Ahh! A chapter many of you have been waiting for, but I won't say any more - you'll just have to read it!
Phantoms' Lobo: Hmm, Vincent might have a bad day then if you come across him? I personally like the "drop kick" part.
Random Person: Yes, many people have pointed out that Vincent's an idiot. Maybe I should start a "Vincent is an Idiot Club", but it would most likely go nowhere.
PhantomLover05: Read on and you'll see if she says "no" or not!
AngelOfMusic: I also find Vincent very amusing! I'm also really thrilled that you're so into my story!
LittleMollysheart: Well, here's the next chapter so you can see if she breaks Erik's heart or not.
Carkeys: Yes, it was quite obvious that Vincent was going to ask Loralee to marry him sometimes in the story. I just thought it would be fun and amusing to put it in!
HiddenOperaAngel: I know how you feel. I just started school today and I rediscovered my loathing for homework. Anyway, read the chapter and you'll get all your answers to the questions you asked!
Chapter Twenty Seven: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Loralee stared at Vincent.
She hadn't been expecting that.
Maybe a proclamation of love or an invitation to dine, but not to marry him.
Now she really felt like a piece of property. He hadn't even asked if she loved him, hadn't even asked if she was courting anybody already, and always overlooked her statements and comments. But now he was standing before her and asking her to marry him!
He wasn't even on his knee, damn it!
She felt Vincent take her hand and slip a blue velvet box into it. Opening it was a large golden ring with a rather huge diamond on it. She had to admit, it was a very ugly ring, made mostly just to show off the wealth of the person who wore it.
By now numerous people were looking at them, whispering and giggling behind their hands and pointing at Vincent and Loralee.
Finally Loralee gathered enough sanity and courage to look up into Vincent's anxious eyes.
It wasn't his fault. He was purely innocent and it hurt her to think of being so cold to just say no right out without a second thought. And in front of all these people? No, she wouldn't be able to do that.
"Please say something, Beth," he said, his nerves showing in his voice. She bit her lip and looked at the ring in her hand.
While looking down, she saw Erik in the corner of her eyes. She almost broke down in tears when she saw him. Loralee didn't want to betray her love to him, but neither did she want to hurt Vincent. While watching Erik, she saw him confess something which seemed important and Christine gape at him with awe. Soon Christine was rattling on about her happiness towards Erik and what not while Erik smiled slightly. Loralee forced her eyes off of Erik and back up to Vincent.
"I. . . I don't know what to say. I didn't expect this. Perhaps. . . Could I think about it?"
Vincent looked a little relieved that she wasn't saying no and nodded his head eagerly.
"You can have all the time you want," he said sincerely, slipping the ring out of the box and into her hand. "Keep the ring while you think."
Loralee felt a rush of gratitude towards Vincent and couldn't help but hug him in thanks.
"Thank you," she said. Vincent was rather shocked at her display of thanks, but covered it quickly enough to smile at her and kiss her hand.
"Come, I'll get you a drink. You look like you could use one."
Vincent linked arms with Loralee and lead her off to the side of the hall, through all the people and by the edge of the dance floor.
While walking a few people stopped them, giving Vincent his congratulations to have such a beautiful fiancé. The first one really irked Loralee and made her want to rip away from Vincent and pronounce how they were not engaged yet. She saw Erik again and almost broke down in tears again.
They were stopped for about their fifth time when Loralee finally lost it. She tapped Vincent's shoulder.
"Excuse me, Vincent, but I have to go and see to something."
Before Vincent could ask what, Loralee was gone, mixed in with all the dancers.
Loralee was hurrying through the crowds of dancers towards the large dark man on the other side. She couldn't stand it. Vincent and her engaged? The thought was repulsive. She fingered his engagement ring in her fingers and had a sudden urge to chuck it far away off the Opera House roof.
Coming up to Erik and Christine, she was glad to see them off to the side so they wouldn't attract much attention. Surprisingly the Vicomte wasn't around, either, keeping a careful eye on his newly wed wife.
Just as she came up, also, Christine's eyes narrowed and her hand reached up. Luckily Loralee saw what she was doing before Erik even noticed. Shooting forward, Loralee grabbed Christine's wrist, keeping her hand away from any danger of taking off the mask.
Both Christine and Erik looked over at Loralee. Erik's gaze thanked her silently where as Christine's was slightly confused. Loralee didn't notice her glance up at Erik questioningly.
"I don't think you'll want to do that, Vicomtess de Changy," Loralee said, the warning evident in her voice. Christine, knowing what Loralee was warning her about, nodded silently, lowering her hand when Loralee let go of it. Christine looked up to Erik.
"Is the lady you talked about?" Erik gave Christine a glare of caution and then nodded.
"Loralee Donoghue, may I present to you the Vicomtess de Changy," he said. Christine and Loralee nodded to each other and shook hands. Loralee glanced warily at Erik who answered her silent question.
