A/N: Kindly note that I am using A LOT of speech from the original novel, not to mention a basic order of events. And that I own nothing that you recognize as someone else's, as you must know BY NOW.

Sorry if this one is too boring due to all of the things you've already read! Also please understand that this one may well be a bit confusing, considering I am using themes from all of the different "The Phantom of the Opera" junk I have seen/read.

Chapter IV- Possession

Despite my seemingly daily increase in sexual desire for Christine, I managed to exercise a level of self-control concerning her that surprises me to this day- not to say that there were no repercussions from my incessant wanting of the girl. It became harder to retain my concentration when teaching her- I often had to merely refrain from looking at her during vocal lessons- and I became increasingly worried that she would figure out that I was not her dear angel... Of course, I give the girl too much credit- she was, as I have undoubtedly said before, not the quickest person.

A good thing did come of my feelings for Christine, though- I found that I was using a good deal less morphine those few months before I took her, at least partially succeeding in having my mind give way to an entirely different addiction.

However, I still cannot describe the level of raging jealousy coursing through my veins when I heard of Christine's little tryst with that goddamned Vicomte de Chagny... The boy was the youngest of a very proud line and accursedly good-looking- when Christine came to me the night after she had finally sung Prima Donna under my instruction, the night she became the jewel of Paris, the night she was to sing for me, I confronted her.

"You are late," I told her quietly, in a rather hurt voice as the girl entered her dressing room as discreetly as she could.

"Forgive me, Angel... I was meeting with an old friend," she said to the floor. She was clearly worried about what my reaction to her blatant betrayal would be, but I could not be lenient with her... it was enough of a test for me just to maintain my gaze upon her.

"Do you value the love of your boy more than you do mine?" I asked her with an air of human sorrow that clearly betrayed my charade- though it was impossible to tell if she noticed.

"No! Of course not, Angel!" said the girl wildly, clasping her hands impulsively at her chest. I suppose that normally, I would have questioned her further, but the girl's submissive innocence made me always take her word.

"Then you will be sure to refuse his advances, you shall not speak a word to Monsieur Raoul..." You will sing for me, I thought desperately to myself, rather like a child in hopeless denial. Christine was mine; I would have no other man even lay a finger on my beautiful little girl...

"Of course... anything!" she said with a wary, tremulous smile to the ceiling, as though she were to be physically punished for her actions and wished to apologize through that gesture.

"Tonight shall not be repeated," I told her definitely. I knew that she was not singing to earn my love that night, though the beauty of her voice had practically reduced me to tears... I was sickened to know that such beauty was inspired by that loathsome little boy.

Young Raoul must watch himself... the Opera Ghost is not normally so forgiving!

ooOooOooOoo

That damned manager! That absolute imbecile, Firmin Richard... how he so willingly defied my orders! Mademoiselle Carlotta Gudicelli had the most awkward, screeching soprano I have ever had the misfortune to hear- even my dear Christine deemed her a "toad"... And that abysmal fool made her Prima Donna in every single opera!

Considering the circumstances, there was only one thing to be done... after all, the woman was greatly upsetting Christine...

How I laughed when La Carlotta attempted to sing, despite her deplorable croaking! She did not crack or overshoot a note, oh no... I had turned the woman into a toad!

Not only that, but to prove to my new manager that he should listen when I gave demands, I felled the magnificent crystal chandelier... a little trifle to impress him with. Panic ensued immediately after this event- I saw Christine run in the direction of her dressing room, presumably to consult with me.

"Angel?" she cried in a frenzy, her pale eyes alight with terror. "Angel? Are you alright?"

At the sight of the girl's desperate concern for my safety, I knew that I could wait no longer to commit this vile deed that I had been formulating for some time... Just as I had stolen a few small trinkets, her voice, possibly even little Christine's soul out of the absurd need to have as much of her as I could, I was taking another dangerous plunge, by finally completing my possession...

"Come! And believe in me! Whoso believes in me shall live! Walk! Whoso believes in me shall never die!" I sang as passionately as I could manage, slowly opening the vast double-sided mirror to allow her inside- Christine could never refuse me when I sang. I had chosen this verse carefully- I wanted to have a real impact on the girl's mind, so that when she finally came back to reality, she would not be entirely abhorred by my actions... though my choice of music was not likely to affect her feelings when she realized that I was not her dear angel.

