A/N- I wrote this chapter while listening to 'El Tango de Roxanne' from Moulin Rogue. That song rocks my songs and…Ewan McGregor sings it… (Foams at the mouth) Hehe…By the way, the PG-13-ness comes in at the end of this chapter and goes on till the end of the story. On with the show!

Chapter Nine: At the Ball

You can't hide your feelings with a mask…

- Anonymous

Leonora sat at the edge of her bed and sighed, sadly. She wanted Erik to come to the ball, but he just ignored the entire subject as if he were uncomfortable with the whole thing. If he would come, she would tell him she loved him and, after all, it was a masquerade, so he could wear a mask and not feel so self conscious about it.

Annette walked in with the gown and mask her mother had picked out for her. She noticed Leonora and placed on the mask in hopes of cheering her up, but Leonora only smiled faintly at her.

"Erik?" Annette guessed, removing the mask and placing it on her bed with the gown. Leonora nodded and sighed again, staring at the floor. Annette took Leonora's hand and looked her in the eyes.

"If he loves you, he'll come," she told her. That only made Leonora more nervous. Annette just smiled and went to spread out her gown across her bed, neatly. She hummed and gestured for Leonora to join, but Leonora just fiddled with her mask.

What if he doesn't show? She thought, gazing at her own gown…

Fireworks shot up in the air and exploded into beautiful rainbows of color above the Opera Populaire as the members of the company who were outside gazed up at them, cheering every time one burst. Although the ball had already begun, there were many guests just lingering and conversing as the music played. Robert was scanning the ball for Leonora as the manager talked to him while Annette and her mother laughed with Cornelia about one of the ensemble member's costumes. Guests were entering down the staircase, greeted by applause for their mask. No one paid attention to a certain shape in the shadows.

Erik gazed at the people, searching for Leonora and often looking down at his black suit and adjusting his plain black mask nervously. He had dressed himself in the same costume used for Don Juan in Don Juan Triumphant.

"Where is she?" He thought out loud.

Suddenly, at the top of the staircase, a figure appeared. Even with a mask covering her face, Erik knew who it was because his heart skipped a beat while looking at her.

Leonora.

Erik closed his eyes. "My muse is here," he breathed. She was clad in a pearl white dress that gave her the appearance of an angel and sparkled in the light. Her dark hair was pulled back tightly, except for a few stands on the sides of her face. Erik could see her eyes looking for him through the beaded white mask.

Erik had seen the gentlemen meet their lady at the bottom of the stairs and take their hand leading them off to dance. Without hesitation, Erik strode from the shadows towards the staircase, receiving curious looks from other guests and an angry glare from Robert, who was also making his way to the staircase.

They both reached it at the same moment and Robert looked at Erik and laughed, adjusting his blue mask.

"Nice costume," he snorted. "Are you attending a funeral after this?"

Of course, Erik thought, yours. He clenched his fists, but quickly released them, noticing Leonora had appeared before them. She paid no heed to Robert and smiled at Erik, relieved.

"You made it," she exclaimed, thinking of what Annette had said and feeling her heart flutter with joy. Erik smiled and bowed, taking her hand.

"Why wouldn't I?" He replied, leading her off to dance. Robert stood there, gaping at them with astonishment.

Who is that man? He thought angrily as he made himself regain posture and walked back over to the manager, arms folded.

Erik and Leonora glided across the floor, waltzing to the melody of soft music. Each of them seemed to be in a dream, never looking away and never letting go.

Annette watched them; clutching her mother's hand and sighing like a small schoolgirl. She ripped off her itchy mask and stared up at her mother, expecting to her to have the same expression. To Annette's surprise, her mother looked scared of the couple, like something bad was going to happen any minute. Once Meg caught her daughter's gaze, she forced on a smile and squeezed her hand.

The music ended and Erik took Leonora's hands in his and cleared his throat, nervously.

