Disclaimer: I own nothing...just Es and her family

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They sat there in silence for a minute before he took a deep breath.

"When I was very young, my mother sold me to a traveling carnival. And they were horrid to me. They would beat me and call me "The Devil's Child." And they knew that one day I would die and they would lose money. So, they sold my soul to the devil. When I was a young man, maybe, eight or so, they beat me and they beat me until an inch from death…I should be dead. But that was how they found out that the deal had worked. They would beat me daily…simply because they could. When I was saved, I was dubbed the 'Angel of Music' for my talent. So I am forever doomed to roam this hell, sharing my gift." He looked at her. "I never wanted you to know."

"Erik." She held his hand. "I'm glad you told me. No matter what, I will always love you."

"The thing is that you can spend your life with me but I can't spend my life with you." He said, looking away. "I wish I could go above ground with you, even."

She pulled out a picture from her purse and handed it to Erik.

"Her name is Janelle."

"What is this on her face?" he asked.

"It's called a cleft. The surgery is too dangerous for her." Esmeralda explained. "Nelle, here, spends her days on the playground as happy as any normal five year old."

"Really?"

Esmeralda nodded. "I have an idea!" she smiled, rummaging through her purse.

When she turned back to him she smiled. "Take your mask off."

He looked at her confused. Smiling bigger, she leaned in and kissed him, causing a distraction so she, herself, could remove his mask herself.

"Little minx." He laughed.

"You love it." she replied, turning his head.

"What are you doing, Es?"

"Shh." She said.

He was quiet and still as she fiddled with whatever she was doing. About ten minutes later, she stopped. "Et Voila." She handed him her compact mirror. He reluctantly, took it. He looked at her and then at his reflection again.
"Oh, Es, I can't believe it." he said.

She had used her makeup to cover the blemishes on his face. He looked almost normal. She had even colored over the bit where he no longer had hair with some black stuff.

"I used cover-up to well, cover up the markings on your face and then I used a mixture of eyeliner and mascara to do the rest."

"I look…normal." He said, holding her compact tightly in his hand.

"This is how you've always looked to me." she said, looking at him, her head tilted to the side.

"How?" he asked, looking at her, mocking her head set.

"The stories about you…the ones that I was told as a child…I had always depicted you like this…never as the monster that you presume to be." She said.

"But the way I look…without all this." He said, indicating to his face.

"Looks aren't what makes someone a monster…it's the actions." She said. "And I know, you're past ones aren't great but still…you have a goodness in you that you refuse to let others see…you refuse to let them get close to you."

He blinked at her. "That has to be the most logical thing that I've ever heard anyone say." He said, pacing slightly.

"Well, there are logical people in the world." She said, standing up.

"Not from what I've seen." He said, looking around the theatre.

About ten minutes later…

"Come on, Erik." She said, reaching for his hand.

They were standing by the door of the theatre. She had shoved him into a pair of jeans and a button down pale blue shirt. "I don't know Es," he said. "I'm…I mean; I don't think this will work."

She smiled at him and pulled him towards her. "I believe in you." She pressed her lips to his.

He lets out a growl as he deepened the kiss, holding her tightly against him. She believes in me. He thought. No one has ever believed in me…not even Christine…or Madame Giry.

He was so wound up in his thoughts that he didn't realize that they were pressed up against the door…or that Esmeralda's hand was on the door knob. She was doing a great job at distracting him. In her mind, he was a man and very easy to distract. Really all she had to do was swish her hips and he was butter. But those were new pants and they needed to look clean as they walked around.

She silently turned the knob and fell back against the door, dragging Erik with her.