Disclaimer: If I owned this stuff, I'd be too busy making a Phantom movie with Michael Crawford in it. But I don't, so I'm not. *sulks about, hating ALW*
A/N: Thank you to everyone that reviewed. Your comments fuel my brain.
-SOMEONE LIKE YOU-
...Sympathy, Tenderness
Panic. Not an emotion that was new to Erik, but one that came at such a rarity that it startled him. Dawn was missing. He had looked everywhere but he could not find her. He called out to her. He ran about like a chicken with its head cut off. He ran to the docks only to find the boat still ashore. So, she must be here somewhere.
Fear rose into his throat and choked him. What if she went exploring? What if she fell into one of his traps? Into the torture chamber. His heart lurched in his chest and the thought of her slow, painful death at his hands. He would never forgive himself if he killed her. He ran inside and went to the window that revealed the torture chamber. Switching the light on, he saw that there wasn't a soul inside there. He sighed in relief.
There was sound coming from his library. He went to the chamber door and flung it open. And there she was. She looked like a cat, all curled up in one of his more comfortable chairs lost in thought. He could have sworn he had checked the library earlier and had found her absent from there as well.
"Dawn, where were you?" he yelled.
Dawn jumped and looked at him. "I-I was right here…"
"That is quite impossible, Dawn. I searched for you all morning and found you completely vacant from every room in this house."
Something flickered in her eyes but was quickly masked before he could see it. "Erik, I swear, I was here all morning…"
Erik paused. Dawn had never been afraid of him before. He could tell she was frightened- she looked so much like Christine. He wanted her to forgive him for yelling. Erik walked right up to her before he realized what he was about to do. He was about to embrace her. He had never touched another person in that way before in his life. Except for Nadir's dying son… But never before had he touched a woman like that. He sunk to his knees and gently touched her hand. She backed away, not expecting the touch. He took it the wrong way.
"Oh, so you're afraid of me now, are you?" Erik sneered.
Dawn shook her head wildly, "N-no, of course not!"
Erik glared. "I offer you hospitality and you spit it back in my face. I understand now that you are just like everyone else."
Dawn stood, shaking. "Don't yell at me, Erik."
"I can do as I wish! It is my home and if you don't like it- you can leave. I'm not keeping you here."
Dawn's face crumpled. "Fine… just-," A tear fell, she looked away but didn't brush it off, "fine. It was stupid of me to- come here. I believe I've outstayed my welcome so… I'll be going now." She choked back her sob as she moved toward the door.
Erik hated when people cried; he never knew what to do. And he hated when he made people cry that don't deserve to ever shed a tear. "Dawn, I-."
Dawn backed away from him and cried, "Just leave me alone!"
He felt frustration well in his chest, "Fine, go then, child. Run away and leave! I don't care about you or anyone else. Just LEAVE!"
Dawn ran out of the house. She was scared, for the first time she was scared of him. How could things have gone so terrible wrong? Her heart ached. It was like the world had ended. Here she had been handed her chance to make things right and she had spoiled it. Spoiled it all! Her sobs hindered her running, and she fell. She stayed where she was on the ground.
Damn and damn again! He hated her now! If only she had- well, it didn't matter now. All was spoiled. All was ruined. She cried out in sheer frustration, her cry resounding all about like the pained moaning of a ghost.
Meanwhile, Erik was frozen. What happened? How could he have scared her? After she had done all she had? What was wrong with him? Was he unable to feel compassion? He suspected everyone. Perhaps it was justified. After all, all his life Erik had been betrayed and rejected, so why not doubt any intentions of those who did care for him?
He sighed and paced. Should he run after her? After all, it was a mistake on both their parts. She had obviously run off and he had overreacted. Christine had recently reopened his wounded heart.
'Christine…'
Erik paused only for a moment before grabbing his cape and hat before leaving the house beyond the lake. He only hoped he wasn't too late. He stopped when he saw she was merely a yard away, collapsed. At first, fear clenched his heart. Had she hurt herself? But he could tell from her shaking shoulders, that she had merely collapsed in misery.
Creeping up behind her, her crouched to her level. "Dawn?"
She turned to him immediately. Her eyes opened wide, as if she were in disbelief. They both stared at each other, he with mixed emotions, she with amazement and grief. He opened his mouth to begin his apology but Dawn's next action silenced him. She hugged him. He had immediately stiffened in her embrace as she sobbed hysterically into his shoulder. She didn't seem to notice his shock, so immersed in sorrow was she.
"Erik, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" was all he could make out between her sobs.
After many minutes of only her wailing into his shoulder, he finally got over his daze and carefully wrapped his arms around her. His embrace was awkward, but she seemed to be comforted by it anyway. He hushed her gently, singing a wordless lullaby in her ear. Finally, she quieted.
