A/N: yay! New chapter! This takes place three days after the previous one! Excuse the mistakes because I haven't had time to thoroughly read through out yet.

It had been three nights since Erik and I had officially started courting. The prior nights had been spent similar to how we used to but with minor differences. While having tea, we would sit on the couch, with his arm around me, and I would rest my head on his broad shoulder. He would always stand at the mirror's threshold each night and kiss me goodbye before he vanished back down to his home. He would also kiss me several times throughout the night.

Now, I was stood in front of my mirror, waiting for Erik to arrive so we could go to lessons. Over the past two days, he had making it a point to remark on my great improvement. He had even said jokingly, "soon you won't need me" but I could tell there was a hint of real sorrow in that.

"Are you ready my Angel?" A voice asked, causing me to jump in surprise. I shook away the remaining traces of my reverie before smiling and looking up to face Erik. He looked just as charming and handsome as ever, dressed all in his usual black vest, white button down shirt, black cloak, and a blood-red tie. I smiled at him as I took his hand, allowing him to guide me into the passage way.

"I am, Erik," I told him as we started to walk down the passage way. We walked in silence, side-by-side, as he held my hand. I snuck a peek up at his face to see him smiling down at me looking so heartbreakingly charming and handsome. He leaned down to peck me on the lips before we continued walking, stopping in front of his horse, who I had learned to be Cesar.

"That's good," he said as he helped me mount Cesar. I watched him walk away for a brief second before returning with something hidden. "Because there has been a slight change in plans," he told me as he gracefully leapt onto Cesar, sitting comfortably behind me. He reached around me and placed a large basket on my lap before shifting forwards so my back was flush against his chest. I blushed slightly as I peeked up to look at him. He wore a small grin and a face so full of confidence unlike I had ever seen on him before.

"Oh? Where are we going for lessons, then?" I asked him as he lifted the reins and with a sharp yet gentle nudge to Cesar's side, we were off. He smiled down at me as I leaned my head back against his chest.

"We are not having lessons tonight," he said with a grin as he nudged Cesar to speed up from a simple trot to a canter. "We, as you said a few nights prior, are courting," he said with a smile of pure joy and happiness. "I am going to do this the proper way as best as I can," he said, faltering slightly, before becoming confident and self-assured once more. "Therefore, I am taking you out for a late dinner," he announced as the passageway started to narrow. "Careful," he warned as the passageway started to slope upwards and he leaned forwards slightly, taking hold of the reins with one hand and using the other to wrap around my waist and brace me.

"Oh, thank you Erik," I told him as I twisted around and gave him a kiss on the lips. Time seemed to altogether stop for a moment before we were jostled as the horse cantered across an uneven patch of ground. Our lips broke apart as my face slipped downwards into his chest. I glanced up to see him smiling broadly as I twisted back around.

"Anything for you, my angel," he whispered in my ear as we approached a gate which had been opened ahead of time. I smiled and giggled slightly as we flew through the open gate and cantered down the Rue Scribe. I felt something be placed atop my head. I twisted to see Erik was wearing a cloak so his face could not be seen. I turned around and pulled the hat he had placed on my head down further.

We weren't traveling down the Rue Scribe for long before I felt Erik shift slightly and guide the horse off the road and into the forest. I felt him wrap his arms more securely around me as Cesar galloped through the forest. There was no path for us to follow so we resorted to Cesar weaving between the trees as we moved through the forest like a shadowy blur. I gripped Erik more tightly as Cesar leaptover a tree before slowing down to a trot.

My world suddenly went dark as a strip of velvet was wrapped around my eyes, preventing me from seeing. Before I could even start to panic, I felt Erik's strong arm around my waist, holding the reins, as his other started to stroke my hair to keep me calm as Cesar stopped altogether. I felt Erik dismount before gently lifting me from the horse and setting me on the ground. He lifted the hat from my hair as he stroked my hair. He kept an arm wrapped around my waist as he led me through what I could only assume to have been flowers.

