Hello again! I would have had at least one more update this weekend, but some friends came up for a last minute visit, and so we were kinda swamped all weekend. But never fear, I am at the ready with more Vegas fun!

Just a little note, we are going to have a flashback in this chapter. You'll get a heads up for it, so just imagine the cheesy harp music from a TV show signaling the flashback ;)

Christine couldn't believe what he just said. This guy who she met last night while they both were three sheets to the wind was declaring himself in love with her! Ok, maybe not in love, but he was attracted to her! And he didn't see this as a mistake! What was she supposed to do? She couldn't deny the spark that was between them. And she couldn't disregard the fact that she was more comfortable with this stranger 'the morning after' than she had ever been with Raoul. It was all too confusing.

Erik watched her face as she sat there taking in his confession. He felt a little guilty about the fact that he wasn't telling her the entire truth at this point. But what was he supposed to do? He could tell she was already having a little difficulty absorbing it all. To tell her any more about his feelings might make things worse. It might just drive her away from him. And Erik knew he couldn't take that. He needed her to trust him. He needed her to feel the bond between them the way he did.

The night before:

Erik walked into the bar, irritation hanging heavy on his shoulders. He was working with one of the bigger hotels on building an area for performing a few of his plays. It was a major deal, one that would eventually bring in even more money than the Broadway and West End productions. And it would allow plenty of exposure. But it was maddening having to deal with idiot managers and contractors who didn't get his visions. When he spoke to Nadir on the phone, venting all his troubles, Nadir had just laughed and reminded him that genius doesn't always have an easy path. Erik had just groaned at him to shut up and hung up the phone, determined to have a light evening, not thinking of his troubles for just one night. He knew that the issues here were only part of his problem. He had decided to handle this trip personally to get away from the haunting personal issues he had in the city.

As he settled onto a barstool, he looked around. After the bartender took his order, he turned his attention to the stage where it seemed like all the drunken gamblers in Vegas were trying their turn at singing. After two drinks, Erik was just starting to lose the tension in his neck when he heard them announce two young ladies, Meg and Christine. He chuckled at the irony of them announcing the name that he was trying to forget.

Christine. God, how he wanted her. He knew it was ridiculous on his part. He had never even met her. Not officially, anyway. But he knew so much about her. He knew her love of music, the way her laughter could light up a room, her grief when her father had died two years ago. He had wanted her ever since he had first seen her walking into the charity benefit a year ago on the arm of that snake Raoul de Chagny. He had Nadir quickly start finding out all that her could about her. Erik had tried to get her a part in one of his shows as a way to get closer to her but it had not worked out. Nadir's sleuthing uncovered the fact that Raoul had made sure she never even knew about the offer. Erik and Nadir agreed that the brat wanted to make sure she was kept down, not shining the way she could. 'Raoul could never let anyone outshine him' Erik thought sardonically.

The Leroux and de Chagny families went back a long way. They had even been in business together until a few years ago, when Erik had discovered Raoul was siphoning funds out to finance his gambling and womanizing. Rather than create a scandal, Erik had confronted him and bought out his share of the company. He thought it would get rid of the problem, but Raoul had quickly rebounded, making a few investments that paid off well. He then rose to be a fixture on every red carpet. Erik eventually was just glad to not have to deal with the spoiled heir.

But when he saw that jerk with the beautiful Christine on his arm that fateful night, Erik knew he had do whatever it took to get her to see the truth. But with the mask he wore, he knew there was no way he could compete with the "blonde babe", as the papers called him. As the months passed, he became more withdrawn, only thinking of Christine. Then gossip columnists started reporting that de Chagny was preparing to propose to her, and Erik had to get out. He couldn't stand to see his enemy win the girl of his dreams.

As Erik sat brooding over his troubles, an angelic voice was heard. His jaw dropped. 'No, there's no possible way she's here' he thought. But he turned toward the stage, and saw that yes, evidently the universe hated him so much that there was a way for the obsession that he was trying to forget to be standing there on stage taunting him with that voice. He quickly signaled for another drink, and told the bartender not to let him go thirsty. He listened to her singing with her friend, and thought back to the other reason he had left after hearing the engagement reports. He had information from Nadir that, even while he was professing love for Christine, Raoul had been seen with multiple other women in different locales. Exotic trips with exotic women seemed to be his favorite pastime. Erik had decided he had to get out, get away before the engagement took place and Christine was trapped in a relationship that would cause her nothing but heartache.

As the night went on, Christine and Meg were switching between shots of tequila and singing, each performance getting rowdier and sexier. Erik was the loudest audience member, egging them on. After what was his sixth drink, and what appeared to be the eighth round of shots for the girls, he jumped upon the stage and got on one knee, begging her to marry him. The girls squealed, Christine shouted "yes!" and they ran out to the nearest chapel.

Back to the present:

Christine wanted nothing more than to just wake up from this crazy dream. But she knew it was no dream. She vaguely remembered Meg's drunken comments last night about how sexy and romantic the whole thing was. She looked at Erik, and saw the love plainly shining through in his eyes. She realized with a shock that never, not in the entire 18 months of her relationship with Raoul, had she seen that kind of love, that kind of desire, in his eyes. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders back, and said "You really want this?" Erik's eyes warmed even more, if that's possible, and said "I want to see what this could be. I want to see if the universe did this for a reason, bringing us together." Christine nodded slowly, and said "I need to call Meg." Confusion showed plainly in Erik's eyes, making her laugh softly as she finished, "I need to let her know I'm ok, and that she needs to bring my things to our room. Doesn't make sense to stay in a different hotel than my husband, now does it?" Even though he knew she was teasing him at the end, Erik grinned at hearing that phrase "my husband". He asked "You really want to try this?" Before she could answer, a cell phone started ringing incessantly. Christine recognized the ringtone; it was the one she had set special for Raoul. She paled as she answered, but before she could get out more than a "hello" she heard him yelling so loud that she had to hold the phone away from her ear:

"YOU GOT MARRIED?"

Little bit longer chapter for you guys, as a peace offering for leaving you hanging over the weekend. Of course, it comes with another cliffhanger… hee hee hee.

I hope you enjoyed the little bit of back story here. I hope it explains a little bit better as to what's making Erik move so fast.

Remember, Reviews mean love, and they get you treats. Gerry's made muffins for the reviewers. I know you guys like muffins, right?