A/N: Thank you kieriotakugirl for following this story, and to all of you readers who helped push Swan Song to 100 reviews! Wow! I am always amazed by the lovely reception my stories receive. I hope you enjoy this chapter as next week will be the final one for this tale.

The following morning brought yet another visit from Nadir, who gave Erik a weighty glance and Christine a bright smile. This action only encouraged the glower coming from Erik, but Nadir cared little for the man's faintly jealous moods.

'Like a pest, he just keeps coming back.' Erik muttered as the Persian came in to greet Christine as though she were the old friend.

'Be nice.' She scolded, shooting him a glare that only made him grin darkly.

'Or what?' He challenged, leaning forward to stare down at her with a smirk.

She turned away from him and started a conversation with Nadir. It mattered little to Erik until it carried directly past him to the drawing room without so much as a glance his direction. He thought perhaps it was just him, but every time he tried to put himself in her line of sight, she just ignored him.

'Are you ignoring me?' He demanded of her, his frustration mounting.

No reply.

'Christine, look at me.' He commanded, gaining a slightly worried look from Nadir. 'Christine!' Erik shouted. He did not care that he was acting like a child. He could not take much more of it. It grated upon his nerves like nails on a chalk board. 'Christine,' his tone softened. 'Please look at me.' When this gentle pleading did nothing, he looked to Nadir plaintively, who only grew more concerned.

'Perhaps you should-' The Persian started to suggest before a yelp of surprise came from Christine as she was lifted from the floor and held captive in his strong arms. She wiggled a bit in protest, but quick gave up, settling to relent and look him in the eye.

'Are you ready to be nice?' She asked sharply. She stopped her sterner expression when she saw the more pitiful look come from him.

'Do not do that.' He told her almost pleadingly.

She nodded gently as he set her back down.

'Leave it to beauty to tame the beast.' Nadir muttered, shaking his head at what had become of the fearsome tiger of a man he had known Erik to be. Now the tiger was a kitten when in the hands of Christine.

'Oh, shut up, you old fart.' Erik scowled, still clinging slightly to Christine as she stood beside him. This earned him a mild smack in the chest and a sharp look from her. 'Do not make me pick you up again.' He warned her, though he knew the threat was empty.

She rolled her eyes. 'Why don't you two get out some of this over a game of chess, hmm?' She offered, hoping for a bit of peace, but knowing it would not come. These two were always going at each other. Well, Erik was always hard on Nadir, and Nadir simply let each blow slide off while secretly encouraging more. It was a battle of wits that only strengthened their relationship.

Men, Christine mentally sighed as she took a seat on the sofa to watch them play. She enjoyed their little jabs at each other while they played, knowing neither one were truly distracted enough to part their minds from the game.

'You may be happy to know,' Nadir said part way through the third game which he had a faint chance of winning. 'That the murder of Buquet went away rather quickly. No evidence was found to link it to you necessarily, and many had contested that the man had been drinking heavily that night. Madame Giry even vouched that it may have been a suicide. You were lucky, my friend.' He told the now wickedly grinning man he knew at this moment was more Phantom than human.

'You see, I told you it would all be well.' Erik confirmed darkly.

Christine chose this moment to rise from her seat to stand by Erik's chair. Neither man questioned this action until Nadir noticed she was giving pointed looks to a particular one of his pieces on the board. He tried his best to keep his eyes on the piece while also noting her expression as he moved it.

'I hardly think a few lies and convenient circumstances make up for it, Erik.' She told him.

He hummed noncommittally as she helped Nadir move yet another piece on the board.

Erik frowned at Nadir's improving plays. He had only ever lost to the man once when he was ill and severely distracted.

'Oh,' the Daroga perked up suddenly. 'I also heard that this latest murder is not going to hinder the upcoming masquerade ball. I assume you will be decidedly kept below for such a gathering?' Nadir offered more in wishful thinking than in actually faith.

