Disclaimer: I don't own these characters of anything.

Both of them were startled by the sudden sounding of the bell, and neither wanted to move. When the bell rang again Erick slowly got up with obvious reluctance.

Meg smiled at him, "I'll still be here when you get back you know."

He laughed suddenly. His laughter caused Meg's heart to warm. She felt extraordinarily happy.

"I'll be right back then." He told her as he bent to pick up his cape. As he replaced it around his neck, Meg watched him. Erik disappeared from her sight and Meg was unexpectedly filled with a sense of dread. It was so strong that she felt as if she might choke on it. Inexplicably she wanted to run after Erik and beg him not to go because strangely she feared that the life she and Erik had begun to build together would be totally destroyed.

Jean Claude walked down the pathway he'd found while searching one of the original dressing rooms. With each step he took he began to have the disturbing feeling that he was being watched. It was an eerie sensation but Jean Clause trudged on because he needed to know if Meg was locked away in the Opera Populaire somewhere. The kernel of doubt that had been in his mind earlier had blossomed into certainty. He'd begun to suspect that Meg was indeed alive and being held here in the opera and he intended to find her.

Erik watched Jean Claude from the shadows. He felt a sense of fear while he watched him. He knew that Jean Claude had feelings for Meg, that he loved her.

"What do you want?" Erik asked menacingly from the shadows.

"I'm looking for Meg Giry." Jean Claude told him as he turned around in an attempt to locate the voices owner.

"Why are you looking for her?" Erik asked.

"So she's here then?" Jean Claude said smugly.

"I fail to see how that is any business of yours." Erik told him as he moved through the shadows in an attempt to disconcert Jean Claude.

"She's to be my wife. That's why it's of my concern." Jean Claude said with such anger that Erik thought it was possible he was actually telling the truth. Meg hadn't ever mentioned being engaged, but it was certainly a possibility.

"She's not here." Erik denied.

"You're lying. I know she's here. You're just keeping her here for some perverse reason. I swear that if you touch her I will kill you. Make no mistake about it." Jean Claude told Erik passionately.

Erik laughed mockingly. "Is that so?"

"I am a man of my word and a man of honor, unlike you. I only wish to see her happy. As her future husband that is both my duty and my pleasure."

"I don't think you are enough of a man for her." Erik taunted, loving the way it felt to get under Jean Claude's skin. He hated Jean Claude immensely and he knew it was because he was competing for Megs attention.

"Where Is She?" Jean Claude bellowed loudly. Erik was shocked and taken aback by the agony in Jean Claude's voice. This man really did care about Meg and somehow suddenly Erik was feeling guilty.

"Get out of here. If you do not leave this instant I will kill the girl." Erik told him in a voice that was barely more than a whisper and was all the more menacing because of it's low key.

"I will not just leave her." Jean Claude vowed.

"Yes, you will." Erik told him right before he knocked him on the back of the head with a pipe. Jean Claude passed out and thudded to the floor. Erik looked down at the handsome man lying unconscious below him. He was jealous of this man because he knew that Jean Clause could give Meg more than he ever could. Jean Claude was rich and handsome. He didn't have to carry the burden of a scarred face. Jean Claude was able to function and thrive outside in the world, whereas Erik couldn't. He never had and he never would.

"Erik are you all right?" Meg asked him as he came back into the room.

"Fine. It was nothing." Erik lied to Meg. He didn't want to tell her that Jean Claude had come searching for her. Even more than that he didn't want to consider the thought that Meg was engaged to him.

"Are you sure? You're acting very strange." Meg told him.

"I've said I'm fine. Just leave it." Erik snarled at her.

"Why don't you come and sit with me again then?" Meg asked him.

"It's not a good idea." Erik told her as he stood in front of her.

"Why? Just before you left we were…we were…" Meg left off not really sure how to finish that thought.

"I know what we were doing." Erik snapped at her. It seemed like he didn't want Meg to remind him of what it was that they had been doing before he'd left.

