This is a long one. Many thanks to all the new readers. Its great to know that people are actually interested in this and are enjoying my writing :)

Phanty belongs to Leroux and Lloyd Weber.

Erik

I looked down at her in complete and utter fascination. How could this woman, this perfectly sublime and innocent creature be so forgiving of me, so understanding of my faults that she could actually bring herself to embrace me after all she had heard? I could not figure it out. Her words had completely disarmed me. All the hate and bitterness I had felt had simply melted away as she held me and uttered those incredible words...

'I need you...'

I had not hoped for pity or any sort of acceptance upon telling her those things; I just felt as if I owed it to her to speak the truth... or at least some of it. I froze as she willingly embraced me... it had been the first I had ever received and it was everything I had imagined it would be and more. Soon, I returned it; relishing in her warmth and trust. I wanted to speak, I wanted to tell her how much I felt... I wanted to thank her for what she was doing but all I could utter was her name. It was too much for me but I never wanted it to end.

"Erik." She said; my name, my loathsome name uttered from her perfect lips.

"Don't leave." She said.

That was all I needed to hear. If she wanted me there... that was where I would be. I would do anything for her. Anything she asked of me.

"No..." I said, my voice wavering more than I would have liked. No, I would not leave...

She smiled and held me again, head resting against my chest, arms around my waist. It felt so wondrous that I wondered how I had gone so long without this feeling... without her...

"This was my final performance for the week... so, you can stay late if you'd like..." Oh, how I would love to. I would stay forever...

Tomorrow.

I had heard of her plans with le Vicomte...

I had to mention it. I was being honest now and I had to get into the habit of it...

"Christine... tomorrow... in lieu of our conversation and... being honest." She looked up at me, almost afraid of what I would say. "You know that I heard your conversation with... the boy..."

"'...The boy?'" She laughed. "Yes... my conversation with Raoul..."

"Yes... well I know of your plans with him tomorrow. I won't pretend that I'm ignorant to his intentions... I just wanted to make it clear that I knew."

"Just as friends, I assure you... you don't need to worry."

But I could not help but worry...

"I appreciate you trusting me; letting me see him. I know that you used to be quite strict with what I did..." I smiled politely. Of course I trusted her. It was him I did not trust, and I was not comfortable with any of it.

"Will you stay though?" She asked.

"Yes... Of course I will stay." I said, almost admonishing her for asking such a trivial question.

"Alright, let's sit down." She said, taking my hand and leading me to the divan I had previously sat down on. I removed my jacket for fear of creasing it and sat back next to Christine...

Christine...

Never had I thought that such a thing would be possible. Perhaps it wasn't, perhaps it would end just as quickly. Regardless I would make the most of the time with her that I was permitted. I was reminded of Madame Giry, and her concerns.

"There is... something you should know as well."Again, she looked at me in fear of what I was about to tell her.

"It's nothing bad, I assure you. Well... it can prove inconvenient for me but, nothing to fear. Madame Giry and I are... acquainted."

"Really?!" She asked, utterly bewildered by the fact.

"Yes. I see no harm in telling you as long as you keep it to yourself. I'm sure that I can trust you as I have trusted her these many years."

"Yes, of course! Where did you two meet? How do you know each other?"

"A long story, I'm afraid. One for another time... I thought I should mention it because she paid me a visit earlier today."

"She did? So... she has been to your home?"

"Oh, yes. She quite rudely barged in while I was sleeping, come to that."

"Oh, she didn't." Christine said, covering her smile with her hands.

"Yes. I wasn't quite dressed either."

"Oh no!" She exclaimed, actually giggling.

"It isn't funny Christine." I warned, holding back a smile myself.

"It is... just a little bit." She laughed, now making no attempt at all at disguising her amusement.

"No!" I said, actually smiling. "It wasn't funny at all, quite embarrassing actually."

"Then why are you smiling?" She teased.

"I... alright, maybe it's a little funny... but I told you because... stop laughing at me!" Christine was visibly laughing now and I had to admit that it was infectious...

"I'm... sorry." She laughed.

"I... No, you aren't." I said, refraining from actual laughter myself. "I didn't mention this for you to make fun of me! She came to see me because she was worried about you."

"Worried?" Christine asked, wiping her eyes.

"Yes. She wanted to know of my intentions."

"Well... she has always been like a mother to me. I still cannot believe that the two of you know each other."

