Hey everyone, sorry about not updating sooner but I had no internet for a few days and I was busy with work and friends. I just got back from a long day of being in the pool with the boyfriend so I will now write the newest chapter of the story. Please enjoy and R&R…

Early the next morning Erik awoke in so much pain. His face was burning with so much irritation and could feel the heat coming from his distorted flesh. The damp cloth that he applied to his flesh the night before had done nothing for him and Erik personally thought that it had made matters worse. He was so tired that he just lied in bed next to Christine trying to drift back off to sleep but couldn't. Erik wasn't sure what time it was but the pain he felt in his flesh was enough to force his legs to swing over the bed in order to find something to soothe his pains. He quietly got to his feet in order to leave Christine undisturbed and walked bare footed to the corner of the room where an empty basin sat placed on a dresser that had a mirror attached to it. Erik picked up a vase that was filled with cool water and poured it into the basin and then adjusted the mirror to look at himself.

The room was still dark so Erik lit a candle and sat it next to the basin to light up the small area enough to see what was causing his pain. He then took a breath and looked at himself in the mirror once more and cringed at the sight of his own face. When he was able to look up again he ran his fingers lightly over his inflamed distorted flesh and cringed as more pain occurred as his fingers touched it. Erik gently took a cloth from off of the end of the dresser and rung it out after soaking it in the basin and then gently dabbed it over whatever was causing him pain. As more agony occurred as he dabbed his face he bit his tongue hoping not to make a sound to wake Christine up but couldn't help but give a few small groans every few seconds. Just then he felt the light touch of his shoulders from behind him only to turn around and see Christine standing there dressed in her white night gown. "go back to bed." groaned Erik as he kept running the cloth over his flesh. "are you ok?" asked Christine. "does it look like I'm ok?" questioned Erik sarcastically. "don't be mad at me Erik, I'm the one who told you not to wear your mask but you couldn't listen and now look what happened." said Christine.

Erik angrily through the damp cloth into the basin and clutched both sides of the dresser keeping his back bent over the basin. He then slightly turned his face toward her and said "if you woke up to come over here and nag on me then you can just turn around and go back to bed." "you know water isn't going to help your skin." said Christine. "don't you think that I know that you little viper!" shouted Erik as he grasped harder onto the dresser. "if you don't want my help then that's fine but don't be treat me so dreadful." said Christine as she walked back over to the bed and lied down. The pain coming from Erik's pain was so horrible that silent tears ran down his cheeks as he leaned over the basin and slammed his fists down on the dresser making a loud noise. "you know Erik maybe if you weren't such a demon to me all the time I would help you sooner than I do." said Christine as she put on her cloak. "what help are you doing me you little padora." said Erik as he made no attempt to look at her. Christine groaned in anger and then slammed the door shut on her way out.

Christine walked down the dark streets until she got to Nadir's front door. There was a light on which gave her some relief. When she knocked Alex, Nadir's partner answered the door and gave a gasp of surprise. "well this is quiet early to see you here." he replied. "yes I know, I'd actually still be in bed if not for the stubborn man that I have back in my room." said Christine. "well Nadir is taking a bath but should be out shortly if you would like to come in and wait." said Alex. "thank you." said Christine as she entered Nadir's house. Alex took her cloak and pulled out a seat at his kitchen table for her to sit and offered her a cup of coffee. "so a little birdie told me that Erik and Andre are going to be getting the opera house back into ship shape again." said Alex as he took a seat next to Christine. "yes we actually had dinner last night to discuss the future plans." said Christine as she took a sip of her coffee. "oh gosh I'm so excited to hear that. I thought for sure that once the place burned down it was going to stay that way." said Alex. "no Erik seriously wants to rebuild it and the blue prints that he has created are simply amazing." said Christine. "oh any details that you can spill to me? I swear I won't tell anyone not even Nadir." said Alex. "sorry, I promised not to say a word but I can tell you that what Erik has in mind is simply genius." said Christine. "oh that's no fun if I can't be told something that no one else knows." said Alex disappointedly.

