Wow, so a lot of people are putting my story down as their favorite. I guess that's sort of cool. Enjoy this chapter and don't forget to send your opinions in….

Erik awoke one morning to the sight of his daughter lying next to him awake. In fright, Erik sat up and sighed at the feeling of his mask still being on his face.

"What on earth are you doing here?"

"Mother is sick and I couldn't bear to see her like that any longer."

Erik rose fro his bed and limped over to his wardrobe closet quickly slipping a shirt over his head.

"is she alright?"

"Nadir says that she has something called "diphtheria"

Once Erik was finished putting on his shirt and trousers he quickly blew out some of the candles as he headed for the gondola. Clorinda jumped off his bed, and headed for Erik as he began to push himself through the water.

"Wait for me Monsieur!"

Erik held out his gondola pole and let her grab onto it so that he could get her into his boat. Once Erik was docked at the opera house stairs, he tied the end of it to a post and helped Clorinda out of the Gondola.

"Watch your step."

"Where are you going now?"

Erik ran up the stairs trying to make it to the hallways as fast as he could.

"To see your mother! Just stay out of trouble while I'm gone!"

Erik couldn't get to Christine's dressing room fast enough. It seemed as if he trudged through hundreds and hundreds of actors and ballerinas just to get towards the stage area. All he could think about was his dear Christine and why she had become sick. When he finally got to her room he took a moment to catch his breath to enter calm instead of as if he just ran a hundred miles be there. When he entered, he saw his sweet Christine lying in her bed pale, and weak looking. The only sound that came from her was of coughing and raspy breathing. Erik on the other hand did what he could only think to do, he took a seat at her bedside and held onto her hand. Christine opened her brown eyes and looked at the angel of music sitting at her bedside. For a moment all she wanted to do was apologize to him once more for ever causing him such heart ach on that night of Don Juan Triumphant many years ago. Erik lightly squeezed her hand.

"Don't say a word my angel, you need to save all your strength for when you really need it."

"Nonsense Erik, I can surly spare a few words for you in my suffering. It would be selfish not to since you have come to my aid."

Erik couldn't help but shed a few tears at what she had just said to him. How on earth could it be that she still felt bad for him after so many years of heart ach between the both of them. Not only had they been through so much together but they each experienced being miserable in their own ways. He thought he had lost Christine forever and Christine had experienced such abuse from the Viscount that it was only right that he die at his feet. He knew that he needed to put the past behind him so instead of going any further he wiped his eyes and tucked his angel in.

"Clorinda is worried about you."

God how could he even start such a conversation knowing the condition she was in? such stress could cause her to become more ill then she already was.

"Do me a favor and watch over her until I can."

"Of course I will Christine. I'm sure that everything is going to be fine."

With that, Christine began to violently cough, causing so much pain to enter Erik's heart once more. At that moment, Erik tried to kiss her forehead, but was pushed away by her.

"No Erik, you might catch whatever I have."

"How can you expect me not to kiss you Christine? I love you my angel no matter what."

"Just leave me be before you catch what ever it is I have. You're the only one who can care for Clorinda if something happens to me. She needs you Erik."

Erik buried his face in his hands and walked out of her room. He ran down the halls searching for the one person who could make his angel well again. When he found Nadir, he angrily slammed him up against the wall and held him by the shirt.

"How can you make her better!"

Such anger was in his voice as he looked up at Nadir who had never seen such anger in Erik's soul before.

"Erik, I have done all that I can do for her."

"That isn't good enough, can't you see that she's dying?"

"Erik, calm down, I have ordered her a vaccine."

"Really? When will you give it to her?"

"it's going to be here in a week."

Hearing that gave Erik nothing but more anger and he pressed Nadir harder up against the wall.

"A week? She'll be dead in a day if she doesn't get that medicine."

"There is nothing more that I can do for her Erik."

In anger, Erik through Nadir down.

"what if she dies Nadir? Then what?"

"Then you will have to care for Clorinda."

"She can never know Nadir, she can never ever find out that I fathered her."

"what choice do you have then?"

"My Choice is for Christine to get well."

As Erik walked through the halls to get back to his lair, he found Clorinda sobbing up against a door. He looked down upon his beautiful child and picked her up in his arms.

"Come, your mother needs her rest."

Hours later, Erik who sat at his organ knew that Clorinda had also inherited the same emotions as he. When he is sad he always liked to be alone to think about the situation and as he looked across the lair he spotted Clorinda sitting alone pondering about the events that took place just this morning. How was he supposed to look at her the same knowing that she was him in every way? She was bound to find out about them being related sooner or later and if not today then possibly the next.

Erik turned towards his organ and called the small child to him.

"Clorinda, come here child."