"Don't do that again. You scared me," He whispered.
She pulled away, smiling at him weakly. "I'm sorry, Erik. Will you ever forgive me?"
It was when he stared into her muted hazel eyes when he knew that he cared for her. Not as he cared for Christine but still. He sighed and nodded before remembering she could not see him nod.
"Yes, as long as you promise never to do that again."
"I promise."
It was never spoken of again.
-*-
Later that week, Dawn approached Erik with a question that had remained unanswered.
"Erik?" she spoke.
"Yes?" he looked at her, his gaze inquiring.
"Why wont you let me see your face?"
He froze. Pandora never seemed to leave him. For there she was, within Dawn. He wondered if Dawn would scream.
"Because I don't want you to," he replied.
"Erik, what are you afraid of?"
'Erik, I've lived on the streets for a great deal of my life. Do you truly believe that there is no one out there that shares the same fate?'
'From time to time, certain bone structures are repeated without a blood tie. No human face is entirely unique, my dear. I daresay somewhere in the world there may be another poor devil who looks like me.'
The dilemma had not gone away, only hidden. He sighed and brooded once more. If she had seen it before… wait… she'd seen it before…
"What do you mean by 'see' my face? If I recall correctly, you are quite unable to do so."
"I can see, Erik," Dawn said. "Just because I can't see with my eyes doesn't mean I can't see. I see with my hands."
She lifted up her dainty hands to show him. He never noticed how small they were before.
He paused and considered. Time passed. Dawn got antsy and Erik got nervous. Finally, Dawn heard Erik untying the ribbons that held his mask in place. Dawn stepped closer until her dress brushed his knees. He removed the mask and marveled at how much better he could breathe without that dreadful thing on his face.
Her hands came up and drifted near his face before they pulled back. Had she changed her mind?
"Erik… help me," she asked.
Wordlessly, he guided her hands to the deformed side of his face. He shut his eyes as he felt her hands that were as cold as his, rest upon his face.
He sat quietly as her hands drifted about his face. She felt every defect from his missing hair to his missing nose. She touched his hallow cheek and stretched lips. Finally, she pulled away. For Erik, it had felt like an eternity. For Dawn, it wasn't quite that long.
He looked at her face, searching for hints of horror or fear. But there was nothing. Her face was blank. She hated him now. He knew it. He never should have let her see him.
"I still think your beautiful, Erik."
Her voice cut through the silence and cut into him. How could she say something like that? When it wasn't true? And yet, he couldn't detect a lie. But he knew it wasn't true.
"Don't lie to me, child. I know what I am… a monster! A horrid ugly monster!" He snapped as he stood.
'Raoul, I've seen him. Can I ever forget that sight? Can I ever escape from that face? So distorted, deformed, it was hardly a face in that darkness…'
She nodded, "That may be what you believe, monsieur, but I'm afraid my opinion is different. To me you still are a man. A scared, torn, haunted man who simply needs love." She paused. "As do we all…"
"What would you know of it? You know nothing! You are too young to know what it is like to live years of wandering, knowing that you can't ever have the person you love."
He said too much.
But she shook her head. "If only you knew, Erik." Her eyes moved to his. "Shall I prove it, Erik? Shall I prove to you that I do not see you as some fairy tale monster?"
She didn't give him time to respond. She wrapped her arms around him. She hugged him again. Her arms wrapped about him and her head rested against his chest. He was stunned. No woman had ever touched him out of her own will. The first time had been out of grief. She had not seen his face in her darkness and only sought someone she had seen as a friend. And here was this little slip of a girl, that no one ever looked at twice, doing something no one else could. He was stiff in her embrace and could not remember how to respond to such a gesture, but she didn't seem to mind. How could she even think about touching him after she had seen his face?
Far too soon she released him and looked up at his face.
"I'll be in the library if you need me."
With the click of the door, he collapsed into his chair. Utterly and completely lost.
And for some reason, the most random thought occurred to him. Her face… her name… was familiar somehow. He shook his head and continued to sulk about the most recent events.
-*-
Once again, I will not ask for a certain number of reviews but I would appreciate it if you did because if you read and don't review, that is just wrong. Feedback helps every writer. Because if you don't or do like something, I can fix it so that their is less or more of that specific thing. I love to get comments or critism. So don't hesitate to review.
CHRISTINE: Am I ever going to be in this thing?
CS: Patience, child.
CHRISTINE: I'm older than you.
CS: *pause* So?
CHRISTINE: Great comeback!
CS: Shut up!
CHRISTINE: Oooh, even better!
CS: *growl* You WILL be quiet or I'll make you fall in love with Carlotta!
CHRISTINE: *silence*
CS: That's better. Anyway, please review before this becomes longer than the actual story.
