Ch 3♪

As the night grew darker, Anna soon grew restless. Anna had been lying down for hours on end it seemed, for Anna was not one who needed much sleep. Erik's assistant, M. Winslet, had shown Anna to her room hours ago, and now she was extremely bored and extremely lonely. Without thinking of how she was dressed Anna got up out of bed and made for Erik's library.

Anna had been wearing a black corset that had black lace coming down from where it cut off at her hips. Besides the fact that Anna could not sleep, her corset had not made it any easier. Anna walked through the house peering into each room as she went along. They were all beautiful, many paintings, most to Anna's approval. As Anna reached the library she made one quick glance back to make sure that she was not being followed, she did not need anyone seeing her dressed as she was. The thought of how she was dressed just dawning on her.

When she entered the library she had felt a cold chill, but she knew sleep would never come so she walked in. The library looked as if it had been recently occupied for there were a few candles lit and book left open upon Erik's desk. Anna looked as Erik's vast collection of novels, but none to Anna's liking. She made her way to Erik's desk finding a few pieces of sheet music. There were tons of tiny music notes all over the pages.

"This must be his work." Anna whispered to herself.

She wished so much to know what it sounded like, for Anna had no clue because she herself could not read music. But Anna had no doubt that it was beautiful.

Erik had heard someone coming from the hallway and hid in his usual place behind the largely oversized mirror. He was filled with extreme joy upon realizing it was Anna. There were times where he had enjoyed watching Christine behind her mirror. He had just taken joy in watching her do simple things such as brushing her hair or draw pictures for him. He had felt apart of her world as he watched her, although he was never actually in it, a part of him felt included.

As he hid, behind the mirror, Erik could not think of anything other than how beautiful Anna looked. Her long waves came down to her back, oh how he wished to be those waves touching her back. Anna held some similarities to Christine such as her hair and the way it was curled, but Anna's was a lighter brown than Christine's and although they had both experienced what it was to lose a parent, Anna was a much stronger soul than Christine. Anna had still been lost but she was still none the less stronger.

Her skin, the color of ivory, seemed softer than a new baby's. Erik wished so much to be able to just touch her, to feel what her skin felt like beneath his touch. Yes, Erik desired her in so many ways but he knew that it was all too soon for that and quickly diminished the thoughts running through his mind.

He looked at Anna and could immediately see the lost child behind those big brown eyes. In Christine, Erik related to her sense of weakness and the pain of losing someone she loved dearly. But with Anna, he related to her feelings of abandonment, her feelings of having been alone from the very beginning of her life. Christine had been abandoned, but she at least had some time in her short life to experience her father's love. Anna had not ever known her mothers love. Erik knew that Madam Burbon was Anna's adoptive mother, so he understood that Anna's birth mother had given her up.

But the main thing Erik felt more than anything with Anna was the emptiness he saw each time he looked into her eyes. It was the same emptiness that he himself felt.

Anna had still been looking at music for the last few minuets when she suddenly felt a hand rest upon her shoulder. Having been so frightened Anna shot up like dart almost about to scream until she saw Erik's amused expression.

"What are you doing?" Erik asked her lightly, knowing how deeply he had frightened her.

"Erik." Anna said trying to breathe normal once more. "You scared me." Anna said still breathing unevenly. "I just found this here and I could not sleep so I decided to come down here and have a look. Besides…" Anna said her breathing returning to a normal pace. "I cannot read music so I do not even have a clue to what it all means."

Erik was still laughing inside at her explanation to everything. He really did intimidate her.

"Anna stop." Erik began a smiling forming on his face. "It is fine. I am not angry with you." He said seeing the look of relief enter Anna's eyes.

Both became silent not knowing what to say to each other. It was Anna who broke the silence.

"So what are you doing up so late?" Anna asked Erik his eyes piecing right through her again.

"What are you doing up this late?" Erik asked playfully.

Anna could sense he was doing this on purpose. He was defiantly finding amusement in this, for he knew he intimidated her. Anna decided to answer him first.

