Sleepless Night Chapter 01

Silently she made her way down the stairs. Glancing around the darkness she saw a lighted torch in the distance. She reached the end of the stairs and made her way through the small pass way. The torch got bigger with every step she took till eventually she reached it. She took the torch out of its holder and walked on.

Holding the torch in front of her so she could see where she was going. Something wet caressed her feet and she realised she had reached the lake. Searching for the small boat but failing to find it she could out to Erik, hoping he could hear her. She sat down, waiting.

After some time she heard the water make noise, as if someone was paddling through it. She slowly got up while using the wall for support. "I thought you wouldn't come," she whispered to the darkness.

"You should not have come," Erik's voice answered through the darkness. She turned towards the voice and she saw Erik emerge from the darkness.

"I wanted to see you," she told him shyly, "I have missed you."

When Erik didn't reply she took a step towards him. "Are you not glad to see me?"

Erik reached out and caressed her cheek. "I am very glad to see you," he replied. "But you must understand, it is dangerous here, you might fall or get lost."

The young woman leaned into his touch. "I'm sorry," she replied.

Erik smiled at the innocence of the young woman in front of him. "You have nothing to be sorry about, my angel. It is I who should have come sooner and I am sorry for that."

"At least you're here now," she said as she took his hand in her own.

"I should take you back to your room," Erik observed. "You are cold."

"I don't want to go back," she pouted. "Can't you take me with you?"

Hopeful eyes locked with his, combined with her pout he failed to say no. "Very well," he sighed. "Let me help you into the boat."

After helping her into the boat he went to stand in the back of it, pushing the boat away from the land he started to paddle through the water. Silence evoked them until the young woman started to sing a lullaby.

He closed his eyes for a moment to enjoy the sweet sound coming from her. When he opened them again he noted they had almost reached his lair. Adjusting the course of the boat they reached his lair. After heaving the boat ashore he helped her out of it.

When he felt her shiver he lay the cloak he was wearing around her shoulders, hoping it would keep her warm.

She smiled up at him as she held the cloak closer to her body, embracing the warmth and Erik's smell that still lingered.

Erik took her hand and guided her to his bed. "You should sleep," he stated and turned around to leave.

"Will you stay and sing to me?" she asked after reaching out to stop him.

Erik turned around and nodded.

She climbed onto the huge bed and lay down wrapping the cloak around her chilled body.

He waited till she rested comfortable and then lay down next to her. "Is this fine?" he asked her and she nodded, skimming closer to him. He took a moment to take in the beautiful sight next to him before he started to sing.

Once he was certain the young woman had finally fallen asleep he carefully stepped out of bed. He took hold of the covers and gently placed them around her sleeping form. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and with one last glance left. He walked over to his piano and sat down behind it.

Before he had gone to the young woman he had been able to write more than half of his new opera but now he was unable to write anything. His thoughts kept dwelling to the figure in his bed, in the other room. Why is she here? he thought. Why did she come back to me?

The last and first time they'd met e had scared her when she had removed his mask. He had seen the fear in her eyes, yet here she was. Back in his bed, obviously not scared. She had even leaned into his touch and s hared the same bed with him. Did he not scare her anymore? Was she not afraid of him?

Never before had a woman confused him as much as she did. One moment she's afraid of him, the next she's not. Does this mean she's going to stay with me? Or is she going away again?

He wasn't sure if his heart could take another rejection. Probably not form her. Not from his angel of music. She was everything he'd ever wanted, everything he craved. Another rejection from her would break his heart. Her first rejection had been a blow to his heart, and may have even broken it. That was why he had not come up to see her. The fear that had radiated from her when she had seen him without his mask had been burned into his mind. Perhaps it was in that moment he realised she could never love him. For how could she love a monster?

She was so beautiful, so innocent. There was no way she could ever love him. Yet… here she was. Asleep in his bed. No to mention she had come here on her own. This time it wasn't he who had called out to her. No, this time it was she who had called out to him. It was she who wanted to stay with him. But why? Why now?

Erik stepped away from the music instrument, knowing her would not be able to play nor be able to get any answers by just sitting down. He walked over to the small couch on the other side of the piano and picked up the book that was laying on it before sitting down. At time like this he was glad Madame Giry had given him a few books. Now he could loose himself in another world that didn't exists of music and his own thoughts.

She rolled over trying to get closer to the figure next to her. At least he was there when she went to sleep. She reached out and only felt the mattress. She opened her eyes and saw nobody there. He's probably playing his music. she thought but began to doubt it as she did not hear any music. She stepped out of the bed, wrapping the cloak around her. She noticed that no one sat in front of the piano.

Looking around, she saw Erik sitting on the couch with a book on his lap. From the looks of it he had fallen asleep. That doesn't look comfortable, she thought as she quietly made hr way over to him. When she reached him she smiled. He looks so peaceful, his face was relaxed in sleep and his chest rose with every breath he took.

Now, as she looked at him, she did not know why he had scared her so He looked like an angel. Yet, without the mask he looked like a monster. No, not a monster. Different, She remembered her fear clearly when she had ripped of his mask. She knew she was too curious for her own good but she did not regret raking of his mask. She knew Erik would have never showed himself without his mask.

Am I still afraid of him when he is not wearing his mask? she wondered. Was she even afraid of him? When she had a nightmare, this evening she had gone to Erik knowing his presence would be enough to chase the nightmare away. That isn't an action of someone who's afraid, is it?

She was confused. Confused about his feelings for her, confused why she was here. But most of all she was confused about her own feelings for him.

If I removed his mask, will I be afraid of him? she wondered as she looked at the white mask that covered half of his face. Unconsciously her right hand touched his mask. She wanted to take of the mask but something hold her back.

Erik woke up feeling a small pressure against his mask and then fingers against his skin. No, not someone, hers, he thought. He still remember how it felt having her touching his face, softly caressing it. He also remembered how he felt when she ripped the mask of. He took hold of her hand and opened his eyes to look at her. A question look formed in his eyes as he saw the curious but gently look staring back at him.

"I am sorry," she whispered and gently averted her eyes.

He wanted to be mad at her for once again trying to remove hi mask but couldn't. Not after her apology. "It's fine, my angel," he began.

"I wanted to see if I was still afraid," she began but stopped seeing him swallow.

So she was afraid? Erik thought and stood up, holding out his hand for her to take. "Come, I'll take you back."

"I am sorry," she began. "I did not mean it like that."

Erik just shook his head as he guided the young woman back to the boat. In silence he paddle the boat back to the other side. Once they reached the other side, he helped her out of the boat and took hold of the torch. He then led her back to her room, through the mirror-doorway.

"Next time you wish to visit, please call me first. It is dangerous in these hallways. I do not want to see you hurt."

The young woman nodded. "Erik, I…" she began but did not know how to continue. He had shrugged her apology off before so why would he accept it now? "Goodnight, Erik," she said and waited a moment but he did not reply. So she walked through the mirror, leaving him staring at the closed door.

"Goodnight, Christine," he whispered, turned around and went back to his solitude that was his home…

The End
August 3rd, 2006