Phantom of the Opera 1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** As you all know, I don't own any of the characters in this story that are associated with Phantom of the Opera (a.k.a. Christine, Erik, Madame Giry, Meg, etc.). I wish though... lol : )

A/N: This takes place one week after Erik let Christine go. She went off to live with Raoul and they are to be married in a couple of weeks. I'm not going to tell you what happened to Erik right now, but you'll find out soon. Keep reading and please review.

"Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping, waiting, and though

unwanted, unbidden, it will stir. Open it's jaws and howl.

It speaks to us, guides us. Passion rules us all, and we

obey. What other choice do we have?

Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of

love, the clarity of hatred, and the ecstasy of grief.

It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we can

live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of

peace. But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered

and dank. Without passion, we'd be truly dead."

-_Angel, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"_

Christine grimaced as she downed another shot of liquor. She bit her tongue until only the aftertaste was left in her delicate mouth. She didn't much care for the taste of it. In fact, she very nearly spit out her first shot. Not only was the taste bad, but the alcohol burned her throat until it was raw. But she knew it was the only thing that could make her feel any better now. Besides, she thought, the second and third shots aren't nearly as bad. In fact, the taste seems to get a little better with each shot.

She only had three shots so far, but because she had never drunk alcohol before, she was nearly drunk. The effects of the alcohol _had _calmed her down and helped her to relax. At least, she wasn't the screaming, raging monster that many innocent bystanders had witnessed earlier that day.

She didn't want to think about it. She couldn't bear to. It was just too much. The mere thought brought her to tears. Again. But no one in the crowded bar noticed. No one noticed and no one cared. Embarrassed, she wiped her eyes. No more crying, she thought. That's what he would have wanted.

She looked around at the various people sharing the bar with her this dreary night. All of them looked pretty much the same. They were dressed in plain clothes, some even rags. And most of them were disgustingly unkempt. She looked down at her finely-crafted, light blue dress. She was once again slightly embarrassed, knowing that she stood out in this bar full of commoners.

Her embarrassment left her quickly and she went back to observing the people occupying the dank tavern. They all seemed jolly, but Christine knew it was only the effects of the drink. But not even the drink could cure her despair this night. Not after what happened.

Pushing those thoughts away, Christine glanced to the other side of the bar and was surprised to find another woman. Unlike the men there, she appeared to be well kempt and quite pretty actually. Christine figured her to be only a few years older than herself, possible in her early twenties. She had straight, brunette hair and, as far as Christine could tell, green eyes. She was tall and very thin with elegant curves. Strangely, though, she was wearing pants and a blouse instead of a dress.

Christine wondered who this strange woman was and even thought about going over to talk to her. It would be nice to have to company of another woman, she thought. Someone to talk to... when she was sure no one else would listen.

"Who is that woman?" she asked the bartender, a pudgy man in his forties with a bushy beard.

"No one really knows," he replied rather uninterested, a smirk on his face.

She raised an eyebrow at him, as if questioning his word. Christine was not unintelligent; she could tell that the man wasn't telling her everything. Sometimes she hated being a woman. She knew that he was just anxious to ask what a girl like her was doing in a bar. After everything that happened, she didn't need men like this pestering her, asking questions of her. Maybe if she were a little bit drunker, she would have slapped this disrespectful man right across the face. But common sense kept her from doing it.

He shrugged his shoulders at her change of attitude. "They say she's foreign. Started comin' in 'ere a couple weeks ago. Doesn't really talk much. Most of the men are a bit scared o' her, to tell you the truth. There's a rumor that she murdered a man. Don't know nothin' bout that though."

"Oh," Christine stated, not really interested in talking to the woman anymore. That is, if it's true she murdered a man. But it's not like she hadn't been exposed to murder. She witnessed the Phantom of the Opera kill before. He killed and now he has to pay for his crimes, she thought, frowning.

Just that morning, she read in the newspaper that the Phantom had been captured and was to be executed the coming Saturday morning. At 8:00, she thought. At first she thought she was happy about this news. Finally she wouldn't have to fear him anymore. He would be dead. She could live a happy life with Raoul and that would be that.

That's what she thought _at first_. Then she realized that it was her fault. All her fault. He killed for her. Because he loved her. And deep down inside she realized that she still cared for her Angel as well. That's when she turned into the screaming monster. She couldn't take it. She loved Raoul but she loved her Angel too. And now he was going to die. Because of her. Only instinct brought her to this bar. Raoul would never find her here. She was free to drown her sorrows in alcohol as she pleased.

Apparently, the bartender noticed the look of pure horror and Christine's face as she recalled the events that took place that day. "Another shot, then?" he asked her, chuckling quietly to himself.

Christine nodded, and he poured the shot.

Well that's all I got right now. Tell me what you think so far. If it completely sucks, I wanna know. lol. :) This is my first POTO fanfic so please don't criticize too much. More to come soon, I promise.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

"Seems like just yesterday, you were a part of me

I used to stand so tall; I used to be so strong

Your arms around me tight; everything, it felt so right

Unbreakable, like nothing could go wrong

Now I can't breathe; no, I can't sleep

I'm barely hanging on"

_-Kelly Clarkson, "Behind These Hazel Eyes"_

He saw them all. Every man he ever killed. They surrounded him, waiting to take their rightful revenge. And he was scared. Maybe it was because he was vulnerable, he didn't know for sure. All he knew was he was scared like he had never been before, so he did the logical thing to do. He ran. It wasn't like him at all. He never ran from anything, he faced his fears. Yet fear was an emotion that Erik did not know well. He thought about it and decided that now he had nothing left to live for, he had no reason _not_ to give in. The pain and the fear had always been easily accepted before...but now? Somehow he just couldn't face it. So he ran. He ran down a path that had no end. Nowhere to run, but yet he just couldn't bring himself to stop running. Was it his imagination, or were the walls closing in on him. He sank to his knees in desperate defeat. Turned around...and there they were. All the ghosts of his past. Not just people this time; feelings and emotions that he let die long ago. Maybe his sanity was among them. He cried out for help, but none came.

He woke up screaming. A dream, he thought. It was just a dream. But it still made him shake with fear. It seemed so real. And in this darkness, who could tell the difference between reality and a dream. For all he knew, he could still be dreaming. But somehow, he didn't think so. He _was_ finding it rather difficult placing where he was though. Even Erik's expertly trained eyes could not see in the pitch-black darkness that surrounded him.

Then it all started coming back to him slowly. Feeling the chains around his ankles, he realized that he was in the prison on the far side of Paris. He had been sentenced to death. He was to be hanged. Very soon, he thought. Within a few days. He couldn't recall the exact date though. But why should he care? Death was death. And I deserve it too, he thought, after everything I've done.

Christine, Erik suddenly remembered, feeling a tight pain in his chest. He had fallen in love with her...her beauty, her dancing, her voice. Everything about her, he loved. She rejected him, ruined his life, and got him this death sentence, and yet he still loved her. Nothing in the world could change that. He hated her for what she did to him. The pain she made him feel. He hated her for that. But he knew that he could never be angry at her, maybe just disappointed. And still he loved her. Such a conflict. To love and hate a person at the same time.

He wondered if she knew of his sentence. Would she care? Or would she laugh about it...with Raoul? He would probably deserve that too. But there was only so much he could do to make up for the horrible crimes he committed. He could see pretty-boy Raoul now... 'Darling Lotte, I just read in the paper that the mad old Phantom has finally been captured and sentenced to his just death, to be hanged.' And innocent little Christine, 'Oh, how lovely, dear. Hold me Raoul, for I fear I may lose consciousness just at the thought of that dreadful man.' No, Erik thought, she wouldn't be concerned. He would depart this life alone, just as he always thought he would.

Little did he know that Christine was just a few minutes away from the jail, drowning her anguish for him with a bottle of whiskey.

He looked down to the ground, surprised to see a flash of white. He reached down and was even more astonished to find that the white he saw was, in fact, his mask. He forgot that he discarded it when he first was brought to this gloomy prison. He had just thrown it in the corner. What did it matter who saw his visage now?

He picked it up and ran his fingers over the soft leather. Then he brought his hand up to his face, afraid to touch his distorted face. Then anger once again swept over him. He furiously hurled the mask to the far side of the small cell. He didn't need to hide anymore. The world should accept him as he is. And if they don't, well, it's not like he had that much longer to live anyhow.

Well, there's Chapter 2. I hope you all like it. I was going to try to get it written and posted earlier but I had my little 12-year-old friend over and I had to entertain her until like 11:00. But we had a lot of fun. Anyway, thanks a bunch for the reviews:) I guess I don't suck at writing that much. lol. Anyway, please tell me if you like it. REVIEW PLEASE.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"All the pain I thought I knew  
All the thoughts lead back to you  
Back to what was never said  
Back and forth inside my head  
I can't handle this confusion  
I'm unable; come and take me away"

-_Avril Lavigne, "Take Me Away" _

While Erik continued to suffer in prison late that dreary night, Christine continued to become more and more drunk. In her drunken stupor, she had entirely forgotten about the reason she was there in the first place. She was enjoying the numbing effects of the alcohol and trying to forget. She couldn't precisely remember what but she knew there was something or _someone_.

Soon people started to leave the bar and return to their respectable homes, and she realized that she had lost track of time. She decided to ask the bartender about it. "Sir, d'you have the time," she slurred.

"Two fifteen in the morning, Miss," he replied feeling a little sorry for her now. "You should be gettin' on home. You never know what's out there in the night this late. Could be monsters…or worse. Could be ghosts."

"Right," Christine said, a little sarcastically, but still clearly drunk. "I don't believe in ghosts." She searched her dress for some money to pay for the last drink she had. Finding only a few coins, she shrugged, laying them on the bar. "S'all I got," she said.

"S'alright, darlin'," he said, with a wicked grin on his face. "Maybe you could pay me back in a different way," he said, winking at her.

It took Christine a few moments to figure out what he meant by that last comment. But when she did realize, she blanched, and stood up very fast, thinking she could run. That was a big mistake. The moment she stood up, she knew she wasn't going to be running anywhere anytime soon. Everything started spinning. So fast.

Faster. Faster. And then it all went black. She passed out.

The bartender grinned. "Well, ain't that a spot of bad luck," he chuckled,"...for her anyway." He climbed over the bar, and picked her up rather clumsily. "Looks like you're comin' home with me after all, Darlin'."

He laid her up on top of the counter. "But first...," he said, starting to pull up her dress. He let his hands run up her silky smooth legs. He let out a moan, finding enjoyment in this torture. He just couldn't believe his luck tonight. It had been awhile since he'd had any woman, even a whore. But this girl, he decided, was so much better than any whore. So young, so clean, so innocent. He was going to have some fun tonight.

Being too immersed in his activities, he didn't see the person that had crept up behind him. And he jumped when he heard a powerful voice say, "Get your filthy hands off of her." Much to his surprise the voice was that of a woman. It was the woman that Christine had asked him about earlier.

When he didn't move, she spoke again. "Did I not just tell you to get your hands the hell off of that woman?"

"Why should I, you filthy bitch?" he roared, hoping it would scare her a bit. He looked in her eyes expecting to see fear, but he didn't. He saw nothing. No fear, no hate. Nothing. How could she not be afraid of him? He was a large man and she was just a tiny woman.

"I'll ask you one more time," she said, rather forcefully, "Take your hands off of her."

"Or what?" he teased. "Gonna claw me to death, woman?" He tried not to let it show, but he was a little intimidated by this woman. No woman had every confronted him in this way. It wasn't her business what he did with this drunken girl that couldn't pay her tab anyway.

To his surprise, the strange, foreign woman pulled out a pistol from under her blouse. It was a rather old pistol, much like the ones that the French privateers carried as they traveled the seas in the early 1800's. He wondered why anyone would have a gun like that, much less a woman.

She pointed the pistol at this head and said, "Hands off, please," in a much gentler voice.

He gladly obliged, not willing to lose his life over one girl. He could just as easily find some whore to satisfy his needs.

"Now get out," she said, not moving the gun from its position aimed straight at his head.

After he was gone, she turned to the shocked crowd. "I suggest you forget everything that you saw in here today...or there will be hell to pay," she said. "Oh, and just to let you all know, I have no problems with killing a man."

At that, most of the few people left in the bar got out as fast as they could, frightened of this mysterious woman. She turned to Christine, who was still passed out. I guess I'll have to help her then, she thought. She stashed the pistol safely back under her blouse, having no need for it at the moment. She picked Christine up gently and walked out of the bar, glaring at the two men who hadn't run out with the rest of the crowd.

_**Well that's all for now. I hope this story is finally getting interesting for you all. I was going to get this written and posted yesterday but we didn't get home until 1:30 in the morning. Me and 3 of my friends went out to see The Longest Yard. It's a great movie...very funny. Anyway, tell me if you like my story so far. Or you can criticize me if you don't like it. Either way. Please Review.**_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

"Fallen angels at my feet

Whispered voices at my ear

Death before my eyes

Lying next to me I fear

She beckons me; shall I give in

Upon my end shall I begin

Forsaking all I've fallen for

I rise to meet my end"

_-Evanescence, "Whisper"_

Christine awoke with a start. Bright rays of sunlight entered the room from a small, lone window on the wall. She tried to contemplate where she was but was interrupted by a sudden searing headache along with a wave of nauseousness. She knew she was going to lose the contents of her stomach very soon.

She sat up in the bed she found herself in, and started frantically searching for a place to throw up. The small hotel room didn't offer many pleasing options.

She doubled over as another episode of intense pain racked her small frame. As she was leaned over, she happened to glance to the floor beside the bed, where she was relieved to find a small wastebasket. That will do, she thought.

She got down on the floor on her hands and knees and emptied the contents of her stomach into the small basket. Throwing up made her feel a little better, but not much. She still felt like hell. I bet I don't look any better than I feel, she thought. It was true. Her face was lacking color and her eyes were red and swollen with dark circles underneath. Her lips were dry and cracked, too, but she didn't notice. She was in too much pain to notice much of anything. She leaned her head back against the grimy wall of the cheap hotel room. She had never felt pain like this before.

In her agony, she tried to think of the last thing that happened to her before she passed out. Slowly, her memories came back to her. She was in a bar. But why, she wondered. Remembering the newspaper, she let out a cry of grief. "Oh, Angel," she breathed. "Why?"

Then suddenly she remembered the bartender and the disgusting proposition that he had made. I ran, Christine thought, didn't I? No, I must have passed out before I could. "Oh, no," she cried, hoping he hadn't brought her here and taken advantage of her. She was afraid to even think of some of the things that he could have done to her.

The door to the room opened suddenly, bringing Christine out of her sickening thoughts. To her surprise, the mysterious woman from the bar walked in, frown on her face.

"What happened?" Christine demanded. "Where am I?"

"Calm down," the woman replied. "I brought you to my hotel room. You passed out in a bar and the bartender tried to take advantage of you."

"But he didn't, did he?" Christine questioned, frantically.

"Lucky for you, no," the woman said. "I stopped him, then brought you here." She walked over to Christine, who was still leaning against the wall, and pulled out a small vial of liquid. "Here," she said, handing it to Christine. "Drink this tonic. It will make you feel better."

"What's in it?" Christine asked suspiciously. She sniffed the liquid, not finding the odor pleasing at all.

"An infusion of willow bark and henbane," the woman replied, "to relieve the pain and chamomile to soothe your stomach."

"Are you a nurse?" Christine asked.

The woman let out a small breath of air, a little annoyed by all of the questions this girl asked. "No, but I assisted with the medical aid on my father's ship."

"Ooo," Christine responded. "He was an explorer?" Christine's own dear father had told her many elegant stories of explorers before he had died.

"Something like that," the woman said. It wasn't entirely the truth. Hardly even close, in some people's standards. In truth, her father had been a pirate. As she saw it, pirates did _explore_ the oceans just as explorers did, but they certainly weren't looking for the same things. Explorers searched for land to claim for their countries while pirates hunted for treasure. So, she wasn't exactly lying; just bending the truth a little.

The woman motioned towards the vial. "Drink it. It will help."

Christine reluctantly drank the foul-tasting liquid. Just as the woman promised, the tonic did make her feel better almost instantly. "So," Christine said, breaking the silence. "What's your name?"

"Julianna," the woman stated.

"That's a pretty name," Christine inquired. "I'm Christine. Nice to meet you."

She got no reply.

Christine started to wonder about the things the bartender told her about this woman. Could she really have killed a man? Christine couldn't even imagine what killing a man would be like. It just wasn't in her nature to be violent. "Is it true?" Christine let slip.

Before Christine could cover her slip, Julianna replied, "Is what true?"

Christine thought for a moment. She couldn't just ask this woman if she murdered a man. That wouldn't be right. Plus she might just get _herself_ killed for asking. "Is it true what the bartender told me about you?"

"What did he tell you?" Julianna replied, in a dangerous voice, frowning once again.

"He told me… that…you…were foreign…and you murdered a man," Christine squeaked, quite afraid of what this woman might do to her.

"Well, I'm not foreign. I was born right here in Paris. It's just I've been gone a long time. People around here don't know me anymore," she replied. "And as for the second part, my answer is I might have but that's really none of your business." At the look of pure horror on Christine's face, she added, "Don't worry, though. I'm not going to hurt you."

Christine forced a smile. What had she gotten herself into this time?

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**Well, there's Chapter 4. Tell me what you think. Please review. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

"Somewhere beyond happiness and sadness

I need to calculate

What creates my own madness

And I'm addicted to your punishment

And you're the master

And I'm craving this disaster."

_-Papa Roach, "Getting Away With Murder"_

Christine and Julianna sat in silence, quietly observing one another. Christine let out a breath that she didn't even realize she had been holding. She wanted to make conversation with this woman who helped her, criminal or not. Christine didn't really think of Julianna as a criminal, even though she didn't deny killing a man. She had only shown Christine kindness and sympathy. Besides, she only said she might have murdered a man. That didn't mean she actually did. She could have only been saying that to appear tough or to give her an edge so that no man would ever try to take advantage of her. That would be a good idea, Christine thought, …for someone who's completely insane.

Julianna suddenly got up from her chair and opened the curtains, letting radiant light flood the room. Christine smiled at the change. She didn't like the darkness and keeping to the shadows very much. It's what she couldn't see that scared her most. She definitely wasn't fond of the dark. Besides, it reminded her too much of the Phantom, and just thinking of him made her heart ache even more. She frowned. His death would be all her fault…and there was nothing she could do about it.

Noticing Christine's frown, Julianna shook her head slightly, and asked, "What's wrong?" To her surprise, she found that she was genuinely concerned about Christine.

"It's nothing," Christine said, trying to regain her composure and forcing a smile. She didn't want this obviously strong woman to think that she was weak.

Julianna nodded knowing perfectly well that Christine didn't want to talk about it. She decided that this must have been the first time that Christine had ever drunk alcohol. Something bad must have happened to her, she thought, for her to resort to alcohol. Julianna knew Christine's type. They were the type of people that looked down on drunks…and commoners, too, for that matter. It must have been something terrible for her to risk losing her reputation by going to a bar and getting drunk.

Julianna decided to pry. "Christine," she said, setting herself down on the floor next to her. "I was just wondering…why were you…I mean…" She tried to find words that weren't too cold, and that was proving to be rather difficult for her. After a while, she gently said, "What happened?"

Christine just shook her head. She couldn't speak. She couldn't find words to say what she felt. She didn't know if such words existed. She feared that if she did try to explain what happened, she would burst out in tears. She had to be strong. She had to.

Julianna held Christine's hand like only a best friend would, trying to comfort her. She looked like she was very close to crying.

Christine couldn't hold back her tears anymore. She let them flow like a river from her pretty hazel eyes and down her perfect porcelain cheeks. She was surprised when Julianna allowed her to cry into her shoulder.

Julianna held her until she was finished crying. She felt very sympathetic for this poor girl now. What could have possibly happened to cause so much pain? she wondered.

Christine quickly pulled away from the embrace, suddenly embarrassed. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright," Julianna cut her off. "If you tell me what's wrong, maybe I can help." Normally, Julianna never would have offered her help to a woman like Christine, but this time something was different. She felt deep down inside that Christine was different. Not just another poster girl. She had potential for actually being a person.

"There's nothing you can do," Christine said, silently.

"Well, at least tell me," Julianna said, " and then I'll decide if there's really nothing that can be done."

"Alright," Christine said, hesitantly. "Well, there's this man…" She waited for a response but Julianna just urged her to continue, so she did. "He's in prison right now…with the death sentence. And it's all my fault." That last part she whispered, barely loud enough for Julianna to hear.

"How is it your fault?" Julianna asked. "Did you allow him to take the blame for one of your crimes?"

"No, not really," Christine replied. "He loved me so much that he was willing to kill for me, and he did."

"Oh, I see… You love him, don't you?" Julianna accused. She knew the look she saw in Christine's eyes. It was definitely love and also fear of losing that love. Julianna knew that feeling well. It had been all too common only a few years ago.

Christine's eyes popped open a little wider. "Um…I don't know. Maybe," she said. After a few moments of silence, she added, "Alright. Yes. I think I do. I think I…love him." Why else would his death cause me so much pain? she reasoned. It could be that she did love him or at least care about him deeply. She did notice that admitting that fact made her feel a lot better.

"So, who is this man then?" Julianna asked. "I used to break men out of jail quite a lot back when... Well, anyway, I haven't in a long time, but maybe I could for you."

Christine jumped up in happiness, a huge smile appearing on her face. "Really? You could? I mean, it wouldn't be too much trouble?"

"No, it wouldn't be too much trouble. I've got some free time on my hands anyway. It would be my pleasure to help you," she said. "Just tell me who it is so I can make sure to bring you the right man."

"Oh," Christine frowned. She didn't really know how to explain. "Have you ever been to the Opera Populaire?"

"Unfortunately, no," Julianna said. "But I've heard of it. Why?"

"Have you heard of the Opera Ghost?" Christine asked. "The Phantom of the Opera?"

"Yeah, I've heard the stories," Julianna replied.

"Well, he's the man," Christine said. "The man I want you to free from that horrible prison." And also, the man that stole my heart, she thought to herself.

Julianna's eyes opened in astonishment. "So he's a man? Not a phantom?"

"Yes," Christine said, remembering his touch. "He's very much a man."

"Then I'll take great pleasure in meeting him," Julianna said. "So, what's his name then?"

Christine looked at the ground. "I don't know his name. I never got the chance to ask him." She was thoroughly embarrassed that she didn't even know the name of the man she loved.

"Well, if the stories I've heard are true," Julianna said, "he shouldn't be that hard to pick out in a crowd." She decided he would either be wearing a mask or have his horribly deformed face showing. Either way, he would stand out. He wouldn't be that hard to find, she was sure.

Christine nodded, solemnly. It was true. Her dear Phantom wouldn't be hard to find. Christine did wonder why Julianna hadn't questioned her about loving an outcast of society, a man that was clearly unattractive. Christine didn't know if she could have answered if Julianna did ask.

Anyway, it took Christine and Julianna the rest of the day to come up with the plan to rescue Erik. Christine would go back to Raoul as if nothing happened and stay there until Julianna came back to get her with Erik. In the meantime, Julianna would go to the prison, rescue Erik, and take him back to her house. She told Christine that she had a nice house just barely outside of Paris, but she was sure that no guards would come looking for Erik there. Anyway, the journey to Julianna's house would take two days so she planned on having a horse ready to ride. They would have to spend the night somewhere and then the next day around noon they would arrive at her house. There they would stay until the guards stopped searching for Erik. Then he would be reunited with Christine and they would leave Paris and start a life somewhere else. You know, a happily ever after ending. Not likely. But Christine and Julianna thought the plan was foolproof, and it would go into action the next day. Friday. One day before Erik's execution.

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**Well, that's all I had time to write tonight. I'm actually starting to get excited about this story. Tell me if you like it. Please review and I'll post more. : ) **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"I never thought I'd walk away from you. I did.

But it's a false sense of accomplishment; every time I quit.

Anyone can see my every flaw. It isn't hard.

Anyone can say they're above this all. It takes my pain away."

_-Jimmy Eat World, "Pain"_

The next day, Julianna and Christine woke up early, just as the sun was starting to show on the horizon. Today was a big day. The day they would break Erik out of jail, and they had a lot of work to do to get ready.

The first thing they did was map out how Julianna and Erik would get to her house. They obviously couldn't travel on the open road. That would be the first place they would look for him. They would have to get away from all public places as soon as possible because they would most definitely be heavily guarded.

Julianna decided it would be easiest to cut through the forest that separated her house from the city of Paris. If there was a trail going through the forest it would take them half the time to get there than traveling the road would, but there was no trail. The forest was thick and it would be hard traveling, but it seemed to be the only safe way.

Christine suggested taking a carriage, but that idea was quickly dismissed. Horses were faster and more reliable than carriages and Julianna and Erik couldn't take any chances of getting caught. Besides, it would be impossible to take a carriage through the thick, deep forest. It wouldn't last five minutes. Julianna also considered that they would likely have to cross a few streams along the way. Horses would definitely be the best choice.

At first, they were planning on having two horses, but Julianna made up her mind that they would only take one horse. That way they would have less a chance of being tracked. Obviously, Erik and Julianna would have to ride double and probably bareback, too, unless they could find a saddle big enough for the both of them.

Since the woods were so thick, Julianna calculated that it would take them approximately two days to get to her house. They would have to spend a night in the forest. That fact didn't bother Julianna at all. She was used to being in the woods at night. She used to go camping with her father before he died. Many happy memories were hidden in these woods. Certainly, she never had camped so close to the city and never as deep in the woods as they would be. But still it didn't really bother her. She hoped Erik would be okay with it and that he could get some sleep. She, on the other hand, didn't plan on sleeping at all. She was going to stay up and keep watch to make sure they were safe.

Julianna considered all of this when packing her horse's saddlebag. She packed only the bare essentials: a canteen of water, a little food, a few candles, lamp oil if they needed it to help start a fire, a throwing knife, and a small blanket for Erik. She knew the forest pretty well, so she decided that she didn't need the map. What's more, if she lost the map then it would lead the guards right to them.

Once they had finished all their preparations and made sure they'd taken every precaution, Julianna decided it was time for Christine to return to her fiancé. They quickly put on some nice dresses, a modest, blue one for Christine and a low-cut, light pink one for Julianna. Christine was surprised at how nice Julianna looked in a dress. It was the first time she'd worn one in a long time, she told Christine. She just didn't like to attract too much attention to herself, but she thought it would be okay for today.

They quickly caught a cab and journeyed to Raoul's estate. The trip wasn't long and they arrived there around noon. Christine immediately introduced Julianna to Raoul. She was introduced as Elizabeth, a former dancer and friend of Christine, visiting Paris for a few days.

Christine explained to Raoul that the reason she disappeared the other day was she felt suffocated after everything that had happened in the past couple of weeks, and she needed to get out and do something instead of being stuck inside all day. Raoul assumed that she went and stayed with Elizabeth for the last couple of days, and that's exactly what the two women wanted him to think. They both agreed that he could never know about Christine getting drunk.

Of course, Raoul questioned why she didn't tell him that she needed to get out. He said without doubt he would have given her permission to stay with her friend. Apparently, he was worried sick about her. Christine only said that she thought he would have understood. Anyway, the good thing is that he forgave her. Without his forgiveness, this whole plan wouldn't work. Julianna did think that he gave his forgiveness a little too easily though. She figured he was just very relieved to have Christine back.

After the three of them talked for a little while, Christine convinced Raoul to invite 'Elizabeth' to stay for lunch. Julianna was relieved at the offer and accepted immediately. She needed all the energy she could get, because in just a few hours, she would be breaking the Phantom of the Opera out of jail.

When they were done eating, Julianna thanked Raoul and Christine for the meal and proclaimed that she must depart, having urgent business to attend to. Christine smiled inwardly at that statement, knowing exactly what Julianna's 'urgent business' was. Raoul thanked Julianna for taking such good care of his beloved Christine, and to Julianna's surprise, he kissed her on the hand.

As Julianna walked out the door, she smiled, knowing that she was about to do a very good thing for Christine today. She hopped into the cab, which had been waiting for her, and traveled back to her hotel room.

The first thing she did when she got there was change her clothes. She didn't think she could get very far in breaking into a prison with a long, tight dress and corset on. She changed into a pair of comfortable, brown cotton pants and a white long-sleeved blouse. Being very early in the spring, it was still quite cold, so she threw on a light jacket as well, even though she was used to the harsh temperatures. Now the fun begins, she thought to herself. She picked up the saddlebag she had packed earlier and rushed out the door. She was headed for the stables, where her horse awaited her.

Once she got there, she immediately started brushing the horse. She always brushed her horses before riding. Then she checked the horse's feet to make sure they were all right and that the shoes were still functional. She smiled to herself, thankful that she had brought her best horse. Of course, she had many horses back at her house, but most of them weren't as reliable as Stardust, her solid black, purebred Arabian mare. Julianna used to informally race Star back when the horse was younger. Even now, at 14 years old, the horse was still very strong and steady. She never bucked or reared, only when she felt that Julianna was being threatened. Without a doubt, Stardust was a very dependable horse.

Julianna quickly bridled Star with one of the bridles that belonged to the stable's owner. She made a mental note to someday bring that bridle back to its owner, but for now, she needed it. She looked around for a large saddle, too, and luckily she found one. Having a saddle would be much more comfortable than riding bareback. She promptly saddled Star, and jumped up on her back.

The large saddle was rather uncomfortable for just one person and Julianna was sure that it looked pretty bizarre, a small woman in a large saddle. She decided to get off and lead the horse the rest of the way. It wasn't far and they arrived there in less than twenty minutes. She tied Star to a post exactly one block away from the prison. Then she headed in the direction of the prison.

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**Well, there's chapter 6. I'm starting to get depressed; no one's reviewing. Please review. I want to know if my story's good. Well, I promise the next chapter will be more exciting. Jailbreak! lol. : )**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Decisions made from desperation; no way to go

Internal instincts craving isolation, for me to grow

Fell in a river of illusion, and apathy

Drowning in a self-induced confusion, I'd rather be"

-_Godsmack, "Re-Align"_

Erik rapidly looked up from his intense staring at the ground at the sound of a loud bang. The rather loud commotion upstairs stirred all of the prisoners out of their thoughts. Erik groaned, rather annoyed. What could possibly be going on now?

Another loud bang was heard, but this bang was different. It was the sound of a gunshot. The other bang had been more of the sound you hear when someone falls down very hard. In this case, Erik thought, someone was probably _knocked_ down very hard, and that's what caused the first bang. And then someone was shot.

He concentrated on listening to see if he could hear what the prison guards were saying. All he heard was muffled voices. He couldn't make out what they were saying. Then, unexpectedly, he heard the shouting of two men, and then another gunshot and another loud bang like the first one.

The two guards located down by the cells exchanged worried glances. Erik noticed one whisper something into the other's ear, and then leave to go upstairs and see what was happening. No sooner than two minutes after the guard left, there was yet another gunshot.

The remaining guard pulled out his gun and mumbled something that sounded to Erik like "Conspiracy." Erik chuckled slightly to himself. A conspiracy is exactly what this prison needs, he thought. Not likely to happen, though. A man could only wish.

Suddenly, he heard the guard burst out laughing and then try to cover it up with a cough. Erik looked around to see what was so amusing to this man. His cell was positioned at the very back of the prison, so he didn't have a very good view of what was going on. He did hear light footsteps though that he could have sworn belonged to a woman.

Then, confirming his suspicion, he heard a woman's voice. "Drop your weapon and I might let you live," she said. Erik was surprised at the powerfulness of her voice. He admired how she used her voice to be assertive, along with her words. Erik strained to attempt to see this woman but she was just out of his view.

At her words, most of the inmates started to cheer and whistle like a bunch of animals. Erik shook his head. He didn't belong here. He knew he deserved to be here, but he didn't belong here. He was nothing like those men. They weren't very intelligent, he had noticed while sharing their company for the past week. He didn't want anything to do with them, so he isolated himself in his tiny cell. He just wanted to be alone his last few days.

The guard let a chuckle escape his lips. That turned out to be a big mistake. In what seemed like no time at all, the woman managed to somehow knock the gun out of the guard's grasp and get him into a headlock … all before he had sufficient time to react.

Now, Erik had a good view of the mysterious woman. Because of the strength of her voice, he imagined her to be a larger woman, be she was quite the opposite. She was, in fact, very thin with straight, brown hair and green eyes. He let a small smile appear on his face. She was quite an attractive woman.

Of course, Erik was even more surprised at that fact that she killed or wounded several of the prison guards upstairs…maybe all of them. He didn't know for sure how many there were exactly. Anyway, he'd never known of any woman to be assertive like this woman was. Usually, the woman just did what the men told them to. They were hardly capable of being completely independent. But this woman, Erik thought, she's different, and apparently strong, too. The guard was having a difficult time trying to get out of the headlock.

Erik watched in horrifying delight as the woman quickly slid her hands up to the man's head, and sharply twisted his neck to the right so that it broke. He smiled. This woman has guts. He let his eyes follow her, as she seemed to walk down the rows of prison cells, examining each convict, as if not knowing exactly what she was looking for.

To his astonishment, she stopped in front of his cell. He barely breathed as she looked him over carefully. He stared into her eyes, looking for any kind of emotion. Mostly he was looking for fear, since most women found his visage absolutely repulsive. He saw no fear though. He saw nothing. Apparently, this strange woman was a master at hiding her emotions. A useful skill, he thought.

That's when he realized that he didn't have his mask on. His heart beat a little faster and he reluctantly resisted the urge to pick up his mask and put it on to hide his horribly deformed face.

When Julianna was done examining him, she walked back over to the dead guard, and pulled his keys out of his pocket. Then she walked back over to Erik's cell and unlocked the door. She stepped inside his cell and looked him directly in the eyes. Strangely, all she could see was pain in his eyes. She wondered what could have caused so much pain. Then she realized that the pain in his beautiful, blue eyes matched what she saw in Christine's.

"Phantom?" she questioned, gently.

"Yes?" he said, unsure of his own voice.

"Come with me," she said, unlocking the chains around his ankles. "I'll explain along the way. It's very important that you cooperate."

"D'accord," he said. "Okay."

Julianna gently took hold of his hand and helped him up. "Come, we must hurry. More guards will come."

He nodded and they started running towards the way out of the prison. "Wait," he said, when they neared the door. "I forgot something."

Julianna nodded. "Hurry." While he was racing back down into the prison, Julianna had some time to take in all that had happened. She was surprised when she first saw the Phantom. She expected him to be a skeleton with a horrible face, but he wasn't. It wasn't as bad as people let on. In fact, he was quite handsome, if you only saw the left side of his face. And the other side wasn't so bad. She never in a million years expected him to look so good. Even in his present state, dressed in rags and not having had a proper bath in days, she was still attracted to him. She could definitely see why Christine had fallen in love with him. And those eyes of his made her heart beat just a little faster. They were so beautiful and deep, almost like you could see his very soul. And the genius that he truly was. You could see that in his eyes as well.

At that moment, he came sprinting back up the stairs, carrying his mask. Julianna nodded in understanding, and they continued to run in silence until they got to Julianna's horse. "Okay," she said. "Let me try to explain very quickly. Christine sent me to get you out of there." She noticed his eyes lit up at the mention of Christine's name. He must really lover her. "It's not safe for you to stay in the city, so I'm going to let you stay at my house. It's just outside of the city limits. And it's important that I have your trust, Phantom."

He nodded. "I trust you."

"Good then," she said. "By the way, my name is Julianna."

"Julianna," he repeated, letting the name imprint itself in his mind. Pretty name, he thought to himself. It suits her.

"May I ask your name?" she asked. "Or shall I just call you Phantom?"

After a few moments of silence, he replied, "Erik."

"Well, Erik," Julianna said, letting his name roll off her tongue. "We'd better hurry. We have a long way to travel." She climbed up on the horse and then let Erik climb up behind her.

The feeling of his warm body pressed up against her relieved her a little. He was, in fact, a man, not a ghost. Of course, she knew that from the second she first laid her eyes on him, but being able to feel him was reassuring. She remembered what Christine had said. He was very much a man.

Julianna smiled. "Erik, you might want to hold on. This is going to be a rough ride," she said.

He gently wrapped his arms around her, letting them rest on her stomach, right below her breasts. She let out a small breath of pleasure at his actions and gave her horse a slight kick on the side. Before long, they were galloping swiftly through the streets of Paris, and Erik was thankful he had Julianna to hold on to.

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**Well there's Chapter 7. I hope you all like it. I just finished writing it and it's 3:30 in the morning. I'm really tired. And I'm sorry if there are any spelling/grammar mistakes. I'll re-read this tomorrow and correct any I find. Anyway, please review. And for all of you that did review, thanks. : ) **


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"It's alright, I survived, I'm alive again

Cause of you, made it through every storm

What is life, what's the use if you're killed inside

I'm so glad I found an angel

Someone who was there when all my hopes fell

I wanna fly, looking in your eyes"

_-Jesse McCartney, "Because You Live"_

After nearly twenty minutes of galloping through the streets of Paris, Julianna and Erik reached the edge of the forest. Julianna knew from experience that even though the forest didn't look especially thick now, the farther you go in, the thicker it gets. She knew that there would be a point at which they couldn't ride her horse through the thick brush, and they would have to walk, leading the horse.

Without another word, Julianna directed her horse to enter the dark forest. Both Julianna and Erik found it more comfortable in the privacy and protection of the forest. Julianna could almost certainly guarantee that the prison guards would search the forest, but she knew they wouldn't venture in too deep.

