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Portrait of the Soul	By : sirenofsaturn Category: M through R > The Phantom of the Opera > Het Views: 2723 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Thank you so much for reviewing! I would like to let everyone know that my friend Elly is out of the hospital. The clot has dissolved, and she should be back to her old-self in no time. Thank you to all of those that offered your support and words. I am almost reluctant to write this chapter, as we are close to the end. I am sending my baby out into the world. It no longer needs me…Erik now I know how you felt after completing the Garnier Opera House.
Erik: Sucks doesn’t it? She owns nothing except any original characters and this fiction based plot.
Chapter thirty-nine
“Marriage.”
Mia felt as though her brain had disconnected itself from her body. One minute she was fighting with Erik, and now he was… ‘Did he just propose?’ In all her dreams and thoughts of what Erik and her were to be, not once did she imagine this. She could picture them, in her mind, living together, happy together. Not once did she imagine a ring on any finger, a white dress and canopy, or Erik stomping on the traditional glass wrapped in cloth. Darkness tinted itself around these images until all Mia could see was black. Suddenly the artist was aware of Erik calling her name, before her head made contact with the floor.
Erik sighed as he continued to dap Mia’s forehead with cold water. It seemed he had made a tradition of causing woman to faint when he declared his undying love to them! Why had Mia fainted? One moment her temper was flaring enough to rival his, and then she crumbled to the floor. He had only spoken the truth. Along with his gift to Mia, Erik had planned to ask for her hand as well. The artist’s day had been going almost perfect until he decided to take his short cut home.
He had just slipped his managers a new note and was taking the high route home. Walking along the catwalks and rafters Erik overheard Mia’s tiff with the mangers. Hearing their ridicules excuses, and ungentlemanly tones, Erik was surprised he had not dropped the new chandelier onto their heads. Instead he did his ghostly duties and persuaded them towards Mia’s cause. She was right; after all, the two spent a good deal of the opera’s budget outside of the Garnier’s doors.
If anything Erik expected Mia to be happy about the new funding. Instead she was angry with him. Angry with him! He was just trying to help. It was his responsibility as O.G., but as Mia stated her reasons for being upset Erik realized he had been wrong. Fearing she would hate him for trying to help her, he pulled out his final trick. The very trick he was saving for his final performance of the evening. He wanted to propose to Mia properly; instead he had yelled his intention at her as if it were a threat. Now Erik did not even know if Mia wanted to be with him.
“I can see why you fainted my dear, the thought of being married to a horrible monster such as myself if a frightening one.”
“…You’re not a monster.” Mia moaned, opening her eyes slowly. “Have I not told you to stop calling yourself that?”
“Any man who can cause a woman of your brilliance such horror is certainly a monster.” Erik sighed.
“I was not horrified, you just caught me off guard.”
“That makes two of us.”
Moving to sit up slowly Mia noticed the leather back sofa was resting on four sturdy wheels. “Darling? Did I hit my head or was there always a brougham in the cellar.”
“We’re in the stables my dear, but I’m afraid you did also hit your head.” Erik stated rubbing his thumb over the back of Mia’s head. “It’s a small bump, but not a concussion. You’re not dizzy are you?”
“No…I didn’t realize the Opera had stables.”
“The horses are mainly for labor. Except for Cesar here.” Erik gestured to the white Arabian in the closest stable. “Who gets his occasional performance in Le Prophete.”
“Erik why are we here?”
Shrugging his shoulders her lover let out a frustrated sigh. “This was part of how I had this evening planned. Until our quarrel.”
“…We didn’t quarrel…You just violated my trust.”
“Would you care to explain, Mademoiselle, just how I did that?”
“Do you recall the conversation we had after we first made love?”
“…What does Christine have to do with this?” Erik demanded.
“No! Before you left that morning! You told me, Erik that you understood how important my work was to me! How you understood I wanted no special treatment. You broke that trust. I trusted you to understand how I feel.”
“I do understand how you feel! If you will let me carry out my plans for tonight Mia, I will show you how much I understand you.”
“I know you understand me Erik. I’m just not as confident you understand what is important to me.” Mia sighed.
Erik held his breath. “What are you saying? Are you trying to tell me you wish to end everything?” He whispered.
“No!” Mia gaped. “Erik. We’re having a misunderstanding, that’s all! Do you know how many quarrels Alexandra and Demetree had before they were wed…Surely you must have had these arguments with Christine.”
Erik slipped his mask off, and reclined his head back. “Although no words were ever spoken, this was our biggest conflict.” He sighed gesturing to his face. “If you care to know, most of our arguments consisted of my yelling and her sobs. On occasion I was honored to receive her Prima Donna tantrums…but you know the ending of that opera.”
Wrapping her arms around Erik’s thin frame and resting her head on his shoulder Mia whispered. “I’m not her. I wont leave you. Let me love you, as she should have. Let me love you as you deserve to be loved.”
Feeling the dampness gather in his eyes Erik leaned forward until his forehead met Mia’s shoulder. “…I love you. Please forgive me for earlier. I was wrong to interfere.”
Mia’s lips ghosted over his left sunken eye. “Lets forget about earlier. Take me out for brougham ride. Finish whatever you planned to do tonight. Pretend nothing has happened.”
“…I warn you, it is a long trip.”
Nearly three hours in a brougham was not what Mia had expected. At first their trip had started off in silence. The only noise on France’s midnight roads, were the clotting of Cesar’s hooves. At one point Mia had dozed into a light slumber against Erik’s shoulder. The two of them remained on horseman’s bench. Erik keeping a lose hold on the ranges, never once showing any sign of wariness.
“Long trips by horse do not tire you?” Mia asked, shortly after waking up.
“I use to travel by horse for weeks at a time, usually at night around this hour. It does not bother me. I apologize for the journey, but fear not we’re almost there.”
No longer than ten minutes after saying so, Erik tugged on the horse’s ranges until they were completely halted. Stepping down from his seat, Erik offered his hand to Mia and escorted her down from the cab.
Taking his arm Mia walked with Erik around the carriage. All Mia could make out in the dark was land. All that was in front of them was empty property. The last house and building Mia remembered seeing had to be at least twenty minutes away.
“Erik, were are we?”
“This…is one of the things that I was ever given by choice. As you know my mother and I were never…comfortable…with each other. She hated me… When she died, however, I was given something of a shock. I was her only child…and instead of giving her possessions away to her dear friend…she gave them to me. I never even looked at my inheritance. Most of it is sitting in a bank vault here in Rouen. I have not touched a franc of it until now. The deed to this very land, was passed down from my grandfather…It’s good land. Secluded enough for my taste…sturdy enough to ensure yours…”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s as you said before. I had the chance to build my home and live in it. Now Mia, I want the chance to build your home. I have been reviewing your plans since before we left for Russia. I have made only a few minor adjustments, but the designs now read to support an architect’s plan. I have already made contacts with contractors I once hired many years ago. You forget I once built normal homes, for normal people. I want to build one final home Mia. I want to build your home…and I hope it could also be our home.”
Mia’s breath hitched as soon as she noticed the metal band that had been placed on her finger.
Erik brushed his thumb gently under Mia’s eye, removing the moisture that was collecting there. “Will you let me build both of our dreams?”
Mia remained still her tears continuing to roll down her face. Reaching her hand up to wipe them away, she smiled. “As long as we can continue to build them together.”
Too cheesy? I don’t know. I was getting kind of wet-eyed back there…but it could be PMS…
Erik/Winces/ Must you?
Sorry. Let me know what you think. Please read and review.
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Portrait of the Soul