A/N I am back…again. I was so happy that I got a good batch of reviews for last chapter. it was an intense chapter, but a good, juicy one. I think this is a good chapter, maybe not as juicy, but good and it helps get the ball rolling a tiny bit. Thanks for all the support and reviews. I love hearing what you all have to say. So like in ever chapter I am going to ask that everyone who reads, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!

P.S. I think I will start writing the first chapter to my new story, which as of now is still untitled. I just want yall to know that is should be out sometime this week. So look out for it and review it when yall get the chance!

Thanks,

Stephanie Lynn

Ch. 15

Erik had been a bit hesitant about putting on the production of his past experience, but it seemed like it was the right thing to do. The only thing he didn't want to see was Christine's reaction to the opera.

"Do you think Christine will be upset?" Nadir asked.

"I am sure she will be, but I can't blame her. I probably should have mentioned what I was going to do before hand." Erik replied. "I haven't really spoken to her in a while. Even when we have lessons, she doesn't say much and I can't think of what to say."

"What happened between you two?" Nadir said giving Erik a curious glance.

"Nothing!" Erik automatically replied.

"You answered far too quickly for me to believe that nothing went on between the two of you to cause you to be so distant." Nadir laughed. "Tell me Erik. What went on with you? I know that you had been spending time with Bella, but all of a sudden one day, you two could hardly look at each other without getting teary eyes."

Erik shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Nadir's gaze was starting to unnerve him.

"We had a bit of an argument." Erik said quickly.

"About?"

"About us."

"What about you two?"

"She just said that she loved me."

"She what!"

"And that she wanted to marry me… and have my babies."

Nadir could hardly look at Erik. He in truth had never been so shocked in all his life. He knew that Christine did love Erik, it was very obvious. But he had never imagined that she would be bold enough to tell Erik what she really wanted.

His impression of Christine was that she would rather sit and wait for things to come to her rather than go and pursue what she really desired. In every aspect of her life, that was how it happened.

Christine waited for the Angel of Music to come and give her a voice. She waited until Raoul came back into her life to fall in love. She sat around and waited for Raoul to fight off the evil masked man and then sweep her off her feet. Then she waited in New York for Erik to come and find her and rescue her from that bordello.

She was very dependent of others. At times he was surprised that Christine would be able to take care of a child, but he had seen her with Chloe Ange and he knew that she was mature when the matter at hand was her child.

"This is terrific. She is all you have ever wanted." Nadir replied, a smile forming on his face.

"Yes, she is. I can't say that she isn't, but everything has gone askew." Erik mumbled. "Here she is telling me everything that I have ever wanted her to say, but then I remember that I have Bella. Bella cares for me deeply. This I am sure of."

"Torn between two lovers. A position I would never want to be in." Nadir told his friend sympathetically.

"Shut up Nadir." Erik replied.

"But you need to remember. She is everything you ever wanted!"

"Who is everything you ever wanted?" Bella's voice rang though as she waltzed into the room looking absolutely lovely in here soft pink dress.

"You are, my dear." Erik replied as he looked at Nadir silently meaning for him to keep quiet.

"Well, are you not the sweetes-" Bella began but stopped when she heard glass shatter behind her.

All three looked over at the door to see a raging Christine. Her eyes were glowing with flames and her breathing was erratic. If looks could kill, Erik was certain that her glare would have blown him to pieces.

"Erik, you low life, crazy madman, murderer." Christine hissed as she walked up to him. "You bastard."

"Excuse you." Bella interjected.

"Go away you little twit!" Christine yelled, before turning her attention back to Erik. "How you could you possibly do this? To me, why are you trying to hurt me so badly? Why exploit my mistakes like this?" Christine screamed, tears were now falling.

"Erik, what is she talking about?" Bella cried. "And what does she mean by murderer?"

"Tell her Erik! Tell her about your days as a ghost, a phantom. Tell her all your sins. I dare you." Christine screamed.

"Eri-"

"QUIET" Erik shouted. "The both of you just be quiet."

"Why? Are you so scared of your past? Well that is just too damn bad because I know all about it!" Christine told him.

Nadir look at the three twisted lovers in front of him and could only think one thing.

Christine was all Erik wanted and right now, he was making it painfully obvious. His eyes held so much guilt at what he did. And from the way it looked, Bella was finally beginning to see what had been in front of her all along.

"Christine stop, I know you are mad." Erik began

"I am not mad, I am furious at you. I am so hurt by this, that you would take our pasts and throw them out for the world to see. I now see just how much it meant to you." She said.

