Raoul insisted that Christine stay with him that night, and he hovered nearby while a doctor looked at Christine's head.
"You're quite lucky," the doctor told her as he studied the stitches that went past her hairline, "whoever stitched you up has steady hands. And you're sure you don't remember what happened?"
Christine shook her head. "I was just finishing up with a rehearsal, and then the next thing I knew it was three days later and I was waking up in my dressing room!" she said. She was growing weary of repeating the story over and over. "Really now, none of this is necessary. I'm sure I'll be just fine with some rest."
"Christine," Raoul started, but he seemed to forget what he had been about to say as he quickly closed his mouth. "Never mind," he said.
Raoul escorted the doctor out to his carriage, and when he returned to the sitting room, he found Christine fast asleep- or at least pretending to be.
—
Erik was grateful for the ever-present cacophony of his horse's hooves against the ground. It helped drown out his thoughts, something he was quite eager to do.
But as the moon began to set, giving way to the countless stars that dotted the sky and just the slightest hint of sunrise on the horizon, Erik slowed and stopped the horse, dismounting at the top of a hill and allowing the animal to wander. Far behind him, he could see the bright lights of Paris against the horizon. He'd travelled quite far in the darkness, but it wasn't far enough. He still had the compulsion to go back and find Christine.
Even after what he'd done, when he thought of Christine, thought of her voice… He wanted to slap himself in the face for wanting to be near her still. Was very nearly causing her death not enough for you? he demanded of himself, you do not deserve to be near her.
Behind him, the horse he'd borrowed without any intention of returning was grazing and slowly wandering down the hill.
—
Christine, wrapped in a dressing gown and draped with a long, silken blanket, stood at the sitting room window and watched as the household jerked to life. She had been awake since only a few hours after bidding Raoul goodnight, and being alone for so long had afforded her plenty of time to think, but she still couldn't remember what she had said to Erik in order to anger him so. She could remember so much more of that night, but not a single word she'd said.
She dreaded returning to the opera house that day, but she knew she didn't have much choice. She couldn't just abandon her job, especially now that they were in rehearsals for a new production. Her part, while silent, was still quite important.
And she most definitely did not want to even think about the horrible things that Carlotta might say if she were to abandon the production.
—
Raoul woke only after the sun was high in the sky, and it took him more than an hour to get ready for the day. When he finally made his way down to the breakfast table, he was greeted by Christine's smiling- albeit tired- face. Of course, he only saw the smile.
"You look like you're feeling better today," he said as he sat down. Christine nodded and returned her attention to her food. "Did you sleep well?"
"Fairly well," Christine said quietly, "I really should be getting to the opera house, I'm sure we'll be starting rehearsals early today to make up for whatever time was spent looking for me." She still felt kinda bad for the time and resources spent trying to find her.
"I'm sure they'll understand if you take an extended break," Raoul protested, but Christine shook her head.
"I can't, Raoul."
"What really happened, Christine?" he asked, exasperated, "why are you being so secretive?"
"How am I being secretive?" Christine demanded, "I've accepted every choice you've made for me since I woke up in my dressing room, but I"m feeling much better today, Raoul. I'm a grown woman and I can make my own decisions." She was in awe of how passionately she was arguing for something she was dreading.