Roxanne

The room felt cold; the air was chilled, causing shivers to run up and down my spine, burning my throat with each breath, making the room feel like an ice box. It felt like it was pricking my cheeks and nose. Even with the layers of fabric of the dress covering my legs and the long sleeves that wrapped around my arms, it proved to be an inadequate barrier between the piercing air and my vulnerable skin. Gooseflesh covered every inch of my body. All the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. There was absolutely no warmth; it was like all the heat and been sucked out with a vacuum leaving only the emptiness of the room. When I exhaled, my breath would turn into a ball of fog, float above my head –like a wreath— and dissipate, as it was never there in the first place.

I didn't even realize when Raoul left the room.

I couldn't tell you how much time had passed or when I sat on the little couch or what I was thinking about for so long. It was almost as if I was in a trance, only aware of the cold.

Not only feel frozen to the touch but it also felt like it was frozen in time. Outside, the world was all a hustle and a bustle. Noisy streets, jam-packed with vehicles and pedestrians; crowded stores, with customers pushing their way through to buy everything off the shelf; and the amusement park just beyond the doors of the theater, filled with the exhilarating sounds of children's and adults screams and peals of laughter, were still going full force.

However, in that little room, there was not a sound. Not a creak. Not sign of movement. The only sign of life was my steamy breath as it mixed with the crisp air.

There was nothing to focus on. So, I sat there, staring off into the spacious room.

It wasn't until I heard a knock on the door that I finally was able to snap out of my daze.

At first, I thought it was only my imagination or someone, who was walking down the hall, accidently bumped my door or someone had knocked on the door adjacent to mine. I dismissed it, not thinking any of it.

Then I heard it again.

Swiftly, I went to the door to open it but, as I was about to reach it, I snatched my hand away from the doorknob as if it was on fire. I stared at the door. My heart started to beat rapidly and my hands shook so much that I had to hold them together to prevent them from moving. My mind began to go off for the racing track. What if I open the door and it is the attacker? I could lock the door and pretend to not be there. Maybe, if I wait long enough, whomever-it-is will go away.

There was, finally, a third knock and a voice to accompany it.

"Roxanne?" Erick asked from behind the door. "Is everything alright?"

A sigh of relief.

And yet, I still couldn't bring myself to open the door.

I spun around, leaned my back against the door and slid down until I sat on the floor with my knees curled up, almost to my chest. I hit my head against the door. Closing my eyes, I felt another round of tears prick my eyes.

I thought that he was going to try and open the door but instead he waited as if he wasn't allowed to enter without permission. He waited, patiently.

It took me some time but I was finally able to find my voice again. "I'm ok," I was able to croak out as I felt tears sting my eyes.

"Thank God," Erik whispered, just relieved as I was. I heard the sound of Erik leaning against the door and sliding down until he was at the same level as I was.

He didn't probe or say anything else for a while. We just sat, with only a door between us, back to back, waiting patiently for the other to be ready. I focused on the sound of his breathing. Soon, I was able to match his calm rhythm that appeared to be soothing my once agitated nerves. Though he didn't say anything, his mere presence was reassurance enough, lifting way all the anxiety and terror that had infested my mind. My troubles did not melt away –as usually depicted in the books and movies— but it was as if they were put on hold, only if it were for a moment. I was distracted. I didn't have to worry about what was going to happen. I focused on what was going on in that moment. My heart still felt heavy and the room still felt cold, but I was able to find a little peace.

Erik laughed on the opposite side of the door. "Remember on our wedding day when you locked yourself in the bathroom and refused to open it for anyone. Your parents and friends were frantic; they thought that you were going to call it all off."

"Yeah, I remember," I closed my eyes, bringing the memory forth. "Then you came and tried to coax me out." I shook my head and smiled to myself. "I was so nervous that I felt like I was going to be sick so I locked myself in the bathroom to try and stop feeling sick. I think I almost gave my mother a heart attack."

