The hansom cab that conveyed the children and Madame Giry through the streets was packed tightly. Gustav still hadn't said a word, staring at the others with wide eyes. Crutchie kept his eye on the boy, concerned about his behavior. Cordelia had latched onto the normally stern French woman, and Pip was half leaning out the window.

The eleven year old boy clearly was too worried to stay in one seat. “I see smoke!” he shouted the moment the carriage turned onto the street. His tone was horrified. “Everyone's in the street! I think the house is on fire!”

“What?” Crutchie exclaimed, leaning towards the window. He wasn't really surprised when Pip, instead of answering, opened the door and jumped out of the moving vehicle. “Pip!”

It wasn't a moment later when the driver slowed down. “Too many people in the street,” he called back in explanation. “I think the house you were going to is on fire.”

As quickly as he could, Crutchie scrambled for the door. His lame foot became caught on the edge of the door frame, and he ended up pitching out of the vehicle. He landed in an ungraceful heap and struggled to get up. There were people running towards the fire, and he knew all too well that a lame boy on the street would easily get trampled on.

A foot came down on his arm, proving his fear right, and he yelped in pain. “Fool boy!” Madame Giry hissed, stepping down beside him. She pulled him up, and Crutchie used her to get his balance back. “Come on. Let's see if we can keep this from getting any worse.”

Leaning on his temporary crutch, the boy hurried through the crowd. Madame Giry was close behind them, Cordelia in her arms and Gustav clutching her skirt. Once they reached the yard, Crutchie spotted Michaela D'Arcy clutching Pip, who was fighting to get free. “Pip, there's nothing you can do,” the young woman was shouting, trying to get the boy's attention. Tears were running down her face. “Pip, please! Stop!”

Rose Lodge was in flames.

Horrified, Crutchie stared up at the destruction of the house that had proved to be the safest place he'd ever known. The servants were in tears, and Anne was sobbing hysterically. There was no sign of Katherine among them, which only meant... “No,” he couldn't help breathing. “Not Katherine. Not like this.”

“It is Paris all over again,” Madame Giry said, staring at the fire.

Grim faced, Jonathon and another unknown man were holding Arden between them. The man was laughing. “They found that man in the yard,” Mrs. D'Arcy said, her voice trembling with sadness.

“Katherine!”

At Erik's panicked shout, everyone not attempting to fight the fire turned. The unmasked man pushed his way through the crowd towards the burning house. “Erik, no!” Jane exclaimed, jumping forward. She grabbed his arm, putting all her weight into holding him back. “You can't go in there. They've already tried. Its no use.”

“The secret tunnels!” Erik snarled. “She's there. She has to be!”

“Don't you think we tried?” Jane responded in desperation. “She wasn't there. We stayed until the smoke was too strong. She didn't come out.”

Shrugging her off, Erik barreled forward. Henri rushed after him. “Erik, don't!” the man shouted. “Getting yourself killed won't solve anything! Think of Pip. And Crutchie! They need you now, more than ever.”

It took the combined effort of Henri, Abraham, and two strangers to finally stop Erik's progress. Grief twisted his face even more as he sagged to the ground. The men released him and Henri stood beside him, his shoulders shaking with sobs.

Pip stopped fighting and was openly crying in Michaela's arms. Somehow, Crutchie couldn't find any tears in his eyes as he stared at the scene. Raoul de Chagny came up behind them, dropping his pistol on the ground. Cordelia and Gustav's happy cries at finally seeing a familiar face were the only sounds besides the shout of the workers and the sobs of the grief stricken family. And the chuckles of deranged amusement from Arden.

Slowly, Erik lifted his head as if the laughter had finally reached his ears. He struggled upright and turned. He lunged forward, his hands out. Knocking aside the two men restraining Arden, Erik wrapped his hands around the man's neck. “You killed her!”

Choking, Arden struggled in vain to get free. No one made a move or said a word. Raoul turned away, hiding his children's faces from the sight. Crutchie glanced around at them all. It appeared all shared the same thought: that this was justice. Even Comte Philippe de Chagny was making no move to go to his former partner's aid.

“No!” Pip suddenly shouted, breaking free of Micheala's embrace. He ran to Erik, and put his hand on the man's arm. “Not like this! Katherine wouldn't want it like this. Please. Stop.”

For a moment, it seemed as if Erik wouldn't listen. And then, slowly, his hands relaxed. Arden fell to the ground, coughing and gasping for air. Erik turned and sank back on to his knees. He pulled the crying Pip into his arms, hiding his face from the world.

On the ground, Arden began to laugh again. “I still win, monster!” he taunted. “You'll never have her again! You will never be free of me. You will never forget! Every chance I get, I will come after you and the boy!”

As if to prove his words, the mad man struggled up. Pip recoiled and Erik brought his head up. A single gunshot rang out, and Arden collapsed to the ground.

