"I can't just sit here." Christine muttered after her in-laws had left, sitting in the window sill of the library. All that had been running through her mind all day was Meg's hurtful words and Roxana's tears.
"And just what do you think you are going to do?" She turned to see Erik standing there, arms folded as calm as the day she first saw him.
"I..." She stopped, not really knowing what to do. "I don't know...it's horrible being helpless." She said bitterly and he nodded.
"It is...but helpless you are not Christine and you never have been." He said, sitting beside her as she made room for him.
"Oh, don't flatter me." She bit out, "I have never been anything more than a useless ball of singing fluff." She said and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from crying out. He sighed heavily.
"Then what a waste it has been between us dear." He said and she looked up.
"I didn't mean it like that..." She said, touching his hand tentatively and he looked up.
"I know." He said. "Why do you feel helpless?" He asked her and she rubbed her forehead with her palm.
"God...everything has fallen to pieces...Meg hates me and the only friend I have left is in danger...it makes me want to...to...scream!" She said, closing her eyes in anguish. His eyes widened. He'd never seen her this way. Suddenly, Roxana's low voice came into his mind and he wrapped his fingers around her small hand.
"Christine. You can either sit here complaining about it, or you can get up and do something about it. I have to attend to James..." He said, getting up. She stood as well.
"Erik wait." She said and he turned back.
"What is it?" He asked and she held her arm out.
"What do I do?" She asked, lost and he took a breath.
"You're grown up now Christine...I think that's up to you." He said and left her.
As he walked away she saw a flash of gold around his neck, but decided not to ask. The man he had been when she'd left him was gone and had been replaced by someone much stronger. It was less frightening...it was nice. Still, every time she looked at him it killed her because all of the hurt was still there. It was still real and it was still her fault. Then there was Raoul...who loved her so innocently, who she loved back with her whole heart.
"I can't help who I love..." She whispered looking outside. "God damn it!" She said, grabbing her cloak and running out the door before Raoul noticed she was gone. She was going to give Meg a piece of her mind
"Vicomtess!" Martin, who was she and Raoul's driver, exclaimed when she approached him.
"I need to go to my mother's...Antoinette Giry." She said and he nodded, eyeing her suspiciously but remembering the way.
"Aunt Annie!" She cried after knocking a few times. The door opened a moment later, with her foster mother staring back at her.
"Christine!" She cried, pulling the girl inside and hugging her tightly.
"Where is Raoul?"
"At home with...with..." She cleared her throat, "With Erik." Antoinette's mouth dropped.
"What?" She asked and Christine nodded.
"Long story...say nothing to no one. Not even Meg..." She said and Antoinette nodded, confused. A male laugh came from the sitting room of the small flat that Antoinette shared with her daughter.
"Aunt Annie...who is here?" She asked, brushing past the woman to find the familiar curly haired blond man sitting on the sofa beside her sister.
"No." She whispered as he looked up.
"Christine " He said warmly as she smiled politely and looked at Meg who glared at her.
"Pardon us...Monsieur...my sister and I must talk." She said and pulled Meg up roughly by the arm as Annie followed them into the kitchen.
"What is this about?" Antoinette asked, concerned and Christine sighed, pointing toward the door leading to the sitting room.
"That man is what this is about. Meg...you can't be serious. I came to apologize for earlier, since it seems that you weren't going to. Andrew Westcliff is a very dangerous man." She said and Meg sighed.
"So much for an apology." She muttered and Christine began to protest but Meg narrowed her eyes.
"No Christine. Mother...not this time. It's time I started making my own decisions. Andrew just knows what he wants in life. There's nothing you can do to stop me." She said, looking up at Christine. Antoinette frowned.
"I don't think you should see this man Meg." She said and Meg whirled on her.
"Christine says two words and you turn on me like the seasons. You never did take me seriously...either of you. Well, you know what? I don't care what you think Mother!" She said and looked at Christine coldly again before leaving the room.
"Please Aunt Annie..." She said and Antoinette was suddenly torn between her foster daughter and her first born. She was dangerously close to losing Meg after all she'd done.
"No Christine...I think you should go home. It will be fine." She said and Christine looked at her, hurt, but ran out the back door and to her carriage. As they drove away, she saw Andrew Westcliff getting into his own carriage. Oh God Roxana...
"Christine Oh thank God We were so worried " Raoul cried, clutching her to his chest. She was emotionally drained and her face was wet from the tears she'd shed on the way home. Erik was reading to Jamie, trying not to look up.
"What in the name of God..." Raoul asked and Christine tried to breathe.
"Andrew..." She choked out and Erik was suddenly standing.
"Did he hurt you Christine?" He asked, pulling her away from Raoul and holding her by the shoulders. " Did he?" He asked a bit more hysterical, "If he did, I swear..." He said, placing her back into Raoul's arms as she shook her head.
"He's courting Meg. My Meg " She cried and Erik ran his hand over the slicked back hair of his wig.
"Oh God..." He said and wondered what Roxana was doing. Hopefully, he hadn't visited her yet. He reached into his collar and clutched at the small item he'd hung on a chain along with the ring Christine had left with him. She just had to be safe...
