Yay! ten reviews! I love reviews! Okay, I am being so nice about this. I should make you wait but I can't do it to you guys! So here is the end of the dinner. Chapter Nine:

Allison

"Have you met anyone?" The words stumbled out of her mouth, making her instantly regret she had said anything.

"Actually I have, her name is Allison. She helped me a lot."

Christine nodded and fingered the stem of the rose slightly. "That's great to hear."

"She's actually the reason why I'm here."

Christine looked at him right as his eyes. "The reason you're here?"

Erik sighed and pulled his chair closer to the table. He rested his elbows on the table and folded his hands. "Christine, after you left, I was a mess. I just went away for a long time. Then I met Allison. She was so different, she wanted to help me. She had heard Don Juan, she loved it. She wanted me to share my music with the world."

Christine smiled. "That's wonderful, Erik. She seems like a great person."

Erik smiled a little. "Months after the fire, I met her. She said she would help me. She would help me with my little, uh, problem."

Christine nodded, knowing he meant his deformity.

"It took years of surgery and pain but-" He sat back in his chair and shrugged. "It was all worth it."

"I can imagine," Christine said softly. "It's great that she helped you. I'm very happy to hear that. I mean, your music is being blasted through every radio station in the country. You should be proud."

He smiled as he drew closer to her. "I am. It led me back to you."

Christine didn't know what to say to that.

Erik cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

Christine shook her head. "Don't worry about it. It's fine."

"Allison helped me with everything, she didn't care about my past, she just wanted me to be famous. At a price, of course."

Christine's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Oh?"

"Allison used to be the manager of this guy. Was in the music business too, but he wanted to get out. He got out and it ruined Allison. Allison was desperate to get back in the business so she used me. I can't get out." He chuckled. "You could say I sold my soul to the devil."

Christine smiled slightly.

"Allison died last year."

Christine looked at him sympathetically and put her hand on his without realizing it. The only person that had actually shown him kindness had died.

Erik didn't do anything he just shrugged. "But before she died, she sold the company she was building to this man named Noah Garner. He runs everything now. He made all the right moves and here I am."

He stopped when a waiter went to them and refilled his glass and her tea. Then he continued. "Now he's prancing off with some diva he's trying to make a name for. He's consumed with it. She's only sixteen, has no talent at all." He started drinking from his refilled champagne glass.

Realizing where her hand had been, she took it back and used it to put the straw of her tea to her lips.

"How did the auditions go?"

Christine shrugged. "They'll tell me tomorrow."

"I hope you get the part you want."

Christine sighed. "Me too."

Erik was about to say something but was interrupted when their dinner came.

When the waiters left, they began to eat in silence.

There was of course the occasional mumbling from Christine, "Wow, this is really good."

Christine was acting childish in accordance to the food, but she didn't care, the food was too good.

When they were done, Christine was so full that when Erik offered dessert, she had to shake her head. "If I eat anymore I think I'll explode."

He laughed at her comment. "How about some coffee?"

Christine shook her head. "No, but thank you."

Erik nodded and asked Jake for the check.

When Erik was done paying, Jake helped Christine out of her chair and they both walked to the entrance of the restaurant. Christine placed the rose in her messenger bag so she wouldn't forget it.

Erik called the valet and he left quickly to fetch the car.

Christine found that it was more cold outside than inside. Erik, she knew, noticed it too because he put his jacket on her shoulders.

Christine smiled at him. "Thank you."

Erik cleared his throat. "I hope you enjoyed tonight. The restaurant and everything else."

She nodded. "Yes, thank you. I did enjoy it."

Erik cleared his throat. "I hope that this isn't the last time I get to see you."

Christine looked at the ground, thinking. He had been a gentleman all through dinner. He kept his word all the awkward moments were not his fault. And she hated to admit it but there was a part of her that wanted to be with him again.

Christine smiled. "I'm sure it isn't."

Erik, she could see, was happy to hear the news. He smiled at her warmly and said, "Thank you, Christine. Do you need a ride home?"

"Actually, I do."

Erik smiled once more and led her to the Mercedes by placing a hand on the middle of her back. As she was about to get inside the car, she heard someone call out to them.

When they turned to the caller, Christine went blind.

That what it felt like, all she could see was bright white flashing everywhere. She could hear something clicking a lot. Christine placed her hand in front of her trying to block the lights, when she looked at Erik, he seemed pretty pissed about it.

Then someone stood in front of them and started pushing the white lights back. That was when she noticed what it was. The white lights were flashes from the cameras.

Lots and lots of cameras.

Some of them shouted different things, like "Erik, who's the girl?" or "Darling, could you please look over here?" Referring to Christine.

Christine ignored them all and got into the car quickly, followed by Erik. Erik wasted no time at all in getting out of there.

Christine glanced back, hopefully no one would follow.

No one did.

Christine turned back in her seat and let out a long sigh of relief. "They're not following."

Erik shook his head. "Damned paparazzi," he mumbled. "They won't. Jake will probably tell them a thing or two about respecting privacy." Erik looked at Christine. "He feels very strongly about that."

Christine chuckled a little. "Well, for a man who respects his privacy you certainly got into the wrong business."

Erik laughed at the fact too. "I suppose I did."

They rode in silence until they reached the apartment complex.

"Thank you for dinner, it was very lovely," Christine told him.

Erik smiled sadly.

She was about to get out but Erik took her hand. "Wait, Christine, I want to tell you something."

Christine turned towards him. "Yes, Erik?"

He took her hand in both of his and gently stroked it. "I just wanted to-to tell you something." He wouldn't look up at her.

Christine looked at him in confusion.

He nodded silently. "Back in the auditorium, when you heard the mob, you could have just left me there to die in the hands of the others but instead you helped me escape."

"Erik-"

"You could have listened to your childhood sweetheart, the love of your life, but you contradicted him and didn't listen to him. He wanted you to leave me there but you helped me."

"Oh, Erik-"

"What you said to me, I'll never forget it. I won't. You made sure I escaped so that I can make a new life for myself."

Christine nodded. "I did. I didn't want you to-" she couldn't finish what she was going to say.

He let her hand go and looked at her right in the eyes. "You saved my life Christine even after everything I had done to you. You made sure I got away to make new life. And I did. Here we are. New lives for the both of us. I just wanted to thank you. You have no ide-"

Christine placed a finger on lips to prevent him from talking. "There's no need to thank me, Erik." She smiled at him and spoke the truth. "I couldn't let anyone harm my Angel of Music."

He looked at her, smiling.

She smiled too and left with her belongings. When she was inside the apartment, she could see the car pull away before she shut the door.

Review Responses:
DaydreamingTurtle- I know what you mean, that's actually me in that part. I don't listen to the radio anymore. I just listen to Mozart and the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack and once in a while Eminem and that's when I need a good laugh. As far as the Erik being a rock star thing, the reason I chose rock music is because 1- I adore that music, and 2-its probably the only music that really lets you express real sadness, like the one Erik feels.
Arwen1604-I'm really glad that you like it. I don't know wabout the whole college consuming you thing because I still have one more year left of high school. --shudders thinking about starting college.
elvenwriter- You'll have to wait in order to find out if it is EC. Muahahaha.
Sorry to keep you all waiting, really. But I think that updating is going a little faster than i would like. But whatever, I do it for you guys! Thank you for the long and very cute reviews. (nudge, nudge) Reviews are cool!
Okay, stay tuned for chapter ten: Reprecussions
P.S.- I have decided that from now on I will update a chapter as soon as I get 10 reviews for that last one. (that's a little harsh, ouch, i know) okay okay, I won't.