Note I dont own Erik, or the Phantom of the Opera. Also more thanks to all my reviewers. and Ms. Specifulme, for editing this chapter. I try to my chapters up as soon as I can, but I cant see how ANYONE can update several times a week. But I know that there are people out there who can, and have the time to. ... Enjoy chapter 3!
Once the Phantom left the rooms where this new woman was staying, he headed over to his beloved organ. Sitting down, he stretched his fingers over the keys. They flew with grace up and down the organ, filling the room with a sweet, yet haunting melody. As his fingers took control, his mind began to wander.
For five days I'll be living with someone else, or at least, she'll be living with me. No, not with me, in my house. I didn't invite her in, yet, I did. I wonder if she's heard the stories about the monster that lived down here.
Who is she? This woman is different from HER, yes, very different. She would never use foul language. No, she wasn't like that. She was had a much finer, paler complexion. Erik's mind was swimming in thought. But his fingers were still gliding over the ivory keys. He was thinking about her, again. He had sworn to himself that he would forget her, but how could he? How could he forget the woman he loved, the girl whose voice he had inspired? How could he forget Christine Daae?
"Damn it, Erik, you have done it again," the Phantom spat, "You're weak. Damn it, why are you so weak? Why does this new woman bring back the painful memories of the past? Erik, you cant be this weak! You're a monster, monsters aren't weak!"
The Phantom continued to curse himself, his music doing the same. He had switched to an augmented minor key and his music became very dark. The more he thought, the angrier he got.
"But wait Erik, your not as weak as you're thinking," he softly told himself, "Its all this new woman's fault. She did this to you. Don't let her have control over your emotions. Block her out, she's your prisoner, your not hers." The Phantom's mind was wept up in the ecstasy of his music, an all his thoughts left him. He was possessed by it.
As Aslynn lay in the bathtub she listened to the music creeping in though the door. She replayed the day in her head, trying to figure out what happened.
I was at the beach, surfing with Heather. I went to catch a wave and ended up hitting my head. I awoke on a street in Paris, wearing foreign clothes, in February 1875. I saw an old man being robbed, so I yelled at the men robbing him, and tried to help him. Then the two guys attacked me. I tried hard to resist them, but they dragged me away. They took me into an abandoned theatre, then down a bunch of stairs. I was dragged around a lake and came to a black curtain. The big guy called out and the gate opened. I saw an illuminated room that opened up to the lake. In the room was a man sitting at an organ. The man at the organ had talked to these men as if he knew them, and didn't think much of them. They were talking about how I was to be dealt with as if I was some heavy burden. Its not like I wanted to come with them, they could have just left me on the street. It's their fault, but yet, I'm the one stuck in the basement of a theatre with some so called 'phantom' who lives in this dark house.
But yet he was kind to me. It was almost as if he pitied me. He cut my bindings and gave me these two rooms to live in. He even helped me up on the dock. Why was he so kind to me? Aren't I supposed to be his prisoner? What about this so called 'torture chamber'. Unless, this whole place is a torture chamber.
How am I here? No, not how, but why. Why am I here? What happened today in the water? Was I not meant to die then? But why am I here, of all places? Who is this man I will be with for the next five days? Uggggggg, this is too much at once. I hope I'm dreaming.
All these thoughts and questions were flying though Aslynn's head. She wanted to know why this was happening to her.
During the time she spent in her thoughts she softly washed her body, carefully going over her cuts. She washed her messy hair, and inhaled the sweet lavender sent from the shampoo.
She had spent about an hour in the tub thinking, when she realized that the water was no longer warm. So she pulled her body out of the marble bathtub, and picked up the towel. She slowly dried off her body, and then wrapped up her hair in the towel. She pulled on the black trousers. They were loose on her, which didn't surprise her, since there were men's pants, and he was taller than her. The pants came up rather high on her, above her belly button.
"That's right, men didn't sag back in the 1800's, they wore their pants rather high," Aslynn softly laughed to her self.
She then pulled her arms though the white shirt. It fit her better than she thought. She suddenly realized that it must have been skin tight on him. She slowly buttoned up the blouse and tucked the shirt in.
After Aslynn was done dressing she looked around the bathroom for a hairbrush. She found one in the cabinet next to the sink. She towel dried her wet hair, and ran the bristles of the brush through her hair. When she was done, her hair was straight and damp. More than ever she wished she had a mirror to see what her face looked like. She could feel the cuts on her cheeks with her fingertips.