"It took your father over a half hour to try and calm her down.

We both laughed in unison as we reminisced the memory of my hysteric mother in near tears as my father was trying to console her.

"I told them to give us five minutes alone."

"You didn't tell them." I corrected. "You yelled at them, telling them to get out of the room and to shut up."

"Everyone was in hysteria. I did ask politely at first but no one seemed to even notice me. They were all screaming and panicking and running about here and there that no one would have heard me if I simply asked them," Erik expressed innocently, as if he was trying to justify his wrongful approach as a necessary action. It was a near laudable argument but even he saw the fault in his own actions. "So, yes, I took the measure to try and to keep some control amongst the group. Even if it meant yelling at your mother to calm herself down and to give us a couple moments of peace."

I smiled. "My mother was livid that you yelled at her."

"And I got hell for over ten years for it," He joked.

I couldn't help but laugh, recalling all the times that when my mother visited us that she would make a snappy comment about that incident. The children's birthday parties, Alexander's concerts, family reunion, you name it and she would make sure to remind Erik of that time. I always felt sorry for him whenever she was over. He knew what was in store for.

Erik groaned. "Then you scolded me that it was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding."

"I did?"

"Yes, you did and you threw something at the door when I tried to open it."

"I don't remember," I lied. As I remembered that I had thrown one of my shoes at the door to prevent Erik from entering room, I tried to hide a pent-up laugh but ended up snorting –rather loudly— instead.

"You remember everything," Erik pointed out, calling me out on my fib. "You remember exactly what happened."

"I remember that you sat outside my door," I said. "You didn't say anything for a while."

"You needed time."

"I needed a shot of tequila was what I needed," I laughed. "Or maybe something stronger."

"You just needed time to calm down and to relax."

"I couldn't stop shaking. I was nervous."

"I was terrified," he confessed.

"Why?" I asked, surprised at this new revelation. "You seemed so calm the whole time. Why were you scared?"

He went silent.

"Erik?"

"Between you and your mother anyone would have to be out of their mind to marry into your family. I had every right to be extremely terrified or, at least, out of my mind." He paused, pondered on what he said, and then added: "Perhaps, I am both."

"You were scared of my mother?" I asked doubtingly.

"Of course. Your mother is truly frightening," he stated as if it were of common knowledge that one would find in a history book. "She can make titans kneel before her with a mere wave of her finger. With a single word, she can make the courageous of men quiver in their boots. No mortal man would dare to anger her in fear that her icy gaze would turn them into stone. Her sweet, innocent façade hides the dragon that lies underneath. She is terrifying. That is a trait that, as the infamous Phantom, fully admire and that you –my dear– have fortunately inherited. It is only fitting that I admire and fear the both of you."

"Erik!" I giggled, knowing fully well the amount of respect and love that he held for her. She had become a mother to him, one that accepted him as her own. I knew how much she had become an equally important person in his new life that the kids and I had become. He never would say something malicious about her, only in jest. He was only attempting to dodge my question further with his teasing remarks.

"It is true." He smiled, mischievously.

"Why were you scared?"

"I thought you were having second thoughts," he finally said, in utter defeat, knowing that resistance was futile. "That is what I was thinking. That was what everyone was thinking. I was frightened, more than I ever had been before then; more than when my mother threw me out, more than when I was being hunted by the sultan, more than when I asked you to choose the grasshopper and the Scorpion. God, I was scared; it was all out of my power. I was praying, whole time you were on the other side of the door, that you would come out and just flash your smile to reassure me that it was nothing."

He continued to talk but I was hardly listening–well, I wasn't listening to what he was saying– anymore. Instead, I listened to the sound of his voice.

I closed my eyes and smiled to myself. Hugging my knees tighter, until I was curled up into a ball, resting my chin on them, I could feel the melancholy begin to settle into my body and encase me.

"Erik," I whispered to stop him and he went quiet for a moment as I was able to say: "I love you."

