A/N: I know it's been terribly long and I ask that you all forgive me. As I've said before life is crazy this year but fear not the show will go on. I haven't abandoned this story as you can see, in fact I spent as much time as I could today finishing up this chapter so I could get it posted for you all A.S.A.P. (I apologise for any mistakes that may have occured as a result). So do you forgive me? (",)

As always thank you, thank you, thank you for all your reviews, they really motivate me to write!

This chapter is pretty angsty but I felt it had to be, because the course of true love is never smooth especially amongst such troubled souls! ;-)

It begins in Christine's POV and ends in Erik's.

Hope ya all enjoy it!

Don't forget to let me know what ya think afterwards. (",)

Chapter 14

Time Heals All Wounds…?

There is only so much one person can do…only so much I could do to show Erik that he could trust me…that I wasn't going anyway.

In the end it had to be his choice whether he believed me or not.

There had to be forgiveness, there had to be trust.

I had told Erik I loved him but he needed more than that…

- Extract from Christine's Diary

I didn't see Erik for almost two days after that.

Such a trivial time-span I know but it was the longest I had gone without seeing him since I had told him I loved him.

I tried not to let it bother me but it was an impossible task.

I didn't know where he was. I had searched and searched but couldn't find him.

Had he left the house? I wasn't sure, for just because you cannot see Erik in a room does not mean that he is not there.

After hours of searching, I took refuge in the music room as though it would somehow bring me closer to my love.

I barely ate, only nibbling on bits of bread and cheese like some sort of timid mouse, for the thought of food was not appealing to me. I had quickly grown accustomed to dining with Erik. Besides, he cooked all our meals and I really did not think Erik would like it very much if I burned down our house trying to put together lunch.

I couldn't help the few tears that escaped my tired eyes. I so hated being by myself for too long. It brought back too many lonely memories, too many childish fears.

I knew Erik had not left me for good…I knew that, but without Erik, I was alone…and I didn't know why, not for certain at least.

Though after hours of having nothing to do but think I had my suspicions.

Surely there was only one thing that would make my Angel pull away from me.

I had warned Erik at the Opera House that I would be missed, oh, how it seemed like a lifetime ago! But I had quite forgotten how true my words could be.

In my loving joy, I had forgotten the boy that I had left behind. My brave but misguided knight. If he had not allowed my scarf to be lost to the sea, how had I thought that he would allow me to be lost to him?

And as much as it grieved me to think that Erik and I were being pursued, that our peace was being intruded upon, I found I could not blame Raoul. How could I?

In my heart I knew that this was my fault. The last time Raoul and I spoke, I had said terrible, cruel things about my Erik. Raoul did not know my heart had not been in those hurtful words. Raoul thought I loved him most. How could I blame him for trying to find me? He thought he was saving me, not tearing me apart.

I couldn't help the guilt I felt. Perhaps I deserved to be alone.

I had never wanted to hurt either Erik or Raoul, but it seemed to be my destiny to hurt them again and again. I could only imagine the thoughts running through Erik's head. He was not yet secure enough in our love, neither of us were.

And so, I tried to banish the other thought that fluttered relentlessly through my mind. The thought that the only way to resolve this was to speak to my dear old playmate. I had left without a word of warning or explanation, and though the thought of breaking his heart did not sit well with me, Raoul deserved the truth at least. We had once been so close and he had been so good to me. If I could just talk to him…

But how? Erik could not even bear to mention him to me; the likelihood of him allowing us to be alone together to talk was laughable! Oh, where was Erik? If he would just discuss this with me, if he would just tell me what troubled him so we could face it together…if he would only trust me, forgive me…

Would we survive this?

Oh, what was I thinking?! My thoughts were dark indeed. I needed Erik! He should have known to never leave me so alone for so long! I could not bear it!

After Papa died I had been alone for so long even when I was surrounded by people.

Erik knew this, he knew I hated being so alone! Why was he being so cruel?

I loved him! I had left everything for him! What more could I give him when he already had my soul?

