A.N: I LIVE! I'm SOOOO sorry about the long wait, I was having some major editing problems! I also just wanted to say, that updates will be A LOT more consistent after this! So please, read and review!

Chapter 5: Christine…

1 and ½ months later.

Dani and her friends had been there for about a month and a half, and they had pretty much given up hope of ever going back. Dani and Erik were slowly starting to trust each other, but when I say slowly, I mean slowly.

However, on the plus side, he did trust her enough to tell her about Christine.

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Erik's POV:

He walked into the music chamber, just wanting to be alone, and unfortunately for him, Dani was there. Why is she always there when I want to be alone? Why can't she just leave me alone? Of course, because she lives here! He sighed, Very well…

Dani looks up from where she was dusting the bookshelf, she noticed something was wrong.

"Are you feeling ok Erik? You seem kind of sad." He looked terrible in truth.

"What do you think?" He snapped at her. "Do I look "ok"? I am about "ok" as, a headless chicken!"

"Do you want to talk about it?" She was unfazed by his yelling, a month and a half, she had gotten used to it.

"It will make you feel better." she wanted him to trust her, not put up these walls every time she was around. And besides, she always found that it made her feel better when she talked out her stress.

He sighed, he knew he couldn't win against her, his emotions were running on an all time high, especially today.

"It's about Christine," he started. "I'm going to bring her down to my lair for the first time tonight, and…and I'm worried about her reaction, I mean, what if she hates me, what if she's scared of this?" He pointed a finger to his mask suggestively.

"I mean, what if she hates me!" He started to get frantic.

"You already said that." He ignored her.

"What if she doesn't love me, because of this revolting mask? What is she sees me for what I truly am? This revolting carcass that burns in hell, but secretly, yearns for heaven?" He was coming to realizations now that he hadn't thought about before.

"All she's known is her Angel of Music, for nine years! What if she wants her Angel, but not Erik? What if, when she finds out I'm the Phantom, she gets scared and runs away? I couldn't bear it if she hated me, I'd kill myself!" He was done talking now. He was too tired and emotionally wrecked to do anything but collapse in his chair and pant.

She sighed, what else could she do? Here was this man who she had entrusted her safety, and the safety of her friends lives to, and he was an emotional wreck!

"Ok, you want to know what I think, well, here it is." She was trying not to yell the obvious right in his masked face, but it wasn't easy.

"I don't think you should bring her down here, for several reasons. One, she thinks that you are her Angel, i.e., an angel. Wings halo and whatnot? Two, bringing her down here is pretty much an ultimate act of trust and loyalty, I mean, she has no idea who you are, and no offense, but saying this from experience, she might be scared of your mask. I'm not saying I was or am afraid of your mask, but people have been afraid of mine, and it hurts, as you probably know." She wasn't saying it to hurt him, but because she thought he should be warned.

"Three, she's 16 years old. She doesn't know where her emotions are trust me, I know. So if you bring her down here, professing your love for her, her feelings might go into a little bit of an overload. I mean she's singing Ellisa tonight, isn't she? That's going to be kind of overwhelming, and then you come to her and are like, come with me my love! She might be a bit freaked out."

She was done, she hoped that Erik understood what she was trying to say.

What is she thinking? She thinks that I can't handle myself and that Christine is too young! When will she ever see that age doesn't matter in this game of love!

"Well, mademoiselle, if that is what you think, then so be it. But I refuse to think that of Christine!" He was mad at her and she knew it. She had to get out, quick.

"I stand by my words, but, if you think me wrong, go ahead and bring her down here, go ahead, it is your life. I want you to know, I will always stand by you, and be there when you need comfort." She walked out the door, not needing to say anything more.

Always stand by me? What is that supposed to mean, comfort me? Whatever. Whatever? Where did that come from, she's turning me American! I must watch my word choice!

5 hrs. Later.

The journey down had gone well; he just hoped the rest of the plan went well. He was just in the middle of Music of the Night.

Floating, falling,
sweet intoxication!
Touch me, trust me
savor each sensation!
Let the dream begin,
let your darker side give in
to the power of the music that I write -
the power of the music of the night . . .

He led her over to the Model Cove, where, where she "fainted." He picked her up and carried her to the bed, where he gently laid her down.

You alone can make my song take flight,

Help me make the music of the night.

Little did he know, someone was there watching him with tears in her eyes.

Dani was in frantically looking around for her book. She, Lissa, and Alia was in the spare room which was equally as beautiful as "Christine's Room." Erik had asked them to clear out for the night, so that Christine could stay there.

