Chapter 9

The years went by, and Christine and Meg stayed close, and thus, our children became close friends, never knowing that they were half siblings. Because Meg was Jon's God mother, and possibly because Christine knew who Jon's real father was and wanted me to see him whenever I could, Jon was allowed to come and spend the day at my house and did so regularly once he was old enough to stay somewhere without his mother around. Erik wasn't comfortable with Christine being around me. I couldn't blame him after what I had done.

Just a few weeks after my Maggie was born, Christine paid Meg and I a visit. It was on this visit that Christine realized who Jon's father truly was. Up until that time she had been clueless as to his paternal parent; and the only reason she found out when she did, as I had intended to keep this information to myself, was because she stumbled upon a painting of me as a baby with my parents. Jon's resemblance to me was too striking for her to ignore. Leaving Jon with Meg she confronted me in the study of my home.

"Raoul," She said as she entered my domain and closed the door behind her with a click. "We need to discuss something."

By the tone of her voice, I knew she must have discovered my secret. Now, I could only hope that she wouldn't tell her monster of a husband.

"Yes?" I replied calmly, hoping beyond hope that I was wrong, that she just wanted to talk about Meg or the past or anything but Jon.

"It's you; isn't it?" She said quietly. I had been expecting anger, hurt, rage even. But not quiet meekness.

"Yes." I didn't even need an explanation of what she was referring to. I knew. She knew I would know.

"I…I don't understand. How…. When… why?" There was the hurt I had been expecting. I hated to see it in her eyes. The accusation.

What other choice did I have? I told her the whole story. How I had been drunk, how I had ran into Elliot at the bar. Everything he had said to me. All the pain I had been feeling that night. And finally, I came to the point where I did what I wished more than anything else that I could take back. The point where I raped her. My best friend. The woman that I had said I loved. I was nearly in tears by the end, practically begging for her forgiveness. She said nothing. All I got in return was complete silence. Yelling, tears, anything I could have stood but the silence. It seemed so cold. So unlike the Christine I had known all those years. She just stared at me blankly. What ran through her head in those moments I will never know, and honestly, I doubt I want to.

Then she sighed. A sigh that sounded like it carried the world. With that sigh, she turned, put her back to me, and walked out of the room. She went upstairs, made some excuse to Meg, took Jon, and left. Two days later her husband came and I knew in an instant that she had told him. His eyes held the hate of a man in great pain. A man who just learned who the rapist who took his wife's virginity was. A man intent on killing that very rapist. I felt fear like I had never known down to my morrow. As he entered my study, I feared for my life. But, I also feared for the life of Meg and Maggie. They needed me. Meg had no one in the world left. She needed me. Surely this man, this "Phantom" wouldn't kill me and leave an innocent woman and child to the world. That was my only hope.

"N..Now Phantom…. E..Erik… Let me explain…." I had hoped to keep my voice calm and steady, but that was not going to be the case. What difference did it make, he knew I was scared.

"No need to explain you disgusting, worthless, worm. I know exactly what happened. I have always known it was you. But I never said anything because I knew that Christine was unaware. Now that she knows, I have no reason not to kill you for what you did to her. But if you think you're going to get some kind of quick painless death, you better think again. I'm going to put you through more pain that you could ever imagine possible."

By now I was shaking like a leaf in a hard winter storm. I knew there was no way he would let me live. There was nothing I could do. I just hoped to God that he got rid of my body so Meg wouldn't have to see it.

Quickly, before I knew what had happened, he had pulled out a lasso and wrapped it around my neck, pulling it snug but not tight enough to be fatal.

"Try getting out of that!" He began to pace and my fear just rose higher. "What I don't understand is why, WHY you would do this to Christine? If you loved her so much you wouldn't have done this! And what? She didn't want you so you went after my SISTER! And when she didn't want you, you went to Meg!" He spit on my shoe. " You make me sick! I'm glad my sister got away from you! Or else she'd be having your spawn! And the maid? I wouldn't be too shocked if you have your way with her as well! Meg was right to take her when she left!"

"I have never done anything to Vicki!" I yelled. "As for Christine, I didn't want you to have her, and I was drunk. Very drunk. I love Meg, with all my heart. As to your sister, I don't know what I was thinking there." Right as I said that last statement, I knew I had gone too far. If there was any hope of my surviving this, it was torn to shreds now.

"Drunk or not, It doesn't matter! And that only goes to show what kind of man you are!" Why couldn't he just kill me and get it over with, did he have to make a food of me as well? "And what does that mean? My sister s one of the best people I know! If you could have only been so lucky!"

I was mad now. The fear that had been holding onto me was slowly being overtaken by anger. If I was going to die, I might as well tell this bastard what I thought of him before I wasn't able to anymore. "You're glad she didn't accept me!" I was yelling louder than I realized by this point, but I really didn't care. "How could she knowing her oh so perfect saint of a brother didn't like me?"

"You have no idea how much pain I can cause you" He growled through his teeth as he pulled the rope tighter.

"You know it's the truth! If not for your disapproval Ama would be married to ME!" He kicked me right in the crotch and I cried out in pain. It's a good thing I was going to die because I would hate to explain to my Meg why we could have no more children. "Why the hell did you do that you bastard?" I ground out through my clenched teeth as best I could.

"One, you raped my wife; two, you got her pregnant; three, I hate you." He cut my cheek on both sides leaving a slit right on each cheekbone, then pulled the lasso again, and I felt sure that it would only take one more yank for me to be gone from this world forever.

To my complete surprise, he dropped the rope and stepped back. "You thought I would kill you didn't you? Oh no, I plan to let you live in misery the rest of your life. Don't you think I would rather see your wife leave you because she found out what you had done to her best friend and sister? To see you live the rest of your sorry life all alone in this huge house with no one to comfort you?" He laughed. It was the laugh of a mad man. "Oh no, you're not going to get the pleasure of death." With that he walked away, leaving me hanging there on the brink of death, yet somehow I knew, I wouldn't die. I wiggled and squirmed, trying to free myself but only causing the pain to increase. At some point I passed out and the world and pain faded away into darkness.

A/N: Well? What do you think? I actually wrote this one. Sorry it took so long, I have had no inspiration what so ever until today. =D Review please!

~Cat~