Thanks again everyone for the reviews…Oh and everyone who sent me a review I sent the track list to the new Phantom show..hehe..Ok well here's the new chapter..and so in the words of a famous theater guy.. THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

Erik's POV

That night after the show, I didn't bother walking back to my lair and decided to go to the Statue of Liberty instead. I hadn't gone there last night, and I really needed the fresh air. After shutting the lights off in my opera house, I didn't bother looking for Christine, for I knew where she was. After I got into my boat, I untied it from the dock, and was about to push myself off shore, when I heard Christine's voice to look ahead and see her running towards me with Gustave.

"Wait." she called out over and over again.

I took my boat's paddle and pushed myself back to the dock, to see what in the world she wanted.

"Could we join you?" she asked.

I nodded, and held out my arms to help Gustave into the boat.

"Wow, this is great." he cried out as he took a seat at the front of the boat. Afterwards, I took Christine by the hand and helped her in as well. Once everyone was seated, I sat down and began to row us towards Ellis Island.

"Where's the moon?" asked Gustave looking up into the moonless sky.

"I guess it's decided to stay behind the clouds tonight." I replied.

It was then that Gustave looked back towards the sky and began to sing.

"The sky is dark without the moon

But I'm not afraid for I know we'll be there soon.

Under a moonless sky

Under a dark and starless sky

Seems as though the monsters are out to play

When there's no light

I feel no fright

For you are here with me."

Christine then joined in.

"Under a moonless sky

I feel no fright

For as long as you are holding me so tight.

Under a moonless sky

It is so dark and cold

But as long as you are here with me

I'll never fear a thing you'll see."

I also couldn't help but sing as I continued rowing towards Ellis Island.

"I feel so safe surrounded by you

After ten long years I know you feel it to.

Under a moonless sky

Everything can be so beautiful

Under a moonless sky

Everything can be so bright.

Judging things before you see

What they can truly be…

Under a moonless sky

I feel no fright

For you are here with me tonight.."

By the time I was finished singing, my boat had made it to Ellis Island, and I tied it to the dock. Once I stepped out, I turned to lift Gustave and Christine out. I knew Gustave had never seen such a sight before in his life, for he kept his head turned towards the statue's height.

"Wow Mr. Y, it's so beautiful."

"Would you like to go up?" I asked.

He turned to me with such a smile on his face, and nodded.

"Oh yes please Mr. Y."

Once we were inside the statue, I lit the lantern, and began to climb up the many steps that would lead us to the top. Gustave ran several steps in front of me, due to the fact that he was so excited to reach to top. From behind me, Christine smiled and laughed as she watched Gustave beat me to the top. Once we were there, he ran over to the edge, and shrieked out in excitement at the breathtaking view.

"Oh this is great Mr. Y. It's as if I'm on top of the world."

I approached him, and lifted him on top of my shoulders. He laughed with such delight, that it warmed my heart the moment he smiled.

"Now you're on top of the world." I replied, laughing at the top of my lungs. Never had I laughed in joy before, and the only word to describe it was "Joyful."

After placing him back down on the floor, I turned to Christine who looked as though she had been crying. I walked towards her, and pulled her over to a dark corner where we could talk, without Gustave hearing.

"What's wrong Christine?" I asked.

She looked up at me, and wiped her eyes with her hand.

"Nothing Erik, I'm fine, really."

"Why are you crying?" I asked.

"Because I'm happy." was all she said.

With that, I walked over to the other side and braced myself against the railing as I looked out upon New York city. I then felt Christine's hands wrap around my back, and lightly squeeze them against my ribcage.

"Erik." she whispered.

I crooked my neck to glance at her, and sighed at the sight of her head lying against my back.

"Yes, Christine?"

"Thank you for bringing me here tonight. I needed the fresh air."

"As did I."

After staying a while, I sensed that Gustave was getting tired and took out my watch to find the time. It was fairly late, and seeing that I needed to work tomorrow I decided that it be a good time to leave.

"Come on, time to go." I called out to Gustave who was still looking out towards New York.

"I'm too tired to walk down all those steps."

I smiled, and lifted him onto my shoulders to carry him. As Christine and I walked down the steps, all I could think about was how beautiful she looked. Never in a million years would I have thought her to be my friend. Just having her walking beside me was enough to warm my cold heart. Once we made it back to the boat, I lied Gustave down and helped Christine sit beside him. As I rowed back towards the shore, I couldn't help but notice that she looked cold. Quickly, I untied my cloak, and handed it to her.

"Here, put that on."

Christine took it from my arms, and wrapped the dark fabric around her.

"What about you?" she asked.

"I'll be fine, for the time being."

Once we made it back to shore, I tied my boat to the dock, and carried Gustave as Christine and I walked back towards my lair. The streets were deserted, and just as we made it to the door, it had started to rain.

"Just in time." I replied, as I held the door for Christine.

Once inside, I tucked Gustave in bed, and pointed to the bed that was right beside Gustave's.

"You're welcomed to stay as long as you want. If you need anything at all, you'll know where to find me."

Christine nodded, and handed me my cloak.

"Thank you, Erik."

"Oh please Christine, it's been a pleasure having you."

With that, I walked to my bedchamber, and changed into my robe. The days events had tired me out, and so after a few moments of pacing my bedchamber, I opened my wardrobe and took out the manikin, before lying in bed with it. Even though I had spent another wonderful evening with Christine, I couldn't help but feel as though something was missing. It was her, being able to hold her in my sleep would be the perfect end to a perfect night, but I could never ask that of her. How could I expect Christine to lie with me? The lair was silent, and the only sound was the rain hitting the roof of the opera house. After lying awake for what seemed like hours, I finally began to drift off to sleep, that was until I heard Christine softly calling my name from outside my bedchamber.

