I Belong to You (Phantom of the Opera Fanfiction)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Erik stared blankly at Christine's closed bedroom door. This was it. This was the end. As soon as he opened her door and explained his plan to take her back, they would leave. Neither of them would ever return.

He knew she would be elated. She was going back to her old life. Her family would welcome her with open arms and everything would return to normal.

For him, though, it would be a different story. Erik hoped prison was excruciating, for he deserved the ultimate punishment for committing such a crime.

Enough. It is time, he thought, blinking and attempting to take a controlled breath. There would be plenty of time to think later, once he was behind bars.

Christine looked highly annoyed when he opened the door. "What now?" she asked, her tone verifying her mood.

She hates me. How could I have ever thought otherwise? After a moment of looking at her, Erik inwardly decided it was too painful to make eye contact. His eyes focused on the floor beside her. "I'm taking you back now."

Sensing her complete confusion, he elaborated, "You're going home. I've kept you here long enough."

"What?" Christine studied him, trying to comprehend the news. "We're going back?" He nodded once and her heart began to pound. "H- how can I believe that?" After all of this, he was taking her back home? No, it wasn't possible. This was another one of his tricks. He couldn't have made a decision like that in such a short amount of time.

"I've never lied to you." He looked at his watch trying to be as distant and business-like as possible. "If we leave now, we can be in Alabama by noon." It was so difficult to speak without feeling in front of her. You are my world... Unable to stand there any longer, Erik turned and walked away with tears in his eyes.

Christine could only stare after him in a frozen position. Is this seriously happening? It's true, he's never lied to me before. But, what on earth has changed his mind?

This was all so sudden that she didn't know whether to be overjoyed or highly suspicious. I guess I'll.. follow him?

Christine's eyes moved about her room. Will I be seeing this place again? The thought of going home and being in her own bedroom made a small smile come to her face. And I'll see my parents again... Whoa. It seemed like a lifetime since she'd had contact with anyone besides Erik.

Don't get too excited. He could be toying with you. She walked slowly out the room and followed Erik who was now downstairs.

"Are you ready?" he asked when she was standing near him by the front door.

"...Yeah," she replied, but it almost sounded like a question.

Trying not to feel anything, Erik opened the door and they walked to his car.

Christine remembered the last time they'd gotten in his car. We went to the post office. A week ago, the thought of going home seemed like a lost cause. A letter was as good as it was going to get, or so she had thought. She listened as he started the ignition and watched as he put the car in reverse to back out of the driveway. Then, she looked out the car window and waited.

They drove and drove, neither saying a word. Christine was a little mesmerized by all of her surroundings. Plus, she didn't want to risk him changing his mind if she were to say the wrong thing.

Erik just didn't want to converse with her. This was hard enough as it was. To hear Christine's angelic voice would only make taking her back more difficult. He'd never intended to let her go, after all. His mind had been made up. Usually, when his mind was made up nothing could sway it.