Author's Notes: Wheeeee! This is so much more fun! You really don't know how much I struggled with the party, but now its over! Happy dance, happy dance! Sorry about the delay, my Internet connection was down for a long time. Bless all my wonderful reviewers (you know who you are) who keep me going. Well, that and my evil muse (yes you Erik!) who pesters me anytime, anywhere.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story except Mandy and Marcel. Though Marcel is up for grabs, since Tom wasn't exactly inspiring mass adoration, I feel the newbie may wander off by his lonesome too.

Having slept the morning away, I spent most of Saturday afternoon cleaning up from the previous night's party. Two huge trash bags stuffed to the brim, and three hours of vacuuming later the place looked as good as usual. Plopping into the comfy sofa with a big bowl of Mac and Cheese, I settled down to watch some movies and relax.

It was halfway through the final battle for Middle Earth, when it happened. The noisy wheeze of the furnace suddenly stopped and a chill insinuated itself throughout the apartment. Naturally, I did the only reasonable thing one could do. Several tissues later, as the end credits rolled by, I stopped sniffling just long enough to pick up the phone and call The Landlady.

"I know the furnace is out! Nearly every tenet in the building called me to complain half an hour ago!" she ranted. "Look, the repair guy says he'll be here in the morning, till then, just tough it out!"

Wow, I thought as she slammed the phone down. Sounds like somebody needs an attitude adjustment! I thought about calling for Erik to help straighten her out, but realized I really didn't want to go looking for anew apartment just yet so I let it slide, just this once.

Deciding that sitting up and watching another movie while uncontrollably shivering didn't sound like a lot of fun, I spread every blanket I owned onto my bed and settled in. Instantly warmed and smashed by the massive pile, I sleepily concluded hibernation really wasn't that bad, before slipping into dreams.

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Thump!

The sound echoed in the small room. Like a turtle emerging form its shell, I cautiously stuck my head out from my snuggly covers. Blearily opening my eyes, I squinted at the angry red numbers on my clock. You've got to be kidding, only ten thirty pm? I listened as yet another thump resounded from the living room. Grabbing my trusty aluminum baseball bat from under the bed, I bravely marched into the hallway, prepared to give any robbers some trouble.

Thump, crash!

Hey, nobody breaks my stuff! Quietly sneaking to the doorway, I raised the bat high, and seeing a tallish man in dark clothing attempting to walk around my coffee table in the dark, prepared to strike. Just one step closer…just a little more…three…two…

Instead of stepping around the table, the man crashed into it yet again and instantly began cursing in a foreign language. "Nadir?" I asked incredulously, recognizing his angry voice and some of the Persian's naughty words.

"Mandy!" he replied, clearly relieved to no longer be alone in the dark where unseen obstacles lurked. "Good Lord, its cold!"

"Yeah, the furnace broke down. What are you doing here?"

"Erik brought me. He just showed up and without a by-your-leave dragged me off…" I watched as he headed towards the direction of my voice, straight towards the sofa.

"Nadir! Look out!" I tried to warn, even as he crashed face first into the pile of pillows on the thick cushions. Trying to hide my giggles, I listened to yet another tirade of insults and swears angrily muttered in his normally elegant language. Turning to the wall, I flipped on the switch and illuminated things for the clumsy Daroga.

"Bless you o merciful one! Blast you and Erik for your accursed night vision!" grinning at his quickly shifting opinion of me, I tossed the bat back into my room. He fumed about for a bit; glaring at both the coffee table and the sofa, before flopping down into the armchair with a sad sigh. Walking over, I curled up on the sofa across from him.

"It is as I feared," he mournfully muttered, gazing towards the floor. "He tried to tell they were they same, but I knew he was lying. Again." Looking down at his socks, I saw that his words were true; Nadir wore one blue sock and one black sock.

"Hey, don't worry. It happens to the best of us." He snorted at this, but I glared at him good-naturedly and he smiled a bit. "So why are you here?" I asked again.

