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Description
I woke up the next morning with half a hangover and stale alcohol breath. I couldn't believe I'd gone out drinking. I'm seventeen and I'd been in a legitimate bar, it's not like I've never gotten drunk before, let's face it most teen have, it was just so different in a bar than hiding in a park or the woods or something. I think I got in about eleven thirty and went to sleep five minutes later. Erik had carried me to bed. Wow. I looked around the room and saw I was the only one in it. I guess I slept through the wake up calls of Meg and Christine for once. I pulled my watch out of my backpack and read that it was nine fifteen. Good, I thought, I finally got enough sleep.

"Get up Sleeping Beauty." A voice called from the door. "It's a beautiful day!" I looked at Blaise with a frown.

"The day can go fuck itself with a hammer for all I care, I need my beauty sleep." I rolled over and ducked under the covers. I heard him walk over to me. He pulled the covers off me. I yelped.

"Still in the clothes from last night? Did you sleep in them?" He sounded shocked at the thought of drunkenly passing out.

"No, I stripped them off last night and decided to wake up and put them back on in the morning just to mess with your head." I got up and pulled my blankets out of his hand. I stretched. "You got me up now get out, I need to get my things together and take a bath." I pushed him out of the door.

"Party too much last night?" He grinned devilishly at me. I grinned back.

"Not enough to knock me down baby!" I slammed the door in his face and listened to him walk down the hall. I pulled the dress off and looked at myself in the mirror over. God, I looked like I'd let a child take a sharpie to my face. Major raccoon eyes. I sucked in as deep a breath as I could and realized that I'd slept in the corset.

"How the fuck did I breathe?" I clawed at the hooks in front and pulled it off, taking a giant gulp of air. "Ow, my ribs." I whimpered. By the end of this experience I'm going to be crippled. I rubbed my ribs before slipping into my brown dress again and taking my toiletries out from under my bed. I resolved not to wear the corset that day. I slipped into the bathroom and set to work righting my appearance.

The weeks slipped by like that. I'd clean the Phantom's box every day and wandered around the opera house helping the maids and cooks from time to time. I'd have my singing lessons on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays but on Fridays I'd go out with Blaise and drink or walk around Paris. Erik was always on my case about how he didn't trust Blase and that he was hiding something. I almost accuse Erik of being the Phantom and telling him everything I knew about him. But that would be stupid and could get me killed, so I stayed silent.

Soon it was February and the dress rehearsal night for Faust. I stood in the Phantom's box after I finished cleaning and watched it. The next day, Saturday, was the opening day, I had been there for three months and exchanged Christmas cards with Meg, Christine and Madame Giry, I didn't make one for Erik because he still wanted me to believe he was an angel and the 'Phantom' was a ghost. I made faces at Christine and Meg who were my closest companions; I ducked when Madame Giry turned to see what was making her dancers fall over with laughter. When rehearsals were done I went to the chapel.

"It's Friday again," I said, knowing Erik was there. I had come to know when he set his eyes on me. Almost all the time I spent in his box I was under his eyes though he rarely talked.

"I assume that means you're going out again with that boy." He replied. I still couldn't understand why he didn't like Blaise. He worked hard and finished all his work before going home.

"Angel he's my friend and I'll be back early tonight. I'm leaving now and I'll be back before the cleaning staff finishes at seven thirty." I got up and walked out the door. Blowing a kiss on the way out.

"So what's so important about this place?" Blaise was taking be to some club that was members only and Blaise didn't tell me anything else. When he had met me outside the front of the Opera he had said there was something important he had to tell me there.

"You'll see when we get there, Miss Nosy." He hip nudged me. God, he acted weirder than me and that was saying something. We walked in off and on silence for the next twenty minutes before we came to a bar front. The music coming from it was pleasant but there was something about it that was a little... off. Blaise walked up to the bouncer and whispered something in his ear. The bouncer moved to the side let us pass.

It was dimly lit in the bar. I think the sign said that the place was called Fantasia.There were couples clustered around on over sized cushions and something sweet hung in the air. We walked over to the bar and he ordered us two fruity sounding drinks. I sipped my and looked around. The people scattered around us seemed on high alert that we were in the bar.

"Blaise, what's going on?" I was starting to get a little creeped out.

