The Phantom's Bride: A Phantom of the Opera fanfic

Fleur

"Erik." He says. "My name is Erik."
He smirks.
"Andora." I smirk right back at him.
"What an odd name. I think I'd much rather call you my little songbird, or better yet, my petite Fleur."
I frown, immediately not liking his attitude.
"My name is Andora." I say determined.
"As you've said, my petite Fleur."
He says back to me with a mischievous smirk on his lips. He really loves to smirk doesn't he?
I sigh, knowing I can't make him stop.

I decide to rummage around his house-well I shouldn't say house, more like cave-cleaning around a bit, while he watches me curiously.

"What are you doing little flower?"

I giggle, knowing he has probably never had someone clean for him.

"Well I figure if you are going to have to live down here for a while, seeing as I provably can't move you to a house, I would think you would like it to be a little bit tidy!"

"What makes you think I want to be tidy? Maybe I like the mess." He crosses his arms and looks at me quizzically.

"Well I am going to be down here quite often as well, and sir- Erik if you don't mind, I'd rather keep you company without walking on crutches with a broken ankle."

"Why don't you just stay home and leave me be?" He meets my eyes with a burning gaze, that immediately softens with my next answer.

"I-I um... Don't have a true one, I live with my master. But I'm going to stop there. It's not the best way to cheer someone up you know." I nervously giggle to try and clear out the knot in my stomach that comes with tears.

"You are...um...welcome to stay here as long as you like then. Just, forget my former statement. My mother...she thought I was so hideous she...sold me..to a circus. I was labeled as the...the devils child. I understand what it is like to not have a home. I truly have never had one as well..."

I see the sadness in his eyes and an overwhelming urge to comfort him takes over.

I reach down and hug him tightly, which causes him to tense, but slowly relax.

"I'm so sorry Erik. But I'm here now, I'll try to make you have a home. You'll be safe."

Erik begins to lightly shake, which causes me to believe he is beginning to cry.

"What's wrong?" I rest my head on his shoulder.

"E-Erik has never been hugged before."

I feel my heart expand at his sorrow and hug him tighter.

"Well now you have. Erik, why do you use third person when you talk about yourself?"

"It...um...helps Erik distance himself from...himself. Erik is not a person, so he does not deserve to talk as such."

I let go and take is face, mask and all, in my hands.

"I don't believe that Erik. You at as much as a person as the rest of us. You deserve to be treated as such."  I kiss his unmasked cheek, and he begins to cry again.

I look up, and meet his gaze, the tears ready to fall from my eyes.

"T-thank you. I think Erik-I would like to have you around.... I can learn."

I look down and tears begin to fall from my eyes. Erik pills my face towards his and looks into my eyes, concerned.

"What's wrong my songbird?"

"I can't stay long though Erik, you'll understand. After...the, umm... Popular burnt down, my sister, Christine, brought me to I've with her and her fiancé Raoul...she was happy with the arrangements, but Raoul, well want so kind to having another mouth to feed, so he umm.... Made me his slave. Christine actually never had a second thought about me from that point on. It's not so bad though, just, I have to sleep on a hay bed, and obey his every need..." The thought of Raoul trying to rip my dress off me comes into my mind and I burst into tears. I feel two arms around me, picking me off the ground which I have seemed to fallen on. I look to Erik. His face is a white as a ghost, but his eyes are filled with such anger I'm afraid he might kill.

"That little fop! How dare he..." He places me down on the organ bench, his attitude contradictory to what it was, while he begins pacing around the room and muses about what appears to sound like, how to kill the Count.

I get up and slowly walk towards him and place and hand on his shoulder. He immediately freezes his musings and turns around.

"Killing him won't help. He has the Royal guard on command. Besides, as I said, it's not that bad."

"No no. You don't understand. They never understand..." He falls to his knees and begins to sob.

Now it's my turn to comfort him.

I bend down and begin to rub his back.

"It's alright Erik. What's wrong?"

He sobs harder and whispers a name I don't ever want to hear again in my life.

"My Christine..."

I jerk to stand up and walk away, my face sheet white.

He stops sobbing as much and turns to look at me, realizing his mistake.

"Andora...please! Don't walk away, you don't know what I mean."

Suddenly it all comes back to me. The populair burning, Christine and her phantom, Raoul almost getting killed.

"You! You are the one that did this. You monster!"

He looks up confused and hurt, almost causing me to forget my rage.

"Andorra, What's wrong?"

"You are the man who took away my home. Who took away my sister and my life! The phantom! I don't know why I didn't see it before! And I, I tried to help you. I should have just let you die. You deserve to die you hideous monster. I hope you rot in hell!"

I was caught up in my rant so much, I didn't notice the rage slowly building in his eyes and his hand reach up.

*Slap!*

I reach up and touch the now red handprint on my cheek. I look up to see Erik shocked and looking at his hand as if it had betrayed him.

He jerks his head up to look at me, tears in his eyes.

"Andora please...I-I didn't mean it...I'm so sorry!"

"No I've had enough. I'm done. Try to save your own self, or better yet. Die."

He calls out to me as I stomp out of the lair.

---------------------–----------------------
I find my self on the busy streets of Paris.
Pulling my dress close to me, I realize it was not the best decision to leave the shack in the middle of winter, without a cloak.

I ask for about five minutes more, and it begins to start to blizzard.

Many cart owners are already closing up, and when I try to near them to ask for assistance, they turn away, and give me a dirty look.

I understand my appearance must be, as a beggar right now. My dress is wet and town, and I have no shawl.  I have no doubt they think I am a dirty street seller.

The only warmth I still have is in my cheek, the single red handprint that marks it still. I reach up and tough it, while shivering.

How could I be so dumb?

Poor Erik, hated his entire life, just looking for love. And what do I do? I call him a monster. The one word that has haunted him his whole life. I shoved him away, and I wouldn't be surprised if he killed me when- no, if I return.

I soon find myself in an abandoned alley, already deserted by the rats, too cold to stay out here.

I sit down and shiver hoping for the storm to end, pulling my arms closer to my body, in an attempt at warmth.

Maybe death will come. It would be better than nothing I decide.

Ha how ironic. Telling someone that suicide isn't right, and then committing it myself.

I close my eyes and wait for death. I feel it coming, the white light getting closer and closer, when suddenly I am lifted up out of the ditch I am in and into two warm arms.
They hug me closer and the person begins to walk.

I slowly creek open my eyes, as much as I can manage and croak out.

"Erik..."