I apologize that it took me awhile to finish this, but sometimes real life just catches up with me. However, here is the next chapter, enjoy :)

Blonde Angel
Part 6

Meg thought that Christine was becoming so distant. They had a great day a short while ago, when they went out to that café together, but ever since the incident during Il Muto, Christine hardly had time for Meg. She spent almost all the free time she could with Raoul, except if she sat in the chapel. And it had been awhile since she mentioned the Angel of Music at all. Meg was becoming slightly worried. Something had happened that night, on the roof, but no one had told her anything. Meg would simply have to find out on her own again, wouldn't she?

And so she found herself down there again, on the bank. The boat wasn't there, meaning he was at home in his lair. Meg sat down, hoping she could just sit here and wait until he appeared. She noticed though, that it was very dark. Usually there were torches lit, but this time, it was only the lamp she brought with her that lit up the darkness. And he didn't appear very quickly; eventually Meg fell asleep. When she woke, there was still no boat, and she had to go back upstairs so people wouldn't miss her too much. Something was definitely not right. Why hadn't he come, the Phantom? Meg went down there the day after that, and the day after again. It was still dark, it seemed like he hadn't left his lair for awhile. Then finally, on the 5th day that she'd sat down there waiting, she heard that silent movement of water again.

Eric had been busy ever since that fateful night of the Il Muto premiere. Christine was obviously in love with Raoul, and he could not stand it. She had promised herself to him, hadn't she? And yet she danced and kissed Raoul on the roof, and promised that she'd come with him once the opera of the night was over. He wondered if she noticed anything; that her Angel of Music did not answer her when she wished for it. He hadn't even been up there since that night; he had been in his lair, working on a new piece. A masterpiece in fact, they would never have seen anything like it – but the finale would be the best. He could barely wait.

When he worked on something, it was often hard for him to think about other things. Though on the 4th night he had fallen asleep, finally. And when he woke again, he noticed that he was hungry. There wasn't anything to find in the lair, at least not anything he felt like eating. So he'd have to make a trip to the surface again. Eric got dressed, put on his mask and a black cape with a hood, and then he sailed through the canals from his lair to the bank on the other side. There wasn't any light, he had not left his lair for days and the torches had burned out. The only light was the lamp he had on his boat – or was it? For when the bank came into sight, it wasn't entirely dark. There was a lamp over there, a light in the darkness.

"You didn't tell me to not seek you out again." Meg pointed out before he could say anything, but he did not smile or correct her. He merely made his way over to the bank, watching her with thoughtful eyes. Why had she come, why was she here? Why did she still wish to see him?

"You're a smart young woman, Meg Giry. And curious." He added, but she did not back away or anything this time. She stood her ground, and the Phantom stepped out of his boat. So tall, he was always so tall when they stood here, Meg thought to herself! So hypnotic, almost.

"I was merely worried, monsieur… I thought something wasn't right. I'm worried." Meg added again, and he arched the brow that was not covered by the mask.

"Worried? And what would you worry about… more disasters produced by me?" He asked, his voice almost cold, and Meg looked down for a moment, remembering their last conversation.

"Perhaps… or perhaps I see signs, things that aren't right, but no one tells me anything. I wish to know what's going on. Why is it so dark down here, why is this the first time in five days I see you or the boat here?" Meg could not help herself, she got carried away this time, and she almost felt embarrassed about it. Then she felt his hand under her chin again, and she looked up at him, hoping he wasn't mad.

"You came… each day in five days?" He asked, almost as if he couldn't understand what she was saying. There was disbelief in his voice, "You worried… about me?"

"How could I not sir?" Meg asked, looking up at his face this time as he still held her chin. "I've begun to know you." She continued, and he let go of her chin again. Then he swiftly moved past her, and Meg turned to look after him. "Where are you going?"

"I need provisions." He replied to her, but then he stopped walking. For a few moments he stood still, and then he turned to face her, "If you worry and feel you know me… perhaps you wish to help me? Then I would not need to go up there." The Phantom said, and Meg looked at him curiously.

"I'm not sure what you mean… but tell me what you need." She asked, her voice kind, yes, she had come to worry about him, because she knew him. Meg probably even cared for him, but she wasn't sure what he'd say to that.

"Bring me something to eat. Then I will take you to my lair again." He said, and moved over to the boat again, "Be careful." He added as he stepped into it, "I will return tomorrow, at the same time." And then he pushed the boat from the bank again. Meg stared after him. She wasn't sure what to say. He asked for her help, and he would take her to his lair again. It wasn't always she listened to her mother, or anyone else up at the opera house. But in this case she would do as told, after all… this time it was the Phantom of the Opera who told her what to do.