Disclaimer: I tried to kidnap the Phantom, but failed. Therefore, I do not own him. I don't own Manistee, either, since it's a real place; I am only using it because it's a fantastic town that I visited and now love very dearly.

AN: Sorry about not updating sooner: the website was being a pain in the butt again, so I couldn't load it. On a friendlier note, this is kind of a sad-sappy chapter ahead, so beware! Also, I humbly beg you to review, and to please support me and my poor muse. Thanks, and enjoy!

Chapter 18: Tears of Longing:

I paused a moment before reentering the Kirkland mansion, trying to gather my thoughts. I could still feel Erik's lips on mine and felt the velvety petals of the rose in my hand, the satin ribbon elegantly dangling from the end of its stem. I knew that I would be questioned about where I had gotten such a thing, but I could always say that I merely found it in the gardens, a token accidentally left behind by two lovers while they were leaving. Since I didn't have a reputation for lying (much), everyone would likely believe me. And so, clutching my precious love token in my hand, I entered the ballroom.

From where I stood in the doorway, I could clearly see the Kirkland family talking with my aunt and uncle, who appeared to be in unusually high spirits. Aunt Mary was talking animatedly with Mrs. Kirkland while Uncle Geoff talked with the senior Mr. Kirkland; Charles stood at his father's side, beaming happily as the others chatted around him. For some reason, the look on Charles' face made me uneasy, and I did not want to see him again before the night was over.

Instead, I turned right around and returned to the gardens, hoping that no one had seen me.

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From his position behind a clump of tall, thick bushes, Erik watched as Clara once again slipped out of the ballroom and outdoors. She had a tense air about her, one that hadn't been there earlier that evening. Had she seen or heard something inside that caused her distress? His eyes drifted to her hands, watching as Clara's delicately gloved fingers clutched at the rose in an almost fearful manner.

'It must be that man who is pursuing her,' Erik thought to himself, growling deep in his throat. 'He must be doing something that has caused my angel to be like this!'

Silently sending Clara his love, the Phantom vanished into the shadows without a sound.

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The end of the ball could not come fast enough for me, though it passed far quicker since I spent the rest of the evening outdoors. After sneaking back through the private grounds, I had found a bench and sat down, staring at my rose and thinking about the man I loved. A smile came to my face as I thought about Erik and the way he had looked that night.

'Charles could only dream of holding my heart,' I thought, smiling as I gazed at the beautiful black ribbon etched in gold thread. 'He can only pray that, one day, he will look and act as suave as my Erik does!'

Never had I seen Erik look as dark and seductive as he had this night. It was as though he were a part of the night, a shadow that was able to move and walk wherever he pleased without being seen or caught. He was a spirit or ghost, so silently had he moved along the stone walkway. With his mask and hair the color of darkness, only his bright green eyes had shown, sparkling like green fire as he looked at me. Just remembering the blazing light in Erik's eyes made me swoon!

I sighed and lifted the rose to my face, inhaling its scent and relishing it. It was a gift from Erik, and I would have to press and dry it so that I would be able to keep it in my jewelry box as the treasure it was. I loved roses, and now they would forever have a special meaning for me.

Suddenly, the church bells tolled the midnight hour, and I knew that the ball must be ending soon. Rising from my seat, I slowly approached the mansion and peeked inside. People were already drifting towards the front doors, asking for their coats, hats, shawls, and other garments, and I could spot my aunt and uncle standing there in frustration as they looked for me. Sighing, I took a deep breath and entered the room, approaching them by hiding behind others so that I managed to magically appear before them in the thinning crowd.

"Oh, Clara, there you are!" Aunt Mary exclaimed, frowning at me slightly, though she still looked oddly happy for some strange reason. "Where have you been?"

"We've been searching for you all night!" Uncle Geoff said, looking me up and down in case I had somehow come to harm. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I said, stretching the truth a little. I was fine, but the faint glow of happiness coming from them made me a little concerned. "I'd like to go home, please; I don't feel very well at all."

This caused my aunt to fetch my shawl at once and wrap me in it, cooing sympathetic words as she ushered me into the carriage. The horses took off at the slightest signal, and before I knew it, I was at my aunt's home and being ushered upstairs to rest by a concerned Penny. Once I was dressed in my nightgown and given a sleeping draught, I was left alone to my thoughts about what had happened earlier that evening.

