Hello, my Phantom fans, I am back! I know it has been forever.

I am sorry that I did not update. I have been very busy for the past couple of months. My teaching job starts again, studying for my exam, rehearsing for the musical "Beauty and the Beast," and spending time with my family. Again, the next chapter will take some time because of life and my next update is my "My Magical Wish" story. Please be patient with me.

Again, I want to thank my friend OtherCharacterNut for proofreading this chapter. Seriously, I do not know what I would do without your help. If you have not read her stories, I recommend you read them. They are truly amazing! Also, I want to thank everyone who helped/advised me with my writer block for this chapter. I really appreciate all the help.

Also, please check out my Twitter page, my YouTube channel, and my Polypore page to see posters and what clothes Brie is wearing in each chapter. Anyways, do not forget to favorite, follow, review, and enjoy this chapter.

Also, I do not own anything except my OC Brie.

Brie's POV

All right, that settles it; I need to stop hitting my head on the floor or any kind of hard surface. It felt like a bag of bricks was dropped on my head, but the worst part was I was trapped in the darkness. My mind began to waken before my body. I couldn't open my eyes, but I could hear strong footsteps rushing toward me. I could feel concerned hands turning me on my back and then swiftly carrying me into their arms to lay me down on a much softer surface. It was when a tender touch caressed my cheek that I was able to open my eyes.

As my mind connected with my body again, I saw the man I had not seen for two years right in front of me. I gasped at his closeness, which caused him to back away with his hands raised so I'd know he meant me no harm.

I could not believe my eyes as I softly whispered out, "Erik?"

He smiled at me and took a step towards me. I however, was still shocked to see him. I got out of the chair and stepped back, keeping my distance from him. His smiled dropped and he lowered his arm. Don't get me wrong, I should have been running into his arms and not let him go. However, there was something holding me back. I knew Erik was Mr. Y. He planned this all along.

"I should have known that you'd be here… I should have known it all along… This whole arrangement bears your stamp. You're in each measure of that song." He walked to me again, but I would not let him. "No Erik, don't." Hearing my stern voice, he came to a halt once more. I needed to speak my mind. What I have wanted to say for the past 2 years. "How dare you come and claim me now? Invade my life, ensure my voice…"

Erik's look of sorrow smashed my heart. I could see the pain and loss in his eyes. When he spoke, my legs felt like jelly. "If you could know the pain I've known… Then you would know I had no choice…" I looked down at the floor. I could not bear to look into his eyes right now. I heard his dress shoes slowly walked up to me. I felt his gloved hand grabbed my chin to lift my head. I looked right into his eyes as he said,"My Brieanna…"

Hearing my name coming out of his mouth made my heart swell. Before I could smile, my mind flashed to the past. Back to the Opera House, the fire, Erik kidnapping me, he nearly killed Raoul, I confessed my love to him, going to escape… when I fell back into the mirror. I have spent two years longing to find a way to come back. However, this is too much for me. I closed my eyes to try not to let the tears fall out of my eyes. I took a deep breath and stepped away, making him release my chin.

"Your Brieanna?" I asked meekly.

I turned around, facing away to him. I did not want him to see me as a weakling. I covered myself with my arms for comfort. This pain, regret, and heartbreak would not be happening, if I had not fallen into the mirror. Once I came back to this world, I felt like I was hurting more people.

"I was yours forever, long ago… Until the night, forever ended with the show."

Erik smiled as he sang out, "Ah, Brieanna! You came and found where I hid. Don't you deny that you did. That long-ago night…"

My whole body froze at that statement. I was completely confused. What in the world is he talking about? We were never together like he and Christine was in the story. Our official last night together was when the mob was chasing him down and I fell through the mirror. Did I miss something? What is Erik singing about?

My thoughts were stopped when I felt two warm gloved hands touched my tense shoulders. I held my breath as he started to gently message them. His warm breath creased my neck. I closed my eyes as he continued to rub my shoulders and sang into my ears.

"Once there was a night… Beneath a moonless sky… Too dark to see a thing, too dark to even try."

As he sang, I silently gasped when I recalled a memory. About a year ago, I had a dream. In the dream, I was in a dark room. I could not see anything, but I felt a presence in the room. I remembered seeing something white. I was with Erik in the dream. We danced that night. We kissed that night. We stayed together that night. Now hold up! Wait a flipping minute! It was just a stupid dream. It was not real! I cannot just cross over to his world in a dream… can I?

I looked over my shoulder as he reluctantly released me. I stared to the side as I softly sang out, "I longed to return, hopeless as it would seem… I couldn't see your face, but sensed you in my dream… And I touched you."

I walked around Erik as he sang out, "And I felt you."

We both sang in harmony. "And I heard those ravishing refrains."

I gently touched the music box as I could hear the melody in my head. "The music of your pulse."

