Mia buried her face in her tear soaked pillow. She missed Erik so badly that she had been sick every morning for the past three days. There was nothing more in the world she wanted other than to go back to see him, but she was waiting to see if he would cool down enough for them to talk things out. But in the meantime she was very literally worrying herself sick.

She wanted to hate Erik, wanted to hate him for forcing her into this position, but she couldn't. Mia understood why. Erik was a man who had been hurt and abandoned by everyone he had ever cared about, and he was terrified she'd do the same. She didn't want to leave him but there was no escaping Gaston either. Mia was just hoping she could convince Erik to see reason.

Hazel knocked on the door, before walking in with a tray of what looked like tea and a few croissants. "You know I can't," Mia murmured.

"But you have to eat something," Hazel protested.

"I won't be able to keep it down."

"Just a couple bites."

"There is no way I won't get sick."

"Madame, forgive me if I'm being too bold, but starving yourself won't help you get better."

Mia sighed. "I'll be fine Hazel. This should clear up in the next few days."

"I would really feel better if…"

"Leave the tray Hazel, I'll eat later if I'm feeling better." The maid nodded and put it down, knowing it wasn't her place to argue further. "Is there anything else I can do for you Madame?"

"No Hazel, thank you." The maid curtsied before starting to retreat from the room. Mia suddenly realized she couldn't do this anymore, she needed to see Erik. "Hazel, actually I need you to help me get dressed. I am supposed to have tea today with the wife of one of Gaston's business partners."

Hazel stared at her with wide eyes. "Are…are you sure that's wise? You said yourself you haven't been feeling well."

"It's too late to cancel Hazel, not to mention it would be extremely rude. It could hurt some of Gaston's business prospects. I don't have a choice," Mia lied. "Now please, help me get dressed."

Within minutes, Mia was dressed and on her way out the door. She had her driver take her to a café on the opposite side of Paris before hiring another carriage to take her to the Populaire. She could risk Gaston finding out where she was and punishing her further.

"Erik?" Mia called, running into the lair, but received no answer. "Erik?" Looking around, she noticed that it was empty. She couldn't go back to Gaston without talking to him first, so she was going to have to wait for him to come back.

She walked over to the swan bed and sat down. Mia noticed that the sheets of the swan bed were messed up, as though Erik had continued sleeping there after she left. It didn't make sense, he had his own bed in his own room. He only slept here when she was with him. She walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, pulled one of the pillows to her chest, and inhaled deeply. It smelled like parchment, candle wax, and musk. It smelled like Erik. Mia could also detect a whiff of her own perfume. Maybe that was why Erik was still sleeping here.

A familiar leather bound book was sitting on the other end of the bed. Mia reached for it but when her fingers brushed against it, it fell off and slipped under the bed. She sighed before walking around and getting on her hands and knees to retrieve her poetry book. Her fingers brushed against something else too, and when she pulled out the book, Mia also pulled out a folded sheet of paper that looked like it had been under there a while. She blew off the dust before unfolding it to read.

It seems to me that you have forgotten something rather important at my opera house. In fact, that something has managed to find her way into my lair. So if you wish to see your sister alive again, you'll come and collect her. I'll accept nothing for her safe return other than Christine resuming her rightful place at the Popula-

Mia rolled her eyes at the letter, not even bothering to finish. That seemed like such a long time ago, she had honestly forgotten that neither she nor Erik destroyed it. She never knew what happened to it. Just as she was about to tear it to shreds, getting rid of it for good, when she heard the splash of the lake. Erik was back! She slipped the letter in the cover of the book to deal with later before rushing to the water's edge.

Erik's eyes widened when he saw her. He leaped out of the boat, not bothering to tie up the boat properly. The next thing Mia knew, she was in his arms, and he was spinning her around in circles (which was not agreeing with her stomach) with his lips pressed hard against hers. "I knew you'd come back!" he cried when they finally broke apart. "I knew you loved me! I knew you would come to your senses! I knew you'd leave him for me!"

She put her hand on his good cheek and stroked it with her thumb. "Erik…"

The tone of her voice gave away something was wrong. "No," he whispered, backing away. "No! You can't do this to me! YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME!"

"I do love you," Mia protested. "I didn't come here to hurt you, I came to talk to you."

"No, I don't want to talk Mia, I want you!"

"Listen to me Erik, please. I do want to be with you, more than anything. But there is something holding me back, something that won't let me."

"It's Amelia, we both know it. I can handle her, there's nothing to be afraid of."

"You and I both know it's more than just Amelia. I have a duty to Gaston and he's my husband and it's wrong. What would God say about everything we've been doing?"

"Please tell me you're not getting religious on me," Erik groaned. "You have never mentioned God before, and frankly I don't believe in Him."

"Erik, but there's no way this isn't wrong, but I love you too much to go!"

"I don't understand what you're saying. Are you choosing me or Gaston?"

Mia wrapped her arms around herself and sank to her knees. "I don't know!" she sobbed. "This is so much more complicated than you're making it out to be! There's Hazel and Martin and Raoul and Gaston and my parents and you and Amelia all to consider. I love you Erik, but more than you and me to consider."

He rose to his full height of well over six feet. "I told you before Mia. I can't keep doing this! Until you make up your mind, I don't want to see you again, and I mean it! I cannot keep living like this!"

She sat heavily on the bed, her arms wrapped around herself, as she fought to keep her stomach under control. Mia couldn't allow herself to get sick right now. She had to get this all sorted out with Erik first. "Please Erik," she sobbed. Her hand flew to her mouth before she could get another word out.

"What's the matter?" Erik asked, kneeling before her. It was obvious he knew there was something wrong with her.

"I've been sick the past couple days," she admitted. "It's nothing, just stress. I don't like us fighting like this Erik."

"Lie down," Erik cooed, helping her recline against the pillows. "I'll take care of you," he murmured, stroking her hair. His voice was soft and hypnotic and for a brief instant, Mia almost gave in.

"No, Erik, I told you, we have to talk!" she cried, pushing him away.

He leaped to his feet. "No." His tone had shifted to one that was hard and cold. "I'm done talking. If you won't choose then you need to go." He pulled her to her feet and led her to the mirror. "Goodbye Mia."

"Erik, please."

Without a word, he opened the glass door and motioned for her to go. With tears streaming down her face, Mia turned and started to leave. "Mia, wait." She whirled back around, her eyes full of hope. Instead of calling her back, Erik shoved her book of poetry at her. "Take this with you," he snapped before closing the door between them.