Paige's Angel

Chapter Eight: What Would I Do Without You?

I DON'T OWN POTO, IF I DID ERIK WOULD PUT A RESTRAINING ORDER ON ME!!!! :D

Paige re-emerged from her room, now dressed in a simple green dress. “Did Madame Giry leave?” she asked. Erik nodded and Paige took a seat at the piano bench. “So Erik, what do you do down here all alone?”

“Actually, most of the time I’m above ground.” Erik chuckled. “I watch every rehearsal and before the new managers came, Monsieur Lefevre would take my suggestions to enhance the show.”

“Every single rehearsal?” Paige asked with wide eyes.

“Yes.” Erik laughed. “And before you ask, I always pay attention to the dancers. I saw you and Marguerite skipping rehearsal those few days.”

Paige blushed as she asked “You paid attention… to me?”

“Of course.” He laughed again. “Why wouldn’t I?” she didn’t have an answer for that so Erik added “Speaking of, I believe it is time for rehearsal.” He walked over to where Paige sat and held his hand out. “Would you like to accompany me to rehearsals?”

Paige giggled and said “I would be honored.” She took his hand and they walked to Box Five. They sat in the shadows where the cast couldn’t see them from the stage. “What are they working on today?”

“Faust.” Erik replied. Both of them sat in silence, watching the dancers and actors play across the stage. Erik would occasionally whisper his comments to Paige, who would nod and try to ignore his warm breath tickling her ear.

“Stop! Stop!” Monsieur Reyer yelled as Carlotta pushed one of the younger ballerinas out of the way. While the other ballerinas were consoling the little girl, the Vicomte and the managers walked across the stage, talking loudly.

“We can do anything we want!” Raoul said triumphantly. “He’s just a man! He can do nothing to us! He is in love with that stupid ballerina that got sacked.”

Erik went tense beside her and he growled “I’ll be right back, if anything happens pull this lever to get to the lake.” He pointed at a small black handle and then he jumped right off the balcony and swung onto the stage. Erik landed right beside the Vicomte, who looked terrified but tried to save face for the managers and Christine. “I told you not to even look at her again.” Erik growled at the Vicomte.

Raoul just laughed and said “Oh look, the “fearsome” Phantom!” Erik didn’t reply, choosing instead to pull a saber from its sheath and lunge at the Vicomte, missing him by an inch. One of the male dancers threw Raoul a sword and soon the Vicomte and the Phantom were evenly matched. The onlookers flinched every time metal hit metal, and Paige stared down at the stage in horror. Erik fought with a ferocity that Raoul had a difficult time defending against, but two of the male dancers got up the courage to join in, sneaking up behind Erik and cutting him in the side. Erik fell with a shout of pain and Paige gasped. Erik looked up at Paige and yelled “To the lake!”

He was surrounded by smoke and when it cleared Erik was gone. Paige wasted no time in pulling the lever and falling into the black abyss. She stumbled as she landed and Paige saw that she was standing in the middle of the lair. “Erik!” Paige yelled when she saw him slumped on the floor. She rushed to his side and helped him to his feet.

“‘Ello Paige…” Erik said weakly. Paige helped him sit down on the swan bed and she felt dizzy when she saw the blood seeping through his coat. She tried to unbutton his coat, but they wouldn’t budge. Paige returned to the main chamber and grabbed bandages and scissors that she found in a drawer. “Why do you have scissors?” he asked faintly.

Paige ignored him and fought down a blush as she cut his shirt right off of him! “I can’t bind the wound if your shirt is in the way!” she said defensively as Erik stared at her with wide eyes. She desperately tried to ignore the fact that he was shirtless… and not bad looking either. Paige fumbled for the damp cloth to clean him up. “If I hurt you, I’m so sorry but I need to clean it.” Paige warned. She carefully cleaned the blood off him, wincing whenever Erik did, but not losing focus of the task at hand. She would be forever grateful for her acting skills to hide her astonishment and rather obvious blush! Once all the blood was gone, Paige began to wrap Erik’s wound.