Chapter 4: Flight from the Opera

Erik's POV

Erik stared at Meg as if she had an extra head. Even after all he had told her, she was still willing to be with him.

She is mad! How can she want someone as hideous as I am?

"Meg, why me of all men? I am years older than you and you are destined to be an empress. Your mother hopes beyond hope that you will be Empress," Erik said calmly. "And besides, how can you expect me to be a proper husband? Remember what I am? Who I am!"

Meg nodded. "That doesn't mean that I can't love you, right? Everyone needs to be loved, Erik. I heard much about you, I even watched you as a child."

"You are still very much a child!" Erik exclaimed, trying to calm his temper. Meg looked away and watched the snow continue to fall. "Meg, you are to be an empress even if I have to introduce you to the Emperor myself!"

"But I will be an empress, Erik; the Empress of the Night, as I have dreamed all my life. I do not want to marry the Emperor of France! Just you! I have always loved you, even when I was too young to recognize love," Meg said.

Erik mumbled to himself and stared at Meg. A harsh wind started to blow and her cloak fanned out. She gave a cry and tried to grab the sides of it and wrap them around her again, almost falling back. She tried to turn her back to the gusts, but her cloak refused to wrap itself around her.

Erik groaned and grabbed her wrist, pulling her to him. She gasped at the chill of his deathly hands, and Erik wrapped his arms around cloak, forcing it to stay around Meg's small frame.

Meg's POV

When Erik grabbed her wrist, she was shocked at the numbness that filled her wrist in just seconds; the grasp was like death. But when he wrapped his arms around her, she felt content and secured in his embrace. Meg closed her eyes and smiled, resting her head on his chest.

"Thank you, Erik," she said, feeling warm despite the chill. Erik released her and she grabbed the edges of her cloak, wrapping it around her securely this time as they headed inside. Erik did not answer her, but led her back to the ballet dorms. Her mother was there, waiting for her.

"Go inside and rest, Little Giry," Erik instructed. "You've had a tiring day." He left. Meg entered the room and saw her mother.

"Well?"

"I told him," Meg answered. "He did not answer me, but I think he is still battling with his own heartbreak."

Her mother stood. "Meg, the Phantom predicted that you would be an Empress. Is it by any chance, the Emperor's son you spoke of?"

Meg shook her head and sat on a bed. "Mama, not all Emperors are of a nation," she said, barely audible to anyone as was her nature, a smile on her lips. Meg lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling with a dazed look on her face.

"Meg, you were seen on the roof with a man in black. Madame Jammes had informed me that he was quite tall and almost skeletal in build," Madame Giry said, glancing around nervously. "You were with the Phantom, weren't you?"

Meg sat upright and stared fearfully at her mother. "How did she—?"

Her mother stood and slapped her smartly. Meg fell back on the pillow, her cheek burning and tears coming to her eyes.

"Meg Annette Giry! How could you lie to me? 'He did nothing,' HA! He could have done anything! The Phantom has done horrible things to grown men, Meg, men! He could have easily done the same to you!"

Meg tried to explain but her mother slapped her again.

"Do not leave this room, Meg," Madame Giry said blatantly, slamming the door with great force.

Meg fell back onto her pillow and sobbed. Her mother had never hit her before, lectured yes, but never physically hurt her.

Meg did not look up until two arms embraced her. She could never forget the freezing sensation of his hands…

Erik's POV

He had never seen Madame Giry so angry before, especially with her daughter. Once Madame Giry was long gone, he entered the ballet dorms and comforted Meg. When Madame Giry was about to enter the room, Erik picked Meg up and carried her into the hidden passageway leading from the ballet dorms to his house.

He was not far off when he heard a shriek and Madame Giry's frantic calls for her daughter. Erik did not stop but walked as fast as he could to the house on the lake.

He realized that people would search the whole opera house searching for Meg, so he went to Cesar and put Meg on the horse's back. He could hear shouts all around the opera now. It hadn't taken very long for people to start looking for Meg. He jumped onto Cesar and urged the horse to gallop at full speed. They couldn't go to the House on the Lake. It would be one of the first places Daroga would go when he heard of Meg's disappearance.

Erik forced the horse to gallop as fast as he could. As the sun rose, they had left the opera house far behind them and headed for the Paris Metro. The snow was crisp and white in the morning sun, looking like small crystals. Erik bought the tickets and let the engineers lead Cesar to a compartment where he would get fresh hay and rest.

"Where are we going?" Meg asked, feeling much better, though her cheek was still red from when her mother had slapped her.

"Metz," Erik answered shortly, leading Meg gently onto the train. "We can't stay in Paris."

Meg nodded and sat next to Erik as the train began to move. They were unable to get a room, but they were able to rest just fine as it was. Three days later, they got off the train and, after retrieving Cesar, looked around their new surroundings.

Metz seemed to stand out and was not as luxurious as Paris was, but still beautiful. None of this impressed Meg or Erik though. They stayed in the local inn for the night while Erik gave Meg some money to find herself some clothes and food while he looked for a flat for them to stay in.

Erik found a nice flat that would keep a roof over their heads for a while. When he finished purchasing it, he went to find Meg, wondering about his actions.

Why did I do that? Why did I take her away from everything she ever felt content with? Why would I want to take her away anyway? I'm not falling in love with her, am I? No…I can't fall in love! Not again!!

He found Meg exiting a shop with some packages. "I found a place for us to stay, shall we?" he said, looking at her. Meg nodded and he took the packages from her hands, leading her towards the flat he bought. Meg left for another room and began to change while Erik pondered over his dilemma of being a kidnapper…again.

Well, there's not much I can do now anyway.