A/N: All right! Updates! WOOOO!! (throws confetti in the air) And it didn't take me forever to do them, either.
Erik: "It's about time!"
Me: "I don't nag you about writing music, do I?"
Erik: (gives a Look). I thought Phangirls never ran out of ideas… most of them go on for days."
Me: "It helps to not be sick while you're trying to write. Besides, I didn't know you could use the word "Christine" so much in a song. What was the record, twenty-seven times?"
Erik: "Why must you exaggerate everything?"
Me: "I'm a writer. Exaggerating things is what I do best. You hit your organ, I'll hit the keyboard and we'll ignore the crap out of each other the rest of the day. Sound good to you?"
Erik: (takes off running)
Me: "Tee-hee. Watch this." (presses a button on the computer and reveals a camera in the music room where Erik is). "Can't have my muse totally gone, can I? Anyway….. as I'm sure you know, don't own anything but Dawn, Squishie, and the pups."
Chapter 11
The sensations he felt were unlike anything he'd experienced. When Dawn's lips first touched his, it was as though a bolt of lightning had surged through them and spread throughout his body, leaving vibrant sparks of electricity through his nerves. His stomach had twisted and leaped, fluttering strangely. All of the moisture in his mouth and throat seemed to migrate to his back, the palms of his hands, and his forehead creating a soft sheen of perspiration. His heart crashed wildly against his ribcage, but he could hear it in his ears as well. It sounded like a steady pulsating thunder. His lungs seemed to lose their capacity and he was breathing in short gasps. His blood thrummed hotly through his veins, showing its fire on his flushed cheeks. Nothing compared, however, to the dizziness that claimed him. He felt as though the entire world were rolling like a giant ball and he couldn't keep up with its motion. His legs were trembling like water being shaken in a glass. Quickly, he sat down on his organ bench, though he faced away from it.
Nothing on earth had felt like this before, not even, he dared to think, Christine's kiss. Christine's kiss had been full of pity, still salty with her tears for Raoul. There had been no love in that kiss, only a quiet resigning to what she thought would be her fate.
Dawn, however, did not have anything tying her to this opera house. She could leave anytime she liked. She did not love anyone the way Christine loved Raoul. She did not view Erik as the malevolent Opera Ghost, but as an ordinary man who did extraordinary things. He had felt a number of things in that kiss: a slight nervousness, gratitude for saving her, trust, and heat. There had also been something else. Erik often thought he was a master at reading people, but this was something he never saw directed at him. The split second after they parted, he saw, in the depths of her almost-black eyes, her bared soul. She'd allowed him to see because she cared about him.
A split second earlier, the cavernous basement of the opera house had seemed far too small an claustrophobic. Now, however, he felt very small as he sat huddled on the bench. For the first time, he realized, someone wanted him, and it completely unnerved him.
A touch on his leg startled him out of his feverish thoughts. He turned his head to see Squishie scratching at his knee. She wagged her tail, looking up at him with her big dark eyes. He scooped her up and placed her on his lap. It was a strange sensation to have anything sit in his lap. She tried to give him a dog kiss, but Erik gently held her back. Eventually, she gave up and just sat there as he stroked her fuzzy head. Eventually, she got tired again and went back to the swan bed.
Very, very carefully, Erik parted the curtain just enough to see. Dawn was sound asleep and was completely buried under the covers. He saw a small hole where her nose probably was, but she was totally hidden. All he could see was a vaguely shaped lump where she was and the gentle rise and fall of her breath. He wished he could see her face. Squishie and her puppies lay beside her. All of the puppies were asleep and Squishie was nearly there, flopped on her back with all fours in the air. Erik wanted to laugh at the dog's position but didn't. In the background, the iPod was playing a very soft piano song.
Erik meant to write some music ideas down, but it didn't happen. He realized he was very worn out, but he didn't remember falling asleep at his small table in the kitchen area. It was probably one of the few times he slept deeply and completely untroubled by dreams.
When Erik woke, he was completely puzzled at first. He straightened his mask, wincing at the crease it had made on his cheek. It would be covered, so it didn't matter. Feeling decidedly cramped, he got up to stretch.
