Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters in it. I do not own The Phantom of the Opera or any of the characters in it. This is a non-profit story and is just for fun. Or the lyrics in here!

I cast a longing glance towards Jake, before taking one fleeting look out at the stage. There were two sets of staircases that led to a balcony on the stage, and below the balcony was fire. It raged on, the red embers becoming rather intimidating, especially in comparison to the rest of the decorative, soothing stage. The only thing that kept me from bolting was that it was well contained. I peered longingly into Jake's dark brown orbs, wishing there was some other way we could do this. Judging by his expression, he agreed with my thoughts.

My sculpted eye-brows furrowed as I thought, tarnishing the smoothness of my forehead. My composure was on the brink of crumbling, but I took a deep breath and tried to soothe my frantic heart. The chorus began playing their music, and I knew I was expected to sing along. I opened my mouth to do so, only to hear my own voice coming out quiet and strained. I could hear the murmur of the impatient crowd as they shifted in their seats, displeased at my weak beginning.

I wasn't sure whether I could do it. The opera owners, who were now aware of our plan, had given me an outfit that did not cover me up as much as I should have liked. They claimed that Edward was sure to come out since I was wearing this in front of a large crowd, but I couldn't help but wonder if the reason they had me wear this was entirely innocent. I had my doubts. I clutched a basket of red roses in front of me, a prop that I was to bring out onto the stage.

I sat myself down onto the hard, wooden floor, letting my body relax to the music that was being played. I opened my mouth to sing once more, this time the sound coming out was more natural; smooth. This seemed to calm the restless audience, and so I continued to sing, awaiting the man who I knew would arrive.

I realized that he had come when the orchestra's comforting compositions ceased to play. I heard a startled gasp from the crowd, but nobody got up from where they were seated. I followed their gazes and, like expected, I saw him in all of his glory. The perfect, smooth, pale skin, the piercing red eyes, the inhuman aura — it was all there. My dark, loose curls framed my feminine visage, and I brushed them away with the back of my hand.

"Edward," I murmured softly, acknowledging his presence. He was watching me, waiting for me to make the first move. I stood up slowly, dropping the basket of roses onto the floor below. I took a step closer to his being, knowing full well he would not dare turn away from me. The urge to run away from the vampire besieged me, but I stood my ground, knowing that I had to be strong for Jacob and I to have our happily ever after.

"You have come here," he stated, his smoldering vivid red orbs staring into my own. "But you knew I would come, as well. Why?"

I could hear the restless crowd, murmuring to one another in bewilderment as Edward and I exchanged words.

"I have come here," I agreed, and I turned away from him, not wanting my expression to give everything away. "But I hardly know the reason why, myself." I kept my expression calm with the preserved warmth I embodied, despite the looming terror I felt. I turned back to him, his dazzling eyes focused on my face. "I wanted to see you." Pure melancholy wreaked havoc on my unwavering tone, but it only added to the act I was performing.

"You did?" he questioned, disbelief coloring his tone. I took another step forward, my arms outstretched, knowing he would not deny me.

"Yes. I have been thinking about you." That was true, at least. It was just not in the way he wanted.

"And?" he murmured, taking a few more steps so he stood directly in front of me. His hand came up slowly to touch my arm, sending goosebumps up its pallid surface. His hand slid down my arm and to my hand, which he latched into his own, entwining our fingers. I took a step backwards, keeping our hands clasped together while doing so. "Have you finally given in?" he asked, but the words were not said cruelly. Tenderly, if anything.

I did not say anything, but I took another couple of steps backwards, letting our intertwined hands hover in the air briefly before I dropped his, allowing mine to settle where it had been previously; hanging loosely by my hip. I turned my back towards him and continued to walk in the other direction. I could feel my heart hammering in my chest, but hopefully he believed it to just be from nerves of confessing how I felt about him.

I reached my hand up as if to touch my neck, but in reality, I was touching a cross Jacob had given me. Neither of us was sure if it would work, but he begged me to take it, saying he needed to try and provide me some sort of protection. I had a feeling it would not work, seeing as how Edward was not burning to dust or anything like that. Was I supposed to stab him with it for it to work? Either way, I wasn't going to try and kill him; with the cross, that is. I wouldn't risk it not working and angering him.

