Sorry for such a long wait once again. I just got back from Vegas, I was there for 8 days. Yes, I did go see Phantom of course. Actually I went to go see it 3 times. Students get tickets for 33 dollars by the way. On my third time I got the VIP tour! Ironically each time I went there was a different Phantom. First it was Anthony Crivello, the normal Vegas Phantom, second was Ian Jon Bourg and third was Ted Keegan. I met Ted by the way and he is amazing! He's funny too. If you ever have a chance to see him, take it. He's played on Broadway and on the national tour and he really is an amazing Erik. Anyway, if you want to know more about the Vegas production PM me. I'll explain what you want to know. So without further ado, chapter 10 of the Opera's Ghost.

POTO (c) Gaston Leroux and Erik design (c) ALW

Chapter 10 (Erik)

My mind screamed out at her words. They could not be true...could they? She had abandoned the boy? I knew I could not react like I wanted to. That would involve screaming and hurting her. That would not do. She would be mine if all this was the truth.

"You had better tell me what happened my dear." I said under the false pretense of calmness. She looked shocked that I hadn't overreacted. I almost laughed at her expression.

"Alright...it's not very exciting." She said warily. I did laugh this time, anything to do with my love and it had to be exciting!

"I'm sure that I can handle it."I assured her chuckling softly.

"Well, I have spent the last two weeks in the Persian's flat. Oh- he told me his real name by the way. Nadir. I had to spend the time healing... I hurt my head. Then today he took me out for a celebratory dinner right before I was about to go back to Raoul. Then before our food came Raoul walked in. Then we fought. We both said things and it ended with me throwing his ring back at him and breaking off our engagement. I then came here." She said matter-of-factly. I had a feeling there was more to my story than she was telling but I didn't want to press her in case she got angry at me...just like mother.

I flinched at that thought and Christine saw me.

"Erik, what is wrong? You flinched." She asked concerned. I was touched by her compassion.

"Nothing my dear...your untainted ears do not need to hear such horror." I replied calmly. She looked down. She could only guess at what I was referring to and what I said I absolutely meant. I did not need to bestow such horror upon her ears.

"Erik, what am I to do now? I cannot go back up there! People would wonder why I had broken my engagement with Raoul and then they would look into my past and then they might come after you!" She gasped. I smiled at her babbling. It was very endearing. I put my fingers to her lips.

"Have no fear mon amour. If I do not wish to be found I shall not be found." I said with certainty. This was true. I certainly could live up to my name. I truly could be counted as a spectre.

I saw a slight smile grace her mouth and I felt my pulse quicken. When she smiled I remembered exactly why I had grown to love her. Then I remembered the other reason why I had initially fallen in love with her.

"You have been neglecting your voice. Come, we shall practice." I said as I led her to the room that held my piano and organ. But before that I stopped and replaced my mask. She did not say anything as I did this but her eyes, well her eyes did not hold relief when I replaced the mask. If I did not know better I would have said that she looked disappointed! I knew this was utter nonsense. People did not feel disappointed when I replaced my mask. If they were allowed to live as long as for me to replace it they either expressed relief or gratitude for the fact that I had replaced my mask. There had been no exceptions.

I led her into the room and sat down at my piano. I forced myself to concentrate. To not think about Christine although she was right there. Right there!

After a few moments of just her standing there, not even singing I put my head in my hands and groaned. She looked at me, confused.

"Is there something wrong Erik?" She asked, she seemed worried. I gave her a small smile.

Of course not my dear. Can you take a few steps back? You will need room to breathe without being right over my shoulder." I said smoothly. She consented and took a step back. A felt a breath of air I had not known that I had been holding escape my lungs.

"Now then, we will warm up and then play from Faust." I said and she nodded. I began to play the scales. Then we practiced some cadenzas and crescendos and decrescendos. She had been having trouble with these in our last music lesson and I was pleased to find she had improved.

We then moved onto Faust. I sang in the duets as Mephistopheles and Faust. I thought ironically that it was fitting. Our voices mingled and battled. For a precious hour I was able to forget everything that had transpired in the last three weeks, Don Juan, the chandelier and most importantly her betrayal. It all vanished for that one hour.

Then, as all things do it came to an end. I often wonder why good things come and vanish but the horrible things, the things you want to forget always linger and eat away at you. So far I have not found an answer to this question.

I would have happily continued our lesson all day but I feared that her voice would be strained. So I reluctantly stopped playing and told her it would be best to stop. I saw her face fall and hastily assured her that we would continue our lessons the next day.

Then I heard her stomach growl. She blushed in embarrassment. I felt like quite thick. Of course she would need food! How could I forgotten that? She would starve down here! I silently berated myself.

