Note: Alrighty y'all...here's the second to last chapter redone. My best friend said it was romantic enough...well I made it more romantic, enough so that my OTHER best friend started to cry when she read it...I hope you all enjoy it!


Chapter 32

"Look, we are home." Alex commented as he looked out the window. Ana just merely nodded and tried to forget her misery. She could have sworn she saw Erik disembark from that ship through her thick veil. But that was impossible because Erik was dead. The carriage stopped and Alex jumped out. He headed towards his mansion, not paying any attention or helping his wife out of the carriage. Instead, Ana was helped out of the carriage by James. She headed towards the door, Stacy directly behind her when Claudia the woman who maintained the mansion came out of the house.

"Oh my dear! You are back, we were so worried when Alex said he was going to get you back dead or alive." Claudia wrapped Ana in a motherly hug. "We hoped that you wouldn't be found, but when the master set's his mind on something, he usually follows through."

"Yes Claudia I know that quite well. It only took him a month to find me, then he stalked me like a hawk for the next couple of months. But, at least I had some good times to remember. I just hope Madame LeBrana doesn't worry about me. She was ever so kind to give me a part." Ana's monotone voice didn't carry very far.

"Well we must get you inside. If you are hungry, I believe Cook has something small prepared just in case." Claudia took Ana by the arm and led her inside.

"I am famished." Ana said hoping no servants, especially Claudia and Stacy, would notice her increase in appetite.

"But Miss, you just ate three hours ago. How could you be hungry?" Stacy questioned Ana.

"I have a fast metabolism. Now, if you don't mind, I am hungry and wish to be fed." Ana countered Stacy's question by asserting her authority. Stacy merely bowed her head in an unspoken apology and Ana headed into the mansion. Memories assaulted her as soon as she stepped through the old oak doors. There were memories where she had carried her little son around on her shoulder, memories where Alex took her brutally, and very other memories. She didn't like to dwell in the past, but once the memories started to assault her mind, it was hard to shut them out.

"My lady, are you okay?" Claudia asked her, as she stopped in the middle of the hall, lost in thought.

"Hmm? Oh yes, please let us continue to dinner." Ana started walking again. She may have those horrible memories of her past with Alex, but she would block them out with her wonderful memories of Erik. 'That's all I have now.' she thought to herself as she walked into the dining room. Sitting down in the chair that James, Alex's butler, drew out for her, she watched as a small piece of lamb and some potatoes on a plate in front of her.

"Enjoy, my lady." Claudia said as Ana picked up her knife. She sliced into the incredibly soft piece of meat and brought it to her mouth. Chewing on it, she sighed in complete blissfulness. Although she did not care for Alex's home, she did like some of his servants and she absolutely loved his chef. She quickly cleaned her plate and asked to be taken to her room. Claudia and Stacy agreed and led her to her room. Ana laid herself down on her bed and slipped into a dreamless sleep.


Three days later and Ana was still in a depressed mood. All the servants could feel her depression and it affected the whole household. Some began to speculate that Ana had met someone while in France that took hold of her heart. Claudia tried to squelch those rumors but to no avail and when Ana heard of a maid gossiping to another maid, she merely ignored them with a sad small smile on her lips. Claudia and Stacy often found their lady walking around the halls in a gaze or just sitting in her room facing a window. Claudia somehow had suspected that her lady may be pregnant, but never said a word to Ana nor to anyone else. They didn't want another fiasco with another child. It was bad his lordship killed his only son, but she was truly afraid of what he might do to her ladyship this time. On the second day when she had arrived, Ana asked for Stacy to go to town and buy some rose seeds. They were to be blood red roses, not pink or white. Stacy did not question her lady's odd request but merely went to do her bidding. Ana was also found at times sitting in the garden, humming a tune that noone recognized.

On the fourth day of Alex's and Ana's return, Alex said he was going to town for a little while and would be back shortly. Ana just merely nodded and kept to her room, that was until a visitor arrived for her.

"I am coming, there is no reason to break down the blooming door." Claudia muttered aloud. Normally James would have seen to the door, but since James had accompanied his lordship Claudia was second in command. She opened the heavy oak doors and was surprised to find a man in a nice black suit with a white mask on his side of his face.

