Eleana walked around Erik's lair looking at the mess it contained. Shattered glass seemed to cover most of the lairs floor due to the series of broken mirrors. She almost asked if he broke them himself, but then decided it would be best not to.

As she observed the mess, her eyes caught on a small replica of the the Opera House.

"Monsieur-

"Please, call me Erik." he interrupted as he gathered the music sheets that were thrown across his lair.

"Erik, what is this?"

He looked up from what he was doing, glanced by Eleana and quickly shifted his eyes to the object she was pointing at.

"That, Eleana, is what my Opera House will look like when I am done restoring it."

She took a closer look at the replica of the Opera, now noticing all the differences from what it used to look like that she overlooked.

"You're planning on fixing it?"

"Yes, I thought I made myself very clear, did I not?" Erik smirked at her and went back to collecting his music sheets.

"I thought you did not want people to know you were alive, how are you supposed to hire someone?"

"I do not need to hire someone, I am perfectly capable of reconstructing it myself."

Their was no hint of anger in his voice, he was simply stating a fact.

"Surly you can not build it as perfect as it originally was. Whoever designed the Opera Populaire must be a genius, I wish I could meet him."

"You already have, and thank you." Erik smiled at her as he grabbed the last music sheet off the floor.

"You mean you are an architect?"

"Yes, I am."

Eleana thought about this for a moment. How could he rebuild the Opera Populaire all by himself without any help? How would he buy his supplies? How would he build it without anyone noticing?

"Could I help?" Eleana blurted out before she even knew what she was saying and instantly wanted to take it back.

"I'm sorry?"

"With the Opera House, what if I came more often and helped you?"

"I am not sure, do you have any experience in this kind of stuff Mademoiselle?"

"I once built a birdhouse with my father if that counts." Eleana giggled silently.

Erik did not answer her question, instead he began to organize the papers he collected, she assumed he was trying to put them back in the right order.

Eleana needed a reason to come to his home more often. Her loneliness at her inn was beginning to drive her crazy. She wondered how Erik was capable of being a lone. Or was that part of his facade?

"Well, I am a good cleaner, I'm the only girl sibling in my family and I'm used to cleaning big messes because of having two big brothers and all."

Erik looked up from what he was doing and spoke, "I could use an extra pair of hands around here."

Eleana felt a huge smile form upon her face. Eleana watched Erik as he began to prepare their first singing lesson. His unmasked half of his face looked very concentrated and mature. He was wearing his black pants and white shirt that revealed some of his chest. She could not help but stare at his muscles and then linger towards his lips. She wondered what it would be like kissing him. Eleana starred at him fantasizing when she snapped back into reality, realizing Erik was shaking her trying to get her attention.

Erik tried his best to not stare at Eleana. She looked more beautiful today than she had ever seen her if that was even possible. Her blond hair was left down and wore a light purple dress that suited her figure perfectly. He pretended to be busy by rearranging the music sheets that were in his hands for the tenth time. Finally when Erik could not stand the silence going on between him and Eleana, he decided to begin their lesson.

"Okay, we are going to do some simple breathing exercises so you can learn how to hold your notes higher and longer." Erik said as he looked at Eleana.

She had seemed to not acknowledge one word that came from his mouth. She was biting her lip with her head titled slightly to the left, starring out to nothingness.

"Eleana are you alright?" Erik said concerned.

Once again he did not get an reply. He slowly walked up to Eleana and shook her slightly trying to get her attention.

"Eleana!"

She gasped loudly and looked at him as if she had no idea what just happened. Her face turned a deep shade of scarlet and looked down at her feet trying to hide her humiliation.

"I'm sorry, I do not know what happened."

Erik was confused and was curious of what she could possibly be day dreaming of, but decided not to get into her business. He had forgotten all his grip on her and pulled his hand away quickly, slowly feeling her warmth leave his hand, until it returned to its normal temperature.

"As I was saying, we are going to begin with some breathing exercise so that way you can hold your notes higher and longer."

Eleana felt so stupid. She let her hormones get to the best of her like a silly school girl. She looked down not wanting Erik to see her embarrassment which would obviously give away what she was thinking about. Eleana felt Erik's hand on her and felt butterflies rise within her stomach. He soon then withdrew his hand so quickly it was as if she burned him.

"As I was saying, we are going to begin with some breathing exercise so that way you can hold your notes higher and longer." Erik repeated so she knew what he was trying to tell her earlier.

Eleana began to walk up to Erik's pipe organ, which is where he was standing, to begin the lesson.

Erik explained to her how to breath with your stomach, which sounded impossible, and placed his hand on her stomach showing her how to do it properly.

