A/N: Oh, thank you! Thank you so much for your reviews! That really big one... I almost cried just reading it! I love you guys, you're all my best friends! I hope you enjoy this latest chapter, it was a bit tough to write in the middle, but I hope you all like it! Please read and review:) I'm so heartwarmed by all your comments!

Disclaimer: If I owned the Phantom of the Opera and the characters within the story, I would have made Christine love Erik. But I don't own any of it, so... know that, lol.

The sound of laughter reverberated throughout the dungeons, as Kristen was swiftly lifted and whirled around in the arms of her Phantom. Both of them had been extremely thankful that this moment turned out the way it did, and as it seemed, nothing would ruin what they had. Kristen had completely forgotten about her growling stomach... his closeness was greater satisfaction than food anyway.

She broke off her embrace with him, though still at arms length, she looked down at the magnificent gown she possessed, then around at the many gothic decorations which graced the lair.

"Your home, it's truly astounding" she commented, returning her gaze to his penetrating eyes, once more finding herself incapable of looking anywhere else. "What you've done with it, everything, it's simply genius."

"You like your new home?" he asked her. Her knees almost gave way. This was her new home, with those words, only now did it begin to sink in that she was really here to stay.

"More than any place on earth." She told him quietly. He smiled warmly down at her, his eyes became moist, but with his expression, they could have been small tears of joy. Although, as he lovingly traced the scars which marked her forehead, her own expression became rather uneasy. She had not yet seen her own face, let alone his...

"Kristen, what's wrong?" he asked her suddenly, observing the change in her eyes, and becoming rather uneasy about it.

She sighed, holding back whatever sobs were on their way. She wished she didn't have to think of these things at a time like this. The doctor had told her that day that she was "still beautiful", but how could he tell her otherwise? Was it not the doctor's job to comfort his patients? Well, either way, Erik seemed to take fancy to these scars, at least she was certain they both had one thing in common, a favor of distortion. The day he allowed her to lay hands to his marred skin, she was instantly fascinated, but to her own? It was a different story entirely, when one considers themselves, and not another.

"I have not yet seen what marks have been made to my face" she told him as best she could without letting her worry become too evident.

"Oh Kristen, no, they are hardly marks." he told her, instantly realizing that she was concerned about her brands. It was bad enough for him to look in the mirror and see what he had been born with, but she grew up with a beautiful,and perfect face, any mark was likely to frighten her. She sighed,

"I must look upon them" she voiced slowly, her eyes traveling to the ground. Erik brought her closely to him in a gentle embrace, and scanned his dark haven for a mirror. They were all destroyed, that terrible night, he had broken all of them. Only one did he replace, the mirror passage.

"Kristen, you are gorgeous, despite the marks" He tried to assure her.

"Show me" She replied quietly, and with silent trepidation.

"Over there, the mirror passage" He pointed. She looked in this given direction. The mirror faced the stone wall and she could not see her image from where she stood. She slowly began to travel towards this decorated instrument of reflection, when suddenly she stopped in her tracks, and turned to face him. This would be the best time, when both of them could learn of exposure together.

"I will not look" she said to him, and watched him become curious and confused.

He didn't reply. Was her horror truly that deep that she could not bare to look upon her own face for fear of seeing something hideous? What did that say about what her reaction would be towards his own face?

"I will not look, Erik, until you show me what you yourself hide behind the mask you wear." And with her words he was paralyzed. She was tricky, somehow she knew exactly how to get from him what she wanted, but this? His face? When he had spent his entire life hiding it from the world? He would have stood frozen there for centuries in her presence if it would have prevented him from revealing to her his horrid flesh, but as always, she proved so unpredictable as she journeyed back across the cold stone floor, to stand ever so close before him.

"Is this how it must be?" he asked regretfully. The memory of Christine ripping the mask from his face and falling away in fear, was too much for him to handle. If this young woman, whom had already given him the love he never knew, recoiled back in terror, he would most likely die.

She sighed. Perhaps she asked too much. He was so very kind to her, just look at where she was, and what she was wearing. For the first time in her life she felt... almost wealthy. Money had never been an issue in her life. There was hardly any to be had, and therefore none to lose, so none to worry about. But he made her feel important to him, that was something special to her. He told her she was in his heart, that was also special. Waves of guilt flooded her spirit as she knew what she had to say.

