Chapter 9: Be Careful What You Wish For…

Meg fought back a smirk as she saw the look of surprise written all over the left side of Erik's face. Her triumph was short lived, however; as Erik quickly put his Phantom façade on and glared at her.

"Meg Giry, you have disappointed me greatly." Meg fought to keep her eyes from rolling upwards. She knew she was about to receive a Phantom lecture, but hopefully it would be over soon.

"I make your meals, make sure you are warm and comfortable, make certain that you have a place to sleep, make sure that you have clean clothes to wear –of the latest fashion, I might add –have ribbons to keep your hair pulled back, shared my cat with you, and this is how I am repayed? With you being a half hour late and then dressed as if you're going to some Masquerade ball?"

Meg sighed and counted to two before trying to speak. "There is a reason I am late,"

"Ah yes! There is always a reason," Erik growled, still glaring at her.

Meg glared right back, even though she knew this wasn't part of her plan. "I wasn't feeling too good, and took a nap. However, I woke up late. I grabbed the first dress that caught my eye and quickly tied my hair back with these ribbons." She stared at Erik defiantly, daring him to comment on how extravagant the dress was that she chose 'at first glance' and how meticulously her hair was tied back.

Erik looked at Meg straight in the eye. "Really? Because I know where all of those dresses were, I hung them up myself. And that one was in the VERY back, hidden by all the rest of the dresses. And to think that you just happened to choose the most inconvenient one to reach…"

Finally Meg lost it. "Enough!" she snapped, her eyes piercing, "I'm dressed aren't I? My hair is tied back, isn't it? I am standing here, waiting for you to let me eat, and all you can think about is how I was thirty minutes late to dinner? Might I add," her tone turned sarcastic, "that you have no other place to be and no other duties calling you that would make my tardiness cause a problem?"

Erik couldn't say anything against her argument and simply whipped around and gestured to the table, before storming off to his music room.

… … … … … … … … … …

Erik quickly sat down on his piano bench as soon as he got into his music room and away from Meg's piercing eyes. Her straight blonde hair had fallen around her shoulders perfectly, and the dress was practically made for her… Stop it! He scolded himself, furious. She is only here because she pities you! As soon as the tunnel entrance is somehow unblocked, she will leave without a second thought or even a 'thank you,' just as Christine had!

At night he had secretly been picking away at the blocked entrance, though to no avail. Even though he didn't want to, he knew that today he would have to tell Meg about the secret tunnel that would be her way to escape from him. He'd been keeping it a secret ever since she got here. He chuckled bitterly. I am so pitiful. Not telling Meg about the secret tunnel exit just because I'm afraid of my loneliness. Ha! Well, I have lived most of my life without anyone to pity me, and I can simply do it again! No more of this silly little game and trying to reach my cold heart. I will tell her of the tunnel, and she will leave me to my peace and sanity.

If only he knew where Madame Giry had gone, he could have directed Meg to her mother and forgotten about everything. But of course, Madame Giry had not told where she was in the note, only simply that she believed that he should marry Meg! How ridiculous, he thought bitterly. No one would marry me. Christine didn't even agree though her fiancé's life was in threat of being ended. She only agreed to save his life. No, I am to be forever single, and maybe that's the way it should be. Every time I try to love somebody, my heart only gets broken in the end. So let that be my lesson: Don't ever love anyone ever again. And now, I must stop thinking so hard about this and send Meg Giry scampering down that escape tunnel.

… … … … … … … … … …

Meg had finished her dinner and was just finishing off the rest of her tea when Erik walked in, once again the perfect picture of control and menace at the same time. She smiled quickly at him, hoping to apologize for her behavior. However, she didn't even hardly get to open her mouth to speak before Erik started talking.

"I have been keeping something from you, Meg, and I believe it is time that you should know." Meg's heart quickened, and her brain was running a thousand miles a minute, trying to figure out what he was trying to tell her that he had been keeping.

"There is another way out of this wretched place."

Meg knew she should have been relieved at this news, but; for some reason, she felt her heart sink and she reluctantly stood up. "I suppose you're going to show me?"

Erik nodded, not in the least bit surprised that she seemed to want to know how to get away from him. "This way." He waited for Meg to fall into place behind him before starting off. He walked into his music room, and glared at the curious ballerina when she tried to see what was written on one of the many sheets of music he had scattered about the room. "If you're done snooping, Madamoiselle," he snapped, angry at her for being so curious, "then you might follow me to your way to the light."

Meg gulped and nodded. "Sorry," she murmured, but got no response from the man in front of her. Not that she was expecting one anyway.

