I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.

A/N Shall we begin again? This is a very big departure from my other three attempts. There will be no evil ex-mistress to interfere, no deranged murderer, and no thirst for revenge. What we will have is a slightly nerdy reclusive scientist who falls helplessly in love for the first time in his life. Lots of romance with a lot of humor mixed in for fun. Let me know what you think in your reviews.

Author – ToryD

Beta – MJMOD (A very big contributor to this story)

The Science of Love

Chapter 1

"NO! Absolutely not!" Erik insisted in an emphatic tone as he paced the length of the kitchen.

Marie sighed deeply at the sight of her agitated boss. "Meg," she said as she directed her voice towards the small speaker microphone on the state of the art phone. "Erik is right. It is extremely irresponsible of you not to ask permission before you invite someone home."

Erik stopped in mid-stride and nodded his head in agreement with Marie's statement. It was his home, he paid all the bills, and therefore he and he alone could make the rules, he thought with a sense of entitlement. Besides, he was working against a tight deadline with his latest research project, and the last thing he needed was some silly college girl hanging around gawking in disgust at his scarred face.

Marie smiled slightly at the look of satisfaction on Erik's homely face. Ah, my dear Erik, this is not over yet, she thought to herself as she waited patiently for her cunning daughter's carefully planned manipulation to begin.

"Of course you're right Mother, I guess I just wasn't thinking. I just feel so bad for Christine, being all alone on Christmas." Meg said with sadness evident in her sweet voice.

Erik frowned at the though of someone being all alone, for he knew only too well how lonely the holidays could be. "Why doesn't she go home to her family?" he asked naively stepping right into Meg's trap as he slowly approached the table to take a seat next to Marie.

"Her parent's were killed in an auto accident when she was only seven. She grew up in several foster homes." Marie informed him as she carefully poured him a measured ten ounces of steaming black coffee into his 'I'm with stupid' mug.

"Oh," Erik responded with a small feeling of guilt beginning to play around his conscience. "What about one of her foster families, surely they would want her to visit for the holidays?" he questioned as he added four perfectly measured teaspoons of raw sugar to his coffee.

"Most foster families are only interested in the money they get from the state for taking in foster kids. Christine didn't have a very easy time of it growing up." Meg said over the speaker.

"I am sorry dear, but Erik is right, this is his home. I'm afraid that you will just have to uninvite Christine." Marie said with a motherly firmness causing Erik to frown at being the one to cause someone to be lonely on Christmas.

"Well, I guess I could always stay in the dorm with Christine." Meg said forlornly as she expertly played her next card.

Marie bit her lip to keep from laughing at the look of upset on her employer's face, she calculated that Meg would have Erik not only inviting her roommate for the upcoming holidays, but he would send his private jet for their traveling comfort as well. 'That is very sweet of you dear. Maybe I can take my vacation early and join you and Christine." Marie offered as she watched Erik closely for his reaction.

Erik began to tap his forehead repeatedly with his forefinger, as was his habit when he became nervous. "Marie, I need you here. I have the meeting with the Rochester Group in three days." He said in an alarmed tone, knowing that he could never get through the dreaded meeting without her presence in the house. She had come to be his one security over the ten years that she had worked for him. As a young nineteen-year-old genius, he had gone through a multitude of housekeepers until he found the unflappable Marie. When she had arrived for her interview, she looked directly in his green eyes as though she did not even notice the horrendous scar that covered the right half of his face. Used to seeing an instant disgust or fear, he was surprised when she actually reached out her hand to shake his. And then he met Meg. The outspoken eleven-year-old who immediately asked him what had happened to his face with the innocence that only came from a child. After his detailed explanation, she seemed to shrug off the scar as unimportant and proceeded to adopt him as the big brother she never had. Now here he was ten years later as dependant as one could be, on his adopted family.

Marie felt sorry for her distressed boss. "Nadir will be here with you. And I will personally instruct the staff before I leave for California." Marie said in a placating voice.

Getting quickly to his feet, Erik resumed his agitated pacing. "This will not do, no, this will not do," he repeated as he taped at his forehead.

"Mother, you stay with Erik," Meg said in a sacrificing tone. "I know that this will be the first Christmas that we have ever been apart, but I just couldn't live with myself if I left Christine all alone."

Erik stood rock still as he heard Meg's selfless suggestion. He owed these two women more than he could ever repay, he thought with a sense of shame. And now because of his unconquered fear of meeting someone new, they were to spend their first Christmas apart. Knowing that he had to put them before his own selfishness he relented. "No, you and your roommate will spend the holiday's here." He said with a decided tone.

Marie looked at her watch and saw that it only took her daughter ten minutes to bend Erik to her will.

"If you're sure Erik," Meg's voice asked hesitantly.

Squaring his shoulders, he stiffened his resolve as he walked back towards the table. "Yes, in fact I'll send the plane for you." He offered in a conciliatory gesture. "When did you plan on leaving?"

"Tomorrow if that's not too soon?" Meg's voice came over the speaker.

"I'll call Nadir and have him set it up." Erik said as he resumed his seat.

"Thank you Erik, I just know that you're going to like Christine." Meg said happily.

Frowning Erik began to feel the familiar sense of apprehension at the thought of meeting someone new. "I won't have much time, I have a deadline." He said in a hurried voice.

Marie watched with resigned sadness as Erik began to exhibit his characteristic fear at the thought of meeting someone new. "Erik is currently working on a very important project dear; he will have very little time to spare for you or Christine." Marie said in a way to put her nervous boss at ease.

