A/N Thanks so much for reviews. I'm so glad to have been able to get this next one out so fast.

Chapter 5- Establishment

Christine pulled back the mirror and stepped inside. She slid it shut and she jumped as she heard a click and the mirror locked automatically. She slid off her dress and held it up infront of her. She smiled at it admirably. She laid it down across her bed. The dress fluffed down on the satin sheets. Christine quickly slid on her dress that she would wear for the night's performance. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled as she smoothed out her dress. She only thought of him. "I will not disappoint you my Angel." She whispered to herself. She quickly turned around and ran as best as she could out of the room and to the stage.

Meg saw her walking and she quickly ran towards her and yelled. "CHRISTINE! THERE YOU ARE! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!" Her voice grew softer. "Everyone has been searching for you!"

Christine smiled thinking of Erik's strong arms wrapped around her. "I've been out."

"Where! You know we have a show to do!" Meg asked frantically.

"I was out taking a walk." Christine looked up at Meg trying to seem somewhat honest.

"You should have been here! I talked to my mother. She wouldn't tell me anything about the…well you know. That rose." Meg whispered. "So, I showed Joseph. He seemed so fascinated by it that I didn't even get it back." Christine didn't seem to care. She heard nothing Meg was saying. She was off in her own world of her and Erik. She sighed peacefully thinking of him. She would do her best tonight. She just had to impress him and win his affections. She needed those strong arms around her more than anything.

Christine walked off the stage once the performance had ended. She walked back into her dressing room once again. Christine smiled as she slowly walked towards the mirror. She hoped and prayed he was just standing there on the other side waiting to take her away to the world were she felt safe and complete.

She was quickly stopped when Mdm Giry entered the room hastily. She locked the door and turned and faced Christine. She had a stern look on her face that was mixed with a stray of fright. "I don't know what happened or why it did, but it cannot happen anymore Christine. Do you hear me?" She pointed a finger at her and looked past her at the mirror.

Christine looked at her casually pretending like she knew nothing of what she was talking about. "What happened?"

"You know what I mean Christine." She looked at her quickly then at the mirror again.

Christine sighed knowing she couldn't hide anything from her. She was always a step ahead. She was too wise and too clever to be trifled with. She looked up at Mdm Giry. "What I do is up to me Mdm."

"I know everything about Erik there is to know, and possibly more. You just can't do this to him Christine! He's a tortured soul!" She pleaded to Christine moving towards her.

Christine frowned. "You followed me didn't you?"

Mdm Giry shook her head. "No, I hadn't followed you child. The rose Meg brought to me confirmed my suspicions, and look there's another." She pointed to the rose Erik had given her before the performance, which was now on her bed. "Where else would you have gone for all those hours? I've seen you watch that mirror Christine, and I know where he lurks. Besides you're practically my daughter and he's almost my son, which this leads to another reason why you can't do this!"

"He's a grown man Mdm, and I'm 17, which makes me almost a woman!" She sighed heavily. "Just let me make my own decisions." She grabbed the rose off the bed holding it closely to her chest.

"It's not about you Christine, it's about him too." She walked closer to her so she could get better eye contact. "Erik won't accept such happiness, and he never will."

Christine moved closer to the mirror wondering where Erik was at that moment. "Just let me do what I want, and let Erik do what he wants to do. He's a grown man. He can make his own decisions."

Mdm Giry watched her for several moments in silence. She finally sighed and waved her hands at the level of her face giving in. She knew Christine's feelings for Erik had already been progressing for some time. She couldn't battle it even if she tried. "Very well then," she spoke softly, "but becareful. Erik is an aggressive man, and I don't tell Meg anything. It's bad enough as it is right now. Joseph is wandering off again and there is even talk of the 'Opera Ghost' again. For both of your safety I advise you stay here tonight."

Christine looked at the floor nodding slightly. She was glad to have at least won against Mdm Giry's demands. "Alright."

"I also knew something was up after I got this, this morning." She handed Christine a letter.

Christine traced her finger around the black border. She studied the handwriting and turned it over looking at the blood red skull seal. She took the letter out of the previously opened envelope. She read each line carefully.

"At first when I received it I thought he was disappointed in the way I was managing things, but once I had read it I realized what he was inquiring about was different than I had expected." Mdm Giry spoke firmly as she watched Christine reading the letter. "He was informing me with things of you. At first I couldn't quiet grasp it. I need sometime before I realized just how he felt about you. I'm afraid he is fascinated by you, and possibly obsessed. He wants you to be the new Diva of the stage, and he has commanded me to allow him more time to 'coach' you." She looked at Christine as she finished reading the letter.

Christine looked up at Mdm Giry holding her gaze with her eyes. "Madame, just let me be alone right now, please."

