AN: I hope you guys appreciate this chapter… Because it was incredibly frustrating to get it finished. I actually had the whole thing completely finished yesterday, and just after I exited the chapter to go post it, I somehow accidentally replaced it with Word's autosaved copy… which was only the first 1300 words, whereas my completed chapter was 3500… I still don't know how this happened, but since I was working off my flashdrive (I couldn't use my regular computer) I was unable to recover anything… So I was left with about the first third of my completed chapter. I then spent a substantial amount of time today, completely rewriting the entire thing from memory.
Needless to say, it has been a frustrating couple days.
Anyways, the crime ring is talked about again in this one, and since I haven't mentioned them in a while, I thought I would give you guys a quick recap of who's who in the crime ring:
-Bones: The brains of the operation
-Rasputin: The one with connection
-Hades: The organizer (Kind of the head of the operation)
-Barnabas: The muscles
(And of course you all know who Phantom is!)
Anyways, I hope you enjoy… And do you think I could maybe get some extra reviews for my troubles?
Christine was obviously as tired as she told me she was, because after about half the movie, she was fast asleep. I turned off the film, not wanting to disturb her slumber. Her face had taken on a peaceful serenity that I hadn't seen on her face since I had taken her here, and she looked so small and helpless curled up into a ball on the sofa.
After watching her for a few moments, I scooped her up into my arms and soundlessly carried her up to her bedroom. She didn't even stir as I carried her up the stairs and placed her comfortably on the bed, pulling the covers over her petite frame. I stood there for another few moments, content to simply watch her, as I wondered what I would do for the rest of the day.
A quick glance at my pocket watch told me it was only 2:00, but by the way Christine was sleeping I seriously doubted she would be awake any time before nightfall. Stealing one final glance at her, I turned and left the room, closing the door softly behind me.
I walked quickly to my bedroom, deciding if I wanted to work on one of my paintings or sketches for the remainder of the day, when I was interrupted by my phone ringing in my pocket. One glance at the caller ID told me who it was, and I answered quickly.
"I know it was you who took her Erik." Nadir's voice stated sharply from the other end.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." I mocked, already knowing Nadir would have figured out it was me… A man like Nadir Khan never forgot any details of a conversation.
"Don't be stupid Erik." He spoke, his voice hard. "What are you doing, kidnapping an innocent girl?"
"I don't believe that's any of your business Nadir." I spoke coldly, closing my bedroom door behind me as I entered my chamber.
"You and I both know how dangerous it is for the girl to be the focus of your obsession Erik." He spoke firmly, refusing to back down to me. "Have you even thought of the danger you could have put her in by taking her? What with all the crime lords and operations that have tabs on you…"
"Do you think me incompetent Nadir?" I spat back at him. "Of course I took the necessary precautions to ensure we will not be found."
"Oh yes, because putting a gun to her head at the de Chagny party was exactly the type of discrepancy that would allow you to slip away unnoticed."
I involuntarily cringed, happy Nadir wasn't there to see it. "She forced my hand."
"Of course, by ripping your mask off…" Nadir mocked, and I could visualize his smirk on the other end of the phone. "A nineteen year old girl forced the hand of Erik Destler."
"Do not mock me Nadir." I spoke viciously.
"And what of your crime operations Erik?" Nadir questioned logically, ignoring my attempt to scare him… I should have known that Nadir was above being scared or intimidated by me. "How will you carry out those duties now that you've disappeared with a girl? A girl that your crime ring practically tried to dispose of I might add."
"I'm done with them Nadir." I spoke softly, allowing the words to sink in. Without thinking, I wandered down the hallway and toward Christine's room, for some reason needing to be near her as I told Nadir my decision.
When I had first decided to take Christine, I had made the decision to stop any connection I had with the crime ring. Christine deserved an honest man, and as much as I couldn't undo my past, I was going to strive to be just that.
"What?!" He exclaimed, and I smiled, happy that I had caught him off-guard.
"You heard me correctly." I said, "I am stopping all connections I have with the crime ring… I am going to be an honest man."
"Erik," Nadir spoke plainly, "You are no honest man."
"I was no honest man… But I am going to try to be the type of man Christine deserves, and that means no longer being a crime lord. I have a substantial amount of money in reserves, and if I run out I will simply compose or go back to being an architect." I responded.
