I took Erik's hand as he helped me out of the large ship, my suitcase in my other one. "Are you excited to see your parents, Darling?" He asked.

"Beyond all possible belief," I replied, smiling brightly.

Erik and I had been courting  for several months now. We had met a little over a year ago, after the night Don Juan Triumphant had been performed and the chandelier brought down over the audience.

How exactly did we meet? Well, I had been in the audience that night, sitting at my normal seat in box six. I watched in horror as the leading lady -whose name, I learned, was Christine Daaé- tore off the mask of the actor playing the part of Don Juan. I watched the hurt and clearly betrayed man draw his sword and cut the rope that held the chandelier in place, disappearing with Miss Daaé through a trapdoor beneath them.

There was one thing I knew for certain. Whoever that broken soul was, I had to help him.

However, before I could, I was grabbed by the arm and pushed through the theater as I searched desperately for my friend Meg. I saw her from afar and tried to call out to her, but she couldn't hear. With determination, I pushed forcefully through the crowd that was heading in the opposite direction and fought towards my friend. I made my way to her just in time to help her hold back another wave of people from following her mother and the Viscount as they hurried off somewhere.

"What's going on?" I asked Meg in a loud voice so that she could hear me over the surrounding noise. "Who was the man on stage?"

"The Phantom of the Opera," Meg replied hurriedly before disappearing into the crowd.

I let out a small sigh of dismay. Before I could stop myself, I followed Madame Giry and the Viscount to a dressing room. They were many paces ahead of me, and I could see nothing but their shadows they cast behind them.

Hesitantly, I went through a mirror which had its glass slid away, and I followed the dark hallway to a long, winding staircase. Suddenly, I was faced with Madame Giry. "Jessica Smith, what are you doing here?" She frowned, obviously rather angry that I was in a place where I didn't belong.

"I- I- was trying to- to-" I stammered, frightened by her sudden appearance.

"Get out. Immediately. You don't know what you are getting yourself into," Madame Giry warned, grabbing my arm and dragging me back with her.

I remember wondering what exactly could have been so terrible that she wouldn't allow me to continue my descent when just moments earlier, she led the Viscount to that very staircase. "Let me go!" I demanded, though Madame Giry pretended not to hear.

She took me back to Meg and told her to "watch over" me. I felt as though I was some child who had just disobeyed their parents, though in truth, I had done nothing wrong.

Seeing no other way out, I was forced to stay with Meg. About twenty minutes went by while Meg and I waited for the police. Once they came, Meg took off with a few of them, leaving me to either follow or stay behind.

Well, what would you have expected me to do in that moment? That's right. I followed the rather handsome looking policemen -oh, and Meg- through the halls and down the staircase. We came to a vast, glassy lake, and immediately, the policemen and Meg began to wade through the waters.

I looked down at my pink, satin dress. Without a drop of hesitation, I too began to wade through the lake. At that point, curiosity had overcome my every thought, not allowing it to occur to me that I had likely ruined a very expensive dress or that I hadn't the faintest idea where I was going.

We arrived at what was clearly someone's home and Meg ran up the small staircase. I, on the other hand, inspected the broken mirrors and the shattered glass on the floor. Once the policemen were preoccupied and not paying attention to me, I pulled back a red velvet curtain that was draped over one of the mirrors and entered into a dark passageway.

Well, to make a long story short, I caught up with Erik in the dark hallway. He wasn't exactly happy that I followed him, but soon realized that I meant him no harm and allowed me to help him.

I took him to my mansion where I hid him from the world and its cruelties. That is where we have been living ever since. A few months after we had been living together, Erik told me that he had fallen for me, and I admitted that I had romantic feelings for him as well. It's needless to say that we begun courting soon after.

"Jess," Erik said softly, distracting me from my thoughts, "whatever is on your mind?"

"I was just thinking of how we met," I smiled fondly.

You see, I come from a very rich Scottish family. And though I do love my home in Scotland, I've always had a love for the French culture and moved there a year prior to meeting Erik, when I was just seventeen. I moved mainly for the sake of finding a rich man to marry, if I'm being completely honest. Well, I guess you could say that I got what I came for.

