AN: Here's the next chapter!

Music of the Night, Chapter 2

Willow was amazed at the reaction to her song. She had sang at that place so many times, but that time… she poured her heart and soul into it. She just felt like that song fit her. She sat in the bar, looking around at everyone, mask firmly in place.

A man was standing up on the stage… he was heavy set, and he was singing like a jackass… She shook her head. She was up next… she just had to find a partner who knew the song. She decided to stick with Phantom of the Opera, because it was one of her true passions… she loved it… she felt like she connected with it.

The man stepped off of the stage, and she took a deep breath as they announced her…

"The Phantomette! Everyone put your hands together!" Loud cheers met her ears as she clambered up onto the stage…

-

Erik was there, in one of his best outfits. Though the style had modernized as of late, he was still able to stick close to what he always wore. He had on a blood red dress shirt and black dress pants. He had on a long black cloak, and his mask was black and red. He felt odd dressing up so, but he wanted to catch her eye, because there was a chance that she would indeed choose him to sing with her. He didn't see why she wouldn't. After all, who was better to sing the Phantom of the Opera, than just that?

His thoughts strayed when she walked in. He watched her sit down softly, her hair still curling around her face, her mask blood red as well; he sighed. She matched him! Surely there was no way that she could possibly pass up singing with him. He looked around at the other men, recognizing quiet a few faces from the night before. Many also had masks to shroud their faces, but none of them looked real, and none of them had the passion that she did. The man who was on the stage braying like a mule stepped off, and they announced her. He took a deep breath and looked up at the stage.

"Hi guys." She said it softly, her voice lilting with music. "Okay, I told you before that I was going to have to get a partner to sing my next song, and it seems like a lot of you came prepared… so… lets see… who wants to sing with me?" Erik looked around as he and about fifteen other men stood. All had on masks, and all were looking at this girls beautiful lips, as if waiting for their name to be uttered.

"Tough choice here guys… you shouldn't have made it so hard on me…" She took the microphone out into the crowed and Erik watched as she went from person to person.

"Why do you want to sing with me?"

"Because, you're beautiful." "Your have the voice of an angel…" "Because, from the first time I saw you, I was in love, and the mask is just sexy…" "Because, I'm Erik, the Phantom of the Opera…" Erik snorted at that one, and watched as she finally made her way to his table. He was her pause, looking at him with a question in her eye, and more interest that she had shown any of the other men. Anyone would be a fool not to realize that she was indeed going to pick him.

Finally she seemed to remember that she was indeed asking questions… She looked at him, actually raised her hand, and then put it back down. He had on clothes to match hers, and his brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail… He was built strong (From rowing across the lake soooo many times)…

"Why do you want to sing with me?" She looked at the floor, unable to meet his intense gaze…

Erik looked at her, and before he could think of anything else, sang softly to her, "That fate, which condemns me to wallow in blood has also denied me the joys of the
flesh...this face-the infection that poisons our love. This face which earned a mother's fear and loathing. A mask, my first unfeeling scrap of clothing-pity comes to late turn around and face your fate. An eternity of this before your eyes…" He watched as her eyes came up and met his, and saw the wonderment there. She nodded softly at him…

"And what should I call you, stranger?" She whispered as he clambered up onto the stage, and then held his hand out to help her…

"Call me The Phantom." He said, tugging her, and their bodies brushed as she climbed up.

She smiled softly at him, and then turned to the crowd… "Well boys and girls, this is the Phantom," everyone smiled at the name, "And we're going to sing a duet. Since he so kindly sang me a line, I'm pretty positive that he knows it, so… whenever you guys are ready." A cheer rang through the crowed, and the music started. The light narrowed down to a beam on Willow, and she began to sing…

"In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came. That voice which calls to me, and speaks my name and do I dream again, for now I find… the phantom of the opera is there, inside my mind." Everyone let out a wild cheer as the music continued, and the light widened to include Erik. He looked at her, and advanced slowly.

