Hey everyone thanks for the reviews! Nothing much, just another great chapter!! I'm so excited cause I just bought my phantom of the opera tickets!!! Whoo hoo! Anyway keep reading and I love any feedback that is possible!!

The next morning, Erik awoke and was in a lot of pain. He felt that he had pushed himself more than he should have the day before, especially with trying to run after Clorinda. He knew though that lying still was the best possible thing for him. As he lied there looking out the window all he could think about was his angel Christine. Yes he had lied to her, but she was here with him now and that's all that mattered. He was finally married to the one girl he cared about and now she belonged to him. There would be no more fighting for her hand in marriage nor would there be any fighting over love. No he had her hand in marriage and now the only fighting that would occur would be over some sort of disagreement. Erik rolled over to see Christine lying fast asleep next to him, causing him to smile. She looked so peaceful when she slept, and now that she was his wife, it was an even better reason to smile at her beauty. He ran his fingers through her brown curly locks as she kept sleeping causing her to stir in her sleep. Once she opened her eyes, Erik smiled at her causing her to smile back.

"Erik sweetie, what time is it?"

"I don't know Christine I just woke up."

"How do you feel?"

"I'm in a lot of pain that's for sure."

Christine sat up, and Erik pulled her back down beside him.

"Don't get up yet, I like it when you lie next to me. It makes me feel better when you're herewith me."

Christine smiled at him, and ran her fingers through his blonde hair before giving him a quick kiss on the fore head.

"I'll be back as soon as I check on Clorinda."

After Christine got to her feet, she walked away leaving Erik alone once more. Just as he lied himself back down, he heard Christine scream causing him to immediately grab his staff and head down the stairs despite all the pain he was in.

"What's wrong Christine?"

Christine smiled at Erik and shook her head.

"Sorry Erik, when I came down stairs Clorinda tried to scare me. I didn't mean to scream as if something were wrong."

"That's fine, I'm going to sit down and work on my music for a while."

"Erik sweetie, I would like it even more if you could help us get something for breakfast."

Erik thought a few seconds, and then nodded.

"There's a berry bush not to far into the woods, and the brook is right outside. I'll go pick us some berries and perhaps you could make some hot jam."

Christine nodded, and gently kissed him on the lips.

"Be careful, and take Clorinda with you."

Hearing this made Clorinda so angry. She didn't want to go with Erik into the woods just because of the undeniable fact that she hated him. Her mother could push her to be respectful all she wanted, but she didn't have to be around him. Figuring that her mother would make her go no matter what, she threw on her cloak, and followed Erik out the door. He was limping pretty badly, and cringed as he sat himself up on his horse. After getting himself comfortable enough, he looked down at Clorinda waiting for her to reach up to him but she never did. Instead, she walked beside the horse keeping her head towards the ground, never facing Erik.

"You know Clorinda, you don't have to be this way. I know that you're just angry with me for keeping everything a secret for you. You're whole life I've treated you like my daughter and now that you know you've been treating me very different. I love your mother with all my heart and I just want us to be a happy family. You have a mother and a father who love you with all their hearts."

"You're not my father Erik! You're a monster and nothing more!"

That had shut Erik up from saying another word. His heart had begun to hurt and he tried to hold back the tears that wanted to flow. He stayed quiet even when they approached the berry bush. Erik watched Clorinda begin to pick the dark purple berries and pile them into her cloak without saying a word. Once her cloak was filled up, she tied it together and hooked it to the side of the horse.

"Would you like to ride with me Clorinda?"

Clorinda didn't answer, and walked in front of the horse as Erik kept his eyes on her.

"Clorinda, I was thinking that we could talk alone before going back into the cottage."

"No Monsieur Kire, I don't want to speak to you! I want you to leave me alone and go away for good!"

At that moment, Clorinda began to run faster and faster and out of Erik's sight. Quickly Erik forced his horse to gallop faster to catch up to Clorinda.

"Clorinda! Come back at once!"

Yelling was no use, because Clorinda kept running. The cottage was getting closer and the only thing stopping him was a small rock wall. Once the horse jumped over it, a black wolf was there waiting for them. Taken by surprise, the wolf immediately snarled at the horse, causing it to stand on it's back legs and stumble backwards. Erik immediately lost his balance, causing him to fall off the horse who then fell on it's back. Once Erik hit the ground, he hit his head up against the rock wall as the wolf kept growling at him. The loud noise had caused Christine to come out of the cottage to see the horror that was playing in front of her eyes. Seconds later, Clorinda ran up to her and clung to her dress in fright. Erik lied there half conscious looking at the wolf who was now only inches away from his throat.

"Erik! Oh my God!"

