Erik came out of the kitchen the next day, carrying a cup of tea to his organ, when he spotted something quite unusual. There, in the middle of the lake, was Christine, floating in the gondola. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing relaxed and peaceful.

Hiding his grin, Erik paced to the organ and put aside his cup. Quickly warming up his fingers, he started to play a song, sweet and beautiful, yet tragic and sad. There were no words to this number, but it needed none. It was awestriking in it's own right, and could stand on it's own feet. Christine seemed to notice instantly, for her eyes opened, now staring at the unsmooth and strange looking ceiling as she listened, her breathing more rapid as Erik played faster, as if she could let the music live in her for a while. The faster he played, the heavier and quicker her breathing came, the more scattered her gaze darted.

Erik was quite enjoying this little experiment, when Nadir slammed the door to his room. Erik, startled as well as Christine, whom nearly capsized the little boat in her sudden fright, stared back at him. It was an annoying de ja vu. And, as last time, Nadir simply stomped into the kitchen, noticeably angry. And before Erik could turn back around, the gondola was back on shore, and Christine was back in her room. Suddenly, just like that, their short time she allowed with him each day was gone.

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Erik played a gorgeous melody on the organ, doing his best to lure Christine out of her room. He succeeded, and he was soon watching her behind him by constantly side glancing. She was sitting on the floor upon a Persian rug. Her skirt, a pale blue, was spread all around her legs in a circle. With her hands in her lap, and her head tilted to the side as she listened to him play, she looked like she was a painting from an old fairytale come to life.

He kept playing as he watched her slowly inch closer to him now and then. It was small movements that she made, as if she was afraid to disturb the magic. Even so, in no time at all, she surprised Erik by gracefully sitting beside him on the bench. Her head was bowed, but her eyes open as she watched his fingers grace the ivory keys, as if he touched nothing more than air. Encouraged, Erik played a more complicated piece, yet it still sounded of the same previous melody, just with more notes and ties. No longer being discreet, he stared full on at her as she was seemed to be caught in between dreams, only partly aware of her surroundings. He watched, just as much captivated by her as she was of his music. He was just about to start to hum the tune to her, when that same door opened and slammed shut, an angry persian standing before them. He glared at Erik, then huffed off to the kitchen.

But this time it was too much. Erik stopped playing and left Christine's side as he hurried after Nadir.

Christine had the sudden feeling that she shouldn't be there. In awkwardness, she hurried back to her room, not wanting to hear the angry shouts, for if she had stayed, there would have been many to hear.

"What is the matter with you? Why must you act like this each day?" Erik asked angrily.

"Because I see what you are doing, and you just get worse each day!" Nadir answered, his dark face turning an odd color of red.

"What I'm doing? I'm trying to make Christine's stay less miserable! I'm trying to get her out of her room so she isnt so upset all the time. I know that she can be quite fragile."

"No Erik, that's not it. If you were so worried about her well being, you wouldnt have done this in the first place. And even if you're just realizing this of late, you can still set her free. No, her well being isn't anywhere on your mind. Don't think I don't know what you're really doing."

"Then what is it, Nadir? What is it that you think I'm really doing?" Erik was getting enough anger built up to quickly match the daroga's.

"You're trying to make her fall in love with you! You think if she does, she wont want to leave. And that's the perfect plan for you. After all, why would you care if a certain Vicomte is crushed and heart broken? You nearly killed him before! And why would you care how disappointed Madame Giry would be if you go through with it? She knew it was bound to happen sometime, and she didn't really care for you all that much. She wasn't your true friend, right? It's all about you, isnt it, Erik? I was wrong before - you haven't changed a bit. You're still stubborn, selfish, and only thinking of yourself!"

"Daroga..." Erik said in a warning tone, but Nadir didn't care. He kept going.

"If you really loved Miss Daae, you would let her go, instead of keeping her in this cage! She doesn't lo-"

"Nadir!" Erik yelled in rage. "Do not forget your place! This is my home you got yourself stuck in, and I make the rules. If you do not wish to follow them or respect me, then tell me now. Let me fetch my punjab lasso and spare everyone of the headaches right away."

Nadir, though Erik's eyes glowed angrily and intimidatingly into his, stood his ground and stared back for effect until he walked away and into his room.

