Little Lotte- Sorry about this chapter, I really am sorry... but it had to be done. I still love you!

Amber- sorry, next chapter is your big arrival.

For the rest of you, enjoy.

Chapter 14

Ayesha's soft fur rubbed against my chin, pulling me from my slumber. When I opened my eyes, her own yellow ones stared back at me. I shooed her away, letting my head rest once again on Erik's chest. He had his strong arms wrapped around me, holding my body close. His chest slowly rose and fell beneath me, his heart beat playing a soft lullaby into my ear. Every thing about him seems to have a musical quality to it.

A single rose petal laid before my eyes, like the ones that laid all around the floor, rising in unison as my head. I blew the petal off of his bear chest, then ran my hand over the place it had just been, followed by my lips.

"Good Morning." His eyes fluttered open, laying upon me. Grinning, I kissed a path down his shoulder.

"I didn't mean to wake you." He pushed my chin up, and kissed my lips.

"Why wouldn't I want to wake to the sight of heaven?" He stroked my hair. I rolled my eyes, and just let him be with the statement, no need protesting, I'll never win, nor do I wish too. I'll let him have his way, if it makes him happy.

Ayesha rubbed up against his head, meowing furiously. Erik laughed, picking her up in his arms.

"Are you hungry little one?" He asked her, in an almost fatherly tone. She purred softly rubbing her head against his hand. Turning back to me, he kissed my forehead.

"I'll be right back, Mon ange." He got up out of bed, putting his plain pants back on.

"You better be." I teased, as he carried her out to the main room. I curled up underneath the blanket, not realizing how much of my warmth had come from his body.

From the other room, I heard Ayesha hiss, something she had never done before. Instantaneously I sat up, perking my ears to listen.

"Christine!" Erik's voice spoke. He sounded as if he was holding back his anger, but it bled through his words.

My heart sank. No again, not today, not after last night.

"Erik, just listen to me, I made a terrible mistake. Angel, I'm so sorry, forgive me. I should never have gone with Raoul, but I was so young, and foolish. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." A long cryptic pause followed, till his cold, sharp voice ended it.

"What do you want Christine?"

"I want you, Erik."I bit down on my lip, causing it to bleed.

Please Erik, don't.

The muffled sound of fabric dragging across the floor, do doubt her dress followed, then the harsh echoing sound of a slap. Christine began to sob.

"How dare you Christine? I told you to stay away. I don't love you, nor do I wish to see you again. Leave." Finally willing my body to move, I got up off the bed, wrapping the blanket around me, and stood at the door way.

Christine sat collapsed on the floor, Erik standing sternly before her. He had his back to me, as she looked up, glaring hatefully at me.

"Whore!" She screamed, she stood up, shaking like a new born calf, and approached me.

"How dare you! He's mine! I love him! Your just a child! You could never supply him with what he needs." Resisting the urge to strike her, I clenched my hand into a fist,digging my nails into my own flesh, causing them to break skin.

"Hold your tongue." A harsh, threatening tone arouse from my mouth. She turned to Erik, he eye's filling up with tears.

"Erik. Please. I need you." She threw herself upon him, forcing her lips on his. Without hesitation he pushed her to the floor in disgust. Not understanding his clear refusal, she sat up, grabbing at his pant leg, begging him to take her back.

I never thought the once proud, beautiful, talented Christine would stoop to this level. She was no longer the girl I had grown up with, the sweet innocent sister in the arts. No, she is a mad, selfish, whore.

"Erik." She pleaded.

I can't take her any more. I thought she was what Erik needed, but I was wrong.

Somewhere deep in my soul, something snapped. I couldn't control my hatred for her. I lunged for her, my fist making contact with her cheek. She stumbled back, not expecting me to do such a thing, no women ever fought like that. The diamond on my ring slashed through her skin. She screamed out in pain, and anger.

"Leave him alone!" I hissed.

