Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Erik. Sigh So unfair.

A/N: I want to say thanks to neo-lover72, StrangeGirl, The Frogotten, and Lady Nessa for the reviews! Also, I'm using Gerard Butler's Erik and not Leroux's in description. But you will find the musical and the book blended together.

Chapter 2- Erik's Story

Time slowed down as both stared at each other. Stephanie was in awe. It couldn't! My God it has to be!

His left side was indeed handsome and he had such incredible deep blue eyes. His choice of clothing and the mask all added up to the one person she knew- the infamous Phantom of the Opera!

"How did you know my name? Where am I?" he barked.

His voice was harsh, but the tenor in it couldn't be disguised. Stephanie had to remind herself to blink so he wouldn't think she was rude. Then again, how often does a fictional character pop up out of blue?

"Well? Are you going to continue staring or are you going to answer my questions?" he demanded.

Breaking from her trance, Stephanie circled him, her eyes over leaving his. "This can't be…" she said. "You're Erik."

He sighed. "Yes I am aware of my own name. I would like to know how you know it?"

She blushed. "Well, uh, you see. You're not real. Erik was a character in the novel, Phantom of the Opera, and the musical! There's no way this could be happening!"

"Yes, yes I see that. But you still didn't answer me. And how does some novel even relate to me? And what do you mean I'm not real? I'm standing in front of your eyes aren't I?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah but it doesn't make any sense."

"Glad to hear it. If you don't mind I'm leaving to find some answers," Erik huffed as he went to move away.

"No! You can't go out there alone!" she cried as she ran to block his way.

"Excuse me, child, but I happen to be old enough to take care of myself. Your concern is of no importance." He started again but again stopped.

"Erik, this is not the 19th century anymore. It's the 21st! And people might throw in you jail or something if you say, 'I'm the Phantom'."

He froze in his tracks. "21st century?" he repeated, not sure if that's what he had heard.

"Yes," she sighed.

Erik turned away from her taking in all of this. Stephanie could have sworn she heard a whimper and an anguish whisper of "Christine". The poor guy was lost. Her heart went out to the Phantom and placed a sympathetic hand on his arm.

The contact caused him to stiffen in surprise. She tried hard to stifle her laughter. She couldn't believe her favorite person in the world was right there in the flesh!

"It's all right Erik. Look, tell me how you got here and maybe I might be able help you get back to Christine."

He looked at her with high hopes. "You would do that? For me? I don't know what to say…"

"I'm not quite exactly positive if I can help, Erik. But I will do my best," she promised. "Sit down and tell me everything and then I'll tell you about the world you are now in."

Nodding, Erik moved over to sit on her desk chair while Stephanie made herself comfortable on her bed. He took a deep breath and began:

"It was the opening night for Hannibal and my student, Christine Daae, was playing the lead role of Elise. I trained her for a few months now and she has the voice of an angel! I couldn't have been more proud of her. After the curtain dropped, I hurried over to her dressing room to congratulate her triumph when this boy came busting through her door and-"

"And it was the Vicomte, Raoul de Chagny! Christine's childhood friend!" she interrupted. "But I'm pretty sure he didn't 'bust' through."

"I'm explaining my dilemma to you so let me finish my story! Now, she told him to leave but he wouldn't. Christine was about to scream for help when-"

"Ahem. Christine and Raoul were reflecting on the past when he asked her to go out for dinner. She turned him down nicely but he kept insisting and laughed when she said, 'The Angel of Music is very strict'. He leaves and you lock her door so she can't escape and he can't get in. By the way, smart move. Then you went behind her mirror and sang out to her so you could take her to your home underground."

"If you wanted to hear my story then why ask me? You know it already," he grumbled.

"Sorry but I practically know this like the back of my hand."

"Anyways, you're right except I never had the chance to take her to my home."

"What happened?" she asked intrigued.

"I was about to tell her of my opinion of that fop when all of a sudden I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even cry out for help. I thought I was having an attack, though, I knew I wasn't due to have one just yet. I became dizzy and this blinding light engulfed me. I took a step back and found myself standing in your room."

"Interesting." She rubbed her chin. "I'm no scientist but I bet you were pulled out of some kind of time continuum and brought here to the future, the 'real world' if you like," she concluded.

"You think so?"

She shrugged. "That only came to mind because my Chemistry teacher started this debate on it. Had nothing to do with stoichiometry, but it was interesting to think about."

"I see. Seems to be a plausible answer to me. Now do you think you can send me back?"

"Erik, I'm no genius like you, but I think there was a reason why you happened to appear in my room. So we should make the best of the situation at hand," she explained.

Erik couldn't help but marvel at the young girl's tongue. She knew how to take control of the situation and remain calm, even though she did go a bit haywire earlier. It didn't matter if she felt she was wrong, at least he had something to go by. At first he was afraid he died and this was Hell. An odd sort of Hell with the pale pink walls and posters of guys everywhere, but he was deeply upset of never getting the chance to tell Christine how he felt. Now he know he's not dead and perhaps the girl was right. Maybe he was brought here for some purpose, what he didn't know exactly.

"I believe you're right on that. It seems to me you know pretty much of who I am Miss…"

"Stephanie. Stephanie Larson, but you can call me Steph if you want. And yes I do know all about you. Everything in fact! And I have to say, on the behalf of all fans of the Phantom, I'm terribly sorry you had to go through all that."

"You… you know about my past? My childhood? You're sure this is not Hell?" he asked.

Stephanie laughed. "God no! Far from it. But if you're going to stay here then I have to hide you or my parents would freak. I have a room that's connected to mine that I use as a mini library and no one goes in there but me. You can bunk there until I figured out what I'm going to do with you. Funny. I thought I would never have to say that."

"I take then that you're not going to tell your parents about my stay?"

She clasped her hand over her mouth, horrified. "No way! Are you crazy? If you told them that you were the Phantom of the Opera they'll send you to a mental asylum!"

"Because I'm the Phantom?" he said confused.

She sighed. "This is going to take a while to explain."

TBC….