Chapter 16

He was running with the horse. The wind was whistling into his ears. He had to arrive in Italy tonight. Suddenly he heard some men shout behind them. He turned his head to see what was happening but the snowstorm was very thick and he couldn't see anything. Erik pushed the horse to run faster and tried to ignore the voices.

"He is the Phantom. We must catch him", one of the men said to his fellows.

"We are almost behind him. I can touch his horse", the other man answered.

Erik panicked. No, they couldn't catch him. He pushed the horse even more but with a sudden movement, horse and rider found themselves on the ground. Erik felt ready to faint. Everything went black. Someone was above him. That was the end.

The Phantom opened his eyes. Everything was blurred at first and it took a few minutes to realize that he was somewhere warm and soft. His terrifying gaze focused on the ceiling. Trying to remember what had happened and where he was now, Erik stayed still. Those men had caught him but…. where he was? There was any possibility they put him on a bed? Not at all. That room was warm and it made him feel comfortable. After a few minutes, he attempted to stand up but not with success. The good thing was that his vision was clear enough now and he could examine the room explicitly. His clothes were on a chair near a little nightstand with a glass of water and some pills on it. Erik looked at himself and saw that he was dressed in someone else's pajamas. Then he realized that all of this was a dream. He breathed relieved. Before he can move, Erik heard footsteps outside the room. He lied down again and closed his eyes. He heard the door opened and closed and tried to see who the newcomer was. It was a woman.

"Ant… Antoinette?", he managed to mumble.

Antoinette turned abruptly to him and looked at him dazed.

"Erik! You are awake. Are you alright?", she asked worried and sat beside him.

"I don't know… Antoinette… What happened?" He coughed. "My throat hurts. I can't talk clearly".

Antoinette touched his forehead. He was a little warm, probably a fever. She told him what had happened to him the past hours. When she finished he just was looking at her with his mouth open, unable to tell something. After some seconds he talked.

"So, you tell me that I had…. an….. accident with the horse and…. that you rescued me? And…. the craziest thing of all …. is ….. that…. the person who found me was….. her?

Antoinette nodded. She could see that Erik was thinking something. Suddenly, he threw the covers away and attempted to go away from the bed.

"No, no, no, I have to go. The Vicomte…. He will inform the police… They will…arrest me", he shouted but he felt dizzy and fell upon the mattress again.

"Shhhh Erik", Antoinette said trying to calm him down. "Nothing will happen. You are weak and you need rest. Please lie down, sleep and we will talk later. Just remember that you have nothing to worry about, alright"? She took one of the pills and gave it to him.

Erik nodded and took the pill. In five minutes he was asleep. Antoinette looked at him for a while and exited the room. She closed the door behind her noiseless and walked to the kitchen. Meg was washing the dishes and her mother started to cook for their guest.

"Where is Christine?", she asked Meg.

"She went for a walk with Raoul and Rosalie. Raoul wanted to spend time with them both. How is….. the Phantom?"

"He is awake Meg".

"WHAT?", Meg asked upset. The dish she was holding was in the bottom of the sink, broken in two pieces. "Is he…. awake?", she asked whispering.

"Are you alright Meg? Please, be careful. Yes, he is. Don't be like that. That would happen one day".

"I am sorry mother, it's just that I thought that he would be asleep for more days. How silly of me. Of course, he would awake again".

Antoinette got closer to her daughter and hugged her from the shoulders. "It's alright Meg, it's alright. I know that you are afraid of him but please, don't. He is more afraid than all of us. Come into his place. He is alone in Paris, without his friends and he is ill. He thinks that police will come to get him. So, let's help him to be well again".

Meg nodded. "You are right mother, I am sorry. I will try to be calmer around him".

"Thank you", Antoinette said and returned to her work.

Raoul took them in the outskirts of Paris. The weather was not so cold and the sun was high that day. They had decided to go this little trip so Raoul could see his daughter more and talk with Christine. The place was beautiful even in the middle of November. Christine was sure that in the summer the place would be sublime. It was a small village with narrow streets and not so many shops, only the necessary. At the end of the village was a road which was leading to a beautiful forest and you could follow the path to go even deeper. Raoul thought that maybe they would be alone because this place was more vivid the summer days but he was wrong. There were so many people who enjoyed their walk. Couples who were holding hands, old couples who were walking slowly but they didn't care, children who were friends and was laughing all the time. There were couples with their children as well. Rosalie was excited. Not only because she was in a place that she had never been before but because she was there with her parents and especially her papa. She had missed him.

"Mama, can I run to that tree over there?", she asked her mother with big eyes.

