Note: I am BACK! MWAHAHAHAHA! Sorry for the terribly long delay! I didn't mean to delay it for that long, but I had like, severe writers block! I couldn't think on what to do! In this chapter, I believe I repeat myself wayyyy to much! The constant bickering between Ana and Erik, but Ana is very stubborn! Kinda like me! Hahaha...anyways, I updated for my loyal fans who kept bugging me to update. Part of this chapter (basically the long love makin' scene) is my friend's idea and writing! She helped me oh so much and I love her for it! Now I'll let you read the long-expected chapter!


Chapter 22

Ana looked at Christine and saw that Madame Giry and Meg were now standing by her, arms over her shoulder. The managers were directly behind them, standing erect like two soldiers protecting a princess or someone within a royal court. Their eyes were darting back and forth quickly, as though someone might appear out of the shadows. Everyone else seemed to move closer to Christine, guarding her as well. Soon, the pounding of the organ faded away, ending as it had begun. Not a person dared to breathe, then the managers cleared their throats.

"Ahem, I believe that everyone should report back to their rooms and stay there until further notice. If you must leave your room, I suggest you go in groups of three or more. Madame de Chagny and Monsieur McKinley, Firmin and I shall escort you to the doors. I would suggest that you two both leave as quickly as possible. It is not certain that he will appear, but obviously from the organ he still lives." Andre said, gesturing around him. Madame de Chagny nodded and skittered towards Firmin, her complexion still ashen grey. Ana felt Alex staring at her, but she calmly ignored him, her mind somewhere else. Who was this mysterious person that played the organ? Surely it had to be someone just playing another cruel joke. She watched as Alex threw her a ice piercing glare before he left. She slowly made her way off the stage and jumped when a hand clamped down on her shoulder.

"Madame Knoll, I believe you should follow me. I have something I want to talk to you about in private." Madame Giry said.

Ana nodded and followed the ballet mistress to her room. Madame Giry unlocked the door, and shooed Ana in. She gazed around the empty hallway and shut the door.

"What do you wish to talk to me about Madame Giry?" Ana asked innocently.

"I know who you are associated with my dear, and I also know that you do not know who Erik really is. Erik is not what you believe him to be." She said, lighting a candle.

"What are you talking about? Erik is just a mere friend to me, and he's a stage hand that likes to make practical jokes about the Phantom of the Opera. He even believe's himself to BE the phantom. Tell me, what a load of rubbish that is. He's just a mere stage hand that fell in love with Christine as he watched above. Am I not right?" she said, the laughter in her voice causing Madame Giry to wince.

"To some points you are right my dear. To other's well...he would be upset if I told you his past, he does not like discussing it. But I suppose that he will tell you when he is ready. As for being a stage hand, you are quite wrong. He is not at all the stage hand but in truth he is the Phantom of the Opera. He has brought terror upon this opera house for quite a while, then he mysteriously disappeared. Now he has made himself known again and for you to be given an understudy part when you have only been here a few months and Madame LeBrana never had an understudy before...well, let's just say it's suspicious. Not for me, no I knew that he was still alive, but for the other veteran's of this opera house. Now you will be looked upon as being associated with the opera ghost." Madame Giry explained to her.

"Wait, so you are telling me that Erik is the Phantom and that now I will have the probability of being shunned because of what he did!" Catching Madame Giry's nod, she felt her anger begin to boil. "That idiot. He has been fooling with me, making me believe that he's some all-powerful phantom and that everyone fears him. There must be an explanation for someone playing that organ. And to think that I almost lo-...I shall no longer be associated with this jerk. And I shall tell him tonight or right now." Ana stormed out of Madame Giry's room, before the older woman had a chance to warn her of Erik's anger. She shook her head and prayed to God above that Erik would not harm her.


As Alex made her way back to her room, her anger seemed to intensify. That was the second time a man had used her to get what they wanted. And she knew exactly what Erik wanted. He must have heard about how she was already spoiled and left her husband. So now, well...now he considered her easy pickings, like one of the ballet whores. She would not be used like one of those...sluts. She was much higher and was to be treated with more respect than that. She entered her room, with a slam of the door and began to pace. It wasn't long until the mirror opened and Erik stepped through.

