For some strange reason, I woke up to a moan. But it wasn't a moan from Erik, it didn't sound familiar. It sounded like a moan from a woman. It was ghostly, and I immediatley sat up on my bed. I darted my head to one corner of the room to another, but I saw nothing.

It was already late November. My birthday was 3 months ago, and my sprained ankle and wrist were finally healed. It took me a while to get used to walking on them again, but I finally got the hang of it. Sometimes I would fall, but whenever Erik was around, he would catch me.

Confused, I plopped back down on my pillows. Whatever the moan was, I would try to forget about it and go back to sleep.

I lifted up my hand and gazed upon the ring that Erik had given me for my birthday. The Promise Ring. I was never to take it off, or terrible misfortunes would happen. The ring was always so beautiful, and I would always catch myself looking at it for a long period of time. Erik would catch me looking at it too. And when he did, I would flush and look away, trying to pretend I was looking at something else.

There it went again. The moan.

I sat up and looked around the room. I saw only shadows in the darkness. But it went again, and again, and again.

My heart was beating so fast and so loud. I thought it would burst from my chest.

The moaning went again, louder and more ghostly then before. I lifted the blankets up below my eyes and asked in a muffled voice,

"Who's there?"

"It's me..."

I didn't shriek or scream, but I sure felt like it. The moaning had a voice, and it sure was a woman. I bit my lower lip, trying not to cry out for help. I was a brave girl.

"Who is it?" I asked, more bravely. I pulled the blankets down a bit more so they were pressing against my chest.

"It's me..."

"Who? What's your name?"

"You...know...me..."

All of a sudden, my door burst open. I darted my head around to look. I almost fainted.

There, standing in the doorway, was the figure of my mother. She looked ghostly, not human. She was all white, and you could see threw her very faintly, except for the blood that covered half her body. The blood was black, not red. Her eyes were out of her eye sockets, like when I had seen her when she was murdered. I almost gagged.

She stepped closer. I noticed that she wobbled when she walked, almost like a penguin. She took another shaky step forward. She opened her mouth. Her tongue was gone, and blood started to pour out.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to shriek for Erik. I wanted him to comfort me, to put his arms around me and say that everything would be okay and that I just had a nightmare...but I couldn't. I couldn't move. I was in complete shock. I wanted to scream, but they just wouldn't come out.

She stepped forward, this step much larger then the rest. She stepped forward until she reached the edge of me bed. I only looked up at her in shock.

"How is my angel..." she said. She lifted her hand, and I noticed that her fingers were skinny and bony. She touched my cheek with her index finger, but I jerked my head away.

She slowly put her hand back down. All I could do was stare at her. How would she know where I was, if her eyes were gone? How could she talk if her tongue was gone? All I could think of was that things must be very strange in the spirit world.

I felt happy, that I could see my mother again. But not this way. Not the way she looked when she was murdered. All I could do was stare at her, trying not to gag.

"I...miss...you..." she whispered.

I only shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut. "No!" I whispered harshly. "I'm dreaming! You're not real!"

"Of...course...I...am..."

"No you're not! Leave me alone! I'm dreaming, you're not there!" I put my hands over my ears and shook my head back and forth, hoping that I could wake myself up.

But when I opened my eyes and removed my hands from my ears, she was still there, standing next to the bed.

"Go away!" I shouted. "Leave me alone! You're not there!"

All of a sudden, the spirit of my mother wobbled back slowly to the door. She was walking backwards to the door, still watching me. Or I think she was watching me, her head was facing towards me. Once she had reached the door, she opened it slowly and ran out. The door slammed shut behind her. Nobody had touched it.

I started to cry. I screamed as I cried, telling myself it wasn't real. Tears were pouring from my eyes. They were all different. Some of the tears were of happiness, that I finally got to see my mother again. Another was of fear. Fear of what had happened. And the last one was of sadness. That she was gone, gone forever.

My door burst open again a few moments later. I screamed, thinking it was another spirit. I put the blankets over my head wildly and shook like crazy under them. I whispered to myself, saying that nobody was there...nobody was there...

A hand ripped the blankets away. I screamed, not wanting to see who it was. I sobbed and said,

"Have mercy on me! Have mercy!"

A hand reached out and grasped my chin. It jerked my head upwards, so that I could look at it.

It was Erik.

I sobbed and flew my arms around his neck. I hugged him so tightly, not wanting to let go. I was afraid if I let go, I would be alone again. And then she would come back...

"What's the matter?" He asked worriedly.

I only sobbed louder and held onto him tighter. I was squeezing him so tightly I thought he was going to fall forward. But Erik just stroked my hair calmy with his right hand, and rested his left hand on the small of my back.