"May I help you, sir?" she asked not sure why the man was here. "If you are looking for Mr. McKinley, he has stepped out for a while. He should be back in an hour or so."

"I am not looking for Mr. McKinley but for his wife, Ana. I am a...dear friend of hers. I have just arrived in from France a few days ago and it took me a while to order a carriage to come out here. Is she here?" the man with the mask questioned the old woman.

"She is in her room. I'll go fetch her after I have shown you to the tea room. If you will follow me, please." she showed the man in and shut the door behind him. "What is your name, sir?"

"Tell her that Monsieur Demoielle is here." Monsieur Demoielle said.

"Yes sir." Claudia took herself off to Ana's room after she had shown the strange man to the tea room. She knocked on the door only to hear Ana's cry.

"Ana, my dear, you have a visitor in the tea room. A Monsieur Demoielle. He said he knew you, would you like to meet him in the tea room or should I have him leave." Claudia called through the door.

"Tell her to have him brought to your room." Alex mumbled into Ana's ear, the long bladed knife pressed against Ana's throat.

"I would like him brought to my room please, Claudia." Ana said, frightened for not only her life but for the tiny baby's as well.

"Yes my lady." Claudia didn't think of it too much as she led the strange masked man to Ana's room. She watched as he opened the door and shut it behind him, unaware of what lay hidden in the room.


Ana knew that something was bound to go wrong that day. She had awoken that morning with a horrible feeling in her gut. She tried to ignore it but it twisted and turned in her, making her feel as though there was this snake in her stomach, that it became impossible to ignore. She thought nothing of it when Alex came and told her that he was going into town for an hour. She merely just nodded and went along on her business. It was quite a shock when she saw Alex climbing through her bedroom window.

"What are you doing? Why did you not use the front door?" she was utterly confused. That's when the feeling got slightly stronger.

"Why my dear, we're about to have a visitor. Someone you know, and I wouldn't want them to be expecting me." he advanced on her as Ana tried to back away. Ana made the huge mistake when she turned her back to flee. Alex caught her hand and pulled her back against him. A knife appeared at her throat quicker than she could blink.

"Now, my girl, I don't want you to scream or give anything away that I may be in here with you. When Claudia comes to announce you have a visitor you will listen to what I tell you, then you will say it. Try not to sound like you are afraid, that would give our whole plan away." he whispered in her ear. Ana tried swallow her fear, but it crept up on her like a virus. Little did she know that her horrible gut feeling was about to get even worse.


Alex had to go into town that day, he had to finish a business deal that he started before Ana ran away. He tried to finish it when he arrived back into America, but that didn't work. So, he decided he would go into town today and finish it. He called for James to get his carriage ready to leave in ten minutes. Then, he went to tell his sullen wife that he would be going into town for a few hours. She didn't even look at him, but just merely bobbed her head. She seemed less defiant when he told her he had killed her lover. Though if she got wind of him still being alive, that might not bode to well for him. He jumped up into his carriage and James snapped the horses into a nice trot.

"Oh look sir, your wife seems to have a visitor coming down the lane." James commented from up top.

"Pull into the brush James. I don't want this carriage to see us." Alex felt the slight taste of fear coming back. The open phaeton passed the tall bushes where James had managed to put the carriage and Alex caught a glimpse of the man sitting in the phaeton. It was none other than Ana's lover, probably coming back to persuade her to come with him. Well, he should have killed off her lover when he had the chance. But no small matter, he would kill him off this afternoon. Jumping out of the carriage, Alex quickly unhitched one of the horses and told James to bring the carriage back. Riding the horse as quickly as possible, Alex dismounted when he reached the barn. Grabbing one of his hunting knives that lay in the barn, he quickly ascended the ivy trellis that grew outside of Ana's bedroom window. Hauling himself through the open window, he advanced on his wife telling her that they were about to have a visitor. She turned around, and Alex merely chuckled to himself. She made a mistake, and it cost her. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back against him. Then drawing the knife up to her throat, he told her that she better not give away his plan, otherwise it may not bode well for her.

He felt Ana tremble beneath him and merely smiled. When Claudia's knock came on her door, he told her what to say. Then backing them both up, he hid himself in the shadows, the knife still at her throat. What better way to surprise her lover than coming out of the dark shadows that he so obviously hid in? The door opened and in stepped her lover, he felt Ana's body hitch a breath but that didn't faze him.