"Alright, child. You did very well by the way. I know he would be pleased with you."

"Would, Madame?" Christine asked as her heart choked.

She nodded "I don't believe he was there tonight." She spoke as she began to unlock the door. "The vicomte was in box 5." She glanced at her and then she left closing the door behind her.

Tears began to weld in her eyes. She turned and looked at the mirror glaring. "Why weren't you there! I did my best for you!" She sniffed growing sad. She had really done her best. She danced perfectly through a sprained ankle. Every movement she made flowed with perfection, and every note she sang almost sounded like it was from the heavens its self.

Erik was walking back to the Opera House. He crept silently back through the passage that led to the inside of the Opera Populaire. He carried under his arm a small box. It was only a tad bigger than the palm of his hand. He quickly snuck down into the depths of the Opera House.

The mirror flew open several minutes later and he stood there infront of her damp from the night air. He looked at her as she laid curled into a ball with a tear stained face. She looked like a porcelain doll as the candle light lit half her face. He had a slight smile on his face. He had been in peace all evening.

She turned and looked up at him. She did not smile and his calm expression slowly faded. "Are you alright Christine?" He waited for a reply but he received nothing. "Are you not well?" He thought for a moment and he growled when a thought struck him. "I GOT YOU SICK TODAY!" He grew angry with himself.

Christine's expression grew cross as she realized he wasn't getting it. "Why weren't you there? I did my best for you…I thought you were there." She looked down at the ground and sniffed.

"But I was there, in soul. Forgive me Christine." He knelt down at the side of her bed. "I had no intentions of not being there."

She glared. "Why weren't you there? What was so important?"

"You were." He smiled.

"If I was important Erik then why weren't you there?" She crossed her arms.

"Because I was out getting this." He held up the small box.

She uncrossed her arms and looked at him then the box becoming curious. "What is it?"

He quickly pulled open the small black box with his long fingers and removed the object inside. He took the plastic wrapping off of it and he held up what seemed to be a round jewelry box. As he did this Christine's gaze grew more intense and interested.

The jewelry box was beautiful. It was black and lined with gold. He opened it to reveal a small rose on the inside cover hidden beneath a blanket of glass. It softly started to play a song he had sung to her when she would sleep. Red velvet lined the inside of what now seemed to be a music box. "I had it made especially for you."

"I love it!" She smiled quickly forgetting she was ever mad at him. She took it and looked at him with affection. "Thank you." She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Erik was taken away by the warmth of her against his skin. Her soft lips brushed upon his cheek like the petals of a rose. A warm smile spread across his face as he endured the few seconds he had received the rewarding affection he had hoped for.

"Mdm Giry knows about me going with you earlier this evening." She looked at him hoping he wouldn't be mad and ruin the moment.

He nodded. "I know she knows. I had inquired her earlier today. I planned on her knowing."

"But why?" She looked at him funny.

"Because she can be trusted and she won't let anyone come in the way. Well actually, that brings me to a new topic of my interest. I need to ask you something first."

"What is it Erik?" She looked deep into his eyes.

"I know I'm not worthy of you and I never can be. I don't deserve you, and that just the fact. You don't deserve a world of darkness. Which I'm sure is all I can ever give to you, but if you'd agree I'd like to…well we could…maybe…" He looked back deep into her chocolate brown eyes. He was terribly nervous and he started to shake.

Knots grew in Christine's stomach. She had waited for this moment ever since he had first come to her in her mirror. She knew he wasn't asking her of eternal commitment. She knew he probably didn't have the courage to do such a thing, but she did know he was asking her for her love and affection. She smiled slightly realizing that he wanted her love. He wanted to hold her and love her. She put a finger to his lips silencing his rambling. "I'd like that." She smiled softly.

"A-are you sure?" Erik began to shake with excitement and happiness. He could hardly believe she was agreeing to bless him with her love. He had wanted this since the day he saw her praying for her father down in the chapel. She was the only one who understood his grief of loneliness and emptiness. She had been the only one who had heard him when anyone else would turn their cheek in disgust.

She nodded as she smiled. "I would love that actually."

A big smile had spread across Erik's face. He was so happy his stomach jumped with excitement. He quickly leaned in a planted a kiss on her lips. He had never kissed anyone before. He lingered in that moment for what seemed like hours. Her soft lips pressing against his was something he had never felt before. She willingly gave him her love. For the first time in his life he was in pure bliss.

He wrapped his strong arms around her finally as she had longed for. "It seems we've past a point of no return." Suddenly his mind sprung. The point of no return, the tune, the music, it rang through his head in a symphony. "That's what I will call it." He whispered.

Christine closed her eyes and smiled happily. She was finally resting in his arms.