CHRISTINE: *muttering about Claire*
A/N: Thank you to everyone that reviewed. Your comments fuel my brain.
-SOMEONE LIKE YOU-
...Sympathy, Tenderness
Panic. Not an emotion that was new to Erik, but one that came at such a rarity that it startled him. Dawn was missing. He had looked everywhere but he could not find her. He called out to her. He ran about like a chicken with its head cut off. He ran to the docks only to find the boat still ashore. So, she must be here somewhere.
Fear rose into his throat and choked him. What if she went exploring? What if she fell into one of his traps? Into the torture chamber. His heart lurched in his chest and the thought of her slow, painful death at his hands. He would never forgive himself if he killed her. He ran inside and went to the window that revealed the torture chamber. Switching the light on, he saw that there wasn't a soul inside there. He sighed in relief.
There was sound coming from his library. He went to the chamber door and flung it open. And there she was. She looked like a cat, all curled up in one of his more comfortable chairs lost in thought. He could have sworn he had checked the library earlier and had found her absent from there as well.
"Dawn, where were you?" he yelled.
Dawn jumped and looked at him. "I-I was right here…"
"That is quite impossible, Dawn. I searched for you all morning and found you completely vacant from every room in this house."
Something flickered in her eyes but was quickly masked before he could see it. "Erik, I swear, I was here all morning…"
Erik paused. Dawn had never been afraid of him before. He could tell she was frightened- she looked so much like Christine. He wanted her to forgive him for yelling. Erik walked right up to her before he realized what he was about to do. He was about to embrace her. He had never touched another person in that way before in his life. Except for Nadir's dying son… But never before had he touched a woman like that. He sunk to his knees and gently touched her hand. She backed away, not expecting the touch. He took it the wrong way.
"Oh, so you're afraid of me now, are you?" Erik sneered.
Dawn shook her head wildly, "N-no, of course not!"
Erik glared. "I offer you hospitality and you spit it back in my face. I understand now that you are just like everyone else."
Dawn stood, shaking. "Don't yell at me, Erik."
"I can do as I wish! It is my home and if you don't like it- you can leave. I'm not keeping you here."
Dawn's face crumpled. "Fine… just-," A tear fell, she looked away but didn't brush it off, "fine. It was stupid of me to- come here. I believe I've outstayed my welcome so… I'll be going now." She choked back her sob as she moved toward the door.
Erik hated when people cried; he never knew what to do. And he hated when he made people cry that don't deserve to ever shed a tear. "Dawn, I-."
Dawn backed away from him and cried, "Just leave me alone!"
He felt frustration well in his chest, "Fine, go then, child. Run away and leave! I don't care about you or anyone else. Just LEAVE!"
Dawn ran out of the house. She was scared, for the first time she was scared of him. How could things have gone so terrible wrong? Her heart ached. It was like the world had ended. Here she had been handed her chance to make things right and she had spoiled it. Spoiled it all! Her sobs hindered her running, and she fell. She stayed where she was on the ground.
Damn and damn again! He hated her now! If only she had- well, it didn't matter now. All was spoiled. All was ruined. She cried out in sheer frustration, her cry resounding all about like the pained moaning of a ghost.
Meanwhile, Erik was frozen. What happened? How could he have scared her? After she had done all she had? What was wrong with him? Was he unable to feel compassion? He suspected everyone. Perhaps it was justified. After all, all his life Erik had been betrayed and rejected, so why not doubt any intentions of those who did care for him?
He sighed and paced. Should he run after her? After all, it was a mistake on both their parts. She had obviously run off and he had overreacted. Christine had recently reopened his wounded heart.
'Christine…'
Erik paused only for a moment before grabbing his cape and hat before leaving the house beyond the lake. He only hoped he wasn't too late. He stopped when he saw she was merely a yard away, collapsed. At first, fear clenched his heart. Had she hurt herself? But he could tell from her shaking shoulders, that she had merely collapsed in misery.
Creeping up behind her, her crouched to her level. "Dawn?"
She turned to him immediately. Her eyes opened wide, as if she were in disbelief. They both stared at each other, he with mixed emotions, she with amazement and grief. He opened his mouth to begin his apology but Dawn's next action silenced him. She hugged him. He had immediately stiffened in her embrace as she sobbed hysterically into his shoulder. She didn't seem to notice his shock, so immersed in sorrow was she.
"Erik, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" was all he could make out between her sobs.
After many minutes of only her wailing into his shoulder, he finally got over his daze and carefully wrapped his arms around her. His embrace was awkward, but she seemed to be comforted by it anyway. He hushed her gently, singing a wordless lullaby in her ear. Finally, she quieted.
"Don't do that again. You scared me," He whispered.
