Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the characters here.

Slowly Meg stood up. She had her plan in mind and was going to try to go up to the roof. She hoped it was nighttime and she'd be able to see the stars again. She looked around the corner and didn't see Erik. After going to his room earlier Meg hadn't heard anything from him. Not a sound issued from his room. She walked out past the kitchen area and continued into the hallway. She knew that she needed to be silent so she walked as quiet as was humanly possible.

At the end of the hallway she knew there was a semi secret set of stairs that led up into the opera house above. She knew this because it was the way Erik usually went when he left the building. She found the stairs and nervously looked behind her. Erik wasn't there. He must not have heard her or he'd be stopping her from going any further. Knowing that she continued walking. The stairs led a pathway up to the infamous Box 5 that the Phantom always requested be left empty for him. She looked down over the opera house and was suddenly struck with the desire to be back on the stage again dancing. It was so painful that she had to actually sit down in one of the chairs to be able to regain her composure.

"Yes, I know that you've spoken to Madame Giry. I also know that you've denied any possibility that she is here in the opera house." A deep baritone voice broke into Meg's thoughts. She knew that voice. She liked that voice. She peeked slowly over the edge of the box so she wouldn't be seen and found the speaker. It was Jean Claude. She had liked Jean from the moment that she'd met him. There was an instant camaraderie between them. He'd been a friend to her when she desperately needed someone and for that she was eternally grateful. She had no idea why he'd be here. He couldn't be that concerned about her could he? She wondered to herself.

"This subject has been covered and covered thoroughly. Meg Giry is not in this opera house." The new owner told Jean Claude somewhat rudely.

Jean Claude smiled that smile that Meg had always liked. "Yes well, I would appreciate any help you might have for me. You've heard nothing of this Opera Ghost?" Jean Claude asked curiously.

"Not a single blasted word." Came the reply.

"I would appreciate it if you would let me know should you hear anything," Jean Claude told the man. "I would be willing to reward you most generously." Jean Claude pulled out a slip of paper and wrote something on it. "Here is my address should any news reach you. Good Day sir." He tipped his hat toward the new owner before he left the building.

Meg reached the roof without being noticed by any of the opera staff. She sat very near to the edge of the roof and looked down at the street below. The air was crisp and slightly chilly as Meg looked up to gaze at the stars. Regardless of the cold Meg was overjoyed at being out amongst the world again. Maybe not amongst the world actually because she never enjoyed the busy social scene and endless parade of people but she loved watching the world and studying the people in it.

She took a deep breath in. She didn't know how long she'd sat there but she thought about Jean Claude. He was such a nice person. She appreciated that he was concerned about her but she didn't really want to be found exactly. Her feelings about Jean Claude were complicated because she hated that he was worried about her but she liked it at the same time because it felt nice to know that at least one person was missing her or at least concerned. Did Jean Claude miss her? She wondered to herself and promptly began to wonder why he would be worried about her. They had been good friends but nothing more. Maybe once, before she'd met Erik she wouldn't have minded being something more substantial to Jean Claude. But now…now she didn't want anyone BUT Erik. And right now he didn't like her very much.

Realizing she'd been up here for a long time she stood up to leave. She turned around only to find Erik watching her silently. He was standing a few feet behind her next to a huge stone gargoyle. She walked closer to him.

"Hello." She said softly.

"You didn't try to leave." It should have been a question but the way Erik said it it sounded more like a statement. His voice was slightly shocked.

"No. I wanted to see if the stars were as bright as I remembered them." She walked even closer to Erik. "Did you think I would try and leave?" She cocked her head slightly to the side as she asked him.

"Yes." Erik told her bluntly. He'd known the moment she left her room but had decided to let her think he'd had no idea. Silently he'd followed her expecting her to make an attempt to leave the Opera but she hadn't and now he felt as if he had no emotional rudder. His emotions were scattered all over the place.

"Why would I leave?" Meg asked him, afraid that he would suddenly shut off and ignore her as he'd been doing recently.