Alex whirled around and glared at him. "You...son of a bitch! How dare you try to threaten my influence in this opera house! How in the hell did you get the managers to allow me to be an understudy? Did you promise them that I would come to them and sleep with them! You are just like Alex, I can't believe I was manipulated again! I always thought you were different than Alex, but I guess you aren't."

Erik grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him. "You know nothing of me, or of my past. If I were you, I would not compare myself to your dear husband."

That made Ana even more angrier than ever. "Do you know what he does to me you bastard? Do you know what I had to endure for the past nine years! I had to deal with Alex as he brutally raped me. Of course, you know he killed my only child. Ah, but I guess you didn't know that that bastard had his way with me not that long ago. He dragged me into a darkened alley, knocked me unconscious and had me...not once, not twice, but at least three times. That's why I was bruised and bloodied when I came back. He is a monster, just like you." This caused a well earn push from Erik.

"Do you know of my past! Has Madame Giry told you of what I had to endure? I can guarantee it is much worse than your precious sob story."

"Why can't you just tell me!" Ana yelled at him. She was sick of playing this cat-and-mouse game.

"I don't want your pity if I tell you! I don't need a woman sobbing on my shoulder because of my past! I don't need anyone's sympathy or love!" Erik raged right back.

"Is that what I am? Some toy in a large plan of yours! That, once I complete my part, I'll be cast aside!" Ana said, hoping that Erik wouldn't see the tears burning in her eyes.

"Yes." Erik didn't want to admit it, but it was the only way to sever himself from this woman. When he first started out, he swore that he wouldn't think of her in any other way, except as a ploy in his plan. But it had taken a dangerous turn. Instead, he fell in love with her like he did with Christine. He even went so far as to defend her honor by punching her husband.

Ana stood flabbergasted. This man was only using her, not caring about her feelings.

"You dirty piece of scum! You take me to a masquerade ball then have the audacity to kiss me!"

"That kiss meant nothing. It was just part of my ploy." Erik said, his eyes flashing.

"You are a bastard! A dirty, lying, cheating bastard!" Ana screamed at him.

She turned her back on him, feeling the tears that had been there earlier, slowly make their silent way down her cheeks. She heard Erik's growl of anger and heard the angry slide of her mirror as it opened. The mirror banged close and Ana allowed the sobs that were caught in her throat to echo her room.

As she stood there and cried, Ana wondered why she ways shedding tears over this man. He was only a friend to her, right? She had Christine, Meg, and Madame Giry still. It wasn't like she loved him or anything. That was just crazy, wasn't it? But deep within her soul, she knew that she loved him. Ever since that evening when he kissed her on the stage; her heart belonged to him and only him. She turned around to face the long mirror. She needed to apologize to him about what she had said. It wasn't true, he wasn't a bastard all the time, just at certain times. She walked determinedly towards the mirror, intent on figuring how to open it. As she drew closer, she noticed that the mirror must not have been closed properly when Erik banged it shut, for it was open only a sliver. Pushing the mirror back, she looked down the creepy, dark tunnel. Seeing no candles lit, she went back towards her desk and grabbed one of the candles. Lighting it, she grabbed her cloak and made sure her door was locked. Then heading back towards the open mirror she stepped over the threshold. Sliding the mirror shut completely, she turned back around and took a deep breath. Then she begun her descent to Erik's lair.


Erik paced back and forth in front of his organ. He thought back to what Ana had said.

"She knows nothing of my past. Why would she like a monster like me! I am nowhere near as handsome as Alex." he said to himself. Then he thought about the tears that had been in Ana's eyes. Maybe he had been too harsh, maybe he should go apologize. Then again, if he were to go back and apologize, that showed her that he liked her for more than just a ploy. But if he didn't apologize, his plan would not move ahead, and he needed to move it ahead. To have his opera played in that opera house was something that he dreamed of constantly. So he had only one choice, he had to return. He stopped pacing and grabbed his cloak and jumped into the gondola. He would go apologize right this instant, even if it meant telling her something that he dared not admit to anyone else.

