Priestess of Anubis: Thanks so much for promising to employ me rather than enslave me. For that, I may even try to come up with another story sometime.

Jen Lennon: I am so with you on wishing more guys could be like the Erik I have here...Hence why I wrote him that way... :)

KitsuneRW: Loved the impromtu singing review. It was a bit odd to write the story without any singing parts, but since it's a wee bit easier to write words than music and/or lyrics, I think I'll just stick to the words. Probably safer that way as my talent for improv on violin is far too out of practice.

Kanya13666: Thanks so much for the sweetest review I've ever had. I'm so glad you like the story. It's been awesome being able to share something as personal as one's first foray into the field of writing and find readers who like it. Love the black rose with a red ribbon...thnx!

Anyway, thanks again to all those who have reviewed, listed my story in their favorites, and in their story alerts. Ya'll are truly awesome. Hope you enjoy the next chapter.

Chapter 17

The next two days passed quickly, the pattern pretty much the same as the previous days, minus the arguments and tears. Erik and Nicole would play their duets, partake of the food she brought, and spend time talking and gazing into each other's eyes. Nicole had never been happier, and she wished the time they spent in such a manner was endless.

Erik had also never been happier. He finally found someone with the same passion for music that he held. The fact that she was beautiful and didn't mind his deformities only added to his happiness. However, in the recesses of his mind, he couldn't help but think how meeting her father was probably going to put an end to it all.

When the day arrived for Erik to finally meet Nicole's father, he found himself to be in a minor state of panic, though he refused to let her see him in such a state. He simply decided he would follow her cue and hope for the best.

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Nicole had received word that her father would be back at the château sometime in the early afternoon, so she had plenty of time to have breakfast and a music lesson with her angel. She quickly got dressed, prepared some food, and headed off to the church with her violin.

When she got there, Erik had already prepared their lesson material. He wanted her to play some more compositions of his, and he was trying to ignore the rising feeling that today's events were going to put a complete stop to the budding relationship that had started between him and Nicole.

They had their breakfast, she played his compositions, and all was copasetic between the two of them. At noon, she told Erik she must return to the house to wait for her father. She was going to tell her father all about what had happened the past week, minus the intimate kisses they had shared, that is, and then come for Erik, bringing him back to the house so the two most important men in Nicole's life could meet.

When Nicole said she was planning to reveal all that had happened, Erik's nervousness increased. "If you plan on telling your father that I pretended for four months to be your angel of music, your father is going to hate me instantly for deceiving his daughter in such a manner. Once that instant dislike is in place, it will only be cemented when you bring home a man who hides behind a mask," he said with a touch of sadness.

"Perhaps you are at least partially correct in that telling him how it is we began will indeed anger him; however, I've never lied to my father, and I'm not about to start now. Especially since I want his blessing where you are concerned, and lying to him about it will only cause more problems in the end," she said, somewhat resignedly. "I'll explain it carefully and make him see that although it was an unusual way to begin things, I couldn't be happier than I am when I'm with you. Once he sees that, he'll have no choice but to accept you," she said naively.

"As you wish, my dear," he said with a sigh. "However, don't be surprised if things don't end up the way you wanted. Trying to ignore the wrongs that led up to something right, especially when it involves a man's beloved daughter, can be quite a difficult thing to do."

"Well, no matter," she said with a determined smile. "I'll make him see, and things will work out." With that, she gave him a lingering kiss and then gathered her stuff and returned to the château to await her father's arrival.

After she left, Erik paced back and forth, debating whether or not he should perhaps disappear and avoid meeting Nicole's father. He knew that to do such a thing would hurt her immensely, and she'd likely never forgive him for doing so, but he couldn't help but wonder if it would be better to cause disappointment now rather than her having to go through the inevitable pain and disappointment when her father adopted the attitude Erik expected from him -- an attitude of shoot to kill instead of allowing his daughter to remain with the erstwhile Phantom of the Opera.