"I told you. Erik came for me and dragged me here. All he said was that I was to make sure that you promised not to get mad at him and that he would be here as soon as you made that promise."

"No way! If he's done something that deserves getting mad at, then to heck with any promises, I'll be mad!" Who am I kidding, I'm getting mad at the thought of promising not to get mad! "Besides, I thought he didn't believe in promises or something like that. Knowing him it was probably an insult of some kind."

"Well it was, but I think he trusts your promises more than any other's." he paused for a moment and sighed. Suspecting something else was up, I was about to ask him but he continued on before I had the chance. "Secondly I have a sneaking suspicion I won't be allowed to leave till you've promised, so why don't we speed things up a bit and instead of you yelling for an hour and then promising, just promise now."

"Fine! ERIK," I shouted yet again. "I promise not to get mad for whatever you've done so you better get in here right now!"

"There's no reason to shout my dear, I was quite close by." He whispered into my ear, leaning down on the sofa behind me.

"What did you do this time?" I accused, tilting my head up to look him in the eyes, though upside down. There was something strange about them, I vaguely noted, before he stepped back.

"Well that's hardly the welcome I expected." He dryly replied. I noticed he was carrying over his shoulder what appeared to be a rather large burlap sap with a good sized something inside.

"Well, I'm pretty sure there's a reason for it. What on earth are you carrying?" I asked as he set the bundle down. I swear I heard the thing moan. He naturally ignored my questioning and proceeded to sit down next to me on the sofa.

"Hello Nadir," he greeted the frowning man sitting across form him. "Good to see you again so soon. I daresay you really ought to be more careful and look where you're going old fellow." He snickered at the other man's growing impatience.

"Are you going to tell us or not, Erik?" I asked before Nadir started losing his temper again.

"I heard there was going to be some sort of film festival on television tonight," he smoothly evaded. "Do you know what they're showing?"

"Yeah, it's a bunch of Vincent Price horror films. The Fly, The House of Wax, some stuff by Poe, I think…" I trailed off as he began to grin rather devilishly. A creepy Erik is not a comforting sight.

"Ah, yes The Raven is a classic, I must say…" he muttered quietly before suddenly shouting, "No, not the Raven! Red Death! Red Death!" he clasped his hands together and grinned gleefully.

"Erik?" I whispered, fighting off the shudders. He sat silently for a moment, and I was seriously considering asking Nadir to switch seats with me when he began talking again as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Frightfully cold weather we're having isn't it?"

"The furnace is broken Erik," Nadir calmly replied. "Now are you going to tell us what is going on?"

"First things first, Daroga," he announced as he jumped up from the sofa and held a hand out to me to help me rise. "We cannot have a calm and civil discussion if we cannot hear over the chattering of our teeth. Clearly I must fix the furnace."

"Do you know how to fix furnaces Erik?" I asked as he helped me up. "I mean, have you ever fixed one before?"

"No."

"Oh, okay." Slipping on some shoes I suddenly felt a strange tingly sensation on the back of my neck but thinking it to be caused by the cold, ignored it. We turned to head towards the door when Erik suddenly snarled and spun about, expertly throwing the Punjab lasso around the throat of…

"Philippe!" I exclaimed, shocked. Erik quickly freed the Comte, and pointedly stepped away. "What are you doing here?" My god, how many times am I going to have to say that tonight to men who randomly show up in my living room! And will anyone ever answer me?

"I uhh, I was umm…" suffering the aftereffects of the shock he had just received, he was having some trouble getting started. Well he's not getting any sympathy from me, who do these people think they are anyway, marching into my apartment whenever they feel like it! "Oh, yes! Mandy have you seen Raoul?"

"Not since last night," I replied, trying to ignore Erik's snickering. "Did you lose him?"

