Chapter 6: We're All Mad Here

"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.

"Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat. "We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."

"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.

"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."

Alice didn't think that proved it at all, however, she went on. "And how do you know that you're mad?"

"To begin with," said the Cat, "a dog's not mad. You grant that?"

"I suppose so," said Alice.

"Well, then," the Cat went on, "you see a dog growls when it's angry, and wags its tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore, I'm mad."

Excerpt from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll © 1865, Macmillan & Company, Publisher

"Please, Monsieur. You must stay. After all, you and I, ' ... we're partly little beasts and partly little fowl.'"

The man's hand involuntarily drifted to brush a stray lock of curls from the young woman's face, which caused him to flinch and her to hiss at the jolt of electricity exchanged in that simple touch. Yet, his hand remained at her face, as he seemingly could not find the strength to draw away from her. His hand grew uncharacteristically bold and moved of its own accord to cup her cheek. After a moment, the girl leaned her head into his hand, her eyes dreamily drifting closed. She almost seemed to purr with pleasure at his touch. His thumb emboldened by her acquiescence to him, slowly followed the line of her bottom lip. Her eyes opened to lock with his. As his thumb moved across her upper lip, the girl swiftly opened her mouth and captured his thumb along the outer corner of her lips, where she placed a suggestive kiss on the pad of his thumb. In response to the kiss, both the man and the young woman's eyes closed as a gentle, yet powerfully erotic shiver ran through both of them.

All too soon, they found their moment of quiet bliss harshly ended by the words spoken in the grating voice of Madame Giry.

"I would like to know exactly what it is you think you are doing, Monsieur! And you, Christine Daae, what has gotten into you? Have you gone mad? This behavior is completely unacceptable! Monsieur, remove your hand from the Mademoiselle and leave us ... now!"

The man began to spring backwards at the woman's outraged words. The young woman caught him by the wide lapels of his black tailcoat, abruptly halting his movement and held him firm within her surprisingly strong grip. She turned her usually calm and impassive gaze on the older woman, who suddenly took a step back as she gasped and placed a hand to her heart. The young woman's normally warm brown eyes now held flecks of brightly burning sienna and cinnamon, which gave them an otherworldly glow. Once again, her voice boomed into the silence of the room.

"I SAID, NO! Damn it! Do not make me repeat myself again, Madame!"

Erik involuntarily shivered as he could have sworn he felt the temperature of the room drop at least ten degrees as the quiet icy-cold voice of Madame Giry answered the young woman's challenge.

"Very well, I will not repeat myself Christine, but I am afraid I cannot allow you to stay here and I must ask you to withdraw. These are my rooms and I will not allow such inappropriate behavior to take place here. Behave as a proper young lady or leave. The choice is yours, Christine."

Once again, the room filled with a sound, but this time it was the sound of the young woman's bitter laughter.

"A proper lady, you say? A proper lady? Madame, surely you jest, as you must mistake me for someone else. Since when have I ever acted or been expected to act as a proper young lady? Perhaps it was when I was mucking out the horse's stalls? Was it when my hands bled as I scrubbed pots? Or, better yet, was it when I donned breeches, climbed into the flies and..."

A man's quiet, gentle voice interrupted the girl's angry tirade with its soft, soothing sound.

"Christine..."

The man's melodic voice caught the girl's attention and seemed to entrance her with a single word. She ceased speaking, her eyes locked onto the man she held so fiercely.

"My dear, you are not yourself. Please allow Madame to lend you aide. I shall be no farther from you than outside that door. I will not leave you. I give you my word. Please?"

She stared intently into his stormy green eyes as if she searched for an answer there. She released one of his lapels and Erik watched as her hand glided to his face. He sucked in a surprised breath as her fingers moved over his face. She gently traced and softly caressed the ridges, lumps, bumps and dips of his marred flesh with her fingers, which caused a soft groan to escape from the man's lips. Her hand continued its upwards journey and moved briefly to the top of his head, pausing only to run her fingers through his thick honey-brown locks. Her relentless hand traveled downwards now and when it met the back of his head, Erik realized her hand's adventure was at an end. She entwined her fingers in his hair and pulled him towards her. Rising to meet him, she drew him into a hard, wet kiss that was all too brief, before she released him. Her fiery brown eyes met his confused, yet passion-filled green orbs. She laughed and then graced him with a sardonic smile.

"As long as I have your word, Monsieur. I ask only one other thing of you."

"Damn! Only one thing?" He mused silently.

"And what do you ask of me, Mademoiselle?" His husky voice trembled as he spoke.

"All I ask of you is this: may I have your name, Monsieur?"

Startled, he blinked as shocked realization ran through him.

"I touched this woman. She touched me. She kissed me! And, she does not know my name. Is that not ironic?"

He stood, straightening his clothes and ran his fingers through his hair. Clearing his throat, he gave the woman on the divan before him a slight bow. He gracefully bent and clasped her hand in his. He gazed deeply into her eyes and then spoke in a formal tone.

"Mademoiselle Daae, if I may be so bold as to perform this introduction myself, my name is Erik Destler. However, I would be most honored if you were to call me Erik."