Chapter Three

My lessons spanned across the weeks and the Phantom seemed only mildly content with our progress. Our lessons always lasted a couple hours every Tuesday at seven o' clock. We never varied from this schedule and our location, my room, never changed. My disappointment at this remained hidden from him, along with my unhealthy obsession with him. I suppose it was my fault for falling into my childhood stories but doesn't everyone need someone to look up too.

"You're not focusing." Erik stated looking cross as my lost expression. "I do not waste my time, Miss Giry."

"Oh, I'm sure you spend nights doing nothing, everyone wastes their time occasionally Phantom." I quipped back at him. He sighed in frustration and removed himself from my bed where he always ended up laying, a secret joy of mine as his scent lingered after he'd gone.

"I'll see you next Tuesday." He stated.

"So that's it, once you get frustrated with your students you resign yourself to pushing off the lessons." I snapped also standing and stepping toward him. "Playing so carefully with me will get you nowhere, artists who don't take risks never succeed." Erik stopped moving and turned to look at me.

"You speak against the way I operate my theatre?" He asked his voicing going lower than I heard before and I gave him a once over: the man's body had tensed, fists clenched, and jaw tightened looking ready for a fight.

Normally I'd have kept my mouth shut in fear of losing his lessons which were slowly improving my voice, but I figured if he kept me at a distance like this we'd never accomplish the important lessons, for the both of us. "Yes, I do."

He tensed further, "Then please Miss Giry tell me what I'm doing wrong."

"You're afraid." I said simply and I knew my words caught him off guard when surprise flittered across his face. "You're afraid that if you really put your faith in training me the past will repeat itself. Well you're wrong."

"And how am I wrong? My previous student... she was a disappointment."

"I'll see you on Tuesday, Phantom." I said softly moving away from him and toward my door. "You'll never change unless you wish to." Closing my eyes from the memories, pain and tears. "People don't learn unless they want to, and I only know one way to teach a lesson and I doubt it would suit you." My hand reached out shaking as I grasped the door handle and pulled it open. "Please leave."

He stared at me as if he'd never seen pain on someone beside himself before. He looked at me as if he never once thought of how I was human just like him. "Miss Giry, I believe I choose when I leave."

Shaking my head in frustration, he could not see me in pain. I wouldn't have him thinking his investment was a weak one. "I said please leave." He opened his mouth to say something but I cut in again. "I said get out."

Straightening himself out he walked from the room. "As you wish." Pushing the door closed I let myself slide down the door onto my knees and let myself begin to shake again. Tonight was going to be one of those nights.

ERIK

Striding from my lair toward the main stage of my opera house I let Miss Giry fade from my mind even though her words had struck a chord with me. To banish the worrisome thoughts I had decided to watch how the newest musical was progressing and although last night had been taxing I had decided tutoring her was still a good idea.

Settling in my box I stared down at the stage and immediately caught the movement of my pupil. She looked different today her shoulders were dropped and her blonde head remained facing the floor; not to mention her dress was a long sleeve turtleneck of the darkest purple. Natalie Giry looked lost to the world and I noticed the concerned looks being shot toward her by her family.

It dawned on my quite suddenly that it was most likely due to me. I was the cause of her depressed stupor and now I suddenly felt like a fool. Perhaps she was right and I had been too distant; I pretended like I could teach someone and expect them to learn from someone who was determined to be a stranger. Learning comes far better when around someone you're comfortable with.

My actions had been hasty and she had been right to call me out on my ridiculous behavior. Deciding to both apologize and add more lessons I turned back to my depressed pupil. Startled, I took in the scene before me; Carlotta was livid prancing about the stage and Natalie stood in the middle looking tired of all of the things she had to put up with but what stood out was the rage staining Meg's face.

She charged forward, "My sister did not... do the things you are insinuating!"

"Meggy." Her adopted sister called alarmed. "Go back to your lessons."

"No, she has no right to say those things about you. She- she is just some absolute-"

"That's enough Meg." Natalie commanded her sister to silence, who immediately responded by hanging her head in shame. "Return to your lesson little sister, this does not concern you." Meg, eyes shining, returned to the rest of the ballerinas.

"Now if we could return to the task at hand La Carlotta." She stated roughly. I watched the rest of the evening play out and left a few minutes early to sneak up to Natalie's room hoping to talk to her but by the time I reached her room it was already occupied by her younger sister. Not wishing to scare her I stayed behind the mirror and waited for her to leave.

Natalie returned to her room as if she expected to find Meg there and gave her a soft smile when she saw her. "I'm sorry little one."

"It's okay." Meg said always being very forgiving. "I was just worried about you is all. What's wrong?"

Natalie smiled softly at her sister conjuring up a soft face I had not until a moment ago seen her make. "Nothing you need to worry about, Meggy." Unsatisfied by her response Meg bumped shoulders with her sister.

"Come on, you can talk to me."

"I know I can, Meg." Natalie wrapped an arm around the younger of them. "I just miss what I never had you know."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's nothing for you to worry your head over alright. Now please leave me to rest." Meg nodded respecting her sister's wishes and left throwing a still concerned look over her shoulder as she left. After I was sure she wouldn't return I headed into the hall and knocked on her door still not ready to reveal my mirror passage. She opened the door roughly and quickly ushered me in.

"Phantom." She greeted simply. "Our appointment is not due until next Tuesday."

"Today has no doubt been taxing to both your mental and physical health," I began walking further into the room toward my normal spot, "And it occurred to me that you were in the need of an apology."

She swung her head back and forth gently and spoke softly, "Yesterday and today they're very important days for me and I'm afraid I was far to testing with you. It's I who should be owing you that apology."

"Well regardless our lessons were taught through horrendous teaching methods and I plan to truly put forth the effort to make you the lead of the theatre. La Carlotta has spent far too much time in my opera house."

She nodded in mild agreement, her distaste for the current lead obvious in her disgusted expression. "So is this a lesson?"

"Of a certain variety." I responded and then continued as I watched her eyebrow rise. "This lesson is to make you more comfortable with me and I with you." My words seemed to amuse her and as a smile spread across her face I noticed how she quickly filed the expression away as if she didn't want me to see. "Is something amusing, Miss Giry?"

"No, nothing at all." She lied. "If we're are to become more acquainted perhaps you should try calling me by my name."

"Perhaps." I responded stiffening. This was never a going on with Christine, she never wanted to become closer to me. Perhaps it was because she thought she already knew me but this experience, this honesty, was new to me. "If that is what you wish, Natalie."

The young woman in front of me grinned and responded lightly, "See we're making progress, Erik." I froze at the sound of my name, it sounded almost off to me as I heard it so little.

"Don't worry I feel the same way when I hear my old name. Antoinette has said it a few times." She sympathised with me. Confusion rushed through me at the declaration and she too seemed surprised by her own words.

"What's your name?" I found myself asking without considering the consequence of my words.

"That's a very personal question, Phantom." She stated stiffly all emotion fading from her voice.

"For another day then."

"Or no day." She softly warned me and I saw how suddenly unmoving and blank she had become and I realized she didn't talk about her past lightly, but neither did I.

"Then what would you wish to speak of?"

"Nothing," She suddenly looked uncertain, "Would you just sit with me? I've never been alone...on this day." So I granted her wish and led her to the bed and sat next to her. And we sat there with me humming softly until she drifted off to sleep and I slipped away concerned because I could sense it bubbling inside of me. Being alone... it was seemingly unbecoming for the both of us.