A/N: OMG, I cannot believe the response this has gotten! 10 reviews in one night! Aaaaaaaaaawwwww, you guys are gonna make me cry...but in the best possible way! And hey, you want updates, you get updates, I have 12 completed chapters all ready for ya! After that, though, I'm afraid you'll have to take them as I write them...but I spend the most time on this one so they should come as quickly as I can manage with schoolwork. More cookies for all (bites Raoul's face off again)!

Notes

Vicomte-

Do not fear for your Aminta. The Angel of Music has her under his wing. No harm will come to her. I shall return her to you when she wakes.

O.G.

In frustrated rage, Raoul silently crumpled and shredded the note he had found in his box. He had guessed that Aminta would run to the theatre after their fight, but he had never dreamed that she would meet the Phantom. He hadn't even thought he was still there! Grinding his teeth in exasperation, he gazed down upon Christine as she sang, occasionally glancing up at him. How would he explain this to her? He wouldn't, he resolved. At intermission, he would go down and find Aminta and bring her back. The Phantom had almost taken Christine. He would not have Aminta!

Erik smiled to himself as he laid Aminta gently in the bed in the room above the organ room. He wasn't exactly sure he had meant to make her pass out, but he couldn't honestly say he hadn't either. He had known that the fumes from the medicine he had applied to her cheek would make her drowsy, possibly make her pass out, yet he hadn't replaced the lid on the jar. Well, she hadn't seemed afraid of him at least, and she had been trying to get away from her parents. She was perfectly safe with him. Plus, he didn't need to worry that she, like her mother, would be so curious to see him that she would strip off his mask when he was distracted. Still, he knew that Raoul was impetuous enough to come down again to find her, and would probably end up getting himself killed through a misstep that would trigger one of his traps. Briefly tugging the cord that would lower the veil around the bed, Erik went to his desk nearby and wrote a note. He was hesitant to leave Aminta alone in his lair, but she wouldn't wake for a while. She had been tired before he found her anyway. Most likely, she would sleep the night through.

'Besides, I won't be long,' he thought. Nodding slightly to himself, he took the fastest route up to the box he knew Raoul would be sitting in for that night's performance, left the note, and came swiftly back. Aminta hadn't even moved when he went and looked in on her, she was so deeply asleep. Because of this, Erik allowed himself to stand there gazing at her, contemplating her.

"You look so much like Christine," he said softly, "but nothing like Raoul. I wonder why that is?" He smiled darkly to himself at some private thought. "Well, good-night little angel." So saying, he turned and left her alone, returning to his organ and playing softly for a while.

"I'm telling you, Christine, I'm going after her!"

"Raoul, be sensible about this. You'd be killed! Even if you made it all the way down to his lair, he'd kill you."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

"Wait."

"I can't just wait! You know what he's capable of, what he could do to her…"

"He said she'd be safe. He has no reason to hurt her. Besides, I doubt she'd be willing to go with you considering what happened."

"I don't want to hear about what happened! It was an accident, I simply made a mistake…"

"A mistake! Raoul, you nearly sliced half her face off! If she were me, I wouldn't want to go with you! He won't hurt her, Raoul."

"Why are you defending him? You should be concerned for our daughter!"

"I am concerned for her! But you won't help her by charging down there and getting yourself hurt."

Raoul growled in frustration for the second time that night. At intermission he had gone to Christine's dressing-room with every intention of smashing the mirror and going down to the Phantom's lair that way. However, Christine had been there when he arrived. While she was startled and a little worried about the note he showed her, she insisted that he not go after her.

"Christine, be sensible. Do you honestly think he'll just let her go? He'll just give her back to us that easily? I learned the hard way that nothing is that simple concerning him."

"Raoul, just stop. I won't let you go down there. You can't! You'll do more harm than good, I'm certain. Besides, are you sure that you want to do this for her?"

"What are you insinuating?"

"I only think that you're just trying to use this as an excuse to exact the revenge I know you've wanted ever since that fateful night."

"What! You honestly think I'm that vindictive?"

"Yes."

Raoul gave a strangled cry of anger and turned away from her towards the mirror. He could have sworn he saw someone behind it. Then again, he was probably just imagining it. "I can't just wait around here, Christine. If she's not back by the end of tonight's performance, I'm going after her."

Christine sighed. "I suppose there's nothing I can do to stop you. Just promise that you'll be careful, and you won't get yourself killed." Raoul smiled humourlessly.

"I'll do my best."