Before Erik could even take one last glance at the wolf, it turned around and started heading towards Christine and Clorinda. As Erik lied there looking up at the sky he noticed that a large heavy branch was dangling from one of the trees. It was his only chance at saving his family so as fast as he could Erik crawled over to his horse who was standing right next to the tree and forced him to kick the trunk with it's hind legs. Once he did, the branch came crashing down onto the wolf, crushing it and saving his family. Before he could even see if they were alright, Erik passed out from the blow to his head. When he awoke, everything on him screamed in pain. His legs felt as if they were literally falling off and his shoulders were so stiff. The back of his head however was so heavy that he couldn't even lift it off his pillow. To the side of him was a lit candle making the room a comfortable dim brightness and less painful to his eyes. He knew that his mask was off just by the feel of the atmosphere touching his distorted flesh. Seconds later, Christine was at his side with a bowl in her hand. She sat it down on the night table, before taking a seat beside him.

"Oh my poor Erik, thank God you're ok."

"Chr….Christine, oh my angel of music."

"Shh…save your strength. I have brought you something."

He watched as Christine bent over and came back with a small cloth that was loaded with something moist and tied at the top. She then easily lifted up his head and placed the bundle under it before setting his head back down. It was cold, what ever his angel had placed underneath his head was as cold as winter and it was wet. Erik tried to reach his hand to touch it, but Christine stopped him.

"I found some left over snow and ice sickles down by the brook. It will help take down the swelling of your bump. You had a nasty fall today and want to cure it as soon as I can."

"Clorinda….. it's all my fault I tried to talk to her and she ran from me."

Christine immediately stopped him from saying another word.

"No Erik, it wasn't your fault. Our daughter has mistreated you in such a cruel way. If not for her running today you wouldn't be where you are now. We could have been killed today because of her disrespectfulness. I told her that she is punished until further notice and until she starts to respect you and think about what she's done."

"Oh Christine, don't make her do this. It is one thing to respect me but the way she acts around me is as if she doesn't want to do that either. No, if she hates me then that is her choice. She unfortunately inherited her father's stubbornness along with his anger and you shouldn't have to suffer from it."

"I love you Erik so much and I just want our baby to love you too."

"Do you know what she called me today Christine?"

"No what?"

"She told me that I wasn't her father and that I'm nothing more than a monster."

"No, she didn't Erik."

"It's ok, she's probably right how can I force someone to love me Christine? I even tried to force you to love me and at one point that didn't work either. Oh look at me Christine, just look at me."

Christine couldn't help but shed a few tears. How dare her daughter call Erik a monster? He was such a kind and loving man that who ever said such things should be killed. Instead of continuing to think about it, she reached over for the bowl and mixed the contents up with a wooden spoon.

"You've been out all day Erik, and I've made jam."

"That's very sweet of you but I'm not hungry."

"Nonsense you need something in your system now eat it before I force it in your mouth."

Christine then scooped up a spoonful of the jam and began to feed it to him. Once he had enough, Christine set aside the bowl and tucked him in before blowing out the candle.

"Sweet dreams my love."

Once Erik was asleep, Christine walked down stairs to find Clorinda sitting on her bed wide awake. She immediately sat beside her daughter who was in her nightgown and slapped her. Clorinda touched her face in pain, and looked at her mother with a sense of confusion.

"That was for calling your father a monster."

"He is mother! He's a monster and nothing more!"

"I don't care if you like him or not Clorinda! He is your father and you will respect him! Let me hear you call him something cruel one more time and you won't be able to sit for a week."

"Maybe I won't be here in a week! Maybe I'll go join a band of gypsies and be out of your life for good!"

"Oh a band of gypsies? What makes them better than us Clorinda? Do you know that your father did that when he was your age? Do you know what they did to him? They locked him in a cage and called him a freak! There is not but one gypsy camp that doesn't know who your father once was. Once they see the scar on your face they'll know who's offspring you are and lock you up just as he was. Your father has had a rough life Clorinda, and he has been trying to make yours a better one. Each time you betray him or call him something cruel, you're hurting his heart. He loves you very much and would do anything for you. So when ever you think the grass is greener on the other side I suggest you go there because I won't stop you."

With that, Christine rose to her feet and left Clorinda alone. After walking back upstairs to Erik's bed, she lied down beside him and watched over his body. The only movements from his body. Was from him breathing as he moaned in agony. Christine knew though that it was best for Erik if he slept through his pain instead of being awake through it. The next morning, Erik awoke, and noticed that Christine was lying asleep beside him. He easily rose to his feet and walked down the stairs to get a drink. Down in the kitchen, Erik drank a glass of water as he glanced over at something that was covered up in a sheet. After placing the glass down. Erik limped over to the sheet and pulled it off as the dust flew everywhere. When it cleared, he noticed that it was an old broken piano. He then remembered placing it there years ago. It seemed like he hadn't played forever, and immediately sat down and ran his fingers over the keys.

