Woo! I am alive and perfectly well again! I have thought the remaining plot out which includes more Dmitri! Yay Russian boys! Though Erik doesn't know about Dmitri yet... Muahaha... Now we get to the fun masquerade part! Yay! I love the 'Masquerade' song to Paris and back! It makes me all happy and want to dance around like a loon! And yet again, my trademark, using song titles for chapter titles. This one is 'Ruiner' by Nine Inch Nails, which rocks! So read children! Reaaaaaad!

Chapter 27: Ruiner

Amile felt like running away from the scene. Christine was right there, Raoul next to her. Then she felt Erik not very far away. She closed her eyes and pretended she was blind again. Her senses led her head up to the balcony and she opened her eyes. There she saw a quick red blur. A shiver ran through her. He was here, watching. He had seen Christine now. Her heart stalled. Then she pretended like she didn't know what was going on and went on. Dmitri approached her again. "Amile? Are you okay" She forced a smile. "Of course! I'm just fine" Dmitri smiled back and nodded, looking down. He was blushing. Then he looked up at her. "You do look really beautiful tonight." he said softly. She too blushed, a real smile creeping on her face. Then he kissed her cheek. She froze and looked at the floor, as though the tiles were the only thing in the world. "D-Dmitri. I..." He smiled at her again and took her hand. "Do you want to dance again" She nodded happily.

Erik watched the dancers carefully. Christine and Raoul stood by the doors, holding eachothers' hands. Erik felt his heart beat faster and faster as they kissed. "Christine..." he said softly. He already felt betrayed. Her teacher, who had cared for her all these years, making sure nothing would happen to her, now she betrayed him. They began dancing together. Then he felt eyes upon him and looked to where Amile was. She was looking right at him. The feeling of guilt took over him again. He quickly abandoned his post and ran to a column next to the right staircase. There he watched Amile and a brown-haired boy dance together. He felt proud of her then. She was growing up. From a little blind baby in a bunch of rags in the snow to this beautiful teenager with the looks of an angel.

That night, Amile couldn't have felt more happier. She had fallen in love, she was in public for the first time in years, and she was loved. The warm light from the room made her feel warm inside and outside. Dmitri held her to him closely. He was a very good dancer, she had to admit. He stepped right in time to the music, gracefully pulling her along. She almost felt inferior to him. "Thank you Dmitri." she whispered into his ear. He smiled and kissed her cheek again. In her peripheral vision, she saw Christine and Raoul kissing. Now she felt scared again. Dmitri brought his mouth close to her ear. "Are you okay Amile? You're shivering." She smiled weakly. "Just a little bit cold." But she knew she was scared because she knew Erik was watching. Her heart thudded dully in her chest in fear of what her father was to do.

As she expected, the lights went out. Dmitri let her go and looked around suspicously. Then she turned her head to see Erik standing at the top of the right staircase. "Oh no..." she whispered. He was dressed in crimson, a skeleton-like mask on his face. He was smiling evily, one she had seen a couple times before. He mocked several people before proceeding to throw down a package, paper spilling out of it. "I have written you an opera" he proclaimed proudly. The managers cowered in fear of the Phantom in front of them. Then he walked up to Christine. Raoul walked away quickly, leaving her there like a coward. Erik gazed at the ring on the chain around her neck. There was a mixture of fear, anger, and sadness in his eyes. He grasped the ring and yanked it off her neck angrily. "You belong to me" he said furiously. His eyes were practically on fire with anger.

What happened next confused Amile. She only saw a quick flash of Erik's red clothing before Christine was gone and Raoul had fallen through the floor. Amile knew that it wasn't safe here. She tried running but her boots stopped her. In a desperate angry action, she ripped them off and threw them behind her, narrowly hitting Carlotta. She ran as fast as she could to the lair.

When she got there, Erik was hunched over his desk, laughs erupting from him, almost in a sickening glee. "She's mine now." he whispered to himself. She was afraid of him now. Everything she thought about him was gone. "Daddy" she said very gently, almost timidly. He turned to face her, his mask off. He frowned at her. "Amile..." She looked down sadly. "You ruined it." she said gently. He felt his heart break. "I-I'm sorry Amile. I had to do it. You will know soon enough." Her eyes went down to the ground and she sighed. Then she turned away. "You really did ruin it." she said, the saddest tone he had ever heard coming from her. Then she walked away from him, not bothering to look back to see if he was watching her.