Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera

Chapter 12

Aubrey looked into Erik's amber eyes. "So what does this mean?" Aubrey asked quietly

Erik cleared his throat. "Never mind Aubrey. Look, this is just…please don't…."

"Whoa Erik, it's okay. Were both young, and we don't have to plan our whole life. I don't want you to freak out, we both like each other, so lets not ruin things we have now, and we'll see where we go."

Erik looked up and smiled. "So am I forgiven for being so rude before?"

Aubrey crossed her arms in front of her and gave him a scowl. "Speaking of that, shame on you for forcing me to do something I didn't want to do. You should be ashamed of yourself." Aubrey said in a mocking scowl.

Erik hung his head, but Aubrey could see a small smile on his face. Aubrey reached and put her fingers under his chin and lifted his face up so he was looking at her.

"Erik how much are you like your great-great-great-great grandfather?" Aubrey asked. She really didn't want to ask him about this because she knew it would make him uneasy. "It doesn't matter to me, I just want to know."

Aubrey saw fire dancing in Erik's eyes, and took a small step back. "Erik, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you mad"

Erik took a deep breath. "No I'm sorry Aubrey. I'm basically the same as him, but not exactly the same." Erik said in a cold voice.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them now. Aubrey heard a crash that shook the whole house. She gasped and look up towards the ceiling.

Erik sighed and said "stay here Aubrey…I'll be back in a second."

Aubrey watched him run out of the room. This was the second time this happened, and curiosity was pulsing through Aubrey. She slowly walked up the stairs, but wasn't sure which way to go from here.

Aubrey decided to head down the left hall way and she could now hear Erik.

"Just get back in bed, I have to take Aubrey home, and I will come home after that and take care of you. Just don't move." Erik said in an annoyed voice.

Aubrey turned and walked quickly back to the stairs, she knew she wouldn't be able to reach the downstairs, but at least she could be on the stairs, and say she was concerned for him, but act like she didn't hear anything.

Just as she suspected the door opened as she reached the stairs.

"What are you doing Aubrey?" Erik asked with anger in his voice.

"I was just concerned about you Erik, is everything okay?"

"Yes. Everything is fine. I should take you home now. The rain has let up a bit."

Aubrey nodded her head and started to make her way down the stairs. She opened the door and stepped out onto the covered porch. Erik was standing next to her, and was holding an umbrella open for her.

Aubrey gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Erik, you are really sweet when you try to be."

A small smile came to Erik's face. "Yeah, that's just the gentleman in me I guess."

Erik walked her to the car and opened the door for her.

Once Erik was in the car, things felt normal between them again. The ride to Aubrey's house went in silence, but a comfortable silence.

"Erik will you be online later?"

"Yeah, we can talk for a bit."

Erik handed her his umbrella when he reached her house. "Oh no I couldn't take your umbrella Erik, you will get all wet." Aubrey said trying to push the umbrella back to Erik.

"Nonsense Aubrey, I will be fine. I'll just park inside the garage, instead of at the curb."

Aubrey shrugged. "If you insist." Aubrey grabbed the umbrella out of his hand, but before she could grab it all the way he reached for her with his other hand.

"You know I really like you right?" Erik said without looking at her. "But like I said last night. I will wait for you, if you aren't ready for our relationship to go public."

"Thank you Erik. I think we should wait before we tell other people, after all Harry and I did just break up, people would get the wrong impression."

"Okay. Just let me know…you know when we can go public. I don't want to get you in trouble with your friends if I held your hand or kissed you."

Aubrey's breath went up. "Well you know if were not around people that is okay. I don't mind." Aubrey said as she squeezed his hand.

She expected for him to lean over the seat and kiss her, but after a couple minutes of him not doing it, she didn't think he was going to.

"Well I should let you get home. I'll talk to you later tonight Erik."

Aubrey opened the car door, and opened the umbrella and ran into her house. She closed the door and put her back against it. The butterflies in her stomach were still going strong, and she wished Erik would have kissed her.

