Chapter 13 A Peaceful Place

During the twelve years Erik Destler had been living in the Paris Opera house he had been able to find only one place from there, where he could go to think, without being afraid of being seen. Erik saw irony of the situation that this place was none other than the statue Apollo, standing proudly on the roof of the opera house. Irony was that as Erik was standing on the top of it, he was closer to heaven than in any other place. All his life Erik had never been able to have the idea of loving God; actually he felted only hatred toward those "heavenly forces". Still this was the only place of his kingdom where he could find total peace.

Erik watched as slowly sun was disappearing and darkness was coming. Erik sighed with relief. He loved darkness, it was his only companion. Darkness wasn't disgusted by his appearance. Darkness didn't judge him by what he looked like or what he was capable of doing. In darkness Erik could hide from cruelties of mankind and it always sheltered him when he had done something "drastic". But most importantly; there could only be so little light but darkness was always there. Erik could count on it, darkness would never abandon him.

And yet, there was something missing from the darkness. Some minor but yet crucial element that always irritated Erik with its absence. Erik hadn't ask what that element was until it had come to him.

It had happened almost seven years ago then. He had been doing his "rounds", making sure that everything in his kingdom was following his orders. He had been above the stage at the cat walk when it happened. Erik couldn't first think what it was and for a little moment he was in a panic that he had died. It took a moment for Erik to understand that sudden change in the theatre had been caused by a voice. It wasn't anything you called an expectedly sung but it had something Erik had never heard. From that voice one could hear and pure the singers pure love towards music itself. The voice was so pure and innocent that Erik almost cried when it stopped. Finally Erik took a look down to see the source of the voice. A young girl, who had obviously never been trained to sing, was singing only for the love of singing.

That was the first time Erik saw Christine Daae.

For the several next months Erik had keep an eye on Christine. He had soon become touched not only by her voice but also by her compassion. Once she had stopped a workman killing a spider on a floor and had been snapping to him that just because spider is ugly doesn't it still have right to live. Erik was mesmerised by this, even when he knew that she would never be able to look at him. (AN: Anyone who has read Susan Kay's book knows that I'm reversing the situation here)

Then Charles Daae had died and Christine became very depressed. For the reasons Erik didn't know, he was worried by her. He wanted to use all his powers and talents to make sure she would be able to go on. But he knew that he couldn't approach her as normal peoples do. She was already in a devastated state, seeing him would not help her at all. He had been toying with the idea of imposing as Angel of Music, as in the fairytale her father had been telling her. He had made his decision when she had run in to the pouring rain, obviously wanting to die.

He remembered the strange feeling of holding her small body as he carried her back to the opera house. She had seemed so fragile, like a Ming vase. For the first time in months she had looked peaceful while she slept, covered in Erik's cape. Erik had made vow to himself that die that he would always protect Christine Daae.

Erik almost laughed when he remembered his promise. That was almost surreal. A vow like that coming from him, after all that he had done?

Anyway, he had continued to be her angel of music. First it had been out of fear for her falling depressed again, and then he just wasn't able to stop it. Christine was the only one who he spoke to and she trusted her secrets to him. He remembered how six months ago then she had told him how she wanted to go to the masquerade ball. Erik had gotten a rather wicked idea, and soon found himself in the red death's costume dancing with the woman he loved.

Oh yes, Erik was in love with her. How or when had it happened, he didn't know. Love was something Erik had started to think as a totally useless emotion, mainly because he had lived his life as unloved. Her suggestion to meet had given him hope that maybe she could love him in return. Also he was starting to panic in a fear of loosing her completely as she didn't require anymore teaching. There was also the threat of a possible suitor. Raoul de Chagny had made Erik realize that a lot of young men would start to see Christine in a new light, now that she had become a young woman.

Of course every hope that Erik had had vanished when she saw his face.

It had been few days since that and they had started to create a routine for themselves. Usually they would share a lunch and a dinner together, though Christine was the only one who ate as Erik didn't dare to remove his mask, and after that she would sing to him by piano or organ or violin…

Erik new Christine was trying to get him trust her again, and as much as Erik wished it would be for himself, he was certain it was only that he would let her go. Still, Erik was bound to have her for himself no matter what it takes. Erik looked at the dark sky. It was almost dinner time.

Erik came up with the idea of taking Christine for a walk. Yes, he would show her that he could also offer her everything she needed, even something as ordinary as a walk. Erik was going to have Christine for himself alone, and as a man who had seen more miracles and revealed more answers to forbidden questions than anyone else, he would have her.

That in his thoughts he placed the mask back to his bare face and jumped off the statue.

Chapter 14 A walk

When Erik arrived back to his lair, Christine was in his library reading "Beauty and the Beast" by Mme. Leprince de Beaumont. Christine wondered if Madame had seen a dream of Erik when she made the book, though the legend itself is much older than that. Still, Christine couldn't help but notice the similarities between the book and the situation where she was. Not that Christine thought herself as beautiful; she had never really got any compliments from men. But the story also had beast, hiding from the world in an enchanted castle. Christine had always thought of herself as a logical thinker, but in this place her beliefs had been put to the test. Christine was certain that everything she had seen here could not be an illusion or a theatre trick. She had been living in a theatre for years now, she knew all the tricks! What Erik had here was something beyond explanations; something Christine was ready to call magic.