Erik's perfectly timed appearance managed to sooth my nerves, but now they had returned. For the past several weeks, I had been concerned about the amount of attention being plied on me by Mr. Kirkland, and now that he was on such good terms with my aunt and uncle, I began to grow fearful about the future. It was clear that the Kirkland family was quite wealthy and influential in town, and that many families with eligible daughters would give their right hands to be linked to such a family. I, however, merely wanted Erik, but how was I supposed to tell my aunt and uncle that? Given the chance, I knew that Aunt Mary would wed Kari to one of the numerous Kirkland boys; I merely had the displeasure of attracting the attentions of the eldest of them!

'Oh, Lord, what if Charles asked Aunt Mary and Uncle Geoff for my hand in marriage tonight at the ball?'

My body went cold at the thought. If he had actually done so, there would be a telegraphed message going out to my father tomorrow morning, probably before I was awake and could prevent such a thing from happening. If Papa heard about a wealthy Northern man asking for my hand, he would likely agree to it without a second thought! My life would be over, and I would never be able to live in happiness with Erik!

'Please, Erik, help me!' I silently prayed to him, wherever he was in town. 'We must get away soon, before it's too late!'

Oh, how I wished that he would come and find me again tonight. There was nothing I needed more right now than to feel his strong arms wrapped around me, soothing away my fears with his strength and his musical voice. I longed for Erik's whispers in French, flattering and soothing me with beautiful words that I could not understand, but still felt the emotion of. I needed my fiancée here with me, now more than ever.

However, I knew he would not come. If he did, I knew that someone would see him sneaking into my room, and then he would be found out. All of our plans would be ruined, and we would never be allowed to marry and be together. I could not let that happen, but still, I hoped and prayed that Erik would soon come to me and take me away from here, before it was too late.

Sighing, I reached over and blew out the candle before rolling over to sleep.

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As dawn crested the eastern hills, Erik found himself blinking in surprise. Had the night really passed so quickly? It felt as though his head had hit the pillow only a moment ago, and now it was morning?

'Did I really see my beloved Angel last night?' he thought to himself, glancing at the pile of crumpled black clothing at the foot of his bed.

Getting up, Erik quietly padded over and picked up the black shirt he had worn the night before. Bringing it to his nose, he inhaled. Roses, another light, flowery scent…and something distinctly female lingered there on the silk.

He closed his eyes. 'It had been real. I held her in my arms as she kissed me, spoke to me and begged me to take her away from here.'

And he had wanted to take her away, right then and there, sweeping her off her feet as she stood in his arms, her breath warm and delicious against his skin. At that moment, he would have done anything and everything she asked of him, even if it were the stars in the night sky that she wanted.

'If I had taken her, we would have been married by now. I would have found a priest, brought him before the altar and forced a ceremony out of him.'

It was that thought that hurt the most. The mere image of the two of them sleeping in this bed, husband and wife, was enough to drive him mad with need. Had he acted last night, he would have had his precious Clara wrapped in his arms as they greeted the morning together. Such a charming picture danced behind his closed eyes.

A knock at the door shocked Erik out of his blissful daydreams. "Sir, are you awake? Will you be wanting a bath and breakfast?" a female voice called through the door.

Inwardly, he cursed, remembering that before he had left last night, he had requested a servant to wake him so he could start the day early. Sighing, he looked down, glad that he had put on a nightshirt before he'd gone to sleep.

"I will draw my own bath, but you may bring breakfast," Erik called as he approached the door. "You may leave it outside the door."

"Very good, sir," the maid replied before hurrying away.

An hour later, Erik sat at a table in his rooms, chewing on a bit of buttered pastry as he applied the last bit of his makeup. He now resembled a 'normal' man, but he felt extremely unhappy in the unnaturalness it represented. Clara had accepted the face behind the mask, and without her there to see him as the flawed man he was, Erik himself could not accept the way he now looked. Clara had opened his eyes about what lay behind the mask, and strangely enough, he no longer wanted to look like the other men around him; he only wanted to look like the man Clara loved and smiled at, mask and all.

'Soon it will not be necessary…soon, there will be no need for such things,' Erik thought as he applied a few more dabs of flesh-colored cream.

