Title: As Speech Disappears Into Silence
Author: LittleLottexoxEriksTrueAngel
Chapter Two: A Life For A Life
A/N: I would like to thank all of you who reviewed. I would also like to give a big thank you to LegalPrimaDonna who pointed out that I used the word vile instead of vial in chapter one I changed it to the correct word…I'm sorry to anyone who was confused! Thanks again for all who reviewed! Onto chapter two….
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Chapter Two: A Life For A Life – Part One
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Christine awoke in the early morning. The sun shone through the windows, illuminating her beauty, like the angel he believed her to be. She sighed in contentment…everything was going to be okay again…father will get better and...her mind flew to the events of the previous night…what did I sign?
She removed the blanket that was covering her and walked over to her father's bedside. She placed her small hand on his clammy forehead. His fever was breaking. Thank God!
This was the state in which he found her.
Christine looked up when the door creaked open. It was the first time Christine could get a good look at him. He was tall, taller than any man she had ever seen. He had piercing green eyes, and a strong build. He was clad only in black except for the plain white shirt he wore underneath his jacket. He had a strong forehead, chin and mouth…his face was flawless except for the white, porcelain mask that covered the entire right side of his face from her view. His very being radiated power and strength.
"Good Morning, Monsieur." She said sweetly, but quietly.
A nod in her direction was his response.
She looked back down at her father, taking his larger hand in her much smaller one. She raised her head and her eyes met with the stranger's.
"What was it that I signed last night?" She asked.
He did not answer just motioned for her to follow him, but she was reluctant to leave her father's side.
"He won't wake up while you are gone. It takes at least twenty-four hours for the----"
She cut him off, "I understand."
She rose from the chair, followed him out the door and into the kitchen. The document was resting on the small, wooden table which occupied most of the room. Christine stole one, quick last glance at the strange man before reading what she had unknowingly signed last night…
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Erik watched Christine from his place against the wall. He watched as the color drained from her face and as she grew paler and paler. She soon began shaking her head wildly.
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Christine felt the color drain from her features as her face paled. She began to shake her head wildly from side to side…No…No…No…
The room was filled with only silence for several moments. An occasional crystalline tear would slide down her pale, porcelain cheeks before he broke the silence…
"A life for a life, Christine."
A shiver went down her spine.
"I won't go. I won't leave him." She said, her voice filled with malice as she attempted to be cold and harsh…There is no way out of this…
"That is an actual legal document, Christine, active as of last night."
She glared at him from across the room, "I will not leave."
"Yes you will." He paused. "You will, because I have this." He held up another vial. "This is the counteragent to the medication I gave your father last night. If I give this to him, he will die Christine." I can't let him die…not like this…
"What is it that you could possibly want from me? I'm not beautiful or smart. I'm not----"
"Your voice."
"I'm not good." She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
""Your voice is good," he corrected.
"But," he added casually "with my help you will be great."
"What if I don't want your help?" she snapped.
"As I said, it is your choice." He said.
She glared at him...I really have no choice in this…I have to go…
"A Life for a Life." He reminded her before leaving her alone in the kitchen, lost in thought.
Christine allowed the tears to fall as she watched his retreating form. As soon as he was out of sight she sat down at the table and penned a letter to her father.
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Christine was sitting by his bedside and holding his hand when Gustave Daae's eyes fluttered open.
"Papa!" She exclaimed. She had never been happier in her entire life.
"Christine? Is that you?" He asked in a small voice, squeezing her small hand.
"Yes, Papa, I am here." She said through her tears.
"Now, none of that." He said lifting his hand and brushing her tears away with the pads of his thumbs.
"Oh, papa…" She murmured, leaning into his touch.
She remembered Erik's presence in the room. She straightened her posture.
"Papa, this is Erik Deveraux. He saved you." Christine informed her father in a small, meek voice, pointing to the man hovering near the door.
Gustave only nodded in his direction, more concerned for his daughter at the moment.