"Danielle, we're friends right?" I nodded. "And friends like each other no matter what right?" I nodded again, wondering where this was going. "Well I have something I wanted to tell you from the day we met." I was on high alert. Had Erik been right? I never got the vibe that Blaise had a thing for me, I always thought we'd just be really good friends.

"Wanna tell me what's up?" I was getting ready to pull a runner when he began to speak.

"Dee, I'm different. I'm not... I don't like girls. I like men," he said in a rush. I looked at him. No wonder we got along so well.

"Yeah, and that's a bad thing?" I asked, temporarily forgetting what time it was. Blaise broke out into a smile and picked me up and spun me around. "Easy," I laughed. "I can't breathe enough already in this corset, are you trying to kill me?" He set me down and kissed my cheek. I almost began rolling on the floor with laughter when I realized that this must be a gay bar.

"It's so good to know you accept me. No one ever has. Except the people here, that is." He showed me around the room and introduced me to some men whose names I'd never remember. I had poured my drink out into a plant and returned it to the bar. These men couldn't get over how amazed they were that having them all be gay wasn't an issue to me. I sang a few song for them and told jokes, letting them get to know me. After a while I realized I was going to be late coming home.

"Time to take me home now," I said after a while. "I need to get a good nights sleep for once, I'd also like to go to bed on a full stomache." Blaise paid for the bill and we left, much to the dismay of the other men in the room. I guess they thought of me as a little statue of tolerance. I had to promise to come by every Friday and hang out. As soon as we got out of hearing range of the bouncer I began to laugh.

"Well this is going to be interesting. Never in my life did I think that I'd be going to be a welcome guest at a gay bar." I continued to laugh until we came in the door.

"I'm glad you accept me, not even my own father did." Blaise took my hands. "It really means a lot to me." I smiled up at him. "And those songs you sang were great! Where'd you learn to sing like that?"

"Oh, here and there. And that's what friends do. They're there for each other when they're needed." I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek and let him kiss mine. "See ya tomorrow." I waved and we separated. I'd almost made it to the female dormitories when I almost knocked over a cleaning lady.

"I'm sorry dear, I didn't see you." She tried to go around me but I stopped her.

"What are you still doing here, I thought that the cleaning crew got off at seven thirty; it's almost eight." Everybody was eager to get home as soon as they could after work never staying more than ten minutes to pack up and leave.

"I forgot to clean the mirror in the prima donna's dressing room earlier today so I have to go back and do it now before I go home." She looked about dead on her feet. I felt bad for her, I knew for a fact that she was paying for her child to be taken care of today since he was sick even though she had little money.

"I'll do it for you, your kid needs you right now." She smiled at me so sweetly I almost forgot I'd be late for dinner again.

"Oh, thank you so much! Of course I'll pay you for it.." I held up my hand.

"I won't accept the money. You need it more than I do right now. I'll do it for free." She handed me the cleaning solution and a rag, thanking me until she went out the door. It made me happy knowing I was doing something to help her in such a hard time.

I walked into the dressing room and lit a candle, I knew it wouldn't take long to clean the mirror and didn't want to waste candles. I absentmindedly began to clean the mirror. My mind turned to my own time. I missed my family and my friends. They'd laugh if they knew I'd become a member of a gay bar club. I almost began to cry but forced the tears away thinking that I wouldn't be doing anything useful if I began to cry. I took a deep breath and finished the mirror, trying not to think about the movie and how Christine will be pulled through the same mirror that I was cleaning. I finished gathering up my things and turned to leave when a gust of cold wind blew out my candle crept up my back.

"Insolent boy, this slave of fashion,
Basking in your glory!" I sucked in a gasp as his voice hit me, it felt like I was being pulled under by a wave.

"Ignorant fool, this brave young suitor,
Sharing in my triumph!" Erik sounded really mad. He must have seen me kiss Blaise. I had to pacify him.

"Angel, I hear you.
Speak, I listen.
Stay by my side,
Guide me." The tension in the air seemed to lessen.

"Angel, my soul was weak,
Forgive me.
Enter at last, Master."

"Flattering child, you shall know me.
See why in shadow I hide.
Look at your face in the mirror.
I am there, inside!" I turned to see Erik's form in the mirror. I felt myself smile as I sung to him.

