The Love of a Stranger

Ob1MegOb1

*Re-upload* Author's Note: Mostly done to fix some inconsistencies as well weird things such as lack of quotation marks which happened with my original upload. Not because I forgot them but the transfer over caused it and I was 16 when first writing this story and was not as knowledgeable about such things. Anyways enjoy!

Chapter 1

Shot in the Dark

It was just like any night in my life. I had put Rebecca and William to bed and was sitting in our pathetic hovel of a home near the Opera House, on the cold floor with only a candle to warm me.

I was about to lie down for the night when I heard the sound of footsteps outside. I quickly got up and pressed my ear to the door. I could hear the harsh raised voices of gendarmes. I quickly walked away from the door ignoring them as always. Gendarmes had become a regular thing in this neighborhood lately.

Ever since the rumors of a Phantom of the Opera had begun to filter through gendarmes were here every time there was a show. They were more of a nuisance than protection. They always scared my little sister Rebecca. She always thought they were here to take us away.

That was how our father had died. Being carried off by the gendarmes because he stole some bread for his starving family. They had beat him to death before he finally gave up fighting. My mother was so devasted she killed herself that day. Leaving her children behind to suffer without them. Which means I was left to take care of my brother and sister at the age of eighteen. And now two years later I was taking care of them by the skin of my teeth.

Every day I was threatened by the landlord with eviction. Sometimes I had to take desperate measures such as prostituting on the street and begging for jobs in places I would rather not be. And even when I did scrounge up enough money to pay the rent there was barely any left for food or clothes. Yes, it was true that our lives had become hard, but in the strangest sense possible we were happy just being together. If we were ever split up I don't know what I would do.

It was then I heard the sound of something in the main room. I quickly felt for the broom that was supposed to be lying against the wall but wasn't there. I sighed in frustration. Rebecca and William knew they weren't supposed to move things from their spots. I could feel the slight breeze from a window that had been opened. I quickly felt my way over to the window pane and felt the handles in which to close it. I closed it quickly but then that was when I felt the strong hand on mine. I spun around and all I could hear was the deep sound of a man breathing.

(Erik)

Her stare was unfocused unaware as if she knew I was here but didn't know where.

She didn't cringe at the sight of me which I found odd considering that was a normal reaction among the general population.

"You're who they're looking for," she muttered under her breath. Her hand shook in my grasp. Was she afraid of me? Still, her eyes were unfocused not meeting my face.

"Are you so afraid that you will not face me?" I muttered my face inches away from hers. Finally, her face turned in my direction but her eyes would still not meet mine.

There was the click of a gun. I looked to see a sixteen-year-old boy cocking a gun in my direction. "William get away from here now!" the woman cried her face suddenly fearful. "Get upstairs with your sister."

"Put the gun down boy," I said trying to command some authority over him. But the boy's aim did not drop. "Fine then," I said releasing her as I strode toward him planning to disarm him the way I disarmed anyone who threatened me. I gripped the noose beneath my cloak.

"William drop the gun now and get upstairs," she called not moving.

I pulled the noose from my cloak.

"No!" she screamed suddenly vaulting on me. She was very strong as her hand moved up my arm and wrenched the rope from grasp but I quickly turned on her and without thinking my hands were on her throat. I saw her pleading eyes as I tightened my grasp. Her pleading eyes...so much like...her. Suddenly I felt my body go numb. The nightmares of my past coming back to haunt me. I had said I would not harm a woman or child again. It was then I noticed the paleness in her eyes, and her pupils were no longer completely black.

Then I felt it. It was a warm feeling in my abdomen which slowly began to grow. I could see her face turn to horror as she felt the bullet hole in the floor next to her side.

"Jasmine," the boy said slowly.

"Go upstairs," she said softly as my grip began to release from around her neck. A burning sensation began to fill my body as the pain slowly began to seep in.

"But Jasmine you can't—,"

"Go upstairs now!" she said sternly as the boy looked at her helplessly. Finally, he dropped the gun and ran up the stairs. All the strength in me was gone in that moment. I collapsed on the floor the warm feeling of my blood on my fingers.

I squirmed as she felt up my body until finally, she found the wound in my side. I bit my lip to keep back the pain rushing through me. She then slowly got up and felt along the wall until she found what I supposed was the kitchen. She returned with rags and water. Was she going to help me? After what I had nearly done she was going to help me? I wasn't sure if I felt comfortable with her helping me with her handicap.

