Now, why should you feel sorry for Erik. I think this chapter more than clears that up for all you.
Of course, people always feel sorry for him anyways, but this will probably make you feel even more so than before. For this story at least.

Erik, being a very generous person, if he did say so himself, allowed Amme to return to the theatre on the condition she come back every Saturday and Sunday. She seemed a little put out agreeing to it, but agree to it she did. Otherwise, he would have kept her down with him.

The first person she came face to face with when she returned was none other than Joshua Eddison.

"Amme!" He cried. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you!"

"That's ridiculous," Amme protested. "Joshua, I can take care of myself perfectly well."

"Even so, Amme," he sighed. "Well, you're back now, and that's the important part."

A man standing behind Joshua cleared his throat.

"Right," Joshua said, looking rather sour. "Amme, this is Michel Leclerc. He asked me to introduce you to him."

"It's wonderful to finally meet you, Ms. Eledhwen." The man, Michel Leclerc said politely. "I've heard so many things about you."

"Really?" Amme asked slightly stiffly. "Some of it was good, I trust?"

"All of it," he assured her, smiling. He was very good-looking, and had a gorgeous smile.

Amme was vexed to find herself blushing.

"Alright, alright," Joshua stepped in between them. "Don't need to charm her like that, Michel. It isn't fair to the rest of us."

Michel just continued to smile. "I hope, Ms. Eledhwen, we can get to know each other some other time? I believe Joshua wants a turn with you."

Amme's blush deepened.

As always, the Phantom was watching. Now he was getting really annoyed. It came down to this, did it? Joshua Eddison made her laugh, Michel Leclerc made her blush, Erik Destler made her glare and cry. And who do you think she would chose? Honestly now.

He should have remembered to put the no more men part in their agreement.

Amme walked dreamily back to her temporary home. Starlight and Fate both were worried about her, and seeing her looking so starry-eyed made them even more anxious.

What's going on, Amme? Fate asked.

"Oh," Amme sighed. "I just met someone today."

Someone? Starlight frowned a cat frown. As in…a man?

"Yeah…" the elf smiled.

You're acting like a human, Amme, Starlight informed her.

Amme blinked herself into the real world. "I am not!"

Actually, Amme, Fate neighed. I have to agree with Starlight on this one. You look like you're in some lovesick daze.

"I'm not in love," Amme snapped, now thoroughly annoyed.

That's better, Starlight approved. She hopped onto Amme's shoulder. You may pet me now.

"Oh, what an honor." But Amme obeyed Starlight, petting her until the kitten nearly had hysterics.

Amme, walking to the theatre, was intercepted by Michel Leclerc.

"Oh! Monsieur Leclerc! I didn't see you there." That was a lie; Amme had been well aware of his location. She just didn't want to let on.

"Please, Ms. Eledhwen. Please call me Michel," he smiled a winning smile.

The elf blushed. Why did she keep doing that? "In that case…please call me Amme."

"Very well, Amme. Do you mind if I walk you to the opera house?"

Amme frantically shook her head. "No, but I'm almost there, so…"

"It doesn't matter. The more time I spend in your company, the happy I am."

Erik was once again watching this, and was not happy about it. Did she really like those lines? He had seen hundreds of men using them just to charm a girl, and then, after he left her, used them again on another unsuspecting woman. Erik could probably write a few books on it.

Back on the ground, Amme was giving every sign of being charmed. It was disgusting to watch, for Erik anyways. Meg, who was behind her, looked like she thought it was adorable.

Wasn't that just typical?

"How would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night?" Michel was asking.

"Oh, no, I can't," Amme said. "I'm going with Joshua. Again." She couldn't help adding.

"I'm sure he won't mind, just this once." He smiled at her again.

Amme stuck her chin out stubbornly. "I promised Joshua, and I can't break my promise."

"Of course," Michel backtracked quickly. "I would never want you to go back on your word. We can set up another time."

"I suppose so," She said, suddenly uneasy. "Just dinner? Nothing more?"

"Not if you don't want anything more."

"All right, then," Amme nodded. "I…have to go. Excuse me." She hurried off.

Erik paced back and forth underground. Laetitia watched him, frowning.

"Do you really think she likes him that much?" The mermaid asked.

"I don't know!" He stopped short. "I…I just don't know. She seems to, but one can never tell, right?"

"Of course not," Laetitia reassured him.

"I mean," he continued. "Amme hasn't told anyone, so how could anyone know, right?"

"Exactly."

"Just because she always blushes around him, and laughs at every stupid, bloody joke he says, and stares at him for long intervals of time, that doesn't mean much, does it?"

Laetitia couldn't lie with that one. "Um, bossman? I think you need to stop fooling yourself. Really, stop."

Erik sat down at his organ and put his face in his hands. "Do you think she'd mind if I killed him?"

"Probably, but why has that ever stopped you before?"

He started playing the organ. Actually, it was more pounding on the organ. "He's worse than Eddison. At least he had the decency to not make her blush."

"Yes, what kind of despicable person would make a girl blush?" Laetitia said with a straight face.

Erik turned to glare at her. "You know, you're not making this any easier."

