Erik sank into his chair with a sigh of relief. This was the fourth day since Archer had originally taken Ella and the fifth since he had slept, seeing as he spent the night before everything happened composing. After spending most of the night getting back to Paris, he had left a note for Antoinette telling her they were safe, and given Cesar a pile of hay and a long rubdown as a reward for all his hard work. All that had taken a good hour. It felt good to finally rest.

Getting home had been a little more difficult than he had expected. There was a heavy police presence around the opera. At least they were attempting to search for Ella although they didn't wind up doing anything useful. He had to time it perfectly to get into the stable without being caught. From there, it was easy. A faux wall opened up to the passageway that led to where he housed Cesar. Then he just had to carry Ella the rest of the way to the lair.

Ella was in the swan bed, still asleep. Erik made a mental note to have Antoinette fetch a doctor if she didn't awaken soon. This wasn't natural. People didn't sleep for this long. She didn't have a fever or any noticeable symptoms of being sick, but it had been far too long for it to be a drug.

He let out a loud yawn. Speaking of sleep, he was ready to drop. Erik put his head down on his desk. Just a few minutes rest, then he'd go upstairs and have Antoinette get a doctor for Ella. She probably needed that more than he needed to sleep. But first he needed to rest, just for a minute.

"What do you mean you can't find her?" Archer shouted at the police officer. "She was coming here! I know she was! People don't just disappear Monsieur!"

"Well first we have the opera calling us because this girl has gone missing, and now you're telling me that she originally ran off with you, but disappeared from your mansion. I don't know what to believe!"

"There is a madman after her!" Archer snapped. "We left for her protection, but she went missing in the middle of the night, her bedroom broken into. She's in danger!"

"Other than your story of her being kidnapped out of your house, you have given us nothing to work with Monsieur. I can't help you without any clues whatsoever. Besides, you said she was taken nearly half a day's journey away. We're in Paris. You should be looking for her closer to the sight of this supposed abduction."

Archer sighed. This was getting extremely frustrating. If you wanted something done right, do it yourself, that's what he had been taught. Unfortunately he had blundered and was now forced to rely on these men for help. "The man who's been trying to take her is the Phantom of the Opera! The Phantom is a wanted murderer who lives underneath the Opera Populaire, which is in Paris. She is the Prima Donna here is Paris. Her home is in Paris. That is why I'm here looking for her."

"So you're suggesting that the Phantom of the Opera, who has never been caught because he lives in a labyrinth and has never been seen in daylight, suddenly decided to trek across France, break into your mansion, kidnap a girl, and get back to Paris with the girl, all without being caught?" the officer asked skeptically. "He wears a white porcelain mask, and half his face is twisted and deformed like a demon. I was there the night of the fire; I've seen him with my own two eyes. His is a face, mask on or no, that cannot go unnoticed."

"He's a murderer who has escaped capture for over a year. He has kidnapped and killed before!" Archer protested. "Every second we aren't searching for Ella, there is a greater chance he's forced himself on her or killed her! I have to find her!"

"We're doing everything we can, but until we find something useful, there isn't much we can do," the officer replied. "You're just going to have to be patient."

Ella began to panic when she awoke in total darkness. She couldn't remember much. Closing her eyes, she thought back. The hair pin, escaping the mansion, running through the woods; her breath caught when she remembered the rider. Archer caught her, and God knows where he had her locked up now.

Cautiously she reached out, and to her surprise, her fingers touched a curtain. Ella swept it open and gasped in surprise when she realized she knew this place. She had heard Erik's voice in her sleep, but she had just assumed it was dream. Yet somehow, she was in his home. But where was he? Where was her Phantom?

Ella carefully stood, her legs weak and unsteady beneath her. She had only taken a few steps when she spotted Erik hunched over his desk, fast asleep. It was the first time she had ever seen him completely at peace.

The unmasked half of his face was resting against his arms, his mask facing up towards her. It didn't even look remotely comfortable. Ella decided that she would take it off. It would be more comfortable for Erik, and it would help her adjust to his face. She couldn't grow used to it if he kept it hidden from her.

Before her fingers had even touched the porcelain, Erik's eyes snapped open and he grabbed her wrist. His eyes widened and he quickly released her, an extremely apologetic look on his face, even though she could tell it was nothing more than an instinct for him. Ella didn't give him the chance to say anything, just threw her arms tightly around his neck, and pressed her face in his shoulder. Erik embraced her, pulling her against his chest.

"Erik, oh Erik, I thought you'd never come!" she cried. "I was so scared that Archer was going to take me away. He wanted to go to America, and he was going to make me go with him! I didn't want to go but he wouldn't listen to me!"

"It's over now mon Ange," Erik replied soothingly. "I'll never let you out of my sight again. I promised you that I'd protect you."

"There was a man!" she sobbed. "He grabbed me, he drugged me, and Archer was paying him to do it. I tried to fight him, but I couldn't get away."

"He what?! I'm going to kill that boy!" he screamed. "Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No. Archer thought, he honest to God thought that he was helping me. He kept saying he was saving me, that it was for my own good." Her hug tightened. "He knows…he knows about us. I don't know how, but he knows."

"Jacqueline somehow found out. She told him because she knew he'd do this. She wanted your role as the lead, so she attempted to sabotage you. I had her sent away so she can never hurt you again."

"But what about Archer?"

"We'll think of something," Erik replied. "But for now, I won't let him near you. I'll be there to stop him if he tries anything."

Ella nodded. "Don't leave me."

"Of course not." Erik kissed her forehead. Then he realized that Ella had been half-conscious when he had admitted his feelings for her. He hoped the fact that she was awake didn't change anything. "Ella, mon Ange, I love you."

Tears formed in her eyes, and for a moment Erik wondered if he said the wrong thing. Instead, she looked up, a smile forming on her face. "I love you too, my Phantom."

Erik suddenly found himself laughing in joy. He pulled her close and pressed his lips against hers. After years of searching, he had finally found someone who could look beyond the mask and accept and love him as a person, not a monster. And Erik was willing to do anything and everything to keep her safe.