He stopped when we reached an open, flowerless patch. "I'm right here," he said soothingly as he released his hold on my waist. I heard him moving around and the sound of clattering. I shivered in the chilly fall night air, missing the warm body that had been next to me just before. Shortly after the movement stopped I heard a sound almost like someone shushing me. After, I heard Erik release his breath quickly before his warm body returned to me.

"You may look now," he said softly as he untied the velvet ribbon that had been covering my eyes. As the ribbon fell away, my eyes were graced with the sight of a beautiful clearing, lush with lavender and other flowers. There was a river that cut through part of the meadow and the moon was high in the sky, reflecting upon the water. However, it wasn't the meadow itself that drew my attention.

Set in the middle of the meadow was a large blanket which upon it was a dinner set for two. There were many lit gothic candles set on the blanket and around the clearing. Several of the trees that graced the clearing were also lit with gothic candles. It was so romantic and beautiful that I couldn't help but smile broadly at it. "What do you think?" Erik whispered into my ear as he came behind me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me back to stand against his chest.

"I think it's beautiful, so very beautiful," I sung quietly to him as I gazed around the meadow. He unfolded me from his arms before taking my hand in his and guiding further into the clearing. We approached the blanket and he helped me sit down upon the blanket before taking a seat right next to me. He gave me a smile as he set two plates of carefully cooked steak in front of us with stewed vegetables.

"I hope you enjoy," he said quietly as we began to eat, our thighs brushing against each others as we sat side-by-side on the blanket. The steak was amazing and seemingly cooked to perfection. The vegetables just as delicious and flavorful as the steak itself had been. I sighed in contentment at the food and turned to him to see a smile grace his handsome features.

"This is so delicious, Erik!" I told him, wondering if he made it himself. Could he have cooked this?

"Thank you. I made it myself," he told me quietly causing me to pause in wonderment. How was it he was this amazing? He was an architect, a composer, a wonderful suitor, a genius, had a voice to die for, and he could cook! What more was there to him? Was there anything he couldn't do?

"Is there anything you can't do?" I found myself asking before blushing when I realized I had voiced my thoughts aloud. He smiled at me and cocked his head as if thinking hard.

"Well… no," he said with a serious expression before he burst out laughing. I froze at his laugh, admiring the beautiful and musical sound before I hit him and started laughing myself.

"Seriously you silly. What else is there to you that I don't know about?" I asked him. He raised an eyebrow and seriously started to consider my question.

"Let's see… I'm an excellent horseman, swordsman, and I'm excellent at archery," he said quietly as he cleared away our empty plates and placed them back into the basket. I shivered slightly in the chilly air as he continued speaking. "I once built for the shah of Persia and I visited places such as Greece, Rome, Italy, Spain, and Istanbul to admire the architecture. While in Italy, I had also visited Venice where I gained the inspiration for my lake," he added as he moved the basket off the blanket and pulled another blanket out from the basket. "I journeyed to China and a few other countries near by and learned several forms of martial arts," he added as he lay out next to me, pulling the second blanket over us, much to my relief.

"Thank you," I whispered to him as he pulled me into his arms and smiled as he kissed me on the forehead. I buried my head in his chest as he continued to speak, telling me all of his accomplishments.

"You're welcome, my Night Angel," he whispered as he kissed me on the head again. "I am also a sharpshooter, able to shoot both pistol and rifle," he added to his list of weaponry and fighting skills. "I am skillful with a rope, as you saw," he said quietly, wincing slightly as we both remembered the Buquet incident. "I can't say I regret that, though, seeing as he almost did… horrible unspeakable things to you," he hissed out, his voice filled with anger. He pulled me closer to him against his chest and held me tighter as if to reassure him I was safe.

"It's alright, it's in the past now," I told him as I lifted my head from his chest to kiss him on the lips. He eagerly returned the kiss before pulling away with a fond smile on his face and adoration in his eyes. Those pleading eyes that both threatened and adored, came Christine's words floating through my head again. I again remarked on how true they were but those eyes had never threatened me or shown anger towards me, something I was grateful for. "Go on, dear," I told him and he smiled, cocking an eyebrow.

