Author's Note:

Wow. I suck. It took me entirely too long to update, and I left you with a terrible cliff-hanger. How awful of me. I have no good excuse that I can give. All I can say is that the death of a friend's father really slowed me down.

Anyhow, here's chapter four! Read and, please, review!

~Forest

Chapter Four

I was awakened by someone sitting down on my bed. The mattress bounced slightly, and my legs hit the person's back. I felt a soft hand push my hair out of my face and fingertips brush my jaw. It felt like the person was wearing leather gloves. I opened my eyes to see the Phantom sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Erik!" I sat up and pulled him into a tight embrace. He hugged me back, stroking my hair with one hand. He had come, despite my mother's warning! I was so relieved that he hadn't deserted me that I wanted to cry.

"I thought you were never coming back," I whispered, tears starting to choke me up.

"Your mother told me never to return, but I couldn't desert you," he replied softly. "I was behind the wall when your mother spoke to you about letting me go. I heard you crying, and I felt terrible for listening to her."

What he said pushed me over the edge, and the tears came out, falling onto his shoulder.

Erik pulled away, but only far enough so he could see my face. "Why are you crying?" he asked, taking my face in his hands and wiping away my tears.

"I'm just so happy you're back," I managed to whisper.

Erik said nothing. He pulled me close to him again, and I rested my head on his shoulder. He rocked gently while he held me, and it soothed me.

We sat like that for a few minutes, and I enjoyed his warmth. My tears stopped, and I began to feel tired again.

"Now," Erik said, pulling away and holding me at arms length. "You should get some sleep."

I knew it was true. Reluctantly, I let myself fall back onto the pillows. Erik stood and pulled the cover over me. I could see that he intended to go, so I caught his hand. Our eyes met, and I pleaded, "Don't leave."

Erik smiled down at me and sat on the edge of the bed. "Do you want me to sing to you?" he asked.

"Please do," I replied.

Quietly, he began to sing one of my lullabies. I closed my eyes, listening carefully. He still held my hand as I drifted back into sleep.

When I awoke, Erik was gone. I remembered the night before, and I smiled. I still couldn't see how he was dangerous, and I realized that I had forgotten to ask about his past. But that could wait. I was just glad to have my Phantom back.

The day passed too slowly. I couldn't wait until the evening when I could ask Erik my questions. I tried to avoid my mother for the day so she wouldn't see my joy and excitement.

That evening, I found a note on my bed. It was accompanied by a beautiful red rose with a black satin ribbon tied around it. I lifted the rose to my nose and smelled it, smiling. I set it back down and picked up the note. The handwriting was elegant, certainly not the normal scrawl that many others used.

"Meg," I read. "Please meet me by the boat tonight."

Under these words was a list of instructions on how to open and close the wall and how to get to the boat. I ran my finger over Erik's signature, tracing the lines.

My mother had not yet come in to say goodnight to me, so I hid the rose in a drawer. She would know who gave it to me if she saw it. Then, still wearing my day clothes, I slipped into bed, pulling the covers up over my shoulders. Underneath the blankets, I held the note tightly, afraid that I'd lose it in the sheets.

Not long after that, my mother entered my room. She gave me a kiss on the forehead and wished me goodnight. I couldn't wait for her to leave, even though she was only there for a few minutes.

I waited until I heard her footsteps fade away before I got out of bed. I lit a candle and read the note again, this time by section, doing what the note said as I read.

"Behind the small painting on the wall next to the passageway is a series of seven levers," I read. "Push the first, fifth, and last up, but leave the others down."

I carefully removed the painting from the wall and set it on the bed. Just as Erik had said, there were seven levers, all in the downward position. They were at my eyelevel and when I pressed on the first one, I found that it was stuck. I braced myself and put all my weight on it until it slowly slid up. I repeated this action for the fifth and last levers.

As soon as the seventh lever was up, the wall began to slide away to reveal the passageway. The torches were lit, and I decided that Erik must have come through a few hours before to light them.

I put the painting back on the wall just in case my mother returned to check on me, then I stepped into the passageway. I moved to stand underneath one of the torches and continued reading the note.

"On the left wall is another set of levers. Push the second, sixth, and seventh up to close the wall." I did as the note said, and the wall closed. The levers snapped back into the downward position.

I held the note under one of the torches and read the next instructions. "Continue straight down this passage, passing the first and second possible turns. On the third, take the path to the right." I walked quickly, counting the first and second passages, then turning right.

"Turn left at the second crossroads. Go down the stairs. Keep close to the banister!" I frowned, wondering why it was so important to stay to the side, but I did as I was told.

"Take the first right, and continue straight. You will then reach the lake. I will wait for you there."

My pace quickened, thinking of Erik waiting for me by the boat.

When I reached the lake, he was exactly where he promised to be. He paced beside the boat, wringing his hands and whispering to himself. He looked up when he heard my footsteps, and smiled, his eyes lighting up. "You came," he stated as I approached him.

