Erik looked at himself in the reflection and sighed. He adjusted his mask slightly, so that it covered the entirety of his scars on the right side of his face. He ensured that his evening wear looked immaculate and that his hair was slicked back from his face. Hoping that his attire would distract from his mask.

Daroga had agreed to accompany Erik to his meeting with Gustav Daaé. And, although he knew that Daaé revered him and thought him a genius, he felt nervous. Once they were in the carriage, Daroga looked over to Erik and asked:

"Are you alright? You seem slightly nervous." He grimaced, loathing that someone else could notice that he was anxious.

"I am just uncomfortable with meeting new people and I am trying to dull my temper." Erik commented. Daroga nodded, thinking it a good idea that his friend attempt to calm his nerves and temper, knowing how he could flare up.

Christine looked at herself in the mirror. She was pretty, she knew that. She also knew that she was probably not as beautiful as the women that Monsieur Giry was used to seeing in Paris. Meg helped her change and prepare for the occasion. Christine was eternally grateful to Meg for being here for her father's visit. It soothed her nerves to know that someone else would be present, apart from herself, her father and the revered Monsieur Giry.

"Have you ever met him?" Christine asked Meg, as she tied Christine's hair half up in curls, with a long strands falling down her back.

"No. Mother is as close as anybody to him. That is why he took our name. But no, I haven't met him." Christine pondered for a moment. She was not sure why she had to be beautiful for Monsieur Giry. Would her good nature not recommend her enough?

Meg helped Christine into her pastel blue dress, tying her corset at the back and lacing her brown boots, that were easily concealed by the dress. She stood before Meg and asked for her opinion.

"You could not be more of a picture, Christine." They smiled at one another and made their way down to breakfast.

Erik and Daroga sat in the carriage, once it had stopped. Erik remained still for a moment, feeling his nerves come over him. Daroga offered him a comforting glance and a light friendly nudge as they got out of the carriage.

The house was quaint, Erik noticed. He thought it was everything that a country cottage should be. With a thatched roof and thickly framed windows. The door was large and the knocker was heavy. Daroga offered to do the honours. However, Erik insisted and thudded the knocker against the door three times.

The man who opened the door was short with disarrayed hair, that he had obviously made an attempt to tame. He gasped briefly, upon seeing Monsieur Giry's appearance. Erik stood in the doorway, towering over this man, whom he had guessed was Gustav Daaé.

"P-please come in." The short man offered, as he extended his arm. Monsieur Giry bound past him, without a look. Whereas, Daroga bowed slightly to Daaé before entering the home.

Meg and Christine stood when the men entered. One she knew to be Mr Daroga and the other, the one in the mask, she was sure was Monsieur Giry. Her father ran to stand between them.

"Monsieur Giry, may I present my daughter, Christine Daaé and her companion, Meg Giry." Both girls curtsied and Erik made an effort to bow. Christine noticed that he did not spend much time glancing at her. Rather he spent his time on Meg, which was to be expected, due to her beauty.

"I send regards from your mother, Mademoiselle." Was all Erik said to Meg.

"Mademoiselle Daaé, it is a pleasure." Although he said it was a pleasure, she was very sure that he did not mean what he said. No introduction was needed for Daroga, as their acquaintance was already established.

Gustav Daaé stood awkwardly as the two men and women stood, staring at one another. Monsieur Giry's presence in the room was tangible and almost uncomfortable.

"Shall we?" Gustav asked Monsieur Giry, gesturing towards his music room. Monsieur Giry nodded and followed the short, stout man.

Gustav could not remember the last time that he had been so nervous. He stood, staring at this tower of a man, as he looked around his music room, touching random objects and observing them.

Soon, Monsieur Giry sat in the large plush leather chair in the corner of the room and crossed his legs, staring at the man standing in the middle of the room.

"What would you like to hear Monsieur?" Gustav asked, wanting to know which instrument he wished to hear first. Erik almost laughed at this question. Because he did not really want to hear anything apart from the phrase: "I will not send any more letters." Leave Monsieur Daaé's lips. However, he simply replied:

"Something light, Monsieur."

Gustav began with a piece on the violin. He knew that this was an instrument he had truly mastered. Erik closed his eyes, listening to the flitting melody played by the man's surprisingly fast fingers. He was shocked to discover that he did actually enjoy Monsieur Daaé's music. It was not the most complex, but it had a charm that he had not heard before.

After the violin solo was over, Gustav looked to Monsieur Giry for his opinion.

