I was in bed, minding my own thirteen year old business, when I heard a scream, it sounded like it was coming from beyond my closet. I got out of bed and opened the door to my closet, instead of looking at a wall, I saw a gaping passage way, light with torches, I stepped in, and the door closed behind me.

"Ahhh!" I screamed, the girlish scream must've been loud, someone replied.

"Who's there!" It was a mans voice, it was heavenly, I didn't reply but continued forward to find a spiral stair case that looked like it went on forever, I looked down over the rail and saw a man, lying on his back, as his eyes met mine, they light up, "Will you help, me, please!" He asked desperately, I nodded, although I knew exactly who the man was, he needed help.

"Okay, thank you, there's a bucket of rocks beside you, take a few, and when you come to a platform, throw them out to the center. There's traps, so be careful!" He said as he sat up painfully.

"Likewise." I called down. I looked down beside me and took a handful of rocks.

"Are these even heavy enough?" Asked down to him.

"My traps are very sensitive." He called up. I took that as a yes. I hurried down the stairs and came to a platform, I took three rocks and threw them out, they landed, ironically in the center and both the sides. a trap door opened loudly, I squealed.

"Oh Lord, are you alrigh child!" He called out, worried.

"Yes, I apologize, I'm easily startled. I'm just like a cat." I called back.

"As long as you're not hurt, its fine, I don't know what I'd do with myself if you got hurt." He called. I continued and found the rest where regular platforms, I got to him soon. He studied me thoroughly.

"What happened?" I asked him, he looked up at the first platform, "There was some sort of substance up there, and I slipped, age is a dreadful thing, if I was younger I wouldn't be in this situation. My leg's broken."

"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" He looked like he was twenty. A distant look over took his face, "I lost count somewhere after the 1990's and to tell the truth, I don't want to know." As he said the last words the distant look disappeared and a warm smile appeared. "Well, will you help me up?"

"What, you think I came all the way down here just to leave you here to rot?" I said, as I strode to his side, the warm look he had disappeared, it grew sad and depressed, "Several people have done that to me in the past, him, what's your name?" He asked.

"Amarillo" I replied.

"Hmm, that's a rare name." He said.

"Hey, it was Saint Patrick's Day, my mom was Irish, she named me two days after I was born, she was drunk." He laughed at my tale, "Unlikely." He said as I slung his arm over my shoulder.

"Do you want a birth certificate, she had midwives, that's why they let her go."

"Can you tell me your name?" I asked.

"I'm not too sure about that Amarillo, I don't want to get too attached to a person and vise versa."

"So, what I call you Phantom?" "Preferably, yes." I groaned

"Oh, come on, you don't want to get attached, but you ask of me my name, that does not make any sense whatsoever." I grumbled as we stood up.

"Alright, I'll tell you, my name is Erik." He said as we started to walk, we remained silent, give Erik's moans of pain and my apologies. We came to a lake, "Whoa." I said amazed, Erik slid his arm off of my shoulder and leaned against the wall, "I can't row us and I doubt you can," He paused and took a torch and handed it to me. "Be careful, and study the opposite wall until you find a button." Oh great, a button, that's just marvelous. I took the torch and turned my back to him, I felt him watching me keenly. I studied the wall, moving my hand along the smooth, damp surface. I heard a click and I nearly fell through the entryway, Erik laughed. "Not very graceful are you?" He asked.

"I'm only thirteen." I said.

"Really, you look more like you're sixteen."

"Well that's a record breaker, some kids at school asked if I was a teacher when I was delivering schedules for my guidance consoler." He laughed, "Oh dear, that isn't good."

"The worst thing is my friend, which is younger than me said I looked old enough to be her mother, I nearly took her head off."

"That wouldn't be good."

"No it wouldn't." I said as I sling Erik's arm back over my shoulder we walked into the passage way as the torches light themselves. "Okay, that is kinda creepy." Erik chuckled, "Don't worry, its only one of my little contraptions." Erik said.

"So when you fell, you only broke your leg, nothing else broke?" I asked.

"Not that I know of." He said, I remained silent.

"Where are your parents? Its been a few hours since you came down here, they must've noticed something."

"Oh, no, they really don't care what I do as long as I'm helping those in need." I said with a smile, but it was fake, I never had any parents, they dumped me here at the Opera Populaire after it closed, a group of gypsies came by and saved me, (A/N: good gypsies, not the kind that imprisoned Erik.) they taught me to help people, I danced for money and I eventually moved into the Populaire, and I've been here since. He didn't to know that.

We came to a large cavern, "Welcome to Phantom caverns." Erik said sarcastically

"Heh, funny." I said.

"Take me to that room over there." He pointed to a closed door, I walked over the door and turned the doorknob. "Its locked, Erik." He pulled a key ring from his breast pocket, and opened the door, I walked in and saw a beautiful swan bed, "Just set me down on the bed." He said as we entered the room. I took him there, he slid his arm off my shoulder and eased down on the bed. "Thank God! I thought this moment would never happen." I turned to him, "What, I'm that unreliable?" He looked at me.

"Maybe." he said.

"Okay, that's really mature. Do you have any plank of would so I can make a split?" I asked. He thought. "I have no clue." I groaned. "Really?"

"Absolutely."

"Well I don't have any. It looks like you're bed ridden then." I said.

"WHAT!"

"Well I can't make a split, you have to stay in bed and keep that leg straight, that's the only other way." I said.

"Well if I'm bedridden-"

"I'll take care of you, I was raised with that kind of knowledge."

"Alright." He agreed quietly