Title: Betrayal of Trust

Category: EC w/ Raoul bashing

Rating: M

Chapter 11

The old inn was cold. A cool breeze blew through the cracks in the wall. Making the room near impossible to warm up by candle light. Erik had pushed the bed far away from the cracked window and piled it with blankets from the trunks. The floors creaked with the slightest weight and Erik would wager that if the room was filled with a dozen people the floor would not be able to hold the weight. He was glad they only had to stay in this inn for one night. It was more of a brothel then an inn. He could hear the laughter and moans from the whores thatfloated through the thin walls.

Erik sat in a chair next to the bed. A solitary candle sat on the bedside table, the only light in the room. The flames light highlight Christine's sleeping form on the bed. Erik stared at her and smiled. She was the most beautiful creature he ever laid eyes on. She was the most precious thing in the world to him. Christine moaned softly in her sleep then turned on her side, facing Erik and tucked a hand under her check. Erik smiled, she was adorable. Quietly he fetched his drawing pad from one of the trunks and began sketching her. The picture would make a wonderful addition to the dozens that he already drew of her. This was one of his favorite times to draw her, when she was unaware that he was watching her. The true Christine shined out then.

Many times when they were still at the opera he would sneak into her room at night and drew her while she slept. Other times the would sit in the rafters and draw her and the other ballerina's as they practiced. Erik admired his work when he finished. He truly captured her innocence in the picture. Carefully he placed in his folder and thumbed through some of his other drawings. He smiled at the memories each one brought to him. He could remember each clear as day as he looked at it. Some memories were more vivid then others. Erik soon came upon one of his favorite pictures of Christine. He drew it while one of times she was at his home. It was a drawing of her curled up in one of the chairs in his library. She was reading a book while she absentmindedly twirled on piece of hair with her finger and chewed on her bottom lip. The moment he saw her, he new he had to draw her. She was vision. He remembered quietly hurrying off to get his drawing pad. He had sat in the doorway for a little over an hour, sketching Christine. She was to absorbed in her book to notice him. The finished picture would always be among his favorites and as soon as they settled somewhere it would be one of the first pictures to be framed and hung in their home.

Erik yawned and rubbed his eyes. He was tired. He needed to get some rest if he was going to be able to drive the carriage and take care of Christine, especially if they were sleeping on the road. Carefully, as not to wake her, Erik slipped into the bed. Christine automatically curled up against him in her sleep, mumbling something about chicken in her sleep. Erik chuckled softly and placed at soft kiss on her head then removed his mask and buried his face in her hair closing his eyes.

Lemur and his men tethered their horses and walked into the inn. They were greeted with a small bar. A few scruffy men sat around it and a handful of whores smiled seductively as the group entered. "Keep your eyes on are goal boys" Lemur remarked as he saw his men's eyes dark appreciatively towards the whores.

"Once are task in complete then you may have your fun. First though we have a job to do"

Lemur walked to the bar and motioned the bartender over. "What can I get cha?" the bartender asked with a toothless grin. Lemur grimaced at the foul odor that came from the mans breath. It suited the bartender, Lemur thought, the man looked like he hadn't bathed in a month. "I'm looking for my sister" Lemur lied "She has been kidnaped by a dangerous man in a mask and black cape. I believe they may have stopped here" The bartender frowned and shook his head. "Sorry monsieur, I don't remember seeing a man such as that. What did your sister look like?"

"Dark curly hair, slight figure. Beautiful young thing"

"She have those doe eyes? A pretty thing came in early evening asking for a room. Didn't see no man with her. Girl seemed scared out of her whits, with all these scum gawking at her"

The bartender motioned around the bar were a few dirty men grinned and nodded. "That sounds like the sister" Lemur said smiling. "Please tell me what room so that I may go and help her"

The bartender nodded, placing the glass he was washing with a dirty rag on the bar top. "Let me get me wife. She does all the book in's. Marge, Marge get your arse out here. A gentleman needs to know what room his sister's in"

A ugly woman, her face smudge with dirt came out from the back. Her top three sizes to small for her chest. "This man's wanting to know what room doe eyes is in" the bartender barked. "Awww the fancy little thing? I put her in on the third floor. Room 8. Had someone with her she did. Saw some man bring up a few bags from that carriage out there. Some of the men tired to break in to it. Got a nasty shock they did. Fly couldn't break in there" Marge said rubbing snot away from her nose with the back of her hand. Lemur smiled, nodding. "Thank-you monsieur, madam" he grabbed a handful of frac's from this pocked and laid them on the bar top "You've been most helpful" The bartender smiled greedily at the money and scooped it up quickly. Lemur motioned his men towards the stairs and began their ascent.