Although I was fairly positive it would not work, it provided me with comfort. It reminded me of my love for Jacob, and his for me. That was a pleasant thought and it reminded me that he would not let anything happen to me. If this failed, Jacob would still be here to protect me. Not that there was much he could do to protect me, and his attempts would most likely lead to a very angry vampire attacking him. Not a pleasant thought.

I dropped my hand from the cross, turning my head back to see Edward. He was watching me, the faintest of a smile on his face.

"I don't understand why I'm feeling like this," I softly told him. "I crave your company constantly, and you're all I can think about. They're unbearable, these wants of mine, because I cannot have them. I want to be with you at all times, and yet I am not. Every time I close my eyes, I see your face there, and I want you here. Here with me, I mean. And yet... and yet, I do not know why I am here." I turned around completely to face him, practically lying through my teeth the entire time.

"You have come here in pursuit of your deepest urge, in pursuit of the wish that until now has been silent." I took a few more steps backwards as he said these words, nearing one of the staircases that would lead to the balcony. The fire below it raged on, forming a large circle. There was nothing in the middle of the fire; just floor. It was a rather interesting sight, and was done for the dramatic affect. It worked well in my opinion.

He took a couple of steps backwards as well, and I realized that he knew of my intentions to climb the staircase. Hopefully he would meet me at the top, via the other staircase. "In your mind you've already succumbed to me," he continued. I shivered, briefly closing my eyes before re-opening them. I took another step backwards so I was right in front of the staircase, preparing myself to climb it. "No second thoughts. You've decided."

I began to ascend the staircase once he said that, knowing I had to get this over with. He climbed the other staircase, wanting to meet me at the top. Jacob was right in assuming he would do that. It took me only a minute to reach the top, as well as him. We stood across from each other now, but many yards were in between the two of us. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what was to come.

"Past the point of no return — no backward glances. Our games of make believe are at an end." The flames from the fire brought shadows upon his face; long, dark shadows that increased his intimidation, and yet I found myself attracted to the very sight alone. "Past all thoughts of 'if' or 'when'. No use resisting." I could hear the crowd murmuring to each other, and I spared them a brief glance. A few people looked disturbed, but the majority looked captivated.

They thought this was a part of the show, I realized. That is why they hadn't run screaming from Edward's crimson eyes. They just believed we had done something to make his eyes look that way. Innocent humans that had no worries, having always taken advantage of the fact they were at the top of the food chain, and never would many of these people learn the actual truth.

"You have brought me to that moment when words run dry. To that moment when speech disappears into silence."

"Past the point of no return," I agreed, taking a step forward. He took one as well, so I took that as my chance to approach him. "No going back now! Our passion play has now at last begun." Edward's expression abruptly changed, and unlike his usual expressions that left me cowering, this one instantly had me "dazzled", for lack of a better word. He was happy, I realized. More happy then I had ever seen him, now that he believed I loved him in return.

There was the faintest smile on his face, and yet he seemed to radiate his joy. He no longer looked frightening to me, merely incredibly handsome — no longer did the fear I originally felt cause my stomach to twist and turn. The possibility of someone being frightened of him now was laughable; such a happy creature could not cause harm upon another being, surely! That's what I couldn't help but think, although I knew that was far from the truth.

"No second thoughts, for I have decided," I whispered, repeating the words he had spoken to me. I started to walk towards him, my steps long but slow. "Past all thought of right or wrong," I murmured, and yet the words seemed to come out perfectly clear. I was fairly positive even the audience could make out what I said, but that may have been due to their over attentiveness. I was in the middle of the balcony now and I stopped there, allowing him to cross half of the bridge as I knew he had to.

I spared a glance at Jake then, and saw he was now slowly standing up in his seat that overlooked us. His eyes were wider then normal, and I could see his expression was slightly disgusted, if not disturbed. I saw something reflect in his eyes, and that caused me to look harder. Was he trying to hold back tears? I was pretty sure that was it. My act might be a little bit too convincing, if that was indeed the case.

It hurt me to see him upset like that, especially since it was thanks to me. I would have to get this over with quickly to prevent him from feeling any more pain.

