The Face Behind That Mask

The Phantom led the girls back to his lair. Once there Jewel was surprised to find to that Aeris was there shortly before. Apparently Erik had come and got her up before she'd left the hotel that night and Jewel didn't even notice she was gone. He told her his plain for the night and she decided to go along with it.
"He wants us to stay here with him for a few days…I know you wouldn't mind so…"

"But I thought you were mad?"
Aeris sat on the bed beside her, "I'm back here for the same reasons you are. It can't be helped we're both drawn to him. Erik knows we can't stay so what are we going to do just stay away from him? We both know that's not possible."

Jewel was surprised jut a few hours ago Aeris was saying how they should stay away from him. But now she wanted to be with him. She wondered what had happen between them.

Jewel awoke slowly later that night. She first saw Aeris sleeping soundly beside her. Looking around her Jewel quickly adjusted to the darkness. She quietly slipped from the bed taking up her rope. Exiting the bedroom area she looked around Erik was no where. Making her way passed the organ she snuck back to his desk area. There she found him relaxed in his chair reading a book.
"What are you reading?" she asked sitting at his feet.

"'You should be asleep…" He whispered closing his book.

"Do you want me to leave you alone?" she asked.

"No you can stay…" he said sweetly, "I can't sleep as well I could use the company."

"Tonight was…I enjoyed it very much."

"I was told that was you're favourite song."
Jewel smiled, "What else has Aeris told you?"

"More then you know," he teased.

Jewel's face flushed red and there was a long silence.
"What was she like? Tell me, Erik what was Christine like?" Jewel asked boldly.

Erik straightened in his chair looking angry at first but after a moment soften.

"She was very young when I first saw her. She was tall like you're friend. She had bright blue eyes and long blond hair. When I first came to her she couldn't sing a note." He chuckled.

"So, she was very pretty…"

Erik looked down at her, "She was an angel…"

Jewel voice trembled, "And do I remind you of her? Is that why I am…"

Erik dropped his book throwing it aside. He sank from his to her level. For a few moments Erik stared her directly in the eye.

"It's okay if that's true…"

He cut her off "Yes you do remind me of her, but not in the way you and your friend has come to think…"
With her hand she caressed the unmasked part of his face. Placing her hand gently under his chin, Jewel tilted his head up to the light. Carefully Jewel started to remove his white mask. As she was about to remove it he grabbed her hand firmly.

"It is okay…Erik, Please let me," She soothed him taking off the mask and laid it beside her.

Erik's eyes closed at the touch of her cool hand upon his face. Gently, Jewel traced every inch of him. From his strong jaw line Jewel caressed and studied the textures of his left side. Taking a single finger she slowly outlined his lips then moved across his smooth cheek and his round chin. Ever so lightly, she traced over his closed eyelid before caressing back down till she rested her hand on the curve of his neck.
Slowly Jewel's hand moved to touch the right side of his face. He flinched scared of her touch. Still her hand moved across the rough and reddened skin, tracing every twist of his marred side. Jewel ran her finger over the sunken eyelid, tracing where an eyebrow should be. Then she carefully traced back under his eyelid to the side of his nose and back to his lips. Jewel stared a little bit longer before she return the mask to his face. Erik rose to his feet and slid back in his chair.

"Will you sing me to sleep?" Jewel asked.

Aeris walked quietly around his lair early the next morning counting the mask's as she found them. Aeris found it really hard to think of reasons why The Phantom would have so many copies of that one mask just laying around everywhere in random spots. She took one off the faces of the random statues and held it as she walked to Erik's organ. Setting the mask on her lap Aeris stroked the keys smiling.

Love, love changes everything
Hands and faces, earth and sky
Love, love changes everything
How you live and how you die
Love, can make the summer fly
Or a night seem like a lifetime
Yes love, love changes everything
Now I tremble at your name
Nothing in the world will ever be the same

Aeris felt eyes on her back and turned her head. Erik stood behind her watching and listening.
"I'm sorry did I wake you?" Aeris asked.

"No, sorry to startle you, I was enjoying it please continue…"

"You thought I sounded good?" asked Aeris.

"Yes…you have the talent," said Erik.

"Yeah, but I'm not as good as Jewel," she sighed

"She is not the same range as you…your not a soprano. Your voice sounds better in the lower range. Here sing with me…"

After singing a verse with her Erik dropped out letting her sing alone. He watched as Aeris sing nervously,

Off into the world we go
Planning futures, shaping years
Love burst in and suddenly all our wisdom disappears
Love makes fools of everyone
All the rules we made are broken
Yes love, love changes everyone
Live or perish in its flame
Love will never, never let you be the same
Love will never, never let you be the same!

"That was much better," he praised.

