A/N I have a new story and I hope you all enjoy it. Please review and tell me if you enjoy the first chapter. Getting feedback really helps.
Ch. 1 Catching Up with Fate
It was five years ago that she left him. But he was a man that was all too familiar with pain. He picked up the shattered pieces of his life and was determined to move on with his pathetic life. It seemed death had not wanted him that night because he had not found him self able to kill his worthless corpse.
He figured the only way to forget Christine and live without her was to leave her and all his surrounding relating to her behind. He would have to start over and make a new life for himself.
His opportunities didn't see to vast in Paris nor France for that matter. He had traveled all over the world but one place seemed a mystery to him. America was becoming a land of opportunity and that was exactly what Erik needed.
Fresh opportunities.
"M. Destler, would you care for anymore tea?" Betty, Erik's maid, asked.
"No Betty, I do not think so." He answered.
"Very well sir." She said as she picked up the tray and walked quietly out of the room.
Erik took in a deep breath. He was approaching the end of a big project and soon the real work would begin.
Erik was a man of many talents. Once he arrived in America, he had proved very talented at making good choices regarding business. Erik had forgotten how easily and fast it had happened, but fate had stepped in and soon he would be managing his own opera house.
It appeared some of his dreams would indeed become realities. The construction work had just been finished days before; the next thing to do was to hire the opera's company.
The idea of having to watch and listen to people sing and dance made Erik nauseated. He knew one thing; no one would ever have her voice. That was something he was sure of.
He glanced over at the clock that stood by the door and realized he had to be leaving soon. As he got up and walked over to put his jacket on, he silently wondered what Christine was doing.
That was something he hardly ever did these days.
Pushing the thought from his mind, he proceeded to the front door. As he opened the door, he noticed his first and now his most loyal friend had just been about to knock.
"Nadir? What are you doing here?" Erik asked. "I thought you were going to meet me at the opera."
"Well that was my original plan, but I came to give you some news." Nadir answered. When Erik had come to his flat that one day after the infamous kidnapping of Christine Daae, Nadir had finally realized Erik indeed had a heart. No man could speak with such heart ache and love if he truly had no heart to speak from.
Realizing that he had been wrong in trying to hurt Erik, he offered his apologies and invited himself to America with Erik. Erik had at first been against the idea, but it appeared Nadir had truly grown on him. Nadir had actually come to realize, Erik was really a good man.
"What happened? It has to be something that would upset me or you would have not traveled to my home to make it known to me." Erik said. Nadir cursed himself. Erik was entirely too perceptive for his own good. "Out with it Nadir."
Nadir hesitated at first but knew Erik would soon find out. "Well, Clark had found you a leading soprano."
Nadir had been absolutely correct when he guessed that the news would indeed anger Erik. He could see fire in the golden orbs Erik possessed.
"Nadir, I thought that I had made it abundantly clear that I was the one who would be finding our soprano." Erik hissed in a low and calculating voice.
Nadir nervously smiled, hoping Erik's anger would later be put on Clark. "I figured this would anger you." Nadir said sadly. "I tried to warn Clark, after the last five years, he still has no clue about your controlling and eccentric manners. But he said this girl was catastrophically good Erik. He said that she had a genius like nothing he has ever heard before." Nadir told him, hoping to calm him down.
He smiled when he saw the pout on Erik's masked faced. "I will be the judge of that." Erik replied as he climbed into the carriage.
Nadir just chuckled, one thing had remained the same over the last five years and that was Erik temper.
"Well then, you will be need to judge once we arrive at the opera. Clark is there waiting with the young mademoiselle."
Erik turned to look out the window.
"All I can say is that she best be good."
"M. Destler, the stage is done and we will need our pay now." Caleb, one of the contactors said.
"Come by the office tomorrow and Nadir will have a check waiting for you." Erik told the man as he quickly signed some document.
"Thank you sir, it was a pleasure to work with you." Caleb replied.
"No, my thanks to you dear man. You have done an excellent job." Erik told him.
"Good day sir."
"Good day to you too." Erik replied.
