(A/N: I'm so sorry about the long wait. I've been extremely busy lately, and haven't even been able to sit down at the computer for a while. Well, ever since my birthday, anyway. I had a little bit of time, but only to read one or two stories, and not to write. So, here's a chapter now. I might be able to have one up tomorrow as well. Thank you for your patience! Unfortunately, I can't respond to each of you anymore. That would be 29 individual responses…wow… I think I might be becoming popular…scary…)

Chapter Twenty-One: Facing the Past

Christine had never seen any room like this one before. It was quite empty, except for what seemed to be, as Meg had said, a metal tree in the middle of the room.

There were coverings all over the walls, somewhat like curtains. Christine peeked inside of one to see a mirror.

"Christine!"

She dropped the curtain and turned quickly as Erik entered the room after her.

"Erik," Christine began, confused, "What is this room? What is its function? I don't really understand…" Then her eyes caught the Punjab lasso on the tree, and her mind began to develop an idea.

Erik refused to look at her, and for a while he wouldn't answer.

When he did, however, it was barely a whisper. "It's a torture room, Christine. I'm sure you heard the daroga say that."

Christine hesitantly nodded, knowing by the edge in Erik's voice that she was in dangerous territory. (Literally…)

Erik kept a hold on his emotions however, and walked over to her, slightly pulling back a curtain. "The entire room is surrounded in mirrors. When the room is in use, I use the controls that are in a room over there—" he pointed upwards at the wall they were standing near, "To fill the place with heat and light, which are reflected back by the mirrors."

Christine was beginning to catch on. "The mirrors are also reflecting the tree, giving the room the illusion that it is an endless African jungle. When the heat becomes unbearable…" she trailed off, her eyes fixed on the lasso. "Erik…that's horrible… tell me that you never actually used it…"

Silence.

Christine was beginning to feel slightly sick. "When…what…"

Erik sighed. This room, which he had once been so proud of, was starting to make him feel ill as well. He took Christine's arm and led her out of it, locking the door securely behind him.

xxxxx

Christine listened intently as Erik explained how he had come to create the torture room, and what it had been used for.

She could tell by listening to his voice that this was hard for him, and she could also tell that he was beginning to resent what he had done. She hoped that this meant he was starting to change his life for the better. Perhaps God would still forgive him for what he'd done, if only he asked…

xxxxx

When Erik finished, he didn't look up at Christine. Surely, she would resent him now. Surely she would be horrified by how he had acted.

After a while, he raised his eyes to meet hers, expecting to see anger, hate, repulsion.

Instead, there was only sorrow.

"Erik," Christine began softly. She didn't want to hurt him by forcing him to relieve his worst memories, but she had to know. "What of your life before that? You've never spoken of your family. What happened?"

"Christine…" his angelic voice was now full of pain.

She reached over and gently took his hands in hers, eyes pleading. "I'm sorry Erik…Please forgive me… but I need to know. Try to understand…"

After a moment, Erik began to relieve his childhood in a broken voice that was both sad and horrible to listen to. Christine found herself biting her lip until it bled when he told of his time with the gypsies, and unnoticed tears trailed down her face.

Miraculously, however, Erik found that with every word, his past life was beginning to dissolve. With every syllable, the pain lessened, and hope began to well up inside of him. The past was gone. What was done was done, and he couldn't change it.

He could, however, change his future.

When he finished this time, he felt strangely light, as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

He looked up to see Christine's reaction to his tale.

She just sat and looked at him for a little while, her hands still gripping his. Then, she dropped one of them and lifted a hand to his face, carefully removing his mask.

Erik made no motion to stop her this time.

Christine set the mask down on the ground, and gently caressed the deformed side of his face, her eyes never leaving his.

Then she leaned forward, and her lips found his.

xxxxx

Carlotta sat calmly in the lobby of the Opera House, explaining everything to the legion of police she had summoned.

One of them stepped forward with a frown, and she recognized him as the man who Christine had talked to earlier.

"Are you trying to tell us, madam, that you have found the lair of the ghost that you frightened away earlier?"

The prima donna nodded primly.

"And you are certain that this thing is a ghost?"

She nodded again, this time a bit more uncertainly.

The man nearly laughed. "So you want us to kill a ghost? My good lady, I regret to say that I forgot my garlic."

Another officer in the back, which was one of Carlotta's fans, frowned disapprovingly. "Don't mock the lady. And besides, garlic is to scare away vampires, not ghosts."

The lead officer turned to face the man. "Are you volunteering to lead this mission, then? Be my guest."

The man hesitated. He was quite obviously superstitious. "But…how do you kill a ghost?"

"My point exactly." The lead officer said sourly.

"Sir, quite obviously, the lady has made a mistake. There are no such things as ghosts. This creature must be a man…" another spoke up.

The lead officer smothered another chuckle. "But this lovely …personage… claims that it is a ghost. If you cannot trust her on that point, what can you trust her on? For all you know, she is leading you into a kind of trap."

"Why would she do that?"

"If you wish to lead this insane expedition, as I've said before, be my guest. I will take no part in this."

The lead officer turned on his heel and marched out. Several men, perhaps about half the group, followed him.

Carlotta pouted, trying to catch the sympathy of the remaining officers.

"Dis thing tried to kill mee! Eef nothing is done, I will… I will…"

"Be assured, madam, something will be done!" a younger man reassured her. "This thing cannot possibly be a ghost, you must be mistaken. Lead us to its lair, and we will destroy it!"

The other men nodded, encouraged by the brave words.

Carlotta stood. "Follow mee."

xxxxx

Erik broke off abruptly as something caught his attention.

Christine watched his face curiously. "What is it?"

Erik's eyes were quickly darkening.
"Someone is in the torture room."

(A/N: Okay, so it's short, but this chapter kind of had to be. The next one is longer, I promise. Hopefully I'll have it up tomorrow. R&R, please!)

Hilary