Disclaimer:

I do not own anything just Es and her family. Thanks for reading…please review.

When they got to Esmeralda's room, Erik closed the door behind them and heard a sniffle. He turned back to Es and found her sitting on the floor with her face buried into the quilt on the bed. Rushing over to her, he stroked her hair. "Es, what's the matter?" he asked.

"I- I was afraid that you wouldn't want me." she sobbed.

"Oh, Es, really?" he laughed. "Is that was all this is about?" He kissed her head lightly. "Wild horses couldn't stop me from loving you."

"But…I lied to you, about who I am." She said, shaking her head.

"You've given me a life back." He said, stroking her hair. "Do you know what my mother would say to me as a child?"

She shook her head 'no'.

"Learn to be lonely.

Learn to be your one companion.

Who will be there for you?

Comfort and care for you?

Learn to be lonely.

Learn to find your way in darkness.

Never dream out in the world,

There are arms to hold you.

You've always known,

Your heart was on its own.

So laugh, in your emptiness,

Child of the wilderness,

Learn to be lonely,

Learn to live life that is lived alone."

"Your mother said that?" she said, ignoring the fact that his voice really soothed him.

"Yes." He said, offering her a small smile. "But listen to me…" he turned her face up to his. "I might've believed what she said for a while but being with you…I've realized that everything she's ever said to me was a complete lie."

She looked at him, tears still flowing. "Really?" she hiccuped. He nodded at her.

"I love you, Erik." She said.

"You know, I've never asked you, how you knew my name."

"I believe it is time that I was straight with you Erik." She said, looking at her hands in her lap.

"I think I have a general idea…" he said. "The night when you went running out of the house…your mother said to me. 'They are one, you know?' and I was baffled, I had no idea what she was talking about. When I asked her about it she said, 'think…earth and sky.'" He sighed. "I think I know now what she was talking about."

"That I am the re-incarnation of Christine?" she said, slowly.

"Never mind." He said.

She couldn't help but laugh. "What did you think she meant?"

He shrugged, smiling himself, "I thought she meant something about love…"

"Well she was right in a way."

"What do you mean?"

Esmeralda stood up and walked over to the window. "Christine loved you…now she is the sky…I love you and I am the earth." She turned back to him. "Do you know what I mean?"

He nodded.

"Are you really the re-incarnation of Christine?" he asked, never really believing in such nonsense.

She sighed. "I knew you wouldn't believe me."

Not wanting to raise his voice and lose what ground he had covered with her father, he softly said. "Well, it is a little unbelievable."

"Is it?" she asked. "Think about it Erik. That first day…I know you were watching me dance and sing… I knew the words to "Past the Point of No Return" and I knew you were there…I knew your name…I knew how to get to your lair and I have said things to you that I have a feeling you've only mentioned to Christine."

He stood there silently. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"What was I supposed to do, Erik? Waltz right up to you and say "I have the soul of the person who long ago broke your heart?" No! I didn't know what to do or say!" She turned away from him, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Erik stood up, wrapping his arms around her. "You were scared?"

She nodded. "I was afraid of losing your love…afraid of you hating me because of the fact that my aunt was an idiot."

He turned her around, crushing her to his chest. "You might have Christine's soul in you but I can tell your differences."

"Really?" she hiccuped.

"Yes." He said. "You know that Christine left me for Raoul and looking back on it now, I feel that I scared her…my obsessiveness over her. But when Marius kissed you earlier today…you didn't melt into his embrace like you do with me…you hit him…I wanted to do worse but that was when I was afraid."

"Of what?"

"Losing you." He said. "I thought you'd never forgive me if I killed your childhood friend."

"Oh, Erik," she said. "I love you."

"I love you, Es." He said, kissing her passionately.

She sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck. When things got a little too heated she smiled at him and said "Let's go see, Mother."

Well, there's the next bit, I know that I don't have all the lyrics for "Learn to be Lonely" up there, I edited it a bit for lengths sake. Hope you enjoy it. R&R please :D