A/N once again I am sorry for slow update, I planned on getting this out before the weekend but I went out of town so I couldn't get this out. I'm going to try to have more rapid updates, thanks for reviews!

Chapter 3- Surfacing

Erik fumbled in the water trying to reach the surface. He was completely soaked and wasn't a strong swimmer. His cape that began to wrap around his legs didn't make it much easier for him to swim through the water. He quickly began to paddle his way back to the shore.

Christine stood up quickly and grabbed the end table for support. She quickly limped over to the mirror and pulled at it sliding it open. She walked through and gently shut the mirror and turned around looking at the dark damp corridor ahead of her. She winced slightly in fear as she saw the dusty statues that jumped out at her as she limped down the passageway. She made her way down the corridors. Her gaze drew off the walls around her and to the mess of black fabrics that were splashing around in the green water.

Erik kicked under the water furiously trying to reach the shore. He became caught in the cape that swirled around him in the water. His growls became gurgled as he was pulled under the water. He could see Christine approaching his view at the shore and his eyes grew wide.

"Christine!" he said in shock. He had always wanted to remain a figure of power and strength in her eyes. He knew this accident of his wasn't going to leave her with the impression he had hoped for.

Christine quickly had forgotten about the pain of her ankle and she quickly limped to the shore line and extended her small pale hand to him. He quickly grasped her hand clutching tight. Erik was strong; he was a lot stronger than he even knew. His firm grasp had been too much for Christine's small mass and she was quickly pulled into the icy cold water with him. Erik's eyes grew wide feeling terrible for what he had just done.

Christine screamed as the cold water soaked her body. Erik was surprised when he saw Christine's head come up laughing. He didn't understand. If someone had pulled him into a freezing cold lake he would have been in an outrage.

"Now I suppose…you see the purpose of my gondola." He softly spoke bowing his head down in embarrassment.

Christine smiled seeing him ashamed of his flaw. She grabbed his hand under the water. Erik flinched as a shiver ran down his spine at her touch. He was amazed at how he shook more from her touch as opposed to the cold water he was swimming in. She swam over to him slowly and wrapped her arms around his shaking body. She began to shiver as well and she clung to him tighter for body heat.

"I-It's s-so c-cold." Her teeth chattered as she held on to him.

Erik remained still and stared past her. He couldn't completely comprehend what was going on, or why she was touching him. A strange tingle soared through his veins and he quickly pulled away.

"We should get out of here. Come, I will take you to my home." Erik said shivering.

She nodded and shook in the cold water. "What about my wet c-clothes?"

He gave her a small smile. "I have things at my home." He climbed out of the water and took her hand pulling her out. Water dripped off them creating large puddles beneath them.

"Maybe we could tip the gondola back over." She looked over at the tipped boat and shook softly.

He nodded. "You stay here. I will do it; I can swim but not well. Besides you are injured."

"Take off your cloak. It will be easier to swim." She spoke softly to him.

He took off the wet coat and let it fall to the floor. It made a splash when it hit the puddle beneath his feet. He made his way back into the water and he swiftly swam over to the upside down gondola. He slowly began to turn it over. The gondola flipped back up and water poured out of it. The nice cushioned seat he had ready for Christine was now soaking wet. He sighed knowing this wasn't going to be as impressive and alluring as he had hoped for. He pulled the gondola back over to the shore where Christine stood shaking from the cold. She limped closer to where Erik and the gondola were. She hissed in pain, and Erik glanced up at her feeling sorry for her.

"I will find a way to fix that without hurting you this time, I promise." He smiled up at her with the passion in his eyes and her heart melted. "Come you must get in before someone hears us."

She quickly snapped out of her trance. It was so easy for her to be lost in those two pale blue eyes. They were so beautiful; they even had a tint of green in them. They looked like rare emeralds that a queen would wear to the operas. When ever she looked at him his eyes would flash this beautiful rare and magnificent color and she could feel her heart start to fly. She came back to her senses and nodded crawling into the boat.

Erik climbed in and stood over her dripping wet. He suddenly stood still realizing he had forgotten something,

"Damn…" He cursed in the middle of his thought.

Christine turned around and looked up at him. "What?"

"The staff I use to push the gondola. It's at the bottom of the lake." He sighed growing angry and frustrated. He knew the water wasn't very deep where they were but the fact that everything was going wrong was just too aggravating.

