Erik silently slipped through the window into Dubois' Parisian mansion. On his way back to the Populaire, it had struck him that perhaps instead of underestimating the boy he might actually be overestimating him. He had assumed that Archer would have taken Ella and fled, but then he realized he wasn't thinking like a naïve aristocrat, he was thinking like the Phantom of the Opera. So here he was, continuing his search for Ella. Even if the boy wasn't here, there had to be something somewhere in this house that would tell him where the patron brought her.

As he searched the house, Erik became more and more convinced that Ella wasn't here. Suddenly he heard footsteps approaching, so he ducked inside the nearest doorway. Looking around, Erik realized he was in what appeared to be a study. He immediately began combing through papers, looking for anything that could be helpful.

"I can't believe it!" Erik froze as a woman's voice rang out. "How many years have I worked for this family? I practically raised him then suddenly it's 'I'm sorry but that I'm running away to America with some girl I barely know'! And not just any girl, she's opera trash! I knew it would be a mistake to get mixed up with that theater. If only his parents knew! I have half a mind to wire his father myself! That'll set that foolish boy straight. How am I supposed to tell my daughter that I've suddenly been dismissed because he's a lovesick idiot who's listening to his trousers and not his head?!"

The door swung open and a very ruffled grandmotherly woman walked into the room. Her eyes widened in fear when she spotted Erik. "Who are you and what are you doing here? How did you get in here?"

He pressed a finger to his lips to keep her silent. "The girl. Where is she?" he asked. "Where did he take her?"

"I haven't the foggiest idea what girl you're talking about," she lied.

Threatening her wasn't even an option to Erik. She was frail and looked like she couldn't harm a fly. But he needed to find Ella, and based on her rant, this woman knew where they were, or at least where they were going. Antoinette's words from their very first argument about Ella drifted back to him. 'So now you're trying to use compassion?' he asked. 'I'm trying to get you to use your heart like a decent person,' she replied.

"Listen to me," he said. "Her name is Ella. She didn't want to leave with Archer, so he hired a street thug to kidnap her. She has friends who are frantically looking for her." The woman's face softened a bit, giving Erik enough encouragement to keep going this route. "I heard you say you had a daughter. How would you feel if she suddenly disappeared and you later found out someone carted her off to another country? Because that's what's going to happen to her friends if you don't help me.

The woman shook her head. "I can't. If he were to find out…"

"He'll never know it was you who told me, but I need to know where she is. Help me," Erik pleaded. "Help me find her."

"What do you think love?" Archer asked. He was leading Ella through the gardens of his estate, his arm loosely wrapped around her waist. "When we get to America, would you like to live on the coast or farther inland?"

Ella refused to answer him. In as desperate attempt to show him that this wasn't what she wanted, she wouldn't to speak to him other than to plead with him to see reason. "Archer, I want to go home."

His hold on her tightened briefly in what was supposed to be a comforting hug, but it just reinforced the fact that Ella was completely at his mercy. "Don't worry, it's nearly over. We're leaving at first light."

"Please listen to me Archer!" Ella begged. "I don't want to go to America! I just want to go home! Don't make me go with you! Let me go home!" She began to cry. "Please take me back."

"Maybe bringing you out here was a bad idea," Archer sighed. "You're just getting all worked up. We need to go back inside."

"No!" Ella cried. "I'll behave!" This was the first time Archer had allowed her outside. When he let her out of that room, she was always trapped at his side. Out here it was a little easier to believe she was here of her own choice."

"You're not a dog," Archer said. "And I don't expect you to act like one. I'm not going to make you do tricks on command."

"No, I'm just a prisoner who has to do what you say," she spat bitterly.

He led her back towards the house. "You're not a prisoner, you're my guest. I'm keeping you here for your own protection love, even if you can't see it."

Ella glanced back desperately towards the forest that surrounded the estate. If she could get there, she stood a chance of being able to escape. She murmured a soft apology before kicking him as hard as she could between the legs and taking off running as fast as her legs could carry her. Behind her she could hear Archer swearing, but she didn't look back. Just as she reached the edge of the garden, a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her waist and she was lifted off her feet. "No! Let me go!" Ella was carried back to the house kicking and screaming. "No! It's not fair! Let me go!"

"I can't Ella." His tone was apologetic, but he wouldn't put her down, so she continued to thrash in his grasp. "Please understand."

After refusing to sleep the night before, Ella was exhausted. The stress from everything caught up to her at last and she finally cracked. With a sudden surge of unusual rage, Ella began to scream at him viciously as they made their way through the house. "I hate you! Why don't you just kill me instead of torturing me like this?!"

Archer gently put her on her feet once they were back in room that served as her prison cell. She tried to push past him, but he caught her in his arms once more. He hid her face in his chest and rubbed her back as she sobbed. "I know love," he cooed. "I know."

Ella looked like a very sad porcelain doll. Her face was blank and expressionless, her red-rimmed eyes glassy, staring at something only she could see. She sat in her chair perfectly straight and dignified. It was the complete opposite of the breakdown she had earlier. But the completely untouched plate in front of her worried him. "You have got to eat love," Archer urged. "You haven't eaten anything since you've arrived."

"I'm not hungry," she replied. Her usually angelic voice was hoarse and distant.

"Please Ella. Just a few bites," he pleaded. "You need to eat. You cannot starve yourself like this. You're so thin as it is."

"No."

Looking closer, Archer could see dark circles under her eyes that he didn't notice before. "Did you sleep last night?"

"No."

"Did you even try?"

"No."

For the first time, Archer began to wonder if this was really going to be worth it. Would he ever be able to free the girl he loved from the grasp of the Phantom? Or would she be this cold and withdrawn forever? Was she acting like this because of the spell she was under? And if she wasn't eating or sleeping now, how long would it be before she attempted something far more drastic? Could he live with himself if something happened to her?

"You need to get some sleep," Archer said as he led her inside the bedroom. "We have a big day tomorrow. We're leaving at sunrise."

Once he was gone, Ella stared out the window, wondering if by some miracle, Erik would save her. Tears formed in her eyes as she realized that she never told him how she felt. Even though she knew he would never hear her, she sang a quiet song to him.

"If I never knew you
If I never felt this love
I would have no inkling of
How precious life can be
And if I never held you
I would never have a clue
How at last I'd find in you
The missing part of me.
In this world so full of fear
Full of rage and lies
I can see the truth so clear
In your eyes
And I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you
If I never knew you
I'd be safe but half as real
Never knowing I could feel
A love so strong and true
I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you
I thought our love would be so beautiful
Somehow we'd make the whole world bright
I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong
all they'd leave us were these whispers in the night
But still my heart is saying we were right
And if I never knew you
If I never knew you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Empty as the sky
Never knowing why
Lost forever
If I never knew you"

"I'm sorry Erik," she whispered, a single tear sliding down her cheek. Ella sat heavily on the bed and attempted to imagine life married to Archer, knowing that the first thing he would do when they reached America would be to find a church. But she couldn't do it. She couldn't bear the thought of spending the rest of her life with him. Of course Archer would expect children, but she shuddered at what that would mean. For now, he had respected most of her boundaries, but there was no telling how long that would last.

Trying to erase that thought from her mind, Ella ran her fingers through her hair. Her eyes widened when she found a pin that the maid must have missed. She had heard that people could undo locks with hairpins. Instantly she ran to the door and stuck the pin in. Ella had no clue what she was doing, but she had to get out of here.

After nearly an hour of fiddling with the lock and the pin, she heard a soft click. Holding her breath, Ella gently tried the knob. A smile of triumph crept across her face as the door silently swung open.