A/N- Sorry this took so long. For my exclamation, see Stuck In An Elevator. For this chapter, I watched 'West Side Story', which is awesome, and I listened to Bjork, who is awesome. I figured I bring them together and roll them up into one big explosion of awesomeness! Imagine the Phantom in the movie especially for this chapter, otherwise you'll be all, "Ahhh!" On with the show!

Chapter Ten: One Hand, One Heart

You'll be given love,

You'll be taken care of…

-Bjork, All Is Full Of Love

Leonora splashed through the lake water, her once lovely hair now tangled and her once beautiful dress was torn at the edges. The candles cast haunting shadows on the walls that danced around her. She felt as if she were in a night mare that she could not be awakened from. When she turned the corner, she saw that the entrance to Erik's lair was blocked by the iron gate. She ran into its bars, clasping them with trembling hands.

"Erik…" She sobbed into the shadows. When there was no reply, she sank to her knees and pressed her forehead to the bars as her shoulders jumped with each sob.

"Erik, please!" She moaned. "I need you!"

She felt the gate rising and let go of the bars, standing to her feet. Erik stood in the lake, still masked, staring back at her with a concerned expression upon his face. She let out a cry and ran towards him, colliding into his arms.

"What happened?" He asked her softly as she clutched his shirt and sobbed into his chest.

"Hold me," she cried and he wrapped his arms around her slowly. He closed his eyes and let Leonora cover him in tears. For moments, the only sound present in the darkness was Leonora's cries.

"Tighter," she sobbed and Erik pressed her closer. He let her spill her tears then took her by the shoulders gently.

"Tell me what happened," he whispered. She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"After Robert drove you away," she began with a throat sore from sobs. "He dragged me to Cornelia's dressing room and he…he tried to…"

Erik's eyes widened as he let go of her and gestured for her to stop, knowing it would only bring her pain. He already knew the rest and anger was welling up inside him like an expanding balloon as he turned away from her. His breaths were filled with rage as he walked away from her and up the stone steps to the organ stool. He slumped down on it and looked over at Leonora, who stood in the lake water, gazing at him.

How could he do that to her? Erik thought as he watched her. She looked like a battered angel as she walked towards the steps to him. He suddenly noticed that her vision wasn't concentrated on him, but beside him, on the organ. There was a little figure that matched the set of the opera house model set on the organ. It was his new model of Leonora. Her cheeks were now filled with color and her eyes seemed to be made of diamonds as they glittered in the candlelight while figure was dressed in a lacy purple and black dress. Leonora's face brightened when she realized it was her as she gathered her skirts and ran over to Erik. She reached the organ's side and picked up the figure in curiosity while Erik smiled, weakly.

"I always keep it with me when I write music," he said and looked down on the keys and began to play. She placed the figure back down and watched him play.

Suddenly, he stopped and turned on the stool to face her as he ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

"God, why am I avoiding this?" He asked himself and took Leonora's hands. "I love you, Leonora! I love you! I've finally summoned up the courage to say it. My world was empty and dark until you came and you filled it with happiness and light! I love you…"

Leonora took away one of her hands and removed his mask without any hesitation. She placed it on the organ and looked into his eyes. They weren't deep and cold like Robert's, but soft and shining as they looked straight back into hers. They were suddenly closed as he leaned towards her and kissed her on the lips. She breathed a sigh of relief as she felt a weight on her heart be lifted off. For a moment, all was so silent that they could hear the distant music of the ball floating above them like an aroma.

When they pulled away from each other, Leonora smiled and kissed him shortly on the lips.

"I have always loved you," she whispered.

Erik's Point of View

By God, I love her…I love her…

She came back, to my strange surprise, and told me that bastard patron tried to rape her. Can't he just find another woman and go away? I'll probably have to kill him, but I'm too happy to think of him right now!

She said she's always loved me. Always!

Always…

I remember waking up with her. It was early morning and my eyes opened slowly, revealing to me her form against my own and I closed them again and thanked God for her over and over. No man on earth could possibly know love like this, could they?...

I love her…I love her, so much…

Leonora's Point of View

Erik is an extraordinary man in that ordinary world which I have spent most of my life. The life that I'd known lately was dull I longed for something more…for an actual purpose…Now I know it. It is to love Erik.

I remember being there with him and wanting never to leave…I just wanted to stay with him forever, to run away and leave this world behind. I just want to free myself of the tether that holds me down and enter that world of his where music and love prosper.

He has the music.

Music is the food of love.

Love is him.

Erik.

My Erik…. My angel….My everything.

Forever.

Leonora awoke to the sound of soft music echoing through the lair and pulling her from the bed. She followed it to see Erik at the organ, moving his fingers up and down the keys, gently. He caught sight of her and smiled, faintly.

"Leonora," he whispered. She smiled back and walked to the organ, gracefully. She leaned over and kissed him, softly, placing a hand on his cheek.

Suddenly, she pulled away with a worried look on her face.

"I must go," she breathed and strode towards the lake where Erik helped her into the boat. She gazed up at him as he rowed the boat and felt her heart ache with longing.

If only the world weren't so cruel, she thought as they reached the shore. We could be together and never have another care in the world…Until then…

Erik took her hand and helped her out of the boat, pressing his lips to it, afterwards. He glanced at her once more and disappeared into darkness. Leonora sighed and started through the hallway, her head occasionally turning around to see if he were still visible.

We kiss in shadows…

A/N- Yeah…so….Awwww…..But next, things will take a twisted turn….