AN: Thank you for all your reviews, yet again

Bri-i-i-ng! Bri-i-i-i-ng!

"Can you get it, please?" Christine called to Erik, having just gotten out of the shower.

"Yeah", he called back as he picked up the phone with a "Hello?"

"Yes, this is Violet Chambers, is this Erik?"

"Yeah—listen, thank you so much for putting our song on the radio. Christine and I are extremely happy…."

"Your song was the fourth most popular on the charts. My boss wants another one, fast. Try to make it appealing to the youngin's"

"Oh, will do ma'am. Thank you again…."

"You'll get a check by Monday for I think about 200 bucks. That's extreme for a first song, but it'll only get better. Okay, that's all I needed to tell ya. Bye."
When she hung up, Erik whooped with joy and forgetting how preoccupied Christine was, he ran to tell her.

"Christine! They love us! They want another song and—oh wow. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry…", he stammered when he found her rushing to wrap a towel around herself. Quickly turning away, he continued apologizing but she just laughed, though a bit nervously.

"Um…it's ok, really…they liked us?"

Still looking away, he nodded.

"We're getting a 200 dollar check Monday."

Christine almost dropped the towel she was clutching to herself but stopped just in time.

"That much for one song?"

"Yep."

She paused with a swallow. "Wow."

Catching a sly glimpse of her reflection in a hand mirror at the sink, Erik sighed, "Yeah…wow."

All I have to do is turn around and slip of f that towel….

He inwardly slapped himself and hurried out of the bathroom, telling her that he'd let her change now. After he was out of her sight, he really did slap himself. Repeatedly. Only until Christine came out and asked what on earth he was doing did he stop and turn to see her, muttering "oh, nothing…". She had on a blue and white striped tank top with a white skirt that came just above her knees. Blue flats perfected the look. But it was late to be dressed that way unless….

"Come on, let's celebrate—we have money for a date that isn't set here."

He was a bit surprised but liked how spontaneous she was.

"Okay, where to?" he asked, feeling a little embarrassed that he didn't look half as nice as she did. Christine shrugged.
"I don't know…let's just see where the night takes us."

Smiling, he replied, "Sounds good to me", and they were off.

/

I'm not two faced. I'm just doing my job and helping people…the people just happen to hate each other, thought Nadir, arguing with himself as he went through the paperwork of other cases he was in. Raoul de Chagny is paying me extreme amounts to get his girlfriend back and I have to get closer to Erik to help Chagny. And if Chagny does anything about Erik that gets to the officials, the poor man will have enough problems without help in his identity. I feel sorry for them both but most of all, I pity Christine. She's completely oblivious to all this. I hope Erik doesn't find out that I helped Raoul catch him…Allah, so many lies and secrets!

"Hun, you almost finished?" Meg's voice called. "Give yourself a break, you seriously need one."

Yes, I do need a break. But these psychotic people won't leave my head alone!

/

"When we're rich", Erik started jokingly as he walked with Christine. "Let's remember to go there."

She saw where he was pointing and exclaimed, "The San Francisco Opera? I've been wanting to go for years!"

"So have I", he mused, looking at the magnificent building. "I tried to sneak in once, like I do at the movies, and uh…I was thrown out rather quickly. I think I was about fourteen."

Christine couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, when we are rich and famous and the idols of musicians everywhere, we shall indeed go there."

Then, Erik's eyes lit up. "While we're poor and unknown, how about a trip that's free?"

"Okay…what?"

"Just follow me", he said, walking faster, Christine having to struggle to keep up. Eventually he turned down an alley to another street, which was much less crowded.

"Well, it's not exactly free but it's cheaper than a circus.", he joked as she looked around at all the people trying to earn money like Erik did. There were not only musicians, but people dancing, others showing off strange talents like juggling spoons or chugging a gallon of booze.

"They actually expect to make money like that?", asked Christine, watching a man attempt to balance random objects on his head. Erik shrugged.

