1A/N: Here is another chapter. It is late for me now, as I was up a lot last night due to a horrid lightning storm, so please forgive grammar and sentence errors. Please review, and enjoy the next chapter. Also can you let me know how the detailing is. I tried to add a little more, and I will work harder next time.
One more thing, SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER! I am so happy that I am now a junior in High School. Time to go get my permit and take drivers ed. Well, enjoy. LOL.
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The next few days were a haze to her. They consisted of uninteresting activities which mostly were of her daily dose of food, an overage on the amount of sleep she got, and the amount of time she sat in her bed staring at the blank wall in front of her. Erik left her alone, and she returned the favor, until the third day Erik sped into her room, the uncovered side of his face stricken with anxiety and worry.
"I cannot take this anymore. I cannot watch you go through each day as if you were a puppet who has lost its puppeteer. I cannot have you sit here and waste your life Bella. As the adult figure in your life at the moment, I am ordering you to do something other than sitting here and stare at that damn wall all day. For heavens sakes' Bella, what is wrong with you?"Bella just stared at him blankly until he turned to leave, something spread through her and at first she did not recognize it, but then she remembered, it was happiness. She giggled. Her dress flowed behind her and the wind whipped her hair back. Her arms were around him before he could count to two, and she was laughing.
"I have never seen you show such an extreme amount of worry and emotion Erik, it is so uncharacteristic and out of place that I cannot help but laugh and smile. Can we do something please? I am entirely bored with eating sleeping, and staring at that wall. No," she mustered herself up, puffed out her chest and tried hard to impersonate the man in the mask before her, "That damned wall! For heavens sake Bella, what is wrong with you? You want to know what was wrong Erik? I was stuck believing the lie that was my life before you took me away, and I have finally come to realize that you were not the one who fabricated the story, but my father who fabricated almost my entire childhood, and I wish to apologize for acting out and causing you so much stress? I realize now that you are more of a father than he will ever be, or rather could ever be." Erik did not let his side of confusion through the wall of his fatherly emotions. Carefully he turned to wrap his own arms around Bella, and he let the paternal tears fall onto her head.
"Bella. I cannot thank you enough for what you have just said, and I want to know that without you coming down here, I might not have been in this world any more." Bella understood his words and hugged him, not letting his unusually cold being which gave her the shivers stop the family moment that was occurring between them. It was a new start for both her and Erik.
"Let us not allow one another the pains and sorrows of even mentioning the past. We must start over together, you as my father, and me as your daughter. We must look to the future which seems to hold bright promises for us both. Now, how about we get out of this place for a little while and have some fun, dad." And so, as father and daughter they raced through the catwalks and scared people on each floor, only to laugh hysterically on the roof, but one little thing stopped their fun, as Erik knew that every good thing that he had ever experienced did not come without a toll. A voice clearing itself stopped their laughter, and when Bella looked up into the eyes of a very agitated and infuriated Madame Giry, her loud gulp echoed throughout Paris, in a cartoon like manner. The fun ended there and as Erik laid his hand on Bella's shoulder stopping her cowering movement, the real business was coming to a start.
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I was having an incredible amount of fun with Bella now that she had come out of her remorseful state of mind. I cannot remember the last time that I had laughed because I was enjoying myself, or cried because I was so flattered, and been so joyful because I had found someone who loved me. I realize that the whole time I was watching and teaching Christine that I was looking for the wrong type of love. I don't need someone who will love me and be my wife. I should have been looking for someone who I could teach, and who would love me for what I am and as a father, your daughter will love you no matter what, unless you try and harm her. All the years that I spent looking for a companion, and all those years I spent looking for the wrong kind of companion. I know that Bella will love me whether I have the mask on or not, and I am not frightened of the day that she decides she is ready to gaze upon my face again. I was enjoying our time, until I saw her standing there glaring bullets through my eyeballs. Madame Giry had always protected Bella from everything bad, and I had fallen into the category of bad the instant I kidnaped Christine. I hope that both Bella and I can make her understand our story, and our happiness, for my sake, but most of all for Bella's. I fear that she might fall into an irreversible depression.
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"Erik" She growled his name ferociously, but he did not draw back in fear. Instead he moved to Bella's side and gripped her around the waist, and was glad when she made no protest.
"You have some explaining to do Monsieur L' Fantome." She turned, and Erik followed.
"Don't let her take me away Dad." Bella said it loud enough for the sound waves to vibrate Madame Giry's ear drums, and she spun around sharply dragging Bella to her.
"What have to done to this poor child's mind Erik. I thought you were better than to stoop that low. We are leaving now, and so help me god, if you try and take this child Erik, I will lead the police straight to you, and have you gone in a heartbeat." Erik stood stalk still as the old women dragged a crying Bella away.
