A/N: Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the reviews! They are like little rays of sunshine. And I was so glad to see you came back and reviewed again, bwayphantomrose. You were one of the people whose review helped me decide to continue this, so thanks again for reviewing!

So onto the next chapter. We are back with Christine and Erik. It begins with a little reflection from a diary of Christine's from a future point (not so distant or distant, who knows!(",) ) Then we pick up right where we left off, at the point where they have passed through the mirror.

Enjoy! As always, please review and let me know what you think! (",)

Chapter 3

Silence Is Deafening

I knew that life with Erik would not be an easy one. I had always known that, it was part of the reason why I had hesitated so long in my decision to surrender to him.

He was a difficult and wounded man, so badly damaged by the world he had all but turned his back on it.

I was faced with the daunting task of drawing him back into it.

I, who was, in some ways, just as damaged as him. But I had made my choice; he was more often the one who needed convincing of that fact.

Our path was certainly not a smooth one…

- Extract from the Diary of Christine

As the mirror closed behind us, and his lips met mine, Erik seemed to forget any hesitancy he may have had about sharing such intimacy with me. We had never kissed before; he had never even boldly caressed me when I wasn't under the spell of his heavenly voice. He had embraced me earlier only because the sight of my tears always seemed to break through his many defences a little. With Erik, all contact had been gentle, almost ghostly and so painfully hesitant, though he tried not to show it.

But basking in the afterglow of his joyous triumph, he was in control as his lips moved over mine, and for that blissful moment I lost myself in his embrace. Such passion I felt, such love. I felt like crying all over again but I was afraid he would misinterpret my tears.

However, all things must end and our first kiss was no exception. As we drew apart, I felt a shudder pass through him. Reality was setting in, and I watched sadly as his eyes lost their dreamy joy and became guarded again. I knew that there was nothing I could do in that moment to break through to him, he was still so vulnerable. Instead, I merely offered him my hand. I tried to smile but the withdrawal of his warmth had affected me more than I ever would have expected. The tunnel had become unbearably cold.

Sadness continued to pierce my aching heart as Erik regarded my outstretched hand with a wary intensity. I had never initiated physical contact between us. Most of the times we touched I was barely myself, never fully aware of the importance of such a simple thing as physical contact. It would always be important to Erik.

I received it everyday but Erik… He'd once told me that his mother could barely hold him when he was an infant. Touch to Erik meant cruelty, I so longed to erase that.

I wanted to embrace him again and I marvelled at my newfound strength…and couldn't help but worry about when it ran out.

The air was charged with tension and I felt I couldn't bear to stand there a moment more. I gave him no more time to think about it, I would have to be bolder if I wanted to be happy with Erik. I grabbed his hand and held on tight when he tried to pull it away.

"Please, it is so dark, I simply cannot walk unassisted. Please…"

I thought I detected a flash of hurt in his eyes but he hid it quickly. Perhaps my rationalization for holding his hand made it seem too trivial for him. I had only done so to make him feel more comfortable, instead, it seemed I had robbed him of an important moment. I squeezed his hand gently; it was all the apology I could give him. The slight softening of his eyes gave me hope that he understood.

I thought he would instantly hurry us along but still we lingered just beyond the mirror, in darkness aside from a weak torch on the wall. It was by the light of this that I caught a glimpse of the rose, on the floor in my room…A room that Raoul would be returning to soon.

Expecting to find me, instead he would find that lonely rose…and he would know. A new sense of urgency filled me, not allowing me any time to mourn my lost romance. It was of the utmost importance that we be far from this place by the time Raoul pieced things together. A confrontation between he and Erik would end in nothing but death and despair. And I couldn't bear the thought of either man's demise.

"We must go, now!" I urged, attempting to pull Erik along with me, despite being disorientated by the darkness. But Erik held fast, effectively stopping me and causing my frustration and unease to mount.

He had been so eager to be away from the place just a moment before and now he wanted to linger!

Turning back to him I was startled to find that he had moved closer. There was a strange look in his eyes. They seemed to gleam and it was dangerously intoxicating. But I knew that we could not stay there any more, our time was running out.

"Erik, please, we must go! Ra…I will soon be missed."

It was only after the words had left my mouth, and I watched the rejection manifest itself in his ever-changing eyes, that I realised that he had meant to try and kiss me again.

And I had rejected his advances…inadvertently, of course, but it made no difference in his eyes. Well, we are off to a good start are we not, my Angel?

