A/N: So, because I'm nice and hate to leave an argument unresolved, here you all go! The next chapter will be out Wednesday. Enjoy!

Nadir could not believe his day was shaping up to be this. He had awoken early that morning, happily drinking his tea while reading a few reports, devoted a few moments on his religion, praying for a lovely day for his son, and then setting off to see about his job. Nothing about his morning had given him any sort of warning for what he now faced. Looking up to the heavens he silently asked, "Allah, what did I do wrong? I really didn't mean it, whatever I did."

Erik continued to fume, still not past what had happened the previous night. Nadir was unsure what had happened as the man had only managed to curse something about it in French. He had picked up a few parts of the still illusive language, but most of it was obscured by what he assumed to be a varying range of obscenities.

'Allah, Erik! Just tell me what happened!' Nadir snapped at the pacing tiger of a man before him, instantly regretting his choice of words and tone.

'That damned little witch happened, Nadir! She knows nothing! She's a simple little child like everyone else in this godforsaken place!' He roared, coming a bit too close for comfort.

'You mean Christine?' Nadir asked confusedly, thinking that was the most likely option given the adjective "little" was not really fitting to the Khanum's more mature figure and age.

'Christine!' Erik spat the name out, though it still felt too beautiful for his liking.

'Did she tell you?' Nadir tried to test out the waters before simply diving in.

'Oh yes, she gave me quite the earful! I had thought her the perfectly innocent little bird, but now I see she's just a harpy!' Erik raged.

Nadir was on his feet in an instant. 'Enough!' He stood his ground. 'I know you're upset, but I will not allow you to besmirch her name!'

'Her name means nothing! You did not see her, Nadir! You did not see the look of pure hate she gave me!' Erik could have blown fire at this moment.

'Something tells me you deserved it!' Nadir told him without fear. He would not allow Christine to be insulted by this man, or any other. He had always liked the child and had taken care of her as a father would.

Turning on his heel, he left Erik standing there with more rage than he knew what to do with. On his way down the hall, Nadir vaguely heard what sounded like the coffee table hitting the door.

Making his way through the hall to the Rose Garden, he went to Christine's ground floor apartment with its large doors facing into the garden. He found her in the sitting room area after knocking on the door and hearing a faint whimper of a greeting.

'Christine,' Nadir saw her, eyes red from tears that still fell as she curled herself in a large white wicker chair. He came over to her tiredly, pulling a plush foot-stool over and setting himself in front of her.

'Nadir, I don't know what to do. I thought I could trust Erik, but he's no different from anyone else here. All he wants is power.' She told him tearfully.

'He does want power, I won't lie to you there, but I don't think he's like everyone else. And I don't think you believe that either.' He looked at her knowingly.

'I just wanted to talk to him. He doesn't look at me like everybody always does.' She pleaded with him as if he could not see her reasoning. 'And now I'll probably never see him again! I'll be gone and he won't know or care!' She turned back to her arm and continued to weep.

'Why wouldn't he know? I thought you told him.' Nadir grew worried at this.

'No! I found out he was growing needed in court and I told him what I thought of such things! Now I'll never see him again! He'd already left me for several days!' She only cried harder at this.

Nadir sat there, rubbing his forehead. This was for youth, he thought. He turned now to the sobbing girl across from him.

'Christine, if I calmed him down some, would you see him?' He asked, feeling his work cut out for him was a bit more than he could handle, but for her he would at least try.

She paused, thinking his words through a bit before nodding.

Nadir sighed, definitely for the youthful. He rose, facing his new challenge.

'Let me see what I can do, then.' He said tiredly.

An hour and more than a few choice words later, Erik was being forced along a hall he did not recognise. Nadir was firmly at his back, walking a little too closely for comfort, so as to ensure he did not try to run off.

Nadir had felt like he was trying to wrestle water in getting Erik here. No threat he could make to his health, security, or influence could sway him. A man with no morals could not be sold. That is, until he used the magic words and told Erik it was her idea to see him. Nadir felt a pit in his stomach grow when he saw his masked friend change so drastically at the simplest mention of her desires. He had absently worried what would happen if Erik ever fell in love, and the earth shattering effects if it were with Christine, and now he knew for certain. It may not have formed completely, but the attachment was there, and he was only fanning the flames. He cursed himself for being so soft around Christine and not seeing the issue sooner.

Too late now, he gestured to a particular door in the hall. Erik froze in front of it, simply staring at the wood as if that were enough. As if he had finally found a wall he could not climb.

Sighing and rolling his eyes, Nadir knocked and opened the door upon hearing Christine's voice. Thankfully she was no longer crying and had washed her face with arguable success. It was obvious that she had been upset just moments before, and Nadir saw Erik's shoulders drop at the sight.

'Christine,' Erik's voice came out as a whisper as she looked at him, her eyes still shining with moisture. He found himself stiffening, however, as he realised what he was doing. He came over to her and looked down upon her imperiously. Nadir was ready to strangle the boy when Christine glared up at him with the same form of resolve. Perhaps he was not needed as much as he thought. Taking a seat a little ways away from the two he folded his fingers in front of his mouth and watched, ready to intervene if necessary.

'You wanted to speak with me?' Erik asked, feeling his fists clench at her stubbornness.

'You go ahead, I've said all the words I want to.' She looked out the window, shunning him.

'I will not speak at you, Christine.' He seethed.

She turned slowly, with unmoving resolve shining in her sharp eyes. 'Tough.' She announced, hissing slightly.

Erik's arms shook with pent up fury. 'What I do with my time is none of your business!' He told her.

'It is if I'm going to lose you to it!' She snapped back.

