Author's Note: I am very sorry for the delay in this. Real life decided to intervene and I've been trying to just keep up with life for awhile. Hopefully I'll be able to update more frequently now that classes are done for the semester.

Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom, and I'm just borrowing some of the ideas and characters for awhile.

From previous chapter

And she did. Whether she wanted to hurt Erik as much as he hurt her or just wanted to make it stop, Christine did something that she knew would get a reaction. Coming up behind him at the piano she reached out and removed the mask he wore.

Chapter 10

Christine could feel the smooth leather of Erik's mask in her hand as she gazed upon the right side of his face. Everything but that feel and that sight seemed to fade into the background. The cheekbone was lower on that side and the side of the nose seemed to melt into it. The skin underneath his eye was stretched tight due to the placement of the cheekbone. The skin around the eye, cheek and temple was red and raw looking and open sores and blisters were present near the hairline.

It wasn't until a clatter drew Christine back to reality that she even realized that Erik had moved. The piano bench lay on its side on the floor and Erik had stood. She just had time to notice the fury blazing in his eyes when he grabbed her arm. Christine struggled against him as he dragged her across the room. Throwing her into a chair, Erik thrust his face just inches from hers.

"Is this what you wanted to see Christine?" he hissed at her. "Is it? Have you ever seen anything like it, Christine? Am I not a loathsome looking monster?" Trembling, Christine tried to look away from him, too terrified to answer. Erik reached out and grabbed Christine's chin to forcing her to look at him. As their eyes met, Christine caught a glimpse of something other anger in the depths of Erik's eyes. But before she could identify it, Erik dropped his hand and turning, he strode away from her. Reaching the piano, he placed both hands on it. Christine watched as his shoulders slumped wearily as he leaned his weight onto his hands.

"You would think after all of these years, I would be used to this face. But even a demon can dream of Heaven." Erik spoke softly, his voice filled with weariness, despair and bitterness. "There is man behind the mask, behind the monster Christine. One who has spent every day of his life dreaming of the beauty of a normal life and knowing that it could never happen. Until you. Until you. Oh. Christine".

In the silence that followed Christine sat motionless, afraid to make a move and possibly cause Erik's temper to flare again. But then she heard the almost imperceptible sound of a tear splashing onto the piano. Cautiously she stood up and made her way over to the piano. She gently placed her left hand on Erik's shoulder. Her right hand she used to extend the mask she still clutched in front of him. His eyes darted towards her once and then he gave a brief nod of gratitude as he reached out and reclaimed the mask. Christine took two steps back as he lifted the mask up and placed it back on his face. With a deep, shuddering breath Erik turned to face Christine. The expression in his eyes and on the visible half of his face was inscrutable. As Erik continued to stare at her, Christine's heart started to pound again as the question of what would happen now began to present unpleasant possibilities.

Instead, Erik reached into his pocket and pulled something out. He said slowly, "I think it is time for you to return to the opera house". He took Christine's right hand and gently slid a thin gold band onto her ring finger. "This ring protects you Christine. As long as you wear it, you will be safe. I swear it. It is a sign of trust between us; a trust that I know you won't break. I would have preferred to place it on your other hand, but it would cause too many questions."

Christine momentarily stared at the ring, and all it entailed, in mute horror until the significance of his first sentence sank in. She was going home. Suddenly, the ring seemed unimportant. That could be dealt with later. Now, all she wanted was to get home and try to figure out what was happening to her life. If accepting this piece of gold would get her out of here, then it was worth it. Bringing her right hand close to her body she lightly touched the ring with her other hand. Looking into Erik's eyes she nodded her understanding.

Approximately an hour later, Christine found herself alone in the dressing room she had occupied the night of her performance in "Faust". She was sore and exhausted after a long journey from Erik's home on the lake. Initially Christine had wondered why he wasn't taking pains to prevent her from being able to find her way back, or lead others down to his home, but after a short time being led through the labyrinth of tunnels underneath the opera house she understood. There was no way she would be able to remember the way back, it was far too complicated. He had finally led her back to the dressing room and without a word, left her there.

And now she stood, finally out of her prison, but with no idea what to do. She had been with Erik for quite some time and it was very likely people would have been worried about where she was. Especially Raoul. But if people started asking questions, she didn't know how to answer. Telling people that the angel she thought had been sent by her father turned out not to be an angel but instead was a stalker who had a house on the lake underneath the opera house probably wasn't going to get taken too seriously.

Plus, Christine worried about what Erik would do should he find out. His possessiveness of her and his temper could turn ugly very quickly if he discovered that she had told someone about him. She shuddered, thinking of what he could do to her, or to those she cared about. Christine whirled towards the door as she heard it start to open. She found herself face to face with Antoinette Giry.

"Aunt Antoinette?" Christine whispered, tears coming to her eyes.

Antoinette strode across the room and hugged Christine fiercely. "Thank God," she said, over and over. "Thank God you are all right. He told me that he had you safe, and that I should make excuses for your absence. But I was so afraid that he would never let you go and I didn't know what I could do to save you."

Christine pulled slightly away from Antoinette. "You knew?" she asked accusingly. "You knew this whole time that he was manipulating me and pretending to be the Angel of Music my father promised? You knew and you did nothing?"

Antoinette merely looked at Christine and nodded. And with that brief gesture Christine's world shattered again.