Erik looked at me with passion as he sang, "The singing in your veins."

"And I held you."

"And I touched you."

I could feel the emotion in this song. I looked back at him and sang, "And I embraced you."

"And I felt you."

"And with every dance and every sigh," we sang together.

I slowly walked to him, my Erik. "I felt no more sorrow."

Erik took a step to me. "I felt no longer shy."

We were inches away from each other. We were so close; I could feel his breath on my face. "At last our feelings shared, beneath a moonless sky."

I realized that we were singing about the dream I had. Was it real? I slowly started to believe that it was. Maybe while I was asleep and having the dream, I somehow crossed over. I smiled to myself. The dream was real! I was with Erik!

I slowly placed my hand on his cheek that did not have the mask on it. He closed his eyes as he softly placed his hand over mine. I grinned as I sang softly, "And blind in the dark, as soul gazed into soul… You opened up your heart, I saw you pure and whole."

He turned his head and he delicately kissed the palm of my hand. He lowered my hand rubbed circles on my wrist. He placed his other hand on my hipbone as he sang,"Cloaked under the night, with nothing to suppress… A woman and a man, our music shall possess… And I kissed you."

"And I caressed you."

I laid my head on his chest. I could hear the thumping of his heart beat as we sang together, "And the world around us fell away… We said things in the dark, we never dared to say."

Erik stroke my hair as he sang with passion, "And I caught you."

I smiled as I sang back, "And I kissed you."

"And I held you."

"And I touched you."

I lifted my head up from his chest to see the longing and love him his eyes. I felt so hypnotized as I continued to stare in his dark eyes as we continued to sing, "With a love too ardent to deny… And nothing mattered then, except for you and I… Dancing to song again… Beneath a moonless sky."

As my eyes shifted to his white mask, Erik gradually released me and backed away. I could tell something was haunting him, like he had a secret. He refused to look at me as he sang with sorrow,"As it came to end, before the sun could rise… Ashamed of what I was, afraid to see your eyes… I stood while you slept, and whispered a goodbye… And slipped into the dark, beneath a moonless sky."

I was in shocked at this confession. So Erik still left before sunrise; before I woke up from the dream and I was back in my world. I lowered my eyes to the ground, feeling the anger and betrayal not only for Erik but myself too. I was surprised to learn that Erik still left before sunrise since when I woke up; I was back in my world. Strangely, it angered me a bit. Here I was feeling guilty about leaving him, twice might I add, but it was not even by choice. I was forced to leave and yet he left me by his own free will! The anger of being away from him for the past 2 years built inside me.

I walked up to him and sang with power, "And I loved you… Yes, I loved you! I'd have followed anywhere you led! I woke to swear my love, and found our music dead!"

He stared into my eyes, begging for forgiveness. He raised his hand towards me as he said, "And I loved you, and I left you; And I had to, both of us knew why."

We were singing with passion as we gripped each other, never letting go. "And yet I won't regret, from now until I die… The dance I can't forget, beneath a moonless sky."

I could feel his nose touching mine. Just a few inches further and I could touch his lips. Like a snap back to reality, I had to stop. I cannot do this. I've moved on. I walked away from him, as confused as ever with guilt looming in my heart and fear behind my eyes. Everything would be different now. I am not the same Brieanna as I was two years ago. I don't belong here. I am living in a fantasy and I am taking over another Brieanna's life. Someone else who is the real Brieanna Daee, who is related to Christine, who is in love with Adam. I am just the Brieanna from the 21st century who is going to college and being with her best friend and her family. I have a life and a future to worry about. This is not my life and reality anymore. It is hard for me to say this… I have given up this life… given up Erik.

I could hear the hope in his voice as he asked,"And now?"

I closed my eyes and I said, "How can you talk of now? For us…" I slowly turned my head back to him as I finished my statement. "There is no now."

I looked at the piano, refusing to see the hurt and the anger in his eyes. Erik stared at my back before he remembered seeing one person who was close to me. I felt his voice hissed into my ear as he said, "Are you saying that... because of him?"

I swiftly turned around to face him. I gazed into his eyes and was confused. Him? Who was he… Was he bringing up about me and Raoul? Oh, come on Erik! We've been through this already! I crossed my arms over my chest and scoffed. "Him? Have you forgotten that Raoul is only-"

"I have not. You know of whom I speak. The man who kissed your hand! Who is he to you?"

My eyes widen when I realized who he was referring to; Adam. Oh man, if Erik finds out that he and 'Brie' are lovers, who knows what Erik aka the Phantom of the Opera will do.

"How do you know about-" I stopped talking when I realized something. Wait a flipping minute! How did he know about Adam and him kissing my hand? Did he… Oh my gosh, was he spying on me!? I was livid! It's called privacy Erik! "You were watching me?!" I sneered at him.

