To CupidsArrow27, HungerGamesCrazy, lluvkovmiki, Phantom's Ange, Selena Moonlighty, jigokunooujo, and .94.
Chapter 4- Opera House
**** Evangeline's POV ****
The hallways of the Opera were very bright compared to the underground passage ways. As a result when I left the dark corridor I had to blink my eyes several times as I casually walked down the halls. No one bothered me, no one questioned why I was there. That was until I was going down the steps that went to the main entrance.
"You there!" called a gruff voice from behind me, "Stop!"
I halted and turned around. Following me was a man, he had shaggy greasy brown hair and beard, with cold eyes, and even from here I could smell the alcohol that he simply reeked of. He looked and smelled like what I had always imagined a pirate would. The man came to a stop in front of me.
"Can I help you?" I asked plainly.
"Where have you been?" he asked sternly. I raised my eyebrow.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"Where have you been?" he asked again.
I had never seen this man before, given the way he smelled I would not have even associate with him anyway. Who was he that he should demand to know where I have been.
"What do you mean where have I been?" I asked placing my hands on my hips.
"I saw you this morning, and then you seemed to disappear behind a wall. But now you are here again. Where did you go!" the man demanded.
I was beginning to dislike this man more and more. Not only was this man still demanding to know where I had been, but he had also been following me. "I do not believe I have to answer to you," I said defiantly. My chin raised I turned away from the man. As one of my feet touched the step below, I felt a rough hand wrap around my forearm.
'You are not going anywhere until I get an answer," said the scruffy man.
"I will do no such thing," I stated trying to pull my arm from his ever tightening grasp…where was Erik when you need him. "Let go of me this instant!"
"Not until I get my answers!" replied the man. I struggled to get out of the man's grasp, but he held firm determined not to let me go.
"Monsieur Boquet!" cried a stern female from the base of the stairs. "You will let go of that women right now!"
Although I could not see who said it I knew who it was. As she walked up the stairs I heard a slight tap from a cane hitting the marble. When the woman reached our level, I saw the features that confirmed my suspicions of who it was. The long light brown hair braided before it was tied up into a bun on the top of her head, stern eyes, and a sharp nose….Antoinette Giry.
"I will not repeat myself again, let go of her." repeated Antoinette.
"I will let go of her," said Boquet, "As soon as the young lady tells me where she disappeared to all day."
"Ms. Bernard was with me all afternoon Joseph." said Antoinette sternly. I looked at her in disbelief, how did she know my name? Were her memories still intact like Erik and mine or had Erik just gone to see her earlier and gave her a brief explanation of who I was.
Boquet turned his attention back towards me, "Is this true?" I looked him straight in the eye, which seemed to be bearing down into my soul looking for any weaknesses.
"Yes," I stated calmly, "I was with her all afternoon."
His eyes continued to bare down upon me, though not they seemed to stray away from my face, looking me up and down. Despite how determined I felt not to waver, I felt myself tremble. I waited for him to loosen his grip even if it was only a bit. Within just a few moments his hand was off of my forearm.
He backed away going up a few steps. Madame Giry came closer to me as Boquet backed away. "I am sorry for inconveniencing you mademoiselle." Joseph Boquet walked away without another word.
Antoinette wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulders and led me down the stairs. "That was Joseph Boquet, chief of the flies. Be careful around him, especially if you are here to see Erik. Boquet would like nothing more than to find him and black mail him" she explain in a hushed tone.
"I doubt he would be able to do that." I said.
"Oh don't worry about that dear," said Giry, "Last time around Erik killed him before Boquet even had the chance."
"Last time around?" I questioned, "Antoinette? Do you know what happens in 1886?" If she truly came back with all of her memories intact as well she would tell me what I wanted to hear. If not she would just think that I was crazy and say that it hasn't happened yet.
Antoinette gave me an all knowing look, "You and Erik were reunited after nearly thirteen years of being apart, your son Gabriel was kidnapped and you all were nearly killed by your former lover." She said.
"So you know what has transpired?" I asked.
"Yes I do. Your dear Erik explained it to me this morning once he had figured it out. However I expected something as my daughter Meg was getting ready of ballet practice this morning," explained Antoinette. I remember her telling me about Meg, he and her lat husband Jules' only child. She was a rising star ballerina before she had met and married a young wealthy baron. "Of couse Christine was with her as well so that was also a big hint."
"Christine?" I asked. Giry all of a sudden looked as though she had said something she was not suppose to say. "Christine Daae?"
"Yes, I am afraid so," sighed Antoinette, "You know about her?"
"Yes" I stated. I knew the whole story, Erik had explained the whole thing to me after I had agreed to marry him, after I had figured out that he was the famed Phantom of the Opera.
"So you know how he felt about her?" questioned Antoinette. I nodded, I must have looked crestfallen for she added, 'Do not worry child. Erik has you this time. Why should he chase after a girl who will just break his heart when he has someone who has already mended it."
"Evangeline!" said an excited male voice from the far side of the room. We turned to see Philippe, his top hat in his hand walking towards us, a wide smile on his face.
"Philippe." I said. Antoinette gave me a look, I whispered to her, "I met him this morning on my way here."
Philippe came to a stop in front of us, introduced himself to Antoinette who was staring at him as though he was a creature from outer space. He did not seem to notice, all of his attention was directed at me. "You are still here?" he asked.
"Yes, my friend and I went for a picnic by the river," I said, "he had to return to work though. What are you still doing here?"
"My meeting with Monsieur Lefévre went longer than expected." He explained, "Are you on your way home?"
"Yes, I am. But my friend Madame Giry here, has already agreed to escort me home," I said remembering his offer from earlier.
"Oh," said Philippe, "Perhaps I could help escort you home, then make sure that the Madame gets back safely."
"That will not be necessary Monsieur le Comte," said Antoinette.
Comte? Philippe never mentioned that he was a Comte. Then it hit me, de Chagny, of the oldest royal families that remained from the days before the revolution. I felt stupid and ashamed; this meant that he was a relative of Raoul, the man who Erik hated beyond belief. Though why he still hated him I was unsure, after all without Raoul taking Christine, Erik would have never met me.
"But Madam, I insist." Urged Philippe.
"I am sorry Philippe." I said, "Perhaps some other time?"
Philippe's smile disappeared , "Oh, alright." He placed his hat on his head before bidding us farewell.
"He seems to be quite enamored with you," suggested Antoinette coming with me towards the door.
"I suppose," I said shrugging, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach, "But please do not let Erik know, you know how…possessive he can be."
"You have my word," promised Antoinette.
REVIEWS?
A/N: Sorry about the wait there folks. Now just to explain something here… as many of you know for this story I am writing it out into a notebook first before I type it all out, so if it takes awhile between chapters it just means that I have either been really busy or have writers block or both. Sorry if that seemed rantish. A few brief explanations here… 1. Philippe was at a meeting with Mr. Lefévre. 2. Evangeline did not put the whole de Chagny together at first because well if you were helped of the ground would you care at that moment about his family? 3. I put a slight joke in here about Boquet..see if you can find it I am curious. And finally 4. Another original Leroux reference! Can you point it out? Oh before I forget 5. Yes I forgot to tell you right from the get go that Evangeline knew about the whole Christine incident, I mean by my time line at that time she would be living in Paris around time so she would have heard of it…. Till next time folks.