Erik left a message on Christine's machine to resume her voice lessons after closing night of Hannibal. Christine was a little worried about going back. She didn't want to feel any awkwardness between herself and Erik. But Erik had sort of commanded her return, and she felt an odd pull to go.

Christine was glad when the show closed. Though it meant that one of the most important auditions of her career was coming up, there was quite a long break until the rehearsals for Erik's show began. She hadn't thought much about it, but she realized she knew very little about his show. Only that he had written it, and, based on his previous works, it was probably going to be a bit dark.

The Monday after closing night, she found herself trudging up his walk in her snow clothes, as it had snowed again the night before. Nadir had not been at her apartment to walk her to Erik's, but she suspected he was avoiding it because he knew what had happened between them. Nadir was a very clever man, rarely did anything seem to escape him. He wasn't as brilliant as Erik, but he knew how to listen and watch.

Gerard let her in, as always. She went up the stairs, as always. She opened the door to the music room, and as always, there was a stand in the room, and the stand light in the piano was on. Everything was normal.

Christine didn't know whether to be happy or heartbroken. She was happy that their relationship was not ruined, but at the same time, she was heartbroken. He didn't feel the same way. No matter what her gut told her or what her friends told her. They were wrong.

"Shall we begin?" Erik asked her. She smiled a small smile and nodded. They began the usual warmups, though this time, Erik didn't demand as much from her as usual. She didn't have to go as high. Rather, he took her lower than she had gone before.

"I picked a special song for you." he said quietly. "It's a duet." Christine opened the folder he had given her for Christmas, and her heart seemed to stop.

"Can you sight read it?" He asked her. There was something tense about him. It felt like he was testing her.

"I don't need to." She whispered.

"Excuse me?"

"I don't need to." She said louder. She felt mortified.

"Let's begin."

Erik began to play the opening. It was meant for the piano, if he remembered correctly. He tried to block the old memories, and let this one be new.

Erik waited for Christine to sing. He stopped and looked at her.

"Sing." He commanded.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I-it's that song…" She said, her voice trailed off.

"Yes it is." Erik said. "And I want you to sing it. " He felt sort of bad, for making her sing this song. But it was part of his plan, he had counted on her not singing it.

"Sing it." He repeated. "I have something I need to talk to you about." Erik was never good at making romantic speeches, or saying how he felt. That was why he needed music.

"Again." He said. He paused slightly to adjust himself. This time when he played the intro, he looked at Christine and slowed so she would be ready to sing.

And so she began.

Kiss me too fiercely
Hold me too tight
I need help believing
You're with me tonight
My wildest dreamings
Could not foresee
Lying beside you
With you wanting me

And just for this moment
As long as you're mine
I've lost all resistance
And crossed some borderline
And if it turns out
It's over too fast
I'll make ev'ry last moment last
As long as you're mine

Christine took a breath and Eric responded to her.

Maybe I'm brainless
Maybe I'm wise
But you've got me seeing
Through different eyes
Somehow I've fallen
Under your spell
And somehow I'm feeling
It's "up" that I fell

They began to sing together, their voices rising to the words.

Every moment
As long as you're mine
I'll wake up my body
And make up for lost time

Eric didn't like the next part he had to sing, but sang it anyway, knowing that this time, it may be true.

Say there's no future
For us as a pair

They came together for the final verse, and Christine looked at him.

And though I may know
I don't care!
Just for this moment
As long as you're mine
Come be how you want to
And see how bright we shine
Borrow the moonlight
Until it is through
And know I'll be here holding you
As long as you're mine

Erik let the chord ring out, their voices died away and Erik looked at Christine. She was staring at him.

"Christine…Christine…" He sang softly. There was silence between them. It

wasn't awkward, it was just silence. Neither of them knew what to say now. Erik had said what he wanted.

That was the thing about Erik. Because he didn't feel comfortable, or just plain couldn't say his feelings outright, he used music. And so he had picked out the song that Christine had chosen to be "their" song.

Erik stood up. It wasn't exactly a time for words. He moved to stand next to Christine, but found himself taking her in his arms instead.

"Erik…" She said softly. He just held her. She said no more, and he said no more. In that embrace, Christine understood all he had wanted to say. And she said all she wanted to say by laying her head against his chest.

Christine felt very complete now. She and Erik had finished the music lesson and she now was sitting in his living room. He sat next to her on the couch, staring at the fire that was burning. She noticed that Nadir and Gerard had made themselves scarce. Christine suspected that it was something the two men did quite often.

"Erik." She said. She had to get out what was nagging at the back of her mind.

"Yes?"

"Erik, as much as I well, love you" she paused as she let what she said sink in. " I'm afraid of doing anything."
"Why?"
"Because…you're my music teacher! And the director the show we're supposed to be putting on. It's unprofessional!" She burst out.

Erik said nothing. He seemed to be thinking.

"I know." He responded after a moment of watching the fire crackling. "I wish to be friends for a bit long Christine. We cannot break that boundry right now. I understand. I will admit I was afraid of this as well."

"But can we deny ourselves this?" Christine asked.

"I do not know." Erik said. "We did try before."
"And how well did that go?" Christine asked, a bit sarcastically.

"You were…and still are…irresistible." Erik said, clearly amused. Christine playfully hit him, but resumed to being serious.

"We were younger then." Erik looked at her.

"But we are older and frankly, I doubt our feelings for each other have waned at all over the years." He said thoughtfully.

"Are you saying you felt the same way for years?" Christine asked incredulously. She didn't want to admit it, but here was Erik, the most guarded person she knew, almost admitting how he felt. Outright.

"You tell me." Well, he almost said it outright.

"Erik, please don't play games with me." Christine sighed. "I guess you'll do it anyway though won't you? It's in your nature.

You still do, I know that much. But my friends were right…you must love me just as much, if not more." Christine concluded, seeing if she would get a reaction. She was disappointed. Erik said nothing. She continued on.

"Well,I mean if you don't that'd make sense, I mean, its been years and this is just by chance that I'm meeting you know and-"

"Christine." He said. She stopped blabbering. "Spend one night with me. After, we will be friends until this show is over. Then…we can be together." It was Christine's turn to be silent.

"No." She replied.