IM SO SOOOOO SORRY I HAVE NOT UPDATED! I doubt anyone is still even going to read my story :p School has been so time consuming this year (great excuse right?) so I haven't had time to write:( And I didn't really edit this but I really just wanted to get it out there….hope yall don't mind? I'll definanlly edit it more in the next few days so sorry if it's a little rough.

Things should be starting to pick up more from here…..

Hope ya enjoy!

Erik POV

I didn't know what feeling exactly had overcame me, just that I had this undeniable urge to quench it. As I walked down my secret passageways to the new dressing room I commanded the managers to give Christine after the performance, I couldn't help but clench my teeth at the bitter memory of Raoul's gesture towards Christine before the performance had started. I wanted to prove to Christine that she needed me and not him. That I was the only man she could ever belong to and that Raoul was nothing more than an insolent boy.

My pace was quickening as I got closer to my destination. I could feel the thumping of my heart in my chest as I finally came to a stop behind the one way mirror I had placed on a wall of the dressing room where I could see Christine.

She was standing in front of her vanity cradling my rose in her hands. I couldn't quiet read the expression on her face, but yet it brought a new feeling to me. A relaxing sensation came over me as I stared at her from the other side of this mirror I was reminded of the night we danced together after I played the violin and that night on the lake. She was so perfect.

All I wanted was to sweep her up in my arms and hold her forever. I was sick of this game I was playing with her- she did know I was no angel but it seemed that all she looked at me as now was just her mentor, and I let her believe just that. I was tired of that role and just wanted it to disappear, I knew waiting for it to turn into love while I kept her by my side underground after every rehearsal was just not likely. Especially with that fop running around begging for her attention.

I made up my mind, I was going to go in and tell her. I didn't know what words I was going to use, nor did I even stop to think and plan it out. I knew it was foolish but I couldn't wait long enough to stop and think about the correct words I was going to use.

I reached up and pressed my palm against the glass mirror and took a deep breath before pushing it open.

Before it even got an inch open I heard a man's voice outside her dressing room door.

"Christine, may I come in?"

"Damn fop" I said under my breath as I felt anger slowly replacing the warm feeling that had just overcame me seconds ago.

I silently slipped the mirror back into its place and watched behind the closed glass. I felt a small victorious smile come across my lips when I saw Christine look almost…annoyed when she heard his voice.

However my small moment of triumph was cut short when I saw her reach for the necklace that was tucked in her dress. My fists clenched and I wanted nothing more than to rip it from her neck.

When she opened the door, Raoul came in with an air of fake confidence surrounding him. The young boy hadn't enough years behind him to show him the meaning of true confidence, he had been through nothing to make him feel worthy of himself, yet he pretended he had the right to strut around with his shoulders held high.

"Mademoiselle, an exceptional performance this afternoon." His words escaped a mouth that so obviously held a false smile. He set an over the top bouquet of flowers next to my rose on Christine's Vanity. It was probably way over paid for especially considering the fact it did nothing in outshining the simple elegance of the rose. If anything it looked tacky.

"Thank you Raoul." Christine's emotions were still unreadable and I couldn't figure why. I was always able to read her like a book in the past…I wasn't sure but it seemed as though she was hiding something.

"I came to say that I have a change in plans." His tone was commanding and I saw Christine shrink a little at his words. "I have talked with Meg and we have decided that it is only appropriate for me to accompany you to the masquerade instead of meeting you."

"But I still have to go shopping with Me-" He cut her off. I noticed my hands clenched even tighter to the point where my knuckles hurt and I could feel my heart pounding in my wrists.

Every ounce of me wanted to barge in right then and ring his neck but my wish for Christine's overall well being trampled that desire. She didn't need to know I could kill, and it would only drive her closer to Raoul than me if he had her sympathy on his side.

I closed my eyes and put all my energy into retaining myself. I tried to think of music, and escape into a world of notes and patterns inside my head but I couldn't…not with Christine's voice ringing from the other side of the mirror, not when her sweet tones were being put in the direction of Raoul.

"You will. And when you're done you and Meg will go to my house to get ready. Now; shall we go? I have a carriage waiting for the two of you." Raoul opened the door for Christine and gestured impatiently for her to come but she just stood there hesitating. It was becoming more obvious she was uncomfortable with his idea.

"Oh. Raoul, could you please just give me a few minutes, I still need to collect my things. You go ahead." My smile of victory had come back once she said that. I would act once he left.

