Drag Me Down

I've got a fire for a heart.

I've got a river for a soul.

In Five Years Time

"But, I don'rt want to go to school today, Mommy..."

Ah, there it was. The infamous pout. Charlotte Daaé crossed her tiny arms across her chest, exhaling a puff of stubborn air - something that her mother knew all too well. Feisty and vivacious, Charlotte Daaé was at the prime of her fifth and a half year of living. Her mother could barely keep up, but nothing was more important than her daughter. She only wanted what was best for her little angel, her angel.

"I understand that, Charlotte, no one wants to go to school... But alas, here you are getting ready for school."

Christine then wondered who taught her to roll her eyes at such a young age.

"Why do I have to go to school? Layla doesn't have to!" Charlotte's voice was only at a decibel only dogs could hear at this point. "I hate you!"

Christine could only laugh at the sight of an obviously, over dramatic five year old.

There was only one person she could acquire such a theatrical aura from and that person - hasn't been that person in so long.

"Well, good news, I love you and because I love you, you have to go to school - and don't worry baby, it's only until two o'clock. It's a short day, remember?" Christine chased after her daughter with a dress in hand. She couldn't remember a time where she wasn't chasing her daughter down the narrow hallway.

"Short?"

Suddenly, Charlotte's brown curls appeared from behind the doorframe of her mother's room.

"Short, yes." Christine approached her daughter, dress in tow. "Now, can we get ready? We don't want to be late and upset Ms. Vivian do we?"

Ten minutes later, the mother and daughter were out the door, lunch box with fairy wand in hand.

Lantier Co.

"I do not care if she cannot come to the phone right now, you will get her to the theater immediately!"

Successful as ever, Erik Lantier angrily pressed the red button on his cell phone.

Infuriated at Ms. VaanGuard's tardiness, Erik Lantier straightened out his waist coat and headed towards the stage door.

It had been a long time since Erik Lantier was recognizably happy.

He continued on with his life, though.

Erik Lantier composed two more sold-out operas, and now, he's working in New York as a composer and lyricist for the newest upcoming musical.

Downsizing to a town house in the suburbs, Erik Lantier was alone again - maybe alone was truly his happiest place.

"Hello?" Erik Lantier spoke into the phone with a bit of frustration.

"Hello, Mr. Lantier. It is Stephen, I have a Ms. LaFavre on the line for you." Erik cringed at the name.

"Put her through then, Stephen... And, thank you."

Pause.

Erik Lantier waited for three minutes too long for Bailey to speak up on the phone.

He and Bailey recently started speaking again. Only due to the fact that he was successful again and seven years ago, they couldn't even afford to pay their water bill.

All of sudden, there was a voice that quickly made Erik's heart drop to his stomach and his heart stop beating.

He never in a million years expected a call from this person.

No, not after they left him in the dust.

No.

"E-Erik? Is this Erik Lantier?"

Erik Lantier took a deep breath in, shutting his eyes, relishing the moment.

With one single exhale, Erik Lantier opened his eyes and breathed out the one word he would never get tired of tasting on his lips.

"Christine."

Box Five Apartments

The three knocks violently woke up Christine from her nap. She rapidly glanced over at the clock, to ensure that she did not forget her daughter at school.

She still had forty-five minutes.

Groggily, Christine stood up and shook her curls out, grabbing her blue cardigan off of the ottoman, sitting at the foot at the bed.

As Christine made her way to the front door, three more knocks emitted from behind it.

Incessant knocking, impatience... Oh no, Christine could only think of one person that would be.

With a brave face, Christine took a deep breath and unlatched the door.

Standing in the doorway, was the man she would never get tired of seeing.

"Erik."

Erik smiled slightly, politely mostly.

Christine gestured for the masked man to come in, as she held the door open for him.

Scanning the room, Erik Lantier let out an approving sigh, his head nodding in concordance.

"What... What are you doing here, Erik?" Christine gently shut the door behind her, following the masked man into the small living room.

Scattered everywhere were children's toys. Christine slightly blushed, embarrassed at the mess. As quickly as she could, she began to pick up her daughter's toys and began placing them in their correct baskets - paving the path for the masked composer.

"You called me." Christine nodded agreeing with him.

"Okay, well how did you find me?" Erik shrugged his shoulders. Christine already knew the answer to that question.

"I tracked the phone call and found your address." Christine blinked, thinking to herself as all the past memories of him came flooding to her head. "Is this where you have been living?"

"Yes, I know it's small, but I am a small person, so it works out just fine." Erik kept silent. "Can I get you anything to drink? Or eat?"

"No, thank you, I'm quite full from lunch and quenched from... The car ride over here." Christine knew he was lying. "Do you live here alone?"