"I suppose I just do not need a great amount of sleep." Anna began happily. "And when I do try to sleep, I can never really get to that dreamlike place."

Now it was Erik's turn to answer.

"It is not that I cannot sleep I just choose not to." He told her, placing his hand to stroke her cheek. "I suppose I do not require much sleep either."

Anna turned back to the desk looking once again at the sheet music lying in front of her. "Erik, why do you not try to compose professionally?" Anna asked him with genuine interest.

"Mademoiselle Peré the world is just simply not ready for my music" Erik told her chuckling to himself.

Anna stared back at him not really knowing what to think. "Or is it that you are just not ready to share your music with the world." She retorted back sarcastically.

"My dear you have never heard any of my compositions." Erik said readying for there little competition. "For all you know what you hold could be awful."

"It would not be awful." Anna argued back, making it apparent to Erik that she was no longer intimidated by him.

Erik just laughed to himself. He could see the fire in her eyes, the flames of her determination.

"How would you know that my music is any good?" He asked her wanting to see what she would say next.

"I know…" Anna said pausing before continuing. "Because I heard, quite clearly I might add the music you played earlier this evening for me." Anna said smiling knowing she had won this battle. "It was really beautiful." She told him as she rubbed her hand over his arm.

"As was your voice." Erik said, as she quickly frowned, not appreciating his defeat over her.

"M. Vicomte, why do you toy with me?" Anna asked him, showing her frustration with him.

He just laughed. "I would never do such a thing Anna." Anna quickly stood up.

"You are doing it now." She told him.

Erik remained seated enjoying her annoyance with him. "Am I?"

In her rush to leave earlier that evening Anna had completely forgotten to mention to her mother that she was to be accepting the invitation, to the Vicomte de Destler's estate. Needless to say after finding out that her only daughter was in the company of a man no one knew Madam Burbon was hysterical.

"What the hell do you mean she will not be back tonight?" Madam Burbon screamed at the managers. "Only God knows what will happen to her if she stays there overnight." She kept on.

"Katherine please stop worrying." Gustav told her, hoping that his words would calm her. "The man is a Vicomte and he has assured us that nothing inappropriate will happen and that he is only keeping her there overnight to keep her out of harms way of the storm."

Both managers were still being glared at with the most evil of glares.

"Explain to me again why she is not coming back tonight I need to hear it again." Madam Burbon stated trying her best to remain calm.

"Vicomte de Destler said he is not permitting her return in the current condition of the weather." Michel said hoping she would be satisfied.

"Michel when is she returning?" She asked them still very upset.

The two managers immediately smiled at her, clearly nervous. "Katherine we are not quite sure." Gustav said knowing they were done in for.

"WHAT." Madam Burbon screamed. "You two better know when she is returning." She said through gritted teeth.

"I am very sorry Katherine but we do not know for sure just please try not to worry." Gustav said feeling very responsible.

"Try not to worry." Madam Burbon repeated. "Try not to worry; you two are the biggest imbeciles that I have ever come across." She screamed again. "How can you expect me not to worry, she is my only child. How can you two fools say such a thing?"

"Again Katherine we are very, very sorry." Gustav said again.

"If anything happens to her while she is in the company of that man, I will be after you two faster than you could ever think possible." She stated to them. "Is that clear." She asked showing she meant every single word.

"Yes Madam we understand completely, and we will notify you once Anna returns." M. Dubon said as they headed out.

"Yes I know you will." Madam Burbon screamed at them. "Now get out, leave. Go I cannot stand to look at your faces anymore."

It was M. Gustav that was the last one to say anything. "I am very sorry for the inconvenience Katherine."

With that Madam Burbon was left alone in her suite.

Madam Burbon just began to pace, riled up by her earlier behaviors.

"Those two fools." She huffed.

She could not believe that they would be so idiotic to let Anna leave to a complete stranger's home without any notice to her mother. But as she paced more and more, Madam Burbon's anger soon molded into absolute worry for her only daughter. She was frightened by the fact that Anna was alone in a house with a man she knew nothing about; she only hoped Anna would make wise choices.

