Erik
Erik looked at Daina, a peculiar expression on his face. Shaking his head, Erik muttered "Angel of Music." Looking Daina straight in the eyes, he narrowed his own. "I don't know who you think you are, or who you are fooling," he began. "But I don't appreciate you trying to convince me that you were sent here by an angel. Thank you for saving me, but that is all. I am not going to be fooled into… whatever your game is here. If you need money for… whatever happened last night, I'll pay you, and you can be on your way. Just… take your stuff and go. I am not interested." Finished with telling this woman off, this woman who had the audacity to think that telling him the Angel of Music had sent her would get him to feel sympathy or to give her money, Erik turned away from Daina and stalked away, his burnt cape swishing as he attempted to get as much distance between himself and his savior. Before he left the room, he heard a loud exclamation.
"Listen here, buddy" Daina began. "I did not come here because I wanted something from you. The only thing I want to do is to help you, you stubborn, obnoxious Phantom." she practically spat the words out at Erik's retreating figure. "I saved your life, and you thank me by calling me a hooker?" Even though he didn't understand all the words that she had yelled at him, the anger in her voice left no doubt at what she was feeling. At this point, Erik had turned around, and saw the woman marching angrily up at him. Even though he was being yelled at, he couldn't help but notice this stranger's beauty. Her long, auburn hair shone as it fell in perfect curls down her shoulders. Her eyes, the color of emeralds, sparkled with anger. A light dusting of freckles covered her otherwise flawless, pale skin. Erik mentally shook himself, forcing himself to pay attention to what she was saying. He knew that what he said was rude, but only if what she had said was untrue. But… he thought. It had to be untrue. Right?
Daina
Daina was only halfway through with her rant when she noticed that Erik was staring off into space. "Dude!" she called. "Are you even listening to me?" She noticed that he tore his eyes away from her, not without effort, before looking around the room, not seeming to be searching for anything in particular. "Listen," she sighed. "I know this is hard to believe, but I am telling the truth. I was sent here by the Angel of Music. She… well… she knows what happened, and didn't want to lose you, or your music. So she sent me here, to save you, and to give you the happy ending that you deserve. The truth is, I left home to be here, and unless I make sure your happy ending happens, I am never going back." With that, Daina paused, thinking of anything she could do to show him that what she told him was the truth. She knew it would be hard, but she didn't realize it would be this hard. Hmmm… she mused. In the other stories people showed him their electronics to prove they came from the future. I can't do that. Suddenly her face lit up, and she knew what she could show him.
"Here, follow me!" Daina exclaimed, grabbing the hand of a bewildered Erik, dragging him behind her as she ran towards the entrance hall. "I have some things that can prove where I came from. They won't prove why or how I'm here, but they will have to do." Daina suddenly stopped, realizing that she didn't know what had happened to her personal belongings. "Um…" she stumbled through. "You wouldn't know what happened to my stuff, would you?"
Erik turned towards her, a look of confusion still on his face. "My butler, M. Alban, placed your things in a guest room down the hall from mine. He apparently expects you to be here from quite some time." With this, he frowned. "I am not so sure."
Daina felt a small amount of sadness wash through her, before assuring herself that he was only saying this because he thought she was lying. And a hooker, she said mentally, giving him a small scowl. Daina grabbed his hand once again, running up the stairs and into the room he motioned to. Throwing her suitcase down on the bed, she began rifling through her items.
Erik
Erik could not help but stare at this confusing woman before him. She had not only scolded him, him, after knowing who he was, but had actually grabbed his ungloved hand without a hint of revolution or remorse, and dragged him around his own house. He didn't know whether to be mad, or somewhat thrilled at what was happening, but he did know one thing. He was definitely intrigued.
Quiet mutterings could be heard as Daina rifled through her items. "No, that won't help, this might do, wait… found it!" Suddenly the redhead popped up, several books in her hands.
"Now, I know this won't make sense. But then again, nothing I have said so far has made sense." she added as an afterthought. "I told you why I came here, but not where I came from. Explaining that is just as hard, if not harder, as what I already told you." Giving a deep breath, Daina began telling Erik where it was, exactly, she was from.
Daina
"I am from Wisconsin, in the United States of America." With this statement, Daina turned so that Erik could see UW Madison across her sweatpants. "I currently attend college at the University of Wisconsin Madison. I am an anthropology student. And… I came from the year 2015." Daina set her books down in front of her. "I brought several books with me, but these are the ones that might prove the most that I'm from where I say I am. Look." She held up the first book she brought with her. Lucy: The Beginnings of Humankind by Dr. Johanson. "This book was written by a Dr. Johannson, about a skeleton they named Lucy. Lucy was the first australopithecus found, and was one step towards proving Darwin's Theory of Evolution. She was discovered in 1974, in Ethiopia, Africa." Turning to the next book, Daina continued. "I have several more books like these, because I am studying physical anthropology, but hope to specialize in either forensic anthropology or bioarchaeology. Even though these books are old compared to the time I'm from, for you I'm positive they will be full of new information."