"My lady...Lord Westcliff has arrived." Ana said fearfully in the doorway of the study as Roxana nodded.
"Send him in." She said, double checking to make sure her pistol was in her drawer.
"Roxy..." He said, striding toward her with a confident smile.
"Andrew." She said flatly. He looked around.
"Where is your...significant other?" He asked and she sighed.
"Unavailable at the moment. And to think I thought you were here to see me. What do you want?" She asked and he put a hand to his heart.
"Why Roxy, I am hurt...why should I want something but for the pleasure of seeing my beautiful sister-in-law?" He asked and she snorted.
"Alright fine...I know your little secret Roxana. I know your husband is that murdering monster from the Opera Populaire." He spat at her and she laughed sarcastically.
"You're practically foaming at the mouth here and he's the monster?" She shot back and he slapped her.
"I didn't ask your opinion Roxana...here is the deal. If you won't agree to marry me, I shall be forced to take actions in the law...such as putting your husband to sleep forever. Give up the charade." He said and she shook her head.
"I will never marry you." She said, "I'd kill myself first." She added. He hit her again, splitting the skin on her lip. He ran his fingers over the split before smiling and running his hand down her arm.
"If Justin had been half the man I am...he could have satisfied you properly." He said, holding her close to feel what he meant. She nearly gagged.
"Justin was twenty times the man you are " She growled and he pushed her back onto the desk, pulling at the hems of her skirts and holding her face roughly.
"I am going to make you mine right now...then we'll see if dear husband wants you...an ungrateful adulteress..." He chuckled and exposed both her and himself before taking what he deemed his. After about five horrible minutes of clenching her eyes shut, he pulled away and touched her cheek.
"I won't be forgetting you soon my sweet...and don't worry. I made sure you wouldn't get pregnant. I will be back soon." He said, pulling his coat on and leaving her on the desk, with tears in the corners of her eyes.
"Ana..." She called weakly after she'd heard the front door close. The girl appeared in the doorway and was instantly stricken at the sight of her mistress. "Ana...I need a bath..." She said as the girl nodded and ran to fetch Carolina before running out the door of the house. She hailed the first cab she saw after running a few miles.
"Dear God girl!" The driver cried. "Where are you headed?" Ana couldn't breathe.
"...Vicomte de Chagny's estate!" She choked as she climbed in.
"Easy girl..." He said as the carriage began to move. As soon as they arrived she tossed a few coins at him and thanked him before sprinting to the front door which was answered by a butler.
"Mademoiselle, what can I do for you?" He asked and she gasped out,
"Monsieur Destler!" She cried, falling against the butler tiredly. He pulled her in and led her to the sitting room where Christine, Raoul and Erik were sitting, still silent.
"Ana!" Erik said, standing up and a dagger pierced his heart when he saw the state she was in.
"What is it?" He asked, pulling her to sit down.
"Lady Roxana...Westcliff...there was noise...he left..." She fainted then from the extreme stress of it all.
"Therese!" Christine called as the housekeeper appeared.
"Yes Vicomtess?"
"We need a wet cloth...if you could." She said politely and the woman nodded as Erik knelt beside the young girl.
"Good God...how old is she, twelve?" Raoul asked, eyeing the child.
"She is fifteen." Erik said patting her cheek softly. His mind was racing. "I knew I shouldn't have left Roxana there!" He said as Therese came back in and he began to press the cloth to the girl's forehead. Her eyes fluttered.
"My lord?" She asked and he sat her up.
"It going to be alright Ana...now...what did he do to her?" He asked and she shrugged.
"All I know is, she has a split lip and a bruised cheek and eye." She said and he was up in an instant, grabbing his cloak.
"Where are you going?" Raoul asked and he looked at the boy with such intensity he cowered.
"I'm going to get her and bring her back. Then I don't know what we're going to do..." He said and Raoul threw his coat on.
"I'll come too." He said and the man nodded, looking at Christine.
"You're staying here." He ordered and she nodded.
"I'll take care of Jamie." She said weakly, picking up the little boy. Erik walked toward her as she swayed a bit and sat down. He knelt in front of her.
"Christine..." He said and she pointed to the door.
"Go...I can't bear to lose another friend." She said and turned away, pulling Roxana's son to her chest.
"Come on..." He said, pulling Raoul out the door with him as Raoul took one last look at his wife, his heart pounding in confusion and fear.
"Andrew this is enough!" Andrew Westcliff Sr. said. "You have squandered away your inheritance from your grandparents and most of your brother's. I am tired of these gambling habits. Not to mention the prostitutes. Now you have no money until you get married. The trust that was put away for you cannot be given unless you are married. So I suggest you do that if you want money for you're not getting any from me." Andrew looked at his father, his blue eyes gleaming.
"I would, except the woman I had planned to marry got married to another!" He said and the older Lord Westcliff looked at his son.
"Are you still lusting after your brother's widow? You can't always have your way Andrew. It's time you should grow up! What do you need money for this time, more debts?" He asked and Andrew sighed.
"I just do!" He screamed at his father, who sat calmly.
"I can't always be the one to bail you out..." His father said, "You know what you have to do to get your money..."