"The bridge is crossed," Edward spoke up finally, slowly approaching me. "So stand and watch it burn." He reached me at that point and I held out my arms slightly for him, waiting for him to take them. He took them as expected and spun me around so my back was pressed up against him. One hand rested on my stomach while the other rested softly against my neck, his pale thumb stroking it softly. I leaned my head back, allowing it to rest against his shoulder.

I wanted to stay like that; it was comfortable, and I felt safe. I felt the side of his head against my own and I shivered, bringing one hand up to lightly touch his cheek before I dropped it, letting it fall limp once more. My brunette locks tumbled down the side of his arm, since I had swiped my hair to mostly one side, and I closed my eyes once more, blocking out that image. I brought my hand back up to place it over his hand which was resting on my stomach, a small smile rising onto my lips.

I didn't understand why I was getting so comfortable with him; he was a monster! And yet, I felt safe inside of his embrace, and I did not want to leave it. I liked how tightly his pale arm was wrapped around my stomach, and I liked how his other hand stroked my neck. I was not repulsed or frightened as I knew I should have been, and this confused me. I despised this man. How could I be so content inside of his embrace?

And that's when it hit me.

I realized why I felt so safe and comfortable in his hold. I realized why I wanted him to hold me tighter, and why I never wanted to leave our embrace. I realized why I liked the feel of his hands on my neck and stomach. I realized why I was having these mixed feelings.

When somebody is madly in love with you, in most cases, it's flattering. In my case, it was terrifying. Most people cannot resist that affection for long, and they give in and fall in love with whomever it is that adores them. What if, despite the fact it was so terrifying, I had fallen for the same trap as so many other people? What if I, despite all of my claims that I despised Edward with every ounce of my being, had fallen in love? Perhaps not love, but I felt something for him that was not hatred. I did not hate him. I repeated this in my mind, and it spent a chill of fear up my spine.

And yet I loved Jacob far more. He was not only my fiancé, but he was my best friend. I loved him in a less... intimidating way then how I felt for Edward. It was so much easier with Jake. And yet, if it ended our troubles, could I stay with Edward in the long run? No. No, I could not spend the rest of my life with a man that was not even human. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Jacob. Despite my recent realization, that had not changed in the slightest bit.

I opened my eyes, glancing out towards Jacob. He was watching us, and ever so slowly, I saw one tear drip down on the side of his face. He didn't move to wipe it, but I don't think he realized I saw it. He was not one to cry in front of others, and I could only imagine how this looked to him. Did he think I had fallen in love with Edward, and would leave him to be with Edward? Or was he just upset that Edward was holding me? I highly doubted that was the reason.

I so desperately wanted to know what he was thinking.

Edward's cool fingers against my cheek brought my thoughts back to the situation I was dealing with at the moment. Should I follow through with my plan, or not? One glance at Jake told me the answer: Yes, I should. Then we could live the life we had wanted to live from the start. We would get married, have children and live our happily ever after. We would not have to worry about anything other than normal issues that normal people had.

"Past the point of no return," I whispered, reaching one hand up to touch his cold cheek. Yes, I knew I would go through with the plan.

"We've passed the point of no return," was his response.

We wouldn't have to deal with an inhuman murderer any longer.

"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime," Edward repeated the words Jake and I had once exchanged softly into my ear, his fingers brushing gently against my cheek. "Lead me, save me from my solitude. Say you want me with you here, beside you," he whispered tenderly, his tone wavering from, I assumed, emotion.

Abruptly he turned me around so we were facing each other, and my expression turned into that of shock. I concealed it to the best of my ability as his hands reached down to grasp my own. He held them tightly, holding them in front of his chest. "Anywhere you go," he spoke loudly now, his voice ringing throughout the audience. His eyes bore down into mine, the tenderness and love they held causing me to soften even more. "Let me go too. Bella, that's all I ask of--"

And I pulled my hands free from his grasp, only to push him into the blazing embers below.

Authors Note: Yes, she pushed him into the fire. Wait until the next chapter before you decide to hate and flame me! But you must REVIEW in order for the next chapter to come out quickly. Haha. Thank you for all of the AMAZING reviews and please keep reviewing! Also, thank you to Aleatoire for beta-ing this chapter!

Hope you enjoyed.

xoxo

P.S: Sorry the chapter is so short!

P.P.S: The talking may have seemed a bit awkward. That's because I'm mixing the lyrics into it, haha.