A/N I am sooooooo sorry that I have taken so much time to get this chapter together. Between getting sick and having school crap to deal with, I have not had any time. But I pulled through and went on and got it typed. So enjoy and please, please, please REVIEW. It would mean so much to me.

Ch. 12

Christine nervously paced back and forth. Things were defiantly not going the way she would have preferred. Erik was, from what she had heard from Nadir, going to take that little troll out to dinner.

No, things were not going the way she had planned.

"I think maybe you are over reacting." Meg said reassuringly. "I don't think dinner constitutes as a proposal."

Christine rolled her eyes at her friend's sarcastic comment. "No, this is bad! Any way you look at it, it is bad!" Christine shrieked

"Mama!" Chloe Ange cried. Christine winced; she had forgotten Chloe had been taking a nap. Thanks to her, her daughter would be in a cranky mood the rest of the day.

"I am sorry baby." Christine cooed as she scooped up her daughter.

"Stop scweeming" Chloe Ange said drowsily.

"Yes Christine. Stop screaming, stop freaking out, and stop worrying!" Meg replied. "All you saw was a stupid measly little dance."

"You never know though Meg. Their dance has ledleaded them to dinner. You never know what dinner will lead to. Raoul and I began by being friends." Christine said.

"Papa?" Chloe Ange cried as she suddenly heard her father's name.

Christine smiled. "No, angel. Papa is not here right now." Christine said as she pushed a little curl out of Chloe's face.

Christine looked back over at Meg. "I just figured that since I had found him. Since fate had decided to intervene, I guess I figured I could make amends for all that I had done wrong." Christine said, her spirit sounding defeated.

Meg could feel the pain coming out of her long time friend. Christine had made countless mistakes in her short life, but she knew that deep down Christine meant well in everything she did. "You need to stop blaming yourself. You have done nothing wrong. Sometimes things don't work out the way we originally plan. So if you have to, make a new plan."

Christine couldn't help but chuckle at her friend's comment.

OOOO

Bella sat staring at her reflection.

She looked at the clock and felt chills go down her spine. Erik would be arriving any moment. She looked back into the mirror and smiled. She looked lovely enough.

He dress was one of dark navy blue. It was a beautiful contrast from her snow white skin and bright blue eyes. The off the shoulder, cleavage barring cut of the dress only added to the look of fun that Bella already possessed. Fun was something Bella always enjoyed. Her hair was simply put up into a lavishly ornamented bunlong pony tail; it was so straight that she could never seem to find any thing to do with it anyways.

She thought back to the Masquerade. When she had learned of Erik's disfigurement, she was shocked beyond words. She knew his disfigurement made no difference to her, but it was comforting to know that her brother was not the only one made to suffer an unusually cruel fate.

Bella admired Erik; he was strong enough to live in the light of day. As much as she loved her brother, apartparts of her feltwere bitter towards him. He had been too much of a coward to accept his fate. He had ended his life because he couldn't bear living any longer, because it was so difficult. Bella couldn't help but smile when she thought about her home life, her family was extremely wealthy in the small town they lived in. Nothing about their lives was difficult.

Bella and Carlos had grown up with everything, a great education. Great educations, beautiful possessions, and wonderfully fabulous friends. But it seemed that Carlos had a whole so big that every thing he had couldn't fill it. When she thought about it, she feltcould feel a fresh wave of pain.

"Oh Carlos. Why did you do that?" Bella said softly as a tiny tear fell down her cheek.

Belle looked back up at her reflection and smiled. She glanced back up at the clock.

7:00

Erik was here, this she knew, because a man like Erik would not dare be late!

OOOO

Erik walked up the stoop of the New York townhouse and knocked on the big gold knocker. He was nervouse, he wouldn't deny it. Every time, but he thought about this date, Christine's face kept popping up in his mind. He knew he had no reason to feel guilty, but he did.

The door opened and a man of middle age showed him to a room Erik thought to be the study.

"Miss Cortez will be down shortly." The man said before tuning and leaving.

Erik sat for a few minuets in silence when he heard the door creek open. His gaze fell to Bella's petite figure and he felt like someone had kicked the air out from his lungs. Her skin was so white that she looked like an angel. The blonde hair only accented her radiance. The dark color of the dress made her stand out and she looked like a perfect gem.

Bella smiled at the expression on Erik's face, she knew that words would not mean much if he told her she looked beautiful. His look of aw said enough.

Erik took her hand and led her outside to his carriage. He had wanted to make tonight special and memorable, but he had no idea where to take her. He had finally decided that he would take her back to his humble abode and gift her with a look at some of his art work.

Once they had reached his home, he was so thankful that Bella was in a talkative mood. It seemed to take some of the pressure off him.

"So what are you interested in?" Erik asked as they sat eating their dinner.

"Why, your opera Erik. I am very interested in that!" Bella said happily.

