Phantom's Understudy

Part Sixteen - Savior

** ELIZABETH **

The day came of the viewing of the Opera and I felt sick to my stomach. It had been five weeks since I last heard Erik and six weeks since we became engaged. I had slight vertigo for the past week over the stress and even threw up a few times. The stress was overwhelming to me and I had to breathe heavier to manage it through panic attacks.

I was just happy the day of the opera had finally come. I needed to leave this pain behind and just live the life God had set out for me. For whatever reason he felt this was what was right for me.

We had last minute rehearsals to go through the whole opera one full time, and that left one hour between viewings.

I had missed Erik's touch and his voice. I had missed hearing him sing to me and tell me he loved me.

My mind compared it to Ben's touch that hurt if I even looked away from him for a second. Sometimes he was rough enough to leave bruises. I could usually cover them with makeup, but they weren't very frequent.

About the only charming thing left in that man was the fact that he didn't force sex on me. He told me he expected it the night of our marriage but he wouldn't ask of it before.

So I had some time left before my body would no longer just be Erik's. I tried to cherish that feeling as I still had time left.

The rehearsal all-in-all went well. But it was time to eat and get dressed for the show.

Just looking at the food in front of me made me want to hurl, so I dismissed it for now, taking a scone for later because I was sure it would pass. In the Prima Donna room, I put on my dress and sat at the vanity. I picked up the single rose with black ribbon tied around it and smiled. He had been giving me a rose for every one of my performances since my second II Muto performance.

I smelled it and wondered if I could have it pressed. Maybe I could try to take it somewhere once I got to England. It was only about a week journey, I was sure the rose would last that long if I kept it in water.

I prayed that Erik enjoyed the performance this evening. Somehow I could feel his presence near me and I looked at the mirror that I had grown accustomed to opening and walking through. I walked over to it, and I placed my hand on the glass.

"If... you're there, Erik..." I paused. Hoping he was. "I...I just wanted to say I love you one last time." A tear escaped my eye. "I will never find what you managed to give me. And I might as well die to be honest."

I jumped to the door opening quickly and I wiped my tear away quickly.

"Love, are you just about ready?" The fake man said.

I turned to him slowly and said, "Yes I'm ready."

"Whatever are you crying about now?" He said in annoyance.

"You know what I'm crying about Ben." I paused. "It'll pass."

"All you do is cry anymore. Stop crying all the time, dammit. He could never do for you what I can and if you ever go back to him I will ensure someone dies."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. "I know, Ben. It's alright, it'll pass. I love you." My voice was wavering a little much to be convincing, but I walked up to him and allowed him to kiss me however he wanted. If I pulled away he would force it on me anyway, so I began accustomed to letting him do whatever.

He smiled. "I'm sorry love. All will go well and eventually maybe you can visit your friends."

I nodded slowly.

"I shall see you, love. Enjoy your last performance." He said and walked out the door.

I placed the rose on the table and walked out towards the stage.