"Erik, are you awake?"

I sat up in my bed, and ran my fingers through my thin strands of hair.

"Yes, Christine I am." I replied in a half asleep tone of voice.

"Could I come in?" she asked.

Without even thinking about the manikin, I replied with a simple yes and watched as the drape covering my bedchamber began to shift.

"No Christine, wait a minute!" I called realizing that the manikin was still in bed with me. The last thing I needed was for her to see such a thing.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

I quickly sprang up from my bed, and took the manikin to my wardrobe closet before responding to her.

"Yes, just give me a second. I'm not dressed."

After putting the manikin into the back of my wardrobe closet, I tied my robe, and approached the drape and opened it to see Christine standing there.

"Evening, Christine."

Christine smiled as she stood there in her night dress.

"I'm in need of some company, could I come in for a bit?"

I looked around my bedchamber and then back at her before agreeing. I didn't find letting her in appropriate, but at the moment I didn't care. When she passed me, I closed the drape, and turned to see her sitting at the end of my bed, looking around.

"It's beautiful." she replied when she realized that I was looking at her.

"What is?" I asked.

"Your bedchamber, it's beautiful."

I smiled, and sat down beside her.

"Well, if I must sleep alone then the least I could do is make it so I wake up someplace beautiful."

Christine looked down at the floor, too embraced to even look up my hideous face.

"I can put it back on Christine." I replied.

"What?" she asked.

"The mask, I can put it back on. Just please don't look down at the floor. When I am speaking to someone, I'd rather they look me in the face."

"Oh no, I'm sorry Erik. No I didn't mean to offend you. It's just that I feel sorry that you've never had a relationship with a woman."

"As long as I'm with you, that's all I need."

Christine glanced up at me, and touched the back of my head.

"You should have ice on that, Erik."

"The swelling will come down eventually."

Christine smiled, and touched my distorted flesh with her bare hand, causing tears to rush to my eyes.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"I know that at the end of the month you're going to leave me. My broken soul can't take it Christine. I lost you once, I can't lose you again and losing Gustave would break my heart and he's not even my own son."

As soon as I said it, Christine turned away from me as if I had said something wrong.

"Was it something I said?" I asked.

Christine turned to face me once more, and shook her head.

"There's something I need to tell you, but I don't think now is the best time. Not until I figure out my life, and my feelings."

"Feelings towards what?" I asked curiously.

"Towards Raoul and everything that's happened in the last week. I need time, and when the time is right, I'll tell you."

"What is that you need to tell me?" I asked, bracing her shoulders with my boney hands.

"Erik, please just say you'll give me time."

I nodded, and stood to my feet.

"I grow tired Christine, so tired that I feel that I cannot hold my eyes open for much longer. Perhaps it is best to leave me alone for the remainder of the night."

Christine then glanced up at me once more, and wiped her eyes.

"I had a horrible dream, it would comfort me if we could talk just a bit more. Perhaps over a cup of tea.

I smiled, and took her by the hand and led her to the kitchen. It was very late, but I obeyed her request and made her a cup of tea and placed some ice in a towel to hold against my head.

"You're not having any tea?" she asked as I sat down.

"Tea would only keep me awake. I'm very tired and need my sleep."

Christine took a sip of her tea, and looked up at me.

"Have you thought about me all these years?" she asked.

"There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't think of you. You mean everything to me, and without you, I couldn't go on living. I know you didn't think of me, I don't blame you, not after all I've done to you."

"I thought of you everyday as well Erik. Every night after Raoul would come home drunk, I would lie there in bed thinking about where you were. I thought you were dead, but I liked to think about you working at an opera house somewhere, happy and satisfied with your life."

My heart ached at the thought of Christine thinking about me. After all I had done to her, after all that she's been through, she still thought about me."

"My life was never satisfying, because you were not in it."

"I'm glad I came Erik, really I am. Without you, I'd probably still be back in Germany and miserable as ever."

Once Christine finished her tea, and the ice that I was holding against my head had long melted, I knew it was time for bed. As we left the kitchen, Christine stopped me at my bedchamber, and embraced me ever so tightly.

"Could I ask you of something, without you thinking of it to be inappropriate?"

I nodded, and wondered what in the world she wanted from me.

"I had a horrible dream tonight, and I don't think I could go on sleeping alone. Would it be an inconvenience, to ask if I could lie with you tonight?"

I thought about what Christine was asking me. It had been my one and only dream, to have her wanting to willingly lie beside me. I would have shouted yes over and over again, but I needed to keep my mind in an appropriate state.

"You know I would do anything for you angel, and if sleeping beside me would help you sleep, then so be it."

Together we entered my bedchamber, and together we lied down. I lied on the left side, and Christine lied down on the right. Never had I once lied with her or any other woman, and the feeling my body had gotten from it was warmth. I dared not to touch her, and lied my arms at my side. She had agreed to lie with me, and that was enough. It was when I closed my eyes, that I felt her hand reach over for my arm and wrap it around her waste.

She wanted me to hold her, she wanted me to embrace her as she slept! My heart beat a mile a minute as we both lied there beside each other. My dream had come true, Christine was lying beside me because she wanted to, and I was holding her because she wanted me to. I lied my head in the back of her brown curls, and inhaled her sweet smelling hair, as I drifted off into a dreamless slumber with Christine lying motionless in my arms, and for the first time in my life, I no longer felt lonely…

Ok end of Chapter! Thanks again for the reviews everyone. More to come soon..that is if you want more…