It was nightfall on the second day when he returned to me.

Erik's POV

I had not meant to leave her for that long but time was not on my side, and secretly I dreaded having to tell her what I had planned for us.

It was all arranged. I had worked fast but meticulously. There would be no returning to this little house, there would be nothing to return to…

She was sitting in the music room. She looked so lost, so young.

My heart ached.

How much could love endure before it couldn't bear anymore?

I didn't know. Love was too new to me.

Had she already had enough?

What would I do without her?

I should not have left her alone…my precious Christine feared that more than almost anything else.

Why hadn't I confided in her? We were meant to talk of decisions such as these together and yet I knew that I hadn't done that, that I wasn't going to…

Maybe someday, someday when we were far from a certain titled young man trying to steal her from me…someday when I trusted her enough not to be lured by him…

Oh, I felt such a scoundrel. I loved her but I didn't trust her, not with this. I was only just learning to trust her, for Erik didn't trust anyone as a rule.

"Christine…" I tried to keep my voice even but it shook.

I shook when she looked at me with those haunted eyes.

Oh, we had been so happy just a short time ago.

Now there was mistrust between us again. Erik only hoped that he could make his Christine happy again. He tried so hard…

"It was really quite cruel of you to leave like that."

She regarded me with all the grand, regal bearing of a little Empress, and I longed to fall at my knees before her. But I had to be strong for now. She had to see that I was only doing what was best for us…

But looking into her eyes I wondered was it only best for me…

"I am about to be crueller." I whispered wretchedly.

She trembled in the grips of some strong emotion but she did not yet weep as I had thought she would. For this I was only somewhat glad, for her lonely stare was somehow a worse torture.

Erik had to tell her now or he never would. And he did not think his Christine would like very much if he spirited her away while she slept.

Though that plan did have some appeal…

"We are leaving. Erik lingered too long and he is paying for that mistake."

"When?" She whispered.

She would not look at me.

She would not look at Erik.

"In two days time…"

There was silence while I waited for the question that I knew must come but that she hesitated to ask.

"Why?" She sobbed. And finally the tears came.

I approached her but hesitated to touch her. Why should she welcome Erik's touch, he only hurt her. So I was surprised when she reached for me and pulled me to her.

So surprised that I could not help but cry with her. I was such a weak fool.

Finally, when I could speak, I knelt before her and began my explanation. My carefully worded explanation.

"We are being chased, my dear. People always chase Erik, you know but they never catch him. People do not like that you are here with me, and so I am afraid that we must leave. The authorities have not been involved yet but one can never be too careful. So we shall disappear, my love. Erik and his Christine will start again. A new beginning. We will go to Italy, would you like that Christine? Erik chose Italy to make you happy. You have always wanted to live there, Erik remembers. He remembers everything, he…"

I was stopped by a dainty hand upon my arm. She had stopped looking at me again.

"Who is chasing us, Erik?"

My body tensed and pulled away from her. She clutched me more fiercely but I shrugged her off. I rejected her touch though I craved it desperately.

For it hurt. No one hurt me like Christine…no one but myself…

"Who, Erik? You have to tell me who!"

"Madame Giry and an old acquaintance of mine, the honourable Daroga, my dear. We did not say goodbye you see and they are very angry about that! Why, who else would it be?" I sneered.

I was suddenly terribly angry with my little Angel. If she hadn't run to that damned boy, things could have been different. If she hadn't run to him perhaps Erik wouldn't be so afraid that she would run back!

"Do not lie to me Erik! Tell me!"

"RAOUL!" I roared.

I had not wanted to tell her this. I had resolved not to, but my anger got the best of me as usual.

She gasped in shock. I so rarely said that name and surely it did not help that I had bellowed it so forcefully.

Upon seeing her shocked little face all my anger fled and I hung my head in misery.

We stayed like that for quite some time. Distant. Silent.

When she crawled towards me, I flinched expecting her anger.

Instead she held me again. Would I ever really understand this woman?

"You should have told me sooner." She whispered.

