Chapter 3 –

Meg awoke, and looked around her. Erik was no where to be found.

"Erik?" she called. Meg shifted in her seat. "Errriiik?"

She stood and walked to the desk. On it was a note.

Dear Meg,

Sorry to have left you alone so early, but I had a few errands to attend to and I shall return shortly. While you are waiting feel free to look around, and read some music. That is all.

Your Obedient Servant,

O.G.

"Hmmm..." thought Meg aloud. She shrugged and looked around. It was a beautiful lair. Not like she didn't already know her way around it, though. She sat at the desk and began to read some of the music Erik had written. She placed it in front of her and attempted to play. Eventually she stopped, and shrugged. She was never that great on the organ, anyway. Meg began to sing to herself. "In sleep he sang to me... in dreams he came..."

Erik had come back and he was walking to her when he heard her singing. He hid so as not to alarm her.

"That voice which calls to me, and speaks my name... and do I dream again? For now I find, The Phantom of the Opera is here, inside my mind..."

Erik came closer. "Where did you learn that?" he said annoyed.

Meg jumped. "Ah! Erik! I umm... I heard Christi..." Erik flinched. "I heard... her... singing it..."

"And what possessed you to sing it?"

"I sing and say what I feel."

The Phantom looked away quickly.

"Meg, I do not understand this… this… infatuation with me… what is it that you like, exactly?"

"You are charming, and intelligent, and you have a beautiful voice…"

Erik shook his head. "Look, Meg, I love Christine, and I always will. You understand that, right?"

"Yes, and I can live with that."

Erik raised an eyebrow. "Really now? Alright, Meg… I'll give it a chance… but I'm not guaranteeing anything…"

"Oh, of course not Messieur!" said Meg, bright eyed.

Erik sighed and chuckled to himself.

"You have a lovely voice, by the way." Said Erik, placing a hand on her head.

Meg blushed. "I always wanted to have a solo… but I was always too shy to say anything…"

Erik's face brightened with an idea. He ruffled her hair and said "I can teach you. You won't be shy after I'm done." He smirked and went to his desk to search for some sheet music.

"It would be an honor, Erik." Meg smiled big.

He found what he was looking for, and turned to face Meg.

"Shall we begin… now?"

"Sure!"

"Alright, well, stand up. Good voice and good confidence begins with good posture."

Meg stood up.

"Now, let's begin with some breathing exercises…"

FADEOUT

1 MONTH LATER…

Meg was sitting at her new desk, writing a letter to her mother.

Dear Mother,

It has been a month since last I saw you, and I thought you should know where I-

"Meg, darling… I'm back... what's that you're writing?"

Erik looked at the note.

"Oh. Meg… you can't… I'm wanted for murder… and who knows what else!"

"Oh Erik… you're right… who knows what would happen if they found you…"

Meg crumpled the paper and took out a fresh sheet.

"Even so, I want her to know I'm not dead…"

"Meg… I don't know how to say this… but… its better off she thinks that…"

"What?!"

"If she knows you're alive, she won't stop the search for you, no matter what… you know that as well as I do." Said Erik quickly.

"But Erik!! The thought of my poor old mother worried about her only daughter…"

"A little late to be thinking about that, isn't it?"

Meg glared at Erik.

"Excuse me? You selfish fool! Just because I did not write her, does not mean I did not think on it!" shouted Meg.

"Selfish fool? Moi? The one who took you in, gave you somewhere to sleep, food to eat, and taught you to sing? Selfish?"

Meg sulked. She stood abruptly and stared at him.

"I have to! I just have to write her! Don't you see?"

"No Meg, you must not. I forbid it."

"Ha! Like you control me?"

Meg turned to sit down but Erik grabbed her wrist.

Meg looked at him, shocked.

For minutes they glared at each other, faces not more than an inch apart.

"You will NOT write that letter, Meg." Said Erik, moving closer.

"You are a… a…..ughhhh I cannot think of a better word for you! I hate you so much right now I could-"

Suddenly Erik pressed his lips to Meg's.

Meg widened her eyes in shock.

She slowly closed her eyes, and bit his bottom lip, as he turned the kiss into a more passionate one.

Erik wrapped his arms around Meg, and she wrapped hers around him.

He slowly lifted her up and laid her on the desk, not breaking the kiss.

They kissed for what felt like hours, and then finally they slowly broke apart.

Meg just lay there staring up at Erik a goofy smile on her face, and was Erik on top of her.

"What just happened?"

"I don't know…" said Erik with a sly smile. "… Care to continue?"

Meg smirked evilly.

"I think first I deserve to see what's under that mask of yours!"

Erik's eyes widened. "I… I don't know about that Meg…"

"Oh come on Erik. Don't you think your new girl deserves to know all of you?" said Meg with a wink.

"…. Wow. New girl, huh?"

"Yes. Or did that kiss not just happen?"

Erik sighed in defeat.

"I guess you are right."

"Yes!"

Erik stood up from Meg. Meg sat up and looked into Erik's eyes lovingly.

Erik slowly reached his hand to his face. He let out another big sigh. Then he said "You know once I do this, you can never leave me, do you not?"

"Never, love" Said Meg looking up at him with a half smile, swinging her legs back and forth.

Erik slowly took off his mask, and set it on the desk. His face was extremely disfigured. Meg gasped and stood up. She moved closer and touched his face, slowly tracing the whole side. Erik stood silently, unflinching.

"It's… it's…."

"Disgusting? Yes, I know."

"No… it's… intriguing. How did this happen?"

"I… don't ask please…"

"Ok…"

"Good."

"Good. Now, where were we?" said Meg in a low voice, winking at Erik.

Erik smiled and wrapped his arms around Meg.

He lifted her back onto the desk, and lay on top of her with his arms around her again.

As he was about to kiss her, he began to reach for his mask. But Meg grabbed his hand, putting it behind her back, holding his neck with her other hand to pull him into a deep kiss.