Erik was awaking by horses. What sounded like half a dozen horses hoofs brought him out of his slumber. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment then untangled himself from Christine's arms and walked over to the window. A group of men were tethering there horses to pole stale. Even through the darkness Erik could make out there pistols hidden under their jackets. He quickly scanned the man's faces. His eyes narrowed in hatred as they fell upon an all to familiar faces. Lemur. He and Christine had been discovered.

Erik jumped into action immediately. He darted around the room, hastly packing all their belongs in the few bags he brought up. He placed them all by the window then woke Christine. "Christine, we have to leave my love" he whispered helping her to sit up. Christine rubbed the sleep from her eyes with her fist. "What are you talking about?" she mumbled, squinting at the light from the candle.

"Christine, you have to wake up. We need to leave. Out the window"

Rubbed her eyes once more, her eyes being able to open wider this time. "Out the window? Why Erik?" she asked confused.

"They're here"

That was all he had to say. Christine's eyes widened with fear and the bolted to her feet. Erik wrapped her cloak around her and helped her into her shoes. "Come Christine, we have to hurry"

He took her hand and lead her to the window. Erik tossed the bags out, as close to their carriage as possible. Then climbed up on the window sail. "Christine" he said "Listen to me carefully. I'm going to climb down first. There's grooves on in the wall that are like a ladder. Once I'm down I want to start. I'll be at the bottom ready to catch you if you slip"

Christine glanced out the window and looked down. She quickly stepped away shaking her head. "I can't do it Erik" she cried "It's to high"

"Christine you must. They'll kill the both of us if they catch us here. There are to many of them. I can't fight them all off"

He reached out and pulled her into a gently hug. "Your strong Christine" he whispered in her ear "I know you can do this. I'll be at the bottom waiting for you. I love you Christine. Please, show me how strong you are" Christine bit her lip. The nodded her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Be...be careful Erik. I love you too. Please be careful" she whispered to him and kissed him softly on the lips.

"I'll see you at the bottom"

Christine watched as Erik began his decent. He made it look easily. Making it down in less then a minute. He looked up at her and waved her to start her decent. Shakily Christine climbed onto the window sill and slowly flipped her legs outside. It took her a moment to find her footing but when she did she slowly began to climb down. She had to stop every few steps to can her balance when her shaking arms threatened to make her fall. A few loud bangs followed by cracking wood from above startled her bring a yelp from her. Lemur angry face looking down at her from the window was the last thing she saw as he lost her grip and fell ten feet down into Erik's waiting arms.

Erik didn't bother to put her down. He rushed over to their carriage and disabled the theft prevention mechanism then placed Christine inside he quickly ran and grabbed their bags laying on the snowy ground, throwing the them carelessly inside the carriage with Christine and slammed the door. Erik jumped to the drivers seat and grabbed the reins, ordering the horses into a fast gallop.

