Author's Note: Hello, lovely readers! So... this is my first shot at this. I've always had Phantom stories running around in my head, but this is the first I've ever let anyone see. I do not own any of the characters, etc. They belong to Gaston Leroux, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and anyone else who has something published! Also, please review! It would mean the world to me, and it's the only way I'll write more! Thank you guys so much and enjoy!

Christine awoke surrounded by luxury. She sighed and closed her eyes contentedly as she relaxed into the exquisitely soft bed beneath her. With a sudden jolt of memory, Christine's eyes flew open and she gasped as memories of the previous night hit her. Erik… He had come through the mirror. Of course he came through the mirror! Did she just expect him to walk through the door? No, he always came through the mirror, everyday since he had revealed himself to her as a man six months ago. Her angel, a man… it still shocked her. She shook her head as the memories continued. Raoul had been there. Raoul, her dearest childhood friend. However, when she had spoken to him after the show, she has seen something in his eyes, heard something in his voice. Something new, something different from the little boy with the rosy cheeks she remembered. It had reminded her of when… when Erik spoke to her. She groaned softly remembering what happened next.

Erik had clearly heard the change, as well. When she finally got back to her dressing room, and he had come through the mirror, she had expected to celebrate with him. She had just sung the La Carlotta's role after all! All they had worked for, all they had hoped was just beginning to come true! Instead, she was met with a seemingly… upset Erik. She had been confused and tried to ask him about it, when Raoul came to her door. Surprised, she had all but shoved Erik in her armoire. Her reunion with Raoul had been brief, but happy, as they remembered red silk scarves, Little Lotte, and wonderful stories. Until he invited her to dinner, that is. She had respectfully declined, using her maestro as an excuse. Although, she really doubted Erik would be acting as her teacher tonight, and in truth, she really would much rather spend the evening of her triumph at the Opera Populaire with Erik instead of Raoul. But he had insisted. When he finally left the room, Erik had exploded from the armoire with a seething look on his face. He threw a dress at Christine and quietly instructed her to quickly change and he glared daggers at the door. She had dressed behind the screen in a hurry with a look of worry on her face. This was not her Erik. This Erik was verging upon the Opera Ghost! When she presented her back for him to help her with the back of her dress, he had buttoned it roughly without much patience, very different from his normal loving tenderness. As he finished, Raoul again knocked at the door asking if she was ready. A look from Erik silenced the excuse that was bubbling to her lips. As Raoul began to rattle the door knob, Erik nearly growled as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her through the mirror. As Erik closed the mirror behind them, she shivered. She had never come down into the catacombs with Erik before. They had always met in her room. She had begun to question Erik as to what exactly was going on here, but he pressed his finger against her lips, silently begging her to keep quiet. With a smirk, he watched as Raoul finally burst through the door, just in time to find Christine gone. With that, Erik had swept Christine along with him through the catacombs until they reached what she could only assume was his house. The entire trip had been silent. The tension seemed to radiate off of Erik. She wanted to pose a question, but she had to focus on her footing. She was in awe at how Erik had seemed to glide across the uneven floor. He was so graceful, as always. She tripped over the floor and quickly refocused on ground. Soon they came to a lake, she had gulped nervously. Erik didn't expect her to swim, did he? While she was a fine swimmer, better than fine really, she was afraid of how cold the water would be. She was already chilled enough in the damp catacombs. She had briefly wondered how Erik did not catch ill with as much time as he spent down here. Surely, she would if she was to stay down here for long! Not to mention, she was sure she would drown with all the layers of her clothing weighing her down. Thankfully, Erik guided her to a small boat she hadn't noticed before. He was still just as silent, just as stoic. He offered her his hand as she climbed into the boat. She was thankful, as she had never really liked water very much. She chuckled silently at the thought. How was it that this masked man she had only known for 6 months could convince her to get in a boat without so much as asking when her own dearly departed father had begged for years and she refused? However, she couldn't resist. She knew she would be safe with her angel. As he quietly rowed the boat toward the shore, she watched Erik's face. An unnamed emotion was there, replacing the anger. "What's wrong, mon ange?" She had asked quietly, breaking the silence that had surrounded them this long. Her voice had seemingly shocked him; it was as if he had forgotten she was there. A look of desperation flickered across his face before he quickly molded it into indifference. Always the gentleman, Erik. He had simply shaken his head in the negative and continued to row in silence. When they got to the shore, he helped her out of the little boat and proceeded to open the door to a small house sitting on the shore for her. She had wandered in, looking around with curiosity. It was a small, warm, comfortable house. Fireplaces glowed from each room, fighting the dampness from the surrounding catacombs. She smiled to herself. This was her Erik's house. As she looked into the sitting room, she saw a small piano sitting against a wall. She had been quite shocked by how small it was. Erik had very exquisite tastes and surely that was not the best of all pianos. Erik had then spoken from behind her very quietly. "That's just the sitting room piano. The grand is in the music room." She had simply nodded noticing how Erik's hands were shaking. The Opera Ghost? Nervous? The universe must be joking with her. She let out a shaky laugh as she sank to a nearby couch and realized where she was. The Phantom's Lair! She could hardly believe it. How could she, an innocent little chorus girl, have gotten herself into this situation? As the reality dawned on her, she had promptly fainted. And now, she thought as she blinked and her surroundings came back into focus, she had awoken here. In a room. In what she could only guess was Erik's house.