Christiana opened her mouth to scream but found she couldn't as the car drifted towards her. She froze in panic, eyes wide and fearful. The driver was able to stop, his front bumper just inches from her, but Christiana had tried to move at the last minute and ended up tripping on an area of uneven ground, and she fell backward. Anyone watching would have thought she was hit.

    Erik watched her fall backward, and thinking he had hit her, forgot and disregarded all of his rules and precautions and jumped from the car to his victim.

  Christiana had felt a painful twist in the muscles in her ankle, and hoped it wasn't broken.

  Mr. Cathy was running out of the store and over to the pair on the ground.

    Erik had found her sprawled on the ground, her books still locked in her arms.

    Christiana let them go as the man who nearly hit her fell to his knees beside her. She tried to sit up. "Miss are you alright?" His question was spoken with urgency, and his melodic voice caressed her ears. She was frightened by him and curious. He appeared to be extremely handsome, and quite concerned. Half of his face was covered by a mask.

   Mr. Cathy was with them now.

    "I'm quite fine, thank you," Christiana responded. She was already brushing the dust off of her books. "Thank goodness none of these were injured."

   "You fell and you're worried about books?" Mr. Cathy scolded.

   "Did I hit you, or did you fall?" The man asked.

    Still slightly dazed, Christiana looked up at him. "No, I fell. Tripped." Blushing at her own clumsiness she started to get to her feet, but the driver of the car made the mistake of trying to help her. His fingers were inches from her arm when she spotted them and shrieked.

   Erik immediately pulled back, his hand going to his face. His mask was on properly, so why - he looked at the old gentleman who was helping Christiana retrieve her fallen books.

   He smiled apologetically at Erik as Christiana crawled away from them both.

   "Sorry, she's funny about being touched. Not sure why."

   "Mr. Cathy, he doesn't need to know that, I've troubled the poor man enough."

    Christiana was standing - on her right foot, mostly - and was staring at the ground as she spoke. Erik was charmed by her pleasant voice, but shockes she thought she was troubling him.

   "Oh, it doesn't matter, I nearly hit you with my car - and I am so sorry!"

   "Everything is forgiven, please forget it."

   Refusing to meet his eyes Christiana ran back into Cathy's store.

    Erik looked at Mr. Cathy, utterly disappointed and horrified with himself.

   "Mr. Cathy," said Mr. Cathy, introducing himself.

   "Erik Stanton." Erik shook the man's hand. "Is she really alright? I didn't hurt her or offend her in any way?" His grrenish gold eyes searches Mr. Cathy's blue ones earnestly, hoping for some kind of truthful confirmation.

   "No, she's fine. She bangs herself up worse. Clumsier than a puppy learning to walk. In fact I hope she didn't offend you," Mr. Cathy chuckled and Erik briefly wondered if the man - who he now notived was dressed as a pirate - was sane. "Christiana's like that with all fellows. Most people actually. It is not that she doesn't like you, she's just scared to bits of people in general. Funny girl she is." Mr. Cathy eyed Erik then, specifically his mask. "You know, you're a regular Phantom of the Opera. If you'd like to see her again, she'll be playing Christine next Friday. Singing. Whoever wins the look alike contest gets to sing with her. I'm not saying I'll sway the judges... but if you would like to see her..." Mr. Cathy raised his eyebrows.

   Erik frowned. He tried to be polite. "Perhaps not. I'm not very... accustomed to social events, nor do I like parading around looking like I do." Yet his eyes wandered to the store again, searching. "She doesn't seem like the type who would want to sing in front of people."

   "Oh she's not. But her Achilles heel is her kindness. She will never say no to me. It's hard for her in general, to even disagree with a person. I kind of persuaded her to do this. She has a beautiful voice and it's been years since anyone heard it. Getting out of your confort zone, once in a whole is healthy after all."

As healthy as an anxiety attack, yes. But Erik did not say this aloud. "Are you sure she's alright?"

   "Yes. She was limping, but I think she's okay."

   "Where does she live?"

   "Ah, thinking  of -"

  "No sir, I simply wonder how far she has to walk this late at night with an injured ankle."

   Mr. Cathy calculated. "Well, I don't know exactly. Blueberry Lane... is about three miles away."

   "Three miles?"  Erik had made his decision without even realizing he had a choice.

                        ✖

     Christiana's ankle burned with every step she took. The pain was almost unbearable. She hadn't been walking more than five minutes, after she dropped her books at the library, when she needed to stop to give her ankle a rest. She gingerly shifted her weight to her right foot and peered down, as if she could see the swollen flesh through her baggy jeans.

   It was bad enough she'd cut her elbow, but spraining her ankle! Oh how ghastly. She would have to take two days off work at least... and those were two days she had to spend with her mother. She shivered at the thought. Her bloodless skin suddenly turned pink though. She had embarrassed herself in front of that strange man, and Mr. Cathy had gone ahead and practically started spilligb her secrets to him! What he must think of her. She frowned deeply. He had seemed so nice.

   Wincing, she resumed her walk, lost in thought.

   To say she was mortified was to say the least.

   A few minutes later, the quiet hum of an engine she had heard before drifted down the street to her ears. Gravel crunched under tires, and a familiar mechanical purr met echoed around the silent street. A sleek black Toyota pulled up beside her and crawled at the snail's pace she was going at as the driver put down the window.

   "I've been looking for you. And please don't take that the wrong way, I just felt horrible. I could have seriously injured you. I did injure you, judging from your limp."

   Christiana glanced at him and immediately was caught in a trance by his hypnotic green eyes. She tripped, though this time she didn't fall. Looking away she answered.

   "I'm fine. I've had worse."

   "While that might be true, I would appreciate it if you would allow me to drive you home."

   Christiana looked at him again, stopping. The car stopped too. Her eyes flitted over his face, and to Erik's surprise they did not linger on his mask. She was looking at his eyes and nothing else.

  "I don't know you. You could nearly run over girla everyday, track them down, offer then rides and then force them to meet unspeakable ends."

   Erik almost smiled. It had been years since he last smiled or felt like smiling. Holding up his hands, he said, "I promise I am not a serial murderer or rapist. I would never take pleasure in torturing innocent people."

   "Oh, so you'll torture non-innocent people?"

    "Only if the circumstance demand it. If I see a man trying to kill a child, I will obviously try to save the child."

  Christiana laughed then, and Erik sincerely enjoyed the sound. Even her laughter was beautiful.

   "Even though you do seem to be chivalrous, I don't think getting into a car with a stranger is the safest thing to do."

   "Please? I don't want you to have a long walk alone in the oncoming darkness with an injured leg. Please, let me help."

   Christiana would not mind getting a ride... oh well. Of he did kidnap her, at least she would never have to see her mother again.

  "Alright."

    To her surprise, in the same amount of time it took her to hobble over to the car, the man had gotten out and crossed to the passenger's side to open the door door for her.

   "Thank you, but I'm inconviencing you enough. Opening the door wasn't necessary."

   "Oh but it was. And it is no trouble."

   "Then thank you."

   "It is my pleasure." Christiana thought he genuinely meant it.

    They drove down another block before Christiana realized she was being rude.

   "I never asked your name! I am so sorry!"

    "Don't be, we haven't exactly had time to exchange trivialities before now. I am Erik, and your name is?" Erik knew her name, but he thought it would be more comfortable for her to tell him than know that someone else had told him... in case she thought he had asked about her. Which might lead to her thinking he was interested in something he shouldn't be interested in.

  "I'm Christiana."

   "Christiana. What a beautiful name."

   "Thank you Erik. I really like yours. One of my favorite book character's name is Erik."