"Why, so you coul…" She covered my mouth with her hand before I could finish my cruel response and I was grateful, for I did not wish to hurt her.

But I had been treated like an animal for so long that sometimes I could not help but act like one. Wounded animals lash out, you know. Old habits…

I kissed her palm softly as a weak attempt at an apology.

She seemed to understand, or at least she was trying to…

"We cannot keep running, Erik…"

"I know and we won't, I promise. There is a house waiting for us in Italy. We will not run from there. It will be our home. Erik will give Christine a home this time, he promises."

She smiled at me but there was something missing. Something was on her mind. Something that I would not like, no doubt. But I resolved to keep my temper in check, for she did not truly deserve a life such as this. She deserved more…

"Must…Will we…will we be leaving without saying goodbye again…"

I wasn't sure exactly what she meant. I wasn't sure I wanted to for I had my suspicions.

I should have discussed it with her. We should have calmly discussed things. If I were an ordinary man perhaps we would have. But I was too much the coward for that today and so I altered my plans quickly.

"Ah yes, of course you wish to say goodbye to the good Madame Giry. Yes, perhaps that would be good. I shall invite her and the Daroga to dinner shall I? Then they can see that you are here willingly…That…That you are h-happy with me…" I nearly choked on my words. "Oh, say you are happy with me, Christine…"

"Oh, Erik, of course I am!" She replied and clutched me tighter. The tears in her eyes seemed to contradict her words though she struggled to hold them at bay.

She smiled at me as best she could; oh she loved me very much!

My dear precious Christine!

I will make it all up to her in Italy, Erik swears he will!

"Then Erik will bring Madame Giry to you, Christine. They will see that I love you very much….so much…Then we will leave, we will begin again…that is what we will do, yes?"

She nodded her head vigorously. She seemed so eager to comfort me.

She was so good really, so good.

Perhaps that is why I said what I said next…Quickly before I lost my nerve.

"Or…or is there something else that Christine would like to do before we leave, leave and never return?"

There.

I gave her the choice.

She could ask to see the boy if she wished. She could ask and though it would destroy me I would let her. I would reunite her and that boy, I would watch him try to woo her away from me with his noble words…and then perhaps she would turn him away and come back to me…or she would leave, and I would die.

Either way I had given her the choice and that was something.

That was almost trust. Almost.

I braced myself for her eager request…but it never came.

For a few agonising seconds she seemed to battle with herself, then she raised her eyes to mine and smiled tremulously.

Reaching up to me she stroked my cheek reverently and brushed her heavenly lips against mine briefly. Oh, so briefly.

"No, Erik, that is fine. I-I would like nothing else…"

I should not have been so elated. I should have told her that she could speak to her young Raoul. But I was not that good yet…

Tentatively, I pulled her closer and kissed her eyelids reverently.

"I love you, Erik." She whispered, so earnestly.

"And I love you, my Christine." I murmured, pretending not to notice those traitorous tears of hers slide down her cheeks before she could stop them.

I had not the right to comfort her for now, so I merely held her.

Oh yes, I loved her dearly and she loved me, I knew.

But, when was love enough?

We needed more…

I needed more…

Love, trust, forgiveness…time…

I needed time…

Rome wasn't built in a day after all, but Erik could be broken in a second…

I needed time.

And Christine, she needed…she deserved…better…

I only hoped I would eventually be what she deserved.

I only hoped she had enough time to give me…

Italy would be my last chance.

I could not ask him to let me speak to Raoul. I was too frightened to try to reason with him when he was so broken. Perhaps I should have…but to my shame I didn't. Guilt kept me silent.

I could not ask him to let me in…He had to do that himself.

All I could give him was time, and pray that that was enough…

That love and time was enough.

Time heals all wounds…doesn't it?

- Extract from Christine's Diary

And there ya have it. Hope you liked it.

Oh, and don't despair, I'm sure our poor tortured couple will get there...eventually... ;-)

Anywho, don't forget to review and let me know your thoughts on it.

x Restless And Tempted x