Now I shouldn't be starting this, but I can't hold back any longer. This is just too darn good.
Disclaimer: I don't own the setting, nor the Phantom (Erik). But I do own, Marie. Yay me!
The young girl let out a loud scream for help, hoping against hope that someone would hear her. The man pinning her to the wall, struck her across the face. He struck her a few more times, and pressed his lips roughly against hers. She struggled against him, but he held fast.
There was another man in the alley behind the Opera Populaire. He had heard the girl's screams and hurried to her aid. He saw a young girl pinned to the wall by a larger man. He hurried up silently behind the man, and slipped the Punjab lasso around his neck. The man let go of the girl in surprise. She fell to the ground, landing hard on her knees.
Erik flicked his wrist and strangled the man. The girl looked up at him, fear in her eyes. Erik looked at her with pity in his eyes.
"Come here child." He said. The girl whimpered and backed away. "Its alright. I won't hurt you.' Erik said more gently. The girl tried to stand up, but when she came to her feet she clutched her side and fell. Erik bent down and lifted her off the ground.
The girl wrapped her arms around his neck, and sobbed into his shoulder. Erik was silent on the way to his lair. About half-way there Erik noticed the girl was fast asleep.
Erik laid her on the bed in his lair. She had fresh bruises on her face and neck. Erik knew he had to help her.
"Wake up little beauty." He said softly. It was on a spur of the moment that he called her little beauty. But that was what she was, a little beauty. She was tall, slender and had curves in all the right places. To top it all off, she had skin like porcelain, pale and delicate. She was perfect, except for the fading bruises up and down her arms and legs.
The girl's eyes fluttered open. She looked around trying to remember where she was. When she saw Erik her eyes widened with fear.
"Its alright, I'm going to help you." Erik said softly. He put his fingers to her ribs, and rubbed gently. The girl let out a gasp of pain. It was as Erik had feared. She had four broken ribs, two on each side.
Erik went and got medical supplies and wrapped gauze around her broken ribs tightly. Then her gave her ice for her face.
"Thank-you for saving me monsieur." The girl said.
"It was nothing. Why were you back there anyway?" Erik said.
"I was in the front, I came here to be a chorus girl. That man dragged me back there." The girl explained.
"Where are you from? I must return you." Erik asked.
"I don't ever want to go back to where I came from. I ran away from an orphanage far away from here. I was constantly beaten. That's why I came here." The girl explained.
"Well at least tell me your name." Erik said.
"My name is Marie. My I ask yours?" Marie said.
"I am known by many names, but you may call me Erik."
"Thank you Erik." Marie said. Erik turned to walk out of the room.
"You should get some sleep." He said before leaving the room. But Marie was already asleep.