"Erik, Clark is here. The girl is ready to audition." Nadir said coming up to Erik.
"Fine, I am coming, no need to rush me." Erik replied back hotly.
Erik couldn't help his childish nature and Nadir knew this. When Erik was in a black mood, he had to try his hardest to make everyone else as miserable as he was. The saying was true, misery loves company. Nadir frowned when he thought about how much misery Erik had experienced in the forty long years he had been alive for.
"Erik, please stop sulking. Clark knows that you are the pickiest person in the world. He probably understood that he would be in for it if this girl was not superb." Nadir said, finally getting annoyed with his friend.
Erik was also getting annoyed with Nadir telling him to stop sulking. He was a grown man; he could sulk could he not? The idea of having to look for a new soprano had been the only thing in the process of getting his opera going that Erik dreaded.
No one could and no one would replace Christine's voice.
No one would replace her.
That was the main reason why he wanted to take care of the casting. He wanted to make sure that he would hire people who reminded him of his past. As silly as it sounded, it was actually a comforting thought to Erik. Getting to leave the past in the past. If only he was that lucky.
Erik was not a lucky man.
"Leave me be Nadir. If you ask my opinion on the subject, I have every right to be angry. I told Clark that I would take care of this one and only task and what does he do? I will tell you, he goes off and says that he had found a girl with range and a genius like no other." Erik ranted. "No one has range and genius like Christine had. No one ever will."
Nadir looked up in surprise. He was actually astonished that Erik mentioned her. In the last five years, Erik had maybe mentioned her once or twice in his presence. He instantly felt sorrow for the masked man before him.
That was what was killing him about the situation. Having to replace the Opera Populair's last new Prima Donna.
"Erik, I know this is difficult, but please, stop acting like a two year old and start acting as if you have actually lived all your forty one years." Nadir begged.
"Where is Clark?" Erik asked irritably, Erik never listened to Nadir's advice; in fact, he never listened to anyone's advice.
"He must be in the theater. Lets go Erik." Nadir said leading the way.
Erik walked into his creation and took a vast look around. Rows and rows of blood red velvet seats were placed through the theater. The huge curtain on stage was also made of a velvet material and again was a deep crimson color. The designs that lined the walls were of Greek figures in many poses that made an average person look pathetic.
The ceiling was one of Erik's newest ideas.
If you looked up anytime during the operas while the lights were dimmed low, the roof gave off the impression of the night sky. Millions of stars were twinkling down at Erik causing him to smile.
"Erik, are you coming." Nadir called out.
Erik looked to see Nadir down by the stage ready to sit down. Erik took long strides down towards the stage to take a seat next to Nadir.
"Where is Clark." Erik asked.
"Right there Erik." Nadir said pointing to the stage.
Erik looked up at the stage to see the tall figure of Clark Masson. He was a tall man with bright hazel eyes and boyish good looks. Some days, Clark reminded Erik of Raoul. It was those days when Erik could not tolerate Clark.
It appeared that memories plagued Erik's mind constantly. He secretly feared that they always would.
"Clark, where is the girl." Erik asked impatiently.
Clark just smiled nervously at Erik. "Calm down old boy, she will be out here in just a second. You know women, always wanting to be impressive." Clark joked, trying to force off the negative vibes Erik was sending him.
As Erik sat back in my chair, he bent over and rested his head in his hands as his elbows rested on his thighs. He was in no mood for this and had suddenly developed a horrible headache. 'My life was absolute crap' he thought to himself.
"Erik, sit up and stop being so rude." Nadir said reprimanding him.
"It's my ears that are judging her, not my eyes." Erik countered back.
"Gentlemen, may I please welcome onstage, our new Prima Donna." Clark's voice rang through. At that statement, Erik couldn't help but chuckle.
"Again, you are being incredibly rude." Nadir said.
"Shut you mouth Nadir." Erik hissed.
The music began and Erik cringed. Think of Me, it was a lovely song, but again, it was a song with to many memories.
"Oh no." Nadir's voice broke through.
Think of me, think of me fondly
His head shot up at the sound of her voice.
He couldn't believe his eyes. "Christine."