AN: I had to remove the lyrics so the full chapter can be found at this web page (remove the spaces):
www. geocities. com/ gerrysmistress/ index. html

Christine left the opera house the night that Joseph Buquet died. For three months Erik remained in his lair, barely speaking to Sara when she came to visit him. M. Firmin and M. Andre and everyone else at the Opera House thought that they were rid of the Phantom once and for all.

Sara stubbornly insisted on continuing to see him, hoping that he would talk with her like he used to. Eventually she figured that if she was going to just be sitting there, not speaking to him, then she could at least get some work done.

She sat down on his bed and began to sew up a costume that Meg had asked her to do some major repair to. She could feel his eyes on her, but ignored it, knowing that he would only turn around and ignore her if she tried to start a conversation.

Erik continued to stare as she worked on the costume. He found lately that he was having a hard time not watching her. He often found himself wondering what happened to the child who had been standing in the manager's hallway so long ago.

She had changed so much over the years. She was almost as tall as he was, her hair had gone from an orangey-red to a dark auburn, the scars around her eyes that had once been so prominent were now faded into her pale skin. Her face had changed from the round, angelic face of a child, to the thin, innocent face of a woman who did not know that she was beautiful.

Sara sighed in frustration and throwing her sewing down. "Why are you staring at me?" Erik said nothing. He turned back to his desk and began writing again. Sara rolled her eyes, picked up her sewing and stood up. "Fine, I'm leaving then."

Erik stopped writing and listened to her leave. He didn't want her to be angry with him, but his recent development of feelings towards her was clouding his mind. He wasn't in love with her, but he knew that there was the possibility of it. He had to concentrate on getting Christine back, and he had to finish his Opera. That night was the Masquerade ball, and he had every intention of showing up, even though he was not on the guest list.

Sara walked out of the secret door near the dormitories. She barely had it closed when she heard Meg's laughter ring out at the end of the hallway. Sara quickly turned and hoped that she looked like she was walking from the dormitories.

"There you are Sara!" Meg exclaimed. "Where are you going, we need to get ready!"

"For what?" Sara asked as Meg grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the dormitories.

"The Masquerade of course." Meg said, pulling Sara roughly behind her.

"Oh that. I'm not going to it." Sara said as Meg pushed her onto the bed.

"Why not?"

Before Sara could answer her hand touched a piece of paper. She closed her eyes in disbelief and pulled the paper out from under her pillow. "Meg, read this for me."

Meg opened the envelope and pulled a short note out. "Sara, you must attend the Masquerade tonight. Many things will be brought to light. Erik."

Sara groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Damn him!" She muttered.

Meg re-read the note and squealed in delight. "See, now you have to come! I want to finally meet this Erik!"

Sara groaned as Meg called several other girls over and the fawned over Sara like a new born baby. "Wow, it's amazing how beautiful you can look when some effort is put forth." One of the Tarts said.

"This coming from the girl who is attending the ball with M. Firmin, hoping to get some money." Sara snapped back.

Meg pulled Sara away, "Don't listen to her. You look marvellous. If this doesn't attract Erik, nothing will."

Meg turned to get herself dressed, leaving Sara to her thoughts. She found herself wondering what it would be like to have Erik's attention like Christine did. The thought made a shiver of pleasure rush through her.

"Have you spoken to Christine?" Sara asked Meg, needing to get her mind off of Erik.

"Yes, she sent me a letter last week. Apparently she has something exciting to tell me tonight." Meg said. "There, finished. Let's go down, I can already hear the music."

Meg and Sara walked down the stairs together. Meg had refused to let Sara bring her cane with her, saying that it would take away from her dress, so Sara had to rely on Meg to get her to the ball in one piece. When they entered the lobby area where the masquerade was being held, Sara quickly broke away from Meg and walked to an area where she hoped she was out of the way.

Christine and Raoul entered the masquerade, but did not see Sara, half hidden by a column. "Think of it, a secret engagement. Look, your future bride."

Sara's jaw dropped. She wondered what would happen if Erik knew, but at the same time she prayed that he never found out.

"Christine, Sara's here." Raoul told his fiancée.