'My friend, how you must confuse me for another. I always go to such events.' He said with mock-insult.

'Yes, but now you have Christine. Perhaps you shall have matching costumes. A Phantom and a Phantomess?' He offered with a laugh.

Erik felt the heat rise to his face. He had not considered taking her, but now that she was visible, he could not avoid it. Having this made her seem much more…real? She had always been real to him –when he believed her- but knowing he must accommodate her needs made her more so. It was almost like caring for a human.

'You needn't worry over it, Erik.' She assured from behind him, making him turn and look up at her over the back of his chair. 'I can just slip the ring off for the party.'

'Nonsense!' He all but roared. 'You shall join me and I shall have the most beautiful woman of all the world on my arm.'

'Angel.' She corrected more quietly.

'Beautiful.' He returned insistently.

'Checkmate.' Nadir put in with a smug smile.

Erik whirled round to see it was so. His mouth hung agape as the Persian grinned.

'How…?' The question was lost when he followed Nadir's gaze up and behind him once more. There he found a devilish grin awaiting him from his most innocent of angels.

'Thank you.' The Daroga nodded to her.

Erik turned his gaze sharper. 'You cheated.'

Christine held a hand to her breastbone. 'Impossible.' She scoffed. 'I was not the one playing.' She smiled back down at him, dark mischief hiding in her eyes.

Erik felt something within him move. Never before had he felt such a consuming hunger to overtake her pristine lips. The presence of the Daroga hardly mattered as his mind raced to wonder what her mouth felt like…tasted like.

'Perhaps you two should have a game.' Nadir suggested in his usual interrupting way. Somehow, no matter the situation, no matter who was there, that man interrupted. It could be Erik knee deep in music, about to put in the most important piece to a draft, or about to enjoy a nice relaxing book, the Daroga was there to come between him and his comfort. Now, he saw, with Christine it would be no different. He would have to endure these disturbances with her too.

'Clearly she knows how to play.' The Persian offered, rising from his seat.

'Yes, indeed.' Erik shot one last glance back at her, savouring her side grin at his look.

'Will you not stay, Nadir?' Christine asked, noting the Daroga's preparations for departure.

'I am afraid not, Christine, I have places to go and people to see, unlike Erik.' He put in at the masked man's eye roll.

'Would you prefer I go above and introduce myself to some of these people?' Erik retorted jovially.

Nadir shook his head, waving over his shoulder as he departed, leaving Christine and Erik once more to their lonesome.

After a heavy pause, during which Erik was prepared to have to go out and potentially save Nadir from the traps in the tunnels, he sufficed to look up at his angel again.

'Why did you not tell me you could play chess?'

'You never asked.' She replied, leaning over the back of his chair so far their noses almost touched, or, rather, her nose and his mask. He felt his breath come in light pants as she held herself so close to him. If he moved just a bit, he could claim her lips for his own. But he remained. He would never dare taint her with himself like that. He would be satisfied by her laughter, her embraces, and her nearly ever-present smiles.

'Shall we do as the Daroga suggested?' He gestured to the now empty seat.

'I suppose.' She plopped down in it, watching with idle fascination as his hands swept over the board, resetting it with effortless grace. She wanted to snag his hands and never let them go. They moved in such an enchanting manner it made her want them. She thought about holding them to her, letting them run through her hair and down her neck and throat. She stopped, realising these thoughts were not ones she should ever have.

You are an angel, she reminded herself. Not a human. That time has passed for you.

Sighing inwardly, she prepared for the game ahead. She knew that even if he decided to be gentle, it would undoubtedly be a challenge.

'So,' she started as he had ironically allowed her the white pieces. 'Are we going to the masquerade?' She looked up at him with what she hoped not to be too much expectation.

'Do you wish to attend?' He seemed surprised by her broaching the subject.

She shrugged evasively. He could not help but smile at this.

'I was not lying earlier, you know. When I said that you would be the most beautiful one there.'

