A/N wow thanks everyone for your reviews! I didn't think anyone would read it! I really appreciate it since this is my first piece , sorry for the slow update…exams have been keeping me busy, well I will stop rambling...on with chapter 2!

Chapter 2- First Glance

Christine sat on the small bed grasping her ankle and winced. She laid down wishing all her pain and loneliness would go away.

Erik never forgot a night when Christine performed. Often some people would congratulate her on a job well done, but most would forget and demand the next performance to go underway. Erik always took every little note she sung or step she danced into a moment of great beauty to behold. He never forgot and he never failed to notice her because she had been the only person who had noticed him. He smiled slightly as he carried a rose tightly in his hand. He was heading back to her dressing room and he wasn't going to return without her.

Christine had continued to wince in pain. She cried softly in her sadness.

Erik had made his way down the long dark hallway that led to the mirror. A few rats scurried away as he passed by, he ignored them focusing on the mirror ahead. He was locked in gaze with his desire and he glared thinking to himself that nothing will get in the way. He had just reached the mirror when he stopped in his steps hearing soft crying. His heart grew tender knowing it was her tears being shed. He never could stay stern when she cried, and he could never let down his guard to anyone but her. His senses and feelings for her began to take control. He started to softly sing to her from the other side of the mirror.

"Wandering child so lost, so helpless, yearning for my guidance…" he sung softly.

Christine sat up and sniffed as she looked around the room hearing the familiar voice. Her eyes darted all around the room as the voice echoed. She searched for where it could have been coming from.

"Wandering child do not shun me, sing to your strange angel…" Erik continued to sing hoping she was would join in and sing with him. He longed to sing with her in a duet. Only when they sang together did he feel her body and soul. It was the only reunion he had ever shared with someone's soul, and he was absorbed in the power of the emotion. The more he sang to Christine, the more she was drawn to him. She as well had never shared such an emotional and soulful passion with someone, and it was all done through song. Christine tried to stand up to find where the voice was coming from, but she was quickly thrown back down on her bed when she realized her ankle didn't permit her to stand. Erik realized that Christine was in pain and compassion flooded his soul, something people had never shown him. A small hint of anger began to rise in him when he thought of someone causing her pain. Erik stared at her with love in his eyes and he slid open the mirror stepping inside.

Christine's gaze shot up at him looking up into his pale blue eyes. He had made it into the room quickly and was already standing before her with all his masculinity to behold. She was taken back by his sharp features. He was the perfect image of a man and everything she had pictured him to be. He had dark hair, a perfect bone structure, he was nicely built seeming healthy, and his eyes flashed with passion and love. Her gaze then fell on the flash of white that swept over half of his face. She began to question the strange mask and she wondered why he would wear such a thing. He looked perfect, why would he cover it up?

"My angel you are in pain." He looked at her affectionately.

Christine's thoughts then went back to her ankle and she grabbed it wincing in pain once again.

"Who caused you this pain, I shall see to it that they pay for this." His look grew stern and the passion grew in his eyes.

"I caused myself this pain, I tripped in the corridors." She said still in amazement that he was standing before her.

"Permit me to help?" he looked at her hoping she would allow him to touch her without sending him away. He sat down on the bed next to her and put her foot in his lap. He slowly began to massage her foot trying to ease the pain. He wasn't exactly sure how to help but all he knew was that he was going to do his best to try.

Christine gasped in pain and winced as she clutched tightly to the pillow. Erik quickly stopped and looked up at her with worry in his eyes knowing he had done something wrong.

"I'm sorry I didn't-" he was quickly interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

"Christine? I have the things you requested me to get." Meg said on the other side of the door.

Christine's eyes grew wide knowing Meg couldn't see Erik. She quickly glanced at him and then at the door beginning to panic.

"I'm going to tend to your ankle, are you dressed?"

Erik knew he had to get out. He glanced at Christine with the same longing and passion in his eyes that he had when he first saw her years ago. He quickly ran back through the mirror leaving Christine in the room for Meg to tend to her instead of him doing it himself. Christine's eyes followed him and sadness settled in her stomach.

"You can come in now Meg." She said softly as the mirror closed.

Erik sighed in sadness and threw his hand to his forehead. He wished he could stay with her.

"I'm sorry my angel. I will be back I promise." He mumbled quietly to himself.

Meg quickly ran into the room smiling at Christine. Her smile suddenly began to fade when her eyes drifted to the floor seeing something in front of the mirror.

"What's wrong Meg?" Christine asked.

Meg picked it up examining it and forgot about tending to Christine, a look of terror began to spread across her face.

"Meg what is wrong?" Christine asked again becoming more concerned.

Meg looked up slowly and held a gaze with Christine.

"I-I found something." She stuttered with fear in her eyes.

"Found what?" Christine asked trying to get a good look at the object.

Meg held it up and began to show her. It was a blood red rose with a black ribbon tightly attached. The rose glowed in Meg's small pale hand.

"It's like the one in the stories" Meg looked at her terrified and in shock.

Christine quickly grabbed the rose from her hand and looked into its deep color.

"Something's not right Christine." She looked around the room growing worried. "I'm going to get my mother, you shouldn't stay here."

"Why? It's perfectly safe." Christine replied looking towards the mirror.

"No, I-I'm scared. Something isn't right." She took the rose back from Christine's hand. "I'm going to show my mother. Maybe she'll know." Meg quickly left the room and in all her fretting she had forgotten Christine.

Erik started to make his way to the gondola growing angrier as he grew closer to returning to his lair of darkness and self despair.

"Angel of music?" Christine whispered looking at the mirror hoping he would come back through. She waited several moments seeing nothing and she sighed laying back down on the bed. The loneliness had begun to return to her and she sobbed in sadness.

Erik had stopped and gazed around hearing her call to him. He stood still and quiet for several moments. He shook his head thinking he was only hearing things and he continued walking.

"Angel of music, where are you?" Christine whispered again.

Erik was in the gondola and starting to push off the shore when he heard her small voice call to him again. "Christine?" her name echoed and bounced off the cold dark walls. The sound made a cold chill run down his spine.

Tears rolled down her cheeks hoping he would appear again and bring a gleam of happiness into her soul, but Erik never came.

Erik heard the sobs and he shook as they bounced all over the walls and ascended into his ears. The gondola began to loose balance and it tipped over leaving Erik, who was not a strong swimmer, in the cold green water.

"DAMN!" he cursed loudly and it rang through the corridors. Christine heard him and she quickly sat up her eyes growing wide.