"I'm sorry." The mermaid dove underwater.

Erik went over to his desk, seized some paper and a quill, and started frantically drawing a portrait of Amme. A single tear rolled down his cheek when he realized he might lose her before he fully had her.

"Amme?"

The elf jumped about a foot when Erik called her name. "Don't do that!" She snapped.

"Do what?"

"Surprise me like that."

Erik frowned. "You don't seem to get surprised whenever someone approaches you unexpectedly."

"That's different. I can't sense you."

He stared. "Excuse me? I thought you just said…"

"Elves can sense people whenever they're close to them. No matter what species. But I can't with you. Satisfied?"

"I suppose so."

Amme sighed. "Do you want something?"

Erik was still marveling over how she couldn't "sense" him. "What? Oh, of course." His gloom returned. Taking a deep breath, he said, "How much do you like Michel Leclerc?"

"Who says I like him?"

"You blush every damn moment you look at him, Amme Eledhwen. Don't try to play innocent; you know what I mean."

"I don't see how that's any of your business. Oh, and by the way, can I skip going down with you this week? Michel said he made reservations to a nice restaurant, and I want to be there."

Erik felt cold. "You didn't allow him to break your word with Eddison, but with me it's alright? Is that really how you regard me?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Amme snapped. "You practically made me promise my every weekend with you. Don't I deserve a few off? Anyways, he made reservations! He can't break those."

"But you can break your promise to me."

"I'm not breaking it!" She said, frustrated. "I'm just…postponing it for a bit! It's not that big of a deal!"

"It is to me!" The Phantom hissed. "And no, you will come just as we agreed! This Saturday, no excuses!"

Amme stared at him. "Is this why Christine left you?" She asked slowly. "Because you're such a tyrant?"

"I am not a tyrant!"

"Really? It seems like it to me." She sighed. "You can't tell me what to do or where to go. I need my freedom; you need to understand that. If I don't have it, I really don't have anything."

With that, she turned around and left.

"Well, it's official."

Laetitia looked up. "What is?"

"I am, in fact, a total idiot."

"I knew that already."

Erik scowled at her. "You aren't making me feel any better about myself."

She yawned. "I wasn't aware I was suppose to."

"Go away!" He snapped. Laetitia happily went.

He sank down into a chair. Why was his life always like this? One misery after another, no breaks of happiness in between. He reached out to touch the closest drawing of Amme. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. She was so beautiful, and…

"Bossman?"

He turned, annoyed again. "I thought I told you to go away?"

"You did, but there's a woman by the lake. A woman who looks suspiciously like an Amme Eledhwen we all know."

Erik was out of his chair, in the boat, and rowing across the lake in an instant.

Laetitia watched him go. "That's just sad."

Shaking her head, she sank back into the lake.

Amme was, indeed, waiting for him by the lake. She didn't look up as he tied up the boat and walked over to her.

"Amme?"

"I'm very sorry for the way I treated you last time. I was planning on breaking my word, and it was very wrong of me to do so."

"Is that really all you came here for?" The Phantom asked, now very cross. "Because you about thinking about breaking your word? Is that it?"

"Not everything." She put both hands behind her back and looked him straight in the eye. "I'm getting married."

Erik didn't believe her. There was no way it could be true. "No, no, you're not."

"Yes, I am. Michel proposed to me only a half hour ago, and I said yes."

"That's impossible. You barely know him!"

"How do you know that?"

How could she stand there, so calmly, while his world shattered into pieces? "You're just saying this so you won't have to come to me on the weekends!"

"Why would you think that?"

"Because you don't want me! And I love you! Do I make myself clear? I—love—you!"

Amme took a step back. "You can't love me! I'm marrying Michel!"

Erik took two steps forward. "But I do. And it doesn't matter who you get engaged to, because I'll kill him just the same as anyone else!"

She gasped. "If you lay one finger on him!"

"You'll what?" He retorted. "There's nothing you can threaten me with now, Amme! You took that power away yourself!"

"I can kill you just as effectively as you can kill Michel." Amme snapped. "I'll just be feeling a little worse about it in the morning. But I assure you, it won't last!"

They both glared at each other. Finally, Amme broke the silence by saying, "Why do we always seem to part on such horrible terms?"

"Why? Because you're stupid enough to get yourself betrothed to some man you don't even know! Heaven, earth, and hell! And I thought I was acting like an idiot!"

Amme's mouth tightened. "If that's the way it's going to be. I don't suppose we'll be seeing each other again, monsieur."

"I don't suppose so, mademoiselle."

With that, they both turned and left.

Okay then! I told you I'd introduce you to someone new to hate. Do you hate him yet? If you don't I'm fairly certain you will after the next chapter. And if you want Josh to be the one you can loathe more than anything, don't worry: his time will come.
Eventually.

Now then, progress reports! (Told you I'd do these once in a while. I know I've only done them twice so far, but hey…)

Erik- hates Amme.

Amme- hates Erik. (That works out fairly well, doesn't it?)

Josh- not important. (Ha ha ha!)

Michel- can't talk about him very long without insulting him, the [insert worst insult you can think of here].