A/N: This story is my little special project. For a while I have wanted to write a modern day fic and here it is. I have to admit that for a lot of this story I am sort throwing in some feelings and experiences I have gone through...just in a different way. It's complicated, but it makes sense to me and those who know me. Please R&R guys, you don't know how much it means to me.

Jenni: Thankies. I do hope you continue reading.

thePhantom'sEvenstar: Thanks hun. I am glad that you like it. I had already written the second chapter but wouldn't let me upload it so I had to start from scratch. So while I was thinking in the car today, I made some plot changes in my mind. So hopefully this chapter will be a bit better than it was to begin with.

AriaGothique: Thanks hun. Continue reading.

The next morning I woke and cried once more as I realized my dear father had left this world. I walked into his room and found it empty, the undertaker had come already. I was over come with emotion as I stood in the room my father had once occupied and decided it would be best to go downstairs. I walked into the kitchen and saw my aunt sitting down at the table with a cup of coffee in her hands.

She seemed to be staring into space and was unaware of my presence. "Aunt Val." I said quietly, she looked a bit startled to see me standing there, but then looked at me with a sad smile.

"Erik should be over soon. He left late last night." My aunt said, standing and pouring the remaining coffee down the drain. I nodded and sat down at the table. I had no appetite, nor any desire to do anything or to see anyone. I just wanted to sit in a dark room and sit there...until I died.

I felt empty, completely empty. Like my heart had been torn from my chest, and all that was left was a great big void that could never be filled. I was too sad to cry anymore. I just felt like sleeping till the pain went away. But I knew that wouldn't and could not happen.

I was snapped from my thoughts when I heard a knock on the back door in the kitchen. I got up from the table and opened the door to see Erik standing before me. He stepped inside my kitchen and sighed. I knew he was trying to control his emotions as he walked back into a house where my father had been so kind to him.

The absence of my father's presence was painfully obvious and I just wanted to get out and away from all my memories. I poured Erik a cup of coffee and walked upstairs to take a shower. It seemed that since last night Erik and I had reached a point where for the moment we didn't need words.

When I walked back downstairs Erik told me my aunt had left to take care of the funeral arrangements. I felt relieved that I wouldn't have to deal with such things. Erik suggested we take a walk and get away from the memories that lingered in my house. I agreed and we headed to the beach.

I took off my shoes once we got closer to the water I took of my shoes and sat down close enough so that when the tide came in it would touch my feet. I closed my eyes and leaned back, supported by Erik's strong legs. He stood behind me, looking out on the ocean and we both remain silent, lost in our thoughts. I tried not to think of my dad, but it proved impossible to do. I succumbed to the silent tears that slipped down my cheeks and hoped that my tears would drain the pain that had settled into my entire body.

Surely no one could live in such a state of despair, I thought to myself. If I had to live the rest of my life with such sadness then I would rather die.

Memories of my father kept drifting into my mind and then I remembered the promise me father had made me.

He had promised to send me the angel of music. I almost laughed, my father had always had a wild imagination. Yet he seemed sure that this angel would come to me. I softly touched Erik's leg, getting his attention. He sat down beside me and looked at me, waiting for me to say something.

"Erik, do you think there is an angel of music?" I asked, looking down at the sand between us. He didn't answer right away, he stared out once more at the dark blue ocean.

"Well, I never really thought there were different kinds." He said finally. "Why do you ask?"

"Erik, while my father lay dying he promised me he would send me the angel of music. I know it sounds silly, but he seemed so sure of it." I said, trying not to cry once more as my father's final moments flooded my mind.

"Christine, if your father promised you he would send you then angel of music have no doubt. He will keep that promise." Erik replied and gently took my hand in his. I never knew I could feel such comfort from such a simple gesture. But I did, I looked at Erik and saw something I never thought I would in this dear friend of mine. I never realized until that moment how much I cared about him. How much better of a person he was than Raoul.

He had a good heart and cared about me. He was dark, mysterious and gorgeous as well as intelligent and he had the ability to take my breath away. I just never realized it until that moment. He was everything my father would want for me.

I mentally cursed myself, I should not be thinking of such things when my father had just died. But I couldn't help it, sitting right next to me was the most amazing man on the face of the earth. Why hadn't I realized it before?

Erik was about to say something when we heard someone running in our direction. We both turned around and saw Raoul coming toward us. Erik immediately dropped my hand and looked back out towards the sea. I inwardly groaned, Raoul was the last person I wanted to deal with at the moment.

