It was nearly twenty-four hours since Clara had been visited by Erik in her bedroom. Nearly twenty-four hours since he'd kissed her, holding her lightly in his arms, then singing her to sleep. She knew that he hadn't been a dream. In her dreams, she'd never had any contact with Erik. She'd merely seen him in miscellaneous places - like on the sidelines of some soccer or football field during a high school game. Odd little places such as that. The one time she had really contacted Erik in a dream, the kiss they had shared had been nothing as remotely innocent as the one he'd given her in real life. And that kiss had been nothing short of passionate. even if not as deep as it was in her dream. Not to mention that in the dream she didn't remember that she had been herself. She'd been looking through the eyes of one of her role-play characters. It had been a sweet dream, but nothing like what she'd experienced the night before.
Clara had never known that it was possible to feel things the way she had when he'd been in her room. As of late, every time she turned on a Michael Crawford movie, she got a shit-eating grin on her face because of her glee of just seeing him on screen. A thrill would always go through her. Yet he was her idol. She truly was in love with his voice and his acting skills. And when he was younger, he'd been so cute! But that couldn't hope to compare with the thought of how Erik had made her feel!! The thrill that had gone up her spine had affected her entire body. Just thinking about it, her skin grew warm, and her breath caught in her throat. Surely it had to be love. Of course it was. She'd always known she was in love with Erik. but this had finally proven it to her. She wanted to kiss him and hold him again. To sing with him again. To get away from Connecticut with him forever.
That was one of the things she wanted most. She wanted him to steal her away, just as he had Christine. Except this time, there would be no Raoul to come after them. There would be no one who cared about her enough to risk such perils to come to her aid. Not that she would want their help in the first place! Yet at least she knew things would be easier on them than if someone (a fop like Raoul - in the dream where she'd kissed Erik, Erik had kill the idiot - go Erik!) came looking for her. Her life was so lonely in Connecticut. so desperately miserable. She wanted to sink into the one fantasy she'd been having for three years, and never come out of it again. Only this time, it wouldn't be mere fantasy.
Sometime during her thoughts, her CD player had gone on, and she was startled when - however low the volume - the huge sound of a grand piano filled the room, playing three pairs of chords that sounded like gongs, or church bells, going off. Immediately she recognized the song. It was "Angel of Music" from her "Phantom of the Opera on Ice" CD. the one she'd been listening to the night before. The first time she'd ever heard this song, her knees had given out on her. And the best place to listen to it was in the dark, just like how she sat now. She was on her bed in total darkness as a sweet voice filled the room. One that was one of the sweetest she'd ever heard - if you did not include Erik and Gerard Garino. She didn't even stop to think of how the CD had come to be back in the stereo, or how it had turned on to that song.
"I'm your angel of music. You will carry my soul. You're the light in the dark of the night of my life. You're the voice that brings calm to my soul.
And I could never live without you. As my world could not exist without music. I would rather die than lose you forever. I'm your angel of music. Be mine."
The CD player turned off before the singer could speak the last two words again with the insistency that usually put her into a trance. Still, the same words filled her ears only a few seconds later, as hot air let itself onto her cheek.
"Be mine."
Smiling, she reached up, her hands finding first a strong shoulder, then the length of a thin and unhealthy feeling throat. Of course, he was painfully thin! Her fingers danced their way up his chin to his face, and she found that he was yet unmasked! He'd come to her unmasked! Never had Clara thought that he would do such a thing unless he was asked to. Did he trust her so much not to throw the light switch that was so close to her now? Just a few inches behind her? He had no reason to mistrust her.
"I didn't know if you would come back." She whispered, her heart feeling as though it would surely burst from her chest at any moment. "I'm so glad that you did. so very glad."
A hand came up to lightly touch her cheek, caressing it with cold fingertips. Quickly, she took his wrist, and brought his entire palm to her cheek, holding it there to warm his hand with her own skin. Then, slowly, she turned her face to lightly kiss the exact center of his hand. So many feelings were running through her that she couldn't make sense of them. She couldn't untangle them and put them each into one separate emotion.
"Clara, I've been thinking about you all day." He whispered, taking in a sharp gasp when she kissed his hand the way that she did. So many sensations coming from that sweet pressure point.
"I haven't been able to take you off of my mind for a moment, either." She whispered. "I hope we think about each other for the same reasons."
"So do I." He confessed. "Clara, would you go for a walk with me?"
She'd never been for a walk at night time before. The world she lived in was far too dangerous a place to go for a walk all by herself. But Erik was with her now. He had his Punjab lasso, she had no doubt of that. Would he risk ever leaving his home without some form of defense? She doubted it. It had to be safe to go with Erik. She'd go with him into the fires of hell if he asked her to. He was the one person she completely trusted - and she barely knew him!