Christine dragged Raoul over to her friend and embraced her tightly. "You look beautiful!" She exclaimed before being dragged away by Raoul to dance.

Sara stayed where she was. She wished that she could see all of the costumes and masks, but she was still enjoying herself. She listened to conversations, smiled at the songs and laughter of every one, and danced several times with various partners.

Christine backed away as Raoul disappeared. The lights had grown dim and a figure could be seen standing at the top of the stairs. She grabbed onto Sara's hand, making Sara jump at the sudden, unexpected contact.

"What's going on?" Sara whispered.

"It's him." Christine said.

Sara quickly clued in and backed away from Christine, not wanting Erik to see her.

Sara now understood why Erik had been writing so feverishly the past three months.

A slight movement out of the corner of his eye caught Erik's attention. Sara was standing off to the side, and the sight of her took his breath away. She was slowly moving towards the stairs, trying not to trip on the skirt of her blue dress.

Sara paused mid step. She could feel Erik's eyes on her, and her breath quickened. She suddenly felt very uncomfortable, knowing that the corset she wore under her dress made her body appear curvier than she normally appeared. She started moving again, knowing that if she could make it to the top of the stairs, she could escape his gaze.

Erik turned his attention back to Christine; something sparkling in her bosom caught his attention. He grabbed the chain and ripped the engagement ring from her neck.

He ran up the stairs and grabbed Sara's arm on his way by. He pulled her behind him, wrapped the length of his cape around his arm, and using an old theatre trick, the two of them disappeared through a trap door. Raoul jumped in after them and Sara could hear him unsheathe his sword.

She couldn't see the revolving mirrors that surround her, but her eyes fluttered shut when Erik's hand wrapped around the base of her neck, and he pulled her tight against his body. His touch sent shivers of delight through her body and while he was holding her rather forcefully, she was still captivated by how sensual the touch was.

Erik finally pulled her away from the mirrored room; much like Mme. Giry had just done to Raoul. Sara was out of breath from the quick pace, and the fact that Meg had tied her corset so tight. He sat her down on his bed and proceeded to change out of his costume.

"Why am I here Erik?" Sara asked.

"Why shouldn't you be? You always come to see me." Erik said, replacing his skull mask with his white one.

"Yes, but you've never just taken me before."

Erik sighed and shrugged out of the uncomfortable jacket into his long smoking coat. "I felt like some company."

Sara's head remained bowed for several minutes, allowing Erik to stare at her. "At least now I know why you've been acting the way you have. Why didn't you ever tell me about your opera?"

"I wanted it to surprise everyone, including you." He told her.

Sara had nothing else to say, so she sat quietly, while Erik stared at Christine's ring in contemplation. "What will you do now that Christine is engaged?"

"She belongs to me."

Sara growled in frustration and climbed hastily to her feet. "Obviously she doesn't think that!"

Erik turned in shock. Sara had never raised her voice to him before. "It doesn't matter if she doesn't think it, it's the truth."

"And what about me? Where do I sit in your plan, oh masterful genius?" Sara snapped.

"You don't sit anywhere. You are my companion." Erik told her.

"Funny, I've never known someone who has a companion to wallow in so much self pity!"

Erik's face reddened and the vein in his neck began to pulse as rage flew through him. "How dare you! You know nothing of my self pity."

"I know nothing of it? I've listened to you complain for the past eight years about your life and how no one loves you, no one shows you compassion. What do you think I'm doing?" Sara asked.

Erik glared at her. "If you could see your opinion of me would be different!" He spat out. "And what do you mean what you're doing?"

By now Sara had tears of frustration and anger streaming down her face. "I've shown you nothing but compassion, I've done nothing but love you and you can't see that!"

The force and passion behind her words threw Erik of guard, and his expression softened. He quickly walked towards her and cupped her face in his hands. "Sara, I…"

Sara pulled her head away from him, "Don't, I know now that you only want Christine, and I'm a fool to think otherwise."

Sara turned and disappeared down one of the many tunnels that would lead her back to the dormitories. Erik stared after her, her words echoing in his mind. He turned to his desk, a tear appearing from beneath his mask.