Clorinda heard the soothing voice of Erik call her and did as she was told and walked towards him. He also looked as sad as she was by the sorrow in his face. She sat down next to him and looked down at the keys of his organ.

"Do you know why your mother is sick?"

Clorinda shook her head.

"No Monsieur."

"Do you wish to know why?"

"No Monsieur."

"Do you want to be educated why?"

"No Monsieur."

"Then what do you want?"

"to be left alone."

Clorinda then got to her feet, and sadly walked back over to the seat that she was sitting in before Erik had called for her. Erik on the other hand began to cry and pounded on his organ to try to drown out the sad cries from his aching heart. Once he had finished, he wiped his eyes and looked over at his daughter.

"Come Clorinda it is time for bed."

Clorinda turned to face him.

"I'm not that tired tonight Monsieur."

"But you still need to sleep."

With that, Erik picked her up and lied her down in his swan bed. Once he had covered her up he was surprised when he felt her pulling him down to sit.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing I just wanted to talk to you."

"You know Clorinda I would do anything for you and your mother."

"I know you would and now I want you to tell me the truth."

Erik swallowed nervously.

"What?"

"I want you to tell me that my mother is going to be ok."

"I don't know if she is going to be ok."

"I want to hear the words anyway."

Erik looked down upon his sweet angel.

"Yes, she's going to be ok."

"Can I ask something of you?"

"Yes, anything."

"If my something terrible does happen to my mother I want you to promise me that no one but you will come for me. I don't want to be in an orphanage, I want to be with someone that truly loves me."

Erik couldn't hold back the tears that were burning his eyes any longer and let them fall.

"Your mother is going to be fine Clorinda. She is going to be with you forever and so will I."

With that Clorinda gave Erik a hug, never letting go of him.

"Sometimes Monsieur I wish that my mother had fallen in love with you."

Erik lied Clorinda down and covered her up.

"Have you been playing the Violin like I asked you to?"

"Yes Monsieur."

"And do you like it?"

"No Monsieur, I only do it because you ask me to."

"What would make you happy?"

"To play the organ."

"Goodnight Clorinda."

"Goodnight Monsieur."

After Erik had seen Clorinda fall asleep, he quietly made his way up to Christine's dressing room to check on her. He sat at her bedside and touched her hand.

"Where's Clorinda?"

"Asleep in my bed."

"You take great care of her Erik."

Erik couldn't help blush as what he heard his angel say to him. He had only known what to do with her because of what he had seen Christine do.

"I am no better at taking care of her than Carlotta is at singing."

Christine tried to laugh but was cut off by her violent coughing. Erik had begun to cry again because he had brought on more pain to her.

"I am so sorry Christine, this is all my fault."

"Nonsense Erik, don't blame yourself."

"all I want is for you to be ok."

"And I will Erik."

"I can't stay long my love, Clorinda will start to worry."

Christine touched his pale face with her cold hand.

"You look tired my angel, please try to get some sleep tonight."

"Wearing my mask disturbs my sleep."

"Then take it off."

"It's easier said then done."

"Can I tell you something?"

Erik held Christine's hand.

"Of course my love."

"I was thinking about something's last night and thought that maybe I was being a little selfish to you."

"What so ever do you mean?"

"Well you want to be married to me and I'm holding you back from it. When I get better I want to marry you."

"You mean that?"

"Yes angel I will marry you."

"I would kiss you but I'm afraid to get sick my love."

"It's late Erik, just go to sleep so I can get some rest."

Erik kissed Christine's forehead and tucked her in under the warm blankets.

"Stay warm my love."

"You too."

With that Erik left the room, and began to walk down the halls to get back to his lair. As he turned the corner, Madam Giry stopped him.

"Late night Erik?"

"I was seeing Christine."

"I heard what you did to Nadir today."

"Yes, and only because I care about the health of my love."

"That doesn't give you any right to pin her doctor up against a wall."

Erik shook his head in anger.

"No Madam it doesn't but I did it anyways now please let me get back to Clorinda before she wakes up."

"I shall talk to you later Erik."

Once Erik got back down to his lair he checked on Clorinda to find that she was still fast asleep. He covered her up, and wanted nothing more than to give her a kiss goodnight but was afraid she'd wake up. Erik looked around and when he realized that no one else was around to witness him do it he leaned down and placed his lips on her cheek. Her skin was soft and milky like her mother's which gave him relief to know that she had at least one trait of Christine's. He then kissed her and brushed away the blonde curls that were in her face.

"Goodnight my child."

