A/N: I want to send the absolute BIGGEST thank-you to Phantomgurl33 for helping me resolve a certain…ISSUE of mine…! THANK you SO MUCH!! Hugs and kisses from Erik, as always!!

To the rest of you lot, (just kiddin :P) here's Part 1 of the Master's Music PLZ R&R!! It is MUCH appreciated!

:-D

CHAPTER 10

And so Aaralyn sat, at Erik's gloriously imposing black organ, in the middle of the blood red room in his house under the Paris Opera. Lightly, she placed her fingers over the keys and almost felt a tremor of power radiate from within it. She trembled and began to play the beginning of Erik's opera, Don Juan Triumphant.

Knowledge of what would happen if she were caught passed through her mind, a shadow over her fortress of contentment she had built as she played his music. He wouldn't care that she was in his house, or playing his organ, for that matter. No, it was the very soul-wrenching music she played, the music that had caused him to nearly…well…throw her across the room at one point…

But she didn't care. She didn't even know where he was…Sighing in complete ecstasy at one of her favorite places in the music, she promptly let it consume her again, not caring if she was discovered.

The whole orchestra was playing with her. She imagined every sound each instrument would make in harmony with her organ. Her mind's eye painted pictures of this captivating opera being sung on stage…

A violin solo. She could hear it even over the organ. Whoever was playing surely knew this music well! It was strange…It almost sounded real.

Her fingers flew over the keys, taking her notional, unreal audience to the very glorious tips of heaven to the darkest pits of hell…and back again.

The violin once more…Why could she its counterpoint more clearly than all the other instruments'? Surely it was just one violin…

Opening her eyes, she jarred her senses back to reality, but her deft fingers did not waver over their ivory imprisonment. Standing so very close to her was Erik, playing his sacred violin, tears painting his sunken cheeks. She nearly cried out to him as her eyes stung with tears as well, but played strong and continued.

Erik knew every note of this music, as if it had been engraved on his very soul. He played with his eyes tightly closed, as if blocking out reality. His face showed every emotion flooding through him, and Aaralyn looked admiringly on in amazement.

She was further pleasantly surprised when Erik began to sing…his voice wrapped around her very soul, calling her to him with a dark power only he could emanate. Her spirit answered as she raised her voice in song with his in perfect, flawlessly glorious harmony.

After what seemed like hours of pure rapture and intoxication, the music ceased after the last climactic notes were played, leaving Erik and Aaralyn choking on their tears as they fought them back, but lost the fight. Erik collapsed in a heap to the floor, suddenly prey to his past…the music had taken him to that very night, the night Christine had promised never to leave him…. Aaralyn stayed on the organ bench, torrents of hot tears taking over her being and leaving her numb from the power of that music.

Shakily, she slid from the bench to floor next to Erik, who had somewhat gotten control of his emotions but was still crying rather violently. She laid her head on his shoulder and he seeming quite distant for the time being, slid his arm around her shoulders.

The strangely musical sound of their simultaneous weeping stopped when Aaralyn emitted a deep, throat-stinging cough from her lungs. Steadying herself with one hand on the floor and the other pressed to her breast, wave after wave of gut wrenching coughs took over her slim form.

Erik sat beside her, his hand on her back, making sure she wouldn't collapse. He disappeared for only a moment, and returned with a small vial of red liquid.

"Drink this," he said, his eyebrows raised under the mask. Aaralyn sat on her heels and drank the whole substance once, causing her face to cringe because of its strong taste. Seeing what must be done, Erik swept her into his arms and carried her to Christine's room in his house and laid her gently on the bed.

"You need rest," he said softy. Aaralyn's coughing had subsided and her breathing became even. She nodded.

"Will you stay with me…just until I fall asleep?" she asked.

"Yes…I suppose I could…" he replied with a small sigh. He drew a chair up beside her bed and sat down, watching Aaralyn's eyes close. Her lashes painted slim shadows on her cheeks in the dim candlelight, and her hair was streaked with golden flecks. After he was sure she was asleep, Erik drew the covers around her tightly, brushed a few stray hairs from her forehead and gently brushed his lips across it before leaving her to sleep.