Anna had spent the last hour listening to Erik play his piano. He had brought her into his music room. It was quite large with his sketches posted on the wall everywhere. He had sheet music lying in different places. He was truly a genus. As she looked at some of the sketches she noticed some of them were of her. Some of the others were of only one other girl, and for some reason Anna felt as if she had seen this woman before. But Anna could not figure out who she was.

The room contained tons of candles; it defiantly set the mood for the room. It had made the room hopelessly romantic. As she watched him play, Anna had wished so much to see his whole face. She was right though, his music was very beautiful. He possessed so much talent. But he to was right, the world was not close to being ready for his music. Anna could hear his pain in his music. It was so strong. She saw that pain every time she looked into his eyes.

As the music faded Erik turned to face Anna, a devilish smile lined his face. Anna was about to speak when he spoke before her.

"Care to indulge me?" Erik asked her holding out his hand for her to take it.

"How so?" Anna questioned as she took his hand with hers.

"Sing for me." He told her. "It is what you are here for after all."

She just smiled at him. "What shall I sing for you master?" She told him sarcastically.

"I like the sound of that." Erik said teasingly before he turned serious once more. "But really are you familiar with Hannibal's Think of me?" He asked her turning serious.

"Yes I saw it performed at the Opera Populair." She told him not knowing what memories she was resurrecting in Erik.

"Okay then let us begin." He told her turning back to face the keys. He was about to start playing when she spoke to him.

"Erik." She said softly.

"Yes." He asked her seeing the hesitation in her eyes.

"May I sit next to you, please?" Anna asked him, her eyes pleading at him to say yes.

"Of course." Erik said moving over a bit. "Now are we ready to begin?" He asked her smiling.

"Yes M."

As the music began, the words came back to her.


Think of me Think of me fondly
When we've said goodbye
Remember me once in a while, Promise me you'll try
When you fine that once again you long to take your heart back and be free
If you ever find a moment spare a thought for me
We never said out love was evergreen or as unchanging at the sea
But if you can still remember stop and think of me

Erik played, her voice was no where near Christine's genus but she held something that Erik could not get enough of.


Think of all the things we've shared and seen
Don't think about the way things might have been
Think of me, Think of me waking silent and resigned
Imagine me trying to hard to put you from my mind
Recall those days, Look back on all those time, Think of the things we'll never do
There will never be a day when I don't think of you


Flowers fade, The fruits of summer fade
They have their season so do we
But promise me that sometimes you will think of me.

As he stopped playing Erik's heart broke. He wanted this so much, for Anna to be his wife and he to be her husband. At night after their lovemaking they would sit here and Anna would sing and he would play. But at the moment this was only to remain a dream. Erik snapped back to reality realizing he had never complimented Anna.

"You sounded wonderful." He told her sincerely

"As did you." Anna responded warmly.

"I told you, you could sing." Erik told her as he looked over seeing Anna place her head on his shoulder.

"Yes you did tell me that." Anna said as she began to yawn. "And I told you, you could play."

"Yes you did my love, you surly did." Erik said turning once again to Anna, she had fallen asleep.

He picked her up and walked to put her back in her bed, he wished so much to stay there and just hold her.

The managers were just about to call it a night but had some business to tend to. As they were sifting through some papers, Gustav's conscience began to pull at him.

"Michel was it wrong to ask Anna to go off like that." Michel just looked at him annoyed.

"Maybe Patrik but there is certainly nothing we can do about it now." But that did not put Patrik's conscience to rest.

"But Michel she is still just a child, maybe we should have met this Vicomte." Michel just stared at Gustav.

"Well like I said earlier there is nothing we can do about it now, okay."

"What will the Duke think?" Gustav question Michel again.

"Haven't a clue, but I am pretty sure he will be down out necks like her mother was." He said looking at the handful of papers in his hands.

"Well I guess then there is no need to worry right?" Patrik said uneasily.

"Correct Gustav no need to worry." Dubon said smiling cheerfully

Right before they were about to exit the room, the flustered and obviously mad Duke entered the office.

"Where is she?" He asked through gritted teeth.