Raoul is only on the boat two days when Christine resolves to follow him. It might be the maddest, most impulsive, most ridiculous thing she has ever done. Not even marrying Erik was as crazy as this. She knew with certainty that that was the right thing to do and she has never regretted it, but this?

This is something wholly different.

But she could not, in good conscience, let Raoul go alone. And that simple fact is enough to make her mind up.

She poses the question to Erik that very evening. They are between operas. Closing night was only last week and rehearsals have not yet begun for the next one (Tristan and Isolde, but not Erik's interpretation of it), so it is the perfect time to make such a suggestion.

"I think we should follow him."

Her voice is strong in the stillness of the room, and out of the side of her eye she sees Erik lower his newspaper, regard her warily, but she does not look up from her needlework.

"To America?"

She nods. "It is cruel to let him make such a trip alone."

They both know what she is referring to. The terrible state Raoul came to them in one night, drunk and stumbling and crying, and the whole story spilled out. How he loved a man when he was away, how the man died and they buried him by the bank of a river. They already knew about the dinosaurs, and the pieces fell together easily as she rocked him, his head on her shoulder as he wept, Erik standing helplessly behind him still holding the bottle of cognac. They both sat up all night with him, talking to him, drawing out every story he was able to tell, until he fell asleep by the fire and Christine covered him and leaned into Erik, watching over him.

To love someone that much.

To lose them so soon.

If it were her and Erik—

No. It is wrong to let Raoul go alone, when they all know that the first place he will set out for is that lonely grave on the Powder River.

Erik folds his paper and nods.

"I'll make the arrangements."

A/N: In a day or two I'll add a final chapter which will essentially be a table of contents for this collection, but other than that the collection is finished. Thank you all for your support