I don't own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, the New York City Ballet, George Balanchine's Nutcracker or the New York State Theater either.

Erik's description of The New York State Theater was taken almost word for word from their website.

The definition for proscenium was taken from Wikipedia, which I don't own either.
A Proscenium theater is a theater space whose primary feature is a large archway (the proscenium arch) at or near the front of the stage, through which the audience views the play.

The Levana is in New York City not far from the Theater. I chose it because they're mentioned on the NY State Theater's website. Erik and Christine's meal is taken from the restaurant's website. Sadly, I don't own the restaurant either.

Any differences between the real events and the storry are due to my imagination.

I only own the plot but that's enough to make me happy.

Being Canadian, I'll use Canadian English so when you see 'theatre' it's not a mistake. It's the way it's written in my country.

A/N Thanks to all the reviewers. I'm happy you love my Nerdy Erik; you're all very encouraging! Hugs! Remember; we Authors and Authoresses need our readers' reviews to continue writing. If you read, REVIEW! ;-)

Warning! Cheese ahead!

James approached the car to open the door for Christine when Erik stopped him with a look. He opened the door himself and said, "If you'll allow me," indicating she should sit. Christine was very flattered by Erik's manners. He was always so chivalrous with her. He then proceeded to the other side of the car without even letting James open his door. He sat besides Christine and smiled at her. "We're going to the New York State Theater. It's Georges Balanchine's Nutcracker with the New York City Ballet who's performing tonight." " I've heard they're very good," he added swiftly. He had no idea what to say to her so to fill in the silence he began to talk about the Theater building "The New York State Theater is a traditional proscenium theatre with seating for 2,755. Part of New York's famed Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts complex, the theater occupies the south side of the main plaza (at Columbus Avenue & 63rd Street) that it shares with the Metropolitan Opera House and Avery Fisher Hall. The New York State Theater is home to both New York City Ballet and New York City Opera. It was designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee and opened in 1964. It's a proscenium theater seating 2,755. The auditorium features continental-style seating with no center aisle on the Orchestra level and five ascending "Rings" or balconies. The theater was specifically designed for dance with excellent sight lines. There are few partial-view seats. The auditorium is shallower, front to back, than other Lincoln Center houses, minimizing the distance between the back of the house and the stage," he recited breathlessly.

Christine looked at Erik bewildered. It was a lot of information to take in less than a minute. She appreciated his efforts to inform her about the theatre, however she didn't even have time to digest any of it. Erik looked at her expectantly but she wasn't sure how to react to this flood of details.

Erik's face fell. He bored her. He wanted Christine to enjoy herself in his company and here he was, ruining it all with his nerdyness. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm talking too much."

"Oh, no, Erik. Not at all," she reassured him. She was happy she wasn't the only one nervous. "I was surprised that's all, it's very interesting; but it was a little too much, too fast." "You don't have to speak the entire ride, Erik," she explained softly. "Your presence at my side pleases me very much, you know."

Erik was pleasantly surprised and flattered. No woman had ever seemed to simply enjoy being in his company. And Christine was a very beautiful woman too. He admired her for her beauty and her kindness towards him. She was blonde with straight hair going to the middle of her back; her eyes were of a very pale ice blue and her lips… he found himself staring dreamily at her… light… pink… lips. How pink they were and luscious looking. And now she was nervously licking and biting those lips.

Erik kept staring at her and it worried Christine. Maybe there was something wrong with her face, maybe she had too much make-up on. Usually she didn't even bother with it.

Erik kept thinking about her mouth; he felt it was the most wonderful mouth in the world. The car stopped and James opened his door. He shook his head as if he was waking up from a daydream and quickly went to Christine's side to take her hand and help her out of the car. They were in the indoor parking lot, just beside the door that led to the Theater. They climbed the stairs and walked a few steps towards a door labelled Box 5.

Erik opened the door but before Christine could enter he said, "Close you eyes and give me your hand. Don't peek until I tell you so. There's a surprise for you inside."

"Really?" She asked excitedly. "What is it?" She desperately wanted to know. It was one of her faults; although she loved surprises she just couldn't stand the suspense. She felt she was Cinderella and she was scared to wake up in her lonely dorm room at the university. She tried to open up her eyes to sneak a glance at the surprise Erik had prepared for her.

"Aahh, Christine!" "No peeking allowed until you get my say so!" Erik laughed at Christine's eagerness. She looked like a child shaking the Christmas's gifts under the tree in the hope of learning what was in the boxes.

