Jacqueline watched as Archer discussed his plans with Ella. "I know a little church on the outer edge of Paris. I've talked to the priest; he's agreed to marry us. We'll leave tonight. We'll go to the church and then we'll leave Paris."

Unseen from her place in the shadows, she glared at that stupid redhead. The patron was supposed to be hers! The role as Prima Donna was supposed to be hers! She wasn't even the best dancer now that Ella had shown up. Ella was the new girl. She had no right to any of this! Did seniority mean nothing anymore?

Then an idea struck her. If Ella was running away with Archer, then she couldn't very well stay and be lead soprano anymore could she? And because Jacqueline had been the favorite until Ella auditioned, she would get the role. As for the patron? Well, the world was full of compromise Jacqueline supposed. There'd be other handsome, wealthy men. Ella could have Archer if that was the difference of her getting the lead.

"Miss Giry has also agreed to come to the wedding to be our witness," Archer continued. "But she's coming back here afterwards. She'll tell everyone you're safe, so no one gets too worried. We can't tell anyone that we're leaving until after we're gone. It'll be better that way."

Jacqueline had to suppress a laugh. They thought they were being so sneaky. But no one in this opera house who was as sneaky as they thought. Absolutely no one.

Tonight was the night. Ella stared at her reflection in the mirror, wondering what she was going to do. Archer had bought a beautiful wedding gown for her, which Meg was lacing up for her. He told her that they were going to be married in this church on the outskirts of Paris before fleeing the city. He didn't say where they were going, but she didn't want to know.

"Oh Ella, you look amazing!" Meg cried. "I can't believe it! You came to the opera just two months ago and you're already getting married! How romantic!"

"Meg, I want to thank you for everything you've done for me."

"It's nothing," her friend replied. "I'm sure you would've done the exact same thing for me."

"Ella?" Archer called, walking in. "Oh Ella, you look like an angel from heaven." He kissed her and when he pulled away, the diamonds she had returned to him earlier were back around her neck. "Are you ready love?" She swallowed hard and nodded. "I'll see you soon."

"I'll go ahead and go wait out there too," Meg added. "You're ready."

She didn't have the heart to tell her friend that she was far from ready. Once they were out of the room, Ella began to pace. Meg was right; she was getting married really early. She had only known Archer two months, and she didn't even claim that she knew him. There was so much about Archer she didn't know. He was essentially a total stranger to her, yet she was somehow engaged to him. Was she really going to dive into this and possibly throw her life away?

Looking back in the mirror, she resumed staring at her reflection, when Erik appeared behind her. Whirling around, she was crushed when she realized it was just in her mind. Of course he wasn't here. Why would he be?

It was time. Ella wanted to cry. She wouldn't admit it, but she half-wanted Erik to come out of nowhere and take her away. Obviously that wasn't going to happen. Taking a deep breath, she made her way to the entrance of the church.

Meg and Archer were waiting for her. Taking slow deliberate steps, Ella forced herself down the aisle. Archer took her hand and kissed her knuckles when she reached his side. Her mind was spinning at a thousand miles an hour as the priest began.

"I do." To her horror, they had already reached the vows and Archer had said yes. It was her turn to say those dreaded two words.

She wanted to faint. "I…I…I…" she sputtered.

"Ella?" Archer pressed.

"Do you?" the priest asked.

"I…I can't," she whispered before pulling her skirts up to her knees and fleeing the church.

"Ella!" Archer shouted. "Ella!" She could hear him behind her, but Ella grabbed the necklace, ripped it from her neck, and dropped it. Because he stopped to pick it up, she was able to escape.

Without stopping for anything, she ran all the way back to the opera. Ella flew to her dressing room and tugged on the mirror until it finally swung open. Not thinking about what she was doing, she took off through the tunnel. She stumbled several times, tripping over the uneven surface, and scraping her hands on the stone floor when she fell. But Ella continued without even slowing, she was so utterly desperate.

Erik paced around on the roof, clenching and unclenching his jaw. Had he known where exactly Archer took his angel, he would have gone there immediately to take her back, Antoinette or no Antoinette. But the stupid boy just loaded her and Meg Giry into a carriage, saying they were going to a church and that they wouldn't be back.

He couldn't believe she was actually going to marry him. That she was gone. That he had lost again. For a brief time, Erik had honestly thought he had found someone to love him, but she waltzed right out of his life just as quickly as she had come. Screaming every profanity he knew into the sky, it finally began to sink in. He had been abandoned again.

When he had run out of swears, Erik climbed onto the ledge, contemplating on jumping. Eventually he backed down. As much as he hated life, he was not too keen on the idea of death. He sighed and let the crushing pain overwhelm him.

Slowly he trekked down towards the comforting darkness of his lair, with the intent to never leave again. It was far less painful that way. But as he reached the shore of the lake, there was something he wasn't expecting waiting for him.

"Erik!" Ella screamed across the lake, completely oblivious to his presence behind her. "Erik, please!" She sank to her knees, began to cry, and whispered, "I need you."

"El…Ella?" he sputtered, completely shocked.

She whirled around, his name on her lips. Her hair was in disarray, the hem of her white gown was tattered, and her cheeks were tear-stained. It took him a whole two seconds to figure out what had happened. Ella threw herself into his arms with enough force to knock him backwards to the ground. "Erik, oh Erik, I…I know you don't want me here, but I didn't know where else to go," she sobbed, clinging to his jacket.

"Of course I want you here," he murmured, but Ella was crying so hard, he didn't think she heard him. Her whole body was shaking like a leaf. "What happened?"

"He...he…he wanted to marry me. He wanted to run away. But I…I couldn't. I couldn't leave here. I…I couldn't leave you. So I…I ran away, but he's going to find me and make me leave with him. You can't let him!"

"I won't," he assured her. "And you know I don't break my promises."

She gave another loud sob. "Hold me."

Erik quickly obliged before leaning in and gently kissing her tears away. "It's okay, mon Ange. You're here now. He won't be able to find you here. He can't make you do anything if he doesn't know where you are."