"Well then don't you think you could at least sit next to me. You don't have to tower over me like some great big oaf." Meg snapped back at him. She was annoyed by his temper.

"Maybe I am a great big oaf." He said as he turned to leave to room.

Three days later and Erik was still being rude to Meg. It wasn't really outright rudeness, though, it was more of the ignoring her that he'd done earlier. She hated it. It frustrated her beyond imagination to have been so close to Erik and to now be so far apart. He was pushing her away and she had no idea why. She remembered the feeling of dread she'd felt as he left to see about the alarm bell and now she began to wonder who or what he'd encountered. That was when he'd changed and she intended to find out why.

"Erik?" She asked as she approached his bedroom door. "Erik?" She called again as she knocked softly on the door. She turned the handle and gently pushed the door open. Erik was lying on his bed asleep. He still wore his mask but he had taken off his shirt and wore only his pants. They were black, as were most of his clothes, and they contrasted sharply with his skin. Even though he'd been down here and out of sun for such a long time his skin wasn't a pale white. It was a more olive tone.

Meg sighed gently as she stared at him. He was muscular and strong and she remembered what it felt like to be held in his arms. They had been strong and unyielding but at the same time they were somehow gentle. She needed him to hold her again. The past few days without his touch were horrible and she was getting desperate. She was a little afraid to wake him and make him angry, but somehow she couldn't resist touching him. Slowly she walked over to the bed. For a few seconds she just stared at him, absorbing his beauty. He may be scarred physically, but to Meg he was the most gorgeous man in the world.

Tentatively she reached down and ran her fingers along his cheek. Not able to stop her self she ran them softly over his bottom lip. It seemed like forever since he'd kissed her. Somehow she found it within herself to resist kissing him right then and there, but it was a close thing. Kneeling beside the bed she put her hand more firmly on his face, cupping his cheek gently. He moved slightly when she did it so she paused, then took her hand away.

Being so close to his uncovered chest was a new experience for Meg. She moved her attention from his face down toward his chest. Her fingers lightly grazed his well defined abdomen. She trailed her hands down his body then back up, just delighting in the way Erik felt. The contrast of the hardness of his muscles with the softness of his skin was fascinating. Once more she trailed her hand down his stomach. As her hand moved closer to his pants she heard Erik suddenly suck in a breath. Her hand stopped and slowly she turned her head to look at his face.

He was lying there watching her expressionlessly. She smiled, attempting to see the humor in it.

"Uhm…how long have you been awake?" She asked with a grin and a blush crept up her neck.

"Awhile." He answered vaguely. He looked a little bit like he was trying not to smile but Meg couldn't be sure.

"Yes well, how long exactly is that?" Meg asked as she gnawed on her lower lip.

"Exactly?" He asked and Meg immediately nodded. "Exactly since you first knocked on my door." He told her with a huge grin.

Meg just stood there shocked. "Are you lying to me?" She asked incredulously.

"No." He said.

"Well, I really don't appreciate you making fun of me." Meg was so unused to seeing this side of Erik that she didn't really know what to make of it. She jerked her hand away from his body and turned to leave. Erik stopped her when he grabbed her hand right back and yanked her down onto the bed next to him.

"What are you doing?" she asked, startled.

"Turn about is fair play." He said with a lecherous grin. "You've seen me without my top on now I think it's my turn to see you without yours."

a/n: okie so here I went a little off the track of my story that I meant to but it just felt right. It will all turn out in the end. I couldn't help it as soon as I make Erik all mean I lose my thoughts. No worries. I'll figure it all out. Ohh…actually I just had an idea…ok so sorry..thinking out loud. REVIEW please! I love love love your reviews and I am sorry about my grammar it is forever the one thing that I cannot get correct. It's just horrible I know. My apologies and I really hope it won't stop you from reading my stories! Anyways. I love you all! Thanks!