"Erik," Nadir spoke cautiously, as if he was afraid I wouldn't like what he was about to say. "Have you considered the fact that Christine might not want a life with you? She is only nineteen, a mere child in the scope of her life… And you have taken her against her will. Have you even deemed it necessary to consider the fact that she may have been happy with the de Chagny boy?"
I was silent for a moment, sorrow bubbling in my heart as Nadir voiced my deepest concerns. However, despite all the emotions coursing through me at his comment, I kept my tone even as I responded.
"Of course I have considered them." I said evenly and firmly, not a hint of emotion in my voice. "But she is mine."
"Excuse me?!" Christine's voice exclaimed from behind me.
Nadir chuckled darkly from the phone. "Did Christine just hear your comment Erik? Could luck talking yourself out of this one…" I hung up on him, just as Christine stormed up to me.
"Christine, what are you doing awake?" I questioned, trying desperately to steer the conversation in a different direction.
"Nightmare," She muttered so low I could barely hear her, but quickly spoke louder, fire in her eyes. "The real question is why are you talking about me like a possession?!"
"What exactly did you hear?" I asked, controlling my voice so as not to show the fear I was feeling. If she had heard the part about the crime I was involved in…
"Only the part where you said 'She is mine'!" She spat, and I nearly sighed with relief.
"Christine, I'm so…" I began, but she didn't let me finish.
"Let me explain something to you Erik." She growled, pushing my chest. The strength of the push startled me, and she exactly managed to make me take a step backwards. "I am a woman, not a thing… And I am certainly NOBODY'S possession! You may have taken me here against my will, but I do not in any way, BELONG to you!"
"Christine, I believe you misunderstood me." I interjected, struggling to stay calm.
"Go ahead and explain what you meant then Erik." She snarled, crossing her arms in front of her and tapping her foot impatiently. "I'm waiting."
"I was merely telling another man that I had a claim on you, so he shouldn't even try to…" I was interrupted by Christine's hand slapping me across the unmasked side of my face. I looked down in shock to see Christine standing a mere few inches from my chest, her fiery eyes boring into mine.
"You have no right to stake a claim on me." She hissed. "Despite what you may believe, I am not yours Erik."
She turned on her heel, stomping into the bedroom and yelling at me over her shoulder. "Feel free to come talk to me once you've gotten your head out of your ass!"
I stood there in shock, still processing what had just happened. I heard laughing coming from my pocket, and pulled my phone out, realizing I hadn't hung up properly… Nadir had heard the entire thing.
"Stop your laughing Nadir." I growled at him.
He just started laughing harder. "I see why you like her Erik… Her temper is almost as bad as yours!"
"I said shut up…" I warned.
"Was that loud sound her smacking you? Did the girl actually have the courage to hit you Erik?! I must say, I'm impressed…" He continued laughing uncontrollably.
"Nadir…" I threatened, but we both knew I couldn't really scare Nadir anymore.
"Good luck Erik… Feel free to come talk to me once you've gotten your head out of your ass…" He chuckled, trying his best to quiet his laughter.
This time I ensured I hung up properly.
I walked quickly to the door of Christine's room and knocked hesitantly, not wanting to anger her further.
"Christine…" I started, beginning to apologise.
"Go away Erik." She yelled harshly, not even letting me finish.
"If you would allow me to explain…" I began again, trying not to let my frustration show through… Why wouldn't she let me apologise to her?!
"I don't want to talk to you!" She screamed, once again not letting me finish.
I took a couple calming breaths, clenching and unclenching my fists so my frustration didn't come through my voice. "Please Christine…"
"Seriously Erik, piss off!" She shrieked, and I turned and stormed away from the room, practically running downstairs to the music room.
I paced angrily around the room, trying to contain my anger at her… I was trying. I was trying so damn hard to be a gentleman, and apologise when I did something wrong; but she was being so damn difficult!
"Why do you do this to me Christine?" I growled under my breath… It seemed like every time I made a mistake she pounced on it, no matter how hard I was trying to make myself a better man for her.
My emotions were welling up in me to the point where I felt as if I was going to explode, so I sat down at the piano, my hands poised over the keys to allow the music to flow through me.
However, I didn't even have an opportunity to hit one note when my phone began to ring again.