She ducked her chin modestly, blushing slightly. 'I know.' She whispered.

They continued their game a little further, Erik finding her challenge quite equal to his own. He felt a bit of surprise and pride knowing he had found in his angel a real match to his chess-playing skills.

'What are you planning on going as?' She asked, knowing he generally had very interesting costumes.

'I had yet to decide. I considered the Red Death.'

'Poe?' She guessed, humming thoughtfully. 'I can see why you would like it.' She nodded agreeably.

'You have read it?' He looked at her in surprise until the obviousness of her look made him feel the fool.

'Many times, yes.' She laughed as he cringed from his thoughtless question.

'What did you wish to be?' He asked.

She shrugged again. Her indifference over herself had never ceased to frustrate him. Even when she cried for worrying over failing, it was still more about failing him.

'Perhaps an angel.' He smirked at her as she gave him a sceptical glance.

'A little too fitting, don't you think?' She asked, using some of his sarcastic humour.

'Hmm, you may be right.' He caught her eye again to watch her shake her head with a smile. 'What about a fairy, or maybe a bird, or-' He stopped.

Christine looked at him as he got a certain sparkle in his eye. It concerned her a bit when he grew silent like this. She knew he was planning something, and having her be the crux of it was not exactly settling to her mind.

'What?' She asked slowly and cautiously.

He tapped his closed lips with his finger, eyes still gleaming.

'What, Erik? Tell me.' She begged with a playful whine.

''Tis a secret.' He almost whispered, making her cross her arms stubbornly.

'Fine.' She admitted after a pause.

'Checkmate.' He told her, grinning like a cat.

She looked over the board and nodded. 'Yes, yes. You may return to your throne.' She smiled at him with a humouring glance.

'Not unless you are by my side.' He told her more seriously.

'If I did not know any better, I would say you were a romantic.' She raised an eyebrow at him.

'How is it you know better?' He questioned jokingly.

'Because you are far too busy being a genius, Phantom, and ruler of chess.' She giggled.

'Hmm, perhaps. But I would cast all aside if I could succeed in making you swoon.' He told her with a bit of theatrics.

'Such brazen overtures.' She gasped with playful drama. 'But I still must admit to being curious about your skill. I shall be the judge of your romanticism.' She held her head high as she challenged him.

Erik caught a bit of her mischief and ran. Taking a moment, he looked back up at her and started to sing. He watched her almost instantly relent to the power of his song, and he was quickly drawing her out of her chair. He met her, but did not touch as if contact would break the spell he wove about her. His music filled and controlled her as she gave in more and more. She barely heard the words, focusing instead on the melody as it washed over her and carried her far away. She drank in the sounds of his voice like one who had lived in a desert with no water. She looked up and over she shoulder to see him there, draping his arms oh so closely to her, but never even brushing the fabric of her still loaned pyjamas. His voice teased at her ear, making her head swim.

Their mouths neared, his warm breath ticking the skin of her lips and making her eyes flutter. Her hand reached up to hold his cheek, but just before they could touch, he stepped back, shattering the delicate web he had so artfully made.

Christine put her fingers to her lips as she looked away. He staggered back a few steps, both of them breathing heavily.

'Forgive me.' He gasped. 'It would seem I am not so skilled as I had thought.' He said, still feeling her being so close to him.

She could find no words. He had taken them and her voice with him. His music had enchanted and controlled her.

She could not even fully watch him as he left the house with a mutter of needing fresh air.

Christine could not believe how close she had come. His lips had been there, his hands tracing through the air all of the things she so darkly desired. She had been weak to his song. She had almost given in. No. She had given in. She would not have protested if he had claimed her. She would have done nothing to stop him. She wanted it. She wanted him. It was wrong, but she could not find it within her to be right.