"We should get going," Erik nodded, carrying my bag for me like the true gentleman that he is. In truth, I wondered why the world had treated him with such unkindness and hatred. He was just like any other human being, only better. In my eyes, that is.

"Yes, Darling, we should," I smiled, lacing my arm through his.

Quickly, we made our way to my parents'  large mansion in a gorgeous white carriage, which was being driven by two black horses. I was the one to knock on the door as Erik gave me a quick, nervous glance. The maid opened the door and we entered the foyer.

"Jessica!" My mother shrieked delightedly, hugging me tightly. "It's so good to see you, my darling." She turned towards Erik. "You must be my only daughter's suitor."

"Erik Destler. It's nice to meet you, Madame Smith," he replied, kissing the back of her hand.

"Please, call me Merida," my mother smiled before taking me by the arm. "I want to talk to you," she whispered. Swiftly, she pulled me into the parlor, leaving Erik to talk with my father. "Well, how have you been, my dear?" My mother sighed, a small smile gracing her features.

"Oh, Mother, it's been simply wonderful living in Paris!" I exclaimed delightedly.

"That's wonderful," Mother smiled softly. "It's just...well, does he always wear that mask?"

"I explained it to you, Mother. He has a deformity that he was born with...He doesn't like to take his mask off in front of strangers," I sighed. "I understand why. The world has showed him no compassion. He's been met with hatred everywhere, he's heard no kind words for anyone except me."

"Well, he'll become comfortable in time. We will be family soon, after all," my mother nodded.

"Mother," I blushed, "I told you, we aren't engaged yet. He hasn't even mentioned the possibility of marriage. For all I know, he isn't planning on it at all."

"Oh, I'm sure he is," Mother smirked. "You didn't see how he looked at you when you weren't paying attention."

"Oh, Mother," I sighed with a small chuckle, "you can't possibly know that based on one glance."

Soon, Father and Erik joined us in the parlor for drinks, and shortly after, we sat down to dinner in the dining room.

That night, my parents went to sleep very early, so Erik decided to take me out. We went for a moonlit stroll around the beautiful rose garden. I gathered the skirt of my light blue silk dress in my hands to prevent from falling like I did on our first outing as a couple.

I chuckled at the memory of us walking out of my mansion to go out to dinner. I went to take a step down and ended up tumbling face first into the grass. Erik helped me up and I brushed myself off, feeling a little embarrassed. Well, until he tripped about thirty seconds later on the path that led to the carriage. We laughed and laughed over this until our sides hurt. I still believe he fell just to make me feel better.

"What are you thinking about, Darling?" Erik asked softly, looking almost a bit nervous.

"I was remembering the night we first started courting and how we both fell on the way to the carriage," I replied, still chuckling.

"That was a very wonderful night, indeed," Erik nodded, pausing in his tracks.

"Why are you stopping?" I laughed. "Come on. It's getting late. We should get back inside."

"Just- just wait for a minute, alright?" Erik sighed. "Please, sit down."

I complied and sat on the bench next to us. "What is he doing?" I thought to myself.

Erik sat down next to me on the bench. "Jessica," he said softly, "when we met a year ago, I was broken. Broken and lonely and betrayed. You have helped me through that and you have helped me to feel like I matter. Jess, you've showed me that I'm not just a loathsome gargoyle who has no purpose but to be mocked and laughed at by others. I love you, Jessica. And...and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He pulled a small, black, velvet box from his pocket and opened it. Inside was a ring with a large diamond in the middle of an intricately carved, white gold band. "Just...please say yes. I don't know what I'll do if you don't."

I looked at the ring and then back at Erik as tears of joy welled in my eyes. "Yes, of course, I'll marry you!"

Erik slid the ring onto my finger and pressed his lips gently into mine. "Jessica, I love you," he whispered softly.

Author's Note: This one shot was suggested by AudrieBryant. Thanks so much for giving me the idea!

The pictures to follow show the dress Jessica wore when she first met Erik, the dress she wore when he proposed, and the engagement ring, respectively.

I apologize for the watermarks on this one, but I couldn't find a picture of the dress without them.