"Sing once again with me, our strange duet. My power over you, grows stronger yet, and though you turn from me to glance behind, the phantom of the opera is there, inside your mind." He looked at her, and came slowly to stand in front of her. They circled each other as they continued…

"Those who have seen your face draw back in fear, I am the mask you wear…" She reach up slowly and brushed his mask. He caught her hand, and sang his line...

"Its me they hear…"

Their voices blended in perfect harmony as they continued, everyone getting sucked into the lull that was indeed Erik's voice, Willow included, as she got drawn more and more into the song… "Your spirit and my voice, in one combined, the phantom of the opera is there, inside my/your mind." She looked up at him to signal it quits. She had no intention of singing the high notes… she hadn't practiced for it. Opening her mouth to say just that… the piercing high note spilled from her lips.

"Sing to my angel of music. Sing my angel. Sing for me! Sing… Sing my angel! SING FOR ME!" She ended with the highest of the notes, as he grabbed her shoulders lightly. They sat there staring at each other, acting as though there wasn't a room full of people sitting in awed silence. She watched as he face began to lower, and the room erupted into cheers, jarring them both out of the trance that they were in.

She blinked at everyone, hardly believing that there was indeed a room of people who had just witnessed whatever it was that had just happened.

She smiled softly out at everyone, grabbed the mans hand beside her, and swept him down in a bow. She noticed that he didn't let go of her hand as she continued with her after song announcement.

"Well, everyone! Give the Phantom a hand!" And the crowed broke out into applause once more, and she noticed that a lot of the women were looking at him. For some odd reason, she quickly surged into the next part, not liking the looks at all and having no idea why she didn't. The only thing she knew was that she really, really didn't like them looking at him like that.

She smiled out at everyone. "I can't be here tomorrow!" There was a collective protest to that, and she held up her hand, and continued when the room was quieted. "I have to start school guys! I didn't haul myself all the way over to Paris to skip school and sing all night at bars…"

Of course, there were many declarations that of course she could. She smiled softly at them. "You guys know the school just down that way. It's the only one around for a while. I may sing a little there, if you guys want to come." She smiled at them all, and then laughed a little. "Thanks for being such a good audience, and one more round of applause for The Phantom!" Cheers erupted as she led him off the stage by the hand. She smiled softly at him.

"Good job, you sing just like I think Erik would." She smiled at him, and he could hardly contain his smile at her for saying such an honest thing. Before he lost his nerve, and since she seemed to be content just to hold a strangers hand, he quickly put in.

"You sing like an angel, can I buy you a drink?" Oh… realllll smooth there Erik… He mentally slapped himself for saying such a corney line… but to his delight, she nodded.

"Yeah, singing kind of dries out my throat." She grinned at him, and he wasn't going to point out that she seemed to be talking just fine. They walked over to the bar and sat down together.

"What'll it be Angel?" The waitress said to her. She and the waitress were both friends, and since her performance last night, and since she had dragged her to see the Phantom for the fifth time, she had taken to calling her Angel, after the Angel of Music.

"The usual, red wine." Erik looked over at her, and gave her an approving smile. He nodded to the waitress.

"I'll have the same." He had indeed gotten a little more comfortable with people, not to the extent that he would EVER take off his mask, or really talk to them a lot, but he could manage to order a drink now…. Except this strange girl with the mask… he for some reason felt at complete ease with her, and he actually wanted to talk to her… Even though she would never see his face, and never know who he really was.

"So… What's your name, or do I just keep calling you Phantom?" He actually smiled at her, and her heart wanted to melt, but she managed to keep her composure. She knew that she couldn't get attached to people, not since the last time… She couldn't ever again… but there wasn't anything wrong with her getting a drink with the person she had just sang with, was there? It didn't mean they were going to get married or anything…

"Actually, I bet you wouldn't believe it if I told you." She smiled at him, and shook her head.

"Try me."

"Erik. My name is Erik…" he paused, trying to think of a last name to give her… and finally just decided not to.

She smiled brilliantly at him. "It suits you, actually." She grinned at him, "You're definitely how I would have pictured him, Erik that is." She grinned.

"You would have?" he said, and then, quickly, and not to be to suspicious, quickly asked her… "And what's your name? I'm pretty sure that no one would have named their daughter Phantomette…" She laughed a little at that.