As soon as he did so, Eleana could not help but feel the butterflies rise inside her once again. Her breathing began to exhilarate.

"Mademoiselle, perhaps this is not the best day for you to have your lesson."

"No, it's fine I'm just nervous, that's all."

Erik nodded in acknowledgment and continued on his lesson.

Eleana had lied straight to his face. Why was she feeling this way? She loved the boy from the freak show and yet she was acting as if she liked Erik.

Its just my nerves that's all.

After they had completed Eleana's singing lesson, Erik watched Eleana wander about his lair freely. She obviously did not want to leave anymore than Erik wanted her to. He could tell she was thinking of something to talk about to break the silence. Erik did not mind the silence, he found it comforting much unlike Eleana.

"What do you do for a living?" Eleana asked beginning to approach Erik.

"I am an architect, composure, a teacher, and a singer."

She looked absolutely amazed by this. Erik was pleased that he had impressed her.

"Could I hear you sing?"

Erik was caught off guard by her question.

Could I sing anymore? I have not sung once since that night two years ago.

"I'm sorry, Eleana, but not tonight."

She did not seem surprised about his answer. Erik felt bad that he could not sing for her, he wanted to be able to win her over, to show her his full potential.

"Have you always lived in Paris?"

"I come and go, but I have not found a place I've learned to love as much as here."

She continued to walk around his lair, he assumed she was thinking of what to say next. He study her quietly. Her beauty seemed so soft and pure. So natural. He observed the way she walked around comfortably as if she had owned this room herself. She looked up and saw he was looking at her. She quickly looked down towards her feet hiding her embarrassment. Erik wondered of she was always this shy, or if he was the only one that saw this side of her.

"And what about your family?"

Erik rarely ever thought about his family, and if he ever did, the thoughts were not ever pleasant.

"I do not have one. And if I ever came close to having one, they've left and started their own."

Eleana shifted uncomfortably, he guessed she did not know what to say. Erik was pleased to see she did not question him any more about his past. He was tired of reliving it, wishing he could somehow go back and change it. He did not like being a murderer, a monster. He was sick of secretly dreaming of beauty and wanting people to accept him for him. He was never going to earn love, he would live a lone forever until death approaches him.

Erik had completely lost track of time and notice Eleana trying to hide her yawn. He felt guilty for keeping her up so late and decided it was time for her to come home.

"Eleana, as much as I enjoy your company, I must point out it is getting awfully late and you look as if you are going to pass out any second."

Eleana nodded in agreement and followed Erik to his boat. He grasped her hand, helping her in, and pushed off, rowing to the entrance of the mirror.

He walked Eleana all the way to the exit of his Opera and pretended to return to his lair until she was at least a hundreds yards in front of him and followed her in the darkness.

Once he was sure she was safe he returned to his lair, put out all of the candles and slid into his worn out bed and drifted to sleep.

A younger version of Erik sat in the attic of the Opera Populaire. He sat looking at the stain glass window he had constructed many years ago when he heard footsteps coming towards his direction. Erik quickly hid behind one of the statues in the room, not wanting to seen.

A young girl in her early teens came walking into the attic a lone. She had long brown curly hair and beautiful chocolate brown eyes. She was holding a candle and a picture of an older man. She placed the candle down; lit it, and placed the picture of the man next to it. The girl knelled down and began to speak.

"Little Lotte

thought everything and nothing...

Her father promised her

that he would send her the angel of music...

Her father promised her...

Her father promised her..."

She then began to sing and Erik silently listened.

"You were once my one companion

You were all that mattered

You were once my friend and father

Then my world was shattered."

"Wishing you were somehow here again . . .

wishing you were somehow near . . .

Sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed,

somehow you would

be here . . .

Wishing I could hear your voice again . . .

knowing that I never would . . .

Dreaming of you won't help me to do

all that you dreamed

I could . . .

Passing bells and sculpted angels,

cold and monumental, seem, for you,

the wrong companions -

you were warm and gentle . . .

Too many years

fighting back tears . . .

Why can't the past

just die . . .?

Wishing you were somehow here again . . .

knowing we must say goodbye . . .

Try to forgive . . .

teach me to live . . .

give me the strength

to try . . .

No more memories,

no more silent tears . . .

No more gazing across

the wasted years . . .

Help me say

goodbye..."

Erik could not help but sing out to her in return.

"Wandering Child, so lost, so helpless, yearning for my guidance."

She gasped of shock and stood up looking through the attic to see if anyone was their.

"Whose their?"

Erik could not resist but tell her what she wanted to hear.

"Have you forgotten your angel?"