Once Erik began to play a soft song, he noticed Clorinda appear at his side. He ignored her, and kept playing as if she wasn't there. He wasn't wearing his wig or mask and he really didn't care. Seconds later, Clorinda sat down next to him, and watched as he pressed his fingers over the keys.

"Monsieur Kire?"

Erik didn't answer her, and kept playing the piano as she sat there next to him.

"Monsieur Kire?"

"Can't you see that I'm playing?"

"Monsieur Kire, can I say something?"

"You can say anything you want."

"I'm sorry for calling you a monster."

Erik didn't answer her, and kept playing.

"Monsieur Kire, I don't expect you to answer me, but please hear me when I say that I'm sorry for calling you a monster. I'm just angry that you married my mother and that you lied to me my whole life."

Erik kept playing, and then sat her up on his lap.

"Look Clorinda, I've done some real stupid things in my life and lying to you was one of them. If you never forgive me then I can understand, but it hurts me when you call me cruel things. Hearing them come from your mouth hurts my heart so bad and makes me wish that I never loved your mother in the first place."

"I'm still mad at you Monsieur Kire."

Erik continued to play as Clorinda sat on his lap. He was so angry with himself for lying to his daughter, but knew that it was for her own good. After the song ended, Erik placed her hands on the keys, and placed his hands over hers.

"What are you doing Monsieur Kire?"

"You've always wanted to learn how to play and so now I'll teach you."

Clorinda pulled her hands away and looked up at her father.

"No Monsieur Kire, I wanted to learn how to play the organ, not the piano. You're too busy with your music that you don't even listen to me when I talk to you."

"Nonsense girl, I always listen to you even when I don't like what's coming out of your mouth."

Erik placed her hands back over the keys and lied his hands over hers.

"Now the only difference between the organ and the piano is sound. You still need to know what a b flat is to play a b flat just as you need to know what an A minor is to play an A minor. Now…" he replied as he hit the B key. "that is a b flat. I want you to listen to me and watch my hands as I play. Once I get done I want you to repeat it."

Erik then ran his fingers up the piano hitting each key making a low sound get high in pitch. Afterwards, Clorinda began to so the same, missing keys as she ran her fingers up the piano. Erik immediately stopped her and shook his head.

"No, no no! did you not just see what I did? Every key Clorinda! Every key."

Erik then ran his fingers over every key once more as Clorinda watched him. Afterwards, Clorinda looked up at him, and sighed.

"You don't have to yell at me Erik."

"Excuse me young lady, you will not call me by that name. Now I will control my temper if you show me some respect. I don't care if you don't call me father but you will not call me by my first name. It's very disrespectful and I know that your mother has told you about it time and time again."

"Yes Monsieur Kire."

"Now, play."

Clorinda lied her hands on the keys and began to play what Erik had just played. After she had done it correctly, Erik opened his music, and lied a sheet of it on the top of the piano.

"Now we're getting somewhere. I'm going to play this one line and then I want you to do the same."

As Erik played the first line of Mary had a little lamb as Clorinda looked up at him.

"Don't look at me, watch my hands, my hands Clorinda."

Clorinda's eyes immediately darted down to his hands as she watched him finish the first verse.

"Your turn."

Clorinda looked up at Erik, and nervously placed her hands on the keys.

"Monsieur Kire, how did you learn to play?"

"I taught myself when I was about your age. This was my first piano that I practiced on once I escaped from the gypsies."

"And what did you do? Live here until you were older?"

"No, I was captured only a week after escaping and taken to Paris where I was saved by Madam Giry. Afterwards I grew up practicing the organ and then meeting your mother."

Clorinda looked back down at the piano and tried to play the first verse of Mary had a little lamb, but couldn't complete it. She sounded so horrible and out of tune. She waited for Monsieur Kire to stop her, but he never did. Instead, she stopped herself, and sat there in silence.

"Why did you stop?"

"Because I sounded horrible."

"That's no reason to give up. Practice my dear, makes perfect."

"Yea but no one could ever sound as horrible as me."

"Do you think I sounded great the first time I placed my hands over these keys? No, I sounded just as bad if not worse. Your mother sounded horrible the first time I ever heard her sing but I saw potential and never gave up on her. She became a diva and I became a great pianist, and someday you shall do the same. I'm going to get some breakfast and I want you to sit here and practice until you get it right."

"Do I have to Monsieur Kire?"

Erik rose to his feet, and grabbed his staff.

"No, you don't have to do anything that you don't want to do but if you want to learn the piano as much as you say you do then you will practice."

After Erik walked over to the fire pit, Clorinda began to practice as Erik told her to do. She was still angry with him, but then again she thought that maybe having him for a father wasn't that bad after all at least when he controlled his temper.

More to come soon!! R&R please!!