Okay, so maybe you guys didn't think Beyonce was all that good. Oh well. We shall agree to disagree.

Chapter X- Repairing the Damage


"Come, we must return," Erik said, softly. "Your mother will be missing you."

So they reemerged three hours after Erik found Meg, and a good nine hours since both Faust and Monsieur Andre's life had ended.

Meg returned to her frantic mother and explained where she had been. Madame Giry was very angry that Meg had slept in Erik's bed (Meg had tried to explain that she had actually slept in Christine's bed, but her mother said she had never heard such a flimsy excuse) and reminded her that good, nice girls waited until they were married.

Meg saw it was pointless to argue, so she remained silent. Her mother, however sensible she was, would never understand.

The Emperor was the next to greet her. He showered her with kisses.

"Dearest," he whispered into her ear. "I came as quick as I could. Oh, I was so frightened for you." He held her close. "It must be the Ghost's fault. He has killed that nice Monsieur Andre, and now he has threatened your safety!" he kissed Meg's forehead and then her cheek.

She wished he would stop- he was embarrassing her.

"When I find the Ghost, I will put my steel," The Emperor pulled his sword out of his scabbard and looked at it, menacingly. "Through his heart!"

Meg paled at the Emperor's declaration. The last thing she wanted was the Emperor's steel through Erik's heart. Suddenly, Meg felt faint again.

"My darling," the Emperor cooed at her, and cradled her face in his hands. "You needn't worry for my safety."

Meg looked up at him. She was worried about the Emperor's safety? No, that was not it, not at all. Erik was the one who she cared for.

"I will make sure he never lays a hand on you again."

It would have been so easy to fall in love with him. He had everything; money, power, good temper, and he was extremely handsome. All those qualities and still she felt nothing but animosity towards this man.

She wondered, perhaps if she had not fallen in love with Erik, if the Emperor might have been the One.

She would never know.


In Meg's last week of being an unmarried woman, Madame Giry gave all the ballerinas the day off so she could take Meg and her bridesmaids dress shopping.

Meg tried dress after dress after dress on before she found the perfect one.

It was tucked in the corner of the shop, and was a little dusty and a bit out of style, but Meg fell in love with it immediately. It was modestly cut and had long sleeves that were outlined in small white fake flowers. The hem was also covered with them. Her skirt opened to reveal a white petticoat.

It was perfect, her dream dress, and when she wore it, she felt like the princess she would be at the end of the week.

Her bridesmaids (who were all ballerinas) cooed about how beautiful she looked in her gown and how the Emperor would be so in love with her when he saw her in this dress.

Meg stared at herself in the mirror and fixed some imperfect things that she saw, while her mother and La Sorelli argued whether or not Meg should wear her hair up.

"Oh, Meg," Odette cooed at her, putting the veil on Meg's head carefully. "You look like an angel."

Meg looked up and smiled half heartedly at Odette. Madame Giry had explained to Meg that the ballet girls had somehow come to the realization that they had better be nice to Meg- her social connection was too much to pass up.

And it hadn't hurt that the Emperor had warned everyone to be nice to his bride-to-be, or else.

Meg noted it wouldn't be wise to say anything to the Ballet Girls until she was safely married and on her honeymoon.

Come to think of it, where was the Emperor going to take her on their honeymoon? He had not mentioned it before.

Ah, well, it didn't matter.


In a whirl the dress was bought, paid for, and Meg once again was back at the Opera Populaire…

…And it was time for her dancing lessons with Erik. She definitely didn't feel up to it. She was tired, she felt ill, she was about to get married and the nerves were getting to her… she had those excuses ready for Erik and his Dancing Lessons.

She wished she never thought of them in the first place. She looked in her vanity drawers, frantically searching for her favorite pink hair ribbon. Her father had given it to her before he died, and she had so wanted to wear it today.

A hand touched her shoulder, and Meg screamed. She turned around, and Erik covered her mouth with her hand.

"Are you mad?" He whispered. "Do you want to call everyone here?"

She shook her head. She was just surprised, that was all. Meg recited her excuses to Erik, who rolled his eyes, and grabbed her wrist and led her down to his house.

They were still in the tunnel to Erik's house when he spoke; "The ballerinas were not at practice today."

'Nice observation,' Meg thought. "Mama gave the ballerinas the day off to take me dress shopping. For the wedding, you know."

Erik turned around and looked at her. "You are still marrying that man?"

"Well, of course." She said. Well, hadn't she just said that she was going dress shopping? "He's in love with me, and…"

Erik ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "You can't marry him!"

"And why not?" Meg said, slightly insulted. "I can marry whoever I want, Erik, you can't just go around dictating who marries who…"

"I dictate because people are fools!" He yelled.

"It is not for you to decide!" She yelled right back. It was a strange thing- they both annoyed each other, but they also loved each other. Well, at least one did. Meg wasn't so sure about Erik's feelings for her.

Wait a moment. Hadn't her mother told her a long time ago that she was to marry an Emperor when she gotten older? And the person that she said told her was…

Erik.

"You told the Emperor my name, didn't you?" She said, loathing him for a minute. "If you are so adverse to the idea of me marrying him, you shouldn't have given him my name!"

"You are a meddlesome fool." Erik said, flicking his cloak and turning his back on her.

"Excuse me, Monsieur," Meg said, feeling brave. "I am not the person who sends regular notes to the managers, telling them how to run the Opera Populaire- their Opera House!"

"I helped to design this building! So if not for me, you and your mother would not have a home!"

"You," Meg said, utterly revolted at his comment. "are a selfish pig."

"And you, my lady, are a virago." He said, making a sweeping mock bow.

"Martinet!"

"Shrew!"

"Despot!"

"Termagant!"

"Stickler!"

He walked toward her. Suddenly afraid, she backed up. He backed her into the wall and she closed her eyes, thinking he might hit her. Instead, she was kissed. Hard, on the lips. Like he had held it in a long time, and lost all control and let his instinct come over him.

And boy, did she like it. It was like fire in her soul, and she had never been kissed like that before. However, she had almost no experience in kissing- the Emperor's teeth kiss had been her first kiss and it certainly hadn't caused this reaction!

How in the world would she get married to the Emperor now? After this?


Okay, guys! Are you excited! Only three more chapters and then we are DONE. (Well, two chapters and a short epilogue, but still.)

Okay, just a bit of review response:

Diana-Lupin: You are correct! The whole thing was planned. I was very, very happy you got that! You get the Golden Sleuth Award:presents Diana-Lupin the Golden Sleuth Award:

Mallie- I was wrong about the Mascara. However, I wasn't too far off. The sight I looked it up said it was invented in like, 1905 or sometime around there. (However the word mascara was changed to kohl, which I definitely know existed, because that was around in Ole Cleopatra's time.) Thank you for alerting me about my mistake!

Foreveriseternallymine:

:sings:
Have you met my good friend Forever?
The silliest girl on the block!
You'll know her the minute you see her,
She's the one who really likes Beyonce's frock.

:goes off singing and skipping:

That said, please R. E. V. I. E. W.

Please…?