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

Chapter 22

Aubrey clung to Erik tighter. "Please don't leave yet." She begged. They were standing out by Erik's car, it was past 9 at night and Aubrey's parents told Erik it was way past time to be home.

"I have to, your mom will have a shit fit if I stay any longer."

Aubrey groaned. "I don't care."

"Well I do, I'll see you tomorrow, it's Friday, then we'll go out on Saturday." Erik said sternly.

"Gah Erik, your such a stickler, but I love you." Aubrey said giving him a smile. She stood up on tip-toes and kissed Erik.

"Don't worry about your dreams Aubrey, if you need me in the middle of the night, call me okay."

Aubrey nodded. "Okay."

"I love you." Erik said softly.

"I love you too." Aubrey replied with a smile.

She watched as Erik got in his car and drove away, and she stood on her porch just thinking. She did love Erik, that much was clear, but things with Harry were complicated now. He would settle for being her friend though right? Well she hoped so. Would it be to late to call him?

Aubrey walked into her house kissed her parents and went to her room grabbing her phone before she fell on the bed.

The phone rang twice before Harry answered. "Hello?"

"Hey Harry, I hope I'm not calling to late." Aubrey said biting her lip.

"Oh, no, not at all, I didn't think you were going to call me back tonight."

"Well I just wanted to let you know what was going on, I knew you would rather know, then be kept in the dark."

"Know what?" Harry asked sadly.

"I don't think it's much of a surprise. You know I love Erik, and I believe him, he didn't kiss Ashley, she kissed him trying to break us up."

"And what about him leaving you in the middle of no where!" Harry asked angrily.

Aubrey sighed. "I know, we have some issues to work out, but I love him."

Harry snorted.

"Please Harry, can we still be friends? I don't want to loose all my friends because I'm dating Erik, and loose you too, I only have you, Jane and Erik left, I don't want you to leave me too."

"Aw Aubrey, don't get upset." Harry said softly.

Aubrey was close to tears. "I can't help it."

"Don't worry, I won't leave. If I can't have you in any other way then friend, then we will be friends, just don't cry okay?"

Aubrey sniffed. "Okay, and Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. I'll see you at school tomorrow okay?"

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

Aubrey hung up the phone feeling better about the whole situation. She rolled over and put her phone back on the charger and changed into her pj's and fell asleep.

She woke to be once again in Phantom Erik's music room and she sighed to herself. She was getting really tired of being in this damn room, and she was surprised to think that thought. Aubrey closed her eyes and told herself to wake up, like her Erik had told her to do, but when she opened her eyes, she was still in Phantom Erik's layer and she moaned.

"I can see your not happy to be back here." Phantom Erik's voice rang out. Aubrey looked around to find him, but couldn't spot him, which didn't surprise her. He was a master of hiding in the shadows and throwing his voice.

Aubrey crossed her arms in front of her chest and snorted. "I guess it's not that hard to see." Aubrey remarked sarcastically.

"Don't act like a child Aubrey, you are not one. Look at you, preparing to throw a temper tantrum like a toddler."

Aubrey uncrossed her arms and walked angrily into the middle of his room. "I'm not going to throw a temper tantrum!" Aubrey shouted at Phantom Erik.

"Turn around and look in the mirror, toddler."

Aubrey took a huge deep breath. "If your going to talk to me, then come out where I can see you."

Aubrey jumped slightly when a hand fell on her shoulder. "God, I hate when you do that!" She screamed at Phantom Erik.

"I'm glad you two made up." Phantom Erik said softly.

"I don't give a shit what you think Erik." Aubrey said rolling her eyes.

"Well, well, feeling a bit feisty today are we? You shouldn't talk to me like that, I can only keep my temper for so long."

"Go ahead, make my day."

Phantom Erik's jaw snapped together, Aubrey could hear the sound of his teeth clicking together, and she suddenly wished his tongue was bit.

"You are testing my patients girl."

"Yeah you are testing mine." Aubrey spat back. His hand came out of no where and slapped her across the cheek. Aubrey was stunned. She tenderly placed her hand to her cheek that burned like the dickens and backed away from Erik until she hit something, it felt like a bookshelf.

"Go away, don't ever visit me again." She somehow got out. She could hear the fear in her own voice.

"I will do what I please, and you will behave now."