She retaliated my attack with her own. Her long nails gashed into my face, riping the tender flesh on my cheeks open. Erik tried to pry us apart, but neither one of us would let him. We had to settle this on our own. Christine and I rolled around on the floor, trying to pin each other to the ground, taking ever opportunity to to physical damage, scratching into each other's flesh, ripping at our hair. One of us, I'm not sure which, knocked over on of the candelabras, causing the helm of her dress, and the excess fabric of the sheet I wore to start to smoke, but that didn't stop us. Finally, after multiple punches, a large amount of scratching, even I bite on my part, I stood over her, panting, but victorious. I wiped the blood from my mouth, grinning triumphantly.

"Erik is mine."

"He's only with you to feed his lust for flesh." She grabbed at the sheet, trying to bring me back down to continue the fight, but I kept my feet. Instead, she ended up ripping the sheet, almost clear up to my thigh. Before I got a chance to lung at her, Erik gripped my shoulders, holding me back. He pressed me into him, despite my protest.

"Leave, don't ever come back." He threatened. She slowly stood up, shock filling her once soft face. Looking at her face, it surprised me the damage I instilled. Blood gushed from her nose, most likely it was broken, and from the wound my ring left. Gashes from my nails ran up and down her arms, over her neck and chest, and even upon her face. The white dress she had been wearing was now stained with blood, no doubt some of that was mine.

"So you choose her?" He voice quivered.

"Fine then. I gave you my love, when everyone rejected you. So now you reject me, for some prettier girl? But she doesn't know you, not the real you. Only I can see who you really are. In time you will see that, and you will curse the day you ruined you future. She shall never be the the women you need." She wiped away the tears, and disappeared into the shadows, hopefully to never return.

Erik released my shoulders, and pulled my tumbling hair away from my face.

"Come Mon Ange, your wounds need to be dressed." He lead me to the bedroom. As I took a seat on the bed, he disappeared into the washroom, returning with a basin of warm water, and a small cloth. He sat beside me, dabbing the soaked cloth against the claw marks on my face.

"Ouch!" I flinched back at the sharp sting I felt on my face.

"You need to stay still." He spoke tenderly, running his hand down the untouched part of my face, lightly kissing me, taking some of the blood from my mouth with him.

He returned to cleaning the wounds, pressing against them lightly, trying to cause me less plain. I bit down on my lip, and ignored the pain, but I couldn't ignore the screams in my mind.

"I wish you hadn't gotten involved." I whispered. He chuckled, continuing on my face.

"You would have killed her."

"Is that a problem?" Erik sighed heavily, obviously not what he wanted to hear. Ayesha, sensing the turmoil in my mind, jumped up onto my lap, allowing me to stroke her back. The gentle movement of my hand on her soft fur was calming, and took my mind off of Christine.

"Luckily she did much less damage to you, than you did to her." I didn't respond, just focusing on Ayesha, and not thinking about how much pain my body was in.

"There." He finally spoke,getting up placing the basin down on the vanity, then returned to me.

"It's over." He held me there, in his arms, comforting me.

How much my life has changed because of Erik, how much I have changed. Never would I have acted like I did before him. Before Erik, I myself was a phantom I did live and I danced, but nothing in my live had a purpose. I lived because I had to, because I thought God had a cruel sense of humour. I had my world stolen from me, and I was a ghost. Erik brought the real me back. I pushed myself away, leaving only an empty, soulless vessel on this earth. He brought back what I hid from the world, and I can't loose him. I can't go back to the shy, timid, spineless girl I was.

"I'm sorry, Mon Ange." He whispered into my ear. His voice carried a tender, loving tone, as it always does.

"You shouldn't have had to act like that. No angel should have to resort to such a thing. Not my angel, not my wife. I shouldn't have let it happen." He dropped his gaze.

Oh my Erik, how can you think like that?

"Erik, why do you say such things?" I whimpered. He cocked his head towards me, not understanding.

"You always are sorry for what is not your fault." I turned to face him.

"Last night, I told you never to regret, and please, listen to me. You have never done anything to wrong me, nothing that has ever needed an apology. Do you understand? No matter what out come, I don't want you to say such things. Everything happens for a reason, Erik. Personally, I'm proud of what I did, she needed to be put into her place." Erik sighed, shaking his head.

I know he disagrees, but he won't say anything about it, he won't want to argue with me.

"You should get dressed." He picked me up in his arms, carrying me over to the the vanity, placing my down onto of it, next to the basin. He leaned over, to kiss me.

"We are going out."