"If we must unveil the things we do not want to show, then let us do it together. I do not want to show to myself my own image, and you do not want to show me yours... both of us have fears we must conquer, Erik... please? I so long to see you without your disguise, however bad your marring is, I'm sure I will take some sort of liking to it" she tried to softly laugh, but it was obvious that the only emotion which surrounded them now was worry and anticipation. "You know how I feel about you, Erik, I could never do to you what you say everyone else has. Please show me, and I will no longer fear to look upon myself."

He sighed. She was very persuasive, and very determined that she wished to see him. She almost planted within him relief, that he would be OK with her no matter what, but relying on such hope had never proven safe.

She watched his uncertainty, and stood up on tiptoes to softly brush her lips against his. When she returned to a full stance she could see the tears threatening to rack his eyes, once again she was making him cry. She soundlessly damned herself. She was far too demanding to a man who was far too kind. Nevertheless, her heart began to beat in a mad fury as she saw his graceful hand slowly make it's way towards his mask, but upon reaching it, he only touched it, he did not remove it.

She put her hand softly to his shoulder,

"Don't be afraid," he told her.

She shook her head in assurance, "I could never fear you now, not now, not ever." She brought her face close to his, and delicately kissed his cheek. He wouldn't dare unmasked himself as she stood so close to him, but as her other hand moved to cover his hand which touched the mask, he knew that the time was now, the moment which would determine their future. She gently tightened her grasp on his hand,

"Please Erik, it's time." She whispered, looking up into his beautiful saddened eyes, and as she saw the mask removed, she noticed his eyes begin to close. She now held the mask as she looked up into his malformation. Just as the stories seemed to describe it, as was told to her by Meg, yellowed and reddened skin, swollen in some places, and twisted in others. That side of his nose was slightly sunken in, accompanied by uneven ridges. By no means was there a black hole where his nose should have been, that part was a completely lie! Marred, he was simply marred. And not only that, she had realized he wore a wig, but perhaps she would not ask him to remove that, she could hardly understand how he could possibly bare this moment now, she would not make it worse for him. By no means was she frightened. She brought her hand to this disfigurement, just as she had done when she was blind, and scaled over this flesh.

"Open your eyes, Erik" She said. Somehow she could not stop saying his name, it was slowly becoming her favorite word. After several moments spent convincing himself to do so, he obeyed her command, as always, strangely, and looked down into her eyes. As she looked up at him, she realized that with both eyes open, she could tell it was him even with this apparent tarnish. She already knew it was him, but she could see him, through his eyes. Her thumb now caressed this flesh, and his agonizing anticipation slowly diminished as he realized the light smile that was slowly spreading across her lips.

"I've never seen anything like it" She whispered to him, trying to assure him that she was still fascinated by him, despite his imperfection.

"no doubt" he replied under saddened breath.

"No... Erik, don't do this. I've already told you that everything about you amazes me... Your face... I can still see your soul Erik, as I was able to see your soul in darkness, I can see it in your eyes, your heart, your mind, your genius, It's all in your eyes." She continued to obsessively cuddle his appearance with her eyes, as if he was the most attractive man alive, when in all honesty he was the exact opposite... not to her though. No, not to stubborn little Kristen with her individual views towards everything. She softly kissed both his cheeks, and dried his tears, which now began to fall from his beautiful green eyes, with one delicate finger.

"Kristen" he whispered, bringing his hand to her face as she stood so closely to him. "I don't deserve you" he told her, kissing her forehead. Her eyes closed upon this, and she further smiled. All was out in the open now, she released a sigh. But then, no... all was not out yet, she realized. Just as she was about to tell herself all her worries were over, she remembered that she had not yet looked upon her own image.

Kristen was an angel, he though, as he held her. Yes, in the past he had referred to Christine as his angel of music, but not like this. Kristen was not an angel of music, she was simply an angel, for no soul this extraordinary could ever come from such a somber place as earth. Heaven must have sent her, although Erik had spent most years snarling at religion, wondering why, if God loved all his children, he would plague Erik with such loneliness. But Kristen was the answer at the end of all his uncertainties.

She was so very silent in his embrace, he knew that she was contemplating holding true to her end of the bargain. She would have to look into a mirror someday, he thought, but he found it increasingly difficult to even think about forcing her to do anything now, after she had granted him the gift of acceptance upon viewing his gruesome appearance.

"Erik, I'm so afraid, I'm so afraid to look..." She told him, burying her face in his chest, though she didn't cry, she was still to happy upon seeing him whole that her own misery was hardly phasing her. But she did however still feel that worry, that she would look into the mirror and see a melted brow, in total disrepair.

