Over 200 reviews! O.O I've only ever dreamed of writing fics this popular!!!

New chappie! Hm…Aislin is running out of date ideas. Heh. I'm speaking in the third person! I find myself doing that more and more lately, and not just because I'm rereading the book. No wait…I remember now. I already had the idea for this chapter. I had it when I wrote the last one. Heh. Sorry.

IcySunset: A load of people seemed to like that line! Weird.

Moonlightrosegoddess: Okay…yay for lazy.kender! She's awesome, right? (somewhere out there, Hilary beams and trips over something)

MetaChi: Yes, I know. Neither does Anne McCaffrey. What's with Annes not liking fanfiction? Hate Pokemon – but TR are the only people I remotely like from it. Yes, all cameos will be in second to last chappie. And, well, Party City has something like fedoras, at least. Does a fedora curve up at the back? (Or front? I didn't know how to wear it.)

Loverly16: Yeah! Hyde rocks! And…what's wrong with YGO? It's my fave anime…I thought the dark spirits and mind games would suit him.

Eat-drums: Heh. That part's awesome. I don't know all the words, so when I sing it, I do some Javert, then randomly switch to Valjean, and go back and forth.

Goddess of the Neon Rose: Uh, well…the situation I have planned isn't really pony friendly, but I'll work you in somehow.

ButterflyOfLothlorien: Yeah, and I had an awesome idea for a Lestat fic. I'm now due to read Queen of the Damned.

Lendlaer: On the contrary, I find many loners are 'anime types.'

Raveene: Hm, didn't think of that. Angel Sanctuary is a right-to-left manga, I should have thought of that!

Artymas: Sure, cameo for you too.

Songwind: Yay for AS! Kira rocks!

Lackaz: (runs from a plague of dreaded Something) You've been to Japan?! I HATE you! Well, no, I love you actually. What was it like? They really say komiku? O.o Then what's with American Japanophiles saying manga?

MortRouge: Sorry. I guess it's just the way I talk. I'll try to focus on how Erik would talk. Sometimes it just fits the situation, though.

……………………………..

The next day, Erik was surprised to find that Aislin had allowed him to sleep until one in the afternoon. He snapped up. "Aislin!" She poked her head out of the bathroom, where she was busy brushing her hair. "Don't I have to be somewhere?"

"Oh, yes Erik, nice to see you've taken a responsibility," she said with a grin, sweeping her long brown hair over her shoulder, where it covered as much of her face as Erik's mask. She continued brushing. It looked painful.

"You had a date scheduled for tonight, but because of…certain circumstances, I've changed the destination. Wear your best…tuxedo, fix up your mask, and do the best you can with your hair." She flipped hers back, and disappeared into the bathroom again.

"It's a wig," muttered Erik. "When do I need to be ready?"

"Seven o'clock," she answered.

"Then why are you getting ready so early?" Erik pulled his one unwrinkled tux out of the closet and began to straighten it out, hanging it on the closet door for later.

"I have…a lunch appointment. It's extremely important that I be there, so I need to hurry and get ready. I'll come back up to change for dinner later tonight. Do what you like, just meet me in the lobby at six."

Dinner later? Lunch with someone? Well, now Erik was confused.

Aislin emerged in her standard black pants and shirt. Give her a cape and mask and she'd be a female Erik. "See you in a few hours," she said resignedly, and, as if bracing herself for something terrible, she headed out.

She took a hooded blue cloak with her.

"What's that for?" asked Erik.

"Don't want to be seen," she replied lightly.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

About an hour later, she sat at a small table in Chili's, at a location not far from the hotel, idly stirring her hot tea. Her hood was pulled up over her eyes. A handsome young man sat across from her, sipping something alcoholic Aislin didn't care to identify.

"So you see," she said, sounding much harsher and more disdainful than she did around Erik, "I need you there in about five hours. Be aware that you could be putting yourself in grave danger."

"Why should I come?" he said suspiciously.

"Because I have connections, and a really good kick, if I do say so myself. If you don't show, shall we say, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur. The ones you love may also be at risk."

The man's eyes widened. Aislin's everyday, threatening voice (which she normally used all the time, but hadn't gotten much exercise lately) had done its work. As she was enjoying it, she continued.

"I'm not above murder, or torture. Anyway, who would care? I'm surprised I'm even talking to you, you should be grateful." The slightest bit ashamed, she tugged the hood closer.

She stood up, and the man followed suit. "You'll be there," she snarled, in a voice Erik would have been proud of, and swept away from the table.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Later that night, Erik waited in the lobby for Aislin, wondering what was taking her this long. The elevator opened, and she emerged.

Aislin had not abandoned her trademark black, but she wore a kind of floating dress that went down to the floor with bell sleeves. Her hair was gently waved, and she could have passed for anything from goddess to witch. Erik didn't gasp, but his eyebrows did go up a bit.

"You clean up well," he said, in his normal tone, with a smile.

"Come on," she said, and led him to a dark, smoky room he'd never noticed. It was full of small round tables and comfy armchairs. There was a bar on the far left side of the room. At the back of the room was a small, circular platform with a shiny black piano…and a microphone stand.

"Oh, no," protested Erik, attempting to back out of the room. "I'm not –"

"Hi!" A tall, slim girl with short blond hair with the tips dyed blue and dark blue eyes waved happily to Erik, randomly popping up at his side. Before he'd even had time to think to himself Lovely, another deathly hyper one, she seemed to think better of herself, and grew very subdued. She solemnly held out her hand. "How do you do?"

A little taken aback, Erik shook her hand. "Very well, thanks."

