CHAPTER 6

I sat in my hidden spot in the ceiling of the theatre, eagerly awaiting Christine's arrival. Now that I had even thought about her sing my music, I was becoming increasingly excited about the prospect. The notes of our duet had haunted me all night and I found myself physically craving her voice.

Unfortunately I hadn't been able to watch the rehearsals for Hannibal today, due to an urgent call from Hades regarding news about our little "good Samaritan." Apparently Rasputin had been into see Tom in prison, and he had given us a description of the girl.

I for one didn't see what the big deal was… So one girl took down one of our hundreds of muggers; that hardly meant that our whole operation was threatened. Sometimes Hades could be so paranoid.

"Erik?" A soft voice gently called from the stage, and I snapped out of my thoughts, nearly falling out of my seat. As the Phantom, I wasn't used to being caught off guard… Christine had managed to enter without me even noticing… How strange.

"Erik?" She called again, a little louder.

"Yes my dear?" I answered, looking down at the stage smiling.

My smile froze on my face.

My beautiful angel was hurt… horrible bruising and scrapes trailed down her beautiful face, and her delicate wrist was wrapped in a tensor bandage.

"I'm sorry angel, but I can't sing today…" She began, but I interrupted her.

"Christine!" I exclaimed in alarm. "What happened?!"

She sat down on the stool I always had sitting on the stage and looked timidly at the floor.

"Well," she started, "I have two bruised ribs, a sprained wrist and some bruising on my face… After our lesson last night I ran into a man mugging an old lady, and I kind of launched myself at his back. When he knocked me off he hit my face pretty hard, and I landed on my wrist weird."

"That doesn't explain the ribs." I stated, still in shock at the horror of seeing my Christine hurt.

"Oh," She blushed a little through the bruising. "He tried to run away, but the police weren't there yet… So I kind of tackled the back of his knees to stop him. He came down on top of me, and it bruised two of my ribs and scraped my face even more."

When I didn't answer, she began talking more frantically. "I'm so sorry, but I can't sing tonight Angel… The doctor said that I can't sing for at least two weeks, until my ribs and my face are healed better."

"There is no need to be sorry Christine," I whispered, a horrible thought beginning to dawn on me, but I pushed it aside. "That was an incredibly brave thing you did, but do you have no sense of self- preservation! Why would you put yourself in such danger! That lady was not your responsibility!"

Christine got a look in her eyes I had never seen before. She looked fierce, and got a steely look of determination in her eyes.

"She was in trouble." She said fiercely, standing up abruptly, with a slight grimace and putting her hands on her slender hips. "And I wasn't going to look the other way while an old lady got beat up… If everyone in this world looked out for each other, the world would be a much better place. It is everyone's responsibility to look out for their fellow people, and it seems to be a responsibility most people ignore!"

She yelled the last word, and then doubled over and clutched her side, taking shallow breaths.

"Christine!" I yelled in alarm.

"It's okay," She panted, "I should have known better than to yell… It hurts like Hell. That's just something I get worked up about is all."

Gradually, she straightened and sat back on the stool.

"I see your point Christine," I said hesitantly, "But the world will always have crime in it, and there is often nothing you can do about it."

"There is always something you can do about it." She said clearly, the same determination coming back in her voice. "You certainly have a shitty attitude for an angel!"

"And you certainly have a serious hero complex for a nineteen year old! I'm just being realistic Christine!" I shot back automatically, shocked at her calling me out on my attitude… She was usually so sweet and timid. "The reality is everyone is not going to look out for each other, so why would you put yourself in danger…"

She interrupted me, pointing right at where I was sitting even though she obviously couldn't see me. "Attitudes like that are why the compassion in the world is dwindling… 'Nobody else will stick up for me, so why stick up for them?' You have to be the start of the movement Erik!" She looked at me with those steely eyes, her eyes literally piercing my soul. "You are incredibly pessimistic for someone who writes such beautiful music."

"And you are incredibly stubborn for someone who is so sweet." I retorted.

The tiniest grin pulled up the corner of her lips. "It only takes one person to change the lives of thousands of people."

"And with a soul like yours my dear, I have no doubt that it will be you." I smiled at the purity and innocence that still radiated off her, even after all of the horrible things life had handed her. An orphan at nineteen… And still she chose to see every beautiful thing in the world! She was truly extraordinary.

"So Angel, tell me, what is your favourite thing to do when you're not giving lessons to random teenage girls?" She asked lightly.

"Firstly, you are the only one that I give lessons to," I smiled, thinking of an answer to her question. "I compose for a large portion of my spare time, or I read."

"I didn't know if an angel would like to read…What do you like to read?" She asked, her eyes lighting up.

I had to think for a moment; I was unused to being asked about myself so much. "Sherlock Holmes, Edgar Allan Poe, and Crime and Punishment are my favourites."

"I like Sherlock Holmes, and I tried reading Edgar Allan Poe and Crime and Punishment, but they were too dark for me. I prefer romances like Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice, but I think Beauty and the Beast is my favourite."

"Those are all very good reads." I found myself smiling more than I ever had in my life in this one night. She read classic novels too? Is there anything Christine Daae can't do? "But Beauty and the Beast is your favourite? That's a children's story!"

"I know," She blushed, "But it's just so beautiful. Belle proves to the beast that he is beautiful, and worth loving even though he believes he is beyond saving. In the end, her love and disregard for his looks end up being his redemption… It's wonderful."

I was shocked into silence. I needed to change the subject… That particular story-line hit too close to home, and I wasn't prepared to deal with it.

"Well Christine," I spoke softly. "Why don't you go home and get some rest? I'm sure you're tired, and your body needs sleep to heal."

"Okay," She whispered. "Goodnight angel."

"Oh Christine?" I called as she began to leave the stage. "Please try and stay out of danger, for me?"

She smiled slightly. "As long as there are no old ladies being mugged." And left through the back door.

Immediately after she left, the thought I had been suppressing shot to the forefront of my mind. Christine had attacked a mugger last night… The same night Hades had mentioned Tom getting taken down… If Christine was the girl Tom had described…

Panic consumed me. She wasn't safe, and if I admitted my attachment to her she would just be in even more danger; My hands were tied.

Just then my phone rang, the caller ID showing it was Hades.

"Phantom," He spoke quickly and purposefully. "We found the name of the girl who attacked Tom."

"Oh? Who?" I asked nonchalantly, it taking everything I had to hid the terror I was feeling.

"Her name is Christine Daae."

AN: First off, I'm so, so sorry for not updating on Friday! *Cowers from angry readers* Life got too busy and I honestly completely forgot… However, that means you don't have to wait as long until Friday, when I PROMISE I'll post the next chapter, and it's much longer than this one Even though you may be mad, can you still find it in your heart to drop me a quick review? First three reviews get previews of the next chapter

Thanks so much for reading!