Christine cried out as she realized that she was no longer in her room, apparently shocked by the darkness that had suddenly enveloped her. I took her wrist tightly as she yelled again, trying desperately to free herself of my grasp. Rather peeved by her screaming, I put a hand over her mouth, causing the girl to swoon. Grudgingly, I carried her to a nearby well and attempted to awaken her. Only a few moments later, she woke again and tried feebly to push my hands away.

"Who are you? Where is the voice?" she asked me softly, completely confused by the situation that now faced her. I sighed as she asked this of me- clearly, this would be a more difficult thing than expected. Of course that rotten old masked man could never have a beautiful voice, I thought mockingly- if childishly- to myself before helping the girl to her feet.

I led Christine to Cesar- the magnificent white stallion I had taken after his use in Le Prophete- where she gladly acknowledged something visibly from her world. As she did this, a feeling of horrible dread washed over me... but there was no going back on what I had done. I held up Christine as we rode down the cellars to the lake, Cesar moving surprisingly faster than usual- presumably because he had again met with one of the chorus girls from his time as an Opera animal.

When we reached the humid, misty shore of the lake, I carefully placed Christine in my small boat and sent the horse immediately away. I rowed quickly- a result, I believe, of the level of adrenaline coursing through me at the time- my eyes locked upon the girl during the entire trip.

She cried out again when I took her in my arms, guiding her as gently as I could to the drawing-room of the house by the lake. I took an almost protective step back, my arms crossed, as the girl looked around the ridiculously flower-filled room in silent awe.

"Don't be afraid, Christine; you are in no danger," I told her in a soothing voice, though still making quite sure to keep my distance from the girl. Suddenly, a flash of ugly anger visible in her normally pretty face, the girl rushed towards me, snatching futilely for my mask. But I caught her deftly by the wrists before her prying fingers could reach my face. "You are in no danger, so long as you do not touch my mask." I continued, pushing her gently into a chair by the hearth. Without another word, I knelt in a gesture of solemn humility in front of Christine. She looked around the room blankly for another moment before bursting into tears- caused, I believed, by the horrible realization that I was only a lunatic driven to obsession, not her perfect angel sent by her father. Immensely saddened by my child's tears, I spoke to her again.

"It's true, Christine," I whispered heavily, "I am not an angel, a spirit, or a ghost... I am Erik." A horrible, suffocating silence followed my admission, in which guilt literally began to take over my thoughts... I could suddenly not stand myself for what I had done to her.

"Oh, dear, sweet Christine!" I cried wretchedly, my hands clasped in an imploring gesture before her. "Please, please forgive me! I know you must certainly think me the lowliest and most despicable of men for what I have done to you, you have perfect right to... but... Please, it was a gesture of love that willed me to take you here... I love you, fair Christine Daae!" I remained knelt at her feet for some time, sobs wracking my entire body and tears flowing seemingly ceaselessly from my deep eyes. I only looked up when she stood up again carefully. I watched this action warily, frightened by the number of horrible responses that she could throw at me.

"I can only despise you as you say if you do not immediately set me free," she told me in surprisingly rational tones- perhaps I had underestimated the girl's mind...

"Of course! Anything! Yes, if you so desire, I will of course show you the path to the world above... you may go wherever you please- I will show you the way, if you want to go back..." I gushed quickly, entirely elated by the fact that my dear Christine did not yet loathe me as I expected... though there was still plenty of time for that.

I stood up tremulously as I spoke, a slightly devious idea coming into my mind... I was, after all, still at least partly her "Angel of Music." I strode over to my beautifully baroque silver harp and began to sing to her. Entranced by my song of love, Christine walked slowly over to where I where I was sitting and sat herself like a story-loving child being regaled with a miraculous tale at my feet. After hours, she fell quietly asleep to the sound of my voice... Truly one of the most blessed moments of my life.

I carried her to the Louis-Philippe bedroom in silence, still reveling proudly in my reprehensible triumph.


A/N: Whoo! Despite this chapter being unmercifully irksome due to my strange mixture of themes, I am on a roll! Chapter V is already begun!

R-E-V-I-E-W! PLEASE! No-one has reviewed for the last two chapters and I DESPERATELY need feedback! Don't be afraid to review because you hate it- I just need something, anything to tell me how this sounds!

Chapter V is begun, and shall hopefully be posted soon...