I was planning not to rewrite this so soon but I will. Ok I had the chapter almost done when all of a sudden a pop up comes up saying the word has encountered a problem and needed to shut down. I had not save any of the chapter…..it all was deleted. I was so mad, it was all done and it went down the drain.

I would like you guys to know that sbkar saw it the most times. So they gets a Erik plushy….well why not everyone have an Erik plushy:Hands plushys to all reviewers: Mainly because I have now over 100 reviews. I am very happy that you people are loving it.

ModestySparrow9- I'm glad you agree, also you have the one hundredth post. Don't know why I am telling you but I descried to tell you.

Rue Marie- I know it was turning a bit more fluffier than I would have liked….I have always liked a darker Erik. Everyone gets to see Erik's angrier side this chapter :Grins: After though Erik starts to change for Meg, but that is under the circumstances of what happens. Erik will never stoop down to acting normal….he is scarred and always will be. Tell me if in the future it gets to be too much, nonErik like. I love the humor that Erik has so it makes everything funny.

sbkar- If I'm getting what your asking about Alexander is why didn't he stop the mob. Well it is not only him who was against the 'opera ghost' at the time so he pretty much just told everyone that the opera ghost still lived and was taking over meg and bla bla bla. He will do something in the next chapter though...plus he is a rich kid who always got what he wanted with money soo you can come to conclusions. And about the police...um...lets just say that everyone was too afriad to do anything. You are right though for that someone would have gone to get the police, but the shock that erik still live might have some people going with the mob. The way they where treating other people though would have made the police come. Sorry that minor error.

I am not quiet sure at what point violence becomes PG-13 but this chapter is a bit graphic with the violence, and I am giving a warning for it. So as a precaution this chapter is rated PG-13 for Violence

:He is But a man:

He sat once again feelings caged, well he was in a way. He fingers flicked at his side as he sat crouched…waiting. He watched as the door burst open and Men filled the room, the stench of alcohol was on their breath. He could sense that this was not going to end good. He watched as meg played dumb, he felt relived that Meg could act. He felt himself shaking in rage and in fear for Meg as the men surrounded her, those men better not touch her!

Opposing his wishes the lead man in his anger of finding nothing still struck down at Meg. Erik watched in slow motion as his hand was raised and was brought down hard. Erik's temper snapped like a small stick. The monster inside of him arose. With a cry of rage that shook like thunder Erik pushed the cabinet doors open.

His hand had flipped towards his noose instantly and before anyone could react in defense it was flying through the air and landed over the head of the man who had struck Meg. With a violent twist Erik brought the mans head snapping backwards. By snapping his wrist again the noose loosened and came off the falling, dead man's neck.

By then some where taking action, gun shots rang through the air but in their hurried manner the shots where easily dodged. Many looked into the pits of the devil in the ghosts eyes. With the same maneuver with the noose two more had fallen before the phantom's wrath.

Erik then had the mob coming foreword, he had not yet received a blow from anyone. He had the element of surprise and it was still having its effect on the mob as there numbers slowly declined one by one. Another shot rang out and Erik gasped as a bullet entered his leg, red liquid steadily oozing out of the wound. A cry went out shouting that he was but a man. Then the mob rushed foreword again and Erik started to loose ground as he took a step back.

He was no match and he knew it, their mass was far too many. Erik already was wounded he was a man and felt pain. His tolerance for pain was greater than most. Erik's face did not show defeat, with hatred and force he could never be defeated. He could not be broken by any weapon or any blow. The only thing that could break him was love.

He watched as the men slowly came around him, there was no way out this time. He was not going to go calmly though, he held the deadly weapon in his hand. He watched all of them daring one of them to step out and get at him. His eyes gazed over all of them, rifles where pointed in his direction, he stared down the barrel. It was then that he felt Meg brush up the front of him. She was supposed to have gone! He had not heard her cry out for them all to stop.

No, He would not drag her into this. He had to get her away, she must not have to go through this. Erik looked around the room hoping to maybe find an opening. There was still none. If they knew that Meg was with him it could cause her harm too. Erik regretted what he was about to do but he had to do it for her. He pushed Meg aside rather roughly and spoke harshly hoping that she would not go against it. "Back off I don't need your protection."

He watched as Meg fell from his push, she landed with her back against a wall. She looked at him with a hurt expression. Still raging he went to turn around, why couldn't she stay back and understand? By the time Erik turned around it had been to late, the men had seized the opportunity when he got distracted.