Ana, who was slowly making her way down the tunnels was utterly confused. The paths twisted and turned so much, that she was lost. She had doubled back several times, only to end up in another dark tunnel. How did Erik wander down here and not get lost? She had dropped her candle when a huge rat scurried across her path and scared her completely out of her skin. So now she was wandering around in darkness, the floors wet from some unknown moisture. Feeling her way along a wall, she thought she saw what appeared to be light. Trying to hurry herself up, she slide forward feeling her head make contact with the stone wall. Giving a cry of pain she fell backwards, seeing stars and blackness in front of her eyes. She was barely aware of Erik's arms as they caught her.

Ana gave a groan of pain and looked around. She was laying on what appeared to be a small beach. In front of her was a lake with an opening. She glanced to her right and saw a boat sitting near her. The cavern, as it appeared to be, was bathed in candle light. Standing up slowly, for she was still quite dizzy from hitting her head, she wondered how she had gotten there. The only reasonable explanation was that Erik had seen her fall or heard her cry. He had brought her to his lair to make sure she was safe. She turned around slowly and gasped. The view before her eyes was breath-taking. The soft candle glow made the shadows that were thrown across the cavern seem hauntingly vitriolic. Her eyes scanned across what appeared to be a small stage, that seemed to be set up for the Elixir of Love. There were drawings too, on his desk and there were statues that were covered with masks, as though Erik couldn't bear to look at a normal male face, whether it be human or a statue. Erik seemed to be no where in sight, so she allowed herself to wander around the small area. Taking the steps slowly, she went to his desk and looked at the charcoal drawings. She was surprised to see herself staring back at her. Her eyes, that were drawn, seemed to be somewhat sad and yet at the same time, filled with some unknown happiness. She shifted the one particular picture over, and caught sight of another one that was in a costume that was to be used for the Elixir of Love. It was one of the more scantily-clad ones, one that she wasn't particularly fond of, but the managers were.

Glancing at the small stage, she saw it set up for one of the more dramatic scenes and was surprised to see a miniature her standing on stage. Making her way away from his desk, she wondered over to the organ. Spread across the headboard was different pieces of music, some of it appeared to be hand written. Looking around, she cautiously sat down and laid her hands across the organ. It had been a long time since she had played. Looking at the music, she began to sight read it, the haunting melody coming out of the pipes.

"You play well, little one." Erik's voice came from behind her. Ana gave a start and turned around.

"Yes, well it comes from many years of practice..." she meant to go on when Erik interrupted her.

"What were you doing in one of the paths? And without a light nonetheless." he questioned her.

"I was trying to find my way here to apologize for what I said." she said, quietly not looking at Erik.

"Well, apology accepted." Erik said, his voice somewhat hard.

"I just don't see what the problem is with just telling me about your past. I won't be afraid, I won't give you pity, and I certainly won't cry on your shoulder." Ana muttered, regretting it instantly.

"The problem is that I don't trust you enough." Erik said, his voice getting even more steely.

"You don't trust me! Why, because I'm too much like your precious Christine? The woman who couldn't handle anything?" Ana said bitterly.

"Yes..no..I don't know! You have no idea what it's like!" Erik's voice slowly rising in volume.

"I have no idea! You aren't deaf right? I know you were there when I told you I got burned. My life has been a living hell, scars so horrible that I can't bear to look at them!" Ana said, dearly wishing she hadn't opened her mouth in the first place. It seemed that all they did was argue about who's life was more of a living hell.

"I was there, but do you know what it's like for me? I have lived all my life with these horrible scars!" Erik roared at Ana, "I've had to live in the dark, in seclusion from the world. I never got any compassion from anyone! My mother rejected me, giving me only a sack for my monestrous face as a scrap of clothing! Christine might have actually loved me if she had not seen my deformity!"