"You must tell me what the matter is, Christine." He said calmly. I would of told him right then, but I couldn't stop sobbing.

"She...came and then...she was right here and..." I couldn't finish. I was talking in jibberish. Erik hushed me and told me calmly,

"Stop crying, Christine."

"I...can't!"

"Yes you can."

I tried my best to stop. It took me almost an hour to stop crying completely.

"Now," Erik told me when I had finished crying. "Tell me what's wrong."

I explained to him what had happened. I told him everything, even what I was feeling. I even told him how I wanted him to comfort me. I told him everything.

"Oh Christine," he moaned when I was done telling him what had happened. "You poor child."

Erik stroked my cheek and my hair gently at the same time. He looked at me with such a sad look on his face.

"But you're okay now?" He asked.

"Yes." I assured him. "Now that you are here, I feel much better."

We were both silent for a moment. Erik lightly stroked my hair, not saying a word. Neither did I. I didn't know what to say. Had I said something wrong?

Changing the subject completely, I asked:

"Erik, is it snowing outside?"

Erik raised an eyebrow and told me that snow wouldn't be coming for a couple of days.

"Oh," I mumbled.

"Why do you wonder if snow has come?"

"I don't know," I told him truthfully. "I just love playing in it. You know, making snowballs and forts and such."

Erik, again, raised an eyebrow.

I blushed. "Sorry, I can act like such a child sometimes. I still love to play in the snow."

Erik only smiled, studying my face. After a while I got embarrased and turned my face away sheepishly.

Erik said sharply after I turned my face away, "Christine, you must get some sleep. I don't want you to be tired in the morning."

And what that, Erik left the room abruptly.

x x x x x

I slept in for a long time, until 11:30, as Erik told me. I had a nice breakfast and Erik and I sang for almost the whole day. He said my voice was really improving. I thought so too.

It was strange, but whenever I sang around Erik, I felt good. I don't know why, but I felt so much safer around him. Whenever he would touch me, I would feel my heart beating faster. Sometimes he gave me goosebumps.

Why? Not because I was scared of him. But I think it was another reason. Maybe I was starting to develope a lot of feelings for Erik. I trusted him more and more everyday. He's always been so sweet to me. I knew what was happening. It was one of my crushes. I had a crush on Erik.

But I always knew I had a crush on him, I think. Ever since the day I saw him. I always had a crush on him, but it took me this long to realize it.

"Christine?" Erik asked.

I snapped out of my day dream and looked down at Erik, who had stopped playing the piano.

"You stopped singing," He told me firmly.

"I did? Oh..."

"You were day dreaming, weren't you? I saw that faraway look in your beautiful eyes."

"I'm sorry, Erik." I told him. "Can we start again?"

Erik sighed. "Not tonight, I'm afraid. But I must tell you something."

"Yes?"

"Remember the Opera you tried out for? Hannibal? The first performance is tomorrow night at 8:00. Would you like to come?"

I beamed. "Oh course! I would love it."

Erik stood up from the piano bench and smiled down at me. "Good, good. Then I shall take you tomorrow night. Would you like to do something, for now?"

Before I could answer, Erik and I heard a faint booming noise. The next one was louder, and I knew a storm had come.

"A storm." Erik said, unconcerned. "I knew one would be coming. The clouds have been gray for days now."

Thunder boomed again. I jumped along with a little squeal. Erik chuckled.

"Afraid of thunderstorms, my dear?"

I straightened up and said bravely, "No, not at all. Thunderstorms? Yeah right. I'm not afraid of those - "

Another crackling sound of thunder boomed. I jumped and squealed.

"Of course you aren't afraid, Christine. Of course," Erik said, amused. I glared at him.

"Okay, so I am a bit afraid." I told him. "Hey, how can we hear thunder down here, anyway?"

"Must be a loud storm," Erik said. "It's not often I hear storms down here. But if you think that thunder is loud, just think of what it is like up above."

I shivered.

"So," Erik asked. "What would you like to do?"

"Maybe we could read a book?"

"Of course."

Erik and I walked over to the library. Erik sat on his chair near the fire and waited for me to choose a book. I looked around and finally found what I was looking for. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I haven't yet read it, but I always thought it would be good.

I ran over to him like a little school girl who was ready for her daddy to read her a bedtime story. I handed him the book and sat down on the floor before him, waiting for him to start. He studied the cover of the book and said,

"Ah, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Classic."

As he read the book, I listened intently. The book was very interesting so far, and Erik put so much emotion into the characters. For each character he had a different voice in which he spoke in, and when there were exclamation marks at the end of the sentence, he exclaimed them. He made the book become alive.