"I'd be delighted." She replied. "Do you want to put your mask back on while we're out?"
"Yes, thank you very much for asking." He drew away from her, and Clara reached down, blindly seeking out her old sandals. The worn black dress sandals she'd worn to her Junior prom, and wore everywhere and anywhere nowadays for comfort purposes. A cold hand enclosed hers, and she was momentarily startled. Erik paused, sensing he'd startled her, and then led her hand to her shoes, which she quickly slipped on.
"I probably should change into real clothes." She murmured. "But I don't really want to. These are comfy." She looked down, but in the darkness could not see the camouflage-style PJ set of t-shirt and shorts she wore. It was composed of a light and darker blue, all butterflies. Yet for a long time she hadn't been able to pick out that little secret with her bad eyes. She hadn't seen the distinct shapes.
"They're cute." Erik said, seeming to be looking at her attire and thinking very carefully about what he saw. "They don't do you justice."
"And what do you think would?" She asked teasingly. Erik chuckled, but didn't reply immediately.
"If you knew, I am quite sure I'd be out of bounds." He told her softly. "I know a lot more about you than you think. Oh, nothing too personal or intimate - I assure you! Except for. perhaps. a certain night dress you happen to like?"
"My lingerie?" Clara burst out laughing, cupping her hands over her mouth so as to keep herself muffled. Again, Erik chuckled, and this time she could tell he was embarrassed. Reaching out blindly, she found where he was standing, and folded her arms around him affectionately. For a moment, he stiffened, and then she felt his now masked cheek pressed against her head.
"Shall we go now?" He asked softly, a hand coming up to comb through her very short brown hair. When she nodded, he pulled back, took her hand, and led her carefully out of her bedroom, through the dark kitchen which was lit only by two digital clocks. One on the microwave, and one on the stove. He took her out through the door leading into the mud room without the door making so much as a click when it opened. That amazed her, his ability to make things that were usually noisy to a fault so utterly silent. Then, once the door was closed, they unlocked the final back door, and out they went into the soft moonlight of early August.
They walked into the large field on the side of their house, and Erik paused to take a long breath, apparently enjoying the fresh air. Then, when Clara slowly, hesitantly, put an arm about his waist, he smiled, and returned the gesture. They walked like this across the 1 acre field, and out onto the back roads that she was so familiar with. Her eyes couldn't see well in such light, especially without her glasses. But she still trusted Erik to take good care of her. If he knew as much about her as he said he did, then she was in the best of hands.
"Everything looks so different at night." She murmured. "It's a bit scary, actually. But I don't think I ever would have dared come out here at night. if not for your presence."
"Oh, I've been with you a great deal." He announced with a smile. "More than you are sure to ever know. Of course, I haven't been able to read your thoughts. but you talk to yourself, my dear. Far too much. People will think you're insane."
"Yes, well. it's contagious so watch out." She warned playfully. "My father, grandmother, and future step-mother all talk to themselves."
They walked in silence for another ten minutes, before they simply turned without a word to head back. They didn't want to reach the main road and be seen by others. Already, Erik was taking a bit of a risk being out in the open with her like this. She was only dressed in her pajamas too! She wondered what this must have looked like to the eyes of others - but did not wish to find out.
"You've been meaning to say something to me ever since I stepped into your room." Erik said abruptly, snapping her out of her reverie. His beautiful voice broke the silence like a sword being ripped through silk. only the whisper of the cloth against the blade making any sound. "What is it, Cherie?"
It was the first time he'd used a pet name with her of any sort, and Clara was taken aback. Then, smiling, she leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked. At least, she attempted to. He was a great deal taller than her, and the top of her head only came up to about his armpit.
"Would you take me back with you?" She asked softly. "Wherever it is you go during the day? Could you take me with you? I want to stay with you forever and ever."
Erik chuckled, stopping in their progress. Clara pulled away from him to look up in confusion, finally planting her hands on her hips in indignation. He was laughing at her!! Never would she have thought Erik would laugh at such a sincere entreaty!
"Oh. I'm sorry my dear." He finally said, reaching out to take her shoulders. "You took me by surprise, is all. Why. I go back to Paris when there are others around! There is no other place for me but in my home under the Opera House. And that is hardly the place for a lady such as yourself."
"Lady?" She asked softly. "Really, Erik. Surely you can tell I'm no lady. I'm barely even a woman."
"That is precisely why you are a lady." He insisted gently. "Clara, I would be absolutely delighted if you would come back with me. But you have to be certain. I don't know that once we're there you will ever be able to come back. No matter how much I might wish to bring you back, it might not be possible. I honestly don't know. Won't there be anyone who you'll miss?"
"I already miss them,. Erik. So it doesn't matter to me."