Breathing out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, Crutchie let his hand drop and the vicomte's pistol fell from his fingers. Everyone stared at the boy in horror. “H-he caused enough h-harm,” Crutchie stammered.

The roof of Rose Lodge gave in with a loud crash and everyone fighting the fire retreated several feet to avoid the sparks. As if the sound shook him to action, Henri rushed to the teen boy and pulled him into a hug, kicking the pistol away. Crutchie clung to the older man, having begun to shake uncontrollably.

Michaela crossed the yard and knelt down by Erik and Pip. She put her arms around them both and lowered her head.

One by one, the men gave up trying to save the house, backing away from the inferno. Henri clutched Crutchie closer at each crash that came from the dying house. The teen closed his eyes, blocking it all out.

After some time, Michaela finally pulled the strength to get to her feet. Swallowing hard, she faced her weeping parents. At some point, police officers had arrived, and Arden's body was being taken away. The spectators had begun drifting away as the fire began to die down slightly.

“I believe we may have need of some place to stay,” Henri said, his voice trembling.

“You'll be welcome with us,” D'Arcy responded immediately. “Come, old friend. Let's leave this site of grief. You can do no good here.”

Swallowing hard, Henri nodded and moved towards his son-in-law and adopted grandson. He put his hand on Pip's shoulder. “Let's go, Pip,” the older man said softly.

His face stained from tears, Pip lifted his head. “Patches,” he exclaimed. He pulled free from the man's grasp and bolted for the stables. “I have to get Patches!”

“Erik. Come,” Henri said, turning his attention to his son-in-law. “Staying any longer will only cause you more pain. Pip and Crutchie have need of you now.”

“I assured her I would protect her,” Erik murmured. “I deserve the pain.”

Henri flinched, closing his eyes. He opened his mouth to persuade him further but was forestalled by Pip's shout. “Erik! Erik, come here!”

The boy's voice was one of the few sounds that Michaela thought still capable of reaching Erik. The man struggled to his feet and rushed to the stables. Ignoring her mother's protests, Michaela followed, right behind Henri.

Inside the stables, they found Pip tugging frantically at the bales of hay and straw that were stacked in one of the stalls. “There's someone there,” the boy insisted. He stopped his work. “Listen!”

In the silence, Michaela holding her breath, the sound of thumping could be heard. Like a man possessed, Erik gripped the first bale and jerked it out of the stall. Pip jumped back, narrowly avoiding getting hit, and Michaela pulled him out of the way.

As soon as the obstacles were gone, it was obvious that the wooden floor was moving. Kneeling down, Erik found a gap and jerked the hidden trap door open. Khan, his face streaked and darkened from smoke squinted up at the light. “Ombra,” he said. “Its about time.”

“Katherine?” Erik said, desperate hope in his voice. “Is she with you?”

Khan nodded. “I have her,” he answered, lowering himself back down. “Arden struck her, and she's been in and out of consciousness since I brought her down here. She is in need of a doctor.”

Pip tried to lunge forward, but Michaela held him back. “Pip, run out and have my father send for the doctor,” she ordered, pushing him towards the door. “And have a carriage readied. Go, Pip!”

Reluctantly, Pip did as she said. Michaela waited until he was out of sight before she rushed to the opening in the stable floor. Erik and Henri reached down and pulled a very limp Katherine out of the dark tunnel. His wife in his arms, Erik sat back on the floor as Khan climbed the entire way up with no help.

“Arden?” the tall man asked.

“Dead,” Michaela answered when Henri and Erik said nothing. “He’s dead. He won’t hurt anyone else.”

Cupping his hand along his wife's face, Erik kissed her. “Katherine,” he said, trying to wake her. “Katherine, come back to me.”

For a moment, Michaela felt her heart in her throat. Then, Katherine's eyes fluttered open. “Erik?” the woman whispered. Her hand came up and curled around the edge of her husband's jacket, a cry of pain leaving her lips.

“Katherine!” Erik exclaimed, half joyous and half fearful. He staggered to his feet. Michaela jumped to the side as he carried Katherine out of the stables.

“Thank god for miracles,” Henri said before he hurried after his daughter.

Breathing out, Khan leaned against the stable wall, wiping sweat from his face. “How?” Michaela asked, turning to him. “Erik and Katherine's tunnel didn't come this way.”

The Persian man almost smiled. “Perhaps, when they bought the house, they should have learned a little something about its history, as I made a point to do,” he responded. “Rose Lodge was once used in the underground railroad. It had tunnels and hidden cupboards built in long ago.”

A laugh escaping her, Michaela threw herself at him and kissed his cheek. “You saved my best friend's life,” she said as the man stared at her in shock. “Thank you.”

Turning, Michaela ran to catch up to her friend.

____________

A/N: I was about ten seconds from making this not end well. Then, I came to my senses.