He rubbed her back softly, then stroked her hair, succeeding in comforting her away from most of her fear. "You don't have to Kristen, if you're not ready, you don't have to." He told her. She sighed, and looked up at him, at his unmasked face,

"We made a deal," She gently argued, but she couldn't help herself. She had to smile a little. Really when had the face of nightmare stirred within her such desire to create? She found herself standing within the very pages of Beauty and the Beast, only she didn't know how beautiful Beauty was in this account, but the story had captivated her ever since she was a little child. Could she truthfully say she was living it now? Erik, the man whom everyone at the opera house feared. Her heart seemed to bleed for that, it excited her at an extreme level of intensity.

"Yes, but Kristen, it can wait. You know, you're supposed to be in bed anyway. When you were... asleep, Madame Giry called in a doctor. He said you should remain in bed for at least a week..."

"There was a doctor here? Who?" Kristen inquired with shock, instantly forgetting the dilemma of her scars.

"If I recall correctly, she said his name was Dr. Perdoux, she said you would be familiar with him."

Kristen gasped.That doctor? whom had actually suggested she stay at the Populaire while her mother leave to God only knows where. It occurred to her somewhere between now and when she first realized she could see that she no longer had a reason to remain in the city of Paris... except for Erik. He was the only thing holding her here, and it was a strong hold she was bound by. She could not imagine herself being happy anywhere else again if she was not with him.

He gave her an inquisitive look, and she only shook her head at his questioning expression,

"He was the doctor who treated my burns" she said. He nodded in understanding.

"I could not believe it when he just left us here after only a few moments of examining you. He left, he told Madame Giry in front of all of us that he was busy..."

"Yes, well that man has a habit of disappointing people..." she began to say, but then upon realizing his last words, she had to frown. "All of us?" she asked

"Meg was there" he replied. Kristen smiled,

"Oh, Meg was here?" she asked with happiness, "She is such a nice girl..." Erik snorted at that remark. "I know... I know, she was rather awful to you, but she doesn't know any better. She is caring though. If only I could see her again... "

Erik frowned, "Why can't you?" he asked her.

Kristen looked up at him surprised, "You would permit me to leave here?" She asked. He nodded in response,

"Why not Kristen? You are not a prisoner. If you would like, I will show you every maze, ever tunnel and every hidden corridor of this theater. You will be able to travel to any part of the Populaire you wish, without being seen."

These words made her genuinely happy. "Yes! Show me everything!" She responded in a very giddy fashion. Her smile and her sparkling eyes revealed to him that she had completely forgotten of everything which had only moments ago worried her. "Make me a Phantom, like you!" she said, and upon that, he laughed.

"You wish to be a Phantom?" He asked her. She smiled widely, exposing her pearly white teeth, truly she had a breathtaking smile, and this excitement within her only enhanced that.

"Teach me to be like you" she begged, then she took his hand. Suddenly it occurred to her that she was acting upon her previous fascinations. She was acting upon the very things which Meg had warned her to avoid, and it felt wicked, sinful, and glorious! She glanced up at him with dark mysterious eyes, a look which he had never seen from her before, and she pulled him with her as she said,

"Come with me, as I see myself." she requested, and he followed her. If she could get it into her mind that these scars upon her face only made her more like him, it would not be bad at all. If she could become like him, it wouldn't matter how bad the marks were, it would only matter that they were there, labeling her as his true soul mate.

The mirror stood only a few paces forward... a few paces into the next realm of her life. And then, she found her reflection.

They were as Dr. Perdoux had said they would be that day in the doctor's office. They were simply burn scars, slightly marring her brow, but not to the extent that she had expected. She was barely able to notice the scars until she reached the mirror up close. At first, when she saw herself from far back, she was confused, for it really looked as if there was nothing there at all.

She examined her image for many moments, running her fingers along the scars, wondering how on earth she could have ever thought they would be as bad as she was expecting them to be. Then she saw Erik walk up from behind her, and looked at her in the mirror. She looked back at him, and sighed.

"Do you see?" He asked, turning her around to face him, "You were worrying for nothing, my love" he told her, and kissed her temple softly.

"I wouldn't have been able to do that if it were not for you. If it were not for your willingness to show yourself to me..." She admitted. "I think it will be quite wonderful to aid you in your control of the theater, as your... female phantom." She said, brought his hand to her lips and kissed the back of it gently, in sensual movement, as she starred up into his deep green eyes. Nothing had excited her more than the very prospect of being the next ghost to haunt the Opera Populaire.

"You're amazing Kristen" he told her, running a skilled hand through her hair.