Before Christine could say another word Nadir walked into the room and said "Ms. Daae, what brings you here so early?" "I know right? That's exactly what I said to her when I let her in." said Alex. "I'm here for some medicine I hope." said Christine. "are you ok?" asked Nadir. "yes I'm fine it's Erik." said Christine. "what's wrong with the boy now?" asked Alex. "his mask has infected his flesh and the irritation is making him into an ungrateful monster." said Christine. "well is the infection itching or is it sore?" asked Nadir. "neither, it's burning him." said Christine. "oh that's bad." said Nadir as he went through his cabinet of medical supplies. "please tell me it's curable." said Christine as she finished her coffee. Nadir laughed "of course it is my dear." he then handed her a small container of cream and said "that should do the trick, just apply it to where the pain is coming from and that will soothe it. Do me a favor and tell Erik that he has to keep his mask off until his flesh heals or else he isn't going to have a face to put it on anymore." Christine unscrewed the cap of cream and said "what is it?" "cooling jell for burns." said Nadir. "thank you so much." said Christine as she put her cloak back on and gave Nadir a hug.

Once Christine walked back into Meg's house everything was still quiet except for the sight of Madam Giry cooking breakfast in the kitchen. "good morning Christine." she replied. "good morning." she replied. "out for an early morning walk?" asked Madam Giry. "something like that." said Christine. "would you like some breakfast to take up and eat with Erik?" asked Madam Giry. "sure." said Christine. Madam Giry then placed two plates of eggs and toast on a tray and filled two glasses up with orange juice and placed them on the tray as well. "would you like some fruit to go with it?" questioned Madam Giry as she handed the tray to Christine. "no this will be fine." said Christine. "and tell Erik that if he doesn't want to be late for work he must get a bath before Meg and Marco do." said Madam Giry. "I don't think that Erik is going to work today." said Christine. "why?" asked Madam Giry. "he's not feeling well, which is why I went to Nadir's house so that I could get him some medication." said Christine. "is he alright?" asked Madam Giry. "yes he just needs some rest." said Christine. "well if he needs anything don't hesitate to ask." she replied. "I'm sure he'll be fine." said Christine as she carried the tray of food up to her room. Once she entered Christine spotted Erik lying over in the bed holding his hand up against his inflamed flesh. "don't be such a child Erik. Do you think that you're the only man in Paris that feels pain." said Christine as she set the tray down on the nightstand. "look I told you before about taunting me." said Erik. Christine slammed the container of cream down on the nightstand and said "there's your answer." Erik picked it up, and said "do you think by going and getting me a container of nonsense is going to make me apologize to you?" "I went to Nadir's house to get that for you Erik. He told me to tell you to keep your mask off until your skin heals." said Christine as she changed into her day dress. "And how on earth do you suppose I am to use this?" asked Erik.

Christine through down her comb, and walked over to the nightstand and snatched the container away from him and opened it up. She then rubbed a handful of the cream on her fingers and massaged it into the inflamed parts of his face. "you don't have to be such a child sometimes Erik." said Christine as she walked back over to where she was getting changed. Erik sat up, and softened his tone of voice. "I wasn't trying to say that I'm the only man in Paris that feels pain. I just wanted my irritation to go away because of how bad the pain was." "and I said that you don't have to act like you're the only man in Paris that feels pain. If the pain was that bad you could have just asked me to go get you some medicine. You didn't have to be all nasty with me Erik and you need to start changing your attitude a bit more. There have been many a times where I felt like total crap but never once did I act like a child or yell at you. What's going to happen when we have a baby to look after? You're going to need lots of patients when dealing with a crying child who doesn't know what he/she wants." said Christine.

Erik angrily slammed his fists down on the bed and said "you have it wrong Christine, we do not have a child on the way you do. I don't want anything to do with it because in reality it belongs to Raoul not me." "you'll always stay the same Erik." said Christine as she finished getting dressed. "what? Do you want me to leave because I will." said Erik. "Erik stop this madness and get dressed for work." said Christine. "oh you would like that wouldn't you? You would love for me to go into work looking like this." said Erik as he got to his feet. He then walked over to the closet and grabbed his shirt before walking out of the room in anger. Christine opened the door to her room, and shouted "fine I hope you stay out of here and never come back!"

Later on that day Erik sat down in the kitchen table working on his blue prints with him drawing with one hand and hiding his distorted flesh with the other. His blonde strands were out of place and hung in his face as he desperately tried to finish his work. Madam Giry then entered the room and had a seat next to him. "Erik why are you not at work?" "because Madam, how could I ever go on like this? I am trying to work so please just leave me be." said Erik. "you had a fight with Christine? I heard you yelling earlier." she replied. "go away Madam and just leave me alone." said Erik. Madam Giry got to her feet, and said "very well Erik but being angry will get you no where. Someone once told me to never judge a person until you walked a mile in their shoes. I of course have not but there is someone in this house who has and I suggest that you go apologize to her." Erik just ignored Madam Giry's advice and kept working on his blue prints…

I know a little short but there will be more….R&R