A/N: This is my first attempt at a modern day story, though it is not my first attempt at fanfiction. Please review and let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I do not own Phantom of the Opera or Disney, as that is mention in here.

Christine Daae was never the traveling type. She always preferred staying home with her family and friends. That, however, changed a month ago.
Christine grew up with her father in California. Her mother died when giving birth to Christine, therefore she had no siblings. Her father, Gustave, was her everything. They were a small, but very close and musical family. Gustave's passion was for the violin, and somewhat for the piano. Christine's was singing. Her voice was beautiful to say the least. It was pure and resembled one of an angels'. Gustave himself had a good voice, but his daughter's talents far surpassed his own. And that itself was remarkable considering he taught Christine all he knew.
The father-daughter bond was inseparable. When Christine was younger, the pair would sit by the fire and talk for hours. Gustave would tell Christine many stories. Her favorite was the Angel of Music. Every time after he told her that particular story, he would tell her, "When I'm in heaven, child, I send the Angel of Music to you"
Those times, much to Christine's dismay, are over now. Gustave passed away from illness a month ago. His passing was quick and painless. Since that moment Christine felt like she had lost her world. She no longer wished to stay in California. She needed to get out and make a new life for herself. No doubt she would carry a part of her father with her in her heart everywhere she would go, but she still needed to get away from the place she called home. But where would she go? After a great deal of thinking, she packed her bags and was off to Florida, to live with her best friend, Meg Giry.

This was Christine's first time flying. She was nervous, especially because she was sitting alone. She also feared getting stuck with the most annoying traveling companions; a mother with a child that wont stop crying, a little girl with motion sickness clinging to her paper bag, or an overweight man who fell asleep on top of her while snoring to a volume exceeding the noise of the aircraft itself. She just wanted the nightmare to be over with. Boarding the plane was quick. She sat in the back of the plane, hoping no one would sit near her. Thankfully, the plane's rows consisted of only two seats, therefore she would only have to endure one miserable flight companion, instead of two. She quietly took her seat and put her headphones on so that she could at least try to relax when everyone else was boarding the plane. About halfway through the first song, her batteries died. Great, She thought, Just great.
After a few minutes, the plane was almost full to capacity, and there was only one seat left; next to Christine. Of course, as Christine began to dread, there was a man who ran a little late and was now deprived of a seat. At least it's not a baby, or a completely irritating person. He seems to want to get off this plane as much as I do. This can't be so bad.
He sat down next to her in a hurry, as if sitting down that fast would make the trip over that much sooner. -

Erik Destler was not your average businessman, as many thought him to be. He was a wealthy man, and he used his earnings wisely. He was younger than many thought him to be; he was wise beyond his years, which also shown through on his outward appearance. He looked as though he knew far more than he should at his age, and he had been this way most of his life.
Erik was born in a small country in Europe, where people seemed to be stuck in a rut and still lacking the new advances made with technology and new beliefs. He was born with a deformity that covered the right side of his face. He never knew his father, but his mother was a whole other ordeal. She despised her son for his physique. She thought him ugly and a monster. She denied him any right he had; it is a shock that she actually fed him and gave him clothes because she was that cruel. She denied him access to the outdoors, afraid someone might blame her for her disgrace of a child. He never understood why his mother hated him so much. She refused to hug him or kiss him, let alone touch him, and denied him any chance of having a bond like a mother and son should. Erik's mother called him names like monster, beast, and thing, and worst of all, she accused him of being the spawn of satin. He did not understand these names until that fateful day she gave him a mirror.
Since that moment, Erik had been self-loathing. He wore a mask to cover his face and he depended on that mask as his sheild; for without it, he felt exposed, inside and out. He ran away from home only months after looking into the mirror, at the age of 9. He ran and sought shelter with a kind young woman who called her self Marie. She was soon going to leave for America and she vowed to take care of Erik until he was old enough to be on his own. They moved to a small California town after much traveling across the states. There Erik picked up music to keep him busy. He taught himself so fast everything there was to know about the piano, making it easy for him to compose a whole opera at the ripe age of 12. Marie homeschooled Erik, feeling the teasing and taunting of insignificant children would not be fair after all he had been through already. Besides, he was far ahead of the children whose grade he was supposed to be in; he was brilliant!
Marie was only in her early twenties when she met and took Erik under her wing. She was a single woman and dreamed of having a family. When Erik was about to turn 10, Marie met a man and fell in love. When they became close she told him that if he were to stay with her, Erik would be involved and she would not abandon Erik, no matter what the cost. After they became married, the man, David Giry, became a father-figure to Erik; he accepted him and Erik could not ask for anything more. Marie then became pregnant, and soon had her daughter Meg. They were a close-knit family, and all was well.
When Erik turned 18, he decided to head out on his own. He moved into an apartment not too far from the Giry household. David was friends with a successful businessman who was looking for an apprentice and referred Erik for the job. Erik became an apprentice to the man who ran all aspects of the Disney theme parks. Erik's job was to help him organize materials for his meetings. Soon, Erik moved up in the business and was now a partner to his one-time boss. This took two years to happen, and during those two years the only father he ever knew died in a car accident. It was with that tragedy that Marie and Meg moved to Florida. Now Erik's job description changed.He was the top boss in the advertising department of Disney. This job would now take him to DisneyWorld in Florida, to discuss with workers there how to advertise a new ride. He was off to bad start already today; taking a cold shower, spilling coffee on his brand new shirt, and being picked up late for the airport. It was a miracle he got to the plane before it took off! Erik noticed there was only one empty seat in the back of the plane. He dreaded this flight but at least now he did not have to worry about getting stuck near a child. Instead he sat next a beautiful girl, looking to be about his age, early twenties, with big brown eyes, curly brown hair, and a face he'd never forget.

"Is this seat taken?"