Hot, angry tears seared Ana's cheeks. "You bastard!" she screamed, "I saw your face; I saw your so called monstrosity! I did not scream in terror, I did not back in fear!" She reached her hand up to Erik's face and ripped his mask off. Erik was too stunned by her words to notice or even care. "You think THAT is horrible; a monstrosity!" Blinded by her anger she ripped her shirt open exposing her bare chest wrought with scars. Ana was in hysterics, her body wracked with sobs. She looked up at Erik with sorrow filled eyes; seeing him through a wall of tears.

Erik looked upon her scars. He had no idea that what Ana actually said about them was true; he thought she was just blowing it out of proportion. Was he ever wrong. Her skin from her collar bone down to her belly button was nothing but raised welts and melted flesh. The candles that dominated the cavern gave a soft glow to her skin. The shadows only made her scars more defined and deep. A tugging feeling plucked at his heart as he looked upon the deformed skin of her breasts and stomach. For the first time in his life Erik was feeling guilt. The stories that Ana had told him about her past resurfaced in his mind. He remembered Ana saying how Alex had hated and ridiculed her for those scars...he had raped her because he couldn't bare to look upon her and her deformed body.

Had no one shown her compassion like no one had shown him? Did she need and crave for love as much as he? It seemed like Ana could read his thoughts perfectly as she almost screamed at him, her voice going hoarse, "You see! Even you cringe in disgust! Do you think anyone wants to see THIS! I saw your scars! I saw the scars on your face and in your past, and yet my heart still reached out to you. I still started to love you! Don't you see? I LOVE you! You bastard! You are a monster for not seeing, and I'm the monster for thinking you'd - of all people - would accept me!"

In a flash the blood pumping through Erik's veins turned hot. He stared into Ana's red puffy eyes as he took a step slowly towards her. Ana saw something change in his eyes and her crying stopped. Her eyes widened as she realized what she had just said to him; she sucked in a breath and clapped her hand over her mouth. Her anger dispersed and was replaced by humiliation. Her tears started again as she pulled her shirt over her bared chest. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." she said in a whisper. Erik said nothing; he only continued to walk slowly toward her. Ana hung her head and cried silently as she clutched her shirt together. She heard Erik's soft footsteps on the rock floor as he came up behind her. Her heartbeat started to race as she felt Erik's warm breath on her neck. Very lightly Erik ran his hands up her arms and turned her to face him. Ana's head was still downcast, she dared not look up at Erik. Lifting a hand off of her arm, Erik placed a finger under her chin and forced her head up so he could look at her eyes.

"You are no monster." Erik said airily. The finger he had under her chin made a trail down to her hands. Caught in Erik's eyes she let her hands fall away. He slipped his hand into her shirt opening and ran it lightly over the scared skin between her breasts. Ana's eyes fluttered closed and her breath caught. He wrapped both his hands around her neck and underneath her shirt collar. Very slowly he pushed the light material off her shoulders. Ana involuntarily shivered as the cold underground air caused goose bumps to ripple across her skin. Erik's eyes momentarily glanced downwards, when he looked back up at Ana a slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You are beautiful."

With a fluid grace of movement, he bent his head down and captured Ana's lips in a soft kiss. Ana inhaled sharply, her breathing stopped; or so it seemed. Slowly, he molded her lips to his as Ana brought her arms up to wrap around his neck. Erik gave a groan into her mouth and deepened the kiss, tracing her bottom lip with his tongue. He hesitantly put his tongue against her lips and parted them, then seeing that she didn't mind, he invaded her mouth with his tongue. Ana felt the softness of his tongue enter her mouth and shyly touched his tongue with hers. She felt Erik change instantly, he pressed her body to his, and deepened the kiss even more. Ana moaned quietly against his intrusions, and her hands skated down his back to where his shirt was still tucked into the trousers. Grasping the shirt, she pulled on it, freeing it from the confines of his trousers. Then she slipped her hands underneath his shirt to touch and feel the scars that possessed his back. Erik was the one that broke their kiss, pulling her away from him as he breathed heavily. Then, scooping her up into his arms he carried her through the forest of candles to a opening in the cave wall covered in a black laced curtain. Re-situating her in his arms he pulled a gold cord hanging from the ceiling. The black curtain rose in a soft rustle of fabric to reveal a beautiful bowl bed shaped like a swan. Ana ripped her gaze from Erik's to stare at the graceful curve of the swan's golden neck. Realization struck her as she glanced at the soft red velvet sheets laying in soft ripples across the bed.

