Hi guys, I'm back again. And I need to ask you a huge favour.

After a review I got, I am wondering whether I should boost the rating to M?

I mean, yeah, I would be able to produce a lot more darker themed chapters and add some deep sexual elements and whatnot but is that what you guys want? Let me know via review or email.

I'm sorry it took so long for me to get this chapter out, but my keyboard decided to die on me, and it took ages for me to resuscitate it. Stupid computer, I am sometimes tempted to throw it out the window. Lol.

Sorry people, I have to ask this:

Am I the only person on the planet who does not know what Inuyasha is? I have noticed lot of people are into it, is it a TV show or something? If anyone could tell me what it is I would be grateful.

Thanks for the reviews:

letthedreamdescend- Good point, I will avoid to say anything bad about corsets from now on. Lol. Thanks for the review.

stormyrainedoncowgirl- As you can see, the rating is being debated. And thank you, I am glad you like this. Thanks for the review.

Kagome1514- Thank you, and don't worry, I make up for the lack of interaction in this chapter.

Lady Skywalker- Thank you, yes he's fine, thank god. Maybe she does, but then Christine is very stupid, lol. Thanks for the review.

trisana- The end is too far away for even me to predict. So, lol, I can't tell you if Erik will be alone or with Christine. And thank you, I'm glad you like it, lol, the last part of your review made me laugh, and update, odd. Lol.

Twinkle22- Thank you very much, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Yes, the chapter is named after the Michael Jackson song, but I think the description fits Erik rather well. Also, the big italic section further down is a flashback.

And on we go…

CHAPTER SIX

THE SMOOTH CRIMINAL

In anger, Erik threw his ink bottle across the room, the black ink staining the roughly hewn rock walls.

Sighing in frustration, the dark hared man slumped back onto the gilded stool in front of his organ. Running his fingers along the smooth ivory keys, he tried to focus on the blank sheet of manuscript paper in front of him, willing a melody to float into his mind, but he had no inspiration within his soul, and hadn't done for a while, not since he had seen Christine sobbing in her dressing room.

I wonder if she is suffering as much as I am, he mused silently, punctuating the silence with his finger stabbing a key out of annoyance, its harmonious sound rebounding off the walls.

His plan on making her yearn for him had one major flaw, the flaw being not knowing if she still wanted him when he was cooped up in the cave he called his home, not being able to see how she was acting in her everyday life. He knew he could haunt the Opera again, eavesdropping on the ballet girls, following the beautiful girl from the rafters of the house, but he had no effort within to perform the task.

"I've had enough of this." He muttered to himself, standing up from his perch and grabbing his ebony cloak from its home on a nearby rock to throw over his shoulders.

Ensuring his mask was still in place, Erik readied his boat and prepared to visit Christine's dressing room, hoping she would be present. He travelled across the glossy lake, his cobalt eyes looking deep into its icy depths, wondering if anything lived within it, whilst resolutely plunging the small boat across the water.

Hopping off at the other side, the phantom traversed through the subterranean passages, not needing a light to pierce the ominous darkness, as the twists and turns of the tunnel were burned into his mind.

The mirror came to him all too soon, allowing him to look into the dressing room, its beauty tainted by the misty looking glass, allowing him a blurred vision of the elegant room.

Christine sat there at the vanity, looking blankly into the mirror, her hands dutifully undoing the plait that held her hair away from her delicate face.

From the way she was dressed, it was apparent she had returned from rehearsals and was preparing for the performance the following day, which once again, Erik would not attend. He had never been a great fan of Shakespeare and watching Christine playing such an angst filled role was not attracting to him at all.

Deftly, Erik slid the mirror open, wincing at the grinding noise it created.

Christine's head turned at the noise, facing his direction.

They stared at each other for a few moments, his aquamarine eyes boring into her chocolate ones. Pity flowed through him as soon as he noticed the dark rings under her eyes, her tired gaze and slumped posture.

Why do you pity her? He asked himself, she has never shown you any mercy!

Ignoring his inner conflict, he stepped into the room, his tall form towering over the petite brunette who was still sitting on the gilded stool.

"I thought you were gone." She whispered eventually, her voice lacking the childhood innocence he had grown to love. Her speech had a dead tone to it, showing no emotion or personality.

"Well obviously you thought wrong." He said softly, attempting to keep the characteristic bitter edge out of his words.