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Around 1 p.m., Nicole heard the approaching carriage outside. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized the time for talking to her father about Erik was nearly at hand. She quickly got up and rushed over to the door. She planned to greet him with a smile, hoping he was in a jovial mood from his trip.

As he got out of the carriage and stepped down to the ground, she called out to him. "Hello, Papa. How was your trip?" she asked as she ran down the steps to him.

He smiled at her as he put down his briefcase and gave his daughter a hug. "My trip was just fine, my dear. Very successful, in fact. I just hope you weren't too lonely being here by yourself while I was gone."

"No, Papa, I wasn't lonely," she said with a slightly nervous smile. She grabbed his briefcase and headed for the door as she called back to him, "In fact, Papa, when you have a free moment, I need to speak with you. I have something to tell you, and it's…well, it's kind of important."

He looked curiously after his daughter as she bounced back into the house. The servants unloaded the carriage, and the driver took the carriage to the stables to care for the horses. Monsieur Clary made his way to the front door and headed for the library, his favorite room in the whole house.

Shortly, Nicole entered the library, knowing that would likely be her father's first stop. She knew how much he loved this room, and she was correct on her hunch that she'd find him there.

"So your trip was successful, huh?" she asked. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Yes, it was very successful. In fact, the business partner I met with will be joining us for dinner tonight, along with his wife," he said. "Now, what was it you wished to discuss with your Papa?"

"Discuss? Oh, yes…well, you see…" she stammered. She found she was starting to lose her courage to explain everything to him about Erik.

"Well? Out with it, child. I haven't got all day. I must prepare for our guests," he said, though he had a smile on his face.

She took a deep breath before beginning. "Well, it's like this, Father. While you were gone, something quite…unusual…happened," she said timorously.

"Yes? What?" he asked, growing impatient.

"You might want to sit down while I explain the situation," she said, gesturing to his favorite chair. She bit her lower lip as she smiled, raising her eyebrows and giving him a guilty puppy dog look, hoping to butter him up a bit as she prepared to relay her story to him about Erik.

At this, Monsieur Clary raised his eyebrows with suspicion but heeded her urge for him to have a seat.

For the next hour and a half, Nicole explained the main details of what had happened, beginning with the voice she'd heard four months ago that claimed to be her angel of music and ending with her falling in love with the masked man who lived in the basement of the abandoned church. She did, of course, leave out the various details of dealing with Erik's self-pity and the arguments that had ensued, and the kissing as well, as she figured her father would be none too happy to know of the impropriety his daughter had shown with an almost complete stranger.

After she finished explaining everything, her father simply sat in his chair, pondering the unique tale his daughter had just told him. Her story gave him a lot to digest, but he was proud of his daughter for her courage to be so honest and up front with him.

She looked at him with anticipation, wondering if she would end the evening locked in her room or if he would grant her request to give Erik a chance.

Finally, he looked at her with a slight air of resignation on his face. She had her mother's stubbornness, so he knew he would never be able to talk sense into her regarding this masked stranger. "You really believe you love this man whose first act was to deceive you?" he asked.

"Yes, Father, I do. If it weren't for his deception, I never would have come to know him the way no one else ever dared," she stated. "He truly is a wonderful man, and he needs someone who is willing to look past the scars on his face and see what's beneath. And I'm that person," she said proudly.

"Very well," he said. "If you would care to invite him to dinner, that is fine with me, though he'll have to share the company of my business partner and his wife. If he's comfortable with that, then I'm okay with him coming," he said with a smile. "Just bring him soon so that we may have a chance to talk before our other guests arrive."

She squealed with delight and hugged her father tightly. "Thank you, Papa. You'll see, he's a true gentleman. He'll be so thrilled, I just know it," she said as she turned and practically ran out the door. She wanted to get to Erik as soon as possible so that they could return quickly, and Monsieur Clary could get the chance to meet the love of his daughter's life.