"Don't worry, she won't call the police in to carry you away to Hector. I told her everything."
"Well then, it's a pleasure to meet you Vicomtess," Loralee said with a sigh of relief.
"Please, call me Christine."
Loralee marveled at Christine's voice. It was so angelic and beautiful, as if she were sent down from the heavens. Erik said he taught her how to sing and now Loralee could see why he wanted to do such a thing back then. His teachings combined with her voice made her the best singer in all of Paris besides Erik.
Just then Loralee also noted with surprise that she had never heard Erik sing before. She had heard him play the organ and violin, but never sing.
"Erik has told me a lot about you," Loralee said to Christine, glancing at Erik who was standing off to the side, emotionless.
"Has he now? I hope they're all good things."
Loralee nodded. Christine then smiled and leaned in close to Loralee whispering her next statement.
"He's told me a lot about you, too."
Christine winked as Erik said, "You know, I am still standing here."
Loralee couldn't help but blush at Christine's confession and looked at Erik with a hidden raised eye brow.
"Well, I hope they're good comments, too."
Erik just grumbled something about "annoying women" as Christine nodded enthusiastically.
"Everything was good, do not worry," she said, smiling and grasping Loralee's hand reassuringly. While she did so, Christine felt Vincent's ring press into her palm and her eyes widened as she pulled Loralee's hand up.
"What's this?" Christine gasped when she saw what it was. "An engagement ring! Who gave this to you?"
"No doubt the naive excuse of a boy, Monsieur Vincent Badeau?" Erik asked from the side, question spoken more as a statement, his voice slightly humored.
"Shut it, Erik. I couldn't say no."
"You mean you agreed to marry Vincent Badeau, the famous politician's son?"
"Oh, so that's who Edward Badeau is!" Then she caught Erik's eyes and relief that she hadn't said yes to Vincent's proposal flooded her. She would have hated herself if she had when she was so in love with Erik.
"And no, I haven't agreed. I couldn't say no to him in front of all those people, so I pretended I needed time to think about the possibility of being engaged to him."
She could swear Erik let out a breath of relief besides her as Christine's eyebrows drew together.
"Why do you not want to marry him? He's a respectable man and very wealthy."
Loralee glared at Christine.
"I'm sorry, but I do not go for people of wealth or high status. I love men rather for their trust and kindness. Monsieur Vincent is highly naive and doesn't take no for an answer, so therefore I have no desire to marry him."
Christine looked rather surprised at Loralee's explanation and the way Loralee had suddenly snapped at her, but recovered quickly enough to smile at Loralee.
"Well then, you're a very sensible lady, Mademoiselle Donoghue. I wish you the best luck and give you one word of advise. Stick to your heart."
"So how are you?" Loralee asked, ignoring Erik's groan of lack of patience besides her. Christine lit up brightly, cheeks slightly flustered.
"I'm wonderful. Just last week. . . Well. . . Just last week I found out I was pregnant!"
"That's wonderful!" Loralee exclaimed, hugging Christine. She was slightly surprised that Erik wasn't breaking down into sobs at this, and guessed that it was because she had already talked to him about it. Christine was about to continue, but suddenly Erik's hand was on Loralee's upper arm, his body tense and eyes glaring at a figure approaching them.
"I'm sorry, Christine, but we must leave," Loralee said as she saw who had angered and startled Erik so much. Raoul, the Vicomte, was coming up towards Christine, two glasses of water in his hands. Christine saw and nodded in understanding.
"I wish to speak to you again sometime, Loralee," was all Christine managed before Loralee had grabbed Erik and dragged him off through a door towards the stage, throwing a quick "Good bye!" and "Erik and I have to talk!" over her shoulder to Christine.
Once out of all the commotion of the ball, Erik regained his sanity and pried Loralee's arm off of his.
"Where are you going?" he asked her.
"Some where private where we can talk," she said, stopping and looking around for a place.
"How about Box 5?"
"Perfect," she said, dragging him off once again towards the box. Once inside, Loralee made sure nobody was around before slumping down into a chair.
"Well. . ." Erik asked her, leaning against the wall and staring at Loralee calmly.
"How did it go?" she asked.
"I beg your pardon?" Erik asked.
"Don't 'pardon' me Erik! You know what I mean! How did your conversation and dance go with Christine."
Erik now slumped down into a chair.
"Well, she recognized me immediately but accepted my dance all the same. I tried to make it as normal and polite as possible and asked her how she was doing. Then she confessed to me about. . . about their baby."
He took a shuddering breath and put his head in his hands.
"That was it. I knew when she said that she's pregnant with the Vicomte's child there was no way she was ever going to come back. You could call it that I 'overcame my obsession' and the truth surprisingly didn't hurt that much."
He looked up then and stared at Loralee.
"But now I realize how nobody will ever love me."