He was not letting this go. I could see the fury in his eyes. "Tell me who he is!"

"He's no one to you," I said as I walked around him. I did not get far when he gripped my arm to stop me from walking away.

He pulled me closer to his firm chest. I gasped when tightly wrapped his arm around my waist. I felt a chill go down my spine when his mouth was next to my ear. "You're wrong! Do not lie to me! Who is he to you, Brieanna?"

I tried to calm him down as I tried to move out of his grip. "Erik, please. You'll wake my nephew."

"WHO IS HE?"

"Adam! His name is Adam and we are together! He's the man who loves me!"

I stepped out of Erik's hold after the outburst. I covered my mouth when I realized what I had just said. I really wish I never said it out loud, especially in front of the Phantom. I was nervous for Adam's safety now. Erik now knows that this world Brieanna and Adam are together. I could see the hurtful shock on Erik's face. I slowly lowered my hands and held them together as they shook. Before either of us could utter a word, someone cried out my name.

"Auntie Brie!"

My eyes grew with fear as Gustave's bedroom doors slammed opened. He ran out and collided into me. I gasped from the pressure and almost lost my balance. I felt something wet on my dress, when I realized Gustave was crying.

"Auntie Brie, please, I'm scared. What a dream, an awful dream." I rubbed his back as he continued to cry and held my waist tighter. "Someone strange and mad. Seizing me and drowning me."

My eyes widened when I realized who he was referring to… Meg. She became crazy in the sequel. She tried to kill Gustave at the end of the musical. Well not on my watch. Maybe there is a way she won't become insane. I knelt down and looked at my scared tearful nephew.

"Hey, sh, Gustave, it's alright. It was just a nightmare. It was not real." I whipped his eyes with my stopped his crying, but looked behind me. I turned my head to see Erik was staring in awe at the boy. I gulped, knowing I have to introduce Gustave to Erik. "Come and meet a… friend of mine."

Erik composed himself as I brought Gustave in front of me. I smirked to myself when Erik bowed to my nephew and said, "Welcome to my world, young friend."

Gustave was intrigued for a 10-year-old little boy."Your world? Where are we?"

I watched as Erik grabbed the boy's hand. All three of us walked out to the balcony. Erik pointed out to the lights and exciting sounds. I looked over to see it was Phantasma.

"We're in Phantasma, little Vicomte. A world of fantasy where illusion is king." I continued to look at Phantasma when Gustave grabbed my hand. I looked down at him to see he was filled with enthusiasm. I smiled at his joy. I gasped when I felt something touched my shoulder. I looked to see Erik was standing right behind Gustave and I. I could see the wheels in his head turning. I looked away, avoiding his hypnotic eyes. Erik creased my shoulder before turning back to Gustave."Tell me where you want to go. Tell me what you want to see."

I realized that this is a trap. He is literally luring Gustave into his web. "Well, I don't-"

"Madame, please, I insist," Erik raised his hand, interrupting me.

Gustave let go of my hand and stared at Erik like he was a Lord. I was a little bit worried when he asked the Phantom, "Could you show me, if you please?All Phantasma's mysteries; all that's wild and strange and dark. In the shadows of the park."

Erik smiled as he knelt down to Gustave's level. He grabbed my nephew's shoulders and said, "You shall see it all tomorrow. In fact, I myself shall show you…" I held my breath when he looked right into my eyes and said, "I promise you."

I took a deep breath and ushered Gustave inside the hotel room. "Back to bed, Gustave."

Gustave tugged on my selves and asked me, "Why does he wear a mask, Aunt Brie? Is he a magician?"

"Umm…" I looked behind me to see Erik was waiting for my answer. I guess Erik is like a magician, with all his disappearing acts. "Yes Gustave, in his way. Go to bed and I will read you a story soon."

I kissed his head before I opened his bedroom door. He wished us goodnight before I closed the door. I placed my head on the frame of the door and took a shaky breath. I need a drink, mostly water to calm my nerves. I turned my head slightly to see Erik was staring at me. I cleared my throat and walked to the bar to get a glass of water.

Erik stared at Gustave's bedroom door as he said, "What a child… Full of life."

I poured myself some water as I said,"Yes… he is a good kid."

"Oh Brieanna… Imagine what would happen if that life goes away."

I froze in fear as my water glass accidently fell out of my hands and smashed on the wooden floor. I rapidly turned to face Erik to see he was smirking at me with his hands behind his back. Did he just say… No, he would never…

"What did you just say?" I asked as my voice shook with fear.

Erik's smirk turned sinister as his eyes glitter. I felt my body shake in terror as he sang, "Help me through this sadness, do this kindness for your mentor or your prodigy. That prefect specimen, may disappear on Coney Island…Vanish here, on Coney Island… Ah, Brieanna."

