A/N: Hi y'all. This is my attempt at a Phantom fic...I know everyone is more for Erik/Christine, but I don't think she deserves him. She gave that up when she left with Raoul. So I made an OC who is more like him, and can understand why he hid and all...I better stop talking before I give the whole thing away. BTW, her name means resurrection. Enjoy, and please remember to read and review! Thanks y'all!

I ran into the cavern, after the police and saw Meg climbing the stairs. I sloshed through the lake, and followed her. The Phantom was gone, and had left behind his mask. I saw her pick it up so I dashed over to her.

"Meg, give it to me. He'll need it." I gently pulled it from her grasp, and looked around for where he might have gone. I did not see any exits, just mirrors covered in cloth. One of the fringes swayed, as if in a breeze. I lifted it ever so slightly, and saw a tunnel. I realized that this was the only way he could have escaped, so I took off running as fast as I could. I heard Meg call for me to wait, so briefly paused.

"Who are you?" She asked. It still stung when someone I saw everyday did not recognize me.

"Someone who can understand why he hid for so long." I called back, and ran again. After a long time of running, I heard a quiet sobbing. I slowed, knowing it was him. Deciding not to startle him, I started to sing. My voice was no where near as good as Christine's, nor was it even soprano, but I felt that he would understand my reasons better in song, rather than surprising him. "In sleep, you sang to her, in dreams you came, that voice which called to her, and spoke her name. Never knowing one who would understand was by your side. Heard your voice night after night, singing to one who would never know." By this point I had found him, sitting on the damp floor, looking at me in surprise and pain. I held out his mask, speaking, "A voice like yours should never hide. Your face is a mask, your voice the truth."

He took the mask out of my hand, staring at me in shock. "Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

I held out a hand to him. "I'm Anastasie." He cautiously took my hand, and I helped him to stand. "But I think we need to find a place to stay until the mob dies down." I smiled gently at him.

"Leave me. I am not worth hiding."

I slapped his cheek. "Stop it! That is not true, or I would not have come. Do you know somewhere safe? Or shall we wonder around until we find a place or they find us?" He continued to stare at me, so I took his hand and started to lead him away.

"Why?" He followed initially, but ended up leading me.

"Let's discuss after we're safe, what do you say?" He nodded and lead me through a series of tunnels and corridors, while I remembered each turn. We finally came to an exit, and stumbled into the street. The street could hardly be called that, it was more of an alleyway than anything. "what now?" I asked softly.

"I do not know." He whispered in his melodic voice. "perhaps we can find a room somewhere?"

I walked to the end of the alley and looked around. "lets try that way." I pointed to my right. I started to walk, then looked back at him. "You don't happen to have another way to hide your face, do you? Other than that mask?" He shook his head, so i pulled my cloak off and handed it to him. "Use this." He took it, and used the hood to hide his face. I looked at him critically. "Wait here a second." I dashed back into the opera house and grabbed some makeup from the props, which were untouched by the fire. I ran back to the phantom and dragged him farther into the alleyway. "Let's try this..." I took the mask off his face gently and used the makeup. "Much better. No one will suspect that you are the Opera Ghost now. You just look like were slightly burned." I smiled at him. He stared at me. "What?"

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because everyone needs someone who cares." I said simply.

"What reason do you have to care?"

"Lets find somewhere to stay, then we can talk, alright?" I took his hand again, then started to walk in the direction where I hoped to find an inn. He didn't resist, so he must've agreed. We walked for a while, then found an inn. I walked in and up to the innkeeper. "Hi! Do you have any rooms available?"

He looked me over, as though making sure I would be able to pay. "How many do you need?"

"Um..." I looked over my shoulder at the Phantom. "One please." I didn't want to leave him alone in this state.

"Yeah. This way." He said gruffly.

I took the Phantom's hand again and we followed him to an empty room. "Thank you." The innkeeper left, and i turned to the Phantom again. "Okay, you sleep in the bed, I'll sleep on the floor."

"No. You take the bed. I won't be sleeping anyway."

"You need to sleep, and you will sleep on the bed. I don't mind the floor. After sleeping in the dormitories for so long, the floor will be a nice change." I gently pushed him onto the bed, so he was sitting on it.

He stared at me again. "Why are you doing this?"

"Sleeping on the floor? The beds in the dormitories are awful." I smiled gently at him.

"Why are you helping me. What reason do you have to care?" He looked at me, eyes showing his depression.

"Phantom..." I started, then stopped. "What's your name? I can't keep calling you Phantom or Opera Ghost."

He started. I supposed only Madame Giry cared enough to ask. "E-Erik."

"Erik. I like it! Doesn't it mean ruler or something like that? It's fitting." I smiled again, then answered his question. "Erik, you've been hurt. I can understand that." I sat next to him on the bed and touched his arm. "I'm never going to judge you for the past. I'm here to be a friend, to help you move forward."

