A/N: So I'm back again, for another round of happy, yet dramatic days…Dedication: hmm…who is it this time…OK, here's to a round of my newer friends, Tony and Josh, may we be friends a long time! And may the lunch table's splendor never fade!
Christine woke up to an angel singing softly, the rosy light of dawn basking the room in a warm glow.
Turn your face away from the garish light of day,
Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light,
And listen to the music of the night.
Christine blushed as his fingers brushed her unruly hair away from her face. Her eyes gazed into his beautifully gray ones, and tore off his mask. "I love you for you, not the mask. It makes you hide from me," she said softly, her voice husky in the sight of Erik in the wonderful pink light. It was a wonderful change from the usual darkness she was so accustomed to seeing him enveloped in.
He took her in his arms as they stood up, and helped her into a gown, kissing spots that were vulnerable on her. She shivered and laughed softly, her brown eyes kind and full of warmth and love, hitting the organ in his chest sweetly with a pang. He then got a wonderful idea. "Christine, want to do something special today?"
"What? Knowing you, it's either watching an opera or composing all day…What had you in mind?" she said jokingly.
"How about taking you to a trip to the Music Conservatory? It's where all the greater artists are working on new styles of music, and they are gorgeous,"
Her face lightened up even more so, and began pinning her hair faster. "When do we leave?"
"Five minutes, Little Lottie," Raoul said from the doorway, his eyes disdaining everything that Erik was and strived for. Raoul seethed with jealousy that Erik was allowed to see her pin her hair up, while he was busy finding music for Christine. "Little Lottie, I have the music you asked for," he said, holding up the sheet music.
Raoul then stepped up bravely, and said clearly, "I wish to present my music first," which clearly left no room for argument. He took the score to the little music room Erik had placed in the apartment. He began playing a series of chords as Christine and a scowling Erik sat down on chairs. Raoul began singing:
When I am down, and oh, my soul's so weary,
When troubles come, and my heart burdened be,
When I still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit a while with me,
You raise me up so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas,
I am strong when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
You raise me up so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas,
I am strong when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
You raise me up so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas,
I am strong when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
You raise me up so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas,
I am strong when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
(Special Mention in my next chapter to anybody who manages to find the name of this song, though it's rather easy…)
Erik then stood and clapped in earnest. The boy had talent, and he sorely wished he wasn't a fop and going for his girl, or he would be great friends with him. Erik got up the piano, then took out two copies of music, and handed one to Christine. "This is a duet," he explained softly, and began playing the piano expertly. The song began when Christine began singing softly,
No mountains too high for you to climb,
All you have to do, is have some blinding faith, oh yeah,
No river's too wide, for you to make it across,
All you have to do is believe it when you pray.
And then you will see, the morning will come,
And every day will be bright as the sun,
All of your fears cast them on me,
I just want you to see,
I'll be your power in the sky,
I'll be your shoulder when you cry,
I hear your voice when you call me,
I am your angel.
And when all hope is gone of here,
No matter how far you are from here,
It makes no difference who you are,
I am your angel.
I'm your angel.
I saw the teardrops and I heard you cry,
All you need is time, seek me and use your find, ooh,
You have everything, and you're still lonely,
It don't have to be this way, let me show you a better day.
And then you will see, the morning will come,
And all of your days will be bright as the sun,
So all your fears, cast them on me,
How can I make you see?
I'll be your power in the sky,
I'll be your shoulder when you cry,
I hear your voice when you call me,
I am your angel.
And when all hope is gone of here,
No matter how far you are from here,
It makes no difference who you are,
I am your angel.
I'm your angel.
And when it's time to face the storm,
I'll be right by your side,
Grace will keep us safe and warm,
And I know we will survive,
And if it seems as if the end is drawing near,
Don't you dare give up the fight,
It's what you trust beyond the skies!
I'll be your power in the sky,
I'll be your shoulder when you cry,
I hear your voice when you call me,
I am your angel.
And when all hope is gone of here,
No matter how far you are from here,
It makes no difference who you are,
I am your angel.
Oh! Oh! Oh!
I hear you voice, hey! I hear!
I am your angel! Oh!
All hope is gone! How far you are from here!
I hear your voice! Your angel! Hey!
Power in the sky, yeah! Your shoulder when you cry! Yeah!
Your voice, baby. Oh!
I'm your angel.
(Honorable Mention to anyone who gets this one and a chapter dedication if you figure who the person sings a duet with!)
Christine looked about ready to cry, when he got up from the piano. She walked to another room silently, and after an hour, and a page of paper, she announced solemnly, "The winner is Erik, for having a brilliant peace, and having a creative enough mind to incorporate me in it, knowing me well enough to know how much I love music,"
Raoul fumed with anger. He'd spent a fortune on that composer, and now he listened attentively to the next task. "I will go away for two weeks. When I return, I want to see individual projects you've been working on. In other words, you're choosing your own projects, and they cannot include music, seduction, or education. This has to be something from your own minds. This is to test your aptitude for intelligence and willingness to work for me. I also expect reports on the progress while I'm gone,"
"Where are you going?" Erik asked, concerned.
"I plan to go to the Channel. I want to spend time among the sea before I settle down," she said softly, noticing the look of pure understanding on Erik's face. She then turned to walk out of the room, not noticing the look of pure fury on Raoul's face. He'd get that bitch back for bringing his pride into all of this. Now there was no way of ever backing out. If he won her, he'd be forced to marry her. If he lost her, he would lose his reputation.