"You'd be surprised…"

There were also less extreme versions of freaks you might see on "Ripley's Believe it or Not", like a girl who seemed made of rubber and bent every which way. Also, there was a magician that amused Christine by classic disappearing acts and floating objects. She, of course, tipped generously. Erik felt like killing the mood by spoiling the secret, but she seemed to entertained to ruin it. Also, there were people who just begged.

Upon seeing more people who tried earning money (with strange features that they had, such as extra toes or simply looking pitiful) Christine put two and two together in her mind and turned to Erik.

"Have you um…ever performed here?"

He immediately looked down, knowing this would come.

"Yes, but not with my violin. And not voluntarily either."

"Did…did someone force you to show—"

"Yes.", he said bluntly, then gazed around. "But everyone here is less lucky than me…"

He passed an old woman with a pan and dropped a dollar in it. Christine admired this, especially since he was so close to the poor wretch's state before. Feeling the need to lighten the atmosphere, Erik led her down the street to another alley, which was entirely deserted. There was a pile of broken bottles, and a burnt down candle with a matchbox.

Christine looked confused and Erik grinned.

"This can be art, you know..", he said, appearing a bit too excited as he started randomly arranging shards of glass. "Beautiful art…"

"It's broken bottles, Erik. I can't see garbage as being…", she trailed off then gasped when he lit the candle in the middle of all the glass. The dark alley seemed to explode with color once Erik stepped away. Flickering from the candle shone through and reflected off the different colored shards, creating moving light on the walls of the alley. It actually was beautiful.

"Wow…", she whispered to herself. Standing next to her, Erik nodded.

"I thought you'd like it."

She murmured that she did as she admired the light show. Erik moved nearer and sighed. Thinking over the past week, Christine had come to expect the unexpected with Erik. He was so…different. Before, he was terrified of even getting too close to her but after she'd kissed him, he was always hunting her down to steal another one. He could have his dark times without taking it out on her, and he was very genuine with everything. Not to mention how incredible it was that he was practically a genius without any legal schooling. And of course, the voice could not be ignored.

As far as she knew, he was perfect for her. Little did she know that Erik's life was full of more secrets, much more serious than the ones she had already discovered.

/

It had been about twenty minutes since Christine had said goodnight, leaving Erik on the couch with a blanket as she went to go to her own bed. Even Thunder was curled up at her feet, fast asleep. Erik, however, was quite alert and stared blankly at the DVD player's clock, reliving the past heavenly week with Christine. The only thing he desired at the moment was to be laying next to her. They had already moved incredibly fast with everything in their relationship, from her kiss to his "I love you". Despite this, he just wanted more, more, more. His greed was shameful, especially since he had only gotten this by foul play. Yet once his feet hit the hardwood floor, he couldn't stop himself from padding in the direction of her bedroom.

I just want to see her…

When he got to her door, he carefully pushed it open, inch by inch. Eventually it was wide enough for his bony body to get through, and he slipped inside the room like a shadow. As he silently approached the bed, he noticed another breathing creature at the foot of it. Thunder. He took extra precaution in making his way over to Christine, then knelt beside the bed. Reaching up with some hesitation, he grasped the top of the covers that she had buried herself in so cozily. Then, he gently lifted the sheet and pulled it down just past Christine's shoulder. When she shivered, Erik ducked and his stomach hit the floor under the bed in a split second.

I woke her up, I woke her up agh! He thought in panic, but all was silent. Slowly, he slid out and peered over at her again.

Sound asleep.

Erik gazed over her pale, relaxed face with an almost worshipful expression. He dared to risk touching her by lightly brushing a curl from over her eyes, then softly sighed.

I wonder what she's dreaming about…

What Christine was dreaming about was HIM, actually. Visions of becoming famous with him, the sound of his voice…it wasn't so different from her daydreams. If only Erik knew this…Quietly, he began to hum a smooth melody whilst watching her. This sound seeped into Christine's mind and subconscious, gently waking her. Listening intently, her eyes only opened little enough to see Erik but not alert him that she was awake.

What is he doing here? Is…is that a lullaby? It's beautiful…, she thought drowsily, still half asleep. Soon enough, the humming which woke her gave her back to her dreams, and everything faded away once more.