Kendra knew that he must be old, but she didn't want him to die. "Don't say that," she said, "you will not die, so long as I'm there to care for you." She walked up and took Sorelli's hand in one hand, the man's in the other. "Where do you live?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

Erik gently squeezed Kendra's hand. He was happy she said such things, but he knew they were untrue. He was very old, and he knew he would die soon,whether she was with him or not. "I live beneth the newly build Paris Opera house, in the catacombs." Suddenly Erik blurted out "Can you sing?"

Kendra was not at all surprised by his words, but was surprised by his actions. She said "Well, I haven't had much teaching, but Madame Giry says I sing just like my mother..." her voice trailed off. With that she turned and kissed him on the cheek. She tightened her grip on his hand and Sorelli's. Leaning down to Sorelli's height she said , "I will be back, I need to call a carriage." She looked up at the man and asked "What is your real name?"

Erik gently let his fingers trail over the place where Kendra had kissed him. "Erik. My name is Erik." he whispered. "Erik?" she asked. That name sounds familiar, she thought. "Erik is a nice name," she continued. She saw how he had reacted to the kiss and blushed. "I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to...offend you?" she said, the last part as a question.

"No... it's just that...the last time I was kissed was by your mother." Erik turned away, actually embarassed. "Shall we go?" Kendra stood there and thought about everything she had learned about the Angel of Music from her mother. "I shall go to get a carriage, I will be back shortly." With that she dashed out of the room and called for a carriage.

Erik stood alone with Sorelli and touched his cheek yet again. Was he making the right decision? Living alone for so long... could he cope with human presence at last in the catacombs, the darkness that had been so silent for so long, save for his music?

Kendra finally got a carriage and went back inside the tent. "A carriage is here...Erik, are you okay?" she asked, for she saw worry on his face. Was he thinking she had done something wrong? "I'm...fine." Erik lied as he stared at the ground. He absent-mindedly took Sorelli's hand and began to leave the tent at last, a tiny hesitation in his stride. Kendra follwed, not so sure that Erik was telling the truth. "It's over here," she said and pointed to a black carriage with tinted windows. She thought about taking Erik's hand, as she longed to, but decided against it. She took Sorelli's instead.

When they got inside she said to the driver "To the Opera House, please." The carriage began to rock and sway as it started on its way. Erik kept his eyes downcast as they drew closer and closer to his home, unsure of whether conversation or quiet was what he wanted... the last time he had ridden in a carriage, he had been driving... and Christine had been his passenger...

Kendra stared out the window at all the things she once knew. She sighed and once again remembered the stories, she went through them over and over in her mind. She was unsure what to do when the were to reach Erik's home, but knew that the child must be properly cared for first. Erik looked up as the carriage rolled to a bumpy stop. Outside the window the magnificent silhoutte of the Paris Opera house illuminated the night. My domain, Erik thought bitterly. What he said out loud was, "I will pay the fare," and with that Erik slipped out of the carriage, pulling the hood of his cloak over his head as he left.

Kendra took Sorelli's hand and slipped out of the carriage, following Erik. She had no idea what to say, and this akward silence was killing her. She kept quiet and marveled at how silent Erik's footsteps were. She stopped suddenly, remembering where she had heard the name Erik before. Kneeling down to Sorelli she said "Mademoiselle will you please wait here for a breif moment?" and the little girl nodded. Kendra rushed over to Erik and turned him around.

She placed her hand on his cheek and kissed him on the lips slightly. "I shall never believe what my father has said of you. I don't believe you tried to hurt my mother," she said and hugged him tightly. She stayed there for a moment, waiting for Erik to yell or scream at her. She felt his breathing and felt her heart slip out of its coldness.

Erik stood still in shock. His heart beat wildly in his chest and he could feel Kendra's doing the same. Dare he move? Was it finally true, that someone loved him... and he didn't even have to kidnap them, force them to love him back? He gazed down at Kendra briefly, trying to read her eyes, but they were closed. He carefully ran his gloved fingers through her thick brown hair, then pulled out of her embrace. Breathing heavily, he did the only thing his mind could comprehend. He ran.

Kendra was breathing heavily to, for she had never displayed such affection for anyone before. "Erik!" she called after him. Turning back to Sorelli she took her hand and continued into the Opera House, a little puzzled. Why did he act like this? Why did he run? she asked herself these questions over and over again, never coming to an answer.