"I didn't come up with that name, actually, it just seemed to stick, what with the mask and all…" She brought her hand up to her mask, brushing it briefly, and then he saw sorrow fill her eyes… surely she didn't have anything compared to his face to hide. How could someone so angelic have anything that they needed to hide?

"My name is Willow Lynn Mattison." She smiled when she said it, and he bowed his head.

"A beautiful name, for a beautiful woman." She shook her head at that, her hand once again brushing the mask softly.

"I wouldn't say that." Before he could inquire any further, the waitress came back with their drinks.

"Here you are Will. Can I ask you who the mysterious stranger is?" She shook her head, and grinned.

"His names Erik, and he's apparently my singing partner of the night." She grinned at her friend, accepting her drink graciously, and taking a sip.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone." And from the look she gave her friend, Erik assumed that whatever they said was indeed going to be grilled out of her.

"So…" Will smiled once her friend had left to tend to some else.

"So?" he said, sipping his wine. He was surprised they had good wine at a bar, but he supposed that everyone couldn't have lost their taste over the years…

"What made you want to sing tonight?" She blurted it out. She really was at a loss of words around this man, and she didn't understand it, because she had indeed perfect the cold distant face, and attitude to shove in any mans face.

"I listened to you last night, and I thought you sounded like an angel, and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to sing with someone as lovely as you." He smiled, glad that he hadn't lost all of his charm in the presence of this mysterious girl.

She grinned and blushed at the compliment, bowing her head. After a few moments, she brought her eyes back up. Inside the mask, they were more vivid than any jewel or color he had ever seen before. They were a green that would have made any cat jealous.

"Thank you… even though I think you're over exaggerating just a tad." She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. "What about you, your voice is like… I don't even know how to explain it. It's amazing." He looked at her, with a small smile.

"I've had a while to work on it…" 200 years…

"How old are you exactly?" She said with a small smile.

Think Erik… You aren't an idiot after all… "25." He said it smoothly, glad his lie had came out properly. So what if he forgot a zero… it wasn't like it mattered…

She looked at him, and nodded. "I'm 21, barely legal, and almost not allowed to drink this lovely stuff." She grinned, sipping on her wine once more, once again wanting to hit herself. Nothing she was saying was coming out right. She sounded like a high school girl who had a crush on the substitute… She looked at her watch, and her eyes winded just a little. It was nearly twelve, and she had to be up at seven in the morning. It was going to take her about twenty minutes to walk to her apartment, not having a car, and her motorcycle not being delivered over seas quiet yet.

"Erik?" he looked up at her.

"Yes, ma petite?" Where had that come from? Erik fought the urge to rub his brow in frustration.

"I have to get going, I have to catch some sleep, first day and all tomorrow." She smiled apologetically at him, finishing the rest of her drink. "I've had a lovely time." I've had a lovely time… Jesus, it wasn't like she was out on a date.

"Me too…" Erik, you're an idiot… He shook his head. "Are you going to be coming back anytime soon?"

She shook her head. "I've got school full time, Monday through Friday. I'm cramming classes." He looked at her.

"What are you planning on being exactly." She smiled.

"I'm taking classes in Psychology, and then studying Drama and Acting." She smiled softly. "I heard that they acted the Phantom of the Opera out sometimes. I thought it would be fun, even though I doubt I could ever get the part as Christine…" He shook his head softly at her. She could play anyone she wanted to, she was… leaving.

She stood and then looked down at him. "I hope I see you around?" She made it a question, and he was only to happy to reply, walking with her towards the door.

"I bet you'll see me sooner than you think." She smiled at him, and then walked out the door, turning back to wave at him. Erik waited a few moments and walked outside, leaning against the door and letting the fresh air wash over him.

He had two things he needed to do. One, he needed to brush up on his acting skills, and two, he needed to go and persuade his way into college, because he wasn't going to let her get away from me. There was something there, and he was going to find out exactly what it was. If that meant brushing up his skills and taking a few classes, then so be it…

-

AN: If I miss anything, sorry! It's really late, and I cant sleep, so I'm trying to get this done up.

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