"Come, you are hungry. I will make something for you to eat." I said as I took her hand. She tried to protest but I silenced her. I then guided her to the kitchen and sat her down. I carefully prepared something edible for her. I cannot taste very much, my deformity has rendered my sense of smell useless and my taste buds no longer have any use unless the food has a very strong flavour. For this reason I do not eat much and seem to have become incredibly thin.

After she ate I realized it was very late and sent her to prepare for bed. I told her to go straight to sleep. She did not need to strain her voice anymore. I sat down with my violin and started playing it, trying to lull Christine into a pleasant sleep.

I stopped playing and thought about all that had happened that day. So much! An unmasking, a broken engagement, Christine... It was all so hard to accept! She had broken off the engagement with the boy! But why had she come back to me? She could have staying with the Giry's... That thought was nagging at the back of my mind. Why had she come back to her l'ange de musique?

Elles est mon amour. Elle ne m'aime pas. Elle est ma vie. Elle a capture mon cœur.

I could not help thinking these things , God damn it! Why were my thoughts always consumed my her? I could hardly remember the time when it was music that was my life. Compared to know my life was calm and peaceful, most of the time. But for some reason I cannot find it in myself to feel regret for all that has happened.

I had no idea how late it really was when I heard Christine scream. I felt my heart beat at double it's normal rate and rushed toward her room as I heard her sob. My first thought was that someone was hurting her. And I wondered how someone could get in my lair without me noticing.

I ran into the room and was relieved to see Christine unharmed sobbing into a pillow. I approached her cautiously. I was not experienced in comforting people, I doubt that I ever will be.

"Christine? Christine, what happened? What is the matter?" I asked touching her should hesitantly. She looked up at me with tear filled eyes.

"He's gone Erik, he's not coming back! I never even got to say good-bye!" She sobbed. For a brief, horrible moment I thought she meant the boy and I felt a fiery rage consume me. But then I quickly realized that she was referring to her father.

"It will be okay mon amour, it always is." I said trying to think of what to say. I really was horrible at this.

Her sobs quieted after a few moments and I saw her chest rise and fall and realized that she was asleep once again. I got up to leave, she would not want to wake up with me staring down at her, that would ensure that she would leave and never come back.

As soon as I stood up she grabbed at me blindly.

"Don't leave me." She whimpered. I felt the ice around my heart melt. How could this one girl do what no one else has ever achieved?

"I wouldn't think of it." I assured her. She didn't let go of my shirt but fell asleep again quickly. I soon realized she was not going to let go anytime soon so I slipped the shirt off and quickly rushed out of the room, put a new one on and return to Christine's room.

I saw that she had was hugging my shirt to her chest and was inhaling it's scent in her sleep. My heart soared at this sight and I only wished that I was a replacement for my shirt.

No, she will never accept you, she will never hold you. You are a monster that does not deserve her. A little voice nagged at the back of my mind. I knew it was right, when was it not? But I could not help but dream.

I wondered what I felt for her, I knew it had to be more than love. Emotions this strong could not be explained as mere love. I tried to think of a word but could not. Then it dawned on me.

Je n'ai pas de mots. I have no words.

There were no words to describe our relationship. There were so many things that I could call it. Love, obsession, and so on but really, there were no words for it. How could there ever be words to describe Christine? There could be none.

She stirred in bed and I heard her mutter

"Do not leave me angel. Please, I love you!" I froze at this statement. She did not love me, she loved her angel of music, who in turn was me no longer I had given up that title the first time I had taken her down to my lair.

I had not realized that she had woken up a few minutes after this. She sat up in her bed and looked at me with bleary eyes. I could tell she was still half asleep.

"You know, I never believed there was an opera ghost."She said dreamily. I stared at her in shock, where had that come from?

"Why not?" I demanded. This was quite curious, I had managed to convince everyone that I was a ghost.

"Because, ghost's don't need salaries." She said before drifting back off into a gentle sleep, still clutching my shirt. I stared at her in shock. How had she realized this? She was absolutely right of course, ghosts really don't need salaries. Men do, well I could claim to be a man in needing earthly needs. I had forgotten about that, that goes to show how special Christine was, none of those other idiots realized this fact.

I stood over her and guarded her all through the night, I made sure she was not haunted by nightmares. She slept peacefully the rest of the night, to my relief. I did not think I could console her if she had another nightmare.

She woke up to the smell of my cooking that morning and I saw her slowly and unsteadily walk into the kitchen.

She looked gorgeous in her silken nightgown. It was a pale green and it shimmered around her. I felt my intake of breath.

How could the boy give this up? I wondered to myself. He must be a fool, she was perfect and he let her slip from his grasp!

I could feel some carnal instinct arise in me. I fought hard to push it back, Christine did not deserve it, my fantasies could never come true. I could never have Christine, she belonged to the world of light. She was not meant to wander in the shadows.