"Damn you Nadir!" I cursed, hammering hard on the keys before I reached for my phone. If he was calling to mock me further…
However, a quick glance at the caller ID told me that it wasn't Nadir who was calling.
"What?" I growled into the phone, not at all in the mood to deal with Hades' chatter.
"Someone's a little temperamental today!" Hades chuckled into the phone.
"I assume you didn't call to chat." I spoke harshly, wanting nothing more than to end the conversation.
"You haven't been very good, have you Phantom?" He chastised me mockingly.
"We are part of a crime ring Hades… None of us have been very good as of late." I retorted sarcastically, hoping to wipe off the silly grin I knew he was wearing.
"You missed the heist Phantom."
"My time was otherwise occupied." I said coolly.
"Oh yes… By kidnapping the Daae girl." He responded, his tone questioning.
"That is none of your business Hades." I said firmly, trying to close the subject.
"But it is… Tell me Phantom, why was kidnapping a young girl more important than one of our biggest heists of the year? The heist failed by the way, since you weren't there to complete your role… ten of our men were arrested, and the only reason none of us were compromised is because the ten that were caught had never actually met us." He said loudly, and I could hear the anger rising up in his voice.
Well, it was now or never.
"Hades," I said firmly, ensuring I had his attention. "I want out."
"WHAT?!" He spluttered, and I nearly laughed at his reaction… It was even better than Nadir's had been!
"I want out." I repeated again slowly, although I knew he had heard me the first time.
"You can't just leave us Phantom." He hissed, trying desperately to scare me… But I was above fear. Nothing he could do to me could be worse than things I had already suffered. "Not after all these years of us working together… We are some of the most powerful crime lords in America right now!"
"Oh stop with your fake sentimentality." I stated, my voice void of emotion. "The only reason you are even upset that I am leaving is because you need me for your little operation to continue… Face it Hades, you would be lost without me."
"When I find you…" He growled, but I swiftly cut him off.
"We are beyond where your dim-witted thugs can find us." I spoke firmly, intending to anger him further and end the conversation.
Instead he laughed.
"We?" He chuckled. "We? This is all for that Daae girl isn't it!"
I felt my stomach drop as I realized my error. I hastily tried to correct myself, but I feared the damage had already been done. "I can assure you…"
"The mighty and powerful Phantom is leaving his life of crime for a nineteen year old girl!" He chortled, anger swelling up inside me.
"You are being ridiculous Hades." I scoffed, struggling to keep my voice emotionless.
"Oh am I?" He questioned harshly, his laughter abruptly extinguishing. "You only say that because I'm right… You are trying to become an honest man for your beautiful lady love!"
I was silent, allowing him to mock me while I awaited the right moment to interject.
"Oh, but you aren't an honest man Phantom." I chuckled darkly. "If little Miss Daae knew everything your past contained, do you think she would look at you with anything but fear? Aside from your actions, do you think she could ever bear to look on your face? The whole world saw your disfigurement that day Phantom, and I can assure you a lovely little thing like Miss Daae would never be able to return your monstrous affection."
"She is not a thing." I growled without thinking, trying not to let him show how true each of his statements were.
"But she is Phantom." He snarled back at me. "By making her the object of your obsession, you have just made her a pawn in this game… And a very valuable one at that."
I didn't respond, afraid I would be unable to keep my emotions from my voice. I may have been above fear for my own safety, but fear for the safety of Christine was a different matter.
"When I find you – And please note that I said when, not if – I will rip her away from you and take her even farther from everything she ever held dear. After I'm finished with her, I will give her to any of my men I see fit… I know Buquet might want to finish what he started." He chuckled darkly, rage filling me so completely that I barely heard what he said.
"And the best part about everything, is that it will be entirely your fault."
He let the phrase hang in silence for a moment, before abruptly disconnecting the line.
I sat there for only a moment, my mind running over what had just happened, before leaping up and springing into action.
I whipped out my phone and dialed Nadir. He answered on the first ring.
"Yes?" He said casually.
"I need you to keep tabs on Hades, Bones, Rasputin and Buquet… I need to know if they say or do anything that could at all relate to me or Christine. Keep an eye on Barnabas as well, but he won't be a danger to us unless we're found."
"Done." He said quickly, "But I will require an explanation when you have time."
"Thank you."
