Phantom Serenity: I am not! I had to go somewhere and I was running late!

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Chapter seven

Some hearts they just get all the right breaks. Some hearts have the stars on their side. Some heart they just have it so easy. Some hearts just get lucky some times.

Raoul turned off the radio and she looked at him as he pulled over on the side of a road. "Raoul?" she asked, getting a little nervous. "what are you doing?"

I just want to talk to you." He said, spreading his arms towards the city lights. "And this is the perfect setting."

She cleared her throat. "Well, it's going on midnight. I should get back home."

"to him?" Raoul asked quietly. Her heart slowed slightly. "Christine, he hasn't, hurt you ever has he?"

she blinked, "never!"

"are you sure?" she nodded. "he has no influence over you, does he?"

"well, he is my boss, he does have some influence over me."

"but…nothing intimate, right?" she nodded, not wanting something unsure that could be a lie later on. Raoul exhaled, "good." He reached for her hand and squeezed it. "Christine. Now, I know we've only known each other for a short time. But," he inhaled. "you've had a big impact on my life. And Christine, I'd like your permission to court with intentions of marriage in the future."

Christine blinked and then stared at him. she laughed shortly, "this…just doesn't happen?"

"did I mistake your feelings, have I spoken too soon?"

she shook her head, "you and Erik." She sighed. "it's impossible. But it happened."

He frowned, "he asked you to marry him?"

"no." she inhaled and shook her head. "but he asked to court me."

Raoul's face froze. "and…you said, yes. Right?"

She exhaled, "I-I…I'm thinking about it."

"why…didn't you say yes?"

she inhaled and looked at him. "I-I don't know. He…Erik, is an unusual man."

"tell me," Raoul asked. "is he as much as the phantom as he appears to be behind that mask?"

she hesitated, "I don't know. Erik is very…strange, but he'd never harm me, nor force me into anything against my will. He...he frightens me…sometimes, but," she groaned. "I can't explain it. It's like being scared…without feeling any fear."

"you're in love with him." Raoul stated.

she blinked, "what?"

"you're in love with him."

"I assure you, I am not! I don't know him any more than I know you!" she cleared her throat, "Raoul, take me back please before this whole thing becomes something very stupid. Erik is waiting for me."

"can't even go on a date without him waiting up for you?"

She frowned at him, "he's my son. He has a right to stay up and be worried."

Raoul blinked before laughing, "I'm sorry! That's another problem! Of all the names in the world, did you have to pick Erik?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Just…give me some time and think about it."

"don't bother, get your feelings sorted out first, then decide. There is no rush."

But Christine knew that in the affairs of the heart that if one waited too long, someone was going to get hurt.

Erik heard footsteps on the stairs. He stood up from his office and pushed the door open to see little Erik coming out of the master bedroom. "Erik?" he asked as the boy spun around, his eyes wide. "what are you doing up?"

The boy gulped nervously, "mother's not back yet."

Erik nodded, "I know. You're very close to her."

He nodded, "she'd work night shifts sometimes and I'd stay awake and have tea ready for her when she came back."

"she loves you very much. Come on," he patted his shoulder. "back to bed."

"Are you going to marry my mother?"

Erik exhaled, "you're too young to ask such questions."

"but," the boy hesitated. "if you're going to be my father…don't I have a right to know?"

Erik drew back the covers and thought as Erik crawled in the covers. "yes. You do." He tucked them up under his chin. "but you must understand, you have to be careful when you're in love." The boy nodded. "now, I'm going to talk to you man to man."

Erik sat up, "man to man." He smiled sleepily. "it's like having a father already."

"do you know what happened to your father?"

he shook his head, "mommy says it'll confuse me, she'll tell me when I'm older."

"I see." Erik cleared his throat and sat on the edge of the bed. "well, now I do love your mother," the boy's eyes widened a little. "as a friend. And I think that within time, it could become more. Your mother and I don't know each other that well. It takes time to know what the other person is really like. Do you understand?"

he nodded. "so it won't end in divorce. Mom's very cautious, Mr. Chagney was the first man to take her out on a date since I was born."

Erik frowned, "then men must be fools, for I think your mother is very beautiful. Not only outside, but inside as well."

Erik nodded and burrowed under the cover. Erik stood up. "goodnight." And turned and bumped into Christine.

"I'm sorry." She murmured. "come on Erik, we have to go home."

Erik shook his head, "let him rest here for tonight."

"I don't want to be any trouble."

He shook his head, "there is no trouble." He added in a lower voice. "I need to talk to you in my office."

She nodded and he walked out of the room, giving her some privacy. It wasn't more that five minutes before she came timidly into the office closing the door. "yes Mr. Ormanni?"

Erik groaned, "Christine, would it kill you to call me Erik? I call you Christine all the time."

She inhaled. "yes, I guess you're right…Erik." The way she said his name made his spirits rise inside. "what did you want to talk about?"

"please, sit down first." She moved to the couch. He exhaled and removed his mask, "I want to apologize." She frowned. "for so many things that happened today. I apologize for carol, my nieces behavior and my treatment towards….Mr. Chagney. I've written a letter of apology which I'd like you to deliver to him next time you see him because I will be leaving for a few days on a business trip."

"I see."

"I also would like to apologize for… taking advantage of you like that this afternoon."

"please," She shook her head. "that's not necessary."

"but I find it to be necessary." He said walking towards her. he sat on the table opposite her. "you asked me not to kiss you and I did anyway."

"Erik," she said quietly. "I didn't protest. It's just that…these feelings…they're new to me. they frighten me."

"me too Christine." He exhaled, "I've actually…never…kissed a woman before."

She frowned, "ever?"

He rolled his eyes, "with this face?"

She reached out and touched his twisted skin, "believe me Erik, there is a beauty underneath that makes you a very handsome man." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "goodnight."

Christine walked towards her house, humming a happy tune. She decided to go get a few things before sleeping over at Erik's house. Erik was a very odd man, just when she thought she had him figured out, he changed on her. Raoul, well, he was a good man, that was obvious. Erik, seemed like the perfect father and husband material, especially after she heard him talking to little Erik like a father.

Christine reached for her keys in her purse and unlocked the door. Suddenly, someone pushed her inside her own house and slammed the door. Christine gasped and turned over on her back to see a man in black locking the door. she jumped up and raced for the phone Erik had connected to his house. she was able to hit his call button which worked like an intercom. The man threw her to the ground and she began to panic as she felt to cool metal of a knife blade against her neck.

I'm just awful! This is my second chapter and I apologize if I sounded rushed with everyone earlier but I was heading out the door and I didn't want to rude and not respond and not be late. Don't forget to review!