A/N: I know the last chapter was quite short, this one will be a bit longer. Thank you so much for your reviews. I have taken in everything you all said and will remember it while I am writing the rest of the story. About updating: I need to start studying for exams but I will update a bit during studying and exams and the updates will become more regularly after exams. Anyway, hope you all like the new chapter :)

CHAPTER 2:
Erik sat alone at his desk in his office, his laptop open in front of him. He had classical music playing on his iPod through the Bluetooth speakers but turned it off when he heard a knock on his door. Erik hated being disturbed. Before doing anything he made sure his skin coloured mask was in tact.

"Enter" the annoyance in his voice could be heard. Erik stood up from his desk when this girl stumbled into his office, landing on her hands and knees. Erik just stood and stared at her, not even bothering to help her up. Eventually the girl got up, her face flushed from embarassment. "I'm Christine Daae..."her voice was timid. Christine noticed that Mr Destler always appeared cold, "I do not care. Why are you here?" Erik's voice was demanding. Christine stepped back in shock, not expecting that rudenesss.

"I was sent by Madame Giry" Christine's voice was barely a whisper. "Of course, the dancer?" Erik questioned, "here's your letter of dismissal and your payment for the month." Christine felt tears stain her cheeks, "Please, Mr Destler, don't do this. I need this job." Erik shoved the envelope into her hand, "tell someone who cares and get out of my office. Now!" Christine ran out of his office, her tears falling freely. She ran till she couldn't see the opera house and was surrounded by strangers in the bustling streets of New York.

XXXXXXXXX

Erik sat alone in his office with a strange feeling in his chest. Guilt. No, it couldn't be guilt. Erik chose to ignore this and forget about that girl, she was just one of those poor country girls that was desperate for a job. He tried to reassure himself by telling himself that she was probably talentless anyway.

Erik sat for a few minutes staring out the tall windows, that displayed the entire city, until he was knocked out of his reverie by his office door being flung open. Erik rolled his eyes and inwardly groaned when he saw Carlotta.

"Did you fire that stupid girl?" Carlotta questioned. Erik simply nodded and kept his face turned away from Carlotta's view. This woman annoyed him so much. "Ugh, are you just going to stand there?" Carlotta walked up to Erik. "Yes, Madame, I am just going to stand here and next time you come into my office, be sure to knock" Erik sincerely hoped there would be no next time. Carlotta stomped her foot and marched out of his office. If Erik could have fired that woman he would have, but that idiot of a patron was stopping him. Damn that patron! Erik didn't know who he hated more, Carlotta or the patron, Raoul de Changy.

Erik stopped his rant when he heard another knock at his door. Why were so many people disturbing him today? Erik's expression softened, just a little bit, when he saw Madame Giry. "What did you say to the girl?" Madame Giry questioned sternly. She was the only person Erik trusted, she was like family. "I fired her, like I was supposed to. Why do you ask?" Erik decided not to mention how rude he was to the girl. "Erik, she ran out of your office in tears..." Erik shifted awkwardly in his chair, he had not realised. There was that guilty feeling again, "Oh, I did not realise." Madame Giry knew Erik, she knew that he was probably rude to the girl. "Aplogise to her, if you ever see her again" with that Madame Giry left his office. Erik pondered what she had said for a few minutes but chose to ignore what he felt towards the girl, telling himself that he would never see her again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Christine sat alone at a table in the corner at Starbucks. She had a cappucino in front of her but couldn't bring herself to drink it. She knew that Mr Destler was a recluse, who never spoke to anyone but that didn't give her the right to be mean to her. There was something strange about that man...about hos appearance...and he looked lonely. Christine wondered if he had anyone that even cared about him. No, Christine decided that she didn't care as he was the reason she now had no income. Her thoughts about the mysterious manager of the opera house were interrupted when she saw a tall, blonde young man enter Starbucks. Their eyes met and Christine flushed a deep shade of red. He ordered a coffee before going up to Christine.

"Hi, I'm Raoul de Changy" he offered his hand. Christine shook it, smiling "Christine Daae". For a few moments Christine just stared into his deep blue eyes. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach. "Well, Christine, I have to go run an errand. You could walk with me if you'd like?" Christine nodded and slowly got up. Wait, maybe she shouldn't just follow a random stranger. Oh, what the hell, she had nothing better to do this and this Raoul guy is hot. Together, they walked out of Starbucks and into the streets of New York.

"So, Christine, tell me about yourself. What do you do for living?" "I was a dancer" Christine sighed. "Was? What happened?" Raoul questioned. "I was fired..." Christine ignored the thoughts of Mr Destler that entered her mind. Raoul gasped and placed his arm around her shoulder "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up!" Christine looked up from the floor and at Raoul, "Don't worry, I found a job at a coff-" Christine turned her head and realised they were standing outside the New York Opera House. "Why do you need to run an errand here?" Christine noticed from the corner of her that Carlotta had come through the doors and was walking towards. "I'm a patron here. Is that a problem?" Raoul questioned. Christine just stared at him blankly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Erik stood at his window, gazing down at the bustling streets beneath him. He was content to just stand and watch but something caught his eye. Raoul de Changy and he was stranding with that girl. He had his arm draped around her. Erik felt the sudden need to protect this girl from his patron. Erik knew that Raoul was just going to use. Christine was too sweet of a girl for Erik to allow that happen, he had to stop Raoul. Frustrated, he banged his hand on the wall, the nearest thing to him. Why was he suddenly feeling these emotions? Why did he care about this girl?

A/N: So I know there has to be some R/C but don't worry I hate Raoul so it won't last long as this story is essentially and E/C fic. PLEASE REVIEW, FOLLOW&FAVOURITE :)