Chapter 17

A/N Christine's POV. Also, I found the strike through button on my laptop the school gave me… Thanks for the lovely reviews everyone (: Tell me, what do you think of Meg's chapters?

Also, the next two chapters touch on self-harm, you have been warned and very sorry if I offend anyone, this will be the only thing in here about it.

I woke up to find Erik sitting on my bed, fully dressed, and holding a letter.

"Who's that from?" I asked as I stretched awake. I was feeling a bit better than I had over the last few days. John had brought the tickets last night and we were leaving tomorrow.

"Well, it's addressed to me but the letter has your name on it." He said passing it to me.

I sat up and looked at the front of the folded piece of paper. I opened the letter.

Dear Chrissy.

I know you won't want to hear from me right now, But you need to know that your son is safe. I have been looking after him and making sure Raoul doesn't touch him.

I am forever sorry that I took him, but Raoul was threating me with the police and other things if I didn't help him.

I am writing to you know in the hopes you have not gotten tickets to come after us as there is a boating friend who has agreed to take Gustave and I back to Paris in a few days' time. However, if you have gotten tickets, do come and help. God knows what Raoul's up to.

With regret and sorry,

Meggie.

"Erik, read this." I said handing him the letter.

"So, you were right? He is blackmailing her into this. The question is; do we believe her?"

We sat and thought for a moment. When we did speak, it was at the same time.

"Yes." I said.

"No." He said. "How do we know she's… Wait, did you just say yes?"

"She called me Chrissy. She only did that when we were in trouble. When Mme Giry was going mad at us for something the ballet would do or in class when we were passing notes in class, she would call me Chrissy and I would call her Meggie. It kind of died off as we got older, surly you noticed?"

"I didn't, actually." He said looking at the wall.

"Erik, I know you don't want to believe her, nor do I to an extent, but her story fits mine perfectly and if I know Raoul, which, trust me, I do, He would be doing this stuff to her." I said putting my hand on his arm. "You have to trust me Erik, I know Meg and I know Raoul. She didn't want to do this."

"Oh course you know Raoul, You are married to him after all." He said standing up.

"I'm going to get some coffee, come out and get it when you're ready." He said as he walked out the door.

Now what have I done? I know why he doesn't want to believe her, to be truthful nor do I, but this is the first thing we've had to tell us Gustave is okay, and I'm going to believe it just to ease my mind.

As I got dressed, I thought about Erik and how much I loved him. I really love him and I don't want to hurt him, I really don't. I've done it too many times before and I don't want to do it again.

I walked out to the kitchen to see Erik, reading the newspaper and leaning against the kitchen bench drinking coffee.

I walked right up to him and took the newspaper away and sat it on the bench. I put my arms around his waist and reached up to kiss him. He kissed me back and then I moved away slightly to look him in the eye.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"What for?" He asked kissing my nose.

"For earlier, with the letter. I don't want to believe her as much as you don't but it's the first piece of news about Gustave we've had in a month. I want to believe it, just to ease my mind."

"Hey," He said, putting his arms protectively around me. "I know and it's okay. You just want to believe any sort of good news about Gustave."

I put my head against his chest and felt it go up and down with every breath.

"Erik." I said.

"Yes love?"

"Can we still go? Please. I want to help my son."

"Of course sweetie, Meg said she might need our help. I just hope she's looking after him properly."

I nodded. "I know what you mean."

We were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"I'll go." I said.

I walked over to the door and opened it to find Mme Giry.

"Hello Mme." I said.

"Hello Christine dear. You're sounding better today."

"Oh yes, Erik and I are leaving tomorrow." I said, moving out of the doorway to let her in.

"Oh that's good." She said walking in to the kitchen, "If you see Meg, Please tell her she's in a lot of trouble when she gets back. Good morning Erik."

"Morning Giry." He said.

I walked back in the kitchen where Erik was now sitting with Mme Giry at the table drinking coffee.

"So, what brings you?" I said.

"I wanted to see if Meg had gotten in contact with you?" She said, pulling a letter out of her dress pocket.

"Yes she has." I said, walking to my room and getting the letter off the bedside table.

As I walked back out, I saw Erik, hugging Mme Giry.

"Mme, what's wrong?" I asked as I came and sat in front of her.

"It's my Meg. She wrote to tell me what Raoul's been doing."

"I know Mme, she told us to." I said handing her the letter.