The performance continued, but Raoul couldn't enjoy it. He kept staring across the theatre at Box 5, waiting to see that black silhouette appear again. But it didn't come. The performance ended, and there was no sign of either Aminta or the Phantom. Resolved, he looked down at Christine as she took her bow. She was looking at him. He simply gave a curt nod and left. Somehow, Christine managed to beat him back to her dressing-room again.

"Raoul, I'm asking you for the last time to reconsider your actions," she said.

"I made a mistake tonight when I lashed out at our daughter," said Raoul. "I'm not going to make the mistake of leaving her in the hands of a dangerous murderer." So saying, he turned to the mirror and took up a candlestick, preparing to smash the glass.

"Wait!" said Christine, placing her hand on his arm. "If you're going to go, you might as well not shatter my mirror and leave me to try and explain to the management." She went over and slid her fingers into the side of the mirror, little by little wiggling it out until she could slide it open easily. "Go quickly, and come back safely." Raoul kissed her quickly and hurried down the dark corridor.

Erik didn't even look up when the alarm bell sounded, signaling that there was an intruder in his domain. He had figured this would happen. Maybe that's why he let Aminta inhale the fumes from the medicine, so she wouldn't wake up when this happened. He heard someone sloshing through the water, but even then he didn't look up. He didn't need to. He knew who was there.

"Phantom!" shouted Raoul from behind the portcullis.

"Ah Vicomte," said Erik coolly, as though he had been expecting him. "And what brings you down here once again? Come to make peace, have you?"

"You know as well as I do why I'm here!" Raoul spat angrily. "What have you done with my daughter?"

"Tended to her injury and given her a place to sleep where she can feel safe," Erik replied.

"Liar," growled Raoul. "Aminta! AMINTA!"

"Stop yelling, you'll wake her," said Erik sternly.

"That's the point. Aminta!"

Up in the room above them, though they did not know it, Aminta stirred in her sleep. Someone was calling to her, disrupting her dreams, disturbing her peaceful sleep. Who was it? It wasn't Erik, that much she knew. But then who…? She groaned inwardly as she realized who it must be.

"Father," she mumbled, sitting up slowly. "Why can't he ever just leave me alone?" She reached out slowly, trying to find the edge of the bed. Her searching fingers eventually found the side and the curtain around it. Carefully she pushed the curtain out of the way and climbed out of the bed. She wished she had her walking-stick with her, but she had to make do without it. She proceeded slowly, reaching out before her until she found the wall. Running her hand along it, she made her way towards the voices she heard arguing. The smell of candle smoke and the sound of water came to her. They seemed oddly beneath her, so she guessed that the room she had been in was above the one where Erik had first brought her. Not wishing to fall down the stairs, wherever they were, she stood silently, listening. She didn't have to wait long.

"Aminta! Oh my child, are you all right?" came her father's relieved voice. Aminta fought to keep from sneering.

"Yes, no thanks to you," she said scathingly.

"Aminta, I'm so sorry about what happened, but I didn't mean-" he began.

"I don't want to hear it!" she snapped. "What are you doing here?"

"I-I came to find you," stammered Raoul.

"You mean to save me," said Aminta coldly.

"That's what I thought," commented Erik.

"No one asked you!" snapped Raoul.

"No one needs to," replied Erik. "You are in my house. I can speak when I wish."

"Aminta, listen to me," pleaded Raoul. "Don't you realize the danger you're in? He's a murderer!"

"You say murder, I say poetic justice," answered Aminta caustically. Erik laughed delightedly.

"I only want to protect you," continued Raoul, as though no one had spoken. "What else would you have me do? I am your father, I am your guardian, I am your protector-"

"You are an idiot!" shouted Aminta. She heard the water churn slightly as her father stepped back in surprise at this. "Do you hear me? You care for nothing but your own image, always determined to be the tragic hero whom everyone falls in love with."

"How can you say this?" asked Raoul softly.

"I've lived with you all my life," said Aminta angrily. "I know you. You don't care at all about me because I am not the daughter you always wanted. You want a precious little princess who always does what she's told when she's told to do it, complacent, obedient. You want a dog, not a living, thinking child of your own. You-aaahhh!" As she had been speaking (or ranting, depending on how you think of it) she had been carefully making her way down the stairs, leaning on the wall. However, her foot slipped and she fell. She waited for the impact, but it didn't come. She quickly realized why. Erik had caught her. He guided her down the last few steps, holding her up.

"Are you all right?" he asked in concern.

"Don't touch her!" shouted Raoul.

"Would you rather I had let her fall, then?" demanded Erik.

