Most people who remember me remember that I update quickly. I plan to keep this pace of one to two chaps a day.

Thanks for the lovely reviews! They keep me going!

-Nico


"Who are you?" Mimi demanded, placing her hand on the doorknob behind her.

Somehow, the door had been locked.

From the outside.

The man walked closer to her, his eyes wide, his breath tight in his chest.

"Have you forgotten your angel?" The man said, his voice strained and barely above a whisper.

"What?" Mimi asked, her legs shaking. "Who are you?" She asked again.

Erik stopped in his tracks.

She had forgotten him.

Mimi turned, panicking and pulling at the doorknob fruitlessly.

"Has it been that easy to forget, Christine?" Erik asked, the pain of the question almost tangible.

Mimi froze.

"I'm not Christine," she said, turning to look at the man. "Who are you?" Mimi asked again, more softly.

After a moment's hesitation, Erik once again moved closer to Mimi. He paused about a foot in front of her, noticing her fear as she pressed her back against the heavy oak door.

Mimi watched in horror, closing her eyes as the man's hand rose.

She expected him to strike her, to assault her…she expected the worst…

Which was not what happened.

Instead, Erik's hand came to rest lightly on her cheek.

Mimi inhaled sharply at the cold touch, which was all at one gentle and urgent.

Mimi's eyes opened to meet the man's before her.

Her heart nearly broke in half.

Tears were brimming on his thick lashes. His brow was wrinkled in pain, his full lips pursed together as if holding back a great torrent of emotions.

"Please," Mimi whispered. "Please don't hurt me."

Erik pulled his hand away. "Who do you think you are," he asked, returning Mimi's question.

"Mimi De Changy," she replied quickly, hoping that supplying this obviously confused man with a name would cause him to realize his error and depart.

Erik's blood froze. "De Changy?" He repeated, anger audible in his voice.

Mimi nodded.

"You married him," Erik said, his heart throbbing in his chest. "You married him and have forgotten me."

Rage seared through his body, causing him to move closer, placing a thickly muscled arm on either side of Mimi, effectively pinning her against the door.

Mimi began to shriek, but was cut off by a large gloved hand over her mouth.

"I am not here to hurt you," Erik said evenly, trying to control the anger that was threatening to overcome him. "How did you get here?"

Mimi's eyes widened as Erik removed his hand, allowing her to reply. "What are you talking about?" She asked breathlessly. "I accepted the lead soprano role here at the Opera less than three months ago…I don't know anyone here…especially not a Christi…"

Mimi stopped in her tracks, realizing the name she was about to say…finally making the connection.

"Wait," she said slowly. "You think…you think that I'm Christine Daae?"

Erik's eyes flared. "Who else would you be?" He demanded.

Mimi almost laughed. "Christine was my great grandmother," she explained slowly. Then, she gently added, "She died more than half a century ago."

As if burned, Erik pulled away, never removing his eyes from Mimi's. "That is impossible," he said quietly.

Mimi shook her head. "It's not. I've been to her grave. It's here, in Paris…not far from where we are now…it's still there…"

"She is not dead," Erik interrupted. "She is standing before me and has forgotten who she really is."

Mimi nodded. Obviously, this man who had managed to sneak into her dressing room was insane. Perhaps a fan of the deceased Christine Daae and the lore that surrounded the Daae name.

From what Mimi understood, Christine was nothing short of an enchantress. Her image had been well documented following her successes at the Opera Populaire. Perhaps this man standing before her had idolized Christine to the point of convincing himself that she still lived.

And the fact that Mimi looked so much like Christine probably did not help the situation much.

"Sir," Mimi said, forcing her voice to sound strong and even. "I can assure you that I am most certainly not Christine Daae. As for the resemblance, I suppose you can blame that on strong genes."

Erik shook his head. "I am only sure of a few things in this life, Mademoiselle. One is that nothing is as it seems." He moved forward again, resting his palm against Mimi's cheek.

"Another thing is that you are, without a doubt, Miss Christine Daae." He added softly.

Mimi's eyes widened. She pulled his hand away from her face. "I'm sorry, Sir," she said, her voice no longer sounding strong. "But I am not."

Erik lowered his head for a moment.

Then, as if having an epiphany, he looked at her…a mysterious glaze across his eyes. "Perhaps it is just a matter of memory, Christine," he said, moving closer to her.

Mimi felt herself pressed back against the door, the knob jamming into her backside.

"Perhaps you are in need of reminding," he continued, lowering his head to hers.

Mimi watched in horror as his lips approached hers.

Slowly, he moved closer to her. Mimi inhaled sharply just as his soft lips met hers, the edge of his mask pressing just beneath her nose.

Erik felt a flood of emotions soar from his very soul…or whatever was left of it. He mustered all his restraint to keep his kiss gentle.

He moved his hands to her waist, shocked as he felt the woman in his arms relent, her arms cautiously snaking around his neck.

Unable to hold back, Erik pulled her closer, pressing her thin frame against his own. Mimi gasped into his mouth, allowing his velvet tongue entrance at the same time. Languidly, he explored her mouth…groaning as she received him.

His hands had moved up her back and into the thick mass of her hair, locking her to him.

Suddenly, Erik pulled away, knowing that if he didn't now, he would not be able to stop.

As his lips left hers, he stared down at her face.

Her eyes slid open. Her cheeks were flushed. Her lips were reddened from his kiss.

Tears formed on her lashes.

Her breath came in shakily.

She looked up at him and spoke.

A single word that confirmed everything he had suspected.

Her lip trembled as the word escaped her mouth…

"Erik…"