Chapter 2

Premonitions

Jen awoke with a start. She had been dreaming, but it had seemed so real. She had been in the gondola with the Phantom, being poled across to his lair. She smiled up at him, and he back at her. Soon they reached the rocky shore of the house on the lake, and he held his hand out for her. Jen had taken it graciously, and allowed him to lead her. Then he pulled her closer and pressed his lips to hers, so gently she had wondered if he had really kissed her. They drew apart and looked at one another, her with surprise, him with adoration. 'Erik doesn't act like this…' she remembered thinking, her thought being cut short when he pulled her into another, more passionate kiss. But how did she know how he acted?

The teen shook her head. She had also felt…different…in the dream. Like herself, yet, not herself. And it had all been so vivid. She could feel the leather gloved hand taking hers, felt the warmth of his body so close, smelt his cologne. Rubbing her eyes, Jen wondered for a second if it hadn't been real, but then scolded herself. 'You are just an over-obsessed teenager who needs to find a new hobby.' She thought. With that, she lay back down and closed her eyes. It had to have been a dream…it couldn't have been anything else.

XxXxXxXxX

Erik turned over in his sleep, trying to forget. Who had she been? And why could not stop thinking about that Tai woman. He gave up and got out of bed, donning his black robe on the way to his organ. Music would help him forget. Music had always helped him forget. Taking a seat, he placed his fingers on the keys and began to play. And while he played, he tried to recall his dream.

There had been a woman with him- older than Christine by a good five years but still young, and pretty but not beautiful. He couldn't recall anyone he had met that looked like her. Yet, in the dream they seemed close. Very close. He had been taking her to his lair and there he had kissed her, cautiously and unsure at first, as if he had been afraid she would not take him. Then she had pulled away in surprise and once he knew she would not run, he pulled her into another, deeper, fiercer. Then she had disappeared like a spirit. And Tai's voice had rung in his ears 'Your wish is my command…' before fading into nothing.

"So I see you are awake now."

Erik whirled around to face that Tai woman, dressed in the fashion she had left him in last time. "Enjoy your dream?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" asked, angry at her appearance at this time. She grinned. "I was bored."

"Well don't look for welcome here. Find someone else to curse." He growled, his music growing harsh. He would not stop playing to talk to her.

"Curse? Tsk, tsk…that is how my gift is rewarded. I can always take it back you know." She told him. Erik did not turn around, but he stopped playing, then cursed himself for listening to her.

"You told me Christine would fall in love with me. That was my wish." He said plainly, his voice frozen over. Tai shrugged. "That does not mean she will love you the first time she looks upon you. Especially without the mask. It didn't scare me, but I'm not some sissy opera singer like Miss Daae. It will take time for her to accept you as you are."

"You failed to mention that before." Erik said plainly. Again she shrugged. "Well, you are a genius. I figured you could figure it out on your own." Her grey eyes met his with intensity. She grinned. "Of course, if you want my opinion. You don't love Christine."

"And who do I love? Certainly not you."

"Aw, but you have thought of me almost nonstop since I left." She teased. "And, to answer your question, I don't know who you really love. That is a theory, not a fact. Maybe it really is Christine that you love. I can't say for sure."

"It is."

"We shall see then, shan't we?" With that she was gone, like a figure of mist blown away.

Erik pounded his hands against the organ, the rumble filling the room. He hated Tai, whoever she was. He positively hated her.

XxXxXxXxX

"I wish I had dreams like that." Gabby told Jen while they made pancakes. Jen rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know you do…too bad we didn't start undressing each other…"

"Yeah…" Both girls laughed. "But it seemed so real." Jen told her friend with a sigh. "A lot of dreams seem real. Like that one you were telling me about…with the macaroni and cheese…"

"Ah, true, true…" Jen agreed, nodding her head. She DID have strange dreams. And it wasn't unusual for them to be realistic. Maybe it was nothing. But she couldn't help but feeling, or wishing, that it was.

"So, what should we do later?" Jen asked, switching the subject. Gabby shrugged. "I dunno…what do you wanna do?"

"I brought a swimsuit…for once…we could go swimming…"

"Ok…hey, will you get some plates?"

"Where are they?" Jen asked. Her friend pointed to the cupboard and she did as asked, grabbing two plates. "Breakfast is served."

"Yaaay." Jen grinned. "Too bad you didn't have chocolate chips…we coulda put them in the pancakes, heheh…"

"Oh God…you would have been bouncing off the walls…" Jen grinned and replied with "You know it. But I'm fun when I'm that hyper."

"And annoying."

"But still fun." Seeing that her friend had won the argument, Gabby sighed. "Yeah, I guess…"

"These are good…" Jen noted, taking another bite. Gabby grinned. "Aren't they always?"

"True, true…"

One the twosome had finished their breakfast, they donned their bathing suits and towels. Heading toward the pool in the area, Jen sighed. "I hate Texas…it is too damn hot out…"

"I know…" Gabby agreed. "It has to be over 100 degrees…"

"In the shade." Jen completed. "I also hate swim suits…they make me look fatter than I am…" True, she was not really that large, but she could stand to loose about 20 pounds. The rest of the walk, which was rather short, thankfully, was made in idle chit-chat. Jen opened the pool gate and walked in, throwing her towel on the first available lounge chair. She pulled out her bottle of sun block and applied it, her skin being fair enough that it would burn without much trouble. Once she was fully prepared to swim, the 17 year old dove into the water. However, she miscalculated and hit the bottom. Gabby turned to say something to her friend, but noticed her in the water. "OH MY GOD!" She looked around to see if anyone else could help, but they were the only ones there. Doing the only thing she could, Gabby jumped in to get her friend.

Watching the whole thing Tai smiled, she knew Jen wouldn't have hit if she hadn't intervened. But she needed the girl unconscious. Snapping her fingers, the enchantress and teens disappeared. It was time for her work to begin.

Reader Reviews

MJ Mod- Yeah, Jen gets bored at school a lot…meaning I get bored at school a lot, lol. And Robert Jordan is good, though I have yet to try a lot of other fantasy series. And Guild Wars is awesome, heheh..my main character is a Ritualist/Mesmer (more mesmer than rit) and I have another that is Mesmer/Ranger…Tai Mayne and Operetic Phantomess. I like playing as a mesmer, lol.

Tallacus- lol…yeah, we should play it less, but tis true! Erik would so kill Raoul in GW…heheh

Dawnstag- heheh, thank you, thank you…

Phantom's Ange- Glad you like it, and thanks for reviewing

ErikandChristine- yay! Another reviewer from my old version. Glad you think this one is better, and thanks for reviewing