Where did I put it? Where is that stupid book? Oh my goodness! I left it in CHRISTINE'S ROOM! Stupid brat, she doesn't deserve him! Oh yeah and you do Dani, not jealous are we? Of course I'm not jealous! Well, there's nothing for it, you're going to have to get it.

She silently crept into the room, hoping that Christine wasn't awake. She picked up her book, and turned, noticing that Christine was smiling, or trying not to.

"Look Christine, I know you're awake, so there's no point in faking it." Christine sat up, she had been caught, and there was no point in pretending.

"Who are you?" She asked

"My name is Dani, and I'm your Angel's housekeeper, may I ask why you were fake sleeping?" She thought this girl was a brat, and she had no respect for her.

"I couldn't sleep, and I didn't know who you were, or what you wanted." Not true, she just didn't want to get caught. Why was this girl wearing a mask?

Oh, so she wants to play this game does she, well, I'll just have to play along. She thought to herself.

"Well, I haven't seen another girl other than me and my two friends who live down here, for months. Come, tell me about yourself."

"Well, just recently I was made Prima Donna!" She was so excited!

"Prima Donna, that's quite an achievement!" Wow, this girl was kinda stupid.

"I know! But I couldn't have made it without my Angel!" She replied giddily.

"Tell me, what do you know about him?" She needed to find out what this girl knew.

"Well, I know he's an Angel, but I want to know what's behind the mask." It couldn't be that bad!

"I'm going to take it off tomorrow, and see what's under it."

Dani was immediately on her guard.

"Christine, whatever you do, don't take off his mask! I know I sound tense, but I made that mistake once, and he was furious! He almost kicked me out!" She knew that wasn't true, but she couldn't let Christine take off his mask!

"Look, I have to go; I want to be friends," NOT! "Just seriously, don't take off his mask." She hoped that the girl would heed her words, or else she would be in trouble. She walked out the room and into her own room.

Christine's POV

If she thought I would listen to her, she is going to be severely disappointed. I wonder what lies under my Angels mask…

She fell asleep dreaming about how she was going to see what was under the mask.

The next morning…

Christine woke up the next morning, refreshed and curious.

She walked out of the room, and started to sing.

I remember there was mist ...
swirling mist upon a vast, glassy lake ...

There were candles all around,
and on the lake there was a boat,
and in the boat there was a man ...

Who was that shape in the shadows?
Whose is the face in the mask?

Dani had been watching her, unbeknownst to Christine and Erik, and was alarmed when Christine started to caress Erik's face.

Just as Christine's fingers slipped under the porcelain, Dani yelled,

"Christine no!" and lunged with all her strength at Christine, desperately trying to prevent her from pulling off the mask!

Christine was pushed away just after she had taken the mask off his face, and they both fell to the ground. Dani scrambled off Christine and ran over to Erik, passing him his mask and turning around to comfort him.

Alia and Lissa came out of the guest room at the same time. Not knowing what to do about the whole situation, Alia stepped forward and said softly to Christine,

"You should probably go to your room Christine." Christine did as she was told; wandering what she had done wrong.

Erik had run into his room, and slammed the door.

Dani knocked on the door softly. "Erik, are you ok? Can I come in?" She heard a grunt, and took it as a yes.

She entered his room and shut the door quietly. He was huddled in a dark corner, crying. She had never seen this side of him before.

"Erik, talk to me." She desperately wanted to comfort him.

"Why did she have to know? Why couldn't she have been happy with just one side of my face? Why do women always have to know?" He sobbed, and stood up.

"I desperately wanted her to accept me for who I was, for what she saw, with the mask on. But she had to know what was under it, didn't she!" He let out all of his frustrations, and then sank back down on the bed next to Dani. She put comforting arms around his waist, and her head on his shoulder.

He felt awkward at first, but then started to feel comforted. Why did he feel like this? He felt like in all his years, no one had truly cared about him, even Madame Giry. And now this woman comes in, just ready to accept him, as if there was nothing wrong with him? What kind of love was it that she could look past his mask? He wondered.

She started to talk.

"Erik, even though, I can't take back what happened, but I know what she did was wrong, and she had no right to do it! Women are curious creatures, and we want to find out everything, some of us are more curious than others. But I promise that I'll do whatever is needed for your comfort, and that whatever and whenever you need to talk about something, I'll be here waiting with open arms." She finished by giving him a gentle squeeze around the waist.

And there they sat for hours, one comforting and the other being comforted, until they both drifted off into a deep slumber.