"Go on through the list of things I'm magnificent at?" he asked with a confident smirk before he turned thoughtful. "I am skillful when it comes to climbing and such," he added, though that needn't be said seeing as he spent most his time up in the catwalks of the opera house, climbing from one to the other. "You know how I'm good at designs. In fact, all the inventions, candles and such in my lair are powered by water which is why they move," he told me to which I nodded, in awe as he spoke. "I've even started to design a horseless carriage but at the present there is no suitable power source that I can use," he said sadly. "At least no reasonable source," he added. I smiled and nodded at the genius, my genius in whose arms I lay, looking up at the moon and the stars. "I can't be sure if that is it or not," he said after a few moments of silence. More silence followed his statement as we stared at the night sky.

"It's beautiful," I told him as I stared fondly at the sky, looking at the different constellations.

"You are," he said. I turned to look at him to see him blushing before trying to cover up his mistake. "The sky is… yes," he agreed as he looked up at the sky. "Oh," he said as he pointed to the various constellations, telling me their names and such and how their position changed over the course of the other seasons. He also pointed out the northern star to me as I watched him. He was so animated while he spoke that I couldn't help but be enthralled as I listened to him speak. I found myself excited about the constellations as I heard him speak.

"Wow… you never told me you knew so much about astronomy as well," I told him after he had finished speaking. He smiled down at me and was about to say something when we heard a sloshing sound that startled us. Erik pushed himself up, bracing himself on his arm, both of which tightened around me, and I twisted around towards the source of the noise. We started laughing slightly when we saw it was just Cesar who had tread into the shallow water, neighing happily. "He looks like he's having so much fun," I told Erik as I looked fondly at the horse sloshing around in the water.

"Maybe we should join him and have fun of our own," Erik suggested. I looked over at him in shock to see he had a mischievous grin on his face.

"Oh no… no, no, No!" I yelled as Erik lifted me from the blanket and slung me over his shoulder. "You… barbarian!" I shrieked with laughter as he walked me over to the edge of the stream.

"Barbarian you say?" He bellowed in mock anger before dropping me into the water. I sat up in the shallow water, drenched, and stared up at him in shock to see him laughing. I hadn't noticed before but he had shed both his cloak and vest at some point so I could only assume he had been planning this.

"Why you little… devil!" I shouted at him while laughing as he helped me up. He cocked an eyebrow and stared deeply into my eyes.

"Devil? Did you say, 'devil', madame? Is that what you called me?" He asked, to which I nodded. He grinned and the mischievous look came back into his eyes. "Then I'd have no problem doing this," he said as he stole my breath away by kissing me passionately. We broke apart, breathing heavily, and he grinned down at me. "If I'm a devil, what does that make you?" he asked. I grinned up at him as I wrapped my arms around him, an action which he reciprocated.

"The Devil's Dark Angel of Night and Music," I whispered back to him. He grinned back at me with a devilishly handsome look on his face and in his eyes.

"I like that-," he started but wasn't able to get any further since I had pulled him into the water with me while his guard was down. We sat up, spitting water out of our mouths and looking at each other. He frowned and shook his head. "Shame, shame, shame," he said quietly before looking at me with a predator-like look in his eyes. "It seems you've riled up the devil," he told me before pouncing on me and pulling me into his arms as we went under briefly. He lifted me off my feet as he walked into the deeper water, me laughing as he carried me. He stopped when the water was up to his waist and he looked down at me with a loving look in his eyes.

"I love you," I whispered before leaning up and kissing him. He smiled into the kiss before kissing back.

"I know," he whispered softly, pulling me closer as a slight breeze washed over us. "That won't stop me from doing this, though," he whispered before dropping me into the water. I went under before standing up, gasping at him.

"Oh you…!" I trailed off as I chased him around in the water, splashing each other as we went along. It wasn't until much later, long after Cesar retired from the water that we stumbled onto the shore. Erik's mask had been long discarded upon it so we retrieved it before making our way back to the basket, arm in arm, and teeth chattering. We collapsed onto the blanket the minute we reached it, laughing as we slowly started to freeze. Erik sat up and reached into the basket, pulling it onto the blanket next to him.

