The next three days seemed like an eternity. Kerri found herself spending more and more time with Erik, and less time with her family. Although she often went through phases like this, Raoul and Christine were always bothering her. She obliged them with dinners, and occasionally sitting in on Christine's gown fittings.

"You seem anxious, Kerri. Any reason why?" Christine stared at Kerri through her reflection in the mirror.

"No, not really. I guess the atmosphere is rubbing off on me. I want you to be happy."

Christine smiled.

"I am. I've been sleeping better, thanks to our little talk."

"Do you think you will sing again? Once the opera house is rebuilt?"

"Oh, I don't know… as much as I love it, I don't think it's in my future. Besides, that would be the last place Raoul would want to send me."

Kerri laughed.

"That is true."

"Kerri, I want to ask you something."

She stepped off her platform, motioning for the seamstress to leave. She knelt in front of where Kerri sat, the dress billowing out around her.

"You helped me so much last week, and I am eternally grateful. You are wise beyond your years. It would mean the world to me, and Raoul, if you would be my maid of honor."

Kerri had truly not expected the request. And it's not like she could say no…"

"Of course I will, Christine."

He face lit up.

"Wonderful! Raoul will be so happy to hear about this."

She immediately started taking off her dress, intending on telling him right away.

"We're having a rehearsal banquet next Saturday. You're not required to come, but I would love it if you could."

"Alright. I'll be sure to remember."

"Why must I love my brother?" I asked, flopping down into a chair in the corner of Erik's bedroom.

"I take it your day has not gone well."

"Not in the least. I'm Christine's maid of honor! Did I want to say yes? No!"

"But you did."

"And now I have to go to all of the rehearsals, and I have to be fitted for a dress, and now I am required to be at that stupid gala, and be social, and be flirty."

She sighed.

"I wish you could come with me."

"But I cannot."

"Maybe I'll just fake sick…no one would miss me."

"Your brother would miss you."

"You hate Raoul."

"If he noticed you were not in attendance, he would come looking for you."

"So we won't stay here."

"You must go, Kerri. Unfortunately, you have duties to fulfill."

Kerri rose, crossing the room, sitting on the vanity, leaning back against the mirror. She had chosen not to wear the mass amounts of petticoats her dress allotted for, so even though her feet were off the ground, the hem dragged.

"What are you writing?"

"And aria."

"I can see that. What is it about?"

"I don't know yet."

"You have to have some idea."

"Right now, I'm just writing whatever comes to me."

Kerri pulled him up, kissing him softly.

"I have to write." He groaned, placing his hands on her waist.

"So write. I am not stopping you." She giggled as he pulled her towards the mattress. She landed on top of him, and then rolled off.

I live through my dark existence
only to bask in your beauty
your eyes that shine like sapphires
your smile that brightens even my sad existence
I envy the wind that runs through your hair
that touches your lips
I long to touch you
to hold you in my arms but I cannot
for your heart belongs to another
so, I can only love you from afar
your friendship means more to me
than anything this world provides
but like an angel you touched my heart
in a way that I've never felt before
cause I've never known what love is until this day
I know that we are only friends
but my heart wishes it to be more
so I will still hope and dream
that one day I can feel your lips pressed to mine
to hold you in my arms and say, "I love you"

Kerri recited the poem from memory; it was by far her favorite.

"You captivate me with your words." Erik sighed.

"Then we have something in common."

Kerri closed her eyes, listening to the crickets chirp outside the window.

"Let's go riding." She proposed, sitting up.

"What?"

"Oh come on! It's a gorgeous night. There is a full moon, so we can see clearly."

"You do this often, don't you?" He asked, watching her tear the sheets from the bed and tie them together.

"I used to."

"What if someone sees us?"

"No one will see us. This is my side of the house." She tied one end to the bed post, trailing the other end out over the balcony railing.

"You expect me to climb down that?"

"Don't be such a girl! I do it all of the time."

"I'm also one hundred pounds heavier than you are."

"How do you know what I weigh?" She crossed her arms, raising her eyebrows. He did not answer.

"Exactly as I thought. Now, could you please untie me?" She turned around. He assumed she meant the stays in her dress. He did so, and she began slipping it off. He blushed, turning around quickly.

"You didn't have to turn around for that, you know." She stepped in front of him, wearing a pair of calfskin riding breeches and a loose shirt.

"And even if you did, you're facing a mirror."

She smiled.

"Come on. I'm assuming you know how to ride?"

"Of course."

"Good." She slid down the sheet, landing softly on her feet.

"Oh, bugger!" She exclaimed.

"What?"

"I forgot my riding boots." She looked down at her feet, and she was still wearing her ankle boots. She sighed.

"Oh well; I have an old pair in the barn."

Erik climbed down the sheet, landing next to her.

"The barn's this way." She pointed towards a cluster of trees.

As they neared, Erik could just make out a building. There were lights, but he did not detect any people.

"Everyone's asleep or at dinner." Kerri assured him, sliding the door open. A few horses nickered, but most of them were too busy eating. A cat circled their feet.

"Ok, so I'm riding Michael Angelo, so you can ride…." She searched the racks of bridles.

"Alexander." She smiled, handing him the leather.

"He's just there." She pointed to a grey Lipizzaner chowing down of feed.

"Lovely. I'm riding a pig." Erik mused.

"Now why can't I ride him?" He pleaded, seeing Kerri's horse; a black Fresian.

"Because I raised him, and he's a mean old cuss." She smiled, finding amusement in his sullen attitude.