"Of course," I replied, smiling back. He helped me step into the boat, and I positioned myself on the cushions so I was facing Erik. He untied the boat, then stepped in, picking up the long steering pole. I listened to him sing softly as he guided us, and I thought about what my mother had said about him.

"Erik?"

He looked down at me, smiling.

"Where did you live before my mother brought you here?"

The smile faded from Erik's face and was replaced by one of anger, then transformed into a look of deep sadness. "My past is very dark," he said softly, looking away from me and focused on where he was steering the ship. "I try to avoid those memories."

I instantly felt bad for bringing up such a painful subject. I could see how much it hurt him to remember, and I silently wondered why. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." I lowered my eyes apologetically.

"I know you're curious, Meg," he whispered. There was a short pause, and I glanced up at him. He had a distant expression on his face, lost in thoughts and memories. "I'll tell you."

My mouth fell open. I hadn't really expected him to answer after his initial reaction to my question. But at least now I'd know the truth.

Erik docked the boat and offered me his hand. I took it and stepped onto the first level of the Phantom's home. He immediately turned away from me, released my hand, and continued to the second level. He stood over the table and moved papers around before finding the one he was looking for. He stared at it for a moment, then handed it to me, avoiding my gaze.

I looked down at the drawing. He had used careful ink lines to create a circus tent. Next to the open tent flap was a sign that read "Devil's Child" in big red letters. Those two words held the only color in the drawing. People stood all around the tent, laughing. I took a closer look at the inside the tent. There was a cage with a small boy inside. The boy had a burlap sack over his head with two slits for eye holes, using it as a makeshift mask. He wore only a torn pair of pants, and held a toy monkey in one hand and a rope in the other.

"My parents thought I was devil's spawn. The first scrap of clothing was a mask to hide my repulsive face, but it wasn't enough. They couldn't stand the fact that they had produced such a hideous child. I never left the house because they were afraid the neighbors would see me. After a few years, my mother decided that she couldn't stand to look at me anymore. Me, the disgusting child who had been claimed by the devil before birth.

"I did everything I could to please them. I taught myself to play my father's old violin, and I wrote them songs. I made them drawings and sculptures of the things they loved." Erik's voice raised in intensity as he spoke. "I always did as I was told, no matter how odd the task. But, in the end, whether I obeyed or not, it was my appearance that they could not get past. They didn't see who I was because they saw only my deformity." Erik pounded his fist on the table and stared down at his hand. He was trembling, and he breathed deeply, as if trying to suppress anger or avoid crying. After a few moments, he relaxed a bit and continued.

"One day, they brought me to the gypsy circus. I thought they were finally rewarding me for my good behavior. But, instead of leading me around and showing me the attractions, they brought me back to a tent occupied by the owner of the circus. They ripped my mask off, and told the owner that they had found me on the street. 'He is the spawn of the devil,' they told the circus owner. 'We refuse to take him in. I've no doubt that you will show him the kindness he deserves.'" Erik's voice shook, but he pressed on, determined to finish his story. "The circus owner gave them a large sum of money, and took me away. I was confused and afraid, and I wanted to go home. But they caged me, tying my leg to the metal bars. I cried and screamed for my parents, but they never came back for me.

"When a crowd gathered in my tent, the circus owner would enter my cage and beat me. The people would laugh and throw money and garbage into my cage. After every beating, the circus owner would take the money from the floor and leave me amongst the garbage, bleeding and crying in pain. For years, no one showed any compassion towards me."

I raised my eyes from the drawing to look at Erik. I was horrified that they had treated him like this.

"Finally, someone saw my pain. Your mother took me from the circus and hid me here. Before I met you, she was the only person who had ever looked past my appearance. I've been living here ever since. I collected all these objects you see, except for the pipe organ, which was already here. At night, I explored the upper floors of the opera house, and, during the day, I mapped out the passageways and traps."

I stepped up to the second level of the Phantom's lair and rested a hand on his shoulder. He put his hand over mine and turned to face me. I set the drawing on the table, then met his eyes. "I had no idea," I whispered.

I don't know what I had expected. He lived in the depths of the opera house, covering his deformed face with a mask, avoiding the watchful eyes of the stagehands. He wrote haunting melodies and drew beautiful, detailed drawings of people, getting every detail correct. He traveled through the hidden passageways, watching the actors and dancers sleep, wishing they would listen. But no one would.

No one but me.

"I knew you would ask eventually. I knew you would become curious." He paused, watching my face carefully. "You are the only one I have ever told. Your mother may have witnessed one of the many horrible beatings I endured, but she knows nothing of my parents."

"I feel awful for bringing back those memories," I said truthfully, looking down at the floor. "You shouldn't have to remember such terrible things." I felt as if I had re-opened a wound that he had been carefully nursing for years.