"I hope you don't mind, my angel," Erik started as he pulled out a set of clothing for himself before continuing to say, "but I took the liberty of invading your dressing room while you were at rehearsals this afternoon," he said as he pulled out undergarments, a lavender dress, and my nightgown from the basket. I grinned up at him, teeth chattering as I did so.

"You had this all planned," I commented as he turned back around.

"Yes, I…" he trailed off as he looked at my face in the candlelight, a shocked expression on his features. I frowned, wondering what could be wrong when I remembered we went into the water. It meant the makeup on my face had come undone and my many scars from my childhood were showing. "Oh, Marie," he sighed sadly as he reached up to trace one long scar that stretched from the temple down to my chin on the right side of my face. "Oh, my beautiful Angel," he sighed sadly at the scars. "Who did this to you?" he whispered angrily as I lowered my eyes, not wanting to look into his any longer and see the sorrow at the scars revelations. I must've shattered his dreams of a beautiful and perfect woman by his side.

"My father… these are the scars I told you of… the ones I obtained in my childhood. These were from shards of glass… he used them to cut my face after he threw me into a mirror," I told him quietly, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Marie," he whispered quietly. "Marie, why won't you look at me?" he asked as he carefully placed a hand on my cheek, tracing the scar lightly.

"They're hideous, I know. I normally cover them but... I forgot with the water," I told him sadly, still not daring to look at him.

"Marie, look at me," he ordered quietly yet gently. I raised my eyes to meet his to see his eyes were shining with sincerity. "They're not hideous, and don't bother to object because I would most certainly know best in this case," he told me quietly. "Why would you cover them? I'm not disappointed or sad or angry at you, Marie. I'm filled with sorrow at the thought of how you obtained such scars and angry at the wretch who dared do that to my angel," he hissed quietly.

"I love you Erik," I told him as I reached up to kiss him on the lips. He kissed me back gently before his eyes wandered downwards to my wet clothing. He pulled me up and handed me the dry clothing and turned me around.

"Tell me why you cover your scars while you change," he ordered while he turned his back to me and began to change as well. I started to change and, with a sigh, began my tale.

"When I was young, my father would never let me cover the scars he had given me except for when the tutors were there or we had company. He said they should be there to remind me of what a little wench I was. After you saved me from that nightmare, I covered them constantly, only allowing them to remain uncovered while I showered and slept. I was afraid then and seeing the scars only reminded me of the terrible pain I had once endured," I told him quietly as I pulled on the undergarments and slipped into the lavender dress. I turned to see Erik standing there shirtless. He turned to look at me, holding his shirt, and his eyes were filled with sorrow at my pain. I couldn't help but stare appreciatively at Erik's bare chest which was nicely chiseled and muscled. For a recluse, he was in magnificentshape. Then again, that was to be expected of the Opera Ghost.

"Like the view?" Erik asked with a raised eyebrow. I blushed slightly as he laughed, pulling on his shirt and buttoning it up. "Go on," he said quietly as he turned me around to help tie my dress.

"Well, I had started to accept it and only wore it when going out. At the opera house, when I first came here, I wore it all day, wishing that no one would see my scars. I wore it at meals, with friends, during rehearsals, and I had to especially cover my entire body for performances," I said, only then realizing that Erik wasn't tying my dress like I had expected. "Erik?" I asked as I felt him start to lightly trace patterns into my back which, after a bit, I distinctly realized to be the scars and scarred words on my back.

"He carved 'wench' into your back with a knife?" Erik asked quietly to which I nodded, silent tears forming in my eyes. "He did all this too?" Erik asked as he traced other scarred lines on my back, the word 'wench' a few more times.

"Yes… some are from when he pushed me into the mirror," I told him as I let out a silent cry. As if sensing my distress, Erik turned me around and pulled me to him, rubbing my back comfortingly and tracing patterns of his own onto my back with his hand.

