A/N: Sorry everyone I know it has been a really LONG time since I have updated anything, to make a long story short, I have moved to twice since my last update and I am getting ready to move again so I apologize. But anyways, I plan to continue with this story and update more often like I used to.
Chapter 14- Christine's Future
The next morning the sun poured into the room and Christine opened her eyes squinting at the light. She rubbed her forehead feeling a little lightheaded to see Erik curled up sleeping in a chair, his hair ruffled, mask crooked and yet he still kept his shirt buttoned all the way up.
The last she remembered he was sitting in that same chair reading a newspaper he picked up at the train station in Nice. However she found it odd that he was reading a recent newspaper since he didn't care too much about the present and the news surrounding it. She figured he must have fallen asleep right after she did. She stretched her arms out and silently rose out of bed. As soon as she stood up, his eyes popped open and he said,
"Did you sleep well my dear?" She stared at him for a moment and nodded.
"Good to hear, well wake up a bit and I'll order breakfast. Are you hungry?" She nodded at him again.
"What would you like?" She stared at the ceiling for a moment and replied quietly.
"It doesn't matter, I'm hungry for anything. But I definitely could use a cup of tea."
"Okay dear." She walked into the bathroom and shut the door. Erik made his way out of the room and downstairs fetching buttery croissants and tea for both of them. When he arrived Christine was still in the bathroom and he dropped a little sedative in her tea. Not as much as the previous night but enough to make her nap for a few hours.
She emerged from the bathroom and they dined at the small table in silence. After they were done eating Christine announced that she was still quite sleepy and would like to take a nap. Erik smiled and told her to get some more sleep while she got back in bed and fell asleep quickly. Erik put on his cloak and hat and quietly exited the room.
Raoul picked at the slop that he was given for breakfast and took a few drinks of the nasty water he was given when Erik walked up to the cell.
"Good day Monsieur." Erik said taking his hat off.
"Hello Erik." Raoul replied. Erik didn't hesitate to jump to the chase.
"Have you thought about what I said last night?"
"I have and unfortunately I don't really have a choice. I want to do what's best for Christine. And I know that by her living with you and you dying on her with me stuck in this rotting shell would not be good. I have decided to wait for her. All three of us know I will. I am a man of my word Erik and I give you my word that I will not have anything to do with her in the name of love while you are alive. I understand that it could be as close as six months or a few years and I am willing to make the sacrifice if I can be with her after you die. I have thought about your fate and the cards that life has dealt you and I think it's best to-"
"Don't you dare have any pity for me for you know nothing of me!" Erik shouted outraged at this remark.
"Don't interrupt me! If you listen I'm sure you will understand what I am getting at and you would agree with me if you would just shut up for two minutes." Raoul said back. Erik quieted and said,
"Continue."
"As I was saying I have thought about the cards that life has dealt you and I think you deserve a chance without anything getting in the way to love a woman and have her return the love to you. So with that said, I am going to stay out of the way and I am going to give you some advice on how to allow Christine to love you. She has loved you before, she no doubt loves you now. However think about this, every time you push and the harder you push, she's not going to submit you are only going to push her farther and farther away until she is gone. Do you understand what I mean?" Erik listened intently and let Raoul's words soak in. He did understand and made an agreement to himself that he was going to become a better husband.
"Yes I do understand and I think to only respect her I want her to be here when I release you this afternoon and I want you to explain our agreement to her so she understands that you are willing to do this to make things easier for us."
"I couldn't agree more." Raoul said looking down at the nasty food. He stood up and reached a hand out of the cell and Erik shook it while Raoul said,
"Sometimes being in love requires letting go for a minute."
"Indeed." Erik said and then let go. Taking his hat out from underneath his injured left arm he put it on and promised Raoul that they would be back to release him that afternoon.
"Oh please hurry, I don't think I can go on eating this nasty food." He joked. For the first time they had civil conversation and Erik smiled slightly and said,
"Oh I know, so for that reason I will get moving even faster." Raoul laughed while Erik hurriedly walked away. He felt wonderful. His heart was soaring, with Raoul in agreement to this, everything would work out wonderful.
