"Are you hungry? We can stop and get something before going to my place." Ryan looked over at Christine.
"No. That's not a good idea. Look Ryan, you're sweet guy, and maybe in the future there could be something between the two of us."
"But?"
"Right now, life is complicated, and the moment Erik finds me gone, he's going to come looking for me. And with his temper, not to mention his hatred of you, it wouldn't be a good idea for him to find me there."
"Alright, Christine, where would you like for me to take you?"
"The bus stop."
"The bus stop? I don't think..."
"Please, Ryan."
"Fine. Do you have enough money?"
"Yes." Christine turned and watched the buildings past by, possibly for the last time.
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Erik knocked on the door until it opened. Ryan stood there without a shirt on. Erik rage suddenly increased. First, the boy had stolen his Christine from him. Now, he was parading around in front of her without clothes on. He would kill him. His hand suddenly went to his side and reached for his lasso. Before either had time to blink, Ryan felt the rope around his neck, cutting off his air.
"Erik will teach you take what is rightfully Erik's. No one touches Erik's things but Erik. Christine is Erik's. She loves him and belongs with Erik."
A tall man in a uniform stepped into the house. "Sir, please don't kill him. It would mean a lot of paperwork for us."
"Fine."Erik growled, taking his lasso back. He jerked the boy up from the floor, where he had fallen, and threw him to the police officer. "Arrest him for kidnaping."
"Listen. She called me, you sick, twisted son of a bitch. She called me asking for my help." Ryan tried to struggle out of the officer's arms as Erik grabbed him by the throat.
"Leave us." The officer didn't have to be told twice. The moment the door was shut, Erik threw the boy across the room. "I am only going to offer you this once before I kill you. Tell me where Christine is. Then Christine and I will both forget that you ever existed."
"She had me drop her off at the bus station. She wouldn't tell me anything other than that." Erik stalked to the door. He opened and turned back to look at Ryan. His eyes menacingly red. His words more of a growl. "You are never to contact Christine, ever again. Death will be a welcomed relief if you do."
He shut the door behind him and went to the car. David handed him the phone with the number already dialed. David kept his eyes on the road while his body shook in the driver's seat. He had never seen Erik so upset. Life was going to be miserable, a living hell if Christine wasn't found soon. David prayed for Christine's sake that she managed to get away. At the same time, he was praying that they found her for the sake of the household.
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Christine was getting ancy. She had been on the bus for nearly thirty minutes, and several cop cars had gone by them with their lights and sirens going. She made up her mind to get off at the next stop. Her destination was two states away, but she had a feeling they weren't even going to make it out of town before Erik caught up with the bus. The bus stopped, and Christine rushed off it. She had no idea what she going to do now, but she did know that she had to get out of this town.
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Erik slammed his fist against the back of the seat. "David, where is she?"
"Sir, I am sure she couldn't have gotten very far. They have already stopped all of the buses. She has to be on one of them." She had better be on one of them. The master was quickly losing patience. The sooner they found her the sooner he would calm down. The phone rang, and David answered it before relaying the message to Erik.
"Sir, she's not on any of them."
"Then where is she?"
"One of the driver's said that about five minutes ago a young lady matching Christine's description got off of his bus about a block from here."
"Then why aren't we there yet?
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Christine was entranced by a beautiful song. She had to find out where it was coming from. She had to know. She started to walk along a line of cars. She didn't notice the black one sitting in the long row. Suddenly, the song stopped as did Christine. She looked around, trying to figure out where it had gone when the car door opened and pulled her in.
Christine realized whose arms had grabbed her immediately and started to struggle against them. David pulled out the moment the door was shut. "No. No. Let me go. I won't go back."
Erik didn't understand why she was so upset. However, he could tell it was making David nervous. "David, need I remind you of the conversation we had previously concerning Christine's safety in this car?"