A hand roughly grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. Erik dropped the long rope that he held to the ground, they where too close it was no use now. Erik brought his fist around to connect with the mans face that had spun him around. The man staggered backwards and Erik turned as someone latched onto one of his arms trying to restrain him.

Savagely snarling Erik raised a hand to strip away the man that hung onto his arm but someone caught that arm too. Soon hands where placed on both his arms and someone pushed down on Erik's shoulders. A cry rose behind him "Bring him down!"

Erik felt the weight of many men trying to bring him down, in a desperate need to stay standing Erik locked his knees. Then he turned to see that one his right arm there was only one man holding on to him. Erik raised up his arm, which raise the man off his feet. Erik slashed his arm outward and the man flung off and fell to the ground. Erik had no emotion…he just had to kill, he had to survive. This was a challenge of survival of the fittest and Erik was not going to admit defeat.

Finally having a free hand Erik turns his body and flings his hand at another's mans neck. His long fingers manage to latch on to his neck and Erik began to drag him away. From himself, Then he felt more men grab onto him, the butt of a gun was slammed down on Erik's wrist and he was forced to let go of the Man.

His wounded leg was the first thing to give out, it came out from under him. Erik then, unable to catch himself, fell to the cold ground. Once he was down no one stepped back, like a pack of hungry jackals the mob came down upon their prey. A boot was kicked into Erik's stomach which made him flinch into a ball. The same boot was then swung towards his knees which had been in front of Erik's stomach. Erik still having fight left in him caught the boot in his hands.

Not being able to put a foot under him the large man fell down with Erik still holding onto his foot. Erik then twisted his foot back until he heard a howl of pain and a cracking sound come from the foot.

Then a club was brought down on Erik's back. Erik kept in his cry of pain, weakness was anything good to show. In his earlier years of life Erik had learned to not give in to the satisfaction that they have hurt him. Then everyone stepped back as someone (Erik could care less who) spoke up and said that they should show everyone what they had caught.

Once again hands grasped him and dragged him too his feet. Soon as he was up he stared down several gun barrels. Erik straitened his back and glared down the barrels and into the eyes of the owners. A Few people broke their gaze from Erik's hate filled eyes.

Erik's breathing was heavy and his breath came out in ragged gasps. Still trying to look the best he could he had his mouth closed and he breathed through his nose giving him the impression that he was snorting at everyone around.

Then a end of a gun was pushed into Erik's bruised back. Erik took a step foreword and with the rest the mob they all went to leave the room. With a limp in his stride he followed. Erik was surrounded by then men all guns pointed his way. Erik licked his lips and tasted blood.

As he was in the doorway he turned to catch Meg's eye. His eyes softened thinking that he might not ever see her again. As again a gun was poked into his back at the pain Erik whirled around with a snarl, the man instantly backed off but two guns pressed at his neck warning him to not do anything. He turned around with a very low growl and walked on.

Once he had stopped fighting Erik saw raise their hand he flinched in time to make the blow seem less harsh. The person slapped him hard against the back, his put out his foot quickly to steady himself without even looking like it. Some cries went up most was in laughter but the man behind him wailed and shouted. ' He's hard as a rock!'

No one slapped Erik after that but that didn't stop their torment as they went towards a back entrance to the Opera. Erik was silent and aloud their torment to fall upon him. His mouth was set in a firm line and eyes stayed foreword emotionless. Words where thrown out though they fell upon closed doors. A couple of times he was jabbed with the end of a large stick. Erik didn't move to attack them, he didn't feel anything either.

He was thinking how he could get them to go where he could slip away. No more animal like reactions…He also needed to get his captors farther away from himself. Then he knew what he could do! Oh this would work! They would think he was a lunatic but hey that's what they thought already right? He let his laughter rack the hallways it echoed and bombed everyone turned to stare at him. His voice held with laughter then yelled "Yes, Please go on Monsieurs this should be fun to watch! Oh how I will love to watch you rot inside torture chamber. Please continue! Onward…you all are so slow faster please faster!"

The Men had stopped and all where standing awkwardly staring at Erik. They seem to be thinking about going any farther. Erik had lied there was nothing of the sort up there but he played a long and an insane smile was displayed across his face. Then men made up there mind and went back dragging Erik with them.

They where quickly heading towards the stair case to the main exit. Some started saying that they could show off their prized 'thing' Erik face grimaced and he was tempted to swing around but he kept going, he might as well keep playing along. He tried to turn around but a long club like stick gabbed into his bruised ribs. Erik fallowed where he was being led….Right where he wanted to be. He spoke again. "Nooo come on! Don't you want to see what's back there?"

