Chapter 80

Gustave Daae stared out of the window of the rapidly moving carriage. Anthony's letter had come as a great surprise to him. Erik dead? It was hard to imagine. He had always believed that the masked man was invincible, that was just how he came across. But his mind was not on Desslar at the moment. It was on Christine...Anthony had said that she was slowly killing herself from lack of sleep and starvation.

This did not sound like his little girl. Christine had always been a very strong woman, and he knew she would not give up so easily. Which only meant one thing. She had fallen in love with Desslar so deeply that his death was slowly bringing about her own. He had known that kind of love before, with his beloved Emma. When she had died he had almost done the same. The only thing that had kept him alive was his two children. He needed to get to Rome quickly because if he did not he would lose his only daughter.

"Father."

Gustave embraced his only son fiercely, thanking the heavens that he had been given such a wonderful man that he could call his son. He could see immediately that Christine was not the only one that had not been eating. Anthony looked haggard, and it was obvious he had not slept much. Gustave knew how close Christine and Anthony were and he knew how much this had to be hurting him that his sister was in this condition.

"Monsieur Daae," Raoul said from his place in the bed. Gustave took the young mans hand and shook it.

"Thank you for allowing them to stay here," he said sincerely. Raoul only nodded. They were interrupted when the door burst open and Sienna came rushing into the room. Gustave was obviously shocked to see the lovely Italian girl and he watched in interest as she grabbed Anthony's hands and began pulling him towards the door.

"Anthony, hurry! Christine, she just passed out!" Sienna cried. Both Anthony and Gustave's rushed out of the room, following the young woman, leaving Raoul to curse his immobility. Christine was lying on the floor in her chambers and Anthony rushed to her, picking her up into his arms and cursing when he felt exactly how light she was.

"Call a doctor!" Anthony snapped at Sienna. She rushed out of the room to do as she was told. She had been so frightened when she had walked in at the exact moment that Christine collapsed. She had thought for one terrible moment that she had stopped breathing but to her immense relief that had not been the case.

"Oh, God..."

Anthony turned to look at his father as he muttered those two words as he looked upon his daughter...what was left of his daughter. She wore a simple white chemise and her once supple form was gone...she was nothing but bones. Her cheekbones were more prominent than was healthy, her eyes were sunken and swollen and when Anthony laid her down her chemise rode up slightly, showing the graceful legs that were now nothing but twigs. Her beautiful hair, so much like her mothers, was matted and tangled and Gustave could not stop the tears that began to fall. His Christine...his little girl...

"Father...she-she's pregnant," Anthony whispered. Gustave's eyes snapped to his sons. Pregnant? She could not be pregnant! Look at her! She was near death, how could a baby survive all of this? He would never have thought in a thousand years that she was pregnant just by looking at her...God, what was happening?

"Nothing we say gets through to her...she is in her own world where she sees his death again and again in her mind," Anthony whispered, a lump forming in his throat.

"She saw him murdered?" Gustave demanded. Anthony had not written all of this in his letter to him and was horrified when Anthony nodded.

"She witnessed everything?" he demanded, suddenly feeling as if he had forever failed his little girl.

"She was in his arms when he was shot," Anthony said, looking down at Christine's pale and ashen face.

"This-this is my-my fault!" Gustave cried, collapsing. Anthony looked at his father in surprise.

"Do not talk like that!" Anthony demanded, he could not deal with his father right now when all of attention was focused on his sister.

"If I had not forced her into marriage with him she would be happy and healthy..."

Anthony went to him angrily and shook him by the shoulders. He was not mad at him for his reaction to Christine's condition. He was mad at him for not telling him the truth about who he was and how he had come about being his father. He may not want to believe all that Erik had said but it was constantly on his mind. He was also wondering where the Persian had gone. He had sent a note to Erik's manor, requesting he come to Chagny but had gotten a reply from one of the servants that he had disappeared. Something Anthony found strange.

"If you had not forced her into marrying him then she would have never experienced the kind of love she deserves! Erik loved her! They were meant to be with each other! She saved his damned soul and in return gave her everything she could have ever wished for!" Anthony shouted, angry.

"Anthony..."