Chapter 2

"Erik! Say it isn't true!" Madam Giry exclaimed.

"It is true, and I can't stop thinking about it. I haven't given her lessons for four days. She thinks I forgot about her." Erik answered.

"I would suggest it stay that way. How could you? The poor girl."

"What happened to 'It would kill her if you were gone?'"

"Now, she would probably be glad if you were gone! Why does she even want lessons from you anymore?" Annette asked angrily.

"She thinks it was a dream." He replied.

"Well that explains it. Erik, you need to tell her the truth."

"I know! But I'm afraid she won't ever speak to me again! Even though I deserve it."

"Erik think of it like this, she may even be happy that it wasn't a dream." Annette Giry said.

"I doubt that highly." He answered.

"Even if it she isn't happy, at least you told her the truth. But, how much she think was a dream?"

"She knows that she went down with me, but she fainted when she saw my manikin of her. That's as far as she remembers."

"Well at least she knows you're real now, not just a voice."

"I would be better if she thought I was a voice. I should have known! I should have known that I couldn't control myself!"

He let out another cry of frustration and violently jerked back to hit his head on the headboard. Madam Giry watched half angry with him and half pitying him.

"Erik!" She yelled, "Stop that! Yes, what you did was horrible, but not worth killing yourself! Christine may hate you, but I don't. You're a genius, don't rid the world of a genius."

"The world hates me." He replied angrily.

"Not all of them."

"They might as well."

At that moment the door opened and Meg and Christine came in. Meg, who had never actually seen the Phantom, saw him and screamed. Christine's face lit up with a smile and she ran over to him. Erik stared at her.

"Meg, don't be afraid. This is him! This is Erik!" Christine said happily.

Meg looked at him and passed out. Christine looked at Erik and then to his bandaged forehead. She frowned and touched it gently. Erik winced.

"Erik, what happened to you? Are you all right?" She asked softly, and then kissed the bandage.

"No Christine! Do not pity me! I have done horrible things to you." Erik said, turning away. She is making this so hard. He thought.

"What do you mean? All you have ever done to me is good." She frowned.

Erik looked to Annette Giry, who was fanning Meg, trying to wake her up. Annette caught sight of his glance, and nodded. Erik knew what she meant.

"Please sit down Christine. I need to tell you something."