8

Phantom POV (on the following evening)

It wasn't all that bad, I guess. A lot more people showed respect to me…. Was it because they had heard of my terrible past? Or could they just…

I laid my arms and face on the keys, making one long…horrid note. This was to confusing…. Maybe some sleep would help me. Yes. Sleep would help clear my head.

I walked over to the bed and sat on the side, slipping off my boots, cape, and vest. I then slipped into the silk covers and got comfortable.

I tried to clear my thoughts.

It didn't work on it's own. I looked over at my music box, with the monkey on top, wound it up, and listened to the song. I smiled to myself as I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling. Maybe I would go out to dinner tomorrow. I mean…. It's rude to turn someone down, on a dinner, three times!

/With Helen/

Helen walked around her room thinking of the past two days…

The Phantom was a success at the theater! She was glad of him for that. Should she go visit him though?

Helen thought about it and decided that she would. Everyone deserved a good "hello" visit every once in a while. Even if they did live in a cavern…

Helen was still in her clothes, so, she grabbed a shawl, draped it over her thin shoulders, and leaned over her desk to right a note of explanation to Rich if he came and saw that she was gone. She wrote that she was at a friend's house in the town and would be back in an hour or so. She positioned it on the floor, right inside the door, so that no one could miss it if they came in.

She closed the door, scampered on down the stairs, out the inn's oak door, and down the street to her Opera House. She unlocked it and slipped in, closing the door behind her. She looked around and walked up the marble stairs and around the corner to her mother's dressing room. She remembered her mother telling her about the opening mirror and slipped it open. Stepping inside, there were golden arms holding candlesticks out to lead the way.

She began to walk down the hall to a staircase, which she followed down to a lake. There was no boat, but a shallow path in which she could easily walk on and only get the edge of her dress wet. The smell of burning candles led her in the right direction. She made it to a gate, much like the ones blocking the way to a castle, and saw a glorious room full of candles and a fancy organ. She looked around and saw the Phantom sitting in his bed looking at something on the bedside table. She smiled with a chuckle,

"What do you have there?" she asked.

He looked up and saw her at the gate,

"A music box." he stated, with a smile.

"Can I come it? I came to visit you!" Helen placed her hands on a bar, on the gate.

"Yes, I suppose you can…" he rushed over to the lever and pulled it back, letting the gate open. She stepped in.

"Thank you…" she wadded through the water and to the rocks, "Quite the place you've got down here…" Helen looked around.

"It's not that much…"

Helen was confused… He was so open! Her mother had said that she had rarely heard him speak, "Well. I think it's nice. Wow! This organ is amazing! May I?"

"Go ahead," he stood beside the piano as she sat and placed her hands at the keys and began to play Fur Else (A/N: not copyrighted to me). She smiled,

"Ever heard this song?"

"A long time ago…I think Madam Giry played it for me once, when we were children…" the Phantom sat down beside her on the bench and she stopped, "Oh. No. You can keep playing!"

"I want to hear you play something!" she stood to make room for him to move to the center. His hands moved back and forth over the keys as if he did not know where to put them,

"What shall I play?"

"Hmm… my mama told me a few…how about… 'Past The Point Of No Return'?" Helen asked.

"All right," he positioned his finger on the white, shinny keys and began to play the notes. Helen sang, just for fun, since that's the song her mother used to teach her how to sing,

'Past the Point of No Return

No backward glances!

The games we've played

'Til now are at an end…'

"I hate to interrupt you but…as a friend I would like to say that you're not holding out the lower notes as long as you should. Try again," the Phantom interrupted.

'Past the Point of No Return

No Backward glances!

The games we've played

'Til now are at an end…'

"Well done. You learn promptly," the Phantom stated standing.

"Are you going to give me a tour?" Helen chuckled. He sniggered,

"Not much to tour, I'm afraid…well then. This is the organ's stand, over there is the boat dock, and over there is my bedroom, desk, and…my home…"

Helen walked over to his bed and looked at the music box. She ran her hands along the frame of the bed, and walked over to the shelves that had a few books and statues on it. She pulled one off the shelf, opened it, and read,

"Where art thou Romeo? Ah! I love this book!" she placed it back on the shelf and sauntered back over to the bed, sitting on it, criss-cross, fixing her dress, "Comfortable bed," she lay back, with her hands behind her head, and stared at the ceiling, just as he had been doing not so long ago.

