A/N: Yay! Microsoft word is up and running once more. I used it to write most of this chapter. As you can kinda tell I went back and made some grammar changes. It killed me that the "t" in "heart" got left out which to me was important. I read through this once and then skimmed through it a second time. I only fixed three things, I am sure there are more mistakes. But those were the ones I noticed skimming through it. To those of you who have been reading this, please know that I love reading reviews, it give me the inspiration and drive to continue writing. So don't be shy and drop me a little comment, but keep in mind; creative criticism only please :D

PrimaDonnaKate: Well I just get so excited and post the chapters as soon as I am done writing them.

thePhantom'sEvenstar: Ja, I did accidentally delete it. In case you do not see this message here I will remind you at the begining to of the next chapter which will be hopefully coming soon. I have a twist that I am thinking about throwing into this story...muhahaha

Twinkle22: We'll see...things never work out quite so great. But that keeps it exciting :D

Angel.De.Musica: Hmm...I do have an idea for a plot twist..keep reading dearie!

GerrysJackie: Thankies. I do hope that you continue reading and reviewing, it makes me very happy.

Christine sat on her bed and thought of what Erik had said. Marriage...She never thought of getting married. She always thought she would wind up with Raoul. Things had changed. She didn't love Raoul. She loved Erik. But would he want to marry her? He was such an independent person. Yet she knew he wanted, needed love. She knew that if he were to marry he would be an excellent husband. She knew he loved her and always would. But did he know that her love was unwavering?

She knew that although she was doing her best to show him that she did indeed love him, he would probably always have doubts. What could she do to erase that doubt? A tap on her door broke her from he thoughts.

"Christine." Erik's voice said from behind the door.

"Come in Erik." She said and saw him walk in.

"Christine, are you upset?" He asked, and she couldn't help but smile. He hated it when she was upset with him.

"No." She replied.

"Are you certain?" He asked and sat down on the edge of her bed.

"Erik, I just don't understand..."

"Understand what dear?" He asked.

"I know it isn't proper to be...intimate before marriage. But that is not what I am after" 'yet' she thought, "I want you to trust me Erik." She said, taking his hand in hers.

"Christine you know how difficult it is for me to trust anyone. Even you." He said, squeezing her hand softly.

"Then how can you expect this go anywhere Erik. If you cannot trust me...then how can you love me?" She asked quietly.

"Christine, trust and love are two different things. I love you, you know that. But trust...I haven't trusted anyone since..well since I was a young boy." He said.

"Will you ever be able to trust me? And do not lie to make me feel better." She said looking him in the eyes.

"I don't know Christine." He said averting his gaze.

"Then you cannot love me as much as you say you." She said with tears in her eyes. She shook her head and ran from the room...from him.

"Christine!" Erik called running after her. She was already down the staircase when he reached the top. He saw her run out of the kitchen doors and outside. As he finally ran outside himself he saw that the sky was dark and threatening a storm. "Christine! Stop at once!" He yelled, trying to control her once more. But Christine had long ago stopped listening to him as a master.

"Christine it is going to start raining and you will get sick and I will have to take care of you." He reasoned as he continued running after her. Having such a large amount of property was nice, but once you were chasing someone through your own private forest it lost its appeal.

Christine continued to run. Her only thought was to separate herself from Erik. She ran as fast as she could, but her tears made it hard to see and her sobs were making it difficult to breathe. When she thought her lungs would burst she stopped and leaned against a tree for support. She could hold back no longer, she began to cry once more. Erik had lost sight of her and then he heard her stop running. He looked around frantically. He turned in the direction of her weeping and saw her slide down the trunk of a tree. He made his way slowly over to her and it began to rain. "Wonderful. Now we'll both die out here." He said under his breath as he kneeled down in front of her.

"Leave me." She said weakly, her body shaking from her sobs. She refused to look at him and that broke Erik's heart. He brought his hands to the side of her face and forced her to look at him. He gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs. Then rain started to come down more fiercely and Erik's white shirt soon became transparent and his hair was soon sticking to his neck and face. The vision of him, soaking wet in front of her, this man who she loved, who would not trust her was enough to renew Christine's despair. Her tears began to flow more quickly and she began to gasp for air.

Erik wrapped his arms around her. He never knew that his trust would mean so much to anyone. "Christine, please don't cry." He said gently, rubbing her back and trying to calm her. She stayed limp in his arms, he leaned back and swept strands of her wet hair from her eyes. Even sitting here in the rain, crying her eyes out she was still beautiful. Eventually her tears slowed and her breathing returned to normal. Erik waited for her to look at him, and when she didn't he sighed.

