Hello all you Fanfiction readers out there! Happy Saturday and it's a beautiful day! I'm eager to get Chapter 25 out, as next week I won't be able to update. I will be taking my annual NY trip and I'm more than excited. Four shows on the agenda and Tony fever is alive and well! After that, I should be set with regular weekend updates for a while. Hope you are still sticking with me.

On with the show!

Things were getting a bit heated for Meg and Nadir. They were so caught up in each other's kiss that they didn't hear Antoinette calling for Meg. Nor did they bother to keep their balance, as they tumbled to the floor behind the platform in each other's arms. It wasn't until Antoinette stepped onto the stage and called out again for her daughter that they realize they were no longer alone.

"Meg?! Meg where are you?"

Nadir froze and Meg covered her mouth so she wouldn't release a giggle. She whispered, "Follow my lead." She then unclasped her necklace and dropped it into his hands, before jumping up and calling out to her mother.

"Mama! What are you doing here?"

"I came to speak to you. I wanted to talk about this afternoon. Were you here the whole time? Why didn't you answer me when you heard me calling your name?"

"Nadir and I were too focused. I had wanted to find my necklace before having to admit that I had lost it?"

"Lost it? How?"

"It must have gotten unhooked while I was practicing and Nadir was kind enough to…."

Nadir stood up in a heroic fashion. "Here it is!" He held up the necklace and then greeted Antoinette. "Hello, Annie. Meg, you really need to be more careful." He placed it into her hand and then quickly looked away from her eyes.

"Thank you, Nadir! I really don't know what I would have down without your help."

Antoinette looked very confused. "I still don't understand how neither of you heard me?"

"Mama! I told you. Nadir and I were feeling our way, inch by inch on the floor. We were just consumed in the moment." She purposely eyed Nadir which caused him to turn around, so he could hide his grin.

"Yes, Annie. I knew you would be furious. It looked very expensive." He then took out his handkerchief and began rubbing the back of his neck, before turning back around to face them.

Antoinette shrugged. "I don't even remember that piece. Where did you get it?"

"We bought it a few years ago, Mama. I was still a child."

Antoinette laughed. "As opposed to now?" She ignored her daughter's look of protest and hugged her. "I'm sorry about today. I just knew you could do better and your behavior this afternoon was not something I was used to or liked very much."

"I know, Mama. I'm sorry. You were right and that is why I came back to practice. Nadir was working and so I used him as my audience." She then looked back at him. "I hope I wasn't in your way, Nadir."

"Never. Seeing you dance has always brought a comfort to me. You are grace and elegance itself when you dance."

Meg's face beamed. "Really?"

"I would never lie to you, Meg."

Antoinette looked relieved at this point. "So you two are back to being friends again? I seemed to have noticed a bit of coldness this afternoon. In fact, only Erik and Christine seemed jovial. Which is odd if Erik is the only one with a smile on his face."

This caused everyone to laugh out loud. Finally, Antoinette spoke up.

"Meg, it's late. I think you have practiced enough for one night."

"But I had one more turn…."

"Leave Nadir to his work. Erik will be more inclined to be harder with him than with you. Besides, you can practice again tomorrow."

"But Mama…."

"Meg, it's alright. I do have a few things to finish up and if you dance, I will be forced to focus on you and not my work. You are a beautiful distraction but a distraction, none the less."

"Alright." Meg said in defeat. "I'll just grab my shawl. Mama, I can walk back on my own."

Antoinette rolled her eyes. "Very well. I won't hover. Goodnight Nadir. Meg, I'll see you back at the house."

"Good night, Annie." Nadir then waited until Antoinette was out of hearing distance. "You scared me to death! 'Feeling our way, inch by inch?' What possessed you to say that?"

"It was true, no?" She giggled. "I don't have to leave right this minute." She placed her hands on his chest.

"Yes, you do." Nadir smiled and kissed both hands before removing them from his chest. "I have work to do and I wasn't lying. You are a distraction."

"So we are…. Ok?"

"Better than okay. I just think we need to be a bit more careful. That's not how I envisioned telling Annie about us."

"So you trust me and we are back to where we were before?"

"Before I barged in on you and Thompson?" Nadir nodded. "I admit, I am not comfortable with it but I do trust you, so I will do what you ask until the time is right."

"We won't wait very long, I promise." She then puckered up and closed her eyes, waiting for Nadir's lips.

"Good night, my Meg."

After a moment of not feeling his lips, she opened her eyes in confusion. "Aren't you going to kiss me?"

"I don't think I'll be able to stop."

She smiled. "We could just kiss once and save the rest for later. I'll be good. I promise. You said you trusted me, remember?"

He laughed out loud. "You're the one who is a bad influence."

"And you wouldn't have it any other way."

They kissed once more, before reluctantly saying good night.