"Wait..." Kristen frowned, and turned her head in the other direction. Erik watched her befuddled,

"What?" he asked.

"I hear footsteps" she said. He frowned... footsteps?

"I hear nothing" he said.

Was it possible that she was still able to hear everything as she had heard when her eyes were unusable? Apparently, for about ten seconds later, Erik was able to hear the very sounds she spoke of. Footsteps, and they were approaching at a rapid pace. He quickly grabbed for his mask and returned it to his malformed face, before the very likes of Meg Giry popped through the mirror passage, and found herself face to face with both Erik and Kristen, standing side by side.

Upon seeing Kristen, Meg gasped. That emerald dress was more beautiful in this light than it had been in the dimness of the bedchamber.

"Kristen! You are awake!" She bellowed joyously, "Oh how wonderful!" She ran to give her friend a hug, completely ignoring the Phantom to jump into her "blind" friends arms.

Kristen didn't know who it was who came through the mirror until she heard her voice, when the young girl had screamed out with her non extinguishable enthusiasm, she soon realized who it was, and returned Meg's enfold, looking up at Erik from where she stood in this embrace, warning him to be a little nicer to this immature ballerina. "Meg, listen, I must tell you something, and I haven't a moment to lose upon saying it... " She said.

Meg let go of her friend, and stared up into her gorgeous eyes, it was clear to her even before Kristen could say it that she was able to see again. "I've regained my sight Meg, I can see as clearly as I could before. Meg, I wish I could have seen how beautiful you are long ago..."

Meg's entire expression lit up, "Kristen! Oh this is fantastic! Now you can..." her enthusiasm suddenly died down. She remembered how this whole thing had happened. Her mother was trying to take her away against her will... and she could recall Kristen saying that she did not want to leave.

Erik decided it was best to leave the two girls alone, that look Kristen had given him was more than enough signal. He thought it might be needed to allow them some private time anyway, Kristen had been through so much, maybe what she needed now was a friend, of the same gender, that is.

"Kristen, what are you going to do? You can see, you don't have to stay here any more, you can go back to your mother and father and..."

Kristen took Meg lightly by the wrist and led her through the curtains into the bedroom. "No Meg" she whispered to her softly, and with friendliness, "I don't want to leave... never, I never want to leave"

Meg instantly grew curious, as was custom for her. "But you can see again, you can go anywhere you want to."

"No, I can't" Kristen replied. "I..." she gave a single glance out through the curtains, and looked back down to Meg, "I think I am in love..." she whispered so very quietly. Meg's brilliant eyes grew wider than perhaps human nature would allow them to, and she covered her mouth,

"With the Opera Ghost?" She asked, truly startled.

Kristen sighed, "His name is Erik" she whispered. Obviously she did not want him to hear any of this. What she felt for him could truly have been called love, but she didn't know if she could say it, to him any way... what if he did not LOVE her in return. He was very fond of her yes, but Christine was still not far enough in the past for her comfort.

"What are you going to do?" Meg asked quietly.

"I'm going to stay, with him." She replied.

"And he's allowing it?" Meg inquired,

"Yes" Kristen answered, with a smile. "He said he wants me here, forever with him."

Meg grew horrified. She still could not fathom that this... "Erik"... was a real man. She also had to get it out of her head that Kristen was under some sort of spell... she was slowly beginning to believe that the girl could really grow to love him, it was evident in the way she spoke of him before, way back when she was trying to assure Meg that there was not even an Opera Ghost at all.

"Forever?" Meg asked, "In this dungeon?"

"Dungeon?" Kristen responded with outrage, "This is the very origin of beauty! Look around you Meg, it's scary! it's romantic, it's gothic, it's elegant. It's simply beautiful, and I would rather be here than anywhere else."

Meg sighed, and nodded. "I guess this is your choice Kristen" she said, "But, what about my mother? She knows you're here, and when she finds out that you can see again, the first thing she is going to do is contact your mother."

Kristen froze. Meg was right. Madame Giry didn't seem to approve of her relationship with Erik. This was a whole new problem all together. "Bloody Hell" she muttered as she sat down on her bed of silk, "There's got to be a way around this..." Meg sat down beside her. Kristen began to nervously nibble on the grapes which had been left there, while she further pondered the situation.

"Meg, whatever you do, do not tell your mother anything... don't even tell her that you have returned here. For all you know, I'm still unconscious, understand? Madame Giry must never know that I can see. She must never know. Neither must Dr. Perdoux, or anyone else. The only ones who shall know of my ability to see, is you, me, and Erik.