Erik burst into the hotel room singing a tune from Mozart's opera "Marriage of Figaro." Christine opened her eyes instantly and looked at him as if he had gone mad.
"Get out of bed my dear, I want to take you somewhere." Christine silently obeyed while Erik grabbed her bag and led her out the door.
"Where are we going?" Christine asked once they got out into the hall.
"You will see." He said locking the door and leading her down the hallway and stairs to the front desk.
"I am checking out." Erik said handing the man behind the desk his room key. Erik signed the book and they left, taking a cab to the prison where Raoul resided.
Once they pulled up, Christine's heart raced and she decided not to ask questions, but just follow Erik. They made their way to an office and spoke to an officer. Erik introduced himself and told the officer that he would like to have Raoul released from prison.
"But sir, are you sure you would like to have the charges you pressed against him revoked?"
"Yes sir." The man dug through a folder of papers and finally sat one on the desk in front of Erik.
"Sign here then" Erik signed and the officer gestured for them to follow him. Christine looked at Erik happily while they made their way to the prison cells. When they finally reached Raoul's the officer said,
"Monsieur you are released and all charges brought forth against you are dropped." Raoul stood up from his cot and waited patiently while the officer unlocked his cell.
"You are free to go." Raoul stepped through the cell looking at Erik and Christine and walked in front of them as they made their way outdoors. Christine couldn't hold back any longer once all three of them were outside,
"Ok, so what is going on?" She asked eagerly.
"I think we should all have a drink and we can tell you." Erik suggested. Raoul nodded in agreement.
"But first Monsieur don't you think you should get some clothes besides your prison clothes?" Erik asked Raoul.
"Oh I would but the thing is they took all of the possessions I had. Luckily I didn't bring too much money with me to Nice. I just had some sent to me from time to time."
"Well lets get you something to wear in the meantime." Erik said. Raoul shrugged his shoulders as they began to make their way to a nearby shop. Christine followed behind extremely scared and confused. Erik and Raoul were talking civil to one another? Erik was going to buy Raoul some clothes? They were all three going to have a drink? And what's worse, the two men had something to tell her? This could not be good.
She stood in silence while Raoul picked out a suit and Erik picked up the tab. Raoul changed in a nearby restroom and they all three headed to a small café. Once they were all seated and all drinks had been ordered, Raoul cleared his throat and began.
"Christine, Erik and I have been talking the last day and have decided that you are going to stay married to him and I am going to have no contact with you whatsoever." Christine's mouth opened in amazement and tears stung her eyes.
"Now, don't get upset my dear." Erik began.
"Raoul is going to wait for you until I die. And you and I both know that is not going to be too long. He is not going to find anyone else, he is going to wait for you." Christine stared at him in disbelief and looked at Raoul.
"Is this really what you want Raoul? To let me go, so easily?" She had a harsh tone in her voice.
"Yes, Christine I am in love with you and I always will be. But sometimes in order to be together you have to be apart for a minute. Everything that Erik has said is true. I am going to wait for you, however long it takes. Be it six months or twenty years, I will still be there in the shadows waiting. But I am not going to talk to you until it is all over. If you write me letters, I will read them but I won't respond unless one says Erik is dead."
"But I am not safe with him!" Christine said loudly disregarding the fact that Erik was sitting right beside her.
"Oh Christine, I have just now started to realize the lighter side of his character and I believe you are." She just stared at the two of them with disbelief and took a sip of her tea.
"Well it doesn't seem like I have much of a choice." She said giving out a loud sighing breath. She pushed her tea away from her disinterested in it.
"I must get going." Raoul said looking at his pocket watch. Erik nodded in agreement and they all three stood up while Erik laid some money down on the table.
"Good bye Erik. Christine I'll be seeing you." Raoul said turning to walk in the opposite direction. Erik took Christine's arm and tried to comfort her.
"Come on my dear." They began to walk back toward the train station and Christine turned around to see Raoul disappear around a corner and he was gone. She looked up at her husband and realized she must do everything in her power to make herself happy in her situation.