"As do I." he paused, thinking about what he said. "I meant to say that I love you as well."

I laughed again at his awkwardness. It felt so good to laugh. Since Alexander and I got there, I hadn't been able to laugh as much as I had in that span of time. I was able to enjoy myself again. Being around Erik was like a roller coaster; sometimes it is exhilarating and I felt like I was in heaven, or I was so pissed off at myself and would think "Why the hell did I ever think this was a good idea in the first place". However, through all the shit that he has put me through and no matter the amount of times that he has made me mad or cry or panic, he is the only one that could make me smile even when it seemed like the sky was caving in.

I heard Erik mumble something but I could quite make out what he was saying.

"What?" I asked, putting my ear on the door.

"I am a coward," Erik confessed louder. "I have no clue why I thought using you as bait was ever going to be a good idea. I should be the one put on display so that you would not be in danger. What kind of a man sends his wife into the pack of wolves just so he can escape, unharmed?"

I didn't answer. I couldn't answer. So, instead, I sat there quietly looking down at the floor.

"You don't have to go through it," Erik said to me. I lifted my head up and turned my head toward the door. I heard him stand up. "You can say no."

"What about the killer?" I asked, now starting to shake again. "If we don't catch him he is just going to kill again and again until he has wiped everything that you love and hold dear in this world. We have to catch him."

"Not at the expense of your life!" Erik boomed, hitting the door hard with his hand. "I was wrong. Putting you in danger has to have been my most ill-advised ideas that I have ever had. We will find another way to capture him. I will be the bait, not you. You and Alexander will stay in your rooms until the masquerade has ended."

I stood up abruptly, not even caring that I felt lightheaded and sick, and opened the door, staring at a surprised Erik. I glared at him. "And do what? Bake cookies while you put yourself in danger? Not a chance!"

"Roxanne." He tried to reach out and touch my cheek but I batted it away and pointed my finger at him accusingly.

"I am not going to let you go off into danger while I stay at home and watch the children. You have another thing coming if you think that's happening in your lifetime!" I warned. It looked as if Erik was about to try and retort but he looked into my eyes and, with horror in his eyes, immediately shut his mouth. "I am an adult and can make my own decisions. I don't need you to decide for me. If I want to jump into a pit full of vipers, I can do it. You can tell me it's a bad idea but it is my choice to do it. I am your equal and will not stand by and watch you die when I know that I could have prevented it. We are a team. One of us is not going to head right into danger while the other sits on the sidelines. We are in this together: till death do us part."

"I do not want you to get hurt."

"You were the one that thought using me as bait was a great idea," I pointed out. Erik averted his eyes from mine, ashamed that he had thought that, and shifted uncomfortably.

"I thought it was the only way!" Erik defended. "He had to be stopped. If we ran, no matter where we would go, he would be right behind us. He is a hunter Roxanne, this is a sport. If we run, it is like a rabbit running from a dog; he finds it more enjoyable to chase. Either way, we would be at risk. At least with this plan we would have more control than trying to outrun him."

"Why the change of heart?"

"Because I do not want to lose you," He confessed. I looked up at him but he didn't meet my gaze. Instead, he ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up more, and closed his eyes. "Earlier, you were apprehensive about this plan."

"First off, we really didn't have a plan," I corrected. "It was an idea and not even a well thought out one. All we had was a Scooby-Doo "plan" that, more than likely is going to turn bad real quick. Second, I had basically received a note that read 'You're going to die soon'. I was scared."

"And you are not scared now?"

"I'm petrified! You?"

"So am I."

Reaching out to his face, my fingers grazed the cool touch of the porcelain. I lifted the black mask off. He didn't even flinch. He didn't look like a scared rabbit, who was staring down a fearsome, hungry predator, like how he looked the last time I took his mask off. Instead, he stood absolutely still, like a statue, watching me without a shred of fear.