"Alright," Erik said. "You can open up your eyes now."

As he said it he looked at her, amused by the look in her eyes and the haste with which she entered the Box.

She gasped. It was like a dream come true. It was covered in lush red velvet with plush and very comfortable looking chairs. There was a table with a bottle of champagne in a pail with ice, two glasses were besides it and there were also opera glasses to make sure they could view even the teensiest details of the ballet. Erik had even ordered iced raspberries to eat.

She turned around and looked at Erik with wonder in her yes. "Oh, Erik," she breathed. "It's like a fairy tale." Erik was very proud of his idea. He wanted to spoil Christine. She went to him, took him by the hand, closed the door behind them and then showed her appreciation by kissing him on the cheek. He was sure he had died and gone to Heaven. He couldn't believe it, his Angel had kissed him! For surely she WAS an Angel. Only one coming from Paradise could bear it.

"Am I dead Angel? Cause this must be Heaven." Erik whispered to her. Christine smiled at him. He had a way with compliments, she thought. Coming from anyone else she's find it horribly corny but for whatever reason; if it was Erik saying those lines, she loved them.

Seeing her smile with approval. He continued, "Did it hurt?" She looked confused, "Did what hurt?" "When you felled out of Heaven?" He replied. "How was Heaven when you left it?" He asked again.

"Oh, Erik," she sighed. "How kind of you to compare me to one of God's messenger." "But I'm just a very ordinary woman, you know."

Erik smiled at Christine. She was so much more than an ordinary woman. She had an inner beauty that surpassed the most beautiful faces in the world and she was unaware of it.

They sat and Erik poured Christine and himself a glass of Champagne, then placed some raspberries and whipped cream on a plate for her and proceeded to do the same for himself. They drank a few sips and he raised his glass to hers "A toast to your eyes, Christine, because they are blue like the ocean, and baby I'm lost at sea."

Christine swallowed too fast and coughed. Erik went over to pat her in the back. "Are you alright, Christine?" He worried. "Yes, Erik, thank you. I'm fine now." He didn't look convinced as he patted her back a few times still. He touched her shoulder blades, "Oh, those are shoulder blades? I thought they were wings!"

She was flustered; no one had ever paid her so many compliments in one evening! What did he find in her? He didn't seem to want anything else than her company. He had bought her beautiful earrings, a dozen roses and tickets for the ballet. They were sitting in a box, with Champagne and raspberries and yet, he didn't ask for anything in return. She knew men who felt that if they bought you a coffee and donut, you had to repay them with a romp in the sack. Erik didn't even try to be cheeky! On the other hand, did that meant he didn't find her to his liking? She worried about it but at the same time felt ridiculous complaining that her date didn't try anything their first time together. Usually it was quite the contrary, she was certain she was going out with a changeling; one moment a man, the other an octopus! How many times had she come back from an evening at the movies furious, humiliated and crying because of it? She decided to just relax and enjoy her evening out with a true gentleman.

At this moment the curtain rose and the magic began.

She had seen The Nutcracker on television so often she had lost count but she still enjoyed the story of Clara and the Nutcracker. She felt the Party Scene was full of light and joy. She dreamt of one day having a Christmas like this one. She always winced when Fritz broke Clara's gift. It brought back too many bad memories to her mind. And now it was the Fight Scene where the toys around the tree came to life and the Nutcracker awakens to lead his army of toy soldiers into battle with the mice.

She gasped when the Mouse King cornered the Nutcracker and battled him one-on-one. The Nutcracker seemed to be no match for the Mouse King until Clara threw her slipper at the Mouse King, hitting him on the head. Then he dropped to the floor and the mice ran away, carrying off their leader's lifeless body. She cheered.

She sighed when she saw The Land of Snow beginning; it's where the Nutcracker turns into a Prince and takes Clara on a journey to the Land of Snow, an enchanted forest wonderland where they are welcomed by dancing snowflakes. She missed the snow from her country. She had left when she was very young but she still had fond memories of the winters there.

She almost squealed and she jumped in her chair at the excitement. Her favourite part was about to begin. The Prince escorts Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy greets them. The Prince tells her about their daring battle with the army of mice and she rewards them with a celebration of six dances. Christine had a sweet tooth and as a child she dreamed of going to the land of sweets.

As a finale, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier danced a beautiful Pas De Deux.

And now the story was over as Clara awakened from her dream and found herself by her Christmas tree with her beloved Nutcracker.

