Disclaimer: I do not own Phantom of the Opera

Chapter 12

Laying in my bed I still couldn't believe what had gone on in the past few hours. Erik had seemed so unlike himself. He had asked me to dance and it took me by complete surprise. Usually when I danced a lot I got really tired, yet here I am, awake at who knows what time mulling over everything that had happened today, well more like tonight. How can he go from being a great guy to a guy who is so pissed off that he won't even talk to me for days at a time? Erik needed to seriously work on his communication skills, but who could blame him? He's been all by himself for years locked away under the opera house.

What the hell was wrong with me? I couldn't help but smile into my pillow. I looked back and I could remember the exact way Erik looked when he asked me to dance. I looked up into Erik's face as he waited for my answer. Suddenly it hit me that Erik wasn't just asking me to keep me from dancing with someone else, it seemed more like he was actually nervous waiting for my answer and if you were just friends then would it really matter weather I said yes or not?

"Does that include me?" Erik asked and my eyebrows shot up.

"Really Erik, you want to dance with me?" I asked still in surprise.

Erik reached out and picked up my hand and led me to the dance floor with confidence. I wasn't sure weather or not Erik could dance, where would he have taken lessons during his whole time hiding away from everyone? Would he just step all over me?

As soon as we stepped out onto the dance floor a new song started, almost like he had the whole timing planned out. Pulling me close he picked up my right hand and I placed my arm on his shoulder, though it was a reach for me because he was so much taller than me. Swiftly he twirled me around the dance floor holding me close and for the first time I could actually smell Erik. Not that he smelled bad mind you, he actually smelled really good. Like firewood and candle smoke with a touch of musk. When I looked up I could see Erik's eyes, and they had always fascinated me. They were a green color with shots of amber in them.

His eyes seemed to be piercing into mine because when I looked up he was already looking down at me with a smile pulling at his lips. "Wow Erik your a great dancer."

"Don't act so surprised Desiree'." He said a smile still on his lips.

I shrugged my shoulders but continued to dance. Song after song Erik never stopped dancing with me and pretty soon everyone started to drift away either to go home, or people were hooking up in the corridors because when Erik spoke I was surprised. "Desiree' I should get you back to your room, it's very late, and I know you must be tired."

Now that he had mentioned it, I was very, very tired. I could see people making out in corners and I heard things I didn't really want to hear between two people. I hadn't seen the twins since Levi left us and I wondered if they were in our room yet or not.

"There not in yet." Erik said and I looked up at him. How did he seem to know what I was thinking? Erik opened up the door and ushered me across the threshold. All thoughts of being mad at him had vanished in his good mood.

The hiss of my lamp being lit made me look around to see Erik lighting it for me and I closed the door behind me. "Erik this has been a wonderful night, I can't even remember the last time I danced so long, thank you for dancing with me, I know I'm not the best."

"Desiree' you did very well." Erik said from across the room. He actually seemed nervous and because he seemed nervous, I became. Yes I was right, Erik just wasn't my friend, but I was so inexperienced in that field I had been married for almost 5 years, I didn't have to worry about trying to impress a guy. I bit my lip.

"Erik..." I started out, but I couldn't get another word out, I just couldn't make myself say it, but I needed to, but Erik walked over to me and picked up my hand and placed a very chaste kiss on my knuckles the he turned and quickly left through the mirror. That was weird.

So now here I lay mulling things over, smiling like the fool I am at what had gone on. It wasn't like I was naive, I was just a bit ignorant when it came to other guys liking me. Chad would always tell me when other guys would look at me, or he could tell when people liked me, and I would always be blissfully ignorant, but this one was smacking me straight in the face, and I was actually considering it! When Chad would tell me about guys paying attention to me I would just ignore it and move on, but I actually wanted to consider being with Erik.

Sure he was moody, but what guy wasn't, he was just a bit more moody than other guys, and when he was in a good mood, I wanted to be around him. The twins still hadn't come back and I was starting to get worried about them, but they were big girls and could decide for themselves what they wanted to do, I was just a worry wort.

I turned in my spinsters bed, yet again, and tried to close my eyes, but my body just wouldn't cooperate with me and I sighed out in frustration. I had been rolling around for well over an hour and a half and suddenly I heard sweet music reach my ears. Of course Erik was keeping an eye on me and he could sense that I wasn't sleeping so he tried to help me out. It was working.

My eyes got heavy and I soon was under his power once more and let my mind turn off and sleep.

The next day when I woke up I still had a smile spread to my face and Pearl nor Eleanor was there in bed, though we had the day off I had no idea what I was going to do with myself. So when I got up I got dressed and left my hair down, I just couldn't do anything with it because of my stupid hand but before I could even get to the door I heard the swish of the glass move to the side and I turned to see Erik stepping through the glass.

"I thought you might actually enjoy a good breakfast instead of the swine they serve in the dining hall." Erik said and extended his hand for me. I grinned up at him and had to stop myself from running over to Erik and I took his hand in mine and he took me down the passageway to his house. I still loved the long trip, the stone was so dark and I loved to just reach out and touch the moist stone.

When we crossed the lake I couldn't help but stare at him. I was seeing Erik with new eyes all of a sudden and I didn't want it to stop. When he escorted me into his house I could already smell whatever he was cooking and I did have to admit it smelled so much better than the hard lump that was supposed to be a croissants. Leading me into his kitchen I could see the masterpiece of a breakfast.

"You made all this for me?" I asked in wonder taking in all the food.

There was fluffy croissants with some kind of jam, what looked like ham, and so much other stuff. This really was better than what I normally had. Erik pulled out a chair for me and I sat down and couldn't help but smile. Erik could be such a gentleman when he wanted to be.

