Here is yet another update - phew, hard one to write actually...

Phantomluvr: wow, whata review! Made me laugh g never imagined people would think so much about what I write! Butthanks :)

R&R! Atrice

Part 9- Touching, trusting

The boat stopped and she felt him jump out of it. They had been quiet on almost the entire trip to his home, and Lucille was curious. The air was a bit humid, but not so much that it was uncomfortable – and it wasn't cold down here. She smelled candles, many of them… but it was a sweet smell, like honey. His hand took hers, helped her up, and he lifted her up below her arms to bring her to steady ground. The floor was soft, carpets had been put on it. He let her go again, and she couldn't hear him move around – the carpets on the floor were that soft. After a few moments he returned to her, and took her hand again, did not speak. He led her upwards – no stairs though, the floor just went upwards. He placed her hand on something cold and even, a surface. He let her feel it, and she moved around the thing, feeling it.

"It's a… piano?" she finally said.

"This is where I make my music… Lucille… I want to thank you." he then suddenly said – she felt he stood behind her.

"Thank me? But for what?" she asked, not sure she understood what he meant. She heard him sigh, and he took a breath. She felt it deep in her soul again, as he began to sing;

"You have come here, with an open mind and heart… to this place where I am creating music… music… I have brought you, for one reason and one alone – from the moment I first heard you sing, I have needed you with me, to smile and to care, for my music… my music…" the Phantom stopped, and the voice seemed so different here in the dungeons, below the world. What he touched in her, she could not explain, but he filled her mind with beautiful thoughts. Lucille put a hand up to touch his chin, and it was only now she felt it. When he had carried her down there, her chin had touched his left. This was the right – and it wasn't warm and soft. It was somewhat hard, and smooth. What was it?

He stood completely still, while she turned around to meet him, still touching the right side of his face. With her other hand, she felt his left chin, which was as it was before – real skin, warm and nice to touch.

"What is this? Why is your face… like this?" she asked, feeling the edges of the mask. She felt something touch the fingers on her right hand. A tear…

"This… is the reason why I have to live alone, here in the darkness. Why I prefer night, where noone will ever see me." He explained, with a forced voice like he never said that to anyone before. Not like that anyway. She had touched him too, and he had to share it with her now.

"I am not sure I understand… is it possible to take this thing off? I want to feel your entire face – the real one…" she whispered, knowing this had to mean something to him. His voice, when he explained it to her, had not been happy, but cheerless. Sadness…

"Lucille… yes… you may feel my face." He said back, after thinking about it - trying to hide the emotions he felt now. But she heard it, that he would rather prefer that she didn't do it. But Erik trusted her, and therefore he let her do it. Carefully Lucille found all the edges of the mask, and carefully she removed it.

What she felt underneith, was strange. It was a face… but not smooth or balanced, and she couldn't help but wanting to compare the left and the right side. Lots of scar tissue, or something like it. All the way to his ear, and some of his hair was missing too – she felt something that had to be a wig, attached to the top of the mask, which she held in her hand. He almost didn't breathe while she felt his face. He had never… never… not except for when Christine kissed him, let anyone touch his face below the mask like that. And Lucille, she touched it with such care and feeling, that he didn't want her to stop. He wanted Lucille to know him, know why he was alone.

"And this is why you live alone?" she finally said, giving the mask back to his hand. She knew he put it on again, and was sad that he needed to do it. He took her hand again, and led her to a sofa where she sat down. He still stood, and she could feel him near her.

"People will never forget this face… so distorted, deformed, it is hardly a face in the darkness… darkness… but your touch fill my spirit with a strange new sense, in this night there is silence in my mind. And through silence my soul begin to… cry…" he sat down on the sofa next to her, while he sang the last word. In his voice, all the sadness of the world… She reached out her hand to him. Pulled him closer to her, and he placed his head on her shoulder. She didn't say anything, she felt he didn't need that now. He needed someone, who would be there and stroke his hair when he needed it – so she did that. Lucille felt it before it happened, and was honoured that he felt that way towards her. He wasn't afraid of showing her his emotions… the Phantom, who had such strong arms and such a powerful voice, began to cry… like he never cried before.