What If He Wasn't Alone? (A Phantom of the Opera Fanfiction)

Chapter 8: Unmasked

Hmmmmmm.......... This is quite short, I'm sorry, I'll undate soon!!!!!!

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PHANTM OF THE OPERA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I jumped down the stairs from the tomb and walked until I was directly in front of Erik. “What were you thinking?!” I demanded.

“That I would comfort Christine.” He replied as calmly as he could.

“By tricking her as her Angel of Music again?” I countered. “Erik, what good will come from lying to her?”

“You didn’t have to come.” He growled.

“Yes I did seeing as you were planning to leave me there alone to assume the worst scenarios. What if you had been killed?! What if you were left fatally wounded and left to die in the snow?! No I couldn’t deal with that, so I snuck on the carriage with Christine.” I explained, keeping my voice measured.

“You followed me?” Erik asked in bewilderment.

“Yes, to put it in simple terms.” I said. “I couldn’t stand the thought of you being hurt.” I turned away from Erik blinking back tears.

I felt his hand on my shoulder as he turned me back to face him and said “Isa, I do believe you were actually worried about me!”

“Of course I was!” I snapped.

“Well I’m okay!” he said almost smiling. It was beginning to alarm me how even the slightest smile made my heart jump.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“I’m quite sure.” Erik assured me.

“Well we should probably get back!” I said. We walked back to the carriage, drawn by two black horses. I surprised myself and Erik when I climbed into the driver’s seat to sit next to Erik. He flicked the reins and the carriage rode back to the opera house. The chill of the wind caused me to shiver and move closer to Erik, who in turn wrapped one arm around me. I tried desperately to calm my galloping heart as we arrived back home.

I disappeared into my room as soon as we arrived at the lair, I needed to collect my thoughts. This has to stop! I thought he loves Christine and no simple ballet rat is going to change that, I need to forget my feelings. I needed to erase him from my mind and make sure he never knew the affect he had on me. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Erik talking to himself. Frowning in confusion, I crept up to the main chamber to hear Erik mumbling “All due to this hideous face.” That did it, I needed to see what lay behind the mask.

“Erik?” I asked walking over to him. “I need you to close your eyes.”

“Why?” he asked narrowing his eyes.

“Just do it please.” I said, he shut his eyes and sighed. I couldn’t believe what I was about to do. I was destroying the trust Erik had built in me, but I had to prove to him that I wasn’t like the others and that I could see beyond his face and into his lonely soul. And so with that thought, I reached up and gently removed the white mask.

His blue eyes flashed open and he yelled “Little viper! Is this what you wanted to see?!”

“Yes, actually.” I said softly.

That stopped him short and he stuttered “Wh-What?”

“I wanted to see what lay behind the mask, if only to prove to you that I don’t mind.” I said.

He just blinked as my eyes drifted over to deformed side of his face. It looked like he had been burned, but the burn had never healed. The skin on the right side of his face was red and rough, but it was almost poetic. Like a metaphor, the left side of his face was the genius, that kindness and beauty but the right side represented the chaos, and resentment of his situation. Erik’s eyes were shut, as though he didn’t want to see my reaction. I noticed a single glittering tear tracing it’s way down the marred side of his face and I kissed it away without a second thought. His beautiful eyes opened again after I pulled away. “I told you I wouldn't mind." I whispered.