Disclaimer: I own only my ideas and my imagination.

Tristan had just been released from the hospital after a few days of observation. During that time, I had stayed with him in the room since the snake was still on the loose. Before we went home, I had an exterminator go by the house and catch the snake. We found that it was a Cottonmouth or Water Moccasin.

"Those snakes are common in Florida! I remember one used to live under my porch back home! Radcliffe came by and caught it for me," I told Tristan.

"Who's Radcliffe?"

"My ex-boyfriend. He had some ego problems so I broke up with him," I said. "You don't want to meet him."

When we reached home, I helped Tristan into bed and went to phone home. My mom was strict about my calling home every night (morning for her).

"Hey Mom! I just wanted to tell you that Tristan's okay. We just got back from the hospital."

"I'm glad you're both okay! Are you keeping up with your homework?" Mom asked. The mom side was coming out with the homework question.

"Yes I am," I said, laughing. "How's everyone back home?"

"They miss you. Oh! I almost forgot. Radcliffe has left a lot of messages for you. I mean A LOT! You should call him, Sweetie! I think he's still a little hurt that you broke up with him."

"Alright, Mom. I'll call him and see what the matter is. Go back to bed, Mom. I can hear you yawning over the phone! I'll call you tomorrow! Love you!"

"Love you mor-ahhhhhh. I'm going to bed. Have sweet dreams dear!"

"Bye Mom!"

After I had hung up with Mom, I called Radcliffe. I didn't really mind getting him up early.

"Talk to me," Radcliffe said, surprisingly awake.

"Hey. It's Jacqueline. My mom told me that you were calling often. What do you want?" I asked, not so kindly.

"Jackie! Relax! I'm not trying to get back with you! Quite the opposite actually. I wanted to tell you that I'm over you."

"Then why did you keep calling?"

"I wanted to make sure you were really in France. Then I only had to figure out which city. It wasn't too hard. Your new boyfriend told your mom that you would be in Paris, studying with the greatest singer of this generation. I wasn't sure if you were actually with that freak but when you came out of the elevator with him, I knew for sure. Look behind you."

I turned around and screamed. There he was, just staring at me with an amused look.

"You're not happy to see me?" He asked, smiling. "Ah come now. I'm not so hideous, am I?" Radcliffe walked towards me. "I thought you would have been overjoyed that I had saved you from that monster."

"You didn't kill him did you?!" I asked, my heart racing.

"Of course not. I want to make his life miserable, not end it for him. I'm taking you while he watches. In his state, he can't do anything to stop me!" He was next to me by now. I just stared up at him from my desk, frightened out of my wits. Radcliffe leered down at me, grabbed my arm, and hauled me to my feet. He dragged me out of the parlor and into Tristan's room. Radcliffe shoved me against the door to open it and threw me down on the floor. He blocked the door while I retreated towards Tristan.

Thankfully, Tristan hadn't woken up. He was still a little groggy from the anesthesia. I reached up and brushed a stray hair from his face. I knew Radcliffe was insane and would probably do something irrational. I was preparing myself for the worst.

"You think you're going to die, don't you? I'm afraid you won't die right away, my dear. You'll die slowly. That THING will wither away as he watches you die a slow death." Then Radcliffe let out this maniacal laugh. I shriveled back towards Tristan. "You know. It's really quite an ironic story! Do you want to hear it? Of course you do. I bet Tristan does too!" He strode over to us, shook Tristan awake, and grabbed me. He then forced me to sit in a chair facing Tristan.

"The two love birds! Now it's story time! Once upon a time, there was a handsome young Vicomte, a hideous madman, and a beautiful dancer."

I cut in there. "Erik was a genius. He was NOT a madman!" Radcliffe slapped me across the face.

"Please do not interrupt me, Dearie! Back to the story please! The Vicomte and madman both loved the dancer and she loved both of them. Her 'Angel of Music' was her first love. He gave her freedom, her voice, and love. When the dancer found out about his horrible face, she was heartbroken. How could she ever love someone so hideous?

"The Vicomte came back into her life. He was her lovely lover. He was the handsome man she wanted to marry. She loved him but the madman wouldn't have that. He wanted the dancer too.

