I sadly don't own the Phantom or any other characters created by G. Leroux, S. Kay and A. L. Webber, but they always have a place in my heart. Luthien, thank you for waiting so patiently for my chapters to do your great job as my beta! Big hugs to you!

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

Florence, still put out over having been thrown out of the room, had waited in the library, where she had given in to her exhaustion and fallen asleep. However, she was woken not long after by Nadir once Erik had brought Joséphine back to her room.

She had complained to Nadir about the treatment the maid had given her, and asked if he knew what was going on. As the Persian could not give her a truthful answer, she had huffed and decided to talk to Joséphine. She had after all spent all night here, at her friend's side, she had the right to get some answers!

Florence entered without knocking, and therefore found Erik almost on top of Joséphine, their arms around each other, and their lips locked.

She must have made some noise, for the couple stilled in their embrace. Thankfully, Erik had his back turned to her, and he immediately reached for his mask to put it back on before his wife's friend could see his exposed features.

Once 'dressed', Erik turned to face his wife's friend, his features indicating clearly that he did not like the interruption. Florence had the grace to look embarrassed having surprised them in such an intimate moment, and tried in vain not to blush.

"It sure seems that the two of you have sorted things out," Florence commented after having regained her composure, now causing Joséphine to blush, while she pushed her husband away from her. Erik shook his head indignantly at the treatment he received when one moment ago she could not seem to get near enough to him.

"Now, I demand to know what is going on here, and I won't go home before I get some answers."

Erik looked at her. "Surely this can..."

"No, it cannot wait, and I will not wait. I won't be thrown out of the room again," Florence insisted, reminding Joséphine of earlier, when Mathilde had asked her to leave. She approached the bed. "Joséphine, I know you must be exhausted, but as you seem well enough to bestow your husband with your affections you might as well grant me a few minutes."

"This is..." Erik started, but was interrupted once again.

"Erik, please, give us a minute," Joséphine said quietly, giving his hand a light squeeze. Erik looked at her, begging her silently not to make him leave, but she would not yield. Knowing his wife would not change her mind, he scoffed and left for his adjacent room, mumbling something about getting refreshed and being back in a while.

Once the two women were alone, Florence drew the chair from the vanity over to the bed and sat down next to her friend. "Whatever disturbed you before, it can't have been that severe, since the two of you get along again," she started the conversation.

Joséphine propped herself up, and with Florence's help adjusted the pillows to a comfortable sitting position.

"Will you tell me why you sent him away earlier?" Florence asked her friend.

Joséphine twisted in her position, trying to stall, thinking rapidly what answer she could give her friend. The connection between her, Erik and the Vicomtesse de Chagny had to be kept a secret, but she could think of nothing that she could use as an explanation for her reaction to Erik's presence when she woke up.

She wondered briefly if Florence had been informed about Clara's involvement, but dared not to ask her. Trembling at the thought of her stepmother's betrayal, she remembered something else that had happened at the ball: the short encounter of Erik and Gilles, Florence's brother and the palpable tension between them.

"It is...well...it was about your brother," Joséphine said finally.

"My brother?" Florence's eyes widened. "So that was why you wanted me out of the room!"

Joséphine did nothing to negate her friends assumptions; she was actually glad the her explanation seemed to be accepted.

"What did Gilles do, Joséphine?" Florence inquired.

"Nothing, really," Joséphine replied truthfully. "He simply was one of the first people we encountered after we had arrived at the ball, and he complimented me on my looks. Then Clara mentioned something about how close we were, and that we eventually would have ended up married..."

"I assume Erik did not take this very well," Florence concluded.

Joséphine nodded. "In retrospect, it was no reason to fight about, but I had not felt well all day."

"You were already suffering from Clara's poisoning," her friend interjected.

"So, one thing led to another, and we had a big fight. And when I woke up, the memory was still so fresh in my mind," Joséphine finished, trying hard not to think about the real memory she was talking about.

"Poor dear, you have been through so much lately," Florence stated, patting her friend's hand. "Do you want me to have a word with Gilles?"

"No, he really did nothing wrong, Florence. And I don't want everyone to know that Erik and I had a fight."

"Of course, my friend." Florence said, nodding. "After all the commotion at the ball and Clara's behaviour you hardly need people talking about your marriage too." She stilled. "You do know about Clara, right?"

Joséphine nodded. "Yes, but I do hope that Clara's involvement can be kept a secret."

"But Joséphine, she has to be hold responsible for her misdeeds! You cannot possibly want..."

"Florence, think about it for a second. One persons wrongdoings can ruin the reputation of a whole family."

"Surely..."

"Remember what you told me about Madame Descotaux and how she was shunned in society after her husband had committed the murders of their daughter and son-in-law?," Joséphine argued. "She was not at fault, and, if I remember correctly, even tried to warn her daughter. Still, she is now considered an outcast in society because of what her husband did."

Florence conceded, nodding sadly.

"I do not want to share her fate. Erik and I have been through enough to last us a lifetime," Joséphine continued, her voice thick with emotion.

"But...how are you going to prevent everyone from finding out?" Florence asked her friend.

"For the moment, everyone believes one of the Chagny servants culpable of the poisoning. I would like to keep it like that, and if that means I have to bribe someone, I am willing to do it." She gave her friend a careful look. "And of course it means that you cannot talk about this to anyone, not even Christian."

"Christian can keep a secret, you know him," Florence interjected.

"Still, I won't take the risk of anyone overhearing you," Joséphine insisted. "Promise me you will not tell him, nor anyone else besides the people who have been present in this room tonight ."

Florence gave a heavy sigh, but nodded in consent.

"Thank you. I know how close Christian and you are, but believe me, it is better not to involve any more people in this," Joséphine told her friend, then was overcome by her fatigue and hardly stifled a yawn.

Florence took this as her cue to get up. "You still need a lot of rest. I will call on you tomorrow, if this is fine for you."

Joséphine smiled. "Of course it is. Thank you Florence, for everything."

The two women shared a silent moment of understanding, then Florence turned and left.

Joséphine breathed a sigh, and yawned again. She cast her eyes towards the door that connected her room to Erik's, wondering why he had not burst right in as soon as he had heard Florence leave.

A few minutes passed during which Joséphine stared continuously towards the door that led to Erik's bedroom. When nothing happened, she decided at last to call for him.

"Erik? Florence has left, you can come back now," she pleaded softly.

No response.

She began to wonder what might have happened to him. Surely he had not left his room, or had he? Joséphine quelled the doubts that started to manifest again, and slowly rose from the bed. She stood still for a moment to let the nausea pass, then slowly made her way across the room to the connecting door.

She knocked once, and when she heard no response, knocked again softly, calling out her husband's name before opening the door.

The sight she was greeted with made her smile: Erik lay on the bed in an awkward position, the wig half askew. He must finally have succumbed to fatigue and fallen backwards from where he had sat on the bed.

Joséphine made her way over to him, and with some effort pulled him completely onto the bed. She then made herself comfortable beside him.

It wasn't long before she joined him in slumber.

A/N: Yeah, long time no update, I know...Won't bother with excuses...This is probably the second to last chapter of this story, so bear with me a little longer folks! Thanks for your support!