Ignoring Kendra's pleas, Erik ran and ran until he couldn't take it anymore. Collapsing at the bottom of a set of stone stairs he finally let his thoughts catch up with him. Could it be possible? Someone actually loved him? But he ran... because he hadn't taken off the mask yet. Kendra would recoil in disgust and leave, never to return. He knew. For who could ever love a monster? But a voice in the depths of his mind told him it wasn't so... Erik wiped away a tear and returned to the Opera House entrance.

Kendra pushed all the thoughts of doubt out of her mind. She grasped Sorelli's hand and began to walk towards the Opera House. Just as she turned a corner she saw a familiar face. Her brother, Nathan, was standing there. He had the face of her father, almost exactly. He had a disturbed look on his face. "I've been waiting for you," he said calmly as Sorelli quickly darted to the shadows. He grabbed Kendra's wrist and said through gritted teeth, "Do you know how worried Father was? He thought he had gotten to you." Kendra glared at Nathan and said, tears welling in her eyes, "You're hurting me, let me go!"

Erik heard Sorelli wimpering and Kendra's pleas and forgot his previous dilemma. His brow furrowed as he ran to find out what was going on. Seeing

Kendra's brother, an almost exact replica of Raoul, made Erik's blood boil. But he dare not make a move just yet... Erik slipped into the shadows near where the brother and sister were fighting and waited, his fingertips brushing the rope hidden in his pocket... just in case...

"Nathan stop, please!" Kendra cried. Nathan became enraged at how she could possibly forget their father's condition. "How could you just run away like that?" he screamed at her as he slapped her. Kendra fell to the floor and looked up at her older brother with fear in her eyes. "Nathan..." she said, standing up. "No!" he screamed and slapped her again.

Erik couldn't take it. He threw his 'magical lasso', as the stage hands used to call it, and roped Nathan by the neck. Pulling the violent brother close to his chest, the rope pulling tightly on his neck, he choked the man. Nathan was unable to see his attacker, which Erik figured would frighten him even more, and not give away his own identity. Hatred in Erik's eyes, he knew he wouldn't hesitate to kill Nathan, and yet he awaited Kendra's words. Kendra just stood there, watching the two men. "No, please..." she said, walking towards them. She gently slipped the ropes out of Erik's hands, releasing Nathan. She used her body to block Erik from Nathan's view. "leave now, you are unwelcome here," she stated. Her brother stumbled away, cursing at the man and his sister. Kendra turned to Erik and threw her arms around his neck. "He's normally so gentle," she whispered, still crying. "I don't know why he is so mean whenever he speaks of my father."

Erik shoved Kendra away gently, unable to meet her eyes. "What is his name?" he asked, the fury still in his voice. He couldn't believe how much Kendra's brother reminded him of Raul... for a moment he had even lost his senses and believed they were back in the bowels of the Opera Populaire, Christine pleading and Raul choking. How could he treat Kendra that way... she's so beautiful... No, don't think! that Erik shook his head as if to jar the thought out of place. Kendra's eyes dropped to the ground. "His name is Nathan," she told him. Her thoughts were racing. If this is truely him, why would he try to kill my brother? she asked herself. Unless...no, it couldn't be! she shook her head at the thought. Even if it was him, my mother didn't give him a chance. She could have changed him, she thought. Realizing that they had forgotten about Sorelli she called out in a hoarse whisper, "Sorelli? Where are you?" She touched her cheek and felt the tears coming back.

"Over here." Sorelli said timidly from behind a statue of a winged horse that flanked the entrance to the Opera. Erik finally gave in and met Kendra's eyes. Her tears were still flowing, and her eyes were wide and fearful. Afraid of Nathan... or me? Erik looked at Kendra more closely and saw she seemed to be trying to mull something over in her mind. I'm not a monster! Kendra's heart was racing and her thoughts were clouded as she rushed over to check on Sorelli. Sorelli seemed fine, so Kendra lifted her gaze to Erik. She saw that he must be in deep thought. She wiped away the tears in her eyes and walked towards Erik, Sorelli following closely behind. She put her hand on his cheek and kissed him gently on the lips. She waited there for a few moments and placed her other hand on Erik's, holding it weakly.

Erik felt Kendra's kiss and for the second time in his life doubted his belief that no one could possibly love him for his inner being; not his outward appearance. He caressed Kendra's face, then tightly squeezed her hand. "Let's go inside." He peacefully tugged on her hand, leading Sorelli and Kendra towards a dark stone statue of a weeping angel that hid the enterance of his tunnel. Pushing carefully yet forcefully on the place where the angel's heart would be. Erik felt the false stone give way and a tiny opening appeared. Erik pulled something Kendra and Sorelli couldn't see, and the angel's right wing moved slightly and a dark passageway down into the depths opened. Cool air rushed out of the opening, smelling of damp, roses, and candle wax. Erik turned to see his guests' reactions.

