Disclaimer: I do not own Erik, or Meg, or Madame Giry, or any other characters from the ingenious mind of Gaston Leroux! Anne, however, she's mine...well, she resides in my head until her story is done.

AN: Short sweet and to the point...sort of. Anyone else catch POTO on the Tony's last night?!

Chapter 47

"Really? That's all you have planned?" Madame Giry looked over the papers that Erik had spread out on the table. There was nothing but a few bank statements and some carefully placed purchases.

"It's the simplest way to take care of this situation of Anne's family," Erik smiled ruefully, running a hand through his hair.

Madame Giry looked down at Erik and couldn't quite understand his logic. This was the man who had practically run the Opera House into the ground with his complex schemes that were always backfiring and never making any sense. "So...no notes?"

"Not as many as when the last two managers were here. I want this to go away as quickly as possible." Erik stood up from his place at the table and walked over to the window that overlooked his lake. "I'm...thinking of leaving."

"Leaving?!" That had been the last thing she had ever expected Erik to say. "Why on earth would you want to do that?"

He smiled slightly. "Anne and I can't stay here forever."

"Ah...I understand." She chuckled. "I assume you've already made the necessary purchases?"

He turned back to face her. "Everything is finished. The game just has to play out." He held up the locket that Anne had left with him.

The ballet mistress walked over and took the necklace from him. "You gave this to Maria before she left. If I recall, it has your picture on the inside."

"We were good friends, if you remember. We made a promise to each other before she left."

"Really?" She cast him a sly glance.

"Nothing like that, Madame. I promised to be more accepting of those who offered their care, and she promised to be a more caring person. If you recall, she got into quite a few scrapes."

The elder woman laughed. "Yes...meeting you did make her see the error of her ways. You gifted her your roses as well."

Erik looked back out the window, his heart speeding up when he saw Anne appear. "I also gifted something else to her that I believe she passed along to Anne."

Madame Giry's brow furrowed and Erik relished in confusing her. "If you'll excuse me, Madame. Anne is here." He left the ballet mistress to her own devices and made his way out of his house to see the woman who held his heart. Truthfully, he had been less than pleasant to her these past few weeks as he was trying to make sure that everything was carefully planned out. Now...he would make up for the time lost and hopefully repair whatever damage he had caused.

"Anne!" He called out to her.

"Erik?" She stopped, her face alight with confusion. "I was afraid there was a problem."

He smiled and took her hands in his. "I'm sorry if I've been neglecting you." He guided her towards his house and crossed the threshold. "I've been putting the final touches on the plans for making sure your sister leaves the Populaire." He cast her a side glance and saw that she was instantly displeased. He stopped and put his hands on her upper arms. "I promise...no physical or psychological harm is going to come to her."

I wanted to believe him and part of me did. But there was that small little voice in my head that whispered of Erik's past and the terrible things he once did.

However, that was not how trust worked. If Erik said that he was going to do this without causing harm, then I had to believe him.

"Alright, Erik." I smiled up at him, and caught movement coming from behind him. I walked around him and saw Aunt Giry getting ready to leave the house. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything..."

"Of course not, Anne." She smiled at me, and pressed a kiss to my cheek. "You enjoy your visit with Erik, dear. You're coming with Meg and I tonight for dinner."

She waved goodbye and disappeared through one of the many exits.

I thought that Aunt seemed a little too happy considering the way we had parted last night. I would have thought that she would have still been upset, but her eyes sparkled a little too brightly as if she knew something I didn't.

"Does she know the plan?" I asked Erik, but he simply smiled at me and pulled me inside. "Erik?" I asked again, a laugh escaping from me.

"I assume you're here for a lesson?"

I sighed. "The Opera opens tomorrow and you're asking me to have a lesson?"

"I thought maybe you could sing through a couple things I've written for you...or run through some technical exercises. You wouldn't have to play anything or show me what you intend to do when you conduct the Opera this week."

"That's a very tempting offer, Erik." I walked to the kitchen and he followed me. I began working on a late breakfast for the two of us. "Perhaps after I've had something to eat. I'm starving." I poked at the fire to create a bigger blaze. I began slicing up bread before I mentioned what was really on my mind. "I want to talk about Christmas."

I heard a clatter and turned around to find that Erik had dropped a fork onto the floor. He picked it up and cleared his throat. "Um...what about Christmas?"

I turned back to the bread and put the slices on a plate. I then turned to crack some eggs and whisk them in a bowl. "Well, Meg brought up Christmas and getting gifts, and I have a little bit of money saved up from working here and so I was wondering..." I stopped talking when I felt his hands on my shoulders. I took a shaky breath when his hands slowly slid down my arms and took the whisk and bowl out of my hands. He turned me around to face him and he put his fingers beneath my chin. I slowly raised my eyes to his and found him on the verge of laughter.

"And just what were you wondering, Anne?"

"Well...I...what would you like for Christmas, Erik?" It came out as a whisper as his lips were so close. I held on to his arms as his lips brushed mine.

"What if I were to tell you that I already have what I want for I want for Christmas?"

I chuckled. "Well, I'd tell you that I'm going to get you something anyway. So, you can either tell me what you would like or you're going to have to accept whatever it is I give you."

He made a great act of pretending to think on his answer. "I think I'll suffer through whatever you pick out."

I playfully slapped his arm and then turned back around to continue working on breakfast. "You keep saying things like that and I won't sing for you later."

He pressed a kiss to my neck and walked out leaving me in peace to finish working on breakfast. As the food food preparations went on auto-pilot, I let my mind wander to Christmas and what I could get Erik. Not surprisingly my mind came up empty. It would be simple to purchase new ink, pens, and blank paper for his work, but that was too easy. It had to be something that would be special and that he would appreciate for always.

I heard music playing softly and smiled. Erik had left the door to the music room open and the melody of his recent composition met my ears. It was a beautiful piece that started out soft and hesitant, and then grew bold and loud. It was a magnificent and I suddenly knew what I could give Erik for Christmas.

AN: I apologize for the short chapter. However...I promise you that something very juicy is happening in the next chapter! XOXOXO