A/N: French translations right after the statement

A/A/N: HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY PENNY! This chapter's for you!

Red Rose

Chapter VII: The Ghost's Box 5

Christine's kiss became more passionate with the passing of seconds. One moment, she was making friendly conversation, and the next- Erik could feel her lips pressed heatedly up against his own. This was not the innocent child he once tutored. This was no girl, but a woman. A woman…

How could he dare to touch her, knowing that each tingling sensation was experienced by another? Those rosy lips had been claimed by a man, a man that was not him. Fingers were most likely to have roamed over the goddess-like curves of her body. What actions of love had been shared between his angel and her husband? He felt tears swell up in his eyes. They flowed down his cheeks in a hot stream of water, trickling under his mask. They dripped to the corners of his lips in a painfully slow motion. Erik drew back, shaking his head in a paltry fashion. "No…" he spoke faintly.

"What's wrong?" Her angelic voice made him become weak in the knees. "Erik?"

"You are vulnerable, Christine." He stared at the ground, talking in a slightly trembling voice. "Whether you chose to be with Raoul or not, he is dying in a rather dismal place. And you are not there, comforting him in his last moments on this earth. Instead, you are here with me, attempting to fulfill my most desirable dreams." He paused, "I hardly think that's fair to the man." This had been a rollercoaster of emotions, and O.G. knew it.

"You-you called him Raoul…" Christine quivered, silently astonished. Never, in the time that she knew Erik, had he ever been one to address Raoul by his actual name. Monsieur, viscount, the occasional ass(sic) or even fop, but never his birth name. He was usually half-crazed when she ever would mention the famous Chagny. In fact, he becoming mad and trying to hang Raoul with his Punjab lasso was precisely the reason why she left. How could she be with a murderer?

Because she knew she loved him. She could not hide loving him.

"Is it so amazing that I called him by name? Do you really think so low of me?" He glared at her with a touch of anger.

"No! No, of course not…" She took in the flickering of the burning wax's fire. "Maybe I should see him then, it be awfully cruel not to." Ms. Daae lifted herself from the bed, and fixed the position of her dress that was wrapped so awkwardly around her. "I hope I wasn't a nuisance."

"You could never be, my dear."

"My offer stands, if you wish me to stay with you."

He lit up inside. She didn't want to leave him, not right away. She wanted to stay. "Perhaps…there is something I could give to you. Before you go to visit Monsieur Chagny, how would you like to see the opera the way an Opera Ghost sees it?"

Christine tried not to chuckle, for her mind had wandered to Raoul lying in a hospital bed. "I'd like that very much, my Angel."

Erik smiled. "Alors on le décide! (Then it is decided!) I shall bring you to my opera!"

…………………………

"Faust performance is tonight. It is to be a full house!" Firmin clapped his hands together joyfully. Moncharmin was happy as well, as they entered their office with a wide smile on their faces. "Why, Valentines Day is not at all bad, is it?"

"Non (no), I wouldn't fret about a thing!"

That evening, the managers found on their table, an envelope addressed to both men, reading 'M. Andre and Firmin- Private.' Of course, it was a letter from the ghost himself:

'My Managers,

Unlike before, I wish to withdraw my request, which is that box 5 be left to someone else. I find myself in need of its atmosphere, and would indeed enjoy using it for this night's play. I must remind you, that it is to be left empty for my use. If not, I'll find myself being immensely disappointed among the many others who sit tediously in your audience. Also, I would like to tell you, that my salary is long due. I have put it off until now, as I considered giving dear Mme. Giry a break. Please put twenty notes of a thousand francs each into this envelope. Hand it to Mme. Giry, who knows my instructions. I wish you luck tonight. I hear it's a full house.

Your most humble and obedient servant,

Opera Ghost'

"Il met un amortisseur sur tout, pas il? Je ne peux prendre ceci plus ! (He puts a damper on everything, doesn't he? I can't take this anymore!)" Firmin slapped his fist on the table. "The one time I am filled with happiness, O.G. takes it away! How dare he, insulting our opera like he did! I doubt it that boring! I tell you, my fellow, we should've never allowed that girl to come back!"

"Now, Richard, do not go blaming this on Ms. Daae! She is a fine girl! She deserves respect! Let us go get the Prima Donna and retire to the dressing room!" He stuffed the letter into his pocket with little care.

There was much gnashing of the teeth indeed. All the blood rushed to his face, as Firmin Richard stormed out of the room in a grouchy mood that seemed to put everyone around him, in a bad mood as well. Andre just followed behind, nervously chattering with any passing ballet girl or stage crew. Oh, what he wouldn't give for a nice cigarette, that moment.

Madame Giry was told to put the note where ever it is she puts it on a little shelf in Box 5 which was rather unkempt from its lack of use. After all, no one had quite the courage to stand a whole performance in the box, for they were too frightened that the phantom of the opera might make an unexpected visit, and want it back. Mother Giry did Erik a favor and cleaned it up for his use, sweeping away any dust or dirt that had piled up in it.

"So now he's bringing lady friends…"

………………………………………………..

Oh, I'm terribly sorry! It's dreaded writers block! Please, do review!

Christine