A/N: Hey everyone! This might be the last update in awhile. I have tons of projects and finals coming up, but when I do have the time I will try to and update. I apologize in advance. Speaking of projects, I have a huge Rube Goldberg project due Tuesday, and my group has barley started. If you have any ideas for me, they would be hugely appreciated! If you do e-mail me at ! Thanks! I hope you like this chapter. I think it's my fav so far, and the longest. Lol. 

Phan: Sorry I forgot to thank you last time. Thanks for your compliments. I'm glad you can't find anything to complain about! LOL.

RachErikaSam01: That second review you gave me has got to be one of the most flattering compliments I've received. Thank you so much! I love the story too. (Not mine though I do love it, but the original story) I couldn't wait for the DVD to come out. I went to all these fan sites, and down loaded all these clips from it! I must have half the movie in clips. After I saw it in theaters, right after I had my mom take me to the library to get the Original novel. Then my friend recommended Phantom by Susan Kay (If you haven't read it I highly recommend it). Then I started reading POTO phan fiction. I can't get enough of it. That's why I wrote my own. Whew. I think I told you enough of my history with POTO, which isn't that long, but I'm sure you want to read the next chapter, so I'll shut up now! LOL.

Clayphan16: I know. He can get annoying sometimes, but don't worry they make up in this chapter!

Oh one more thing, I make a reference to the Original novel, for those of you haven't read it, about the roof scene. It's a line I wish could have been in the movie!

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A knock came at Christine's door the next morning. "Come in," she said sitting up, figuring it was Madame Giry with breakfast for her and Madeline (she had started eating solid food). She had been up since dawn, thinking about what she was going to do. Christine was shocked to see Erik enter the room. For a moment they both looked at each other, before Erik turned to glare behind him. Christine saw Madame Giry give her a small smile, before the door closed. They continued staring at each other for a few more minutes.

"I'm sorry," Christine blurted out.

Erik watched her in silence.

"I just couldn't believe,' Christine continued, " that you came every night, when I've been asking for you during the day. I've missed you."

Erik still didn't speak.

"Please say something," Christine said quietly.

Finally he spoke, somewhat coldly. "You're right. I shouldn't have come at night."

"That's it?" Christine said shocked. "That's all you have to say to me!" She began to grow angry again. "I would have accepted that as answer when I was I child, but I am no longer a child Erik! You seem to fail to recognize this. I want a real answer! I'm tired of playing your stupid games."

"What do you want me to say? That you didn't want me, so I didn't come. That I did come every night to check on you, to make sure you were ok! Is that what you want to hear!" Erik spat out.

"Yes!" Christine screamed. "I want the truth! That's all I ever wanted." She paused a minute to calm herself. "I deserve that much, even if you don't want to give me friendship," she finished tiredly. All the emotion in the past few hours had worn her out. She lay back down in her bed. "If your not going to talk to me or give me the truth, I want you to leave."

"Christine…" Erik started.

"No! If you want to talk come back in a few hours when we can both talk rationally, without anger influencing us."

Silently Erik left. Christine did not expect him to return.

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A few hours later, while Christine was playing with Madeline, there was a knock on the door. She looked up stunned at Madame Giry, who was sewing in a chair. "I didn't think he would come," She whispered, shocked.

"I'll take Madeline, and leave the two of you alone," Madame Giry said standing up.

"Here," Christine replied handing Madeline to her.

Madame Giry took her, and opened the door. Erik stepped into the room. Madame Giry gave Christine a small encouraging smile, and left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Take a seat," Christine said gesturing to Madame Giry's empty chair.

Erik mutely sat.

Christine didn't know how to begin. Thankfully she didn't have to.

"I apologize for my behavior the past few weeks," Erik said calmly, but distantly as though he was talking to a stranger. "And hope you can forgive me."

"Thank you," Christine said quietly. For a moment or two no one spoke. Finally Christine opened her mouth. "I think you might want to know that Madame Giry would like me to move in with her and Meg."

Erik looked up at her sharply. "I thought they had no room, that's why you moved in here."

"They don't. Madeline and I would have to share Meg's already small room, but she is very insistent on it," Christine said calmly.

"What did you say?" Erik said trying to be nonchalant, though his heart was pounding. She was leaving him again. But look at the way you treated her the past few weeks, a little voice in his head said. What reason did you give her to stay?

"I didn't give her answer yet. Even if I moved in, I couldn't stay there for long. I can't take their food, and money, though they are being paid more than they used to. Plus, Meg's room is too small to raise a growing little girl, so I'd have to find a job. But who would watch Madeline while I work? There are just too many questions." Christine sighed.

Erik felt a glimmer of hope. "I could watch Madeline for you." That would make up for the way I've been treating her. Christine looked uneasy, and he immediately regretted his words. His face hardened. "Of course you might not want to leave your child in the hands of a monster…" He spoke bitterly and made to go.

"Don't you dare leave." He froze. "Why do you always assume the worst? Maybe, just maybe I was concerned that you have no experience what so ever in caring for a child and its needs?" Erik didn't say anything. "Please sit back down." She said it as an order, not a question. Erik obeyed. "You also live quiet a ways from the city, and it would be difficult to travel back and forth every day. However I will think about it."

Erik nodded. She had a point, but it didn't make him feel any better. "Tell me when you have decided," he said standing up to go.

"Please, don't go. I could use a break from Madeline, and Madame Giry," She said hopefully.

"As you wish," he said sitting back down. "Would you like me to read to you?"

"Yes, please," Christine smiling. "Here," She said taking a book off the nightstand, and handing it to him. Erik found the page she was at, and began to read. Closing her eyes, Christine could almost imagine herself in his home by the lake, listening to the rise and fall of his voice as he read. She remembered days like this when he would read for hours, his voice growing horse, but never faltering. Erik had given so much to her, never complaining, never asking anything in return, except for her love. Instead, unconsciously, she had given him her mind. She realized that he would always be in her life, and head no matter what happened to her. Before she had been scared of this, but now she didn't think it was such a bad thing. Instead she actually feared being without him.

Unbidden a voice spoke, Maybe your falling in love with him.

No, I can't be. Think of all the things he's done, all the people he's killed.

Did you really care about Piangi or Buquet?

That's not the point.

Yes, the point is no matter how much you wish to deny it, your falling in love with him. Everyone sees it but you. Madame Giry, Raoul…

If Raoul thought I loved Erik, why did he marry me?

Maybe he though he could make you forget about him.

I never did though. I never will. Anyway, I would know if I loved him.

Remember what Raoul said on the roof, about love of the most exquisite kind. The kind, which people do not admit, even to themselves.

I do not love him!

Keep telling yourself that.

Finally the voice was silent. She then realized that Erik stopped reading. Opening her eyes, she saw that he was gone.

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