Charter Mage Z- Hehe. All of my characters tend to have mental and emotional issues. Jonathan is just stupid, let's hope he doesn't kill any apes along the way! Hehe.

Nerdalicious- Hehe I love this nick name, I can't remember how we came up with it. No I did not write the song at the end. Technically it's not a song as I told you at school. Christian just seemed like a gay man. I don't know why. But I like him. Yes it's not as if you don't already know what is going to happen, since I tell you before I write it. I'm not sure what Michael and Christian were doing, and I don't think I want to know.

Ch 7. Why you don't lie to your heart

Christian knocked upon Emma's front door.

"Just a minute!" called a cheery voice from with in.

Emma opened the door; she smiled at him and told him to come into the house.

"You're in a good mood today." Christian said.

"Of course I am we had a successful opening night, how could I not be happy." She said.

It had been months since the night that Emma had fought with her parents and Aric told her to let go. For those who knew what had happened, it seemed as thought she had let go. Left her past behind, she never stayed at the opera house anymore, always knew her lines, and seemed to be increasingly happy as the days went by. Emma and her mother never seemed to fight any longer.

"What may I ask is the occasion to which I was so eagerly invited to?" Christian inquired.

"You will see so enough." Emma giggled with delight.

Emma and Christian entered into the dinning room that was filled with bright lights, laughter and the strong aromas of a wonderful dinner. As they passed through the room, people would stop them and talk a short while, and then be on there way.

As the feast progressed Emma seemed to get happier and happier. The clinking of a glass filled the air, after everyone had had their fill of food. Emma and Jonathan Hawker stood together, there arms were locked.

"Everyone, everyone, can we get your attention please!" Jonathan called.

Gradually the room became silent, and everyone sat silently waiting to hear what he had to say.

"Miss Emma and I have an announcement to make. We are getting married!" Jonathan said delightedly.

"Oh, but not for a few more years, I cannot marry until I am 20 years old. I am now 17. We will marry in 3 years." Emma had a smile on her face that Christian had not seen before, it showed true happiness, but that smile never made it to her eyes, he knew that she was not truly happy with this choice but she didn't have one. She was a good actress though, everyone including the groom seemed to be fooled by her mask, but Christian wasn't.

Everyone on the room cheered and was very excited, talk filled the room with the to be bride and groom, the wedding and everything else that could be imagined.

Christian ignored all of the comments made to him, and the glances of Emma. How could she do this to herself, Christian hated what Aric did to Emma, but he could hate him for the fact that he left, if he saw her now, Christian knew that he wouldn't be merciful. Christian couldn't hate Emma no matter how much he wanted to.

Emma and Jonathan sat back down. Emma showed the signs of happiness; Christian let it go he wouldn't interfere any longer.

Later that night when all the guests were leaving, Christian tried to bid Emma goodbye.

"Thank you Emma for a wonderful night. I will see you soon." He said quietly avoiding her gaze.

"Waite Christian, I want to talk to you." Emma said. "Jonathan, would you excuse us please?"

Jonathan nodded his head in agreement.

Emma led Christian into a room. And shut the door.

"Are you ok with me marrying Jonathan?" Emma asked.

"What reason would I have not to be ok with it?" He said.

"You won't look at me, and you have barely said a word at all tonight." She explained as if he really needed it to be explained to him.

"It's not my life you're throwing away." He said quietly.

"What the hell do you want me to do about it!" She asked.

"I don't know. I know what I would do about it. I would not be marrying someone that I hate, and looking for the one person that I love." He said standing up.

"I can't, he told me to let him go. My parents would hate me forever." She whispered.

"You're more concerned with what your parents want of you than what your heart wants!" Christian said, "I don't care what you do with your life, do what you want, just leave me out of it."

He turned around in his chair. He couldn't bear to look at the girl who had something amazing, and just threw it away.

"Christian, what choice do I have?" Emma whispered.

"You have so many choices Emma, but it seems to me that you can't choose the right one." Christian replied. "You can't even see them there in front of you."

Emma knew Christian was right.

"I don't care that you marry Jonathan, just don't expect me to be there for you" Christian said coldly and stormed out of the room.

On his way out he ran into Emma's parents.

"Are you leavening Christian?" They asked.

"How could you let Emma do this? Are you both that selfish, that you will force her to marry someone she despises?" Christian sneered.

"You have no idea why she is marrying Jonathan." Raoul said.

"Maybe I don't, but what I do know is that Emma could have been happy. But you could not let her have it, could you?" Christian yelled and left the house, he had no plans of returning to that place anytime soon.

X

Emma sat on her bed a cried. Not at her dearest friends words but the truth behind them. It was true that she did not love Jonathan. But there was nothing to be said or done. Aric was gone. She did not know where. She found no point in looking for him; he wouldn't come back to her that much she knew.