"Well I heard there was some odd happenings or some-such at the opera house and his name was mentioned. I haven't seen him so I naturally became concerned for the public's safety and have set out to find him. I'm very sorry to disrupt you, I had no idea you had company."

"Not a problem. Well, normally I'd help you track him, but I've got to keep an eye on Erik while he fixes the furnace," Erik scowled at me but I just grinned back at him. "Anyway, I wish you luck on your quest and I'll give a shout if I see him."

"Thank you Mandy, goodnight. Goodnight gentlemen." And with that he dashed off through the mirror.

"So what's going on at the opera house, Erik?" I asked trying to keep the irritation out of my voice. He sensed it anyway and only smiled mischievously back at me.

"First the furnace, then explanations," he grinned even wider as I got even madder. "Remember your promise my dear," he taunted as he led the way out of the apartment and down the stairs towards the basement.

"Yeah well, remember the Alamo you obnoxious toad," I muttered, as Nadir and I followed him down the stairs. The sound of his evil laughter echoing up the stairwell the only sign he heard me.

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"Are you sure about this Erik?" I asked for the hundredth time since we had journeyed into the dimly lit basement where the dead furnace stood. So what if it had only been five minutes?

"Yes," he sighed before returning to the task of smacking every exposed surface of the thing with the wrench he had found nearby. Suddenly a horrific shriek from the top of the stairs momentarily stunned us all.

"What do you think you're doing!" The Landlady screeched. Carlotta sure had nothing on her, I noted, shaking my head to end the ringing echoes.

"We are minding our own business, Madam, while I am attempting to repair the antiquated death trap that heats this building." Erik replied before I could open my mouth.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" came her indignant query.

"Not the slightest and the same answer applies to the question as to whether or not I care to find out." This time he didn't even bother to pause his hammering when answering her.

"I am the owner of this building I'll have you know!"

"Fine, now that I know that you are personally responsible for retaining this mechanical monstrosity you may consider your duty done and therefore depart." Seeing this conversation was inevitably going to end up with the police involved one way or another, I decided to jump in and take things over for a while before an ambulance arrived.

"Hey Mrs. McGreevy! It's just me and some friends of mine. Were tying to fix the furnace for you."

"Mandy? Is that you?"

"Yeah, and this is…Radu and that's Bob," I replied pointing at Nadir and Erik respectively. Nadir nodded politely but Erik just snorted derisively. "He's a bit obnoxious but he's good at fixing things."

"I don't care how good he is! If he breaks anything I'll…"

"Suddenly develop a brain capable of an extensive vocabulary?" Erik murmured.

"Look, if you don't get out of here right this minute…"

"Ah ha!" triumphantly Erik held up a tiny hose for all to see. Unfortunately, as dark as it was, the gesture proved to be rather pointless as neither Nadir nor Mrs. McGreevy could see anything. "The hoses are clogged with a bit of dirt. It's a quick fix for now, but you'll want to replace the filter to prevent any further obstructions." Shaking lose the clogged hose, Erik soon had the furnace up and running, filling the room with delicious warmth.

"Well don't expect any money for this, Bob." Mrs. McGreevy snapped before turning and marching back up the stairs.

"I charge nothing for the furnace but assuredly deserve some compensation for the mental and emotional suffering I have endured while in your unwanted company." Erik muttered as he replaced the wrench.

"Now Erik, play nice," I teased as Nadir and I followed him back up the stairs to my apartment.

"I assure you that my playtime manners are quite impeccable," he replied absently. Nadir and I shared an odd look at his weird behavior but continued on.

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"Wait a minute," I told the two men standing in the hallway behinds me as I unlocked the door and slowly opened it. "Did one of you leave the kitchen light on?"

"No," Nadir answered, somewhat irritated. "I couldn't find a light to turn on and Erik wasn't in the kitchen."

