The Girl Next Door

"What are you wearing to the Masquerade Ball?" Sorelli asked Christine. She looked up from a memo she was reading.

"You're going?"

"Nadir's taking me."

"I haven't had a chance to think about it yet. What about you?" Christine said, scribbling something onto a post-it pad. Sorelli grinned.

"A butterfly. Sort of. Well, it's this gorgeous multi-coloured dress and a butterfly-shaped mask. And Nadir's going as a pirate."

Christine smiled at the imagery.

"That sounds good. I don't know, I'll talk to Erik tonight and see what he wants to do. Actually he doesn't even want to go, but Nadir's making him."

"Are you talking about the Masquerade Ball at the Hawthorn?" Carlotta, said, stopping and looking at Sorelli (pointedly ignoring Christine's presence).

"Yeah, on the 30th."

"Father and I will be attending too! We're both great fans of the opera and most of our friends are going to be there."

"So, what are you going as?" Sorelli asked curiously. Christine turned to get some coffee, listening closely to the conversation. Carlotta laughed gaily.

"Oh, I haven't thought about it! Perhaps one of the queens, or maybe as one of those noble ladies in books. It'll be so much fun."

"Maybe you should go as Lady Jane Grey." Christine put in sweetly. Carlotta glanced at her.

"Who?"

"Jane Grey. She was a Queen of England in the sixteenth century." Christine explained. Carlotta shrugged. She strolled away and Sorelli glanced at Christine.

"You were… helping her."

"I really hope she does go as Jane Grey."

"Let her go as a queen? Imagine the size of her ego!"

"Jane Grey was only queen for nine days before she was executed." Christine grinned. Sorelli snorted.

"Bet Carlotta doesn't know that!"

"Obviously not."

Erik glanced at Cat. He was balanced on the piano lid, watching as Erik played. He mewed softly and stepped agilely onto the keyboard and then to the stool. Christine glanced out of the kitchen.

"I'll have to get Mr Andre in to look at the oven, it's not working again. I'll just call out for something."

"There's a perfectly good oven across the hall in your apartment." Erik pointed out. Christine shrugged.

"I know. But I've already called for an Indian and they don't withdraw orders." She said mildly, parking herself on the sofa. Cat leapt into her lap and she asked,

"Did you know Carlotta's going to the Masquerade Ball?"

"I had no idea."

"We don't have costumes either." Christine reminded him. He smirked.

"Perhaps you don't."

"What? You have a costume? Erik, why didn't you tell me? What is it?" She said, sitting up sharply, a little annoyed. Erik stood and crossed to the bookshelf. He ran a long finger of the books that were lined up before sliding one from the shelf. He passed it to Christine and she examined the cover.

"The Mask of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe." She flipped it open and read a few lines from the end of the story. "Everyone understood that the Red Death was now among them. He came like a thief in the night. And as the seconds passed – clang…clang…clang… - one by one, people began to die the terrible death."

She glanced at the cover again.

"Cheerful man. Red Death, then…"

"I'm having the costume department prepare it. They're also making something for you, so you needn't worry about a costume."

"What's my costume?" Christine asked excitedly.

"You'll find out soon." He said smugly. Christine hit his arm.

"Tell me!"

"A very convincing argument, yet somehow I can resist." Erik said cynically. Christine scowled and began to read the story from the beginning.

On Saturday morning, Christine awoke and blinked as she saw sunlight flooding the room. She rolled onto her stomach and stretched, enjoying the sensation of warmth on her back. She was alone. Erik must already be up. She listened carefully and heard water running in the bathroom. He came back into the room and she smiled up at him.

"G'morning."

"Morning." He replied, climbing back into bed. She lay across him and yawned.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"A little past nine." He replied, twisting a lock of her hair around his fingers. She closed her eyes.

"I don't feel like getting up."

"Fine."

"At all."

"Alright."

"I just want to spend all day right here."

"I'm not objecting."

She smiled, glancing at him.

"Good." She said. Erik kissed her forehead and pulled her closer.

"Do you know what today is?" He asked after a moment.

"Saturday."

"Yes. But it is also a month until your 25th birthday."

"Oh, that." Christine pulled a face. "I don't really do much on my birthdays. Very much like Christmas."