"Ten minutes Christine." He kissed her hand, and I couldn't help but cringe a little at the sight, then he walked swiftly out the dressing room door.

I silently pushed opened the door and used the shadows to my advantage, she didn't need to know how I got in here. It was best that it be kept a secret…at least for a little while. I crept over to the sofa and sat down in a position that spoke words for me. I was not pleased and didn't feel the need to waste too much of my breath telling her so.

The room was dim from a few flickering candle lights and Christine and I were the only people confined within the rooms walls. I did not make a sound. Instead I just stared at her. She was still, her focus was on the door that Raoul had just exited through and her back was turned to me. I took in every moment while she still didn't know my presence was near. Then she turned around, her hand going for my rose on the vanity, but she stopped dead in her action when her eyes spotted me. She looked somewhat surprised, though I couldn't fully read her expression. Was me being in the room a bad thing?

"He lacks taste, don't you think?" I couldn't help but concentrate on that necklace Raoul had given her. It mocked me and all the labor I had invested into Christine, all those voice lessons, all the gestures I had patiently went through with to bring this girl closer to me. I despised that piece of jewelry and my skin burned with a hot rage as it dangled there on her neck.

Calm. I had to be calm. I knew I could easily run her off straight into the Vicomte's arms if I did anything too rash.

I stood up and walked languidly towards Christine, and I focused my gaze into her eyes. I saw the guilt in them. She knew she had betrayed me in some way.

"You impressed me in many ways today Christine." She really had. Her voice was magnificent however I would have never believed shed accept such invitations and gifts from a bastard such as the Vicomte.

With the tips of my fingers I grazed a path from her jaw to her collarbone, relishing her soft skin. I wanted the necklace off, I couldn't bare it being on her neck any longer, and I didn't want to cause tears and pain in the process. I would simply get it off. No argument or even words needed. I would just take it.

"However" I went on as I moved my hands closer to their destination at the back of her neck. "The impression you made on the Vicomte did not please me in the slightest." I unhooked the chain of the necklace and took it off her neck. I could have been more discrete and have tooken it completely without her knowing but I let her see the gold chain dangling from my fist as I tucked the chain into my jacket pocket. I wanted her to know I did not approve.

"I know you remember very well that I told you to stay away from this fop." I looked her in the eye as I spoke. "I thought you would have been smart enough to decline his gifts and his invitation to the masquerade."

"I was going to tell you."

"That makes no difference my darling." My words came out with a little more bite than I indented and I felt my heart sink a few inches when she looked down to the floor avoiding all eye contact.

I had won. I had gotten my point across, and I had even put Christine to shame. I should have felt that same small triumphant I did earlier, yet I felt guilt.

I took a deep breath. No I was still not planning on letting her go with Raoul-that would never happen so long as I walked on this earth, but I knew I did nothing to get her on my side and not his.

Was this when a normal person would tell the lady how he felt and apologize? I opened my mouth to say something but no words came. I was not normal. I would never be normal.

I looked down to the ground as well and when I did I saw the rose ring I gave her some time back. She still wore it…did that mean something?

Then the small victory came. Christine was wearing my jewelry only. I reached down and softly took her hand and lifted it up to my lips. I placed a gentle kiss on the rose that was wrapped around her ring finger. She was looking up at me now.

An intense urge came over me, almost equivalent to instinct. I ran my hands down her arm and towards her back. I ran them down her spine and made a trail to her lower waist and pulled her close to me. I could feel the warmth of her body pushed up against my torso and I leaned in close.

Close. That was all I could think about…closer; I had to be closer. I wrapped my arms around her tighter and leaned in further. A voice in my head told me not to continue but it was easily buried into the depths of my mind, when I looked into Christine's eyes.

Love? Was that the emotion glazed over her doe like eyes? I wasn't sure but hell it felt good to let myself believe that's what I saw.

I let my eye lids slip closed as I leaned in even closer and I could feel her moving in too. Goosebumps spread across my skin when I felt her wrap her arms around my neck.

Suddenly I heard a small bump on the other side of the dressing room door and it broke me from my trance. Every muscle in my body tensed up and I looked towards the door. I saw a shadow underneath its crack and then heard the voice of that insolent boy. I had to force myself to untangle my body from Christine's and step back. I did not want to fight here. Not in front of Christine, I was tired of being the bad guy; I wanted to win her heart truly as mine…no longer by force.

We made eye contact as I walked backwards and she looked like a pitiful…frightened young girl. I wanted to take her with me, disappear with her, but I knew if Raoul came into an empty dressing room knowing I was most likely involved he, in his mind he would have good reason to get authorities on my case and I did not care to have that annoyance to have to worry about.