"Say hello, my dear." he whispered into her ear.

"Hello Erik. What are you doing her?" she was his puppet, a way to draw that idiot closer to him.

"I came to find you my love. I...I want to take you away from here." Erik looked at how withdrawn and thin Ana appeared to be. She also appeared to be jittery. "Is something wrong?"

"Tell him nothing is wrong, you just got over a head cold not that long ago." Alex murmured.

"Nothing is wrong my dearest. I am afraid you caught me at a bad time, for I just got over from a terrible head cold." she tried to will him to leave, make him see that he was in possible danger.

"Oh. Do you want me to take my leave and come for you tonight?" Erik asked, his voice sounded timid to Ana's ears. She felt Alex thinking on what to do behind her. If he let Erik go, and Erik come back later that evening Alex could ambush him.

"Tell him yes, that you'll see him at midnight by the old willow tree." Alex told her.

"Yes! In fact, meet me at midnight by the old willow tree in the back of the mansion." Ana choked back her tears and didn't let her voice crack. She watched as Erik nodded and walked closer to her as if to embrace her in a hug. "No, do not forget that I am getting over a terrible cold." This seemed to stop him in his tracks, he glanced at her and then left for the door. Alex stepped from out of the shadows and walked towards the door. He listened as the front oak doors were opened and then shut. The sounds of a carriage pulling away from his house came through Ana's window and Alex turned to see his wife sitting on the bed.

"You did fabulous my dear. That was just act one; act two will begin tonight. Now, I must leave you to make yourself look nice. I expect you to meet me in the hall way at a quarter till twelve. And if you think of breaking away and telling him about our plans, I will make sure it is the last thing you ever do...alive." With that said, Alex turned on his heel and left a shocked Ana in his wake.


Erik paced his room that he had attained at the nearby inn. Ana would be coming with him in little over two hours. He would whisk her away from her horrible husband and maybe they could go back to France. Or maybe they could make a new life in the large city of New York. Maybe some manager would like to hear his work, and he would be able to compose for some of the theaters in New York. He smiled, feeling the black box that was in his waistcoat. If anything, he wanted to make Ana forget all about that rat bastard Alex. If anyone deserved a fresh start at life, it was Ana. With an hour and a half to go, Erik decided to quickly clean up, grab some food then head towards Alex's mansion. It would take him thirty minutes to reach Alex's mansion and he wanted to be there directly at midnight. If Alex showed up, well...Erik would be prepared for anything.

Ana sat at her own vanity set getting ready for what was going to turn out to be a bloodshed battle. Knowing Alex, he would probably have a loaded gun on him as well as a knife. He would most likely control Ana as he did earlier that day. That way, should Erik find out that Alex was indeed controlling Ana, he would threaten Erik with Ana's life. As long as Alex knew nothing of the baby, then she would be safe. Erik could not afford to lose his focus on what might be the only chance to kill Alex. She powdered her nose and straightened the beautiful ruby that sat at her neck. She still wore her black mourning dresses. It would not make any sense for her to change to wearing colors. She was just shocked to see Erik walk into her room, as alive as she was. It was a complete miracle and she thanked the good Lord that Alex had indeed lied to her about killing Erik. But, it would be harder to Alex if she wore black and she was afraid that Alex would be mad at her for wearing colors since he would most likely be wearing all black. A knock from Alex on her door told her that she had ten minutes to meet him in the hallway. Taking a deep breath, she readied herself for battle against the man she loved and the monster that would be behind her.

Alex paced in the hallway, waiting for his wife to show. She had two minutes before he went up to her bedchambers and dragged her out himself. A rustle from the steps announced that Ana had come out and was heading down the stairs. Alex looked up and was pleased she wore black. The harder it was to see himself, the easier it would be to kill her lover...then her. How appropriate to wear black on the night she would die.

"Are you ready my dear?" Alex held out an extended hand.

Ana took it mutely and let the monster lead her out to the willow tree. She looked at the beautiful tree and wondered how something so horrible would scar this tree in her memory forever.