"Well, what aspects do you like most?" Erik questioned. "Music, ballet, art, what is it you like?"

Bella sat for a second with a thoughtful expression covering her face before she suddenly smiled. "All of it! I enjoy all of it. I don't know much about any of it, but I love every aspect of what you are trying to do with your opera house." Bella told him. "Your turn, what are you interested in?"

"Music, art, design, architecture, magic." Erik said not hesitating a bit.

"You are versatile." Bella replied. "But how is it that you know so much?"

Erik felt his body tense. Questions like these did not make him feel too well. "I spent a lot of my life in an opera. I taught myself all that I wanted to know." Erik said quickly.

"You taught yourself how to do magic tricks?" Bella asked.

"Yes, but believe me, there is so much more to it." Erik said mysteriously.

After dinner, Erik took Bella to a room that he used as his own personal museum.

"My goodness, these are incredible. Where did you find them all?" Bella asked as she took in the wonderful sketches and paintings.

"I created them." Erik replied.

"Goodness, you really are amazing!" Bella cried. "You sketched these from life didn't you?" Bella told him as she glanced up at his sketches of Christine.

"Yes, they are somewhat older." Erik said.

"Who is the girl?" Bella asked.

"Someone of my past." Erik said as he stared at the sketch.

"She was really beautiful." Bella said observing the sketch.

"Yes, she certainly is." Erik said under his breath.

"What was that?" Bella asked turning her attention to Erik.

"Nothing, I didn't say anything." Erik said.

Bella smiled "You really are unique Erik." Bella suddenly said.

"I have heard something to that extent a time or two." Erik replied, a small smile forming.

"I have had such a wonderful time tonight."

"Me too."

Erik leaned into her, scared but determined. He was shocked when she actually leaned up to him and placed her lips over his. Gentle and sweet, the best way to describe their kiss. When they pulled away, Bella had a huge smile covering her face and Erik had a look of complete and utter stupor.

OOOO

They had been practicing scales for the last half hour, yet something still sounded off. For some reason, Christine's lack of triumph with her scales was beginning to unnerve Erik. If he knew Christine better than anyone she'd ever met, which he did, she would have been able to get through this and continue without any difficulties. As the music faded, he could see from her expression that she felt the exact same way.

Erik took in a deep breath and smiled at his student. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing." Christine answered to quickly.

She, in all honestly, had no idea as to why she should even try to lie to Erik. The man knew everything and anything.

"Do not lie to me. I would presume to think that you know me better than that." Erik said to her, a bit insulted that she lied to him.

"I am so sorry. I forget, The Phantom of the Opera knows everything." Christine blurted out before she realized what she was saying.

Christine's eyes widened after she realized what she had said. She looked at Erik. His face was full of shock and a hint of embarrassment.

"Excuse me?" Erik whispered.

"I am sorry." Christine told him. He could see from her expression that she was scared about what he might do. "I didn't mean it."

"Do not ever call me by that name ever again." Erik hissed. "That man is dead and buried. Now, go. I can't look at you right now."

"No, Erik please. I didn't mean it." Christine protested.

"Go Christine."

"Fine I will go." Christine replied. "But remember that the last time you sent me away I walked out of your life for five years, yet we ended up back here. That may not always happen, so remember that each time you send me away. I won't always be here."

Erik looked at the beauty in front of him. There was no longer any anger, just sadness. Her words and hurt yet caused confusion in him.

"What?"

"Nothing, I am leaving now." Christine said grabbing her coat.

OOOO

As the weeks flew by, Erik spent less and less time with Christine as he spent more and more time with Bella. He knew that the feeling was something that he had never felt for Christine. He was hopelessly infatuated with Bella and he believed the feeling was mutual. Being a patron of the opera, it was only an excuse for them to spend majority of their time together and it seemed people had begun to notice.

"So you are spending a lot of time with Bella." Antoinette said one day.

"And?" Erik replied. "Why are you prying Antoinette?"

"I am just a little surprised." She told him. "That is all."

Erik was confused. "Surprised about?"

"That you shamelessly flaunt you new relationship in front of Christine."

"Why would Christine care?" Erik asked.

"Why wouldn't she Erik? You are her rock and you have been neglecting her for some time now. Have you not noticed that she has been upset lately? Even Chloe Ange can see her mama is sad." Antoinette said.

It was true, Erik thought to himself. He had noticed Christine's black mood, he knew it had been a while since he had seen that smile that he loved so much, but this time, he had choose to ignore it. He knew that he usually went out of his way to make Christine feel better, but their last lesson had left Christine bitter and Erik hurt.

"I guess you are right." Erik told her.

"Erik, that child is used to being your universe. She cannot help but be jealous of Mademoiselle Cortez." Antoinette said trying to help him understand.

"She is no longer a child, Antoinette." Erik replied.

"Yes, she is. She is still the same lost little girl that you let go five years ago."