A.N: Hey everyone! I really thank you for your reviews. I print them all out, and stick them in my story's notebook so all your sweet words can inspire me. And so, I have a treat for you. A sexy, seducing chapter. The one you've all been waiting for… . And please don't take the one dialogue thing about Erik/ Scary pairing. It just came out, and this fic needed some comedy.

Chapter Three: Erik le Fantome

The next morning Sarine woke up to find the cape covering her once again. She flung it back and jumped off the couch. She looked to her desk hopefully.

Instead of an opera, there was a note under the black-ribboned rose. Sarine walked over and picked up the note. The seal was blood red with a skull protruding. She broke the seal and pulled the letter out. She red the delicate handwriting quickly:

Ms. Sarine,

I hope this note has proven my presence to you. I will help you, but under a few conditions. I will state these conditions when I visit later today. And yes, I have indeed taken a liking to you. And your voice.

Your humble servant,

O. G.

Sarine's hands shook as she reread the note. What chilled her most were the references to her conversations with Amy.

Shakily, she turned and folded up the cape. Picking up the rose and note, she walked out of the office. From backstage she could hear the girls singing silly children's songs. She walked out and over to them.

"Amy? Can I talk to you privately for a moment?" Sarine asked.

Amy nodded and walked away from the group with Sarine. Silently Sarine handed Amy the note. Reading it, Amy's eyes widened.

"He's coming here?" Amy asked when she finished. "Wow….. I told you he liked you."

Sarine gave Amy a little shove and laughed. Then her face got serious.

"What should I do? What if I am unable to meet his conditions? Will we be cursed as Andre and Firmin were?" She asked.

Amy gave Sarine a hug, "You'll be fine. The Phantom never hurt anyone he's taken a liking to. I mean, look at Christine Daae. She's fine. Andre and Firmin just didn't strike the Phantom's fancy… I hope…"

Sarine gasped then laughed. She then looked around the opera house. Her eyes fell on the shattered chandelier.

"Amy," Sarine asked. "Can you do a few songs with the girls? I want to see what I can do with the chandelier."

"No problem, and have fun," Amy said sarcastically.

As Amy walked back to Tara and Rose, Sarine walked over to the shattered remains of the chandelier. Most of he pieces were broken into two or three pieces, but some were shattered completely and unfixable. She was about to go to the janitor's closet for glue when Rose called her name.

"Sarine! Please come over here!"

Sarine ran to the girls, "What? What is it?"

Amy turned all the girls away from the seats and huddled them closer together.

"We just saw someone in box five. They're still there," Amy explained. "I think it's him."

"Who?" Tara asked, frightened.

Sarine placed a hand on Tara's shoulder and looked towards box five. Sure enough, a silhouette of a man was in there.

"I will go and speak to him," Sarine said, and started to go.

"Wait," Amy said, lying a hand on Sarine's arm. "Want me to go with you?"

Sarine just shook her head and headed backstage. Walking quickly through the maze of hallways, she kept going until she emerged in the lobby. From there she took the steps to the upper level boxes. The door to box five was slightly ajar. Shaking, she grasped the handle and pulled slowly.

Inside the box, a man was sitting with his back to her. She tried to see his face, but he was very good at hiding it. When he turned to her, she let out a cry of surprise.

On this man's face was a mask that contrasted his black hair so sharply, yet complemented it perfectly. It covered the right half of his face, all the way down to his upper lip. He was dressed in all black, save for the bit of collar that stuck out and the mask. He seemed to have an air of importance around him, yet also an air of uncertainty.

When he stood up, Sarine gasped again. The man was a full head taller than she was, and very well built. But as menacing as his physical body was, he was ever so graceful as he took her hand in his and kissed the back of it gently, yet firmly. His striking green eyes never left hers, except when they closed as his lips pressed to her hand. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a rose with a black ribbon around it, and pressed it into the hand he still held.

"Can you guess why I only give one rose?" He asked, his deep voice enticing and his eyes locked on hers.

Sarine shook her head.

"I give one rose because it shows importance. A dozen shows the receiver that they are like eleven others. A solitary rose shows that the receiver that they are special. That they stand out from others," The masked man explained, looking down at the rose in her hand.

Sarine's eyes were mystified by his, until she snapped out of it and asked, "What's your name?"

A small laugh came from the man, "I go by many. The Phantom. Opera ghost. Sometimes I'm simply known as 'him'. But, if you wish to know, my birth name is Erik."

"Erik…" Sarine repeated, curtsying deeply. "I'm Sarine."

"I know. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you at last," Erik said, kissing her hand again.

"Um…" Sarine started as she became mystified again. Then she broke out of it. "I have your cloak downstairs if you require it."

Erik shook his head and took her hands with the tips of his fingers, as if he were afraid to touch her. When she didn't pull back, he wrapped his hands firmly around both of hers. In the middle was the rose, its black ribbon spilling over both their hands. Sarine looked to their hands, then back to Erik's face. As she opened her mouth to say something, they both heard Amy calling Sarine. Quickly Erik pulled his hands away, but Sarine could still feel the warmth where they had been. She looked away from him in time to see Amy coming up the stairwell.

"Um…" Amy started, wary of what to say. "The girls wish to speak with you, Sarine. Can you come downstairs?"

"Sure," Sarine said, taking Erik's hand to lead him downstairs.

She barely got a step before she was pulled to a stop. Turning to look at Erik, she saw he hadn't moved, only stared in disbelief at their intertwined hands. Sarine reached out and touched his face gently. He jumped at the feel of her fingers, and his eyes flew to hers.

"Come on. We have to go downstairs," Sarine said with a sweet smile.

She turned to walk, and this time he followed. She was talking to Amy, but her hand stayed in his. He wasn't watching their hands, nor the floor. He was watching her. The entire time they were walking, his eyes never left her. He didn't need to see where he was going, as long as she led him. He would follow her to the ends of the earth, simply because she touched his face. Not out of pity, not because she was being deceived. She did it because she simply wanted to. He squeezed her hand slightly tighter, barely noticeable. Sarine looked back and smiled.

And he fell in love.