There were rumors that the forest was haunted, but Julianna knew they weren't true. After all, it was she that started the rumors in the first place. Not that she was one of the people that spread the rumor. She, in fact, _was _the rumor. She remembered nearly fifteen years ago, her best friend and her would climb up to the tops of the trees, and purposely frighten the passersby. They would throw rocks and things at them, and then hide in the shadows, making scary noises. Of course, it was all in good fun, and besides, they were only twelve years old. Julianna remembered how her father used to tease her and call her un petite diable, a little devil. She laughed quietly, at that fond memory of her childhood. Un petite diable, she thought. Now, that she definitely was.

Erik overheard her quiet laughing. "What's so funny?" he asked, smiling a little.

Julianna slowed the horse down to a fast walk so they could talk. They didn't need to hurry too much now anyway. They were already a few miles into the woods. The guards would never come this far. "I was just thinking," she replied, a little embarrassed about her laughing outburst.

"About what?" he asked.

Julianna laughed again. She figured it wouldn't hurt to tell him, since he, himself, knew what it was like to be a ghost. "Have you heard of the rumors," she asked, "about this forest?"

"Isn't it supposed to be haunted or something?" he replied.

"Yeah, that's what they say," she said, grinning. "Erik, those rumors aren't true. The ghosts they speak of were my friend and I fifteen years ago."

He laughed, heartily. "I guess we have that in common. I take it you were children, right, and just having some fun scaring innocent bystanders?"

"Yeah," Julianna replied. "We were both twelve years old. Just having a little fun."

Erik smiled again. That sounded like something he would have done as a child, if he had a normal childhood, that is, he thought. Erik quickly added the numbers in his head to calculate her age. He came to the conclusion that she was somewhere between twenty-seven and twenty-eight years old depending on when her birthday was. She looks younger than that, he thought, … until you look in her eyes. She's wise beyond her years. It looks like she's been through a lot, he thought. You can't tell by her appearance, but when you look in her eyes, it was easy to see. This extraordinary woman entranced him, and he wanted to know more about her.

"Did your parents know about any of this?" he asked innocently.

She smiled. "Of course my father knew. In fact, he encouraged it. He taught me everything I know."

"And your mother?" Erik asked. "Did she know?" At the mention of her mother, Erik felt her tense up a bit.

"No," she replied. "I never knew my mother. She left us a year after I was born."

"I'm sorry," Erik said, squeezing her a little tighter, as if giving her a hug from behind. He silently wished he had been lucky enough to not have known his own mother. She hated him … because of his face. She did more that just hate him; she loathed him. And for that reason, he grew up without love and without friends … except of course his dear old friend, Madame Giry. She had shown him more compassion than his mother ever did. She was a true friend.

"No, it's alright," she said, laughing dryly. "My father always said she was a bitch anyway." From what her father had told her, her mother was young when she got pregnant with her. Only 16 years old. She fell in love with Julianna's father, but her parent's were wealthy and they wouldn't have her reputation ruined by being pregnant with the child of a pirate. They talked her into leaving him and marring a wealthy young man who would accept the child as his own. Apparently, Julianna's father would have no say in the matter. But he really wanted his child, so one night he secretly slipped into their home and stole his daughter back. He guessed they didn't want her that much anyway, because they never sent anyone to look for her. Julianna knew her mother was probably still alive out there somewhere, but she was bitterly reluctant to ever go in search of her.

Erik didn't say anything. What could he say to that? Either agree that Julianna's mother was a bitch to try to make her feel better, which might make her feel worse instead, or disagree and say she couldn't have been that bad. Neither opinion seemed very polite, so he just kept his mouth shut.

Eventually, realized he would have to break the uncomfortable silence. He decided to ask her more about her father. She seemed to always be smiling when talking about him, and he needed for her to smile. It would make him feel better too. "So what does you father do for a living?" She did indeed smile, he noticed.

"You want the truth?" she asked after a while. She didn't know how Erik would react if she told him the truth, but she felt like she could tell him anything. Even though she had just met him, he already seemed like an old friend. Maybe more.

He didn't know what to think. Her father couldn't have been that bad. She turned out all right. Then he remembered how she had just murdered four or five prison guards. So easily forgotten, he thought. Probably because he could relate. Sometimes you have to kill to survive. And sometimes you have to kill for justice, he thought, thinking of her. He knew in his heart that she wasn't truly a bad person. Not a bad person at all. "Yes," he said. "I want the truth."

"Alright," she said. "My father was a pirate." He noted that she was quick to defend her father. "But he was a good man," she said. "Captain of a famous ship called the Victory. He captured and destroyed many ships for the French army, and he made himself a large fortune doing it."

"That's truly amazing," Erik replied, sincerely. "You must have had an exciting childhood. You know, it's possible that I may know of your father. I've read quite a lot about pirates. What is his name?"

"His name is Pierre La Vivion," she said.

"I have heard of him," Erik responded, excitedly. "He was quite famous. But isn't he… didn't he…um…" Erik couldn't find the words for once in his life. Julianna obviously loved her father more than the world. He couldn't just ask if he was dead. It wasn't polite or respectful.

"Yes," she said, answering his unspoken question. "He died fighting bravely for France."

"I know," Erik said, sympathetically. He had read the stories of her father. He did a lot for the good of France. Erik felt honored to be in the presence of his very daughter. She must have been devastated when he died. "I'm so sorry," he said, gently, placing his hand timidly on hers, which was still grasping the reins.

"Stop it, Erik," she giggled, mood suddenly lightened. "How are we ever supposed to get anywhere with you interrupting my riding abilities?" she joked. She made sure to give his hand a tender squeeze before he removed it.

She couldn't possible have known how much that affectionate gesture meant to him. He had never been treated with compassion, especially from those who didn't even know him. They mostly just cried out in terror or fainted, men and women alike. But Julianna never once had shown the least bit of fear. And she'd seen him without his mask. Out of consideration for her, he had put his mask back on after retreating from the prison. But she didn't seem to really be that affected by his horrible face. And she didn't show any pity either. He liked that about her. He didn't want anyone's pity. It made his very soul hurt to see people look at him with pity in their eyes. It was worse than seeing fear in their eyes. Must worse.

For the first time in a long time, Erik felt like someone cared. And he was right. Julianna did care. She was truly concerned about him. And she wanted him to be happy. It made him wonder if he cared for her as she cared for him. Would he risk his life to save her as she had done for him? And he realized that he would. He had grown a great fondness for this woman who saved his very life from a true eternity of hell.

"One more question," Erik said, serious again.

"What?" she said, willing to answer any question he had to offer.

"Are you a pirate, Julianna?" he asked. "Like your father?"

"Yes, Erik," she said. "Yes, I am."

Well, that explains her behavior, he thought. She would make a very good pirate. For some reason, the fact that she was a pirate made him even more attracted to her. He didn't know why? Maybe, just because she was different, and she didn't care what people thought. I should be more like that, he thought. He wasn't ashamed to admit that he did have a tendency of letting his emotions take control at times. Not that he was proud of it. He wasn't.

"I like that," he said. "You being a pirate, I mean. It's fitting."

"Thank you," she said, grinning. "I like you being a phantom, as well, Erik. It's also very fitting." I like you being a man too, Erik, she thought to herself. If only you knew the amazing man that you really are.

He couldn't help but laugh at her comment. Then that got her laughing too. They laughed together for quite a while. He smiled. That had been the first time he truly laughed in some time. And it felt good. His whole body and soul felt alive again, if only for a moment. He'd forgotten how a good laugh could lighten a person's spirit.

At that moment, he forgot everything in the world around him. He had no worries. He wasn't an escaped convict, a murderer. He wasn't a phantom. He was alive, a man. A man he hadn't known in a long time. He wasn't anything but Erik. And for the first time in ages, he was happy. Genuinely happy.

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**Well, I hope you liked that chapter. I'm sorry it took so long. I've been so busy this weekend. But I already have most of the next chapter written, so I'll be able to get it posted soon. PLEASE REVIEW. : )**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Walking through life unnoticed; knowing that no one cares

Too consumed in their masquerade; no one sees her there

And still she sings

'Til everything burns; while everyone screams

Burning their lies; burning my dreams

All of this hate, and all of this pain

I'll burn it all down, as my anger reigns."

_-Ben Moody feat. Anastacia, "Everything Burns"_

Julianna and Erik continued to travel for the rest of the day. Mostly, they didn't talk much, even though Julianna longed to know more about Erik's life. She felt like she had already told him most of her life story, but she hardly knew anything about him except from what Christine had told her, which wasn't much. Christine didn't even know his name. And still she loved him.

Julianna noticed that the sun was beginning to set and decided they should stop for the night and try to get some rest. "Erik, it's getting dark," she said. "I think we should stop for the night."

"D'accord," he said. "That's fine with me."

"Good," Julianna said, bringing the horse to a halt. "We've already traveled farther than I expected. We should reach my home around noon tomorrow."

"That is good," he agreed, climbing off the horse. He had ridden horses before, but never all day. It's fair to say he was quite sore. He stretched his tired muscles, relieved to be off of that horse for the night.

Julianna climbed off of Stardust after Erik. She, too, was relieved to be able to move freely. She immediately started to take the saddle off her horse, who was extremely tired after carrying two adults on her back all day. Julianna thought of her other horses back at home. She doubted any of them could have endured what Stardust did that day. Julianna was very proud of her horse.

Erik stepped to her side. "Is there anything I can do," he asked, "to help?"

She stopped and thought for a moment. "Um…I guess you can collect some firewood, if you want to."

He nodded his acceptance of the offer. "Where shall I pile it, then?" he asked.

"Just stack it up against a tree or something," she replied. "It doesn't really matter."

"Okay," he said, then turned and went off to search for suitable firewood.

Julianna tried to keep an eye on him while she finished taking the saddle and bridle off of Stardust, but it was proving to be rather difficult. He unknowingly wandered out of her eyesight, and she worried that he would get lost or attacked by some animal in the forest. Not very likely, but still she worried. She was quite aware that he could take care of himself perfectly fine. But she promised Christine she would get him back in one piece, and that she planned to do.

Julianna tied Stardust to a nearby tree and decided to go look for Erik, who had been missing for several minutes. Just as she started walking in the direction of his disappearance, the loud sound of a gunshot echoed through the forest.

"Oh, no! Erik!" she cried, sprinting in the direction of the sound. Her thoughts drifted to the worst possible scenario. He was shot, and he was dead. But it can't be, she thought. He can't be dead. It's all my fault, she thought. I never should have let him out of my sight.

To her surprise, a tear trickled down her cheek. Then another, and another. She pulled out her gun. She was going to kill whoever dared to hurt Erik. She only hoped that he wasn't injured that badly. That at least would give her a chance to save him. She was a skilled doctor and had many years of practice. If he wasn't in a critical condition, she still had a chance of saving him. She didn't even think that she had exactly no medical supplies there in the middle of the forest, miles away from any form of civilization.

As she reached the source of the sound, two things caught her eye at the same time. First there was a strange man, who wasn't a prison guard, holding a rifle and then there was Erik's limp and lifeless body laying face down on the ground.

Though Julianna never let her emotion control her, this time she couldn't help but let her anger and rage show. She pointed her gun at the strange man's head, glaring at him with the purest hatred. There was no way she was going to let him life after what he had done. No way in hell.

The man was noticeably shaken up by her angry glare, and even more stunned when she pointed a gun at him. It just wasn't something that a woman would do, or so he thought. He was so shocked at her behavior that he accidentally dropped his rifle.

That was his own lack of common sense. Julianna quickly blocked him from retrieving it. "Why the hell did you kill him!" she yelled at him. "What right did you have?" she asked, almost whispering. She was unaware of the river of tears that were flowing freely from her green eyes.

"Calm down, lady," the man said, shocked at the sheer force of her outburst. He's a murderer, you know," he stated, pointing at Erik's lifeless form.

"God damn," she cursed. "So are you, now." She flung her gun to the side and started violently throwing her fists into this man's face. And he was having quite a hard time blocking her powerful blows.

Sooner or later, he got his footing, and he planted his fist into her ribs. Both of them heard the painful sound of her ribs cracking. Even he cringed in pain. He never meant to hurt this woman. Just get her to stop beating in his face for a second so he could explain just how dangerous the man he killed really was. He watched her stumble back, trying desperately not to fall down.

At that moment, the sound of another gunshot penetrated the silence. Julianna watched as the man she was fighting fell limply to the ground beside her. She turned around to see who had fired the shot. There stood Erik.

"Erik," she breathed, rushing over to him. "You're alive?" She placed her hand on his face, just to make sure he was real. He was. "How?" she questioned, pulling him into an embrace, but not tightly, because she was vaguely aware of the pain in her ribs.

"I'm a good actor," he replied, wrapping his arms around her. "He missed me."

"Oh, God, Erik. You scared me," she said, squeezing him a little tighter, but quickly loosening her grip at the agonizing pain in her side.

"What's wrong?" Erik asked, helping her sit down, but still keeping his arms protectively around her.

"One of my ribs was fractured during the fight," she said. At the look of horror on his face, she added, "It's not that bad. I'm sure it'll be better in the morning."

"I'm not so sure about that," he said, letting her lean back against his chest. "From what I've read, fractures take weeks to heal completely."

"I know," she breathed, enjoying the warmth of his chest on her cheek. "I was a doctor on my father's ship for many years. I just didn't want you to worry. I'm sorry."

"Don't," he insisted, stroking her tear-stained cheek. "You were crying?" he asked.

"Yes, Erik," she replied.

"Why?" he questioned.

"For you," she said. "I thought you were dead."

"Would it really have mattered that much to you?" he asked.

"How can you say that, Erik," she said. "Yes, it would have mattered. I promised Christine that I would take care of you. Do you know how much it would have hurt her if you were to die?"

"Not much, I would guess," he replied. "From what she did to me, I would guess that she didn't care about me at all."

"You're wrong, Erik," she said. "She loves you … just as I know you love her. Do you know what she did when she found out you were going to die? She went out to a bar and got drunk trying to make the pain go away. Why do you think she sent me to save you? She loves you, Erik. And don't try to deny it. I've seen it in her eyes."

"If she truly loved me, Julianna," he whispered, "then why did she hurt me so bad?"

Julianna looked up at his face to find tears rolling down his cheeks. "I don't know," was all she could say. She gently wiped away his tears. "I'm sure you and her can work things out."

"If you say so," he said.

Julianna stood up, ignoring all pain, and helped him to his feet. They were both a mess. She picked up her gun that Erik had dropped to the ground after killing the strange man. "Come now, Erik," she said, wincing slightly. "We should get a fire going before it gets too dark to see."

"You're in no condition to be doing anything," he said, trying to help her walk. "I'll gather some wood and get a fire started."

"Okay," she said. "But I want you to take my gun." She handed him the gun. "Keep it. You need it more than I do."

He nodded, and accepted the gun. Then he helped her sit down on a small pile of rocks. She watched him walk off once again to gather firewood, and he returned in a few minutes with a large armful of wood. She looked through her saddlebag, looking for flint and steel to start the fire with. Erik took them from her, and got to work lighting the fire. Soon they had a warm fire glowing brightly in the darkness of the forest.

* * *

**Well, there's Chapter 9. I hope you all enjoyed it. I'm so tired. It's 5:00 in the morning right now. I never get any sleep. lol. Well, please review. And thanks to all of you that did review. smiles : ) **


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"The worst is over now, and we can breathe again

I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

There's so much left to learn and no one left to fight

I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome

And I don't feel right when you're gone away."

_-Seether feat. Amy Lee, "Broken"_

Julianna took out what little food she had brought, which consisted of a few pieces of stale bread and the canteen of water. "I'm sorry about the food," she said, handing him a piece of the bread. "I don't usually eat very much when I travel."

"Thanks," he said, accepting the bread. "Don't worry. It's better than what they fed us back in the prison." Of course, even the prison food didn't bother him that much. He was used to eating food like that anyway. That was pretty much all he could have back in his old home under the Opera House. Anything else would almost certainly spoil within a few days. And it wasn't convenient for him to leave the Opera House every couple of days to buy food. Being visible out in the middle of the day wasn't something he enjoyed very much. He hated when people saw him. Just the look on their faces made him cringe. Prison food definitely wasn't that bad compared to what he was used to.

Julianna had been in prison once, under a false name and identification, but she wasn't there for very long. Her father had taken the liberty of breaking her out. He'd had his fair share of years in prison as well, but he felt it was no place for his daughter, even though he knew she could be very unruly sometimes. But in her time there, Julianna found that the food was the absolute worst aspect of prison. Ever since then, she always kept her house well stocked with many different kinds of food. She decided that when they got to her house, she was going to fix Erik a really nice dinner. She was, in fact, a very talented chef. She cooked for the pirates on her father's ship as well as being their doctor.

She watched as Erik gobbled down the small portion of bread in a rather unmannerly way. God, he must be starving, she thought. She was quick to offer him the other two pieces of bread, knowing he needed the food more than she did.

"Aren't you going to eat any?" he questioned. "You really should. You need your energy especially now since you're injured."

"I'm fine," she insisted. "You take it." In truth, she was a little hungry, but she learned from back in her pirate days that you couldn't let a little hunger stop you. Besides, Erik really did need the food more than her. He hadn't had a decent meal in over a week and she had just eaten a rather large lunch at the Viscomte de Chagny's house that afternoon with Christine.

Erik stood up and crossed his arms. "You know I'm not going to let you go hungry, while I eat all of your food." He grinned, mischievously. "Now either you eat a piece of this bread on your own or I won't hesitate to force-feed you."

"You wouldn't," she said, grinning broadly, secretly hoping he would. She longed to know what he was capable of. She needed to know.

"You think?" he asked, slowly stepping closer to her, like a predator stalking his prey. He knew he could never force her to do anything. Nor would he want to. She was strong, and he feared that getting on her bad side would have dire consequences. He didn't have any intention of doing any such thing. But was he mistaken, or did she seem to be encouraging him.

He raised an eyebrow, and stared into her beautiful green eyes. He remembered the first time he looked in them; he saw no emotion at all. This time though, he saw her eyes sparkling with mischief. He sat down close beside her. Very close. "Maybe I can just convince you to eat," he whispered into her ear, tenderly caressing cheek. "That way I won't have to force you to. Hmm?"

Julianna didn't know if he was trying to be so seductive, or just trying to get her to eat, but she felt her body respond immediately to his actions. She wanted him, but she knew she couldn't. He was Christine's. Not hers. Besides, this was business. And what did her father always say. Never get involved emotionally in business matters. And she didn't plan to … even if her heart told her otherwise. She wouldn't let it show, no matter what, she promised herself. She wouldn't let him see her attraction, her arousal. She would show him only that she cared. She would take care of him. Nothing more.

"Okay, okay," she said, eventually. "I'll eat if it truly pleases you so."

"It does," he said, suddenly smiling. He handed her a piece of the bread. "Let's save the remaining piece for breakfast in the morning. We can split it."

"If you insist," she said, nibbling on the piece he handed her. When she was done eating, Julianna suddenly realized just how late it was getting. She knew she couldn't sleep, but Erik needed to get some rest at least. They had another hard day of travel tomorrow. "Erik, you should get some rest," she said, tossing him the small blanket she brought along.

"What about you?" he asked.

"I'm staying up," she said, "to make sure we aren't located by the guards." She frowned. "They'd kill us both, you know. Without even a fair trial."

"Yes, they probably would," he agreed. "So, there's no way I can convince you to get some sleep, as well?"

"No," she said. "I'll be fine. But if it makes you feel better, I wouldn't mind laying with you until you fall asleep." God, why did I say that, she thought. You know you can't lay with him. Do you know what kind of torture you'd be putting yourself in? Pure heaven. Pure untouchable heaven. She knew she couldn't take back her offer now.

"If you want," he replied. He had never had the pleasure of lying with any woman before. He knew it would be torment knowing he couldn't do certain unspeakable things with her. He hated to admit it, but he had been thinking about that quite a lot lately, ever since he became acquainted with Julianna. She was beautiful, intelligent, strong, kind and caring, and a pirate … everything any man could ever want. Well, a man like him, anyway. He was guilty about his feelings for her. He knew very well that he wanted her sexually. But then he thought of Christine and knew that she was the one that loved him. Not Julianna. So why the feelings? He just couldn't help it. Julianna _was_ very attractive; and he couldn't help but admit that to himself.

Julianna layed down on the ground next to him, knowing it would be a mistake. She was sure he could hear her ragged breathing and pounding heartbeat. He covered both of their bodies with the small blanket. She made sure she was close enough for the blanket to cover both of them but not too close, just barely touching him. She could barely take it anyway. He just smelled so good. Looked so good. She found that being next to him made the ground a lot less uncomfortable. At least that was one good factor of being so close to him.

Julianna listened to the sound of Erik's rhythmic breathing until she was sure that he was asleep. She picked herself up, trying desperately not to wake him, while ignoring the sudden sharp pain in her ribs. She stumbled over to the rather large rock that she had been sitting on earlier. She found that standing was almost unbearable because of her injury. She didn't know how she was going to be able to ride tomorrow. She just hoped some of the pain would be gone by the morning.

She carefully examined every inch of the forest that she could see in the immense darkness. When she was quite sure the area was free of any form of danger, she let her eyes wander to the sleeping form of Erik.

She smiled. He looked so adorable when he was sleeping. Not that he didn't look adorable when he was awake. He did. He just looked so peaceful … so carefree when he was sleeping. She watched the steady rise and fall of his perfectly sculpted chest. She imagined what he would look like with his shirt off. Probably absolutely gorgeous.

Apparently, Julianna had gotten lost in her thoughts and drifted off, almost to sleep, but not quite, because the next thing she knew, there was a strong hand on her shoulder and the feeling of a warm body next to her.

She opened her eyes, surprised to find Erik there. "You should be sleeping, Erik," she mumbled, groggily, looking deeply into his vivid blue eyes. She found his eyes fascinating to look at in just the firelight. They seemed so alive, like the flames of the fire were dancing in them. His radiant blue eyes immediately entranced her, and she couldn't help but stare.

"So should you," he said, running his thumb over her collarbone. "Come to sleep," he said, in a hauntingly low voice.

It wasn't a request, she noticed. It was more like a demand. And she was too tired to refuse. She allowed him to lead her back to the blanket. He helped her down gently, hoping he didn't cause her ribs any more pain. They he layed down next to her and pulled her into his arms. The feeling of his warm body comforted her, and without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him, too.

Her affection warmed his cold heart. He listened to her heartbeat until she was asleep, and then he allowed himself to drift off into a deep sleep as well, holding Julianna protectively in his arms. He wanted nothing more than just to hold her at that moment. Nothing more.

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**Well, that's all of Chapter 10. Hope you liked it. Thank you all for reviewing. I'm actually going to try to get some sleep tonight. : ) PLEASE REVIEW.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"He drowns in his dreams

An exquisite extreme, I know

He's as damned as he seems

And more heaven than a heart could hold

And if I try to save him

My whole world could cave in

It just ain't right; it just ain't right."

_-Kelly Clarkson, "Beautiful Disaster"_

Julianna awoke with a start early that morning. The first thing she noticed was Erik's warm body next to her, his arms wrapped around her small frame. But she couldn't remember how she got there. She knew Erik would never even think of taking advantage of her. Besides, they were both much too tired for any such activities.

She slowly tried to slip out of his embrace without waking him up. No such luck. He immediately opened his eyes a crack and mumbled, almost incoherently, "Where do you think you're going?" and grabbed her around the waist, rather violently.

Julianna laughed at his utter lack of propriety. "I'm getting up," she replied, gently removing his arms from her waist. "You probably should consider it yourself. We have a long day of traveling ahead."

"Oh," he said, embarrassed at his little slip. "I'm sorry … I forgot where I was for a second there." She must have thought his actions were extremely inappropriate. He truly was sorry though. He thoroughly enjoyed spending the night with her, even though all he did was hold her while she slept. He doubted he would ever get another chance. To share a bed with her, that is. Not that the ground served as a very good bed, but it was good enough.

"That's alright," she said, grinning. "How did I get down there anyway?" she asked. "Last thing I remember, I was sitting on a rock over there." Watching you sleep, she wanted to add.

"Well, you were practically asleep when I woke up and found you on that rock," he said, pointing. "I thought you would be more comfortable down here." He couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Julianna didn't even remember him coming to get her last night, and holding her while she settled into a deep sleep. What if she didn't want him to hold her, he thought. Or even sleep next to her, for that matter? He remembered, though, she wrapped her arms around him too. Even if she didn't remember it, she still did it. He sighed. He shouldn't have. He had no right.

"Thank you," she said. In truth, it was a lot more comfortable than those rocks. Sleeping anywhere next to him would be most comfortable. He was always so warm, and the sound of his breathing was like alcohol, without the side effects. It could numb you to the very core. And make all of your pain disappear in seconds. She didn't regret spending the night with him at all. Not one bit.

"You are very welcome," he replied.

She smiled warmly and took the last piece of the bread out of her saddlebag. She carefully split it, as evenly as she could. She sighed. She never was very good at splitting food evenly. She always wanted a slightly larger half. And because of that, she always, instinctively, made one half bigger for herself. I'm so greedy, she thought, giving herself a mental reprimanding. She handed Erik the larger half. "Here," she said. "Breakfast is served. Bon appetit!"

"Merci, Mademoiselle," he said, accepting the bread and laughing at her joke. This certainly wasn't the greatest breakfast ever, but it would do.

They quickly consumed the bread, and packed their possessions so they could continue on their way. Julianna saddled and bridled her horse swiftly, excited about finally going home. She hated to admit it, but she really did miss her house. And she'd only been gone for a few weeks this time. Childish, she thought to herself.

Julianna and Erik climbed atop her horse and began their journey to her home. For the first hour or so, Julianna's fractured rib hurt like hell with every step the horse took. Erik attempted to support her body with his, hoping to alleviate her pain a little. He found himself wondering why she didn't just give up, quit. He could hardly imagine the immense pain she was in. And she was going through all of this for him. Just so he could be safe from those damned prison guards. He felt responsible for her injury, too. He should have shot that son of a bitch who tried to kill him before he had the opportunity to harm Julianna. It certainly was partly his fault, at least. And he didn't like it. He didn't like being the cause of another's pain, particularly a woman, unless they truly deserved it.

After a while, though, he noticed that she didn't seem to be quite as tense. Perhaps she was becoming used to the pain. Accepting and embracing it; not fighting it. Either that or she was doing a very good job at ignoring it.

They continued to travel in silence for several long hours. The sun was high in the sky, and its powerful rays produced a sweltering heat. It's much too warm, Julianna thought. It's barely even spring. This extreme heat and humidity could only mean one thing. She looked up to the heavens, and saw exactly what she prayed would not be there. Huge, dark thunderclouds forming in the distance.

Erik glanced up at the sky to see what she was looking at. It seemed that just as he looked up, the sun vanished, and the forest was covered by a dark, menacing shadow. "Rain!" he exclaimed. "It's going to rain."

"Not just rain," Julianna said, somberly. "There's going to be a thunderstorm." It looked like it was going to be bad, but she didn't want Erik to know that they could be in danger. He would find out soon enough, anyway. "We should hurry," she said, urging her tired horse along a little faster. "Wouldn't want to get caught in the forest during a storm like this."

He noted the worry in her voice. What could possibly be so dangerous about this storm? Everything seemed so still, so calm. Then he heard the low rumble of thunder in the distance. "How far are we from your house?" he asked.

"Not far," she replied, kicking her horse hard in the side. Soon they were racing through the thick forest, dodging trees and jumping logs and small streams.

Erik held on for his dear life. Never had he gone so fast on the back of a horse. Erik noticed that the horse seemed to share the same fear that Julianna had of the quickly approaching storm.

Suddenly, the temperature dropped rapidly, probably twenty degrees. Erik and Julianna both shivered, glad for the warmth of each other's bodies. Only Julianna knew what was coming, and it truly frightened her. Usually storms like this occurred only out at sea. But they have been known to venture inland occasionally. She had the unpleasant misfortune of coming face to face with one on her father's ship. After the storm, the ship was completely ravaged, almost nothing left. They barely made it back to shore without sinking, and then they had to spend many long months fixing the vessel.

"Erik," she said, not slowing the horse's fast pace. "There's one of my guesthouses just over this hill. I'm afraid to say, we'll have to stop. We'll never make it to my house in time."

"In time for wha-" He never got to finish his question. At that precise moment, small pea-sized pieces of ice started to fall from the sky. You wouldn't think from their small size that they could do much damage, but the sheer force at which they were slung from the heavens was deadly.

Julianna and Erik tried to ignore the stinging pain of the pellets of hail, but it was very nearly impossible. Julianna spied her old stone guesthouse through the thick sheet of ice, and quickly directed her horse toward it.

When they reached it, Julianna and Erik rapidly jumped off the horse's back. Julianna opened the door and allowed Erik to step inside. Then she quickly led her horse inside. There was no way in hell she was going to let her horse suffer in this storm.

She hurried and closed the door to the old guesthouse, which had been abandoned for many years. Julianna remembered that she never really liked having guests stay with her. But I guess that was the purpose of the guesthouse. So they wouldn't have to stay in her house. She hadn't had a single guest over in many years anyway. She much preferred to live alone.

She glanced toward Erik, noticing a trickle of blood running down the side of his face. "Are you hurt?" she asked.

"Nothing serious," he said. "Are you alright?"

"I think so," she replied, suddenly noticing just how dark it was in that musty old house. She immediately lit some of the candles she brought along. The dim light at least made the house appear somewhat less gloomy.

She looked over at Erik, startled by the look on his face. His jaw dropped in surprise and his eyes opened wide. "What is it?" she asked.

"This is your _guest_house?" he asked, putting an emphasis on the word 'guest'. He had been more than surprised when she lit the candles. The house was huge. And he looked up to find a beautiful chandelier. And even though the wallpaper was old and peeling in places, the house looked as if it had once been a richly decorated residence. The furniture was fine handcrafted Victorian. And there were beautifully sculpted marble statues of angels and such. The house itself must have cost a fortune. And it was only a _guest_house.

"Oui, Monsieur," she replied. "This is one of my many guesthouses. Do you like it?"

"Julianna," he replied. "I've never been in a home so large. My parents were wealthy, from what I remember, and their house was nothing compared to your _guest_house."

Julianna frowned. "I am a pirate. Would you not expect me to have riches?" She didn't want him to think any less of her, but that was the truth. She had stolen many millions, quite possibly billions, of francs and other forms of money including jewels and doubloons, with the help of her father and their crew, of course.

"But so much?" he said. "Your actual house must be amazing." He smiled. She was just as much a criminal as he was, maybe even more. Her darkness just made him more attracted to her though. He knew in his heart that she wasn't the awful person that she seemed to be. She was very kind in fact. She most definitely wasn't a spoiled, rich girl. And she didn't announce that she was rich to the public either. She dressed as any commoner would. He liked that. Perhaps she wasn't content being so wealthy. She obviously didn't want people to know about it. Maybe them knowing would put her in danger. Probably that.

"Oh, yes, Erik," she replied. "You'll love it. It's got everything you could ever dream of."

"I bet," he said, sarcastically. She couldn't possible have everything he wanted. She hardly knew anything about him, except for what Christine told her, and he knew that couldn't have been much, given the short time they were together.

"Well," she said. "I'd think you would enjoy the several libraries I have, and the music room, which contains every instrument ever known to man, including three fine organs and many grand pianos. My father was sort of a collector."

He laughed. "That is too good to be true."

"Wait and see," she said, shivering in the cool air. "Are you cold, Erik? Because I'm freezing," she said, pulling out the blanket from the saddlebag.

"A little," he replied.

"Come with me," she said, leading him to the neglected living room. There she sat down on a dusty, old sofa, which had once been an expensive piece of furniture in its day. Erik sat down beside her, and she covered them both with the blanket. "Let's get some rest," she said, resting her head in the nape of his neck. "Just until the storm's over."

Erik allowed his arms to slip around her small form. "Just until the storm is over," he agreed, running his thumb across her cheek.

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**Well, there's Chapter 11. Hope you liked it. Sorry about the Novocain thing. I fixed it. lol. Really don't know when Novocain was invented. Sorry about the confusion. PLEASE REVIEW.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"_Well I've seen hell and back_

_I've hidden in the dark_

_With no one there at all_

_I've scraped us back to life_

_I've laced up both my boots_

_So try and twist the knife_

_We are steel; w__e don't feel anything at all_."

_-Charlotte Martin, "Steel"_

Erik woke up to the sound of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the warm spring breeze. He never remembered actually falling asleep. The last thing he could recall was resting with Julianna on this old sofa while the storm passed. _I must have fallen asleep_, he thought, remembering a time when he could easily go without sleep for nearly a week. He looked around the room, expecting to find Julianna somewhere close. She was nowhere to be found.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Julianna had been preparing them a small lunch, so they would have something to eat before continuing their journey. She didn't find much in the way of food. There were a few shelves of canned vegetable and such, but most of them had gone bad over the years. She did find some meat broth in a jar in the basement that seemed to be unspoiled. She found it hard to believe that vegetables would spoil before meat broth, but she was certain that the broth was safe to eat, so she decided to make some soup.

She heated the broth on the old stove and added some of the canned vegetables that were still good. She also found some non-poisonous mushrooms growing outside, and she added them as well. It wasn't the greatest soup ever, but the smell was heavenly.

She immediately noticed Erik's presence behind her, as he quietly tried to sneak into the room unnoticed. "Did you sleep well?" she asked, gently, not turning from her task of stirring the soup.

"Oui," he replied, placing a hand on her shoulder. " But how did you know I was behind you?" he questioned. "I was being very quiet." That was the first time anyone had ever known he was there when he was trying not to get noticed. He was exceptionally stealthy and quiet, as well as very cautious. He'd had many years of practice. It shocked him that he had finally gotten caught.

"I don't know," she replied. "I guess I felt you there … your presence, that is." She turned around and smiled at the amazingly handsome man before her. "Something that my father taught me. To always be completely aware of your surroundings … even if you're in no danger."

_It's not as easy as you make it sound_, he thought. _It takes years of practice and diligence. It's like a complicated art. You can never fully master it. Yet, you and I both have come close_, he thought. His thoughts roamed back to his little sleeping escapade on the couch. Why hadn't she woken him up? He felt like he needed to know. "Why didn't you wake me up?" he asked. "When I fell asleep?"

She grinned at him, and her eyes seemed to glow for a second with the fond memory of watching him sleep. It had been the hardest thing for her to get up and leave him there, but she couldn't wake him. He just looked so … "Peaceful," she said. "You looked so peaceful and comfortable. I just couldn't …" She truthfully couldn't have woken his sleeping form if her life depended on it. He just looked so incredibly beautiful as he slept.

He appeared to have accepted her answer, because he started poking around the room, looking for anything of interest. He dug through old newspapers clippings and letters addressed to people he didn't know, but nothing interested him much. Suddenly, he sniffed the air, taking in the heavenly scent of food cooking. Why hadn't he noticed it before? She must have been cooking the whole time. And he didn't even notice. Probably because he was too busy inconspicuously observing _her_, not what she was doing.

"What are you cooking?" he asked.

"Soup," she replied. "Why?"

"It smells delicious!" he exclaimed.

"Why thank you, Erik," she said, pouring the finished soup into two fancy, crystal bowls. She placed the two bowls on the dining room table, and looked up at Erik. "Would you look for some spoons in the kitchen, s'il vous plait? I'm going down to the cellar to see if there's any wine."

"Bien sur, Mademoiselle," he replied. "Of course."

With that, he went to the kitchen in search of spoons, and she went down to the cellar to look for a bottle of wine. She found a bottle that her father had made years ago. It was aged to perfection. She quickly grabbed it and headed back upstairs. Erik was waiting there for her. He'd found two beautiful silver spoons, decorated with dazzling jewels. Julianna immediately found two crystal wine glasses, and poured the wine.

"Eat up," she said, pulling out his chair for him.

"Shouldn't I be doing that for you?" he said, knowing perfectly well that the man was supposed to pull out the chair for the lady. Even though he didn't much care to be with people in a formal environment, he knew quite a lot about what was considered proper manners, mostly from the many books he'd read.

"In _my_ house," she said, intensely, "I make the rules. I strongly believe society's rules are highly overrated."

"You are not the only one," he said, smiling. She had a point. Who came up with all that shit anyway? Obviously, someone who had a lot of time on their hands.

She smiled back at him. "Eat," she said, sitting down at the opposite end of the table. They continued to eat in silence for several minutes. When they were done, Julianna cleared the table, and started washing the dishes.

"I can do that," Erik said, suddenly appearing behind her. "You go pack up your things. I'll wash the dishes."

She was surprised at his assertiveness. And she found that she liked it a lot when he was assertive. It was kind of sexy, in a way. "D'accord," she said, drying her hands on an old towel. "If you say so."

Julianna looked back at him for a moment. He looked so adorable washing dishes. But she noticed, he definitely knew what he was doing. He handled each of the delicate dishes with extreme care. She could only imagine what his elegant fingers would feel like touching her body. She shivered at just the thought, and silently reminded herself that he was Christine's. He could never be hers.

She unwillingly tore her eyes from his enticing hands and went to pack the saddlebag. _God, I'm messed up_, she thought. _I get turned on by watching someone wash dishes. Well, not just 'someone.' It has to be Erik. Only Erik and his sexy dish washing…_

After they finished cleaning up and packing, they ventured back out into the warm sunlight. The damage the storm had caused was painfully apparent. The grass had been completely flattened and covered by a thin layer of ice marbles. Even the trees didn't look so well. Most of them were at least moderately damaged, twisted and broken. Only the strongest of them still stood tall.

Julianna and Erik looked around in horror at the immense damage and destruction. Erik sighed. _Julianna must have known how dangerous that storm was_, he thought, remembering the worry and anxiousness in her voice before the storm. Once again, she'd managed to save his life.