"Thank you so much for this Erik that was wonderful." I said after breakfast was done, and the sudden memory of him singing me to sleep came to me. "Oh and thank you for last night too." I said a bit more shyly. "I just couldn't get to sleep I had a lot on my mind."

"What has been troubling you Desiree'?" Erik asked.

I bit my lip I was always a big chicken. "Well Erik it was about you?"

"Do you care to share?" He asked getting a bit suspicious.

Shaking my head I was way to chicken to say it now. "Well go on."

"What's the deal with us?" I blurted out after a few moments of dull silence.

The look on his face seemed to match my own. "I'm sorry I was just curious." I mumbled bowing my head in embarrassment.

"I don't know Desiree'." Erik said just as quietly.

So maybe I wasn't in this on my own, it seemed that Erik was just as worried about this as I was. "We don't have to do anything right now you know." I said, I was still very new at this type of thing.

Standing up I knew it was time for me to go. "Thank you for breakfast Erik, that was beyond wonderful."

Because I had stood up Erik had stood up, always the gentleman, and our weird moment passed and he reached out his hand for mine again and I gladly placed it in his gloved hand. "What do you plan on doing with the rest of your day?" Erik asked me as he led me out of his kitchen.

Biting my lip I shrugged my shoulders. "I have no idea actually." I said with a chuckle.

"Well do you maybe want some company then?"

Maybe spending time with Erik would actually be better than spending the day alone in my room. "Okay." I said with a small grin and he took a turn and led me into a room I hadn't actually been in yet. It was filled with tons upon tons of books. There were more books in here than in a normal library.

"Oh my dude." I whispered under my breath and Erik turned to me questioningly. I ignored his glance. "Erik this is amazing! What type of books do you have in here?" I asked in awe.

"Everything." He said looking around the room proudly. I couldn't tell which room he enjoyed more, his music room or his book room.

"What's your favorite book?" I asked as I let go of his hand and started to walk around the room trailing my fingertips over the binds of the books.

Erik reached over my head and pulled out a book. "This is a great one, I think you would like it, would you like to read it?" He asked and I reached for the book. It was Sense and Sensibility. I had read that in high school and decided to read it again.

"You wouldn't mind?" I asked holding the book to my chest.

"Of course not." He said walking over to the couch and I followed. Reading actually wasn't something I wanted to do right then and now, but maybe I could get Erik to read it to me. That would be nice. "Would you read it a little bit?" I asked handing him the book back and he gave a grin and opened to the first page and started to read.

Settling in I leaned up against Erik, he really didn't seem to mind reading to me, and this wasn't exactly what I would normally think of a good time, but it was actually. Hearing Erik talk just made me in a good mood, his voice was so magical to my ears.

I wasn't sure how long he continued to read to me, but I seemed to be in an a daze, I'm not sure I actually heard the story just his voice.

"Are you growing bored?" Erik asked and I shook my head.

"Oh no, sorry I was just dazing in and out. You don't have to keep reading, we can do something else." I suggested and without another hesitation he stood up and pulled me right along with him. He led me into the music room and over to his organ. I was actually a bit hesitant. I remember the last time he had played for me, he seems to put me in a trance just by his voice, and his music was so much more powerful, did I really want to go through that again?

Yes.

Sitting down on his stool he raised his hands to the keys but he didn't actually play anything. "Before I play this I think we should clear some things up."

I held my breath and didn't move a muscle, I had been planning on sitting next to him, but I couldn't move my feet. "Yes Erik?" I asked when he didn't go on. His back was still turned to me.

"Are you afraid of me?" He asked quietly and it was good that I was holding my breath for I might not have heard him.

Was I afraid of Erik? Sometimes I was, but it was less and less lately. "Not so much anymore, but you do frighten me sometimes, I just can't seem to really get you." I answered honestly, I didn't want to lie to him.

"I don't want you to be frightened to me, and I'm sorry if I get out of hand, but I haven't felt these things in a long time, except it's different." He said and I was confused about what he was saying but I let him talk. "Sometimes I have this feeling that I can't get out of my mind and I have no idea what your feeling, I just can't read you sometimes and I can always read people, that's why I find you so fascinating."

All the breath I had been holding was rushed out of my lungs. Had I just heard him correct? Where did this leave us? Was he saying that he...liked me? That sounded so childish though.

"Rejection isn't something that I'm good at, and if you don't feel the same you can leave and I won't bother you anymore I will leave you alone."

Leaving was the last thing on my mind and I walked out and touched his shoulder. "I don't want to leave Erik." I whispered and Erik turned around his face in shadows so I couldn't see him properly so I couldn't tell what was going on under that mask of his.

"You speak the truth?" He finally said and I nodded my head.

Was this to soon? I had only let go of Chad a short while ago. It wasn't like I was giving my heart away just like that, but still, was this too soon?

"Yes." I responded and he stood up and again I was stuck by how tall he was. Walking forward I glanced into his face and I put my arms around him pulling us close together. I didn't want this to end and I placed my head against his chest. If this was to soon, well right now I didn't care I just wanted to be lost in this moment.

Well I just decided that this chapter I would start to make Desiree' and Erik a bit closer, but things will be going slowly, she is still getting over her husband and Erik, well he's Erik after all. Special thanks time: Mystical Arrow for adding this story to your favorit story list! Also a huge thanks to everyone who did review, you guys rock so please review this chapter and tell me weather you like me having Desiree' and Erik together, or anything else you want to tell me. I hope you liked the chapter!

Desiree'