A/N: Sorry it's been so long. College is a bitch.

JJAndrews: You are correct. Neither Jekyll nor Erik are happy about this development. I'm glad you've enjoyed this story so far, and I apologize for how long it's taken for me to update.

Now, without any further ado, ON WITH THE STORY!

Chapter 10: What On Earth...

I woke with a throbbing pain in the back of my head and the sound of someone playing an organ ringing in my ears. As I lifted my hand to rub my eyes, I remembered what had frightened me so badly before I lost consciousness. The Phantom had appeared and opened the secret passage so suddenly that I had jumped and fallen backwards. More than likely, I had hit my head on my desk, but that still left the question of where on earth I was.

As I looked around, I realized that I was not in my office. The stone ceiling looked as though it was the ceiling of a cave, but the furniture in the room was of the most incredible craftsmanship. The couch I was laying on was made of ornately carved, dark wood with wine-red velvet cushions. I had no idea where I was, but, by God, I was going to find out.

As I slowly pushed myself into an upright position, the music being played on the organ disbanded into multiple dissonant chords that sounded as though the organist had given up and slumped forward across the keys. Then, everything was silent. A shiver of fear ran down my spine as I glanced about, noting three ornately carved doors behind the couch. Suddenly, one of the doors flew open, and the Phantom exited the room, slamming the door behind him. The rage in his eyes was clear even though his face was hidden by his mask. Fear coursed through me as I realized where I was. I was in the Phantom's lair.

I was on my feet in seconds, and I backed away as quickly as possible from the man in the mask until my back hit a wall. "What have you done? Why have you brought me here?" I asked, fright making my voice tremble.

"I simply wish to know why you thought it would be wise to enter the tunnel behind the mirror in your office and what Nadir told you whilst he was in your office," the Phantom purred, venom lacing his words and he stalked towards me.

My heart was racing in my chest as he closed the distance between us. "I had questions that needed answers, some of which Nadir was happy to provide," I replied, pressing myself against the wall in a futile effort to put more distance between us.

"Oh, and what questions did you have, Mademoiselle Jekyll?" he asked, his golden eyes burning with hatred as he glared down at me.

"I needed something to tell my brother or anyone else who may ask about the mystery man I was seen with at the opera on opening night," I responded softly, my heart gradually slowing down to its normal pace.

He leaned forward slightly and tilted his head to one side, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "And what did Nadir tell you?"

My heart began beating faster due to his proximity, but I forced myself to look him in the eyes as I responded. "He told me that your name is Erik, and that you were an infamous and brilliant killer when you lived in his country," I stated simply, pleased when my voice came out steady and confident.

"Indeed. And you didn't ask what was behind my mask?" he asked, venom in his voice.

"No, of course not!"

"Liar!" He snarled, slamming his hands against the wall on the either side of my head, "How could you possibly resist? Of course you asked him! Why wouldn't you? Are you frightened, Mademoiselle Jekyll? Frightened of the monster that lives below the opera?"

I had closed my eyes and tucked my face into my left shoulder when he had slammed his hands against the wall, but as he continued to yell at me, anger began to replace the fear in me until I was so furious that I slapped him. I slapped him so hard that his mask flew off and landed on one of the many piles of sheet music that littered the floor.

Then, I saw his face, and my hands flew up to cover my mouth in shock. The flesh was pale from many years without sunlight and deformed unlike anything I had ever seen. He had no nose, only two holes where his nose should have grown, and his eyes were filled with pain, shock, and rage all at the same time. In shock and regret, I fell to my knees and bowed my head as he took several shaky steps back.

The only thought that registered in my head repeated itself over and over in my mind. "What on earth have I done?"

"How dare you!" He roared, grabbing me by the hair and lifting me up off the ground. I cried out in pain, and grabbed his arm in an attempt to lessen the stress on my scalp.

"How dare you remove my mask? Open your eyes! This is what you wanted to see, is it not?" He snarled, grabbing my face and forcing me to look at him. "Or can you not bear to look at the foul monster?"

I stared at his face in shock as I struggled to form words. His eyes flicked to my mouth, and he frowned as his gaze moved to his left where my hands were clamped onto his arm. Suddenly, he released my hair and snatched my wrist instead. Confused, I tried to protest but he barked at me to be silent and examined my palm.