"Erik, I...I don't know about this...I don't think..." Ana's concerned voice trailed away.

The fire in Erik's eyes simmered down to a soft glow. Very gently he lowered Ana onto her feet. He cupped the side of her face in one of his strong hands, his eyes never leaving her eyes. He clasped one of Ana's slender hands in his own and brought it up to the scared side of his face.

"Does this hold any terror for you? Do you look at me and see no deformity at all; not even on my soul?"

Any doubt in Ana's eyes vanished, as well as any fear of him being afraid or disgusted by her scars as well. She placed her other hand softly on Erik's face. A warm smile graced her lips as a single tear of joy slid slowly down her cheek. Maybe she could be the one to erase Erik's horrible memories of the past. Hopefully her love for him could clean the cobwebs away that hung over his heart; the cobwebs that held all his sorrows. She looked into his green eyes that were filled with a glitter of hope. He needed this as much as she. He had been denied love because of his scars; she, a life of pain and hatred.

Never taking her eyes off his, she bent over slightly and slipped her skirts off her slender hips. She straightened and stood proudly under Erik's gaze. He stared mesmerized at her for a moment before, in one fluid roll of his shoulders, he shrugged his shirt off.

Ana was once again confronted by Erik's tan and well-toned chest. But this time he wasn't sick and dying. Like her dreams, she could touch and caress any part of his body. She glanced down at his trousers; at the bulging mass between his legs. Ana licked her dried lips and stepped so close to Erik that the tips of her breasts made light contact with his skin. They both stared into each others eyes as Ana's hands found they're way to the clasp on Erik's pants. She undid the clasp with a quick flip of her fingers and slowly slid the black material down; lower, lower. She almost laughed at herself, remembering what she had thought when she had taken care of Erik in his sickness. She told herself that she had never seen a man's member and never wanted to either. 'Well, that had changed,' she thought with amusement as she now almost wonderingly looked upon Erik. She had nothing to compare it with, but she naively thought that no man could ever equate. When she looked back up at Erik's face an amusing smile lit up his eyes. The corners of her pink lips curved into an impish smile.

Ana sank into the soft, red velvet of Erik's bed. It felt odd against her bare skin. She snaked her hand up around his powerful neck and pulled him down to her. Erik leaned his face down to kiss her, but was halted by Ana's hand resting lightly on his cheek.

"You have beautiful eyes." She caressed the deformed skin of his face, a thoughtful look in her eyes. "Sing to me."

A look of confusion passed over Erik's face. His mind had stopped momentarily. She wanted him to sing to her? Only one song came to his mind, but the last time he had sung that song it was for -

Ana interrupted his thoughts as she softly whispered in his ear, "Sing to me while we make wonderful music." Erik inwardly winced. Why did she have to use that word?

"Do not torture me so." Erik groaned as he pressed his lips hard and demanding against hers. She responded with an equal heat; her tongue invading his mouth, their tongues dancing and tangling.

Erik's hands began to roam her body. To discover and caress every curve and bump of her skin that he could reach. Ana moaned gently against his lips. Her hands were tangled in his hair. She held on to him like she was silently begging him to never stop. He slid her body closer to his, the side of her hip situated nicely against him.

Erik's full lips left Ana's mouth to make a trail of soft kisses along her jaw line. Between gasps of breath Ana pleaded with him; his hands still tormenting her with their intimate roaming,

"Please, Erik...please...sing to me."