"Well, this year I am going to make sure that you do something."

"Oh yeah? When's your birthday?" She said, looking at him.

"7th October."

"I'll get my revenge then." She sighed. Erik smiled.

"And I do so hate to put a stop to your frantically busy plans for today, but I have a few activities to engage in, for which your presence is required."

Christine smiled lazily.

"Really? And what activities might these be?"

"Ones regarding music, eating, singing and visiting the Hawthorn so you can try on your costume for next Friday." He said, pulling a lock of her hair and releasing it so that it sprang back to her head. She sat up.

"My costume?"

"Yes."

"I'll get in the shower, you start on breakfast!" She grinned, climbing over him to reach the bathroom.

Erik pulled on a pair of worn, black bed-trousers and went through the living room to the kitchen. Cat mewed at his feet and he poured the creature some milk before filling the kettle and slipping bread into the toaster. He methodically began to prepare food, fetching butter and marmalade, measuring out coffee and sugar, pouring milk until everything was ready. Moments later Christine arrived, her damp hair curling around her face, the sweet scent of the coconut shampoo she had used drifting about. She hugged him from behind, her moist skin pressing against his exposed back.

"I am so lucky to have you." She commented, reaching for her coffee. Cat strolled along the surface and gave the marmalade an interested look. Christine hastily lifted it out of his reach as Erik went to open the balcony doors. It was a wonderfully warm day, even this early. Cat and Christine went to sit in the sunlight as Erik headed for the bathroom.

"Ah, Mr Destler! Your costume is very nearly finished, sir." Said a beaming middle-aged woman as Erik led Christine into the costumes department of the Hawthorn Theatre. She had red hair, with the odd grey one showing through and she had a friendly air to her. Erik nodded.

"Cherie, this is Christine Daae. She's here to try on her costume, in case there are alterations needed."

"Of course. Come this way, Miss." Cherie smiled warmly. Christine glanced nervously back at Erik before following her into an anti-room. Cherie gestured to a dress, hanging on a hook.

"There we are. Unusual design, isn't it? Mr Destler did it himself, just came in here and told us to make it."

Christine wasn't listening. She was staring at the creation before her in amazement.

Erik… Erik had designed this. For her. He had created this just for her purpose. He considered her worthy enough to create something so beautiful for her.

A smile crossed her lips.

Meg was not impressed.

"Why didn't I find someone at the opera house to go out with? You're both going to be there in your amazing costumes and I'm going to be stuck at home with a bucket of ice-cream and reruns of Friends!" She pouted.

Christine and Sorelli exchanged an amused glance. Sorelli patted Meg's arm comfortingly.

"Don't worry about it. It'll probably be a total drag, Nadir and I might leave early." She said.

"And besides, you can just imagine me spending an entire night trying to keep Raoul and Erik as far away from each other as possible." Christine pointed out. "It's going to be an absolute nightmare."

That thought seemed to cheer Meg up a little.

"We should be envious of you, you'll get to spend an evening off your feet, relaxing, eating calorific things, wearing anything you want and getting to laugh at the thought of us having to make irritating small talk and meeting incredibly dull people." Christine said. Meg grinned.

"Didn't think of it like that. I'd hate to be you two right now. Coming!" She called as someone shouted for her. She skipped away and Sorelli looked at Christine.

"It's going to be great though."

"Obviously, it'll be fantastic." Christine

Erik was already home when Christine returned from work. He was in his apartment and she heard music coming through the door. She stopped to listen, closing her eyes in order to concentrate all of her senses on the piece.

She didn't recognise it. It was strangely sweet, as though it had intended be something quite different than what it was. The tune was lilting and delicate, but with a certainty behind the notes that was something like a ballad, although there was much more to it than that, a deeper need and want to notes than simplicity.

Christine opened the door and Erik looked around.

"What was that?" She asked. "It was lovely."

"A singular piece. The Music of the Night." He said, rising from the piano. Christine shrugged her coat off.

"It was beautiful, Erik."

"With you as a muse, it is easy to produce beautiful music." He commented lightly. Christine flushed and cleared her throat as she put her bag on the floor. Erik smirked at her reaction and went to put the kettle on for their customary afternoon tea whilst Christine recovered herself. She followed him in a few seconds later and they began to discuss the day's work. After a while Erik brought up the subject of the Masquerade Ball.