"Why would you not?" He laughed roughly. "I've given you no reason to stay."

"Not recently, no. But honestly I like just being around you and before you began pretending as if I were invisible I liked it even more." Meg told him honestly.

"I'm sorry." Erik didn't know what else to say. Meg always surprised him and right now she was downright shocking him. He'd convinced himself that she had no feelings for him and was disgusted by the kiss they'd shared and now she made it sound like she had enjoyed it.

"I know. But just so that you know, apologies are supposed to mean that you'll try and avoid the sin in the future." Meg told him playfully. "Does that mean you will stop giving me the silent treatment from now on? And why did you begin it all in the first place?"

Erik looked at Meg in anguish. He didn't know how to tell that he'd never been touched or loved in any way.

"No one has ever voluntarily touched me Meg. When we kissed I just assumed that it was not desirable to you. I didn't want to burden you with my presence when I thought it disgusted you. I shouldn't have kissed you. I took advantage of the situation." Erik shook his head disgustedly. Even now he continued to make excuses and tell himself Meg hadn't wanted to kiss him.

Meg walked the rest of the way up to him and tipped her head back so she could look into his eyes. His white mask shone in the moonlight. With his mask, his hood and the shadows that the moon were casting he looked sinister, maybe even evil but to Meg he looked irresistible.

"No one has ever touched you voluntarily? Not in your whole life?" Meg asked stunned that he had been so utterly deprived of any human compassion. Erik shook his head because he suddenly found himself unable to speak.

"Well then you have a lot of catching up to do." Meg told him with a flirty smile before she pulled him into a kiss. Erik let her be the aggressor for a while then he took over the kiss. He pulled Meg tightly into his body. So tight that she could never leave him. His hand gently skimmed down her back and he massaged her butt softly. Meg smiled into his mouth as they continued to kiss.

"Why are you doing this?" Erik asked her as he gently pulled away.

"You want me to explain it?" Meg asked confused and shook her head gently. "Haven't you ever just met someone and felt…felt connected to the somehow? Felt like even though you'd only know them for a short time it was forever? I can't tell you why because I don't really understand myself. I just know that I like you. You make me feel happy when I shouldn't be." She smiled softly. "God, Erik you make me feel happier than I can ever remember feeling."

"Is that the truth?" Erik asked, not willing to believe her because he wanted it so badly to be true.

Meg nodded. "Yes."

"Why? I don't deserve any of this. It would be fitting punishment for you to leave me here alone after the things I've done." Erik told her as he turned away.

"It would be a punishment if I left?" Meg asked curiously with a glint of playfulness in her eye.

"A death sentence." Erik told her dramatically causing Meg to laugh. When he heard her giggle he turned around quickly. "This is all funny to you?" He asked with a mixture of anger and hurt.

"No." Meg denied with another giggle. "It's just that it's so strange. You and I meeting. And then falling in love. I have wanted this for so long that I'm afraid I'll wake up. I always use to roll my eyes when I heard Christine and Raoul talking to each other like we just were and I thought it was all lies. But now I realize that it is all true. Love is a great equalizer." Meg told him. She hadn't even realized she'd said Christine's name until she saw the look on Erik's face. It was shock.

"You're in love with me?" Erik asked surprised, completely passing over the mention of Christine.

"You didn't know? I thought for sure you would have figured it out after all you are a genius." She teased him. "Yes. I'm falling in love with you. I feel like it should scare me but it doesn't."

Erik remained silent and stared at him in awe. Meg began to worry that she had misjudged his feelings for her.

"Do you Erik? Love me I mean." She asked suddenly shy and almost afraid to hear his answer.

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a/n: sorry to leave you guys hanging but I wasn't sure how to end it here. I'll try and post soon but the story keeps slipping in and out of focus for me. I have an idea though and I'm going to see if it works! So thank you for all the lovely reviews I love them and read them all. They make me happy!