His hand stilled on her stomach as he fought up the courage to begin singing. When he finally got the courage, his deep, smooth voice was as soft as a spring breeze against Ana's ear.

"Let your mind start a journey through a strange, new world." His hand slowly crept upwards, "Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be!" His fingers reached the soft flesh of her breasts. She shuddered as his fingers felt like a soft breath as it traced the feminine curve of her body. Ana's back arched forward to press her torso harder into his hands. Oh, why did he have to do it so softly? His voice left her ear. She was going to pull him back to her, when she gave a jolt as Erik's lips replaced his fingers. She gave a small scream as Erik did the same to the other, his lips never leaving her skin.

"See what your beauty does to me."

Erik's lips left her breasts and he made a trail of kisses down the front of her body. "Floating, falling, sweet intoxication. Love me, trust me, savor each sensation." His lips moved lower to close over her. Ana gasped and arched against the covers. A rumble started at the point where Erik's lips were wreaking their pleasurable havoc. It traveled up her body and exploded from her lungs in a scream of ecstacy. Ana looked down at Erik, who glanced up at her and gave her a small smirk. He slowly slinked over Ana's body as he continued to sing in a much more husky tone. "Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in to the power of the music of the night." He held Ana's gaze as he placed his hands beside her face and braced himself above her. "The power of the music of the night." He separated her legs with his knee and he lowered himself to her. Ana sucked in a sharp breath as she felt Erik's manhood touch lightly with her warm and sensitive skin. She was exploding inside, she needed him, she burned for him. She wanted him now. She lifted her hips upward trying to draw him in, but he held her back. Ana gave a moan in obvious disappointment. He slipped his one hand under her body to brace her at the hollow of her back, slowly he rose her hips so he partly entered into her. Ana's breath became labored and with each intake she gave a squeak of pleasure. But still she wanted all of him...why did he have to go so damn slow! "You alone can make my soul take flight. Help me make the music of the...NIGHT!" Erik's deep scream mingled with Ana's own high-pitched scream as he filled all of her. Her hands shot up to grasp his shoulders; her fingernails digging into his skin. He moved within her; back and forth. Ana moved with him; their hips moving together in a slow rhythmic sway. Erik's breath was harsh and short against Ana's ear, then suddenly both stiffened and they gazed into each other's eyes. He exploded inside her, his warmth spreading through Ana's veins. With a moan of exhaustion he pulled out of her and collapsed beside her, his arm protectively wrapped around her waist.

As he left her, Ana felt cold and empty. She wanted him back inside her; she wanted that wonderful warmth to spread through her body. She closed her eyes, sighed, and caressed Erik's arm. She could stay here forever with him. But a dark shadow lingered over her thoughts. Tonight she had discovered that Erik really was the Phantom of the opera; he had killed and manipulated people - but that wasn't what was bothering her. Alex was still a threat; he was always lurking around. Ana chuckled to herself. Well, now there was some truth to what Alex said about her.

"Am I not up to standard mademoiselle?" Erik muttered from beside her. Ana rolled on her side to face him; she hadn't realized she had laughed out loud. His head was resting on his arm and there was a small smile on his lips. Ana smiled amusingly and replied in a sarcastic tone, "No, m'sieur, I have had many that were much better than you." He looked mockingly hurt. The face he took made Ana start in a fit of laughs. Erik gave one booming laugh before playfully growling at her and rolling her towards him.


Okay, wow...looong chapter! Okay, please let me know what you think of this chapter. I may redo this chapter if enough people don't like it. Please, let me know what you think! Your thoughts and comments are greatly welcomed...unless of course, it's a flame...then it's not! Once again, I am sorry it took me so long but my muse didn't come back for a while! But now it's back and I am back! OH! And I just got Phantom of the Opera 2 special disc...and the additional scene that's on the second disc is AMAZING! No, wait strike that, O-MAZING! I nearly died when I saw it...okay I'm going now, come along Erik, it's time to go to bed!

Erik-yay! Sleepy time, do I get mr. Snuggles?

Me-yes, yes you do!

Erik-Woot!