Lemur quietly walked down the hall. He didn't want to let his prey know he was there until he broke down the door. He read the numbers on the door. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. He stopped and smiled. It was silent inside. 'This is going to be fun' he thought. Catching them when they were sleeping. Unaware. Unalert. Pistol read, Lemur gave two swift kicks and broke down the door. The sight that greeted him was not the one he had in mind. Instead of two people scrabbling from the bed startled, he was greeted with a empty room and open window. Lemur darted inside and to window. Looking out he saw the monster down on the road and the little vixen slowing climbing down. Her fearful face looked up at him. She yelped and fell. Lemur didn't wait to see if Erik got her. "They're getting away" he yelled at his men and stormed out the room. He ran down the stairs and out the door ripping his horses reins from the post and he nudge his horse in the direction of the carriage wheels marks in the snow. The monster and vixen were trying to escape be carriage. It was almost laughable. There was no way that they could get away with a heavy carriage when he was only on his horse. His men followed closely behind and it wasn't long before the carriage started to come into view. Lemur kicked his horse harder, making the animal move faster. The carriage came closer and closer into view. He could make out he windows. The carvings on the back of the carriage. The pattern of the curtains. Marque, his right hand man, nudged his own horse closer to were Erik frantically drove the horses hard. Soon he was close enough to dive onto the drivers seat and knock the both down to bench, fighting the reins. The horses and the carriage slowed and soon stopped all together. Lemur dismounted his horse and stormed up to Erik and Marque fighting. He took his gun and pistol whipped Erik across the head. Erik moaned and loosened his grip on the reins losing consiousness. Marque pulled the reins away and pushed Erik to the ground.

Christine jumped out of the carriage with a cry and ran to Erik's still form on the ground. "No" she whispered pulling his head in her lap. "Erik please, you have to wake up" "Well, well, well" Lemur laughed slowly circling them "Isn't this dandy. You thought you could get away dear. Tsk tsk. You should know better that you can never escape the Guard"

"Spare him" Christine begged "Spare him and I'll go with you without a fuss"

Lemur laughed and shook his head. "I don't think so my dear. He killed one of my men. A friend. For that he shall pay with his life and after a little fun, with your life as well" He looked up at his men and smiled. "Go back to the inn boys and have fun with the whores. We have caught the monster and his vixen. I thank you. Marque. I request you stay. We can share the young beauty before I slit her throat" Lemur watched as his men rode off before grabbing Christine roughly by the arm and pulling her away from Erik. "Bind him to a tree Marque" he said dragging Christine towards the carriage "We don't need him disturbing our fun with the beauty" Marque nodded and grabbed rope from his horse and dragged Erik to the closest try, binding him tightly to it. Lemur pushed Christine to the floor inside the carriage and climbed on top of her. "I've been looking forward to this my dear" he said slowly cutting her dress open with his dagger. Christine beat her fist against his chest, trying to force him off. "Enough" Lemur screamed at her and brought the butt of knife handle down hard on her head. Christine's visioned went blurry as she struggled to hold onto consciousness. Her had fell to the side feeling nauseated. Lemur cut her dress open and smiled when he saw to corset. Slowly he undid the ribbons of her chemise and pushed aside the fabric reveling her flesh. "Oh yes" he whisper bringing his lips down to Christine's chest, smiling at the whimper of protest to brought from her "I'm defiantly going to enjoy this"

Marque stood outside the carriage. Smiling at the sounds of the girls cries. Lemur would have her first. Marque preferred it that way. It meant her wouldn't have to waste time undressing the beauty. He looked to the monster tied to the tree. The man was still unconscious. Marque wondered why her wore a mask. What could be so bad the man required to hide have his face. Curiosity started to get the better of him. He needed to know what this so called monster had to hide. Surely everyone just had to be over reacting.

Christine weakly struggled and she felt Lemur to start to push up her skirt. She felt his fingers caressed the flesh under the elastic of her under pants before he pulled them down and off. "No" Christine mumbled, willing for the dizziness to go away and strength return to her body. Christine opened her eyes and tears spilled out. This was it. She was going to be rapped by this man and his friend and then they were going to kill her and Erik, if they hadn't already. "Erik" Christine cried heartbroken. It was then that she spotted it. A pistol lying under on the carriages seats. Erik must have stored it there. Christine glanced at Lemur. He was struggling to undo his pants. Christine cried out. "Like that do you my dear? Well just you wait. I have something much better for you" Lemur laughed and fumbled with his buckle to his pants. Christine waited for him to look down to his pants before she reach out for the pistol. It was heavy in her hands. She only prayed that it had bullets. She never used, let alone held a pistol. She had no way to tell. Only from the operas that had pistols in them that she heard that you had to pull back the lever at the top before squeezing back the trigger thing at her fingers.