"Christine, I would like to be able to say that I can trust you. But that is not so. But I can tell you this, of all the people I've ever known you are the only one who would be worthy of that trust." She looked up at him, her eyes looked dull.

"That is not good enough." She said simply.

"It will have to do for now." He said, trying to hold onto his patience, but it was quickly slipping away.

"How much more can I do, can I say to make you trust me Erik! I would do anything to earn your trust." She said, feeling close to tears again.

"Christine, it's not a matter of what you do or say. Trust takes time, loyalty..." He could see Christine begin to shiver. "Let's go inside." He said gently, hoping to persuade her with his words. "Come, I'll make you some hot tea and we can go read in the library."

"No, leave me!" She said and tried to crawl away from him. "Bloody hell, You will drive me to my death Christine Daae!" He said and lifted her into his arms. She protested and saw the only way she could get him to let go. His white mask glowed in the darkness of the storm surrounding them. (uh oh)Christine took a deep breath and pried the mask from his right cheek. She saw the anger flare in his eyes. He immediately released her, and glared at her. "Kindly return my mask." He said covering the right side of his face with his hand.

"No. You will have to learn to trust me. So here you are, feeling vulnerable. I have your mask. Your last defense. You hide behind this, you do not trust people because you don't believe they can bare to look at you without this damned mask." She flung the mask back into the darkness of the trees. "Well I am tired of you hiding. How can you expect me to love you, or anyone for that matter if you continue hiding."

"Dammit Christine. That is the third time you've removed my mask. Now, although the second time was by far the worst, this is no better. You are mad that I cannot trust you? How can I when you keep removing my bloody mask!" He yelled his eyes full of anger, which he was trying to control.

"You should trust me enough not to wear the dreadful thing. That is trust! Knowing that I can look upon your whole face and still love you as much as I did when you are wearing a mask. Actually," She said, walking up to him and prying his hand from his face," I believe I love you more without it."

He turned his face from her. He could not allow himself to continue falling for the words of this vixen. She always found the opportunity to weaken him when he least expected it. Yet here she was, telling him that she was tired of him wearing a mask He looked down at her, and saw the love in her eyes. How could he not trust her? She held his heart in her hands, and he knew that she would never hurt him as she might have done in the past. He placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "How can you look at my face and say such things?"

"Because I love you." She said simply. "I love every part of you." She continued and stood on her toes and kissed his right cheek. "I love the way you talk," another kiss, "I love the way you sing," and kiss by his right ear, "I love the way you move," on under his eye, "I love the way you smell," his forehead. "I love the way you kiss me," more kisses, "And I love the way you touch me," a kiss to the corner of his lips. "But most of all, I love the man you are," She place her hand over his heart, "inside." She said looking into his eyes. "Your face does not disgust me. Your face is a part of the man you are. How can I look at your face and say that? Because when I look at your face I do not see a deformity, but a piece of art that the world never got the chance to admire."

Erik stood, in a paralyzed shock as Christine softly kissed the right side of his face. How could it be that she could stand to look at his face and then kiss it? His love for this woman seemed to increase on a daily basis. He looked down at her, tears blurring his vision. "Christine, you have captured my heart all over again." He whispered in her hair as he wrapped his arms around her. They were both soaked to the bone, but neither seemed to mind, as they stayed wrapped in their embrace.

Erik softly kissed her lips, and she kissed him back. For once not playing any sort of game. They both poured their love into this kiss and it was as if their souls met. He deepened the kiss, tasting her sweet mouth and tongue. She clung to his body and he to hers as the rain continued to fall down on them. Erik lifted her into his arms and carried her inside and up the stairs. He walked them into the bathroom and grabbed some towels. He lovingly blotted Christine's hair dry and then wrapped them both in towels.

Christine walked into her room and changed her clothes. She walked back into the hall to wait for Erik. He came out, wearing an outfit similar to the one he wore the first time she removed his mask. She smiled, they had come a long way since then. He looked at her oddly, and then gently took her hand in his. They walked down to the living room and Erik sat down on a couch. He pulled Christine down next to him and wrapped him arms around her.

"This is nice." He said softly, watching sweep her fingers across his arms. They listened to the rain hit the windows and soon they were both lulled to sleep by the storm raging outside.