This is one of those icky, awkward, slightly cheesy chapters that comes in between two major plot events. Please bear with me, and keep waiting for updates, as it will get a little less awkward, and less licky, but I'm sorry to say that it will only get more cheesy because I have to tie it in with Phantom of the Opera, and that's really the only way to do it. You'll see! It won't be as bad as it sounds.

Aiden slowly climbed out of the tree and trudged towards the two girls.

"Aiden," Katie said, in a dangerously calm voice. "What were you doing to Sophie?"

She knows the truth, Sophie realized as a chill ran down her spine.

"Kissing her," Aiden answered in a monotone voice. "I wasn't thinking clearly. I didn't even mind that she was touching me. Are you mad at me?" he asked Katie with guilt in his eyes.

Katie's expression softened, "No, dear! Of course not. How could I be mad at you?" she asked, hugging his stiff body. "But you won't do it again, right?"

Aiden moaned again as Katie hugged him. Sophie figured that Katie saw that as an invitation to hug tighter, instead of let go, because she did exactly that. Sophie gasped as Aiden pushed Katie away and she fell to the ground.

"Don't touch me!" he roared at Katie.

Sophie backed away as Aiden's autistic rage took a hold of him. She realized how lucky she was that she had never gotten on Aiden's bad side.

Katie stared up at Aiden in horror, "You said you didn't mind when Sophie touched you!"

Aiden pondered this for a moment, then sat down and pulled his knees up to his chest and started wailing like a small child. "Make him stop!" Katie said, covering her ears.

The girls looked at each other. Understanding flashed in their eyes. There was no need to pretend anymore, they both knew the other knew everything. But even as this friendship was torn apart over Aiden, the girls had to come together to calm him down.

Sophie grabbed her guitar and began strumming the opening chords of 'All I Ask of You' as Katie warily sang Raoul's comforting lines.

"…I'm here, nothing can harm you. Your fears are far behind you."

Katie stopped singing as Sophie played Christine's melody on her guitar. "You're safe, no one will find you. My words will warm and calm you."

Sophie noted that Katie was very shaken up, as she was singing the lyrics all out of order. Sophie looked over at Aiden to see what affect the music had on him.

Aiden now had his hands over his ears, groaning even louder to block out the sound of the guitar and voice. Sophie stopped playing, which caused Katie to stop singing quite abruptly. The girls silently lay down on the picnic blanket, as it was too dark to do anything, and neither of them was especially hungry after what had just happened.

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Sophie dreamed she was in the Phantom's lair during 'Down Once More' and she was tied to the portcullis. Katie was in Phantom's position, and Aiden was in Christine's. Sophie and Katie were singing, "For either way you choose, you cannot win!"

Katie sang, "So do you end your days with me, or do you send her to her grave!"

Sophie's dream suddenly changed and now she was walking towards Aiden, singing, "Pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known? God give me courage to show you, you are not alone!" she reached up to kiss Aiden, but he pushed her back and yelled, "Don't touch me!"

Sophie woke up as the word "Aiden!" escaped from her mouth. She sat up and pulled out a granola bar from her backpack. Looking around, she noticed that Katie was nowhere to be found. Sophie got up and took out a flashlight. She sent the beam up into the tree to see if Aiden was in there. Sophie didn't see him, but she supposed that didn't mean he wasn't there.

Too tired to think about it, Sophie finished her granola bar and returned to sleep.