A/N – So Erik was deep in thought, and needed to see his Christine. He finally got the music out of his head, for the most part. Action should start picking up soon, and I think you all will like it. Again, I own nothing, except my own thoughts. XOXO to Angel of Iowa, AResidentGhost, Lover of crossovers, MarilynKC, Mel2121 and bhalesfb! Recap –

Erik stopped for a moment, took a deep breath, and felt a little more relaxed. He decided that he needed to go upstairs and see Christine himself, and see if he could get her to tell him what was going through her mind.

Erik made it a point to be heard as he approached the table where Madame, Nadir and Christine were still eating. He felt it to be the prudent course of action, given Christine's state the last 24 hours, so as not to scare her into fleeing. "Christine, would you join me in the solar? I shall show you the way." Erik said when she turned to face him. He had on the leather half mask again, one that she had never seen. "I wonder what she thinks of this thing on my face. She has only seen my porcelain mask, or my wretched face. Maybe she will be soothed by the fact that she isn't forced to look on me." Christine looked at the leather mask, and wished it wasn't there. "Why does he wear that one? It can't be comfortable. Where is his white mask? I hope I didn't force him to leave it behind in my foolishness." The pair walked in silence, until they reached the stair to the solar. "Gods above and below" Erik thought "Please, let her love this room and feel safe here." The solar was also a music room. Erik had a piano, cello and violin in the room, along with his scores that were brought before the disaster the night before. His organ was down below in his new lair, because he didn't want to build one this high off the ground. "Erik, this is wonderful!" Christine said as the door was opened and she was ushered in by Erik. "Is this also the music room? I expected it to be… smaller maybe?" Erik smirked "This room has better acoustics, and the sun shines in nearly all day, so I can always see you in the best of light." Erik paused for a second to see Christine's reaction, worried that he had spoken too far in advance of where they were. He could deny her nothing, and if this room made her happy and helped her feel safe, he would build one as a standalone, only for her, and fill it with whatever she desired. Christine smiled, "Thank you, Erik. I think I will be spending much time in here as time progresses. Will you play me something?" Erik looked at his angel "Not now, we need to do the exercise that we did in the carriage last night. Continuing to work on focusing on one thing will help you not only on stage, but in life if you ever find yourself in a crisis, because it will train you to think of only one thing at a time, and not panic or get distracted. I am working on this with you for your safety." He paused to look intently into her eyes "Even after last night, I still could not bear for anything to happen to you, especially if there was something or some way I can prevent it." Christine almost had to ask Erik to repeat himself, because she did not believe that he still held such high regard for her safety and life "Very well Erik. What will be the words today?" Erik thought for a moment "This morning, they will be carpet, rose, wood, and boots. We will do this again this afternoon I think, with different words." Christine nodded, and committed the words to her memory. Erik approached her, so that she was within reach "I am going to touch you like I did last night. We are going to be at this a little longer, so there will be some different scenarios." Christine nodded "I understand". Erik reached out, and cupped her cheek with his hand, just one this first time. Christine tilted her head into his hand again, feeling comforted by his touch. "What were the words Christine?" Christine looked at Erik "Carpet, rose, wood, boots." Erik smiled "very good". Erik them moved to stand behind Christine, letting his hand trail across her collarbone, and placed a hand on each of her shoulders. Christine instinctively put her hands on Erik's, and relaxed. Erik whispered in her ear "What were those words again?" Christine had her eyes closed, and was breathing deeply "Carpet, rose, wood, boots." Erik smiled again. "Now, lean into me Christine, I will not let you fall, but you will be in my embrace. Christine did as she was asked, but her pulse began to race as she was close to her angel again. "Erik, are you sure?" Erik whispered in her ear again, after smelling the lavender oil she used on her hair in the mornings, and appreciating her warmth "Yes, now you will tell me those words again, if you can." Christine giggled, and the sound made Erik's heart soar "Maybe she is starting to overcome things? Surely it would take longer than this, unless she is affected by me as I am affected by her. I will have to be much more careful around her, and with her." Erik thought, almost resigned to his thoughts of having to keep his distance. "Angel, those words were carpet, rose, wood and boots." Christine turned her head so that she could smell Erik – spices, sandalwood and musk. His smell always was a comfort when she was younger, and she could always pick up on it when he would leave roses in her dressing room. She would always know by the scent he left that he had been there before she would see the rose on her dressing table. Erik scooped Christine up, "Enough for today. What shall I play for you?" Christine knew right away what she wanted "Something that I haven't heard before, something light that I can sing to. Please Angel, I know you will have the perfect song." Erik grinned again "Your wish is my command. I am ever, your obedient servant." Erik wondered "Will she remember that from the notes? Will that phrase bring joy to her heart? I can't stand for her to be in her shell anymore. I have to see the light in her eyes again, feel the joy of her voice!" "Erik" Christine said "I think it is the other way around now. I am in your home and in your debt for even allowing me to stay after what I did. It was horrendous, and I need to know that you can forgive me one day for being foolish, and thinking something that was not the truth." Christine looked down at the floor, trying to quell more tears. Erik leaped from the piano bench, and started to embrace Christine, when she pulled away. "How can you even stand to be so close to me Erik? I could have ended your life. I would be just as guilty as whomever actually did the deed, because I betrayed your trust and your love. I never meant for any of this to happen, and I don't know how I can ever make up for nearly being the reason you could be dead. Oh Erik, what have I done to us all?" Erik grabbed her wrist again, and forcefully embraced her, trying to pour his emotions into her, so that she could see that she was forgiven the moment she'd left Raoul, and returned to him, her Angel. "Christine, you will always be MY Christine. I never will be able to harbor ill will for you, and I will never turn you away. What that boy did you is unspeakable, and I will work tirelessly to rid you of the guilt he caused you." Erik bowed his head to Christine, touching his forehead to hers. "Erik, I don't know what to say about this. I am the cause of this whole mess, because I thought I had to do what Raoul told me to do. I know now that he didn't really love me, but saw me as a possession. But isn't that all I am? Isn't a woman supposed to be possessed by her mate? When I heard the mirrors breaking, it broke my heart to know that you were in that much pain at my hands. I paid you with betrayal and hate when all you have done for me is nurture me, protect me and make sure I was safe. Buquet hung because of what he was doing to the other girls, forcing many of them, and what you were afraid he would do to me. I understand that now; at the time I didn't want to. Piangi looked like an accident though. Was he? Please Erik, I want to know." Erik knew the answer to that question right off. Piangi's death was an accident. He was only supposed to be unconscious for a few hours, and wake up feeling like he was hungover. What Erik didn't know was that Piangi was allergic to the citrus oils that he used to mask the smell of the chloroform. Piangi went into shock and died, and there was nothing that could be done about it. "Yes, Christine, it was an accident. I wanted to knock Piangi out for a while so that we could sing together. He was no Don Juan, and the thought of him kissing you, even on the stage turned my stomach and caused jealousy. I chloroformed him, but what I didn't know is that he was allergic to citrus. I used citrus oils to mask the scent. Piangi went into shock and died almost instantly. Had I known, I would have used something else. Citrus masks chloroform and doesn't change how effective it is, which is why I have never understood why surgeons won't use the oils to make things easier for their patients." Christine put her hands on each side of Erik's face, massaging his unblemished cheek, wishing she could massage the other side too. "Then both of those, Piangi and Buquet, were not your fault. Buquet deserved what he got, and Piangi was an unfortunate accident. There is nothing anyone could have done." Christine sighed, "And that is what makes me feel even worse about what I did. Can you truly ever forgive me Erik?"