Erik ran as fast as he could. When he rounded the corner he was met with a sight that made his face turn white. Antoinette was lying on the floor in a pool of blood with a knife sticking out of her stomach. Her breathing came is heavy gasps and shrieks.

"ANNIE!" he shouted. He ran over to pull out the knife but Antoinette stopped him.

"NO!" she cried. "Go back! They'll see you! Go back! Take care of Meg!" He shook his head.

"I'm not leaving until that foul weapon it out of you!" he cried. "Hold still!"

Very slowly Erik pulled the blade out. The blood ran faster. He pressed a handkerchief against the wound. He could barely keep his hands from shaking he was so angry.

"Who did this?" whispered the Phantom. "Was it the boy?" Antoinette nodded, still whimpering. "I'll kill him for this!"

Before Antoinette could reply shouts were heard. She pushed at Erik telling him to go, which at last he did. Many of the ballet girls ran over shouting for someone to help Antoinette. It was a long time before she was brought to her room where a doctor looked at the wound.

"If you clean it at least once a day and take some medicine then you should be alright," said the doctor. "Make sure that someone is staying with you at all times." Antoinette nodded wearily.

A little after the doctor left Meg came into the room. She wrapped her arms around her mother and held tightly. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Gustav did this to you, didn't he, Mama?" Meg whispered angrily. "I'll have him arrested the next time I see him! I swear that boy will pay!" Antoinette wiped away her daughter's tears.

"Don't think about him now, ma petite," she whispered. "He will get what's coming to him when the time is right. Until then let's forget him. Tell me what Erik taught you." Meg sat beside her mother's bed, holding her hand.

"He explained to me what Princess Aaralyn's character is like," she said. "She starts out a little happy and carefree, but then her joy is crashed at the news that her father will marry again. She feels as though he's choosing to love someone else more than her. So you could say the first piece that I sing is bittersweet." Antoinette closed her eyes and smiled peacefully.

"Sing the song for me, Meg," she whispered.

Meg thought back on the lyrics and tried to recall the tune that Erik had played. It was so beautiful that is almost seemed a sin to sing it without him there. But she did, for her mother's sake.

My heart is torn in two,
For my darkest fear has come true.
My father's heart will go to another,
Leaving me far behind in the gutter.

How cruel 'tis she,
Who has stolen him from me.
Why can't she go,
Letting his heart free?

Now that he is bound,
My heart will drag on the ground.
Why can't she just go away,
And let my heart runaway?

But no, it must not be,
Our hearts are not two but three.
She will come and take him away,
And here my heart will forever stay.

Meg opened her eyes and looked down at her mother. She was fast asleep with a peaceful sigh escaping her lips. Meg bent down and kissed her on the forehead.

"Good night, Mama," she whispered as she left the room.

Gustav stepped out the shadows causing Meg to jump when she turned after closing the door to her mother's room. When she realized who it was her blood boiled. "How dare you come back here? How dare you!" She swung her fist as hard as she could but he caught it.

"Calm yourself, Meg" he said, coolly. "I merely gave your mother a warning to stay out of my business"

"If you touch me or any of the other ballet girls, it is her business. She is my mother and like a mother to those girls." Meg couldn't believe he was rationalizing what he had done.

"Well a mother needs to know when to clip the cord" Gustav said. "Besides, I don't take no for an answer."

"Well you better" Meg turned a started towards her dormitory. 'If I can get there he has to leave me alone' she thought.

Gustav followed her. "Meg, where are you going?"

"To bed" She prayed he just leave.

"May I come?" He asked.

Meg gave him a look of disgust and ran to her room. Luckily he didn't follow her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Antoinette laid in her bed. Her stomach throbbed but it was much better than it had been. She thought of Gustav. 'And they thought Erik was evil' she laughed. It was because of Gustav that the ballet girls never left their room except in packs. No one when off alone. Though they had tried, no one seemed able to catch this young man. 'Erik will' Antoinette thought. This thought was all that kept her from crying. She settled against her pillows.

There was a knock on the door. "Yes?" Antoinette called. It was the managers.

"We are so sorry for your...accident, Madame Giry" Monsieur Andre said, quickly. "We are looking for the boy, this 'Gustav' but he seems to have vanished." He paused. "When will you be up to rehearsals again?"

"A week or so"

"Good, good" he said, absent mindedly. "Well I will leave you go get some rest" He was out the door before Antoinette could even respond.

"Ta" she said to the air.

"He only came to see how badly you were hurt" a voice from behind the mirror.

"I know, Erik" she said with a sly smile. "I know when men are lying"

"Ha ha. Very funny, Annie" Erik opened the mirror.

"So," Erik said as he sat down. "How fair's Madam Giry tonight?" Antoinette rolled her eyes.

"Madam Giry is doing fine," she said. "Her stomach hurts a little but it should be better in a week." They laughed. "How is Meg doing with her lessons?"

"She's doing excellent," said Erik. "She's a fast learner. Faster even than Christine." Antoinette was surprised that he could talk about Christine with out seeming hurt. "The Opera itself is coming along beautifully. It feels more like I'm writing a book but I guess that's part of the fun."

"Opera's are meant to tell stories," said Antoinette. "The story may not always come out with a happy ending but everything is still shown through the music." Erik looked thoughtful.

"I suppose you could put it that way," he said. A sound knock sounded at the door before Meg slipped in.

"Hello, Mama, Erik," she said. "I just wanted to let you know that I may be back a little late tonight."

"Why is that?" asked Antoinette. Meg put on an impression.

"'he Opera is tomorrow and you still haven't improved with this mop on my 'ead!" she said. Everyone laughed. "Carlotta insists that I work extra hard since the Opera is tomorrow night." She turned to Erik. "I won't be available for my lessons tonight." He patted her on the head.

"That's alright," he said. With one last curtsy Meg left. "She's very brave to walk the hallways alone. From what I've seen the ballet girls are afraid Gustav will get them." Antoinette rolled her eyes.

"He's no older than Meg yet they fear him," she said. "It's ridiculous! You're far more frightening then he'll ever be!" The Phantom chuckled.

"Oh I am, am I, Annie?" he said.

"Of course!" she said in a joking manner. "You have the scariest aura, menacing eyes, bone white skin, perfect lips-" At the perfect lips part Erik covered his mouth with hers.

The kiss lasted only five seconds, yet it felt like forever. When they pulled away there was a look of horror on the Phantom's face.

"I'm sorry, Annie," he said. Before she could reply he retreated through the mirror.

Antoinette lay in bed feeling more confused than ever. Why had Erik kissed her? Hadn't he wanted to keep his lips for Christine? Why?

Just then another bloodcurdling scream shoot the Opera house. It made Antoinette's face turn white. This time the scream was Meg's.

Hum...what a dilemma. Review please.