"It would seem that your actions have harmed you more than me, Mademoiselle Jekyll," he sneered, gazing at my hand with the hint of a smirk raising the corners of his mouth.

I then noticed the blood dripping down from my hand, and I felt incredibly lightheaded. The next thing I knew, the Phantom was carrying me back to the couch and telling me to stay put while he disappeared into another room to find medical supplies.

I slammed my hands down on the keys of the organ in frustration. How could I play with that wretched woman out there in the parlor? What on earth had I been thinking bringing her down here? I stormed out of my room, slamming the door behind me. Immediately, I noticed that Jekyll was awake due to her jumping to her feet and backing away like a frightened child. "What have you done? Why have you brought me here?" she demanded in a shaky voice.

I almost chuckled at how frightened she was, but I reminded myself that I needed to know what she knew. "I simply wish to know why you thought it would be wise to enter the tunnel behind the mirror in your office and what Nadir told you whilst he was in your office," I stated simply, relishing the look of pure terror on her face.

"I had questions that needed answers, some of which Nadir was happy to provide," she responded quickly, her hands pressed against the wall behind her as though she was trying to put more distance between the two of us.

"Oh, and what questions did you have, Mademoiselle Jekyll?" I asked, not quite believing what she was saying.

"I needed something to tell my brother or anyone else who may ask about the mystery man I was seen with at the opera on opening night," she responded quietly, her eyes flitting about as she tried to find a way to get away from me as I leaned forward and tilted my head to one side.

"And what did Nadir tell you?" I asked, not fooled for one second by her act. She wasn't this frightened by me when she was trapped in her office.

"He told me that your name is Erik, and that you were an infamous and brilliant killer when you lived in his country," she replied, her voice steady as she looked me in the eye.

I almost scoffed. Was that it? No. There had to be more. There was always more. "Indeed. And you didn't ask what was behind my mask?" I sneered, glaring the wretched woman down.

She stiffened in shock and looked at me as though I were insane. "No, of course not!" she lied.

"Liar!" I roared, slamming my hands on the wall on either side of her head. She let out a small scream of alarm and turned her head to one side as she screwed her eyes tightly shut.

"How could you possibly resist? Of course you asked him! Why wouldn't you? Are you frightened, Mademoiselle Jekyll? Frightened of the monster that lives below the opera?" I yelled, gesturing to my face even though she couldn't see my with her eyes closed,"Don't lie to me, Mademoiselle! I know what you people are like. Arrogant, vicious fools who laugh and point and jeer at people like me!"

Suddenly, her hand struck my face, and my mask went flying. Luckily, it landed in a pile of discarded pages of music, and I couldn't help but take a few steps back as I realized that this woman had now seen my face. Her hands flew to her face as she stared at me in horror, and she remained silent as she took in my deformity. A rather mild reaction compared to some, like Christine, who had screamed and fainted. Slowly, she slid down the wall and fell onto her knees, staring at the floor in silence.

"How dare you!" I roared as the shock faded away, grabbing the wretched woman by her hair and lifting her up off the ground. She let out a strangled cry, and her hands grasped my wrist as she struggled against me.

"How dare you remove my mask? Open your eyes! This is what you wanted to see, is it not?" I snarled, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at me. "Or can you not bear to look at the foul monster?"

She simply stared at me with pity in her eyes as she struggled to find words. Then, I noticed the blood on her face, smeared over her mouth. Concerned, I glanced to my wrist to see blood dripping down from where her left hand was clamped onto my arm. Quickly, I released her hair and snatched her wrist to examine her hand. "What are you-"

"Be silent, woman!" I snapped, examining her palm, which bore a shallow wound dripping blood down her arm as I held up her hand. "It would seem that your actions have harmed you more than me, Mademoiselle Jekyll."

Her eyes went wide at the sight of her own blood before her face went pale, and she pitched forward suddenly. Out of instinct, my other arm went around her waist, and I held her close to keep her from falling to the floor. Her head lolled forward and rested against my chest. Clearly, this woman wouldn't be able to walk back to the couch on her own, so I picked her up in my arms once again.

"Stay here. I'll go find something to bandage your hand. Don't touch anything," I ordered, leaving the woman on the couch in the parlor. What on earth had I gotten myself into