Chapter 2

Meg lay in bed with Erik's arm protectively wrapped around her. She was awake although he was still sleeping. How strange that she could feel so safe with a man like him. Hated, haunted, loathed…
So mother had told him about Christine's concert. She felt not at all confident that her love could stop him from listening to Christine again, from seeing her or even from trying to contact her. Her hope must lie with Christine – if she had chosen Raoul once, why would she not stick to him?

She was right. He said he had to listen to her. They sat in the sofa, looking at small drops of water in different colours falling in a tiny fountain. He held her hands in his. "You must understand that I want to see her and listen to her. It could be the last time. She must have duties as a countess, and even if she sings eventually she will perhaps not return to the operahouse again."

Meg smiled faintly. She caressed his hands. "I understand. You taught her to sing, you want to listen to her. I'm just afraid that your love for her will arise again, that you will leave me and go away with her.." – "That is not possible. I don't think she wants to, and even if, her husband wouldn't let her. He would haunt her.." he stopped talking, as he realized he didn't deny his own wish for it to happen. He kissed her hands. "I promise, when this is over, I will devote all my time to you. We must plan some kind of future."

The evening of the concert finally came. There were going to be other performances besides Christine's, and he wondered if he was patient enough to listen to them before it was her turn. He had decided to use his box again. It had not been used since he had last used it, there was no admittance except from one of his own paths, which had been sealed, but which he managed to access anyhow, with some effort.

Meg was in a bad mood when he left. She didn't want to listen at all, and stayed below although her mother was present backstage. Erik sat hidden far back in the box and tried not to be too bored listening to recitations, a string quartet, a baritone singing Mozart, speaches and the quartet from Rigoletto. Almost at the end of the concert Christine was announced. She was to sing an aria from Aida, which he had heard her sing before.

He closed his eyes and let the sound of her voice fill him. It was wonderful to hear it again, it filled every inch of him. Now he felt more alive than he had been for a long time. Was this to be the only time he could hear her again, ever? Just to listen, and forget all that had happened then.. There was no way things could be as they once were.

He bent forward to look at her, standing in the spotlight, a slender figure in blue. The sight of her hit him, and he felt pain. He looked at her, taking it all in. He rose, knowing the people in other boxes couldn't see him, hoping that she would see him. So she did, almost at the end of the aria.

Just by habit she threw a glance at his box – and saw him. She managed to keep calm, not forgetting the words she was singing, but it took all her strength. At the same time so many feelings awoke in her – relief that he had survived and that he was not gone, the excitement to see him again, the knowledge that he heard her sing. When she was finished she made a bow and when she looked up again he was no longer there.

He stood hiding in a corner of the dressing room when she entered. "So you did come here" he said. She looked at him. "I saw you. I thought you would be here. So nobody else has occupied this room?" – "I don't think they dare. The fear of the Phantom still lingers, but I think they have stopped looking for me." The sight of her filled him with a strange warmth. It felt almost unnatural to see her again, so near. "You sing as beautiful as ever" he said. "It's a pity you don't perform." – "I miss it too. But I understand that Raoul doesn't want me to be here. Not only because it's not becoming for a countess to sing – he wants me no way near you." – "and you?" – "Please don't tempt me." There still was a distance between them.

"You seem to look rather good" she said. "How did you come back? What are you doing now?" He decided to tell the truth. "I returned of my own free will. But then I got help. Madame Giry and Meg helped me. They cleaned up, they have kept me company – and more." – "I saw madame Giry today, but not Meg. Strange, shouldn't she had come to see me, I thought we were friends." – "Yes, Meg. She was probably in my house. She stays mostly with me – we are lovers."

Christine's jaw fell. "That I could never have imagined." – "It just came. She is sweet and devoted. I feel loved and appreciated." – "You deserve it. I miss your music –that's all. To sing with you, to feel your music in my body, that is what we had together. When I kissed you, that was just out of pity."

He went closer to her. "I don't believe you" he said. "When we sang the duet in Don Juan, when I held you close to me, then you wanted me, I could feel it." – "What's the use? We can't have each other now." –"Perhaps for once?" He dared to take the few steps up to her and took her in his arms. She laid her head against his shoulder but didn't embrace him. His hands touched her back. "We were innocent then, both of us" he whispered into her hair. "Now we know what love can give, if we let it." – "No" she said faintly. "I didn't think like that" – "But I did".

The took her face between his hands and kissed her. The kiss in the dungeons came back to her, she put her arms around his neck and kissed him too. He caressed her shoulders, his kisses were intense. They stopped to breathe. She withdraw from the embrace. "This is enough" she said. "There cannot be anything more. I can't deny I love you, in a way, but I love Raoul too. And I have chosen. Be faithful to the woman who loves you and remember me fondly."

There was depair in his eyes. "Never again?"- "No, not like that. You might listen to me sing sometimes. Perhaps I will return to the opera, to some opera, after a few years, when I have given Raoul the heir he wants." His shoulders fell. "Yes, you want children. And I couldn't give you any." – "What do you mean? Meg wants children, doesn't she?" – "Yes. But I wouldn't dare. What if it will inherit my deformity?" – "You can't know that, you have to take a chance. Imagine to pass on all your music to a child." Her eyes were shining. He lifted his arms again. "Yes, with you!" She backed off. "No, I can't. Please, I have to go now. Some years ahead I would like to sing at the Metropolitan opera in New York." – "Then I will come to listen. The only way Meg and I could marry is if we leave France – why not go to America, if it is possible. I am not poor, we can afford it."

"I'm sure you will find a way. They are expecting me. Give my love to Meg. I suppose she didn't want you to meet me and that she has been nervous. Tell her I wish her all the happiness. And you too." She kissed her fingers and threw him a kiss, then she left the room. He stood motionless for a while, then he sat down on a chair. He could not go back yet. He had to be alone.

Madame Giry sat in one of the old sofas behind the stage. She held the three pages of a letter in her hand and looked at a photography. She smiled, almost laughing. M Firmin passed by. "Hello madame! Nice to see you in such a good mood. Have you had good news? It's that a photography?" Madame showed it to him and he looked at it. It showed a baby lying on a rug. "This is my grandson" she said in a proud voice. "He's called Charles." She looked at the picture again. "And he is perfectly normal." M Firmin frowned. "Why shouldn't he be?"

Madame Giry shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you never know. Sometimes children could have some small defects." He looked at the letter. "So Meg is married now? And they live in New York, is that right? What's her married name?" – "They took Meg's name, with a little alteration, so they are Meg and Erik Giray now – and Charles. He's seven months old."

One of the other directors, vicomte Raoul de Chagny, approached them. "Is that a picture of your grandson? May I see?" Madame showed him. "He looks healthy. I am so glad for their sake. I will take this opportunity to tell you a secret – at last it seems like we will be blessed too. Christine is expecting – we are expecting – a child in about six month. Then she will devote all her time to the child and will not miss her singing any more. " – "She can sing lullabies. And perhaps the child will be a musical one and will want to sing when it grows up."

"Perhaps, if it is a girl. If it is a boy I want him to be like me. I will tell Christine I saw the picture of your grandson and that he looks fine. I know she will be glad too." – "I know she will. Perhaps, sometimes, I will go to New York to visit them." – "I think you should. And please, give them our best wishes."

Madame Giry looked at the photograph again. Yes, she wanted to go soon. It would be very interesting to see the little boy, the son of the Phantom.