"I'm so sorry, Marie," he whispered quietly as he pulled me closer. I nodded before turning around so he could tie my dress and I could continue my story.

"Well, I guess I started to cover the scars up all the time once more. Like you wear your mask, I cover my scars as well. It helps keep me safe from the past and keeps me from being judged," I told him as he finished tying me dress. He nodded softly before he sat me down on the blanket. He pulled his cloak on before he too lay down and pulled the blanket over us.

"In that case, do me a favor Marie, and never go out of your way to cover the scars in my presence," he said quietly. I nodded and buried my face into his chest, shivering slightly. "Are there more? More than the ones on your upper back?" he asked quietly to which I again nodded, shivering once more. He looked down at me as he too shivered slightly before he said, "watch this." I sat up and watched him dig into his cloak before he pulled something out that I couldn't see.

"What are you doing?" I asked him. He looked at me and gave me a smirk.

"Watch this," he said as he gestured to a pile of sticks next to the blanket with a smirk. With a grand gesture, he thrust his arm forwards, as if throwing something, and I watched as a large flame appeared. The sticks caught on fire and burned brightly, the flames rather large.

"How did you do that?" I asked in shock and surprise as I marveled at the fire. He smirked at me.

"I'm also an illusionist or magician. Illusions are my forte. It aids me in my hauntings. I can also throw my voice so it sounds as if it were coming from the opposite side of the room I am standing at," he told me to which I nodded, marveling at it.

"It is an amazing feat, my genius," I told him as I reached up to kiss him. He smiled down at me as he pulled me closer to him and kissed the top of my head, stroking my hair.

"I am your genius as you are my angel," he replied as we lay there in each other's arms. We spoke for a while longer under the stars, watching the stars and just enjoying each other's company when…

"Look! A shooting star! Make a wish, Erik," I told him, closing my eyes. I wish we two shall never part. I looked over at him to see he had his eyes closed. When he opened them, he looked over at me and smiled.

"What did you wish for, Marie?" He asked. I smiled up at him.

"I wished to have you, forever- that we would never part," I told him. He smiled down at me, pulling me closer so I could rest my head on his chest, allowing him to trace patterns on my back. "What did you wish for Erik?"

"That is a wish I can grant you," Erik said with a smile. "As for what I wished, I wished that I would never have to see my angel hurt again," he told me and I smiled back up at him.

"That is a wish I can try my best to grant to you," I told him in return. He kissed me on the top of the head before he continued tracing patterns on my back and stroking my hair. We stayed like that for a while before I heard Erik sigh.

"We must be going back," he told me as he stood, kicking dirt and putting out the flame. I helped him by walking around and blowing out the candles, collecting them and putting them in the basket. Soon we had finished packing up and we had mounted Cesar. Once more, I placed my hat on, pulling it low on my face, and he pulled his hood over his head, wrapping his arms around me to hold the reins.

The ride back to the Opera Populaire was quiet and we sat in content silence. Once when I shivered slightly, Erik pulled me to his chest and wrapped the cloak around me as well. Soon enough we were riding back through the gate at Rue Scribe, which Erik closed, and riding back through the passageways. Before I knew it, we were standing on the threshold of the mirror to my dressing room.

"I had a splendid time tonight, Erik," I told him with a smile. He returned the smile as he pulled me to him, giving me a long, passionate kiss.

"I did as well, my angel," he whispered. I smiled up at him as he whispered, "I love you, but you must sleep for now." I nodded in agreement before I too spoke.

"I love you too Erik. Goodnight," I told him. I waited until after he left to change into my nightgown before falling onto my bed. I looked at the pocket watch on my vanity to see it was well past midnight. With a sigh of contentment, I blew out the candles of my dressing room and went to sleep for the night, dreaming of the wonderful night I had had with Erik.

A/N: yay! I hope you enjoyed that chapter! 7 reviews means a new update! I'm not entirely sure where I'll go with the next chapter so please bare with me! I love you guys!