Erik made a little sound on the doorway to let her know his presence. Christine's head snapped up.

"Is it already dinner time?" she asked.

"No, my dear, it isn't. I was wondering if you would care to walk with me, seeing you have been here for days now" Erik answered.

Christine looked at him bewildered. "A walk…like outside?"

"You know a better place, perhaps?"

Christine smiled to herself. For days now she had tried to rebuild the trust between her and Erik. If Erik was going to take her outside it meant he trusted for her not to run away. And Christine had no intentions to ruin it now.

Some time later they were walking outside the Opera house. They walked along the river Seine to the cathedral of Notre Dame. No one could be seen or heard; only one man walking a dog was with them. The sky was black as Erik's dress but it was the full moon gave enough light for them to see their surroundings. Erik wasn't wearing his mask, but his scarf and hat covered his face in the darkness of prying eyes. Only his two yellow eyes shined. Christine was mesmerized by those eyes. Even when the idea of Erik's face did scare her, his eyes hold strange comfort to her. This made Christine shiver, the idea that Erik might hold a part of her soul to himself.

"Are you cold, my dear?" Erik suddenly asked, pulling her out of her trance.

"Oh…no, I'm not. Why?"

"You seem to shiver".

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm alright" she said, feeling little embarrassed that Erik had noticed. She decided to change the subject. "Tell me about you, Erik" she said suddenly.

Erik almost lost his balance. "What would you like to know about me?" he asked carefully.

"Well…don't get me wrong, but you're not normal, are you?" Christine soon realized her mistake. "And I don't only mean your face!" she quickly corrected. "I've lived years in a theatre so I know an illusion when I see one. But in your home I've seen things that I just can't explain. And I…I would really…like to know you, Erik" her lover lip almost trembled as she said this.

Erik had to make sure that some hadn't hypnotized him. Christine saw doubt in his eyes and did something so out of impulse that they both went still. She placed her hand on his arm. Christine felt how Erik stiffed back. She wondered how little human contracts Erik must have had for him to think a touching would immediately hurt.

"I am…complicated man, Christine. There are things you may not want to know about me".

Christine almost smiled as she could see Erik beginning to trust her. And then-

"CHRISTINE!"

Both turn around to see a young man from across the street walking towards them. Christine almost screamed as she saw who it was; Raoul. The timing couldn't have been worse.

Suddenly Christine heard Erik mumbling something, as if speaking with some foreign language. She was about to ask if he had spoken to her when, from other end of the street, a dog came running towards Raoul. This was so unexpected that Raoul fell to the street and dog kept barging to him. The man who had been walking the dog came running towards Raoul.

In the meanwhile Christine watched in utmost disbelief as she and Erik were suddenly surrounded by fog. She didn't have time to think this when Erik crapped her arm and guided her trough the fog. When she could again see in front of her, she realised they were far from Raoul.

Erik was leaning against a wall and breathing deeply.

"Perhaps we should take a cap back to home" he said. Christine could only nod; she figured this wouldn't be the best time to argue with Erik. Seeing Raoul had been too big shock for them both.

"Are you alright, Erik?" Christine asked. The concern in her voice made Erik's throat and chest tight painfully.

"I'm not young anymore, Christine. That was exhausting" he simply said. Christine couldn't help but wonder what of the previous things that happened he had meant by "that".

Chapter 15 In which Erik gives Christine a ring

Christine was not a stupid girl. She knew when she had gotten herself into trouble. And the fact that she was wearing Erik's ring could only mean trouble. Christine remembered how it had ended in her finger:

"Well, my dear. Now you have spent a week here in my home. I promised to let you go if you wouldn't touch my mask during your time in here" Erik said calmly. "You didn't respect that wish, Christine. I have no reason to let you go".

For a moment Christine's hear sank as she thought all the things she would never see again. But then Erik continued.

"But I do not want you to think of me as a monster, Christine, no matter how my appearance says otherwise. I want you to go up, back to your world. But I can't allow that if I suspect that you would run away from me. So the real question is; what guarantees do I have that you will return to me?"

Christine smiled knowingly at Erik.

"I can hear from your voice that you have already a solution for this dilemma, Erik" Christine said.

Erik sighed. "It seems we have started to know each others too well, my dear. Yes, I truly have a solution".

Erik suddenly took a glow from his right hand. Christine realised that she had never seen Erik without his gloves. Somehow this seemed exiting to her. Erik pulled his black glove away and revealed an unbelievably pale hand. His fingers were long like spider legs and he had three rings in his hand.

"I'm not one for much of jewelleries, but these rings have a sacred value to me. Two of then I have succeeded of getting on my journeys. But this…"

Erik pulled one of the rings away. It didn't have a fancy diamond in it, so it looked very simple, much like Christine wanted.

"…this I made myself".