She blushed.

"Now if you'd be so kind…" He walked toward her, "my mask."

"I was holding it…I was going to put it back," she said stroking it.

"Oh really, you mean you weren't trying to steal it?" he asked taking it from her.

Aeris gave her best innocent look, "No," she lied.

Still she watched Erik carefully put his mask back in its spot and walk back toward his desk Aeris followed him curiously. She noticed the little miniature stage and walked up to it admiring the fine detail and how Erik had a little figurine of everyone in the opera including one of La Carlotta. Aeris looked at it with an evil smile on her face.

She started playing with the little figurine making it sing then making it sound like a toad while Erik watched her and smiled. "You're really easily amused by things aren't you, are you having fun playing with those figurines?" Erik asked her.

"Yes, actually I am, I hate the La Carlotta one though." And with that Aeris began to hit the little Carlotta figurine as hard as she could on the desk table "Die you stupid toad!" She screamed.

Erik walked closer to Aeris, "What are you doing Mon fleurir la fille?"

"I hate her she's mean and evil" Erik laughed when Aeris continued to torture the little Carlotta by making the little replica of the chandelier fall on her.

"By the way I'm still mad at you for that little escapade at the Masquerade," said Aeris.

"I have no idea what you're talking about I just simply put you in your place," Erik said off to the side

"Put me in my place? And what is that supposed to mean?" said Aeris getting a little pissed off.

"Yes, I put you in your place, in other words I corrected you." Erik said which made Aeris even more pissed.

"I didn't do anything wrong for you to correct me. I was protecting her from someone who might hurt her."

"Mon fleurir la fille, did you think that I would harm her? You have it in your head that I'm using her but you're mistaken."

"Well I know what you are capable of…" said Aeris realizing he was smiling.

"Indeed you do…" he admitted

"Tell me, if you're still so upset why are you here?"

"Because despite disagreement I'm fascinated with you…"

Erik walked out into the main room to return with his violin. "Let my music be my apology if it is the Angel of Music you seek, then you shall have it."

Aeris rushed over to him wide eyed.

Standing by his desk, he positioned the violin to his chin. and played. The music began to fill the room. He lifted his gazed to the girl standing before him. Aeris was smiling all traces of her anger dissolving in his beautiful requiem. Erik played the violin as masterfully as he did the organ. Each note caressed him as he became one with his instrument. He closed his eyes as he played passionately the music pulling him into his own world. It was his to command the music, and he bound himself to it. Erik was dedicated to his music as it was to him. Nothing could help him out from trance falling on him through his music. Through his music Erik was baring his soul.

Jewel sat by the piano she and Erik both looking over the sheet music to one of Jewel's favorite Requiem's pieces, Pie Jesu.

"I won't take any of your excuses," said Erik firmly, "if you can hit a high C you can get this note." He hit the note on the piano twice for her to hear. He played back a few bars of the music so she ear could hear the jump to the note. He pointed to a spot in the music.

"Make sure when you rest here you're getting an enough breath and don't use it all at once."

Jewel nodded.

"Let's move on… you said you picked up this while you were here?" Erik asked. He spread new music out.

"Yes, it's a song from Jekyll and Hyde…"
"Have I heard it?" Aeris interrupted.

"I don't think so," Jewel cast a look at her friend sitting in the front row.

"Amanda," called Erik, "come sit beside me you don't have to sit there like a statue. You could turn the pages for me"

Walking up the stage Aeris slid beside him at the piano.

"Are you ready?" Erik asked.

Jewel nodded.

Erik started playing again. This song had soft smooth melody both mysterious and dark. Aeris liked it from the first notes of the intro but it wasn't tell Jewel's soft voice pulled her in, that she got into the music.

Look at me and tell me who I am,

Why I am - what I am.

Call me a fool and it's true - I am.

I don't know who I am.

It's such a shame, I'm such a sham.

No one knows who I am.

Jewel's voice carried a solemn tone.

Once there were sweet possibilities I could see, just for me.

Now all my dreams are just memories,

Fated never to be.

Time's not a friend, Hurrying by.

I wonder - who am I?

Her voice picked up more emotion in the next verse. Erik listened keenly to that emotion. He knew why she chose this song. It was because it reminded her of him. Erik knew, he just knew she was singing just for him.

Am I the face of the future?

Am I the face of the past?

Am I the one who must finish last?

His eyes lifted from the music to her. Jewel looked so still sitting in front of the piano with her back to him. He squinted his eyes and for a spilt second he saw his lovely Christine.

Look at me and tell me who I am,

Why I am - what I am.

Will I survive?

Who will give a damn

If no one knows who I am?

Nobody knows, Not even you.

No one knows who I am.