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The next morning, Erik was in the theatre tent playing the piano. His hands were on the keys but his mind was far away from the music. All he could think about was her. Her eyes. Her lips. The way her hair looked in the moonlight. The effortless way she allowed him access to her neck and the way her skin felt upon his lips. She was beauty, she was light. She was his temptation and his obsession. Christine was all he ever wanted and nothing of what he deserved. He knew he should feel guilty for his actions but he couldn't bring himself to regret a single moment. She wanted to be in his arms and allowed him to kiss her and hold her. If he were normal, their actions would have been perfectly acceptable. For he knew when to stop. He wasn't about to use her in such away. He respected her. He worshiped her. He…. Loved her.

The music suddenly stopped.

"I love her. Dear God…Could it be possible that she could love me too? Do I have the ability to finally be loved for myself? Can she really see the beauty underneath?"

"Erik?"

Erik stood up from the piano and smoothed out his hair. "Nadir, what are you doing in here?"

"It's morning. I'm working. I would have said the same for you but your soliloquy just then made me realize it wasn't a part of the act. Wouldn't you rather talk to a live person, who may be able to answer some of those questions?"

"You heard?!" Erik panicked. "Nadir, I was only thinking out loud. I was…."

Nadir brought his hands up to Erik's shoulders. "It's Christine that you love, isn't it?"

Erik looked lost. "I know it's absurd but…."

"Why is it absurd? You didn't think so when I told you about Meg."

"I knew her as a child! What if that is misinterpreted as something vile or grotesque? Should I not only think of her as a student or as a daughter?"

"She's not your daughter and while the lady has never spoken to me of her feelings, I don't think she would ever see you as vile or grotesque."

"How can you be so sure?"

"For one, I wasn't too annoyed yesterday not to notice how many times she looked out seeking your gaze, while she danced. I also saw how she was hanging on your every word when you two were talking."

"She was not hanging on my every word. Don't insult her like that. She has an excellent mind. She was thinking her own thoughts and vocalizing them. I like her opinions and thoughts. She…."

"Erik, calm down. I wasn't insulting the lady. I only meant to tell you that she seems to care a great deal."

"Of course she wants my approval. I'm her Maestro. But as a suitor or something more…."

"Have you told her of your feelings?"

"Not with words." Erik looked sheepishly at him.

"Well with what? Did you write a song?"

"No." He felt a little embarrassed. "We… I… That is, she…."

"Erik, try using your words. It will make the conversation so much more pleasant."

"Damn it, Daroga! I'm trying to tell you that she kissed me. We kissed!"

"You kissed her? She let you?"

"She initiated it. She allowed it many, many times. We both were very… Er….. Involved in the discussion." He loosened his collar.

Nadir only smiled up at his friend. "Erik, that's wonderful. When did this happen?"

"Last night." He looked at Nadir but his thoughts were back to last night with Christine. "Daroga, I tell you I found such ecstasy in her embrace. I never knew what a kiss could be. She opened me up and accepted me for who I am, with no doubts. She seemed to be enjoying it as much as I was." He laughed at himself. "Can you believe that?"

"Of course I can, Erik. I am so happy for you. For you both!"

"But what if she was only being kind? What if she feels friendship for me but not love? I'm told it can happen, no? You can care deeply for a friend and not turn into love, isn't that right? I feel that way about Annie."

"You never kissed Annie, correct?"

Erik made a face. "Certainly not! The very ideal leaves me quite cold. She is like a sister to me and I never even thought of her as a woman." Erik heard Nadir laughing. "I meant…."

He lifted his hand up. "I know what you meant, my friend. I understand. I don't think Christine is the type of lady who would just randomly kiss male friends in such a way. However, I think I am the wrong person to ask these questions. You must speak to the lady herself."

Erik hesitated. "I was afraid you would say that."

"What's this, man? You afraid? You nearly faced death in Persia. I have never known you to be afraid of anything."

"Christine's rejection scares me. She makes me feel weak and yet strong at the same time."

"Tell her you love her, Erik."

"And if she doesn't feel that same?"

"Why don't you take the same advice you gave me once."

Erik raided his visible eyebrow. "You are the second person to use my words against me."

"Then we must both be right. Go to her man and tell her."

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Antoinette was in the office when the door suddenly swung opened and Claude appeared.

"Claude? What are you doing? I wasn't expecting you until this evening." She got up and embraced him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. When he smiled meekly, she knew something was wrong. "Claude, what's the matter?"

He patted her hand and then took a few steps away from her. "Annie, I've been replaced."

"What do you mean, replaced?" She led him to a chair. "Sit down, please."

"Exactly that. I have been released of my duties. Call it an early retirement gift from the de Chagny family."

"Those bastards! Don't they know how good you are? They don't deserve you, darling."