Erik was entertained by Christine's reactions during the ballet. She sighed, winced, laughed and generally enjoyed herself. He loved looking at her when she was having fun.

She shook herself as if awakening from a dream. "Oh, Erik," she sighed. "I loved it, it was wonderful. Thank you so much." She looked at their table and saw they had emptied the bottle and eaten all the raspberries and the cream. She hadn't paid attention to what she was doing; she was so immersed in the show. "I've seen the Ballet on television many times, Erik, but it's different when it's a live show." She hugged him.

"Would you like to meet the company?" Erik asked. "Oh, do you think we could?" She said. "I'd like that very much. Thank you, Erik."

Christine wanted to clean up their mess before going out of the Box but Erik stopped her. "It's not necessary, Christine. I pay extra to have the cleaning crew come in after each of my visits," he said before taking their coats with him.

She wasn't sure about it but felt it wasn't her place to make a fuss.

They climbed down the stairs and passed through the lobby where they met Robert Saunders and his wife Lilia. Mrs Saunders was a tall, statuesque, redheaded woman and very conscious of her power as head of many of New York charities' committees. She was wearing a long dress made of jade satin and it showed a lot more cleavage then Christine would ever be comfortable showing but it became Lilia; who had something to show contrary to Christine who felt like Twiggie compared to her. Lilia looked at her and raised an eyebrow as if wondering what she was doing there. Christine felt terribly out of place until Erik put his arm around her waist and made the presentations. "Christine, may I present to you Mr. Robert Saunders and his wife Mrs. Lilia Saunders."

Lilia Saunders was a very etiquette conscious woman. The fact that Erik had begun the introductions by presenting them first wasn't lost on her. He continued "Mr. and Mrs. Saunders may I present my date, Miss Christine Daaé." "Christine, Mr. Saunders is one of my most important client", he added. Christine was proud Erik was presenting her officially as his date to people important for his work. They shook hands. She remarked Lilia was examining her thoroughly from head to toe. Christine now understood why Meg had insisted they bought such a nice dress for the evening. Her friend was right; the way she dressed when she accompanied Erik was important. It did reflect on him. Lilia must have found everything up to par in Christine's appearance since she smiled at her and began making small talk while they all went to pay their respects the ballet troop.

Christine wasn't very happy about sharing Erik with his client and she had nothing in common with Lilia who seemed happy her contribution to the conversation was limited to appropriate noises and nods. Still, she understood it was a necessary part of public relations for his work. She only hoped she didn't do anything to embarrass him or annoy Mrs. Saunders.

The entire troop was gathered behind the stage, awaiting the patrons' compliments. They seemed tired but happy. In a way Christine envied them for as a child she had dreamed of dancing ballet professionally but she didn't have the ambition and the drive necessary to really succeed in that field; plus she was too small. There was still a part of her who wished she could have had the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in the ballet. It was her favourite part after her hero, The Nutcracker himself. She smiled at the memories it evoked in her mind.

Then it was time to go home. They said goodbye to the Saunders and went back to the lobby. Erik stopped by the gift shop and looked with Christine at the display. She found many beautiful things in the shop but the prices were very high. It didn't stop Erik to go crazy and buy many copies of each item the shop had. He was like a child in a candy store. The salespeople were following him around holding baskets in which they put his purchases. Christine was amused at his antics.

When he finally decided he had had enough he went at the cashier to pay for his purchases. The stores' employees were only too happy to wrap it. It wasn't often someone bought for a few thousand dollars of merchandises in one swoop.

Christine wondered what Erik would do with all that stuff. Maybe it was intended as gifts for his employee's children.

They put their coats back on and they returned to the car bearing Erik's many bags. James was flabbergasted at the sight and hurried to Erik to help him out after having open the car trunk. He then put all the bags in and this time, having predicted Erik's grand gesture he let him open Christine's door and went to the other side to open the door for Erik.

She was still seeing the ballet in her mind so didn't heard Erik's question. She realized he was waiting for an answer. "What?" She said distracted. "I'm sorry, Erik. I admit I wasn't listening. You were saying?" She apologized.

"I was asking if you were hungry, Christine." Erik repeated patiently. "We could finish up the evening with a meal at the restaurant," he added. "We could go to the Levana," he proposed. "They serve French-Mediterranean cuisine," he explained at her wondering look. "Unless you have a better idea or a preference," he added.

"Oh, no," Christine answered quickly. "Thank you. I'm hungrier than I thought I would be and the Levana is fine by me, Erik."

