A/N: Ok, I've finally made up my mind. I've been debating what to do with this fanfic, and I think I actually know where it's going now. I at least know the ending. No one is dying! That's the big announcement. I thought it might be entertaining to have someone die, but it just didn't work out as I was writing it.

I'm sorry if this chapter has many grammar errors, I didn't have time to correct it.

Chapter 6. God, Give Me Courage

Erik and I sat in silence as we stared at each other from opposite sides across his lair. I was sitting on the gothic bed, just like before, while he sat at his pride and joy, his organ.

We hadn't said a civil word to each other since we left Christian a day ago in the vacant broom closet. The only sayings exchanged were 'Sure, No and Umm'.

Silence is usually peaceful and calming, but I was about to rip my own hair out from the lack of conversation. At least with Christian I was able to talk.

I quietly stalked over to the second bedroom that wasn't wide open like the bedroom I had just been in, but instead was behind a closed door.

I shut the door discreetly, then laid my body on the four-poster bed.

I recapped yesterday's minor tragedies. I didn't want to leave Christian, but at the same time I did. I loved him, but I didn't love him. The comparisons went on in my head as I fought with myself.

I loved Erik, but I loved Christian.

I decided to change out of my heavy dress and hoop skirt, it was just adding onto my stress.

Erik had brought all of my belongings over here after he had technically kidnapped me. It took him a matter of minutes to do so. It crossed my mind more than once that he possibly had already taken them out of the room I shared with Meg.

I grabbed for my teal silk robe that was hung over the bed, then I quickly dashed out of my bedroom and into the main living area, exchanging quick glances with Erik, and finally into the bathroom.

Once I was done changing, all I had on was my undergarments and the robe, I felt a little more free and at home.

I let my hair down so that it now was no longer in the tight and neat bun I had had it in before. My tight curls draped over my shoulders now.

I walked out of the bathroom and sat on a red velvet couch that was pushed to the corner of the room where obviously no one ever sat. Erik probably spent most of his time sitting at the organ anyway.

I looked up from my legs and saw Erik staring at me, I mildly blushed then turned my head away.

"Y-You l-look beautiful" Erik spat out.

My eyes went wide, I crossed my legs, then looked up at him. I never had truly ever been called beautiful before, I had never really saw myself as pretty in any way either.

I looked around and waited a few moments before saying "Thank you."

"Would you come here?" Erik asked.

I sighed, then steadily stood up and marched over to the organ.

Erik took a sheet of paper out of the organ's seat and gave it to me. On the paper were music notes, he had written one of the most difficult songs I had ever seen.

"I want you to sing this... for me."

I gasped to myself, how could I sing this? This was the work of a genius and I would ruin it.

"I don-" Erik interrupted me. "For me." He said again.

I took in a breath. "Alright."

Erik began to play the music beautifully, and when he told me so I began to sing.

"Night time sharpens, heightens each sensation. Darkness stirs and wakes imagination. Silently the senses abandon their defenses. Slowly, gently, life unfolds it's splendor..."

When I had finished his song, I immediately noticed a tear in Erik's eye.

"Erik?" He wiped away the tear and jerked his head up, "Y-yes?" He replied.

"May I ask why you're crying?" I slowly sat down and comforted him.

"I've never let anyone else sing that song, it's our song Christine, you sing it like an angel." There he goes again with the Christine thing, but I wasn't going to say anything or otherwise it would turn out like last time... and that did not end well.

Erik leaned in closer towards me and took my hand, as he did so I slid away, but did not reject his hand.

"We can be together now, at last."

I nervously tried to find anywhere to look besides Erik's face.

I laughed a nervous laugh then said "Uh huh... yeah.".

Erik rested his hand slightly on my cheek, as he did so I pulled my face away.

"What are you trying to do with me Erik?" I asked as politely as I could.

Erik put his hand back onto his lap, he almost seemed embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I... should have, but I love you Christine, there isn't anything that can cure my love for you."

I rolled my eyes and huffed when I heard him call me Christine again. If he called me that one more time I was going to say something.

I quickly had the need to touch him, he was sitting right next to me and a thunderbolt of emotions seemed to be passing through my body. I started to reach out and grab his hand, but then I thought of Christian. It would be like betraying him, because I was certain he would come for me, and if I told Christian that I was kissing Erik the entire time I was gone... I had a feeling that he wouldn't be too pleased. One kiss couldn't hurt though, could it? What if I told Christian I didn't have a choice, that I was forced by mysel- yeah, I'm sure Christian would believe that, even if it was the truth.

I continued to reach out for him, when I found his hand I took it in my own.

Erik seemed surprised that I had done so, but he quickly got over the surprise when I started to slide towards him, not away.

I took his face in my own hands and inclined my head to the side. I leaned in and softly brushed my lips against his.

Erik sat there like a statue, a complete motionless statue. He didn't move, blink, or breathe until he started to slide his hand onto my waist. Slowly, bit by bit, he gave into my kiss.

