Hey everyone, thanks for the awesome reviews. I was going to write this chapter last night but I got home at 3am from a date with the boyfriend so I was tired. Saw Don't mess with Zohan and it was really funny…but that doesn't matter. What matters is this story…enjoy and keep the reviews coming. I also want to apologize to Phanphictionangel, I may have been a little harsh on you when you were only trying to help me out. I'm sorry I just took the one review a little offensively and thought you were putting down my fic, thanks for trying to help out…
The next morning, Christine awoke and noticed that Erik wasn't lying next to her. She looked around the room and didn't find any sight of the man anywhere. "Erik," called Christine as she sat up from under the blankets. When Christine didn't get an answer she got to her feet and walked out of the room to go look for her Phantom. Once she entered the hallway she noticed that the door that lead to the rafters above the stage was cracked open. Christine curiously entered and carefully walked along the rafters to continue her search for Erik. Down below there was a rehearsal going on with women singing and others dancing. She stood against one of the rafters and watched the performance, remembering the days when she sang in the Opera house. Just then Erik slowly approached her from behind and stood beside her. "What are you doing here?" asked Erik softly. Christine turned around and saw Erik standing there with his white mask covering the disfigured side of his face. "looking for you." said Christine.
Erik's heart stopped in it's place. "she was looking for me." was what played over and over again in Erik's mind. "why did you come?" asked Erik. "I got scared because I didn't see you lying next to me this morning." said Christine. "I came to watch the performance." said Erik. "do you miss it?" asked Christine. "you're watching it too." said Erik. "I do miss it." said Christine. "you could have it you know." replied Erik. "have what?" asked Christine. "fame, you could be the opera Diva once more." said Erik. "No, I couldn't." said Christine. "yes you could, you're a better singer than any of these prima donnas." said Erik. "Erik, you're just too obsessed with my voice to want to hear anyone else's." laughed Christine. "who wouldn't want to be obsessed with it? It's the most beautiful voice I've ever heard and it makes my spirit soar." said Erik. Christine touched his hand lightly and said "why did you choose me Erik? You love me but even if I did go down there and sing, I wouldn't have a chance." "my angel you shall sing for them and let their spirit's soar." said Erik.
"no Erik I can't." said Christine. She then walked away and left Erik alone on the rafters. "oh yes my diva you shall." mumbled Erik to himself. Later on that day, Erik sat at his piano writing a note. He was going to make sure that Christine sang again no matter what it took. After he finished writing it, he folded it and stood up to deliver it. Earlier, Christine had gone to the roof to be alone and Erik knew why. She was living her dream in solitude, which made him angry. She had a beautiful voice and he was going to make sure that the world heard it. Erik walked to the rafters and dropped the note on the floor as he used to do in the Opera house back in Paris. Once he saw one of the owners pick it up, he hurried away before he was spotted. The owner Mr. Hammerstein opened the note and read it.
" Fondest Greetings to you all.
I have found something extraordinary sitting on the
Rooftop of your theater. Do as you must to take care
Of it the way that I have always done."
OG."
On the roof, Christine sat there alone in the snow. She was cold but being away from Erik was alright. She loved the way Erik treated her but sometimes he made her so frustrated. Being away from him sometimes was a way to sing and be herself. She thought about the night Erik had sang to her for the first time and began to sing.
"night time sharpens, heightens each sensation. Darkness stirs and
Wakes imagination.. Silently the senses abandon their defenses. Slowly Gently night
Unfurls it's splendor grasp it sense it tremulous and tender. Turn your face
Away from the garish light of day turn your thoughts away from cold
Unfeeling light and listen to the music of the night. Close your
Eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams purge your thoughts on the life
They knew before….close your eyes let your spirit start to soar. And you'll
Live as you've never lived before….."
At that moment Mr. Hammerstein interrupted her. "Mademoiselle, you are perfect." Christine turned around and gasped at the strange man standing in front of her. "oh Mademoiselle I'm sorry for scaring you. I am Mr. Hammerstein I own the opera house. I heard you sing and couldn't help myself. I would be honored if you would sing in my operas." he replied. "I don't think that would be a good idea." said Christine. "oh please mademoiselle, please sing for my opera house." begged Mr. Hammerstein. Christine sighed. "maybe." "oh thank you, what is your name?" "um…Christine Kire." said Christine. "Kire?" questioned Mr. Hammerstein. "yes." said Christine thinking of Erik's name spelled backwards. "Please, come to Rehearsal tonight." said Mr. Hammerstein.