Before he could make a move Christine jumped out of the gondola and Erik's eyes grew wide as he heard the splash. Christine went under the murky water feeling around at the slimy bottom. She finally felt the long staff and grabbed it swimming back up to the surface.

"Here." She held it up out of the water slightly.

Erik looked at her in shock that she would just jump in again without saying anything. "You shouldn't have done that. I was going to-"

"It's alright." She said cutting him off and wiping the water out of her eyes. She handed him the staff and took Erik's offered hand and was quickly pulled back into the seat.

Erik pushed off the shore and started making his way back to his lair. "I'd sing to you right about now, but I'm finding that the cold has me lost to words." He began to wonder on that statement. Was it really the cold that was making him lost to words?

"Me too." She replied shaking. She crossed her arms trying to maintain body heat.

Erik suddenly felt a warmth course through his veins. He knew he was near home. The gate opened and revealed hundreds of candles everywhere. It could have been a pitch black corner of the caverns and no one would have ever know, but the soft glow from the candles gave Erik's lair a warm touch to the soul and lit up every inch of it. Christine looked around in amazement.

"How can you cloth me when you don't have anything for me?" She asked curiously.

"I do have something my dear." Erik focused on getting to his destination and the gondola hit the shore a moment later splashing water up on the shore.

"What?" Christine watched him confused as he stepped out of the boat.

"They will be looking for you, you know." He said as he helped her out of the gondola.

She sighed. "I know. I will just tell them I ran out or something."

Erik raised his unmasked eyebrow. "And what of your performance?"

"I-I can't walk." She grabbed onto a near by table.

"Very well then." He walked over to her slowly and picked her up.

"Thanks" She said smiling slightly and shaking violently from the cold.

He carried her over to a bench near the bed and sat her down. "I will put you here." Christine nodded and started to look around the lair. He had many statues and paintings.

Erik walked over to a wardrobe that he had in his room and he took out a long white silky dress. He held it up in front of him and smiled. He started to walk back over to Christine.

Christine had moved from where Erik had put her and she was sitting at the organ looking at the worn out keys.

"So could you walk all this time or did you just want someone to carry you." A smirk spread across his face.

"I limped over here if you must know, and yes I liked you carrying me." She smiled softly to herself thinking of his strong arms holding her close to him.

"Oh?" he said surprised. He turned his head only to find a mirror. He started into it, his smile fading quickly. He looked at the white mask covering his face and he began to remember what he really is, knowing there was no point in trying. She'd never love something like him. He turned away from the mirror and handed her the white dress.

"Oh it's beautiful!" She smiled and took it. She stroked the soft fabric.

"Thank you." He spoke quietly and he turned around to stare at himself in the mirror once again. As much as he hated to see himself, once he looked he found it harder and harder to look away. Sadness began to sweep over him once again.

Christine stood up and looked around. "Where is the changing board?

Erik was quickly taken out of thought. "Oh it's over there by the bed, mind you I won't look." He walked over to the organ and began to play a soft tune.

Christine limped over to the bed and took off her wet dress and slid on the dry one. It was much warmer and much more comfortable than the one she wore before. She was surprised since she figured he didn't know her measurements. She walked over to Erik holding her wet dress.

"Where do I put this?" She asked listening to him play.

Erik continued to play and made a motion with one hand that pointed to a rack over near some of his paintings. He then went back to playing with both hands. Erik had become so absorbed in his music that he had forgotten all about his wet clothes.

Christine walked over to the rack and glanced at the paintings. "Theses are good. Are they watercolor?" She looked back over at him seeing him concentrating on his piece.

"Yes." He replied softly as he continued to play.

She smiled watching his dedication. "Are you going to change your clothes?" He suddenly stopped playing.

"Oh." He said as he glanced down at the puddle he was making beneath the bench. "I just got caught up." He quickly got up from the bench and made his way to another room out of Christine's view. Christine sat down on a dry portion of the bench and poked at one of the old keys.

A few moments later Erik came out dried and groomed. He watched her and smiled in amusement. Christine continued to poke at the key looking at it. Erik continued to watch her amused and suddenly he felt strange. There was a draft all about his face and then he realized. He gasped and threw his hand to one side of his face and ran back away out of Christine's view.