Author's Note: First posted story! (Not first written, but it just demanded to be posted first, pushy little bugger!) Made a few minor changes since I was updating anyway.

Disclaimer: I own Mandy and Tom! I do not own Erik, Christine, Nadir, Meg, Madam Giry, The Lion King or anything else really, but I do have hope that one day that will change.

"Oh, come on, Mandy! You're not going to sit up here all night and type your stupid little stories! It's Friday night, we're supposed to be going out remember?" my annoyingly whinny would-be boyfriend complained. Tom really wasn't such a bad guy; trouble was he wasn't such a great guy as I was learning during our pre-dating trial period. He was just your average college jock with an inflated self-image to maintain, which translates into not being seen at the local bar on a Friday night equals failure, especially if he dared to show up sans girl.

"Yeah, I remember. Just let me type this last bit on…" I was stunned into silence as the screen before me went completely black. Turning I found a grinning Tom holding onto the power cord of my now disconnected, faithful old clunk of a computer.

"You did not just unplug my computer."

"You bet I did, can we go now?" His smile widened as he walked over to my side. "You should put on your black top though, you look great in that."

"I have just spent three hours in front of this screen, trying to finish my masterpiece, which you have just consigned to oblivion, and you think that I am going to change my clothes and go with you to a bar?"

"Yeah." Apparently I must have been giving him an angry look or something because he began to get defensive on me. "Hey don't get mad at me, I've been waiting half an hour for you to finish. And besides," he began to smirk again. "If you didn't save it its your own fault not mine."

"Its my fault that you unplugged my computer!" I realized I was beginning to get a little hysterical and tried to keep calm. Yeah right, not happening anytime soon. "Its my fault you showed up an hour early, and couldn't let me use my time to finish…"

"Your time?" he yelled in astonishment. You know, I think he was getting a little bit upset by my blatant refusal to take responsibility for the sudden loss of my work. Go figure. "This relationship is supposed to be about us. You spend more of our time typing up your childish fantasies about a dumb fictional character than you do with me!"

"Erik is NOT a fictional character!" Yep, it was a screaming match now.

"Oh sure he isn't! He's a real person isn't he! Sure he's real and he's only been dead for a century!" Now shouting like a lunatic, Tom was towering over me as I sat in my dinky desk chair. "You love that dead guy more than me, don't you! That ugly, dead freak!"

"ERIK!" I screamed, putting my entire soprano voice behind it. What can I say? I couldn't take anymore. Tom stepped back, looking confused and, I happily noted, somewhat deafened.

"You called?" I smiled as I turned to look across the room where the dark shadow of the character in question had appeared.

"You bet I did," I muttered, casting a death glare at Tom, who was trying to look unfazed by the sudden appearance of this specter in my room. "Well, I don't think you two have met. Erik, this is Tom. Tom, meet Erik." I got up from my chair, my legs screaming at me as the circulation returned, and trying to hide my limp, hobbled over to stand by Erik.

"I am delighted to meet you monsieur" Erik casually greeted, watching as I continued to beam my glare of death at that miserable little weasel.

"Yeah, right back at ya 'Erik'." That little creep was smirking again! "That's a nice costume you've got there. Did you rent it or did you have your mommy make it for you?"

I was all set to break into some really foul language right about then, not to mention pounding his fanny into the dirt, but Erik, being the great guy he is, cut me off.

"A lady never swears, my dear," he whispered to me before addressing that thing over there. "My choice of attire for the evening is of no importance at the moment, but if you would like to discuss fashionable clothing at a later time I'm sure I could give you much advice on the subject, as it is quite apparent that you lack even a passing knowledge of the basics of coordinating apparel."

Wow. Can I get a whoop whoop! Go Erik! Mentally I was doing my dorky little happy dance as I watched Tom slowly process what had just been said and come to the conclusion that he had just been insulted. It took a while.

"We'll have to do that sometime" he glowered. "Till then, you mind telling who you are and what you're doing here, weirdo?"

What kind of a comeback was that? Ok I know I shouldn't encourage him, but he better learn to do better than that and fast cause Erik is a professional at this game.

" I am Erik, as has already been established."

"Yeah and I'm Santa Clause!" I had considered dating the guy with that brain? I plead temporary insanity. Or it could have been something I ate.

"Well you certainly seem to have the mental capacity for the job. I don't doubt that the job of manual labor and eating cookies is well within your limited abilities."

Score! Happy dance in overtime now! Tom was really getting mad and he made a poor attempt to return my glare but switched it to Erik as he continued speaking.

"As for your other question, I am here because Mandy called me to come. From her apparent attitude towards you, I would hazard a guess that she has found your repugnant company tiresome, and wishes you to leave. I can only hope the request is permanent."

"I'm not going anywhere!"

"Really? I think you'll find you're sadly mistaken. However, you likely no longer mourn your numerous errors in judgment after having endured so many."

"Just get lost Tom," I called out from behind Erik, who was steadily stalking his way over to Tom. "Go find somebody else who can make enough us time for you!"