"Let's go, Erik," she said, with a hint of sadness in her voice. "We're only twenty or so minutes away from my house," she said, with a bit more enthusiasm.

She climbed on her horse, and then helped Erik up behind her. Traveling was slow, because the ice covering the ground made it harder for her horse to walk steadily. But even though the conditions were harsh, they did manage to make good time. In nearly twenty minutes, they caught sight of Julianna's house as they came to the top of a small hill.

Erik stared in awe at the huge house before him. It was nearly big enough to be considered a castle. Beautiful stained-glass windows contrasted the outstanding stone walls. And gardens filled with the most exquisite and rare flowers surrounded the manor. Statues of gods and angels ornamented the gardens, along with perfectly crafted fountains and extraordinary shrubbery.

Erik was immediately drawn to the house, if you could even call it a house. It had a delightfully haunting appeal. Though the gardens were beautiful, the house itself seemed only to harbor ghosts. And the swirling mist that surrounded the grounds only did more for the haunting effect.

As Julianna and Erik rode through the exotic gardens, Erik felt like he was in a dream. He held on to Julianna tightly, and gazed around in wonder at all of the beautiful, haunting sights to be seen. Never before had he seen anything so incredibly spectacular. Well, there was one thing. The Opera House in its finest. But it hardly compared to the beauty his witnessed at that moment.

Erik eventually managed to find his voice, as they proceeded through the gardens. "It's … beautiful," he choked out, truly touched by the finery.

"I know," Julianna replied. "Thank you. Sometimes I forget just how breathtaking it is to see all this for the first time." She smiled. "It's hard to keep it looking so nice all by myself."

"What?" Erik said. "By yourself? You have no servants? Surely you can afford them, no?"

"Oh, no," she replied. "It's not that I can't afford them. I just don't want them. I don't like people messing around with my things. And," she added, "I don't like people knowing too much about who I am. It's a bit dangerous, if you know what I mean."

He nodded. He did know what she meant. She could never fully trust her servants. If there was ever a price on her head, surely they would turn her in for the money. She couldn't take any chances. And now, neither could he. "But how?" he asked. "How do you take care of all this on your own?"

"It's hard," she replied, "but necessary. This house was my father's life's work. I keep it for him."

Erik just shook his head. He couldn't even fathom the work she had committed to. _I wouldn't be able to do it_, he thought.

"Well, here we are," she said, pulling her horse to a stop in front of the grandest doorway Erik had ever seen. The two oak doors were adorned with intricate carvings of flowers (mostly roses) and brought to life with colorful jewels, including emeralds and rubies. It was a truly beautiful entrance into a truly beautiful house.

Julianna and Erik climbed off of the horse, and while Julianna tied her horse to a post, Erik marveled at the amazing house in front of him. He looked to Julianna, and then back at the house. Then back to Julianna. She could understand how he was feeling now. The same way anyone feels the first time they see her home. Not many people had, but those that did … well, they looked just as awed as Erik did at that exact moment.

She gently put her hand on his shoulder, just wanting to be able to touch him without causing too much damage to the Christine/Erik relationship. She knew he loved Christine. She could see it in his eyes. But she could also see something else…

Erikbeamed at her and took her hand in his. "Are you going to show me in, or not?" he whispered into her ear, placing his free arm around her tiny waist.

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**Well, there's Chapter 12. Hope you like it. I hope I get more reviews than I did for that last chapter. Reviews are greatly appreciated. They inspire me. LOL. Anyway, please please please tell me what you think. : )**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

_"I can't take another day without you_

_Cause I could never make it on my own_

_I've been waiting so long just to hold you_

_And to be back in your arms where I belong_

_I'm sorry I can't always find the words to say_

_When anything I've ever known gets swept away"_

_-3 Doors Down, "Here By Me"_

* * *

Meanwhile… Á La Maison de Chagny (Raoul's house)

Christine, halfheartedly, stared out the grand window in her beautiful room. She'd had so much on her mind the past couple of days, ever since the beginning of the great conspiracy of stealing her Erik away from that horrible prison.

Erik was on her mind constantly. She couldn't seem to think of anything else. She remembered feeling so relieved after reading in the newspaper that he had mysteriously escaped from the prison, killing seven prison guards in the process. Christine knew, of course, that the murder of the guards was Julianna's doing, not Erik's. She didn't think much of it though. She was just overjoyed that her Angel was alive out there somewhere.

Christine anxiously awaited Julianna's return, when she would finally be reunited with her love, her Angel of Music. She acknowledged, though, the fact that it would be at least a week, maybe more, before that could possibly happen. The guards were still frantically searching for the escaped Phantom, causing destruction everywhere they went. They carefully examined every corner of Paris, knocking down doors and causing a great amount of distress.

This greatly worried Christine, but she knew that if anyone could take care of and protect Erik, it was Julianna. She was a truly amazing woman, even though she was a criminal. She was a true friend. Christine knew there was no amount of money that could ever repay Julianna for her generous act of kindness.

Christine sighed, as her thoughts drifted to more urgent problems. The main one was what to do about Raoul. She had a hard enough time making up an excuse to have their wedding postponed. But it would be even more difficult to tell him the wedding will be canceled; she wasn't going to marry him.

She cared for Raoul; really, she did. But she knew in her heart that she did not love him … at least as a husband. She certainly loved him as a friend. He was a true friend and she didn't want to have to hurt him, but her happiness depended on it. If only, there was some other way. But there wasn't. She painfully awaited the day she would have to tell Raoul she was leaving. She couldn't bear the thought of breaking her dear friend's fragile heart … much like the way she shattered her Angel's.

She felt a tear slide down her delicate cheek. _How could I?_ she thought. _I never wanted to hurt him … but I did. God, I must have hurt him so bad. And now I'll have to do the same to Raoul._

That brought her thoughts to another pressing matter. How exactly was she going to get away from Raoul? Tell him she needed some time alone, and then disappear and never return? No, she couldn't do that. It was much too cold and cruel for her taste. She knew she couldn't just tell him she was going away with the Phantom of the Opera. That would put too many people in danger … especially the Phantom, himself.

Maybe she could write a letter to Raoul. That seemed to be the only logical way, except for telling him in person. She knew she would never be able to do that. She shivered at just the thought. Yes, she decided, she would write a letter, and then disappear. A letter full of lies. And deception. She cringed. It was the only way. The only way to live happily ever after with her beloved Erik.

She touched her lips, tenderly, remembering the passionate kiss they shared. And the pain in his beautiful, blue eyes afterward. She knew he believed she only kissed him to save her darling Raoul's life. _So untrue, Erik_, she thought, wishing she could tell him that right then. She wanted so much to tell him that she loved him, unconditionally. She longed for him to know how sorry she was for leaving him, for putting him through all of this pain. _Soon_, she thought.

She dreamed of him often at night, when she could actually get to sleep. His beautiful eyes, his handsome face, his soothing voice … but most of all, she dreamed of once again kissing his soft, enticing lips. _I could have had it all … and more,_ she thought. _God, why did I have to be so God damn stupid? The one thing I wanted most was within my grasp. Yet I let it slip right through my fingers._ She never realized how much she cared for - no, loved – her beautiful Angel until the day she had to be without him. Funny how sometimes you can't see all that you have, until it's gone.

She sighed again, realizing how late it was. Raoul would be expecting her for dinner soon. She turned around quickly, and to her surprise, came face to face with the man himself. "Raoul!" she exclaimed, shocked by his unexpected arrival.

"Christine!" he said. "We were expecting you downstairs for dinner half an hour ago."

"I'm sorry, Raoul," she replied, hastily. "I must have lost track of time. Je suis tres désolée. Forgive me."

He frowned at her sudden plea for forgiveness. It wasn't that big of a deal. He silently wondered if something was wrong, and he decided to ask her about it later. "It's alright," he said, holding her hand. "No harm done, my love."

She forced a smile. She didn't know how much longer she could lie to him. _He must suspect something is out of place_, she thought, noticing the frown on his face.

"I love you so much, Christine," he said, tenderly kissing each of her delicate fingers.

_Oh, God,_ she thought, _Why does he torture me so? _"I love you, too…" she said, as convincingly as she could. _If only he knew the truth…_

He grinned widely and started leading her down the stairs to the dining room, where a lovely dinner awaited them. The thought never crossed his mind that this could be one of the last dinners he would ever spend with his dearest Christine.

* * *

**Well, there's chapter 13. Hope you liked it. I'm sorry it'skind ofshort, but it was necessary. The next chapter will be longer and more interesting, I promise. So, anyway, please review. And thank you to all my loyal readers and reviewers. LOL. : )**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

_"Sometimes I remember the darkness of my past_

_Bringing back those memories I wish I didn't have_

_Sometimes I think of letting go and never looking back_

_And never moving forward so there'd never be a past."_

_-Linkin Park, "Easier To Run"_

* * *

Back at La Maison La Vivion (Julianna's house)

The moment Erik stepped into Julianna's beautiful house, he was in love … with the house, that it. It was delightfully haunting, as much on the inside as on the outside. There was magnificent antique furniture and statues and sculptures from countries all around the world. And the biggest chandelier he had ever seen, aside from the one at the Opera House.

Even with the electric lighting and the many candles that Julianna lit throughout the house, it still seemed gloomy and dark. But Erik found that rather appealing, actually. This was the perfect house for someone like him, who hid in the shadows. Someone who was known as a Phantom. He decided he liked this house. A lot.

Julianna observed Erik for a while, allowing him time to take in the splendor of her home. "Erik…" she said, after a few minutes. "Let me show you your room."

He nodded and allowed her to take hold of his arm and lead him to the room she picked for him. Though the house appeared to be much bigger, it actually only had three floors, plus a basement and attic. But the ceilings were high, probably twenty feet or more in the parts of the house that Erik had observed.

Julianna led Erik up an exquisite staircase, and then down a long, mesmerizing hallway. After much walking, they finally arrived at the door to Erik's room. "Well, here it is," she said, opening the door.

Erik looked around, stunned, at the beautiful room before him. It suited him perfectly. How had she known? Perhaps she was much more perceptive than he at first thought. He'd hardly told her anything about his life. Yet she knew that he would fall in love with this room. He silently cursed himself for being so vulnerable, and then silently thanked her for being so observant of him.

The walls were a deep shade of red, resembling the color of blood. And they were decorated with beautiful paintings that must have been originals, worth thousands. The bed was absolutely huge, brilliantly handcrafted from the finest mahogany, with exotic and intricate carvings. The comforter was the same color as the walls, with little jewels adorning the edges. A simple, yet very striking addition to the grandeur of the room. The many pillows that ornamented the bed had the same design as the comforter, and underneath, the sheets were a lighter shade of the blood red color. A bed truly fit for a king.

Erik stepped further into the room, with a little push of encouragement from Julianna. He immediately noticed a breathtaking organ in the corner of his huge room, and he was immediately drawn to it. He had to resist the urge to touch it, much less play it.

"Do you like it?" Julianna asked.

He didn't know whether she meant the room or the organ, but he was greatly pleased with both, so he answered, "Yes very much."

"Good," she said, leading him to the closet. She opened the door to reveal a wide arrangement of men's clothing, both formal and informal. "You can have them," she said, nodding toward the clothes. "They should fit you fine. They used to belong to …" She shook her head at the memory of her former lover, long dead. "Well, that doesn't matter. Anyway, he was about the same size as you, maybe a little shorter, but they should fit you well all the same."

Erik couldn't help but wonder who this man was that she spoke of – rather didn't speak of. Obviously, not her father. She'd easily spoken of him before. _Perhaps, a brother or maybe an old lover_, he thought, admiring the fine quality of the clothing. "Thank you," he said, smiling.

She smiled back at him and led him to yet another door inside his room. "This is your bathroom," she said, opening the door. "Everything you need should be in there. If not, all you have to do is tell me."

"Yes, of course," he said. "Thank you, once again. This is all so divine. I've never lived in a home so magnificent."

"You'll get used to it after a while," Julianna said. "Well, I'm going to go make dinner. Why don't you get cleaned up, put on something nice, and meet me downstairs in an hour."

"Of course," Erik said. "One hour it is then." He quickly kissed her lightly on the cheek, and then held his breath, not knowing how she would react. _Why did I do that?_ he thought to himself. _She doesn't want you. No one could ever want you,_ he told himself. To his great relief though, she smiled warmly and cupped his face tenderly in her hand.

Neither of them moved, for fear of ruining that perfect moment. Erik shivered slightly. The warm feeling of her hand on his flesh was intoxicating. He was tempted to return the touch, but he felt he had no right. Of course, he didn't really have any right to kiss her either. Such beauty shouldn't be touched by a monster like him.

That exact moment, Julianna saw all of the longing and loneliness in his eyes, and her heart went out to him. How could a creature so beautiful harbor so much pain? She longed to ease his pain, to fight away the demons that tortured his soul. But she couldn't. All she could do was show him that someone cared. That she cared.

She pulled him into a tight embrace, hoping her warmth would wash away his pain. She saw the look of shock on his face as she held him, and then felt his body become tense. At this, she let her hands skillfully massage his back, helping him to relax.

He let out a soft moan of pleasure, and the breath of air that he didn't realize he'd been holding. The very second she touched him, he felt his loneliness and pain dissipate, and was replaced by a blazing fire of bliss. He hesitantly let his strong arms embrace her small form, completing their hug. He tried to be as gentle as he possibly could, not wanting to scare this beautiful angel away.

He didn't know what to do, except continue to hold her and try to breathe. He couldn't think clearly. All he knew was that this woman had seen beneath his mask, seen his gruesome visage, and yet she still held him, unafraid and not the least bit appalled. Suddenly he thought of Christine. He still loved her, yes, but even through his love for her, he longed for companionship, someone to burn away the cold loneliness of his life.

Julianna felt his heartbeat quicken and his breathing become ragged, and she knew hers had probably done the same. If it weren't for Christine, she would have used other methods for helping Erik relax, but she knew she couldn't. She was a woman of her word. She wouldn't let Christine down. She couldn't. Not after living with the memory of all the people she'd let down in her life. For once, she was going to do something for someone else, not herself.

She slowly pulled away from Erik, hoping he wouldn't think she was rejecting him or that she didn't want him. To her horror, she saw the pain in his eyes return. She had to do something. She couldn't bear to see her beautiful Erik in such pain.

Without thinking, she pressed a hard, fierce kiss to his soft, inviting lips. She closed her eyes at the incredible feeling of his lips on hers. Pure ecstasy. After a few moments of their passionate kiss, she suddenly realized her mistake. _What am I doing?_ she asked herself, slowly removing her mouth from his, breaking their violent kiss.

"I'm sorry," she said, backing away from him a little. Being close to him was too tempting. He was just so incredibly beautiful. She would have given him the world that moment, if he'd asked. She would have given him anything he desired. "Je suis désolée. I shouldn't have."

"Quite alright," he said, huskily, desperately trying to regain his composure.

A smile formed on her lips as she gazed into his captivating, blue eyes. "I'll see you in an hour then…" she said, squeezing his hand, gently. She turned and walked out the room, closing the door with unintentional forcefulness, leaving a very stunned Erik alone in his room. _God, what have I got myself into this time,_ she thought, the heavenly taste of Erik still lingering on her lips, and his blissful scent clinging to her clothes. Her heart pounded heavily and her body ached for him, for his gentle touch. _What am I going to do?_ she asked herself, desperately.

* * *

**There's Chapter 14. Wow. Two chapters in one night. LOL. Oh my dear God, it's really late. LOL. Anyway, hope you liked the chapter. PLEASE REVIEW.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Well, here's Chapter 15. Thank you all for reviewing.I encourage everyone else toplease read and review. lol. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.**

**Violette de Musique: I really want to answer your question about Christine and Erik getting back together but I can't. Sorry. It would ruin the story. You'll just have tokeep readingto find out. I know that total blackmailing, but oh well. lol. :) Anyway, glad you like the story. And thanks for reviewing.**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

_"This life is like a game sometimes…_

_Then you came around me; the walls just disappeared_

_Nothing to surround me, to keep me from my fears_

_I'm unprotected; see how I've opened up_

_You've made me trust."_

_-Avril Lavigne, "Naked"_

In exactly one hour, Erik and Julianna were to meet downstairs for dinner. During part of that time, Julianna prepared a fantastic dinner for the two of them, with rare and exotic delicacies. She never would have gone to so much trouble over something as simple and inconsequential as food, but she wanted to show Erik what it was like to live luxuriously. Normally, she only ate what food was easiest to manage, rarely anything extravagant. But she was going to do everything in her power to make sure that Erik was properly taken care of during his stay with her.

After the meal was prepared, Julianna went and got cleaned up, and then headed downstairs to wait for Erik. Only minutes after she after she entered the dining room, Erik sauntered in, rather dramatically. Her mouth dropped open in shock at the incredibly amazing transformation of Erik's appearance.

He'd taken a bath, and washed away all the dirt and grime from traveling. His handsome face was freshly shaven, his beautiful teeth were brushed and glistened in the light as he smiled … he even cleaned his mask, which glinted hauntingly within the dim luminosity of the candles. She even noticed he'd found a black wig similar to the one he wore back at the Opera House. His overall appearance had improved drastically. Julianna thought he was beautifully handsome before this. But now … Oh, God, he was breathtaking.

After the initial shock of seeing him look so hauntingly amazing, she noticed the clothes he was wearing. Black jacket, pants, and leather boots; tight-fitting blood red vest; long, dramatic black cape. He even wore a sword and his trademark black leather gloves for a more powerful and dramatic effect. He looked absolutely stunning. He could have been royalty just by his appearance. _He could be a dark Lord_, she thought. _The mysterious, secretive, amazingly handsome, clever, criminally insane genius that lives alone in a gloomy old mansion, wears a mask, dresses in black, and plays his organ relentlessly. __Yes, _she decided, _Erik would make a very sexy dark Lord_. Julianna smiled at him with all the charm that she could muster. God, he looked so good.

Erik smiled back, equally astonished by her appearance. She had also bathed, and washed her long, silky hair. She'd applied a light, yet stunningly beautiful, layer of makeup. She painted her lips a deep shade of crimson, lined her eyes with a thin contour of black kohl, shaded her eyelids with a deep brown, mocha tint, and colored her cheeks with a rosy blush. To his surprise, he noticed she'd also painted her fingernails and toenails a fiery red color. He'd never seen or heard of a woman coloring her nails before, but he found it attractive all the same.

He was shocked even more to find her in a dress, and her body tightly confined by a corset, which made her appear very shapely and well formed. _Not that she doesn't anyway_, he thought, grinning. The long, luxurious dress that she wore was beautifully exotic, with a low-cut neckline exposing her ample breasts. He guessed she must have got it from some other country, because he had never seen any woman in Paris wear a dress comparable to it.

It was black silk and lace, adorned with red and black beads and jewels … a true work of art. She wore a beautiful, ruby-studded necklace and dangling earrings to match. Around her wrist was an astounding ebony bracelet, and a ring that matched it on her right ring finger. The shoes she wore were black with two and a half inch heels, decorated with rubies and a back satin ribbon that wrapped around her ankles. With those shoes on, she was almost as tall as he was, but not quite.

He let out a breath. She looked more beautiful than he could have ever imagined. He admired her, silently. She definitely knew how to dress to make an impression on the people around her. She looked like a goddess, a beautiful dark angel. He suddenly realized that their outfits matched … perfectly.

She must have been thinking the same thing, because she walked over to him, held his gloved hand, and said, "Look, Erik … we match!"

"Yes, we do," he agreed, dreamily, not taking his eyes off her for one second. "Julianna …" he started. "You look … beautiful … absolutely gorgeous."

She smiled warmly at his compliment. "You don't look so bad yourself, Erik," she said, patting his perfectly sculpted chest. "Stunning," she stated. "You could easily be mistaken for the Lord of this manor."

"Hmpfh!" he snorted, sarcastically. "Me? A Lord?" He laughed, disdainfully. "That would be that day."

"Oh, Erik…" she replied. "Don't say that," she said, lifting his chin up gently, letting her fingers linger along his jaw line. "Believe me, I have known many Lords, and none of them looked half as good as you do tonight. You could undeniably fool many people."

"If you say so," he said, not fully believing her. All his life, he'd been shunned because of his horrible face, but now this woman was telling him that he looked handsome enough to be a Lord. Her words sounded so convincing … so persuasive, yet he could hardly believe her.

Suddenly, Julianna had a brilliantly clever idea. In the chance that any random visitors or travelers would show up at her house, as they often did, looking for food or temporary housing, she and Erik could pose at the Lord and Lady of the manor. That way no one would be suspicious as to why she was living with an unrelated bachelor. _The perfect plan_, she thought.

"Erik," she said, eyes lighting up. "I have an idea for a problem we might have."

"What problem?" he asked, frowning slightly. They'd had enough problems anyway. What more could possibly be awaiting them? _Surely, nothing too serious or she would have mentioned it before_, he reasoned.

"Well, sometimes travelers stop by here for food or a place to stay," she replied. "They may become suspicious of us living together, both of us being unwed and not related." She smiled widely, and grabbed his hand. "I think we should pretend to be the Lord and Lady of this manor. You can pose as my husband." He appeared to be lost in thought, so Julianna added, "What do you think?"

He looked at her, mischievously. "I think it just might work," he said. "That is, _if_ anyone stops by here. He secretly hoped someone _would_ show up during his stay, just so he could pretend to be Julianna's husband. _As long as Christine never finds out_, he thought, smiling.

She gazed at him, lovingly. Just practicing, she told herself. Just practicing. Suddenly, she thought it might not be such a great idea to pretend to be his wife. It could go too far. Things might happen that both of them would later regret. And she definitely didn't want that to happen. Well, she did, but she couldn't let it. She reminded herself again that he was taken. His heart belonged to Christine.

He smiled and cupped her face in his gloved hands. He could feel her warmth even through the leather. Warmth was something he had not felt in quite some time. He enjoyed just being able to feel something other than the bitter cold of his life. "I don't suppose you have rings we can wear, do you?"

She put her hands on his. "Why, of course I do, _darling_," she said, playfully. "Did you forget that I am, in fact, a pirate? Stealing jewelry is my middle name … well, actually, my middle name is Michelle, but you know what I meant."

He laughed and removed his hands from her face, and placing them on her waist. "Of course, my love," he said. "How could I forget?"

She was shocked at the conviction in his voice when he said 'my love.' Either he was a very good actor … or he meant it. She secretly hoped he was just a good actor. If he had feelings for her, that would ultimately mess up the plan. She knew if it _was_ true, it would be hard for her to refuse him. He was too charming … and handsome.

"Julianna Michelle La Vivion…" he whispered, letting her name roll of his tongue like beautiful music.

"Yes?" she whispered, shivering slightly. The way his whispered her name made it sound so beautiful. Just the sound of his voice was so soothing… so beautiful. She knew from what Christine had told her that he could sing exceptionally well. She wondered if she would ever get to hear his beautiful voice sing. She secretly hoped.

Julianna, herself, could sing fairly well. Her voice was not as pure as Christine's, but still it was considered beautiful by the few that had actually heard it. She remembered years of singing pirate songs on her fathers ship. Those pirates rather enjoyed her sultry, soothing voice. She highly doubted though that she could sing opera very well.

"Nothing," Erik answered, gently. "I was just putting your full name together … quite beautiful." He smiled.

"Oh, Erik," she grinned, suddenly overcome with delight. "What am I going to do with you?" she said, playfully, brushing her hand along his smooth cheek. "I'll get our rings later. For now, let's eat."

Erik nodded in agreement, and fixated his eyes upon the marvelous meal Julianna had prepared for him. It looked absolutely delicious! His mouth watered, and his body reminded him that he hadn't had a proper meal in over a week.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

_"I'm scared, so afraid to show I care_

_Will he think me weak, if I tremble when I speak_

_What if there's another one he's thinking of _

_Maybe he's in love; I'd feel like a fool_

_Life can be so cruel; I don't know what to do_

_You can't let the chance to love him pass you by."_

_-Céline Dion feat. Barbara Streisand, "Tell Him"_

* * *

By the time Julianna and Erik were finished eating, it was quite late. They were both extremely exhausted from traveling, but neither of them felt much like sleeping. Julianna decided to show Erik around her house some to pass the time. The first room she brought him to was one she knew he would adore and admire … the music room.

Erik's eyes lit up and he smiled as he walked into the enormous room. The room itself was magnificent, beautifully decorated. But even more glorious was the wide assortment of exquisite musical instruments and such that filled the room, wall to wall. _She wasn't lying_, he thought, _when she said she owned every instrument known to man_. There were many that he'd never seen before, probably made and used in foreign countries.

"Well, what do you think?" Julianna asked, noticing the look of admiration on his face. She knew he loved it. She could see it in his eyes. And it made her feel good knowing that this room pleased Erik so much.

"It's … amazing," he whispered, carefully caressing every instrument with his eyes. He longed to be able to touch them, and play them, even the ones unfamiliar to him. This room could satisfy all the needs of any composer, such as himself, and more. It was absolutely a dream come true for Erik. He hoped she would allow him to spend time in here.

"I'm glad you like it," she said, touching his arm gently. "You can come in here anytime you'd like. You can use any of the instruments you desire."

"Really?" he said, eagerly. "Are you sure? They look too beautiful to touch."

"Of course, I'm sure," she replied. "You don't even have to ask me. Consider them yours … while you're here, that is."

Erik grinned, unable to contain his delight. He took her hand in his, and ran his thumb over her soft skin, tenderly. He brought her palm to his lips, pressing a light kiss to it. "Merci, Mademoiselle," he whispered, so softly she could barely hear it. "Thank you."

Julianna closed her eyes, enjoying the tingling sensation his lips always left her with. She put her free hand on his chest, bringing them a little closer. She remembered their kiss earlier, and she longed to taste his alluring lips once again … but she knew it would be a mistake. She silently cursed her conscience.

Julianna bowed her head slightly, and pulled away from him. She walked over to the nearest organ, hoping a little music would calm her nerves. Being around Erik reminded her of all that she'd lost many, many years ago. Pain that she thought had long been forgotten. She'd tried to seclude herself from the world, hoping it would leave her in peace. And it worked, until she met beautiful, charming Erik, and she couldn't help her growing affection for him.

Erik silently observed her as she sat down at the organ and began to play a calming lullaby. At first, she was a little unsure of herself, not having played since she was a child. She remembered this song well though. Her father used to play it for her when she couldn't sleep.

As she became more confident, she allowed her fingers to create more forceful notes, until the song certainly couldn't be considered a lullaby anymore. She pounded on the keys violently, not even ceasing when her fingers started to ache, and then bleed a little where her nails had broken. It was her violent means of release.

Erik new exactly how she felt. He couldn't even remember how many times he himself had used his music as a brutal means of releasing pent up emotions. He walked to her and put his hand on her shoulder, hoping to offer some comfort. Even through his comforting, he found himself admiring her talent as a musician. He realized though that this must have been the first time she'd played in quite some time. Not that her talent was lacking. She just seemed a little hesitant at first.

She felt his hand on her shoulder, yet she hardly even noticed he was there, and she continued to pound on the keys vigorously. The song, if you could call it that, was beautiful and haunting at the same time. Erik had never heard anything quite like it. It was so heartbreakingly sad, yet filled with frustration and rage as well.

Suddenly to his surprise, she started singing, quietly at first, barely a whisper, but then more powerfully as the song continued.

_"Took from me all that I had,_

_Left my soul and spirit dead,_

_Killing everything inside me,_

_What is one used to be three…"_

Erik's mouth dropped open in surprise. Not only did she have a beautiful voice, but she sang with such depth, such feeling. She took the song and made it her own. Only something a skilled vocalist could do. Erik observed her voice, noticing it was quite different from Christine's, but beautiful all the same. While Christine's voice reflected light and happiness, Julianna's was haunting and dark.

_"Now to drive away the pain,_

_I'll destroy all I disdain,_

_I'll become what I despise,_

_Living someone else's lies…"_

The words of her song confused Erik. She sang of pain, death, and lies. He realized this song must mirror some aspect of her life. He hoped one day she would trust him enough to tell him. She sang as if death had once stolen her very spirit and soul, her will to live. God, he knew that feeling all too well.

_"Now obsession rules my mind,_

_This commotion makes me blind,_

_Searching out whoever runs,_

_Or had stolen my life away…"_

He sighed. Something devastating must have happened to her. She probably lost her will to live after, hoping the darkness would just take her. He knew that's what he felt like after Christine left him. _But she seems fine now_, he thought. _Since I met her, she never once seemed empty. She actually seemed happy_. But he knew the feelings she sang of could only be described and from personal experience. He knew that well.

_"Don't ever back down,_

_Don't ever turn around,_

_My end has come,_

_So now I come for you."_

He involuntarily shivered as she finished, whispering the last line of her haunting song. She took her hands off of the beautiful, ivory keys and turned to Erik, who looked genuinely worried, yet somehow understanding. _How could he understand,_ she thought. _He couldn't possible relate to what I've been through… could he?_

He was surprised to find tears running down her pale cheeks. This woman that was always so strong trusted him enough to allow herself to be weak in his presence. He was truly flattered, and realized that her vulnerability actually made her more attractive to him. He was also glad to actually find that she _did _have a weakness. No one can be strong all the time. Even he gave in to the pain occasionally. He pulled her trembling form into his strong arms, and affectionately stroked her back as she sobbed into his chest.

"Erik…" she whispered, burying her face further into his warm chest.

"It's alright," he whispered, soothingly. "I'm here…" He continued to rub her back tenderly, and she let a small moan escape from her mouth. "You know," he whispered, "Your song describes exactly how I felt one week ago when…" He was silent for a moment. "I know how much it hurts…"

She sat up quickly and stared at him. "Your pain is new…" she said, weakly. "I thought mine had healed long ago." She sniffled. "It was years ago, yet somehow it still lives in me… no matter how hard I try to forget."

Erik gently caressed her cheek. "It never fully dies … until you find something better to live for … someone … better." He looked at the ground, not able to make eye contact.

"How did you kn-" she started, but he cut her off, pressing his finger to her lips.

"Shhh," he said, tenderly. He kissed her on the cheek, letting his lips linger there for a second, and then helped her to stand. "You should get to bed," he said. "It's late."

Being in Erik's arms had made Julianna forget her pain. She smiled, happy just to have him with her. Suddenly she understood what he'd said earlier. Her pain would be gone when she found something – no, _someone_ – better. Did he mean that he could be that 'someone' for her? _Surely not_, she thought. _That couldn't be what he meant_.

"I don't feel like sleeping yet," she said, all traces of unhappiness gone from her voice. She looked up at Erik's handsome face, and gazed into his compelling blue eyes. "There's one more thing I want to show you first."

"What is it?" he asked, willing to do anything to be able to spend more time with her. He was glad she didn't want to sleep. He truly enjoyed his time spent with her. She always made him feel so … well, happy.

"Library," she said, entwining her fingers with his.

He smiled, pressing his still-gloved palm against hers. He was excited about seeing the library, almost as much as he'd anticipated seeing the music room. He enjoyed reading nearly as much as playing the organ.

Without further hesitation, Julianna led Erik back downstairs to a huge library. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with books of every color, shape, and size. There must have been thousands of them. Even Julianna didn't know exactly how many there were. Some of them, Erik noticed, looked almost new, while others were so old they were falling apart. They were probably hundreds of years old.

Julianna smiled, still holding onto his hand. "You can come in here anytime you want, too," she said. "I'm sure you'd enjoy many of the books in here. I've read most of them."

"Thank you," he said. He'd never seen so many books in one place before. Her library was truly amazing. "How did you know I love to read? Did Christine tell you?"

"No," she replied. "I just guessed."

"Very perceptive of you," he grinned. This woman was amazing. It seemed she could look at him once, and know everything about him. What he liked, what he desired… She was very intuitive.

She smiled back. "Now," she said, "Do you want to go pick out our rings?"

He nodded. "D'accord." He'd almost forgotten about their plan to pretend to be Lord and Lady. Just the thought brought a smile to his lips. He decided that this was going to be very fun, especially if some visitors actually did stop by.

She led him to an old bookcase in the corner of the room. "You keep your riches in a bookcase?" he asked, baffled.

"No, silly Erik," she said, letting her hand caress his cheek for a moment. "Watch." She pulled out three very old books and set them on the floor. Then she pulled open a secret compartment in the wall, barely visible in the dim light. Inside was a lever, which she pulled. To Erik's astonishment, a trapdoor slid open on the floor beside them. "Follow me," she instructed.

He willingly followed her down a long, gloomy stairway, which seemed to be carved right out of the stone beneath the house. It was completely dark, and neither of them could see much of anything. But Julianna knew exactly where she was going, and all Erik could do was cling to her hand in the pitch-black darkness.

After descending several stories underground, they finally reached a flat, stone floor. "I know there's a torch around here somewhere," Julianna said, running her free hand along the wall. "Ah ha!" she exclaimed, finding the torch.

She quickly lit it, revealing a long, stone labyrinth. "This way," she said, pulling him along. "My father made it near impossible to get to our treasure. These tunnels are nothing but a huge maze. If anyone came down here without a guide, they would most likely get lost and die before they could ever find our treasure."

She led him down a maze of several winding passageways until at last she came to a halt in the middle of one of the tunnels. She ran her hand along the cool, clammy wall, looking for yet another lever. Eventually she found the perfectly disguised lever after much searching, and pulled it. The wall opened up, exposing another secret passageway. "Almost there," she said, squeezing his hand gently.

As they turned a corner at the end of the passageway, a huge cave-like room came into view … and it was filled with treasure. Erik's mouth dropped open once again. "Oh my God," he said, breathlessly, staring at the towers of treasure before him. There were piles of sparkling jewels of all colors and sizes, gold and silver coins, and jewelry of every kind imaginable. Erik didn't think such riches were possible. He could only guess that all the treasure in there was worth millions and millions of francs.

Julianna reluctantly let go of Erik's hand, walked over toward the treasure, and attempted to pick up one of the smaller chests. Well, it wasn't that small … just small compared to the others. She could hardly lift it, so she gave up trying. "Erik, come here," she demanded.

He gladly obeyed, walking over to her and sitting on a stone slab as she directed him to. She lowered herself down to place herself beside him, but somehow ended up in his lap. "Sorry," she said, trying to move, but he put his arms around her tightly.

"Stay," he said, huskily, "If you want…"

She felt his apparent arousal, and a small moan escaped her lips. "If it pleases you…" she said, breathlessly.

"Does it please you though?" he asked, loosening his grip on her a bit. The feeling of her body pressing against him was nearly more than he could take. He could feel his control starting to slip. He didn't want to do anything she didn't want him to, but he couldn't have moved, even if he really wanted to.

"Yes, Erik," she said, pressing back against him harder.

He moaned at her surprising actions. Could she possibly want him? He didn't think any woman could want him, but Julianna sure seemed to be disproving that theory. "You want…?" he asked, kissing her roughly on the neck.

"Oh, God, Erik…" she moaned. "Yes…" She had absolutely no control left. She'd been controlling her growing attraction to him all this time. She just couldn't do it anymore. Not when he was like this. She got turned around somehow, and wrapped her legs around his body. He wasn't getting away this time. She looked into his eyes for a moment, and saw all the affection he felt for her. She couldn't resist anymore. She pressed her lips to his fiercely, needing to satisfy her urgent need… his as well. He kissed her back with just as much fiery passion. He parted his lips allowing her tongue to slip into his mouth.

Only by instinct, did Erik know what to do. He cupped her breast gently, and continued to kiss her with a fierce passion. She moaned into his mouth, driving him further into oblivion. He broke their kiss for just a few seconds to catch his breath and aid her in removing her dress. During that time they were parted, Julianna had some time to think. Not that she could think clearly at all, with all the passion he'd awoken in her. But one thought came to her mind clearly. _Christine. Oh, God, what am I doing? _she thought. _I can't do this._ As much as she wanted Erik, she knew very clearly now that she could never have him. His heart belonged to another.

She gently stopped Erik from removing her dress, even though it was almost off anyway. "No," she said, a tear slipping down her face. "We can't, Erik. You know that."

He almost allowed a tear to slip down his cheek as well. Almost. He turned to her angrily, towering over her small form, and for once, she was truly frightened of him. "Could you not have told me that a little earlier?" he yelled at her, losing all sense of judgment. Passion can make you do that sometimes, she knew.

"I'm sorry, Erik," she trembled. "I should have…"

"Why!" he cried, "Why?"

"Did you forget about your beloved Christine?" she retorted, bitterly.

He seemed to be lost in thought, so Julianna just kept her mouth shut. This new Erik was frightening, to say the least. Since they'd met, he had been nothing but kind to her. But now the madness inside came to the surface, and she knew the real Erik, not the handsome gentleman he was pretending to be. She hated him for fooling her, and she hated herself more for letting him. And even through her hate, she still cared for him. She still wanted him.

Julianna watched as he stood up, slowly and painfully. He looked at her with genuine guilt. "I'm so sorry…" he whispered, walking over to the corner, and sitting next to the wall. _God, I'm stupid,_ he thought. _I thought she didn't want me. She did though… but even more she wanted me to be loyal to Christine… who I love, right? Yes, of course, I love Christine._

Julianna watched in horror as his body racked with sobs. She realized her hate for him disappeared the second he apologized, and she walked over to his trembling form, and pulled him into a hug. He winced, as if her touch burned him. Julianna backed away, hesitantly. She wanted to comfort him with every ounce of compassion she had left. Why did he reject her touch?

"Erik, it's alright," she said. "You did nothing wrong." She tried to touch his face but he turned away.