Christine couldn't help but wonder what value that ring had if a man with Erik's talents made it.

"Wear this ring, Christine. Wear my ring and I know you are still faithful to me. Be my bride and you will have nothing to fear from my part" Erik said with a deep low voice, coming towards Christine. Almost as if unable to control her actions, Christine raised her left hand and Erik placed the ring in her finger.

And so they were engaged.

After Erik returned Christine safely back to above ground, he started to get back down. But he didn't make it even to the third cellar when he was stopped.

"ERIK!"

"Oh for…!!! Didn't I make myself clear that I didn't wish to see you hear anymore, daroga?" Erik asked bitterly from his dark skinned companion.

"Actually Erik you said never to come to your home again. We're in the third cellar now".

"And I'm heading back to home. Good day to you, Nadir!" Erik said as he was again melting to the shadows.

"Wait, Erik! I happened to see Christine Daae on my way here…" he started but was cut off.

"Could to you, probably saved your dull day to see a beauty like her" came a sharp remark.

"…and I saw her wearing a ring" the Persian finished. "Please, Erik. For the love of any God you chose, don't tell me she's wearing your ring".

"She is what of it? I had to make certain that she won't betray my trust again, Nadir. You probably have heard that everything is fair in love and war?"

"You…you love her?" the Persian asked in a shock, never expecting this from the shadowy man in front of him.

"Well, Nadir! How did you guess? It seems I'm talking with Sherlock Holmes himself here!" Erik laughed mockingly. "And now I bid you goodbye".

"One more thing, Erik! Just answer to one question and I won't bother you anymore!" the Persian yelled. "Just answer one question…"

"Well?" Erik said, looking intensively to him.

"Are you still listening to them?" the Persian asked, slightly shaking.

"NO! I'm not. Erik is his own master now, not a puppet to control. I haven't listened to them and I won't ever again. I have learned from that mistake" Erik said, his voice full of venom, just before his disappeared again in to the darkness.

Chapter 16 Above again

Christine hadn't realised how much she missed the sunlight until she was above the ground again. She looked at the peoples that walked on the street of Paris and for the first time in her life she realised how that the world is not truly one, but truly two. There was this world that she knew; the façade of the entire world. And then there's the one Erik knows; the one which he had shown a glimpse to her. Christine briefly wondered could she ever totally be again part of this world, now that she had seen the other.

Hardly had she time to think this when two men came running down the grand stairs of the Opera House towards her, shouting her name. Christine became nervous when she realised that the two men were none other than Firmin Richard and Armand Moncharmin. Christine was quite ready to get an earful for being away a week.

"Miss Daae, how wonderful to see you again!" shouted the thin man with red hair.

"I do hope your vacation has been refreshing one and that you are ready to continue as our lead singer; La Daae!" shouted the big man with black beard.

This was certainly not what she had expected.

"Of course, monsieur's, I'd be honoured to continue…" she managed to mutter when managers were suddenly on both side of her, taking her both hands and walking her back to her dressing room. On the way there they continued talking about the future performances and that she shouldn't worry about taking a vacation every now and then.

"I do hope you are ready to continue as Marguerite in Faust tomorrow" Richard suddenly said.

"Tomorrow?" Christine gasped. She had not been informed by this. But then again, this might explain why Erik had continued her tutoring everyday when she was with him.

"Yes of course I am" Christine said.

"Ah, there you go, Richard. Nothing to worry about, I'm sure Miss Daae would like to refresh now from her journey" Moncharmin suggested and so Christine slipped in to her dressing room.

Though she soon fined out that her dressing room was occupied.

"CHRISTINE!" Meg shouted as she saw her entering. Soon the young ballet dancer was hugging her long-time best friend.

"Meg, what are you doing here?" Christine was finally capable of asking.

"I was waiting for you. My mother told me you were expected to return today. But where have you been whole week? You didn't even tell us you would be leaving" Meg told her.

"It came really suddenly, Meg. I went to see a friend or mine, nobody who you know, Meg" Christine said. She didn't feel well about lying so she told only half the truth. Also she didn't want to betray Erik.

Outside her dressing room; two managers were talking.

"I still feel we should just threat her to tell us the identity of this 'phantom'" Moncharmin said.

"Are you insane? He seems to know everything we do these days. He would know immediately if we would come even close to his precious diva. Do you want that every little secret of ours would become the talk of Paris?" Richard shot back.

"But it's obvious that this girl must know him. Almost every demand he makes has something to do with this girl. Maybe…" Moncharmin thought "…she IS the Phantom of the Opera".

Richard looked at his partner as if he would have grown three heads. "That is the most stupid thing I have ever…" he stop and took breath. "What matters now is that we must protect our reputation and reputation of this opera house. Now, do you have the 20 000 francs we were suppose to pay him today?"

Moncharmin sighed. "Yes I have them he…" he stopped as he put his hand to his pocket. Instead of a large envelope he had put in there, he found only a little piece of paper.

"Thank you" it said.

"Bloody…" Moncharmin started.

"…hell" Richard finished.

Neither of them noticed the Persian man who had been watching them for sometime now.