……:……

It was the sound of gunfire that awoke Meg, she jolted awake and scrambled to a sitting position. Erik was no longer in front of her. He was more off to the side of Meg. Another trigger was pulled but Erik seemed to be ready before anything happened and he skirted sideways out of the bullets path.

For a fleeting moment Meg was able to catch Erik's eye. It was truly frightening, it wasn't the Erik she knew; It was not the Erik who she had just kissed minutes ago, it was not the Erik that had saved her from drowning, it was not even the same Erik that twisted her hand. This was a true monster and it Raged around the room daring any to come and challenge him.

He seemed so inhuman, Meg was frozen in fear of the man that stood before her. Then another shot rang and those dark, savage eyes flickered with pain. It was still Erik though, he was not inhuman he was human just like everyone in the room. He seemed to lose the moment of the animal ways but then it was slowly turning back to defiance. The mob got closer so Erik stepped back.

Meg brought her feet under her quickly, Erik was there hidden by some monster inside she still had to do something to protect him. She then took a large step in front of Erik and turned to face the crowd.

"Stop!" Her voice rang out, choked with emotion. . If they were going to kill him they would have to kill her as well. She breathed heavily as some of the men dropped their guns why others kept them raised.

When Erik pushed her to the side she fell to the ground with the force of his blow. She felt tears coming to her eyes, not because she was hurt, well her jaw still hurt, but because he had just pushed her aside like that. How could he? She just wanted to help him why did he do that?

She watched in horror as Erik was overwhelmed by the mob. Running over she began to try and get the people off of him, but a pain of hands pulled her away. Has the little beauty fallen in love with the beast? A cruel voice crackled in her ear. She tried to fight away but of course he was stronger.

Being taller than most of the men she could see as Erik raised up fighting the men that where trying to restrain him. He was like a wild horse, rearing up to fight the ropes that bound it down, fighting to become free, in the end only to be pulled down by its captures.

Meg watched mouth agape as Erik fell, then the mob pounced on his. Meg fought the man bitterly that held her but got no where. She watched as the men stepped back and a huddled figure lay on the floor….no not Erik. She saw that he was not yet dead as they dragged him to his feet and took him away.

"Erik! Erik!" She cried out his name as he was in the doorway. She saw him turn, the ferocious animal like gleam was gone from his eyes, it was replaced with some sorrow but the light of hope still burned in his eyes. He was then forced to go and some of the anger had returned to his eyes but she could tell that he was thinking.

The mob dragged Erik away and Meg was thrown to the ground. She was alone as she stared around the room blankly not knowing what to do. Alexander! Maybe he could help stop this! She prayed that he was still here. Running she searched franticly for him.

Meg stopped for a moment to listen to Erik as he laughed, he was up to something why else would he openly tell people about his torture chamber. What was he thinking? Was he trying to scare them? She had not realized that she had been running until she ran into Alexander, that's right she was looking for him. She almost slapped him for grabbing her arm,

"I don't know what the man of yours is up to but he has a plan, it has something to do with the front entrance of the opera!" when he stared to explain to her she forgave him…a little. She recalled what he was saying. The front of the opera…the front of the opera. It went off-she knew his plan, well maybe she did, with Erik you never knew what he was doing. Would that really work it might she guessed. It was a stretch but if it could grant him his freedom it was worth it.

They had gotten there before the mob. But what were they supposed to do now? She heard them before she saw them. They were being rather noise clearly pleased with themselves for catching the elusive Phantom of the Opera. She felt angry with them, but mostly Alexander because this was all his fault.

She watched as Erik stared at the floor intently as they came to the middle of the grand stair case. Erik became ridged his back straitened out and he stopped in the dead middle. He began to shake and it grew more violent as time past. The men seemed to step away from him as a bloody foam started to come from the corner of his mouth. Meg gasped, He was having some type of fit!

She tried to run foreword but Alexander caught her arm, Meg turned around and gave him what he deserved. She hit him hard as she could across the cheek. In shock he let go, Erik was again falling towards the ground in convulsions. The men said something about him being possessed but Meg was running fast as she could towards him from their hiding place. Don't let him die, don't let him die.

Then Erik did something that made Meg stop. With the agility of a cat he sprung up, he winced a bit…maybe from his leg. He then smiled triumphantly and gave the mob a bow, Meg saw then that he dropped red powder from his hands. Before he was completely consumed in smoke his voice rang out cheerily "Au revoir Monsieur's!" And with that Erik disappeared, when the smoke steeled no one was there.

-Ok review up my friends. Hope you enjoyed a more violent Erik for once. I think that after this it will stay PG for everything….I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but I will try to get it up asap.-