The first click caused Lemur's head to shoot up shocked. Christine didn't hesitate, she closed her eyes and pulled back on the trigger, shooting Lemur through the cheek and throwing him backwards out of the carriage from the blow. The power of the shot was to much for Christine. She screamed and dropped the gun. "What the bloody hell" the other man screamed from outside. Tears streaming down her cheeks, Christine pushed her skirts down and pulled her top together. She grabbed the gun and jumped out of the carriage on unsteady feet. She saw the other man standing a foot away from Erik. Shaking Christine raised the pistol and pointed it towards the other man. "Step...step away from him" Christine mumbled, trying to will herself to remain still. "You little bitch. What did you do?" Marque sneered slowly walking towards her. "Stop" Christine stuttered when he was a few feet away from Erik.

"You little whore. You killed him"

"I said stop"

Christine began to shake more, she was losing control. Marque sneered and took a step closer. "Are you going to shoot me vixen? Are you going to end another life? You're already damned to hell, why not seal the deal"

Tears coursed down Christine's cheeks. Her hands shook uncontrollably. "Please just go away. Just leave us and go" she pleaded "No one else should have to die tonight" Marque laughed without humor. "You're wrong my dear" he spat, taking another step towards her "Your blood will be on my hands tonight, as well as that monster over there" He motioned to Erik, who was starting to come too. Erik let out a moan and blinked a few times, looking disorientated. "Erik" Christine cried out, lowering the gun. Marque took advantage of the moment and lunged at Christine. Christine screamed as he tackled her to the ground. Marque hands closed around her throat. "Your dead now" Marque sneered in her face and squeezed. Christine choked, gasping for breath. She didn't want to die, she couldn't die. She could here Erik yelling her name, she could her the desperation in his voice. Erik needed her. With all her strength and determination, Christine raised the pistol that was still in her hands and pulled the trigger. Marque grip on her throat was immediately loosened. He looked down at her with a shocked look on his face. "What.." he whispered. Marques eyes rolled back in his head and he collapse on top of Christine dead.

The sound of Christine's scream brought Erik to alertness. He saw the man push her to the ground and then he hurried Christine sputtering for air. "Christine!" Erik screamed and pulled against his binds. He felt blood rolling down his wrist from his struggling.

"Christine I'm coming"

Erik's struggling seized at the sound of the gunshot. The man hovered over her for a moment then collapsed on top of her. "Christine? Christine please answer me" Erik pleaded and began to pull on his binds again.

Christine struggled to push Marque off of her. The man was crushing her chest with his heavy weight. With a groan she managed to push him to the side. She laid on the cold ground for a moment wheezing. "Christine" Erik cried out joyfully. She painful pushed herself to her knees and crawled over to Erik. "Untie me Christine so I can help you" Erik said softly taking in her ragged appearance and ripped dress. Christine simply nodded and crawled around to the back of the tree and untied the ropes. Erik immediately jumped up once he was released and pulled Christine into his arms. "My love, are you alright? Where are you hurt?" Erik cried holding her face in his hands. "I'm okay" Christine wheezed "Just my throat" Erik lifted her chin and examined her neck. Angry bruises were already beginning to appear. Erik nodded then glanced around. He noticed the carriage door wide open and Lemur lying dead on the ground in front of it. "He tired to rape me" Christine said before Erik could ask. His head whipped back to her, his eyes filled with concern and panic. "He didn't. I...I shot him before he could"

Erik pulled her against his chest and kissed her head. "Thank God" he whispered holding her tightly. Christine broke out crying. He wrapped her harms around him and buried her face in his chest. "I...I killed to men Erik" she wept "Marque was right. I'm damned to hell" "Hush cherie" Erik whispered rubbing her back "You are not damned. You did what you had to do in order to safe me and yourself. It was not your intent to kill these men. It was only your intent to stop them. God knows this Christine and when it comes time He will welcome you with open arms. You're an angel" Christine continued to cry into his chest though comforted by Erik's words. Erik scooped her up and carried her over to the carriage. He stepped over the body of Lemur and climbed inside shutting the doors.

