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

Chapter 31 - Hidden Beauty and Two Questions

Rosetta's POV:

The moment I said that, Erik drew as far away from me as he could in the small room. Fear laced his eyes and his hands started to shake. I walked around the and took his hands in mine. He quickly pulled his free.

“Rosetta, don't ask me that. Please, don't ask me that.” I swallowed and reached for his hands. He finally let me hold them and I whispered,

“Erik, I think that it is time that you showed me. I love you and that will never change.” He shook his head and looked away. I could feel the panic rolling off of him.

“No, you won't love me. No one can love this face. No one can bear it. Rosetta, I left you and it nearly killed me. If you were to run away from me I wouldn't survive. Please, I can't put you through the sight.” I reached up and laid a hand on his mask. He flinched back but I left it there.

He stared at me with wide eyes as I kissed him. I pulled my hand away and said,

“I love you. I know you are not normal. But I have always loved the unusual and the unique.” Erik took my hand and kissed it gently. Tears were hanging in his eyes as he spoke,

“My face isn't unusual or unique. It is gruesome and loathsome. It is the face of a monster. The monster I have always been. It is my face which earned me the name 'the living corpse.' Rosetta, does that tell you anything?” I nodded. I had never seen a corpse's face but I knew it mustn't look pretty. I didn't care though. I was getting tired of the mask. Very tired of the mask.

“I understand, but I still want to know. If you won't take it off, will you let me?” He looked at me desperately. Taking my head in his narrow hands, he whispered,

“May I kiss you one more time? So I can remember?” I smiled sadly and wrapped my around his waist. It wouldn't be the last time but I was more than glad to let him. I liked to kiss him.

He bent down and kissed me passionately. I felt his love for me, his hatred of himself, his total despair, and every other emotion that was running through his veins. Finally he pulled away and closed his eyes. I reached up and carefully lifted the mask from his face. I turned away and set it down on the table. I looked back and took a deep breath.

His face was quite a mess. Some of the skin was twisted but the most prominent feature or lack there of was the nose. He simply had two holes and the start of a nose. I reached up carefully and almost touched it.

Without the mask, I could see how deep-set his eyes were. His face was like a skull with skin and muscles. I could see where some people might have abused him. But I didn't fear the face. I loved the face and the man.

I reached up and laid a hand on his cold cheek. The skin was ruff and cool with small ridges of scars. His eyes snapped open and I smiled up at him. He just looked at me. Shock radiated off of him. He gently placed a hand over the one on his face.

“How can you love me? How can you love this? I am not lovable.” I smiled and kissed him before saying,

“Because I know you. I know you and trust you. You were first my dearest friend then I fell in love with you. Besides, you're a genius. You are so brilliant I feel unworthy to be around you. I sometimes wonder how you could love me. I am not good at anything. I just a plain ordinary girl.”

He stared at me then rapidly said,

“Rosetta, you're not plain at all. You are special. You are extraordinary. You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. The most talented. You can sing and play and your heart is huge. It is big enough to love me and that takes a big heart. I am not an angel no matter what you like to call me. No, you are the angel.” I almost started to cry. He was such a romantic. And he meant everything.

I smiled and kissed him. He held me tightly against me as I melted into the kiss. He finally pulled away and smiled.

“Thank you for accepting me. Now, may I have my mask back? Please?” He reached for it but I pulled it away. I liked seeing his whole face. He reached for it again but I moved it away. He grabbed my arm gently and said,

“Rosetta, give me my mask.” I shook my head. I had no intention of letting him have it just yet. He suddenly grabbed for it. I dodged out of his way and said,

“I like to see you without it. Please, don't wear it.” He was reaching for it but his hand stopped midair as he heard me. His eyes went wide and he gasped out,

“What? No one likes to see this!” He covered his face in shame. I pulled his hands away and said,

“I do. You are beautiful to me. The most beautiful man I have ever seen.” He pulled me close and sobbed into my neck. I held him close as he cried.

Finally he pulled away enough to say,

“Rose, no one has ever thought me beautiful. I am not beautiful.” I shook my head and ran my hand along this cheekbone. I traced his eyebrows and whispered,

“Oh, but you are. You are very beautiful. Don't hide from me. I love you and I love your face.” He whimpered out a sob and I hugged him again. He kissed me before saying,

“Very well. I shall never understand but I shall try to accept it.” I smiled and kissed him. He deepened the kiss and we didn't release each other for quite some time. He then took my hand and said,

“Should you like to see my home? It isn't much and not very nice but I am willing to show you.” I nodded excitedly. I wanted to know where he lived. I even hoped I might live there. We had lived together when we had been in Persia so it wouldn't be much different.

He took my hand and then his mask. Placing it back on his face, he led me from the room. We walked across the building site and I watched the men staring and heard some whistling. I glared at them and they looked away. Erik guided me silently through the halls of the half-build Opera House and through some trapdoors. Down we went. Down and we kept going down. I was confused and wondering where Erik was taking me.

He opened a door and we walked into what I instantly realized for his famous mirror torture chamber. I have him a questioning look. He merely said,

“Old habits die hard.” I smiled and he led me out of it and into a room. It was a very nice sitting room. I looked around and then back at Erik. He looked nervous. I smiled and hugged him.

“It's beautiful.” He hugged me back. I pulled away and removed the mask. “But not as beautiful as you.” He closed his eyes and held me closer.

“I will never understand you, my love. Why don't we sit down?” He led me to a seat and I took my place on his lap. He wrapped his arms around me and swallowed hard. I could tell he was nervous about something. Before I could say anything he said,

“May I ask you two questions?” I nodded and he asked, “Why weren't you angry with me for leaving you? You could have been badly hurt. I deserved to hear you shout at me and curse me for it.” I looked him in the eye and ran my hand through his black hair and said,

“Angel, I was brokenhearted when you first disappeared. I was angry for a time but then I forgave you. I knew you were trying to do what was best for me. But we had to different ideas on what was best. I forgave you and never stopped loving you.”
He pulled me closer and kissed me before saying, “Rose, I never meant to hurt you. I was trying to save you pain. I am so sorry.” I held him close and whispered,

“Its okay. That is all over. I am here now and not leaving ever, if you will let me. Now, I believe there was another question?” He smiled and kissed me passionately before setting me down in the chair and moving to before me. He knelt down before me and whispered,

“Will you marry me, Rosetta Williams?”