Deciding that she was ready to leave the room, she picked up her old clothes and walked into the bedroom. She set the clothes and walked into the bedroom. She set the clothes on the vanity set and carefully made her way to the door. She slowly opened it, and walked out into a dim hall. She quietly glided though the hall and into the room on the lake. She had followed her ears, for the music had been playing from this direction. When she stepped into the room she saw the man sitting at the organ, deeply engulfed in his music.
Apparently he did not hear her enter, so she walked across the room, until she was ten feet away from the organ bench.
Either the man still didn't know she was in the room, or he was ignoring her. She moved another step, and stepped on a creaky board. This caught the mans attention. He whirled around, and found the young woman standing in his presence.
He looked at a woman with tan skin, and medium length straight, damp, brown hair. She was no longer covered in dirt, but still had the bruises and cuts on her. She was wearing the clothes he gave her. His eyes traced her body and he noticed how baggy his pants were on her slim body. As his eyes worked their way up her body he noticed how her breasts filled out his white shirt slightly, but it was still loose on her.
They stood in silence for a few minuets, the Phantom watching Aslynn.
He finally spoke, "You look better. I take it you enjoyed your bath."
"Thank you, and I did," Aslynn, replied, more confident that she had been with him earlier this evening, "To whom do I owe the gratitude?"
The phantom was startled at this question, and turned away, looking over the lake.
"Erik, I was once called Erik." He spoke softly. After a few uncomfortable moments of silence, he returned the question. "And how should I address you, Madame?"
He turned and faced the young woman. His green eyes searched the woman's. She looked back at him, showing no sign of fear, and replied,
"Aslynn, Aslynn O'Neil." Her voice was steady, and she asked, "is it just Erik?"
"Yes," Erik replied quickly.
There were a few more minuets of silence and Aslynn looked around the room. She spotted a leather armchair. She walked over to it and let her body fall into it. She was tired from the rough day. She also felt slightly dizzy.
Erik watched her walk over to his chair and collapse in it. She appears not to be afraid of me anymore he thought. She looks tired though, that could affect the fact that she isn't frightened. She is bold too, for asking my name.
Finally Erik spoke again, "O'Neil, that's a Scottish name, but you don't look to be Scottish."
Aslynn smiled. Her smile was bright, even in her tiredness. It lit up her face.
"It's 'cause I'm tan, Ha Ha, I know I don't look a bit Scottish. Also my mom is pure Italian, that's how I tan so easily. My dad is the Scotchman."
She closed her eyes. She seemed to be focusing on a happy memory with her family. The thought made Erik extremely jealous. He never had a family, a loving mother. No, because monsters don't have families, he told himself.
Aslynn opened her eyes to find Erik in thought, half staring at her. She wondered what he was thinking, and if he had any family. If so, was he thinking about them now?
What about you, Erik, what's your heritage? I would guess French, since we ARE in France." She asked, her eyes filled with curiosity.
Hearing Aslynn use his name, he snapped back to the present moment, and glared at her.
"What do you care? It would just give you another reason to pity me," he snapped at Aslynn. His eyes were filled with rage. His jealousy had turned to anger. His voice was very powerful, demanding, almost frightening.
Aslynn was taken back; she pushed her self back as far as she could into the chair, frightened by Erik's sudden change of state.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." She said softly, fear was strong in her voice. She turned away from his glaring eyes.
Erik, still furious, stood up from the organ, and walked over to Aslynn.
"You should be scared, you have no idea what kind of monster you're going to be living with." He fiercely spat at Aslynn.
He saw Aslynn turn and look at him, she was very disturbed, fear was written all over her face. Realizing how he was acting, he turned, and walked away.
I really am a monster. He was tense again. He decided he should try to make it up. She will not think of me as a monster, yet. With that he took a deep breath and began to speak,
"You probably are hungry, I'll show you to the kitchen, and other rooms of my house you allowed to enter." He said emphasizing the word 'my'. He was still jealous, but less of it showed as anger. He was somewhat resentful to show her his house.
He turned, and saw Aslynn get up out of the chair. When their eyes met, she quickly turned away. She walked up to Erik and stood about two feet away from him. He was a head taller than her.
Looking up at him, she had a sudden urge to take the mask off.
Erik watched Aslynn approach him. He saw her eyes look up at him, and then go to his mask.
She stared to open her mouth, to ask why he wore a mask, but was cut off.
"My mask is one thing you are not to touch, or ask about." He said calmly. The last thing he needed was her seeing his disfigured face.