"You just be quiet! I'll deal with you later!" Erik was now looming right in front of him. "First I'm going get some things straight with your little Phantom here."

"He's not mine, darn it!" Agony! Bad enough you have to type disclaimers in every single chapter in every single story, but to have to deny him in front of other people is unbearable torture!

Erik was smirking now. "And she is not yours, so you would do well in avoiding giving orders to her." He leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially. " I find most women have an intense dislike of being told what to do. Of course, since none of them has ever before show any interest in you, much less in obeying you, I would not expect you to know that."

For a moment, apparently all Tom could do was adjust the color of his face to a nice sunburnt shade of red. Once that moment passed however, it was obvious that he had also fried his brain as he attempted to swing a punch at Erik.

"Come now, monsieur," Erik taunted, dodging the punch easily. "Surely such a fine specimen of ineptitude could put up a better display that that."

"I'm gonna display your blood you freak and then show your face to the floor!" he cried, lunging for Erik.

"Well, in that case" Erik laughed as he tripped his oncoming opponent. "I believe proper introductions are in order. If you would be so kind?" Tom hit the floor; face first, with a satisfyingly resounding thud. Erik continued to softly chuckle as he watched Tom pick himself up off the floor. His nose was bleeding and his face was all scrunched up as he tried not to cry.

"Go home Tom," I said softly as I walked over to him. "I want you to go and not come back."

"Okay," he whimpered, and bravely marched past Erik and down the stairs. Faintly I heard the door close and his car start, then drive away. Erik sighed and turned to go, when I lost it. Again.

"What is it?" he asked incredulously as I broke down into tears. "You can't be sad about losing that boy!" I could only shake my head 'no' as I continued to sob, sliding down the wall into a broken heap.

"What then?" he asked gently, kneeling down beside me.

"Its all gone!" I wailed, blubbering like a baby.

"What is?"

"My work!" I sobbed, impulsively reaching out and grabbing him, seeking comfort in his hug. Well, okay so I was squeezing him to near death, I was upset!

"Oh…" he managed to gasp out as I held him in my chokehold. "It'll be fine, you can just retype it."

"It was my masterpiece! And now it's gone forever!" I had by now soaked his shirt and desperately needed a handkerchief, but settled for sniffling, as I didn't want to let go.

"I have faith in you."

It was a Lion King Moment, no doubt about it. The heavens opened, the light shined down upon us, animals everywhere gazed in awe and suddenly I knew I could do it! I could replace what had been stolen! I could conquer dastardly foes! I could triumph over evil! The fate of the world rested in my hands and I alone would prevail!

"Really?" I sniffled. He just grinned at me and nodded. Relinquishing my captive, he helped me rise and leading me over to my desk, I plopped into my chair as he gallantly swooped down and plugged in my computer. The little light blink furiously for a moment before the normal login screen appeared.

"There, all set to go. Just have patience and it will soon be good as new, if not better than before." He stood again and adjusted his cloak, as I logged in. "Well my dear, it has been fun but I really must go. The show's due to begin soon and I promised Christine I'd be there. Besides, I have to go save my seat before the fop beats me to it. What's wrong now?" he asked noticing my own scrunched up face as I started to cry again.

"You're going to leave me all alone?"

"Yes," he said very patiently as if I were a three year old. "I'm going to watch Christine and you're going to type your tour de force, which I'm sure will be wonderful, and you won't even miss me."

"Yes, I will," I pouted defiantly. When giving someone a guilt trip, lay it on thick, that's my motto. "I be sitting here all by myself, in my lonely old apartment, while you go and have lots of fun without me." Crossing my arms across my chest, I thrust my bottom lip out for all it was worth, and tried unsuccessfully to pop a tear.

He sighed dramatically, fuming no doubt, before he suddenly grinned. "I'll send Nadir round to keep you company while you work."

"Alright, I guess…" I was thrilled but simply lowered my head and sighed despondently. Erik fidgeted a little and I could tell he was feeling guilty. Just a little more and he would crumble.

"Maybe after the performance I could bring Christine over for a while…"

"That would be kind of nice… I haven't seen her in a while." I smiled a thin smile at him and he brightened visibly. Ah-HA! He was going down now! Victory was mine!

"I'll bring Meg and Madam Giry, too! We'll make a regular party of it to celebrate your breakup! Err…to celebrate…" realizing what he had just said, he fumbled, trying ever so hard to be polite.

"The end of the school week?" I helpfully supplied.

"Yes, that's it! No more classes for you till Monday!"

"Great! I've got chips and stuff and we can play games, and watch movies and…!" I stopped babbling as Erik swiveled my chair around to face the screen.

"Right, now you start typing. Daroga will be here soon and then we'll have a big party that will be lots of fun. Okay?"

"You got it buster!" I laughed and began the monumental task of retyping my magnum opus, waving goodbye to Erik as he turned to go.

"Oh, and Mandy?" he paused before the large mirror.

"Yeah?" I muttered, not even pausing from my typing.

"Do NOT invite the fop!"

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