Yay, reviews. I like reviews, people – you can send me as many as you like. :-)

To both PhantomAngel22 and Ri, I haven't yet decided whether this is going to turn out as an E/C or E/someone else. --U As much as I would love to go back in time and have Erik fall in love with me, I know he loves only Christine. Although Christine's loving Raoul (cough)fop(cough) kind of supports any E/OW.

Anyway...Next chappie!

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"Open your mouth, Raven. You have to force more sound than air out. Sing with your soul!!!" Erik struck a powerful C major chord on his piano to emphasize the power he expected.

He played the scales, for her, and her voice soared higher than it ever had before. (A/N: Yay, I just hit the last note in the title song!) They had been having lessons like this for almost three weeks now, three days out of the week, late at night in Erik's house by the lake. They were both beginning to enjoy it very much. Erik pushed his new student to the limits of her vocal abilities, and Raven sang like a goddess.

"That's good, Raven," said Erik, as they reached the scale just out of Raven's range. "Let's try the Jewel Song from Faust." He started in on the introductory music, and Raven sighed.

"I'm sorry, Erik, but do you think we could work on it next lesson? I'm tired, and I need to wake up for rehearsal tomorrow morning." They were both now on first name terms, and Raven could call him Erik at any time, without him being surprised.

He paused in his music. "Of course. I had quite forgotten that your music doesn't stop here. I shall see you day after tomorrow." He turned back to the piano and started playing something else, something smooth and calming. Raven stood, spellbound by the music, before she finally shook herself awake and headed out the door and across the lake.

.:Two days later:.

She couldn't help herself. She had to know. And she wanted to know now.

At her lesson that night, Erik was sitting waiting at the piano when she walked in the door as usual, already playing a slow song by himself. They never said much to each other at first, just started right in with Raven's singing. He began playing short scales to warm up her voice as soon as he was aware she was in the room. With each scale, Raven took a step closer to the piano bench.

Middle C. Step.

D major. Another step.

E major. Step again.

F. Another.

G. Raven sang the scale, and found herself standing right next to Erik. He still wasn't aware of her. Was she going to do it? Would she regret it? Without any thoughts for what would happen afterwards, she did.

Raven reached out and removed Erik's mask.

The cluster of keys he pounded on the keyboard when he started sounded like a monstrous tuneless roar, echoing through the empty house. He had turned his head away from her in a startled jerky movement. Raven clutched the mask nervously. She knew he was steaming in anger.

Erik let out a scream of rage. He whipped his head around to face Raven.

In spite of herself, she gasped and jerked back. There's really no way to describe poor Erik's face. Believe me, I've tried. Any good phan ought to have some idea. The only thing we need to know is that his mask conceals an utterly hideous face. There was no way she could have been ready for it.

"That's right, you're scared, aren't you?" He was standing up now, and Raven realized for the first time that he was very tall. He leaned over her madly in his tirade. "Why must all women be so damned curious?! I endured the same thing with Christine! You've destroyed us! It will never be the same... Is this really what you wanted to see? Look at me!" And he stared Raven lividly in the eye, gripping her by the shoulders.

She was crying now, and Erik scoffed at her tears. But Raven lifted her hands to his face. She stroked his mutilated cheeks with absolute tenderness. Erik didn't seem to be angry anymore. His dark eyes were wide with surprise, and he made to move away. Raven sobbed, and embraced him. He let out an audible gasp as, for the first time in his life, he felt the sensation of a young woman pressed close to his own body.

"Angel...Angel of Music..." murmured Raven in a choked voice. "God, why do you have to live this way?" Her tears grew hot with anger. "You don't deserve it, you're the last person who would deserve it...damn the fate laid upon us all!"

"How...how can you still call me an angel? This...this is the face of a devil...a monster..." Erik was shocked at the affection displayed by this young girl. And she'd seen his face...why...

"Don't," she told him forcefully. "Don't ever call yourself a monster. Have you heard yourself sing? Have you heard the magic in any song you care to play? That face is but a mask, all faces are masks. We all conceal our true selves behind cursed facades. It doesn't matter what is on the outside – it's your soul that matters!"

Erik laughed sadly. "Do you know how many times I've told myself that? That it doesn't matter what I look like? It's strange having someone else tell me. But when you've been exhibited in freak shows around the country, when you've gained the title Living Corpse, when your own mother shrinks in fear of your repulsive face, you can't help but curse your damned existence. My soul...I have forgotten whether I have a soul..."

"Erik," Raven persisted, "you do have a soul. It is the most beautiful soul ever to grace this undeserving planet." And Erik, at long last, returned her embrace.

"I don't care what you look like. If anything, I love you more."

Erik sank back down to the piano bench, drawing breaths in great shudders. Raven knelt beside him.

"Should I go?"

He didn't respond. She silently stood up. "Yes, I probably ought to leave you. Shall I see you day after tomorrow?"

Erik looked up, and gave her a truly glowing smile. She returned it, and wiping the tears from her face, she exited the house.

"I love you, Erik." Raven closed the door.

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Man, that chapter was hard to write. It'll be even harder to post – I'm a little embarrassed. Okay. (click) Yes, it's posted. Sorry it was so short. Anyway, read and review!