"Now, I want you to stand between the leaves, my dear. And I shall stand behind you again with the knife at your throat. When he comes and gets ready to lead you away. That is when we shall step out of the shadows." Alex didn't dare tell her that that would be the point he would then slit her throat, thus enraging her lover. He made sure, before Ana had come down, that his gun was loaded. All he had to do was whip out the gun and take one shot. Then when the authorities would ask him what happened. He would spin the clever tale of how he thought his wife was walking through their garden; she had always loved midnight strolls; and suddenly this man appeared from nowhere and slit her lovely throat. Alex, who was tending to something in the garden nearby, went to see why his lovely wife had attempted to scream. That's when he found this man near her. He pulled out his gun and shot the man dead. Yes, the authorities would think Alex killed the man in pure self defense and over his anguish of losing his beautiful wife. How fucking clever of him!

"Do not give my plan away, my love or you'll dearly regret it." he murmured into her ear as she stood in her spot. Alex heard the hurried hoofbeats of her lover's carriage, making it's way up the lane. He heard it stop in the front of the house and the faint sound of the carriage door opening and shutting.

'Perfect.' he thought. No one would be around to witness the murders, his servants were locked up in the house and the carriage driver was in the front.

Ana's heartbeat sped up as she felt Erik's presence get closer to the willow tree. Erik didn't stand a chance against Alex. Not even his famous punjab lasso would do the trick. Alex was far to behind her and she couldn't move her head because of the knife. If Alex was to kill of her lover in front of her, then she would want to die as well. There would be no point in living if Erik died at her feet, even with the possibility of carrying his child.

"Ana, my dearest, are you here?" Erik's voice cut through the darkness like a holy light.

"Yes. I am over here, underneath the willow tree." Ana followed what Alex had whispered into her ear. If he made a move, just slightly, where she could make an attempt to warn Erik, she would.

"Come out my dearest and let us be on our way before Alex returns." Erik said, coming closer.

'Erik, don't be so naive, surely you have to realize something is wrong. ' Ana thought as Alex pushed her forward.

"So, you decided to come back for my wife?" Alex's cold voice seeped through both Erik's and Ana's bodies like ice. Erik should have known something would be up. Alex wouldn't leave and not let Ana alone to receive visitors.

"Alex, you don't deserve someone as beautiful and as perfect as Ana. You belong in the deepest depths of hell." Erik spat back at him as his hands reached for the Punjab which was tucked safely in his coat.

"Don't even try it. I know of what you may hide in that coat of yours. Just, drop your hands by your sides and Ana doesn't get hurt." Alex had caught Erik's stealthy movement and decided at that point to not kill Ana quite so suddenly. Let them look at each other, then kill them off. His eyes traveled to Erik's face where the white mask seemed to shine in the darkness.

"What is that on your face?" Alex asked Erik. Erik felt his stomach drop, if that man was to see his face, it would not bode well for him or for Ana.

"It is a mask. That is all and nothing more." Erik said quietly and dejectedly.

"A mask? And why, in the name of God, would a man like you wear a mask! Surely my wife would not go after a hideous monster, like herself?" Alex laughed at the cruel irony of this.

Erik didn't want to respond, but to slap Alex across the face. Slap that silly grin and that obnoxious tone in his voice away. "It is none of your concern of why I wear a mask..." but before Erik got any further in his explanation, Alex interrupted him.

"Take the mask off. I want to see if what I said was correct." He saw Erik hesitate and decided to make sure Erik followed through. "Take the mask off or I'll give Ana a nice cut." he let the knife wander from Ana's throat to her chest. Erik now was in a sticky situation. If he took the mask off, Alex would see his monstrosity. If he didn't, Ana was bound to be hurt. Sighing dejectedly, he brought his hands up to his mask and slide his hands underneath it. Slowly, it came off and he bared his monstrosity for Alex to see. He watched as Alex reacted to his face.

"Well, well...looks like my whore of a wife likes men who are disfigured. I must say, Mr. Damoielle that you may be disfigured but your not as horribly ugly as my wife. I can at least stand your disfiguredness. Now, I know why you came here and I am sad to say that I can let neither you nor my lovely wife here go." Alex moved the knife back up to Ana's neck, letting the blade bit into her skin so that blood slowly flowed out. Erik felt his anger take control of the situation and his hands dearly itched to pull out the Punjab lasso. But if he were to make a single move, Ana would be dead and it would be useless to kill Alex when the love of his life was dead.

