ANGEL
Summary: It's been nearly 2 years since the events of Don Juan, and the Phantom refuses to be consumed by his past any longer. His limits are tested however when Anna Cross, a mysterious new addition to the Opera Populaire, arrives with her own haunting secrets. (Phantom / OC)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my characters. Wouldn't it be nice to own the Phantom, though? Sigh.
Hello all! Let me first say THANK YOU for taking time out of your day to read my story. I truly appreciate it.
I'll try to keep this introduction brief because I know you just want to get to the juicy awesome stuff, right? (I'm not egotistical at all. Haha.)
But there are a few teeny tiny things I feel I should clarify before you continue reading.
Such as...
This story is based off of the movie. I feel that Gerard Butler's portrayal of the Phantom was fantastically haunting and for that reason, I based the Phantom in this story off of him.
And although I just said that this story is based off of the movie, it's not so much in the fact that the Phantom's obsession with Christine isn't undying. As stated in the all too brief summary, this story begins about 2 years after Christine escaped with Raoul. By this time, the Opera House has been restored and re-opened, and in order to add my own female lead, (Yay Anna.) I needed to make our dear Phantom refuse his longing desire for Christine.
Anywho, enough of my rambling!
Enjoy the story and THANKS again for reading! :)
Chapter 1
"Anna? Wake up, honey."
Anna Cross stirred, taking a deep breath as her eyes fluttered open and focused onto her mother's gentle face. She smiled, stretching slightly as she sat up in her seat. Her hands automatically lowered to smooth out her dress and her eyes wandered to the world outside as their carriage slowed to an abrupt stop.
Anna took her father's hand and climbed out of the carriage with grace. She held back a gasp when she finally looked up to see the elegant Victorian that stood before them. Her eyes slowly trailed over the intricate architecture and she smiled again before releasing her father's hand and stepping aside to allow her younger sister, Mary, room to jump down.
"Beautiful, is it not?" William Cross nodded approvingly, wrapping an around around his wife as they proceeded up the front steps to the massive door.
"You've out done yourself, Father," Anna said softly as they entered their new home. William only smiled back at his daughter.
He knew the sudden move from America to France would be hard on his children, Anna especially. Her 21st birthday was just around the corner and William was sure she had her heart set on marriage. Something that would be hard after just moving to a new country.
As a father, William wasn't entirely incompetent however and did plan ahead for his darling angel. He continued to smile, his lips pulling back into an eager grin when he saw Anna's puzzled look and raised brow. Helen, his wife, was also fidgeting impatiently at his side.
"Okay, what is it?" Anna knew her parents far too well and this strange behavior they were portraying wasn't normal at all. She took a hesitant step forward, curious. "You're not... sending me away or something, are you?"
It was her mother that spoke next. "Heavens no, sweetheart!" Helen moved from William's embrace to grasp her daughter's hands.
"Your father has found you a suitor!"
Anna sighed. What she could only assume was relief rushed through her. Forcing a smile to her lips, she threw herself into her father's arms.
"Thank you, Father."
William caught his daughter, spinning her around once before setting her back down and grasping her shoulders lightly.
"I know we've only just moved, Anna, but it was prudent that I found someone as soon as possible."
Anna nodded, knowing that by her age she really should be considering a husband. It wasn't that she was repulsed by the act of matrimony, but a part of her longed for what she read in the fairy tales.
True love.
Her family would think ill of her if they knew, but Anna couldn't help it. She wanted the romance, the never ending passion and most importantly, the feeling of completeness. She wasn't sure those fantasies could be the result of an arranged marriage, but she was willing to try if it made her family happy.
She willed herself to meet her parent's longing stares. "What is his name?"
Helen rested a hand on her daughter's shoulder, pride practically seeping off her face. "His name is Jacques."
"And he will be here any minute!" William added, clapping his hands together in anticipation. "Now, don't give me that look Anna," he added, frowning. "Like I said, I know we just moved but this is important for your future."
Anna bowed her head in defeat, sighing. She bit her bottom lip as her hands nervously ran over her dress again, eliminating any lingering wrinkles from the carriage ride.
A sudden knock at their door jerked them all away from their thoughts. Anna jumped at the abrupt sound, and Helen gave her a stern look. She took her daughter's face in her hands, placing a kiss on each cheek.
"You will be fine, darling. He'd be a fool not to love you." Anna's mother smiled, cupping her cheek once more before letting her go to the door with her father.
William pulled the wooden frame open with ease and stepped aside. Jacques smiled, immediately gripping William's hand in a firm handshake before taking Anna's and raising it to his lips and kissing it quickly.
He held out his arm, smirking as Anna slowly placed her own around it.
"Shall we?"
*** 2 Weeks Later ***
This isn't happening...
This can't be happening...
"Mother! Father! Mary!"
Anna gasped, struggling to breathe as the air around her thickened. Smoke poured into her room, constricting everything into darkness. She stumbled towards her door and jerked it open frantically, crying out when the knob burned her hand.
She ignored the throbbing pain and lunged for the stairs, tears pouring down her delicate face as flames encircled around her. Dodging a collapsing beam, Anna nearly tumbled down the stairs.
"Mother! Father!"
The fire spread quickly, lapping at Anna's feet within seconds of her hitting the floor. She crawled to the door, kicking it open as the walls began to shake. Coughing, she spun on her heel and jumped from the house just as the deadly flames engulfed the wooden frame.
Anna cried out in the darkness around her, pleading for help as she hobbled down the empty street and away from her burning house. She was in shock and knew of only one other who could help her.
As she turned the corner of another street, she cried out to the figures gathered at the front of the Opera Populaire. She knew Jacques and his friends attended performances there.