"Are you so sure?" Erik distractedly asked. "But don't worry Nadir, I'm sure you'll find a light someday who thinks you're good looking." Noticing Daroga and I giving him another odd look, he smiled pleasantly and held the door open for me to enter first. Wishing I had brought along my bat, I resigned myself to letting Erik take care of any bad guys who might be lurking about. They didn't know how lucky they were.

Walking around the corner the first thing I saw was the enormous bowl of buttery popcorn. The fluffy white kernels were still steaming as the golden butter dripped gently, covering them in yummy goodness. My mouth was watering in anticipation when my sudden craving was instantly killed upon seeing whose hand was in that same bowl.

"Raoul!" I was so distraught I nearly puked. Thankfully Erik was there to save me. Turning away from the awful sight, he led me to a chair as my knees went wobbly and sparkles appeared in my eyes. Nadir thoughtfully began fanning me with an old magazine.

"Oh, Mandy! Are you alright?" Instantly Erik's attention was gone as Christine bounded into the room carrying a bag of candy bars. I considered puking on his shoes out of jealously but decided I'd save that treat for Raoul if at all possible.

"Yeah I'll be fine," I muttered as she kneeled down beside me and began rubbing my hands comfortingly. "As long as you give me some chocolate anyway." She grinned up at me and handed me the whole bag.

"I'm very sorry Mandy," Raoul announced as he walked over, keeping his eye on Erik and his hand on a revolver at his hip. "I had no idea you were allergic to popcorn." Erik rolled his eyes, Nadir raised an eyebrow, Christine looked remorseful, and I waited for Raoul to step into firing range.

"Don't worry, I'm not." I sighed in frustration as he stopped about a foot too far away. Yet another evil plan foiled!

"You're not getting sick are you?" Christine worriedly asked, pressing her hand to my forehead. "If you're sick, you should go to bed and Erik," she seemed to start at the name and looked nervously up at him. "He will make you some medicine so you get better." She anxiously looked over to Raoul, who smiled at her, and smiled back. Nearly gagging at their lovey-dovey smiles, I made a mental note to learn the trick behind projectile vomiting.

"Look, I'm not sick," I said, trying not to get irritated as I pushed her hand off my head. "I'm fine okay. Don't worry about it." I stood up and began pacing the small room. "What are you doing… Arrgghh!" Refusing to ask the same question again I totally lost it and ran to my room, slamming the door shut. Flinging myself upon my bed I screamed insanely into my pillow. My god, these were the most annoying people in the world, I swear!

I hadn't been done screaming for two seconds when I felt the bed shift as someone sat down beside me. Knowing full well whom it was, I kept my face buried in the pillow.

"Mandy?" he quietly asked. I sighed as he gently stroked my hair.

"What?" I murmured, turning my head to look at him.

"Are you aright?" he asked, honestly concerned.

"Just peachy." He smirked but kept stroking my hair.

"Then sit up. I want to talk to you."

"No."

"Come on, roll over." His tone was still light but I could tell he was serious. Too bad, so sad, cause I'm still mad!

"Make me!" His gentle smile instantly turned malicious. "Okay never mind," I quickly replied and jumped up.

"I wouldn't have hurt you," he sadly whispered, looking away.

"I know that! I thought you were going to tickle me or something." I told him, laying a hand on his shoulder. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." He smiled faintly in the dark before nodding.

"I seem destined to hear that a lot, though I'm sure you mean it." His sigh seemed to fill the room.

"Of course I mean it or I wouldn't have said it!" Much to my annoyance, he sighed again. "And stop it with the dramatic sighs, I feel like I'm at the ocean or something." I grinned as he chuckled lightly, a much better sound. "What did you want to talk about anyway?"

Yet, before he could answer there came a timid rapping at my bedroom door.

"Mandy?" Christine called anxiously. "There's a sack in the living room that is moaning."

"And wiggling…" shouted Raoul.

"And wiggling," She repeated. "The Persian tried to open it but the knots are too tight…"

"Be right there!" I shouted back. "Do you think they ate all the chocolate?" I muttered to Erik as I climbed off the bed and headed towards the door.

