8

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

Meg came running down to Erik for the next visit. This time however; she had great news to tell him.

"Erik!" She shouted as she stepped onto the land. Erik turned from his organ, and towards Meg. "The instructor told me that if the performance goes well; he's thinking of making me the lead dancer." Her face was glowing with excitement; all she wanted was to become the lead dancer, something Christine wasn't.

"Congratulations!" He grinned at her. "I'm sure you will do amazing. Lead dancer is pretty much yours."

"Will you be there?" She asked all of a sudden. Erik looked towards the ground and shook his head.

"I would if I could; but I'm supposed to be dead." he saw her look a bit disappointed; she had hoped he would be there, but she smiled anyway. "I'm sorry Meg, I would if I could."

"I know." She told him. Smiling. She sat beside him on the organ bench and tapped a few keys. "Alex and Sebastian will be there; and I can tell you everything during my next visit."

"That sounds-Wait. Alex? Sebastian? Who are they?" Meg looked up at him from the keys; and realized she had forgotten to tell him.

"Alex and Sebastian are my old friends. Sebastian is working as a dancer until he can find more work; and Alex is a doctor here in Paris. We haven't seen each other since Mother and I came here." Erik looked slightly hurt; as if she had told him Sebastian or Alex was her husband.

"Your not romantically involved with them are you?" He nearly shouted at her; she shook her head; her blond hair resting on her shoulders.

"With Alex and Sebastian?" She laughed. "No. Erik; They are just good friends of mine. I could never picture myself with either one of them. Sebastian came because of the fire; and I would never have known Alex was a doctor here until Sebastian had told me." She assured him lastly that she was never going to be romantically involved with them.

----

She'd gone into the kitchen to fix him dinner; she had been gone not only fifteen minutes before Erik heard her scream. He shot up from the organ bench and ran into the kitchen; to see her kneeling on the floor; holding her hand. He went to her side and saw she had been careless with the kitchen knife; and had sliced her hand. Tears were streaming down her face as she tried to face the pain. Erik lifted her up with him; and grabbed a bottle of alchahol from the cabinet; he calmed her down.

"This will hurt." He told her before pouring the alchahol onto her wound; causing her to scream. He quickly cleaned the wound up and bandaged it. He tried to calm her down again; but she was not upset about her hand.

"I can't do anything right!" She cried. "I bet Christine could cook." She said Christine's name spitefully. Erik held onto her; and told her that he doubted it.

"Meg, it happens to everyone." He lifted her chin with his finger and smiled. "I bet Christine can't boil water." He wiped her tears away; and helped her calm down. When she did; he'd told her he'd finish what she had started; but she wouldn't let him.

"I started this." She told him. "I'm going to finish it."

"OK.Just don't hurt yourself." Meg nodded and he went back into the main room; while she cooked without being distracted. She had been a bit disappointed that Erik couldn't see the performance that may make her the lead dancer. She'd been trying to convince herself that Alex and Sebastian would be there; so it wasn't like she was going to be alone, and she had said that she was going to tell Erik everything.

----

"Madam Giry." Sebastian went to Meg's mother when Meg had not gone back to the dormitories. "Do you know where Meg is is?"

"I do not. Why? Is she not back at the dormitories yet?" Sebastian shook his head. He was worried about Meg, she was a helpless angel who could not fend for herself. Of course; that was what he remembered her being; he had not known the woman that girl had grown into. Madam Giry grew worried; Meg was her little girl. No matter how old she was; she was still her baby girl.

"I'm worried Madam Giry. Meg cannot fend for herself. What if someone has harmed her?"

"Do not worry Sebastian." Madam Giry told him gently. "She always vanishes like this. When she returns you can ask her. If she does not return we will find people to find her." Sebastian nodded; worried about his Megara.

----

Erik loved the nights when Meg stayed and cooked for him; it was nice not to have to cook for himself. He'd never had a woman cook for him; nor a hot meal as all that Meg made. He loved it. They talked; about everything. They spoke of every subject that came to mind. She told him how she was angry with her mother; for treating her like a child.

"I don't understand why mother insists on treating me like a child." She'd told him. "I'm not a child. I'm a woman."

"Don't take her treating you like that for granted." He responded. "When she isn't there when you need her; You'll miss the times she was." Meg nodded; knowing he knew what he was talking about. He never had a mother to baby him like her mother did for her.

"Erik. Do you ever think about your mother? what she was like?" He was silent before responding that he did think about it.

"But I always remind myself that she didn't want me." He sounded like thinking about it was hurting him; Meg was silent; but tried to keep him from hurting.

"Do you still love Christine." She hated asking; because she feared the answer. She worried he would say yes.

"A bit." he replied. "but I keep telling myself to let her go. It's just hard."

"I understand." She stroked his black hair. "But. Think of it like this. She'd missed out on a great guy. Your smart; handsome; and you know how to bandage up a hand. Raoul may not have to wear a mask; but that man can't even draw a stick person. Were as you; you paint wonderfully. If the world would accept you; you would be rich. A great composer; artist; architect; designer; magician." Erik smiled at her; she knew just what to say to make him feel better. "It hurts now; but sooner or later; you'll move on, and maybe some other girl will be lucky enough to be loved by you."

-----

Meg had gone back up to the dormitories; and Erik thought about what she'd said. She sounded like she knew what she was saying; and he'd hoped she was right. Yet; he still couldn't get Christine out of his mind. She didn't know him like Meg did; she didn't know him passed the face, while Meg saw passed the face; and to the him he wanted Christine to know. He was a genius; and Meg knew that.

But he didn't want to get hurt again.

Meg was pretty; and everything Christine wasn't; and he did like her; but he wouldn't allow himself to feel anything passed that; even though he had a closet filled with her portrait; operas he'd written while thinking of her; and not to mention his ledger; he couldn't love her.


I forgot to mention, Megara is from HERCULIES. :D