Disclaimer: I do not own Erik, daroga, or other references of Leroux's novel. They belong to the author that created them.

A/N: Okay, well… there is some romance in this chapter! Man, no one got the question of who dies in this chapter right. lol. Well, you will figure it out. I will clear up a few things that might cause some confusion amongst you all.

Someone DID impersonate William

William got the divorce papers back that the impersonator used.

The unmasking scene is next chapter.

I apologize for not updating sooner.

Okay, in this chapter, I became evil and killed off some character… Hee hee. Please leave a review. I love you guys! I will try to update Chapter 11 this next weekend.

Chapter 10- Safe Are the Wise

William rushed to the site where Franz stated where they should have met. He expected to find Stacy already gone, but he found her slumped-over form sitting in an airport chair. Kneeling in front of her, he watched her face. He then noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes; her beauty remained there despite her pale face and dull eyes. However, what terrified him was that her light in her eyes had vanished. With this surprise, her beauty remained hidden.

"Stacy?" his beautiful voice cooed, but it received no response.

--Stacy's Point of View—

Indeed, I heard my husband's voice, but I could not answer, for my heart was broken. I gazed at nothing particular as I replied meekly, "It is all my fault."

"What is, Stacy?"

Handing him Franz's new letter, I remembered the painful statements that were stated.

Phantom of Russia,

I must commend you for your great boldness. Never would I expect that you would allow your wife to do your dirty work for you. You have failed once again. I sternly warned you that this was your last chance. I told you no police, no outside help, and you disobeyed once more. Now you must suffer the consequences. Enclosed are pictures of all four of your children. All have been killed, as you will soon see. The bodies you will never find. What's more, you have but yourself and your wife to blame for these…misfortunes…

Yours truly,

Franz Mikhail Rovanachov

Immediately, I felt his fury, pure and black, but I also felt his silent recognition and utter pain as he observed the wretched photos. He put the awful items in his pocket for safekeeping. I glanced up at his face expecting to find hate and fury to stare back at me; however, I saw only sorrow, love, and understanding. Gently, he pulled my listless form into his embrace.

My sorrow flooded out as my tears flooded over my cheeks. My hands clutched him tightly against me as I muttered curses, apologies, and professions of love. Feeling his arms encircle my body, I felt his lips caress my forehead and cheeks, kissing away my tears.

His stunning voice, strained with sorrow, uttered, "It's not your fault. You loved them. You were their mother and did everything you to try and get them back." He rocked me from side to side until the daroga and a swarm of police erupted through the doors.

Jacob pulled me away from William. I caught a deep regret in his eyes; I knew this was not good.

"I am sorry; Stacy, but I must arrest you."

William glowered with a venomous stance as he stepped in front of me.

"On what charge is she arrested for?"

Jacob sighed, "I am again sorry, but she is arrested for evading police, evading arrest, assault of a police officer when she kicked him to get in here, escape from police custody, auto-theft, and possible conspiracy."

I witnessed William's silent fury about to erupt, but I grasped his sleeve and whispered, "William, don't do it. There has been enough blood shed because of me."

After that was said, the daroga put handcuffs on me, and I was taken to the jail. While I shared a room with another woman inmate, convicted for murdering her boyfriend, she listened to my story and promised to protect me from the gangs. I attempted to get some sleep, cold and stiff on the coarse cot in one of Moscow's worst prisons.

--William's Point of View--

Meanwhile, William's mind was going crazy, overloaded with grief at the loss of his children and the only love of his wife. Furious because she was in one of the worst prisons in Russia on fraudulent charges, he treaded, appearing both physically and mentally like a ghost, until he arrived at Jacob's office.

"Jacob, you know that those charges were bogus! Let her out now."

"William, my hands are tied. Kushoff wanted her put away. I only followed my orders," Jacob sighed with exasperation.

At the sound of their boss's name, William scoffed and then replied, "Daroga, I just lost my wife, and I just lost my children in the most brutal way. We need to be together right now."