He had just made it back into the "main" room when the curtain moved. Dawn appeared, flanked by the dogs. Her face was still pale from sleep and she was still rubbing her eyes against the candlelight. Her hair stuck up on one side of her head, little pieces straying here and there. Apparently, she had slept well.
"Morning," she yawned.
Erik stood motionless, feeling as a deer in the headlights would. Dawn took her hair down and shook it out. Erik was still trying to decide what to say as she smoothed it out and put it back up.
"Think anybody noticed me missing?" Dawn asked. Erik shook his head, trying to find his voice. Squishie scratched at her leg and Dawn picked her up.
"Squi-shie! How's my mama dog doing?" She kissed Squishie on top of the head affectionately as she often did.
Erik stared at a nearby candle for a moment. Then, he finally spoke: "I should return you. Sooner or later, they will come looking for you."
"In a hurry to get rid of me?" Dawn asked. Erik squirmed until he realized she was teasing.
"Don't worry about them," she said, putting Squishie in the boat, "nobody messes with the Great Opera Ghost except for me."
During the last sentence, she had somehow gotten behind Erik and was embracing him. Erik felt like he was going to jump out of his skin and he instinctively froze. Sensing his tension, Dawn released him and retrieved the puppies.
"These guys should be weaned soon," Dawn told him, "you're more than welcome to take one. I know it probably gets really lonely down here. I gotta train the little monsters first, though."
She eased herself into the boat and Erik got in after her. He was completely confused. How was it that she didn't get offended by his lack of response? How was it that she wasn't the slightest bit disgusted with him? He really began to wonder.
She had just stepped through the mirror and he had just closed it behind her when Madame Giry, Christine, Raoul, Meg, and the managers exploded into her room.
"What's going on?" she asked. The managers were the first ones to react.
"Where in the HELL have you been?! The whole opera house has been looking for you!"
Dawn didn't answer. She crossed her arms over her chest, staring them hard in the face.
"I don't suppose your disappearance had to do anything with that damned Opera Ghost," the other one snapped, "or maybe it has everything to do with him."
Dawn tilted her head to the side, looking at them both very critically. Behind the mirror, Erik watched warily.
"What of it?" Dawn asked acidly.
"Dawn, you must understand," Raoul said, "he's very dangerous and mentally unstable. What happens if he believes that the two of you have a relationship?"
Dawn's scowl hardened further.
"Maybe that's what we want," Dawn said firmly.
Erik felt his heart start to pound.
Christine went white and sank into the nearest chair. Raoul took her hand in his.
"I don't think you understand the gravity of your situation," he said, trying not to get Dawn angry, "it was very traumatic for all involved, the Opera Ghost himself at the top of the list. You have to be sure that he is the one you want, for he'll never let you go. I'm surprised to this day that Christine and I got away without serious injury."
Erik could see the fury building in Dawn. Her face had flushed hot red as though her soul was on fire. Her lips were set in a very tight line and her fists were clenched at her sides.
"Look," she snapped, "I know that what happened to you and Christine wasn't exactly the high point in y'all's relationship, but you have to get over that sometime. I'm twenty years old, I am more than capable of making my own decision. I appreciate your concern, but this is between me and Erik. If you have a problem with that, well, I'm sorry, but I'm not changing my find just to please you. I care about him in ways that the rest of the world never could because I grew up in a different world where you're extremely lucky if you get the right guy at all. I'm not rich, I'm not beautiful, and I'm certainly not a meek little good girl who does what she's told. I'm loud, I'm opinionated, and I'm clumsy, but at least I know he likes me for me. Who I fall in love with is MY business. If any of you try to come between us, you'd better hope that Erik gets there first because what he does won't be anything compared to what I'll do. I would defend him to the death if I had to."