"This is Hana, Erik. She's technically your date for tonight, but she's also going to be your singing partner."

"I'm sorry?" Erik turned, puzzled, to Aislin.

"Yes. You recall that show you were supposed to do? Well, I organized it for you. Oh, I didn't plan it," she said hurriedly, as Erik glared daggers at her for getting him into this. "You're the one who went and sang in the elevator. But I figured I'd just…work out the order of the show for you. You're doing songs from popular musicals, and in any duets with women, Hana here will sing with you. I'm on piano," she said disgustedly. It was obvious she'd rather sing with Erik – any phangirl's dream, of course.

Walking up to the platform, she stepped up to the mike and began to speak, Erik and Hana behind her. The audience all looked up at her and clapped. Many of the audience members were from the crowd that had listened to Erik in the elevator. They cheered loudest, bar the random phangirl in the table nearest the platform.

"I'M RAPTOR CHICK ERIK!!! WHOO!!!"

Aislin grinned. "Welcome guests to the special, one night only show of Erik, the Phantom of the Opera. Only phangirls –" Raptor cheered "and those of you at the elevators yesterday can know how heavenly his voice is." Erik blushed as red as the satin lining of his cape. "I give you Erik!"

Claps and random screams filled the little room as Erik stood awkwardly behind the mike stand and Aislin took her seat at the piano. "Feel free to play your own songs whenever you like," she whispered.

"Well, er…hello. I suppose you know who I am now, so I'll just get this show on the road, as they say. Is there no specific order of songs?" Aislin shook her head.

"Perform the ones on this list." She handed him a slip of paper with twelve songs on it. "Do them in any order, but do them all. I know you know them all."

Erik scanned the list. "Well, we might as well start things off with a classic." He smiled. "Let me introduce my…friend, Hana. She will be singing my female accompaniment. I'm sure you will recognize this as the elevator song." He nodded at Aislin, who grinned and played a short intro for him to get ready.

"You have come here…in pursuit of your deepest urge…" Erik lost all feelings of embarrassment or protest when he sank into the music. Aislin plunked a few wrong notes at times, but hey, her strong point was singing, not piano. Hana beamed at him all through his verse, and then came in magnificently on Christine's. Their voices blended beautifully on the last few lines, and everyone applauded.

"I LOVE YOU ERIK!!!"

Erik was in his element now. Music was his only constant passion.

Ignoring the constantly random shouts of Raptor, he worked his way through two solos (Stars and Love Changes Everything) and another duet with Hana (All I Ask of You).

"Now…well, I'd like to do the Confrontation between Javert and Valjean, but I don't have another male singer…"

"Oh…" He turned to Aislin, who he'd forgotten was accompanying his voice. "Yeah…about that Erik. You won't like it any more than I do. I got a man to sing those songs with you, but…" Sighing, she dragged herself up to the mike. With no feeling at all, she said, "May I introduce Erik's male partner…Raoul de Chagny."

Smiling more than he should in that situation, Raoul sidled up to the stage. Erik turned eyes full of hatred on him. "I must sing with you?"

Aislin looked truly sorry. "I didn't know who else to get."

"Anyone else," muttered Erik. "Look, vicomte, no talking, just sing the part and don't mess me up."

"I take it you're playing Valjean?" Raoul said.

"Javert," Erik replied coldly. And he glared at Aislin, who promptly began the music.

"Valjean, at last, we see each other plain…"

It was hard to decide if the Confrontation was as exciting as usual with Raoul playing Valjean, even if Erik was doing a splendid Javert.

"Right, well…up next, I'll be performing I Dreamed a Dream…what?" That was a girl's song! Sighing, and ignoring Raoul's sniggers, Erik performed the song admirably…omitting the 'he slept a summer' verse.

He moved on. Hana sang the title song of Phantom well, and Erik got a little too into that one with his "Sing, my Angel of Music!" Aislin surrendered the piano to him both for a break and to calm him down a bit, as he played his own accompaniment for Music of the Night, which received great cheers from the crowd and another "I LOVE YOU ERIK!" from Raptor.

He continued with Do You Hear the People Sing, handling the three solo verses with Raoul and Hana playing the chorus, and All I Care About, with Hana's lone voice as the group of girls. Erik rounded off the night with Razzle Dazzle, and an extremely moving rendition of Empty Chairs at Empty Tables.

The audience cheered, and came up to congratulate him on his lovely voice. Not used to being so appreciated for his musical abilities, Erik smiled nervously as they shook his hand again and again. Hana waved goodbye, expressing how much she'd enjoyed herself but that she desperately needed something to drink. He dodged a glomp from Raptor as she exited. He glowered at Raoul, who was attempting to slip out without catching Erik's eye, but failed. Raoul squeaked and fled, screaming loudly as Raptor ambushed him outside. Erik ignored the cries of "Die fop!" and smirked.

Aislin rose from the piano and stretched. "I'm tired…Coming up to the room, Erik?"

"Erm…" He hesitated. "I'll be there in a few minutes…or so. I'm going to get a drink." Aislin bid him goodnight, and left.

Erik paid for his wine and glanced at the stage. No other performer had arrived, and even if they did…he could just leave, right?

He tentatively walked back to the stage and seated himself at the gleaming black piano. So long he'd gone without his music…his organ…and his opera…

Erik lifted the cover, and began to play again for his own enjoyment, and that of anyone who might be listening.

…………………………..

There's a nice long chappie for you all. We're drawing nearer to the end, people! I'm sad. Still, there's a good four chapters left, I think. Maybe five, if I can stretch it out. Who will be the winner? Don't ask me, I'm still figuring it out. Review! Push the Mighty Purple Button!