Erik sat in his room, the door opened and Christine barged in. She walked over to the window in anger and sat on the windowsill. "What's wrong Christine?" asked Erik. "you know Erik maybe once in a while you could stay out of my business." said Christine. "what ever do you mean?" asked Erik. "I know you sent Mr. Hammerstein to the roof." said Christine. "Christine I had to, you need to sing again." said Erik. "And why is that?" asked Christine. Erik sighed "because if you don't then I won't be any different than Raoul wanting to take you somewhere and have you never sing again. I thought you loved to sing Christine." "I do Erik but…." "but what?" asked Erik. "If I sing again I might be spotted." said Christine. "Christine, nothing is ever going to happed to you." said Erik. "I changed my name but I can't hide my face from the people who know me. I don't want to put you in danger Erik." said Christine. Erik had a seat next to her, and said "Christine, you are going to be fine. I just want you to be happy and you not singing is like a bird without flight." "you have been so kind to me Erik." said Christine. "you being here is enough for me." said Erik. That night, Christine stood on the stage nervously as Mr. Hammerstein sat in the audience. "Sing the song I told you to sing." he replied. Christine looked around and saw the other singers standing around watching her. Christine looked up on the rafters and saw Erik standing there looking down at her and with that she took a breath and sang.
"in the night I see you and wish you were
Here with me. I touch your face and want
Nothing more than for you to smile at me.
Smile at me for the love which we share,
Smile for me for the love which we care.
I love you and nothing more can make me
Care enough to close that wonderful door.
Each day I want to lie in your arms and each night
I want to sleep with them rapped around my chest
Caressing me sharing the love which we test. You will be there for
Me day and night stay with me love take me away…
Today I live and tomorrow I Die but tonight
I'm with you it's just you and I. love me today love me
Tomorrow we shall be together at last all through the sorrow.
Smile at me for the love which we share, smile at me for the love
Which we care. You will be with me for all time I love you no matter
What we are here together you're finally mine."
At that moment Mr. Hammerstein stood up and clapped. "mademoiselle you're perfect. Please say that you will sing for me in the opera." Christine smiled and said "yes I'll do it." After Rehearsal Christine walked out in the halls and heard a familiar voice call her name. "Christine." she turned around and saw Meg standing there. Christine immediately hugged her, and said "what are you doing here?" "I couldn't stay in Paris anymore, not without you." said Meg. "Meg I have missed you so much." said Christine. "me too." said Meg continuing to hug her. "how did you find me?" asked Christine. "My mother told me where you were." said Meg. "Are you here to stay?" asked Christine. "as long as you are here." said Meg. "that's great." said Christine. " Christine this means that you can come back home. You can come with me back to Paris if you'd like." said Meg. Christine didn't say anything and Meg laughed. "Christine, come now do you not miss your old life in Paris?" "no it's not that." said Christine. "then what is it?" asked Meg. "the Phantom." said Christine. "Christine you don't have to stay his prisoner forever." said Meg. "I think I have feelings for him." said Christine. "Christine what about Raoul?" asked Meg. "I don't think I want to be with him anymore." said Christine. "what? Why not?" asked Meg. "who could love such a hideous soul. What he did to me was wrong and I hate him for it." said Christine. "but you still love him don't you?" asked Meg. "I don't know what I want anymore. Just promise me that you won't tell anyone that I'm here." begged Christine. "but what about the Phantom of the Opera? He is a murderer." said Meg. "he doesn't kill anymore." said Christine. "he is a wanted man Christine." said Meg. "yes but he isn't the man I once knew. He has changed for the better and I really think he is trying for me." said Christine as she thought of Erik. "don't worry as long as you are ok then I have no reason to turn him in." said Meg. "thank you Meg, you are like the sister I never had." said Christine. Meg was carrying a bag and then opened it and handed Christine the object that was inside it. "My mother asked me to give this to the Phantom. She found it in the basement and thought he'd like to have it back." said Meg handing her the music box with the Persian monkey sitting on top of it. Christine wound it up and watched the monkey play the symbols on top of it as the song "Masquerade." played over and over again.
Erik had loved Christine's voice and as she sang to Mr. Hammerstein his soul left his distorted body for what seemed like an eternity. He was carrying a rose, a rose which he was going to give Christine to congratulate her on receiving the lead role in Mr. Hammerstein's opera. He had approached the hall to see Meg standing there hugging Christine. How on earth she had gotten to New York was beyond him but he wasn't happy about it. He had always respected Meg's love to Christine because in reality she had been Christine's only companion through childhood. Erik didn't want to feel uncomfortable by showing himself to Meg so just decided to wait until she would leave to be alone with his angel. Erik stood there holding the rose in his hand and listened to them as they talked. "I don't think I want to be with him anymore." said Christine. "what? why not?" asked Meg. "who could love such a hideous soul? What he did to me was wrong and I hate him for it." said Christine. At that point Erik's eyes were full of hot tears and his heart began to ache once more as he dropped the rose and stormed away. He ran to his room, and kicked over the night stand before throwing himself on the bed.
