Disclaimer: I don't own anything Phantom. I own my characters.

Sam

Chapter 12 – Captivated

"Erik, could you please play something for us?" Kayla asked.

He sighed and glanced at the enormous organ.

"I haven't played this for three years… I doubt I remember how."

"But you put the whole thing back together," I said. "You must have played a little, to see if it works."

"And… wait a minute. Don't lie to us!" Josie jumped up.

Erik rose, looking startled but intimidating at the same time.

"What are you saying, mademoiselle?" he growled.

"You remember it perfectly!"

"What?"

"Don't play stupid," she persisted. "We heard you playing when we got here!"

"Erik, don't you get it?" Kayla asked. "We don't want you to play just anything."

"You want me to play that?" he asked in disbelief. "Why?"

Kayla could have collapsed in frustration. If I were her, I probably would have. I didn't think he would be this dense.

"It's the most beautiful song I've ever heard, and that is saying something!" she declared. "I've heard it instrumental, just piano and strings, very beautiful; I've heard it sung in English, and I've heard it sung in French."

I looked over at Kayla. Her eyes had a sort of alert-but-somehow-dreamy look in them.

Erik stared back at her. "I don't want to know quite yet how you came upon that, but how shall I play it?"

"English," we all decided at once.

He sighed, retreating to the bench again.

Josie sank back to the floor; Kendall was absentmindedly scratching Ayesha's ears.

Kayla's face lit up at the first hint of the introduction, and Erik's smooth voice carried us all into fantasy-land.

You all know how Music of the Night goes (I hope), therefore I am spared the trouble of copying down the lyrics.

I've seen the movie and Kayla has (on occasion) forced me to listen to the London recording, but nothing – I repeat – NOTHING – could compare to Erik's voice. He was Gerard Butler and Michael Crawford added together. It was amazing, to hear him sing that melody which all phangirls repeat in their minds before they go to bed. (Well, some of them.) I'm not sure when I drifted off to sleep, but I think his voice followed me into dreams as well; comforting and captivating.

I remember being lifted up and laid on really soft sheets, and the next thing I knew…

"Erik! Are you out there?"

"Whaz goin on?" I slurred sleepily, twisting around to see the others.

Kendall came into my blurred focus first. "The door's locked."

I yawned. "Well, somebody unlock it so we can get out. I have to pee."

I vaguely caught a Look from Kayla. "You numbskull, if I could unlock it, don't you think I would?"

"Dunno."

She turned back to the door and yelled, "Erik, are you anywhere in the vicinity?"

A voice above me made me leap out of the bed. "Yes."

The others spun around. "Stop playing games and let us out!" Josie yelled.

"Afraid not."

"Why?"

"Why do you think?"

"I've read enough fanfics to say that you think we'll run off and tell people all about you," said Kayla. "Is that it?"

No answer.

"Fine!" she yelled. "Be that way! But… Erik?"

"Yes?"

"We have to… go."

"Are there no chamber pots in your time? They have a purpose besides sitting under your bed, you know."

I pulled a face. "Ew, that's gross! Why can't we come out?"

"I have a reputation to uphold, do I not? You are my captives."

"I don't think so, Monsieur le Fantôme." Josie muttered, taking a pin from her hair.

"Girl, you rock!" Kayla exclaimed, slapping her a high-five. We could hear the organ playing in the main room, but our attention was focused on Josie's attempts with the door. In a moment –

"Ch-ching," Josie whispered, hearing a quiet click. "Now, shall we go haunt the Opera Ghost?"

"Do you want to make him mad again?" I asked.

"Nah… we'll just impress him with our superior feminine intellect," she replied, grinning. Kendall and I laughed, and we snuck out the door.

Okay, I was going for 'Captivated' in two senses of the word, hope you caught that. If not, I'm telling you now: they were obviously in love with the song (i.e., captivated), and then they were his hint hint captives. Yeah, I'm writing this at like 11 PM, so sorry if it seems like I'm out of it or w/e. Enjoy!