Erik had been outside for a while now, and Christine was starting to worry. Snapping her book closed –a book, mind you, that she had been pretending to read simply to not focus on her persistent thoughts of earlier- and grabbed his cloak before heading out to join him.

He was sitting by the lake, just staring at nothing when she came up to him. He only seemed to notice her when she caringly draped the cloak over his shoulders.

He may have his three-piece suit on, but he can still get cold, she thought as she lowered the fabric down and around him like a black cocoon. He wordlessly thanked her as she sat just beside him to look out across the inky waters, pulling her knees in a bit.

'Are you warm enough?' He asked, seeing her positioning.

'Hmm? Oh, yes. I am fine. I do not get cold.' She explained. 'Though I suppose I should have more care, I would hate to rip your pyjamas.' She looked down and about her at the admittedly smoothed rock.

Erik let out a soft chuckle. She looked at him questioningly as he shook his head. 'The things you worry about.'

'Well, you only lent them to me and I would hate to damage them. I do not mean to be an inconvenience.' She looked down as she said this in a small voice.

'Christine, you could never be an inconvenience.' He assured her.

'That is not what you thought when we first met.' She reminded him.

'No, but that was a long time ago, and things have changed since then.'

This seemed to deepen her gaze at the water. 'Things like how you feel about me?' She asked, not looking at him.

'Yes.' He told her, barely audible, but letting the word just brush her ear.

'Erik,' she sighed his name while somehow also choking on it. 'You know I am not human.'

'I do.'

'So, why do you attach yourself to me? I am not trying to leave,' she assured quickly as his eyes grew panicked. 'But I want to know.'

'Because of this.' He gestured to her. 'You, sitting here with me, listening to and caring about what I say. I have never had this before. With anyone. A-and you accept me. I do not pretend to know how, but you do. You see past all of this,' he gestured to his face. 'To see who I am, and I have never been given that chance. Not really. Nadir is wary of me, but you…you are completely comfortable with me. You do not fear or shun me…and I cannot help but wonder if it would be the same if you were human. If you had only just met me. If you could be hurt by me physically.'

'Erik,' she started, reaching out to put a hand on his arm.

'It scares me, Christine. Every time I am near you, I expect you to run away. To leave me here alone. I keep waiting for your scream or your pleas for me to release you. I am afraid that one day you will simply no longer be here. More than that, I am afraid as to why that bothers me so. Everyone has always left me, but no has ever held me as you do, or smiled at me, or laugh with me. You are a wonder Christine, if you only knew.'

'Erik,' she tried again, this time actually touching him. 'I do not know what I was like as a human. Perhaps I was good, but there is a chance that I would have done all of the horrible things you fear I might. But none of that matters now. I am this me, and I will not leave you or tire of your company or ever wish ill upon your heart. Erik, I want to protect you. I would never do anything to hurt you. You do not need to be afraid.'

He looked at her with saddened eyes. 'Oh, Christine, if only that were true.'

'Why do you say that?' She asked, confused.

'I cannot.' He said, shaking his head slowly. 'Do not ask it of me.'

Not wishing to cause him pain, but also needing to know, she pushed. 'You promised you would do anything for me. You would move the earth to do as I asked.'

Erik felt the pain in his eyes filling the space between them. 'Let it wait until the masquerade. Please. Just…let it wait.' He begged and she nodded. He felt that weight come off his chest at this. Yes, let them have one last outing of fun before it all came crashing down.


Evening descended upon Paris, ushering the cooler, softer breezes of night. The deep Prussian blue that coloured the sky and everything around it was dotted with soft yellow glows of streetlamps. The softly greyed clouds further helped to darken the shadows, turning reds and greens to blacks. A soft misty rain descended upon the city, but it only allowed the colours to run together to paint an even more beautiful picture.

The cobbled streets shone in the limited light with their smoothly rounded stones jutting up unevenly. They seemed to glisten brighter than they should as they lines the streets and pathways through the maze of a city. Flowers in the parks, flowerboxes of homes, and renegade weeds poking through the paved sidewalks shimmered like diamonds as they proudly wore each drop of water on their closed buds and leaves that bend under the weight of the falling liquid.

