2

Disclaimer: I don't own POTO, duh! But I do own any OC's I do not own Meg or Erik. Sadly..

Meg had covered her ribs up in time. But she began to wounder what the Phantom was like; when he was not angery. He wasn't angery with her until she spoke of Christine.There! She had even began to think of Christine again. She was not Christine's friend anymore; she now was bitter; and felt like she could rely on no one but her mother. But when she'd talked to her mother about the envy she had for Christine; the envy that was forming into hate; her mother closed her eyes and hit her.

"Envy is of the devil!" Her mother tried not to shout; but had to teach her daughter right from wrong. Meg, in tears, ran. To where; she did not know. But she ran, and she did not stop.

-----

Erik was playing the organ; it had been a few days since he had taken Meg back; and he'd hoped she'd started eating more. All of a sudden; when the sheet music ordered the organ to pause; for the song; he heard the sound of choking. A sound he'd grown used to during the past year. He stood up from the organ and followed the sound; the gate had been opened; and he was walking through the water. It was until he saw Meg coughing up water; that he even considered turning back around.

"Why are you here?" He asked. But when she could not stop coughing; he walked to her and hit her back; causing more water than before to gush from her mouth.

"I don't know why." She told him half bitterly. "I fear the green-eyed has secured me a place in hell. Mother says envy is of the devil." Her voice was shaking; Erik knew she wasn't telling him all there was to know. For reasons unknown; he asked if there was more she neglected to say. "Well..." She seemed hesitant; but she saw no reason to hide it from him; a man in hiding. She stood up to him. "Mother..she.." unable to speak the word; she rose her hand and struck him across the face. "I apologize. But I cannot picture mother striking me as such. She always disaplined me kindly; never with physical pain." Erik rubbed the place on his cheek here she had struck him; and crossed his arms.

"Your envy has melted into hatred hasn't it?" Meg seemed ashamed to nod. She was shameful of her inability to be happy for Christine. "Come child." Why was it he always called her child? She was a grown woman, not a child. But she did follow him; her white tu tu dripping wet. When they had gotten to the land; he'd thrown her a cloak; which hid what her tutu had exposed. He'd gone back to the organ and before beginning once again; he spoke. "If you wish to wash; the bath room is down that hall." Meg nodded and followed his pointing finger. Soon enough the music began again;and she'd reached the room at the end of the hall.

When she returned; she came back as she had gone in; dressed in her white tutu with his cloak around her arms, her hair dripping wet.

"May I ask you a question Phantom?" Meg asked. Erik looked from his sheet music and at her. "Why do you call me "Child"?"

"What else am I to call you?" He asked, answering her question with a question of his own.

"Meg." She was quiet; as if she was still afraid of him, after he'd shown her much kindness.

"I will not call you "Child" If you refrain from calling "Phantom."" He bargoned with her. She nodded and asked his name. "Erik."

"Erik." She replied softly; as if she was an echo. "That's a nice name."

"Now let me ask you something." Meg gave him her full attintion. "why was it you came here in all the places in Paris?"

"I don't know." She replied bluntly. "I just started running and somehow I ended up here."

-----

He'd allowed her to rest in his bed. She'd gone through life-threatning perils to get to him; but she did not know why. All she did want to do after she'd talked to him; was sleep. The bed was warm, and comfertable, so Erik let her sleep in it. As soon as her head hit the pillow; she was swept over by dreams. A few hours had passed before she was awoken by loud swearing. She rose in the bed and stepped out; covering her exposed body with the black cape; she saw Erik swearing loudly; and wincing. She went to his side to see he'd cut his finger while prepairing a meal. His finger was bleeding and he was in great pain. He saw her grab his wrist with one hand; untie her ribbon from her hair and wrap it around his finger with the other.

"Why..?" He asked; she just gave him a childish smile; and they both rose up from the floor.

"I can't very well let you bleed." She told him. "You've done so much more for me anyway." Erik didn't say anything; he just returned to what he'd been doing before. "I'm sorry if I'm being a burdon."

"Tell me Ch-" He nearly called her child again. He'd stopped himself after he'd remembered the promise. "Meg. Why do you hate Chrisitne?"

"I am unsure." She told him, walking to his side and leaning on the counter. "There is just something about her. Her ability to attract two men at once."

"Is that why you starved yourself?" She ended up nodding.

"I thought that if I was thinner; I could do what she did."

"What-may I ask- did she do exactly?" He asked as if he did not know. He was letting her know that it was pointless to try to live upto Christine.

"You know." She tol him defensivly. "You were one of the men she bewitched."

"So, you want to live upto a woman who played both Raoul and I? You want to have two men risking their lives for you; and end up betraying one?" Meg was speechless; he made it sound like she was trying to be a whore like Christine. She remained silent as Erik realized he was right.

"Do you wish for me to leave? I've been a burdon."

"I think that would be best." Meg nodded and went back; leaving his cloak behind.

-----

Meg had returned; and her mother apologized for striking her.

"Mother. I understand now, you struck me for good reason." Meg told her understandingly. Meg decided that night that she wouldn't bother Erik anymore; she would push him far from her thoughts; and try her best at dancing. She rested her head on the pillow; until she heard the music in her head. She shot up; and looked around; no one. She rested back down; and let the music continue; while thinking.

Why had she loathed Christine so? Was it because she was popular? Or because she lead a wounderful man on, letting him teach her, and never telling him it would never happen. That made her wounder why she wanted to be like Christine in the first place. Christine wasn't much of an idol if she had hurt Erik so badly.


yes. Ch 2 :D