Disclaimer: I don't own...Ah, heck. You know.

Guardian Angel

Erik set the plate of cookies on the dinning room table. "Did Michelle make those?" Meg asked.

Erik glanced at her. "I don't cook." Immediately, everyone reached for a cookie.

Erik sat at the head of the table, appropriate since it was his. On his right sat Nadir, also appropriate since he was Erik's only friend, except perhaps Michelle. Next to Nadir sat Raoul. Across from him was Meg. Christine sat next to Meg leaving an empty space on Erik's left. Everyone, except Erik, munched on the cookies. Finally, just to avoid having to speak, Erik took one, too. They were very good. Erik thought about what Michelle had said earlier. *A broken heart is just easier too share.* What did she mean by that? Easier to share his problems and hurts with a friend? Or easier to give his love to someone else?

He looked over at Christine. She still had Raoul's ring on her finger. Erik waited for the torturous pain he felt when he thought about them to come over him. All he felt was his stomach growl. He was very hungry.

Erik bit into a music note just as Michelle swept into the room ladened with a tray holding cups, saucers, and a teapot from her China. Erik instinctively rose to assist her. "Sit down, Erik," she scolded lightly. Erik sat. She set the tray in the empty space on Erik's left and started serving the chocolate.

When everyone had a cup filled almost to the brim, Michelle broke the uncomfortable silence. "Nadir? I've lost track of the days."

"I'm not surprised," Raoul muttered into his cup. Meg a little, as though she kicked something. Raoul winced, showing that she had.

Michelle's lips twitched as she watched the Vicomte and the ballerina exchange discreet glares. Then she continued to Nadir. "Pray tell, what day is it?"

Nadir thought a moment. "Let's see. Today would be November 23rd."

Michelle choked on her cookie. "What?! You mean there's only one month left before Christmas?!"

"Yes," Nadir said. "But don't worry. You'll probably have something grand organized by tomorrow."

"You bet I will," she said.

* * * * *

Nadir watched Michelle's face. Her expression said that she was indeed planning something for Christmas at that moment. He glanced at Erik and hid a smirk behind his cup. *Poor Erik. He won't know what hit him.* Erik deserved a little happiness after all the misery he had been put through. Fortunately, Michelle was just the person to give it to him. Nadir hoped that no one would discover he had turned his attention to matchmaking. Nadir's gaze drifted over the others at the table and came to rest on Miss Daae. Tall, yet petite, she resembled a porcelain doll with her perfect completion and bright blonde hair. Nadir didn't believe she had meant to hurt Erik. In the times Nadir had been around her, he noticed a naivety and innocence in her gaze. Her father had no doubt pampered her, protected her from the world. She obviously wasn't sure how to handle the problems of the Opera. She needed someone to take care of her. Nadir glance at Raoul. *I wonder if the Vicomte is up to it.* He studied the young noble and wasn't sure that he was. Raoul had been given everything he wanted for his entire life. Oh, he was a good man, no doubt of that, but he needed someone to challenge him, someone who wouldn't fall at his feet and give him anything in the world.

Unfortunately, there seemed to be no prospects for such a person.

Nadir's gaze moved back to Michelle as she stood and announced that she needed some paper and left to find some, ignoring Erik's demand that she stay away from his music sheets. *I'll leave the Vicomte's love life to her,* he thought.*After all, she's more experienced in this sort of thing than I am. She's even Raoul's-*

"NADIR!"

He jumped and looked at Michelle. He hadn't even noticed she had returned. She looked agitated; she had one hand on her hip and was waving a sheet of paper covered in scribbles back and forth. She probably had been trying to get his attention for a while. "Why don't we go to the parlor?" she said to everyone. "I'm sure Nadir wants to report how things are progressing." Nadir looked confused. "In the case of the murderers?" she added.

Nadir sat up. "Yes. Yes, of course." Once again, Michelle led the way, followed by everyone else. *We both know that's not all I have to report,*Nadir thought, then glanced at Erik. *I just hope she doesn't let anything slip.*

* * * * *

In the parlor, Raoul sat in Erik's favorite chair, the one with the trap door, Meg and Christine sat on the chaise (those two we inseparable), and Erik leaned against the wall and watched Michelle and Nadir standing on the other side of the room and talking.

"How are Mama and Papa?" Michelle asked immediately.

Nadir smiled at her excitement. "They're fine. They had hoped that you'd be home for Christmas, though."

Michelle smiled sadly. "Yes. This will be the first Christmas we haven't spent together."

Nadir nodded sympathetically. Then Michelle finally asked the question she had been wondering about for months. "Nadir, why can't I tell Erik who I really am?"

Nadir looked behind him and, satisfied that Erik hadn't heard, said, "I have my reasons."

Michelle narrowed her eyes. "Then why don't you share them? I don't like lying to Erik."

"You're not lying," he assured her. "You're just...not mentioning it."

"Same thing," she snapped. When she realized he wasn't going to budge, Michelle let out a sigh. "Fine. We'll do this your way. But I do want to tell him eventually. Erik's my friend." She thought about last night and how Erik had come running when she screamed. "Maybe even my best friend.

"In the meantime," she continued handing Nadir the sheet of paper she held, "Bring me everything on this list by the end of the week. Except for those which are underlined. Bring those on Christmas Eve." Then she added, "Please."

Nadir studied the list, then raised his eyebrows. "How am I supposed to get this," he pointed to an underlined item, "down here without Erik noticing? He isn't supposed to notice, correct?"

"Correct," Michelle answered. "I'll take care of that when I have to. You just do as I ask. If you please."

Michelle turned and walked over to Erik. "Erik, would you mind escorting Nadir and the Vicomte out. Then, shouldn't you be terrorizing the opera staff or something?"

Erik raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Michelle realized how rude she had been and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I still haven't had a chance to speak with Christine, and I don't think she wants a bunch of men around listening or we'd have already spoken."

Erik sighed and pushed himself off the wall. "Very well. Come along, Daroga, Fop. Let's leave the ladies to their talking." He ushered a hesitant Raoul and a passive Nadir out the door leading to the labyrinth. He turned back to Michelle. "I'll be back in two hours," he said, then left.

Michelle shook her head at the empty doorway, then turned to the two remaining guests. "I'll make more chocolate and you can tell me why you're here. Let's go to the kitchen."

This time, Meg led the way. Michelle decided to hurry with the chocolate. She had a feeling she was going to need it.