Erik slid to the floor, trembling and weak. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"We're human," Dawn continued, "we make mistakes, we screw up, we're not perfect, for God's sakes! Erik may have made a few huge ones, but look at the life he's had! He may have an idea of what love is, but he's never learned how to act on it because nobody showed him. He has a few friends, yes, but everything's all secret and hush-hush. What the Hell kind of life is that?! We all have things to hide. His mask is on his face, but the rest of us wear it over our hearts so that nobody can see that we occasionally have a crap day or we're nice when we want to ram the nearest person into a wall, then point and laugh. Nobody can see that we have tempers or desires that society wouldn't approve of. And we damn sure better not show that we have weaknesses, heaven forbid! I do everything you guys ask, I do the practices, I still take over maid duties when the maid is out sick, I run back and forth delivering messages, I put up with your constant criticism. Isn't that enough? Isn't there at least one realm of my life that I can do what I want with?"
Properly chastised, the managers left. Christine had regained some of her color and didn't look so fragile. Raoul was still staring at Dawn in disbelief. Madame Giry was giving the mirror a knowing look and Meg was half-smiling at Dawn's revelation.
"So, the truth is out," Dawn said, looking exhausted, "I have a headache."
She flung herself across the bed and stretched out. Everyone stayed where they were.
"Christine, let's go," Raoul said, sounding rather unnerved. Christine was silent as he led her from the room.
"I know you guys have the best of intentions," Dawn said, "but I wish you wouldn't worry so much. You make me feel like I can't handle anything."
Madame Giry approached the bed.
"Take a day off," she told Dawn, "and remember, be gentle with his heart. He has much to learn about love."
"Will do," Dawn said, giving the older woman's hand a squeeze before she left. Meg sat down in the chair beside her.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Meg asked, playing with one of the puppies.
"I've never been so sure in my life," Dawn mumbled, face now buried in a pillow, "I just hope Erik heard all that. I'm not sure I have the strength to tell this story again."
Behind the mirror, tears were falling silently. They slid down Erik's cheeks as he buried his face in his hands. Joy beyond anything he had ever felt had flooded his heart and overflowed to crystal drops on his cheeks. Dawn had just stood up to everyone for him. He had NEVER known someone to do such a thing.
"Let's go somewhere later," Dawn said to Meg, "anyplace to get out of the opera house for a couple of hours. I feel kind of suffocated."
"We could go shop for our masquerade costumes," Meg offered.
"Sounds good," Dawn admitted, "I didn't get to go to the last one."
Meg left so that Dawn could rest. As soon as Erik had fully regained his composure, he came back in.
"I am in so much trouble," Dawn told him without so much as looking up, "but it's worth it."
She felt the warmth of his upper body as he embraced her from the back (she was laying on her stomach). Dawn closed her eyes, soaking up the warmth.
"How much did you hear?" she asked.
"Everything." He sat down in the chair beside her bed.
"Good. I don't have to repeat myself," Dawn mumbled, "Andre and Firmin are the two most trying men I've ever met. Sometimes I want to haul off and smack the out of them."
Erik stared at Dawn's crudeness, but didn't comment.
"They think they know every damn thing," Dawn complained, "without you, they'd be sunk right about now and so would Raoul and Christine."
Erik was surprised that Christine's name didn't stab him. In fact, he agreed with her.
"She's such a weakling," Dawn mumbled, "she has a lot of growing up to do, which includes growing a backbone. And Raoul's got to learn that it's not his job to save those who don't want to be saved."
He found himself nodding even though Dawn was still laying facedown on the pillows.
"I think Madame Giry and Meg are the only ones that really understand," Dawn said, turning her head slightly so that her voice was clearer, "they're the only ones who haven't chewed me out about this."
His fingers had somehow found their way to Dawn's golden blonde hair. Fascinated by the curls, he poked one finger through a curl without disturbing it in the slightest. Dawn was enjoying his touch and protested when his hand withdrew.
"Don't stop," she told him, "my headache started going away when you did that."
He gently ran his fingers through her hair. She was so relaxed that she fell asleep. Dawn always seemed to be tired from his perspective. Carefully, he covered her up and left to go terrorize Andre and Firmin. He noticed, before he left her, that she had the beginnings of a smile still on her lips.