Chapter Six
Disclaimer: I still don't own Phantom of the Opera.
A/N I'm taking creative license of the magnificent city of Paris. I've never been there, not yet anyway. (grins evilly and starts plotting)
Maska- Don't worry, Matthew has some evil (and boy, do I mean evil) trick up his sleeve. I'll try to update more, I've had a huge case of writer's block and I have to share one computer with five other people. Anyway, your character (Alice) will be introduced in the next few chapters, I hope. Let me know if you want her to have any specific traits or personalities.
Emma-J-Riddle- Don't fret over Matthew, he will be distracted soon enough. I'm glad you think "it's all good".
Chelsea stood against Erik for a long time. Erik just held her close enjoying the human touch, telling her they'd figure something out and he'd keep her safe. They looked into each other's eyes a plan hitting their brains at the same moment.
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Matthew still seething sat in his office curses running through his brain. He must figure out how to get Chelsea. Matthew knew he couldn't fool her and she would never ever come to him after he lied to her.
In truth Matthew didn't really love Chelsea. She, to him, was just another pretty face. That's what all his previous girlfriends had been. He got what he wanted from them and then he was gone. And, he thought to himself, Chelsea would be just the same.
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Chelsea grabbed all her clothes out of the closet, dumped them on the bed and started to fold them while Erik looked on. Chelsea's pretty face was pale and her eyes were red-rimmed from crying. When she was done packing her clothes she set to work on her make-up and toiletries.
"And you needed all this for a two week trip?" Erik asked eyeing Chelsea's things stacked by the mirror. Chelsea laughed.
"I never learned the meaning of traveling light." (Hehe, that's me. I went to New York with one suitcase and came back with three)
"Obviously" Erik stayed dryly. He grabbed the two biggest suitcases and opened the mirror. Chelsea picked up he backpack and the rest of the baggage. They walked down the tunnel in silence. When they reached the lair Chelsea sighed.
"This isn't going to keep Matthew away; he knows how to get down here." Chelsea warned.
"You're right" Erik said. "But a least I have you with me and I don't have to worry about Matthew coming into the dressing room and taking you away without me knowing." Chelsea nodded and then brightened.
"C'mon" She grabbed Erik by the wrist with one hand and her purse with the other and started to pull him towards the tunnels.
"Where are we going?" Erik asked bewildered.
"We, monsieur, are going to see Paris. Now which tunnel leads out of here without going through the Opera House?" Erik led Chelsea up an almost invisible path.
"What will people say when they see my mask?" Erik asked quietly, stopping to look at Chelsea.
"Erik, darling" She said cupping his face in her small, white hands. "No one will be suspicious" Her fingers caressed his face, found the edge of the mask, and pulled it off. Erik shuddered to think Chelsea's beautiful eyes were beholding something so horrid. "Most people have heard of The Phantom of the Opera, and they'll just think you're a bit of a fanatic, that's all." Chelsea said slipping her hand around his neck and drawing him close to her. She rose up onto tip-toes and pressed her mouth to his. Erik lifted her up like a child.
"I'll love you with or without your mask, no matter what." Chelsea whispered. Erik couldn't say anything, he had never felt anything but anger and hate, but now, love had taken over his senses. Together they walked hand in hand up the tunnel. When they reached the top Erik took his mask from Chelsea's hand and slipped it on, then they walked out into the bustling streets of Paris.
Venders lined the wide streets of Paris shouting their wares. Chelsea gasped in surprise and in delight.
"It almost looks like New York City." She breathed. There were carts of scarves, shawls, books, magazines, chocolates, jewelry, maps, flowers and everything else you could imagine. Chelsea just stood there looking at the people haggling with the venders and pouring over the goods.
"Well, my dear should we just stand here or should we go by some chocolate?" That did it. At the mention of chocolate Chelsea was shaken out of her revive. Erik led her over to the nearest chocolate stand.
"You haven't had lived until you've had French chocolate" Erik whispered in Chelsea's ear as he bought the best chocolate the man had to offer. Chelsea gasped.
"Erik that's the most expensive chocolate there is!" She exclaimed. Erik just smiled and thanked the man and led Chelsea over to a small café.
"Really Erik, that was too much to pay for chocolate." Chelsea scolded him. Erik smirked.
"Like I said, you haven't lived until you've had French chocolate. Besides, you only have a week left here and I don't know if I'll ever see you again, so I'm going to spoil you." He said, but then realizing what he had said. Chelsea's innocent green eyes filled with tears.
"I don't want to talk about leaving." She said quietly. Erik didn't say anything, but pulled Chelsea out of her chair and led her back over to the booths.
At the booth that sold cloth Chelsea bought many silk scarves for her friends back home. At another stand she bought books on the French military for her brothers.
When Chelsea was drooling over the shawls Erik slipped off to the carts across the street using all his skills as the Phantom to make sure Chelsea didn't notice he was gone. Erik looked over the goods for sometime trying to decide what to buy for Chelsea. He had noticed that she hadn't bought anything for herself and Erik thought she needed something extra special to remind her of her visit to Paris. He finally found what he was looking for, talked to the vender who nodded in understanding and grinned, paid the man generously, and was back a Chelsea's side before she was finished at the shawl cart.
"Erik, which one do you think I should get?" Chelsea asked him holding up two shawls. One was a cream, thick knitted, old fashioned Swedish shawl. Its cream color made Chelsea's hair look even darker than it was. The other was a silk pale gold color that made her skin glow.
"Umm" Erik said. "I'd say the cream one is the most practical, but the other one is very pretty."
"Thanks, but that does not help at all" Chelsea giggled. "Though I should get the cream one, Minnesota winters being as cold as they are." Erik nodded. After a few more hours of shopping Chelsea and Erik walked back to the Opera House.
When the two were back at Erik's lair he pulled a small box out of his pocket.
"Chelsea" He said handing the package to her," I want you to have this" She took the gift from his hands and unwrapped it carefully.
"Oh Erik" Chelsea breathed. She held up a small, silver ring with a ruby shaped as a heart on it. As she held the ring up to the light she noticed that inside the heart there was a rose with a heart behind it and in the middle of the heart there was the name Erik. "It's beautiful. But really you given me enough already."
"You needed something to remind you of Paris and of me."
"Erik I could- will not ever forget you" Chelsea slipped the ring on her finger.
The days passed quickly for Erik and Chelsea. They were happy together and Matthew never showed up. Two days before Chelsea had to go home the idea hit her. Oh, she thought to herself, how I could have been so stupid!
"Erik, you know I have to leave in two days"
"Yes, I was thinking about that-"
"Well, I think you should come back with me." Erik was shocked with the simplicity of the plan. Chelsea walked outside to call the airport.
"Well it's settled then" Chelsea said half an hour later. "You are coming back to Minnesota with me in two days"
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A/N Okay off to MN Erik and Chelsea go! What problems Matthew will cause, I only know! (yeah, I know that rhyme was really cheesy, but my brain hasn't woken up yet this morning. Next chapter: Matthew's evil plan.
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