"Jacques!" Anna pleaded, desperate. She grabbed Jacques's arm, using him as her support so she could stand. "Help me, please! My house, it's on fire and I don't know where my parents or Mary are!"
Jacques raised his brows and stumbled back, shaking Anna off his arm. His friends chuckled. Anna took a step forward, confused.
"Jacques?"
Jacques stumbled forward, gripping Anna's arm tightly and pulling her hard against his body. "Anna, is that you?" he slurred, smiling sheepishly.
Anna could smell the alcohol on his breath. She winced as his grip on her arm tightened. "Jacques, please! You're hurting me."
The men around them laughed again, closing in slowly and eliminating any chance of escape. Anna struggled against Jacques, begging him to let go as his free hand began roaming over her shaking body.
"Jacques, please!"
"You hear that, Jacques? She said please! I think she wants it, man!"
The group around Anna all laughed a second time, and one of the men stepped forward to hold Anna's arms behind her back.
Anna twisted, gasping as panic rose to suppress all other emotion.
"No!"
Her eyes found Jacques, pleading with him not to go any further.
Jacques ignored her pleas and continued his exploration of her small frame. His hands trailed over her curves roughly, ripping the thin fabric of her dress as they went. Anna cried out for help only to be slapped hard across the face.
"Shut up!" Jacques yelled, and brought her head up to meet his drunken glare. He stroked her cheek once before lowering his face to hers and claimed her lips forcefully.
"No - ! Stop -!" Anna breathed feverishly. Jacques smiled against her resistant form and lifted her dress up to her waist. Anna's eyes widened in horror as he tore her underwear away.
"NO!"
Anna kicked, thrashing about until her captor suddenly dropped her to the hard ground. Without thought, she quickly jumped to her feet and dashed around the group of men and into the alley next to the Opera, frantically searching for anyone, anything that could help her.
"Please! Somebody! HELP!"
She ran down the alley, tripping over the trash and debris that lay scattered along the narrow path. She could hear Jacques and his friends calling out angrily at the entrance to the alley before their footsteps rained down upon her.
Anna scanned her surroundings quickly, desperate for an escape from the nightmare she somehow wound up in. Just as her back hit the wall and her hands rose up in front of her as her only means of protection, a gloved hand appeared out of nowhere. It gripped her arm firmly and swiftly pulled her into darkness.
Anna gasped at the invisible touch, whirling around to face her new captor. Instinct told her to run, distance herself while she had the chance. But her pounding heart said otherwise when her eyes took in the dark silhouette of a man. A mask covered half of his face, but that didn't stop Anna from realizing his handsome features.
She gazed up at him, shivering under his touch and mesmerizing gaze. He held her close, his grip gentle and his stare lingering. Shaking, she rose her hand up to cup the unmasked side of his face.
Anna smiled softly, nodding her head as she stumbled further into his embrace, her feet weak and nonsupporting. The Phantom caught her, scooping her up in his arms with ease. Anna's hand resumed its position on his face as her eyes began to close.
"Thank... you..." she managed to whisper before sleep finally took her.
*** Later That Night ***
The loneliness of the night closed in and the wind howled, echoing through the unusually active streets. The Phantom paced the roof of the Opera House, lost in thought as he contemplated his situation.
He had revealed himself.
The young woman who he imagined was still sleeping downstairs in the comfort of Madame Giry's office had seen him.
Would she tell anyone? Surely she would. Everyone in the city knew of him, were afraid of him.
He bet his mask that by the time the sun rose to light the sky, police would be swarming his Opera House again in search of the notorious "Opera Ghost."
But then again...
She was being attacked. I couldn't just let those vile men take advantage of her.
The Phantom spun on his heel, grinding his teeth as he stormed to the other side of the roof, his cape swirling around behind him. He clutched the brick firmly and leaned over the ledge slighty, his eyes wandering the streets.
Maybe he was wrong to save her.
No.
Although he had committed far worse crimes and made his fair share of mistakes, he knew he could never turn his head away from a damsel in distress. Especially damsels with luscious black locks and piercing, hazel eyes he could easily lose himself in.
Dammit, he wasn't going there again. If there was one mistake he had learned from, it was that luring beautiful women to his arms was wrong.
Right?
Half-convinced he shouldn't pursue the new beauty of his Opera House, he rather settled on the fact that because she had seen his supposed forgotten form, he needed to watch her for his own safety. To make sure she didn't tell anyone about him.
Satisfied with his reasoning, The Phantom again clutched his teeth together as the sound of panic rose from the illuminated streets below. A growl etched in his throat, his narrowed eyes scanned the city quickly to find the source of the chaos.
Surprised he hadn't noticed it before, he tensed as his gaze took in the rising smoke and dying flames that consumed what he assumed used to be a house only a few blocks away.
Had this woman distracted him so much that he completely failed to see what obviously was an extremely large fire?
The Phantom sighed. He was in trouble.
The woman he saved was undoubtedly beautiful, and she knew of his existence. It was like fate had tag teamed against him.
Muttering a string of curses, he released his hold on the faded brick and silently made his way back to the hidden door on the other side of the roof, allowing the darkness of the night to mask his presence. He slid the door open and slipped inside without a sound, already planning his next move.
The Phantom wanted to believe in hope, but he wasn't accustomed to taking chances. He quickly came up with a plan. It was risky, and he reluctantly prayed he wouldn't have to resort to it.
Only time would tell if this woman could be trusted with his secret.
And that was Chapter 1!
I apologize if this chapter wasn't the best. It was short and icky but essential so I could introduce Anna and inform you a little about her. Things will only get better, I promise! As you clearly read, Anna is in the Phantom's world now so... :)
Thanks again for reading and stay tuned!