Erik took my hand in his. "You're helping me heal, Meg, just by listening." He lifted my chin with a gentle finger and whispered, "Do not feel bad."

I met his eyes. In them, I saw a deep trust. I trusted him too…but my mother's comments still puzzled me.

Do you know how he reacts to feeling threatened?

He's dangerous, Meg!

Her words echoed in my head and rang in my ears. I pushed them away, forcing them into the back of my mind to contemplate later.

"My mother is moving me into one of the dormitories," I said softly.

"So I heard."

"Will you still be able to sing to me?" I asked, concerned. What would I do if my Phantom couldn't sing to me? I could hardly sleep without his soft lullabies.

"As long as you're in the Opera Populaire, I will be able to sing to you."

I smiled, comforted by his words.

"Ah!" Erik exclaimed suddenly. "I have a new lullaby for you! Would you like me to play it?"

My smile widened, and I nodded enthusiastically. He smiled back, and pulled the chair away from the desk. He gestured for me to sit, and walked quickly over to one of the curtains by the organ. From behind it, he pulled a black leather violin case and a beautifully carved wooden music stand. He put his case on the organ's bench and unpacked it carefully, tightening the bow to his satisfaction and removing the instrument from the case with the utmost care. He removed his gloves, then tuned quickly, turning the pegs with one hand and drawing the bow with his other. When he was satisfied, he grabbed a piece of music off the organ and placed it on the stand.

He set the stand in front of me and prepared to play, putting his violin under his chin and his bow on the string. As he drew the bow, beautiful notes rang from the instrument, echoing through the room.

I couldn't resist. I stood and began to dance, moving gracefully to the music. I met Erik's eyes, and he smiled, so I continued.

I moved as the music told me to. It spoke to me, whispering in my ear, urging me to move this way or that. I spun and dipped, letting the melody take me where it wanted me to go.

It was perfect this way. Erik made the music, and I danced to it. The ideal team. We didn't need a conductor, costumes, or self-centered singers to satisfy our need for music. We just needed each other.

I knew the song would eventually end, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed when it did. I wished that it had gone on forever and ever…

I turned to face Erik, grinning. He held his violin and bow in one hand, holding the other out to me. I stepped close and embraced him. He put his arm around me and whispered, "Your dancing is beautiful."

"I love the new lullaby. It's my favorite."

But, as usual, all good things must come to an end. I remembered that my mother would be looking for me.

I stepped away from Erik. I didn't want to leave, but I didn't want my mother to force Erik out of the opera house.

Erik must have noticed my face fall, because he asked, "What's wrong, Meg?" Concern sounded in his words and filled his ice blue eyes.

"Mother said she'd make you leave if she finds out we saw each other again," I replied abjectly.

Erik didn't speak for a moment. "I wouldn't let her."

"But Mother would…"

"Shh." He put a soft finger on my lips. "I won't leave you."

"Promise?"

Erik smiled, dropping his hand to his side. "Promise."

His words comforted me, and I nodded, satisfied.

Erik turned away and put his violin away, returning the case to its hiding spot behind the curtain. Then he said, "Come. You must return to your room before Madame Giry finds out you've been gone." He walked towards the boat, putting on his leather gloves back on. I followed reluctantly, dragging my feet across the hard stone floor.

As we traveled across the lake, Erik and I spoke of the other opera cast members.

"What do you think of Carlotta?" Erik asked.

I made a face, and he laughed. It was a beautiful sound, a sound I realized I had not heard until now. I smiled triumphantly.

"Carlotta's so narcissistic. She thinks everyone is there to please her," I said.

"I quite agree. She is very egotistical. I wouldn't worry about it, though. Someone will eventually show her that the world does not revolve around her."

"I hope that person comes soon. She's insufferable."

Erik nodded and stepped out of the boat onto the dock. I hadn't realized that we had reached the other side of the lake. I felt a sinking feeling, wishing that I didn't have to leave.

Erik tied up the boat, then offered me his hand. I stepped out, standing close to him.

"I don't want to go," I said softly as we walked towards the entrance of the tunnel.

"I know. But remember what your mother said."

"I remember…But I don't want to obey."

The corners of his mouth turned up. "Feeling a bit rebellious, are we?"

"Just a bit," I admitted as we faced each other.

He placed a light hand on my arm. "Do not worry. I won't disappear again. I'll come and sing to you tomorrow."

He turned to leave, but I caught his arm. "Erik, wait."

Erik turned back to me quizzically.

"I…" My voice waivered, and I realized I had no reason to stop him. Thinking fast, I quickly finished my sentence, "I just wanted to say goodnight."

He looked puzzled. "Alright…Goodnight, Meg."

I don't know what made me do it, but I stepped closer to him, rose onto my toes and kissed him.

Surprised, Erik didn't respond to my lips on his. I pulled away, heat rising in my cheeks.

"Goodnight, Erik," I replied softly, then I entered the passageway.