Erik walked right past the piano and Meg started to get confused. "Wait a minute," she said, grabbing his arm (which he promptly snatched back). "You're about to run into the wall, and I'm pretty sure you could get hurt by doing that. I mean, I've never done it before, but it would just make sense that if you run into things you're probably going to get hurt, and I just thought…" she stopped rambling when Erik held up a gloved hand, gesturing for her to stop talking.

Erik sighed and a hint of a smile tugged at his mouth. "Oh you are such a young, foolish child," he cooed softly. "Some things are just illusions; images that you're mind has conjured up."

Meg could only blink in confusion and gasped loudly when Erik walked right through the 'wall'. "What? How did you…"

Erik chuckled and stuck his hand in the middle of the 'wall.' "As I said, Madamoiselle. Some things are simply illusions. Not everything is as it seems. Now," his voice hardened and all trace of amusement was swept from his face. "enough questions and just follow me."

Meg did as he ordered, though she hated being ordered around. It was only about one minute later and Erik gestured to another wall.

"That, Madmoiselle," he said quietly, "is your door to freedom."

Meg's face twisted into a frown and she looked at Erik, utterly confused. "How?" She asked, staring at the wall. "There's no handle."

Once again, amusement crossed over the Phantom's features and he promptly stomped on a rock that was lying next to the wall. The wall soundlessly slid back, revealing the outside of the Opera Populaire.

"Wow," Meg sighed, and looked at Erik with admiration. "You are a genius to have created all of this."

Erik nodded, and quickly turned around, expecting Meg to dash off into the light and leave him behind. But he was surprised when Meg whipped around and grabbed his hand.

"Wait a minute," she said, "where are you going?"

For a moment Erik was confused. "Back to my lair, of course. There's no reason for me to bid you goodbye, because I'm expecting you to just dash off and leave me."

All Meg could do was glare at him in anger, about ready to yell. "What?! I would never leave you behind like that! After all you've done for me, you think that I would abandon you without a second thought? NO way! I'm staying here with you. I have no clue where Maman is, but I know that her wish was for me to stay with you."

Erik turned sharply to look at her, his eyes hard and cold as stone. "Well excuse me, Madmoiselle," he apologized snidely, "but I expected you to be like some other person and just leave me."

"Well I'm not like Christine!" Meg snapped, stepping closer to him in her anger. "She was rude and absolutely heartless to leave you like she did! The least she could have done was stayed with you until you were able to live in peace, without threat of the Mob tearing you apart!"

"They wouldn't have found me," Erik snapped, a hint of pride in his voice. He quickly resumed his sentence…"Ah, but she didn't, did she!" Erik snapped right back at her, and suddenly Meg felt herself being shoved against the real tunnel wall and Erik's face being right in hers. "No, she left poor me all by myself! I've lived by myself for years, though; its not like a monster with no heart can be hurt, now can I?"

Meg knew she was in a dangerous position, but she didn't really care at the moment. "STOP IT!" She screamed, tears running down her eyes. "You are NOT a monster!"

Erik chuckled darkly, pushing her harder against the wall, causing the stones to scrape her back. "Oh, but I am, Madamoiselle! I assure you, I am!"

Meg felt the tears streaming down her eyes and falling to the floor, but all she knew was that Erik was hurting, so he was covering it with his 'scary Phantom' façade once again.

"Believe me, I am…."

Meg looked to the right, towards the far side of the tunnel, where Erik's voice had appeared to come from.

Erik chuckled, this time the sound coming from her left. Meg whipped her head around, even though she knew that Erik was standing right in front of her.

"Oh, Madamoiselle, do not be scared! Surely you have heard of my great abilities to sound like I am where I'm not?"

Meg started sobbing quietly, wanting nothing but to get away from the Phantom until he returned to his normal self. All of a sudden, Erik backed up, his eyes wide. She slid to the floor, ungraciously landing in a heap. She quickly righted herself and stared at the man cowering in the corner.

"What have I done?" he murmured, letting his face fall into his hands.

Meg didn't wait another second. She dashed past him and out the open door to the light.

… … … … … … … … … …

Erik sank to the cold floor of the tunnel, welcoming the darkness once again as the secret door slid soundlessly shut.

And now she has gone. Left you for good, because you can't control you're terrible temper. She was going to stay with you, even though she could leave freely. But no, you had to go and mess everything up, and now you will truly be forever alone.

AN: Wow, what a chapter! Do you think Meg has left for good? Or will she return? I guess we'll have to see in the next chapter. :)

Thanks to all that reviewed the last chapter! This story is riding on your reviews, literally! They give me the urging I need to do the next chapter.

Please Review!