"The madman devised a plan. He would kidnap the dancer so she would have to marry him. Well the Vicomte bravely faced the man and won the girl. Well, she wouldn't leave with him. She thought he was egotistical and overbearing. She loved the hideous thing.

"The Vicomte was outraged. He had never been refused before for anything! Now he was being refused for someone uglier than him! The Vicomte went back to the world and married a Kristine. He told everyone that she was the dancer. All his life, he held that anger towards the couple beneath the Opera Populaire. He passed that anger down through the generations of his family.

"Now it's my turn to avenge my great-grandfather. Do you see a resemblance between our story, Jackie, and my great-grandfather's? Do you?! You dumped me after you met that freak over there on the bed! I was dumped for him! And look!" Radcliffe said as he trotted over to Tristan. "Don't you absolutely love his face?!" He ripped the flesh mask off to reveal Tristan's deformity. It wasn't as hideous as I had thought it would be. The right side of his face looked like it was inflamed. That was all. There was no massive scar or oozing puss. I reached over to Tristan and gingerly touched his cheek.

"Does that hurt? I don't want to hurt you." I asked Tristan.

"No. It doesn't hurt. I was born like this. All the men born after Erik in our family have had the same face deformation." Tristan was exhausted after those few words.

"Ah! How sweet! You're bonding! Well, not anymore! Jackie, get up! Come here!" I walked back to my chair. "Sit down!" I did as Radcliffe instructed. He tied my hands behind the chair and then took out a knife. He started sliding the side down my face. I didn't back away.

"How does that feel? Do you like it?" He laughed as he flipped the blade over to cut a fine line down my cheek. I tried not to cry. I could hear Tristan growling.

"Get away from her! Your fight's with me, not her! Let her go!" Tristan said quietly as he got out of bed. He was still weak.

Radcliffe laughed. "You think you can fight me? Really? Come on! You're weak from the anesthesia. I am quite healthy. Come now!"

"I said let her go."

"Alright, fiend. Let's fight." The two men came together in the middle of the room, right in front of me.

"Stop! Stop! Don't fight! Radcliffe, go away and Tristan, get back in bed! Stop!" I shouted at them. Of course my shouting did nothing whatsoever. They kept fighting. Tristan was losing terribly. Radcliffe almost had a choke hold on him. I was so nervous for Tristan that I started singing the practice song that I'd been singing in the hallway of the hospital. As my voice got stronger, the two started slowing down their fight. They looked over at me in amazement.

I kept singing so they wouldn't start back up. I sang until my throat hurt. Radcliffe came over and untied me silently. Tristan got back in bed. I just stood there in awe. They'd stopped because of my voice! Tristan must have been a really good teacher!

"Goodbye, my dear," Radcliffe said after he kissed my cheek. "You're very lucky to have her," He told Tristan.

"I know."

Radcliffe left the way he came (I don't know how that was). I just stood there in Tristan's room in shock until Tristan humph-ed. I ran over to him and hugged him.

"I thought you were going to die! Don't you ever do that again!" I scolded.

"Did you really dump him after you met me?" Tristan asked.

"Yes," I said, startled. "You were more like the man I wanted to marry than Radcliffe was. You're also saner than he is apparently."

"Are you frightened by my face?" Tristan asked.

"No. I actually like it."

"No really. What do you think about my face?"

"I'm serious. I like your face the way it is. It's more YOU than your flesh mask is," I told him.

"Would you marry me if I had a perfect face?"

"No."

"Why not?!" He asked, hurt.

"I wouldn't marry you with a perfect face because that's not you. I want to marry you, not your face."

"Well if that's the case…" Tristan got out of bed and onto one knee with some difficulty. "Would you marry me Jacqueline Elaine Tenbrook?" He asked as he pulled out a beautiful diamond and sapphire ring.

"Of course I will Tristan…I don't know your last name."

"Daae. Erik took Christine's last name instead of her taking his. He didn't know what it was."

"Then yes I will Tristan Daae! For ever and always!" Tristan had the biggest smile on his face. Then I kissed him on the lips and then his right cheek.

"Wow. You must really love that cheek!" Tristan laughed.

"Yes I do. That's the only reason why I'm marrying you!" I joked.

Tristan smiled and my heart melted.