"What am I doing?" Christine was driving around aimlessly. She had no idea why. She had no idea where he even lived. And even if she did, what would she do with that knowledge? Go and knock on his door, beg forgiveness, explain that the only reason she went with Ryan was because she missed him?

Damn right, if she could find the door to knock on. The road he's said was on his way home, could lead anywhere. He might not have been going home that day. She'd driven for a long time on this road, now she was lost. Looking for a big black SUV probably wasn't her brightest idea. He, like most people, probably lived in a high-rise apartment building. They had parking garages. Obviously she hadn't thought this through very well. With a resigned sigh, she looked for a turn to get her back home. Just as she thought she was getting back on track, the gas warning light blinked.

"Oh no." The gauge hovered just above the big red E. Would she ever learn?

Erik had waited for her. He didn't know why he tortured himself. He hadn't had a long wait. From afar he'd watched her speak with Giry, wipe tears from her eyes. When she pulled away from the curb, and Giry, he'd expected her to go home. Instead he found himself following her back to the school, and driving down the road her car had been abandoned on that first day.

That seemed like ages ago.

He trailed far enough behind that she couldn't really make out the shape or color of his car in the dark. He worried slightly that he might miss a turn she made, but she never strayed from the road.

Much later, she finally made a turn. A huge illegal U-turn, across a grass median strip. Once he'd passed her, he turned his lights off and followed suit. He saw her pull into a gas station, and zoomed right by it. When she pulled back onto the road, he followed her until he was confident she was actually heading home that time.

What had that little detour been all about?

She was a fool she knew that. Maybe the night's rest had done some good. A phone book. Driving around half the night, that simple fact had never occurred to her. She knew his name, and Grenier wasn't really a popular name.

Today was Saturday, and the final performance of her show. She would simply find his address and go to him. She sipped her tea as she flipped through the thick book. Two Grenier's. One E and one G. Christine grinned and sought out a pen and paper.

It seemed he didn't live in a high-rise apartment building like everyone else. The building that was at the address was a bakery. On the second level there was a pair of windows that could have been his apartment. She glanced at the clock in her car; it was a little past 8 in the morning. He could still be sleeping. She noticed the black SUV a few spots ahead of hers.

Just as she was about to cut the engine he walked out of a door on the side of the bakery. A huge brown dog followed behind him. Her jaw dropped at the sight of him. He wore a pair of faded, stained carpenter jeans, a t-shirt, boots, a thin jacket, and of course, the mask.

Jeans? T-shirts? Erik? She couldn't imagine him wearing anything but a suit and tie. Even to sleep in. But there he was, opening the driver's side door, letting the big dog jump all over his expensive leather seats. He had a notebook, which he tossed on his back seat, and he climbed in after the dog.

It seemed their roles reversed. Now she was following him. Thankful that she had actually gotten a full tank of gas, she drove behind him, out of the city limits. When he pulled into an empty grassy lot, where a group of men in orange t-shirts and sweatshirts seemed to be constructing a frame for a very large house, she hesitated. Christine pulled into a, what she hoped was hidden, spot beside some tall trees.

Erik handed the notebook over to a guy with an orange cap to finish out the outfit, he had a leather tool-belt slung around his hips. Erik spoke for a moment, pointing, and the orange guy nodded. Erik tore his jacket off, and threw it on the hood of his car. The dog was practically glued to his side. Erik scratched its ears, and produced a faded yellow tennis ball. The dog seemed content to play catch with itself while Erik got to work.

Erik's shirt was white, not orange, and plain. Obviously he didn't work for these people or surely his shirt would be stamped with the cute little icon as well. Perhaps this wasn't the best time to approach him. Before she could pull back out on to the road, the traitorous dog had come running her way, and was fiercely barking at her.

"Oh God." She didn't want to move the car, in fear of hitting the dog, but Erik would surely come look to see what his dog was barking about. Erik looked up and started to jog toward the secluded area. Christine searched frantically for something to throw so the dog would run after it. "Ah! Lifesaver!" Quickly she unwrapped the candy and tossed one pass the dog. A familiar long-fingered hand snatched it before it hit the ground. He eyed it for a moment, and murmured something to the dog. The barking ceased, and he walked toward her. Caught, with nowhere to go, she climbed out of her car.

"Lucy doesn't eat candy." His arms crossed over his chest. He studied her for a moment, and then his eyes dropped to the grass. "Is there something I can do for you Miss Daae?" He avoided her eyes at all costs. Because if he looked at hers, he just might break down.

"Erik, I would really like to speak with you…about…about yesterday."

"Well as it happens, Miss Daae, I'm quite busy at the moment…"

"Erik, aren't you ever going to look at me again?" He felt the tears in her voice. He gulped, keeping his eyes focused on the ground. "Please." His nostrils flared as he gave her an aggravated sigh.

When his eyes met hers, the pain and hurt in them nearly killed her. Her own eyes spilled over, and he quickly looked away. In an instant she was next to him. When she touched his arm, he flinched.

"Oh, Erik. I don't know why I did…what I did. I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you." He turned around quickly.

"You know why, Christine. Everyone wants to know what lies behind the mask. You're not the first. You won't be the last."

"Yes. I did want to know. I should have waited until you felt ready to show me." His head shook.

"I would have never been ready to 'show' you. The world should not have to look at my hideous face."

"You're not hideous Erik. You're beautiful."

He tore the mask from his own face then.

"Beautiful? Beautiful Christine? Is this what you call beautiful?" He turned, pointing to his ruined face. "Yes, have a look at beautiful Erik." He remarked dryly. She stopped his hand before he could replace the mask.

"You are Erik. Here." She covered his heart. "And here." She caressed his ruined cheek. He gave her a disbelieving look. She touched her lips to his, and then kissed the ruined side of his face, and the whole side. His breathing became shallow.

Christine took his face in her hands and kissed his lips.