His words hurt Loralee and she could feel tears coming to her eyes. She went over to Erik and wrapped her arms around him. He wasn't crying, but she still thought he needed some human affection after his confession. To calm him down and destroy that horrid thought he had in his mind, Loralee wanted to shout out her love for him, but she knew that would be absurd.
"Why do you say such a horrid thing, Erik? Why do you under look yourself constantly?"
"Because I'm a monster!" Erik said angrily, voice rising slightly.
"You're a man, Erik," Loralee said assuringly, unwrapping her arms around him and sitting back so he could see the truth in her eyes. Erik just stood up and walked away.
"Man my foot," he grumbled. "I'll never be a true man, not with this face," he said, gesturing to his mask.
"Why do you always say such things about your face. I'm sure it's not true. I'm sure someone can look upon it and love."
"How do you know?" Erik yelled. "How do you know that a face that has killed and shunned people you love would be looked upon in love? No, Loralee. No one ever will look upon me with calmness. No one!"
Loralee had to admit she was slightly frightened by Erik's temper so she thought it best not to talk and instead let him speak his mind. He looked at her.
"You look at me with pity, Loralee, but that's because you've never seen my true face. You've never seen my true self. I'm a monster and always will be one! There is no way that I'll ever be truly loved."
Loralee gulped.
"You can not say such things to me because I have not seen your face yet."
"You haven't seen it because I don't want to lose you," Erik said, finally breaking down, tears coming silently out of his eyes.
Loralee gaped at him.
He didn't want to lose her?
Oh, Erik. . . You'll never lose me. . .
She wanted to prove that to him.
"You'll never lose me, Erik. I won't run away. I won't hide. I'll be there by your side forever."
Erik looked at her.
"I don't want to lose you, Loralee," he repeated and then quite suddenly:
"I love you. . ."
Loralee stared at Erik in shock.
Had Erik just told her that he loved her? But she thought that he loved Christine?
But as she looked into Erik's eyes, Loralee saw he was telling the truth and her heart leapt for joy.
A large smile plastered over her face as she walked up to Erik, taking his hands in hers.
"Do you want to know why I didn't say yes to Vincent's proposal, Erik?" she asked him. "Because I already love another man. A man much more worthy of love than that little naive boy. I love a man who may be scarred, but has the spirit of an angel."
Erik looked at her, mouth slightly open.
"Me?" he whispered, voice barely audible. Loralee just smiled at him lovingly.
"Remember my father's saying? It's the inside that counts, not the looks, and Erik, I want to prove to you that saying is correct."
She took his hand in hers and guided it up to his mask, leaving his hand on the cold surface.
"Please. . ." she whispered. Erik looked at Loralee, memorizing her happy face before he was sure it would disappear. Then he ripped it off along with the wig before he could change his mind, closing his eyes so he wouldn't see Loralee's pained reaction.
Loralee, unbeknownst to him, didn't do so much as flinch. Sure, the face was hideous, but she wanted to prove to Erik that his face didn't disturb her love. The red skin protruded out at random places as there were large welts on the side near the ear. His real hair was a light brown color and bald up the one side of the face where the welts and harsh disfigured skin continued.
She felt anger towards all those people who had shunned him because of his face and wouldn't look beyond his features and into his soul. It was those dimwitted people who made Erik into the secluded and raging creature he is. She wished to undo all those wrong doing in his life and help him life as a normal human being should.
Without hesitation, she lifted her hand up to his deformed face, caressing the mutilated skin with soft and caring fingers. Erik's eyes snapped open in shock and was even more surprised when he saw Loralee standing in front of him, normal as ever, stroking his cheek.
With a moan of love, he snuggled closer into the hand that she had on his rumpled skin.
"How can you stand it?"
"Because I love you and never ever will hurt you. It's fine and doesn't disturb my love for you the least."
She then went up on tip toes and kissed his deformed cheek gently. They gazed into each others eyes.
"I love you, Erik," she said breathlessly, noticing how close together they were. Erik leaned closer, seemingly not disturbed by the closeness and stared into her eyes.
"I love you, too, Loralee," he said in a breathless voice. Then he covered the distance in-between their head and brought lips onto hers.
The kiss was passionate yet gentle, warm and secure. Just then did Loralee realize that she had been crying, but didn't know which tears she was tasting in the kiss. Neither of them cared, though, and just pulled each other closer. Erik had taken off Loralee's mask and thrown it aside with is own as he deepened the kiss.
They only pulled apart when both needed air and rejoined seconds afterwards, love now shinning in each other's eyes. Just as the kiss was deepening considerably, Erik let out a moan which was stopped short by a crash and a grunt.
Loralee pulled back and almost screamed when she felt Erik crumple into her arms, unconscious. He had a trickle of blood going down his head where he had been hit by the hilt of a gun. Loralee gasped when she looked passed Erik, who was now limp in her arms, because in front of her loomed the figure of Hector Chaffee, gun in hand.