But it was that same look that had me make up my mind…maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that she was going with Raoul to the ball…perhaps if I showed up I could persuade Christine to see things my way; after all…the dress code did include a mask did it not?

Christine POV

The dress Meg and I had picked out for me to wear was a cream color with a lacy pale pink ribbon around the waist and neck line. Meg had brought some angel wings that had come from the Opera's costume department and we bought a pink flowery crown and a mask printed with staffs and music notes. She said they would look great with my dress and that I would make a beautiful angel.

However I felt anything but beautiful when the carriage had pulled up to the opera and I saw all the lovely ladies prancing around in their poufy dresses and elaborate masks.

"I am going to go see if I can find my mother Christine, she had told me before I left with you that she had someone she wanted me to meet." Meg stated as Raoul opened the carriage door for her.

"Alright Meg, I'll see you in there." I was disappointed she was leaving me, even if it was only for a little bit. After being separated form Erik's arms I had felt more alone than ever. His embrace was so filled with…what…love? It was intense and I was surprised how empty I now felt without my body pressed against his.

"Christine." Raoul said sternly as if trying to get my attention. I looked down from my seat in the carriage and noticed his hand was extended for me to grab as I got down. He must have said my name several times for he was beginning to look frustrated.

I blushed from embarrassment and quickly took his gesture and stepped down from the carriage.

"I'm sorry Raoul I must have not heard you." He only nodded in response as he held out his arm for me,

We began to walk up the steps to the opera house and I felt as if I was in a dream. Not a good one, nor a bad one, things just simply felt surreal almost as if I wasn't all there…I was surrounded by thoughts…thoughts of Erik; and I just simply couldn't focus on the world around me.

"You look very lovely this evening my dear," Raoul commented. "any man would be proud to escort a lady as divine as you."

"Thank you." It took me a minute to respond due to the fact my mind was pre occupied.

I felt him take away his arm from my hand and proceed to wrap it around my waist and pull me towards him as we walked. I felt nothing in response; dead compared to when I was enfolded in Erik's arms.

When we got inside the lobby of the opera house I felt my mouth drop. It had been utterly transformed. There were ribbons going down the railings of the grand stair case and a small makeshift stage beside it where a string quartet played smooth music for dancing. There were many couples skipping around the middle of the floor to the beat of the music and on the side there were people gorging themselves in cheap wine.

There were reporters for newspapers and magazines surrounding a couple dancers and the managers. The managers had a look of pride and it was obvious they were gloating.

"Christine, my mother would like to see you for a minute." Meg said as she came up from my left side and put her hand on my shoulder.

"If you would please excuse me Raoul, I have too much respect for Madam Giry to keep her waiting." I untangled myself from Raoul's side.

"Very well Christine. I shall be waiting for you." He just smiled as Meg began to drag me by my hand through a thick crowd of dresses and suits.

Madam Giry had a very serious expression on her face as she put her arm around my shoulder and nodded for Meg to leave.

"My dear, what do you think of Raoul?" She asked as she began walking with me.

Her question caught me a little off guard.

"I think he is a very lovely friend to have around."

"And what if things were to develop beyond friendship?" My eyebrow furrowed a bit. Honestly I couldn't picture him and I as anything more than friends. I suppose I had thought about it in the past but with every second that passed I found I couldn't pull my thoughts away from Erik.

"Well I don't know."

Sensing my discomfort, she stopped walking then and grabbed both my hands together into a ball wrapped in hers. She messaged them gently as she spoke.

"I think you and Raoul would make a wonderful couple." She started. "When I brought you here form the streets you were an emotional mess; but ever since Raoul has had something to do with you, you have really come out of your shell. Just look around, you are a Prima Donna at Paris's finest opera house, attending its Masquerade ball. If it weren't for Raoul I don't believe you would have had the guts to be here right now. You'd be a ballerina in the back row." A frown came to my face. No it wasn't because of Raul, it was Erik. He was the one who took me under his wing and helped me to be here.

I opened my mouth to speak but was immediately cut off by Madam Giry.

"Christine just listen to me." She pleaded. "I want what's best for you and the Opera Ghost is not it." Her words paralyzed me and caused my eyes to widen. No words could come from my mouth. She knew about my feelings towards Erik?! I knew she was connected with him somehow because of the night I saw her in his living room, but she had given me no clue she knew that I had known him too. "What can he give you that Raoul can't? He lives under an opera house for God's sake Christine!"