I covered my mouth and shook my head. Erik would never do this. Gustave is just a kid. A sweet, innocently kid. I looked into Erik's eyes to see if he was joking. Alas, he was being very serious. Christine would be crushed. Raoul would go insane. I could not believe what I was hearing. Erik was intimidating me by taking Gustave hostage.

"Are you threatening me?" I grabbed the chair next beside me for support. What happened to the Erik I loved? Standing right in front of me was the Phantom, the killer. The one who would get what he wants, even to hurt me."You can't do that… He's just a little boy! My nephew!" I was becoming furious. I will not let this happen! "Who the hell do you think you are?"

Something must have snapped, because Erik raised his voice. He rushed at me with force. "I am your Angel of Music! I am dying, Brie!"

I was suddenly scared at his outburst. I felt like I was a lamb and Erik was a lion. I tried to step back, but he grabbed my arms, holding me tightly. I tried to get loose, but he was too strong. I was afraid he was going to bruise my arms.

"Let me go!" I shouted as I continued to squirm out of his grip.

Erik refused to release me as he continued to shout, "I am suffocating, here in the dark. Give me breath, give me life! Sing for me!"

"No, I won't do it!"

He narrowed his eyes as he said, "You will! You belong to me Brieanna! You will sing for me once more!"

I glared at him as I challenged back, "Or what? What if I refused to be your singing canary?"

Erik's glare hardened as he moved his face closer to mine. My heart sank when he hissed out, "Or I will take from you all you have ever loved. Including that Adam. I will use my old friend to end his pathetic life."

My face turned white and my breath completely left my body. Not only was he going to hold Gustave against his will, but he was going to kill Adam. My mind flashed to Gustave calling my name, begging me to help him. I saw Adam being hung with his dead eyes wide open. I could hear the voices calling out saying that this was all my fault. I made Erik let go of my arms as I immediately sat down on the piano stool. I was shaking with despair.

I looked at Erik… no, the Phantom and said, "You can't do this."

Erik glared at me as he hissed out, "Oh, but I can." He touched his white mask and I knew he was very determined. "A man as hideous as this, believe me, is capable of anything."

I turned around, facing away from him. This was turning into a nightmare. What happened to my Erik? I knew I had no choice. I have to do what the Phantom commands. I slowly stood up and said firmly, trying to show no fear, "And what am I to sing?"

Erik grinned, knowing I had agreed to the deal. "One song, composed by me."

I looked at him to see he was holding the manuscripts of the song sheets. "Just one song? And you promise you will not harm Gustave and Adam?"

Erik grabbed my wrist and placed the manuscripts in my trembling hands. "I promise you, if you sing my song and do not tell Christine or the Vicomte about this agreement… no harm will come to them." I closed my eyes, trying to fight back the tears. I could feel him touching my hair as he whispered, "You will be mine again Brieanna. Come to Phantasma tomorrow morning 8 o-clock sharp for a private voice lessons. Remember, not a word about this."

I opened my eyes after I felt no gloved hands on my wrist. I looked at the pages to see the song was 'Love Never Dies.' I was surprised to find out that he wants me to sing this masterpiece. This is a very hard song to sing. I cannot sing this.

"Erik, can we just-"

To my surprise, he vanished in thin air. The balcony doors were closed. It looked like it was all in my imagination, like he was never here. However, I knew it was real. I looked around the room, making sure there were no trap doors. I gasped in shock when I heard the hotel doors opened and Christine walks right back inside. After she closed the doors, she turned around and saw me standing in the room, holding the song sheets.

"Oh wonderful, you are still up. Brieanna, I want to thank you for watching over Gustave tonight. I just…" She paused when she saw how white my face was and that my hands were shaking. She rushed over to me and asked, "Sister, are you all right? You look like you have seen a ghost."

I composed myself and said calmly, "I am fine. Just tired, that's all."

After excusing myself, I went to my room to go to bed. I quickly locked the doors and windows. Right now I do not feel safe. I placed the sheets on the writing desk and went to bed. Erik's threat still haunts in my mind. If I do not sing, go to him for voice lessons,and tell Christine or Raoul about Erik's threat, then he will kidnap Gustave and kill am I going to do?

3rd POV

As Brie was trying to fall asleep, she was unaware that a dark shadow was watching her though her balcony window. He stayed there for a couple of minutes, before he slowly crept away. He headed back to his lair to write new songs. Seeing Brieanna again… holding her body close to his… hearing her voice has brought new melodies and lyrics in the Phantom of the Opera's head once more.

And there you have it, another chapter done. Again, sorry for the wait. Sadly, the next chapter will take some time so please have patience with me. The next update will be my "My Magical Wish" story and then I will be back with "Red Rose Nightmare." Do not forget to favorite, follow, review, and until then…

Grapejuice101