"Come, I have something to show you." He said, holding out a gloved hand, hoping she would accept.

Christine's eyes lowered to the hand offered to her, slowly standing up, grasping it softly. Erik couldn't help but notice how small her hand was, fitting into his own snugly.

His blue eyes keenly surveyed her pale face, focusing on the slightly parted rosy lips, the flush that coloured her cheeks slightly, like drops of blood in milk.

Smirking, he led his angel down the twisting caverns to his lair.

…………………

She remembered the first time she walked down these steps with Erik, their joint voices vibrating around the corridors, their desire and excitement barely contained. It all seemed a whisper from the past now, one that she tried to repel away from her memory.

She nervously avoided his gaze, refusing to look into the deep azure eyes when he turned to look at her, yet out of the corner of her eyes, she could still see the satisfying smirk written across his features.

There was no passion between them now, no excitement, just fear and nervousness, on her part of course.

Fiddling with the lace hem on her woollen dress, the brunette remembered how she had yearned for him for the past few weeks, and now, all she wanted to do is escape him and run from his dank underground abode.

They crossed the lake in silence, there was no words that could portray her feelings anyway. She had berated herself for a long time for such an attachment towards the phantom, he had deceived her, manipulated her but she still couldn't hold these things against him.

She had already acknowledged the pity she felt for him, and the wanting to make his life less lonely, but did she want to be the person to do that? Give up her own freedom, her friends, her life, for a man who had left her for long periods time to her thoughts and her mindless existence within the Opera Populaire.

She wondered what it would be like if her father hadn't died. She wouldn't be performing in the Opera now, she would be unknown, unnoticed by Raoul, and not be the object of the Phantom's desire. Christine was frightened that she actually felt sad thinking about a life without Erik.

"Come."

The power in his voice was unnerving, a deep tone that left no room for argument. Dejectedly, she rose from the boat and stepped out of the vessel, ignoring the hand he held out for her, no wanting his aid.

I am not that dependant on him, she mused to herself, ignoring his small chuckle at her actions.

Clearing her head, she followed Erik into the middle of the cavern, dropping herself into the seat that Erik motioned to. She waited for the tall man to take a seat opposite her, a look of indifference plastered onto her face.

"Erik, why have you brought me here?" She asked, her mind wandering back to a time she shared with Raoul, her words echoing around within her mind.

Christine grabbed his slightly larger hands within hers using her full weight to drag the Vicomte up the stairs to the roof of the opera, her mind barely comprehending what she was doing, all she knew was that she and Raoul needed to talk.

"Why have you brought me here?" Raoul had asked innocently in his tenor voice, squeezing her hand reassuringly, though it did nothing to calm her nerves.

She didn't know what frightened her more: the fact she was giving up a chance for a life of luxury with her childhood sweetheart or that she was condemning herself to an eternity in darkness, with the infamous Phantom of the Opera as her only companion.

"Can't go back there." She murmured to him, still dragging him up the endless staircases, barely acknowledging the other people on the stairways. The opera was in disarray after Carlotta had croaked during the performance of Il Muto, the laughter and gossip was echoing around the whole building, making Christine feel slightly sorry for the humiliated diva.

Their bickering carried on for a few minutes until they reached the rooftop, the stars glistening above them.

There is no going back now, she thought to herself facing Raoul.

Tearing herself away from her memories, she glanced over at Erik, who was sitting elegantly on the chaise lounge opposite her, back straight and posture stiff, as if he was born into a life of wealth and chivalry.

His sapphire orbs were scanning her hungrily, unreleased desire easily readable within his expression.

A part of her felt angry that the passion was building within her too, causing her breath to quicken and heart to accelerate at an alarming rate.

All pretence forgotten, Erik walked swiftly over to her, yanking her upright with a sharp pull to her wrist. Muffling a cry of pain, the brunette found herself encircled tightly with Erik's arms, causing her to wince at the ice cold grip which within he held her, so different to their warm embraces on stage .

"Come and see your future Christine." He whispered sinisterly in her ear, causing goose bumps to rise on her pale flesh.

And just exactly does that entail? She thought to herself, secretly scared of the answer.

………………………

Hmm, the next chapter can be T or M its up to you, I admit I'm intrigued to go into darker stuff, but its up to my readers, so please send a review/email and tell me what you think!

Please review!

Dan.