"I'm all right," said Aminta. "Just surprised. I'm fine."

"Good." Erik guided her to the organ bench and she sat down.

"Aminta? Aminta, come back with me," said Raoul. He wasn't asking her. "Your mother and I are worried about you."

"I don't want to," she said before she could stop herself. She turned to Erik, who was still standing near her. "I want to stay with you." It was then that Aminta learned the difference between silence and utter silence. Everything seemed to have stopped. She couldn't even hear the sound of her own breathing.

"Aminta-" Raoul finally ventured to speak.

"Why not?" asked Erik. "She's quite welcome here, and I enjoy her company."

"Only because she cannot see the monster you truly are!" said Raoul coldly. Erik simply shrugged.

"As you are in no position to say otherwise," he said, "I'd say that the decision rests with Aminta. If she wishes to stay, she can stay. There's really nothing you can do about it." Aminta smiled.

"Why you-Aminta, listen to me," said Raoul.

"I have listened," she replied. "You talk and talk, and yet you say nothing. I have made my choice."

"I'm not leaving here without you!" Raoul declared.

"All right, how about this," Erik interjected. "I'll return her again by tomorrow night's performance. Until then, she stays with me."

"All right," said Aminta without hesitation. She could almost see her father going purple with rage, but there was nothing he could do.

"Fine," he said, and she could tell he was gritting his teeth, something she found very unattractive. "But if you harm one hair on her head, I'll-"

"Did you think that I would harm her?" asked Erik mildly. "Why would I? I've already told you, I'll keep her safe. Now, I suggest you go back the way you came." Raoul made a sound like he was going to say something else, but changed his mind. A few moments later, Aminta heard the water sloshing as her father left slowly. Finally the sound faded away completely. Once it had, she sighed.

"I'm sorry if I was a little presumptuous, but-"

"There's no need to apologize," Erik interrupted her smoothly. "It's all right. Would you like me to help you back upstairs?"

"Actually, I'd rather listen to you play for a while," she said with a shyness that was most unlike her. "That is, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." He guided her over to the stairs where she sat to listen, then returned to his organ and began to play. Aminta was immediately lost in the music. She closed her eyes and let the music paint pictures in her mind. It was almost like seeing again, and she didn't want it to stop. She had no idea how long she sat there listening, but it seemed that years had passed before she realized that the music had stopped and Erik was helping her sit up, as she had apparently fallen asleep lying back on the steps.

"It's very late," he said gently, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "You're tired. Come." She stood, leaning on his arm and let him guide her upstairs. Years later, she would still wonder what happened then but she never knew for sure. The next thing she knew, she had lost her footing somehow and fell backwards, striking her head hard on the stairs, hard enough too "see" stars in the endless blackness that blanketed her eyes. She was too stunned to even cry out in pain. She just lay there, thoroughly shaken and scared. She thought for an instant that she had split her skull and was dead, but then realized that if she were she wouldn't be thinking it. She felt herself being lifted, and realized that Erik was holding her, calling to her. She made a sound in response. It seemed to reassure him somewhat. He picked her up and carried her back upstairs, telling her that she mustn't fall asleep yet. She had to stay awake for a while.

"You might be concussing," he explained. "I'll let you sleep in a little while, but I'll be waking you up every hour just to make sure you're all right."

"OK," she mumbled. Her head was throbbing like the devil, and all she wanted to do was sleep, but she knew that Erik was right. She thought that her eyes kept opening and closing, but she wasn't sure.

"Stay awake, Aminta," he said. "Talk to me. Just don't fall asleep yet."

"My head hurts," she said stupidly, then mentally berated herself for saying so. Obviously her head hurt! "Erik…I have a question."

"What is it?" he asked.

"Would you…would you have helped me if I could see?"

Once again, utter silence descended.

"I…I don't know," he finally said. "Probably. I'm not so heartless that I'll leave a bleeding, frightened girl all alone when she obviously needs help." Aminta didn't know if she was entirely convinced by this, but she was satisfied.

"Are you wearing your mask now?" she asked. She knew that her questions were surprising, maybe even hurting Erik, but she had to know.

"No."

"I see," she said. "Or, rather, I don't." Erik laughed a little, as did she. For a short while longer they talked, until Aminta couldn't fight the heaviness of sleep that was weighing down on her eyes and Erik permitted her to fall asleep, saying he would wake her again in an hour. Aminta could feel her eyes closing, though the blackness, she knew, was always the same. But just before she lost consciousness, she could have sworn that she truly saw something-some fleeting swirl of real colour through the blackness.