Chapter Three

I was awakened the next morning when two strong arms lifted me from where I was sleeping. I knew who was moving me—Erik. He was returning me to my room before my mother got too worried. My head was resting on his shoulder, my forehead against his neck, and his arms were holding me: one under my knees, the other behind my back.

I sighed and pressed myself closer to his chest. I could feel it rise and fall with his calm breathing and, through that, I could faintly feel his heart beating.

"Good morning, Meg," he whispered, his warm breath blowing softly on my face.

I opened my eyes and asked, "Where are we?"

"Not far from your room. We'll be there very soon," he replied, readjusting his hold on me.

"Set me down, I can walk for myself," I said, lifting my head.

Gently, Erik set me on my feet, and I marveled at how warm my skin felt where he had touched me.

I walked slowly, not wanting to reach my bedroom too fast. I knew my mother would be angry with me for going with the Phantom. But I was also angry. I didn't understand why my mother had hidden Erik from me. He was so gentle and honest, I couldn't see why she hadn't introduced us.

"What are you thinking about?" Erik asked softly.

"My mother." I paused and glanced up at Erik. He looked back down at me, his intense, clear eyes taking my breath away. Wondering how just his eyes made me breathless, I looked down at the floor again. "I just don't think she'll be happy knowing I was with you tonight."

Erik was silent, looking at the floor. I could see something—frustration, sadness maybe—on his face and in his eyes. "Madame Giry never wanted me to meet you. When she brought me here, she told me that under no circumstances was I allowed to associate with you." We reached the end of the passageway, and we faced each other. "But it is hard to stay isolated when you know someone will listen."

I put my hand on his arm and met his gaze. I could see the sadness in his eyes, and I wanted to help him, to comfort him, but I knew it was nearly daylight and my mother would soon become worried. "My mother cannot keep me from listening, though she may try. I promise I will always be here to listen," I replied.

The corners of Erik's mouth turned up. "I won't forget that promise, Meg Giry." I couldn't help but smile back.

We stood for a moment, both smiling. Erik stopped smiling first, and I could see that he wanted to say something. But he stayed silent, and instead turned his back on me and busied himself with the opening of the wall. He pulled a couple of levers, and the wall slid away.

Erik turned back to me, and we shared a moment of mutual hesitation. I could still see the unspoken words in his eyes, but I did not press him to reveal them. Instead, I stood on my toes to give him a kiss on the cheek. He looked surprised, and I smiled. "Thanks for the interesting evening," I said softly, then went into my room.

When I turned around, the passage through the wall was closed.

It wasn't long before my mother discovered that I was back.

"Meg Giry, what do you think you were doing last night?" she asked angrily, opening the door without knocking.

I paused, quickly deciding whether to lie or tell the truth. If I told my mother the truth, she would never let me sleep in my room alone again. So I decided to lie.

"I couldn't sleep, so I wandered around the opera house a bit." It was the best lie I could think up.

"Don't lie to me, Meg. He found you, Erik did. I told him to leave you alone." She paused, taking a few steps towards me. "And I told you he is not a good person to be with."

"I don't understand why you think that. He's so gentle, so quiet. And, besides, he—"

"He's dangerous, Meg! I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Dangerous?" I jumped up from my chair in front of the mirror. "He wouldn't hurt a fly!"

"How well do you know the Phantom? Do you know of his past? Do you know how he reacts to feeling threatened?"

"No, but—"

"And you will never find out. I forbid you to ever see him again."

"No! Mother—"

"And if I ever find that you were with him again, I will make him leave the opera house."

"But Mother, he's lonely. He just wanted someone to listen."

Mother turned away from me and headed back to the door. She suddenly appeared tired, as if this argument had completely exhausted her. "Of all the girls in this opera house, he had to pick my daughter," she said softly. She looked up at me, her eyes sad. "Be careful, Meg."

With that, she exited the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

My mother did not speak to me about the Phantom again that day. I could tell she was still angry and scared from the strained look on her face. She watched me more closely than she usually did, standing close to me during rehearsal breaks and meals.

I couldn't get my mother's words out of my mind.

He's dangerous, Meg! He didn't seem dangerous to me.

Do you know of his past? I didn't. But the question had made me curious.

New questions formed in my mind. Why did my mother think he was dangerous? What happened in his past that she wanted to shield me from? I wasn't sure, but I knew I had to find out. I decided to ask Erik that night when he came to sing.

But he didn't come. I waited for hours, just lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. But he never showed up. My mother came into my room a couple of times, and I pretended to be asleep. But, as soon as she closed the door after herself, I opened my eyes again.

The next night was spent the same way—waiting.

So was the night after that.

And the next five nights after that.

During the days, I was so tired from sleep deprivation that I was falling asleep while I was dancing. I felt hurt that he hadn't returned, and I missed him. The evenings were too quiet without his sweet lullabies. So when I did try to sleep, I jumped at every little sound.

My lack of energy had not gone unnoticed. My mother came to my room one night and pulled a chair over beside the bed.

"Meg, you need to let Erik go," she said softly. "You're falling asleep on your feet during rehearsals. We can't have that."

I didn't say anything.

"I found him. He is not to come back to you again."

My mouth fell open. How could she?

"Now, Meg, I told you he is not safe. I need you to let him go."

I couldn't look at her. I turned my head away, staring at the wall, wishing that the passage would open. But, of course, it didn't.

When I didn't say anything, my mother sighed. She reached out and stroked my hair. "Oh, Meg, what am I to do with you?"

I jerked my head away, not wanting her to touch me. She was no longer my mother, just the traitor who had stolen my Phantom away from me.

She sighed again and stood. "I need you to get over this and get some rest. In a few days, Christine Daae is coming. Her father is very close to death, and I've offered to take her in. She is your age, and I want you two to be friends."

I still remained silent. Tears were forming in my eyes, and all I wanted was for my mother to leave so Erik could come.

"I'm going to move you into the dormitories with the other ballerinas so Christine will have someone there to speak to. The other girls don't listen as well as you do."

"Why do you sing to me?" I remembered asking Erik.

"Because I know you'll listen when no one else will."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to run into the labyrinth of passages, find Erik, and hide with him in the depths of the opera house.

My mother blew out the candles, softly wished me a good night, then left.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I let the tears roll down my cheeks and onto my pillow. I pressed my quilt over my mouth, trying to muffle the sobs, but they still echoed around the room.

I wanted Erik to come. I wanted him to tell me that my mother couldn't keep him away. I wanted him to sing one of my lullabies, to quiet my sobs, and dry my tears.

But he wasn't there.

I cried until I ran out of tears and my eyes felt too dry. Then I just lay there, feeling hollow, until I finally slipped into a dreamless sleep.