Hello readers!
For those who might be interested, I made some fanarts of that fic and they are on my DeviantArt page. If you are curious, go to my profile and click on my Homepage, then go to the gallery. My work is there. :) There's some drawings and photomanips.
This story truly means a lot to me, since it was my first baby. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and will enjoy the future ones as well.
Kaya
Chapter 2
About five weeks passed since the Phantom reappeared in Madame Giry's life. Meg had left the house a while ago since she found work as second ballerina at a small theater out of Paris. Though she did not like the thought of letting her only daughter go so far without her, Elizabeth knew they needed the money and she had yet to find a job herself. No employers wanted an old ballet mistress with arthritis… At least, she knew Meg was safe with one of her cousin, Yvonne.
Madame Giry moved Erik to the attic, where he would be able to build himself something remotely close to a home. There was more room in the attic than in the cellar, there was more light also and it was warmer. With all the gendarmes roaming about the opera house, there was no way Erik could go back at the moment.
In the first week of April, Elizabeth went on a mission. She would go see in what condition the mob and gendarmes had left her friend's home. Contrary to the Phantom, her presence at the opera house would not cause a stir. Surprisingly enough, she was able to make her way to the lair rather easily. She went down through a passage she was convinced no one discovered.
The Phantom was sitting by one of the attic windows, impatiently waiting for his benefactor to return. He could not wait to hear about what was left of his home and if he could go back… Finally, he saw her walking down the street with a huge box. He could not help but wonder how she managed to walk all the way back here from the Populaire with that heavy looking thing in her arms…
Erik was twisting his sweaty hands, then wiped them on the sides of his thighs. He was doing his very best to repress from joining her outside to help her and to ask her how things were at the house of the lake. Patience never was his forte.
After a while more, he heard her climb the stairs to the attic, where he met her and he frowned. Her face was cold, she was very pale and no expression could be seen on her tight features. Erik wondered if she had seen another ghost… Silently, she put down the box, then turned to him, letting out a shaky sigh.
-"I brought back all I could find." She declared, her voice lower than what he was used to hear. "Erik…they left almost nothing. Your furniture…your pipe organ…your music…everything is gone…"
The Phantom's eyes filled with tears, his heart breaking. He knew he deserved what they did for his crimes, but that punishment was the most horrible they could inflict to him. For a split second he thought he should have stayed there so they could kill him. Death was a softer punition than stealing his treasures.
-"M-my music…" He mumbled, swallowing hard
-"I am so sorry, dear friend." She said softly as she bent over the box, opening the lid. "They left some of your clothes and a violin. The rest must have been put somewhere else, but I do not know where. Oh Erik, I am so sorry I could not do more…"
Placing a comforting hand onto his shoulder, Elizabeth then turned to sit. She did something Erik had never witnessed before. She cried. It was so unlike her it pulled at his heartstrings. After a moment though, he realized it was not entirely because of him and his situation if she was so upset… She tried to regain her composure but failed miserably.
Sitting beside his old friend, Erik put his arm around her shoulders, not really knowing what else he could do. He felt her tremble against him, he did not like seeing her in such a state of distress. He felt helpless and that was yet another feeling he was not used to. He usually was in control… Minutes later, she pushed him away lightly, taking her handkerchief from her sleeve and wiping her nose. As he looked her right in the eyes, Erik realized she had been crying for more than the few minutes she had been with him.
-"What is wrong, Elizabeth?" He asked in a murmur
Swallowing hard, Madame Giry found herself unable to answer. All she did was take an envelope from her pocket and gave it to him. It was closed by the Belgian Police's seal. With a frown, Erik opened the envelope, pulling out what looked like a very formal, official letter. He read without a word.
It was question of a couple from Belgium who had been murdered. The man was Albert Le François and his wife Anna Le François, born Anna Jules. Jules… the name hit the Phantom since it was also Elizabeth's maiden name… He realized this Anna must have been a close relative, otherwise his friend would never have had this kind of reaction… She must have been her sister, though he could not recall his friend ever talking about a sister…
Speechless, Erik placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, just as she had only moments ago. He said nothing, he kept reading the heartbreaking letter. An investigation was opened since the murderer had yet to be found. They did not have much evidence, besides their only witness.
Apparently, the couple's daughter had seen her parents being killed. She was left alive with only a broken leg. The young woman gave absolutely no information to the Belgian prefecture. Since the events, she remained completely silent. After much reflection it was decided by people over the prefect that she was to be sent to her relatives. Since none wanted to take care of the young woman on her father's family side, stating the mute girl would only be a needless burden, Madame Giry was their only hope left.
Finishing reading, Erik did the only thing he thought was right and took his good old friend in his arms. Without as much as a warning, Elizabeth burst into tears, a little louder than before. He held her in the friendliest way he could manage as she wept. He really felt sorry for her loss, he could only imagine how it felt to lose someone from your family in such a way…
-"I am so sorry, Liz." He said with as much kindness he could muster
Pulling away, Elizabeth took a shaky breath as she wiped her eyes. She blew her nose almost noiselessly, then took another deep breath. She found it hard to regain composer, but who could blame her? She just found out that her sister and brother-in-law had been murdered…
-"My…" She began before clearing her throat and making another attempt. "My niece will be here in three days."
Erik frowned and took a look at the letter in his hands, then nodded. He wondered how things would change for him. Should he try to find another place to live, or should he stay and help Madame Giry the best he could?
-"We must prepare everything for her arrival." She continued now obviously forming a plan
-"We?" Erik asked
-"Yes, we! Did you think I would kick you out on the streets?" She asked and then he shrugged. "Besides…I will need my friend…"
-"I will be there if need be." He assured, truly touched by her words
-"We'll put her in Meg's old room."
Erik frowned once more. He did not understand why she used the word "old" to qualify her daughter's bedroom. Madame Giry then pulled another letter from her pocket and gave a tired smiled. This one she did not let him read, she just kept it in her hand, looking at it with pride and a touch of relief.
-"She is not coming back, not for a while at least." She sighed, calmer than she had been minutes before. "She had a suitor, and a serious one from what Yvonne said."
Elizabeth managed another smile. She was happy for her daughter, though she could not quite enjoy this good news, the tragic events taking her sister and brother-in-law's lives filling her thoughts. She wondered how she would manage to take care of her niece…
Once she finally came back to reality, Elizabeth went down to the second floor, Erik following close behind. When they were down the attic's stairs, Madame Giry leaned heavily against the wall, the emotions of the day suddenly wearing on her. Erik gently took her by the shoulders and made her look at him.
-"Listen." He said firmly. "I will take care of business while you rest. I will prepare the bedroom for your niece."
-"No, no, I'm alright." She protested, but not strongly enough to convince the stubborn Phantom
-"You're going to do as I said or it will make me angry."
He would not get angry at her and Elizabeth knew it. Anyway, she knew he was doing this for her own good. He really was a gentleman…when he felt like it. Even though he was weakened because of everything he had lost since the Christine episode, he still had that power of persuasion. Even if she wanted, Madame Giry did not know if she could ever refuse him anything… And so, she accepted to go rest without another word.
As she closed her bedroom door behind her, the old ballet mistress let go of all the emotions weighting on her mind and heart. It resulted in her crying herself to sleep…
