Nice! Got lot's of reviews and feedbacks on that last chapter... Thank you all! New chapter...

XxXxX

Erik woke the next morning and stretched his weary muscles. After the blowout he had had with Amarie the day before, rehearsal went mercifully well. He even gave her a few pointers, so that she sang her part almost as well as Christine had.

Christine… her wedding was in three days… and Amarie… Erik wasn't sure how he felt about her yet. The child was obviously too young for him. But… she was his best friend. Through all the frustration of having to go to rehearsal and listen to those hapless fools butcher his opera, of having to pretend to be someone he wasn't, of having to hide and lie about himself, Amarie was…just there. And she cared. She was a little ray of light in his gloom. He had been afraid that that was all over when she had unceremoniously unmasked him. But she promised not to tell… She promised…

Rehearsal that morning was going well, except Erik was sick of the way Lachappelle verbally abused his daughter.

"Amarie! You're flat! Get with the program!"

Amarie sighed sadly as she leaned against Erik. "Past the point of no return, the final threshold – the bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn… We've passed the point of no return…"

"Erik!" Lachappelle said. "Be a little more intimate with her, would you? You're a hardly-convincing seducer!"

Erik raised his head. "Monsieur…?"

"You heard me! Get touchy! Feel her up a little!"

Erik was shocked. How could this man ask him to do such a thing! To his own daughter, nonetheless!

"Monsieur, I must protest!"

"That's not your job!"

"I will not do such a thing without Amarie's consent!"

Lachappelle looked at his daughter. "Well? Give it to him!"

Amarie trembled. "Please, Papa… I don't want to… Don't make him…"

"I'm your father! You'll do what I tell you!"

"She said no!" Erik bellowed.

There was silence. Erik heard Lachappelle's footsteps making his way over to them. Instinctively, Erik put himself between Amarie and her father. Lachappelle stopped inches away from Erik.

"You insolent wretch!" Lachappelle tried to reach past Erik to grab Amarie. Erik knew what was coming and caught Lachappelle by the wrist, twisting his arm painfully behind his back.

"You had best learn proper manners, Monsieur," Erik informed him, applying more pressure to Lachappelle's twisted arm, making him cry out. "And do you dare discharge me, knowing I'm the only one who can sing your opera?" Lachappelle's answer was demonstrated simply by his inability to form any kind of response. "I will perform my part to the best of my ability without violating your daughter's comfort or stepping beyond the boundaries of propriety." He released Lachappelle, who fell to the floor, cradling his sore arm. "Come Amarie," Erik said, taking her hand. "Rehearsal is over…"

XxXxX

"Thank you for sticking up for me, Erik," Amarie said as they left the auditorium.

"Has your father always treated you so horribly?"

"He didn't used to… Not before Mama died… Since then, I've just been another mindless peon to him."

"What was he like before?"

"A lot like you, actually."

"Like me?"

"You know… cold and grumpy on the outside, but warm and sweet on the inside…"

Erik smiled slightly. Then the smile fell off of his face as he considered what she said. "You really think I'm grumpy?"

Amarie laughed. "You just pretend to be!" She threw her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. Then he felt her muscles tense, and she pulled away from him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"There's a man coming over here… I don't recognize him… he doesn't belong to the theatre…"

"What does he look like?"

"Well, he's blonde… he has a ponytail… he looks like a gentleman."

"Oh, no…" Erik thought. "It can't be…"

"That was quite the display, Monsieur Giry," an all-too-familiar voice stated. "How very noble of you to defend this young lady…"

Erik turned to the voice. "Monsieur le Vicomte de Chagney… what a pleasant surprise," he replied acidly.

Raoul managed a stiff smile. Amarie, upon hearing Raoul's title, curtsied deeply. "My lord…"

"Amarie," Erik said. "Why don't you head off to your room and get changed? I shall take you to lunch later."

Amarie complied and, stopping only to curtsey before Raoul once more, raced off to the dormitory. Raoul watched her go.

"Darling child," he commented.

"She is a dear soul," Erik said.

Raoul looked at Erik quizzically. Odd it was, seeing a sweet child like Amarie spending her time with the likes of Erik. Yet, somehow they seemed like a good match. Her childish innocence and perky personality softened Erik's rough exterior. Yet at the same time, Erik's own dark, imposing figure somehow matured her.

"How are things working out for you, Monsieur?" Raoul asked.

"I am adjusting," Erik replied. "But somehow I suspect you are not here just to check up on me and catch me putting my employer in his place."

Raoul feigned shock. "You wound me, Monsieur! Can a man not simply go a little ways off the beaten path just to see how his old rival is doing?"

Erik laughed. "I may be blind, Monsieur, but I am not stupid."

"Yes, indeed," Raoul said, assuming a more serious tone. "I am here on Christine's behalf."

"Is she alright?"

"Oh, yes. She is quite well. But… well… I shall be blunt, Monsieur. She wants you at our wedding."

If Erik still had his sight, he would have been staring bug-eyed at the Vicomte. "Excuse me?"

"Don't ask me why… She did not really explain herself fully. But she wants you there. Christine may not love you as she loves me, but I know she still cares about you. I suppose that is why she… well… she wants you to…"

"What is it?" Erik prodded.

Raoul inhaled deeply. "She wants you to give her away."

Erik felt as if he had been punched in the gut. He leaned heavily on his cane to prevent his knees from giving out. How could this be possible!

"She asked me to come and tell you, and sincerely hopes that you will agree. Do you, Monsieur?"

"No!" Erik thought. "No, certainly not! I love her! I cannot simply give her away, as if I felt nothing… as if I had no hope! I cannot… I cannot… I cannot…"

"I'd be honoured, Monsieur," Erik said. And then his heart sank like a stone.

"Good," Raoul said. "Christine will be most pleased. We leave tonight."

XxXxX

Alrighty... I'm expecting lots of hate-mail from all the E/C shippers out there. Oh, well... I know some of you may think it's kind of weird that Christine wants Erik to give her away, but in the last chapter with Christine, she and Erik were still friends and I kind of figured that Christine probably sees Erik as a father-image anyway. So... Check in tomorrow, and you'll see what goes down.

P.S. Erik kicked Lachappelle's butt! (hits him) Go Erik! (kicks him while he's down) Wahoo! (starts beating him with his cane) Alright! Hit him again!

Please review!