Hey guys, sorry about the long wait. I had midterms the last two weeks and I was cramming hard for those and just didn't have the time to write with studying, homework, and work. However, I am done with midterms now, and writing will hopefully resume a normal schedule from now on. Thank you for your patience! On a completely unrelated note, guess who dressed up as Erik for her Halloween Party this weekend! This girl! Anyway, again, thanks for waiting. I hope you enjoy!

~nibblesfan

Mia hadn't slept in days, hadn't eaten in days, hadn't seen another human being in days. Even though Gaston had broken the lock to her door weeks ago, she had pushed her desk in front of it to keep it closed, and so far, no one had tried very hard to get in besides Hazel, and the maid wasn't strong enough.

Her room was torn apart, as she seemed to have taken a note from Erik, and threw her belongs everywhere during fits of hysteria. It's your own fault you know.

"Yes, I know it's my fault!" Mia sobbed. "If I had just trusted him, he wouldn't have sent me away, and now I'll never see him again!"

I was hoping someone would eventually gain some sense. I just never thought it would be him. Mia put her hands over her ears, trying to make it stop. It had been weeks since she had last needed to deal with Amelia, and she thought that Erik had finally gotten rid of her for good, but that was clearly not the case. Part of her wanted to go find Gaston's razor and silence her permanently, but Erik didn't want Mia to cut herself anymore and she didn't want to disappoint him.

"Erik just doesn't want to hurt anymore. I know what that's like. He could make my pain go away. I just have to go back to him!"

You wouldn't have a problem if you weren't such a filthy little slut. Gaston knows you are one; he might not have caught you yet, but he knows.

"He's no better!"

But you should be. He's common. It's to be expected. But you're a de Chagny. You were raised for perfection. What would your mother say if she knew what you were doing?

"It doesn't matter because Erik makes me happy!"

The man who tried to kill your brother? And let's not forget what he did to the opera whore that Raoul's married to. Did you forget so easily that he murdered two men with his bare hands, killed countless others when he dropped the chandelier, and kidnapped her in front of a full house just to have her? What has he done for you? Nothing!

"Erik loves me!"

You're his little tramp, nothing but free sex that throws herself at him. He's full of nothing but pretty words, and when he tires of you, he'll toss you aside like he did Christine and move on to the whore.

"No he won't! He's told me that no one has ever loved him besides me!"

And then he threw you out onto the streets.

"He doesn't want to have his heart broken anymore. That's all!"

If you didn't realize that what you're doing is wrong, then you wouldn't have been breaking his heart. You've known all along that you belong here with your husband!

"Gaston is abusive! He's been hurting me! Erik would never!"

Oh really?! And just how many times has your precious Phantom hit you or choked you or threw you around?

"That was before! We fell in love and most of it was because of you!" Mia buried her face in her hands. She knew she was fighting with herself and knew it was a battle she could never win.

It's your own fault you know. Gaston had never laid a hand on you until he figured out your dirty little secret. He might not know who yet, but it's only a matter of time before he figures it out, and then your precious Phantom will be hanging in the town square for all to see.

"NO! That can never happen! I will never tell Gaston anything!"

He's not as dumb as you think he is. He's already figured out that when you sneak away you go to the Opera Populaire.

"But he has no proof. That's just his own paranoia."

But he's not wrong is he?

"I won't let that happen!"

Mia began to rummage through her scattered belongings until she found a pair of riding trousers she had bought a few months ago while Gaston was away on one of his trips. She though they might be nice while visiting a country estate, but he had been furious at the thought of a woman wearing pants, no matter for what purpose. So instead, they sat new and unworn in her closet, until now. She changed out of her dress and into the pants and a white blouse before pulling on her riding boots, the sturdiest shoes she had, and a cloak. She couldn't allow Gaston to hurt Erik.

She opened her window and looked out into the night. Dawn would be in a few hours and if she didn't leave now, she was afraid Amelia or Gaston would stop her. There was an old oak tree right outside her window that she had been often tempted to climb, but knew she shouldn't. The last time she had climbed a tree, she was seven, and her mother had been furious, but Mia couldn't get risk waking the servants and getting caught sneaking out the front door, but she had to get to Erik.

Ignoring Amelia's screaming as best she could, Mia carefully crawled out on to the branch, clinging to it for dear life. It was freezing in the January air and the tree was covered in ice and snow, which was going to make her descent even more difficult. Her teeth chattered and her hands were trembling within minutes as she slowly worked her way down the tree. If she were younger, she would have been able to scamper up and down the oak no problem, but it had been so long since she had climbed a tree, Mia was erring on the side of caution and taking her sweet time.

Just as she was nearly to the bottom, no more than ten feet up, her foot slipped on the icy branch. She flailed out wildly, but couldn't grab anything to stop her fall, and Mia crashed to the icy ground where she landed on her back with a thud, too shocked to even scream.

Erik buried his face in his hands, trying to get over his stupidity and ignore the pang in his chest. He had chased Mia away for good this time. He was certain of it. He had just been so angry that she wouldn't choose him that he lashed out at her. Mia was in a delicate position, he knew that, but once again his emotions got the better of him. Now he had nothing but pain and misery in store for the rest of his pathetic life.

Just then, the mirror swung open. "Mia?!" he cried in disbelief. She was wet, snow covered, and shivering as her teeth chattered, but she was here, in the flesh. He ran to her and pulled her into his arms and she immediately screamed in pain. "What's wrong?!"

Her right hand gingerly touched her left side, only a few inches below her heart. "My…my rib," she gasped.

He carefully felt the spot, making Mia cry out again. "It's definitely bruised, and quite possibly broken," he diagnosed. His eyes narrowed dangerously and filled with murderous fire. "What did Gaston do to you?"

"Nothing. I fell out of a tree."

"A tree?"

"I had to get away Erik, I had to. We have to get away."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's only a matter of time before Gaston comes!"

"Did you tell him about us?" Erik demanded.

"No! Of course not! I would never! But he's already figuring out I come here whenever I leave him, it's only a matter of time before he figures things out. We have to go now."

"Mia, it's the middle of the night, you've got a potentially broken rib, and you're on the verge of hypothermia and pneumonia. There's nothing we can do right now. He hasn't figured things out yet. I'll keep you hidden away here until you're healed then we'll go."

She nodded. "Okay. I trust you."

He took her hand and led her towards the bathroom. "Come. We need to get you warmed up and quickly before you freeze to death. A warm bath should help."

"Erik," she said softly. He turned to look at her. Mia kissed his exposed cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," he replied. "Now let's get you out of those wet things."