I hung up the phone and walked over to the controls for the complex alarm system I had personally installed on the house and the surrounding woods… If anybody set foot on the land, I would know about it. I ensured that everything was armed properly, including the components I usually only armed at night.
As I made my way upstairs, I ran over a mental checklist of every security measure I had taken: Switched vehicles on the way here… No way they could trace that; security system armed; Christine's phone destroyed; my phone untraceable…
I came to a halt in front of Christine's door, staring at it as I finished my checklist. Unfortunately, in order to properly ensure her safety, I had to get her to speak to me.
I knocked hesitantly, afraid of her response. "Christine, would you please allow me to apologise?"
The door slowly opened and Christine stood there, looking up at me expectantly.
I took a step through the door so she couldn't close it in my face, and began my apology.
"Christine, I am incredibly sorry for insulting you in that way… You are not an object, and I had no right to refer to you that way."
She stood there in silence, not meeting my eyes, and I began to panic slightly… Had I not said enough?
"You are not a 'thing' to me Christine…" I reaffirmed, and then began to ramble. "You are a strong, independent woman with the voice of an angel, and I never meant to demean you in any way, it's just that... Sometimes I am possessive Christine, as much as I try not to be… I know you do not belong to me."
She placed a hand on my shoulder, stopping my rambling. She smiled up at me softly, her eyes looking directly into mine. "I forgive you Erik."
"Thank you my dear." I smiled back at her, but she took a step away from me.
"However," She stated, putting her hands on her hips, "I know that something serious must be happening for you to feel a need to 'stake a claim' on me, and I would very much like to know what it is."
"Nothing is going on…" I began, but she silenced me with a glare.
"I'm not stupid Erik." She said harshly, turning her back to me. "Don't insult my intelligence by trying to tell me that there's nothing going on."
I stood in silence for a moment, pondering what I should tell her. I didn't want to reveal any information on Nadir… She may see him as an escape route. And I couldn't reveal the crime ring's search for her without implicating my role in their activities… After a few moments I settled on telling her that Buquet was searching for her. It wasn't a complete lie, it was merely switching people around a little bit. If she knew somebody was looking for her, it might make her act with more caution.
I motioned for her to sit on the small sofa in her room, and she eagerly complied. I sat down next to her, turning to face her so I could gauge her reaction.
"Some sources in the city have revealed to me that Joseph Buquet is beginning to search for you Christine… And I am uncertain as to what his purpose is." I stated calmly, my eyes never leaving hers.
Her eyes widened in fear, but she quickly tried to hide it. "But he can't find us, right?"
I hid my excitement at her use of the word "us," and responded confidently. "No, he cannot."
She nodded, but she stood up and began to pace nervously, wringing her hands when her back was to me and she thought I couldn't see.
After a few moments of her walking back and forth I couldn't take seeing her like that anymore, so I stood up and gently place my hands on her shoulders to stop her.
She looked down at the floor, not meeting my gaze. Then she whispered in a voice so low I could barely hear it. "I'm terrified of him Erik."
And she began to sob, terrified cries escaping her throat. Without thinking, I pulled her into my arms, my embrace an iron cage protecting her from the world. She wrapped her arms tightly around my waist as she cried, burying her face in my shirt.
"My dear," I spoke softly. "Joseph Buquet will not touch you while you are under my protection."
When that seemed to do nothing to soothe her, I pulled away from her slightly so I could look her in the eyes.
"Christine," I spoke firmly, my gaze boring into hers. "I will not let anybody on this Earth hurt you… You are safe here."
She nodded and wiped the tears out of her eyes, her small smile giving me all the thanks I needed. I turned to walk out of the room, knowing that she would need some time alone to process the information I had given her.
However, when I reached the doorway I came to a halt, turning around slowly as anxiety swirled in my stomach.
"Christine," I spoke slowly. "I was wondering if you would like to join me for dinner this evening?"
She looked at me quizzically. "I ate dinner with you last night Erik."
"Sorry, I should have been more clear…" I muttered. "I was wondering if you would like to join me for a formal dinner tonight at 7:00 in the dining room?"
She looked thoughtful for a moment, then looked up at me with a smile. She spoke slowly, as if pondering her response. "I think… I think I would like that a lot."
I grinned back at her, simply giving her a nod as I turned and strode out of the room. I was unable to keep a smile from my face as I began to make all the necessary preparations.