"I yelled at you," he whispered, hoarsely. "I frightened you. After all that you've done for me …"

He didn't finish. Julianna didn't let him. Uncaring as to whether he would reject her touch or not, she pulled him into her arms once again. "And you had every right to," she said, relieved that he did not push her away. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have lead you on when I knew I couldn't…"

"I lost control," he said, keeping his eyes on the ground. "I'm sorry. Even thought you have no reason to, could you ever forgive me?"

"Oh, Erik," she said, rubbing his back tenderly. "Of course, I forgive you. But only if you can forgive me."

He looked into her green eyes. "I forgive you," he said smiling.

"So we're good then?" she asked, returning the smile.

"Yes," he said, "We're good."

"Good," she said, pulling from the embrace. "Let's pick out our rings now," she said, remembering the reason they were down there in the first place. She led Erik back over to the treasure chest she was trying to lift earlier, and opened it. To Erik's surprise, it was full of rings. Only rings. She laughed. "My father was very organized," she said, "for a pirate."

"So I can see," he said, gazing at the hundreds of rings in the chest.

"So, do you want a plain one or one with jewels?" she asked. "White or yellow gold?"

"Plain," he replied. "White gold is fine."

"D'accord," she said, searching for a plain, white gold wedding band in the chest. Finding one, she said, "Here try this on," and handed it to him.

He put the ring on his finger after removing his glove, and sighed. "It's too big," he said, handing it back to her.

"Erik, you need to get some meat on those bones of yours," she giggled. "You're practically a skeleton."

"Hey, I wouldn't be talking," he said, poking her in the stomach, affectionately.

She laughed. "Stop, that tickles," she grinned, and handed him another ring, this one smaller than the first.

He was tempted to tickle her some more, but he decided not to. He wasn't going to push his luck. He realized he was going to have to take things slower with her, and somehow find a way to get her to forget about Christine. He accepted the ring, and put it on his finger. "It fits," he said, smiling. "Now lets find yours." He searched in the chest until he found a ring with several perfectly cut diamonds decorating a white gold band. "What do you think?" he asked.

"It's beautiful!" she exclaimed. "Here," she said giving him her hand. "Put it on for me."

Erik gently slid the ring onto her ring finger. It fit perfectly. "Now we get to play husband and wife," he said, mischievously.

Julianna grinned. "Come on, let's go to bed. I'm tired."

"Me too," he admitted.

She took his arm, and led him back up to the house. Then she walked him to his room, and made sure he was comfortable. After making sure Erik was contented, she headed down the hall to her own room, quickly changed into a thin nightgown, and collapsed on the bed. She was asleep within minutes.

* * *

**Well, there's chapter 16. It's really long. I don't even know how it got so long. LOL. By the way, the words from the song Julianna sang I stole from Ben Moody, his song "The End Has Come." Too bad Julianna didn't have any electric guitars. Then they'd really be rockin'! He he. God, I'm an idiot. J/K.Anyway, Tell me what you think. Please review.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

_"Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming _

_Cannot cease for the fear of silent nights_

_Oh how I long for the deep sleep dreaming_

_The goddess of imaginary light_

_I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge_

_The nightmare I built my own world to escape."_

_-Evanescence, "Imaginary"_

* * *

Julianna suddenly awoke to the sound of screaming, and for once, it wasn't her own. She strained her ears, listening for another sound, to see if she was just imagining it, but she was quite sure she wasn't. It seemed far off, but she wasn't sure. "Erik?" she asked herself out loud. Another bloodcurdling scream pierced the air. "Erik!" she yelled, now fully awake.

She threw off her covers and raced to the door. Another scream broke the silence. That last scream, she noticed, was more pain-filled than the others, which were filled with just pure terror, not pain. She started freaking out. What if he was being attacked or something? Wouldn't she have heard if someone was in her house? Maybe not, because she was so tired.

Julianna yanked open her door with unnecessary force, and sprinted down the hall to Erik's door. She pounded on the door violently. "Erik!" she shouted. "Erik! Are you in there?" she yelled, continuing to bang on the door.

She was answered with another spine-tingling scream. She pressed her ear to the door and listened for the sound of other people in the room. She heard none. _He must be dreaming_, she thought. _A nightmare_. "Erik, I'm coming in!" she cried out, at the top of her voice.

She threw open the door and ran to his bedside. He was definitely asleep. That's why he didn't answer her call. _Oh, God,_ she thought, noticing the dreadful state he was in. He was thrashing around, wildly, tangled in the sheets, and drenched in sweat … yet his eyes remained closed tightly, and somehow his mask hadn't fallen off. _Does he actually sleep in that thing?_ she thought. _It looks uncomfortable_.

She grabbed his arms firmly and pinned him to the bed with her body, trying to cease his thrashing. Then she shook him forcefully and yelled, "Erik! Wake up!" He remained unmoving and sound asleep. She shook him some more. No response. "Good, God, Erik! WAKE UP!" Still he didn't move; he didn't awaken. Julianna leaned down and buried her face in his neck, taking in the enticing scent of her beautiful Erik. "Please wake up…" she whispered.

She felt him quiver slightly, and then suddenly his eyes popped open. He let one last final scream escape from his lips. Julianna could feel his heart thumping violently in his chest and his breathing, fast and unsteady. "Erik," she said, gently caressing his cheek. "It was only a dream."

"Julianna…?" he whispered, trembling. "A Dream?"

"Yes," she said, climbing off of him and sitting on the side of the bed next to him. "A nightmare," she said, massaging his sheet-covered chest.

He sat up slowly, tears streaming down his handsome face. She brought her hand up to wipe away his tears, but she stopped, and her breath caught in her throat as the blanket fell from the upper portion of his body, revealing his perfect bare chest. Then Julianna realized that what she was wearing wasn't any less revealing. Her close-fitting nightgown was so thin that it was practically see-thru.

"But it all seemed so real…" he said, sniffling and trying to dry his eyes.

"I know," she said, wiping a tear from his eye and pulling him into her arms, despite the fact that she was practically naked and so was he. Even though he tried desperately to stop his tears, he just couldn't seem to be able to. He cried into Julianna's shoulder for several minutes, while she rubbed his back affectionately, until he regained control of his emotions.

Even though he'd stopped crying, Julianna continued to hold him and comfort him, her soft hands continuing to massage his bare back. "That feels good…" he breathed, allowing a small moan to escape his lips.

The feeling of his breath on her neck was overpowering. She shivered and knew she needed to get out of there as soon as she could manage. "So are you alright then, Erik?" she asked, her concern for him showing in her voice. She really didn't want to leave him alone after his horrifying nightmare, but she knew she couldn't stay any longer.

"Yes," he said, quietly. "Yes, I'm fine." He knew she was about to leave him. But he didn't want her to go. She'd saved him from his hell-filled nightmare, and now he wanted her to stay with him to keep the monsters away if they should try to return. Only her gentle embrace could keep him safe. But he knew she wouldn't stay. Not after what happened between them earlier that night. She probably didn't trust him anymore.

"Well, I'm going back to bed then," she said, trying to sound tired. She really wasn't the least bit sleepy. His warm, half naked body had given her thoughts far from those of slumber. He'd awoken the passion in her once again. She quickly got up from the bed and added, "I'm very tired."

"Yes, of course," he said, bowing his head in defeat.

"If you need anything," she said, walking to the door, "you know where to find me."

_What if I need _you? he thought. As she started to walk out the door, he realized he wouldn't be able to sleep without her. "Wait," he called out to her.

"Hmm?" she said, turning around to face him and gasping at the sight of his captivating, bare chest bathed in the moonlight. She quickly caught herself and looked up at his face. But it was too late. He'd seen her reaction to his exposed chest. He chuckled quietly and raised an eyebrow at her, suggestively.

"What did you want, Erik?" she asked, trying desperately to hide the arousal in her voice.

"I was hoping," he said, seriousness returning to his demeanor. "Will you stay with me … please?" _I need you_, he wanted to add. _I can't sleep without you, my dear_.

She smiled, inwardly. He actually wanted her to stay, even after what she'd done earlier. She was a little hesitant though. The feelings he'd caused in her were all consuming, and she knew there was a chance she might lose control again. _Just watching him sleep though_, she thought, _shouldn't cause any harm, right?_

"You don't have to," he added, "if you don't feel comfortable." He could sense her uneasiness about the situation, and he didn't want to make here any more distressed.

"You and I both know I shouldn't…" she started.

"I understand," he said, disheartened. He could feel tears forming in his eyes, but he strongly refused to let them fall. Why was he so upset about this anyway? he asked himself. But he could not deny the way he felt.

"No, Erik," she said, surrendering her last chance at getting away. "I'll stay." She smiled. "Just because I shouldn't stay, doesn't mean I'm not going to … doesn't mean I don't want to." She knew it was a mistake being in the same room as him for a whole night, but he wanted her to stay. How could she refuse?

Erik's eyes lit up, relieved that she was going to stay. Ever since he'd been rescued from the prison, she'd been there to comfort him at night. He remembered he'd had many terror-filled nightmares during his time in the prison. But he never really cared or even noticed much. He'd lost the very desire to live. Not even the most horrifying nightmare could bring his soul back to him. He knew he was weak, and he hated himself for it. He always was a fool for love. Love can make you or it can break you. It can raise you up or it can burn you down. Love it not a kind emotion; it's cruel and merciless. Erik much preferred hate to love. At least hate was honest.

He was brought out of his cynical thoughts as Julianna walked over to a luxurious, velvet chair and sat down. Though she longed for a nice, warm bed to sleep in, she cared more for Erik than her own pathetic needs.

Erik looked at her, affectionately. "That's not what I meant…" he said, throwing off his covers and walking over to her. "Do you expect me to allow you to sleep in that dreadful chair?" he asked, tenderly. "The bed is big enough to share, if you want," he said, extending his hand to her. He could tell she was reluctant. "Please," he said, pleading with her. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

She cautiously accepted his extended hand. He led her to the bed, and gently helped her under the covers. "Thank you, Erik," she whispered. She was reluctant to make any physical contact with him. She'd slept with him before, yes, but never in a bed. Sharing a bed with a man is much different than just sleeping with him. It involves a certain level of commitment, and Julianna didn't know if she was ready to give up a piece of her heart to Erik… yet.

Even though they weren't touching, she could still feel his warmth and hear the comforting sound of his steady breathing, making her forget all of her uncertainties. She looked over at him, realizing he was still awake. She saw the mask on his face and again wondered if it was uncomfortable to sleep in.

"Erik," Julianna asked, gazing into his vivid, blue eyes. "Why do you sleep in your mask?"

"Why do you think?" he replied, defensively.

"Isn't it uncomfortable?" she asked, as innocently as she could.

"A little," he admitted. "But I'm used to it."

"Can I take it off?" she asked, timidly. She knew very well how defensive he was of his face. She had no intention of making him angry. That was the last thing she wanted. He frightened her when he was angry.

"Wha-…No!" he said, finally registering what she meant.

"Why not?" she asked, defiantly. She tried to stroke his cheek but he turned away from her. When he refused to respond to her question, she pulled her body closer to him, turned his face towards hers, and asked again, more forcefully, "Why not, Erik?"

"To spare you the pain of having to look upon my face, my dear," he said, glumly. "You've seen it… I doubt you want to again."

"You're wrong, Erik," she said, reaching up to peel off his mask, with or without his permission. She knew it would make him angry, but she didn't care. She needed for him to know she wasn't disgusted of his face, not in the least bit.

He grabbed her wrist, roughly, to stop her, in the process pulling her on top of his half naked body. Neither of them noticed. Julianna was too absorbed in trying to get that mask off him, and Erik was too busy trying to stop her. "Don't!" he cried out, frantically. Julianna deviously tried to get hold of his mask with her other hand, but he was too quick. He grabbed her wrist and rolled over on top of her, pinning her to the bed. "Leave my mask alone, woman!" he yelled, hysterically.

Julianna knew he wasn't going to hurt her, though. He wasn't really mad, not anymore. Just using his mask as an excuse to play around in the bed with her, and have some good-natured fun. She jerked to the side, making him lose his grip on her. It gave her a chance to roll over on top of him again. This time though, she sat on his bare chest and pinned down his arms with her long legs, leaving his head very close to certain assets between her legs.

He gasped and tried to get his arms free, but he couldn't. She was holding him down too tightly. "Ah ha!" she said, gently removing the mask from his face. Suddenly, she became aware of the very sexual position she was in. "Oh, God," she breathed, rolling onto the bed beside him. She immediately noticed how hard he was breathing. Was it just because of their playful little tussle or was it from the provocative way she had pinned him to the bed?

"I'm sorry," she said, breathing rather hard herself. "I didn't realize…"

He reached up to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and gasped at finding his mask not there. He immediately rolled over to his side so she couldn't see him. He didn't even realize that she'd taken his mask. How could he not have known? "Can I have my mask back please?" he pleaded, trying to catch his breath.

"Yes," she said, grinning. "On one condition. You have to let me see."

"You've already seen…" he said, crossly.

"I know…" Julianna replied, softly. "Please…"

Erik slowly turned, taking care to keep his eyes diverted from her face. He didn't want to see the looks of horror and disgust on her face. "Can I have it now?" he asked, feeling very disheartened.

"In a minute," she said, bringing her hand slowly up to his ravaged flesh. He gasped as her hand gently caressed his deformity. Then to his astonishment, she brought her lips to his gruesome face and kissed the distorted skin. After that, she tenderly pressed her own smooth cheek against it. He cried out in pleasure. What angel was this that could touch his face and feel not fear or disgust?

She felt him tremble under her gentle touch, which encouraged her to press her lips to his ravaged flesh again and again. He allowed a moan to escape his lips, and she continued to kiss his distorted face, tenderly. She finally stopped when she could taste his salty tears on her lips. She looked up at his tear-streaked face with hopeful eyes. "Leave it off, please," she said, handing him the mask, giving him the choice.

Erik grabbed his mask from her hands and brought it up to his face. He looked over at her pleading eyes and frowned. He reluctantly lowered the mask from his visage and placed it on the nightstand. He would give in to her this time … just this once. But he secretly knew he could never refuse her. She had done so much for him. Cared for him unlike anyone ever had before.

Julianna smiled delightedly and wrapped her slender arms around his neck. She couldn't stop herself from letting her lips brush against his deformed cheek one last time. He closed his eyes in pleasure. He never imagined something so simple could give him so much pleasure.

He wrapped his elegant arms around her body, and pulled her to him. She eagerly complied. She longed for his warmth, more than she realized. "Goodnight, Erik," she whispered, snuggling up against his inviting body.

"Goodnight, my beautiful angel," Erik whispered, his lips brushing her ear. Before they knew it, they were both sound asleep, surrounded by each other's warmth.

* * *

**Well, there's Chapter 17. Hope you liked it. Please review. : )**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

_"I used to be scared of letting someone in_

_But it gets so lonely, being on my own_

_No one to talk to, and no one to hold me_

_I'm not always strong; oh, I need you here_

_Are you listening?"_

_-Kelly Clarkson, "Hear Me"_

* * *

Julianna awoke to the feeling of Erik's divine body pressed against her. She let a soft moan escape her lips, and she slowly opened her eyes. To her surprise, the first thing she saw was Erik's stunning, blue eyes gazing into her own. _Was he watching me sleep? _she wondered. She wouldn't be surprised. She'd watched _him_ sleep countless times.

"I thought you were _never_ going to wake up?" he said, smiling and brushing a strand of her hair from her beautiful face.

"Why?" she said, not bothering to pull away from his enveloping warmth. "What time is it?" she asked, sleepily.

"Around noon, I think," he replied, apathetically. Really he didn't care what time it was. He got pleasure from every second he got to spend with her. He could have easily stayed in bed all day with her and been satisfied. He'd never realized how incredibly lonely and lost he was, how much he longed for a companion, until he found Julianna.

"Noon!" she exclaimed, in shock. "Oh my God! Why didn't you wake me up, Erik?"

"Because then I would have to get up, too," he said, teasingly. "Besides, you just look so beautiful when you're sleeping."

"Oh, so I don't look beautiful when I'm awake?" she demanded, jokingly.

"Of course, you do," he said, brushing his fingers over her cheek. "You always look beautiful." He kissed her on the forehead tenderly.

She smiled. "Oh, Erik…" she breathed, putting her hand on the distorted side of his face. "You're beautiful…"

He looked at her miserably, wanting desperately to believe what she said was true, but he just couldn't. She let a tear fall from the corner of her eye. "Someday," she said, kissing his lips, tenderly. "Someday you'll believe me."

Suddenly the loud, musical sound of an organ filled the air. "What…?" Erik questioned, confused by the sound. He knew it was an organ, but he didn't know where it was coming from. After a few beautiful notes, the melody stopped, leaving Erik more bewildered.

"Oh my God," Julianna whispered, a hint of panic in her voice. "Erik, that was the doorbell!"

"Someone's here?" he asked, apprehensively.

"I guess so," she said, climbing out of the bed, quickly. "Get dressed. Meet me downstairs." By that time, she was panicking. What if it was the prison guards at the door looking for Erik? She tried to think optimistically though. Maybe it was only travelers looking for a place to stay. She could only hope.

Erik nodded, and went to get his shirt. Julianna ran to her room and slipped on a day dress, not even bothering with a corset. Then she quickly brushed her disorderly hair, and ran down the stairs, fearfully, unintentionally tripping on the bottom step. Luckily, Erik was there to catch her. "You should be more careful," he said, helping her steady herself. Ne noticed she was shaking, and rubbed her back gently, trying to calm her. "It's going to be alright," he whispered, just as distressed as she was about whoever was at the door.

She looked up at him, seeing the fear in his eyes, and sighed. She wanted to take Erik back upstairs and hope whoever was at the door would just leave. But she couldn't just leave the door unanswered. Aside from her anxiety, she was a little curious as to who it was at her door this time. "Are you ready, Erik?" she asked.

He nodded nervously, and they walked to the front door together. She looked at him sternly, as if to say '_you better not mess up',_ and pried open the door. She smiled her relief at seeing a well-dressed Englishman, a young French woman holding a rather large traveling bag, and their two younger children, a boy and a girl.

"Good afternoon, Monsieur, Madame, Children," she said, curtsying professionally. "How can we be of service to you?"

The blonde-haired Englishman spoke first. "Bonjour, Madame," he said, with a heavy English accent. "My name is William Delmar. This is my wife, Elaine, my ten-year-old son, Lewis, and my six-year-old daughter, Adora." He smiled, kindly. "Our carriage has broken down a few miles north of here. We sent our driver and servant to Paris to purchase a new carriage for us, but they won't be back for a couple of days. We're looking for a place to stay until they return."

"You're welcome to stay in our home, Monsieur," Julianna said, looking up at Erik, expectantly.

"Of course, Monsieur," Erik added, politely, trying to ignore the strange looks they were directing towards his mask. "Our home is yours."

Julianna saw the man, William, smile in relief. "Thank you kindly, Madame and Monsieur. We are very grateful."

Julianna smiled. "You're very welcome." Then suddenly she realized she'd forgotten to introduce herself and Erik to them. "Forgive my rudeness, Monsieur, Madame," she said, curtsying once more. "I am Lady Julianna La Vivion. This is my husband, Lord Erik La Vivion."

Erik smiled, happily. Julianna had given him her last name. Well, at least, let him borrow it. But that was good enough for him. Remembering his manners, he bowed deeply to his guests. "Please," he said, cheerfully. "Come in."

They stepped inside, out of the blinding sunlight and into the dimly lit manor. Their eyes opened wide, admiring the beautiful craftsmanship of Julianna – well, Erik _and _Julianna's – home. Julianna smiled at them, pleased that they liked her house. "Follow me," she said. "I'll show you to your rooms." Then she looked over at Erik. "Erik, would you set the dining room table please?"

"Of course, my love," he said, kissing her tenderly on the cheek.

Julianna smiled again, savoring the feeling of Erik's gentle kiss. She looked back towards her guests, slightly embarrassed, but not allowing it to show. "Follow me," she repeated.

The man took her hand and kissed it lightly, receiving a stern look from his wife and also an envious look from Erik, which quickly turned into an if-you-touch-her-again-I'm-going-to-kill-you look. "We can't thank you enough, Madame," William said, ignoring the look Erik gave him.

"Please, Monsieur," Julianna insisted, politely. "Call me Julianna."

"Only if you would give me the pleasure of calling me William," he replied.

"Yes, of course," she smiled. "William."

William took his wife's hand and they cheerfully followed Julianna up the stairs. When Julianna reached the top of the stairs, she turned to her guests. "Monsieur… I mean, William, would you and your wife prefer to share a bedroom or have separate ones?" she asked, knowing that they would probably want to share one. But she decided to ask anyway, just out of courtesy.

"We'll share one," he replied, exchanging a knowing look with his wife.

Julianna nodded and led them into a beautifully furnished room with light-blue walls. "This is your room," she said, gesturing towards William and Elaine. "If you need anything, all you have to do is ask."

"Merci," William said. "Thank you."

Julianna smiled politely. "You're welcome. Your children can take the room just across the hall." She walked to the door, and suddenly realized that they might want some time without their children to get unpacked. "I can take Lewis and Adora downstairs, if you'd like to freshen up," she suggested.

Elaine smiled and spoke for the first time. "That would be very kind of you, Madame."

"Julianna," she corrected her. Being called 'Madame' all the time was a little unnerving. It's not that she didn't like pretending to be married to Erik. She did… a lot, actually. She just didn't like lying to these people. Even thought it didn't really cause any harm, it did make her feel guilty. Funny, she'd never once felt bad lying before. "It's no trouble at all," she added. "Take all the time you need. I'll have lunch ready in an hour or so."

Elaine nodded and turned to her children. "Lewis, you and Adora go downstairs with the nice lady, and stay with her until I come back."

"Yes, Maman," Lewis replied, obediently. He looked up at Julianna and smiled shyly.

"Adora, you behave yourself, sweetie," Elaine said.

"D'accord, Mommy," Adora said, giggling and dramatically flipping her long, blonde curls.

Julianna smiled. The little girl was absolutely adorable. Julianna could tell Adora was going to grow up to be a beautiful young woman. It had been a long time since Julianna had really thought of having children herself. Long ago, when she was barely a woman, she could remember wanting a little girl. She even had a name picked out and everything. Of course, she needed a man to settle down with before she could ever have children. _Settle down? Ha! That would be the day_, she thought. _It'll be a cold day in hell before I ever settle down and have a family. _

"Go on now," Elaine said, giving her children a slight push and mouthing a 'thank you' to Julianna.

Julianna took Adora's hand and led her and Lewis down to the living room. To her surprise and relief, Erik was waiting there for her. He smiled, seeing his untamable Julianna with two children. He walked over to her and kissed her lips lovingly.

"Erik…" Julianna said, trying to sound stern. She subtly nodded her head toward the children.

"Sorry," he said, so only she could hear. "I set the dining room table like you asked."

"Thank you, Erik," she said, placing her hand on his arm affectionately. "Could you do one more favor for me, dearest?" she asked, eagerly.

"Of course," he said, happily. "Anything you want."

"Play with Lewis and Adora while I make lunch," she pleaded. She knew he wouldn't want to. For all she knew, he'd never been around children before, and from what Christine told her, he didn't have that great of a childhood anyway. She leaned over to his ear and whispered, "I'll make it up to you later. Promise."

_What did she mean by that?_ Erik wondered. _Surely not what it sounded like? She'd already denied him _thatHe frowned. He knew absolutely nothing about children. Hidden away under the Opera House, he didn't come into contact with many children. Most of them were frightened of the Phantom of the Opera anyway. He grimaced, knowing there was no way he could get out of this. Julianna had to cook lunch, so she couldn't watch the children, much less play with them. "D'accord, Julianna," he said, nervously. "I'll do it."

"Thank you," she said, hugging his tightly. "I love you."

His eyes open wide in shock, but then he remembered they were only acting. "I love you, too," he said, breathlessly.

Julianna smiled and lowered herself down to talk to the children. She put her hand on Lewis's shoulder and took Adora's hand. "Lewis, Adora, how would you like to stay with Erik while I make lunch?" Julianna noticed Lewis eyeing Erik suspiciously. "Don't worry. He will take good care of you while I'm gone."

Adora skipped over to Erik and curtsied. "My name is Adora. It's nice to meet you, Erik," she said, excitedly.

Erik got down on his knee so he could talk to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my dear," he said, timidly running his hand over her soft, blonde curls. "You have the most _gorgeous_ hair I've ever seen," he said, giving Julianna a look that clearly said 'help me.'

"I know," Adora said, proudly. "Thank you." She wrapped her scrawny arms around Erik's neck and pulled herself to his chest. Julianna grinned at the shocked look on his face. Erik hesitantly patted the girl's back affectionately until she released her grip on him.

Lewis walked over to Erik and Adora, and extended his hand to Erik. _An English custom_, Erik thought. _Not French_. "I'm Lewis," he said, cautiously. "Nice to meet you, Sir."

Erik accepted the handshake, trying hard not to laugh. _Sir! The boy had called him Sir. Ha! _That was worse than being called Lord. It made it sound like he was an old man. He wasn't exactly young anymore, but he certainly wasn't _old_. "It's nice to meet you, too," Erik said, putting his hand on Lewis's shoulder.

Julianna turned to the three of them. "Well I'm going to go now," she said, smiling wickedly at Erik.

He couldn't believe she was going to leave him with these children. She knew perfectly well he didn't want to be there. He knew that from her evil little smile. Well, at least, she was going to make it up to him later, whatever that meant. "You'd better cook us something good for lunch then," he said, playfully glaring at her.

Adora burst out in a fit of giggles, and even Lewis couldn't help but smile. "Oh don't worry, I will," Julianna said, walking over to Erik. She bent down and whispered into his ear, "I've got something special for you, my naughty little Erik."

He gasped, realizing she wasn't talking about food. "We'll see," he said, winking at her, seductively. God, she was turning him on, and that was _not_ a good thing in the present situation. He wasn't going to be the one to teach these children the facts of life. God, no.

With that, Julianna turned and left him there with the two spoiled, little children. _Oh, God_, he thought, suddenly realizing how much trouble he was in. He somehow had to find a way to entertain _children_ for over an hour. He didn't know exactly how he was going to accomplish that yet. He frowned. _This isn't going to be easy_.

* * *

**Well, there's Chapter 18. Thank you all for reviewing. Anna Kate- sorry about the lyrics thing. I was wondering if anyone was going to notice that I mixed them up. I did it on purpose. Sorry for the confusion… Anyway, again, thank you all for reviewing. I hope you liked the chapter. Please review. : )**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: This chapter gets a full M rating, just to warn you. Anyway, thank you all for reviewing. I really love getting reviews. LOL. **

**Anna Kate- To answer your question, I really don't know. LOL. I just took the parts of the song that I liked and put them together. I know, I'm stupid. LOL. Anyway, thanks for reviewing. Keep reading. : )**

**

* * *

****Chapter 19**

_"I lit my pain on fire, and watched it all burn down_

_Now I'm dancing in the ashes and there's no one else around_

_I'm burning in the heavens, and I'm drowning in the hell_

_My soul's in a coma, and none of my friends can tell_

_I'm reaching out of getting nothing; this is just a story of a broken soul."_

_-Papa Roach, "Take Me"_

* * *

As Julianna went to the kitchen to make lunch, Erik was left with the two children, Lewis and Adora. At first, he didn't know what he was doing at all, but in time he realized that children aren't that hard to manage. Even just the short time spent with Lewis and Adora made Erik wish he had his own children.

If things went as planned, he would soon be married to Christine, but he just couldn't envision her as a mother. Not yet, anyway. She was still too much of a child herself. Besides, he didn't even know if she would want to have his children. Deep in his mind, he doubted she would. But still, he could hope.

Erik found that gaining the trust and admiration of the children wasn't that difficult. Adora was younger, and she instantly gave Erik her trust. With time, she came to absolutely adore the man who gave her piggyback rides around the room, played dolls with her, and braided her hair, with some expert guidance from Adora herself, of course.

Lewis, on the other hand, was a completely different story. He was older and less trusting of the strange man with the mask. But Erik did eventually succeed in gaining his trust. He saw Lewis eyeing a couple of Julianna's pirate swords arranged on the mantelpiece, and asked him if he knew how to swordfight. Of course, Lewis said no, so Erik offered to teach him the basic techniques, just so he could get a handle on it. Erik could always teach him the more advanced steps later when he became skilled enough at the basic ones.

Erik had never used pirate swords before, but they were very similar to the one's he was familiar with. He decided they would do. So, he immediately started to teach Lewis how to swordfight, and was greatly relieved to find that Lewis was a bright young man and a quick learner, the perfect apprentice.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Julianna was starting to worry about how Erik was doing with the children, so she decided to check up on him. When she walked in the room, the first thing she saw was Erik's sword clashing against Lewis's.

Julianna freaked out, with good reason, of course. What was Erik doing sword fighting a ten-year-old child anyway? "Erik!" she shrieked. "What _the hell_ are you doing?" Julianna immediately regretted her cursing, but couldn't exactly take it back. She was sorry though. Erik could tell.

Erik walked over to Julianna, with Lewis by his side. "Teaching the boy to swordfight, my dear," he said calmly, patting Lewis on the shoulder.

"But he's only ten years old!" Julianna reasoned. Inwardly, she smiled, forgetting all of her anger. She had no idea Erik was so good with children. _God, he's so adorable_, she thought. _He's going to make a good father someday._ How could she be mad at him? He was just so damn sexy!

Erik could see in her eyes that she wasn't angry anymore, and he was relieved. He wouldn't be able to take it if she was mad at him. "Don't worry," he insisted, kissing her lips lovingly. "We're being careful. Besides, I learned to swordfight when I was much younger than Lewis."

"Okay," Julianna replied, absentmindedly. Erik's kiss had distracted her, affected her judgment. _How does he do that?_ she wondered. _One little kiss and I'm off to La La Land. It's a crime, damn it. How can a man be so incredibly perfect?_ She shook her head and turned to leave, mumbling something like, "Be careful."

Once Julianna left the room, Erik went back to teaching Lewis sword fighting techniques, while Adora watched with an unbreakable attentiveness. She was very interested in the sword fighting skills that her brother was learning, though she was too young to actually participate, herself.

In twenty minutes or so, everyone met in the dining room for a wonderful, exotic lunch, which they all enjoyed immensely. When they were done eating, William and Elaine asked if they could take Lewis and Adora on a walk along Julianna – and Erik's – property. Julianna eagerly agreed to their suggestion, glad to have some time alone with Erik.

The very second William, Elaine, and the children were out the door, Julianna grabbed Erik's arm and dragged him into the living room. She gently pushed him down onto the sofa, and then sat down close beside him, resting her head on his shoulder, exhausted. He put his arm around her, and pulled her small form against his body.

"What's wrong, Julianna?" he asked, caringly. He'd never seen her so distraught before. She'd always been so calm and relaxed, never stressed out like this. He knew something definitely had to be bothering her. And he was going to do what ever he could to make her feel better. He just hoped that he hadn't done something to upset her. That would break his very heart.

"I don't know," she said, burying her face in his warm chest. "It's strange… I feel… different. I don't know if it's good or bad."

He ran his fingers through her hair. "Is it because of our guests, my love?" he asked. He was thinking of asking her if it was because of him, but then he decided against it. She would have told him if he'd done something. He would never do anything intentionally to displease her. _Never_.

"I don't know," she said, suddenly very interested in Erik's leg. _Perfect leg_, she accused, putting her hand on it tenderly. "I don't think so," she added, stroking his thigh gently.

He gasped. Good God, what heavenly torture was she inflicting upon his leg?

"And you don't have to do that," she insisted, "when our guests aren't here."

"Don't have to do what?" he asked, breathlessly, as she continued to massage his leg. God, he didn't know how much more of this he could take. It was really starting to turn him on.

"Call me 'your love'," she replied, adjusting her hand to massage the inside of his thigh.

"Oh my God," he gasped, not hearing a word she said. He moaned loudly, as she slowly moved her hand father up his leg. He closed his eyes. She was so close; so close he could feel the warmth of her hand very near to his hard, throbbing length.

Suddenly, she stopped, realizing she was getting much too caught up in her fascination with his perfect leg, and she could easily see that he was getting way too aroused. "Sorry," she mumbled, removing her hand from his thigh.

He took her hand and pressed it back against his thigh roughly. "Don't…" he breathed. "Don't stop…"

Julianna was hesitant to continue, even though she truly wanted to. The passion in his voice was compelling. But she couldn't hurt him again by telling him 'no' if it went too far. She promised herself she would never let that happen again. It hurt both of them too much. "No, Erik," she said, removing her hand.

He didn't say a word, didn't hardly breathe. He just sat there, looking like a beautiful, forsaken angel, abandoned in his time of need. Julianna kissed his neck lovingly. "I'm so sorry…" she whispered.

Still he didn't move, didn't respond… almost like he hadn't even felt her gentle kiss. She noticed he had a saddening faraway look in his eyes. "Why do you do this to me?" he whispered, voice full of passion.

She thought about repeating her apology to him or telling him that he knew they couldn't … but she knew very well that wouldn't do any good. She couldn't stand to see him like this. It hurt her to the very core. She hesitantly put her hand on his rock hard length, unsure of what exactly she was going to do. She knew what she wanted to do…

He gasped and closed his eyes in pleasure as she stroked him forcefully. Her head was still pressed against his chest, so she could hear his increasing heartbeat and feel his ragged breathing. She knew there was no stopping now. She couldn't have anyway. Seeing him in so much pleasure made her feel… She didn't know exactly what, but it was good.

Erik moaned and gripped the sofa so hard that his knuckles turned white from lack of circulation. He gasped again as she worked her hands down into the front of his pants, and let another moan escape his lips as her small hands tightly gripped his pulsating erection. "Oh, God!" he cried, not knowing such pleasure was possible. Seeing him wild with pleasure encouraged Julianna to continue pumping her hands along his throbbing length, grasping him tightly. In what seemed like only seconds later, he cried out one last time as he came, releasing his seed into his pants.

Julianna removed her hands from his pants hastily, desperately trying to come up with some excuse for what she just did, so she wouldn't feel so much guilt or regret. She looked up at Erik's handsome face, noticing his eyes were still closed. She gently caressed his cheek, getting a great amount of pleasure just from giving _him_ the pleasure and release he sought after.

His beautiful, blue eyes fluttered open and gazed lovingly into Julianna's. Julianna smiled. "Better?" she asked, kissing his lips tenderly.

He opened his mouth to reply, but he just couldn't seem to find the words. He finally settled on nodding his head. Julianna smiled and held his hand, their fingers entwining, as they'd done many times before. It was almost an instinctive action now.

Erik brought her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly. "Thank… you," he managed to choke out.

Julianna felt her heart melt instantly. She pulled Erik's heavenly body into her arms, and rubbed his back gently. She wanted him so much… needed him. Her need for him was almost overwhelming; he was irresistible. But, of course, she couldn't have him. He could have her, but she could never have him. Life is so cruel, she decided.

"Erik," she said, suddenly worried. "Don't tell Christine."

"I won't," he said, kissing her cheek.

"Thank you," she said, distantly. "Our guests will be returning soon."

"Oh," he said, uninterestedly. He really couldn't care less about their guests. He was going to enjoy his moment as much as he possibly could. "Perhaps we should get cleaned up then, hmm?" he said, suddenly taking in what she said.

"Yeah," she said, separating her body from his. "Probably. I really feel like taking a bath, since I haven't had one yet today."

"Me, too," Erik agreed.

Oh, God, Julianna thought. More impure thoughts. She imagined just how extremely nice it would be to take a bath with him. Their two naked bodies and a tub full of warm water. _That would be fun … very fun_, she thought, mischievously.

He seemed to know what she was thinking, because he was looking at her curiously. _Did he _want _to take a bath with her?_ she wondered. Dear, Lord, she couldn't even look at him without imagining him without his clothes. Dark, sexy Erik. What was he doing to her?

"Well… um…" she mumbled. "I'm going to take a bath. I'll meet you down here when I'm done." Then she got up and walked out of the room quickly, not even waiting for his response.

Erik closed his eyes and leaned back. He could hardly believe what just happened to him. Julianna had touched him, pleasured him in ways no one ever had before. He liked what she did, but it left him with a longing for something more. He sighed, opened his eyes, and headed upstairs to take a bath … alone.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

_"Don't be scared to fly alone; find a path that is your own_

_Love will open every door; it's in your hands, the world it yours_

_Don't hold back and always know, all the answers will unfold_

_What are you waiting for, spread your wings and soar."_

_-Christina Aguilera, "Soar"_

* * *

In about half an hour, Erik met Julianna back in the living room after taking a nice warm bath. And just in time, too. Within seconds, William, Elaine, and their children walked in the door, all smiling and laughing. Julianna grimaced inwardly. _They make being happy look so easy_, she thought. _Must be nice_. 

Julianna walked over to them and greeted them, as cheerily as she could. Actually, she was pretty cheery … because of what happened earlier with Erik. At first, she was torn between guilt and happiness, but then she decided, _what the hell. Happiness doesn't just hand itself to you that often._

Julianna looked at William, and then Elaine. "Did you have a nice walk?" she asked, politely.

"Yes, thank you," Elaine replied, smiling. "Your estate is beautiful."

"Thank you," Julianna said, smiling back. "I'm glad you like it." Julianna liked Elaine so far, even though she hardly knew anything about her. Elaine was the kind of woman that didn't let her marriage and children hinder her independent personality. _That's unusual_, Julianna thought. _Most women these days are too overly dependant on men_. Julianna definitely liked Elaine. Besides, they were about the same age, give or take a couple years. Elaine was one of the rare people that Julianna could befriend.

Julianna suddenly realized that she didn't have many friends. Actually, none anymore, unless you count Erik and Christine. _Oh, wow_, she thought, glumly. _I have two friends_. All the rest of her old friends were either dead or didn't want anything to do with her. And she didn't have any family living, except for her mother, but that didn't really count. Her mother surely didn't want anything to do with her either.

