Author Note: Hope this isn't too short, dramatic, rushed, or sappy…Lol…No really I hope not, so please lemme know what you think!

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MASK II

The trip to the restaurant was quiet as ever neither of us spoke really except for when Luc came to the door, and told me I looked very nice, and had told my father when we were to be back.

Luc was looking very handsome, he had his hair tied back loosely, and he was wearing a white shirt, black tailcoat, with black trousers. He looked very elegant compared to this afternoons attire, which was most surely ruined after the fall we had into the grass and dirt.

I had taken my mothers advice and had worn the navy blue dress made of silk and velvet. The white cris-cross ribbon going down the back was enough to accent the dress completely. But there was also a long strip of blue velvet material that was supposed to wrap around and tie into a bow in the back. It was about six inches across and about three to four feet long, which would wrap nicely around my arms and cover my back.

The night sky was lit with bright sparkling stars, everything was going perfectly…Aside from her arm being in a sling. When Luc arrived he commented on the nicely done job of creating a sling. It was made out of white cloth and went lovely with my dress.

As we neared the town I began to see many more street lamps, which reflected off my mask casting a light above Luc head. I giggled a little at this, as did he.

"Odette are you really going to wear that thing into the restaurant?" he asked questioningly.

I stared at him in shock… Literally.

Had he really no clue as to why I wore this mask? Both times I had spent with him he never asked me about it, and I didn't even remember that it was there. More than likely because he acted as if he had never seen it to begin with.

But before I jumped to conclusions, which I should take that back, because I already have. I may as well pretend I don't know what he is talking about, and see if he means the sling instead. Most women in society wouldn't set foot in a restaurant if their attire had not been perfect.

"What? My sling? Luc…" I asked sounding rather shocked.

"No not your sling dear, the mask, it is rather silly for you to wear such a thing out in public, we aren't even attending a Masquerade!" he said pointedly.

The carriage slowed to halt outside the restaurant. I couldn't believe what he was saying… Did he really think I was wearing this mask for fun? Then the cruel reality hit. Once he saw what lies beneath this mask he will reject me on the spot, and more than likely retch as well.

"You really don't even know do you?" I said in a light voice, I probably looked as if I was spaced out a bit. Well I don't blame my self, how could I have been so stupid as to even forget about the mask? Why didn't mother or father stop me? Wouldn't they have known this would happen?

"What? Odette, what don't I know?" he asked sounding confused.

The driver had opened the carriage door. I stared at Luc for a moment longer, I can't believe I didn't see this coming. I felt the tears well up in my eyes, stinging quite a bit. I grabbed my purse and wrapped my shawl around me more and stepped from the carriage.

The minute I had both feet on the ground, I took off running. Back in the direction of home. I could hear Luc faintly yelling my name in the distance from behind. I didn't care I just wanted to be away from him. I just wanted to go home. I let my feet carry me as fast as they could, but apparently my feet and my mind had two different ideas of home.

When I finally stopped running I found my self-staring face to face with the Opera Populaire. I stared at it for a moment, admiring the grandness of the beautiful building. It least the building had beauty, and not some terrible disfigurement.

I looked off to the side remembering the small entrance-way through the stained glass window in to the chapel. I headed over there as quickly as I could, I heard several male voices from around the corner, and did not want to be here when they showed up.

Slipping in through the window with a bit of difficulty due to my arm. I finally managed to get through with out causing my self-more injury than I already had gotten in the past twenty-four hours, or well, five.

Once inside I shut the window gently behind me, and stepped down from the window seat and looked at my surroundings.

My piano was still hear, but it had been moved into the corner so that if I were to sit at it I would be staring at the corner rather than the door way, which isn't what I would call the best place for it, but I was in no state to be moving it right this very moment.

I sighed looking around at everything else, it was all still in its place as it had been left three years ago. Wiping the tears from the corner of my eyes I sniffled a bit then decided on sitting down at my piano, I hadn't played it since the other day and well I needed to practice five finger exercises anyway.

