I still don't own The Phantom of the Opera or Twilight. I, um... I apologize to those that don't like this story, I am trying to improve, it's just that I'm not a very good writer...

Oh, and I, um... I'd like to thank those that reviewed the first chapter! TH-thank you very much!

53: Keeping a Secret

Erik stared up at the beast in front of him, unable to believe his eyes. Here this child, this mere three year old girl, was looking around his home and excitedly bouncing up and down on his bed. He chuckled and let her onto his shoulders as he walked calmly through the water and to the center of the lake.

"Can't swim, Angel," Sarah whined, and he smiled.

"I'll teach you," he said gently as he picked her up and held her aloft in the water. "Even out your breathing. Remember to take deep, even breaths. Kick in even strokes with your legs fairly straight and your ankles poised like you would for ballet."

She did as he was told and beamed as she began to float on her own ever so slightly. But when he completely removed his hands, she panicked and he scooped her up as she fell into the water. After three hours of swimming, Sarah finally learned how to tread water on her own, and he picked her up to let her rest.

"Angel?"

"Yes?" Erik asked gently, his entire world now revolving around this young girl.

"I love you," she mumbled, and he took in a breath.

"I love you, too," he murmured with such shock and joy in his eyes that he wished he could cry to let it escape somehow. "I love you so much… I can't put it into words…"

"My baby!" she screamed, and Carlisle tilted his head. "Sarah!"

"What's going on?" Esme asked confused.

"A young girl is missing, presumably by the fabled Opera Ghost," Edward chuckled.

"That Opera Ghost is real, Edward, you'd best be careful," Carlisle scolded. "Edward, you go calm her down. I'll go down into the catacombs to see just what he's angry with now."

"Wait, you know him?" Jasper asked as Alice's face went blank.

"It's okay, Jasper, he'll be fine," Alice said smiling. "They know each other quite well."

Carlisle nodded and ran towards the nearest entrance to Erik's catacombs. As he ran, he smelled human blood and immediately quickened his pace as best he could to go to the small child's aide. To Carlisle's shock, Erik was sitting in his bed, cradling the small child with a smile on his face and a look of love so powerful in his eyes that it was almost unnerving.

"Erik," Carlisle said, and the Phantom's head jerked up.

"Oh, it's you," he said looking back down. "What now? Come to nag at me to convince me to stop killing or to go to your rumored Opera House in Seattle?"

"The child, Erik," Carlisle said. "She needs to go back to her mother, you can't transform her, it's illegal."

"I wasn't going to change her," Erik snapped, and flinched as the child nearly awoke. "She sounded so good when she was beginning to sing, and her smell it's so… intoxicating… it's like my own brand of morphine…"

"Erik, you can't let her stay here, she needs to be with her parents."

"I needed my parents and was raised by monsters, I see no reason to do the same, with a much kinder twist on the monster," Erik retorted. "Besides, she likes it here. I've already taught her how to swim."

"Yes, I understand that, but you must send her back, it's critical for her development," Carlisle insisted firmly but gently. "Erik, I understand that you are upset about having to leave her, but medical proof would be needed to get her into your custody."

"I don't care," he snapped. "I won't abandon her to the world above!"

"I'm sure she won't have a problem keeping her parents from moving away," Carlisle assured him. "Just let her do the rest."

"I'll consider it," Erik said grudgingly. "Just give me twenty-four hours to decide."

"Of course," Carlisle nodded. "I'll send my wife down later to let her come up."

Erik nodded and gently woke the small girl as Carlisle left.

"Sarah, I need you to listen to me," Erik said gently, and the young girl looked up at him with groggy eyes as she wiped them.

"Angel? What's wrong?" she asked innocently as she tugged down on his shirt.

"It's nothing," he said smoothly, and she beamed.

"Swim more?" she asked innocently, and he smiled at her innocence.

"Of course, my princess," he said gently as he stripped down into nothing but his pants. "Let me go get my swim clothes on, silly."

"Okay!" she chirped as she went and bounded over to his organ and began picking out a couple of tunes on the keys.

He changed in record time, and went out of his bedroom to find her still picking at the organ. The tune was a simple one, but it was good enough for him to want to begin teaching her. He smiled as she looked over at him and went on over to the water. She jumped in happily, and he stepped in slowly as if to ensure that he didn't jostle her as she swam and treaded water.

Erik smiled down as she began playing in the water, and his eyes widened as she slipped and fell, grabbing his swim shorts and taking them down with her. He took in a deep breath, wondering how he was supposed to explain this to her when she technically wasn't supposed to know. He cringed as she got up and looked down at him with wide and shocked eyes.

"Angel, what's that?" she asked pointing at his crotch.

"It's a secret," he smiled gently and pulled up his swim shorts, only for her tiny arms to get in the way. "I need you to move your arms, child."

"But angel, what is it? It looks weird," she said tilting her head as she began feeling him.

"Sarah, don't," he snarled, and she looked up at him and pulled down on him.

With a sharp intake of breath he disappeared underneath the water and pulled up his pants, forcing himself to remember that she was a small child and couldn't possibly understand what he was trying to hide just yet. She was crying, so he resurfaced and swam back over to her within a second.

"Sarah, please understand that I only keep this from you to protect you," he said gently as he cradled her in his arms. "Your mother will try to destroy me, and she will make sure that you and I never meet again should she find out that you saw my secret. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she whimpered, still upset.

"There, there," Erik soothed as he gently rubbed her back, doing everything he could to keep her safe and happy. "I'm not angry with you, princess. You're forgiven child, it's alright, but it is not yet time for you to understand my secret. But I'll tell you what – someday when you're old enough, I'll tell you exactly why my secret has to remain private."

"Like the mask?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Yes, exactly like my mask," he said smiling wryly. "Someday, you will understand, and I won't let it happen a day sooner."

"Angel?"

"Yes?"

"Is your secret only for angels or for boys?"

"It's only for someone like me," he said gently, and she smiled up at him.

"I'm glad you have a secret, angel! It makes you even more special!" she beamed up at him.

Erik blinked and smiled at her, realizing that Carlisle was right – she needed to go back to her mother, even if only until she was thirteen, or just long enough to help her understand who she was and why she was there.

"Sarah, I must give you back to your mother soon," he said gently, and she began whining.

"I don't want to go back to mommy! She won't let me play the piano or sing!" Sarah whined upset.

"Then tell her that your angel will come and make sure that you get your music lessons in," he said gently. "Tell her that your angel is strict, and will take you away to heaven if you don't get your lessons."

"Really?" she asked excitedly, and he nodded and kissed her forehead.

"Yes, my little princess," he said gently pulling the bangs from out of her eyes. "Come, we must return. Your mother must be frantically looking for you."

Um... *hangs head* I'm sorry if this isn't good... I don't really get much time to write, and I have so many ideas, and they just keep twisting and turning in my mind until I can't make heads or tails of them! I'm sorry!

Um... can I get another review? please?