"Angel of Music, guide and guardian,
Grant to me your glory.
Angel of Music, hide no longer.
Come to me, strange Angel." I walked to the mirror where Erik stood.

"I am your Angel of Music.
Come to me, Angel of Music." He held out his hand to me and I reached for it with my own. I knew I had no control over where he took me and I didn't care; rational thought had left me.

ERIK

I watched the door from one of my hiding spaces, waiting for Danielle to come in the door before I went back to my home for the night. It was past time for her to be home and I was a bit worried. After what seemed like hours she walked in with that stagehand laughing. I felt a pang of envy that he could talk to her so freely while I couldn't. They walked in and talked about something I couldn't hear, I thought I heard him praising her voice. She gave him another perfect smile and they kissed. I couldn't believe that she had kissed him after she had told me he was only a friend. Anger welled in me. She had lied. Lied for so long to me and, like a fool, I believed her. I followed her, planning to yell at her as soon as I had her alone when she bumped into a cleaning woman and offered to do her work. I smirked; this was the perfect way to get her alone.

As she finished cleaning the mirror I called to her. She looked surprised but responded in such a sweet tone some of my anger left me, leaving me to coast on the image of their kiss to call her to me. As she turned to the mirror and laid her eyes on me she broke into a smile sweeter than she had offered the stagehand, whatever anger I still held melted as she took my hand and triumph shot through my veins. I pulled her through my tunnels with our voices echoing off the walls.

"In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came .
That voice which calls to me and speaks my name
And do I dream again?
For now I find The Phantom of the Opera is there inside my mind." She held my hand tight and looked straight at me without a trace of fright, she even smiled. I breathed in her distinct scent. What was it? Roses, jasmine and baby powder; it was the kind of scent that I knew only she could have.

"Sing once again with me our strange duet
My power over you grows stronger yet
And though you turn from me to glance behind
The Phantom of the Opera is there inside your mind." The torch I held flickered as I set it aside to help her onto my horse Caesar. She swung her leg over and rode like a man, lacing her fingers through his mane. She seemed completely at peace though I was sure I hadn't compelled her so deeply. I helped her off and into the boat. She turned to face me as I pushed off from the dock and steered us towards my home.

"Those who have seen your face draw back in fear
I am the mask you wear,"

"It's me they hear." I finished for her before our voices melded together to one.

"My/your spirit and my/your voice in one combined
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my/your mind." She seemed to be exited. Her voice betrayed her.

"In all your fantasies
You always knew
That man and mystery,"

"Were both in you." She sang back to me.

"And in this labyrinth
Where night is blind
The Phantom of the opera is there/here
Inside your/my mind!" Our voices hung together in the cavers and ricocheted around us, like some chorus was singing with us.

"He's there, the Phantom of the Opera!
Beware, The Phantom of The Opera!" She sang to me.

"Sing my Angel of Music!"

"He's there, The Phantom of the Opera!" Her voice soared in the caverns as my home came into view.

"Sing!" Higher her voice climbed. "Sing for me!" Higher again, at a break she drew a breath. "Sing for me Angel of Music." The boat docked and I got out, turning to her. "SING FOR ME!" I yelled as her voice slid through the octaves like they were no obstacle at all. I pulled my cape off and turned to her again.

DANIELLE

I felt my breathing come hard as I had sung so high and used up so much air. I could hardly believe Erik had taken me into his lair. Rationality slammed into my like a runaway train. My eyes snapped towards him.

"Why have you brought me here?" I stood in the boat, causing it to rock. I stumbled out onto dry land and looked around.

"I must return." I turned to look for a way out.

"You cannot-"Erik began.

"They'll worry for me,
They'll think I'm gone." I backed up, I didn't know if he intended to hurt me or what. I didn't know if he was still mad at me for kissing Blaise. I still didn't get that, it was only on the cheek.

"I cannot let you go yet." He answered me. He didn't seem angry. I looked into his eyes and he seemed calm. I still had to feign ignorance. I could barely move my lips.