He shook his head. "Annie, it's not that. I was going to retire at the end of the year. This just gives me more time to spend with you." He caught her gaze and kissed her hand. "I'm not upset about leaving my position."

"Claude, you have every right to be upset. They took something you cared about away and all because they simply can do it. They had no right to…."

"Annie, please. It's alright. I couldn't care less about my position. I only care how it will end up affecting you and your family."

"My... My family? What do you mean?"

"Thompson, the man that is replacing me has been tasked by the de Chagnys to investigate Erik's past."

"His past? What could they have anything to investigate? The Opera Ghost has been dead for 10 years. There is nothing to investigate anymore."

"Anne, apparently Erik was in some sort of trouble in Italy. Do you know about that?"

Annie shook her head as she sat back down. "I was married then, Erik left a few years before that. All I know about Italy is that he was happy there, for a while and then he had to leave. All he told me was that he could forget about his face for a while but he would never be able to escape it. Something drove a wedge between him and his employer at the time. That is all I know."

Claude looked nervous. "Annie, I don't know what the Comte or his brother have on Erik but Thompson has been tasked to investigate a murder that occurred in Italy. They have reason to suspect that Erik was responsible for it."

"No! No! It's a lie! He would not kill for no reason. Not in cold blood. No!"

Annie was getting physically upset and Claude came over to comfort her.

"Please, calm down. You don't have to prove anything to me."

"No, not you, Claude but to the whole world, Erik does. The world belonging to Raoul de Chagny." She didn't know what to do. She wanted to scream, to hit something, instead she buried her face in Claude's chest and cried.

A few minutes later, Nadir walked in. He was started by such a scene.

"Forgive the intrusion, Annie. I will let you two be. I'm sorry."

"Nadir, wait!" She called to him. "Stay. You need to know what is going on. Erik needs your help."

Nadir's eyes widen in fear. "Allah, what has happened now?"

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Claude and Annie spent the next hour filling Nadir in on the latest trap set for Erik. When they were through, Nadir closed his eyes in frustration.

"Allah knows he is innocent."

"Then you know what happened?" Annie hoped.

Nadir was silent for a few moments. "All he ever told me about that time was that he almost felt as if he could finally live a normal life and walk with his head held high. He seemed very committed to the Master Mason that took him in. He said he had to leave, because a terrible accident took place and he felt responsible for the man's loss." He looked at Claude. "That doesn't mean he killed anyone!"

"I didn't say he did but that kind of verbiage can get a man into trouble. That's exactly what Thompson will be hoping for. He'll trap him like that."

"Thompson?!" Nadir wanted nothing more than to go over to Thompson's office and have the new inspector investigate his own accident. "I knew something was wrong with him."

"You know him?" Annie asked in surprise.

"I…"

Just then Erik entered and all eyes were on him.

"What the devil are you all looking at?" He pointed to Claude. "And who is he?"

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Thompson was in his new office finishing up a letter, when his assistant told him that someone was there to see him.

"I'll be right out." He then sealed the letter in an envelope and wrote something on the front of it. He walked out to the main lobby and greeted his visitor. "Max, good to see you. Thank you for coming. Step inside my office and I'll be right with you. Please, help yourself to a drink."

Next he told his assist to find a delivery boy and have the letter sent right away. "Tell the boy to use discretion. I don't want anyone to see the lady get it, understood?"

"But Monsieur, I don't know how that will be possible. Someone is bound to see him enter the fairgrounds."

He looked at her with rage in his eyes. He didn't like to be second guessed. Instead of yelling his response, he was very calm and spoke with perfect diction but his tone made her shiver.

"Find someone who can do as I say or do it yourself. Either way, just do it or I will take my displeasure out on you."

He turned and walked back into his office and closed the door. Then he smiled at his friend, as he saw him lighting up a cigar.

"Comfortable?"

"I think I should be asking you that question. Thompson, what is all this? When did this happen? I didn't know you were in line for Dejion's position?"

"Neither did I, so let's just say that Christmas came early."

"Well, congratulations but is hearing you gloat the only reason why I am here?"

"Not exactly. You see I've just discovered that I am smarter than my new employer."

"How so?"

"My first assignment is to investigate a murder where France has no jurisdiction. The fool thinks that he can use his influence and bring a murderer to justice."

"Why does he think that?"

Thompson grinned. "Don't you know that noblemen always think they are more powerful than they actually are? Besides, I may have helped the matter along."

"And how did you do that?"

Thompson grinned. "How about you let me have one of your cigars and I'll tell you?"

"I have a feeling this is going to be a tall tale in deed." Max pulled out another cigar from his inside pocket. "Let me guess, you said you had friends in higher places? Yet if there really is a murderer on the loose, I suppose that something could be done, no?"

Thompson lit his cigar and shrugged. "It all depends on what's in it for me, Max."

