Erik, Christine, and Madame Giry reached the end of the Midway. On the farthest pier, they saw two figures in the dimness, one who was gesticulating wildly at the water. "Oh no," Christine breathed, clutching Erik's sleeve. They ran toward them.
"Here they come," Meg laughed to herself, scratching the side of her head with the barrel of the gun she'd taken from Erik's studio. She turned it on Gustave, who swallowed hard and backed away from her and closer to the water's edge. "Don't even know who you really are, you unfortunate little bastard," she said to him, pointing the gun at his face. Gustave just stared, tears running down his cheeks, then looked past her to see Christine and the others quickly approaching.
"Mother!" he cried. Meg wheeled away from him to face Christine and Erik.
"Gustave!" Christine slid to a stop behind Erik, who held her back from getting closer. Madame Giry put her hand to her mouth.
"No, stay back! I'm not done yet!" Meg kept her gun raised, pointing it frantically from Erik to Christine.
"Let go of the boy now," Erik hissed as he advanced a small step towards Meg, his eyes never leaving hers. Behind him, Christine kept herself focused on trying to keep Gustave calm. "It's alright, Gustave."
Meg trained the gun back to Gustave and gave him a shove towards the water. Gustave, Christine, and Madame Giry all screamed. "STOP!" Erik yelled. "Please," he said quieter, his voice growing frantic.
"And this is how I get your attention?" Meg screeched, her voice shaking. "Years of offering myself to you, and this is what actually does it for you?" Her eyes teared up. "Has my mother ever even told you what we did to get you here? What I did?"
Madame Giry finally spoke. "Meg, no, please."
Meg continued, ignoring her mother's pleas. "Do you think people allowed you to start this life here without consequences?" She laughed, pointing the gun at Erik. "You?! A freak? Of course not. There are debts to be paid."
Erik, seeing an opportunity for Gustave to safely run while Meg was focused on him, shifted his gaze to Gustave's. Meg noticed this and grabbed Gustave's arm. He squealed. Christine nearly went over Erik's shoulder trying to get to Gustave., but he held her tightly..
"What are you saying," Erik asked, confused.
Meg laughed. "While you were down in your dungeon playing fantasy, I was up here in the daylight spreading my legs—"
Madame Giry started sobbing, loudly. "Meg, Meg…" she trailed off.
Meg continued, her gaze now fixed in the distance. "So many people to please, so many hurdles to jump through and fall over and I took it again and again and again. For you."
"I'm sorry," Erik said, desperately searching for the right words, his heart pounding. "Meg, I didn't know." He paused. "Please, let's talk this out away from him," he said almost in a whisper. He began walking towards her, both palms raised to Meg. "Meg, please, give me the gun."
Meg's face seemed to brighten as if she was again self-aware and she glanced around and then down at her hands and the gun. She made a disgusted face, and then began to cry as her shoulders sagged.
"Christine," Erik quietly whispered, motioning with his head to get her to slowly begin towards Gustave.
Meg's head shot up. "Christine?" She raised her gun at her and laughed. "Christine. Always Christine!"
Erik jumped towards Meg from a standstill position. As they fell into the murky water, the gun went off, its shot crackling across the waves lapping the underside of the pier.