"Now, I want you to take that weapon out that you have hidden in your cloak and throw it in the direction of the tree." Alex commanded. Erik could only oblige and not fight or resist, lest Alex killed her right then and there. He threw the Punjab lasso towards the willow tree and moved to put on his mask.

"Ah, ah ah...I want my wife's last moments alive to be looking at your face." Alex turned his wife around to face him. "My dear, you were a great lay. And I seriously loved you with all my being even though you bore me a bastard son." He pushed Ana backwards, the knife still at Ana's throat. Ana, unsure of her balance, felt herself tumbling backwards and in her process, she grabbed Alex. A scream erupted from her throat as both went down in a heap, landing with a loud thud on the hard ground. Erik stood still, petrified of what might have happened to Ana. Two seconds later, Erik jumped forward and went to see if Ana was okay. He took three steps forward and saw that neither of them were moving. Fearing the worst, he threw Alex off of Ana not even paying attention to whether Alex might be alive or dead. He sank down onto his knees and looked at Ana, who was sprawled out, eyes shut tightly and fists clenched. She was breathing heavily and Erik let out the breath he was holding.

"Ana? Are you okay?" Ana's eyes shot open with the sound of Erik's voice.

"Erik! Alex...he's...he's..." but Ana got no further as dry sobs of relief wracked her body. Erik finally glanced over to her husband's body, there the knife lay embedded in his chest.

"How..how did the knife get into his chest?" Erik asked, amazed that Ana wasn't the one with the knife in her chest.

"When I began to fall, I grabbed Alex's hand that was holding the knife. He loosened his hold on the knife and I somehow grabbed it by the handle before it could hurt me. He fell on top of the knife and I... I killed him." she seemed amazed that she had killed her worst enemy. Erik looked down at her hands, which was covered in his blood.

"Are you okay?" he didn't notice the fact that Ana's hands immediately flew to her stomach. He was to intent on looking at her neck.

"Yes, I'm fine. Erik.."but Erik shushed her and gave her a sound kiss. "Erik, what are you doing here?"

Erik could very well get down and propose to Ana, right then and there, but it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't hold that romantic quality that Ana deserved.

"I was going to talk to you after your final performance. Madame Giry was supposed to bring you to me. But that son of a bitch Simon took you away from the Opera House before I could get the chance to talk to you. Madame Giry said that you must have left and it instantly clicked that Alex had something to do with this. I knew you wouldn't go willing with Alex, so the next best thing I thought of was Simon had somehow convinced you to go with him. I quickly packed my stuff and followed you here. It took some convincing on my part, but I soon found out where you lived." He could tell that Ana knew that was the whole truth.

"I knew you were there Erik, the day when I went to the cemetery. I can't explain how I knew you were there...but it was like a feeling. And I'm so sorry that I said those awful..." but Erik merely shushed her by placing his finger on her lips.

"Ana, it took me a while to find out why you did that. But I am glad I found out, otherwise I wouldn't be here with you and Alex would still be alive. But let us talk no more about him, I have something for you." Erik pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pants. Ana gave him a questioning look. "That night, when I got jealous over Simon, and I brought you down to the lair, do you remember that?" Ana nodded her head. "Well, I got this urge to write a song and I figured out the melody. I wanted it to be beautiful like you are. The music should reflect the woman who it was written for, and I couldn't think of the words. Not until after the whole thing in the cemetery did the words come to me. I want you to hear how you inspired me, my sweet." Ana was somewhat choked up in tears. Erik cleared his throat and looked at Ana as he began to sing the words that bared his soul.

"No one would listen. No one but her, heard as the outcast hears.

Shamed into solitude, shunned by the multitude,

I learned to listen, in my dark, my heart heard music.

I longed to teach the world, rise up and reach the world,

no one would listen. I alone could hear the music.

Then at last, a voice in the gloom, seemed to cry 'I hear you!

I hear your fears, your torment and your tears!'

She saw my emptiness, shared in my loneliness,

No one would listen. No one but her, heard as the outcast hears

No one would listen. No one but her, heard as the outcast hears."