Aslynn looked at Erik confused, and took a step back.
"Come, I'll get you something to eat," Erik said, taking her hand, and leading Aslynn down another hall. They passed an old door. Erik paused, and said, "That is my room, it is also off limits." His voice was strong, eyes looking off, as it through the door.
Aslynn just stood there, and waited to move on. She kept quiet; she decided it as best not to speak out and ask about his room, why it was off limits.
Seeing Aslynn not express much interest, he pressed on ward. The nest door they came to was cracked, and light spilled out from it. Erik pushed the door open, and lead Aslynn into a fairly large kitchen. There was a good size icebox, and a Franklin stove, with four burners on top. There was also a table and two chairs under a chandelier, which was unlit. The half of the room where the table and chair was decorated fairly fancy, with a Middle Eastern accent.
Erik offered Aslynn a seat in one of the chair, and walked over to one of the cabinets. He pulled out a loaf of bread. He then went over to the icebox and pulled out some cheese. He sliced the bread and cheese, and put it on a plate. He then went to a smaller cabinet and pulled out a root like herd. He got out a mug, and shredded the root into it. He then talked over to the stove, and pulled off a kettle. After pouring the hot water into the mug, he stirred it. Seeming satisfied, he picked up the food and drink, and walked over to the table.
He set the mug and plate in front of Aslynn, and took a set in the other chair. She just stared at the food.
"It's not poisoned, it will help you feel better." Erik said in a reassuring voice, his eyes now soft, and sadness could be found deep in them.
Aslynn looked at him, and seeing that she had nothing to loose, picked up the mug. She took a sip, and choked on it.
"What is that? Ginger?" She gasped.
"Very good, it is ginger, drink up." Erik replied with a slight grin sliding across his face. All those years in different sultans places does have some benefits, he chuckled to himself.
"Really, ginger? So you french people do know about Eastern medicine." Aslynn replied, a little amused as well.
She drank more of the tea. Since the tea was safe, she decided to eat some of the bread and cheese set out in front of her.
She could feel his eyes on her, like a hawk, as she ate. For calling himself a monster, he had some of the best manners I have seen from a guy in a while. Even if he is temperamental, she thought.
When she was done eating she looked up and met Erik's cold eyes.
"Thanks, for the food, and everything." Aslynn said smoothly. " Nice kitchen you have," she added.
"It is nothing," Erik humbly replied, "You look exhausted, you should sleep."
"No, I'm not tired," Aslynn started, but as caught off guard by a huge yawn, "well, maybe I am a bit tired."
As she stared to get up, she stopped, her hand clutched to her stomach.
"What is it?" Erik asked, seeing a look of pain cross Aslynn's face.
"Shit, it's the cut, I'm fine. I have had worse cuts. Don't worry 'bout me." She said, grunting at the piercing pain.
Erik got up from his seat and went over to her, and helped her out of the kitchen, "Its not nothing. I can grab some bandages."
He lead her to her bedroom, and had her sit down on the bed. He left quickly, his black cloak flying behind him.
He returned shortly and had bandages in his hands.
"I will need to see the cut." He said briskly.
"As you wish Doc." Aslynn said, at his point hoping anything would help the pain.
She slowly unbuttoned the black pants, and rolled them down, bellow her hip. She then rolled up her shirt. Across her abdomen was a long red gash, which was gently leaking blood. It had just reopened, so it hadn't sunk into her clothes yet.
Erik was a bit shocked at how quickly she agreed to his help. Most women wouldn't have eagerly summit to his help. He was also shocked to her tan stomach. But to his surprise, her hips weren't as dark, they were much paler. Across her stomach was a freshly open cut.
Erik paused a second, unsure of how to approach her. Finally he unrolled a bandage and walked over to her. He gently wrapped the gauze around her torso, his arms wrapping around her waist. It had been a long time since he was this close to a woman. Erik's mind strayed to Christen. How pale her complexion was, her brown locks of curly hair.
As soon as he was done, he quickly backed away, confused at why he thought of Christen more in Aslynn's presence. Un-wanting to stay longer in the room with this new woman, he said, "You need sleep." And left, his cloak flowing behind him. As he left the room, pulling the door shut, he heard Aslynn say "Thank you", but didn't stop to hear if there was more.
Aslynn was in a daze after she entered the room, her head was pounding wildly. She barely noticed Erik wrapping her up, nor how he left so quickly. As soon as he was gone, she lay down and drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Like I said before, I will try to update as soon as I can. Please Review!