She pulled away, smiling at him weakly. "I'm sorry, Erik. Will you ever forgive me?"
It was when he stared into her muted hazel eyes when he knew that he cared for her. Not as he cared for Christine but still. He sighed and nodded before remembering she could not see him nod.
"Yes, as long as you promise never to do that again."
"I promise."
It was never spoken of again.
-*-
Later that week, Dawn approached Erik with a question that had remained unanswered.
"Erik?" she spoke.
"Yes?" he looked at her, his gaze inquiring.
"Why wont you let me see your face?"
He froze. Pandora never seemed to leave him. For there she was, within Dawn. He wondered if Dawn would scream.
"Because I don't want you to," he replied.
"Erik, what are you afraid of?"
'Erik, I've lived on the streets for a great deal of my life. Do you truly believe that there is no one out there that shares the same fate?'
'From time to time, certain bone structures are repeated without a blood tie. No human face is entirely unique, my dear. I daresay somewhere in the world there may be another poor devil who looks like me.'
The dilemma had not gone away, only hidden. He sighed and brooded once more. If she had seen it before… wait… she'd seen it before…
"What do you mean by 'see' my face? If I recall correctly, you are quite unable to do so."
"I can see, Erik," Dawn said. "Just because I can't see with my eyes doesn't mean I can't see. I see with my hands."
She lifted up her dainty hands to show him. He never noticed how small they were before.
He paused and considered. Time passed. Dawn got antsy and Erik got nervous. Finally, Dawn heard Erik untying the ribbons that held his mask in place. Dawn stepped closer until her dress brushed his knees. He removed the mask and marveled at how much better he could breathe without that dreadful thing on his face.
Her hands came up and drifted near his face before they pulled back. Had she changed her mind?
"Erik… help me," she asked.
Wordlessly, he guided her hands to the deformed side of his face. He shut his eyes as he felt her hands that were as cold as his, rest upon his face.
He sat quietly as her hands drifted about his face. She felt every defect from his missing hair to his missing nose. She touched his hallow cheek and stretched lips. Finally, she pulled away. For Erik, it had felt like an eternity. For Dawn, it wasn't quite that long.
He looked at her face, searching for hints of horror or fear. But there was nothing. Her face was blank. She hated him now. He knew it. He never should have let her see him.
"I still think your beautiful, Erik."
Her voice cut through the silence and cut into him. How could she say something like that? When it wasn't true? And yet, he couldn't detect a lie. But he knew it wasn't true.
"Don't lie to me, child. I know what I am… a monster! A horrid ugly monster!" He snapped as he stood.
'Raoul, I've seen him. Can I ever forget that sight? Can I ever escape from that face? So distorted, deformed, it was hardly a face in that darkness…'
She nodded, "That may be what you believe, monsieur, but I'm afraid my opinion is different. To me you still are a man. A scared, torn, haunted man who simply needs love." She paused. "As do we all…"
"What would you know of it? You know nothing! You are too young to know what it is like to live years of wandering, knowing that you can't ever have the person you love."
He said too much.
But she shook her head. "If only you knew, Erik." Her eyes moved to his. "Shall I prove it, Erik? Shall I prove to you that I do not see you as some fairy tale monster?"
She didn't give him time to respond. She wrapped her arms around him. She hugged him again. Her arms wrapped about him and her head rested against his chest. He was stunned. No woman had ever touched him out of her own will. The first time had been out of grief. She had not seen his face in her darkness and only sought someone she had seen as a friend. And here was this little slip of a girl, that no one ever looked at twice, doing something no one else could. He was stiff in her embrace and could not remember how to respond to such a gesture, but she didn't seem to mind. How could she even think about touching him after she had seen his face?
Far too soon she released him and looked up at his face.
"I'll be in the library if you need me."
With the click of the door, he collapsed into his chair. Utterly and completely lost.
And for some reason, the most random thought occurred to him. Her face… her name… was familiar somehow. He shook his head and continued to sulk about the most recent events.
-*-
Once again, I will not ask for a certain number of reviews but I would appreciate it if you did because if you read and don't review, that is just wrong. Feedback helps every writer. Because if you don't or do like something, I can fix it so that their is less or more of that specific thing. I love to get comments or critism. So don't hesitate to review.
CHRISTINE: Am I ever going to be in this thing?
CS: Patience, child.
CHRISTINE: I'm older than you.
CS: *pause* So?
CHRISTINE: Great comeback!
CS: Shut up!
CHRISTINE: Oooh, even better!
CS: *growl* You WILL be quiet or I'll make you fall in love with Carlotta!
CHRISTINE: *silence*
CS: That's better. Anyway, please review before this becomes longer than the actual story.
CHRISTINE: *muttering about Claire*