"I mean... I'm not totally alone, I have-"

"A boyfriend?" Christine's eyes widened. She couldn't even get herself to go outside for the first six months after she left Erik. How could she have a boyfriend? "Do you have a boyfriend, Christine?"

"No Erik, I don't have a boyfriend." Christine leaned against the archway, her eyes dry from her nap.

"Okay." Erik smiled politely, looking at all of the pictures on the book shelf.

Christine couldn't take it anymore. She was too anxious.

"Erik... Just ask me. I know you're curious and that's probably why you're here - so just ask me."

Immediately, Erik Lantier turned around and his posture stiffened. His eyes narrowed, his mask shifting with the muscles moving in his face. Slowly, Erik Lantier closed the distance between them, as close as he could get to her.

Christine froze.

"Okay, Christine. I'll ask you." Christine slowly nodded. "Where is my daughter?"

"She's at school, Erik," Christine began. "But I know that wasn't the question you wanted to ask me. Aren't I right, Erik?"

Erik tilted his head to the side, in complete disbelief of his current situation.

"You are correct, Christine... But since you already know the question that's been on my mind for the last five years, why don't you just answer it?"

Christine shrugged.

"That's not how that works, Erik."

Erik stepped back, trying to compose himself. He just could not believe what he was hearing. Furious, Erik tried taking a deep breath, but only got angrier with time.

Christine froze again, unable to find the solution to the problem she just created.

"That's not how that works?" Erik repeated with nothing, but rage in his voice. "This isn't how any of this is supposed to work, Christine!"

Erik's voice boomed throughout the tiny one bedroom apartment, his voice shaking the pictures on the wall. Christine though, seemed completely calm by it, which was weird, considering how much time they haven't seen each other.

"I'm sorry... Erik, you know why I had to leave!" Christine shouted back, just to get at the same volume as Erik. "I couldn't bare it anymore! It was too difficult and it most certainly was not the life to be raising a child in, Erik!"

"You... You... You, Christine... You didn't even call me!" Christine sighed, trying to fight back the tears she hid for so long. "I've missed all of MY daughter's birthdays and I've missed five more of yours!"

"I know... I'm sorry, but I couldn't raise a child in that house-"

"Fine, then! You could have at least called... Does... Does..." Erik digressed, angry by the memory of how many nights he wasted sitting by his phone.

"Does what, Erik?" Christine stepped closer to him.

"Does... Does she know that she has a father?"

Christine's green eyes seemed to glaze over as time stood still. She knew this day would come, she just was overwhelmingly unprepared for it.

"No."

Two Hours Passed

"She's with Layla, her best friend. She's safe." Christine mumbled as she hung up the phone, making sure her daughter was alright.

"When can I see her?" Christine sighed again, knowing the answer was just going to make him angry again.

"I don't know, Erik. I don't know if that is the best thing for-"

"And leaving me in the middle of the night with my daughter in your back seat, five years ago, was the best thing for her?" Erik seethed through his teeth.

"I just was doing was what was best for her, okay?" Erik sat down on the sofa, his head pounding. "If you wish to see her... I guess... I guess we can work out a time you can see her next week."

"You guess?"

Christine knew that the subject of a father was going to come up sooner or later with Charlotte, but never did Christine think that it would come up in a conversation with Erik ever again.

In all honesty, she didn't think she would ever see Erik ever again.

"I don't know what you want from me, Erik..." Christine muttered under her breath as she fidgeted with her hands. "I don't know what to do, Erik."

Erik stood to his feet, walking over to Christine, who was now curled up on the chair across from him. Kneeling down in front of her, Erik took her tiny hand in his - a sensation he never thought he would ever get to experience again - and made sure she knew that he was real; that he was there with her.

"You can start over, with me, Christine. A brand new slate, with me, and Charlotte, as a family."

Christine pondered on the thought of it all, but continued to remain silent.

"You and Charlotte can come live with me, I've downsized houses and it would be perfect for her. She'll have a place she can actually learn how to ride a bicycle." Erik smiled with a genuine smile this time, his heart once again inflamed with the love for Christine he had put away for so long.

"What about school, Erik? And your anger and my anger... And I... I just don't know, Erik." Christine only wanted to be okay again.

"There is a beautiful kindergarten through sixth grade school right by my house, there are two in fact. Please, Christine..." Erik was begging now and Christine knew how Erik felt about begging. "We can work through our anger, Christine. It isn't the end of the world, I promise you."

"Erik... I just don't know..." Christine was overwhelmed. She couldn't think straight.

Pausing in his current train of thought, Erik came up with the best idea he's had in a very long while.

With a wide smile, Erik stood up, putting his hand out for Christine.

His heart was finally alive again and his soul, was whole once more.

"You know, technically we are still engaged. You never ended our engagement."