"I must say, Monsieur." Erik began, "That I do enjoy your music and wish to hear more." Gustav thought he might explode with joy at Erik's answer.

"Thank you, Monsieur Giry." He thanked Erik, before heading over to his cello.

Christine, Meg and Daroga had been left to their own devices, whilst Erik and Gustav Daaé went off to the music room. The first few moments were occupied with silence. After Christine had asked for Monsieur Daroga to sit they each stared at the floor, attempting to concentrate on something other than one another

They all looked up when they heard Christine's father begin playing the violin. Christine smiled to herself, the violin being her personal favourite.

"Your Papa is very talented, mademoiselle Daae. I had not realised." Daroga commented to Christine.

"Thank you, Monsieur. He has been practicing day and night since he heard from Monsieur Giry." She smiled with her response, glad for the compliment to her father.

They sat in silence for a long moment, listening to Gustav play his violin.

"How do you know Monsieur Giry, Monsieur Daroga?" Meg asked innocently. Daroga smiled at her sweet, innocent face.

"I was friends with Monsieur Giry before he became known to the public. I would bring him food and other necessities when he could not do so himself." Both of the young ladies smiled after the moment of realisation.

"That is very kind of you, Monsieur." Christine commented. To which he nodded.

Christine soon found employment with the book that she had been reading the night before. The fairy tales which she had set on reading soon passed the time and soon enough, her father and Monsieur Giry were leaving his music room.

"Christine, go and tell Marie that we shall be eating soon." Her father commanded. She soon found Marie and she informed Christine that lunch would be prepared soon.

Erik sat opposite the Daaé daughter whilst they ate lunch. He had noticed that her eyes focused anywhere but the mask when she looked at him. He laughed in his mind such a sweet little thing, not wanting to seem rude, he thought to himself. She was astoundingly beautiful, he decided, as he watched a single curl fall out of its pins and into her face. She lacked all of the trimmings that made Parisian women gaudy and unattractive. Mademoiselle Daaé had an innocent, wide eyed beauty that he both envied and admired massively.

He had noticed, whilst eating, that Daroga was rather enchanted with the Giry girl. Indeed she was kind to the eyes and pleasant in nature. However, Erik could not fathom how someone in the company of both Mademoiselle Daaé and Giry could find the latter more enchanting.

The lunch was eaten mostly in silence, apart from the odd compliment from Daroga and the thanks of Gustav Daaé. Once everyone had finished, Gustav turned to Erik and asked:

"If it is not too much of a bother, Monsieur, I would like to show you some pieces from an opera that I have been working on." Erik could feel his eyes widen at the mention of an opera. He thought Daaé's music was pleasant. However, he could not imagine how it would translate into opera.

"Of course, Monsieur. I am nothing, if not a lover of opera." He watched as Christine smiled to herself. He wondered if he had seen anything as delicate or pure and came to the conclusion that no, he had not.

When the moment came for Gustav to show Erik his opera, one glaring question remained: who would sing?

"If you do not mind, Monsieur, my daughter Christine will accompany me." Erik looked over at the girl, who was now protesting with her father, begging him not to make her sing.

"If she is the only singer available, then she will suffice." Erik commented, wishing he had his usual Carlota to truly enjoy the music.

Christine did not want to sing, not wanting to do disjustice to her father's music. She was sure that this was a plan that had been devised by her father to show her off. However, she feared greatly that, although her father thought she had the voice of an angel, she would measure up rather short compared to the voices Monsieur Giry was used to hearing.

Erik watched as the girl nervously fidgeted with her dress. He smiled behind his mask, glad that his opinion was important enough to make her nervous.

Christine was grateful that her father had at least chosen her a song that she knew without the sheet music. She stood and played with her dress, trying not to look Monsieur Giry in the face.

Erik waited as Monsieur Daaé played the introduction of the aria that his daughter was about to sing. He admitted that his hopes were not high of the country girl, taught by her father. However, he attempted to have an open mind as he waited.

Christine could feel her palms sweat as her father played the introduction that she had heard so many times before. She took a deep breath, before beginning.

"Think of me,

Think of me fondly

When we've said goodbye." She began. She found that once she had started to sing, her nerves began to melt away and she simply fell into the experience.

Erik sat, in wonder of this girl. He had never heard such a voice before. He cursed himself for wanting Carlotta. Christine Daaé's voice was devoid of the italian twang that tainted Carlotta's voice. He sat forward in his seat, revelling in hearing such a voice.

Daroga and Meg sat in the living room whilst Christine sung.

"Remember me, once in awhile.

