A/N: This chapter contains a few quotes from Bible passages. If you are easily offended by such things, you may want to turn back now:) I felt that this was in keeping with the priest's character, and also felt it was necessary to help Erik to begin to see himself in a different light. Thanks for reading!

Chapter Four

After several hours, Father Michel returned to his church carrying large bundles of Erik's supplies. He hoped that he had obtained everything to Erik's specifications. Although he didn't truly fear the man, he was certain that he did not want to make him angry. He set the parcels down outside his study door, wondering if Erik had finally succumbed to sleep upstairs in his bed. Opening the study door, however, he encountered a disheveled and visibly grief-stricken Erik.

"My dear boy, what has happened?" the priest spoke, his voice shaking with panic.

Erik was seated on the floor holding one of the priest's books. His eyes appeared to be red beyond the black mask, and his cloak lay next to him on the floor—for the first time exposing Erik's head of hair…full on one side and sparse on the other. The priest didn't know whether to approach him or run from the room at the sight of him. He wondered to himself what might have happened to this man to make him look this way…and then he shuddered, realizing that the man's mask must serve another purpose besides keeping his identity a secret. He came to his senses, however, and prayed silently under his breath. He stepped toward Erik and knelt down at his side.

Erik looked up at the priest. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. He simply handed Father Michel the open book, as if trying to tell him what he had read that had disturbed him so. Father Michel thought that for the first time, he was seeing the little boy inside this dark and menacing man. He reached out and laid his hand upon Erik's shoulder. "Come now, Monsieur Erik. Please, tell me what has happened to grieve you so."

Finally, Erik found his voice. "Father," he spoke in a whisper, "He didn't do this to me."

Father Michel furrowed his brows. "Who, young man? What is it that you are talking about?"

"This," Erik choked out. "Me. I…I was reading…and I…I read what has happened to me, Father." He pointed to the paragraph that he had read earlier.

The priest looked down and read the words carefully. His eyes grew wide. "You don't mean…dear boy…you…you were harmed in your mother's womb?" Erik nodded.

"I never knew. I never knew until this moment! And I…I blamed Him, Father. I have always blamed Him. I thought that no loving God could create a freak of nature such as myself. But He did not create me this way. My own mother! My own mother did this to me!" Suddenly, he ripped off the black mask and stared at the priest, weeping.

Father Michel gasped. He stared in horror at the right side of Erik's face. The skin was yellowed and looked as if it were decaying. His face was so misshapen that it barely looked like a face at all. The priest closed his eyes for a moment and prayed. When he opened his eyes, Erik was still weeping. Compassion, he thought. This man needs it more than any other I have ever known. He reached out and embraced Erik, pulling him against his chest. Erik suddenly winced at the intimacy of the contact, but then his tears began to flow even more freely as he allowed Father Michel to comfort him as his true father never had.

Erik cried for what seemed like hours as Father Michel held him. A heavy silence filled the room, except for the sound of Erik's sobs. Finally, Erik took a deep breath and shuddered. Father Michel released him from the embrace and their eyes met…unmasked eyes meeting the eyes of compassion. The priest had been thinking the entire time about what he could possibly say to comfort this broken man…but nothing was coming to mind. "I'm so very sorry, Erik," he finally whispered.

Erik lowered his gaze and shook his head slightly. "I have thought my whole life that I was cursed by God."

"Cursed by God? Mon ami, God does not curse His children. He pursues them with a love beyond comprehension."

"I don't know if I have truly ever known what it is to feel love…until…" Erik swallowed hard.

"Until what, my boy? Have you loved someone?" the priest questioned.

Erik sighed. "Yes, Father, I loved a woman. But she, like my mother, also betrayed me. At first I thought it was because of my face, but then she told me…it was my soul that was distorted. And she was right, Father. She was right. There is no hope for me…no hope for change." Erik was feeling quite vulnerable, and even he surprised himself with his honesty before the older man.

Father Michel grasped Erik's shoulders. "Ah, there you are wrong, mon ami. If God can change me, then I believe that He can change anyone. As a matter of fact, I believe that I see a change in you beginning even now."

Erik stared at the priest. "But I am the same man that I was when I walked in here last night. I am still a murderer, still a monster…or had you forgotten?"

"I have not forgotten that you are those things…and so am I. But those events in my past have been forgiven by God. I have turned from those ways…it was not easy, by any means…but I have asked forgiveness and grace of the Lord, and He has been merciful to me. He will also do the same for you. But you must be willing to accept His mercy as well, my boy."

"No man has ever shown me mercy. Do you honestly believe that this 'perfect' God that you serve could truly look upon all that I have done…and simply forget it all?" Erik asked incredulously.

"Erik, I believe what the Scriptures say. And they say that 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow'…and that 'as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our sins from us.' So, yes, I believe He will forgive and forget. I have to believe it, Erik, because I am living proof of it."

"I am certain that He will require me to pay dearly for all that I have done," Erik sneered. "After all, he is supposed to be a just God, yes? Though I dare say that this face of mine has certainly made me pay all of my life." He was beginning to feel anger again.

"Erik, the Lord's forgiveness is a free gift offered to all men. 'For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.' Your sins have made you pay, Erik, just as they make us all pay…all sin results in death to our inner spirit. But the Scriptures say that 'the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.' You don't have to do anything to earn it! All you must do is believe."

"So you are telling me that God Himself put His own Son through the agony that I see on the crucifix in this church?" Erik spat angrily. "How is that merciful and loving, Father? How can that even be justified?"

"He took your place and mine on that cross, Erik, willingly. He served as our substitute. He took our penalty. Because of His great love for us, He did all of this, and for no other reason. We deserve death, but Christ took our place. The cross is our reminder of this, Erik. The cross is a reminder of God's great love and mercy toward us. And besides that, you surely know that Christ did not remain dead—that He was raised to life three days after the crucifixion, do you not?"

"I had heard of such a fable, yes," Erik mumbled.

"It is Truth, Erik. I have staked my very life on it. And so must you, if you wish to change and become the man that God spared your life to become. He spared your life in your mother's womb…and He again spared it last night. Do you think it was for no reason? Will you again squander this chance that you have been given?" the priest was speaking with great passion and urgency, and a bit of righteous anger. It was evident to Erik that he genuinely believed all of this, and that he also had a fatherly concern for him.

"I will consider all that you have said, Father, though it all seems a bit simple-minded. But I make no promises to you or to any man," Erik said firmly.

The priest nodded and smiled. Somehow, perhaps I have gotten through. Thank You, God!

"Now, Father, I assume that you have returned with all of my necessities. May I see them?" Erik questioned brusquely as he placed the mask back on his face.

"Yes, certainly. And…I would like for you to know that you need not wear your mask here for my sake…your face does not frighten me, Erik." Erik nodded at the priest, but he left his mask in place. Somehow, he felt more vulnerable without it. And he simply wanted to feel… "normal"…again.

A/N: To Phanatic4Phantom: Thanks for your sweet comments and neverending encouragement! You're awesome, girl!

To Nota Lone: I'm glad you're enjoying the "happy" Father Michel. Thanks so much for reviewing!