I don't own any of the characters, all rights go to Gaston Leroux etc and here we have a version of Erik who hasn't gone through a lot of heartache... yet... Enjoy! And Banished Phantoms it will be a mixture of the two! For example, this Erik is a ALW Erik where as the last two have been Leroux! and Thank you also to You are Love and Phantomswoman for the kind reviews! Thank you :)

The rain dribbled down her windows as an aching storm rippled across the skies of London. Somewhere in the distance, a low rumble erupted across the iron grey clouds sounding very much like a growl of a tiger before a flash of light illuminated her room. She felt as if she was in a black and white film as she sat in the darkness, staring out across the London skyline which was just as muted as her surroundings. Once again, she was on her own. Her father was never coming back, that she had had to tell herself for the past four years. Raoul had cheated on her with another girl on a boozy night out and was too much of a coward to resolve the issue so left her. After two years. Sighing, she fished her hand around in the crisp packet she was currently making steady progress through, groaning when she realised she had devoured the lot. Empty, like her life. Although… A sudden thought flickered across her mind, one she tried to push down to the depths of her brain.

No.

One mustn't think of him… But how could she not? Her masked friend, the one man she had felt connected to the moment she had met him in the dingy club seven months ago. What was he up to now? She hadn't seen him in over two months after that awkward encounter that left her humiliated on the corner street café just down her road.

"We can never meet again." He had said, his face as stony as the words that tumbled out of his mouth. Yet… As Christine thought about it more and more, she sensed that he was frightened in some way. His eyes were scared, sorry… The pools of gold aching in hurt as he swept away from the café into a black taxi. Why couldn't they meet again? What had she done wrong now? Slowly, her eyes drifted to her phone which sat unresponsive on the coffee table before her. Should she even dare? After all, he didn't say anything about not speaking again. Reaching forward, she picked up her phone which was cold and large in her small dainty hands and unlocked her phone. The sudden brightness hurt her eyes as she scrolled through her contacts, finally finding his name.

Erik.

She tapped on his name, chose the option to send him a message and stared at the cursor that blinked over and over on the white page. What the hell should she even write? Hi Erik, it's been a while. Don't worry, I've gotten over the humiliation and hurt you put me through, hope all is well? Not exactly the best opening. Biting her lip in concentration, her thumbs tapped out a message on its own accord.

Erik.

Hope you're doing well.

Just wanted to drop you a message because… Well I'm lonely and I have no other friends haha…

I miss you.

Christine.

God was that a bit too much? She quickly erased the whole message and chucked her phone to the other end of the sofa. He wasn't worth thinking about, he abandoned her to. Pulling the blanket up to her chin, Christine stared back out of the window and thought about her mysterious masked friend. How random their meeting seemed, in fact their whole friendship was odd, as was his leaving. Why did he do it? She hadn't cared to find out. Another roll of thunder rumbled across the sky but it didn't quite conceal the heavy knock on her door that made her jump out of her skin. Who on earth was that? Meg was away and it certainly wouldn't be Raoul, not that she would allow him in anyway. The pig. Slowly, she got up and wondered over to the door, the blanket that she had draped around herself trailing behind her. Peeking through the eye hole, she saw nothing but the outline of a dark figure. The fuse box in her building had gone leaving the whole place in darkness and she hadn't bothered to put any candles out but now she wished she had.

"Who… Who is it?" She gulped, pulling her blanket tighter around her form.

"Christine…" Was all the tired voice had to say before Christine hurriedly unbolted her deadlock and opened the door.

"Erik? What are you doing here?" Christine exclaimed, overcome with emotions as she let her emotionally stunted friend into her apartment, locking the door behind her.

"I... I made a mistake." He almost seemed to whisper, collapsing onto the sofa, his long legs sprawling out before him. Though he was only a few years older than she, his body exulted youthfulness, his tall lanky form was tense like a coiled whip as the muscles were tightly compacted together and well exercised. His sooty black hair fell playfully down in front of his face, with tendrils that escaped down his neck yet the most intriguing thing about him was the mask that she knew hid a horrible secret as she had accidentally revealed to herself a few months ago. She wondered if that was part of the reason as to why he left her.

"What do you mean?"

