"Please God,

let her love me

and I promise to be good forever..."

Chapter Three

Frightened Nightingale

"Have I displeased you?"

Her words caused Erik to stiffen in his seat. He had not expected her to have risen so early after their ordeal the night before. But the tone of her voice caused sadness to rush over him like nothing he had ever felt before. It was frightened and lonely, the voice of a little girl who was afraid that she had done something horribly wrong to displease her maestro and was now cowering in fear of her punishment.

In truth he had been frightened to see her, afraid that he would see hatred and loathing in the blue of her eyes. He would not be able to stand that for he already hated himself for taking her away from her Vicomte. When he turned to her she was cowering by the door, her small limbs trembling in obvious fear. She still wore the wedding gown he had designed for her and now probably saw it as a prison forcing her to stay with him, the monster. Erik wondered what had caused such thoughts in her mind about displeasing and he frowned, not realizing that it was not a becoming look.

"'Displeased'? I do not know where you would find such thoughts," he murmured.

"I promise never to come in here again without you!" Christine said frantically, her voice breaking. Ah, so this was the curious mouse who had come into his music room and drawn the drapes? He had wondered who would have done such a thing. Christine had always been far to curious for her own good but it was something he admired greatly in her for he himself was of a curious mind.

"You did not touch anything, did you?" he asked.

"No! Only the rose, but I put it back immediately!" she said.

"Then I fail to see the problem," he replied. Her breath came out slowly as she looked at him, unsure if he was really alright about the situation.

"Then you are not terribly angry with me?" she asked. His only visible brow rose.

"No, Christine, I am not terribly angry with you," he said. She smiled, the action catching him by surprise. Had she just smiled because of something he said? Impossible! But she had, and she still was. She approached him slowly and Erik found every muscle in his body go rigid with both anticipation and dread. But she walked past him, to the piano, her fingers running lightly over the keys. She turned to look at him, her blue eyes bright with happiness.

"Would...would you play something? For me?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course," he said immediately, wanting that look to remain in her eyes. He sat down again on the piano bench and began to play. Christine frowned and Erik immediately became nervous. She laid her hand lightly on his shoulder and Erik's breath left him quite loudly.

"It is beautiful...but so sad," she whispered. Erik did not comment. She sat down next to him and Erik felt ready to fall out of the chair he was sitting in.

"Will you play...at our wedding?" she asked, needing desperately to say the words. The way he stiffened beside her did not put Christine's fears to rest.

"Wedding?" he whispered, his voice suddenly hoarse. Had she just said their wedding?

"Yes...that is why you gave me this dress, is it not?" she asked. Did she truly believe that he was such a monster that he would bind her to him forever? Did she truly believe that of him?

"There will be no wedding," he whispered. Christine turned to look at him in surprise.

"No wedding? But, Erik-"

"I said there will be no wedding, Christine, end of discussion!" he said, his temper beginning to rise. Christine failed to notice.

"No, it is not the end of discussion! You just decide my future and do not give me a say in the matter?" she demanded, standing. Erik stared at her through his mask, watching his nightingale grow a backbone for the first time.

"You decided your fate, Christine, the moment you kissed me," he said.

"You gave me a wedding dress...and a ring!" she said.

"I will take them back then!" he snapped, suddenly angry. How dare she mention such a delicate subject like marriage to him? Had he not been through enough?

"You do not wish to marry me?" she asked, the rejection going straight to her heart. She had allowed him to take her away from Raoul, away from the opera, away from everything and he was not going to marry her? Why was it upsetting her so much? She should be thrilled that Erik no longer wanted her hand! But...she was not. When she had agreed to go with him she had made the decision that she would show him all the joys life had to offer, marriage being included. And now he did not want it.

"I will not bind you to a monster so you may forever live in hell!" he said, standing and turning his back to her. That was it...he thought she still viewed him as a monster. She did not, though she feared him, but it had nothing to do with his face. She feared the power he had, she feared his temper, the things he must have done to survive...but mostly, she feared the feelings he was capable of producing within her. That scared her.

She approached him slowly, unsure and more then a little afraid. Gently Christine grasped his arm and turned him to face her, feeling tears well in her eyes at the sadness she saw in him. He had been alone for so long. She placed her hand against his heart, looking at the contrast between her pale skin and the dark material of his clothing. His breathing seemed slightly forced to her.

"I admit I am scared, Erik...but I need your help with being strong...can we not learn together?" she asked.

"I cannot bind you to me that way," he whispered brokenly, his warm breath fanning her face and stirring her curls.

"Erik, when I said I chose you I meant everything you had to give me...it is not a sacrifice on my part," she whispered. He smiled, the first time she had ever seen him do so. His hand hesitantly reached out and touched her cheek in a tender caress.

"You are braver then I," he whispered. She smiled.

"Then...we shall marry?" she asked.

"No."

Christine pushed away from him and fled the room, hot tears coarsing down her cheek. She ignored Erik's call and ran to her room, slamming the door shut when she got there. Her body was shaking and her tears were choking her...what had she gotten herself into?