"Hey, we're going to get through this," I reassured him. I placed my hand on the side of his face and he leaned his head toward my hand, sighed and closed his eyes.

"How can you be certain?"

"I'm not," I admitted, half smiling. "I really have no clue if we are."

He wrapped his arms around me, bringing me in close. At first, I had to register what was happening because I was taken back by the sudden act, but soon, I buried my face into his chest and wrapped my arms until they laid on his back. Feeling his breath moving in and out –like a gentle breeze rolling from the ocean onto the beach—, smelling the slight fragrance of evergreen –like the familiar forest that stood behind my house, where I used to spend many afternoons—, hearing the rhythmic beat of his heart – like a beating drum of a snare drum in a marching band that kept an even pace– lulled me. Almost like coming home after a long day's work and finally being able to lay down in your own bed, it felt… nice. I felt safe. I felt warmth. I felt loved.

Squeezing him tighter, I knew that, just as much as I was in desperate need of comfort, he was in need of it too.

"I promise I will not to let anything happen to you," I swore in his chest, my voice muffled by fabric.

Clearly, he could hear me since he responded: "Should that not be my line?"

"That's ok. You can say it too if you want."

I could hear and feel him laugh at that, making me smile too.

"I promise as well," Erik vowed, kissing the top of my head. Suddenly, he released me and I stared at him, quizzically, but before I could react, he raised a hand to pause my questioning. "I am sorry Madame but our guest should soon arrive. Though I would like to continue this, you should prepare; you mustn't be too unfashionably late. Shall I allow you to get dress by yourself or would you care for my assistance?"

I pondered at the offer for a moment. "I may need help unlacing and lacing," I said with a wink.

I grabbed his hand and led him back in the dressing room, feeling the most unexpected sensation that I was acting scandalous. It made me feel as if I were a giddy ballerina dragging her secret lover into the coat closet. What had gotten into me? I was never that flirtatious. Maybe it was because the sense of danger or the touching moment that Erik and I had that made me act that way, in a way that I would normally do the exact opposite. I must have been mad.

Erik closed the door swiftly behind him, so that we could have our privacy, while I placed Erik's mask on the desk and then, went to the wardrobe to take out the dress that Meg had given me earlier that day for the masquerade.

Placing the dress on the small couch the dress sparkled in the light as if there were thousands of tiny gems scattered in the most enchanting design on the bodice and the blue lace sleeves fluttered like wings. The soft silk skirt billowed down as if it were a cloud settling into the air. The entirety of the dress was the same color as sapphire with the crystals the color of the stars that shown in the midnight sky. The costume was absolutely spectacular.

As I was staring at the dress, I hadn't noticed that Erik had moved behind me and was starting to unlace satin ribbon of the dress. It would have taken me ages by myself. With his help, it didn't take long before I was freed from the suffocating fabric and grateful for it. Well, I wasn't completely free because there was one intolerable garment still left.

"I almost forgot how I hate corsets," I groaned.

"Yes, they can be troublesome," Erik flashed a wolfish smile. He traced his fingers on my shoulders that sent shivers down my back. "However, they look so stunning on you and, quite frankly, I think I missed that the most."

"Yes, squishing all your organs together is very attractive," I snorted.

"Now it does not sound so attractive. That image will haunt me a little."

"Try being the one who has to have it on their body."

He chuckled. "Touché."

"I just want to tear it to shreds and burn it." I glared at it.

"How ladylike." He kissed my cheek. "Mon amour."

He, then, walked over to the couch, pick up the dress and brought it over to me. I raised my hands above my head and the gown glided down my body, fitting perfectly on every curve.

Finally, Erik finished lacing my dress. He gestured towards the chair for me to sit down. I looked at him, completely confused. He smiled gently. "Sit down so I can arrange your hair."

I walked over, sat down and watched through the mirror Erik start to take the pins out of my current hairstyles. My tresses fell and landed on my shoulders in beautiful curls. Then he began to arrange my hair into an elaborate hairstyle. He was quick but never missed a strand. It look like I was watching a master working his craft to create this amazing work of art.

