Disclaimer: I don't own any of the POTO characters but Anna and Brooke did emerge from my brain.

(claps hands) I so appreciate all of the reviews! But I must have a moment of silence for the fall of "Lullabies of Broadway"…possibly the most brilliant fanfic work I've ever read…pure comic genius. (cries)

I dedicate this next chapter to The Phantom and her fabulous cast.

THE BARRIER IS BROKEN

Anna woke with a start. Was it her imagination or had something just moved across her face? Her hand groped blindly for the lamp on her nightstand. After a moment's fumbling (she was still getting the hang of this non-electric lighting thing) a soft pink light illuminated the bed in the Louis-Phillipe room. Brooke snarled.

"Light! You disturb my sleep," she hissed, curled up under the coverlets like a…

"SPIDER!" Anna shrieked, bolting from the bed, clutching the lamp and pointing a shaking finger at a sinister black arachnid squatting near Brooke's face. The brunette screamed, becoming panic-stricken when her sudden movement startled the spider. Anna came to her when a second spider scuttled out from under the bed. The girls forgot all reason and went flying down the hall to Erik's room.

He didn't have any warning. The girls came bursting in, crying for him. Surprised from sleep he sat bolt upright out of his coffin, like a corpse rising from the dead. His mask lay across the room on the organ stool.

Anna and Brooke were taken aback only for a moment when they remembered the spiders and ran to the Phantom.

"Erik, Erik! Please go get the spiders!"

"In our room! On the bed!"

"And under it!"

Seething with anger Erik vaulted out of the coffin and stormed down the hall. He caught the offending creatures easily. Normally he would have let them go by the lake but his rage was so overwhelming that he simply crushed them in his bare hands. How could they have been so inconsiderate? He had sheltered them, fed them, clothed them, had allowed them to take liberties with him that he would have never tolerated from any other. He had given up the freedom from the mask, which his solitude had once afforded him. It was grossly unfair! He didn't know if he was more outraged by their rude entrance or by the inevitable fact that his companions would now prefer braving the streets of Paris. All for two harmless spiders.

They had discussed it many times. They knew the details of Erik's deformities. They had reasoned about it. Movies had desensitized them and tolerance had strengthened them. Still it was a tremendous shock, but they would never admit that to him. It would take getting used to…that's all.

Erik found Anna and Brooke huddled in the middle of his room. They didn't move or scream.

"Well?" he thundered. "They're dead! Why don't you scream, hmm? I'm more frightening than a spider! Why don't you get out!"

The girls trembled at his rage, fearing the murderous look in his sunken eyes.

"But, Erik, we don't want you to wear the mask," Anna ventured timidly.

"Why not, eh? Do you enjoy the novelty of a living corpse? No…I suppose you think me handsome."

"I like you better without the mask," Brooke said bravely. "The mask is impersonal."

Erik turned away from them and stood near the organ. He had no idea what to think of it. He guarded himself so carefully against hope of acceptance, even after the girls landed on his doorstep. All at once they stood beside him, one on each side looping their arms around his.

"We want to be your friends, Erik," Anna said.

"Your sisters!"

Here it goes, Erik thought.

"Kindred spirits!"

"Companions!"

"Comrades!"

"Partners in crime! Well…maybe not literally crime."

"Your entourage!" Anna said, striking a red carpet pose. Erik laughed. It was a lovely sound. The girls were enchanted. In two minutes they had defeated a lifetime of pain and sorrow and Erik was able to enjoy the novelty of being allowed to hug someone.

"Besides…your beautiful blue eyes look prettier without the mask," Anna added. Erik blushed.

He felt in their debt, so he sat down at the organ and sang "Music of Night" with all the soaring beauty of his awesome voice until his sisters cried themselves to sleep.

Author's note: Erik's blue eyes are in honor of Gerard Butler (goes dreamy-eyed and faints)