"No," Erik replied, as he pulled the bag out of a pocket in his cloak. "I brought it along in case this was an emergency."

"Good plan."

"I thought so." He smugly replied.

"Do they know you have it?" I asked, pausing at the door. He shook his head. "Then don't tell them!" Giggling merrily as he again stashed the chocolate within his pocket, I led the way back to the living room, where the mysterious wiggling bag awaited.

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"Oh Nadir, that's so gross!" I gagged, entering the living room. The Persian man was on his hands and knees apparently trying to gnaw through the ropes holding the bag shut. "Do you have any idea where that sack has been?"

"No," he replied, pausing from his chewing. "Though since it is Erik's I would expect it have been in the labyrinth…" he seemed to be processing what he had just said and noticing for the first time the odd taste.

"Exactly! And since Erik hasn't cleaned the labyrinth recently, if ever, I would strongly advise against putting things like that in your mouth. Unless you are practicing for Fear Factor or something."

"Really Daroga! Didn't you even think to use your knife?" Erik chided as he deftly undid the soggy ropes. Grimacing at his hands in disgust, he stalked past Christine and Raoul who were sitting together on the sofa, and went to the kitchen sink to wash them. Knowing he couldn't see me from the kitchen I tried peering into the dark hole.

"No peaking Mandy!" Erik shouted above the sounds of the water in the sink. Grrrr! How many evil plans will go wrong before I get one right?

Grinning mischievously, Erik marched back into the room, drying off his hands with the towel. As he passed by the sofa he gracefully tossed the wet heap into Raoul's face, but kept walking as though nothing had happened, despite the Viscomte's spluttering.

"Are you ready for your surprise, Mandy?" he asked as he bent down beside the bag.

"What! Its for me!" Instantly I perked up. Catching sight of Erik looking at Christine, I also looked over at her. Her face instantly changed into a generous smile but not before I saw the jealousy underneath it.

"Yes its for you," Erik continued, smugly grinning at Christine. "Close your eyes till I get it out of the sack." Immediately I clamped them shut while mentally doing a happy dance. Erik brought me a present! Erik brought me a present!

Yet even over the sound of the singsong in my head, I heard Christine and Nadir gasp. For some reason it didn't sound like a good thing. "Erik?" I asked, suddenly feeling very unsure of the situation.

"Open your eyes," Erik whispered softly.

I have no idea what I expected to be in that sack. One of his beautiful toys perhaps, maybe even a music box, but certainly not at all the thing that stood before me!

"His name is Marcel," Erik happily informed me, enjoying my stunned silence. "Don't you like him Mandy?"

"Ummm…" I stood looking at the young man who stood before me dressed almost exactly as Erik was though without the mask. He really was handsome with dark brown hair curling about his shoulders. His green eyes were blinking rapidly, as if trying to clear them, but the instant he saw Erik, they lit up noticeably.

"le Fantome!" Marcel shouted joyfully, rushing over to grab Erik. "Blah blah blah blahblah blah!" He cried, or at least that about as much as I understood.

"What did he say?" I asked in confusion. None of those words made even the slightest bit of sense.

"He's thrilled to meet Erik," Christine replied, just as shocked as I to see this strange man trying to hug a contented-looking Erik.

"Blah blah blah, blah blah blahblah blahblah blah!" the newcomer announced yet again. "Blah blah blah blahblah blah!"

"Now wait a minute! Why is this person here and what the hell is he saying!" I shouted at Erik, who looked at me in confusion.

"Now Mandy, you promised you wouldn't get mad," Erik reminded me. "Marcel is your new boyfriend."

"What? You brought me a boyfriend! Tied up in a sack!"

"Yes," Erik chirped happily.

"Well get back to that in minute. First, what did he just say?"

"He said Erik is the best ever and that he would die to make him happy," Nadir managed to choke out as he stared in horror at the man proudly standing beside Erik.

