An update an update! Woohoo. Thank you guys for making this story have 140 reviews! I appreciate you readers and reviewers very much!

Erik: Are they going to read the story yet?

Me: Hold on I got an announcement to make.

Erik: *groans*

I'm going to have a contest. Its going to end May 1st. Oneshot or story must be a 1000 or over. Has to be a Christine/Erik and Suspense/Romance. Preferably a story with Raoul as the evil villain where Erik saves Christine. Be creative! All ratings permitted but nothing too mature please.

All who want to join the contest sign up in a review. PM me when your story is finished and published. Make sure to put in summary For CEC.

I will announce winner May 1at.

Iluvhorses1997 is already signed up.

Have fun!

Chapter 21:

A few days past and I got better each day. It was a slow process but at least I hadn't died that night.

My voice gradually started coming back like the doctor had said, but I wasn't allowed to talk. Now it was about a week and I still wasn't aloud. At least that's what Erik told me. I was pretty sure Doctor Dupree told Erik I could.

Finally after about two weeks I was able to talk again but Erik still didn't want me to sing yet.

"Erik, when are we going to set our wedding date?" I mused almost in a whisper to myself. I had been pretty sure he hadn't heard me as I was at the settee a ways away from him.

He was at the piano composing like he always used to do. Except this time he mostly composed and didn't play chords.

"It's your choice," Erik answered as he dipped his quill in the ink and kept on writing.

I stood up and walked over to sit on the piano bench with him. "What are you composing?" I asked, peering over.

He quickly snatched it from his probing gaze. "It's nothing of your concern," he placed it in a folio.

"What was that for?" I raised an eyebrow at his antics. He never had a problem with me seeing a composition he was writing. What had gotten into him?

"That is for me to know and you to find out, mon Emmy." Erik smiled and gave me a kiss. "So have you decided on the wedding date?"

"I want you to decided, Erik," I told him softly as I leaned into his shoulder.

"If it was my choice I'd want to get married right away. We've been through so much together I don't think I could wait much longer." He fingered the piano keys as he said this. His voice very serious as he looked down.

I smiled. I felt the same way as him, but I knew we had to at least wait three days to a week. We weren't prepared at all. I was hoping he had eloping in mind too.

I touched his mask less cheek softly and he turned to look at me. Erik looked scared as if I were going to shun him for saying what he said. "I also want to marry you as soon as possible. I don't want to wait."

"Would you marry me now—this very moment?" Erik asked, taking my hand in his and pressing it to his lips.

"You know I would in a heartbeat," I smiled up at him.

He looked over at the folio and sighed. "Well we can't marry until this composition is finished. I should work on it so it can get done faster." He took the manuscript back out and started back to scribbling.

"I still want to know what that is and why we can't get married until you finish it." I pondered feeling annoyed with him.

"Alright I'll tell you one thing. It's a wedding present, Emma. That's all you need to know." Erik glanced at me and back taking in my dreamy shocked expression.

He was writing a song for me?

At that moment Erik ran out of ink. "Oh of all the-." He shook the quill as if he could make more ink squirt out…which of course couldn't happen.

He looked at me before getting up. I got to get another bottle of ink out of the room. Don't you dare look at the manuscript while I'm gone. Erik will know if you have." Then he left.

I looked toward the sheets of paper longingly. I just had to know. One little peek couldn't hurt could it?

Not being able to take it anymore I picked it up and was just about to read it when…

"What are you doing?" Erik asked sharply behind me. I just knew the Phantom had his arms crossed.

I froze and turned to look at him. I knew I had the look of the deer in the headlights. "I was—I was just—err." I really had to stop stuttering. I was making a blubbering fool out of myself.

He stood there with his arms crossed and his head cocked in question. His golden eyes flashing.

I shouldn't have been but I was slightly frightened at that moment.

"Erik, I'm really sorry I didn't mean to pry it's just well. Um-." I raised my eyes timidly up at him. Well what you dodo head? Can't you ever think of something smart to say besides er and um?