"Yes." I smiled, my eyes distant. She had also spoken of her worry for me but I decided not to mention it. She could see that I was spending more and more time with Christine and her worries were probably warranted. The more time I spent with her, the more I lost myself in the utopia; the perfect world in which I did not belong. With each passing minute I fell more deeply in love with her and with each passing minute I worried that it was too good to be true; that it would be taken away from me. I was well aware that If Christine changed her mind now, I would be utterly broken. And yet... I could not stop myself from giving her everything I had...

She took my hand in hers and began to remove my glove.

"Erik?" She asked as the glove came off.

"...Yes Christine?" My reply was almost automated as I watched her deft hands strip me of yet another one of my defenses.

"Will you take me down to your home on our next meeting?" I watched her remove my other glove and proceed to hold one of my hands in her own. I had already expressed my feelings regarding my home but I found that I could not deny her wish... She was now lightly tracing my fingers with her own and what little resolve I had was lost in her caresses.

"Y...Yes." I replied, still watching her hands. I don't think that she knew what power she possessed or that she was intentionally using it against me. Either way, I could not deny her. I could not even speak. Suddenly I realized that my home would be the perfect opportunity... I could at least cook for her as if it were an actual date...

"Does that feel nice?" she asked, watching my face.

"Yes..." I repeated. Seemingly it was all that was left of my expansive vocabulary. Nice was an understatement... and these were just my hands! She smiled, apparently quite pleased with herself and then suddenly, much to my disappointment, she stopped.

"Can we... Do you mind if we..." I looked at her.

"What is it?"

"I was wondering if you would mind... if we lay down." She asked.

"You... lie down...?" I thought about it for a second. I could not possibly lie down next to her, it was highly improper... wasn't it? Of course, nothing at all would happen... was there anything really terrible about simply lying down next to someone? Of course, I wanted to. Just the image of my body next to hers was enough to make me agree without hesitation but I had to consider her...

"Do you not think it... improper?" I asked her seriously.

"No I... I don't think so. We would just be lying down. Is it improper?" I found humor in the fact that she was asking me about social normalcy. Me. I didn't know any more than she did.

"I don't know..." I answered truthfully.

"Perhaps we should just try it then." She reasoned. "If neither of us is sure... then it isn't really wrong, is it?"

No... Potentially, it wasn't.

Christine lay down on the inside of the divan and I, next to her on my back. This was arguably the most awkward I had ever felt but I didn't want to be anywhere else. As soon as I lay down she draped her arm across my chest and pulled me closer. I had no idea what to do... never before had I been in a situation such as this. I lay next to her awkwardly until she instructed me as to what to do.

"Put your arm around me." She said, gently lifting my arm. Immediately, I obeyed.

"Sorry..." I said. Surely it was not for the woman to have to direct the man in what he was doing. It must have been tedious for her and I felt a complete oaf.

"Don't be sorry." She said quietly, snuggling closer to me.

"What are you doing?" I asked. Surely this was wrong... it felt too good to be right; to be... allowed.

"I'm getting comfortable." She replied innocently. "Just relax."

Relax. How could I relax? This had to be perfect; every action of mine had to be delivered with precision... I didn't want her to think me a fool. I had always been so capable. What had happened?

But I was able to relax. After a few moments of lying next to her it felt as if I had never been anywhere else, never belonged anywhere else.

"Are... are you free tomorrow night..." I began, surprised by my own courage. "...after you see the boy?" Why could I not ask to see her? She wanted to be with me... surely what she was doing was evidence of that.

"Yes." She said sleepily, pulling me closer. I smiled.

"Take me to your home." She said, she was falling asleep, she really was. What was I to do? Surely, I couldn't leave. I certainly couldn't stay where I was and fall asleep... what if someone found us? Worse, what if Madame Giry found us? Regardless, I wasn't in the least bit tired. No, I would simply have to wait until she was fast asleep and leave. It seemed a horrible thing to do...

"Christine..." I whispered.

"Mmm." She mumbled against my neck. Oh, how wonderful it felt.

"I should go..."

"No..." She said, pulling me close once more. "Stay until I'm asleep..."

I sighed. If I stayed, would I have the power to leave? But again... how could I deny her when she was so deliciously pressed up against me?

"Christine...?" I whispered. No response. Time to leave... How could I? She was so inviting, so soft... her face was almost buried in my neck, her warm breath tickling the soft skin there; unbearable but ambrosial. I was reluctant to leave but I could stay no longer, she was undoubtedly asleep. I slipped my arm out from under her, now fraught with pins and needles and gently stood up. She was beautiful... so beautiful.