I could see the faint bruises from where I had nearly strangled her, and I felt myself cringe at the thought of what I had almost done.

"Please mademoiselle," I muttered gripping her hands, "Don't save me. Let me die."

A strong look came into her eyes. "I can't do that," she said quickly applying pressure to my wound, "I have watched too many people die in my life."

"I nearly killed you," I said my senses suddenly becoming fuzzy.

"Yes well your not the first," she said swiping her hair back from her face. It was then I noticed the scar on her cheek. It was just a simple cut that had not healed properly but it still marred the beauty of her face. I lifted my hand gently brushed my hand against it. Her eyes filled with confusion and she slowly felt my hand and put it down her eyes regretful. Longing for something she had always wanted but could never have. Like me.

"What's your name?" she asked as she felt my chest begin to slow. I slowly began to feel tired, my eyelids felt so heavy, I just needed to close them for just a few moments.

"Monsieur please you must stay awake," she said sternly shaking me, but it was no use I was too far gone. "Please Monsieur your name."

And just before I passed out I said something knowing I would never have said it if I were fully awake or aware. "Erik," I said before passing into unconsciousness.

(Jasmine)

" Monsieur!" I said shaking him roughly but I could feel that his eyes had already closed. Quickly I dressed the wound. Feeling delicately around his abdomen and my fingers finding the exit wound on the other side. The bullet had gone completely through his side and there wasn't any swelling, so it seemed it had not harmed anything..

William was such a fool I had told him to go upstairs. Then again William was very much like our father. Unwilling to give in and then not being able to live up to the consequences of his actions

Finally, I managed to dress the wound and stop the bleeding. His breathing was slowly returning to normal. He would live but what I would do with him afterward I wasn't sure.

He had scared me so much when he grabbed me. His strength was remarkable but yet there was hesitancy in him. I felt it in his hands when he had almost strangled me. He was reluctant

As I went back to remove his shirt I felt on my cheek where he had touched me. It was then I felt the familiar ridge of the scar I had since I was a small child. I had earned that scar in an unfortunate accident.

In a society where looks were important I had failed all just because of this scar that went up to my cheek. I was never appreciated or loved because the boys thought this little scar was such an evil thing. I quickly took a rag and wiped away the blood he had spread on my face when he had touched it.

I had only lost my sight at the age of two when I had gotten very sick with scarlet fever. It was then I had made a full recovery but the sickness had taken my sight as a consolation prize.

His touch had been so gentle than in comparison to when he had almost strangled me. I had felt his body relax when he had realized what he was doing. He would not have killed me even if William had not shot him. But as I thought about it more I realized he would have killed William without a second thought.

It was then I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. "Jasmine! Jasmine!" a little girl's voice called rushing down the stairs. I quickly ran out to meet my five-year-old sister Rebecca at the stairs. She jumped into my arms, "What's going on?" she said tears coming down her cheeks.

"Nothing baby nothing," I said kissing her gently on the head, "You need to go back upstairs though I'm cleaning right now."

"Why so late? And you know you shouldn't be cleaning by yourself," she said confused.

"Because I could not sleep. Where's your brother?" I said quickly. I hated lying to her but telling her that a strange man was lying in the middle of our house was probably not the best thing right now.

"In his room, he locked the door and wouldn't let me in," she said calmly.

I sighed, it was amazing how incredibly brave and foolish William could be one moment and then completely cowardly the next. He was probably shocked that he had shot a man but what if something had happened to Rebecca? Would he have been able to help her if this man had decided to kill me?

"Can I have a glass of water before going back," she said softly.

"Of course," I said my mind still very much on the stranger lying in the middle of our living room.

I came back and kissed her on the head before leading her back upstairs and into her room. "Rebecca we are going to be having a guest for the next few days. He's not feeling well though so we need to try and be quiet so he can rest okay?"

"Okay Jay," she said smiling.

"Good night," I said gently closing the door. I sighed making my way back downstairs. I fetched a couple of blankets one for our guest or Erik as he had said and one for myself. I needed to make sure he did not catch a fever from the wound so I would have to stay with him all night. And all the worse on the floor. As I laid in a corner and the floorboards made my back groan in protest I began to realize this was going to be a very long night.

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