Julianna was brought out of her thoughts as Lewis and Adora asked their mother if they could go play with Erik. Elaine turned to Julianna. "Is it alright?" she asked.

"Of course," Julianna replied, smiling. "Erik absolutely adores your children."

"Oh, good," Elaine said, watching her children run over to Erik. "I was hoping I could talk to you… you know, woman to woman."

"Sure," Julianna said, hoping she could raise her number of friends up to three. "Shall we go somewhere private?" _I've spent too much of my life in isolation_, Julianna thought. _I need a good woman friend_.

"That would be nice," Elaine said. "I just haven't had another woman to talk to since we left England."

"England?" Julianna asked, surprised. "That's a long way to travel all at once … especially with children." _It all makes sense now_, Julianna thought. _William_ is _from England_. _They must have been living up there and then decided to come down here to Paris. Elaine is French … maybe she has family here._

"You've been there?" Elaine asked, as Julianna led her to another grand living room where they could talk in private.

"Yes, actually I have," Julianna replied, sitting down on a luxurious, satin and mahogany sofa, and motioning for Elaine to sit beside her. "I was there with my father, but I don't remember much. I was very young."

"It's not that great anyway," Elaine claimed. "France is much more beautiful."

"Yes, I used to think France was the most beautiful country in the whole world," Julianna replied. "I used to travel with my father a lot … I've been to many countries."

"Really?" Elaine said, excitedly. "That's amazing! Have you been across the ocean to America? I hear it's nice, if you're willing to make such a long journey."

"Beautiful, yes," Julianna replied. "But the land is untamed. Hundreds of miles of thick forests and mountains as far as the eye can see and beyond, without any traces of civilization. It's absolutely huge! Bigger than many of the explorers ever thought, in my opinion."

"Wow!" Elaine exclaimed, grinning. "You really have been everywhere!"

"No, not _everywhere_," Julianna said, proudly. "But I have traveled to a great many countries."

"So I guess you settled down when you married Lord Erik?" Elaine asked, harmlessly.

"Wha- … Oh! Yes… no more traveling after we got married," Julianna said, hoping Elaine couldn't tell that she was lying. That question had caught her by surprise. She'd forgotten about Erik for a second there. Julianna decided she'd have to be more careful … and always prepared for innocent questions about Erik.

"So," Elaine continued, apparently oblivious to Julianna's deceitfulness. "Tell me about Lord Erik. He seems absolutely charming … and good with children."

"You can just call him Erik, Elaine," Julianna insisted, trying to think of a way to change their subject of conversation. She knew she was going to have to tell a few lies; harmless little fibs … but still lies all the same. _Well, you're supposed to be his wife_, Julianna told herself. _You better come up with something convincing_. "So what do you want to know?" Julianna asked, cautiously.

"Well," Elaine said, nervously. "If you don't mind me asking … why does he wear a mask?"

Julianna frowned. She should have known that would be the first thing Elaine would ask. "He doesn't like to talk about it…" Julianna started.

"Oh, I understand," Elaine said, quickly. "I'm sorry. I meant no offense. I was just curious."

"No, it's alright," Julianna insisted. "Just promise me you won't tell anyone … not even your husband." Julianna didn't know whether she could truly trust Elaine or not, but she decided that it couldn't hurt for Elaine to know about Erik … as long as she kept her word, and didn't tell anyone.

"I promise," Elaine said, sincerely. "I won't tell a soul."

"Well, he wears his mask to cover a birth defect, a deformity, the result of a disease," Juliana said. She didn't know if that was the complete truth. Julianna never thought to ask Erik about it. His deformity, his face had never been a problem for her. She liked Erik just the way he was, and she wouldn't change a thing about him, even if she could.

"Have you seen it?" Elaine asked, eagerly. "Have you seen beneath his mask?"

"Of course, I have," Julianna said. "I'm his wife."

"Is it bad?" Elaine questioned, eager to know more.

"Well," Julianna said. "It's not _that _bad. It's just unusual." Julianna could hardly bear to say those things about Erik. It made her feel so terrible. Truthfully, she didn't think his face was that bad at all, but that was just her opinion, and her opinion didn't count for much. Most people these days rejected and shunned people like Erik.

"So, it is pretty bad then?" Elaine persisted. When Julianna didn't respond, Elaine continued. "You're a very beautiful woman, Julianna. You knew about his _deformity_, and yet you still married him. So I guess you married him for his money, am I right?"

Julianna frowned. She thought Elaine would be different. Not just another hypocrite. _I guess I was wrong about her_, Julianna thought, angrily. _She's no different than all the rest_. Julianna stood up, towering over Elaine's small form. "I married Erik because I love him!" Julianna spat, anger clearly showing in her voice, and then she stormed out of the room, only to find Erik waiting outside. He'd apparently been listening to their little chat.

"Oh, Erik…" she cried, falling into his strong arms. "You heard?"

"Yes, I heard," he whispered, pulling her to his chest. "Thank you. You stuck up for me. That's more than anyone has ever done before."

She pulled him into the nearest vacant room, which turned out to be another library, only this one was smaller and more cozy, with only a couple shelves of books, a small table, and a few plain, unadorned chairs. "Sit," she instructed, pulling out a chair for him. He sat down in the chair, and Julianna pulled up a chair beside him, and did the same.

She held his hand tenderly, noticing that his once warm skin was now as cold as death. She held his ice-cold hand against her thigh, trying to share her warmth. "So," she said, sadly. "This is thehell you've had to put up with your whole life?"

He nodded his head solemnly, and held onto Julianna's hand tighter, glad for her companionship … and her warmth.

Julianna felt a tear slide down her cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I forget how cruel people can be. I wish there was something I could do." Suddenly, she grinned, mischievously. "Do you want me to kill them all for you?" she said, with an evil glint in her eyes.

"You would do that for me?" he asked, lovingly. "Wait, no!" he said, realizing that she wasn't joking. "You don't have to kill anyone for me. You've already killed enough."

"Oh, but couldn't I just kill one more?" she begged. She realized she was being very protective of Erik. She cared about him so much that she wouldn't hesitate to cripple anyone that said bad things about her beautiful Erik.

"You actually like killing, don't you?" he asked, putting his arm around her.

"Hey, I'm a pirate," she said. "It's in my blood." She grinned playfully. "I'm not the only one that enjoys killing," she said, running her fingernails down his arm. "Am I correct?"

"I do _not_ enjoy killing," Erik said, firmly. "Well, maybe a little," he admitted. "Only a little though."

"That's what I thought," Julianna said, kissing his neck roughly, nipping at his tender skin gently with her teeth.

He moaned quietly. "What was that last thing you said to Elaine?" he asked, passion starting to show in his voice.

"You heard me…" she said, continuing to torment his neck with her violent kisses and animalistic nibbling on his flesh.

"I know…" he said, breathlessly. "I just want to hear you say it one last time."

Julianna closed her eyes, and ceased her torture of his neck. "I said I married you because I love you."

"No," Erik whispered, kissing her neck. "Say it as if you were talking to Elaine."

"Um… I married Erik because I love him?" she said, leaning her head back, giving him better access to her delicate neck.

He took the opportunity to press his mouth to her neck roughly again, sucking at the soft skin. She let a moan escape her lips. "Yeah, that's it," he said, sitting up and pulling her into his arms. "You sounded pretty convincing back there."

"Well, I try," she said, leaning back against his quickly returning warmth.

"Thank you," he said again. "I've never had anyone show such kindness to me before. It's truly hard to believe that anyone would. Especially someone as beautiful as you." He remembered what Elaine had said, and he began to wonder. Why did Julianna like him so much? Why wasn't she afraid or disgusted? _She knows about my face_, he thought. _And yet she still likes me. She still cares about me._

"Erik, I would do that for you any day," Julianna said. "You're a good person, and an even better man. Better than all the men I've ever been with, and I'm actually very picky when it comes to men."

"How many men have you been with?" Erik asked, suspiciously. _Had she had many lovers?_ he wondered. _Probably… She's beautiful, smart, strong … any man's fantasy._

"Not _that_ many," she said, awkwardly. She felt guilty. She'd been with several men over the years, but only one of them did she ever love. And that ended in a complete disaster. It had been years since she'd had a lover though. She gave up on men long ago. Or maybe her broken heart wouldn't allow her to love another.

"So why aren't you married then?" he asked, curiously.

"Men are pigs!" she spat, angrily. "Except you, of course, Erik," she added, gently.

"I agree with you there," he said. "Most men only want a woman's body, not her love."

"Not you?" Julianna asked, innocently.

"Of course not," he replied, guilty look on his face. "I'm too old to care about such things."

"Oh, Erik, you're not old," Julianna said. She smiled at him, and patted his perfect chest. "And just to let you know, it's perfectly normal for a man to have such sexual desires."

"Well, at least I'm not abnormal in that aspect," he said, grinning.

"I know," Julianna said, playfully. "You don't have to tell me twice. I found that out earlier," she said, rubbing his thigh, suggestively.

He laughed, heartily. "Yeah, I guess you did," he said, happily.

"Wow, you're in a good mood," she said, caressing his cheek.

"Who wouldn't be?" he said. "After a day like today? It was absolutely perfect." He kissed her lips lovingly, lingering there for a moment before pulling away. He couldn't believe how happy he was. It was just not like him to be so happy and carefree.

"But… what about Elaine?" Julianna questioned. He couldn't have just forgotten, could he have? Elaine's words were extremely rude and hurtful, yet Erik seemed very undeniably happy.

"Doesn't matter," he said, squeezing her tightly to his chest. "You more than made up for her cruel words."

"I'm glad," Julianna said, resting her cheek on his. "I like it when you're happy."

He was at a loss for words. She liked it when he was happy. For her, he would be happy all the time then. He smiled, and a tear ran down his cheek. Julianna quickly wiped it away. "What's wrong?" she asked, tenderly.

"Tears of happiness," he said, kissing her flawless cheek.

"You really are happy, aren't you?" she asked. He was so beautiful when he cried. She wanted to hold him forever and never let him go. Never let Christine have him. _Christine must have hurt him bad_, she thought. _She doesn't deserve him. How could she refuse him, in all of his magnificence and splendor?_ _How could she hurt him so bad? How could she?_

"Yes, I truly am," he whispered. "All because of you."

Julianna smiled, and held him close to her. Had she really made him happy? Beautiful Erik… happy because of _her_. She hadn't made anyone happy in a long time. And that made her feel happy, and it also made her realize … she didn't want Erik to leave her. She didn't want to be left all alone again with no one but herself to talk to. She didn't want to grow old alone; she didn't want to die alone. But that was the fate that she was condemned to. Her punishment for all the sinful things she'd done.

Suddenly, she was brought out of her thoughts, as she noticed the sun was beginning to set. "Erik, I have to go make dinner…" she said.

"Of course," he said, helping her up. "I'll go play with the children. They must be missing me by now. I left them with their father."

Julianna smiled. "After dinner, we can talk more, if you'd like."

"Yes, that sounds nice," he said. "If you want to."

"Of course, I want to," she said. "I love talking with you. You're so much more interesting than anyone else around here."

He laughed. "If you say so."

With that, Julianna went to the kitchen and began to prepare a lovely dinner for the six of them, and Erik went back into the living room, where the children were impatiently waiting for him to come and play. He smiled, thinking of how privileged he was, having these adorable children to entertain, and having a beautiful woman who enjoyed his company.

* * *

**Well, there's Chapter 20. I hope you liked it. Thank you all for reviewing. I'm glad you like my story. : ) So, keep reading and reviewing. Thanks.**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Just to let you know, this chapter is rated M for graphic sexual scenes. Anyway, yeah, I was up til like 4 in the morning last night writing this, so you better enjoy it. LOL. Have fun reading. : ) Oh, and please review.**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

_"I'd like to run away from you_

_But if I were to leave you, I would die_

_I'd like to break the chains you put around me_

_And yet I'll never try; I'd rather be alone_

_But then I know my life would be so empty_

_As soon as you were gone."_

_-Céline Dion feat. Luciano Pavarotti, "I Hate You Then I Love You"_

* * *

The second Julianna got to the kitchen, she began preparing a luxurious dinner for her guests. She'd always enjoyed cooking; it gave her some time to think. And right then, she was thinking about Elaine and her cruel words about Erik. _Did Elaine honestly think I would marry a man just for his money?_ Julianna wondered. Julianna had never cared that much about money. Her whole life she'd had everything she ever wanted and more, but she didn't really need it. She had no use for money. She could survive perfectly well without it. _Still, Elaine thinks I would marry Erik for his money_, she thought. _Well, I'm just going to have to show her how much I love Erik then._ She laughed quietly. _This is going to be fun_.

Julianna turned around to carry a pot of water to the stove, and was surprised to find Elaine standing there. Julianna was so surprised, in fact, that she accidentally dropped the pot, spilling water all over the floor. Julianna glared at Elaine, angrily. _How the hell did she manage to sneak up on me? How did I not sense her there?_ Julianna wondered.

"I'm sorry," Elaine said, grabbing a nearby towel to clean up the mess. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Julianna grabbed the towel from Elaine and began to wipe up the spilled water. "You did not scare me," Julianna said, through clenched teeth. "You merely surprised me."

"Well, I'm sorry I _surprised_ you then," Elaine said, trying not to let her irritation show. She definitely did not want to be on Julianna bad side. "Look Julianna, I came in here to apologize for what I said earlier. It was wrong of me … and I know it's not true. I know how much you love Erik … and how much he loves you. It's easy to see. I really am sorry. Do you think we could maybe start over … with our friendship? I really do want to be your friend."

Julianna looked up at Elaine, no longer angry. That was the most heartfelt apology Julianna had ever heard. _Did she say it was easy to see how much I love Erik … and how much he loves me? I guess I'm a better actor than I thought. Funny, though, why do I get the feeling that I'm not acting? I know I have feelings for Erik … but love? I don't know. It's been so long since I've loved anyone. Perhaps, I've forgotten what it feels like._

Elaine eagerly helped Julianna clean up the rest of the spilled water. "Julianna," Elaine asked, finally. "Will you forgive me?"

"Elaine, what you said was cruel and hardly forgivable…" Julianna started. "But if we just forget that it ever happened, then, yes, I'll try my best to forgive you."

"Consider it forgotten then," Elaine said, giving Julianna a friendly hug. "I was also wondering … could I help you make dinner?"

Julianna smiled. "Of course, you can, if you want." Julianna respected Elaine even more just then. The woman was willing to work, to help out. Another sign that she wasn't another one of those spoiled, arrogant, rich girls. And that was definitely a good thing.

So Julianna and Elaine worked side by side for the next hour or so, preparing a magnificent meal. Once it was ready, everyone came to the dining room, and gobbled down the delicious banquet. By the time they were done eating and chatting, it was quite late, nearly eleven o'clock. William and Elaine eagerly headed off to bed, stopping on their way only to tuck in Lewis and Adora, leaving Erik and Julianna alone.

Julianna walked up behind Erik and hugged him gently. She grinned, realizing that since they were 'married,' they would get to sleep in the same bed again. "Come, Erik," she said. "Let's go upstairs. We get my bedroom tonight."

"Lead the way," he said, giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek. She gladly took his hand and led him up to her huge bedroom. Once they were there, they sat down on a beautiful Egyptian chaise, so they could talk, as Julianna promised him earlier.

"Guess what, Erik?" Julianna asked, excitedly.

"What?" he prodded, perplexed by her sudden enthusiasm.

"Elaine apologized for what she said," Julianna said, putting her chin on his shoulder, so she could whisper. "She said it was easy to see how much we love each other."

"Did she now?" he said, smiling.

"Yeah, she was practically begging me to forgive her," Julianna said.

"Did you?" he asked, pulling her into his arms gently.

"Yeah, eventually. I think I scared her quite a bit with my anger. I don't think she'll say anything like that ever again," Julianna said. "Besides, I needed the friend. She makes three for me."

"You only have three friends?" he questioned, kissing her neck tenderly. "Elaine is one, I guess. Which other two people hold the honor and privilege of having you as a friend?"

Julianna smiled. He always had a way of making her feel better when she was miserable. "You and Christine," she replied, caressing his cheek. God, he was so incredibly handsome. She couldn't help but stare at his beautiful face.

"That's all? Surely you have more friends that just me, Christine, and Elaine," he said, running his long, elegant fingers through her soft hair.

"No, I don't," she said, solemnly. "All of my old friends are either dead or hate me. And I don't have any family living, except my mother, but I couldn't care less about her. I hope she burns in hell." Erik saw a tear slide down her cheek, and he quickly wiped it away. The look of concern on his face was more than Julianna could bear. She buried her face in his chest and let her tears fall freely. "Erik, I'm so alone…" she sobbed.

"No you're not," he said, rubbing her back lovingly. "You have me."

After a few minutes of crying, she pulled herself away from him, and dried her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said.

"It's alright," he said, tenderly. "I know what it feels like to be lonely. I've been that way most of my life. Well, pretty much all of my life… until I met you."

"Let's not talk about that anymore," she said, trying to smile. "It's too depressing." She rubbed his arm affectionately. "So how do like being married?" she asked, inquisitively.

"I like it," he said, kissing her lips passionately.

"Good," she said, kissing him back with just as much fervor. God, she loved it when he kissed her. He was so good at it. He could make her feel like she was in a dream… a very good dream.

"You know," he said, kissing her neck wildly. "Since I'm married to you now, that gives me certain husbandly rights," he grinned, gripping her hips, seductively.

"Erik, you know we shouldn't," she said. "But… if you ever choose to exercise those husbandly rights of yours… I would be completely willing."

"Good to know," he said, pressing his mouth to hers again. "Why don't you change into something sexy for me?" he asked, nodding his head towards her closet.

"My pleasure," Julianna said, walking to the closet to pick out a sexy charmeuse to sleep in for Erik. She knew she was asking for a disaster, but she didn't care. She looked at her extensive collection of glamorous long nightdresses, and shorter chemises and charmeuses. She had so many; she didn't know how she could pick one. _Maybe I could model them for Erik_, she thought. _And let him pick which one he likes best_.

She looked at Erik with big doe eyes that she knew he couldn't resist. "I can't decide which one to wear," she said, grinning at him playfully. "Maybe I can model them for you and then you can pick your favorite."

He raised his eyebrow at her. "Sounds like fun," he said, suggestively.

"Come here," she said. "Pick out five that you like and then I'll try each one on for you."

So, without hesitation, Erik went over to Julianna's huge closet and picked five of the sexiest of the charmeuses, three black ones, a deep red one, and a rose colored one. Julianna accepted them graciously, and then went behind her dressing screen to change.

She decided to model a beautiful, black satin charmeuse first. It had a very low cut neckline, exposing Julianna's full breasts, and it was very short, barely covering her bottom. And it fit very tightly, hugging her every curve like a satiny second skin, giving hardly any purpose to the thin spaghetti straps that were to keep it from falling off her body. She knew Erik would like this one. It was one of her favorites.

Julianna dramatically walked out from behind the screen, swinging her hips, seductively. She turned slowly, allowing Erik to see her at every angle. His eyes opened wide in surprise. This was definitely the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. She looked amazing… like a goddess.

"Well, what do you think?" she asked, walking closer to the spot where he was standing. The look on his face said it all. She saw the passion, the longing in his eyes. She could almost see his mouth watering just at the sight of her. _God, he's sexy_, she thought, stepping closer to him until they were inches apart.

He took his graceful hands and timidly placed them on her sides, slowly sliding them down the smooth satin until they resting on her hips. He gently pulled her hips against his own, allowing her to feel his arousal. She moaned, and he pressed his hips into hers harder.

He kissed her neck passionately, still holding her against his arousal so forcefully that they would probably both have bruises. He brought his violent kisses lower and lower until he was sucking on the delicate swell of her breast. "Erik…" she moaned, voice full of need.

Suddenly, he ceased his torture of her breast, breathing hard. "Try on the next one for me," he said, huskily.

"Wha…?" she said, not wanting him to stop. Then she realized what he was asking for. She could hardly move move, hardly breathe. How could she possibly get up and change into another charmeuse? "But…but…" she pleaded. "Don't stop…"

"Don't worry," he whispered. "I'll be right here waiting for you." He kissed her lips tenderly. "Go," he said, giving her a little push.

She clumsily ran to the changing screen, quickly replaced the black charmeuse with the blood red one, and ran back out to Erik. He grinned, eagerly. This one was much like the previous one, except it laced down the back, leaving her back exposed to his intoxicating, gentle touch.

She closed her eyes in pleasure as his warm hands caressed every inch of her delicate back. When he was done, he brought his hands around to caress her breasts, running his thumb across her hardened nipple. "Oh, God," she cried, grabbing his face, and crushing her mouth against his hungrily, practically forcing her tongue into his mouth.

Erik allowed her to kiss him for a few moments, and then he pulled his mouth away from hers. "Go change into the next one," he demanded.

Julianna looked up at him, begging him with her eyes not to stop. "Damn you, Erik," she said, gripping his hips tightly. "I won't."

"Fine," he breathed, putting his mouth on hers again, lightly flicking his tongue along her lips. He wanted to take things slow and not rush into it, even though his need for her was urgent and demanding. He just hoped she wouldn't deny him again. The way she was begging for him gave him hope that she wasn't going to.

When his tongue sought access, she opened her mouth willingly, and they kissed passionately, exploring each other's mouths for what seemed like an eternity. Then Erik broke the kiss, letting his lips trace her jaw. He kissed up to her ear, breathing a warm breath into it, and then nibbled on her earlobe.

"Mmmm…Erik…" she breathed. "So good…" she moaned, as he covered her neck with urgent kisses. Erik quickly turned her around and painfully slowly unlaced her charmeuse, finally allowing it to slip from her shoulders, leaving her only in her thin panties.

"Oh, God…" he breathed, voice husky with need, letting his eyes caress every curve of her perfect body. She really was beautiful. He kissed her mouth fiercely, then buried his face in her neck, and she moaned as he sucked hard on the tender flesh. Breathing hard, he backed off and noticed the red mark he'd made on her neck. He took a deep breath, trying desperately to maintain control.

Julianna took that opportunity to practically rip his shirt off of his body. She pressed her mouth into his chest, hungrily, kissing every inch of his flesh that she could. He moaned as she took his nipple into her mouth and sucked hard.

He pulled her up to his mouth again, and kissed her feverishly. He let his hand caress the side of her body, feeling the fullness of her tender breast, the dip of her tiny waist, the curve of her wide hips, and the smooth skin of her thigh. She shivered under his gentle, yet ravenous touch. He pulled his lips from her mouth and bent over to suck on the swell of her breast, while his hand caressed her other breast tenderly.

Julianna cried out as he took her erect nipple into his mouth and sucked without restraint. She felt a familiar wetness between her legs. It was almost unbearable how much she wanted him. God, he was good at this. He brought his face up to hers, and gazed lovingly at her, his eyes glowing with a hidden fire.

Julianna gently removed the mask from his face, and then tugged at his pants, desperately trying to rip them from his body. No suck luck. He quickly grabbed her hands to prevent her from succeeding. "Not yet," he breathed, voice rough with need. Her body throbbed with need, and she crushed herself up against him, taking in his warmth and his scent that made her delirious.

Her body shook with excited chills, as he went back to sucking on her nipple. His long, elegant fingers explored every inch of her body, claiming it as his own. Julianna gasped as he increased the suction, and she pushed herself harder against his warm, wet mouth.

Erik helped her onto the huge, luxurious bed, making sure she was comfortable. Then he brought his mouth back up to hers, kissing her passionately, drawing his tongue into hers with an urgent need. His hands caressed her flat stomach, and then her inner thigh, encouraging her to separate her legs. Erik let his hand slip beneath her panties, feeling her wetness and need.

She cried out for him, wanting desperately for him to put his long, graceful fingers inside of her. "Please…" she begged, as he fought for control, himself. Erik gently slid two fingers into her moist passage and applied pressure up, from inside.

"Erik!" she cried, arching her back at his entry. "Erik…I need you…" He gently removed his fingers from inside of her and tore off her panties with his other hand. Then he kissed her stomach gently, slowly inching down to her throbbing core. When his warm tongue found the top of her narrow slot, she sprang up with a cry, and then lay back moaning.

Erik felt his erection throbbing eagerly and impatiently. He shifted his position to slide down between her legs. Then he spread open her folds, and took a long, loving taste. Julianna was lost to the flood of exquisite sensations coursing through her as his tongue explored every fold, every ridge. Erik found the nodule that was her small but erect center of delight, and moved it firmly and rapidly. She cried out in pleasure, writhing and sobbing with need for him.

Erik quickly discarded his pants and got on his knees on top of her, hesitant to let his hard erection enter her. Julianna grabbed his hips firmly and guided him into her, moaning as he entered her tight passage. He cried out in pleasure, drawing back and plunging into her again and again. She wrapped her legs around him to pull his length deeper into her warm depth. He felt her wondrous, throbbing passage caress his full length, and he moaned in delight.

"Harder…" she begged, raking her fingernails across his back. "Please… harder…" It was more than Erik could bear. He drove in again and again, harder and faster, with unrestrained abandon, giving in to his own need.

They both could feel the tension reaching its peak. He surged into her one last time, as they strained together, crying out for each other, as inexpressible pleasure flooded through them. They came hard together, Erik releasing his seed into her. Then with exquisite release, he collapsed on top of her, breathing hard.

Neither of them wanted to move, for fear of ruining the perfect moment. After a few minutes though, Erik realized he must be crushing her. He wasn't a small man. Thin, yes, but still heavy all the same. He gently rolled onto the bed beside her and closed his eyes. Never had he known such completeness.

"Erik…" Julianna breathed, gently caressing his cheek. "That was … amazing."

"You were amazing," he said, pulling her into his arms and kissing her bruised and swollen lips gently.

"But, Erik, I didn't do anything," she protested. "You did it all." She smiled. "God, it was so good… you were so good." She couldn't remember ever having a sexual experience that was that passionate, that powerful, not even with the man she once loved. Erik was a generous lover, hardly allowing her to assist him at all. Most men usually make the women do all the work.

"You know," he whispered, holding her to him tightly. "That was my first time."

Julianna's mind screamed. His first time? First time at what? That couldn't possibly have been his first time having sex. He was so good at it. There's no way that could have been his first time. "But…but…" she stammered. "You…how...? Oh my God, Erik! Damn, I thought you were a professional."

He kissed her cheek. "No, I'm definitely not a professional."

"But you knew exactly what to do," she said. "How?"

"I don't know… books mostly, I guess. You know, romance novels," he said. "I guess the rest was just instinct."

"Damn," she said, sleepily. "Men should read more romance novels…"

He laughed and buried his face in her neck. "Goodnight, my love," he whispered, gently pressing his lips to her neck.

"Goodnight, Erik," she replied, melting into his warm naked body. And before they knew it, they were both sleeping peacefully in each other's arms.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

_"Sometimes it's hard when you're so deep inside_

_To see all you could lose in the blink of an eye_

_Dreams could be shattered; you could be gone_

_How would I survive; cause you're where I belong_

_My soul believer, without you I don't know who I would be_

_Oh, you're everything I know… so how could I let you go?"_

_-Jessica Simpson, "Underneath"_

* * *

Erik awoke with an incredible feeling of tightness in his chest, as if he were about to burst with happiness, true joyous happiness, and he didn't want to open his eyes yet, for fear that this wonderful feeling would vanish into thin air. Then he felt the warmth of her breath caressing his skin, and he couldn't help but open his eyes. To his utter surprise, Julianna's vibrant green eyes were inches away from his own, gazing at him lovingly.

He couldn't help but smile at her, his own beautiful angel. She smiled back and caressed his handsome face tenderly, remembering how incredible last night had been. Julianna closed her eyes, absolutely overwhelmed with irrepressible happiness. "'Morning," she said, sleepily.

He smiled, relieved that there seemed to be no traces of regret etched on her face. Just happiness. He was delighted at his accomplishment. He'd been able to make a woman happy… but not just any woman. He was able to make his beautiful Julianna happy. He searched her face for any sign unhappiness, but found none. Just happiness…and something else, something not dissimilar to love. In fact, it very much resembled love… a restrained love, though. _Does she _love _me?_ he asked himself. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but wonder what was holding back her love?

"Good morning," he said, pressing his lips against hers gently. He yawned and stretched his tired muscles sleepily. He'd never felt so relaxed, so _perfect_, in all of his life. He just hoped the feeling would last.

"Poor Erik," Julianna said, rubbing his bare chest. "He overexerted himself last night."

"You wish," he said, pulling her on top of him roughly and softly growling. Julianna gasped at his animalistic behavior. It was making her want him all over again. Erik pressed his lips to hers more forcefully, pleased when a soft moan escaped her lips. He was too damn tired to do anything else, so he settled on letting her rest on top of him, face buried in his neck.

"Erik…" she breathed, kissing the tender flesh of his neck. "Do you have any idea how incredibly sexy you are?" She couldn't help herself. His warm body, and the memory of last night was more than she could stand.

"Yes, actually, I think I am very sexy," he joked, enjoying the warm feeling of her perfect naked body on top of his. He was just starting to believe that there _was_ a God out there somewhere. How else could he have met this remarkable woman, who cared for him, showed him the many pleasures of life, and treated him like a man…an actual man, not the monster that he truly was? It could only be fate.

"You are," she said, kissing his chest tenderly. God, she hoped she could lay here with him forever and never have to get up.

"Hmpfh!" he snorted. She couldn't really be serious, could she? _Unless I've changed since I met her, I'm far from being _sexy, he thought. _But maybe I have changed… on the inside. I don't feel any different…just happier_.

She frowned. "You don't believe me, do you?" she accused, stroking his cheek. When he neglected to answer her, she continued. "Erik, if I had to choose between you and any other man on Earth, you know I would choose you."

"No, you wouldn't," he said, voice devoid of all emotion.

"Yes, I would," she said, sliding her body up so that she could kiss his lips roughly. Then more gently, she kissed the ravaged skin of his deformity, several times to get her point across. "I would…" she repeated, whispering.

He took a slow, deep breath, realizing that she was speaking the truth. "Julianna…" he asked, cautiously. "Do you… love me?"

She bit her lip and tried her best not to tremble. Did she love him? She didn't know for sure… but who couldn't love Erik? He was practically perfect. He was indeed perfect in her eyes. But could she really admit her deepest feelings to him? She'd only known him for a few days. Is that enough time to know if you love someone? But more importantly, she wondered, does he feel the same? "Erik," she asked, taking a deep breath. "Would you be pleased if I answered 'yes'?"

"Yes…" he whispered. "I would be pleased. But I want you to tell me the truth." His heart leaped at her words. Was she going to answer 'yes'? What if she loved him, what then? He looked deep into his heart and soul, trying to find the answer to one very important question. Did _he_ love _her_? "Please don't lie to me."

"You know I wouldn't…" she said, resting her cheek on his warm chest, trying to decide what she was going to say to him. "The truth is, I don't know. I want to… love you. But I don't even know if I'm capable of love anymore. Everyone I ever loved died … because of me, one way or another."

_Everyone she loved died? That couldn't be, _he thought._ But if so, then that's probably why she's restraining her love. She doesn't want me to get hurt_. "Tell me," he said gently. "How many people have you loved?"

"Three," she said, somberly. "My father, my best friend, Emily, and a man that I was engaged to a long time ago."

"See, they couldn't all have died because of you," Erik said. "Your father… he died in battle, no?"

"Yes, but only because I wasn't there fighting by his side!" Julianna said, angrily. "I was in a bar somewhere getting drunk… when I could have been saving his life!"

"That's not your fault," Erik said, gently massaging the smooth skin of her back. "You couldn't have known." He understood how she felt. She blamed herself for the death of a loved one. But only God knows whether she really could have saved him or not… or whether she would have died too fighting by his side.

"I should have been there…" she said, glumly.

"Still, it's not your fault," Erik said tenderly. "Don't blame yourself for what you had nothing to do with." She opened her mouth to object, but he quickly hushed her and continued. "So what happened to your friend, Emily?"

"She got in the way of a bullet aimed for me," Julianna sobbed. "She saved my life… but gave up her own in return." Erik gently put his arms around her, trying to offer some comfort. Her best friend had died for her. How could she not feel guilty?

"A true friend," Erik said, kissing her head softly. "I truly doubt any of my friends would do that for me."

Julianna kissed him gently. "I would…" she whispered.

"No!" he nearly cried. "If you died, because of me, I would never forgive myself." She was willing to die for him? Just the thought made his heart swell with love. No one had ever been willing to do that before. Why die just that so a repulsive, monstrous fiend could live? It wouldn't be a fitting death for someone as beautiful and precious as his Julianna. "Please don't ever do that…" he begged.

"That's exactly how I felt when Emily died," Julianna said. "I still haven't forgiven myself. I told you about Emily, remember? We used to haunt the forest together… scare innocent people out of their minds. Luckily though, we didn't scare any of them to death." Julianna grimaced. "She was shot right through the heart. Died within seconds. There was little or no pain, at least."

Erik sat up, with Julianna still in his arms, and held her tightly to his bare chest. "So what about the man you were engaged to… you fiancé?" he whispered, voice barely audible. "How did he die?"

"That's the worst one of all," she said, not able to prevent the tears that flowed from her eyes. "I had to kill him with my own two hands."

Erik's heart instantly broke for her. "You killed the man you loved?" he asked in disbelief. How can you murder someone you love? That man must have done something completely horrible for her to have to resort to murder.

"I had to," she sobbed, while Erik wiped tears from her face. "He was a good man," she continued. "He was only doing what was right." Erik gently encouraged her to continue, so she did. "He somehow found out that my father was a pirate… but he didn't know he was my father then, and he didn't know that I was a pirate either." She closed her eyes in pain. "God, I was willing to give up everything, including my life as a pirate, for that man."

Erik kissed her forehead. "You should never have to give up any part of who you are for a man," he said, gently. "Never." God, he knew he could never make her give up anything. He adored her just the way she was… pirate and all. She just wouldn't be the same amazing person that she is…

She just shook her head. "I loved him… He was the only man I ever loved. But he was going to turn my father in. My father would have been hung … in public, and then his body left to rot. A proper burial wasn't allowed." More tears flowed from her eyes. "I had to chose between saving the life of my father or saving the life of my fiancé."

"You chose your father," Erik said, silently wishing there was some way he could take away her pain. He couldn't stand to see her like this. Her life was filled with pain, and he could easily relate to that. Not that there wasn't any happy times, but overall the suffering outweighed the happiness. Erik knew what that felt like, and he knew that this beautiful woman did not deserve any such suffering. No one deserved that.

"Yes," she said, pressing her cheek to his chest. "So I had to kill the man I loved. And I couldn't even use a gun. Too noisy. I had to strangle him to death."

Erik kissed her. "You're a very strong woman, very brave. I don't think I could have done it."

"God, the look on his face as I stole away his last breath of life," she breathed, and Erik could feel her trembling against him. "When I killed him, I think I killed a part of me as well … a part of my spirit, my soul. I no longer lived; I just existed. I was truly dead."

"But you're not now," he insisted, kissing her tenderly on the shoulder. "You must have recovered that part of your soul that you lost when he died, am I right?"

"Yes," she whispered. "Yes, I have."

"How?" he asked. It could be useful to know how to gain back your spirit when you are dead to those around you. He'd been like that before. In the prison, before she came. He desperately wanted for death to take him… and end his suffering. He'd lost the woman he loved; he'd lost his home; he'd lost everything. What more was there to live for?

"You," she whispered, kissing his chest tenderly. "You saved me from my never-ending hell. The second I met you, it's like I could finally breathe again. I don't know what it was… but I know that you helped me. You gave me back my life. And I'm eternally grateful for that."

"And you saved my life as well… you saved me from being hung, my dear," Erik said, gently caressing her cheek. "You have no debt to repay me."

"Erik…" Julianna said, kissing his neck tenderly. She realized that only one thing could have made her spirit whole again, and he gave that to her the day they met. Before they even knew each other. Julianna hardly believed in love at first sight, and she knew perfectly well that they weren't in love when they first met. Love has to grow, over time. And even though she hadn't known Erik for all that long, she did feel it. _Oh my God!_ she thought suddenly. _I think I love him. I think I love Erik. _And then she remembered how everyone she ever loved died. "I don't want you to get hurt," she said, tenderly.

"Why would I get hurt?" Erik asked, confused. She wasn't implying what he thought she was, was she? She didn't want him to get hurt, like all the people she loved got hurt. Did that mean she loved him? His heartbeat quickened rapidly, just at the thought that she might love him. No one had ever loved him before. No friends, no family, no woman had ever truly loved him.

"Because I lied…" she began. "I think… I do love you."

"You… love me?" he stammered, as if he couldn't quite believe her. Who could love _him_? Ugly, deformed Erik… a monster, a Phantom. He was immediately flooded with inexpressible feelings. He felt so much all at once, he couldn't tell exactly what he was feeling. His heart felt like it was about to burst… with love. The happiness he was feeling was just so overpowering. His heartbeat quickened even more as another thought came to his mind. Could they be in love?

"Yes," she whispered into his ear. "I love you, Erik."

He could have fainted right then. He could feel the pure joy, bliss, and love rushing through his veins, like a drug. He smiled widely, unable to contain the rush of emotions. "I love you, too," he whispered, voice hoarse from all the emotions he was feeling.

She pulled him into her arms, and kissed his face wherever she could, hardly believing his words. Beautiful Erik loved her? Loved _her_? She stopped showering him with affectionate kisses as a thought came into her mind. Christine. Erik loved Christine, not her. Perhaps, he did have feelings for her … but maybe it was just hormones, his sex drive. She'd given him one of the things he'd never been able to have in all his life. Maybe, he loved her for that. But he didn't really love _her_. How could he possibly love her, when she knew for a fact that his heart belonged to Christine?