"You are the Phantom of the Opera." He nodded. "You are the Phantom and my Angel of Music." He clearly hadn't expected me to get it. I gave a gentle smile. "I'd know your voice anywhere." I swallowed my uncertainty and walked towards him. Tentatively I reached out and touched his chest with the tips of my fingers. He was taller than me, at least six feet, an entire foot taller than me. He seemed frozen as I continued my inspection. He wore what I knew was a black wig and a fine black suit with a white shirt and sea blue eyes peeking out of a white mask that covered the right side of his face going over his nose and around his lips. I could see him tense as I backed away from him.

"Why did you lie to me?"" He flinched.

"What could you gain
From carrying on this game
And teaching me to sing.
I'm not a doll for you to command,
To come to you at your remand." I felt my heart pounding in my chest. "Why?" He walked towards me and I fought to keep my face blank.

"You are asking a masked man why he would lie to you? Obviously he is the villain." His face was as impassive as mine.

"That's not true. You aren't the villain, you are a man that has had horrible things happen to him so he hid from the world and it's cruelties and forgot, or maybe never learned, how to trust someone." He looked at me with pain in his eyes. "I'm from the future, I'm different. I spoke to you even though you were the Phantom and killed people. How could you not trust me even after I treated you like I would any other person?"

"You have already shown the insight you have and it is for that very reason I trust no one. I have never placed trust in anyone besides myself and I could not stop for one person." I knew this, why was I making him say it?

"Blaise and I are just friends." I said out of nowhere. "You don't need to be mad at him." Something flashed in his eyes.

"If that's true why did you kiss him?" He spat.

"What's so bad about kissing someone on the cheek?" I asked.

"I thought you kissed him on the lips; don't you love him?" Erik turned from me. I was going to need to say something pretty tactful to get out of this.

"I do love him," Erik cringe a bit. "But I love you too." Erik turned around in bewilderment. "I also love Meg, Christine and Madame Giry. All of them are my precious friends, like you."

"I'm your friend?"

"And my Angel of Music." I walked up to him and put my arms around him. He went rigid. "Though I'm going to have to call you something other than Phantom or Angel." I smiled up at him. "What's your name?" His mouth moved without sound for a moment before he said anything.

"Erik. I am Erik."

Description
I woke up the next morning with half a hangover and stale alcohol breath. I couldn't believe I'd gone out drinking. I'm seventeen and I'd been in a legitimate bar, it's not like I've never gotten drunk before, let's face it most teen have, it was just so different in a bar than hiding in a park or the woods or something. I think I got in about eleven thirty and went to sleep five minutes later. Erik had carried me to bed. Wow. I looked around the room and saw I was the only one in it. I guess I slept through the wake up calls of Meg and Christine for once. I pulled my watch out of my backpack and read that it was nine fifteen. Good, I thought, I finally got enough sleep.

"Get up Sleeping Beauty." A voice called from the door. "It's a beautiful day!" I looked at Blaise with a frown.

"The day can go fuck itself with a hammer for all I care, I need my beauty sleep." I rolled over and ducked under the covers. I heard him walk over to me. He pulled the covers off me. I yelped.

"Still in the clothes from last night? Did you sleep in them?" He sounded shocked at the thought of drunkenly passing out.

"No, I stripped them off last night and decided to wake up and put them back on in the morning just to mess with your head." I got up and pulled my blankets out of his hand. I stretched. "You got me up now get out, I need to get my things together and take a bath." I pushed him out of the door.

"Party too much last night?" He grinned devilishly at me. I grinned back.

"Not enough to knock me down baby!" I slammed the door in his face and listened to him walk down the hall. I pulled the dress off and looked at myself in the mirror over. God, I looked like I'd let a child take a sharpie to my face. Major raccoon eyes. I sucked in as deep a breath as I could and realized that I'd slept in the corset.

"How the fuck did I breathe?" I clawed at the hooks in front and pulled it off, taking a giant gulp of air. "Ow, my ribs." I whimpered. By the end of this experience I'm going to be crippled. I rubbed my ribs before slipping into my brown dress again and taking my toiletries out from under my bed. I resolved not to wear the corset that day. I slipped into the bathroom and set to work righting my appearance.