She sat down on the bed, waiting for Erik to absorb all the information she had just given him. "Don't just take my word for it. Read these books, and if you still want to kick me out, I'll go." She stood up to leave the room. "Just a reminder though, it is not just your happy ending on the line here. I may have volunteered to be here, but that doesn't mean I don't want to go back home." She handed Erik the books, and the photographs of her friends and family. "I'm here for you, but I need to go back for them." With that, she turned and walked out, leaving Erik to make his decision.
Erik
Erik stood, looking at the books in his hands. Not only was she telling him that she was sent by the Angel of Music, but she was also telling him that she was brought here from the future? With everything that she had said, his skepticism had grown. Along with it, however, grew his curiosity. Was she telling the truth? If she wanted to go home so badly, why did she come here in the first place? He still didn't know how she knew who he was.
Sighing, he sat down on the bed, opening the first book she gave him. He noticed that, while it did seem like it was several years old, it was published in 1990. Shaking his head at this piece of information, still not knowing whether or not to trust it, he began to read. An hour later, he was still reading as Daina came back into the room.
"Oh." She said in surprise, startled to see him still there. "I thought you would have left by now, at least to read somewhere else. I just came in here to grab something." Daina picked up her favorite Harry Potter book, The Prisoner of Azkaban, before turning to leave again. "If or when you come to a decision on whether or not I'm telling the truth, I'll be in the library." Looking down at what she was wearing, she blushed, and went back to her suitcase, this time pulling out UW Madison sweater. "Sorry about that, I keep forgetting what I'm wearing is not appropriate for this time period." With that, she turned to leave again.
"Wait" Erik called, stopping her from leaving. "I don't know yet whether or not to believe you, but after reading this, I want to, or at least believe you about where you come from. It's nice to be able to think that humans one day focus more on science than religion, especially concerning the controversy of Darwin's Theory of Evolution; the book only came out a few years ago. This...," he continued, shaking the book. "This book shows that great strides will come in scientific discovery, and that people will be more willing to accept it. That alone makes me want to believe you."
Daina
Daina stared at Erik in shock. She knew that giving him the book would have some sort of impact, she just didn't realize how much of an impact it would have on him. Just hoping that the date and the information would convince him where she came from, she didn't realize how much he would take what the book said to heart. Well, she mused, he has been described as loving science, being an inventor. And he always been described as not believing in God. No wonder this book means so much to him.
"Um… well…" Daina struggled, not knowing exactly how to respond to what he had said. "In my time, there are still a lot of people who don't believe in evolution, but I don't count myself among them." Laughing, Daina continued. "I couldn't very well be studying what I am if I didn't believe in evolution, could I? Anyway, I knew that telling you and getting you to believe me were going to be very difficult, but at least I don't have to do it again. I'm not supposed to tell anyone else." She suddenly frowned. "Which means it will be difficult explaining why I'm here to the members of your staff, wouldn't it. I don't think your butler likes me very much. Or your maid." Daina gave him a small smile. "At least Cecilia seems to like me. I need her on my side if I want to eat, especially since I'm quite a picky eater."
Daina sat down next to Erik on the bed, glad that he was now at least open to hearing what she had to say. "So," she asked. "Do you have any more questions? About where I'm from, I mean. I told you why I'm here, and I know it's confusing, but I did tell you everything I know about what I'm supposed to do here."
Erik gave her a calculating look, but she could see curiosity and excitement growing in his eyes. "Oh, I have questions Daina. So many questions."
Well, they are finally talking. Maybe he'll really believe her, and she can get started on why she came: helping him get his happy ending. I am planning on writing more about Daina's personality and background, she has some idea of what Erik went through, which is why she was so sympathetic to his character. Erik may not know it yet, but the person who saved his life may save him in more than one way.
As always, thanks to anybody who reads, favorites, follows, or reviews this story. It really means a lot to me, especially for my first story. You guys are the reason I am still writing this!
It is probably going to be longer in-between chapters due to the fact that I do have a beta reader who needs time to review, but in my opinion the edited chapters are much better than the chapters that I originally give her, and I want to thank nibblesfan for that once again.
And, as a disclaimer, I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, I only own my OC.