Raoul came to a stop beside me and looked down at me and Erik. "I just heard the news." He said to me. "I came to offer my condolences." He said nonchalantly.

"You condolences?" I asked as if I had not heard correctly. "My father died, and you offer condolences? How many times did he welcome you into his house? How many times was he there to comfort you like you were a son? How many times did go out of his way to make sure we were happy? And you come here and offer condolences as if a stranger died." I said, angrily. I felt Erik stiffen beside me, as he if he were holding back from saying or doing something.

"Christine, please. You are overreacting. I did not mean to offend you." Raoul said, looking uncomfortable.

"Overreacting? My father just died!" I shrieked. Erik put a hand on my arm and Raoul shot him a dirty look.

"Why don't you mind your own business and get lost freak." Raoul said coldly. Before Erik could react or stop me I jumped to my feet and slapped Raoul across the face.

He looked at me stunned. "How dare you, you heartless bastard. While you were at home, feeling great about the fact you made a fool out of two people last night my father was dying. Erik was the only one to comfort me. He is the one who has always been there for me. I don't know what I ever saw you or why I said yes to going out with such a pig. He is a better man than you will ever will be. He is not freak and if you ever dare utter such an insult again you will regret it." I said angrily, my hand pulsing from the hard contact it had made with his face.

Raoul looked at me and kept mouthing words that would not come out. He looked like a fish. He was dumbfounded and was only able to touch the place where I had slapped him.

I turned on my heel and grabbed Erik's arm and we walked back home in silence. I slammed the front door shut behind us and paced around the living room, anger still flowing through me.

Erik calmly sat down on the couch and watched me silently. "How dare he...bastard." I muttered.

Erik sighed, "Christine I could care less what that moron thinks of me. Don't let it bother you." He said as I continued pacing.

"That doesn't make it right. Why did I ever fool myself into thinking he was a good guy. He used to be such a good friend. How he could not care my father died...how could he Erik?" I asked, stopping in my tracks to look at him.

"I thought you loved him." Erik said, looking at me with questioning eyes.

"I did too." I said, dropping down on the couch next to him. "But it was nothing more than infatuation. I was swept off my feet by the idea of him being my prince charming."

"He doesn't deserve you Christine." Erik said, facing me.

I met his gaze and gave a small smile. "How is it that you can give me so much comfort?" I asked.

"Because I..."love, he had wanted to say love, "care about you." He said.

I touched his hand gently and felt so thankful that I had him by my side when I felt most alone. We spent the rest of the day watching TV, neither of us really paying attention. We were both lost in our thoughts. My aunt came home around 5:30 looking exhausted.

"Everything is taken care of. There will be a wake tomorrow at 2:00 and a wake on Thursday at 10:00, then there will be a mass at St. Joseph's at 11:30. After that we will go to Evergreen lawn and have the burial service. Now, I am going to bed. If you need anything, there's money on the kitchen counter." She then turned her attention to Erik. "You are more than welcome to keep my niece company tonight. I know you are a gentlemen and I can see she gets great comfort from your presence." With that said she headed up the stairs to go to bed.

"Do you really get comfort from my being her?" Erik asked me.

"More than you know." I replied.

"Then I will stay here tonight." He said. I gave him a small smile and thanked him.

We quietly left and drove to his house, I waited in the car as he grabbed the things he would need. I wondered why he never invited me over. I wasn't familiar with Teri and Rick, his foster parents. But I thought they must be decent people. Surely Erik would have told me if they weren't kind to him? Then why not invite me over? I never got to finish the thought as the driver door opened and Erik got back into the car. He threw a backpack into the back seat and we drove back home.

We put his things in the living room and I heard his stomach growl. I looked at him and he blushed. "I guess I'm a bit hungry." He said with an embarrassed smile.

"Do you want to grab a pizza?" I asked. He nodded and we got in the car once more to drive to the closest pizza place. Once there we ordered a large pepperoni pizza and sat down at a both to wait for it. The smell of baking pizzas made my stomach growl and for the first time that day I felt a feeling other than despair and anger.

A/N: Another update is coming soon loves. But it is late and I don't know how much longer I can continue writing before my sleepiness takes effect on my writing. Don't forget to R&R, even if it is just a word. It means a lot to me and it makes the updates come a whole lot faster.