The weeks slipped by like that. I'd clean the Phantom's box every day and wandered around the opera house helping the maids and cooks from time to time. I'd have my singing lessons on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays but on Fridays I'd go out with Blaise and drink or walk around Paris. Erik was always on my case about how he didn't trust Blase and that he was hiding something. I almost accuse Erik of being the Phantom and telling him everything I knew about him. But that would be stupid and could get me killed, so I stayed silent.

Soon it was February and the dress rehearsal night for Faust. I stood in the Phantom's box after I finished cleaning and watched it. The next day, Saturday, was the opening day, I had been there for three months and exchanged Christmas cards with Meg, Christine and Madame Giry, I didn't make one for Erik because he still wanted me to believe he was an angel and the 'Phantom' was a ghost. I made faces at Christine and Meg who were my closest companions; I ducked when Madame Giry turned to see what was making her dancers fall over with laughter. When rehearsals were done I went to the chapel.

"It's Friday again," I said, knowing Erik was there. I had come to know when he set his eyes on me. Almost all the time I spent in his box I was under his eyes though he rarely talked.

"I assume that means you're going out again with that boy." He replied. I still couldn't understand why he didn't like Blaise. He worked hard and finished all his work before going home.

"Angel he's my friend and I'll be back early tonight. I'm leaving now and I'll be back before the cleaning staff finishes at seven thirty." I got up and walked out the door. Blowing a kiss on the way out.

"So what's so important about this place?" Blaise was taking be to some club that was members only and Blaise didn't tell me anything else. When he had met me outside the front of the Opera he had said there was something important he had to tell me there.

"You'll see when we get there, Miss Nosy." He hip nudged me. God, he acted weirder than me and that was saying something. We walked in off and on silence for the next twenty minutes before we came to a bar front. The music coming from it was pleasant but there was something about it that was a little... off. Blaise walked up to the bouncer and whispered something in his ear. The bouncer moved to the side let us pass.

It was dimly lit in the bar. I think the sign said that the place was called Fantasia.There were couples clustered around on over sized cushions and something sweet hung in the air. We walked over to the bar and he ordered us two fruity sounding drinks. I sipped my and looked around. The people scattered around us seemed on high alert that we were in the bar.

"Blaise, what's going on?" I was starting to get a little creeped out.

"Danielle, we're friends right?" I nodded. "And friends like each other no matter what right?" I nodded again, wondering where this was going. "Well I have something I wanted to tell you from the day we met." I was on high alert. Had Erik been right? I never got the vibe that Blaise had a thing for me, I always thought we'd just be really good friends.

"Wanna tell me what's up?" I was getting ready to pull a runner when he began to speak.

"Dee, I'm different. I'm not... I don't like girls. I like men," he said in a rush. I looked at him. No wonder we got along so well.

"Yeah, and that's a bad thing?" I asked, temporarily forgetting what time it was. Blaise broke out into a smile and picked me up and spun me around. "Easy," I laughed. "I can't breathe enough already in this corset, are you trying to kill me?" He set me down and kissed my cheek. I almost began rolling on the floor with laughter when I realized that this must be a gay bar.

"It's so good to know you accept me. No one ever has. Except the people here, that is." He showed me around the room and introduced me to some men whose names I'd never remember. I had poured my drink out into a plant and returned it to the bar. These men couldn't get over how amazed they were that having them all be gay wasn't an issue to me. I sang a few song for them and told jokes, letting them get to know me. After a while I realized I was going to be late coming home.

"Time to take me home now," I said after a while. "I need to get a good nights sleep for once, I'd also like to go to bed on a full stomache." Blaise paid for the bill and we left, much to the dismay of the other men in the room. I guess they thought of me as a little statue of tolerance. I had to promise to come by every Friday and hang out. As soon as we got out of hearing range of the bouncer I began to laugh.

"Well this is going to be interesting. Never in my life did I think that I'd be going to be a welcome guest at a gay bar." I continued to laugh until we came in the door.

"I'm glad you accept me, not even my own father did." Blaise took my hands. "It really means a lot to me." I smiled up at him. "And those songs you sang were great! Where'd you learn to sing like that?"

"Oh, here and there. And that's what friends do. They're there for each other when they're needed." I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek and let him kiss mine. "See ya tomorrow." I waved and we separated. I'd almost made it to the female dormitories when I almost knocked over a cleaning lady.