As the last note died away from Erik's lips, Ana let the tears that had welled up in her eyes come falling down. She noticed that Erik's eyes were watery, but he didn't shed the tears that were in his eyes.

"Erik...it's my tune to my song! The one I wrote on the ship when Alex told me you were dead!" Ana said through her tears. Erik looked at her quizzically until Ana brushed away her tears and cleared her throat. She looked deep into Erik's eyes and didn't break contact with him as she sang her song.

"Child of the wilderness, born into emptiness.

Learn to be lonely. Learn to find your way in darkness.

Who will be there for you? Comfort and care for you?

Learn to be lonely, learn to be your one companion.

Never dream, that out in the world, there are arms to hold you.

You've always known, your heart was on its own.

So laugh in your loneliness, child of the wilderness.

Learn to be lonely. Learn how to love, life that is lived alone

Learn to be lonely. Life can be lived, life can loved alone."

This time, it was Erik who had the tears coursing down his face. Ana broke out into fresh tears and snuggled into Erik's arms. They just sat there for a spell, crying and holding onto each other. They murmured words of apology and they forgave each other for what they had done to each other. Soon, the tears began to subside and slowly the spell was broken. Erik knew that it was now or never to tell Ana what he really felt. Reluctantly, he moved out of her warm embrace and kneeled in front of her. Ana looked so confused as to what he was doing.

"Ana, I have loved you since I first met you. I was just to blind to see what I had in front of me. But I see it now, I see a woman who isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes to be true. I see a woman who is strong in her own mind and has a nurturing soul for anyone. I see a woman who knows what she want's and goes after it. But most of all, I see a woman who has the same horrible shunning as me and yet she isn't afraid of a monster like me." Here Ana opened her mouth to interject but Erik merely glanced at her and she shut her mouth. "This woman taught me that it is possible to find love again, that when I did find it that it would heal whatever happened in the past and she gave me a bright spark for the future. Ana, I don't want just a spark to light my future, but a complete torch to walk life's path. And I don't think I could find a brighter torch than you Ana Knoll. So, I sit here and bare my complete soul to you as I say this. Ana Knoll, I love you with all my being, with everything in me. I love you and will always love you no matter what may come in the future. Ana Knoll, will you do me the greatest honor and become my wife?" Here he pulled out the black ring box and popped it open, showing Ana the beautiful ring. Ana, whose eye's had grown wide when he mentioned that he loved her, was utterly speechless. This man, the man that was the most feared man in France, one that not so long ago she never believed that she could love, had just proposed to her. She couldn't feel anything except the swelling of love for this man. He was what she had looked for when she was a little girl. He would not be like Alex, but treat her like a queen, caring for her, nurturing her, loving her. She looked up from the beautiful ring to see Erik staring at her, as though pleading with her to say something. Ana couldn't say it, she just couldn't form the words. So she did the next best thing, he lunged at him and knocked him on the ground giving him a sound kiss on his lips. Erik felt the rumbling of his laugh deep in his chest.

"I guess that means yes?" He sat back up with Ana.

"Yes! Oh, Erik, I'll marry you! I want to forget Alex and the whole past and start a future with you!" Ana said, now feeling the fresh tears begin anew. Erik just smiled and took off the wedding ring that belonged to Alex and Ana's past. He threw it off into the grass, hoping that they would never see it again, and placed the exquisite, yet simple diamond ring on Ana's left hand.

"To our future, my love. I am sure it will be a happy one, filled with many kids." Erik gave her a sweet kiss, but was surprised when Ana pulled away. "What is it, love?"

"Erik, I have something to tell you. And I know its going to come as a complete shock to you, but it must be said. I believe Erik, that we are going to have a baby. I am not sure if it is your's or Alex's but I will know once it is born. But I don't want you to be mad if it is Alex's..." but Erik cut her off from any explination with a kiss.

"My love, I couldn't care less of who sired the child. I will love it and you until the day I die." Ana smiled at Erik and snuggled into his embrace. He placed a kiss on the top of her head then murmured. "A father.I'm going to be a father."


Okay, that was much more romantic...I need tissues after reading that...where did I put Erik? I know he's here somewhere...

Erik-She'll never find me under the bed

Me-FOUND YOU!

Erik-Blast...

Review!

Thanks...