In the grand Palais Garnier, however, not all was quite so peaceful. It was not chaotic by any stretch, but not all of the ghosts were left sleeping. Silently slinking through the shadows crept the dark mass that most would not see or immediately assume human. It moved more like a cat than a man and hid in the dark as only a ghost could. Its companion ruined this effect somewhat, though. Gliding beside him was a silvery being more bird than girl. She matched his flowing movements with a weightless ease that would make any dancer seem heavy. She drifted on the air around him, giving off her soft inner light.

They made their way through the corridors and secret passages they both knew so well, until they reach the costume room at the rear of the theatre. The black shadow sifted through some of the hanging dresses before selecting one of soft pink. Holding it out to his companion, she took it with ginger surprise.

'Here,' he told her firmly, keeping his voice low and smooth. She gave him a doubting look. 'Do not look at me like that. It is from an old production. No one will miss it.' He assured her, rolling his glowing amber eyes at her firm conscience.

Taking the garment over to the table that spread out in the middle of the room, she set it down to examine. Erik watched her carefully look over every piece of it, taking in all the details she could. He observed her face, calm and almost indifferent, yet admiring. She liked it.

'I will wait outside while you get changed.' He said, feeling awkwardly in the way.

He left her be and patiently stood by the door, back turned to it just in case. He found himself nervously looking at the ceiling. He was not sure why his stomach was in knots, but it was. Rocking back to his heels and then up a bit on his toes did nothing to assuage this. He wondered if the more he did for her the more human she might become. He knew it was wrong and cruel of him to think of her as if she were some cursed princess in a book, but he wanted her to be happy. She seemed to accept and smile upon their current arrangement, but he knew she was still holding back a good bit simply on the –annoyingly valid- grounds that they were not truly of the same species anymore.

This is what you get for reaching too far, the small voice in his head berated him. She may not see you as one, but you are still a monster and she an angel. It will only end in ruin for your heart and she will feel guilty because of it.

He let his gaze drop to the wood planked floor. He remembered when they put this in. He saw the faces of the workmen who had slaved to make this monument to music and art possible. He wondered if they had ever considered him a monster. He had paid them well enough not to question him, but he had always felt their stares waver to him with uncertainty and fear.

He did not know why he cared so much. This was his life. It had always been this way. Paying people to not ask questions, hiding in the shadows to avoid the torment of others' eyes upon him, wearing a mask to avoid ridicule. Stares and fearful glances were always better than screams and hateful actions. But even the mask could not protect him from it all. His last adventure out of the theatre had proven that all too well. Yet, it had not been quite so terrible after all. He was able to meet his angel because of it.

'Erik?' He turned to see the seraphim in question dressed perfectly in the gown he had selected for her. 'How do I look?' Her concerned expression over his mood melted away to reveal the slightly excited and modest smile underneath.

'My dear, you are a vision.' He said, beaming broadly at her and looking her over.

Her smile brightened and so did the light she always shone with. Bouncing on her toes a bit, she hurried back into the room to return with his neatly folded pyjamas in hand.

Erik felt his heart leap into his throat as she held out the clothes to him. His mind was a flurry of questions that brought heat to his face. Would they still be warm from her body heat? Would they now smell of her? Would he ever wear them again? Deciding the latter was a definite no, he haltingly took the bundle from her.

She turned to her shoulder modestly as he fought the emotions waring inside of him. Tucking the clothes, which were in fact still warm and held just the vaguest scent of her rosy starlight, into a pocket of his cloak, he offered his arm to escort her back to their home. Their home. That thought threatened to send him over the edge as the jolt of her touch raced through him. He wondered for his sanity and composure as they walked back. He would have to be careful with these new feelings as they were sure to grow beyond his control before too long.