"What is wrong, Christine?" He questioned in a fatherly tone.
Erik swiftly exited the room.
"Nothing, Papa." She responded, perking up a bit.
"If you say so…" he trailed off, not entirely convinced.
"I do say so." She said giggling before becoming more serious. "Papa, will you tell me the story about the Angel of Music?"
"Of course, my child."
And he did. He told his daughter about Little Lotte and her adventures. He told her about the dolls and goblins and shoes that Little Lotte often wondered about. He told her about the Angel of Music and how he would sing songs in her. And even though she had heard the story a thousand times, Christine sat attentively, listening to her fathers tale, perhaps for the last time.
By the time he was finished telling the story, Gustave Daae was very tired.
"You should sleep now, papa, you need your rest."
He nodded, closing his eyes.
"I love you, Papa." She said sadly, Gustave was too tired to notice.
"I love you, too, Christine."
When Gustave finally fell asleep and his easy snoring filled the room, Christine placed the letter on a pillow and kissed her father's forehead.
"Goodbye, Papa." She whispered opening the door.
Erik was in the hallway.
"My carriage should be here at dawn,, you should get some rest." He told her.
She only nodded, continuing down the hall to her bedroom.
Upon entering her room Christine picked up a small bag in which to carry her belongings. Erik had told her only to bring what she needed and that she did not need to bring any clothes. She shivered thinking; He'll probably have me walking around his house naked or something…
She finished packing and then rested her head on a pillow, falling asleep.
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When Gustave awoke he found that Christine was missing. On top of a pillow he found an envelope containing a letter that read:
For my dearest father,
First, I want you to know, Papa, that I love you so very much. I cannot begin to express the happiness that I feel at learning that you are going to be okay.
These past few weeks have been very hard…for the both of us. I hired many a doctor, papa, but they all said that nothing could be done to save you. It was tearing me up inside. There were some nights when you were so delirious with your fever that you didn't even recognize me. Papa, I was so afraid. I just couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't take watching you waste away into nothing. I couldn't sit and watch as you slipped away. I could not sit and watch as you died.
The other night I hired a final doctor. He was supposed to be the best of the best. My heart broke when he told me that he couldn't help you. Oh, Papa, your pulse was fading quickly and your heartbeat was slowing fast. I quickly ushered the doctor out of the house and sat outside for a moment in the fresh air. I needed to clear my head. This is where Monsieur Deveraux comes in.
He told me that he could save you. Oh, Papa, you do not know how happy I was! The only problem was that I had no money left to pay him, Papa. The rest of the money had been spent on the last doctor. I grew worried that he would withdraw the offer, but quickly asked him what he wanted in return. He gave me a document to sign. I was stupid, papa, for I did not read it and signed my name on the line. I wanted so much for you to be okay and for you to come back to me, I didn't think.
The next day I found out what I was now required to do in signing the document. I had to leave with him, papa, I had no choice.
Please, forgive me, for I could not bear to say goodbye. I didn't want to make it any harder for the both of us. You would try to stop me from leaving, don't deny it. You would have hurt yourself or made yourself sick again and Monsieur Deveraux had the counter agent to the medication that saved you. He could have killed you on the spot if we resisted. I love you, Papa, and I want you to be safe and healthy. I did this because I love and will always love you no matter where I am or what happens.
Promise me that you will not come after me. Please, Papa, do this last thing for me and make a promise to yourself that you will not come after me and that you will keep yourself healthy and safe. I love you with all of my heart.
Yours forever,
Christine
Gustave Daae folded the letter and placed it back in its envelope.
He cried for the first time in eighteen years.
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A/N: what do you think of this chapter? Let me now in a REVIEW! The more reviews I get the quicker I will update.
I took Erik's last name from 'Journey of the Mask' and I do not know if I spelled it correctly…if anyone knows the correct spelling please let me know. I would appreciate it. Thank you!