I think he sensed that part of my eagerness to be on our way had to do with Raoul. It only added to the fresh wound on his ego that I had inflicted.

There was anger in his grip now as he began to lead me through the darkness, leaving the torch on the wall. I could feel it barely restrained, simmering just under the surface, and I wondered if this was what our life would be like together.

A labyrinth of misunderstandings and pain, through which we would stumble blindly, always knocking each other down.

I had chosen Erik and I was not about to change my mind, but I did not want to live like that for the rest of my life.

The rest of our journey was made in silence. Down, down, down we went. I had forgotten how deep down Erik's home was. It was like being led down into the Underworld. But my old life was dead now, so this was fitting, no?

The silence began to torment me. Finally, having crossed the lake, we arrived at Erik's home.

"Go. Pack." Erik released my hand as though it was poisonous, and turned his back on me as he retreated to his own room. His door swung shut with a bang.

Now I was the one to feel the bitter sting of rejection. Miserably, I entered the room here that was deemed mine, and began to pack things in a satchel that I found in the wardrobe. I didn't mind that I had no clothes from home to pack. The things Erik had purchased for me where so much finer, and I had no real personal items that I would miss. They were all here, in this strange yet fascinating home.

It occurred to me that I had no idea where we were going, and so had no real idea of what to bring. But I didn't dare disturb Erik yet. So I merely filled the bag with as much as I could find, and hoped it would be suitable. Taking a deep breath, I dared to leave the room and search for Erik.

I did not have to look far. He had returned to the main room, apparently packed and ready to go. He was not facing me. He was looking to the side and absentmindedly touching his lips. "My first." He whispered to himself.

Instantly, I knew to what he referred. Our kiss in the tunnel earlier…it had been his first. I hadn't really thought about it but it was so obvious now. If he had rarely been touched, how could he have been kissed?

Walking towards him, I reached out to caress his face, praying he would allow it. He did. The look on his face was so strangely childlike, that I felt a sob catch in my throat. He gasped quietly and his eyes slid shut as I brushed my thumb across his lip. "Oh, Angel…" I murmured. His eyes snapped open and he pulled away from me sharply. "Do not call me that! Never again."

He was like a wounded animal, recoiling from me and lashing out to protect himself.

"But you were, you are…you will always be."

"NO!" His shout startled us both. "The Angel is dead. There is only Erik here. You promised that would be enough. Would you go back on your word again, Christine?" The last words were hurled cruelly at me and I visibly flinched.

How could I make him understand that, flawed as he was, he and the Angel were one and the same? That they were mine. That I loved them both. It would take time.

His reaction proved to me that I was still not trusted, still not forgiven.

Perhaps if I told him I loved him now, he would sense the truth of my words, and allow me to spend the rest of my life showing him how true they were. Yes, that would help to heal him, wouldn't it? Perhaps then he would forgive me. I so wanted forgiveness!

Again, I reached for him, "Erik, I lo…" He turned away before I could finish.

His voice was quiet and strained, "No, Christine." I was starting to hate that word.

"I cannot listen to this tonight. I could not believe…I cannot believe! Not now! Not now." Such pain radiating from his voice, and finding a home in my heart.

I had tried to bring us closer and still he kept me at arms' length. He wasn't ready, would he ever be? Tears began to trail silently down my face.

"We will travel to a house I own outside the city. Once there, I will plot our next move." His voice had regained a certain composure. But as he turned to me the sight of my tears broke through the coldness in his eyes, once again.

He raised his hand to my face but did not make contact with it; still I felt the heat of his hand as though he had. "Christine I lo…"

"No, Erik…I…not now." If I could not say it to him, how could I allow him to say it to me? No, I knew he loved me but in that moment I didn't want to hear it, knowing that he didn't believe in my love.

I expected him to be angry but he merely nodded sadly and dropped his hand.

I think he understood.

I closed my eyes to calm myself and was surprised to feel Erik's lips on my forehead. I could hardly say that he pressed them to it for it was much too soft for that.

His kiss was like a butterfly brushing its wings against my skin, and I couldn't help but lean into it. Drawing back, he continued to surprise me as he held out his hand to me. I knew what it took for him to do this and so I did not hesitate in placing my hand in his. It seemed that, perhaps, Erik had realised that he would have to be bold also. This was a hopeful sign, surely, it was.

Without another word, we were on our way. Once more, I followed as he led, no light to guide him.

We made not a sound but the air thrummed with all we did not say. The silence was deafening…

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x Restless and Tempted x