Folding his hands in defiance, the daroga stared at William's countenance, "I am truly sorry for your loss…I really am, but there is nothing I can do."

Rage coursed through William's eyes as he scowled at the daroga. Standing over the daroga, William seemed menacing. For a brief moment, the daroga felt regret. Nonetheless, it was too late to go back since William picked him up by his coat lapels and threw him out of a glass window, sending a myriad of glass and splintered wood unto the bushes in which Jacob laid a story below.

Rummaging through Jacob's desk, William found Stacy's release papers. He then forged Jacob's name on the documents and put them into his coat pocket.

William politely shut the door behind him as Jacob lay sprawled in the bushes, unconscious.

--Stacy's Point of View--

I awoke to the sounds of shouts and yells. I realized the warden walking to the cell I occupied. Hugo and William stood behind her as my cell door opened.

"Stacy Addams, you are free to go, "the warden simply stated.

Genuinely shocked, I followed the two men out. After I recovered my possessions and sat back in the cab with William, reality struck me in my face.

I whispered to William, "I must look horrible. I-i know you should not forgive me, but I am sorry. It is my fault that our kids are de-." His pale finger pressed against my lips, silencing me.

His dark golden eyes stared deeply into mine. "Silence. It was not your fault our children were murdered. As a mother, you did everything to get them back." He sighed heavily as his hand drifted to my face.

With the pad of his thumb, he caressed my bottom lip, emitting a moan on my part. He then leaned in towards me and our lips touched. His hands grasped my hair and gently pulled me deeper into him. I felt my whole body on fire as he pried my mouth open with his tongue.

Before he could kiss me more deeply, I pulled away. I muttered an apology as he shook his head to get the dazed look off his masked face. The cab stopped and I got out.

I walked down the sidewalk in the bitter cold. The wind blew hard against me, and I tried to wrap my arms around me in a feeble attempt to get warm. I shivered not from cold but from guilt. I found the address of the house William recently purchased for our family a week ago. When I entered the abode, a sense of sorrow filled me and I collapsed against the wall.

The house was too quiet and desolate. I screamed and burst into tears. I sensed William's warm body pressed into mine. He wiped away my tears and rocked me in his arms. Suddenly, he did something I had not heard in ages. He began to sing. Oh, it was so beautiful to hear, and had not changed in any way over the years.

Eventually exhaustion set in and my muscles began to ache. I got up slowly with him and then sat down on the couch. William disappeared shortly. When he came back into the living room, he wiped his hands on a washcloth.

"I drew you a bath, my dear."

Nodding meekly, I tried to motivate myself to stand. A bath…a nice hot bath is what I really needed. "William, what time is it?"

"It is eleven o'clock in the morning."

"Oh, okay."

I started to make y way to the bathroom, but he caught my arm. "Stacy, wait."

"Yes?"

"Tomorrow…no tonight, I will take you out, and I will explain everything to you. If you have any questions, I will answer them."

Nodding my aching head, I walked away silently. Once I soaked myself in a hot, steamy bath for an hour, I got ready in another hour. William left to go somewhere for two hours, and I heard him return.

I retreated to the living room to find him, but he was nowhere to be found. Traveling about the house from room to room, I searched for him. I was ready to go to dinner with him. I wore a deep blue gown that was form fitting and made of silk. It was simple, and I previously wore it to an award show William and I attended. Sleeveless, it had lace on the front of the seams. I pulled my hair up with pins, and the long strands were curled. My chandelier earrings were a sapphire blue and matched my sapphire necklace.

I could not find him anywhere. Sitting on the couch, dejected, in his library, I sighed heavily. I picked up Shakespeare's Hamlet, bored, and started to read it for the fifth time in my life until I heard a male voice call out.

"Well, are you ready to go?"

A/N: So, did I shock anyone? Yes, I am evil…I lied to you all. I said there was only one death, not four! Tell me if you liked this chapter. By the way, the unmasking scene is next chapter…I am excited! How about you? Anyhow, let me know what you all are thinking. Ask me anything and I will answer!

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