"Leonora," he said, softly. "There's something that I've been meaning to tell you for a long time."

Leonora felt both of their hearts pumping with adrenaline instead of blood. She looked into his eyes and raised her eyebrows, hopefully, and gesturing for him to go on. Erik took a staggered breath and…

At that moment, Leonora felt a cold hand on her shoulder and she shivered. She heard Robert's slimy voice in her ear.

"Hello sir," Robert whispered to Erik, but still looking at Leonora as if in a trance. Erik bowed his head in humility as Robert ran his hand through Leonora's hair. She grimaced and tried to push him away as Erik let go of her hands, giving up telling her how he felt.

"Do you mind if I cut in?" Robert sneered. Erik took a hand up to gently brush Leonora's cheek and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. She held his hand with hers until it slipped out of reach as she was pulled away by Robert.

Erik stood there for a moment, staring at his hand as he clenched it with masked anger and humiliation. He glanced over at Leonora and Robert dancing and closed his eyes, running back into the shadows.

What was I thinking? He asked himself as the darkness consumed him.

He slammed his fists down on the organ and looked at himself in the mirror. He laughed, bitterly and leaned on it with one hand, placing the other on his hip.

"Tell me, Erik," he said into the mirror. "Can you compete with that? He can give her the world and you can give her nothing! What in God's name were you thinking, you idiot!"

He pushed himself away from the mirror and ripped off his jacket, flinging it into the water. He took a hand through his hair and sighed, taking a seat on the organ stool.

"She has her man, now," he breathed, putting his masked face in his hands…

Leonora struggled to get away from Robert, but he held her so tight, she felt the places where he held her starting to ache by the end of the song. She tried to look over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of Erik, but she saw no man in black.

"Erik…" Leonora sighed, sadly. "I'm so sorry…"

Robert looked down at her in frustration as the music stopped. Erik? He thought, angrily and, to his own surprise, jealously. He scoffed and grabbed her hand, dragging her through a crowd of spectators who cheered them as if they were a loving couple. Leonora looked back at the ball as he led her past the dormitories and she felt an odd, sickening feeling beginning to churn in her stomach. She tried to pull her hand away as they reached Cornelia's dressing room and Robert opened the door, shoving her in, roughly. She felt an unknown horror descend upon her as Robert closed the door, locking it.

"Let me out," Leonora demanded hollowly as he walked closer to her, smiling. She took steps backward, trying to get away from him and bumping into a table. He ran his hand from her shoulder down her arm and she gasped.

"What, and miss all the fun?" He replied, suddenly grabbing her by the hair and pulling it till she was right in front of him. Leonora let out a scream as he forced her onto a sofa, but he quickly clamped his hand over her mouth, muffling the scream. He laughed like a madman and pressed his lips to her neck, causing her to scream louder. It felt as if two hot irons had been placed to her neck.

He laughed as if it were an entertaining game as Leonora felt her eyes water with the presence of tears. She summoned up all her strength and thrust her knee into his stomach, emitting a furious shriek. He let out a yell and let her go for a moment; long enough for Leonora to shove him in the shoulders and slip out of his anaconda grip. She pushed him to the door, opening it frantically and thrust him out into the hall. She slammed the door shut and locked it, quickly; pressing her ears to it until she was sure he was gone.

Her legs gave away and she collapsed to the floor, sobbing until her throat ached. She felt her hands shaking as she removed her mask to wipe her eyes.

"I hate him," she breathed, between sobs. "I hate you, Robert! I hope you rot in Hell for what you have done!" He voice softened as she noticed the mirror. "Oh, Erik, I love you! You would never do a thing like that, ever!"

Leonora let her mask fall to the floor as she stood up, and walked towards the mirror, still crying. She looked behind to make sure that Robert had not appeared, magically, and sliding open the mirror and disappearing in its shadows…

A/N- So, yeah…PG-13-ness continues throughout the story from now on. R&R!