"I'm sorry dear, I didn't see you." She tried to go around me but I stopped her.

"What are you still doing here, I thought that the cleaning crew got off at seven thirty; it's almost eight." Everybody was eager to get home as soon as they could after work never staying more than ten minutes to pack up and leave.

"I forgot to clean the mirror in the prima donna's dressing room earlier today so I have to go back and do it now before I go home." She looked about dead on her feet. I felt bad for her, I knew for a fact that she was paying for her child to be taken care of today since he was sick even though she had little money.

"I'll do it for you, your kid needs you right now." She smiled at me so sweetly I almost forgot I'd be late for dinner again.

"Oh, thank you so much! Of course I'll pay you for it.." I held up my hand.

"I won't accept the money. You need it more than I do right now. I'll do it for free." She handed me the cleaning solution and a rag, thanking me until she went out the door. It made me happy knowing I was doing something to help her in such a hard time.

I walked into the dressing room and lit a candle, I knew it wouldn't take long to clean the mirror and didn't want to waste candles. I absentmindedly began to clean the mirror. My mind turned to my own time. I missed my family and my friends. They'd laugh if they knew I'd become a member of a gay bar club. I almost began to cry but forced the tears away thinking that I wouldn't be doing anything useful if I began to cry. I took a deep breath and finished the mirror, trying not to think about the movie and how Christine will be pulled through the same mirror that I was cleaning. I finished gathering up my things and turned to leave when a gust of cold wind blew out my candle crept up my back.

"Insolent boy, this slave of fashion,
Basking in your glory!" I sucked in a gasp as his voice hit me, it felt like I was being pulled under by a wave.

"Ignorant fool, this brave young suitor,
Sharing in my triumph!" Erik sounded really mad. He must have seen me kiss Blaise. I had to pacify him.

"Angel, I hear you.
Speak, I listen.
Stay by my side,
Guide me." The tension in the air seemed to lessen.

"Angel, my soul was weak,
Forgive me.
Enter at last, Master."

"Flattering child, you shall know me.
See why in shadow I hide.
Look at your face in the mirror.
I am there, inside!" I turned to see Erik's form in the mirror. I felt myself smile as I sung to him.

"Angel of Music, guide and guardian,
Grant to me your glory.
Angel of Music, hide no longer.
Come to me, strange Angel." I walked to the mirror where Erik stood.

"I am your Angel of Music.
Come to me, Angel of Music." He held out his hand to me and I reached for it with my own. I knew I had no control over where he took me and I didn't care; rational thought had left me.

ERIK

I watched the door from one of my hiding spaces, waiting for Danielle to come in the door before I went back to my home for the night. It was past time for her to be home and I was a bit worried. After what seemed like hours she walked in with that stagehand laughing. I felt a pang of envy that he could talk to her so freely while I couldn't. They walked in and talked about something I couldn't hear, I thought I heard him praising her voice. She gave him another perfect smile and they kissed. I couldn't believe that she had kissed him after she had told me he was only a friend. Anger welled in me. She had lied. Lied for so long to me and, like a fool, I believed her. I followed her, planning to yell at her as soon as I had her alone when she bumped into a cleaning woman and offered to do her work. I smirked; this was the perfect way to get her alone.

As she finished cleaning the mirror I called to her. She looked surprised but responded in such a sweet tone some of my anger left me, leaving me to coast on the image of their kiss to call her to me. As she turned to the mirror and laid her eyes on me she broke into a smile sweeter than she had offered the stagehand, whatever anger I still held melted as she took my hand and triumph shot through my veins. I pulled her through my tunnels with our voices echoing off the walls.

"In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came .
That voice which calls to me and speaks my name
And do I dream again?
For now I find The Phantom of the Opera is there inside my mind." She held my hand tight and looked straight at me without a trace of fright, she even smiled. I breathed in her distinct scent. What was it? Roses, jasmine and baby powder; it was the kind of scent that I knew only she could have.

"Sing once again with me our strange duet
My power over you grows stronger yet
And though you turn from me to glance behind
The Phantom of the Opera is there inside your mind." The torch I held flickered as I set it aside to help her onto my horse Caesar. She swung her leg over and rode like a man, lacing her fingers through his mane. She seemed completely at peace though I was sure I hadn't compelled her so deeply. I helped her off and into the boat. She turned to face me as I pushed off from the dock and steered us towards my home.