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Erik was in a daze. He could swear the room was spinning and all he wanted to do was dig a deep enough hole and go below ground and never emerge again.

"Why did this have to happen now? What was the point of giving me a glimmer of hope, only to strip it away?"

Annie bent down beside Erik and took his hand. "Erik, listen to me. You are innocent. There is nothing to worry about."

Claude agreed. "Exactly. Only I do advise that you take precautions and leave for a while. If Thompson comes up with nothing, then maybe…."

Erik turned slowly to look at the stranger talking to him. "I'm sorry but who are you? What gives you the right to tell me how I should react or what I should do?"

"Erik, please. He's trying to help us." Annie came to Claude's defense. "Claude came here as soon as…."

"Claude?! Claude is it?" He looked at Annie as if she had been keeping a dirty secret. "How long have you two known each other?"

"Erik, I hardly think…."

"Tell me, Annie! How long have you been seeing an inspector behind my back? For all we know he is also on the Vicomte's personal payroll!"

"Erik! How dare you!"

Claude spoke instantly. "It's alright, Annie. I would be skeptical too. I understand."

She turned to Erik. "You should not be skeptical of me and if I say he is alright, then he is alright. He has all of our best interest in mind, Erik."

Claude moved to the door. "I think I will leave you all alone. Anne, I'll come back later."

"Claude, you don't have to leave."

"Yes, he does!" Erik ragged at him. "Get out!"

Claude took his hat and left.

Annie took her shawl and placed it over her shoulders. "I'm leaving. Erik, I'll speak with you later." She left the office in search of Claude.

Erik shook his head. "How long has that being going on? What do you know about him?"

Nadir knew Erik was trying to find a scapegoat for his anger. "Erik, please don't lose sight of what is really going on here. Claude is a good man and it appears that he cares for Annie a great deal. I do believe him when he came here to warn us."

"Every day, I try. I try hard every day to be a good man and for what?"

"Erik…."

"No Daroga, for what? It doesn't matter what kind of man I try to be. I am forever plagued by what people think I am. I will always have to defend myself and be seen as guilty before innocent because of my face and Raoul de Chagny."

"Erik, we can't waste time on this nonsense. You need to focus on leaving town for a while. We need you out of sight. Maybe after a while when things die down…."

"After a while? How long is a while Nadir? Am I supposing do vanish and disappear so that maggot can have his way and strip me of everything? What kind of man is that? What kind of man am I if I let him?"

"Erik, it isn't safe right now. Just give us some time to…."

"No! I can't leave Phantasma. What about my plans? What about Christine's lessons? What about me and her? I love her, damn it! I am supposed to woo her and court her properly. How am I to do that and even stand a chance at her heart, if I am forced to go on the run? No! I will not leave. Not now! Not ever!"

"Erik, we are talking about your safety. Just for a while. You'll come back and then…"

"Then what, Daroga? Come back to what? An empty field? A lost dream? Seeing Christine give up on her dreams? Having to come back and see her with someone else? Throwing away any chance she might have loved me too?"

"Erik, I know this is hard but I won't let you risk your life. You will be safer out of town. I will not let you stay away longer than necessary. Trust me, old friend."

Erik could feel his insides become undone. "It's over. No matter what I do. No matter how hard I try. I will never be at peace. Raoul will never let me be."

Meanwhile, Christine was on her way to see Erik. He had asked her to meet him up front in the office as he wanted to talk to her about a few things. She couldn't wait to see him. She couldn't stop thinking about their evening last night and their kisses. She blushed, knowing that if anyone had seen them, they might not understand. However, Christine didn't care what anyone else thought. She couldn't have imagined being with anyone like that, except with her angel. She longed to see him, to kiss him. She wanted to take him in her arms and never let go. She was finally home.

Raoul didn't know him the way she did. He was wrong and she needed to tell him. If only she could find time to break away from Erik but she simply couldn't bring herself to do so. She didn't want to stop feeling so alive and whole whenever they were together. She was being selfish, for she had to leave him so she could settle things for Erik's benefit with Raoul. Yet all she really wanted to do was spend her time with Erik.

Stop being such a ninny, Christine. Go talk to Erik, find out what he needs to speak to you about and then go and see Raoul. That way, the whole misunderstanding can finally be put to bed and you can focus on what matters most. You can focus on what you are truly feeling for your Angel of Music.

Christine knocked don the door but when there was no answer, she let herself in.

"Erik, I hope you don't mind but I let myself in and…"

"Raoul will never let me be. Damn that miserable bastard! I should have killed him long ago!" Erik pushed all of the items that were on the desk to the floor. He looked up when he heard Christine's voice gasp.

"Christine…."

"I'm sorry. I knocked but… I… I'll go."

Erik cursed out loud and then ran after her.