While he read further into the story though, I was becoming uncomfortable sitting on the floor. My feet were falling asleep and my behind hurt. I shifted around uncomfortably several times before Erik asked,

"Are you okay?"

I nodded and asked him to continue. He did for a few minutes until he finally said,

"Come sit on my lap."

I stared at him, eyes wide. Did he really mean it? I studied his face and fortunatley, he looked serious.

"You're uncomfortable, are you not?" He asked. I nodded and stood up.

He set the book down a side table next to him and straightened himself up on the chair. I stood before him, ready to sit on his lap, but I was too shy, too embarrased.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." I said softly. I slowly took a seat on his lap and he allowed me to rest my head on his shoulder. I felt like a young child who was falling asleep in her father's arms. Erik picked up the book and started to read. But I was barely listening.

I was too busy with other things. I got lost in his sweet scent of citrus. I smiled. He smelled so good! Apart from that, I felt so warm and safe on his lap. He felt so good.

I was too busy sniffing Erik's sweet scented shoulder to realize he had stopped reading.

"Christine," He said calmly.

I snapped back to reality and said, "Yes?"

"You're sniffing me."

This was embarrasing. I mean this had to be one of the most embarrasing moments of my life. It's like going up to the man you like and you start to sniff him. I blushed a very bright pink. I guess a sniffed too loud.

"Um...sorry. It's just that you smell so good!"

Erik chuckled and stroked my hair. "That's fine, my dear. And thank you."

I smiled. It would of been embarrasing if he looked at me as if I was a mental patient.

"So, were you even listening to the book?" Erik asked amused.

"When I was on the floor I was." I told him truthfully.

"Well, it looks like you're going to have to go back to the floor." He said, smiling.

I didn't know if he was lying or just being funny, so I stared at him for a moment. When he didn't move or say anything, I was ready to get up and go back to the floor. But he pulled me closer to him.

He set the book down on the table and told me, "I was joking."

I smiled and blushed. But my smile faded a bit when he wouldn't let go of me. He was holding onto me so tightly, and everytime I would try to move away he would pull me closer. Now I was so close to him, my face almost buried in his neck.

"Erik?" I asked.

Erik wasn't moving, not saying a word. He was only staring at me, his face one hundred percent serious.

"What's wrong?" I asked, hoping to get an answer out of him.

Erik's fingers were playing around in my hair now. He stroked my hair lovingly, then brought a long curl up to his mouth. To my surprise, he put the curl in his mouth. He closed his eyes and sucked on it, savoring the sweet scent. Once he was finished with the curl, he opened his mouth and the curl dropped from his tongue, back into it's original place.

I thought he was going to eat my hair or something, but fortunatley I was wrong. He stroked my cheek with his fingers and whispered longingly,

"Christine,"

I could tell something was wrong with Erik. I could see in his eyes that he was longing for passion and desire. His eyes told me so. I could almost see the red bursting flames in them. He wanted desire and passion. And he wanted it now.

I tilted my head backwards so he couldn't stroke my cheeks anymore. I tried to move my body away, but his hands were gripping my waist so tightly. Little did I know that when I tilted my head back completely, he had full access to my neck.

What was wrong with me? Why was I moving away from him?

Because you're afraid he'll rape you, said the tiny voice inside my head.

That was true. But I liked Erik. I didn't want to move away from him. Why didn't I just use this opportunity?

I lifted my head upwards and stared into Erik's eyes. The flames of desire and passion still burned within them. I didn't know what to say. Erik wasn't speaking. It was as if he had been possessed by some demon.

"Erik?" I asked him, ready to burst into tears. I was just so scared at the moment.

He didn't answer me. Instead he looked down at my breasts.

I was shocked, I really was. Erik had never acted this way before. I felt the need to slap him across the face, but I didn't move. My heavy breathing made my breasts move calmly up and down, which made Erik's eyes widen in desire.

Before I could speak or even move, Erik stood up abruptly, taking me into his arms. He walked over quickly to a couch and laid me down roughly. Was he about to...?

"Stop! Please!" I screamed at him. He had just gripped my dress and tore it, trying to tear it all apart.

"No! Please!" I begged him. "Stop!"

He growled at the dress, wishing it would just fall apart now so he wouldn't have to tear away at all the strong material. I started to cry.

That must of got him. His eyes widened at the sight of me. Then he gasped, realizing what he had just done. He quickly got off of me and said,

"Go to your room! NOW! Lock your door!"

For a moment I didn't move. I only stared at him as if he were mad.