He tensed at my touch, but I left my hand there for another moment, then stood. "Get some sleep Erik. Tomorrow we'll find a place to hide." I sat in the chair by the window. I listened as his breathing turned to ragged sobs that broke my heart, but I knew he wouldn't accept my attempts at comforting him. The sobs slowly turned into the slow deep breaths of sleep. I yawned, picked up my cloak, and curled up next to the door, using the cloak as a blanket. This way, if someone attempted to get in, they'd wake me.

Suddenly, I was in my room in the opera house, everything on fire. I ran out, trying to escape the flames, running and running, and never getting anywhere. I ran down a hallway, and was suddenly in my childhood home. I was a child again, and was searching for my parents and brother. The house was on fire once more. I screamed in panic, and woke as someone shook my shoulder.

"Anastasie. Wake up. It's only a dream." Erik was kneeling over me, gently shaking my shoulders.

"Oh!" I sat up and hugged him tightly, heart racing from the memories-turned-dreams. Tears were running down my cheeks and onto his shirt. He stiffened, then held me awkwardly.

"Hush. Its over. Hush" He was so unsure of what he was doing. Despite his heartbreak, he was trying to comfort me. We sat that way for a while, while I calmed down.

After my sobs stopped, I looked up at him shamefully. "I'm sorry Erik. I didn't mean to wake you." I looked at his shirt, which had a huge wet spot on it. "Or ruin your shirt!"

He stared at me again. "You just woke up screaming, and you're concerned because you ruined my shirt?" I nodded shamefacedly. "You are a strange girl."

I smiled halfheartedly. "You have no idea." I suddenly realized that he didn't have his mask on. "It's not that bad, you know." His hand flew to his face, and his eyes widened. "It doesn't bother me." I reached up to gently touch it, and ignored his flinch. I gently felt the bumps and ridges that reminded me of my own deformity. "As I told you before, your face is a mask. Your voice is the truth." I smiled. "And you have the voice of an angel."

"Appearances can be deceiving."

"Exactly my point."

"How can a murderer be an angel?"

"When the men he kills make the world worse."

"And how would you know who I've killed?" He sneered. "How do you know I won't kill you?"

"A gypsy who beat you, starved you, and treated you as a beast. A vile stagehand who attempted to...seduce every woman, and raped several of us, and was always drunk. Neither man was, in fact a man. They were monsters. And if you wanted to kill me, you would've done so already."

"You think I'm more than I am."

"And you think you are less. Get some rest Erik. Tomorrow will be a busy day."

The next morning I paid the innkeeper, and lead Erik to my Aunt's house. As we walked, the houses got more opulent and larger. We finally reached the right one, and gasped in surprise.

"This is the Countess de Charbourg's home!"

"I know. She's my Auntie." I smiled in anticipation of seeing my aunt again, after a year. I laughed at Erik's impression of a fish, and, taking his hand, walked to the door. I had touched up his makeup, and hidden his mask in my pocket. I knocked, and linked my arm with his in an attempt to keep him from fidgeting. A maid answered it. "Becca!" I hugged her.

"Miss Anastasie!" She said, not expecting the hug, but returning at after a second. "The Mistress is just finishing breakfast. This way please." She lead us inside, and to a sitting room. "I'll fetch her."

"Thank you Becca." I sat on a chair, and motioned for Erik to do the same.

"I should not be here." He sat uneasily on the edge of a chair in the corner.

"Relax. She won't turn you in. I told her of you long ago. We're here to get the little bit of money my parents had set aside for me and my brother."

"Won't he want the money?"

I looked away. "He has no use for it. He's dead."

"I'm sorry."

"Ana? Are you really here? Thank God you're okay!" My aunt swept into the room and over to me.

"Auntie! I've missed you!" I stood and embraced her.

"And I you, darling!" She pulled away and looked at me with a critical eye. "You are still in your costume? Why have you not changed? Have you eaten? Has your friend?"

I laughed. "Oh Auntie. There hasn't been time for much of anything. Neither of us have eaten, nor changed since the disaster."

"Come along then. I have food enough for you both." She turned to Erik. "And you are welcome here, as long as you do not hurt my niece. I know the infamous Phantom of the Opera isn't as bad as everyone makes him out to be." She smiled knowingly.

Erik did another marvelous impression of a fish, while Auntie and I laughed. "Come on, you two. I'll show you where the kitchen is." We followed her to the kitchen, and the left overs. Erik and I sat and ate while my aunt told us of the rumors of the disaster. After we finished, Auntie sent me to my normal room, and showed Erik to a spare room for his use. Once in my room, I immediately went to the closet, and started looking at the different dresses. All of them covered the shoulders, despite the fact that it was out of style. I smiled at the beautiful silvery grey dress I'd worn at the Bal Masque. That was the first time I saw Erik.

He walked down the steps with precise timing, red cape flowing behind him like blood running down the stairs. My breath caught as I looked up at him.

"Why so silent, good messieurs?" He started singing, piercing eyes traveling around the room from behind his skull mask. I gasped. His voice was the voice that sang to Christine, the voice I'd fallen in love with.