Sorelli's face was shocked, for she had never seen any secret passageways before. Kendra's expression was not that of a state of shock, more of a state of wonder. She was amazed at how creative her angel was, and she felt his warm grip on her hand. I already feel at home, she thought to herself. She dared not to go into the tunnel, for she knew she didn't know that way. She waited patiently at Erik's side by the entrance.

Erik smiled inwardly at Kendra and Sorelli's expression and in one fluid motion, swept them into the tunnel. Once the darkness envloped them, Erik felt a fountain of emotion well up inside him. This was his forte, his domain. And soon it would be Sorelli's and Kendra's too. He just hoped they would adjust. He worried more for Kendra than Sorelli, who he knew already had the darkness in her soul, as he did. Kendra was a little nervous about going down the dark tunnel. As her eyes adjusted she moved closer to Erik, not knowing what lay ahead. I feel so vunerable, she thought, touching the wall with her icy-cold hands. "Where to from here?" she asked Erik, who seemed to be relaxed.

Erik sensed Kendra's nervousness and pulled her closer. "Don't worry, I know the way. Soon you will as well." He checked to make sure everyone was ready, then plunged down into the winding maze of tunnels and passages- some he had built, others that had been there for ages. Cobwebs brushing his face, Erik was careful not to move to quickly for Sorelli and Kendra. It was pitch black, and the only way they connected was by touch and sound.

Rats and other unseen terrors scurried beneth their feet. But still Erik moved on, driven as if by a passion. He felt a few notes escape his lips, and soon he was softly singing a tune in minor, his voice muffled and yet echoing in the utter blackness. "Follow my voice." Sorelli answered she would, but no words escaped Kendra's lips. Erik's voice had hypnotized her and she was following aimlessly. She did not scream or jump as Sorelli did when a wave of rats ran against their feet. Her mind concentrated on one thing and one thing only: Erik's lovely voice. No thoughts of doubt or nervousness clouded her mind. She was enchanted by Erik's voice and did not care what was around her. The only thing her senses picked up were that of things Erik was doing. When the bats swopped over them Sorelli whimpered and grasped her hand, but Kendra took no notice of this. Erik felt as he always did when he sang; like an angel. Someone unearthly, sent down to spread beauty into the world... he forgot his hideous face, his deformity, even his age. All that mattered was the music. As he hit a high pitch in a slight vibrato he could feel Kendra's hand trembling in his.

Does she love the music as much as I? Does Sorelli? He could sense the child flinching as the occupants of the tunnels passed by, but Kendra made no sign that she noticed nor cared. Dropping to a low note, Erik turned a corner in the passage and they entered an even dirtier and narrower tunnel. Erik sang with more urgency, they were close... getting close...

Kendra closed her eyes, then opened them quickly, for she didn't want to lose sight of her angel. She could feel, rather then hear, Erik's voice holding urgency. She wanted to join him in song, but was afriad he might stop singing if she started. So she kept quiet and soaked in every note Erik hit, feeling her heart fill with a strange feeling. Tears were welling in her eyes as she suddenly fell to the ground. Apparently her heart had been overwhelmed and her mind had changed back into a concious state. Her memory was racing back to a time before her mother's death...

000-Flashback-000

Her father was out in the garden, teaching a young Nathan how to swordfight. "You must always keep your hand at the level of your eyes," he told him, setting him sword down. "Why, Father?" a puzzled Nathan asked. "You will come to understand my nonsense if he ever finds you." Nathan knew who he was. "Oh," Nathan said, still a little puzzled. "This lesson has been cut short because you seem tired and I would like to speak with your mother for a few minutes," Raoul said as he ushered Nathan into his room, tucking him in bed. "Good night, my sweet son," he said as he blew out the oil lamp on Nathan's nightstand. He quickly made his way towards Kendra's room. As he was walking he thought he heard Christine's voice and stopped to listen to what they were talking about. "Do not fear when you are left alone in the darkness, for the Angel of Music will surely protect you," he heard Christine say.

His veins seemed to pop out of his skin when he heard that Christine was still filling that child with 'silly stories of the Phantom of the Opera and the Angel of Music.' After Chrisitne had left the room, he slipped from where he was in the shadows into Kendra's room. "Has your mother been telling you stories about that silly litle angel of hers?" he asked in a crazed voice. "Is something wrong, Raoul?" she asked, for she always called him Raoul instead of Father. "Has she?" he asked, careful not to arose any suspiscion. "Yes, she has been telling me about the wonderful Angel," she said in a dreamy tone. Raoul became enraged and threw Kendra against the wall. Kendra screamed out and Christine entered, and, seeing what had happened, rushed to guard her young daughter. "How dare you touch my daughter like that!" she screamed at him, inspecting Kendra's twisted ankle.

