A/N: It has been quite a while I know, and I do apologise but the story lives on because here I am with an update! Perhaps not my best but I really wanted to get this update out to you guys so I hope you can enjoy it anyway. (",)

This is all in Madame Giry's POV as she receives a startling invite.

As always thank you to those who reviewed, it is wonderful to hear from you!

Hope you enjoy this chapter and please don't forget to review!

Chapter 15

An Invitation From The Ghost

During the years that I knew him when Erik did not wish to speak to me I could never seem to find him.

I was always one step behind.

It was only when I stopped looking, (and only when he felt so inclined), that I would find him. Often he would be waiting in my room…And his eyes would always seem so smug…

It was the memory of those triumphant eyes that plagued me as I collapsed, rather ungracefully, into my chair by the fireplace. It almost felt as though Erik was taunting us, though I knew that that was not true…Erik was most likely much too preoccupied with Christine to play such games…Most likely…

Oh, I desperately needed to see him…to see them both!

Nadir, useful man that he can sometimes be, stoked the fire expertly.

I could tell by the set of his shoulders that he was as exhausted as I myself was.

It had been a…trying…couple of weeks to say the least.

For a man who shunned the world Erik certainly had enough property in it!

Each time we approached another house from the list and saw the saw obvious signs that it was empty, our hearts became heavier.

Houses with dark windows. They weren't homes. They were cold. Unused. Dead.

At each one I could almost see Erik's shadow slip away, leading us in a lonely chase from house to house.

Each trip ended in disappointment for Erik did not yet wish to be found…

And we were weary of searching.

I am not sure what exactly we had planned to do should we stumble upon Erik's hiding place. Did we knock upon the door as though we were proper guests? Or barge in as though we had come to make some sort of arrest?

Would we even get that far? Who has ever crept up upon the infamous Opera Ghost without him knowing?

…Only a lost little girl with a broken voice who crept into his heart…

Oh, where were my poor children?

Nadir sat in the chair across from me but his gaze remained fixed on the flickering flames in the fireplace. He almost looked calm sitting there; like he belonged. But he had learned some of the art of pretence from Erik, and from Erik I had learned to see through it.

"How long can we continue this?" He said, almost conversationally.

"I do not know, Monsieur." I whispered coldly.

Instantly I felt ashamed.

Monsieur Khan did not deserve such a tone.

He had been my silent support through these increasingly bleak days. I did not need words of false comfort and Nadir knew this. We were alike in that way.

I reached across and touched his hand apologetically. He returned the gesture in acceptance of my remorse and continued to hold my hand as we both became lost gazing into the fire.

I closed my eyes and was instantly immersed in thoughts that only spun in endless circles, like a ballerina…

I could nearly see that little ballerina pirouetting in my mind. She had wild, dark curls and the darkness around her almost seemed too close…embracing her…

Quickly I opened my eyes again to dispel the image but it lingered…

Nadir and I had started this little journey so full of fire and determination, and it angered me to see that we were wavering in our intent. But I knew that we could not go on as we had been. I would be needed again here at the Opera shortly, as the dances for the new season needed to be rehearsed, and this would severely lessen the amount of time I could search for Erik and Christine.

I would neglect these official duties gladly but my daughter and I need to eat, we could not survive on my Meg's salary alone.

Life outside this strange world of ours was intruding most inelegantly!

So what were we to do?

It was a chill wind that swept through the streets of Paris this evening and the cold was settling itself in my heart.

I shuddered.

I almost felt that the room had become much colder.

I almost felt as though Nadir and I were no longer alone…

"We must rethink our plans Nadir. We are taking much too long to…achieve our aim." I whispered, suddenly wary that the walls were somehow listening…or harbouring someone who was…

"But first, I believe I must change. The streets were excessively dirty today. I am almost glad we did not find them in that run-down little place or my reprimands would have been stern indeed, I assure you!"

My weak attempt at levity was very poor indeed but between weary companions it was welcomed quite warmly.

"Ah, my dear Madame, can anyone meet with your frightfully high standards?"

"Few indeed!"

With a slight smile I left Nadir and entered my bedroom, closing the door and locking it securely - though I am not sure why, I could hardly imagine Nadir intruding upon me while I changed.

Leaning against the door's cool surface, I closed my eyes and sighed. I was not prone to bouts of melancholy, not often at least.

