Author's Note- Jen once again my fans. bows with flourish And Erik as well! drags Erik away from his organ It's that time!

Erik- Noooo!

Jen- oooh yes! And, to my reviewers:

ErikandChritine- Thanks for your support! I appreciate it a lot! And, I would love to talk! My AIM SN is IthilienRanger17. And, Erik has something to say! pokes Erik

Erik - Hi. Thanks for reviewing. smiles, then turns back to organ muttering to self

Jen- Don't worry about him…he is still upset over the whole contract ordeal…

Shadow-Sun- Thanks for reviewing! And, here is an update!

Chapter 8

The Production from Hell

Jen sighed and looked up, beyond the stage and at the catwalks above it. Tonight was the night. Erik had taken her and Gabby through the Opera with him for an hour, making sure everything was set. Jen snickered to herself, thinking of the trick they had for Carlotta. Erik had found extreme enjoyment in planning the Prima Donna's downfall. All for Christine, Jen thought, frowning softly. She sighed. Erik wouldn't look at her as more than a friend, she was sure of it. He was like her in the obsessive aspect. Jen laughed at herself, acting like a love struck phangirl. It was quite odd, even for her. A little distance away, she saw Gabby, trying not to flirt with her fellow cellist, a man named Joseph Rowely. She had yet to meet him. A few feet away, she saw Edward, the other percussionist, preparing for the Opera. Jen knew she should be doing the same, but didn't want too. She knew what was to happen later. She would find her way to the rooftop, along with le Fantom, and try to comfort her teacher, student, and friend. Not that her presence would help much- it never seemed to.

The percussionist was shaken from her thoughts when Monsieur Reyer tapped his baton on his stand, calling the Orchestra to attention. Jen had to admit, she liked the Maestro. He was patient, to a point, and not overbearing. Very different from the music directors she knew in high school. The audience grew silent as the music began. On the stage, Carlotta was making her typical, pitiful attempts at singing. The screeching soprano's voice caused Jen to cringe, and she waited for the inevitable. As they made it to act 2 of the Opera, Carlotta began singing "Poor Fool He Makes Me Laugh" and Jen waited for the resonant voice of le Fantom. She eagerly looked up, as she wasn't playing anything, and saw a dark figure moving about, partially hidden by the chandelier. She smiled and motioned to Gabby with her eyes. The cellist also looked up, still playing, her bow never missing a note. The cellist grinned, and the expected voice rang through the theater. "Did I not command that box five was to be kept empty." Erik said, forcefully. The last word was a hiss. Jen shuddered, and knew what he was about to do. Audience members babbled nervously, and Erik's dark, cloaked form disappeared. Moments later, as Jen was expecting, the lifeless form of Joseph Bouquet was hanging from the rafters, Erik's Punjab around his neck. Jen closed her eyes, and nodded to Gabby. In the madness, the twosome left, Jen running to one of the tunnels Erik had showed them that lead to the roof, Gabby running off somewhere Jen wasn't sure of. Slowly and carefully the percussionist searched for the entrance, knowing that she could not run into Christine and the fop. She smiled tightly as she thought of the mushy interaction between the two. Perhaps, she thought, perhaps tonight would be the night she would turn Erik's attention from his 'angel of music.' Not likely, but perhaps.

The tunnel seemed to go on forever, and Jen was beginning to think she was never going to find the exit. Right as she was about to turn back, however, she ran, literally, into the door. "Ouch…" she muttered, rubbing her nose. Then, Jen remembered what she had to do, and pushed the door open. It took a considerable amount of strength- she guessed that it hadn't been opened for a long while. The percussionist grunted and threw herself against it, and it swung out, causing her to fall flat on her face into a snow drift. She muttered some curses under her breath, then stood and brushed the snow off.

Slowly, she made her way around the roof, looking. Christine and Raoul came into view, and she became cautious. Then she saw him, just a flash of black behind one of the statues. Jen slowly made her way to him, and saw Gabby emerge from another door, one behind Erik. Erik paid no attention to him, to lost in the heart-wrenching song the lovers were singing. As they finished, he looked like an animal that had been broken. His will to live seemed to have disappeared. "I gave you my music, made you song take wing…" he sang, to himself. "And now, how you've repaid me…denied me and betrayed me…"

Jen placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort her companion, and Gabby bowed her head in silence. Erik ignored them both, rage growing within him. Tears of sorrow became tears of hate, and he was shaking violently by the time he finished. He tore his shoulder from Jen's grasp, and ran to one of the statues, an animal-like snarl on his face. The powerful voice of the Phantom echoed on the stones around them. He was pissed, Jen thought, and he needed friends to help. She stood and watched for a few moments, then nodded to Gabby. The twosome walked to Erik, and Jen put a hand on his shoulder. The man turned quickly, glaring daggers at her. "Its just me, Erik." She told him, matching his stare. "She left me." He hissed. Both Jen and Gabby could tell he wanted to Punjab someone. Hopefully, they wouldn't be the victims.

"I saw."

"She betrayed me." Gabby nodded sadly. "For that…that fop!" he raged. A wild light danced in his eyes. "We are here, Erik." Jen said softly, turning his head to look at her. "We will help you."

"You will help me? With what?" he seemed strangely amused. "Help me get Christine?" Jen wanted to yell now, but didn't. Gabby nodded. "Sure, why not." She said, smiling. Erik's mood seemed to lighten a bit. "Why?"

"We are your friends." Jen said, though she would rather get Christine to leave Erik and take him for herself. She would go with the plan though, to show she cared. "Even though you have seen who I am? Though you have seen me, this repulsive beast of self-loathing?" Jen nodded. "I don't care what your face looks like, mon cher fantom, because, truth be told, it isn't that bad." Erik gave her a strange look, and she grinned.

"Wait…you saw him without his mask?" Gabby asked. It was her turn to give them strange looks. Jen and Erik nodded. A sly smile appeared on Gabby's face. "Really now…and you said nothing was going on…"

"Nothing is going on." Jen said. Here we go again, she thought. Erik nodded. "Nothing…" he added, unsure what they were talking about, but he thought that he needed to add that. Gabby gave them disbelieving looks. "Then, why did Erik take his mask off?" she asked smoothly. Jen glared. "He didn't. I pushed him in the lake, for fun, and it fell off when he fell."

"Is this true, monsieur Fantom?" Gabby asked, looking at Erik expectantly. He nodded. "Yes." Gabby looked back and forth between them, and Jen gave an irritated sigh. This was not at all how tonight should have been. "Can we go inside and puzzle this out?" the percussionist asked at last, fully annoyed. Erik and Gabby both jumped at her voice, they had been in silence for so long. The two nodded, and Jen stalked over to the door and went in, Gabby following, and Erik shutting it as soon as he was inside. The warmth of the hallway flooded through them, and Jen was suddenly hot. She walked down the dark corridor, and soon the threesome found themselves in Erik's lair. "Now, let's all sit down, and talk about what we are going to do about Christine." Jen said, pulling a seat out for herself. She smiled a secretive smile across the table at her companions. "Let's start."

Author's Note- Weeee….what surprises are in store for Christine? I don't know…but I feel for Erik…he needs a hug in that scene…

Erik- no I don't!

Jen- yeah, you do…

Erik- I do not! Get away from me you crazed phan!

Jen- succeeds in hugging Erik See that wasn't so bad?

Erik- shudder

Jen- well, check in tomorrow for the next update. Until then, please review! They make me happy…and give me stuff to type at the top of the page!