(Hi everyone! Chapter 3 is finally up. I send thanks out to the five of you who have reviewed so far, I thank you for the wonderful inspiration that you give me and the helpful tips as well. But as before the disclaimer still holds, I do not own Erik Although I wouldn't mind or any of the rest of the cast of J.S.'s The Phantom of the Opera. Thank you!)

"My angel of music…"

Christine stood in front of Erik, her hands outstretched towards him, welcoming him back into her arms. He looked at her for a moment, his mouth opened slightly. He reached his hand up and placed it over the left side of his face and his eyes widened. He felt around a little more and there was smooth skin. He saw a glint of light to the side of him and he spun on his heel to come face to face to a mirror. He brought his hand down from the side of his face to see that the side of his face that had been permanently deformed now looked exactly as the other side did. He turned around once again and there stood Christine in the white wedding gown that he had made for her. Her arms were still outstretched to him, smiling like a bride on her wedding day. He began to walk towards her and he reached his hand out, his masculine hand grasping her small slender hand.

But as soon as he looked up to Christine's face, he saw Raoul. He smiled maliciously at him, as he jerked Erik forwards, impaling him on the sword that had once been Christine's other arm. He crumbled at Raoul's feet, his mouth gasping for air. In his ears rang a laugh so loud that it hurt his own ears. He looked up to see Raoul standing there with Christine laced around his arm and all she could do was stand there and smile. Raoul was the one who was laughing, and it became even louder as he tossed his head back.

Raoul and Christine were torn out of Erik's view like somebody had jerked them back on a rope. But as fast as they had been pulled away something sped towards him. Erik kept his head up as he realized what it was. A mirror was coming at him; the one that he had watched Christine from behind for so many years. It looked as if it had no intentions of stopping, but it came to a screeching halt right in front of him so his nose was brushing the glass. The image he'd seen before, the image of perfection that he'd imagined his entire life was gone, and in it's wake was the face he had been forced to stare at his entire life. But the deformity began to pulsate and grow; spreading across his face. He began to scream and he reached his hands up, clawing at his face, trying to make it stop. But all he did was manage to scar himself, making him look even more hideous.

Suddenly the mirror began to fall towards him. Preparing himself for a crash he covered his head, only to tumble inside of the mirror. He could hear music and see all sorts of colors flowing around in a ball room dance. He lifted his head upwards to see people swirling around him in large gowns and suits. He pulled himself up, his hands resting on his stomach in which the sword was now absent. Coming towards him was Christine in a pink formal gown, pearls and the like hanging from the dress. Around her neck was a ring; the exact ring that Christine had given back to him when departing from his lair under the opera house. She held out a gloved hand towards him; again smiling. He reached his hand out once more and she pulled it into hers as he was pulled close to her, one of his hands in hers and the other placed on her waist as they began to spin as well.

They resembled a couple dancing on a music box the way they danced, moving into the tune of band. Everyone around then smiled and laughed without a care in the world. Erik was finally feeling safe when all of the sudden there was a flash of light and everything went dark. He looked around, stumbling aimlessly in the dark, trying to find his dear Christine. Behind him came on a light, spinning around to face it, his eyes grew once more in terror.

Hanging from nooses was Madame Giry and her daughter, Meg, their limbs still trembling from the shock. Lights began to turn on everywhere, people he'd known from the opera house dangling from Punjab lassoes; including Monsieur Andre' and Carlotta. Finally two lights flashed on at the same time, and there appeared Christine and Raoul, their hands intwined as they hung there, their mouths opened wide in a sickening width. Christine's head rolled to the side as from her free hand dropped something. He glanced from her lifeless body to the object and he walked over to it, kneeling beside her body, tears blinding him momentarily. But when the tears flooded down his cheeks he was able to make out what the object was; the engagement ring that he had once placed upon her finger, begging her to be his. Erik tossed his head back and began to howl with lament, tears flowing steadily out of his eyes.

"Erik…"

"Stop it Christine, just let me die!'

"Erik…?"

"Leave me! Now! Stop!"

"Erik… WAKE UP!"

He sat up in bed, his face drenched in sweat and tears. He looked around wildly, trying to find the voice that spoke to him. Finally he saw Amy, standing in her sleeping gown, holding a candle in her hand. Her face looked pale in the candle light, but the light danced across her face, making her look even more attractive in the darkness.

"Erik…? Are you alright? I heard you screaming in your sleep and I came in here to see if-"

Before she could finish he had pulled her close to him, taking the candle out of her hands and placing it on the side table. His large strong arms wrapped tightly around her, pressing her against him. Amy's heart beat ferociously from being so close to him, her cheeks feeling as if they were on fire. She could feel him trembling underneath her, still shaken up from his evident nightmare. Hesitantly she placed her arm around him as well, cradling him in her arm.

"It will be okay Erik…" She hushed him as he continued to cry, his tears falling onto her night gown, soaking the shoulder. She rubbed his bare back, her mind racing on trying to figure out what to do. Quietly she began to hum a song to him, one that she had heard her mouth singing a long time ago. Erik quickly caught onto it, and began to sing softly to the both of them, sitting in the dim candle-light.

"Masquerade… paper faces on parade… masquerade…"

"Hide your face… so the world will… never find you…"

And then together that night they sat and sang to each to each other, holding one another.
"Masquerade…Every face a different shade . . .Masquerade…Look around -there's another mask behind you! Flash of mauve . . .Splash of puce . . .Fool and king . . .Ghoul and goose . . .Green and black . . .Queen and priest . . .Trace of rouge . . .Face of beast…Faces . . .Take your turn, take a ride on the merry-go-round . . .in an inhuman race . . .Eye of gold . . .Thigh of blue . . .True is false . . .Who is who . . .? Curl of lip…Swirl of gown . . .Ace of hearts . . .Face of clown . . .Faces . . .Drink it in, drink it up, till you've drowned in the light . . .in the sound . . . "