I placed the manuscript back on the piano carefully. "I haven't read it if that's what you're worried about, Erik." I didn't look back up at him. I knew I shouldn't have tried to read it.

He walked over to me and I felt my heart quicken. Why? I didn't really know. I had no reason to fear him. He wouldn't hurt me if his life depended on it. Just the thought of being caught red-handed made me scared.

He stood beside me not saying a word before he placed his hands at my neck gently.

I shivered slightly but stood there, completely trusting.

He then kissed me softly and I knew he put his hands on my neck as a loving gesture…not so he could choke me.

"Erik thinks Emma needs to be punished for being disobedient." He said softly to me and then I really did shiver. He had teasing tone in his voice and suddenly I knew what he was thinking.

I squeaked and took off running. I had to hide before he caught me. I shouldn't have ever told him I was dreadfully ticklish.

He came running after me laughing mischievously. He much too fast of a runner.

Being that I was wearing a dress that came down to my ankles made me clumsier than I already was and slower. So much that I tripped when I was almost between the living room area and kitchen.

Much to my dismay and Erik's delight I fell and landed on the ground.

He was just eight feet from me and I squealed and shot up quickly on to find myself trapped in front of the settee.

I turned around to see Erik coming toward me with a sinister expression.

"Please have mercy on me!" I squealed, trying to find an escape route but I was blocked and only could try to keep him from his revenge.

He smiled and then he was tickling me and I could not help myself.

"Erik? Erik—Erik?" I practically was screaming and laughing at the same time.

Erik was enjoying this torture way too much and was grinning.

I pushed against him to try to ward off his tickle attack. Which was impossible as strong as strong as he was.

And then I lost my balance and fell back onto the settee. Erik being caught off guard fell with me. He ended up landing on top of me where I couldn't move an inch.

We both seemed to be in slight shock-nevertheless not but a few seconds later he continued the tickling. And this tickling happened to be worse than before. Seeing that I couldn't move a muscle and was putty in his hands.

I squealed and screamed pushing at him but I shouldn't have bothered because he didn't budge. "Oh please, Erik! Stop! Oh Erik have mercy!" I started laughing so hard I was crying now. I was starting to feel paralyzed now and Erik knew it.

If anyone happened to pass by the lair right now they would sure believe Erik was murdering his fiancé instead of fondling her the way I was screaming.

"No mon amour," A teasing glint passed his golden eyes as he stared at me. His expression was a mix of humor and then so much love that it was overwhelming.

He leaned down and captured my lips with his knocking any sort of ability I had to move.

I thought he decided that was enough tickling but I was wrong. It was like he began kissing me just so he could make me weaker. No sooner had he stopped kissing me he started to tickle again.

I shrieked and struggled against him again. I couldn't take much more tickling of my side. Suddenly he held my shoeless foot and I howled as he began tickling it.

Erik please!" I gasped in laughter. My feet and arms flailing around. He stopped and aimed under my arms. "No!" I shrieked struggling so hard Erik had to jerk his head back to avoid being hit in the face.

"I don't feel like it," he smirked with a fake sinister look upon his face.

"Yes you will!" I yelled out and tried to flip him under me. I failed of course at first but we ended up hitting the floor with me on top of him.

I gasped for air for a few seconds while he halted his torture and laid my head on his chest.

He was laughing at my pitiful attempt that ended up working. "Looks like you got your way—but not for long."

I wasn't able to ask what he meant because he had flipped me back to how we first were with him on top of me. All then the tickling started all over again.

"Please!" I screamed in laughter. "I'll do anything you say!"

"Anything?" He was laughing just as well but suddenly our laughing stopped as my arm accidently collided with his face and his mask slipped off and clattered to the floor.

And then I saw his face for the first time. But I didn't scream or make a sound.

I laid there frozen not knowing what was about to happen.

Erik shot up quickly, his hand shielding the right side of his face. Tears beginning to fill his eyes.

"Erik, I'm so sorry I didn't mean for that to happen." I got slowly and reached out to him.

He flinched at my touch and turned away.

I carefully picked up the white half mask and held it out.

He took it with shaky fingers. "You saw this monstrous face of mine."

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