"It is not like that and you know it. I am putting it out there because what happened to us was beautiful." Erik replied.

"You know what." Christine began as she started backing away. "You are no different than you were five years ago."

"Christine." I said as she turned and ran out of the office at full speed. "Christine come back!"

"Erik!" Bella cried.

"Leave him, Bella. They need to figure it out." Nadir said, approaching the confused young woman.

Erik couldn't stop himself. He was running after her and he didn't care who saw it. He knew where she would head…

OOOO

She ran as fast as her legs would take her. He wouldn't go after her, she thought. He was with his lover, his future bride. The thought made more tears fall down her cheeks. Christine looked above her and sighed when she realized how many steps there were to still climb. She was heading up to the roof, a place where she knew she would be safe.

The breeze felt glorious against her skin. It was mid October and the air was starting to cool off. She walked over to the ledge and wrapped her arms around herself. She couldn't afford to catch a cold. As she glanced over the city's roof tops, she smiled when she saw the similarity between her new home and her old one.

She missed the streets, the way of life, and the people. She missed everything.

"Christine… Christine…" A voice cooed softly.

Her placid state was now ruined. "Why are you doing this to me?" She sobbed into her hands.

She felt her body begin to fall but was caught by two strong arms.

"Because I love you Christine, our story is too great not to share." Erik whispered in her ear.

"Then why can't we be together?"

"Because I am scared. I cannot be with you when I am so unsure. It wouldn't be fair to you." Erik replied. "But I do love you."

Erik couldn't help but cry himself. So much drama had happened in the last few months. His pent up anxiety was now seeping out from his eyes and onto his cheeks.

"Please do the show for me. If you do this, it will prove just how much you love me." Erik told her.

"That is not fair." She said.

"No, it isn't. But I am asking you to do me this one favor." He told her.

Christine looked up into his eyes. The mask hardly seemed out of place now. It was like it didn't even exist. Slowly Christine reached up and grabbed the mask from his face.

A new batch of tears escaped her eyes upon looking at him. His face looked the same, but the sorrow Christine felt for him was new. She pulled his head down and tenderly kissed his cheek.

"I will do it."

"Thank you." He told her.

She smiled through the tears that were still falling down her face. She opened her mouth to ask the question that had just popped into her mind. "Erik, who is going to play you?" Christine asked.

"I am."

OOOO

"Madam Giry, I cannot sing with him. I won't sing with him." Christine squawked. "It is another disaster waiting to happen."

"What is the matter, you two have sung together before and you will probably sing together again." Antoinette said. "Christine, face it. You two are like the perfect fit. Stop whining and accept it."

"I am just scared." Christine admitted. "And I can't understand why."

Antoinette looked at your adopted daughter and sighed. She could see the nervousness in every move that Christine made. "Christine, it will work out. Besides, what is meant to happen will happen. There is no use in your worrying over things that you have no control over."

"I am still scared!"

OOOO

"Are you sure you are not mad?" Erik asked.

"I am not mad Erik. I am just so confused. What was Christine ranting on about?" Bella asked; her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Christine and I have a history, a past together if you will. I used to have a sort of liking of her. I did some very bad things to her, I never actually hurt her, but emotionally, I messed things up." Erik tried to explain.

"What did you mess up?" Bella questioned.

Erik stared at the girl before him. He hated himself for not being able to tell her the truth, but he knew that he couldn't tell her the details of years prior. At least not yet. It would take time and Erik knew it would probably take more time than she was willing to commit.

"You can't tell me, can you?" Bella said.

"No, I can't. I am sorry." Erik apologized. "I just promised Christine that I wouldn't say anything."

Bella gave Erik a look of extreme displeasure. She did not like hearing that Erik was making promises to Christine. "Erik, what ever it was that took place is now obviously over. You do not owe her a thing Erik. For Christ's sake you have employed her in your opera house. Is that no enough?"

"Now you are being immature. I believe you are jealous. I thought that with you being my beloved, you would above all people respect my personal business." Erik told her haughtily.

"Well doesn't my being your beloved give me the liability of asking you about your personal business?" Bella countered.

"I all honestly no, I don't believe that." Erik replied. "Why are you so curious all of a sudden?"

"Because I love you!" Bella blurted out before she could stop herself.

Erik's head shot up and stared straight at Bella. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.

This was the one thing Erik wanted so much to hear from a woman. He wanted to be loved for being himself and Bella had now finally given him that. The only problem was… he knew he couldn't say it back.