Everyone in the room felt her surprise at her words, and though she quickly tried to hide by looking out the window again, they were still said and heard.

Erik took a moment to fully comprehend these words. Never in his life had he been asked to stay out of fondness. He had been caged, told he could stay, and bribed to follow, but never asked. She did not want to lose him because he meant something to her.

A part of him wanted to run and hide, to do what he always did and just disappear. He was like a cat. He wanted to be loved, but not bound to anyone or thing. He wished to wander free knowing it did not truly affect anyone. He wanted to go and not worry about coming back.

Before him sat the one person who saw this, accepted it, and yet wished to hold him without actually touching him. To feel like she possessed him while knowing full well he was due to disappear any second. This inner duel was tearing her apart, and he could see it. She wanted so badly to keep him, but knew that very desire was wrong.

'Christine, would you like your last letter?' He asked, sinking down to the floor in front of her.

'I don't care anymore.' She said, holding back more tears.

'Then, may I ask my last question?' He tried, feeling a bit of a sting from her proving his own thoughts.

She did not answer, the muscles in her neck showing she was fighting down sobs.

'Christine,' he started softly. 'If I promise not to get lost in these politics, will you promise not to possess me? I want to be free, Christine, you have to understand this, and though I enjoy my time with you, I am not one to be bound.' He felt an involuntary shiver pass through him at the last word, feeling the dull ache in his wrists from all those years ago.

He watched her contemplate this, feeling her own natures continue to be at war within her. Finally, she seemed to realise the truth in his words. Nadir had watched her struggle and wondered if she were coming to terms with more than Erik knew.

'I promise.' She told him, looking at him as tears slipped from her eyes.

'Thank you.' He smiled at her softly.

'C-can I have my last letter?' She asked, fearing he would deny her.

'K.'

He watched as she put it together.

'Erik,' she said in a small voice. He nearly gasped at how lovely it sounded coming from her. 'I like that. It suits you.' She smiled at him.

Erik looked away at this. He glared at nothing in particular, his hands shaking again with pent up rage.

'My mother named me that because I was not worthy of my father's. My face damned me from having any other title.' He explained. He did not know what he expected to come of it, but her reaction was not it.

Christine gently turned his face to look at her, touching the mask and letting her fingers trail along its smooth, white leather surface.

'I don't know what your father's name was, but I do know that no other name would sound as good on you as Erik. I think it's perfect.' She told him, looking him dead in the eye.

Erik could not hardly breathe. She was actually complimenting him on something he had always viewed as a fault.

Nadir had watched the whole display, amazed at how much Erik was opening up to her. Something about it urged him to step in, however. This interruption earned him a scathing glare from Erik and an embarrassed blush from Christine.

'Erik, I think you still have some work to attend to today.' He addressed him after a quick clearing of his throat. The man took a moment to fully understand the true purpose of the disturbance and to change the look of confusion to one of frustration and anger.

'I don't mean to keep you.' Christine offered.

Erik looked at her, somewhat hurt. She had removed her hand from his mask and was now smiling at him more reservedly. He was not sure as to why this bothered him, but he blamed the Daroga for this sudden change.

Parting from her, Erik put all the fire he could in his eyes as he passed the troublesome Daroga as they left. Nadir took his sweet time in bidding her good-bye, hoping to stall off the inevitable.

'You bring me down here to see her, and now you drag me away! Pick a side!' Erik yelled once they were a little ways away.

'I wanted you two to stop arguing over nothing, and you have.' Nadir defended indifferently.

'Yes,' Erik noted ruefully. 'And now she knows my name.' He could not keep some of the happiness out of his voice at this turn of events. 'And she likes it.' He felt his shoulders droop with the uncertainty of what that meant.

'Erik, my position still stands firm. You should not become too attached to her. It would not do anyone much good.' Nadir warned, ever the cryptic in these matters.

'So you have told me, and yet you leave the reason out. Why?' Erik pursued, feeling that old tenacity coming back to him.

'It is not for me to say.' Nadir brushed off, eyeing his companion's dark glimmer.

'I have ways of finding out what I want, Daroga, and as you know, I'm not afraid to use them.' Erik looked at him pointedly.

'Yes, but I will personally rain Hell upon you if you use them on Christine. Of that, I can assure you.' He turned to note the surprise on the man's face. Clearly he had forgotten that it was Christine who held the key to this particular secret.

'I would never-' Erik stopped himself. He was a big proponent of never say never, and he believed Nadir knew this as well. If the need stuck him hard enough and he were weak enough, he may just end up doing something he would regret.

'Just be on your guard around her. I would hate to see anyone needlessly hurt, least of all her.' Nadir gave as a final warning before leaving Erik at the door to his apartment. Erik stood there for a bit, pondering the Persian's words and what secret the innocent little Christine could possibly have. He nearly laughed as he realised, putting the coffee table back in front of his Turkish divan that he had only hours ago been cursing her name. It was strange how a few tears and kind words had bent him to her will so easily. Though, in all fairness, he had also gained the promise of continued freedom. That thought gave him at least some small measure of comfort. He wondered, as he put the rest of his room back together, what his next visit with the lovely Christine would bring. Every time he saw her, he seemed to gain something he had not realised he was lacking, though the name of this mysterious force still alluded him. It was an odd feeling of expecting punishment for nearly every one of his thoughts. Perhaps it was what he had long insisted he did not have or need: a conscience. Shaking this troubling thought away, he tuned once more to the care of his lizard. At least the reptile made some grain of sense.

A/N: Ah, such a short chapter. I'm sorry about that, but the next one felt like it would be too long to add to this. I'm trying very hard to write longer pieces as my last story seemed a little brief. I hope you all enjoyed this.