Aubrey nodded her head. "Now you will shut up and listen to me. You will go no where near your, friend, do you understand me?"

Aubrey just looked at Phantom Erik, not moving a muscle, her hand still plastered to her cheek where he slapped her. She was getting tired of being slapped around. Aubrey closed her eyes tight and when she opened them she was awake. She rolled over and saw that it was 5 in the morning and she felt tired. How was it possible to have a full nights sleep and be tired when she woke, when she was wrestling with demons in her sleep.

Aubrey sat up and placed her hand to her cheek, it didn't hurt and she jumped up and turned the light on and rushed to her full length mirror. She suddenly got a chill thinking she saw a shadow cross across the mirror. She looked at her face closely, but didn't see any red marks. She let out a sigh of relief.

It was miserable going through her morning routine to get ready for school. She wanted to see Erik desperately. Weather she would tell him about the dream or not, she was still thinking it over. What good would it do to tell him? But then again what harm would it cause?

There was a knock at Aubrey's door and she opened it to see Delilah. "What do you want Lila?" Aubrey asked.

"I just wanted to hang out before school, I never see you anymore."

Aubrey smiled at her younger sister. "I'm sorry, things have just been busy, you know?" Aubrey said throwing her arm over her sisters shoulders.

"Your too busy with Erik." Delilah said drawing Erik out.

Aubrey laughed. "Well were boyfriend and girlfriend, we have to spend time together."

"I know, but he kind of freaks me out."

"Gah Delilah, don't talk about him like that!" Aubrey said taking her arm off Delilah's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, but why does he have that mask. I mean you can't see it from far away, but that was the first time I have ever seen him, you know, up close."

"He was born like that Delilah, and he's sensitive about it, so next time he comes over, don't do anything stupid."

"Geez Rutie, I won't, I just wanted to know what was up."

"Well know you know."

Aubrey was in the kitchen eating her breakfast when she heard Erik's horn beep and she jumped up and out of the door, saying goodbye over her shoulder. Erik was waiting for her on her side of the car and Aubrey ran into his arms.

"Whoo, what's the special treatment for?" Erik asked with a chuckle.

"I just missed you, that's all." Aubrey said snuggling into Erik's chest. Erik wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "There's something else though, right?"

Aubrey nodded her head. "I don't want to talk about it though."

"I figured it was that, I'm really sorry babe."

"I'm just ready to forget about it, can we go to school?"

Erik and Aubrey got to school and was sitting at a table, and it was very uncomfortable. At the table was Aubrey, Erik, Jane, Harry, Dannielle, Ashley, Alice, Natalie, Chad, Alex, and Aaron. Jane, Aubrey, Erik and Harry were sitting at one end of the table, and Dannielle, Ashley, Alice, Natalie, Chad, Alex and Aaron were on the other side. Aubrey was counting down the seconds until the bell would ring and they could all leave and Harry stood up.

"Okay this is ridicules, I can't take it anymore." Harry said pointing to the other side of the table. "You are acting like kids, and I don't think we are going to sit her anymore if you are going to act like this."

"What did I miss?" Jane asked confused.

"They are being rude, trying to hide it in whispers, and I could hear every word. Let's go."

Aubrey's eyebrows went up and shrugged and got up. Her, Jane, Erik and Harry all left the table and sat somewhere else. "Wow I feel a lot better." Harry said and Jane laughed. The bell rang shortly after they left and Erik walked Aubrey to her locker to get her books.

"You don't mind sitting with Harry and Jane do you?" Aubrey asked getting out her books.

"No, if your fine with it, then so am I."

Aubrey flashed Erik a smile and pecked him on the lips. "Thanks Erik. Harry and I are just friends, I really hope that you two can actually be friends, I would really like that."

"Well who knows, stranger things have happened."

Aubrey laughed and slapped him on the arm lightly.

"Ready to get to class?" Erik asked reaching down and grabbing Aubrey's hand.

"I think so. I'm just glad it's Friday, I'm tired of people."

Erik laughed. "That makes two of us."

So this isn't as long as the last chapter, but I have had a killer headache for the last couple days. Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. Raven: I'm not burned out at all, to which I'm thankful for, I just love writing this story, and I'm glad you liked the last two chapters. Thanks to Scarlett Shadowbourne for adding my story to your updates and favorite story list, that means a lot! I'll have another chapter up soon, so please review!!!

Desiree'