Meg instantly knew that her mother was trying to ease Erik's trepidation. "Well, I want to show Christine around the city anyway. Maybe we could take in a show." She suggested.

Erik felt a little jealous that Meg was planning to spend all of her time with her roommate. "I hope you will find some time for me in your busy schedule." He said sulking.

"I guess I could squeeze you in somewhere." She said with a teasing laugh.

Knowing that in order to spend some time with his 'little sister' as he thought of her now, he would just have face this Christine and make the best of it. "Make sure you do." He fired back in a mocking tone.

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Christine shivered in her light raincoat, not at all used to the cold New York weather as she made her way down the plane's stairs behind Meg.

"There is James now," Meg informed her as she saw the approaching silver Bentley. Noticing that Christine was shivering from the cold, Meg gave her friend a cross look. "I told you that you needed to buy a warmer coat."

Christine smiled at Meg's comment. "Oh Meg, we all can't be as lucky as you and have a billionaire for a brother. Besides, I don't need a warm coat in LA."

Rolling her eyes, Meg waived James back into the car as she opened her own door. "He's not my actual brother. Mother and I came to live with him about ten years ago when he hired Mother on as his housekeeper." She said as she motioned for Christine to precede her into the elegant car.

"Oh, I guess I just assumed." Christine said as she entered the warm inviting car.

Shutting the door with a resounding thud that had James frowning in concern for the car, Meg turned to face her friend. "He has been so good to us Christine. I suppose I should warn you that he isn't exactly happy about meeting you."

Christine felt an instant alarm shoot through her at her friend's cryptic comment. "Meg?" she questioned with a speculative gleam in her sky blue eyes.

Meg knew that she would have to face this moment from the start. But how else would she have gotten her friend to agree to accompany her home. "It's not you personally Christine." Meg said in a rush of words. "He doesn't like to meet any new people."

Frowning in confusion, Christine inquired to the reasoning behind Meg's 'brother's' aversion to new acquaintances. "Why?"

Meg sighed heavily as she leaned back into the soft leather seat. "He has a scar on one half of his face." Meg said in a sad tone.

"And…" Christine prompted her friend to finish her explanation.

"And he has had a lot of people turn away from him in fear and disgust. He has had a hard life living with it Christine. I just want to warn you before you meet him." Meg said in a defensive voice.

Christine felt a small measure of sorrow at the thought of the cruelty that had been shown to Meg's brother just on the basis of his looks. "Meg," she called to her friend gently. "I promise that I won't hurt your brother."

Meg felt tears well up in her eyes at the sincerity of Christine's words. "I know you won't Christine, that's why I asked you to come with me."

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Nadir watched as his boss tapped his forehead with his fingertip. "Erik," he called out in a gentle tone.

Erik was oblivious to his friend's call as he was in the mist of a total panic attack at the impending arrival of Meg and her friend.

"Erik!" Nadir called a little more forcefully then he intended.

Startled Erik looked up sharply at Nadir's summons. "What?" he asked in an irritated tone.

"I asked you how the Rochester presentation was coming." Nadir said in a measured voice.

"Oh," Erik said as he searched his paper-overloaded desk for his project notes. "Um, I need to do one more test run before I can safely allow my findings to be published." He said in an absent tone.

"The meeting is in two days Erik." Nadir said in a prodding tone.

Frowning at the impending deadline, Erik stood to cross to the window to look out at the cold December afternoon. "I'll be ready Nadir, I always am." He said in a tired voice.

"What has you so irritable today?" Nadir asked as he took in the disorder on Erik's desk.

"Nothing," Erik responded flatly. As he continued to watch the gloomy grey clouds, he felt the familiar apprehension begin to set in.

"Well, whatever it is, I hope you get over it soon. Two days is not a lot of time to run one more experiment Erik." Nadir stated in a matter of fact tone.

Just as he was about to correct his misguided friend Erik froze at the sight of his car pulling onto the long private drive leading up to his mansion. "She's here." He said in a shaky voice.

"Who?" Nadir asked as he watched Erik's stiffened form.

"Meg and her roommate." Erik responded automatically.

As if a light bulb had lit directly over his head, all became clear to Nadir. "Roommate, did you say?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Bringing his hand up to his forehead, Erik began his nervous tapping. "Yes, Meg's roommate."

Standing up, Nadir made a grand show of stretching his six foot two frame. "Well let's go down and meet this roommate."

Erik felt a bead of sweat break out on his palms. "You go ahead, I have some work that I still need to get to." He said in a stilted voice.

Shaking his head Nadir crossed to loop his arm around Erik's shoulders. "Oh no you don't, you're not going to avoid meeting Meg's friend."

"I have a deadline to meet!" Erik said with his anxiety clearly displayed on his scared face.

"Erik," Nadir began calmly. "She is just a young woman, not unlike Meg." He said in a calm tone.

"But," Erik began as he looked towards the floor.

Nadir felt a sense of anger at the cruelty of people who failed to see the man behind the scarred visage. "Erik, Meg would never allow you to be hurt. She must really trust this young woman in order for her to bring her here."

Erik swallowed at the truth of Nadir's comment. Meg would never allow him to be hurt. "All right, I'll go down with you."

Smiling Nadir led the despondent Erik towards the study's door. "Who knows Erik; she might just be the great love of your life." He said in a jovial tone.

"Right Nadir, and someday Pluto will be unclassified as a planet." Erik responded with an amused jest of his own.

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A/N Please let me know what you think in your reviews. Thanks!