"I didn't know that you knew how to style hair," I stated. "When did you learn to do this?"

"I had practice." He smiled a little to himself. "Ten years learning how to arrange Meg's hair."

"I thought that lady did her hair. You know the one you hired to take care of her."

He shook his head. "Meg would insist that I do it."

"Now you can help style Ange's hair when we get back," I suggested. "I can't guarantee that Ange will be thrill to have her hair pulled and tied but you can try."

He laughed. "No, I do not believe she would. If I recall correctly she used to wail like a banshee if you came near her with a brush."

"She still does that," I corrected. "You must remember that ten years may have passed here but none have passed back home."

"I forgot."

"Raoul stopped by earlier," I said, almost regretting it as soon as it came out of my mouth but I felt that I needed to be honest with Erik. "Please don't be mad at him. He is only concerned about Alexander and me." I looked down at my hands, not because of guilt but because I couldn't look into Erik's eyes as I recounted the conversation.

"What did he say?"

"I told him what happened, what happened to Alexander. He told me that he booked a passage to Cherbourg. He wanted Alexander and me to go with him, to leave so that we wouldn't get harmed."

Erik froze, still clutching a section of my hair. "What was your response?"

"I told him that I had to stay, that I had to help."

Erik didn't respond. Instead, he continued on my hair.

There was a span of time that neither of us spoke while Erik worked on my hair. He worked diligently, winding each strand of hair with a gentle touch as if each were made of the most precious material known to man. Completely focused on his work, I felt as if he had almost forgotten about me and was thinking about what I had said.

As Erik finished placing the last strand of hair into place, I commented: "It's gorgeous."

"No." He shook his head. "You are the one that is enchanting. This only highlights your true beauty."

I blushed in gleeful embarrassment. "You're only saying that—"

"Because I am hideous?"

"Because you're my husband," I correct again, irritated that he would even think that I was going to say that. He knew better.

Instead of countering or "correcting" me, he laughed again. "Of course dear wife."

I marveled at my up swept hair for a bit and then went to put on my earrings. I was about to grab the matching necklace when Erik put his hand over mine.

"Allow me." He moved my hand, picked up the necklace, unclasped it and gently draped it around my neck. The single gem, what looked like a pure diamond, sparkled a dazzling light. I stared in wonder at it.

"Erik," I started to say but was too choke up to finish what I was going to say.

"Put on the mask," He instructed while handing me the final piece of the ensemble.

The mask was equally beautiful to the dress and the jewelry and the hairstyle; it fit my face perfectly, as if it had been molded for my face only, and matched the dress, with the same type of glimmering crystals and gorgeous color. The mask just completed the entire look and I felt absolutely stunning as if I were a shooting star, flying across the heavens. I felt like I looked as regal as a princess.

I turned around, looked up into his eyes and place my hand on his bare cheek. "Thank you, Erik."

For a moment, we gazed at each other and there was not a word said. He looked at me with so much fear and love and trust that it almost broke my heart.

I could feel how leathery his skin was under my hand and how grotesque the disfigurement actually was. Before, I had lied. I said that it no longer affected me. I even was able to convince myself for the longest time, even back when we were in Paris the first time, that his face didn't affect me but, no matter how much I kept telling myself that I loved him, it still churned my stomach to look at. I was able to, at least, numb myself to it because I had not fallen in love with his face; I had fallen in love with his wit, his charm, his compassion, his temper, his passion, his humor, his being. I loved him, not his face. So out of love, I couldn't let him know that I was still uncomfortable with his face. He needed comfort. He needed me to tell him that I still loved him. I couldn't tell him the truth. So, instead, I swallowed all my uneasiness, burying deep down to the depths into my core (where no one would find it or know of it), and focused on consoling Erik.

"It's going to be okay," I reassured.