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Christine twisted the fabric of her skirt as she bit her lip. Erik played a rich melody on his organ, though she began to curse the beauty of it. She wanted out of this room, but knew how the situation out there would end. Was that all Erik ever did? Play and eat, with the occasional haunting of a poor opera house? Now that the opera house was out of commission, there was even less for him to do, especially since he already had her here and where he needed her. With Nadir residing in the lair, she knew there was little Erik could do without upsetting his old friend, including speaking with her. It was nice, having Nadir to talk to, but it seemed he was starting to become the nuisance, and Erik becoming whom she wanted to speak with. Perhaps if she could just talk to him, show him how much she loved Raoul and why she wanted to return to her true home, then he'd let her go! But with Nadir interrupting them always, there was no such luck.

Suddenly, her thought were broken by a purring as something rubbed against her side. It was Ayesha, finally not so afraid of the newcomer who tended to be easily frightened.

She petted the beige cat, grateful to have some company. She reached over to her side table and took her small cream pitcher and poured the white silk drink onto a shallow bowl that she hadn't used yet, then placed it on the floor. Ayesha immediately hurried to it, eager to lap it up. Christine smiled. Perhaps it was possible for her to make at least one friend here...even if that friend wasn't human.

But even small, friendly cats couldn't confine the most curious of creatures for long...

Even though she was visited twice by Nadir, and Ayesha seemed to float in and out of her room many times, Christine could not stand being in one room. It was nearing suppertime, so she thought she'd wait by the fire and read a book. She did so, with neither Erik or Nadir in sight. Yet the peaceful calm only lasted a few minutes. Soon emerged Erik, who seemed to already know she was there. Even with the high chair's back to him and bathed in shadows, Erik knew precisely where she was. He walked by her, slipping a tea cup and saucer in her hands with one graceful movement, not even slowing his pace. He had another cup of tea for himself, which he took over to the organ.

"Are you busy?" He asked, his voice very matter-of-fact.

She looked up from her book to look over at him, now in front of her. "Hmm? Oh, no - I'm just reading. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was thinking that since you are already down here, that you might want to continue your singing lessons through your stay."

Christine offered a small smile. "I'd like that...but lessons would be of little use now."

"Why's that?"

"I'm not singing anymore. Not for public or money, least ways. Raoul says...he says it's not fitting for a Vicomtess to be publicly entertaining. People in spotlight tend to have bad reputations, and I must agree to his logic."

"But you have no bad reputation! You are innocent in every way! Your job does not effect that." Erik said loudly, seemingly offended for her.

"I may be innocent, but I do have a very bad reputation after all the deaths and notes."

"That's different! That was my own wrong doing!" He said, now standing up and abandoning his tea. "You can not let de Changy do this to you!"

"He is doing nothing to me. He is only looking out for me and doing what is best."

"Really? How can quitting be the best thing for you? Your father found much pride and joy in your voice, it was his dream to see you be as you were. Your whole life you've trained for the stage - I taught you for years! For what? So you could forsake it for the Vicomte and his foolish love?" A fury had built and was now overflowing. But it was not all anger Christine sensed; but hurt too.

"Erik..."

"No! He is ruining your life, and you are allowing it! You think you want it! For these thoughts of yours, you are down here. Those are the bad choices that you have been making that I have brought you here to reevaluate. But have you thought at all about those things? No, you haven't. All you worry about is how quickly you can get back up to civilization, because this place is too low for you. You are, after all, the future Vicomtess de Changy. This used to be a palace of music to you that you used to love to escape to. Now it is nothing more than a tomb for me in your eyes. I gave you a room, set this place up perfectly for you. I bought you clothes and all you needed. This was once your second home - a real home, not just an opera house dormitory room that you shared with dozens of ballet rats!"

"Erik, I understand why you are upset, but-"

"No, you have no idea! Don't stand before me and act as if you understand what I'm going through, or what my situation is! You know nothing, Christine Daae! Yes, your father died when you were young, your mother even younger. Yes, you were forced into an opera house to develop your skills as your father had always wished. Because of these things, are you under the belief that your life has been so painful and sorrowful? You know nothing of real pain and sorrow, Christine, and every day I've known you you've proven that more to me. You know nothing!"

With that said, Erik rushed off to the kitchen once again, following the new smell of fresh smoke. Christine sat, her head bowed in shame from her chiding. Erik had come to her with good intentions, and she had managed to mess them all up, and hurt him even more.

She stood up, her book on her lap falling to the floor with a light thud. Her heart aching, she left her tea by the chair and walked slowly to her room, her hand softly hitting the door shut. It swung on it's hinges with a squeal, but the latch didn't click. Christine let it be as she walked in a daze to her bed and laid down on her stomach, burying her head in the fluffy pillows. They waited a few moments until her body adjusted to the curves of the bed, but sure enough the sobs came rushing up to wrack her chest, fill her eyes, and soak her pillow.

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