But time was slipping away and I still was not sure just how high the stakes were.

How happy were our runaways making each other…or how miserable?

"Really Madame, all this because we did not say goodbye?"

That voice! My tired eyes snapped open immediately.

That magnificent and unforgettable voice! It could only be…

"Erik!"

And there he was. Impeccably dressed with his mask resolutely in place; it was as though he had never left…Seated casually at my dressing table, he kept his back to the mirror.

But his eyes did not glow with the triumph that I had earlier recalled in my memories.

No, his eyes held something else now. Something which he did not allow me to examine closely for he stood up sharply and his eyes became as masked as his face.

Silence settled between us, heavy with too many emotions to count.

Here he was. The man I had been desperately searching for was before me and I had not the faintest idea what to say. Oddly enough I almost felt like weeping.

I waited anxiously for him to speak but he had become like a statue, eerily still and silent. I almost feared that he was no longer breathing.

The tension became too unbearable and I clamoured for something to say.

It is unwise to be so careless when speaking to Erik.

The first thing I thought to say was the last thing I should have voiced so harshly.

"Where are you keeping her, Erik?"

My voice was hardened as a result of my foolish nerves. Erik was far from pleased.

"Keeping her?! So you are of the boy's opinion then, that I have stolen her forcefully! That she is locked away somewhere! Is it not possible that she chose to leave with me?!"

There was a wildness in his eyes now but I was not frightened for there was such pain in his beautiful voice that all I could feel was shame.

"Erik…" Suddenly I was interrupted by a frantic pounding on my door.

"Madame! Madame! What is going on in there? Are you alright?"

Nadir's worried voice seemed to only increase Erik's agitation.

"Ah! It seems you have found your own white knight. How touching that conspiring against me has brought you all together so perfectly!"

His words were vicious and yet I almost felt as though his heart was not in them. There was something more hiding beneath this anger…But what?

Why was he here?

"Monsieur Khan, do be quiet! And stay where you are!"

Instantly there was silence from beyond the door, though I had no doubt that Nadir was listening intently.

Selfishly, I wanted to handle this myself.

"Erik, be seated," I said almost pleadingly, "Please…"

With that one word the fight seemed to drain from him.

He blinked as though he were only just coming back to himself and sat down obediently.

I had expected him to continue to lash out like a wounded animal.

It seemed Erik had changed. I had no doubt love had made it possible…Christine was a powerful woman indeed it seemed.

"Erik…I did not say that I believed you took Christine by force. Neither of us truly believes that. But you must understand that we do not know what to believe! Without a word you were both suddenly gone and we had to make sure that you were both well…That is all…"

My explanation was worded as carefully as I could. But still Erik will often find insults where there are none…

"Concerned for Erik? How thoughtful! And what lies! You are both just like him! You think she could never love this monster. Well she does! And you cannot take her from me…"

Despite the intensity of his words, he kept his voice almost gentle.

"Erik, it is not a lie! You may not believe me but we were concerned for both of you. We only wish to see you both…If Christine loves you we would never take her from you. I always saw how important you were to one another…Always!"

He lapsed into a strange silence.

Though his eyes remained guarded, he seemed to almost relax…just a little…He seemed almost grateful for my words.

This new Erik was certainly a shock to me. I had expected such fierce resistance to my words but Erik seemed almost desperate to believe them.

"You should have left us alone…or at least been more careful. Really Madame, have I taught you nothing?"

I was unsure whether he was teasing or not. I could never keep up with Erik's ever-changing moods. Not everything had changed.

"I am not pleased by your pursuit…but Erik understands. Christine is too precious to let go. Erik understands this."

It frustrated me that he believed it was only Christine that mattered. Could he not see how important he was to Nadir and I? How important he had always been?!

"We wanted to see you both. It is good to see you." I stressed as clearly as I dared.

But I was not sure whether Erik really understood. He missed so much.

It was heartbreaking.

For a time we regarded each other silently again. The room felt much less tense but I was under no illusions. Emotions were still as taut as could be.

Yet, it almost seemed as though neither of us wished to confront one another. I was secretly so glad to see him and Erik…perhaps it was wishful thinking to believe that he was that glad to see me but…I hoped in some way he was.

How could I reach this impossible genius? How could I explain things that I barely had words for?