"How come you can understand him and I can't?" I was by now thoroughly confused and upset.

"I don't know, he's speaking French just like we are," Nadir replied.

"Well there you have it! I can't speak French!"

"Yes you can," Erik replied, looking at me like I had two heads. "You're speaking it right now."

"No I'm not!" I cried, beginning to get hysterical.

"Okay so you're not. What language are you speaking Mandy?" I could tell by his sympathetic tone he thought I was going over the deep end but I didn't care.

"English!" Erik snorted at this and I really wanted to throw something at him.

"If you are speaking English, then how can Nadir and Christine understand what you were saying?" he asked gently as he walked towards me, noticing my anger building. The French-speaking boy followed him over and tried to appear sympathetic as well.

"I can understand you too!" Raoul chimed in. "I didn't know I was bilingual!"

"If you're speaking French," I continued, ignoring Raoul. "How could I understand you? How could any of the people at the party or Mrs. McGreevy understand you?"

"I highly doubt that odious woman understands me, but I do take your point," he paused for a moment, considering. "Is it possible that the same enchantment that allows us to visit each other's worlds also allows us to understand each other's language?"

"Well it sure beats the fop's bilingual theory."

"Blah blahblah blah blah blahblah blah blah," the intruder announced, scowling at me.

"What did he say this time?" I sighed.

Erik whirled around to glare at him while Christine politely interpreted for me. "He says you should die for causing Erik distress."

"Tell him to choose his weapon!" I snapped back angrily. I turned to head back for my baseball bat muttering "Sorry Erik but I'm going to kill your present. I suggest flowers next time." Of course Erik stopped me before I made it two steps. He grabbed me and turned me back around in time to see Marcel fall to the floor crying.

"Blah blah blah blahblah blah le Fantome de l'Opera! Blah blah blah blah blahblah blah!" He cried, tears running down his face. Erik's face fell and I turned to Christine again.

"All his life he has adored the great Phantom of the Opera and wishes only to be worthy of his acceptance."

"Theater major with a minor in psychology," I muttered under my breath as Erik whispered something soothing to the boy, who grinned through his tears.

"Blah blah blahblah blah blah!" he cried, nearly ecstatic. Erik gasped and jerked back as though burned.

"Don't say it!" Erik shouted angrily, spinning around to face Christine. "Don't you dare repeat that!"

"What did he say?" I asked him. "Everybody else understood him, why can't I hear what he said?"

"Because I said so!"

"Oh, well in that case…" I muttered sarcastically. "Well I say somebody better tell me what he said!"

"What who said?" Raoul asked from the sofa, looking around confused. Once again I ignored him and turned around to face Nadir.

"Tell me what he said Daroga!"

He sat perfectly still for a moment, not looking at me but rather at the fuming phantom behind me. "I will not go against Erik's wishes." He muttered finally.

Releasing a great sigh of frustration I turned to my only hope, Christine. "What did he say that made Erik so upset Christine?" I asked softly.

"Don't say a word Christine! Not one word!" Erik hissed.

"Erik shut up! Tell me Christine, what doesn't he want me to hear?"

"He's embarrassed," she whispered so softly I could barely hear. Of course Erik heard her just fine.

"No Christine! You mustn't…"

"Yes you must," I interrupted him. "Tell me!"

"He wants to be…" She timidly began before Erik stalked over towards her, murder in his eyes. She stood as if frozen, shaking in her shoes as he neared her. Turning around I found myself inches from his chest.

"Erik back off!" He merely glared down at me. "What are you going to do, hit me? I'll hit you right back and I mean it too."

"As if you could hurt me," he sneered.

"Hey, the bigger they are, the harder they fall buddy," I sneered right back. In a whisper only he could hear, I added, "Besides, this really isn't helping your cause any."