It was primarily a facial powder mixed with water, much like the stuff actors on stage wore. It was thick and heavy, but it would not run if he sweated, as he was sure to do in the summer heat. After living underground in his lair for much of his life, Erik was still unused to the heat of the sun. Summer in the South had been torture, which was why he had always had his curtains drawn and the house kept as cool as possible. Now, though, he would have to travel outside to look around and gather information about the town, trying to see where he could find Clara and how close he could get to her before he was discovered.

A last brush of the makeup over his face, and he was done. Looking carefully at himself, Erik mentally calculated how long he could keep up this façade before the itchy cream drove him mad. Giving himself about four or five hours to explore outdoors, Erik pulled on a beige outfit, everything a light color so that he would not suffer in the day's heat. Donning a hat and grabbing a walking stick, he quickly headed out the door and into the busy streets.

The moment he stepped onto the sidewalk, Erik felt the eyes of dozens of women on him. It was the same feeling he had experienced while traveling, and he did not like it at all. Oh, it had been a constant fantasy of his once, being attractive enough to catch the eye of any woman that walked by, but now it just annoyed him. He was meant for one woman, and they were not her. Ignoring the adoring and flirting gazes, Erik set out to see the town of Manistee.

Thankfully, it was not a large town, but it was still quite popular and surprisingly busy. Being a place on the edge of a tremendously large lake, Manistee was a port city with ships of all sorts coming up and down the coast, and had numerous docks and harbors set along the water. All manner of sea vessels came through, from large ships carrying cargo down from Canada to little private boats meant for pleasure travels. Children and adults alike traveled up and down the docks, glancing at the boats and meeting new people from other places, forging friendships or just stopping for a little chat. Women with parasols chided their little ones if they got too close to the water, and men shared information on ships with whichever of their children would listen to them. It was quite charming to watch, but Erik managed to pull himself away and focus on his task.

To Erik's surprise, there was a large river running through the center of town, separating one half of Manistee from the other. One side held the smaller homes of the middle and lower classes, as well as the smaller businesses and shops. On the other side were the large homes of the wealthy, which, thanks to a kind old woman, was where he found Clara's aunt's home. He also discovered it to be the busier part of town, containing the government buildings, public library, and larger stores that catered to the richer folk. Erik decided to avoid the public beaches there, as it made him uncomfortable to see others in their swimming outfits. However, he made a mental note to take Clara to a large, secluded beach somewhere as soon as he was able.

His exploring done, Erik went back to his room and removed the makeup that was currently itching like mad. As he scrubbed away at the paste, he quickly concluded that Manistee was quite a good place to flee from. There where boats coming and going from here constantly, and most of the people were only here as an escape from the summer heat. If he were to take Clara away by ship, it would be incredibly difficult for the law authorities to follow and find them. And since Manistee was so far north, it would be a short trip to the Canadian border, and from there they make their escape.

Smiling, Erik wiped the last bit of soap from his face and put on his mask, readying himself for nightfall. After all, he had a midnight appointment with an angel.

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All of those years as an Opera Ghost were not wasted that night. Using the same black outfit and black mask, Erik slipped out of his room and into the night, listening outside the open windows of wealthy families with daughters to marry off. As expected, he soon found a home with three daughters of marriageable age, hiding in the shadows to listen to the gossip the girls were throwing about the room.

"And then that Miss Savoy had to go and disappear at the ball last night, leaving poor Charles Kirkland alone with his family!" exclaimed a shrill voice. Apparently this one wasn't long out of youth yet, her voice still high and childish. "I tried to get him to dance, but he refused!"

"That's because he was talking to Mr. and Mrs. Pine about their niece," a more mature, female voice replied, this one deeper than the other. "We all know that Mr. Kirkland has had his eye on that Southern belle since the moment she said 'hello' to him in that Southern drawl she has."

"It's not fair!" cried another voice, this one obviously coming from a middle daughter. "I saw him first, so why does she get Charles instead of me?"

"Perhaps it's because she's got that smooth accent and better manners than you?" asked the youngest voice in a snobbish tone. "And it doesn't hurt that I overheard them talking about Miss Savoy becoming engaged to Mr. Kirkland before the summer season is over!"