He walked over to the side of the bed. She sat up and turned to him, and patted the bed in front of her as to invite a cat up on the bed. He sat.

"So! How are things going? Are you ready to go to dinner tomorrow?" Helen asked, placing her hands on her knees.

"Yes. Dinner sounds wonderful. Where will we go though?"

"Hmm… there is this great diner around the corner that we, I mean Gen, Rich, and I, used to go to often. I think you'll like it."

He nodded, "So…has anyone reserved places at the Masquerade?"

"Quite a few! We got, about, six replies today! I'm still trying to convince my mother that it's okay to come back to France for the party. But she says, 'You shouldn't be doing that Helen! I won't come unless he's gone!' and I say that you're turning out to be as normal as she is. I haven't got a reply, but I think that they'll come."

"Oh. Where are they?" the Phantom asked just to see where those fools ran off to.

"Germany or…maybe Austria now. They said that they'd send me their address soon…"

"Ah…" the Phantom looked at Helen and saw that she was studying his face.

"Why do you wear that mask? I know of your distortion! You don't have to hide it from me…" Helen leaned forward and reached out. He grabbed her wrist before she reached the mask,

"Are you sure?" he asked painfully.

"Only if you want me to…" her hand relaxed. He sighed shakily and dropped his hand to his thigh. She smiled and pulled the mask off slowly. He felt it drop from her hand. He cringed and turned away from her.

'Why do you hide from me?

In this dark, dark world?

I've finally seen my Angel's face!' Helen sang to him. He turned back to her and she smiled weakly, as if she was trying to take in the true form.

"I've gotten a mother's fear and loathing… the world showed me no compassion!" he grabbed the mask and was about to place it back, but Helen reached out and stopped him. She shrugged,

"It doesn't bother me…" Helen smiled, setting the mask on the bed. He smiled weakly. She leaned forward and hugged him. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, accepting the friendly hug, "I must go…" Helen pulled away and stood. He stood too,

"Well then…I'll see you to the stairs. You don't want to get wet again…" the Phantom grabbed his cloak and tied it on. He let her in the boat and then climbed in behind her to row.

They reached the stairs that led to her mother's old room and she got out, turning to him,

"Well… See you in the morning then! Good night…" she turned and began her way up the stairs. He stood in the boat, watched her climb out of sight, then he returned to his room, closed the gates, and went to bed.

Helen silently slipped into her room and into a nightgown. Stepping carefully over to the mirror, she looked in it and saw herself, alone. She smiled to herself, dipped a white rag into some Luke-warm water, and washed her face and upper chest. She sighed and decided that she would just take a bath. She went into the bathroom, started to run the hot water into the tub, and closed the door. Pulling all of her clothes off, she stepped into the hot water and laid down, leaning up against the back of the tub.

It felt good. No doubt about that. Baths, to her, were a way that could wash away the bad memories of the day and watch them go down the drain without having to see them ever again. She sighed heavily and rubber her wet hands on her dry shoulders.

"Helen?" Rich's faint voice came.

"I'm taking a bath, Rich! Can it wait until morning?" Helen called back.

"Oh. Sure…" His footsteps indicated that he walked away.

Helen relaxed again, closing her eyes.

She wasn't sure how many minutes went by, but a knock came to the door as the clock struck two, in the morning. It wasn't that she had fallen asleep, just she needed to relax.

"Who is it?" Helen asked turning towards the door, peeking over the edge of the tub.

The knock came again; this time louder.

"I say! Who's there?" Helen spoke louder to the door. She slipped out of the tub and wrapped herself in a robe and went to the door, "Who's there?"

No knock.

No reply.

Helen was fed up with this. She dried herself off, put on her nightgown and robe, and slowly opened the door. She looked around.

No one was there.

Could it have been her imagination? Could Rich be playing a practical joke? Who or what was knocking so vigorously?

Rich came running into the room, almost colliding into Helen.

"Helen! Their here!"

A/N: HA HA! Cliffy! I enjoy giving those in about the center of a lot of my stories! Sorry! Please tell me what you think!