"Here I bring the finished score: Don Juan Triumphant!" He threw it to the ground and drew his sword dramatically. Everyone drew back, muttering. He gave instructions, ignoring the fear around him, that Carlotta must be taught to act, Piangi needed to lose some weight, and the managers were to mind their own business. Then I saw his eyes soften as he turned to Christine. He sang about how she could be so much better, if she would just return to him. He was her mysterious teacher! Christine walked forward, as if in a trance, and he ripped the engagement ring from her neck. "Your chains are still mine, you belong to me!" I was likely the only one to see the pain and hurt in his eyes as he disappeared into the smoke and through the trap door. I tried to follow, but no one would move. I saw the Vicomte run down the stairs, buckling a sword on, and then jumped through the trap door, which then closed.

A hand on my shoulder brought me out of my reverie. I turned to see my aunt standing there. "Auntie!" I blushed. "I got lost in memories."

"Its quite alright dear. I just wanted to see how you were."

"Fine, Auntie. I'm more worried about Erik."

"Yes. He needs to get away from Paris. Once you get changed, come back to the dining room. Erik is already there." She left, and I quickly got changed. I walked into the dining room, and sat at the table, next to Erik.

"Erik, I think you need to get out of Paris. Away from the memories and the mobs. If I'm arrested for helping helping you, I can't warn you two if the mobs find you. I have a house near the sea that you can use."

"Oh Auntie! Thank you!"

Erik and I spent the rest of that day resting and preparing for the journey to the house by the sea. First thing the next morning, we started our trip. It took the entire day to get there, but the trip was worth it. The house was small, but beautiful, and on the edge of a small wooded area. We went inside and gaped at the luscious furnishings. There were two bedrooms, and I quickly claimed the smaller one. I took our things inside, and Erik started putting something together for dinner. Over the next few weeks, we established a routine. I would go for a walk in the morning, then make breakfast. Erik would stay in his room until breakfast was ready, then come and eat. He would clean up, and we would talk about music and dancing for several hours. He would make lunch, and I would clean up from that, and I had convinced him to practice fighting with me, in case the mobs found us. I wanted both of us to be able to protect ourselves. He became comfortable with living with me, despite the fact that he never took the mask off. He would often take a walk in the evening, around the house and the beach, enjoying the freedom of the area.

One day, I came home from my walk to find Erik and another man, who looked vaguely familiar, glaring at each other, swords out. Erik had tears in his eyes, and his hand trembled on his sword. I quickly ran between them, pushing them apart. "What is going on here?" I glared between them, demanding an answer. "Who are you, and what are you doing in my house?"

"I am the Vicomte de Chagney, and this monster tried to steal my wife from me." The strange man spat. Of course! How could I forget the man who had stolen Christine from Erik.

"When did he do that? Other than before she was your wife?" I replied, calmly.

"When is not important," he growled. "This creature must die."

I walked over to the wall where I'd hidden my rapier, and picked it up. I walked back over to the men, still frozen in position, and held my sword up to Raoul's. I gently pushed Erik out of the way so that I was the one facing the Vicomte instead. "If you want to fight him, you must go through me." It had been a while since I'd fought for real, but I was confident that I could win, or at least make it easy for Erik to win. "If you defeat me, then you can fight him. However, if I win, you will leave us in peace. You will not come back, unless you are invited. You will stop reminding him of his pain."

Erik and the Vicomte looked at me in surprise. "Fight you? A girl? That would not be fair. It would be over before it started."

I grinned at him. "In that case, it should be easy enough to beat me and then him." I took a step back and did the traditional salute before settling into a comfortable fighting stance. I could feel Erik staring at me in shock. I supposed that no one had fought for him before. Raoul saluted me back, shock in his eyes, and stood waiting for me to attack. I calmly stepped forward, sword raised and ready to strike. He leered at me, obviously not expecting me to know what I was doing. I grinned fiercely, and stuck. He jumped back, blocking hurriedly. I struck again, defending the man I loved, knowing that I would likely be hurt in doing so. He blocked again, and stuck for the first time, testing my skills, as I was testing his. He wasn't going full force, still unsure of fighting a girl. I easily blocked and returned blows, thankful that my brother had needed someone to practice with. After a moment, he started fighting more normally, realizing that I was a decent swordswoman. I smiled briefly, feeling that this might work. We exchanged blows, neither getting the upper hand. Then, he feigned, and managed to slice through my dress and into the skin on my chest and stomach. He pulled back with a smirk, thinking I would stop at that. I merely shrugged the torn garment off my shoulders, and settled back into my fighting stance, ignoring the pain and blood running down my body. My brother had done the same thing before, though never as hard. Raoul's eyes opened in shock, but he quickly recovered. We started fighting again, with even more vigor. For a few moments, we fought, both getting the occasional cut. Then, I found a weak spot in his defense. I made my move quickly, and pressed my rapier to his throat, without cutting him. I grinned in triumph, and said, "Now honor our agreement, and leave."

He stepped back, and bowed. "You fought well, Mademoiselle. May I know your name before I leave?"

"Anastasie." I replied simply, and turned from him to see how Erik was. I heard him leave, then smiled at Erik. As he took a shocked step toward me, I fainted.