Collecting my things, I checked my pocket watch; it was quite late, late for those who slept at night anyway. I decided that it would be quite a nice time for a stroll up to the roof. I did a lot of my soul searching up there; a lot of my big thinking... but I had never been up there in such a state of mind... I couldn't go back down to my home; not down there... that darkness. Not just yet. Not while I felt so alive.

Instead of exiting through the mirror, I left through the dressing room door; just as a normal suitor would have...

Normal.

I smiled to myself and closed the door behind me. I put on my jacket and cape as I walked confidently through the halls. I knew that no one would be awake at his hour and even if they were, no one knew the twists and turns of this building better than I. Slowly, I made my way up to the roof, stopping just above the auditorium. I walked above the stage as I had done many times before and found myself in the exact same position I had been when she had found me...

I smiled to myself, stroking the splintering wood of the rafters pensively, almost fondly. So much had changed. I moved my foot to adjust my stance when it was met with something on the ground; my lasso. I must have left it behind when I had let Buquet escape. I bent down to pick it up, and when I rose I was met with a voice.

"Ghost." It said. I turned around slowly.

Buquet.

"Is that a question or a statement?" I asked. I was somewhat surprised at his presence but not entirely. I had let him go after all and even then I had known it to be a faux pas... He had seen me. I should never have let him go. I could not help but toy with this man for he looked utterly ridiculous; pointing a knife at me as if he were the one in power. Even with the weapon in his hand, he looked utterly terrified.

"You shouldn't have let me go." He said, ignoring my rhetorical question.

"No, you're quite right." I said, walking towards him. He stepped back and raised his weapon. "I shouldn't have. I'm happy to remedy that though." I threatened.

"Not another step."

"Or what?" I asked. "I don't suppose a man like you could stop me." I had always loathed this man. He was filth; did not deserve life. I had seen him doing horrible things; looking in on the chorus girls changing, stealing... but worse, he had seen me. And I simply could not have that. How was it that someone such as him was permitted to live a normal life, a life above ground with all of the pleasures and rights of a normal man when I was reviled for the way that I looked? It was not fair... It was not just. It was time to even things out. I stepped towards him again with my lasso firmly in my grasp.

"Don't come any closer, Ghost." He said, waving the knife in front of me.

"Ghost." I repeated under my breath as I continued walking. He waved his knife again, lumbering forward and closely missing my arm. I looked at him and shook my head.

"I will kill you!" He jeered, his filthy brown hair falling in his face. "And when I do, I will find that Christine you love so much..."

Christine? The mention of her name distracted me momentarily and I lost focus. Buquet threw his knife in my direction but I managed to evade the brunt of it. I yelled as the blade sliced my side. Before I knew what I was doing, the rope was around his neck.

"You will not so much as LOOK at her!" I yelled as I pulled with all my strength.

After a few moments, he was still. It was done.

All of a sudden Christine's face came to mind; flooded my vision, my thoughts and every fiber of my being. Christine... How could I have forgotten? I had grown so accustomed to living my life without consequences, without having to trouble myself with the opinions of others that I had completely forgotten that I had something to lose. She would hate me for this. She would hate me. She would likely never speak to me again! What had I done?

I couldn't breathe... I stepped backward shakily, holding on to whatever I could in order to retain my balance. She would end it... This was the end. I had ruined everything. My heart was beating fast and I found that my cravat and collar were suddenly much too tight. I was suffocating. I had to get out... I needed air. I couldn't be in this prison a second longer. Hastily I made my way to the roof, holding my side and clawing at my throat in an attempt to let air in when, in reality I had more than enough.

I climbed the stairs, three at a time, stumbling here and there but never stopping. I had to get out. Finally I reached the rooftop, almost exploding through the door and falling to my knees in the snow. My head was spinning. My side was on fire but I did not care. It was not important. What was I going to do? I could not change anything... Perhaps she would not know? Perhaps I would not have to tell her that I was responsible...

What was I thinking? Of course I would have to tell her...

It was ruined and I had been the cause... I had known that it was too good to be true.

I held my head in my hands and wept. I wept unabashedly for what I had done and for what my actions would cause.

Christine... I'm so sorry...

So, it was destined to happen anyway... but what will change now that Christine and Erik have already formed a bond?

Please review, friends!