Erik then walked out to his organ and sat down to write some of his ideas down on paper. He couldn't sleep, not with Clorinda sleeping in his bed. He didn't mind having her stay with him but couldn't wait to have Christine well again so that he could sleep alone in his bed once more. After hours of writing his music, Erik fell asleep slumped over his organ with the feather pen still in his grasp. He had set out a few pillows on the floor for him to lie on earlier that night, but never made it to them before he fell asleep. The next morning, Erik was awoken when his hand fell off the top of his organ and slammed into the keys, causing a loud noise. He was happy when he found Clorinda still asleep and ran his fingers through his blonde locks before he walked over to the pile of pillows that were on the floor and lied back down. He was so tired from sleeping uncomfortably on the organ. As he closed his eyes, he felt someone pounce onto him and opened his eyes to see Clorinda.

"Good Morning Monsieur Kire."

"Oh Clorinda, please let me sleep."

"Are you ok?"

"I didn't sleep well last night, please just let me rest a while longer."

"If I have to sleep here tonight I could always let you have your bed back."

"Nonsense I shall be fine here. When I wake up we will go have brunch with your mother."

"ok, I'll go play a quiet game in the other room."

"In that case I'm going to lie in my bed."

Erik then got to his feet and walked over to his swan bed and lied down. Moments later, he closed his tired eyes, and fell asleep. As the hours passed, he seemed to have a dreamless slumber and was felt a little better by the time he had woken up. The first thing he did was look at the time, which was ten am. He then got up and walked out to his lair to see Clorinda sitting at his drawing tables. She had kept her word and stayed quiet so that he could get his rest and was happy that she had. Erik's curiosity had caught the best of him and he walked towards her.

"What are you doing Clorinda?"

Clorinda turned towards him with a sheet of paper in her hands.

"Drawing."

"What are you drawing?"

"I made it for you."

Clorinda handed Erik the piece of paper and he looked at the beautiful art work that she had done. The picture was of a few ballerinas dancing on the stage in some sort of opera. She wasn't at his level of art work but was close to it. In anger, Erik grabbed the pencils away from her, and through her picture down onto the table.

"Don't touch my pencils, stay away from them!"

"What's wrong?"

Erik through down the pencils, and pulled her away from the table.

"Did I say that you could touch my things!"

Clorinda curled up in the corner like a torn rag doll that was thrown aside by an angry child.

"I'm sorry, I thought you would like the picture."

"Keep off of my personal things! You got that?"

Clorinda nodded and watched as Erik stormed away from her in anger. She had only drawn the picture to please him but found that he could care other wise.

"Are we going to see my mother?"

"No, you stay here and I'll be back."

Erik had left her alone and walked up to Christine's dressing room to see how she was doing. When he entered he found Christine lying in bed looking weaker than she had looked the day before. He touched her hand as he sat down at her bedside.

"How are you feeling today?"

"sick."

"don't worry my love, you will be fine in a day or two."

"I'm hot."

Erik felt her fore head that was burning up.

"Did you tell Nadir about this?"

"Yes and he gave me some medication for it."

"What kind of medication?"

"Just some syrup to bring down my fever."

Erik buried his face in his hands.

"She can draw Christine."

"Who?"

"Clorinda, she can draw."

"Like you?"

"Not as good but just about."

"She is your daughter Erik, what did you expect?"

Erik looked away with tears in his eyes.

"I took the pencils away from her Christine, I yelled at her and told her never to touch my things ever again."

"That will only hold her back from being you."

"That's the thing Christine, I don't want her to be like me, I want her to be like you."

"Sometimes Erik what you want and what will happen are two different things."

"Are you hungry?"

"No just tired."

Erik tucked her in, and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Excuse me my love. You get well and I will be back later."

Erik had walked back down to his lair to find Clorinda where he had left her, curled up in a corner. He approached her and held out his hand hoping that she would take it. When she didn't, Erik walked over to his drawing table and picked up the picture that she had drawn and hung it up on the wall that displayed all of his other drawings.

"Clorinda, it's a great picture. I'm sorry about what happened between us earlier."

Clorinda rose from the floor and approached his wall of art work which mostly consisted of pictures drawn of Christine.

"Then why did you do it?"

"Because I was upset with myself that's why."

"Over what?"

"I'm upset that you are becoming more like me each day."

"Is that such a bad thing? You are the closest thing to a father that I've ever had."

"I just always liked being my own person. Look, I'm sorry about today so let's just put that aside and move on."

"You draw my mother a lot."

"Yes so I do."

"You love my mother don't you?"

"As a friend and nothing more."

"You don't have to lie to me anymore, Nadir told me that you and my mother once loved each other. Well he didn't tell me, I was hiding behind a door when I heard him talking about you and my mother. What happened to that Monsieur Kire?"

At that moment he was put on the spot and didn't know what to say to the small girl who was anxious to know about he and Christine's love for one another. At that moment he knew that he couldn't tell her the truth about them still being together in love. At that moment Erik's life was put on the spot…….

More to come soon….I hope this is easier to read for those who have complained earlier about my paragraph forms….R&R