Looking around the room I found a un-used match lying on the holder below the candles. I struck it against the wall, watching the flame come to life I lit all of the candles that remained in the holders. Blowing out the match, I sighed and sat down on the piano bench and opened the cover and began playing the scales. The sound that emitted from that piano was enough to cause even someone who didn't know the sound of a un-tuned piano to cringe.

Sighing I settled for playing Do, Mi, Sol, Do…Or better known as C, E, G, C. back and forth over and over again…Some how it seemed to sooth me, and take me away from my cruel reality.

Back home an hour seemed to have passed, and just as the clock struck eight o'clock there was a rather loud knocking at the door.

Getting up from his chair in the parlor, Erik made his way over to the front door and opened cautiously.

There standing before him was Luc with a panic stricken look upon his face.

"Dare I ask what happened?" Erik asked in an irritated tone, leaving the front door open, he stepped over to the hook that held his cloak and grabbed it from the hook putting it on in a quick manner, causing it to make a swishing sound and clasping the fasten at the throat.

"Monsieur, I swear I didn't mean to offend her but the mask she wears, I didn't want her to embarrass her self in public," Luc tried to explain what happened to Erik hoping not to further anger him.

Erik glared at him, the gleam of his white mask shone in the moonlight as well.

"I apologize monsieur," he said quietly.

Erik slammed the door shut.

"You need to get out of my sight, and never set foot on this property again, and monsieur, never…ever…Speak to my daughter again." With that said Erik took off to the one place he knew he would find her.

When he came upon the Opera Populaire memories held with in the walls flooded back to him, as he looked up to the roof top, he remembered that fateful night which he now regretted.

Slipping into the building undetected he stalked through the hallways with the grace and quietness of a cat. He checked Christine's dressing room not finding her in there, he looked in the next place he could think of the chapel.

On the way down to the chapel millions of thoughts crossed Erik's mind. But the most prominent one was: How was he going to handle this? He hadn't really dealt with this type of situation, aside from Christine, but that was different.

This was pretty much the same predicament he was in…Embarrassed to be seen out in public, but that he had gotten over after some time. But the constant judgement of society, and just knowing what they were going to say after he left was enough to do some form of damage on his psyche in the beginning, but he had dealt with it over the years.

Odette, well that was entirely different she had been sheltered away from society kept within the boundaries of the opera house. But that was three years ago, and God only knows how much she's changed in the past three years.

Coming upon the chapel he heard the distinct sounds, of a common vocal scale, Do, Mi, Sol, Do or better known as C, E, G, C. Standing in the door way he watched Odette sitting at the piano, slightly slouched over aimlessly hitting the keys over and over again.

As he walked further in to the room, careful not to make a sound he noticed her shawl had fallen to the floor, Christine had been fretting about it since Odette had left the house but she didn't speak of why.

And once Erik was close enough he saw why…Scars.

Stepping closer and to the side of the piano, which cast a shadow over the keys Odette looked up at him. Her tear-stained cheeks, which were usually slightly rosy like Christine's, were paler than ever. Sitting down on the edge of the piano bench, he looked down at his lap, and then up at her.

"Why must people be like this?" her voice was breaking.

Erik didn't know how to answer that, he himself didn't know why people were the way they were towards those who were different.

"I-, I don't know" he said quietly pulling her into a slight hug, her head rest against his chest. Sobs racked her body, In that instance he wished he could take away all the pain that had been brought to her in the past three years. He wished he could go back and fix the wrongs that had come in his family's way that begun seventeen years ago.

I know not very long, but my shoulder still hurts. Any who I hope you liked it, hope Erik wasn't too um weird but I'm still working on the talk they're gonna have. Right now didn't seem like a good time to put it in, but definitely the next chapter. PROMISE! But I'm very tiered right now and must go to bed, so pretty pwease review, it will make me recover quicker lol and I'll post another chapter within 2 days!

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