"I can't believe, after all I did for that man, that he would do this to my daughter." She said, wiping away a tear.

"I know, Giry, I know." Erik said.

"Look," I said, "We're going tomorrow; maybe John could get us another ticket."

Erik just looked at me, "I don't think so love. He's already risked his job once for us; I really don't think he'll be willing to do it again."

"It's okay." Said Giry, "I would rather not go back. Besides, someone has to run the park."

"Alright, Giry." Erik said, "We'll tell her, and we'll bring her back with us."

"Thank you Erik, Thank you so much."

"Would you like some coffee or tea?" I asked.

"Tea please."

I stood up and walked over to the cupboard to get the tea out when it hit me, Gustave had had a dream about Meg taking him to Raoul, and before that, he had had a dream about a strange and mad person trying to drown him. Meg hadn't been thinking that night, she had even said she thought she was going mad.

"Christine, are you okay?" Erik asked coming over to me.

"Erik, is it possible to predict things before they happen?"
"I don't know, why?"

"Gustave, the first night here, he came out of his room from a bad dream about someone 'strange and mad' drowning him, you should remember that. A few nights later, Meg took him. The other night he had a dream where Meg took him to Raoul and now she has. And back when he was little, he had dreams of me, one day, meeting a man I loved better then Raoul and going off with him and look what's happening now. I should have known when he told me about the dream that it was going to happen. I should have seen it coming!"

"You can't blame yourself Christine. You just can't. I wouldn't have thought about it if I had of known."

"Christine, are you alright?" Giry asked me coming over.

"Oh, yes, fine thank you."

"Look, I can go if you need me to."

"Oh no, it's fine. Really."

"She's blaming herself." Erik said.

"I am not!" I said looking at him.

"Yes, you are."

"Christine, it is not your fault that Gustave's gone okay?" Giry said putting a comforting hand on my arm.

"I am not blaming myself!" I said again. I was starting to get mad at them, I should have seen it coming but I wasn't blaming myself.

"No one's saying you are Christine-" Giry started but I cut her off.
"Yes, you are. You both are. You've both said it's not my fault that he's been taken and I'm not blaming myself. But as his mother I should have seen some of this stuff."

"Christine, not everyone is perfect." Erik said.

"I hope you don't think you are?" I said to Erik. He put his head down. "I'm sorry, I had no right to say that." I said quickly.

"You're upset, I get it." Erik said but I could tell I had hurt him.

"Maybe Christine just needs a little break from everything. Maybe you should let her stay at your place tonight so you can keep an eye on her." Giry said raising an eye brow as she looked at him.

"What? Do you think I'm going to hurt myself?" I asked rounding on Giry. "I'm not a child anymore Mme and I can look after myself." I felt the top of my arm tingle a little at the thought of hurting myself and I closed my eyes slightly only to open them again straight away.
"I never said you couldn't."

I sighed and closed the cupboard door. "Erik, you can make the tea. I'm going back to bed." And I stormed off and locked myself in my room. I was acting like a child.

I flopped down on the bed and buried my head in my pillow.

"Christine?" Said Erik.

"Go. Away." Came my muffled voice.

"Christine I'm really sorry. Giry has gone home. Please let me in."

I sat up. "Why are you sorry? I'm the one that started to shout."

"But you wouldn't have done if I hadn't of started at you."

"Erik, this isn't your fault okay? I'm just really touchy at the moment." I stood up and walked over to the door. "Can you forgive me?" I asked.

"For what sweetie?" He asked and I opened the door.

"For hurting you so much."

"Oh Christine." He said wrapping me in his arms. "You haven't hurt me. You could never hurt me."

"But I have! You know I have. Back when we lived in the opera and I had to pick."

"But you choose me sweetheart. I let you go."

"But what about on the roof?"

"You never said you loved him and he kissed you and… Wait, how did you know I was there?"

I giggled. "Just really clever I guess."

"That you are." He said kissing the top of my head. "That you are."

"Erik, do you think I would hurt myself?" I asked, tears rolling from my eyes.

"Look, just because you thought that's what she meant, she didn't."

"But do you think I would?" I asked again.

"No, why?"

"Would you be angry at me if I did?"

"Christine what are you trying to say?"

"Just answer the question." I said.

"I would ask what on earth made you do it but I wouldn't get mad at you, no."

"Erik, I did hurt myself."