"He can give me music." I mentally scolded myself for talking back to the woman who has shown me so much love and kindness in the past but I felt a strange urge to stand up for my angel.

"Music will not last you long dear. Erik is a very angry man. I've known him longer than anyone in this lobby and being trapped under ground with him will do nothing but deteriorate you form the inside out."

"Trapped?" That was the only word that fell from her lips I could actually focused on. I would not be trapped if I was with the man I…loved.

"Yes trapped. He is very possessive and selfish. I'm sure you have figured that out by now. He has had nothing his whole life; and to have you….I'm not sure he would know how to handle the situation Christine. You deserve better than him… and he disserves better than to have to be crushed under his own inexperience. He's not ready for love. He's too broken for that."

I was numb. Her words hit me and left a mark of realization. She said she knew him and I trusted her to want the best for me and him. Small tears collected at the base of my eyes I wouldn't blink for fear they would fall. I did not want to cry.

After a moment of silence she pulled me in for a hug. She squeezed me tight and whispered into my ear.

"He doesn't love you any ways my dear. He doesn't know what love is. If a person has never been shown love, how can they show someone else love?"

My heart had stopped beating. I felt the exact same feeling I had when my Papa died. Really, I suppose there was no difference from that moment and now. Erik had died to me just the same as My papa had and all I yearned for now was to die with them and see them in a place filled with love.

As Madam Giry pulled away from me she wiped a tear form my cheek I hadn't realized had freed itself from my control and fell.

"Raoul could give you so much if you would just let him."

I nodded. I had no one else but Madam Giry, Meg and Raoul, and I would hold them all close to me so they couldn't leave me too.

"I'm sorry to intrude, Ladies but I have grown jealous of my date being entertained by someone else." Raoul said as he winked at Madam Giry with a smile.

HE held out his hand for me to take and I faked a small smile as I grabbed it.

"Everything will work out Christine. She assured me as she walked away from us.

Raoul walked me to the middle of the floor where people were dancing and questioned me with his eyebrows. "Well we are at a ball, did you want to dance?" Words were still scares for me so I simply just nodded.

While we danced, I found myself staring past Raoul's expensive suit and beaded mask into nothing. Until I heard him speak.

"Do you remember when we would dance as young children to the tunes of your father's violin?"

"Yes." I smiled slightly at the old memories.

Raoul chuckled slightly. "I don't know how my childhood would have turned out if it weren't for you, Christine. My family made everything so serious and filled with pressure that if I'd have never met you I think the amount of smiles and laughs I had would have gone down dramatically."

"Oh? Well I'm very glad you were my friend then too. I could only imagine how lonely I would have been." My response was genuine. I would always have a special place in my heart for my childhood friend. Childhood would have been a lot lonelier without him, being the only daughter of a constantly working musician.

"You know, I loved you then Christine, and I love you now."

I blushed heavily at his words and my heart pounded heard in my chest. Love? What was I to say? I thought of Erik and my love for him and that only caused pain to choke up in the back of my throat. No, I would not cry.

"I love you too Raoul." I didn't know what else to say. I had to move on. Erik didn't love me and I knew I could not sulk on that and deny Raoul's affection. Besides, loving Raoul would be the smarter option. He could give me so much; just like Madam Giry had said.

The music in the background came to a halt and every one stopped dancing. Raoul put his hand on my cheek and opened his mouth to say something but before he could Monsieur Andres voice form the small stage echoed through the lobby walls.

"May I please have everyone's attention? Ladies and gentlemen, if you could? I would like to thank each and every one of you for your continue support but there is one man that without the Opera house would not be at such a high level of accomplishment that it is. Raoul De Changey, may you please come up and say a few words?"

Raoul gave me an apologetic smile and kissed my hand. I watched as he walked off to the small stage. Alone again. Alone to think of the angel I wished loved me. Perhaps I was only just a student to him and nothing more. Perhaps I was making up any affections he might have had towards me, and this ring on my finger meant nothing.

I slipped off the ring and began to look deep into the dark red petals made up of diamonds.

"What a lovely ring." A voice I would recognize anywhere said coming from behind me.

"Erik." I turned around and saw my angel dressed in all red and a skeleton mask.

"Christine. What a fancy seeing you here." He said sarcastically as he came up to me and grabbed my hand.

Was it too rough? Good or bad? I hope yall liked it, I will defiantly try to update more….maybe once every weekend? Yeah, I'll try to do that. :)