After The Opera Burned || Phantom Of The Opera

Chapter 17 - Run Away

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to themabelian for writing amazing stories and being sweet when I demand her to update. Have you read her stories? Common!!!! Anyway, Enjoy~~~

Mme. Giry, Meg, and Nadir all entered the manor in a distraught state. They were certain everything was going to work out and that Meg was going to secure a job in the new opera house but Erik had returned to his Phantom ways and ruined it all. Upon entering the home, Meg grabbed her skirts and sprinted up the stairs, slamming the door behind her as she made her way to her room. Her sobs were uncontrollable, being heard throughout the house as she cried her heart out. Mme. Giry and Nadir sighed, looking down on the ground, unsure of what to do next. Shortly after, Erik and Charles entered inside the manor, Erik trying to be as quiet as possible.

"Erik! You ruined everything!" Mme. Giry exclaimed, pointing and wagging her finger in his direction, her rage evident.

"Antoinette please," sighed Nadir, pulling her arm away from the man, "Knowing Erik, I know he meant no harm-"

"Oh he meant no harm huh?" she yelled, tugging her arm away from him, "All he ever does is look out for himself, unlike those who always look out for him-"

Nadir interrupted, "Madame please-"

"Let her," Erik stated, waving his hand to Nadir.

Nadir sighed and let go of Mme. Giry, causing her newly freed hand to slap across Erik's good cheek. The slap could be heard across the house, the impact echoing against Meg's cries. Charles gasped and backed away, trying to not run from the encounter before him. Nadir's eyes grew wide, resuming to holding her arm as he did before.

Mme. Giry grunted, "You are the reason we are in this mess. Meg and I could have had a better life back in France but we chose to aid you Erik, in pity and in friendship. Meg has done nothing but worship you and attempt to make your dreams come true but all you have done is hinder it! You promised to aid her in her singing and you desert her, you promise to get her the job and you hinder that too!"

"Madame..." Nadir warned.

"It's true," Charles butted in, "Erik was trying to help in his own way..."

"He should have known long ago," Mme. stated, more calmer then usual as her arm was now free again, "that threatening others only makes matters worse."

With another huff, Mme. went up the stairs, her head held high as she went to comfort her daughter. Erik sighed, knowing she was right but he had known no other way. He had been the Phantom for so long and for so many years, he didn't know how to behave like a civilized being. In fact, he truly wasn't a human being, he was only a monster. He looked at Nadir, who held nothing but sympathy and concern in his eyes. Erik then turned to Charles, who understood but showed no compassion to him. He then turned to walk out the door, but Nadir's arm held him back.

"She will calm down my friend, we all will. God has a plan for us all and perhaps that opera house would have just gone down in the same spiral." Nadir patted Erik's back, ushering him back towards the staircase.

Erik had no reason to fight back or to usher out the door. For the first time in his life he truly had no plan. Granted he didn't have a plan back when the opera burned, and he took a job knowing perfectly well he did not need to take one, but it was too risky to go retrieve his salary and to hide in unknown territory.

"Wait," Erik stated, walking away from Nadir's grip, "I want to go back."

Nadir raised his eyebrow, "More specifically?"

Erik stared blankly at Nadir, surely he knew where he was referring.

Nadir sighed, "Erik you cannot go back. They will arrest you or kill you on the spot if you return-"