Erik nodded and lowered the partition. "James, Miss Daae and I have chosen the Levana," he announced.

"Right, Mr. Korvin," James answered.

A few minutes later they drove in the restaurant's parking. James opened Erik's door and Erik went to open Christine's. Then he gave her his hand to help her get out of the car. They went in and Christine was awed at the restaurant's elegance.

Erik addressed the Maître D', "table for two, please".

"Right this way, sir," the man answered.

They were showed to their table in a nice secluded corner of the restaurant. Erik, gallant as always, took off Christine's coat from her before taking off his own in turn and gave them to the waiting employee who went to put the coats away in the cloakroom. He returned with two tokens and gave them to Erik.

The Maître D' came back with two menus and let them alone to do their choosing.

Christine looked at the menu and almost fainted when she saw the prices. "Erik," she said. "The prices here are much too high!"

"Please, Christine," he said, "You're my guest." "I've never had any date, Christine. It makes me happy, please. Let me spoil you," he added."

Christine relented since it was putting a sparkle in Erik's eyes but she still felt some guilt about all the money he was spending on her.

Everything seemed so appetizing she couldn't decide. "I don't know what to choose, Erik. Would you do it for me, please?" She asked.

Erik grinned happily at her and looked at the menu. "Let's see; what do you say we take Roasted Beet and Orange Salad with Fresh Mint as Appetizers and then as Entrees we could eat the Chinese Five Spice Rubbed Hudson Valley Venison with Wild Rice Pilaf and Asian Broccoli, it's served with Juniper Berry and Red Currant Sauce. If it's all right with you Christine," Erik added.

"I'm sure it'll all be delicious, Erik. Thank you," she smiled. She was eager to taste everything. Maybe she could try to cook these plates in Marie's kitchen. But this time, she resolved to ask beforehand if anyone had any food allergies so as not to repeat the events of last time. Although Erik didn't get angry with her and she got to hold his hand, she remembered fondly.

Erik signaled the Maître d' and gave him their choices. "And for drinks, sir?" The man asked him.

"We'll take what's suggested on the menu, Red Syrah wine. Thank you," Erik answered.

A few minutes later, the waiter arrived with their meal and they settled down in silent appreciation of their delicious salads.

"Hmm, hmm, Erik, it's so good," Christine said. "I absolutely want their recipe."

Erik laughed, "We'll ask the Maître D, Christine, but I'm sure they'll accept."

While they were savouring their salads, Erik and Christine were discussing her studies in Architecture. He listened intently to everything she said. At first it was a little unnerving, as she wasn't used to have someone's undivided interest; but in the end it was very pleasant. It made her feel interesting.

The waiter brought their venison and served the wine. The meat was so tender it melted in the mouth. It was absolutely wonderful. The broccoli, which Christine never really was fond of, was excellent and the Pilaf was fluffy and moist. She never liked wine very much but she had to admit the Syrah was very good.

The meal was enjoyed in silent reverence as befitted a work of art.

A few minutes after finishing the last bites, Erik asked Christine what she would like for dessert.

"Dessert?" She asked, surprised. "I don't think I have room for dessert, Erik."

Erik smirked and looked at the dessert menu. "What about Roasted Meringue Peach with Macaroon Cookies, Toasted Almonds, Citrus Sauce and Candied Grapefruit Peels?" Meg told me your favorite fruit was peach."

Christine almost moaned in anticipation. "Alright", she laughed. "You win, Erik. I'll take the Meringue Peach. Thank you again."

They took a coffee with their desserts. Erik was enjoying himself looking at Christine eating her Meringue Peach. She was plunging her spoon into the treat and closing her eyes while eating. He liked seeing she appreciated her meal.

They finished the dessert and were now on their second coffee. Sadly it was now time to go back home. Erik got the check and barely looked at it before taking out his credit card and signing his name on the bill. He didn't let Christine take a glance at the amount it cost. He whispered a few words to the Maître D' who smiled, nodded and went away to come back a few moments later with a small book he gave to Erik. He took the book and gave him another tip.

He accompanied Christine to the coat rack and gave the coat checker their tokens. He then helped her into her coat and put on his own. Erik gave a generous tip to the grateful employee. They went outside to wait for the car and breathed in the crisp winter night air.

James drove the car to the restaurant's entrance and Erik opened the car's door for Christine, then he went to his side where James was holding out the door for him.

Their first date over, they rode in companionable silence to the house.