"Of course sweetheart but not go too far, alright?", Christine answered.

Rosalie nodded and ran away.

"What a child she is", Raoul said smiling, proud of his daughter.

"Yes, she is amazing", her mother added.

They walked in silence for a while. Raoul talked first.

"So, how are you? Everything is fine?", he asked the woman beside him.

"Yes, thank you. We are more than fine. Fortunately, we have a job again and Madame Giry allows us to live with her and Meg. She demanded it", Christine added laughed.

"This is very kind of her. She loves you both. We are very lucky to have her", Raoul admitted.

"Rosalie brightened up when I told her that you would come to see us, you know. She was squealing and running all around the house. She wanted so much to see you".

"My darling Rosalie", he said. "She was in my mind the entire time. I wanted so bad to return and hold her into my arms".

"I know and thank you for coming. I never get tired to see her happy". Christine watched as her daughter was running around the trees. "She had flu, but now she is much, much better".

"I know, she told me. I will stay long enough so we can spend time together".

Silence fell again between them.

"You know Christine, I missed you", Raoul said to his companion.

"Please, Raoul stop it. Don't say things that you don't believe", Christine answered tiredly.

"Of course I do Christine, please don't doubt it".

Christine laughed.

"How can you say that? You hurt me Raoul and you know very well what you did. I know that I can't doubt your love for our daughter but, please, don't ask me to believe your love for me. I just can't. Maybe one day I will, but now I can't".

Raoul turned his head to look at her. She was unhappy and her beautiful smile, nonexistent. He knew that all this was his fault. Raoul couldn't say anything that moment so he changed the subject.

"So, how long he is here?"

Christine stopped walking and looked at him.

"Of course, I was so sure that you'd ask me something about him".

"Christine, please. I was so shocked when I saw him, alright? I am just curious, that's all".

"I know, I was shocked too. He came two months ago after the manager's invitation. They wanted something new to present to the public and what better from an opera from a famous composer? We started the rehearsals but we stopped because of the accident he had. After the first performance, he will return to his home. Are you happy now?"

Raoul looked at her.

"When I know that my child is at the same place with this… man, I will ask about him. I have to protect her from his teeth".

"I wanted the same thing but I am sure now that he is not dangerous. He didn't even know that I was in the Opera House and even when he found out, he didn't come closer to me. The first moment we talked it was when I found you both outside my room."

"I don't know what you believe Christine but allow me to have a different opinion. As long as I am here I will not let him come near to my daughter".

"He will not trust me. He knows that he will be in trouble again if he will try to do something to hurt us. Besides, it doesn't seem to me that he came here to do something bad. And you don't dare to inform the police, understand?", Christine pointed her finger to Raoul and looked at him with a glare.

"Alright Christine, agreed. I had thought to do it but I will trust you. But, if something will happen to you or the kid, I will not ask you, I will turn him to the policemen".

Christine didn't say anything. She knew that Raoul wanted to protect them both, especially Rosalie. He was a good father and that was something that she couldn't doubt.

Meg was sitting on the couch reading her book. It was almost ten thirty in the night but she couldn't sleep. Then she heard the key in the door and saw Christine and Rosalie enter the apartment.

"Hello girls, how are you? Did you have fun?"

"I am sure Rosalie had", she answered take off her coat and walked towards her friend. Rosalie ran to Meg's arms.

"So little angel did you have fun with your papa?"

"Yes Auntie Meg it was great. Papa took us for a walk to a beautiful forest and then we ate to a very big restaurant. Papa said that the next time you and Auntie Nettie will come with us".

Rosalie was so excited that she was talking fast and Meg was making a great effort to understand her. The little girl yawned and her mother took her into her arms and together went to the girl's bedroom. When she returned, sat beside her friend.

"So, tell me, is everything alright? From our face I can see that you are not so happy", Meg said.

"No, no, I am just tired. It was a nice walk, especially for Rosalie. She needed that. She spent the whole day in Raoul's arms and he talked to her the entire time".

"And you?"

"I was watching them. They are a beautiful picture together, you know. We talked too for a while and of course he asked me for the Phantom. I told him to not tell anyone about him. He agreed but he told me that if this man will hurt me or Rosalie he will not ask me at all and he will turn him to the police. I can't blame him. He wants to protect her daughter".

"I know Christine, he loves her so much", Meg said squeezing Christine's hand.

"Oh, as for our guest, he woke the morning but mother went to check on him again an hour ago and she said that he had a fever. The doctor will come tomorrow to see him".

Christine groaned. The only thing that had to do all of them was to be patient.