"No, sir." David gulped and focused back on the road. Erik softly sung a lullaby in Christine's ear so David wouldn't hear it. Soon, Christine found herself in the state between dream and awake. Erik continued singing and started moving her curls out of her face. She felt good on his lap. It was too bad she was asleep and could not enjoy the experience with him. Sadly, the trip ended, and they were home. He stopped singing to get Christine of the car.
Unfortunately, Christine started her struggle once again, and Erik was in no mood to lull her back to sleep. Despite all of her attempts, he managed with ease to get her into the house and up the stairs.
"Erik, put me down. Let me go." Christine hit against Erik's arms. Erik deposited Christine on her bed. He took out a hankie and began wiping away her tears. His voice mildly hypnotic. "Shh. It is alright, darling. Christine simple got scared. She didn't mean to leave Erik, did she?"
"Erik, please let me go." Christine whispered, scared of the punishment that Erik would bestow upon her. She hoped that Ryan was okay.
"Now that's not what you want. You are tired and need sleep. Do not worry. Erik will take care of everything. Erik will rid you of that boy."
"Erik, don't." Erik picked up Christine and tucked her under the covers. He began his soft lullaby again and watched as Christine drifted off to sleep.
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Christine got out of the bed and went to the door. Upon finding the door unlocked,she said a quick thank you and ran down to Erik's office. She could hear him talking but could not make out the conversation. She knocked anyhow. Maybe if she could get to him early enough, he would leave Ryan alone. "Erik, may I come in?"
Her reply came in the form of Raphael opening the door. Christine slipped past him and waited for him to shut the door. Christine sat on the edge of Erik's desk while he leaned back in his chair. "Are we feeling better today, my dear?"
"Yes. Erik?"
"What, Christine?"
"Thank you for coming and getting me yesterday."
"You do not have to thank me. I will always bring you home." Christine fiddled with the hem of her shirt.
"Erik, you know Ryan didn't mean any trouble?"Apparently, it was wrong thing to say as Erik sat up and his appearance grew dark.
"That boy has been nothing but trouble. But no more. Erik has taken care of that matter."
"Erik, what did you do?"
"What does it matter? Erik has removed that boy from our lives."
"Erik, please tell me."
"He is with Elizabeth."
"What is that suppose to mean? You never told me what you did with Elizabeth."
"Erik should have killed both of them, but Erik thought about Christine's feelings and sent them away instead. They will not bother you again."
"You promise you didn't hurt them?"
"Erik did not hurt them even though they hurt Christine and deserve to be punished." Christine was getting scared the more Erik talked. Christine slipped off of the desk and sat down on Erik's lap. His arms enclosed around her waist and drug her back to his chest.
"Erik, did you notice that the bassoonist was out of tune last week?"
"Yes, I noticed it. I have fixed the problem." Christine tried to slip off his lap, now that he seemed calmed down. "Don't go. I am sorry if my temper frightened you, but please stay."
"Alright, Erik. I am not going anywhere." Christine rested her head back against Erik's chest.
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Erik had fixed the problem of Christine leaving him. At night, when she was sent to bed, her door was locked, and Erik was the only one with a key. During the day, she was either with him or being constantly checked on. He had come down with the hammer. He had given her a new set of guidelines, and she knew better than to break them. The house had been warned that if Christine was able to break any of them, then the house would be punished. Now if Erik could just get Christine to quit the nearly daily tantrums that had started since she had come back to him.
Erik made his way down to the kitchen, hoping to surprise Christine. She was no where to be found. Sarah walked in with meat out of the freezer. "Where's Christine?"
"She went upstairs to get something about thirty minutes ago." Erik frowned and went searching for Christine. He found her laying on the floor of the library. He rushed to her side and picked her up.
"SARAH, CALL AN AMBULANCE!" Erik shouted while cradling Christine in his arms. He tapped her face lightly. He voice soft and pleading. "Come on, Christine. Wake up. Let me see those eyes of yours. Christine, please. Please wake-up." Erik stood up and ran down the stairs to meet the ambulance at the gate.
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A/N: Sorry, couldn't help it. Had to update again. The reviews inspired me. Please review. Christine's future may depend on it.