"Well, I suppose it's my fault," she began. "I allowed Raoul to sweep me off my feet with sweet words and promises, and committed myself to him before I really knew him. All I saw was his handsome face, his fine clothes, all the parties & dances…and the fact that he had chosen me, a little nobody…"

"You are somebody!" he interrupted her. "Money and position are not everything in life!"

"I know that now. I think I knew it then, but he was so insistent that it was easier to go along and think that it was what I wanted also. And I felt so alone after that night you brought me here and then got so angry with me….Erik, please forgive me for removing your mask that night," she pleaded, suddenly changing tone. "My father always scolded me for allowing my curiosity to get the best of me, which is what happened with you. I was wrong, and I lost you just when I had a chance to find out who my Angel really was!" she said in a choked sob, rushing through the confession she had longed to make since that fateful night.

"My dear, it is I who should ask your forgiveness for my outrageous temper…..to think that I could actually push you down and curse you in that way!" Erik immediately moved to kneel at her feet; the memory of his actions had tormented him since that critical night when he had ruined all of his hopes and plans. "Christine, forgive me, and let us put the past behind us, please? I have no excuse for my behavior, but I promise it will not happen again." It was his turn to plead, and she nodded acceptance, "Yes, Erik, I forgive you, but it was really my fault, and I promise not to do that to you again."

He stood and looked at the lake, so quiet for a few minutes that she wondered if she had said something wrong. He then seemed to come to some private decision, and continued in a low voice, "Christine, you have seen my face, which I have hidden from the world so that it would not shun me further. Can you still want to know me now that you are aware of how hideous I look?" He continued to face away from her, afraid to hear the answer, and yet brave enough to ask the question now that she had shown him friendship and forgiveness. But what if he had spoiled it all again by reminding her of what was behind the mask? God, how he hated himself sometimes!

"Erik?" No answer. "Erik, dear, please sit down and look at me."

"I can't" came the muffled reply, since he had crossed his arms and placed one hand to his mouth.

The girl stood and closed the few steps between them, putting a hand on his shoulder. "My dearest Angel, there is nothing hideous about you; in fact, I find you very attractive. Yes, part of your face has a distortion, but it is the person inside of you, the friend & confidante who guided me all those years, that matters. Now that we are man and woman, instead of tutor and student, I want to know that man regardless of his physical appearance." She felt him trembling and stepped in front of him to look in his face. He turned away further, but not before she saw the tears running down the uncovered portion of his face.

"Oh, Erik, please, you must believe me!" She pulled his arm until he turned to face her, still fighting for control of his emotions.

"I do, Christine" he whispered. "I just wanted so badly to hear you say that, and now that you have I find it hard to comprehend." More tears escaped, as he tried to realize that she accepted him, gargoyle that he was.

"Erik, it's all right, really," she soothed, wiping the tears from his face with her fingers. "Besides, what I saw did not look as bad as you say it does….my father's back was scarred from a fire when he was a child, and it looked much worse…I used to rub oil into the scars to help soften them when they caused him pain from the tightness. Everyone has some sort of imperfection…..I don't know who convinced you that you were a monster, but you are definitely not!"

"What?" he asked incredulously, lifting his eyes to hers again. "Even my own mother couldn't bear the sight of me!"

"Then she was not a fit mother! She did real harm to your self-esteem, and she must be a horrible woman to have treated her child that way!" she stated indignantly.

"I think," he said slowly, "that she was uneducated, and superstitious, and saw my face as God's judgment or curse, so it frightened her. I came to understand that over the years, but it still left me wary of the human race's contempt. Even Antoinette Giry, whose friendship I value greatly, has never succeeded in making me believe that my appearance does not matter, though she has tried."

"Well, I'm going to make you accept it as true, Erik. I want you to know that whenever you are comfortable enough with me, I would like to see your face without the mask, and prove to you that it makes no difference!" She continued to look him full in the face with such a radiant smile that he finally gave her a small smile in return, reaching out for her.

"Oh, Christine, you are MY angel!" he whispered as he enfolded her in his arms and stroked her soft hair. What he wouldn't give to stay like this forever!