"Those who have seen your face draw back in fear
I am the mask you wear,"

"It's me they hear." I finished for her before our voices melded together to one.

"My/your spirit and my/your voice in one combined
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my/your mind." She seemed to be exited. Her voice betrayed her.

"In all your fantasies
You always knew
That man and mystery,"

"Were both in you." She sang back to me.

"And in this labyrinth
Where night is blind
The Phantom of the opera is there/here
Inside your/my mind!" Our voices hung together in the cavers and ricocheted around us, like some chorus was singing with us.

"He's there, the Phantom of the Opera!
Beware, The Phantom of The Opera!" She sang to me.

"Sing my Angel of Music!"

"He's there, The Phantom of the Opera!" Her voice soared in the caverns as my home came into view.

"Sing!" Higher her voice climbed. "Sing for me!" Higher again, at a break she drew a breath. "Sing for me Angel of Music." The boat docked and I got out, turning to her. "SING FOR ME!" I yelled as her voice slid through the octaves like they were no obstacle at all. I pulled my cape off and turned to her again.

DANIELLE

I felt my breathing come hard as I had sung so high and used up so much air. I could hardly believe Erik had taken me into his lair. Rationality slammed into my like a runaway train. My eyes snapped towards him.

"Why have you brought me here?" I stood in the boat, causing it to rock. I stumbled out onto dry land and looked around.

"I must return." I turned to look for a way out.

"You cannot-"Erik began.

"They'll worry for me,
They'll think I'm gone." I backed up, I didn't know if he intended to hurt me or what. I didn't know if he was still mad at me for kissing Blaise. I still didn't get that, it was only on the cheek.

"I cannot let you go yet." He answered me. He didn't seem angry. I looked into his eyes and he seemed calm. I still had to feign ignorance. I could barely move my lips.

"You are the Phantom of the Opera." He nodded. "You are the Phantom and my Angel of Music." He clearly hadn't expected me to get it. I gave a gentle smile. "I'd know your voice anywhere." I swallowed my uncertainty and walked towards him. Tentatively I reached out and touched his chest with the tips of my fingers. He was taller than me, at least six feet, an entire foot taller than me. He seemed frozen as I continued my inspection. He wore what I knew was a black wig and a fine black suit with a white shirt and sea blue eyes peeking out of a white mask that covered the right side of his face going over his nose and around his lips. I could see him tense as I backed away from him.

"Why did you lie to me?"" He flinched.

"What could you gain
From carrying on this game
And teaching me to sing.
I'm not a doll for you to command,
To come to you at your remand." I felt my heart pounding in my chest. "Why?" He walked towards me and I fought to keep my face blank.

"You are asking a masked man why he would lie to you? Obviously he is the villain." His face was as impassive as mine.

"That's not true. You aren't the villain, you are a man that has had horrible things happen to him so he hid from the world and it's cruelties and forgot, or maybe never learned, how to trust someone." He looked at me with pain in his eyes. "I'm from the future, I'm different. I spoke to you even though you were the Phantom and killed people. How could you not trust me even after I treated you like I would any other person?"

"You have already shown the insight you have and it is for that very reason I trust no one. I have never placed trust in anyone besides myself and I could not stop for one person." I knew this, why was I making him say it?

"Blaise and I are just friends." I said out of nowhere. "You don't need to be mad at him." Something flashed in his eyes.

"If that's true why did you kiss him?" He spat.

"What's so bad about kissing someone on the cheek?" I asked.

"I thought you kissed him on the lips; don't you love him?" Erik turned from me. I was going to need to say something pretty tactful to get out of this.

"I do love him," Erik cringe a bit. "But I love you too." Erik turned around in bewilderment. "I also love Meg, Christine and Madame Giry. All of them are my precious friends, like you."

"I'm your friend?"

"And my Angel of Music." I walked up to him and put my arms around him. He went rigid. "Though I'm going to have to call you something other than Phantom or Angel." I smiled up at him. "What's your name?" His mouth moved without sound for a moment before he said anything.

"Erik. I am Erik."