Erik's blood began to boil at the same time the girls began to yell at one another. Slipping away, Erik pulled up his hood and began walking towards the Pine mansion. Finding a lit open window on the ground floor, he perched underneath in the shrubbery, keeping his ears open to the male and female voices within.

"Is this really right, Mary?" the male voice asked. "I mean, I can hardly approve of a marriage when Clara isn't my ward, or me her legal guardian!"

"Don't be silly Geoffrey." The feminine voice could only belong to Clara's aunt, Mary. "Besides, Richard instructed me to find a beau for Clara while she's here. He mentioned something about a masked man from Rockford wanting to marry her, and Richard wouldn't hear of it for some reason."

"Why not?" her husband asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.

Mary laughed. "I tend not to question my brother about anything; it's bad for my health! But to tell you the truth, I think it's because Richard just doesn't want to see his little girl grow up, get married, and leave him." She sighed. "She's his only daughter, and he's just being protective of her, like you are to our girls. However, I think it's about time she wedded, and Charles Kirkland is such a nice boy. Also, he did ask for her hand, and the least we could do is tell Richard about it and ask what to do."

Erik bit his lip as he silently slipped away from the window and glanced upwards to the second floor. There were two little girls in the home, he knew, and he had to be sure to choose the correct window. However, with little information to go on, he merely climbed up one of the two huge oak trees lining that side of the house and peered in, thankful that the rooms had balconies and were close together.

His first choice was wrong, as he found himself looking at a little blonde head lying on a pillow. Biting back a curse, he moved to the next room, this time sighing in relief upon seeing his beloved Clara brushing out her hair in front of a vanity mirror. Her eyes were closed as she performed her task, and Erik carefully opened the large windows to slip inside, silently gliding up behind her as she stopped brushing and aside her brush, her eyes open and focused on her lap.

"You look beautiful," he whispered, a gloved hand reaching out to caress her hair.

Clara gasped and turned around.

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Turning around in my seat, I tried to see if he was really here or merely a dream. Standing up, I raised a hand to his face, touching the soft skin there as his warm body pressed against me. Sighing, I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around his neck, savoring this moment as I had the night before.

"I missed you," I whispered, tilting my head so my lips were pressed close to his ear.

"I missed you as well, my love," he whispered back, caressing my body as he held me close. Then, without warning, he pulled back. "Angel, there is something I must tell you."

The seriousness in his voice alarmed me, and the look in his green eyes made my heart stop in my chest. "Erik, what is it?" I asked, desperate to hear why he looked so disturbed.

"It appears that your suitor is more persistent than I previously thought," he said, frowning. "He has asked your aunt and uncle for your hand in marriage."

"Oh, God," I gasped. I felt the sudden need to sit down, my knees going weak. Erik, seeing my plight, swept me up into his strong arms and carried me to my bed, settling me on it before taking a spot beside me, his arms never releasing me. One of his gloved hands glided through my hair in an attempt to sooth me, my face burying itself in his black silk shirt.

"This means we must move quickly, before your father receives a message from your aunt and before he can send a reply," Erik whispered into my ear, pulling me close. I nodded, but did not reply, so he continued. "We will go north into Canada, then make our way to Europe from there," he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice as he spoke. "Once we are there, I will show you everything you dreamed of and more."

I sighed and smiled as I turned my head to look up at him. "It sounds beautiful," I said, giving him a soft, quick kiss on the lips. "When do we leave?"

Erik frowned in thought. "It must be within the next few days, before your father can reply to your aunt's message," he replied. His green eyes drifted to my numerous empty trunks. "Can you be ready by then? I'm sorry to say that you will have to leave much of this behind, my love, but I will be happy to buy you a whole new wardrobe, should you wish it."

"It sounds perfect."

I gave a soft giggle as I kissed him again, this time receiving a passionate one in return. I could feel myself melting into his arms; after a horrible day of tea with empty-headed girls and being watched like a hawk by my aunt and uncle, this was heaven. After several moments, we separated, and Erik silently slipped off my bed, blowing me a kiss as he vanished out my window. I got up and went to close it behind him, but left it unlocked for later visits. With that done, I turned to my bed and slid in, lying down and closing my eyes.

I love you, my Angel, Erik's voice whispered into my ear.

I smiled as I drifted off to sleep, knowing I would dream about Erik until dawn.

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AN: I love sappy chapters! More good stuff coming up, I promise! Please review!