Once mounted, their conversation continued.

"You don't ride side saddle?" Erik observed.

"Black sheep, remember?" Kerri chided. "Now, there's a tree, just over the hill. It's exactly a quarter of a mile. Last one to it walks home."

"Are you proposing a race?"

"Indeed I am."

"And what is the prize for winning?"

"Assuming you win, you can have whatever you want. But if I win…." She pretended to think.

"You have to sing."

"What?"

"I know you can; you were beautiful at the Opera House."

"Those were extreme circumstances."

"Should I make these extreme circumstances?"

"No." He sighed. "What would you have me sing?"

"Whatever you want." Kerri grinned.

"Ready….Go!"

Both horses took off, mud and half-melted snow flying out from beneath their hooves. There was no distinct leader…each pair had their moments.

As they rounded the hill, a hare darted across their paths, from one side of the forest to the other. Michael Angelo reared, and sent Kerri falling backwards. She hit the ground with a thud, conveniently in a spot where there was no snow.

Turning around, Erik almost jumped off his horse before it stopped moving.

"Are you alright?"

"Yep, I'm okay." She moaned.

"Why did I have to land in the only no-snow spot around?"

"You're sure you are okay? Nothing's broken?"

"No; although I'm pretty sure I landed on a rock…" She reached under her lower back and produced the stone.

"Yep, here it is. I'll have a bruise."

Erik was kneeling next to her, somewhat leaning over her. Her chest was heaving, her hair was a mess, and she could very possibly have just died. God, she's beautiful, Erik thought.

"I'm all wet." She pouted. He brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, kissing her forehead.

"Let's call it a draw." He murmured. She shook her head.

"No. You were ahead, so you win."

"You want me to win?"

"I want you to get what you deserve. You were ahead, so you win."

"Then as my prize, we're saying it's a draw."

He pulled her to her feet. She swayed, but did not fall.

"You're too much of a gentleman for me. In fact, for what you've been through, you are an amazingly civil person."

"Alright, then as an amazingly civil person, I'm going to tell you that you should probably be quiet now, because you've hit your head, and you'll start saying things you'll regret."

"See? Again, you're the gentleman. I have no idea what Christine saw in Raoul to leave you."

"You've known me for three weeks. You should not say such things."

"Oh shh." She waved him off as he picked her up.

"Will they follow us?" Erik motioned to the horses.

"Yes." She paused, and then continued her speech.

"Time has no meaning, Erik. Two people can know each other for twenty years and not have the connection a couple of twenty days has. I know you, whether you like it or not."

"You think you do."

"No, I do. I'm sure of it. I read over that opera after I found you; you were meant to be Don Juan. You created the part in your image. Who could blame you?"

"This would be a good time to be quiet, Kerri."

"I'll shut up when I'm dead." She protested. "You know, there is an English proverb that I think applies to you." She murmured, shielding her eyes from the barn light in his shoulder.

"And what does it say?" He slowly untacked both horses single handed, leaving the stuff outside the appropriate stalls.

"A good man in an evil society seems the greatest villain of all."

"How do we get back into the house?" He slid the door shut behind them, and began walking towards the house.

"Knock on that window." She pointed. Delia answered. She didn't ask questions.

"No changing the subject. That's quite rude." Kerri continued on, oblivious to the fact that she was in fact very loud.

"It's better than using physical force to keep you quiet."

"You couldn't hurt me if you wanted to." She snorted.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"You're afraid that I'll still like you."

"And why on earth would that frighten me?"

"Because then you would have to admit that you're worth loving."

Erik was astounded at her accuracy, as much as he didn't want to admit it. The thought of her leaving scared him, but the thought of her staying absolutely terrified him.

Delia led him through most of the servant's corridors, right into her bedroom. He had never actually been into her room, but he didn't waste time marveling. She had fallen asleep at some point during the trip.

He placed her under the covers, and she immediately balled up under the comforter, hugging her pillow. She reminded him of a little girl.

Erik left as silently as he had come, retiring into his head for the night.

Kerri awoke suddenly with a splitting headache. She found a glass of water and some aspirin next to her head on the table, and she gratefully took it. It was still dark out; what time was it? Her grandfather's time piece said midnight.

The headache made her tired, but her bed seemed uncomfortable. It was too hot under the blanket, but without it, the room was freezing!

Since it was only midnight, Kerri came up with the idea to visit Erik. Those visits always seemed to wear her out.

So of course he was sleeping. There were candles still lit, so one by one, she blew them out. She watched Erik sleep, wondering what he dreamt about. His chest rose and fell evenly, and as she made her way around the room, she caught glimpses of white scars running every which way across his shoulders and back. She'd seen them before, on black slaves being unloaded at the docks from Africa. She had been young then, so she didn't really understand. But she had never seen them up close.

They made her sad, a kind of sadness that made her chest hurt.

She blew out the last candle and looked at him again. Could she spend the rest of her life with him? Yes. But it would be hard to just disappear. She was a pretty girl, and her mother was planning her eighteenth birthday party, which would double as her debutante ball. And although it was perfectly acceptable to be presented single, her mother wanted Kerri to be engaged before the ball, seven months away. But would she still try?

Damn straight.

She climbed under the covers next to him, pressing her body to his. She thought about what he had said earlier; had he only been in her life for three weeks? It felt like much longer. Not that it was a bad thing; she just connected with him on a very deep level. Did he feel the same way? She hoped so.