"NOW!" He yelled once again. I hurried off the couch and ran to my room sniffling. I held onto my dress so it wouldn't fall apart as I ran. Once I had reached my room, I went in and locked the door behind me. The same moment when I was locking the door, I heard a yell of rage. It was Erik's yell.

I heard him pound his fists against the wall, but I don't know which. I heard him sob and ask himself, "Why?" constantly. And then, I heard some glass being smashed against the wall. I jumped.

"What's wrong with me!" He screamed. Some more glass was being smashed against the wall. I had to stop this. He was going insane.

I let go of my dress to make sure it wouldn't fall apart and luckily it didn't. It was just torn in some places. I unlocked by door and bolted out.

Erik was in the drawing room. A vase with flowers was lifted up against his head. When he looked at me he screamed hotly,

"Go back to your room!"

"No!" I hollered back. "Put the vase down!"

Erik still panted for a moment. He looked at me for a long period of time and instead of listening to me, he threw the vase across the room and it had smashed on the brick wall, making the vase shatter to pieces on the floor.

"Since when do you tell me what to do?" Erik demanded angrily. "I told you to go to your room!"

"Erik, please, you're going insane! Please stop smashing things. It frightenes me!"

"Oh, it frightenes me!" He mocked. "I don't care if it frightenes you!"

And with that, Erik picked up another vase and sent it flying towards the floor. It smashed into a million tiny pieces, and even one piece came flying towards my foot.

The glass cut into me so deeply I fell to the ground and cried out in pain. It stung so badly! What was wrong with Erik? Surely it couldn't be because he tried to rape me?

Erik's face softened. He looked down at me, a tear rolling down his cheek. All of a sudden, he burst into tears and came towards me on his knees.

"Christine!" He yelled, still sobbing. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything! Oh god, I've hurt you! I could have killed you! This deserves death for me! Death!"

And he stood up bravely, whipped out his Punjab lasso, and put the rope around his neck. My eyes widened in horror. Before Erik could tighten the lasso, I stood up, trying not to feel the pain of the glass in my foot, and whipped the lasso away from him. I threw it across the room.

He sobbed again. "Christine!"

He feel to his knees and clutched onto my legs, burying his head in my skirts. I sat down on the couch and stroked his hair gently.

"Erik, look at me!" I demanded. The glass was still stinging me badly.

He looked up with his tear stained face.

"Erik, I forgive you! Just please, don't try to kill yourself ever again! Ever! You scared me so much! And don't break vases anymore! Goodness Erik, you were going insane! Listen, I know that you feel bad because you tried to rape me, but I don't care anymore! You didn't harm me when you did it! You only scared me! The truth is Erik, the actual truth is that I love you!"

Erik stopped sobbing and looked at me, eyes wide and hopeful.

"I've always loved you!" I continued. "Just reading The Phantom of the Opera at home and Phantom by Susan Kay, I've always loved you! But it took me this long to realize how much!"

Erik was staring at me wide eyed, gasping. I was panting. Did I just tell him my secret?

Erik sprang up from his spot at the floor and I outstretched my arms so he could jump into them. He did so, and when he did, I felt like a mother comforting her child. Erik was crying now, but not tears of anger, tears of happiness.

Erik lifted his face, and we looked into each other's eyes. It was then that we shared our first kiss.

x x x x x

You all are probably very happy right now! Hehe, well, this was a fun chapter to write! Well, I know I left you at a bit of a cliff hanger and I won't be able to update for a week or more because I am going on vacation so here is a hint of what is going to happen in the next chapter:

Raoul.

DUN DUN DUN!

I wonder what will happen! Hehe, well, no more hints for you. Whoever reviews gets to have some homeade cookies! Wait - what? Erik! Christine! Where are all the cookies!

Erik: Um, I don't know...

Me: Did you eat them all?

Erik: No! It was Christine!

Me: How come there are cookie crumbs all over your face?

Erik: Um...er...Christine forced me to eat them!

Christine: No I didn't you big ape!

Erik: Christine! You were suppose to say 'Yeah, I stuffed them all in his face!'

Christine: crosses arms and looks away Hmph! How dare you!

Me: Okay fine! Reviewers get some ice cream. Wait - what? CHRISTINE! You're eating the ice cream for the reviewers!

Christine: hides ice cream bucket behind her back No! Erik forced me to eat it!

Erik: Hmph!

Christine: You were suppose to say 'Yeah, I stuffed it all in her face!'

both start to argue

Me: Okay, sorry, no ice cream or cookies. I seriously need to put a lock on the fridge. Anyways, please review! Sorry I won't be able to post the next chapter until in a week or later then that. Depends if I finish writing it today. Okay, please review! I have to put a leash on these two...lol.