Raoul quickly found his mistake and rushed out of the room, ignoring Kendra's crying. Kendra had never forgotten that day when her father became angry with her over a myth. And today, being slapped around by Nathan had awaken her secret hating of her father, who had hurt her so badly that she didn't come out of her room for 3 weeks.

000-End of Flashback-000

Erik heard a loud thump behind him and felt Kendra's hand slip out of his. He turned quickly, still singing without even noticing. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly on a G. Snapping out of it, Erik lifted Kendra into his arms and pushed her hair out of her face. "Are you alright?" he asked again, this time in his normal voice. Sorelli whimpered behind him. Kendra's mind was somewhere else. Her body was limp in Erik's hands.

Erik propped up Kendra's head, growing all the more afraid she had bumped it on a rock or suffered an injury in the dark. He was unable to see her face well, so he didn't know for sure. "Kendra, can you hear me?" Erik asked urgently. "Kendra, wake up!" Kendra's eyes opened a little. She felt someone holding her, but didn't know who it was. "Raoul..?" she asked blindly to the blurry figure in front of her. Her voice was shaky and scared. It was obvious that she was scared that this form might be Raoul, the father she hated. Erik was worried at the frightened look on Kendra's face. Could she have amnesia? "No, Kendra. It is I, the Angel of Music. Erik." He searched her face for some sign of recognition. Kendra's muscles relaxed and she rested her head on Erik's shoulder. "I thought...I thought, he was going to hurt me again," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes closed and didn't open. She had passed out again.

Erik hugged Kendra's limp body closely and stood up. Carrying her like a rag doll, Erik called to Sorelli and they continued down the tunnel at a much faster pace. He began to sing again, hoping to bring Kendra out of it and comfort her.

Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime

Say you'll lead me from my solitude...

Kendra was still in a daze, but she heard his voice and it calmed her. Her eyes were still closed, but she wrapped her arms around Erik's neck. Kendra opened her eyes a little and sang some words, exactly as her mother would have.

Share each day with me, each night, each morning...

Erik was startled as he heard the sweet words escaping Kendra's lips, yet he continued, in harmony this time. He could see the flickering candlelight of his home refracting off the tunnel walls... they were approching.

Anywhere you go, let me go too...

Kendra's eyes were glued to Erik's face. She was admiring his glorious voice most of all. She continued singing in a quieter voice.

Love me, that's all I ask of you...

Erik finished the last note then carefully, gently tipped Kendra downwards until her feet were resting on the floor. "We're here." he whispered. Walking past to a turn in the tunnel, he spread his arms open wide and said magnificantly "Welcome to the sweet music's throne! My dominion!" Kendra stood on her feet, feeling a little drowsy. She looked at Erik, than at the items and other things that were in this house-like cave. She noticed that the cave didn't end right there, that it continued on into more sections. She smiled at Erik and walked up to him. Kendra put her hand on his cheek and used the other hand to pull off his mask. Erik's face had been exsposed.

Erik felt his mask slip off and he howled in anger, frantically covering his face with his hands. Whirling around ferociously he stomped away, splattering droplets of murky water everywhere. Still screaming in agony and despair, Erik's form crumpled in upon itself and he sunk to the floor near a candleabra in the corner. How could she? It's just as it was before! Erik, breathing heavily, his face still covered, turned to face Kendra. "Are you happy now? LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" He finally removed his shaking hands and let her see his disfigurment clearly, knowing this was the end.

Kendra started to cry as soon as she noticed her mistake. She had thought that he would understand her wanting to see his face. She wiped the tears from her eyes and walked over to the corner where Erik was. She sat next to him and put her hand in his. "I am more happy then I have ever been before," she whispered quietly in his ear. Erik turned to Kendra in disbelief. "You mean... you mean you still care?" his eyes were wide and almost childlike. "But- aren't you afraid? Or-or disgusted? Anything?" Erik felt a tear slide down his cheek, yet he ignored it.

Kendra wiped away Erik's tear and smiled at him. "Why would I be disgusted?" she asked, staring into his eyes. "All the other people I've known- except for Sorelli, of course- were that way. Even-" Erik became silent and added in a voice so low Kendra could barely hear it. "Even Christine." Kendra lowered her eyes and asked in a barely audible voice, "Were you in love with my mother?"