For the next few days, she moped about in her room, she wouldn't eat nor sleep. This sudden change in behavior worried her parents. They begged her to come out, they coxed her with everything they could think of, the more the thing they coxed her with was dear to her, the more sad and depressed she became. They eventually gave up all hope of her ever coming out of this strange state of depression; they knew that it had something to do with what happened with Christian on the night of the party.

X

Christian was upset as well. Michael could do nothing to cheer him up again. Michael could not sit back and watch while his best friend and his lover wither away.

Michael decided that he had to do something. He packed a picnic lunch and dress in his best. He took a carriage to his destination. Once he arrived he got out and quietly walked up to a window. He peered in and saw Emma. She looked awful. It appeared to him that she had not slept at all. Her hair was all matted; her body was frail and small. Her face was dirty except for the path way of her river of tears. She had no color to her at all, she looked sick and helpless. He taped on the window until she looked over and saw him. At first she didn't move then decided to let him in.

She pulled the window up with what little strength she had left. Michael climbed in and sat the basket on the floor.

"Emma! My god!" Michael whispered.

A new stream of tears began and Michael had to catch her from falling, he laid her on her bed. He held her in his arms and let her cry.

"It hurts so bad Michael." Emma whispered through her tears.

"What hurts Emma?" He asked her.

"Here." she patted her heart. "I love him so much it hurts. But he won't ever know."

"Jonathan?" He questioned.

"No, Aric. He's gone. Christian hates me, because in my desperation, said yes to Jonathan. I'm trapped in my own lies."

"Oh Emma, you will get through this. I won't let you marry Jonathan, he's a horrid man." Michael said. "Do you want to come with me for a picnic in the park?"

"What about Christian?" she asked slowly sitting up.

"I'll deal with him later; right now I want to spend time with you. But we can't leave with you looking like that." He smiled. Emma smiled to.

Michael helped Emma get dressed and cleaned up. After they had finished she looked beautiful again, except that she still looked frail. He led her through the window, so her parents would not know and into the carriage. He led her to a special place in the park were they were alone. Michael had to help her walk since it had been so long since she had eaten, or slept. She ate until she could not eat anymore. After she had finished she looked whole again. She lay down and stared at the sky.

"The day is so wonderful. Thank you for bringing me here Michael…" she faded into a deep sleep that she needed so much.

She opened her eyes and Aric was asleep next to her, she was in his arms, the memory of his body against hers came flooding back to her. She could feel his warm breath against her neck; it felt so good, he wasn't wearing his mask anymore, his perfect tan face, looked angelic in the sunlight. His eyes twitched as he slept, she wondered what he was dreaming of.

Emma reached out to touch him, but held back at first afraid that if she touched him then he would disappear. When her finger tips met his cheek nothing happened, she lay her whole had upon his face, she rubbed her thumb up and down just below his right eye, the place were his skin could have been marred, but he wasn't the phantom, he was an angel. Aric slowly opened his eyes and looked into Emma's. He smiled at her.

"Emma" he said to her.

"Aric." She said to him.

He leaned into her and came so close, his breath hit Emma's lips in soft even patterns, she closed her eyes, and she loved him so much she couldn't take it. He was taunting her. A low soft groan came from her lips; Aric's lips touched her cheek, and slowly made their way to her lips. He passionately kissed her deeper and deeper, he made his way down her neck and back up again. Emma ached for him to never stop.

He rolled her over so that he was on top of her, she opened her eyes to see him, but he wasn't there, she was in her room, alone.

"A dream, that's all it was, nothing more…" she thought.

It did make her a little sad that her moment of passion with the one she loved wasn't real, but not to much.

Michael had left her a note on her night stand.

Emma,

I hope that you feel much better now. I brought you back home, since you were a sleep, and it would have been dark before you awoke. When ever you wake, please come to Christians. He doesn't want you to be sad anymore, neither do I.

Love,

Michael.

Emma quickly dressed and left her room.

"Emma is that you?" her father called.

"Yes father, it's me!" she replied.

"oh Emma, I', so glad that you are back again. What brought you out of your depression?" he asked her.

"A dream and a friend. I'm going to Christians. I'll be back soon." She told him and then left.

X

Michael opened the door for Emma and led her to were Christian sat in his pajamas. Once they laid eyes upon the other they ran to each other and hugged. Emma began to cry.

"I'm sorry Christian." She sobbed.

"No Emma, I'm sorry." He said trying to hold back his tears.

"I don't know what to do."

"Shh…. Don't talk now. Well figure this out." Christian said and sat down with her.

Emma continued to sob into Christian shoulder. Christian rocked her back and forth to calm her down. Michael stood in the door way and watched them, and then left them to solve their problems.

"It hurts Christian." She whispered

"I know Emma, I know."

"I dreamed about him. It was to perfect to describe." Emma said.

"I won't let you marry Jonathan. I don't know what to do yet, but well figure it out somehow." He thought.

A/N: I wasn't sure about how to end this chapter, so I kind of just ended it. Hope it works. R&R! I can't wait to post the rest of this yet!