"fear can't turn to love she hates me
It's all too true. She would rather have
Beauty and not me the distortedly disfigured….disfigured
Man. I can learn to love it's not that hard but it's so
Hard to find a woman who….can accept me for who I am
A genius a genius….a hideous genius. Oh Christine….
I have loved you way before you could even sing…why not love me?
Because I'm ugly, because this face is not beauty…this horrid
Face…this pitiful flesh…this horrible mess…oh Christine."
Erik began to sob, and eventually fell asleep surrounded by his tears.
Once Christine had said goodnight to Meg, she began to walk back to her room to see Erik. As she walked she spotted a rose lying on the floor with a black ribbon wrapped around it. Christine smiled at it and knew that her angel was proud of her like always. Once she got back to her room, Christine sat the music box down on the night stand and wound it up, leaving Erik to rest. As Erik Slept, he heard the familiar song of "Masquerade" playing in his head over and over again. Images of him being in the cage at the freak show had begun to play in his mind. Whipping after whipping occurred to his frail chest and all because of his face. Then Madam Giry, the only kind person to ever show him compassion saved him. Why had she saved him? She could have left him there to live in the freak show till the day of his death. Just then he felt a hand rubbing his shoulder so he awoke and the music still played. Tears were falling down his face as he covered his ears to block out the heart wrenching song. Christine immediately stopped the music box, and tried to calm him down. "Erik, Erik are you ok?" Erik who was in tears looked at Christine and saw the music box sitting on the night stand. "where did you get that?" asked Erik in tears. "Madam Giry wanted you to have it back." said Christine.
"why are you still here?" asked Erik. "what are you talking about?" asked Christine. "I heard you Christine." said Erik as he wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "heard what?" "are you happy with me Christine?" asked Erik. "why do you ask me such questions?" asked Christine. "are you happy with me Christine?" asked Erik once more. "yes, why wouldn't I be?" asked Christine. "I heard you say to Meg that you're not happy with me and that you hated me." said Erik. "is that why the rose was on the ground?" asked Christine. "my heart ache's for you everyday Christine and when I heard you say that it hurt my heart like a knife being dug into it." cried Erik. "I wasn't talking about you." said Christine. "then who?" asked Erik. "someone else." said Christine. "could I ask you a truthful question?" asked Erik. "yes anything." said Christine.
Erik closed his eyes trying to hold back tears and said "am…am I..am I at least a little attractive?" "oh Erik, why do you think so low of yourself?" asked Christine. "no woman could ever see past the mask, not even you Christine." cried Erik. "but I already have." said Christine as she touched his mask with her fingers. "I just want you to be happy, and if I'm keeping you from it then you shouldn't be here with me." sobbed Erik. "but I am happy, that is why I didn't want to sing. I was afraid of you getting captured or hurt if someone recognized me." said Christine. "is that the truth?" asked Erik. "yes, I wouldn't lie to you." said Christine. "you sang like an angel Christine." cried Erik. Christine smiled and slipped the mask off his distorted face and saw him quickly cover his flesh with his hand. Christine touched his hand and easily pulled it away to reveal his deformity.
At that moment Christine leaned in and passionately kissed him, and he kissed her back. Christine never broke the kiss, and eventually darted her tongue into his cool mouth. Erik moaned and orgasmic cry as he felt it enter his mouth. Never had a woman kissed him before like the way she was kissing him. Out of pity maybe? No, no one could kiss like this out of pity. How badly he wanted to pounce on her and make love to every part of her body. When he felt her touching his thigh Erik felt all the blood in his body rushing to his trousers, filling up his forgotten urges. "oh Christine." he sighed as his whole body shivered and tightened up. What sent Erik over the edge was when he felt her caressing his deformed flesh and kissing it. At that moment all he couldn't hold back his urges any longer and pounced on her and held both of her arms above her head. There was an awkward silence and stare and Erik not knowing what he was doing. "Erik, what are you doing?" asked Christine. Erik let go of her, and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry Christine, forgive my actions." said Erik. "you're forgiven." said Christine. "I just want to touch you so badly. I wouldn't expect you to want to make love to me." cried Erik. "Erik I just want to take things slow." said Christine. "I understand." said Erik. "thank you." said Christine. "I would never make you do something that your were not comfortable with." said Erik. Christine smiled, and lied back down on the bed. Once she had fallen asleep, Erik went and sat at the piano to try to calm his body down. How badly his manhood hurt him because of his desires. Getting aroused felt so wonderful but calming it down was another story. When ever he felt the urge for fornication usually playing his music would calm him down and make the desire go away….but with his broken fingers he couldn't even play music or pleasure himself. He quickly thought about his childhood and how badly it hurt him and soon after the blood stopped rushing so hard into his trousers giving him relief. This had been the first time his body reacted to Christine's touch and one thing was true, it really did make his spirit soar…
More to come…
R&R