Disclamer: I dont own Erik or any phantom stuff... Only a bit over a week since my last chapter, better than last time. Im working on getting to a more steady rate and closer together. School is winding down, and softball is officially over, so more time is now open.

Thanks for all the reveiws,I know that drunk driving is very deadly, and is a very graffic and terrible death, that why in the last chapter i choose it. I have seen many of drunk driving accidents, and thought adding it to my story (in the dream being more intense) that it could get the point across to others that don't relieze what it can do, to people and their families.

Anyways, I'll get off my soap box and let you get on with the chapter. Hope you like it.

The memories were painful, but the nightmares are worse. Even though it wasn't her fault, it still haunted her.

After several more minuets of her soft crying, Aslynn dried her tears, "Damn, you must think I'm so fucking weak." She softly said, her voice shaky.

Erik still unsure of what to do and shocked from her story, just said, "Your not as weak as you think."

"No, Erik, damn, I mean I'm crying, that's a weakness. I usually don't let anyone see me cry."

"Just because you cry doesn't mean you're weak."

"That's what makes me weak, I let you see the one thing that effects me the most."

Erik offered her his hand to help her up. She took it and let his strong arms pull her to her feet. He lead her to a small couch and had her sit.

Once she was seated, Erik turned and started to walk away. He stopped when he said,

"We all have to suffer and we've all had our hearts broken. It's okay to show emotion for the ones we truly care about." There was a hint of sadness in his strong, deep voice.

Aslynn watched Erik as she wiped away another tear.

"Erik?"

He turned around and his deep olive eyes meet with her wet blue ones.

"Don't," she started, but stopped realizing what she was about to say.

"Don't what?"

"Never mind, it's not of much importance anyway, I mean," the woman was cut off.

"You mean what? What didn't you want me to do?" Erik asked, his voice calmed Aslynn.

"Don't leave," she sheepishly said, looking at the ground.

Erik was shocked. How could such a beautiful woman want me, a living corpse, to stay? He walked over to Aslynn and sat down on the couch next to her, remaining silent.

As the cushion next to her sank from his weight, Aslynn kept her eyes on the ground. She hated feeling this weak. She'd given her darkest secret to him. What was his? When they were arguing he said something about her not knowing what he's been though.

"Erik?"

"Yes?"

Aslynn's fingers nervously played with the cushion as she said, "What were you going to say earlier, something about I don't know anything about you."

He remained silent for a few minuets. Did he really want to share his story with her? Did he want to risk having her hate him forever? Was it worth it? If so, how would he tell her?

Aslynn felt Erik tense next to her. She turned and looked at him, he was starring off to the other wall.

"You don't have to tell me, I mean I just spilled my sad story, which I usually don't talk about, and I practically broke down." She said sarcastically.

Erik turned and met her eyes, which were still moist and red from her tears. His face remained emotionless. Should I tell her?

Since he didn't reply Aslynn tried to get it out of him.

"Who's Christine?"

He still didn't answer and returned to gazing at the wall.

"She must have been someone; you called me her the other day."

Erik still remained silent but tensed up more at the mention of Christine.

"Did she leave you or something?"

At this, Erik became protective. He turned to her and spat,

"What do you care? Do you know what it is like? The pain it causes…"

"Actually, I do. If you don't remember, I just told you," Aslynn said, standing up and walking away from the couch.

"My apologies, I forgot," he said sarcastically.

"Do you think it's funny? I gave you my most painful memory, and you think it's a joke?" She said, her voice rising.

"No, I don't," he inhaled deeply, "It was five years ago. There was a chorus girl: Christine Daae. She was beautiful and had the most beautiful voice. I gave her voice lessons as the 'Angle of Music' and she believed me. I made her a star. On the night of her first performance as the Prima Dona, she was reunited with a childhood lover. I decided that I would show her who I really was that night."

"I took her down to my house, and we sung 'opera songs'. The next morning she took off my mask. Oh yes, she fell in love with me after that." There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"I finally let her go back, but only with her promising that she would return. She became frightened of me and turned to Raul for comfort. They eventually became engaged…" He took a long pause recalling how much she hurt him. Taking another deep breath he went on,

"The opera was to perform my Don Juan; the song you sang yesterday. I sunk in and played the role of Don Juan. She realized it was I, and took off my mask to show the world what a monster I am. That's when I took her, though a trap door. She had to choose to be my bride or for all of Paris to fall."

"This time, Raul came after Christine. He was lead by an old acquaintance of mine, Dargoga. They walked right into the torcher chamber. Christine heard their pleas and told me that if I freed them she would become my living bride. I would not refuse, and so I let them out. She wasn't happy and stayed silent. I finally realized that she would never love me and I let her go with her 'fiancé'."

Erik did his best to remain strong and hold himself together, but talking about that night made him weak and depressed.

Aslynn could tell that he was holding back emotions. His story was shocking, and she now understood why he was so sad all the time. He let go the one woman he loved… who didn't love him in return.

She sat back down and laid her hand on him shoulder. Erik jumped at the touch.

"It's alright, I'm not going o hurt you."