He started giving in by wrapping his other hand around my waist as well (He seemed to always have some attraction to my waist that I didn't understand), then he inclined his head the opposite way I had, until he started kissing me back.

When I was kissing Erik it didn't seem like time was flying by, but that time had completely stopped. We could have been kissing the entire night and into the day, I didn't know or care. The only reason I stopped was when something came over Erik and he started reaching for the ties of my robe. I ignored his want until he started peeling my robe off of me so that it was now down to my waist. When I felt the cold bone chilling air hit my back I immediately pulled away from Erik, quickly trying to manage tying my robe back around me.

"What were you doing!?" I cried.

Erik sheepishly stood up and looked at me.

I rested my hands on my hips and looked him in the eyes, "Did you just think you could undress me without getting away with it? I'm not stupid you know. I don't sleep with men who I don't know very well either, actually I don't normally sleep with anyone at all. So you can just mark that off your list of things you want to do with Arya." I said coldly.

I suddenly realized I had hurt him...again. God, what was with him being sensitive. It was very irritable.

"I'm sorry, it was wrong of me."

Why was it that he always started his sentences with 'I'm sorry'?

I walked back into the bedroom and suddenly felt exposed, I didn't like men trying to undress me. It had actually been the first time someone had tried, and I didn't like it too well. Maybe Erik was only after one thing, and he didn't want me for anything else. The questions kept racing through my head.

I grabbed a satin pillow and jumped onto the bed, I had the urge to scream so I shoved my head into the pillow and screamed as hard as I could.

All I wanted to do was get out of this cold and chilling place, I couldn't stand to live down here any longer, and it had only been a day.

It all came down to, I had to make a decision... right now.

Christian's POV

I walked through the grimy passageways and through the catacombs of the Opera Populaire.

I had to find Arya, that beast had taken her away... right out of my grasp and it was my duty to find her, because I truly loved her, I think.

I was treading through algae incrusted water, and I was glad to see that water was getting shallower when I turned around a corner. There was a iron rod gate that was closed over an arch way, behind the archway there seemed to be a living area, a very nice one at that too, but I wasn't looking at the living area... I was looking at Arya.

Arya seemed to be fine, she actually looked angry. She was scolding Erik like a mother would to her son, but normally mother's were wearing more than a corset. She was practically naked, and this kind of surprised me.

I saw Arya storm off behind a closed door, I finally had my chance to confront Erik.

I rattled the gate and screamed "Where's Arya! ". Erik whipped around and smiled a devilish smile.

"Good morning Mousier, how are you on this fine morning?".

I rolled my eyes, then shook the cage more. "I'm just fine, considering I've been trying to find this place the entire night. Let me ask one more time, WHERE'S ARYA!?". He was being annoying, and trying to stall time as much as he could.

Erik walked over to a curtain and tugged at one of the ropes, the cage immediately sprung up out of the water and started to rise.

I stopped screaming uselessly when I heard a loud thud come from outside the door.

I propped the pillow on the bed and grabbed onto one of the posts.

I stared at the door, almost hoping that someone would open it itself, I didn't want to back out there.

I heard another thud then following it, a muttered curse. Then someone screaming 'where's Arya' . It had to be Christian.

I ran up to the door and swung it open, I stepped outside to see a Erik with a crazed look on his face, and Christian standing in the middle of the water, drenched head to toe with blood running down his forehead.

I gasped "Christian!" then I ran towards him, almost knocking him down with my embrace.

"What on earth happened to you!?" I cried.

Christian laughed momentarily then shrugged, "I hit it on the gate, I completely fell backwards and landed in the water."

I shortly laughed, then ripped off a piece of my robe and started to dab at his wound.

Christian and I had completely forgotten about Erik, he was standing right behind us watching everything.

He yelled thunderously "Have you made your choice!? Is this who you want to spend the rest of your life with? A penniless producer? Ha!"

I sighed, then turned around to face Erik. "I have made my choice, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait until tonight at the performance to see who I choose. Erik, I will allow Mousier Bouquet to let you be the leading man in Hannibal tonight. My character does not enter until later on in the Opera, if I show up and decide to sing with you, I have chosen you." I breathed, then turned around to face Christian once more. "Christian, if I choose you over Erik, I will come up to your box tonight before the show begins, and we can leave all of this behind." Christian nodded his head, then leaned in and kissed me. It wasn't rough like the first time had been, but soothing, almost like he in fact did love me.

I pulled away when I realized Erik was still watching, "Erik, you're going to have to let me go until tonight. You do realize that?". Erik sighed, then nodded coherently.

Christian took my hand, and lead me out of the lair.

I had made my choice, and I wasn't going to go back on my own word. No matter what I did, they would be disappointed, and I would be disappointed in myself.

So who will she choose!? Hmm, you'll have to find out. Also, tell me thus far what's been your favorite chapter.