Please promise me you'll try." They heard Christine sing from the other room. Meg's mouth fell open when she heard her friend, singing like a lark. Daroga placed a hand over his mouth a let out a single chuckle of disbelief.

"Mademoiselle Giry, did you know Mademoiselle Daaé could sing like this?" He asked in disbelief. Meg shook her head.

"I daresay I did not, Monsieur. I have never heard her sing before." Meg struggled to say. Daroga laughed, wondering what his friend's reaction must be, and sat in silence, listening to the angelic voice of Christine Daaé.

Just as Erik thought that her range could not have more potential, she would hit a note

higher than the last. Her voice was not perfect, that he could admit. But whilst she hit the last note of aria, her voice rang clear as a bell and he saw more possibilities than he had ever before for his music. He could feel a strange new emotion bubbling inside of him, one that he couldn't understand

Not knowing how to respond to this newly awakened emotion, Erik let his face harden and his manners become less than polite. He stood, quickly, wanting to leave, and more importantly think over what had just happened.

"I must leave, Monsieur Daaé. I shall return to hear the rest of your music at another time." He bowed and strode out of the room, before Christine or Gustav could say anything.

Daroga watched as his friend burst from the music room. He was confused to find him angry, even bordering volatile. Erik paced past him and hopped up into the carriage. Before leaving, Daroga stuck his head into the music room, where he found Christine Daaé and her father, stood in a state of shock and embarrassment.

"Let me assure you, Mademoiselle, that your singing is not what has turned my friend's mood sour. He is just not used to being in company. I daresay you sing very well, Mademoiselle Christine and I would very much like to hear more of your voice, as I am sure my friend would too, despite what you might think. We shall return, I promise you this. Good day." He bowed to Monsieur and Mademoiselle Daaé, before he turned to leave. He stopped, when he saw Meg's face in a state of shock. He knelt before her and took one of her hands in his.

"Please, Mademoiselle Giry, do not be frightened of my friend, he can just let his temper get the better of him sometimes. I shall bring him back at a later date and I daresay I would very much like to see you here as well." In a bold gesture, he pressed his lips to Meg's hand and bowed.

"Good day, Mademoiselle Giry." He blurted out, before quickly slipping through the front door.

Christine stood, silent for a long while. He had simply walked out, after hearing her sing. Something about her voice had made him so angry that he had to leave the house, in a manner most ungentlemanlike. She felt her bottom lip quiver, fearing that she might cry, knowing that she had ruined her father's chances at impressing the elusive Monsieur Giry. She felt a tear pour over her cheek when she felt her father's hand on her back.

"Do not fret, child. Monsieur Daroga promised that his friend very much liked your voice." Christine attempted to smile and agree with her father. But she knew that Monsieur Daroga was only trying to polite. She was sure that Monsieur Giry's leaving was her fault.

Erik seethed as he waited for his friend. What could be taking him so long?! He thought to himself. He felt a twinge of shame when his friend slid into the carriage.

Once they were moving, Daroga looked to his friend with an expression of disbelief on his face.

"Erik, what happened?!" Erik sat, brooding, not wanting to reply.

"Erik, tell me." Daroga demanded. Erik sighed, cursing the effect that Daroga had on him.

"She is different. I was overwhelmed." He replied in a small voice.

"But that doesn't mean you storm out of the room! Leaving the poor girl to think you hated her voice!" Daroga shouted. Erik looked up from the floor, to his friend. He hadn't thought of the possibility that she might interpret his hasty departure as a dislike of her performance. But now that he thought about it, how could she not? He had acted in a way that was unacceptable. He had acted without chivalry and grace. He felt pity for the Daaé girl that he had never felt for another. However, all he could think to do now, was write for that voice, to write her the music that she deserved.

Meg had reassured Christine of the beauty of her voice, before she left. However, when she was alone, Christine couldn't help remembering the look on Monsieur Giry's face as he stood to leave. It was a hard expression, one of no emotion. She had not made him feel anything, she had left his soul cold and unimpressed. The miniscule sliver of hope that her voice was good was extinguished as she knelt by her bed and wept into the pillow.

Erik did not wait to begin writing. Daroga had prepared for his friend's visit by hiring an array of instruments for his use. He strode into the music room and slammed the door behind him. He was not sure where to start. She had the voice of an angel and he wanted to do it as much justice as was possible. He sat thinking for a long while, not knowing what topic to write about for this angelic voice, and that was when he felt a thought enter his mind. He smiled to himself, drawing the blinds, so no one could see him. He gently laid his mask to one side, then began to write.