They probably would have stood there for eons, just staring. Grey eyes meeting glowing ones, except the laughter and chatter of half a dozen ballet rats and stampeding women chasers stampeded past outside the dressing room door woke them from their staring contest.

Erik jerked back instinctively, pulling back into the shadows,

"We need to go," he muttered,

"Agreed," Adriana replied softly, her eyes searching the shadows for his long form. A hand snaked out from the darkness, and she quickly took his hand before Erik changed his mind.

Without a word he led her back to his hideaway, barely even glancing at her as she hurried to keep up with him. He almost wanted to laugh with the irony of it all. He had given his heart and soul to an angelic brunette soprano, and instead he found himself with a blonde alto who seemed to be under the control of a masked green spectre.

A spectre who had kissed him...

Erik paused at the doorway (or cave crag) of his new home and looked at Adriana thoughtfully, she was almost identical to the Authoress, slightly more dramatic really, and warmer, though that may be from running down the passageways with him. Adriana stared back at him, still clutching the embroidered cloth bag. "What?" her plump lips moved gently, as her chest rose and fell within her strapless dress. Erik shook his head to clear his improper thoughts.

"Nothing," he replied shortly, standing back to allow her entrance, she stepped past him, leaving a mist of woody, spicy perfume.

"What's in the bag?" he asked instead, she shrugged, taking her previous seat.

"CD player, CD's lipgloss, notebook, pen, random things of a strange nature."

"What are CD's" Erik asked, dropping onto his own chair, and deciding to leave the more difficult questions for the morning. "You mentioned them before,"

"Um..." Adriana flicked open the player, wondering how to explain modern technology to someone who had only just been introduced to electricity. A round disc sat inside, emblazoned with a gold tree on a brown background. "I might have known," she laughed.

"Known what?" Erik asked, leaning forward in curiosity, Adriana stood and slipped round padded earphones over Erik's ears, he jerked back in surprise, "What are you doing?" he asked, she pressed a button,

"Just listen Erik." She replied.

Erik sat back in wonder as a glorious symphony echoed through his ears. "What is this?" he asked, closing his eyes.

"Lord of the Rings, Return of the King" Adriana answered, settling on the floor beside him, "I thought it might appeal to you." He opened his eyes and looked down at her.

"You'll ruin your dress by doing that." He told her, she shrugged.

"I don't have anything else with me," she replied.

"I shall attend to that soon," Erik noted, half to himself as "Fields of Pelennor" came over the earphones.

"Alright,"

Adriana placed the discman in his lap, "Don't pull it apart or touch anything," she warned. Erik nodded in bliss as the violins came to the front. With a final adoring look at the Phantom, Adriana slipped off her shoes and curled up on her couch. "Goodnight," she murmured softly.

Adriana woke when a long hand shook her gently, "Adriana," Erik called softly, "You must wake,"

Adriana opened her eyes, "Hmm?"

Erik stood over her, dressed in his impeccable finery, she looked down at herself and saw that she was covered in a dark cloak, which Erik lifted from her shoulders.

"I must go," he told her, "There are things I must get for both you and I."

"Such as?" Adriana murmured, still half asleep.

"Clothes, for one thing," Erik replied, "And I do not intend to remain in this dark hellhole for the rest of my life, we will be moving back to my former quarters immediately as I get back."

Adriana's eyes it up, "Great!" she looked down at her dress, now successfully crumpled and sighed, "Er, do you need any help, I can come but," she gestured helplessly at herself, "Well, you get the general idea."

Erik laughed, "No mademoiselle, I think one strange ghost is enough for Paris, don't you?"

"Oh., I don't know about that," she answered roguishly, turning on her stomach to look up at him, resting her chin on her arms. "I'd say I do fairly well to scare people."

Erik chuckled, then straightened, "I'll be back soon enough," he assured her, he turned to go, then paused,

"Is there anything in particular you would prefer, mademoiselle?" he asked silkily, "Some fashion or colour perhaps?"

Adriana tapped her chin thoughtfully with her gloved fingers, "Not that I can think of…" she trailed off, "Oh wait! No pink!"

"No pink?" Erik repeated, amused,

"Pale pink, or white or yellow either, other than that, go for your life."

Erik shook his head at her strange use of language, and disappeared down the corridors.