Angel of Doom and an English Rose (Phantom of the Opera)

Chapter 20 - Awake

Erik's POV:
I heard Reza's pleading but didn't have the strength to come back. I tried to but all I ended up doing was moving my fingers. I didn't have the strength to come back. Everything was silent for a while then I heard tears.

Rosetta was crying for me. I didn't deserve her tears. I wasn't worth it. I was a creature and as such I didn't deserve anything she had ever done for me. I didn't deserve her friendship, comfort, kindness but she gave them to me. And in return, I had given her pain, death, and horror. She had befriended a monster and that monster had dared to fall in love with her.

The moment that thought crossed my mind, my mind reeled from it. I couldn't love. I never had and never would. It wasn't possible. Yet, it had happened. My heart was no longer mine. It belonged to her.

I then felt a cold tightness in my stomach. I would love her but she couldn't love me back. No one could love a corpse, a monster, a thing.

She was living and I was as good as dead. We would never be one. I wanted to cry at the thought as my heart shattered from the sudden pain. I believed at that moment it would have been better if I hadn't loved her. I couldn't take it back now.

She was light and light and darkness could never be together. I would live my life loving an angel who deserved so much more than a demon.

As my heart bled at the knowledge, my mind was covered in darkness and I fell back into the nightmares that drifted through my mind ever since I had collapsed.

Sometime later, the black fog lifted and I felt stronger then I ever had before. The first thing that passed through my mind was Reza's toy.

I found the strength to open my eyes and said,

“*You should have told me it was broken.*”

Rosetta's POV:

I stared into his golden eyes and started to cry tears of joy. Without thinking, I flung myself into his arms. He gasped but then wrapped his arms around me and whispered,

“Is something wrong?” I laughed through my tears and said,

“Not any more. Everything is fine.” He ran a hand over my hair and pushed me off enough to wipe away my tears.

“Don't cry, Rosetta, there is no reason to cry. I am not worth your tears.” I shook my head and buried my head in his thin chest.

“Oh, Erik, you are worth so much.” I tried to stop crying but I was so happy. Erik was alive and I was no longer dying from the inside out. When he lived, I lived. When he smiled, I smiled. When he was happy, I was happy.

I hugged him closer and felt a slight pang. It was wonderful that he was alive but now, I would have to live with him and around him but without him loving me. No one could love me; let alone this great man who I was now hugging. He was so much and I was so little.

I pulled away and for a moment a sad look passe over my face. I quickly chased it away though.

Erik's POV:

I looked into the face of the woman I loved. The woman I loved. That sounded strange to me. It wasn't something I had ever said before. She took my hand and squeezed it gently. I treasured the touch of skin against mine. The more I thought about it the more I realized how little I deserved.
Yet, she didn't see things like that. I quietly whispered,

“Rosetta, where am I?” She smiled at me and I tried to return it. I felt weak and frail. Not something I was used to. She picked up a glass of water and carefully held it while I drank. I hadn't realized until then how thirsty I was.

“You are in Daroga's house. You've been here for several days. We thought you were dying.” I laughed slightly and coughed for a moment.

“It takes more than poison to kill the Angel of Doom. Where is Daroga and Reza?” She smiled and gave me a little more water before saying,

“I don't know. I have been rather busy watching you.” I stared at her. She blushed and said, “Daroga was beginning to worry about my health.” I looked her over and realized she was right. Her face was quite pale and she looked like she had lost weight. There were dark bags under her eyes and they had lost their sparkle.

I squeezed her hand and said,

“Go get something to eat.” She shook her head and I frowned. She didn't need to do this. She needed to eat. I couldn't have her go to the sick bed because of me. She said softly,

“Not until you eat something. I will send for dinner and you can eat. When you are done then I shall.” She smiled and walked over to the bell-cord. A few moments later a servant arrived and she gave him instructions. I watched her as she took her seat again and took my hand. She reached up and brushed back my hair and grinned.

I didn't say a thing because I couldn't. I was too overwhelmed by it all. This girl cared enough about me to put her own health on the line so as not to leave my side. Why had she been that worried about me that she couldn't eat or sleep? Most thought I was better off dead.

I didn't ask my questions or state what it did to me. What had I done to deserve this girl in my life? She must have seen the look in my eyes because she quickly said,

“Are you alright?” I closed my eyes and whispered,

“What did I do to deserve you?” She laughed and laid a hand on my mask's cheek. I opened my eyes and flinched slightly but she didn't remove it. She just smiled at me.

“Erik, I ask myself the same question. I don't deserve your friendship. I am nothing and you are everything.” I opened my mouth to contradict but she laid on finger on my lips. “Erik, you will never see all that I see in you.” She blushed and hurried to the door. I was too stunned to say anything.

She returned a moment later with dinner and started to feed me.

Rosetta's POV:

I carefully fed him the whole of the meal then sat back in my chair. He was very weak and I could see it. Oh, how I loved this man. He didn't see himself as anything but a freak when he was the best man I had ever met.

Daroga and Reza came in soon after and I kept silent. I was very tired. When Daroga helped Reza go to bed, I laid my head on Erik's bed and yawned. He chuckled and said,

"Tire, Rosetta?" I nodded and yawned again. He sighed slightly and said,

"If you want, this bed is big enough for us both..." I smiled at him and slipped under the covers. I curled up against his chest and was soon sleep.

Erik's POV:

I looked down at the woman in my arms and whispered,

"I love you. I love you more than life itself." I brushed a lock of hair from her face and whispered agani, "But you deserve so much more than a monster's love." A tear fell from my eye before I fell asleep.