Disclaimer: I own everything. Society just doesn't know yet that I stole all the characters from Gaston Leroux, who is the greatest writer who's ever lived. If you haven't read the original book: SHAME ON YOU! Buy it NOW!

~Chapter twenty~

Raoul felt devastated. His poor Christine was in the hands of a monster and god only knows what he was doing to her! He had wanted to contact the police but the Persian didn't want them to cause a scene. "Monsieur! Think of your reputation, it would look very bad if got out that the vicomte was telling stories about a man living beneath the opera house who had kidnapped a singer and owned a torture chamber. We need to build up our strength and outsmart him. He is a very clever man but I've known him for a while. I know what he has up his sleeves. We still have to keep his and Christine's secrets, but don't worry vicomte, we will win and you will have your Christine back in your arms. We won't make the same mistake twice." They had gotten firearms and made elaborate plans on how to get down again. The Persian had some maps of the opera and he had marked some places where he said he knew Erik had trapdoors. The trapdoors the Persian knew about were too many for Raoul's taste. He got a foul taste in his mouth too when he thought of what the man, no, the monster, might have done to poor Christine. The Persians servant Darius would help them on their next trip for the monster. He was a dark haired, dark eyed man around the age of thirty with a large moustache. A week later they all felt ready to give their plan a go.

One can get used to anything if one wishes, Erik had said to her once. How had it happened that Christine had gotten so used to Erik's crazy and gentle side that she was now sharing a bed with him? What was she doing! He was a murderer! He had kidnapped her and tortured her beloved Raoul! So why had Raoul been far from her mind yesterday? Erik hadn't forced himself upon her, he hadn't even tricked her or scared her. They had even been in the park and Christine hadn't even thought of crying out for help! She lay now, alone in bed, looking up to the ceiling with thoughts of guilt, same and regrets filling her heart. She felt so ashamed! When she had woken up she had been alone, but next to her there had been a little box. She had been afraid to open it until she saw a note that said it was for her. Inside it was the most stunningly gorgeous diamond and ruby necklace she had ever seen. 'To my dear Christine from your little husband' the note had only said. It made her feel like a prostitute. So this was her pay? Thoughts of Raoul who was probably worried sick about her welfare came over her and she would have cried, but she was afraid Erik might be watching her so she didn't dare to cry, or to throw the jewelry box into the wall, even though she badly wanted to. Instead she hesitantly took the necklace up and placed it around her neck with shaking fingers. She knew Erik would be mad if she didn't wear it, and you must never, ever make Erik mad. She knew she had to get out of there now, and she knew she had to put on quite an acting performance if he was ever going to let her have her chance of freedom again.

Erik saw his little wife put on the necklace with a smug look on his face. It had once been the little Sultana's but he had stolen it from her. It fit a whole lot better around Christine's slim, beautiful neck. His wife, who had cried his name in ecstasy last night, and who smelled so good in the morning. Erik was mindlessly playing around with a deck of cards while he considered giving her a coffin next. Or would she be happy living with him now after all that they had shared? Would she be willing to get a flat with him on Rue de Rivoli? At least now his days of living like a mole were over. He could walk the streets as he liked, and to be quite honest with himself his thoughts of suicide didn't have the same appeal to him as they once used to have. Now he had something, no, someone to live for. He closed his eyes and remembered how Christine had wrapped both her arms and legs around him to pull him closer to her while she was all wet, her lips swollen from their kisses and her hair was a mess. He smiled at the memory. Maybe being alive wasn't so bad after all? And the Daroga could be pleased with him knowing he hadn't killed anyone since that last Siren's call at the bottom of the lake.

Christine stepped out of her room and instantly looked for Erik. He might have heard her open her door because he started making sounds in the kitchen.

"Good morning Christine!" Erik smiled at her, in the way he could smile with that new mask on. Christine tried to avoid his look and sat down by the table that was already set for breakfast.

"Good morning Erik."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you."

"I wanted to tell you I must be off for a while today my dear. I have some shopping to do."

"Oh, Erik, I will be bored if you let me stay here. May I come with you?"

He seemed to think for a minute but the last couple of days had gone so well that he had no reason to believe that his good fortune shouldn't continue.

"Of course you may, my little wife. We must buy you a new dress! We shall go straight after breakfast." He leaned over and gave her a small kiss on her forehead. Christine smiled the way she thought that a wife was supposed to smile at her husband after hearing about a new dress, and they ate the rest of their breakfast in silence. After breakfast Christine went back to her room for the last time, took one last look around and then solemnly closed the door behind her.