She loosened her grip on him and closed her eyes tightly. "No… you don't, Erik…" she said, pulling away from his gentle embrace. _Why does he do this to me? Confess his love to me, when I know perfectly well that it cannot be true_, she thought.

He touched her arm gently. Oh, God, she was shaking. Did she honestly not believe that he loved her? God, didn't she know he would do anything for her … die for her? He caressed her arm lovingly, trying desperately to stop her trembling. Was she afraid of him? he wondered. Was she afraid of his love?

He let a tear slip from his eye as she turned away from him. Could she not stand the sight of him anymore? Did she not want him? So many questions sprung up in his head, and he couldn't help but think that he was going to be denied the love of this woman … just as he was denied the love of his Christine.

Erik put his graceful hands timidly on Julianna's shoulder. He was relieved when she didn't move, didn't reject his touch, and he kissed her shoulder tenderly. Then he kissed her ear, and felt her shiver in pleasure as his warm breath caressed her neck. "I do…" he whispered into her ear. "I love you."

"But…but…" she stammered, trying to hold back the many tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. "Christine…" she whispered.

"What about Christine?" he asked, firmly. Did she still think that he loved Christine after all the pain she'd put him through. He frowned, and he realized that he _did _still love Christine. _Oh, God,_ he thought.

"Erik, you love her…" Julianna sobbed, unable to stop the tears that cascaded down her face.

Erik bowed his head, solemnly. "Yes, you're right. I do love Christine…" he said, quietly, as the tears continued to fall from Julianna's eyes. "But I'm not _in _love with her…"

Julianna turned around, surprised to find tears streaming down Erik's face as well. She looked up at him, expectantly. Could he be _in_ love with her? she dared to wonder.

"I'm in love with _you_," he whispered, fresh tears spilling down his cheeks. Julianna pulled herself up beside him, and kissed away his tears lovingly, wrapping her slender arms around his warm body. She ceased her kisses only long enough to whisper, "Erik, I'm in love with you too." And then she went back to showering his handsome face with delicate kisses. Eventually, his mouth found hers and they kissed each other tenderly. It wasn't an intense or urgent kiss; it was breathtakingly slow and filled with their love and passion.

When they finally broke apart, all they could do was stare at each other. Neither of them had ever experienced a kiss like that … so full of love and devotion, mixed with their tears… tears of a powerful love. Erik pulled her to his chest, and just held her, gently massaging her back. And she held on to him, hoping he would never let go, realizing that she had never been in love with her fiancé of long ago. She loved him and she might have had a happy life with him, but just as Erik wasn't _in _love with Christine, Julianna wasn't _in _love with her ex-fiancé. She'd never been in love with anyone, not until now.

* * *

**Well, there's Chapter 22. I hope you liked it. By the way, I wrote part of this in a Walmart parking lot, so don't hate me if it sucks. Yeah, I was sitting in my car, when these two people started making out right in front of me. It was so rude… Anyway, please review. I can't believe I only got one review for the last chapter. Come on, you all… review! LOL. :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

_"I looked away, then I looked back at you_

_You try to say the things that you can't undo_

_If I had my way, I'd never get over you_

_Today's the day; I pray that we make it through_

_Make it through the fall; make it through it all."_

_-Avril Lavigne, "Fall To Pieces"_

* * *

Erik and Julianna sat there, holding each other for quite a long time, just enjoying the feeling of being in love. Even in the peacefulness of Erik's embrace, Julianna suddenly remembered that they had guests, who were probably up already, waiting for their breakfast. Julianna and Erik needed to get cleaned up and go downstairs before their guests started to get suspicious. Not that they probably weren't already, but still.

Strangely, Julianna had the desire to take a shower, not a bath, for once. She didn't take showers often… mostly only when she was in a hurry, which was just about never. She wasn't even in that much of a hurry then. She just felt like taking a shower instead of a bath. "Erik," she said happily. "Let's take a shower."

His eyes open wide. And he was just starting to think that nothing she said could shock him anymore. "Together?" he asked, uncertainly. But Julianna could easily see the longing in his vibrant, blue eyes.

"Yes," she answered, grinning at him. God, she wanted to take a shower with him so bad. She remembered reading something that said water was one of the few sexually stimulating elements. _So…_, she thought. _Erik plus steaming hot shower equals pure heaven_.

"Are you sure?" he asked, not convinced that he'd understood her correctly. Did she want _him_ to take a shower with her? The two of them together … naked? He knew he wanted to, but did she?

"Of course, I'm sure," she said, practically dragging him out of the bed. He gasped, and then took a deep breath. Seeing her naked in the candlelight was nothing compared to seeing her in broad daylight. Immediately, he could feel a tightening in his groin. God, he wanted her … again.

She smiled at his instant reaction to seeing her naked in the sunlight. _Poor sexually deprived Erik. I'm just going to have to fix that for him_, she thought, feeling a sudden wetness between her legs. _God, I think I'm sexually deprived, too._ He gasped at she pushed her hips against his, moaning as his erection pressed into her stomach.

"Come on…" she breathed, pulling him into the large bathroom. "Shower…"

"Right," he said, voice full of need. "Shower." He pressed his lips to her neck passionately, sucking at the tender flesh. She moaned softly, encouraging Erik to suck harder. Then he moved up to her mouth, kissing her fiercely. His tongue hungrily massaged the inside of her mouth, and hers eagerly did the same to his.

Julianna halfheartedly pulled apart from his ravenous kiss and went to turn on the water to the shower, so it could have time to heat up. "Erik, go get a couple towels from the closet," she said, tenderly.

He opened his mouth to protest, but she quickly pressed her finger to his lips. "Go," she said, replacing her finger with her mouth for a quick, innocent kiss. "Don't worry. I'll be right here waiting for you."

He managed a smile, even in his present state of arousal. That was the exact same thing _he_ had said to _her_ last night. He was surprised that she remembered… and him too for that matter, both of them being oblivious to everything around them except each other. _So this is what it feels like?_ he thought. _She must have hated me when I told her to go change her charmeuse last night_.

So, Erik reluctantly went over to the bathroom closet and picked out two huge, ivory bath towels. Julianna quickly snatched them from his hands, and hung them by the now steaming shower. Then she slid open the beautiful, etched glass door, and stepped into the huge shower, pulling Erik with her.

Julianna stood under the steamy flow of water, letting it fully saturate her long, brown hair. The sight of her taking pleasure in the warm water was more than Erik could bear. Before she knew it, Erik had her body pinned forcefully to the cold tile wall, and was showering her wet body with greedy kisses.

She immediately pushed him away, not wanting to surrender her control quite yet. "Erik," she said, kissing his cheek softly. "Not yet. Let's get cleaned up first, hmm?"

"What's the point of that?" he asked, grumpily.

"Oh, don't worry," she said, smiling sweetly, almost innocently. "I'll make sure you enjoy it."

"Oh, really?" he said, crossing his arms defiantly. "Couldn't we do that after…?"

"No," she said firmly. "Don't argue with me, Erik. You'll enjoy it…I know you will." She caressed his cheek gently. "Trust me," she said, taking hold of his elegant hand and kissing it softly.

"Fine," he said, clearly pouting. He agreed with some hesitation though, seriously doubtful that he could wait much longer. He already felt like he was about to burst.

"Good," she said cheerfully. "Which kind of soap would you prefer… rose or lavender scented?"

"God, you're trying to make me smell like a woman," he accused, noticeably complaining about the choices of soap available to him. One way or another though, he knew he was going to end up smelling like flowers.

"Just pick one," Julianna said, impatiently. She desperately wanted to touch him, to give him pleasure. If only he weren't so damn stubborn. He was worse than she was sometimes.

Erik seriously considered the options. Which flower would he rather smell like… lavender or roses? When he thought of lavender, he was immediately reminded of Christine. She always used to smell of lavender… Maybe, it was the soap she used. But Erik didn't want to be reminded of Christine… or the pain she inflicted upon him without mercy or compassion. _Perhaps_, he thought, _I could live with the embarrassment of smelling like roses_. "I guess I'll have the rose-scented soap then," he said, quite unenthusiastically.

Julianna smiled. "Good choice," she said happily. "I always loved the smell of roses… much more than the smell of lavender."

Erik smiled back. He would have to buy her some roses sometime then. He was sure she would love to get dozens of beautiful, fragrant roses as a gift from him. Perhaps, he could pick some from her gardens, since he couldn't exactly go into the city to buy them. He'd probably be shot down before he could take two steps into Paris.

He watched her pour a moderate amount of the perfumed soap into her hand, and gasped as she started to massage it onto his chest. The smell was heavenly. But even more heavenly was the feeling of her small hands mixed with the slippery soap on his body. He couldn't help but let a small moan escape his lips. This really was pure heaven.

"Turn around," she commanded in a low, sultry voice. Erik turned slowly, taking a deep breath at the sound of her voice. It was mysterious and sultry… dark. It even sounded evil, in a way. That voice reminded him of characters he'd read of in horror books. He knew it was only passion triggering this change in her, but secretly he wondered if, deep inside, she was just as cynical and mad as he. Just the thought made him want her even more.

Erik moaned again as she worked the sweet-smelling soap into his shoulders and upper back. Julianna smiled, feeling the tension drain from his perfect body. Once he was completely relaxed, she worked her hands down to his lower back and hips, watching as the foamy soap enveloped his smooth skin. He gasped and gulped in a deep breath of air, when her hands rubbed the rose-scented soap over his bottom, then down his long, well-muscled legs, and then his feet.

Julianna stood up and turned him around once again, rubbing the soap down his strong arms and then his graceful hands. She stopped for a moment to hold his hands tenderly, and he closed his eyes in pleasure. She gazed at him lovingly, and quickly kissed his cheek.

Then she went back to cleaning his body, first massaging the soap over his stomach and sides, then his hips again. She moved her hands down and held his throbbing erection, gently cleaning it with the fragrant soap, and was extremely pleased when he moaned loudly.

He hesitantly pulled her hands away. If she'd kept that up, he definitely wouldn't have been able to wait. "My turn now…" he said huskily, letting the stream of water wash the soap off of him and then pouring a good amount of it into his palm. "Come here," he growled softly, and grinned as she willingly obeyed.

He gently massaged the soap over her shoulders, then her neck and chest. She moaned in pleasure as his hands caressed her breasts with the aromatic soap, and she cried out as his rough fingers brushed her erect nipples.

Julianna grasped his hips and violently pulled him against her. "Need you…" she moaned, grinding her hips into his. "Now…" she breathed. "Please now…"

Though Erik wanted to wait and finish bathing her, he didn't believe that he could wait any longer, so he gave in to her wishes. He pressed her against the wall, relishing in her warmth. She eagerly wrapped her legs around him, allowing him to slide his violently throbbing erection into her tight, warm passage. They both cried out in pleasure, enjoying the feeling of becoming one with each other again. Erik pulled back and plunged in again and again, encouraged by her frequent moaning and crying out for him. She arched her back and slammed her hips into his, meeting him at every stride.

Very soon, they both came hard, crying out in pleasure, holding on to each other for support. Both were finding it rather difficult to support their own weight at the moment, so they slumped down to the smooth tile floor, Julianna on top of Erik. After a few minutes though, she rolled onto the floor beside him, sure that she was hurting him by crushing him into the hard floor. He gently pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers adoringly.

"I love you, Julianna," he whispered into her ear.

She melted into his warm body, feeling so much love for this beautiful, amazing man. "I love you, too, Erik," she managed, voice cracking.

Erik looked at her face, surprised to find tears rolling down her cheeks. "What's wrong?" he asked tenderly, kissing the tears from her face, and hoping that _he_ hadn't caused her to cry.

"It's nothing…" she said, burying her face into his warm and inviting neck. "I just love you so much … so much that it hurts."

"I know the feeling," he said softly. "I'm so lucky to have found someone like you… truly blessed. I didn't think I was ever going to find someone to love… that loved me just as much."

"Oh, Erik," she sobbed. "I'm lucky I found you. I've never met anyone as amazing as you are." She slipped her arms around him, and hugged him tightly. "I love you. I don't think I'm ever going to get tired of saying that…"

"Me either," he said, happily. "I love you."

She brought her mouth up to his and kissed him, as passionately as she could. _He really does love me_, she decided. _And I definitely love him. God, I love him so much. He's truly incredible_. The thought crossed her mind that she might actually get to marry her beautiful Erik, maybe even raise a family with him. That was so much to hope for, but she couldn't help it. She would gladly settle down if Erik asked her to. She would do absolutely anything if Erik asked her to.

Suddenly, an urgent knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts. Erik and Julianna both immediately panicked, and rushed to dry off with the soft, ivory-colored towels. "Just a minute," Julianna called to whoever was outside her door. "We'll be there in just a minute."

After they were finished drying off, Julianna slipped on a beautiful, deep red, silk robe, and Erik just put his pants back on from the previous day, barely remembering to put back on his mask. They were both moderately decent… Julianna's robe was a bit thin and Erik didn't have a shirt on, but they decided it would be all right. Besides, whoever was at the door must have something very important to tell them. They knew that from the repeated pounding on the door.

Julianna opened the door, revealing a very startled looking Elaine. Julianna saw her glance at Erik's bare chest for a moment then directed her eyes back to Julianna. "Elaine…" Julianna said.

Elaine tried to smile. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, nervously. "I didn't mean to interrupt… er- disturb you, I mean." Elaine moistened her suddenly dry lips, and glanced back at Erik, who was rather enjoying her discomfort. "I wouldn't unless it was very important… and it is."

"What is it?" Julianna asked, giving Erik a knowing look. Elaine was attracted to Erik, and there was no way in hell Julianna was letting Elaine get close to him. Not like that. Erik was hers. But she knew by the amused look on Erik's face that he wanted nothing to do with Elaine. She almost laughed out loud. Poor Elaine… she probably could handle Erik anyway. Erik wasn't a bit like Elaine's very dull and unexciting husband.

Elaine faltered, trying not to look at Erik, who was successfully attempting to look very sexy. "It's Adora," she said, painfully. "She's sick… with a fever and she can hardly get out of bed. Would it be too much trouble to send for a doctor?"

Julianna frowned, hoping Adora's condition was at least stable for the time being. "No need," she said. "I am a doctor. Well, at least, I used to be. But I know I can help as much as any other doctor."

Elaine smiled, relieved that there was hope. "Could you come and find out what's wrong with her?" Elaine asked. "I would be most appreciative."

"Of course," Julianna said gently. "Let me get dressed. And I'll be right there."

Elaine nodded, and rushed back down the hall to her daughter. Julianna and Erik quickly got dressed in casual attire, having no need to get dressed up. Julianna glanced over at Erik while she was getting dressed. "Erik, did you see the way she was looking at you?" she asked, grinning.

He laughed softly. "Yeah, she thought I was pretty sexy, didn't she?" he said, smiling cheerfully. It really had surprised him though. Women just didn't look at him like that. Well, not until now anyway.

Julianna pressed her lips to his cheek lovingly. "Yes, she did," she replied, putting her hand on his chest. "Do you believe me now… that you are undeniably very, _very _sexy?"

He grinned. "I guess so," he said, still a little doubt in his voice, but not nearly as much as before. Perhaps, Elaine's attraction to him was a good thing, as long as she didn't try to seduce him or anything. Julianna was doubtful though that Elaine actually could seduce Erik. He wasn't attracted to her in the least. To make it worse, he thought it was funny. _Well, it is a little funny_, Julianna thought. _I just hope William doesn't find out. Then again that would be amusing too, if only the children weren't involved_.

She suddenly remembered the reason she was rushing and looked up at Erik. "Do you want to come?" she asked, not knowing if he wanted to be exposed to a sick child or not. But of course, he did care for Adora greatly, so he probably would want to come.

"Of course, I do," he said, a hint of irritation in his voice. _Did she honestly think I wouldn't want to try to help little Adora?_ he wondered. He loved that child almost as much as he would have loved his own.

Julianna smiled. "Good," she said, grasping Erik's elegant hand. "I thought you would want to. I was just making sure. You know, there's a chance that the illness she has might be contagious. I wouldn't want you to get sick…"

"Don't worry," he said, squeezing her hand affectionately. "I don't get sick that often. I'm sure I'll be fine."

Julianna nodded. "Well, let's go. Elaine probably is waiting for me."

Erik snorted loudly when Julianna said 'Elaine,' which made her start laughing, practically until she cried. When she finally controlled her laughter, she looked up at Erik's handsome face, and kissed his lips tenderly. At least, she didn't have to worry about losing Erik to Elaine.

Julianna pulled him to the door, and gave him one last quick kiss, before they started down the hall to the children's bedroom to find out what was causing Adora's illness and put a stop to it.

* * *

**Well, there's Chapter 23. Hope you liked it. Please review. : )**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

_"It's like I can't breathe; it's like I can't see anything_

_Nothing but you; I'm addicted to you_

_It's like I can't think, without you interrupting me_

_In my thoughts, in my dreams; you've taken over me."_

_-Kelly Clarkson, "Addicted"_

* * *

Erik and Julianna hastily rushed down the long hallway to Adora and Lewis's bedroom, Julianna practically slamming open the door. Elaine stifled a cry of shock at the loud noise, but everyone else seemed quite unfazed. William was standing by Adora's bed, looking up with hopeful eyes as Julianna entered the room. Elaine was over in the corner, holding on to Lewis rather roughly for support, while all the time, he was fidgeting, trying to get free of her grasp.

Julianna immediately hurried over to the bed and carefully examined little Adora. She was extremely pale and her face looked a little gaunt, with noticeable dark circles under her eyes. After seeing the frightened look in Adora's eyes, Julianna turned to Elaine. "Elaine, I think it would be best if you leave the room," she said. "You're only making your daughter more nervous. And take Lewis with you." She turned to William. "William, you can stay if you'd like… or you can go with your wife."

William smiled kindly. "I think I'll go," he said. "I would just be in the way if I stayed."

Julianna returned his kind smile. "Are you sure?" she asked. "I'm certain Adora would appreciate a familiar face."

"I'm sure Erik could fill in for me, am I right?" he said, looking at Erik.

"Of course, I will," Erik said, unable to contain the happiness in his voice. William had asked him to fill in as Adora's father for a while. Her _father_. Just then, Erik silently wished that he had his own children. Thinking of himself as a father made him feel all tingly and happy inside.

"Good," William said, grinning. "She absolutely adores you, Erik!" He looked to Julianna and then back at Erik. "Have you two ever thought of having children? You both would make excellent parents!"

Erik looked over at Julianna lovingly, and she smiled at him, nodding her head slightly. "Someday…" Erik said, trying to keep his voice from cracking. "Someday we would like to have children." He smiled, wondering if Julianna wanted children as much as he did. Would she want his children? he wondered.

William smiled once again. "Well, I'll be off then," he said. "Fetch me if you need anything." And with that, he walked out the door, in frantic search of his hysterical wife.

Julianna instantly went back to caring for Adora, pressing a cool, damp cloth to her feverish forehead. "I believe her illness is nothing more than a mild virus, which her immune system should be able to fight off in a few days time," she said, and Erik realized she must have been a great doctor. She knew exactly what she was talking about, no doubt about it.

"So, I guess that means there's no medicine to give her as a cure," Erik said. He'd read quite a few books pertaining to medicine, and he knew that there was no known cure for any virus, but they could be prevented with a vaccine shot. The vaccine contained the same virus, only weakened to the point at which it could cause no harm. With the vaccine, the body could produce an active immunity to the virus, which means that the next time the virus invaded the body, it could be destroyed without the person getting sick or even knowing it was there.

"No," Julianna agreed. "There is no cure… but there is something I can give her to reduce the fever and allow her to sleep restfully. Her fever is high, and it could be dangerous, even fatal, if it's not controlled as soon as possible."

Erik looked at her desperately, wondering how she could be so calm. But of course, it was her job as a doctor to stay calm in situations such as this. "Fatal?" he repeated, quite shocked. "As in, she could die?"

"If not treated properly and promptly, yes, it is a possibility," Julianna said, calmly. "I'll go and get that medicine. I'm sure I have some downstairs. Stay here with Adora. I'll be right back."

"Of course," he said, nodding. "Hurry."

So, Erik stayed with Adora, holding her hand and whispering words of reassurance to her, until Julianna returned with the medicine. Within minutes, Julianna ran into the room frantically, gasping for breath and holding a small, brown, glass bottle of medicine. "Erik," she said, trying to catch her breath. "We have one teensy little problem…"

"What's that?" he asked anxiously, while rushing over to her and holding her while she caught her breath. _She must have been running as fast as she could_, he thought, _for her to be this out of breath_. He knew Julianna didn't tire easily. In fact, he'd never seen her so exhausted, except after they …

"Well," she said, interrupting his thoughts and holding up the bottle of medicine. "This medicine is old … It's no good anymore. It won't bring down her fever. And unfortunately, it's the only bottle of it I've got."

Erik frowned, and she could see the fear in his eyes. "What are you going to do?" he asked, voice full of worry. He wasn't going to let anything happen to Adora, no matter what the consequences were for him.

"Well, it seems as if I'll have to go into the city to buy some more…" she began.

"No!" he cut her off. "You can't! It's too dangerous." He put his arms around her, pulling her to his chest, and she could feel just how hard his heart was beating. She knew he was very worried, but he had to allow her to go into Paris. That was the only way to get more of the medicine.

"Erik, I'll be fine," she reasoned. "No one even knows that I killed anyone," she whispered so that Adora couldn't overhear her. "I'm in no danger."

"No, I'm not letting you go," he said firmly, but she knew he was secretly pleading with her not to go. "Send William … I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"You know I can't send William," she said, gently kissing him. "He's never even been to Paris. He would get lost in a heartbeat and we don't have that kind of time to spare. I have to go, Erik. Adora could die."

Erik had nothing to say to that. He couldn't argue … because she was right. She did have to go. But he didn't want her to. What if she got hurt or into trouble? He couldn't let her go alone. He wasn't going to risk losing her. "Alright," he said, kissing her forehead, fiercely. "But I'm going with you."

"No!" she said, holding him tightly. "If anyone saw you… Erik, it's too dangerous. Too much to risk. I cannot allow you to accompany me."

He looked at her with pleading eyes. "I can stay in the shadows," he said. "No one would even know I was there. I won't be seen. I promise."

"I can't take that chance," she said, rubbing his back tenderly. "I have to go alone. It's much safer that way. There's no need to worry… I've taken care of myself for twenty-eight years. I'll be fine."

Erik frowned in defeat. He had no choice but to let her go to Paris … alone. Once again, she was right. He knew perfectly well that he couldn't go into the city. He would be putting himself, as well as the woman he loved, in mortal danger. _And she _has_ taken care of herself for a long time_, he assured himself. _She's a pirate. She _will_ be fine_.

He nodded his head slowly and painfully, and she cupped his face gently in her hands, kissing him passionately. "Thank you," she whispered lovingly. "I'll need you to stay with Adora. Make sure a fresh cloth is placed on her forehead every little bit. That should keep her fever under control until I get back."

"D'accord, my love. I will," he said quietly. "When will you leave?"

"As soon as I explain to William and Elaine," she said. "Come with me downstairs… please. Adora should be fine long enough for you to see me off."

"Certainly," he said, clutching her hand tightly. With that, they hurried downstairs and explained to William and Elaine that Julianna would have to ride to Paris to buy medicine for their daughter. Of course, they questioned why Julianna was going and not Erik. Generally, it was a man's responsibility to make such a journey. But Julianna and Erik couldn't really think of a good excuse, except that Julianna was a faster rider, which William and Elaine seemed to believe, much to Erik's embarrassment. He was, in fact, quite a good horseback rider.

After that was said, Elaine rushed upstairs to check on Adora, and William and Erik followed Julianna outside to see her off. Julianna decided that she would have to take a different horse than her trusty Stardust, because someone might have seen the horse that the Phantom of the Opera had escaped on. She chose a young, white thoroughbred stallion named Duke, and immediately got to work saddling him. When she was done, she led the horse back to the front of the house where Erik and William waited for her.

Erik pulled Julianna into his arms for a quick goodbye kiss, which turned out to be not so quick, much to William's discomfort. When they finally broke apart, William could only smile at the loving couple awkwardly.

Erik tucked at strand of Julianna's hair behind her ear. "Be careful," he whispered. "I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you."

"I'll be careful," she said, pulling him into her arms again. "I love you, Erik," she said, pressing her warm lips to his cheek tenderly.

"I love you, too," he said, and then helped her up onto the large horse. "Hurry back, my love," he said, right before she gave the horse a hard kick in the sides and galloped off.

Erik watched her racing off into the distance until she disappeared from his view. Then he turned to William. "I hope you'll understand," he said. "I have to follow her and make sure she's safe from any harm."

William nodded. "I understand," he said. "I thought you might want to." He smiled. "Your love is so strong … it's beautiful… Yes, go after her. I'll watch the house for you."

"Thank you," Erik said, a little embarrassed but pleased all the same. William had said their love was _beautiful_… Without another word, Erik ran to the stable to choose a horse for his journey. He quickly saddled a dark brown, thoroughbred gelding, hoping that he would be able to catch up to Julianna before she reached Paris. Naturally, he wasn't going to let her know that he was there. He was just going to follow her, hide in the shadows, and make sure she didn't get into any kind of trouble.

The second Erik realized that she was traveling on the road, his heart leaped. What if someone saw him? He quickly pulled the hood of his cloak over his head, hiding his face as much as possible. He was quite positive that no one would be able to get a good look at his face, as long as he kept traveling at a fast speed.

So he urged the gelding on, as fast as he would go comfortably. Soon Erik began to worry when after an hour, he hadn't been able to catch up to Julianna. Perhaps, she was a faster rider than he'd originally thought. She did say that she used to race her horse, didn't she? Erik kicked his horse, encouraging him to speed up a little. Within a few minutes, Erik let out a breath of relief, as he spied Julianna and her white stallion a good distance up the road.

Erik instantly slowed his horse, so that Julianna wouldn't be alerted to his position. He stayed back as far as he possibly could, making sure he could just barely see her. He didn't want her pirate senses getting wind of him there. And so, they traveled like that for a couple of hours until they reached the outskirts of the city of Paris.

Keeping her horse at a steady trot as they traveled through the city streets, the first thing Julianna noticed was the tight security and all the talk of the Phantom of the Opera and how he mysteriously escaped from the heavily guarded prison. The theory that most people had was that he had to have had an accomplice. One man, not even the Phantom, couldn't have killed that many guards and lived to tell about it without help.

Julianna hurried through the crowded streets, oblivious to the fact that Erik was closely following her. As he rode through the city, he tried to ignore the curious glances of many passersby. How often did they see a hooded figure ride through the streets of Paris in broad daylight? Thankfully, no one looked too overly suspicious of him though.

In a few minutes time, Julianna arrived at the pharmacy, quickly tied her horse, and rushed inside. Erik was too far away to hear much of anything, but he did find a small window he could peek in through. He watched Julianna scan the shelves of medical supplies, finally finding the bottles she was looking for. She selected two of them and then went to the back to pay for the merchandise. Erik was surprised as she pulled several gold coins out of her pocket and placed them on the counter. Could the medicine possibly be that expensive? That was enough money for any middle-class family to buy food for a month at least.

Erik quickly hid as she walked out the door, the bottles of medicine safely stashed in her pockets. Julianna looked around cautiously, a bit of a frightened look on her face. She was almost sure that she felt someone watching her. While she was looking around, she gasped as she saw the Opera Populaire, which had only burned a little over a week ago, in the distance. _The Opera House where Erik had lived… most of his life_, Julianna thought.

She longed to know more about her mysterious Erik and his previous life, and she couldn't stop her feet from carrying her closer to the Opera House. Erik held his breath as she approached closer and closer to his Opera House. _Certainly, she wouldn't_, he told himself. _She wouldn't go in…_ He sighed. _No,_ he thought. _Knowing her, she probably will go in._ And he was right. She did go in.

Julianna stared at the shocking destruction and damage that was visible inside the Opera House. The walls and ceiling were burnt badly, so that they looked like they were quite close to caving in. Nearly all of the rooms were scorched and blackened from the fire… the fire that Erik had caused. _He must have loved her a lot,_ she thought, _to accidentally burn down his own Opera House for her. _She sniffed the air, wrinkling her nose as the stale, burnt smell that filled the building.

Erik was having no difficulty following her. He knew every inch of the Opera House like the back of his hand. He could easily keep a close eye on Julianna without being seen. He held his breath as Julianna approached Christine's old dressing room, trying not to gasp as she pried open the charred door.

The old dressing room didn't look near as bad as the rest of the Opera House. It was almost like the fire barely even touched the room. The walls weren't blackened from the fire at all, except for a little surrounding the door. Yet even though the fire didn't cause much damage, the room still looked as if it had been deserted for years. The furniture was dusty and strewn about the room, the wallpaper was peeling from the walls, there was what appeared to be broken glass and dead flowers littering the floor, and the many mirrors in the room were cracked and tarnished. It looked like the room hadn't been occupied in quite some time, even though it had only been a little over a week since it had been.

Julianna frowned in concentration, feeling an icy cool draft on her arm. But how could that be? There couldn't be a breeze inside of the building … unless there was more to this room than meets the eye. She desperately searched for the source of the draft, running her hands along the walls. Then she came to a halt in front of the large mirror at the far end of the room, which had a large crack down the middle of it. Julianna waved her hand in front of the crack, and sure enough, she felt the cool breeze again. There was something behind that mirror… some sort of secret passageway or something.

Julianna ran her hands along the edge of the mirror, looking for some way to move it without having to break it. To her relief, there was a small crack of an opening on the left side, which she slipped her fingers into and pulled with all her strength. She gasped again as the mirror slid open, revealing a dark passageway. Could this be the way to Erik's old home? she wondered. Christine did say that it was underground. Julianna had to find out.

She quickly lit a torch that she found on the wall and started down the long, dark passageway. _Damn her curiosity,_ Erik thought, as he followed her down the passageway that lead to his old home. He didn't know what he was going to do if she actually found his old home. Of course, there wasn't anything he really could do. He couldn't let her know that he was there, no matter what happened.

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**Well, there's Chapter 24. Please review. : )**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Hey! Sorry it's been a while since I've updated. Well, actually it's only been a few days but still. I've been busy. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I might not be able to update as often as I usually do anymore. I have soccer starting tomorrow and we have to practice every day except Sunday, so that will probably be the only day I'm not too tired to write. I'll try to get at least one chapter a week if I can. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. : )**

* * *

**Chapter 25**

_"I'm so tired of being here, suppressed by all of my childish fears_

_And if you have to leave, I wish that you would just leave_

_Because your presence still lingers here, and it won't leave me alone_

_These wounds won't seem to heal; this pain is just too real_

_There's just too much that time cannot erase…"_

_-Evanescence, "My Immortal"_

* * *

After quite a few minutes of descending several stories underground, Julianna arrived at a large underground lake. She searched for some sort of a boat, but in finding none, she decided she would have to wade through the icy cold water. She didn't even consider turning back. She'd already come too far to even think about going back. She was sure this had to be where Erik's old home was … somewhere down here. She slowly inched her way into the icy cold water, shivering as it soaked her clothes up to her waist.

Seeing her shivering in the cold water made Erik want to run to her and keep her warm, but he knew he couldn't. He silently slid into the frigid water and followed, hoping she could figure out which way to go. _She's a pirate_, he thought. _She must have a good sense of direction_.

Sure enough, she did. She arrived at Erik's old home in record timing. No one could have navigated those underground labyrinths that fast … no one except an expert, which Julianna most definitely was. She eagerly climbed out of the freezing water, staring in horror at the devastating disaster that was Erik's old home. "How could they…?" she whispered out loud.

Erik couldn't help but let a tear slide down his cheek. How could they, indeed… His life's work … operas, compositions, beautiful music … all burned to the ground. It was almost more pain than he could stand. All of this gave his life some sort of purpose, some reason for his being, his existence … and now his many years of hard, painstaking work was destroyed. There was nothing left… nothing at all.

Erik watched Julianna walk over to his old organ, which was smashed into several pieces. She ran her hand along one of the smooth pieces of Erik's once beautiful organ, feeling all the pain that he had poured into it. His heart, his music … destroyed. Strangely, she could feel his presence there still. Tears started to fall down her face, thinking of how he had lost everything… all for love. So much pain lingered there… his pain. Erik's breath caught in his throat at the sight of her tears. _Is she crying for me?_ he wondered. _For what I lost? _

Julianna looked around, suddenly wanting to bring him something from his old home. Most everything was destroyed, but she had to find something. She had to. She gently lifted some wreckage from the ground, surprised to find several sheets of unburned music underneath. _Don Juan Triumphant_, it read at the top, unmistakably Erik's handwriting. _Wasn't that the opera that was playing when the fire happened? Erik must have kept a copy of it down here_, she thought. She quickly picked up the sheets, folded them neatly, and stashed them in her pocket. Erik saw her pick up something, but he couldn't tell what it was. Her back was to his hiding spot, obstructing his view. He couldn't help but wonder what she'd picked up. _I'll find out soon enough_, he decided.

Erik watched as she made her way back to his old bedroom. Julianna looked around in astonishment, realizing that the room must have been Erik's bedroom, even though it was barely recognizable. The only thing that was distinguishable was a large wooden armoire, which had been smashed and damaged but surprisingly not burned as everything else had been.

Julianna cautiously made her way over to it, being careful not to trip over the scattered debris that littered the stone floor. When she got to it, she made several attempts to open it, but it was smashed in so much that it wouldn't budge. She quickly gave the side of its door a firm, hard kick with the back of her heel, hoping it would dislodge it. "Ow…" she said, rather calmly, clutching the back of her boot, where she was sure a bruise would form on her heel.

The force of her kick had cause the front of the armoire to crack and splinter, just enough so that it was barely hanging on its hinges. Julianna smiled, forgetting the pain in her heel, and pried open the front of the armoire. Much to her surprise, large heaps of clothing spilled out on top of her, practically knocking her off of her feet. She quickly steadied herself, holding the clothes in her arms.

_Erik's clothes_, she though, running her hand over the smooth fabric. She brought the clothes up to her face and buried her nose in them, taking in the unmistakable scent of her beautiful Erik. _Oh yeah, they are definitely Erik's_, she thought. "Mmm… Erik…" she said, sniffing Erik's clothes once again, taking pleasure in his delightfully enticing smell.

Erik stared at her intensely from his hiding spot. _Oh God, what is she doing?_ he thought, feeling a tightening sensation in his groin. He wanted to turn his head away. He really needed to, but he couldn't tear his eyes from her captivating body as she continued to fondle his clothes. He desperately massaged his throbbing erection, biting his lip in a frantic attempt to remain quiet and unseen.

Julianna breathed in the scent of her Erik's old clothes one last time, deciding that she needed to bring them back to him. He would probably appreciate having some of his old clothes. She looked around for a bag or something to carry them in, but she found none. She settled on wrapping as many of his clothes as she could fit into one of his long, black capes, made into a makeshift bag. Then she tied it off with a bit of rope that she found in the corner… a bit of rope that strangely looked like a noose.

After that, she poked around a bit more, but didn't find anything else interesting, so she decided she should be leaving. It was getting pretty late … and she still had one last stop to make before returning home.

Erik continued to follow her, out of the Opera House and towards the far end of town, having no earthly idea where she could be going now. He gasped as he rounded a corner, and a huge house came into view … the de Chagny house. _Oh God,_ he thought. _She's going to see Christine._ He seriously considered staying where he was and waiting for Julianna to come back, but his curiosity got the best of him. He tied his horse and silently followed Julianna up the road to la Maison de Chagny.

Julianna approached the door and thought about knocking, but then decided against it. To the Vicomte de Chagny, she was Elizabeth, one of Christine's old friends. She doubted that what she was wearing could pass her as friend material in the eyes of the Vicomte. So to avoid any contact with him, she decided to sneak around to the back of the house, hoping Christine might be outside, enjoying the nice spring weather, before the scorching summer heat would confine people to their cooler homes.

Sure enough, much to Julianna's relief, Christine was sitting under a huge oak tree, reading a rather large book … alone, thankfully. "Christine!" Julianna hissed, as quietly as she could, to get Christine's attention.

Christine glanced up from her book, looking rather startled. "Julianna?" she called out quietly, looking around for the woman that she was sure she just heard. _But why would Julianna be here now?_ she wondered. _It's much to early for her to bring my Angel back. The guards are still looking for him_.

Christine jumped in shock as Julianna stepped out from behind a nearby tree. "I'm sorry," Julianna said, forcing a kind smile at the woman who hurt Erik so bad. "I didn't mean to alarm you."

"No, it's alright," Christine said, jumping up to give Julianna a quick hug. "How is he?" she asked, eyes brimming with curiosity about her beloved Erik.

"He's fine," Julianna said. "He's doing quite well. Of course, there was the initial shock of being in that godforsaken pri-…" She stopped herself from saying 'prison', just in case someone was listening. Though, she doubted anyone would have a hard time figuring out whom they were talking about anyway. "He's quite recovered now. Safely hidden away at my house."

"Good, good…" Christine said. "I take it you like him then? He's a very likable man, once you get to know him…" At that point, Erik had to try his hardest not to snort at her words. She actually thought he was _likable_. Christine continued, "…can be violent at times and a bit stubborn, but I love him all the same."

Erik frowned deeply. Christine really did love him. He could never really believe that she did for sure, but now he knew. If only she could have admitted that before … but then he never would have met Julianna. He'd never thought it was possible … but he had two women that loved him. _Two._ And he loved them both, but he undoubtedly knew who he loved more. The woman who accepted him and loved him just the way he was and didn't treat him like a monster, the woman who saved his life numerous times, and the woman who showed him what it was like to really be in love. His very own untamable pirate woman… Julianna.