"Come my dear, I predict that you are hungry. You will eat." I said calmly, masking my feelings. She looked surprised but obliged to my wishes. She sat down at the table and I set the plate full of food in front of her. She gladly tucked into it and I watched in fascination. How could such a small woman eat that much food? She must have noticed me staring at her.

She blushed but then asked

"When was the last time you ate Erik?" I looked at her with frank surprise. Why did she want to know? Did this mean she cared about me? No, that was impossible.

"I do not exactly remember." I said a bit ashamed. I truly didn't, I rarely take time to do such meaningless things. Besides my body has learned to go days without food.

She looked at me and said

"Then you will eat with me." I started to panic. I could not eat with her! She would run in fear and never return!

"I do not think that is a good idea." I said awkwardly. She levelled her gaze with mine and said

"It was not a question." I felt a shiver go up my spine. She was being assertive and I had no idea what to think of this.

"You hold no power over me. You cannot tell me what to do." I replied. She suddenly looked frustrated.

"Why won't you eat with me?" She asked. I froze and debated whether I should tell her the truth or not. I decided that you cannot base any kind of relationship-even if it was only friendship- on lies.

"Because I would have to take my mask off to eat." I said simply. She frowned. But accepted this explanation. But then she stood up and pushed food in front of me. I could not eat this! I was telling the truth when I told her that I would have to take my mask off but there was another reason why I could not eat with her. The food she had could not satisfy me. It was too bland and I would not be able to taste it. My...condition has made it so that I could neither smell nor taste unless it was very strong. This is something that proved how much of a monster I am.

But for Christine I would do anything and quickly ate the food. I would tell her this fact another time. Then I looked up at her expression. It was one of burning curiosity. I knew that I had to ask what was wrong lest she got hurt.

"Christine, what do you want to know?" I asked hoping that whatever she asked would not affect her staying down here.

She looked at me in surprise but did not comment on it. "I was wondering what happened to you after Raoul and I left. What happened to the mob?" She wondered. I felt panic clutch my heart. She could not hear that! That was too gruesome for her ears! I was not ashamed about what I had done but I would not allow anyone to hear about that.

"No." I replied making my stance on this subject quite clear. She would not hear of this, even if it meant cutting my own tongue out to ensure that she remained innocent. I would do that for her. But alas, I could deny her nothing if she insisted upon it.

"Tell me!" She insisted with a stubborn tone. I sighed and hoped that she would at least say farewell before she ran from me.

"Very well my dear. But I have to warn you, it is not a pleasant tale." I said. She gave me a look that clearly said Just get on with it!

"After you and the boy left I slipped into my chair that has a false back, I waited until everything was in place and slaughtered them all. Well, Little Giry escaped because her mother realized that she was down here and quickly came and retrieved her. After they had left the others died. The lucky ones stumbled into my torture chamber and chose to take their own lives by hanging themselves. The unlucky ones stumbled upon the traps which I have placed in my home. The ones who have done wrong by me I killed in a very painful manner. Like Carlotta, she has made you cry and therefore died in a very painful manner, do not deny it! I saw you in your dressing room after those rehearsals Christine. I took very much pleasure in killing her. The other ones died very painlessly, or so I assume. They did not cry out so I can assume that I was successful in bringing them no pain. The only wrong they had done was wandering into the lair of the Opera Ghost. It was truly regrettable that they had to be killed. After that I had to take care of the bodies. This was hardly a problem. I dropped them off a cliff into a river and hoped that someone would find them soon. Except for Carlotta. I left her in the manager's office. Weren't they surprised to see her their? Their screams still haunt the walls I believe. I found it quite amusing though I do not believe the police did." I explained and grinned as I thought of the screams the managers had uttered when they saw the body of their precious diva. They sounded like the soprano herself!

When I dared look at her I saw Christine's eyes wide and her face pale. I wondered why she had not run by now. Surely I had given her enough time? She stared at me and I stared back, hypnotized by the depth in those blue eyes. Her blue eyes and blond hair certainly marked her linage, pure Swedish, that was clear. Just as she opened her mouth to talk I heard something from the door of my house. It sounded like the boy yelling Christine's name!

Oo, another cliffie, we shall see what happens next! I'm not sure but I might do it in Erik's POV again. I think I've fallen in love with writing his character!

Oh-translations for the french


Elle est mon amour- She is my love

Elle m'aime pas- She does not love me.

Elle est ma vie- She is my life

Elle est capture mon coeur- She has captured me heart.

Aww, Erik talks about love! Sorry, I couldn't resist! This french by the way, is a product of nine years of French classes. If you see any errors please point them out!

Au revoir mon ami, don't forget to review! They mean the world to me!