A/N Enjoy and Review

Ch. 2- Their Deal

As my eyes began to open I took in my surroundings. I was in a soft bed with red velvet sheets. Like the ones back in Erik's lair. I was at the house that Erik owned. I remembered arriving the night before exhausted. But through it all, I felt so safe in Erik's embrace.

The funny thing was that though Erik, had been my friend for the last six years or so, we had never really talk. He had always been my teacher and mentor. We were friends but we never talked in such a way as Meg and I did. Last night had been the first time I had really talked to him.

The Night Before

We pulled up to a little cottage, but I could not tell if it was nice or not for it was very dark. I felt Erik grab my hand and lead me out of the carriage. Once we got inside he lit candles and I could tell that this home was just as lavish as Erik's home underneath the opera.

"Christine are you tired?" Erik asked me, his eyes filled with concern.

Thinking about it, I found that I was not tired… I was exhausted. Tonight had been one of the most difficult nights in my entire life. I was amazed that I remained conscious on the ride up here.

"Actually yes I am exhausted." I replied as I yawned.

For some reason that had cause Erik to smile again.

"Come Christine, I am quite tired myself, I think it best if we both get some sleep. This way." Erik said as he led the way to the bedroom.

"What shall I sleep in?" I asked him.

"In the closet there you will find a complete wardrobe for yourself. It includes day dresses, gowns, work clothes, and things for you to sleep in and all of the types of undergarments you women seem to need." Erik told me sarcastically.

The humor in his words had caused me to laugh out loud.

"Women do need these things Erik." I shot back.

"Why would you need a corset or hose?" He asked me.

"Why well I will explain to you." I told him as I looked through the wardrobe. It was absolutely fantastic. "We need the corsets to make our waists small, because no man wants a cow for a wife, tell me if it is not true. You do not want a cow for a wife. Also we wear hose because the make our legs look more fit and trim and smooth and beautiful."

Erik looked at me with an amused expression as he began to laugh. "My darling Christine, I think you are perfect the exact way you are. You are one of the smallest creature I have ever laid my eyes on and I think that your legs are perfect the way they are. You have been a dancer for the past seven years your body is quite literally perfection."

I could not help but blush at his compliments. "You really think I am that beautiful?"

"I do, I do very much." Erik replied.

"So you would prefer that I not wear corsets or hose and such?" I asked him.

"I would very much prefer that you not wear any of that crap." He told me bluntly.

"Then how about I make you a deal." I proposed.

"What type of deal are we talking about my dear?" Erik questioned me skeptically.

"Once we are married, I will not wear any of that 'crap' as you put it so long as you stop wearing the mask. At least around me." I asked him.

I was met with silence. I knew that he was thinking it over so I made my way over to where the dressing shutters were and began to rid myself of my dress and all the bloody stuff that was underneath it. When I slipped on the nightgown I could tell that the material was expensive. It felt like silk and was a blood red color. It felt glorious against my skin. When I came out from behind the shutters I heard Erik gasp.

"Okay, I will agree to your terms." I heard him tell me.

When I looked at him I saw that he was shirtless but was wearing his pants. Though his face held such tragedy, his body seemed to be a carved version of a Greek god.

"Really you will?" I asked wanting to hear him once more before I went to sleep.

I slid under the sheets and saw Erik blow the candle out. It was pitch black and I couldn't see anything but I could feel Erik slide into bed next to me. The idea should have appalled me, but it did not. When I felt him snake his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him, I felt like I was finally home.

"Will you?" I asked again, wanting to hear him say it again.

"I have already started Christine." Erik replied back.

Before I fell asleep, I felt proud of Erik for letting his guard down, I also felt proud of my self for helping him let his guard down.

OOOO

Talking to Erik made me more excited about our life that was to come. For some odd reason, he did nothing but intrigue me. As I gazed upon his face I saw that he was indeed not wearing his mask. When I looked at his face I saw nothing but a man. Nothing more and nothing less.

I was never afraid of his face. But past memories made me feel like such a traitor to Erik. I had once spoken of his face to Raoul. My long ago yet not forgotten words rang in my head.

"Raoul I've seen him. Can I ever forget that sight? Can I ever escape from that face? So distorted, deformed it was hardly a face in that darkness, darkness."

I had spoken so ill about the one thing that he could and never would control. But even then my heart called out to him. I remember that night; I was insulting him one moment then telling Raoul how much I needed Erik the next.

"But his voice filled with my spirit with a strange sweet sound. In the night there was music in my mind. And through music my soul began to soar. And I heard and I'd never heard before."

It was true. I had never heard anything like Erik's music before. It was as if his music intertwined our souls together because he could make this wondrous, glorious sound, and it was I who could sing those notes. It was as if we were two souls separated only to be destined to end back up together.

I was so horrible to him these past few months. I knew that it would take me the rest of my life to make it up to him. I don't know why, but I felt a huge pride in being his salvation.

It was after staring at him for awhile that I noticed he began to stir. Slowly he opened his eyes and when he saw me he smiled at me.

"Good morning my precious angel." Erik purred softly, his voice still full of sleep.

"Good morning Erik." I responded with a smile to match his.

"Did you sleep well, Christine?" Erik asked me concernedly.

"Just like I did back in Paris." I responded. "Thank you for asking."

Erik had such luxurious taste that everything down to the bed mattress had to be the best. This bed was just as comfortable as the one in his lair.

"Think nothing of it my dear." Erik told me as he propped himself up on one arm. "Now that we are both awake, what do you want to do today?"

I glanced out the window and saw that it was nice and sunny outside. It had been so dark that I did not get to really see any of my surroundings when we first arrived. That was when my idea popped into my head.

"Can we take a walk outside?"