"I will need to be there a little early in order to approve the proceedings. But I will have someone meet you at the door so they can bring you to me." He said. Christine nodded.

"I'm looking forward to it. Except for Raoul and Carlotta being there. But that's the beauty of having a Masquerade; I won't even have to see them hopefully!"

Erik nodded in agreement and considered her a few moments. She caught him watching and smiled.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes. I want to do some more work before dinner."

"I'll go and make it in my apartment and call you when it's ready." She offered. "Go carry on with your Music of the Night." She kissed him and disappeared. Erik returned to the piano, but it was not The Music of the Night that he took out and began to alter to fit a different voice from the original.

She was staring at him as he lay beside the chocolate-headed angel. For a moment she was silent and then she met his eyes. Erik couldn't move as her light eyes filled with a mixture of pain and sadness.

Erik sat up.

"Anna…"

But she had turned and was walking away. Erik made to get up and follow her but stopped and looked down at Christine's sleeping form. Her face was the epitome of peace and sweetness. He looked back to Anna. She was looking back at him as she stood in the doorway. Her hand went to her stomach; it was swollen with pregnancy. Erik swallowed hard and then lay back down, his eyes fixed on Christine, willing himself to wake up, to forget who was standing in his doorway…

"Erik?" The soft voice reached him through the fuzziness of half-sleep. His eyes snapped open and he saw Christine leaning over him, her face contorted in anxiousness. He blinked.

"Christine…"

"What were you dreaming?" She whispered. He stared at her and she touched his cheek. He felt dampness there. "You were crying."

"I dreamt…"

He couldn't finish. He sat up, resting his elbows on his knees as he held his face in both hands. The wetness of his tears was cooling. Erik licked his dry lips and breathed hard, shuddering slightly as he did so. Christine was sat up on her knees, watching him in concern. After a few silent moments he tried to speak again.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"…You were dreaming of Anna, weren't you?" She said delicately. Erik looked at her confusion and she bit her lower lip. "You told me ages ago that you dreamed of her."

"It's been so long since…"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He didn't. He wanted nothing more than to erase the entire incident from his mind and sleep with his angel in his arms. But his voice obeyed Christine without his input.

"We were here, together. And she saw us. I called to her and… and she started to walk away. I was going to follow but I saw you there sleeping and I couldn't… she was pregnant. It was my child but didn't go. I just… I didn't want to leave you there."

He fell silent and after a minute he felt slender arms twining about him, the scent of her hair as she pressed her face to his shoulder. She didn't speak. In truth, she didn't know what to say. Holding him was just so much easier than trying to say something that would help the situation.

Erik didn't speak either. He didn't know what to make of this. Had he done the wrong thing?

No. No he couldn't possibly have been wrong.

Anna was dead. Christine was alive.

Anna was gone but Christine was still here.

Anna would not come back. And Christine would not leave.

He had made the right choice.

Christine kissed his cheeks, kissing away the salt-sweet tears, holding his face in both hands as she kissed his smooth skin and his deformed horror, not knowing or caring of the difference between them. Erik held her tightly, not knowing if she would walk away too. She pressed her mouth to his forehead and they lay down, differently from how they usually rested. Erik lay with his head on her breast, clinging to her and she held him, stroking his hair, and wondering of the woman that he had not followed in order to stay by her side.

A/N: I don't really know about this chapter. It's rather bitty and all over the place but I haven't had time to really concentrate on it. I've just finished a 3000 word media essay on Asian Horror films and American remakes. And boy was it fun!

Thanks for the awesome reviews, there were some fantastic ones for the last chapter and they really cheered me up this week! Next chapter should be the Masquerade Ball but things don't always work out the way that I want them to. I swear, I have no control over this story; it just does what it wants!

Oh, yeah and just one more little thing….

1000 REVIEWS! HOLY CRAP, I GOT OVER A THOUSAND REVIEWS!

I have NEVER had this many reviews before! You guys are bloody brilliant, I just love you!

Love, adoration, appreciation, cookies and huggles

Katie