Placing his hand on mine, he closed his eyes. "As long as you are with me."

Then, there was a knock at the door.

I had never seen someone move so quick as Erik had moved when he broke away from me, retrieved his mask, placed it back on his face, smoothed his hair and went to the door.

"What?!" he snapped as he opened the door.

Peering Erik, I found Marco standing there with his eyes wide as if Erik had just hit Marco in the face with a baseball bat as soon as he had opened the door. Marco also peered around Erik to find me sitting at the vanity, realizing that he may have interrupted something important. I gave him a small little wave and a smile to reassure him that all was well. Then I stood up, walked over to stand beside Erik.

His expression changed and he smiled at me, nodding his head to greet me. "Madame, you look absolutely breathtaking." turned his attention to the glaring phantom.

"Where is Alexander?" Erik growled.

"He is in the office, reading. Do not worry, Meg and I will take turns watching him. Mademoiselle Fleck, monsieur Squelch and 'Doctor' Gangle will be standing guard outside to make sure no one comes in."

"Are they the proper people to be guarding?" I asked, remembering my last encounter. They didn't seem like the tough body guards to take down a skillful assassin.

Marco tried to conceal his laugh.

Puzzled, I look up to Erik for an explanation.

"Let's just say that before I had hired them to be performers at Phantasma, their profession resembled very much the same as the man that is terrorizing us," he explained.

I gaped at him and Marco couldn't hold his laughter any longer.

"Have no worries," Marco reassured me. "That is all in the past; they no longer employed for that. They were hired because they wanted to escape that life and had acrobatic skills that they could use in a performance. I thought that, since their background, they are the most eligible to protect Alexander."

"Thank goodness," I said with a relieved smile.

Erik turned back to Marco. Straightening his back, standing straight as a board, Marco ceased laughing.

"Why are you here?" Erik asked.

"Guests have begun to arrive," Marco informed. His voice shaking as if he were facing a hungry wolf that was about to eat him for dinner. He gulped before saying "You should get prepared, monsieur."

The looked of fear crept back onto Marco's face because he knew that when he said it that he had just signed his death certificate.

Erik huffed, his nostrils flaring, looking like he wouldn't budge even if Marco forced him out of the room. I knew that Erik would rather give up his right arm then have me unprotected at a time like this.

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "I'll be fine. Go and get ready. I will be out in a bit."

He looked at me, still unsure if he wanted to leave me alone.

"I will escort Roxanne to the ball," Marco volunteered, regaining his courage. "If that is alright Madame?"

With a smile, I nodded.

Reluctantly, Erik moved out of the room but before he passed Marco, he grabbed Marco's shoulder, squeezed it tightly, making Marco cringe with a little pain, and whispered: "do not dare let her out of your sight. If anything were to happen to her, it will be your head in the Punjab lasso."

Then he walk away.

"Well, then," I sighed. "Good to see that he is still a drama king."

Marco pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned. "Yes, he has not changed all that much."

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the rights to Love Never Dies.

Hi everyone! It's been awhile but I finally was able to finish the chapter. I had a difficult time trying to figure out what I wanted to write. I was able to do it. Yay!

I wanted to thank all of you for sticking with me. It just has been a tough summer for me and I hardly had time to be able to write. I'm sorry for not posting recently :(

I'm really excited to write about the ball and then write my plot twist that I have been planning since the very beginning. So, stay tuned ;)

After I finish this story, I plan to rewrite my Beauty and the Beast story. I mean like completely making a whole new story. I wrote it back when i was very young. Actually, I will be mostly working with more of fairy tale fanfictions and will need ideas for other fairy tales I should do after I fix my Beauty and the Beast. So, if you have any questions or suggestions for me, please PM me. I need help.

Thank you all again.

Think of me, think of me fondly

When you read my work

Remember me, once in a while

Please, promise me you'll try

And you'll find that once again you long

To take your heart back and be free

If you ever find a moment

Spare your time for me