He relaxed slightly. Does she know what she's saying? How could she ever hurt me? It would be me who would hurt her. But yet, Christine hurt me more than she thought possible.

He got up, and silently left, leaving Aslynn alone in her thoughts.

The young woman watched Erik leave.

Did I say something? She asked herself. He has suffered a lost, but he makes it seem worse than it is. Unless he has never been loved by anyone before, so it would hurt him more than any physical attack. But her had to have been loved before, by his mother…

As the young woman thought about Erik's story, she wondered if he was leaving something out. It doesn't make sense, there must be something more about Christine that made her leave.

Letting out a sigh, Aslynn got up. Un-wanting to go to the desk and draw, or risk up setting Erik by playing the Organ, she sulked off to her room.

While peering over the spines of the old books, she found a book that interested her, The Man in the Iron Mask, by Alexandre Dumas. This seems interesting enough, she thought as she walked back to the room on the lake.

She sank down into the soft cushions of the couch. She stretched her feet out and propped up on the arm. Finally, somewhat relaxed, she started to read the yellow pages of the book.

It took Erik a good deal of time to cool down. He understood that the young woman had suffered a great lost. Her heard was broken, but at least she was loved in return.

Maybe I can convince her to say, he thought as he gently removed his mask. He went over to the sink and splashed his face with the cool water.

But why do you want her to stay? You like being in solitude, you've grown used to it. She doesn't mean anything to you, remember? If she did, you still wouldn't be able to have her. She will want to see behind your mask. He gently felt his distorted face and pulled his hand back in disgust.

Once she sees it she will fear you and look at you in disgust. Then it will be a repeat of Christine. You're putting yourself in a bad position Erik.

As Erik put the bone white mask back on and softly said, "But it is worth a try."

With that he left the room and headed back to the open room.

When he entered he found Aslynn streached out on the couch, reading a novel. Her bare feet were at one end while her light brown hair fell over the other. He walked over to the couch and looked down at the young woman.

Feeling the presence of someone else beside her, Aslynn glanced up. Her warm blue eyes met a pair of cold green ones. She closed the book and swung her feet off the couch, so she was sitting up straight. She waited for Erik to speak.

The man didn't say anything right away, but waited.

"If you are going to leave, I would at least wait until halfway though tomorrow. In case those men are waiting."

Aslynn shifted her eyes to the ground.

"Yeah, ummm, I wanted to ask you about that. I mean, yeah… Is it possible that I stay here for a few days, at least until I can find a job." She softly asked, slightly nervous.

This shocked Erik, she wanted to stay. He turned so she couldn't read the expression on his face.

"You may."

"Oh, wicked!" She excitedly said, looking up.

Hearing joy in her voice he turned around. Their eyes met and Aslynn smiled. Seeing her face full of happiness, Erik let a small grin slide across his cold face.

Looking down at the book she was reading, he asked,

"Have you read it before?"

"No, but my dad read The Three Musketeers to me when I was little, which I enjoyed."

He nodded, and sat down next to her.

"There's something I must ask you…" Erik began.

"What?"

"Well, the other day, after you went for a swim, I saw your tattoo. What does it mean?" He questioned, but really he wanted to know about the three long scars on her back.

"Oh… that… the crescent moon with a red rose in it, right?"

The masked man nodded.

"Well, I guess it doesn't really mean much. I just love watching the stars at night, and roses are my favorite flower."

"Interesting, you're the first woman I have met who had a tattoo, who wasn't a pirate."

Aslynn laughed, filling the room with a rich sound. "Really, well if you were wondering, I'm not a pirate."

After the laughter died down, a long silence formed. Finally, Erik couldn't stand it, and asked,

"What about the three long scars you have on your back? How did you get those?"

He's chatty today, Aslynn thought, what scars? I don't recall getting any scars.

"What scars?" She asked.

"The ones on your back. Three of them evenly spaced."

"Really, are you sure?"

He nodded.

"Oh," she stood up and turned her back to Erik. "Do you happen to have a mirror?"

"Only a broken one, its not that useful. Why?"

"I was going to see for my self, these scars you talk about." Before Erik knew it, Aslynn had her shirt pulled up to her shoulder, and her hand was on her back, trying to feel for the scars. He turned his face, color rising to his cheeks.

Finding the three scars that Erik mentioned, she traced them with her fingers. They were deep, and like he said, evenly spaced.

Lowering her shirt she said, "I don't know how I got those." She turned around to find Erik facing away, slightly embarrassed.

"But now that I think about it, I was just in a surfing accident, before I woke up on a street… or at least I think I was in an accident… I only remember being tossed in a bunch of water."

Erik turned and looked at Aslynn, confused by what she said.

"How does that relate to the three scars?" He questioned.

"Most surfboards have three fins, and so they probably cut into my back. That's what I'm thinking at least."

"I don't understand this surfing thing, that you have mentioned before, you will have to explain it to me later." He replied.

Aslynn just grinned. Suddenly a loud growl grew from her stomach.

"I think you should get something to eat. Come," Erik beckoned.

I know its shorter and less intense than others, its more ofa transition chapter. Please Review and tell me what you think!