Erik's jaw was set firmly, looking quite upset. Bad sign, Nadir figured as he came out of his bedroom the next day. He went into the kitchen , then came back to stand behind the two. In his hands he held bread and tea.

"Please?" Nadir asked in a hopeful voice.

"We talked about this yesterday, Nadir, and the day before, and the day before that." Erik groaned, not even turning to him.

"Erik..."

Erik stood up, walking away from the chaise as he ran his hand through his long hair. "I can not take this any more! Day and night I listen to her speak his name, profess her need for him to be here. I must let her go, this is torture enough. But to listen to her beg for another man? The man I hate more than any other? I know I deserve it, but I don't know if my sanity can hold up under this!" Erik railed.
Nadir looked at him with a patient look. "She heard him."

Erik stopped pacing and turned to him, looking directly into the Persian's dark eyes with his own confused ones. "What?"

"I wasn't going to tell you. But...the day before this happened, i...put some of those herbs in your tea - those special ones that make you sleep. When they worked on you, I took Christine and led her to the tunnels to clear them out. I was helping her to escape, and then I was going to come back and help you escape too, before the police would find you. But the tunnels were far worse than I thought they were, and we did veru little in the hours we worked. Just as she was becoming very much wearied, we heard the Vicomte sobbing on the floor above us. He spoke to her, not knowing she was at hos feet. He spoke on how desperately he needed her and loved her. How he wasn't sleeping, eating, how he was killing yourself. Ironically enough, though the two of you be rivals and enemies of all sorts, you do both act the same. She heard him, screamed for him, but he did not hear her cries. It is of this reason why she locked herself in her room that day. I spoke with her, she said many things. How she returned de Changy's feelings, and how unspeakably hurt she was that you would know of how it hurt both of them and yet refuse to release her. She felt like you, her angel in her eyes, betrayed her at last. And then, the tone of the conversation turned, and she wondered what she did for you to ignore her all the time, and not bother with her, even though she was down here with you. And then she said...she said she'd have to be deathly ill or along those lines for you to pay any true attention to her on your own accord."

"Deathly ill?" Erik whispered in his own shock, looking back in to the face of Christine. "This is even more my fault than I thought before?"

"It was all our faults. Yours, mine, de Changy's, hers. We all had a hand in this."

Erik shook his head, walking over to Christine, his eyes not leaving her. "Why? Why would she want any of my attention? She never acted it! I thought she hated and dispised me. I stayed away so she could come to peace with this home, if not any other thing that resides here. I didn't know she wanted me to look upon her, or to become her angel once more! I thought she would think I betrayed her by impostering the Angel of Music - I thought she wished him dead; to descend into Hell again! How was I to know she thought differently? She never showed signs of such!" Erik whirled around to look upon Nadir. "Did she tell you?"

"No Erik , she did not until the day of the 'accident.' I knew nothing of these feelings thast she harbored."

"Did you see the signs? Was it just me who was so blind?"

Nadir shook his head. "I missed them all. I thought it purely your doing that she came out of her room at all. The fact that she was seeking comfort and old times from you was just as a surprise to me as it was to you."

Erik groaned, pacing once more, his ears picking up on Christine's softly mumbled words. "She continues to call him." Erik whispered. "How could she have wanted me to see her when all she calls is him?"

Nadir shook his head, for he had no answer.

"Her fever broke on the eve of dawn. She should be out of danger now, and waking, with hope, soon. Take care of her. You surely know what all to do." With that, Erik walked away.

"Praise Allah that she is well, but I swear Erik, I will not do the task that you request of me. I'll let her be just as she is if you walk away."

"You wouldnt. You care to much for people to do such a thing."

"I care more for you as my dear friend than of any other. I will not allow you to leave, do you hear what I speak of, Erik? I will not care for her if you leave!"

Erik paused, staring at Nadir to see if he was indeed speaking the truth. To his shock, he saw all seriousness in Nadir's eyes. He sighed, then sat down by the chaise. "Fine." he muttered.

Nadir nodded. "Excuse me." He said quietly before leaving.

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

"Erik? Erik where are you? Why are you not here with me?" Erik's ears perked at hearing his name be graced from Christine's pale pink lips. Never had she talked of him. "Erik? You promised...you promised. You said...my guardian...my angel. You promised...be with me always. Why...why have you abandoned me? Erik!"

Erik's heart lurched. Nadir, not standing too far away, winced. He knew that those words were enough to send Erik over the edge; to kill him.

She moaned as she moved her head side to side, as if fighting to find him. Her hand flew out towards Erik, and he caught it, inclosing it with both of his warm hands. As soon as he did, she mumbled out his name again with a half smile, then fell back to sleep. Erik continued to watch her, half full of guilt, the other with great curiosity in what was going on in that mind of hers.

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Vision blurry, her surroundings were of all colors and no shapes. Squinting, her world came more into focus. She concentrated on the colors near her. There was black and pale colors. Even before it took shape, she knew what it was. She had seen it many times while she had been sleeping. She'd awake to a blurry, moving form above her, and see a burning golden halo above it. But the halo was gone now, and the shape was coming more and more into her focus. She reached out, but her heavy hand felt nothing put air as she wiggled her stiff fingers.

"Erik?" She whispered, her voice cracking from a painful throat. Her vison near in tact, she saw his head fly up from his hands. His eyes were red, and he looked like he was not all there.

"You're awake?" Breath that he had suppressed in him when he heard her voice rushed out in relief. "Oh, thank God!" He breathed, not knowing what else to say.

"Was I asleep that long?" She asked in confusion.

"Long? You were out for four days! You caught fever from the cold water of the lake and I have been caring for you since. Nadir helped...a little." Erik said, taking her hand and warming it within his.

"The lake? You mean...you mean that wasn't a dream?"

"That was no dream. You nearly drowned!"

"But you saved me?"

"Of course...but God, Christine...why did you do such a thing? To hurt me for hurting your precious Vicomte? You nearly died! Or did you do so because you know that your death would be the only thing that could ever truly kill me?"

Christine looked at him in horror. She was just opening her mouth to respond when Erik quickly stood up, obviously furious. Before she could explain, Nadir came out of his room.

"She's awake." Erik said in a low, angry tone before walking away and slamming the door.

Christine had tears in her eyes as Erik's words screamed in her ears.

"I have prayed none stop for you to return to health." Nadir said, sitting where Erik just had.

"Has he long been like this?" She whispered.

"Erik? He's been mad, of course. Hurt as well."

"So he didn't..."

"Do not mistake my words, Christine. I told you he was hurt, not that he never stopped caring for you. If he wasn't here, you would be surely dead. He has not left this chair for more than a few paces the entire time you have lain there. He has not eaten a bite, nor slept in the slightest."

She heard a door open again, and knew Erik was somewhere behind her, though she had not the strength enough to see. She saw Nadir stare awaitingly at him.

"Get yourself well and strong, Miss Daae. I have quite the surprise for you, that you will like immensely. And you don't even have to attempt death to get it." Erik said in a bitter tone, then left once more.

Christine looked confused at Nadir, but he made no attempt at revealing Erik's meaning.

He had been solely on Christine's side before, not being able to get into Erik's mind any more. But now...now things were different. There was a strong, repaired bond between he and the Phantom. He decided that Erik must know what he'd doing, and to stay out of it. Therefore, though he knew exactly what the surprise of Erik's would be, he told her nothing.

"Gain your strength, Christine, you will need it." and then he left to fetch her the food that he could spare.