"With you… I made a mistake." She didn't know if that was a good thing or bad as she joined him at his side, tucking her knees closely to her chest. When she didn't reply, he carried on in a mumble of words. "I thought I could live without you but I can't. You intoxicate me. You're like a drug. I can't stay away from you."

"Well… You managed just about well enough for two months with no contact." She muttered sullenly. He gave a look that made her think that he hadn't left her alone at all.

"Don't get creeped out but… I've been watching you from afar, keeping an eye on you… Making sure you were safe…" Christine blushed brightly and could only thank that the lights weren't working so her reaction was left in the dark. The only light there was was the street lamps from outside and the moody light left in the sky.

"Oh…" Was all that she replied, hugging her knees tighter to her chest.

"Christine I… I think I may be in love you… But I know you're with that preppy boy of yours and would never go for someone like me!" He finished hurriedly, before hanging his head in shame, "Especially with what I look like." Christine stared at him in surprise, then pity at his hurtful words and reached forward, resting her hand on his shoulder which immediately tensed up at her touch.

"I'm not with him anymore." Erik was quick to look at her in shock.

"What? Why not?" She shrugged slowly before sighing.

"He… Cheated on me so… Yeh that's that."

"He did what!?" Erik seethed, suddenly furious that someone could be so careless as to let someone like her slip through their fingers carelessly. What an arrogant, ignorant stupid boy! Why if he ever lay hands on him he'd-

"But to be honest… It wasn't the same between us. I didn't have the same feelings towards him like I did when we first started going out. Something changed in me…" Slowly calming down, Erik sat forward so that he was only a few inches away from her.

"What do you think changed?" Again, Christine shrugged, thinking of her reasoning behind it all. Everything had changed when Erik came in to her life. Everything changed when she started to see him every day for voice lessons, it was what got them talking in the club that night and she was sober enough to agree to them. Then there were the coffee meetings, the days at the park, all the time she placating to him that they were just friends but still… It had felt different with him than it ever did with Raoul. She felt comfortable, like she belonged by his Erik's side. Then of course was the disaster one night at Erik's when she had got to close for comfort and removed his mask from his face. That had ended up in tears and angry words but it didn't change the fact she had feelings towards him, even if half his face was like a blistered wound. So maybe… Erik was the reason why everything with Raoul didn't turn out well. Her change was because of his presence, who he was and she loved it. Did… Did she love him?

"I met someone else who changed my view on everything." She murmured softly and Erik balked back slightly.

"Oh. Who?" Rolling her eyes, she leant forward, resting her arm on the headboard of the sofa, her hand inches away from his own. Golden eyes roamed up to meet hers and they stared at each for a while.

"Well… He's tall and quite handsome. Dark hair, likes music… A little hot tempered but nothing I can't handle." She said in feigned disinterest, horrified to see his eyes dim and cast them self to the floor.

"Oh. Well… Look it was stupid of me to come here… It's obvious you've moved on so…" He made to move but she stopped him, resting her hand on his, entwining their fingers together.

"It's you, Erik. You changed my view on everything, on the way I feel…" He looked incredibly startled in the stormy light and shook his head in disagreement.

"No… I'm not handsome, Christine and more than a little hot tempered ok, I'm not good enough for you I-" She had done it again. She had removed his mask without his permission and all he could do was sit there in shock as the cool breeze hit his cheek.

"I-I… You…" He stammered before stilling completely as she cupped his damaged cheek in her hand.

"This does not define you, Erik. It's your personality, your aura, your soul. This is nothing." Her thumb moved across the cheek in soothing circles and she was surprised to find he was crying slightly. "Why did you do it, Erik? Why did you leave me?"

"I- Because I knew you could do better for me and I was becoming obsessed with you. I knew that if I left you when I did, it would make things easier. I wouldn't try to be a barrier between you and that boy… I was scared that I'd hurt you in some way and I didn't want to do that." He admitted, leaning in to her touch slightly.

"I missed you."

"I missed you to. Hence why you found me on your doorstep." He chuckled, daring to thread his hand through her hair to the back of her head to pull her closer even still. "Could we maybe give this a go? Properly this time? Get to know each other?"

"Yes… I'd love that. Oh and Erik?"

"Yes?"

"Never do that to me again." Erik kissed her gently on the forehead and brought her head to his shoulder.

"On my life, Christine. I promise to never leave you again."