Julianna smiled at Christine, not knowing exactly what to say. "Yes, I like him very much," she said, innocently. "He's quite the gentleman."

Christine gazed off into the distance, apparently lost in her thoughts. "Yes… he is," she agreed, distantly. Suddenly, she looked over at Julianna, the dreamy look gone from her face. "Does he ever talk about me?" she asked, curiously.

Julianna's face became expressionless. "Of course," she replied quietly. "He speaks of you often."

Christine's eyes opened wide. "What does he say?" she asked, eagerly.

"Um… well, he says how much he loves you…" Julianna said, trying not to tremble as she spoke. She was giving Christine false hope… because Erik wasn't in love with her anymore. "… and how much he misses you…" she added, softly.

Christine smiled. "I miss him, too," she said, quietly. "I feel so bad…"

_Well, you should_, Julianna thought, angrily. _After everything you've done to that poor man. You don't deserve him. All he ever did was love you. Is that such a crime? But to you, he was nothing but a monster … except for the fact that he had a beautiful voice. Why do you suddenly feel guilty now, Christine? Why?_

Christine swallowed hard. It was almost as if she knew what Julianna was thinking, so she continued. "I feel bad about … leaving Raoul," she said, sadly. "He's been my good friend for a long time, and I love him … as a friend should. But I just know his heart will be broken if I leave…"

"If?" Julianna asked, suspiciously. Was Christine having second thoughts? _God, I hope_, she thought. _That would make everything so much easier_…

"_When_, I mean," Christine corrected herself. "He will be devastated _when_ I leave him."

"I'm sure he will," Julianna said. "You just have to look deep within your heart and soul, and then you will find the solution you seek. You must choose once again… Raoul or Erik," she said, whispering Erik's name.

"Erik?" Christine whispered. "His name is Erik?" When Julianna nodded her head, Christine spoke his name once again to get the feel for it. It was, in fact, the name of the man she hoped to soon be with. "Such a beautiful name…" she breathed.

"Yes," Julianna agreed. "Beautiful name…" _for an incredibly beautiful man_, she wanted to add.

Christine looked at her curiously, but only for a second, and then she continued. "You know I choose Erik," she whispered. "I just don't know what to do about Raoul…"

"Well…" Julianna said, trying to hide the disappointment and frustration in her voice. "You think about that … and I'll be back to see you in a few days. I should be going, then. It's late."

"Goodbye," Christine called, as Julianna quickly ran back to her horse. Erik eagerly followed, not liking the way being around Christine was making him feel. He'd been reminded of all the pain she caused and how many times she told him that she hated him. It awoke the anger within him, and he had no plans of allowing himself the opportunity to express it. Besides, Christine was much too young for him, just barely a woman. And next to Julianna, she looked quite immature and, he was sure, inexperienced… unless she'd allowed Raoul to… but still there was no way that she could ever give him the pleasure that Julianna did.

Julianna frowned, noticing that the sun was very close to setting. She'd been planning on getting home before dark, but that would be impossible now. She just hoped Erik wouldn't worry too much. Julianna wasn't used to having someone care that much … enough for them to worry about her.

In only a few minutes, the streets were completely dark, except for the occasional street lamp. Julianna decided to lead her horse the rest of the way through the city, so she wouldn't accidentally run over any pedestrians. She hurried through the dark Parisian streets, leading her horse behind her, and hoping that she wouldn't meet anyone. Though the only people she would be likely to meet were whores, homeless people, and the occasional group of young men who liked to start trouble… the one's that make sport out of taking a woman unwillingly, raping her.

No sooner than Julianna started to think about that, she could have sworn she heard someone behind her. She turned around to see if someone was following her, and Erik quickly ducked into the nearest alley, praying that she didn't see him. He didn't want her to think he was a stalker. He'd probably end up injured or dead knowing Julianna.

Satisfied that no one was behind her, Julianna turned back around … only to find three young men blocking her way, clearly drunk. Of all the people she could have met, these hooligans were the worst. She wanted nothing to do with them. She stopped in her tracks, suddenly realizing she was outnumbered three to one. She had no doubt she could easily fight these three men though, if need be. She was, after all, a pirate.

"I have no patience for drunks," she spat. "Out of my way!"

The one in the middle, who appeared to be their leader, chuckled quietly. "We're just lookin' for some fun, darlin'," he slurred, grinning at her wickedly.

Julianna rolled her eyes at him, mocking him even though she knew it would enrage them further. "Get the hell out of my way, damn it!" she yelled.

The leader of the three nodded to the other two, signaling for them to bind Julianna arms so they could have their way with her. One of the men pulled out a length of rope and started toward her, the other one at his side. Julianna didn't move … she waited.

When they got within a few feet of her, she let go of the reins she was leading her horse by. Duke whinnied loudly and reared up, bringing his hoof down on the chest of the man with the rope. The man screamed, and there was the sickening sound of ribs cracking. Apparently his broken ribs had pierced his lungs, because he was coughing up large amounts of crimson blood, and in minutes, he slumped to the ground dead.

The second man stared at his dead friend for a moment before violently lunging at Julianna. She effortlessly, almost lazily, stepped to the side, and he fell on his face, unmoving … either passed out or knocked out. Before Julianna had time to react, the third man grabbed her by the neck and flung her to the ground. She cursed in surprise and pain. This man was quite a bit smarter than the other two. He'd pinned her to the ground with his bulky weight on top of her, pressing her hands firmly against the ground with his own, so she couldn't punch him. She was at a complete and total loss. She couldn't move an inch … she didn't know how she was going to get out of this situation.

The man pressed a fierce kiss to her lips, trying to force his tongue into her tightly closed mouth. Then she bit him as hard as she could, in hope that he would try to slap her. That would free one of her hands, so she could seriously beat the hell out of this bastard. But he didn't slap her. He just looked up at her angrily, blood running down his chin where she'd bit him. He looked like he was about to slap her but then his eyes glazed over, and he slumped to the ground, a knife buried to the hilt in his back.

Julianna looked up at the hooded man who just saved her. God, he looked so familiar, but it was hard to tell, it was so dark. He extended his hand to her to help her up, and she took it gratefully. The second she touched his hand, she knew… "Erik?" she asked, pulling the hood from his head. "Erik!" she cried, flinging herself into his arms.

He wrapped his arms around her protectively, and just held her, glad that she was safe. There was no way in hell that he would have let any man have his way with her … except for himself, of course. He kissed her forehead, and rubbed her back affectionately. She melted into his warmth, burying her face in his neck. Just when she thought she couldn't possibly love him any more…

He caressed her cheek gently. "Are you hurt?" he asked, softly.

"No, I'm not hurt," she whispered, pressing her lips to his. "God, I love you, Erik."

He smiled. "I love you, too, Julianna."


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

_"Everything changes but beauty remains_

_Something so tender, I can't explain_

_Well I may be dreaming but til I awake_

_Can't we make this dream last forever?_

_And I'll cherish all the love we share_

_Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_

_Some people search forever for that one special kiss_

_Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me_

_Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this"_

_-Kelly Clarkson, "A Moment Like This"_

* * *

Julianna suddenly pulled away from Erik's warm embrace and held his hand gently. She just realized how much danger he was in, being in the middle of Paris… at night, no less. There were probably guards everywhere looking for him. "Erik, what are you doing here?" she asked firmly, but he could hear the worry in her voice. "I told you not to come," she said, squeezing his hand tightly.

"I'm sorry," he said, caressing her cheek tenderly. "I followed you. I just had to make sure that you were safe…" He looked at her desperately. "Please don't be angry with me…"

"Oh, Erik, I'm not," she said, kissing his cheek. "I'm just terribly worried that someone might recognize you and turn you in." She paused for a moment. "Wait… you_ followed_ me?" she asked eyes opening wide.

"Yes, I followed you, my love," he replied. "How else would I be able to keep an eye on you?" Then all of a sudden, he remembered exactly where he'd followed her. He doubted she ever would have gone to either the Opera House or the de Chagny residence if she'd known he was there.

_Oh my God,_ she thought. _He was there when I went down under the Opera Populaire… to his old home. And he was there when I went to la Maison de Chagny… and visited Christine… the woman he used to love with all his heart. How could I have been so stupid? _she asked herself. _How did I not know he was there… watching? And now he's probably seen her, and perhaps he still has feelings for her. I thought I'd finally found someone to love…_

"Julianna, what's wrong?" Erik asked, pulling her into his arms again. She looked truly distressed and upset, as if she'd lost something precious to her. Was she upset because he'd followed her? he wondered. That couldn't possibly be why she was so distraught all of a sudden, could it?

"You followed me… everywhere?" she whispered, clinging to his warm body. She had to be sure. Maybe he didn't see Christine. Hopefully he didn't. Julianna didn't want him being around Christine too much. He may just decide he loves her all over again.

He nodded. "I did," he said, gently. "To the pharmacy… under the Opera House… to the Vicomte de Chagny's manor…"

She gasped. "Did you see _her_?" she asked, trembling slightly. She couldn't help it. She loved Erik so much… she didn't want to lose him. Not now. She would do anything … give up anything just to be with him … forever.

"Who? Christine?" he asked, kissing Julianna's forehead and massaging her back softly, trying to cease her trembling. He had no idea why she was so worried. Was it because of Christine? Was she worried that he would go back to Christine?

Julianna nodded, solemnly. "Yes … Christine," she said, voice cracking.

_That _is_ what she's worried about_, Erik decided. _She's afraid that I would leave her for Christine. Good God, can't she see how much I love her? I would never go back to Christine now… not after experiencing _true_ love with Julianna. And after everything we've been through, she still thinks there's a chance that I would choose Christine over her. _"Yes, I saw her," he said, voice suddenly emotionless.

Julianna frowned. "How did that make you feel?" she asked quietly.

"It made me feel many things," he said, caressing Julianna's cheek, feeling the tears that spilled from her eyes. "Hatred, anger, betrayal, pain…" Erik continued. "Terrible things… I didn't like being around her at all." He bent down to kiss Julianna's lips lovingly. "I could never go back to her … because I could never leave you. I love you," he said, pressing his lips to hers again. "Can't you see how much I love you?" he whispered.

"I can," Julianna said softly, wrapping her slender arms around his perfect waist and pulling him against her. "I love you, Erik," she said. "I love you so much."

He bent down and kissed her again, letting his lips lingers on hers for a moment. "We should go," he said, wiping away the last of her remaining tears. "It's getting late."

She smiled and pulled his hood back over his head, hiding his visage from the world around them. "Come, Erik," she said, taking his hand. "Let's go." She led him back to where their two horses were waiting patiently. She gasped when she saw the brown gelding that Erik had been riding. "Stormy," she said, patting the horse gently. She looked at Erik, with a shocked look on her face. "How did you ever ride _Stormy_?" she asked, amazed. "He's wild. I've never even been able to stay on his back for any longer than a few seconds."

Erik shrugged. "He didn't seem wild to me," he said smiling. "I guess he just likes me, hmm?" he said, rubbing the horse's neck affectionately. Stormy rested his head on Erik's shoulder gently, nibbling on the fabric of his cloak.

Julianna just shook her head. "He does like you," she said, unable to resist the compulsion to kiss Erik passionately. Erik parted his lips, eagerly giving her tongue access to his warm mouth. She cupped his face gently and pulled him against her mouth, encouraging him to kiss her harder. When she eventually pulled apart from his inviting lips, she could hear his breathing become ragged with need. This was definitely _not_ a good time to be kissing him. They needed to be heading home as soon as possible … the life of a child depended on that.

The horse neighed loudly, rubbing his head on Erik's back. Erik smiled and scratched Stormy behind the ears. "Jealous, aren't you?" he said, rubbing the horse's long, muscular neck.

"Jealous of what exactly?" Julianna asked Erik, holding his hand gently.

"Why, you, my love," he said, pressing his lips to her palm lovingly. "Don't you know that you are every man's dream?" he whispered. "I just don't know why you're in love with _me_."

"Oh, Erik," she said, kissing his soft lips. "You know perfectly well why I'm in love you." She put her arms around his waist. "You're an incredibly amazing man, you're smart, you're unbelievably charming… and not to mention, you're the most handsome, beautiful, sexy man I've ever met."

Erik chuckled quietly, deeply pleased by her words. If she thought he was all of those things, then he would be happy. He didn't care what anyone else thought. All that mattered was what _she_ thought. He wanted more than anything to make her happy, and for her to be happy, he would have to believe. If she said he was charming and handsome, then he was. He could finally believe her, and he was overcome with happiness. He kissed her softly, smiling widely. "Come, my love," he said, cheerfully. "We should be getting home."

Julianna smiled. He'd just called her house 'home.' His home… no, _their_ home. "Of course, Erik," she said happily. She looked over at the horses. "Can we ride double?" she asked, smiling at him mischievously.

"If you want to," he said, grinning playfully.

"Do you?" she asked, gently caressing his cheek.

"You know I do," he said, pressing his body against hers, playfully, but only for a second. She reached out for him as he moved away, not wanting his body to be separated from hers. God, he was so sexy she could hardly stand it. Erik grinned, and slid one arm around her back and the other under her thighs and picked her up gently, almost effortlessly. He was very strong, even though one couldn't tell from his outward appearance.

She held onto his neck tightly, not liking not being in control of her legs. She was completely powerless to him, but she trusted him fully. He gently helped her onto Duke, and then he took his cape that was full of his clothes and tied it to Stormy's saddle.

"I forgot about that," Julianna said. "I brought you some of your clothes." She just hoped he wouldn't be angry with her for going to his old home.

"I know," he said, softly. "I was there…" _Watching you sniff my clothes, you naughty little devil. You have no idea what that does to a man…_

"You're not mad at me, are you?" she asked. "For going down there?"

"No, I'm not mad," he said. "It was just hard… seeing what they did to it. That place was my home for most of my life…"

"I'm sorry," she said, sadly. "They shouldn't have. That's just another example of how cruel human beings really are. I truly am sorry."

"Nothing to worry about, my love," he said. "I would never go back there anyway. I always thought I would die underneath that Opera House. That is, until I found that there was something better out here."

"What's that?" Julianna asked, resisting the urge to jump off of the horse and kiss Erik to death. What they did to him was cruel and pitiless. No one deserved that. Not even the most vicious criminals deserved the punishment Erik received just for having half a deformed face.

"You," he said, smiling at her. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I can't even tell you how much I love you… because no matter how many times I say it, I still love you more."

"I love you, Erik," she whispered. "I love you so much."

He quickly tied Stormy to the saddle, so the horse could travel along with them and not wander off. Then, he climbed up on Duke behind Julianna. The saddle was small, and they barely fit in it. If they both hadn't been so skinny, they wouldn't have fit. But still they were squeezed together pretty tightly, not that either of them minded.

As they traveled through the city, they didn't talk much. Not because they didn't want to … they just didn't want to draw too much unwanted attention to themselves. They decided they must have been quite a strange sight … a beautiful woman dressed like a man and a man wearing a hooded cloak, hiding his face.

They were both immensely relieved when they arrived at the edge of the city. Luckily, they hadn't been spotted by any of the guards. _Don't know how we managed that,_ Julianna thought. There were guards everywhere, but none of them seemed the least bit suspicious of Julianna and Erik. Apparently, they weren't very bright.

When the city was completely gone from their view, Julianna kicked her horse in the sides, and they sped up to a fast gallop. Erik held on to Julianna more tightly, wondering how she could even see the road since it was so dark. Even Erik, who had lived most of his life in the dark, couldn't make out the road in the pitch-black darkness.

He looked up to the sky, seeing that there was no moon and no stars … no sources of light at all. Either it was very cloudy or it was a new moon, but that still didn't explain the missing stars. "It's so dark," Erik said, breaking the long silence. "How can you see?"

"I can't very well," she said, smiling. "But I trust Duke here will get us home safely. He knows the way back," she said, reaching down to pat the horse affectionately.

Erik smiled as the horse whinnied and sped up a little with a sudden fresh jolt of energy. "Tell me what it was like being a pirate," he asked suddenly.

"What do you want to know?" she asked, pleased at his interest in her past life.

"Everything!" he said, genuinely fascinated.

"Well," she began. "The life of a pirate isn't easy. You never know for sure who you can trust, and you always live with the fear of being captured and incarcerated, and then hung, without even a fair trial. Many people believe that pirates are just brainless drunks with enough muscle and gunpowder to raid and sink any ship out on the sea. Truth is, pirates are quite clever, not to mention organized. If the French army recruited pirates, then they would most certainly win every skirmish. The reason people believe we are unintelligent drunks is only because the only pirates that allowed themselves to be captured were the incredibly stupid ones, and they were probably drunk, too." Julianna smiled sweetly. "What else do you want to know?"

Erik thought for a moment. "What is it like sailing on a ship?" he asked, finally. "I haven't been on one since I was a child. I don't really remember what it was like."

"Sailing is hard work, and you have to know exactly what you're doing," she said. "If you mess up once, it could cost you your life, as well as the lives of your mates. My father chose only the best men to be his crew. They had to be smart, strong, and have good hand-eye coordination… among other things. Being the captain of a ship is difficult. It's not just about the status or rank. A captain has to earn the trust and loyalty of his crew. To be a captain, you have to be able to account for every inch of your ship and crew at any time … and you have to know the oceans. To be good at anything, you have to become one with your surroundings… in this case, the sea. You have to feel the water, the waves … as if it were your heartbeat, your life force. Do you understand?"

"More than you could ever know," Erik replied. "It's the same with music. When you write music, it isn't absolutely necessary to hear it. You have to feel it … _become_ it. A famous composer, Ludwig van Beethoven, was almost completely deaf when he wrote some of the last of his compositions. And they were beautiful. Hearing the music has nothing to do with it. Anyone can _hear_ it. To succeed as a composer, you must become the music you create. You and it are one."

Julianna smiled. "You really do understand," she said. "Not many people can grasp the concept of becoming one with such things as the sea or music. In the end, it's your heart, not your brain that will allow you to succeed."

"So very true," he said. "No book can show you how. The ability can only be found deep within your very soul. Few have succeeded."

"You and I have, my love," she said softly. "You know, I miss the ocean. I don't know why my father had to build his house so far away from it."

"You should return to the sea sometime," he said, lovingly. "It would be good for you. I'd go with you, and you can show me the ocean that has captured your heart."

"I never really thought about going back," she said. "After my fiancé died, after my father died, I told myself I would never go back. But I'd lost everything … I was dead inside. If I'd went back out on the ocean, I surely would have died, because I had no will to live at that time." She took a deep breath. "But I would like to go back… someday. And I would be very pleased if you would come with me."

"Of course, I will," he said. "I'd love to." Anything she loved found a place in his heart as well. Suddenly he realized that they were talking about the future. She said 'someday.' He'd always dreamed that they would be together in the future, but nothing was certain. They hadn't even talked about marriage. Erik's mind screamed as he realized that they might not end up together. What would he do then? Die probably … because he surely couldn't live without her. But would she even want to marry him? She didn't seem like the kind of woman that would settle down and have a family. But he didn't know for sure. Besides, she did say that she liked pretending to be married to him.

"Julianna," he said, voice serious. "This isn't anything formal but…" He paused trying to find the right words. "Would you ever consider marrying me?" he asked softly. "Would you consider being my wife?"

Julianna smiled happily. Erik wanted to marry her. _Why does this feel so much better than when my dead fiancé asked me to marry him?_ she wondered. _Probably because Erik and I have no secrets to hide from each other. We can love each other fully and without restraint._

Erik swallowed hard, trying to wait patiently for her answer, but that was proving to be rather difficult. _What if she says no?_ he asked himself.

Julianna could feel his heartbeat pounding in his chest. Was he really that nervous? "Yes," she said, lovingly. "Yes, I'll marry you Erik. I was wondering if you were going to ask. But don't go formally proposing to me until we get this thing with Christine in order."

Erik smiled. He'd never felt so happy in all of his life. He was the luckiest man in the world, because he was going to marry the most beautiful and amazing woman in the entire world… once they are free of Christine. Erik frowned. "And how are we going to accomplish that?" he asked, kissing Julianna's ear tenderly. He really wanted her mouth, but he couldn't exactly reach it at the moment. But he couldn't resist kissing her somewhere. She wanted to be his wife. _His_ wife.

"I don't know," Julianna said, unable to contain her happiness. The most handsome and incredible man in the world wanted to marry her. _I am not worthy of him_, she thought. _I don't deserve him. But God, I love him so much_. "Kill her?" Julianna suggested.

"I don't think so!" he exclaimed, surprised. Was she truly willing to kill one of her few friends just so she could be with him? _Now that's what I call devotion_, he thought, cheerfully. "You can't kill her. Once you're my wife, I'm not going to allow you to kill anyone else. It's not good for you… and I don't want you to get it trouble. You're certain to get caught one of these days."

"And you're going to stop me, Erik?" she asked, teasingly. "I specifically remember you saying something along the line of … a woman should never have to give up any part of who she is for a man."

"So, you're a murderer then?" he joked, kissing her ear again.

"Um, yeah!" she said. "You haven't realized that by now?"

Erik laughed heartily. Julianna could be so amusing at times. "But seriously," he said. "What are we going to do about Christine?"

Julianna frowned. "I really don't know," she said, darkly. "We have a couple of days to think about it though." She took one hand off of the reins and reached back to rub Erik's leg tenderly. "Don't worry," she said. "We'll think of something." She grinned, and continued to massage his leg. "We're almost home."

* * *

**Well, there's Chapter 26. Tell me what you think. Sorry it took so long to write. I've been so tired because of soccer practice and stuff. Three and a half hours a day of practice. It's a lot of fun, but it's hard work… Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. Please review. : )**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

_"You're so cold; keep your hand in mine _

_Wise men wonder while strong men die_

_If you find your family, don't you cry_

_In this land of make-believe, dead and dry_

_You're so cold, but you feel alive_

_Lay your hands on me one last time"_

_-Breaking Benjamin, "So Cold"_

* * *

Within a few minutes, Erik and Julianna reached the large gate that marked the entrance to her property. Erik hadn't ever seen the huge gate before. The way they arrived at her house before was from the side, not from the road. He silently admired the exotic and ancient, iron gate. It had green and red ivy climbing up the sides, entwining with the metal, and it had two elegant oil lamps, one on each side, that provided a minimal amount of light. It even had the words 'La Vivion' engraved at the top in elaborate Victorian script.

Julianna slipped off of Duke and walked to the gate. She pulled on its tarnished brass handles, and it creaked open slowly. Seeing just the old, run down gate, Erik never would have guessed that it was the gate that led to the most beautiful house in Paris. He wondered why she kept her house looking so nice, yet neglected this once grand entrance gate. Probably to keep strangers away, he decided. Then again, the name La Vivion kept enough people away … at least those that knew of the famous pirate, known for his ruthlessness and brutality.

Julianna motioned for Erik to go ahead and direct the horses through the gate. He kicked Duke gently and proceeded on through … leading Stormy behind. Once he was all the way through, he stopped, allowing Julianna time to close the gate.

Julianna realized that her and Erik couldn't ride up to the house on the same horse… because of William, Elaine, and the children. They had to remain at least slightly civilized in the presence of their guests. She walked over to Stormy and patted his neck nervously. She was still a little frightened of the horse … but if Erik could do it, so could she. She knew her fear of Stormy was unreasonable, and she needed to overcome it. She decided to attempt to ride the horse the rest of the way back to the house.

She looked up at Erik, sitting gracefully atop the majestic white stallion, and was about to ask him to untie Stormy from Duke's saddle, but then she noticed that he was still wearing his hood, and she couldn't help but say something. She patted his thigh gently. "Erik, you can take that hood off," she said. "It's just you and me now."

He smiled and removed his hood. "Not exactly, my love," he said, reaching down to ruffle her hair playfully. "Did you forget about our guests?"

"Of course not," she said, quickly fixing her hair. "I only meant that there's no chance of meeting anyone else past this point." She undid the knot that tied Stormy to Duke's saddle, taking hold of the reins timidly.

Erik looked at her surprised. "Are you going to ride Stormy?" he asked, shocked. "I thought you said you couldn't ever stay on his back for longer than a few seconds…"

"I know, I know," she said. "But I've got to face my fear sooner or later."

"Are you sure?" he asked, worriedly. "I don't want you to get hurt. Your fractured ribs are just starting to heal properly," he added, remembering their little adventure in the forest that day she rescued him from the prison. He still blamed himself for her getting hurt. He should have shot that bastard before he had the chance to injure Julianna.

"Yes, I'm sure, Erik," she said, running her thumb over her still sore ribs. Surprisingly, they were healing faster than she'd expected … even with all the strain she'd been putting on them lately.

She slipped her foot into the stirrup, and gracefully swung her body on top of the horse, holding her breath and expecting the worst. Stormy whinnied and reared up, and Julianna clenched her legs against his sides to keep from falling off. Stormy danced around in circles and bucked wildly trying to rid himself of the woman on his back. But Julianna held on for her dear life, unwilling to fall off.

Then suddenly, he stopped and stood still, calm and docile as ever. Slowly Julianna opened her eyes to see what had caused this change. _I should have known_, she thought, seeing Erik tightly grasping Stormy's bridle. "How do you do that?" she asked, looking at him enviously.

"Do what?" he asked, trying to sound innocent. He didn't want to make her feel bad. He really didn't know how he was able to control Stormy, and he didn't know why the horse didn't like Julianna.

"Control this _animal_," she said, still clinging to Stormy's neck. He whipped his tail at her and snorted.

Erik laughed. "I think he heard you," he said, smiling. Julianna frowned and clenched her jaw. Erik realized that he was starting to get on her nerves. He nervously wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and looked at her apologetically. He didn't want her to be mad at him. "Ah… I'm sorry…" he said.

Julianna immediately forgot her irritation at him, and gazed at him lovingly. He looked at her expectantly, hoping she would forgive him. She caressed his cheek tenderly and then bent down to press her lips softly against his. When they broke apart, he didn't need for her to say that she forgave him. He could see that in her eyes … all the love and forgiveness.

He smiled. "We should hurry," he said. "It's nearly dawn." He frowned. "I'm worried about little Adora…"

"She will be fine," Julianna said, as Erik helped her off of Stormy's back. She quickly climbed up on Duke and Erik got on Stormy. She found it creepy, almost unnatural that Erik could control Stormy so well. Julianna smiled devilishly at Erik. "I'll race you back," she said, Duke prancing around Stormy arrogantly.

Erik grinned. "You're on, Angel," he said, playfully. "You actually think you can outdo _me_?" he asked, returning her devilish smile. "You'll be eating my dust."

"We'll see…" she said, blowing him a quick kiss and giving Duke a sharp kick in the sides. She pulled off to the lead, galloping frantically, but Erik was quick to catch up to her. Julianna looked over at him galloping by her side and winked at him sexily, hoping to catch him off guard. She knew he could possibly beat her, and she wasn't about to let him. He winked back at her playfully, as they continued to race side by side.

They each urged their horse to go faster, but they just couldn't seem to get ahead of the other, no matter how hard they tried. It was uncanny how evenly matched they were. Soon they came to realize that neither was going to win their little competition, but they continued to gallop swiftly up the road, just enjoying the thrill of the race, until they approached the stables.

They slowly pulled their horses to a halt, both breathing hard from the exhilaration of the contest. Erik slid off of Stormy gracefully, and then pulled Julianna off of Duke into his arms. She kissed his neck tenderly, tasting his salty sweat. "That was…" she began, taking in Erik's heavenly scent.

"Invigorating," he said, finishing her sentence for her. She smiled lovingly and he held her tightly. "Tu es tellement belle…" he said softly.

She looked up at him, unable to communicate her love for him in words. Just saying 'I love you' wouldn't even come close to expressing how much she really loved him. "_You_ are so beautiful," she said, kissing him gently.

They quickly unsaddled the horses, brushed them, and turned them loose in a large field to graze. Erik grabbed his cape full of clothes and they headed inside where they found William anxiously waiting at the door for them. "How is she doing?" Julianna asked, worriedly.

"About the same," William said. "Elaine is up there with her now." He looked at Erik and Julianna curiously. "I saw you two coming up the road… Were you _racing_?"

Julianna coughed, trying not to look guilty, and then looked over at Erik. He forced a smile and nodded his head. "We were…" he said, slightly embarrassed. William looked at Julianna, and she nodded her head in confirmation.

William smiled widely. "It's good that you still find time to have fun," he said quietly. "You're very lucky. Elaine doesn't like doing many of the entertaining things that I enjoy. She's a terrific wife, but still … sometimes I miss some of the things I did before we were married."

Julianna and Erik looked at each other knowingly. At that moment, they each made a tacit agreement to never let anything get in the way of all the fun that they had together. They had no intention of ending up like William and Elaine. But Julianna secretly knew that as long as she and Erik were together, nothing could hinder their happiness and love. She realized that they were a new couple and that could change, but she liked to think that it never would. She loved him so much, she didn't see how she could ever not love him.

"Shall I take Adora's medicine up to her then?" Julianna asked, not knowing what else to say.

William nodded, and followed Julianna and Erik up the stairs to the children's bedroom. Elaine jumped in surprise as the three of them entered the room, and then she looked extremely relieved. "You have the medicine?" she asked, anxiously.

Julianna nodded and walked over to Adora, who was still conscious even though it was nearly morning. Julianna felt her still feverish forehead and looked for any sign of changes. A change could mean that the illness had evolved into something else… something completely different. But there were no changes, so Julianna gently sat Adora up so she could take the medicine. She poured the brownish colored liquid into a tablespoon and quickly popped it into Adora's mouth, pinching her nose so she would be sure to swallow the foul-tasting medicine. Julianna hadn't had much experience in treating children, but she was a skilled doctor. She improvised, letting her instincts tell her what to do.

Julianna looked at Elaine and handed her the small bottle of medicine. "Give her another tablespoonful in six hours if her condition hasn't improved. Though I doubt that will be necessary. She should be completely cured by then."

Elaine nodded her head respectfully. "Thank you, Julianna," she said, smiling. "You and Erik should get some sleep. You've been up all night."

"As have you," Julianna said. "Go to bed. Adora will be fine."

Elaine nodded and headed to bed, dragging William behind her. Julianna grabbed Erik as Elaine had William, and dragged him to their room. When they got there, they closed the door behind them and then sat on the edge of the bed together. "Are you tired, Erik?" she asked, putting her arms around his waist.

"No, not really," he said. "Are you?"

"Not really," she replied. "So what do you want to do?" she asked, massaging his thigh, seductively.

"I think you know…" he said, pulling her on top of him and kissing her passionately. She moaned into his mouth, feeling his erection throbbing beneath her. Then she felt the all too common wetness between her legs whenever she was around her sexy Erik.

They broke apart slowly and Julianna gazed at Erik, taking in his every detail … his tall, muscular yet thin body; his black wig combed back so that it looked almost as if it could be his real hair; and the fine, well-made features that form his handsome face. She stared into his beautiful, startlingly vibrant and expressive eyes, which seemed to reveal the soul of this very private man. His eyes gave him a presence so compelling that he was nearly irresistible.

She looked at his mask, not knowing how humanity could be so cruel to someone so amazing. Did they not see the intelligent, sensitive, gentle, understanding… not to mention, handsome man that Erik truly was? Were they so blinded by one slight deformity? She silently made a vow that she was never going to let anyone hurt him ever again. Never.

She tenderly kissed his eager mouth, and he reached up to caress her full breast through the fabric of her shirt. She gently pulled his graceful hands away. "My turn tonight, Erik," she said, stroking his face. She slipped her fingers under the edge of his mask, pulling it from his face, along with his wig.

He looked up at her curiously, searching for any sign of fear or disgust, but he saw none. He never did from her. She pushed him down onto the soft mattress and straddled him between her legs. He moaned as she pushed her hips against his, grinding herself against him. She quickly removed her shirt, exposing her ample breasts to him. He couldn't resist pressing his mouth to her breast, sucking hard on her erect nipple. She gasped in pleasure and reluctantly pushed him away.

"Erik…" she reprimanded, voice husky with need. "Am I going to have to tie you up?"

He grinned at her playfully. "Probably," he said.

She smiled and helped him out of his shirt, tossing it to the floor. "D'accord," she said, kissing his chest. "But just remember… you asked for it." She found some rope and tied his wrists to the bedposts, laughing evilly. She decided she was going to torture and torment him until he begged for her, until he cried for her.

Julianna slowly removed her pants then her panties, and then she climbed back on top of him, completely naked. She pressed her lips to his for a long, slow, and sensuous kiss, while slowly moving her hands up his strong arms. She felt his muscles tighten as he strained against the ropes that kept him from touching her.

She slowly ended their passionate kiss and began pressing light kisses to every inch of his face. She kissed the corner of his mouth, his chin, his jaw line, and then his cheek, his eyelid, and his eyebrow. She felt his chest rising and falling heavily with his urgent need for her. She massaged his well-muscled chest as she continued to kiss his face. Then she moved down to his neck, sucking hard on the delicate flesh. Erik moaned in pleasure, and she kissed up to his ear. "I love you, Erik," she whispered, lips brushing his ear slightly.

"I love _you_, Julianna," he said, voice rough with need. She slid her body down so she could kiss his chest. He gasped as she ran her tongue over his nipple, and then took it into her mouth, nibbling gently. He quivered in pleasure, and pulled harder against the ropes that restrained his arms. His wrists were rubbed raw from tugging at the ropes, but he didn't even notice.

Julianna moved down to the end of the bed and started slowly unlacing his boots. "Damn…" he said, huskily. "Can you _please_ hurry up?"

"Certainly," she said, pulling off his boots and then his pants, freeing his hard length from the confinement of his pants. Then she did something he never would have expected. She took his throbbing erection into her warm, wet mouth. He groaned as she teased him with her tongue. Julianna felt her own throbbing inside, and she drew him into her mouth as far as she could. He cried out in pleasure, and she moved her tongue harder and faster along his length, sucking hard.

He felt the suction and the moist warmth of her mouth moving up and down and he very nearly lost his mind to the pleasure. After a while, she rose and moved her leg over to straddle him. She lowered herself down, guiding his pulsating erection into her own throbbing passage. She moved up and down rhythmically, and he raised his hips to meet her at every stroke.

Then somehow he managed to break the ropes that restricted his arms, and he rolled on top of her, plunging in again and again. She cried out for him, which encouraged him to penetrate her harder and faster, giving in to the intense pleasure.

Soon they came together, shaking and crying out with joyous release. Erik collapsed on top of her exhausted, cheek resting on her soft breast. Eventually he rolled onto the bed beside her, pulling her small form into his arms. "God, don't ever tie me up again…" he said, sleepily. "I hated not being able to touch you."

She smiled. "Don't worry, I won't," she said softly. "I like it when you touch me." She kissed his cheek lovingly. "You did enjoy it though, right?" she asked.

"Yes," he said tenderly. "I enjoyed it."

"Good," she said pulling the sweat-soaked sheets over top of them. "'Night, my love," she said, yawning tiredly.

"Goodnight," he whispered, yawning. And just as the sun was starting to rise, they fell asleep in each other arms, dreaming sweets dreams of love and happiness. Not that they needed to dream it. They already had all the love and happiness they could ever wish for … with each other.

* * *

**Well, there's Chapter 27. I hope you enjoyed it. It took me a long time to write. : ) Anyway, please review. Thanks.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

_"Cause she's bittersweet… she knocks me off my feet _

_And I can't help myself… I don't want anyone else _

_She's a mystery… she's too much for me But I keep coming back for more_

_She's just the girl I'm looking for."_

_-Click Five, "Just the Girl"_

* * *

Julianna slowly opened her eyes, feeling Erik's strong arms draped around her, pulling her against his warm chest. It took her a little while to realize that she was actually awake and not in an incredibly amazing dream. Being with Erik always made her feel like she was in a dream. Everything was always so perfect, so surreal. She found it hard to believe that love as strong as theirs truly existed. But the incredible man that she held in her arms was proof enough that it was genuine. 

She did realize that he wasn't perfect. He had quite a temper… and he could be pretty damn stubborn at times. And of course, there was his deformity … but that never really was an issue for Julianna. Besides, she wasn't looking for a perfect man. That would be much too monotonous and boring for her excitement-filled life.

She wanted someone mysterious, charming, exciting, clever … a man who could always shock her no matter how well she knew him; a man who hardly did what was expected; a man who wasn't afraid to be himself and show his sensitive side; a man who could always knock her off her feet and was never reluctant to tell her how much he loved her.

She smiled to herself and kissed Erik's chest lightly, hoping she wouldn't wake him. It was funny how she had never known exactly what she wanted in a man… until she met a man who was everything she could ever want and more. There weren't even words to express the feelings he awoke in her.

_God, he's so beautiful_, she thought, softly brushing her cheek against his bare chest. He moaned quietly in his sleep, but didn't awaken. Julianna gazed lovingly at his unmasked face, understanding how much pain that one small deformity had caused him.

To many, he was considered a monster, shunned and rejected all his life only because half his face was distorted. But in truth, it was the people that shunned him that were the real monsters. Erik had a heart of pure gold, while their hearts were black and cruel. They are the ones who should truly spend eternity in Hell.

What must it have been like for a boy to see only fear and disgust in the eyes of those who dared look upon his unmasked face? But it was _that_ face that Julianna loved with all her heart… _that_ face that was incredibly beautiful to her. Not even when she first saw Erik, did she think he was ugly. He was stripped of all his pride and glory, broken and waiting for the Angel of Death to take him, to set him free… and yet he still looked as beautiful as ever.