He settled Christine on the cushioned bench and covered her with thick blankets. He pulled out his medical kit and pulled out a small bottle and cloth. "This will help with your bruising" Erik explained and dabbed her neck. When finished, Erik went to put away the kit but Christine took it from him. "Your wrists" she said, her voice rough. Erik looked down at his wrist and noticed for the first time that they were still bleeding slightly.

"Erik, I need to take care of you as well. We need each other to remain well"

"Very well cherie. I will allow you to help but I advice that you refrain from talking. Your throat is damaged. I have a concoction that will help. If you will just let me fetch it for you"

"Your wrists first"

"Very well but we must hurry. There were more men. We have to but as much distance between us and them"

Christine patched up Erik's wrist and drank the concoction he gave her which had a freezing effect on her throat. Erik settled Christine in the carriage then climbed out and pulled the bodies into the woods that surrounded the path. He slapped the extra horses down path towards the town and covered all the blood on the snow with dirt. He climbed on to the drivers seat and covered his legs with the blanket Christine insisted he take. A light snow began to fall as Erik took the reins and started the horses into a moderate trout along the path again feeling that they were finally leaving all there hardships behind.

With hard riding they made it to Brussels in a day and a half. A train for the Netherlands was leaving the next day. Erik bought them tickets to a private compartment and sold the horse and carriage. There was no sign of anyone from the Guard any where. Erik was hopeful that it was left behind them. Christine was dwelling over killing two men but Erik was slowly convincing her that it was all in self-defense.

The train to the Netherlands was two days long. Christine and Erik slept most of the way. Catching up on much needed rest and relishing the time the could spend with each other in peace.

Once in the Netherlands they took the train up to Europoort. Christine inquired about a flat near the sea. She talked to nice lady and found a small place that would be perfect for Erik and her. It even had a piano she could surprise Erik with. "Can we still move to England?" Christine asked as Erik brought in the last of there trunks in a small flat that over looked the sea. "In a few months time my dear" Erik said kissing her forehead. Christine smiled then took Erik's hand. "I have a surprise for you" she said giggling. "Do you?" he asked with a grin "What is it?"

"Close your eyes"

Erik looked leery for moment. Then closed his eyes, trusting her. Christine smiled and took his hands, leading him threw the flat to the drawing room, where the small up right piano resided. He lead him through the doors and up to the piano. "No peaking" she said, placing a kiss on his cheek then opened the piano.

"Okay you can open your eyes"

Erik opened his eyes and was greeted with the site of a beautiful upright piano. Christine stood next to it, her hands curled up at her mouth, bouncing up and down on her feet. "Do you like?" she asked excited "I asked for a piano. The land lady said she had a small upright one. Is it alright?" Erik smiled widened and walked over to Christine. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "Its perfect. Your perfect. I love it Christine. I love you" he said hugging her.

"Oh I'm so glad. I wanted you to be happy. The land lady even said you could keep it. It may need tuning. No one has played it in years. She said if we could put it to good use then we could have it"

Erik kissed her again. "I love you Christine" he whispered.

"As I love you"

"Shall we sing?"

Christine smiled and nodded her head. Erik sat down at the piano and ran his fingers along the keys. How he loved that feeling. Christine sat down next to him and rested her head against his shoulder. Erik began playing a sweet melody smiling when Christine began to sing softly along with him. For the first time ever Erik was truly happy.

Four months later. Erik and Christine packed up their belongs and the piano and took the boat across to England. Madam Giry sat up a nice flat for them near the London Opera House and already secured them both jobs at the Opera House. Christine would start off as a course girl and work her way up. Erik was a consultant and composer. Madam Giry had provided the managers with some of Erik's music and they were more then happy to employee such a talented musician. Erik's mask was never a question. Everyone had already been for warned and everyone seemed to except it. Every night, after the everyone had left the Opera House. Erik and Christine would share a dance on the empty stage. Relishing in their love for one another. It was where Erik had asked for Christine's hand in marriage once again. It was where they were married and they both new it was where they would die together. For together they were one completed soul. They were in love.

The End

AN: thank you all for reading and reviewing