meg."

Richard took off his hat and stepped inside the spacious apartment.

She sat down beside the window and looked at the envelope. It was to addressed to Erik Lacroix, c/o the Opera Populaire, Paris, France.

"I shall have to contact him."

Raoul stood up and came forward.

"Why do we not just take it to him, it could be very important?"

A light of hope illuminated Annette's eyes and the same light shone in Christine's face.

"Where is he?"

Annette knew she needed their help if Erik was to get this message, whatever it was, in a decent amount of time.

"He is in London."

Richard lifted his brows and dropped his mouth open.

"He is the one…he is the one that made the Italian Opera House so popular."

"Yes."

Richard began pacing the floor as ideas began forming in his head.

"Get him here, by any means possible."

Annette scowled at him and almost swatted his arm.

"Stop it…this does not guarantee that he will come back – we do not know what it is about."

Raoul stepped forward and regained the conversation.

"One of the de Chagny family ships could take us in no time."

Madam Giry smirked at him, "Us?"

Raoul stood his ground, "The ships are my responsibility…I will be going."

"And I go where Maman goes." Meg chimed in.

Christine smiled at her husband and spoke with authority, "Well, I certainly will not be left behind."

Raoul looked from one woman to the next; feeling at quite a disadvantage. He shrugged his shoulders in defeat.

"He will not be happy to see us, especially considering the past...could we leave tomorrow morning?" Annette asked, ignoring her own warnings.

Raoul nodded his head and grabbed his hat and cloak.

"I will make the arrangements"

♣♥♦♠

Annette was almost as giddy as a little schoolgirl with the prospect of seeing Erik again. It had been almost four years – and all she had of him were a few letters.

"How long has he been in England?"

Christine had come up behind her to stand to her right as they looked out over the English Channel.

"From the beginning, it took a couple of weeks to get there, but that is where he has been this entire time."

They stood silently for a few minutes, amazed at the beauty of so much water.

"I was surprised that Raoul offered to bring us…I did not expect that."

Christine smiled slightly and shrugged her thin shoulders.

"He wants to make peace as much as the rest of us. We wronged him...all of us."

"What are you going to say to him, Christine…after all this time?"

Annette had been curious about that for some time. Now, the child had her chance to tell Erik exactly what was going through her mind the night of the fire and why she did what she did.

"How much I have missed him, and that love has many facets." She briefly made eyes contact with Madam Giry, but looked away quickly, "I do love him, I know that, but the love I feel for him is not of the same as what I feel for Raoul."

Annette's lips curved up in a warm, motherly smile.

"Naturally so, he was nothing more than a voice to you for so long; and when he revealed himself as a man, you were shocked. He will always be an ethereal being to you, I understand that and so does he…now."

"He said that?" Christine asked, hopefully.

Annette sighed and gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, "Not in so many words; but the way he said it was far more self-degrading."

Christine nodded, troubled by that knowledge; there were a few, more complicated, things that she needed to tell him; but that would come.

"He is far more public now…from what I hear – Tarrah has been good for him."

Annette noticed the inquiring look that crossed Christine's face; knowing she was thinking about the seriousness of the relationship between Erik and Tarrah.

Annette sensed a jealousy in Christine that she had no right to feel.

"He deserves happiness, Christine…why would you rob him of that?"

She was shocked. Apparently, her thoughts were quite evident.

"I know he does…but seeing him with another woman will seem quite strange…I was always the center of his attention."

Annette scoffed lightly, and then smiled.

"If you ask me, it is about time he let others see who he really is – past the darkness and madness to the man that he was meant to be…I have seen sides of him that no one has ever seen…at least not those in France."

"What do we do if he is not happy to see us?"

"I am trusting that he will be...maybe not Raoul...but the rest of us."

Christine certainly hoped Madam Giry knew what she was talking about.

♦♣♥♠

Crossing the Channel at Calais was going to the shortest route, so they had taken the train to Calais and Raoul had the ship ready to sail. It only took a couple of hours to cross and they docked in Dover.

It was about a two-hour train ride to London and with each passing moment everyone grew more anxious. They were about to see the former Phantom of the Opera – a man that had evoked fear and trembling in each of them at one point, and admiration and respect at another.

So much had changed since that night long ago, when a misunderstanding had cost many unwarranted months of mistrust and loathing. A new day was dawning and the future looked nothing short of interesting.

Annette looked over at Christine, who sat across from her on the train ride between Dover and London.

"My dear, you look very pale…are you alright?"

In truth, her stomach was turning in every direction and she felt dizzy.

"I do not think the baby is fond of travel."

Annette nodded her head and pursed her lips.

"That could be, you should not have made this trip."

Christine had adamantly refused to stay at home. She was determined to see Erik and the healing process.

"I will be fine; perhaps I am just tired."

Raoul had just come from the dining car and sat down. He noticed her pallid color and leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek.

"You knew this would happen; you do not travel well when you are not with child." He teased.

She glared at him when he chuckled at her. He bent down and gave her another kiss and she turned her cheek from him with a bored look on her face – and he chuckled even more.

"You can just march yourself on out of here, Raoul de Chagny…I did not ask for your opinion."

He feigned shock and then smiled, "I love it when you are feisty."

Annette giggled at their flirty bickering.

"We have about thirty more minutes until we are in London, get a little bit of rest."

Christine nodded at Annette, agreeing that she needed to lie down. She stretched out beside Raoul with her head in his lap and drifted asleep – knowing that when she awoke, she would be that much closer to her angel.

TBC