Being a pirate, Julianna didn't much believe in helping the helpless… or helping anyone, for that matter. She was more interesting in helping herself, not others. But she realized that if she had never helped Christine in that bar that night, she never would have met Erik.

She would have spent the rest of her life in isolation, consumed by her cynical thoughts, until her dying day arrived. And then she would have died alone, not having known the joys of true love… not having known Erik. Now she couldn't even imagine how harsh and merciless life would be without him. What if she'd never met him? Then she'd still be the empty, soulless creature that she was before. And she'd be alone.

She looked at the soft expression on his face as he slept, and felt such an intense, warm rush of feeling for this caring, sensitive man. She was embarrassed to think that she'd been feeling sorry for herself only moments before. She wasn't alone anymore. She had Erik. She loved the sound of his name, and her thoughts filled with him and her feeling for him. She loved him more than she ever thought it was possible to love anyone.

Julianna looked out the window, suddenly becoming aware of just how late it was getting. From the position of the sun, high in the cloudless sky, she guessed that it was nearly noon. She knew she needed to get up. She had guests who were probably waiting for their breakfast… well, lunch by now.

This was one of those times when she wished that she had a hired cook and a couple of maids. Ever since Erik had arrived, her time had been spent in other, much more pleasurable ways than her usual cleaning. She realized that since she was going to marry Erik, she was definitely going to have to employ some help.

Even though she was extremely tired… not to mention, comfortable in Erik's warm embrace, she decided to get up and make brunch for her guests. _I could even bring Erik breakfast in bed_, she thought. _He should like that._

Julianna took one last glance at her beautiful, sleeping Erik, and then slowly pried herself from his strong arms, being careful not to wake him up. To her relief, he didn't stir… he just snored softly, still in a deep sleep. _He must be tired,_ she thought. _Especially after last night. Oh Erik,_ she thought, remembering the previous night. _You are so amazing… my very own sex god. All mine…_

She quickly slipped on a pair of pants and a shirt and headed downstairs, practically skipping in all her happiness and delight. Suddenly, Elaine popped out in front of her, and Julianna almost ran into her, eyes wide as saucers. "Morning, Julianna," Elaine said, slyly. "You're in an awfully good mood…"

Julianna cheeks reddened slightly. "Yeah… well, um…" she stammered, not being able to think of a suitable excuse.

Elaine smiled, mischievously. "Don't worry," she said. "I think I already know why…"

"Wha-?" Julianna started. "You do?" _How could Elaine know?_ she wondered. _She must be thinking of something else. She has to be, right? How could she know about the nocturnal activities of Erik and I?_

Elaine winked at her, and Julianna realized that Elaine did indeed know. Was she just guessing or did she actually see or hear something that was evidence? _Oh God_, Julianna thought, blushing further with embarrassment. _I hope not_.

"We heard you and Erik last night," Elaine said quietly, answering Julianna unasked question. "It was kind of hard to ignore." It was Elaine's turn to blush. She didn't usually talk openly about the sexual relationship of other people, nor her own. But how could she disregard Erik and Julianna's moans and cries of pleasure she'd overheard last night? Elaine herself had never had sex that was _that_ passionate before… and she doubted that she ever would.

_Ha, I bet she's incredibly jealous_, Julianna thought, smiling slyly. She finally found the courage to look straight into Elaine's eyes, and she found that it was true. Elaine was envious of the pleasure that Erik could give Julianna, and Julianna silently wondered if William was not so good in bed.

"Sorry about that," Julianna said, not longer embarrassed. "We're not used to having other people in the house."

"Well, you won't have to worry about that for much longer," Elaine said. "Adora is much better this morning; her fever is completely gone. William said that we should be leaving soon. Our servant and driver should arrive with our new carriage no later than this evening."

Julianna nodded, secretly relieved that they would be leaving soon. She much preferred the seclusion of being alone. Except now she wouldn't be completely alone. She had Erik to cure her loneliness, and she could cure his as well.

Even though she was glad her guests were leaving, she felt obligated to invite them to stay longer if they needed. It was the polite thing to do. To them, she wasn't a pirate; she was a noblewoman… the Lady La Vivion. "You're welcome to stay as long as you'd like," Julianna said, courteously.

"No, thank you," Elaine said. "We really need to be getting on to Paris."

"Well, in that case," Julianna said, "there's something I feel like I need to tell you… if you promise to keep it a secret."

"Of course, I will," Elaine said. "There's something I need to tell you, too… actually, a favor to ask of you."

"Alright," Julianna said, wondering what Elaine was possibly going to ask of her. "You go first then."

"Well," Elaine started. "I've noticed that you have no servants… but I think you could use a couple, if you want. I have a sister and a friend in Paris... both in desperate need of work and a place to stay. They're both completely trustworthy and diligent workers. And my sister is an excellent cook. Do you think maybe you could hire them to work here for you and Lord Erik?"

Julianna smiled widely, eyes lighting up. She wondered how she could be so lucky. Only minutes before, she had been thinking about where she was going to find some hired help. "Of course," Julianna said, relieved that she had one less problem to worry about. "We could definitely use the help. When can they start?"

Elaine smiled in relief. "Oh, thank you, Julianna," she said. "I'll send them right away once we get to Paris." Elaine looked at Julianna expectantly. "Now that that's settled, what did you want to tell me?"

"You should probably sit down for this," Julianna said, leading Elaine into the main living room. They both sat down on the sofa, and Elaine looked up at Julianna eagerly.

"D'accord," Julianna said, desperately trying to calm her nerves. "Erik and I…" she began. "We aren't married." She paused, looking for Elaine's reaction to her confession. She knew she had to tell Elaine everything… well, _almost_ everything. She just couldn't live with her conscience. There was just something about Erik that made her want to be a better person.

Elaine just urged her to continue, seemingly unfazed by her words. "This house belongs to me," Julianna continued. "Erik is here because of a favor I did for a friend. I helped him escape from a prison. That's why he's staying here with me. He can't go back to Paris yet. He would be in a lot of danger. He hasn't even been here for a full week." She purposely left out the bit of the story that involved Christine. That would only make everything more confusing for Elaine.

"And you were pretending to be married so we wouldn't be suspicious?" Elaine asked.

"Yes," Julianna said, looking at the floor. "Pretending…"

"Oh my God!" Elaine exclaimed, excitedly. "That's so exciting!" She paused. "Wait… you said Erik was in _prison_? He doesn't seem like a criminal to me."

Julianna was shocked that Elaine wasn't mad at her for lying or scared that she was in a house with two felons. Elaine thought it was _exciting_. Of all things, _exciting_ was not one of the things Julianna would have guessed for Elaine. This poor woman must have a dreadfully dull life. "He's not a criminal," Julianna said, trying to think of something rational to back up her statement. "He was an innocent man, and he was going to be hung."

"You love him," Elaine said, suddenly.

Julianna wasn't expecting Elaine to say anything even close to that, and she wasn't prepared for it. She was completely dumbfounded, and she realized she would have to tell the truth. If she lied, Elaine would surely be able to distinguish it. "Yes, I love him," Julianna said, tenderly.

"And he loves you," Elaine said, firmly. "As I said before, it's easy to see."

Julianna smiled. "I just have one question for you," she said, having a sudden thought. "How did you know that we weren't just acting?"

Elaine returned the smile. "You of all people should know… it's impossible to fake true love," she said. "It's like… when the two of you are together, you radiate so much love… pure, strong love. It's hard to overlook. I'm jealous of your love. It's so powerful. William and I love each other very much, but it doesn't even come close to the love that you and Erik share. Love that strong is dangerous… don't ever let him hurt you."

A tear trickled from the corner of Julianna's eye. "He would never…" she said, voice cracking.

"No, I wouldn't think so," Elaine said quietly. "You two really should get married, you know. I'd hate to see you without each other."

"He asked me to marry him," Julianna said, happily.

Elaine's eyes opened wide. "What did you say?" she asked, eagerly.

"I said yes," Julianna said.

Elaine squealed in delight and gave Julianna a friendly hug. "I'm so happy for you," she said, smiling widely.

"Thank you," Julianna said, returning the smile. She felt so relieved because she'd finally told Elaine everything she needed to know. She expected Elaine to be angry with her for being dishonest, but she wasn't. Elaine remained her friend, loyal and trustworthy. She actually understood the reason that Julianna lied.

"I would ask you to be my Maid of Honor," Julianna said. "I always wanted a big, fancy wedding … but that can't possibly happen now. It would be too dangerous for Erik. Besides, there really isn't anyone else to invite. I have no family living and neither does he, and we don't have many friends."

Elaine frowned. How could these two amazing people not have any family and few friends? _They must have been very lonely_, she thought, _before they found each other_. "It's probably best that you don't have a big wedding," Elaine said. "You don't want to draw too much attention to yourselves."

"You're right," Julianna said. "I suppose we'll just find a priest to come here and perform the ceremony. Your sister and friend will have to be our witnesses."

"I wish I could be there," Elaine said. "I guess I'll just have to send my gift with Danielle… my sister."

"You don't have to give us a gift, Elaine," Julianna said. "As you can see, we already have more than enough."

"That may be true," Elaine said, firmly. "But I'm your friend, and I'm getting you a gift, whether you want one or not."

Julianna grinned at Elaine's assertiveness and grabbed her arm gently. "Come on," she said, lightheartedly. "Let's go make something for lunch."

With that, they went to the kitchen and prepared a quick, light meal which consisted of les croissants et les tartes aux pommes. It wasn't the greatest meal ever, but it was easy to prepare. Besides, none of them were all that hungry anyway.

Julianna fixed a plate for Erik, filled up with croissants and apple tarts. She doubted he would eat them all. He was so thin, she didn't see how he could, but she wanted him to have as much as he wanted. Then she poured a cup of tea to take up to him, as well. "Elaine, I'm taking these up to Erik," she said. "You all can go ahead and eat."

Elaine nodded, and Julianna headed up the stairs to her room. When she got there, she found Erik still sleeping as soundly as ever. She set the plate and cup on the nightstand and layed down on the bed next to him, propping herself up with her elbow.

She gently caressed his cheek with the back of her hand. "Wake up, Erik…" she whispered, gently kissing the corner of his mouth. He stirred slightly but didn't wake up.

Julianna shook her head and smiled at him. He moaned softly in his sleep as she stroked his chest tenderly. She brushed her lips against his ear, whispering his name, and breathing her warm breath into his ear.

His eyes slowly fluttered open, and she was rewarded with a loving smile. She gazed into his impossibly blue eyes, and couldn't resist pressing her lips to his for a soft kiss. "It's about time you woke up," she said, kissing his jaw line. "I brought you breakfast."

She helped him sit up, and then she handed him the plate full of croissants and tarts. "Mmmm…" he said, appreciatively accepting the plate. "You spoil me, my love," he said, taking a bite out of one of the croissants.

She laughed softly. "I can spoil you more, hmm?" she said, getting behind him and rubbing his back as he ate. He moaned as her skillful hands massaged all the tension from his bare back and shoulders. He smiled in delight. He couldn't ever remember feeling so good.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Erik jumped in surprise, but then settled back down as Julianna continued to massage his tired muscles. "Come in," Julianna said, quickly making sure that Erik was covered.

The door opened quickly, and Elaine walked in. Erik's cheeks reddened in embarrassment, and Julianna grinned. She'd never seen Erik blush before. It was actually quite adorable.

"I just wanted to let you know," Elaine said, eyeing Erik's only half-covered body. "Our carriage has arrived. We will be leaving soon."

Julianna's eyes opened wide. "We'll be right down."

* * *

**Well, there's Chapter 28. I'm so sorry I took so long to get it written and posted. Anyway, I hope you liked it. Please review.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

_"Oh, beautiful maiden... Oh, how sweet your face looks,_

_It's beauty softly kissed by the gentle moonlight._

_In you sweet maiden, I see the dreams of love_

_I have dreamt about forever._

_Ah! Love, you alone guide us!"_

_-Rodolfo and Mimi, "Ah! tu sol comandi, amour! (La Boheme, Act I)_

* * *

Erik quickly slipped on his clothes and headed downstairs with Julianna. He too was relieved that their untimely guests were finally leaving. Not that he wouldn't miss them, especially the children. He wasn't afraid to admit that he had enjoyed their company, if only for a little while. These people actually treated him like a man; they treated him with respect... even kindness, despite the fact that he was different, he was deformed.

Perhaps it was only because of his fake title, _Lord_ Erik La Vivion. He knew well that power demanded respect. Even as the Phantom of the Opera, he'd had the people's respect, if only a result of their fear of him. Noblemen, on the other hand, only had to use their money to gain power. But not even money could fully buy the respect of the people, only those naive enough to believe their deception.

Yet, somehow _Lord_ Erik had achieved both power and respect with much less effort than the Phantom, and without the sinful acts he was forced to commit. Erik looked at Julianna and held her hand lovingly, as they descended the stairs. _But then again,_ he thought, _it could all be because of this amazing woman that chooses to stand by my side through the good times and the bad._

Julianna smiled at him and gave him a quick hug before they reached the bottom of the stairs. She knew he was relieved that William and Elaine were finally leaving, but she also knew that he would greatly miss the two children. It was easy to see that in the short time they'd had together, they'd become very attached.

She felt a warm, tingly feeling in her heart, knowing that Erik would make an amazing father someday. And if things went as she hoped, he would be the father of _her_ children. Suddenly, she realized that she could already be carrying his child. She smiled at the thought, secretly hoping but knowing only time could tell for sure.

As Julianna and Erik stepped into the entrance hall, they found William, Elaine, and the two children, dressed in their traveling clothes and waiting to say goodbye. Elaine ran to Julianna with tears in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much, Julianna," she said, giving Julianna a violent hug. "You'll write to me, won't you?"

Julianna returned the hug, much more gently, of course. "I'm going to miss you too, Elaine," she said. "Of course, I'll write to you. You'll have to send me your address first though."

"I will," Elaine said. "I promise." She gave one final embrace to Julianna, and then she turned to Erik. "I'm going to miss you, as well, Erik," she said, giving him a quick kiss on the unmasked side of his face.

Erik's visible cheek reddened slightly, and he look over at William, with a surprised look on his face. William gave Elaine a stern - yet, somehow tender - look, knowing his wife was only trying to be friendly. Then Erik looked at Julianna, who looked like she was trying her hardest not to burst out laughing. Finally, he brought his eyes back to Elaine, who just smiled at him.

Erik smiled back, patting Elaine's arm cautiously. "I'll miss you, too, Elaine," he said, no longer embarassed. He just wasn't used to other women showing that kind of affection to him. No one really had except for Julianna... and Christine. But Christine had only kissed him to save Raoul's life, he reminded himself.

Then, Elaine allowed the children to say goodbye. Lewis and Adora immediately ran to Erik, both giving him affectionate hugs. It seemed amazing to Julianna how much those children adored Erik. _Of course, who wouldn't adore Erik?_ she thought. _He's absolutely incredible_. Then to Julianna's utter surprise, the children offered hugs to her as well. She wasn't expecting them to show her the same adoration they had for Erik. She'd hardly had the chance to play with them at all. She returned the embrace happily, and for the first time in her life, she truly wanted children of her own.

As the children returned to their mother's side, William approached Julianna, giving her a kiss on the cheek and Erik a friendly pat on the back. "Thank you both for everything," he said. "We couldn't have made it without you." He looked at Julianna. "And thank you, Julianna, for helping Adora when she was sick. If either of you ever need anything, all you have to do is send for us..."

Julianna smiled her appriciation. "Thank you," she said.

William smiled and then looked at Erik. "I've really enjoyed your company, Erik," he said. Suddenly, his eyes open wide, and he looked at Erik's wrists. "What happened?" he asked, seeing the raw marks where Erik had been tied up the previous night.

Erik quickly glanced at his wrists, surprised to find that there were indeed marks left from the ropes. He hadn't even realized. "I... don't know," he mumbled, looking a little flustered.

William smiled a little, giving Erik a knowing look. Elaine hadn't been the only one that heard what went on between Julianna and Erik that night. He vividly remembered all the naughty things his own dear wife used to do to him before they had children. "You're a very lucky man..." William said, in a low voice so that the others couldn't hear. "I do hope we meet again, Erik," he said, shaking Erik's hand.

Erik nodded his head, smiling. He just couldn't get over the first thing William said. _I am lucky_, Erik thought. _More than that, in fact. I'm truly blessed_. He looked over at Julianna, who was giving Elaine one last hug. _What more could I possibly want? _he asked himself.

With that, William, Elaine, Lewis, and Adora headed outside to their new carriage, anxious to be finally going home. Erik put his arms around Julianna's waist, and they stood in the doorway and watched as their guests disappeared into the distance. Julianna leaned her head back on Erik's shoulder, and he let out a little breath of pleasure, kissing the top of her head gently.

"I think I'm actually going to miss them," Julianna said, turning around to face her beautiful Erik.

He smiled lovingly. "I'll miss them too," he said. "But I am glad that we can finally be alone together."

Julianna smiled and gently picked up his hands, carefully examining his wrists. "I really am sorry about this," she said, kissing each of his wrists tenderly. "Does it hurt much?" she asked.

"A little," he said, grinning. "But it was worth it."

"Oh, Erik," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling herself against him. He closed his eyes and held her delicately. She brought her lips to his ear, nibbling gently on his earlobe. "There's something I need to show you, Erik," she whispered, affectionately caressing his cheek.

"Show me?" he asked, confused.

"Yes," she whispered. "Come with me." So, he obediently followed her up the stairs and down the hall... to the music room. He gave her another confused look and opened his mouth to say something, but she just pressed her finger to his lips gently. "Do you trust me?" she asked, tenderly.

"I trust you," he said, giving her a look of complete trust.

She smiled and took his hand, leading him to a chair she'd placed beside her organ. She motioned for him to sit, and he willingly complied. "Close your eyes," she said softly, as she sat down at the organ.

She looked over at him, and he had his eyes closed obediently. Then she put her hand into her pocket and pulled out the neatly folded sheets of paper she'd taken from the depths of Erik's old home. She slowly unfolded them, running her fingers over the black ink at the top of the first page. _Don Juan Triumphant_ it read in Erik's exquisite handwriting.

She propped up the music sheets on the organ, and silently wondered if she was skilled enough to play Erik's intricate composition. She ran her hands over the beautiful, ivory keys of the organ and ganced back at Erik, eyes still closed and face holding a look of nervous anticipation. She smiled and expertly began to play the first few lines of the opera.

Erik gasped but kept his eyes shut tightly, not quite sure he was hearing what he thought he was. _How could she possibly know that?_ he wondered. After a few seconds though, he knew it could only be true... it was _his_ song she was playing.

He opened his eyes in shocked surprise, mouth suddenly very dry. "Where did you get this?" he demanded, almost angrily, as he spied the sheets of music at the organ. The second he asked the question, he knew exactly what the answer was. He knew she'd taken _something_ from his old home. He just didn't know what... until now.

"Under the Opera Populaire," she said gently. "I wanted to surprise you with it."

His angry demeanor instantly vanished. He smiled, relieved that his greatest work hadn't been destroyed. "I can't believe it didn't burn," he said, excitedly. "I worked on this for so many years..."

"Erik..." she whispered, softly. She didn't know how to ask what she wanted without it sounding strange. She loved Erik so much, and her heart was warm, knowing that he loved her as well. "Will you be _my_ Don Juan?" she asked, timidly.

"What?" he whispered, voice so low that it was almost inaudible. His mind was spinning. Be _her_ Don Juan? God, he would be her anything. But did she mean for him to be Don Juan for her instead of Christine? Oh God, was she jealous? Then one thought came to his mind clearly. Did she wan't him to sing?

"Sing it with me," she said, confirming his thoughts. "I've never had the pleasure of hearing you sing, Erik." She sighed, afraid to look at his face. "I know my voice doesn't even compare to Christine's but... please."

"You have a beautiful voice, my love," he said, tenderly. "Of course, I'll sing it with you. I'd do anything for you."

Julianna smiled and looked up at him, surprised to find his eyes sparkling with love. They both took a deep breath, and she began playing again from where she left off. In a few short moments, Erik began singing.

_"You have come here_

_in pursuit of _

_your deepest urge,_

_in pursuit of_

_that wish,_

_which til now_

_has been silent,_

_silent..."_

Julianna gasped but continued to play. His voice really was as amazing as Christine had told her. It was truly beautiful. There weren't even words to describe it. He sang with such depth, such feeling. This beautiful creature, this incredible man sang like an angel. It's no wonder Christine thought him to be one. If Julianna didn't have physical proof that he was only a man, she too would have thought he was an angel.

_"I have brought you_

_that our passions_

_may fuse and merge-_

_in your mind_

_you've already_

_succumbed to me_

_dropped all defenses_

_completely succumbed to me-_

_now you are here with me_

_no second thoughts,_

_you've decided,_

_decided..._

_"Past the point_

_of no return-_

_no backward glances_

_the games we've played_

_til now are at_

_an end..._

_Past all thought_

_of "if" or "when"-_

_no use resisting_

_abandon thought,_

_and let the dream_

_descend..._

_"What raging fire_

_shall flood the soul?_

_What rich desire_

_unlocks it's door?_

_What sweet seduction_

_lies before_

_us...?"_

Julianna shivered at his beautiful voice, much less the seductive words of the song. So this is how he would seduce Christine, Julianna decided, feeling her own intense desire growing stronger with every word he sang. She knew that she was at his mercy, and she could only give in to him. His voice is a powerful, even dangerous weapon. So beautiful...

_"Past the point_

_of no return,_

_the final threshold-_

_what warm,_

_unspoken secrets_

_will we learn?_

_Beyond the point_

_of no return..."_

Julianna swallowed hard, knowing that now it was her turn to sing. She only hoped her pitiful impersonation of an opera singer would be good enough to please Erik. She looked at him, and then slowly began to sing the part of Aminta.

_"You have brought me_

_to that moment_

_where words run dry,_

_to that moment_

_where speech_

_disappears_

_into silence,_

_silence..."_

She glanced at Erik, who nodded his head in approval, smiling widely. _With a little training, she could become an excellent singer of opera_, he thought. _She does have a beautiful voice._

_"I have come here_

_hardly knowing_

_the reason why..._

_In my mind,_

_I've already_

_imagined our_

_bodies entwining_

_defenseless and silent-_

_and now I am_

_here with you_

_no second thoughts_

_I've decided,_

_decided..._

_"Past the point_

_of no return_

_no going back now_

_our passion-play_

_has now, at last_

_begun..._

_Past all thought_

_of right or wrong-_

_one final question:_

_how long should we_

_two wait, before_

_we're one...?"_

Erik took a deep breath and swallowed hard, trying to ignore his now throbbing erection. Not even Christine's singing could have made him feel so much. Erik could hear Julianna's own desire in her voice, and that made him want her even more.

_"When will the blood_

_begin to race?_

_The sleeping bud_

_burst into bloom?_

_When will the flames,_

_at last, consume_

_us...?"_

Erik took another deep breath, and then began to sing with her.

_"Past the point_

_of no return_

_the final threshold-_

_the bridge_

_is crossed, so stand_

_and watch it burn..._

_We've passed the point_

_of no return..."_

As the song ended, Erik got up from his chair and sat down beside Julianna on the bench. Though they were barely touching, they both felt a burning fire of passion, threatening to explode. Erik tenderly took her hand in his own and began to sing once again... this time, without the accompanyment of the organ.

_"Say you'll share_

_with me one_

_love, one lifetime..._

_Lead me, save me_

_from my solitude..._

_Say you want me_

_with you, here-"_

Julianna pressed her finger to his lips to silence him, and then she replaced her finger with her own lips, kissing him passionately. When they broke apart, she gently caressed his cheek, then slowly pulled off his mask, flinging it to the floor. "Erik, you do not have to _beg_ for me..." she said, tenderly. "Not like you had to for _her_..." Julianna kissed the corner of his mouth, causing him to shiver. "You know I want you. You know I love you... and I hope you know that I always will."

He sighed. "I wanted so badly for her to love me, to want me," he said quietly. "I wanted her to feel the same way I felt about her. But I suppose her leaving me that dreadful night was just God's way of letting me find you. It hurt so much," he said, caressing Julianna cheek gently. "But it was all worth it. I would gladly do it again, just to be with you forever."

"My beautiful Erik..." Julianna breathed, kissing him again. "She doesn't deserve a man as amazing as you..." She sighed. "And neither do I."

Erik shook his head in disbelief. "You know, I'm really not all that you say I am," he said. "I'm most certainly not _beautiful_..."

"You are to me," she said, pulling him into her arms. "Other people may not agree, but to hell with them. Do you honestly care what they think? They are beneath you..."

"As long as you are here with me, I don't have to care what they think," he said. "Because I don't even know they're there. All I see is you. Promise me you'll never leave me."

"I promise," she said, gently massaging his back. "I could never leave you, Erik. I love you."

"I love you," he said, kissing her cheek tenderly. _How ever did I find such an amazing woman? _he asked himself. _William was right... I am a very lucky man. I don't know what I would do without this beautiful woman here beside me._

Julianna smiled and kissed his neck. "Thank you for singing with me," she whispered. "You have a beautiful voice. You know, the whole time you were singing, I wanted you so bad." She sucked gently on the tender flesh of his neck. "I still do..."

* * *

**Well, there's Chapter 29. I'm so sorry it took so long. Our old computer broke. It got struck by lightning or something. That's just my luck. Anyway, now I'm using this crappy old computer until we get a new one built for us. This thing doesn't even have Microsoft Word, so I'm sorry if there's any spelling/grammar mistakes. We should have our new computer in a couple of weeks though, so I'm happy about that. I hope you enjoyed that chapter. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW: )**


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

_"Heaven ablaze in our eyes; we're standing still in time_

_The blood on our hands is the wine, we offer as sacrifice_

_This endless mercy mile, we're crawling side by side_

_With hell freezing over in our eyes, gods kneel before our crime_

_Come on, let's show them your love_

_Rip out the wings of a butterfly for your soul, my love."_

_-HIM, "Wings of a Butterfly"_

* * *

Erik grinned at Julianna, mischieviously. "Well, who am I to deny you what you truly want?" he said, softly pressing his lips against hers. Julianna closed her eyes in pleasure, sliding her hand up behind his neck and pulling him against her. He realized her intentions immediately and began to kiss her harder, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. He was rewarded as she moaned softly into their kiss. Erik slowly pulled apart from her, cupping her face in his gentle hands. "Shall we go somewhere a bit more comfortable?" he asked softly, kissing her cheek.

"Okay," she said, playfully kissing his ear. "There's a bedroom across the hall that I believe is unoccupied," she grinned.

He smiled. "That will do," he whispered, tenderly caressing her cheek. He quickly slipped one arm behind her back and the other under her thighs, picking her up effortlessly.

Julianna gasped in surprise and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. She wasn't expecting him to try to carry her, but God, he was being so gentle. Treating her as if she were fine china. Most men wouldn't even bother. She loved how Erik always knew when she wanted him to be gentle or when she wanted him to be rough with her. Somehow he always seemed to know, and she showed her appriciation by pressing a tender kiss to his exposed neck. He let out a little breath of pleasure and began carrying her to the vacant bedroom. Julianna buried her face in his neck, inhaling his exquisite, unique scent.

Erik pushed open the door with his back, finding the room completely dark. The only thing he could make out was the vague outline of the bed, so he headed in that general direction. He gently placed Julianna on the dark-colored satin sheets and then layed down beside her, kissing her again.

Erik kissed the corner of her mouth, as it turned up in the hint of a smile. He smiled back at this amazing, beautiful woman, and then he kissed her mouth again, opening his and seeking entry with his tongue. Julianna opened her mouth, allowing him to gently explore with his tongue, then accepting hers.

He sat up and pulled off his shirt, then helped her with hers. Easing her back down, he took a firm nipple into his mouth, and suckled gently. She gasped as a shock of excitement coursed through her, feeling a warm, wet tingling between her legs.

Erik nuzzled and nibbled lightly, until she pushed toward him, then sucked in earnest. She moaned with pleasure, and he reached for her other breast, caressing its full roundness. After a few moments, he let go of her breast, and began kissing her neck and throat. Julianna shivered in delight and rolled on top of him, crushing her hips against him, pinning him to the bed. She could feel his violently throbbing erection straining against his pants, and she moved her hips against his a couple more times. He moaned loudly, feeling his control slipping away by the second.

Julianna bent down and kissed his chest and then his nipple, causing him to shiver with pleasure. Then she flicked her tongue over his nipple, taking it into her mouth and sucking hard. He moaned loudly again and rolled back on top of her, kissing her mouth, then running his warm tongue slowly over her chin, down the middle of her throat, between her breasts, and down to her navel. He pulled off her pants and panties, then continued downward with his tongue until he felt soft hair. Then his tongue found the top of her warm slit, and she cried out in pleasure when he reached a small, hard bump. When he stopped, she gave a small cry of dismay. "Erik... please..." she begged, grabbing handfulls of his pants, trying desperately to remove them.

Erik gently removed her hands, and then pulled off his pants, freeing his striving erection. Julianna sat up and took it in her hand, stoking gently. She bent down to take him into her mouth, but he put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. She looked up at him, confused, and he tenderly caressed her cheek. "Let me give _you_ pleasure," he managed, voice husky with need.

Julianna couldn't bring herself to argue, being almost completely out of her mind with need for him. She just nodded her head, and he pushed her back down on the bed, kissing her mouth and neck greedily, giving her chills of pleasure. He cupped her breasts, hungrily moving from one sensitive nipple to the other. Then his tongue found her navel again, and he circled it with an ever-increasing spiral, until he once again reached the soft hair of her mound.

He moved over between her thighs, spreading them, and then he spread her folds back with his hands and savored a long, slow taste. She moaned, as he explored tenderly, teasing her with his tongue, and his amazing hands, reaching inside.

She began to move against him, crying out and tossing her head. He found the hard bump and began to work it, while her breath came fast, his own throbbing manhood eager for her. Then she cried out, and he felt a wetness, as she reached for him.

"Erik...ahhh...Erik!" she cried. She was beyond herself, beyond any knowing except for him. She needed him, need to feel his fullness inside of her. Then he was on top of her and she was helping, guiding him into her warm depths. He felt an inexpressible surge of pleasure, pulled out a little, then plunged in again deep, and she embraced all of him.

He pulled out, and then pushed in again, and again, and again. He wanted to draw it out, make it last. He wanted it to never end and yet he couldn't wait for it. With each powerful push, he felt closer. Sweat glistened on their bodies as the matched their timing. Breathing hard, they strained to meet at each stroke, and then, almost unexpectedly, the intensity peaked, and in a burst beyond them both, they reached the crest, coming hard together. They held on to each other for a moment, and then Erik collapsed on top of Julianna, exhausted.

Eventually, Erik rolled onto the bed beside of her, and she snuggled into his warmth. He stroked her hair tenderly. "Do you want to sleep for awhile?" he asked softly.

"Yes," she whispered gently, wrapping her arms around him. Suddenly she remembered that it was the middle of the day, and she had a sudden urge to get up. But that urge passed quickly. She had no reason not to sleep all day anymore. Their guests were gone, and she could finally be alone with Erik.

Erik smiled and pulled the covers up over their shoulders. Then he put his arms around her, resting his cheek on her forehead. It didn't take long for the two of them to fall into a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Julianna awoke and slowly opened her eyes, surprised to find that Erik's warm body was no longer there beside of her. She sat up and looked around the room, which was still fairly dark, having no windows. The first thing she noticed was a single candle lit on the nightstand, dimly glowing in the darkness. Suddenly her eyes opened wide in shock as she spied at least a dozen beautiful, red roses, resting by the candle, bathed in its luminous light.

"Erik..." she whispered to herself, carefully picking up one of the roses, and bringing it to her nose, inhaling the sweet floral aroma. "Mmm..." she said. _Erik must have remembered that roses are my favorite flower_, she thought, running her finger gently over the flower's crimson petals.

Then suddenly, she heard the soft notes of an organ, forming a beautiful and mysterious romantic melody. She closed her eyes at the effect his music had on her. She was mesmerized, drawn to it, like a moth to a flame. This was the first time she'd heard him play. And to her knowledge, it was the first time he'd played since his last few days at the Opera Populaire.

She quickly got up, threw on her clothes, and tiptoed across the hall to the music room. She peeked in the door, and sure enough, he was seated at the organ, creating the most beautiful music she had ever heard. She was enchanted by his incredible skill as a musician, and she couldn't stop her feet from taking her closer.

Even though his back was turned, she sensed that he knew she was there. But just to make sure, she rested her hand gently on his shoulder. He immediately ceased his playing, but didn't turn around to face her.

Julianna bent down and kissed the back of his neck tenderly, and then put her arms around him, hugging him from behind. "I see you're playing again," she inquired softly.

Erik slowly turned around to face her, eyes overflowing with love and devotion. "I have reason to now, my love," he said, softly kissing her lips.

"What reason?" Julianna asked, tenderly stroking the side of his face.

"I thought all of my music had been destroyed," he said. "The same night my heart was destroyed, and that left me with no desire to play. Only a reminder of the pain." He smiled. "But ever since you showed me that Don Juan hadn't burned, I've been craving to play again. What did you think of that last piece I was playing?" he asked, excitedly.

"Absolutely beautiful," she said, kissing his cheek again. "Just like you..." she whispered.

"You're amazing..." he said, lifting her onto his lap. _There she goes calling me beautiful again_, he thought. _That is one thing I'm never going to get tired of._

"By the way, Erik, thanks for the roses," she said, kissing his forehead. "They are very beautiful."

He smiled, overjoyed that she was pleased with his small gift. Of course, it was nothing compared to everything she'd done for him, but nevertheless, he was pleased that she liked the beautiful, fragrant roses. He gently kissed her neck. "I love you so much, Julianna," he whispered softly.

Julianna wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her chest. "I love you, too, Erik," she said, smiling. After a few minutes of silence, she suddenly stood up, certain that she was crushing his leg. Besides she was too happy to sit still for any length of time. "Are you hungry?" she asked, remembering that it had been quite a while since either of them had eaten much of anything.

"A little," he replied.

"Well, come on then," she said, pulling him to his feet. "I'll make you something." With that, the two of them headed back downstairs toward the kitchen. When they got there, Julianna looked at him lovingly. "Erik, what is your absolute favorite food?" she asked. "I'll bet I have it."

He pondered her question for a moment and then replied, "Je ne said pas. I don't have a favorite food."

Julianna caressed his cheek gently. "Everyone had a favorite food," she said tenderly. She looked up at his face, finding it expressionless.

"I've never had much of anything," he said, quietly. "Especially food. Even my own mother," he spat, "would only give me what was necessary to survive."

Julianna stood there in shock. His own mother wouldn't even feed him. Julianna clenched her jaw in anger. It she ever had the chance to meet Erik's no good, unfeeling mother, she wouldn't hesitate to slap some sense into her. _How much pain and suffering did she put Erik through_, Julianna wondered, _before he had the sense to leave?_ She wanted to know more... know everything about his life, but she knew very well not to ask him now. He was already angry enough. She could almost feel the hate and madness pulsing through his veins.

She immediately pulled him into her arms, and instantly felt his rigid muscles relax a little. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "Believe it or not, I do know how you feel."

He pulled away from her warm embrace. "I don't think you do," he said angrily. "Unlike you, I wasn't born perfect. So tell me," he said, raising his voice almost to the point of yelling. "Tell me how you and your pretty little face could possibly know what it feels like to be a monster!"

"Erik, I'm not perfect," Julianna said, calmly. "Far from it, in fact. And you are _not_ a monster. You are a beautiful, amazing man."

"How can you deny what so clearly it the truth?" he growled, ripping the mask from his face and hurling it across the room.

"It's not," Julianna said, taking a step closer to him. She glared at him, but couldn't hide the concern she felt. "Erik you are not the only child that has ever been abused." She took another step closer. "Do you think _I_ was never abused?" she said, forcefully. "I lived with pirates, for god's sakes! Do you think I was never beaten because I was a girl and I couldn't do the work the men required of me? As much as my father tried to protect me, he couldn't always be there to stop them from beating me until I was covered in bruises... or worse." Julianna stepped closer to Erik, until they were close enough to be almost touching. "My father never knew that they raped me, had their way with me. It wasn't until I was older that they began to respect me... fear me, even though I was only a girl. That's when I first killed a man." Julianna sighed and put her hand on his cheek, his stern expression softening. "You are not the only one who has been scarred."

Erik looked at her with pleading eyes. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, hoarsely. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. It was wrong of me." A tear slid down his cheek, and Julianna quickly wiped it away. "I don't deserve your love."

"Yes, you do," she said, forcefully. "You deserve my love more than any other man on earth." She frowned at his somber expression. "Don't you know how much I love you, Erik? I would do anything for you. I can't stand to see you in such pain. It hurts me so much. I just want you to be happy." She closed her eyes for a moment, as more tears slid down his cheeks. "Erik, I need to know the truth. Are you happy here with me?"

"You know I am," he replied, kissing her cheek tenderly.

"If you would rather be with Christine..." she began, but Erik cut her off, pressing his lips against hers, kissing her passionately.

When they finally broke apart, Erik looked at Julianna sternly. "I only want to be with you, my love."

Julianna smiled and hugged him, glad that he was no longer angry. She remembered the first time he'd gotten angry at her, and she remembered being frightened of him. She wasn't scared of him this time though. She knew perfectly well that he would never harm her. She trusted him with her life, and she hoped he trusted her the same. She knew he did. "Erik, I..." Then suddenly the doorbell rang, and Julianna and Erik both jumped in shock.

* * *

**Well, there's Chapter 30. I am so sorry it took so long to get written and posted. I'm seriously almost never home, and the only free time I have is on Sunday, and then I'm usually doing my homework or something. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. Please review.**


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Phantom of the Opera, Drama, Romance