"Aubrey is that you?!" Her mother shouted.

"Yeah it's me."

Lacey rushed into the room and grabbed Aubrey by he shoulders.

"I have been so worried about you. I head about an accident, and I though it was you and Erik! Have you been at the park the whole time? It's pouring rain."

"Mom, mom, mom, please calm down. After it started to rain we went over to Erik's house and hung out for a bit."

"Well why didn't you call me, I have been worried sick! I said you could go to the park with Erik, not his house. Were his parents even home?"

Aubrey was sure that it was one of his parents that Erik was talking to upstairs, but wasn't 100% sure.

"Of course his parents were home mom. Geez what kind of girl do you thin I am?" Aubrey asked rolling her eyes.

"Don't take the tone with me Aubrey! I'm your mother, you will respect me."

"I'm sorry mom. Your right. Next time I will call you so you won't worry."

"Your grounded for a week Aubrey. No internet, no phone, you come straight home from school. Your friends can pick you up and drop you off, and that's it."

"WHAT! That's not fair mom. I told you, I just wasn't thinking. It won't happen again." Aubrey screamed at her mother.

"Your right you won't do it again." Lacey said as she walked out of the room.

Aubrey ran upstairs and slammed the door. She was going to get online real quick and send an e-mail to Erik to let him know what was going on. She clicked on the internet icon and waited for it to dial up, but it never did.

Aubrey looked at the back of her computer and realized the phone line was missing from her computer.

Then she went to her phone and saw the same thing, the phone line was missing.

This was so unfair! How could her mother treat her so unfairly!

Then a plan hit her. Aubrey rushed into the hall way and opened the door to Delilah's bedroom.

"Hey! Have you ever heard of knocking?" Delilah asked Aubrey as she closed the door.

"I need you to do me a favor." Aubrey asked quickly.

"And why should I?"

"It doesn't matter. I need you to call this number, and tell the guy that answers that I'm grounded." Aubrey said as she wrote down Erik's number. "Also tell him to pick me up for school. Then when you get done with that, call this number." Aubrey said as she wrote down another number. "Ask for Jane and tell her that Erik will be picking me up for school tomorrow."

"And what do I get if I do this?" Delilah asked folding her arms across her chest.

"Come on Lila…please. I would do it for you." Aubrey said pleading with her sister.

"Well okay." Delilah said.

Aubrey let out a small squeal and hugged her sister. "Oh and don't tell mom or dad, okay."

Delilah nodded her head. Aubrey went back to her room and laid on her bed and let the boredom take over.

After an hour of thinking about what had happened with Erik today her mother came into the room. "Dinner's ready."

"Okay I'll be right down." Aubrey said softly.

Her mother left her room and Aubrey slowly rolled off her bed and followed. When dinner was done Aubrey went back to her room. With nothing to do Aubrey went to sleep early, and of course dreamt of Erik. Both Erik's.

"So I see you are finally taking my advice to heart." Phantom Erik said.

"Yes, and now I'm grounded." Aubrey mumbled.

"I told you that you like him, and he liked you." Phantom Erik said.

"Yeah, yeah. I hear you." Aubrey said rolling her eyes.

"Just be good to each other." Phantom Erik said. He motioned for someone to join him and I looked around and my Erik walked into the room.

I ran over to him and threw myself in his arms.

"Aubrey I love you." Erik whispered in my ear.

"I love you too Erik. We will be together forever, I will break your so called curse." Aubrey said.

"I hope so Aubrey, I really do." Erik said and leaned down and kissed me.

So did you like it? I hope so, please review and tell me what you think of it, or if you have suggestions or anything. I want to say thank you to all my wonderful readers, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be writing this story. I also want to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed, or added my story to their alert, or favorite list. Also the the wonderful people who added me to their favorite author list. That means so much to me!

Desiree'