He seemed to fall apart right in front of me. Staggering over to the empty chair, he collapsed with a tragic sob. He wasn't broken, I noted before turning back to Christine, just banged up a little.

"Tell me what he said Christine." I commanded.

"He wants to be…to be," her eyes were riveted to the destroyed figure behind me. "He wants to be a Sex God like Erik."

"What!" I asked shocked. "Are you serious?" For Erik's sake I tried not to giggle, though it was really hard. She merely nodded sadly and returned her gaze to Erik.

"Well shame on you Phantom!" Raoul stood up and shouted accusingly. "This poor boy only wanted to be your friend and you refused him! Well if that how you're going to be, he's going to be my special friend!"

"Raoul dear, you don't understand…" Christine began gently.

"Oh yes I do! He'll be my friend and we'll play games and do stuff together and have lots of fun!" He rushed over to the now-happy looking Marcel. "Won't we pal!" Marcel nodded vigorously.

"Oh shut up Raoul! I can't take it anymore!" I screeched at him. Suddenly I remembered a promise I made. "Philippe!" I shouted, deafening all non-musicians in the room. "Your brother is looking for you," I told Raoul as his hearing returned.

"Oh, okay…"

"Mandy! Did you find him!" Philippe cried as he dashed through the mirror. "Oh thank heavens!" he gasped as he saw Raoul. "Do you have any idea how long I have been looking for you! You're coming home with me right this instant!" With that he grabbed Raoul and started to physically haul him home when Marcel interrupted. I listened to yet another series of nonsense words but from Philippe's instant reply, found that I didn't need a translation.

"Look," Philippe answered angrily. "I don't care if you are best buddies now, we're leaving and without you! Goodnight everyone!" Raoul pouted at his words and then, suddenly inspired, whispered in Marcel's ear when Philippe wasn't looking.

"Blah blah blah blahblah blah blah!" I really don't like this guy, I thought to myself as he blabbed on to Philippe.

"It is?" Philippe asked astonished.

"It is what?" I asked, debating whether or not I even cared.

"His favorite food is green bean casserole," Christine supplied.

"Well, in that case…"the Comte caved in. "I guess you can stay just one night…"

"Great! You three have fun! Bye now!" I smiled as I escorted them to the door. "See you later.."

"Wait!" Erik called softly, rising from his chair and walking towards Marcel. The boy looked at him with sadness and regret and a bit of fear, but Erik smiled gently and the boy halted.

"I didn't mean to be so unkind to you," Erik whispered. "But I love someone very special, and she doesn't see me as you do. I hope you understand." Marcel nodded and they shook hands before he turned to go with the others.

"That was very nice Erik," Christine murmured as she slowly but surely approached him. For a moment Erik looked at her with sadness and longing before turning away.

"Nadir, would you mind taking Miss Daae home?" he would not look at her but instead bent to collect his sack off the floor.

"Of course Erik. Goodbye Mandy," he called as he helped Christine with her shawl.

"Bye Nadir, Christine," I yelled back, standing and watching Erik neatly fold up the sack and put it in yet another pocket.

"Bye," she replied, glancing at me. Walking over to Erik she tenderly touched his back. "Goodbye Erik."

He did not turn or respond in any way. With a sigh, she returned to Nadir's side and he escorted her through the mirror.

"I should be going as well," he said after a long moment. "I need to work on my opera, I've been ignoring it for far to long."

"You're not going anywhere."

"Are you going to keep me here?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"How?"

"By any means necessary, be they fair or foul." He grinned sideways at me before sitting in the chair once again.

"I guess I could stay for awhile."

"You're going to stay till I say you can leave."

"And when do think that will be?"

"As soon as I'm ready." I glared at him, knowing it was going to be quite a while indeed.

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A/N: Okay I know its bad to end chapters without resolving everything but this was getting really long (mostly due to the free time I had while waiting for my internet to be running again). So next chapter you can expect a continuation of this scene as well as some surprises as always!

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