Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Wheldon and The Phantom Of The Opera belongs to Joel Schmacher, Gaston Leroux and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The songs in this story belong to the songwriters who wrote these amazing songs. Please don't sue me, I'm completely and utterly broke and it's for entertainment purposes only.

Timeline: Post-season seven, Buffy and during the movie The Phantom Of The Opera.

Pairing(s): Erik/Christine, Buffy/Erik (friendship), Dawn/Erik (friendship),Willow/Christine (friendship)

Author's Note: I know I said in the last chapter that it would be the last quickie update for a while but I couldn't resist putting one last quickie update before the upcoming working week. Also, I'll need some help in terms of pairings. One reviewer has suggested that I do either a Buffy/Erik pairing or a Willow/Erik pairing. What do you think?

Buffy/Erik?
Willow/Erik? or

Erik/Christine all the way

E-mail me at and vote for your favorite and tell me why. The pairing that gets the most votes will make it in the story. Anyway, enjoy!

Summary: The friendship between Dawn, Willow and Erik began after he overheard Dawn sing a childhood favorite song and he broke down.

For the longest time, Willow and Dawn held Erik. Dawn held him in her arms while Willow had her arms around his waist. He was still crying and sobbing and was showing no signs of stopping. That made both women feel very sympathetic toward him. Willow had a idea just how lonely his life had been for all of the years he lived underneath the opera house and of all of the cruelites he had suffered in his early years but she didn't know just how bad until she saw him crying in Dawn's arms.

"Oh, Erik." Willow whispered. Then for the second time, she began to sing another song. This time, it was a song that Xander once sang to her at a birthday party back in high school. An old song called Lean On Me. The memory of when she cried because everyone in school made a fool out of her rippled through her as she was singing. Recognizing the song, Dawn joined in with Willow in a soft voice while continuing to hold Erik tightly in her arms also remembering. She was thinking of Cassie. The girl who had no friends and yet had so much to give but her life was cut short by a heart condition.

As Dawn was singing, she felt Erik's strong arms holding onto her tighter and her shoulder became wet with tears but she didn't care. After five minutes, she and Erik pulled away. As he was looking at her with tears still in his golden eyes, Dawn started to sing again this time with Willow singing with her.

When they finished singing, Dawn and Willow both gave Erik gentle and friendly smiles that made his heart jolt and the tears he had been holding back slid down his face. He couldn't help but look at both young women with a grateful smile. The pain of his loneliness and despair lessened just by looking at Dawn and Willow's faces. There wasn't a time in his life when he had felt true happiness except for this time. Erik was about to say something when he heard an unfamiliar voice say in a panicked tone.

"Where the hell am I?"

Dawn and Willow turned to see that Buffy was standing before them still wearing the dress that Erik dressed her in and she had a confused look on her face. Dawn shrieked in delight and relief and flung herself at her sister.

"Christ, Dawnie!" Buffy groaned in pain.

"Sorry." Dawn said sheepishly.

Willow smiled at her best friend. "Welcome back to the land of the living." She quipped.

"Thanks." Buffy replied. "What happened? Where are we and is that who I think it is?" She jerked her thumb at Erik and was surprised at the saddened looks on her sister's and best friend's faces as she did so.

"Yeah, it is." Willow said. She went on to explain what had happened after the demon threw the dagger at her and what Erik did to save her life. She also told her about what happened when Dawn sang to him. When she was finished, Buffy stared at her best friend in shock and disbelief.

I can't believe we're sent back in time and yet my sister and best friend just befriended the legendary Phantom Of The Opera! Oh, my God!

"Wow." Buffy said. "I thought I was dreaming when I saw you guys with him."

"That wasn't a dream, Buffy." Dawn said. "This is as real as it gets."

"And you guys just befriended him? No suspicion of him being evil or anything like that?" Buffy asked.

Willow gave her an even stare. "You didn't see him when he heard Dawn sing that song, Buffy." She said in a serious voice. "He looked so sad and so lonely that there was no doubt a lonely man behind the mask. I'm sure you met someone like that before."

Buffy was about to deny it when she remembered one person in particular who was like that. Angel. She remembered the times where she would find him brooding about his past and all of the lonely nights that came after he had his soul restored to him. She glanced at Erik before she looked back at Willow.

"You're right, Will." She said. "I'm sorry."

Willow shrugged her shoulders. "You were suspicious of him. You have every right to be. When he found us, Dawn immediately entrusted him with your life where I didn't trust him. But Dawn did and still does. She usually has a good sense when comes to trusting people."

Buffy gave her sister a proud smile. "That's my sister." She said. "Thanks, Dawn."

"Don't thank me." Dawn said. "Thank Erik. I mean, if it wasn't for him, you'd be dead by now."

Buffy only nodded and she walked to where Erik was standing which was by the organ. She looked deep into his golden eyes. Man, he's got gorgeous eyes!

"I just want to say thank you for saving my life." Buffy said. "And for taking care of Dawn and Willow." She almost gasped at the sadness and joy in his eyes as she was thanking him. Willow was right. There really is a lonely man behind the mask.

Erik struggled to find the right words to say. As he did, he saw the sincerity and sympathy in Buffy's eyes. He also saw something else in her. While he saw innocence in both Dawn and Willow, he was seeing something entirely different in Buffy. He saw the eyes of a fighter. Someone who fought for humanity but was forced to by a higher force.

What kind of a higher power would curse her to live such a life?

As he found the right words to say, Erik took her hand and placed on his chest and looked deep into her green eyes as he said the words.

"You are welcome, Elizabeth."

Buffy usually hated being called by her birth name but for some reason, she didn't flinch when Erik uttered it. There was something in his voice that the Slayer found comforting. The same feeling she had when she was around Angel during the early days when they were dating.

Get a grip, Summers! This is the Phantom Of The Opera you're gushing over! He's in love with someone else or supposed to be. God, why do I always hit on the hard ones?

Still, Buffy didn't move her hand or her gaze from Erik. She looked deep into his golden eyes and saw what Dawn and Willow did. A man who had no family or friends to back up on unlike herself, Dawn and Willow.

What kind of a hellhole does he live in? Why would the Powers That Be curse him to live like this?

Again, not happy with this chapter. But what can I do? I let you be the judge of this. Anyway, please review and remember no flames. I will ignore them and I don't have the patience for them. Don't forget to vote for your favourite pairing! I'll get chapter 4 up ASAP.