hello!here i am again!hope this chapter was worth the wait...thanks to all that reviewed while i was away. the computer is still broke, but i am uploading at work ssshhhhhh dont tell! ;)well enjoy!

Chapter 26

Erik remained frozen, unable to comprehend what Nicole had just told him.

DeChagny! Again that name comes into my life!

"Erik?"

He looked at Nicole, and asked as calmly as he could, "What was his name?"

She seemed confused, and he assumed why. After all she had told him, he only wants to know the man's name.

"Jacques DeChagny."

"Does he have a brother? An older brother?"

"Erik, I don't understand."

He took her face into his hands and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Please Nicole, I must know."

She was clearly taken aback by his sincere need, for she answered without hesitation, "Yes, he does have an older brother. His name escapes me at the moment, for Jacques rarely talked of him. I think they had a falling out years before I met him. What I do know is that he married two years ago, to a commoner, much like me. His brother is a Vicomte, but he moved to England, Jacques wouldn't tell me why."

Erik's hands fell to her sides as he whispered, "Raoul DeChagny."

"Yes, I think that's his name, but Erik what does it all mean?"

Erik closed his eyes and held onto Nicole possessively. Anne stood by bewildered, but Nicole knew something was not right.

"You remember Raoul from my past, correct?" he asked in a whisper.

She nodded.

"Vicomte Raoul DeChagny, is the same man that Christine Daae fell in love with. It seems I shall never escape the DeChagny name."

He saw her eyes light up as the knowledge hit her full force. She raised her hand to cover her mouth as she gasped, unable to believe it. She threw her arms around him, and held on tightly.

"Oh Erik, oh Erik."

Those were the only words she could manage to say. He returned her hug with fervor. He knew that in this moment, Nicole not only loved him, but needed him as desperately as he needed her. She needed him to save her, much like she saved him. She had saved him from a lonely existence, and a lonely death. Now she needed him to save her from a miserable existence, in the arms of a man that she could never come to love. He gently pulled away from her, with much reluctance from them both.

He turned to Anne and said, "Come, we must discuss this, and try to find a solution to all our problems."

He gestured to his boat, and both women got on. As they arrived at his dark home, he apologized for the lack of light, and quickly lit many candles. He knew Nicole loved the darkness, but he was sure Anne preferred light. He motioned for them to take the two chairs he placed beside his pipe organ, while stood, to troubled to sit.

"When does he want to claim you as his wife?"

"I am not sure, he just told me, that we would be married before the month was out."

Erik kicked a candelabra from its setting and it landed in the lack with a loud splash.

"Excuse me." He muttered as he prowled his lair back and forth.

Both women sat quietly, one completely bewildered as to what was happening, the other trying to suppress her girlish thoughts as she watched the man she love get possessive over her.

He stopped abruptly, and turned to face Nicole, "Run away with me. It's the simplest solution."

"Erik! I can't, we can't…it's….improper! Also, I can't leave Anne. I just can't!"

Again Erik kicked an object across the room, and stormed angrily away. Even in this most serious moment, Nicole had a hard time concentrating. Erik was making her feel like she never felt before. Like she was special, like she mattered. The way he held her, like she was the most important thing in the world to him, the way he got angry at the mere mention of Jacques. As much as his anger was starting to frighten Anne, it was having an entirely different effect on Nicole. She watched him as he paced across the floor occasionally tossing something out of his way. His jaw was set firm in thought, and his eyes blazed with fury. He undid his collar, letting his neck free from constraint, and she saw just a hint of his muscled chest. She was growing warm, and took off her cloak, trying to remember what she had come here for.

I have come here for his help and insight in this serious matter!

She was just about to saw this out loud when Anne cleared her voice, a clear appeal for them to listen to her.

Erik stopped pacing immediately and looked at her, while Nicole said helpfully, "Yes, Anne? Is there something you wanted to say?"

"I have been keeping this secret for so long, I am not where to begin."

Erik approached and Nicole sat closer to her sister, both had grown curious at Anne's words.

"It all started five years ago," she stated, "I caught Mama…Marie, stashing something under her bed. When I asked her what is was, she grew angry, and told me to stay out of her room. I was too curious not to know. When she had left the house, I naturally went in to have a look."

"Bravo!" cried Nicole, surprised at her sister's unusual boldness.

Anne blushed, and continued, "Inside a box under her bed, there were accounting books. They were father's for near the start of the books his name was in them, and his handwriting. The books were for different rich individuals, they all looked fine. When I dug deeper into the box, I found exact copies of these books, but in a different handwriting. Then I noticed a lot of the amount's in the first book were less in the copies."

"Your mother was stealing from the individuals your father accounted for." Stated Erik, already figuring out the tale.

Anne nodded, "I didn't know who to tell, or what to do. So I placed everything back the way I found it, and waited."

"Waited for what?" asked Nicole.

"For the courage to do something about it. Now I know what to do. I will expose Marie to the police, and claim our home, as my own."

"But Anne, how will you live, with what money?"

Anne's smile grew wide, "I have been looking into local theaters, and have found that some have need of choir singers, or even leads. I am confident, I will not be destitute."

"Anne, I never knew you had it in you!"

Anne turned to look Nicole in the eyes, and Nicole was shocked to see tears in them.

"Nicole, I need you to stop worrying about me. I can take care of myself. Trust me. Now I need you to take care of yourself. Run away, Nicole. Run away with this man, who has shown more love for you in the past hour than I have seen in my whole life."

Nicole turned to Erik, and locked eyes with him. He kneeled down in front of her and took her hands in his. His eyes where brimmed with hope, and she knew she had to be with him, no matter what.

"Erik, I love you."

"And I love you, Nicole."

"Will you take care of me?"

"Yes!"

"Then I too will take care of you. Take me away, Erik."

Erik and Nicole stood at the opening to the dressing room in the Opera Populaire, embracing each other. Anne had gone ahead to leave them together for a private goodbye.

Erik kissed her lips with need, and held her like there was no tomorrow. He pushed her gently against the wall and heard her gasp in surprise. He pinned her to the wall with his body and refused to stop kissing her. He felt no protest from her, only encouragement as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Soon, he pulled away to let their lungs refill with life giving air.

She gasped for breath and smiled coyly at him. He ran his fingers through her hair, and he couldn't help thinking of her and his former obsession.

Christine and Nicole.

He knew that once he had loved Christine, but he had tried to keep her for himself, when she clearly loved another. In the end he had done the right thing, and let her go. Then it had been nearly impossible, and had almost killed him. Looking back, he knew it was for the best. For clearly he could love no one that way he now loved Nicole. His love for Christine was based on her voice, and her beauty, nothing more. His love for Nicole had depth, he loved her very soul.

He looked into her eyes, and saw the same love he had for her, reflecting back to him. She loved him, after hearing his past, after seeing his face. There was no one on Earth like Nicole.

She interrupted his thoughts with a simple question, "When?"

He knew she was asking when they could run away together, and he knew he wanted it to happen immediately.

"Tonight."

She smiled, "Perfect. I will met you here, as soon as I can leave."

"Pack as little as you can."

"But my clothes?"

He smiled at her, he had wanted to tell her right from the start how rich he was, for he wanted to impress her. As he spent more time with her he knew wealth would not impress her. But he knew now, it would be icing on the cake. All his years of extorting money from the opera managers was well worth it, if he could spend it all on her.

"My love, when we are together, you will want for nothing."

Her face grew confused, and he merely smiled, and kissed her forehead.

"Until tonight, Nicole. I love you."

"I love you too."