He could not see the love I felt for him, a love different to the kind he had for Christine. He knew so little of love, how multi-faceted it could be.

He had never felt a mother's love.

He did not understand it.

And so we sat in silence.

Presently he spoke.

"Christine," Her name was uttered with such reverence, "She wishes to see you. That is why I am here. There is so little I can deny her…So little…You are both to dine with us tonight. I shall escort you."

I was stunned, and I am not easily stunned, but I was also dreadfully glad.

"We are to come to your new home?"

"Yes, so you may give up your ridiculous little search. Though…very soon it will be our home no longer."

The sadness in his voice…the manner in which he lingered on the word home…

What damage had we caused with all our good intentions?

What awaited us tonight?

How happy were they together really…

"We were so happy and now…" He sighed, almost as though he had read my thoughts (as I had once thought him capable).

"Erik," I entreated, "Nadir and I do not wish to-to rob you of this happiness…We only wish to ensure that you are both indeed happy. Then you may be as you were."

"But we cannot be as we were, my dear Madame. Do you not see! Though it may have been unintentional you have all but led that foolish boy to us, and he will never understand! It is tainted now…it is…" He trailed off, clenching his hands in his cloak, unable or unwilling to finish his sentence; a habit I so sorely disliked.

Raoul! Of course, I should have known that that young man would never give up so easily…and Erik said that somehow we had helped him?…Most likely he had followed us. God, how foolish we had been! We had never meant to be the cause of further pain for Erik…we had only wanted to help…

Abruptly, Erik stood. I could see the effort it took for him to contain his raw emotions.

My heart ached.

I wished I could soothe him but Erik was always a difficult man to comfort.

If what he said was true, and Christine and he were happily together than surely this could not ruin that…but the mention of Raoul was disconcerting to say the least, for Erik had unknowingly made that young man the embodiment of all his insecurities, especially when it came to Christine. He could not see it, but I could.

Things would never be so easy for Erik and his love, I had always known that.

And who was to say how this would end? How could any of us say for sure what events our actions had helped put in place?

"Come," Erik said in a tone so soft that it startled me, "You shall see for yourself that Christine has chosen me. You shall visit us as invited guests as opposed to…whatever it was you planning on being. The great Madame Giry an intruder in the Ghost's home…how absurd!"

He almost smiled at that and I was relived to see that he had not lost his wry sense of humour. The world had not yet robbed him of that.

"And then we are leaving, Christine and I," He proclaimed authoritatively, "And we are not to be followed! We will be perfectly happy again! We will…"

I wondered which of us he was truly trying to convince.

"Of course, Erik."

I tried to smile in encouragement but my heart felt burdened by the doubts I wished I did not have. Would these two souls ever be happy?

I had thought that in many ways they needed each other but was I to be proven wrong this night? Would Nadir and I have to hurt our dear boy very much and take the only woman he had ever loved from him?

I had not told Erik that I would do exactly that should it be required of me.

I would break his heart but only because I cared for them both…

What a twisted affair this was!

I prayed that the night would not end as I feared it might. I prayed…

"Come," Erik repeated in a much more even voice, though he did not look at me

"We must depart immediately. I am afraid you will have no time to change."

He bowed almost apologetically to me.

It seemed, little by little, he was regaining control over himself. I wondered was it the thought of Christine waiting for him, wherever she was, that helped calm him so.

I hoped it was.

But as he unlocked the door and strode from the room, acknowledging a startled Nadir with a curt nod of his head, I imagined I could feel the turmoil he was in…

Though I am sure that I will never truly know the turmoil Erik has faced…

Guilt weighed heavily on my tired soul as I gathered a warm shawl and made to follow Christine's Angel…to Heaven or to Hell...

Nadir offered his arm to me as I passed and gratefully I took it.

We exchanged a glance that said more than we ever could.

For we knew…We knew…

It seemed that by trying to help we had perhaps ruined the one happiness Erik had ever had in his tortured life.

I only hoped we could all redeem ourselves somehow.

But we had hurt him…We had hurt him very much…

And now we were off to dinner with him…

Surely this was to be the strangest night of my life.

But what else can one expect when one accepts an invitation from a Ghost…

And there ya have it ladies and gentlmen! Hope ya liked it.

Next chapter will be the "Dinner".

Please review and let me know what your thoughts are, it's always a joy!

x Restless And Tempted x