Chapter 11

"Oh God." Gary had hoped he never had to lay eyes on this man ever again since what happened. But now, here he is. Gary back up against the door, keeping his eyes on the Phantom as he rose from the couch. Erik was certainly not happy to see him either, but he knew that there was not much the man could do at this point. "How are you here? Why are you here?"

"I have been here for some years now monsieur. Who do you think owns the hotel you are currently residing in?" Gary's eyes widened.

"You're Mister E?!" He exclaimed.

"Now you understand." Erik said smugly. "And to answer your second question… well, you should already know the answer."

"Aisling." He muttered.

"Correct again." The masked man began making his way over towards the older man, but Gary began moving away as much as he could. "If you think I'm going to kill you, I'm not. I told you the last time we met I would make you suffer something much worse." Gary just continued watching him. "However, for Aisling's sake, perhaps we can come to an understanding. I have come to make you an offer. I know that there is some… tension between you and your daughter at this moment. Therefore, I can help you win a place in her good spirits."

"And how can you do that?" He asked suspiciously. Erik smirked.

"Tell her I'm here." He said. Gary said nothing. He had been given this chance to reconnect with his daughter, to get back any kind of relationship with her. But with the Phantom reentering the picture, he knew that he would have no chance at that. If he let her go back to him, she would certainly leave and he would never see her again.

"And why should I?" He said with a hint of venom in his voice. "For ten years she's believed you were dead. And now you come here and expect me to listen to you. Well I won't. I owe you nothing!" Just then, there was a high pitched scream coming from the other bedroom. Gary rushed to the door and threw it open to find Rosetta sitting up in bed with tears in her eyes and a frightened look on her face. "Rosetta, what's wrong?" He said moving next to the ten year old. She looked at him with her large green eyes and the tears began falling.

"I had a scary dream." She said. "A stranger grabbed me and… I tried getting back to mommy but she was nowhere. And then we were standing by the ocean and the stranger had a gun!" She covered her face with her hands and began crying. Gary got up and began rubbing her back feeling sorry for the child for her fear. He had to admit, she did seem much like Aisling in many ways. She was kind, loving, shy, and had her excitement for the strange and wonderful.

When Erik heard the scream he was a little surprised. Who else was here? And when Gary bolted into the other room, he could see the concern etched on his face. He slowly and silently walked towards the door and peaked inside. In the bed was a child. She had beautiful green eyes that shined like two peridot stones and long wavy raven hair. And her facial features, they looked so soft. Much like Aisling.

Is she… He thought. Aisling had a child.

Then, the little girl lifted her head from her hands and looked towards the doorway. Her eyes instantly caught his and she stared at him with a fixed fascination. Rosetta stared at the strange man in the doorway to the bedroom. She had never liked it when she was around strangers, but this man did not seem to frighten her like all the others. She noticed his crystal green eyes when she first saw him and felt an odd familiarity in him. He looked at her with the same fascination she had for him. Then, the next thing to catch her attention was his mask. He was wearing a full black mask covering his entire face leaving only his eyes and his mouth visible. Gary noticed that Rosetta had stopped crying and saw her staring at the doorway. He turned to see Erik standing there.

"What are you doing in here?" He barked.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to the little mademoiselle?" Erik said calmly never taking his eyes off of her. Rosetta felt a small blush invade her cheeks as she heard the strange man's voice. It sounded soft and velvety and held a musical tone to it as well. Gary sighed then turned back to face Rosetta.

"Rosetta, this is... Mister E." Her eyes grew at least twice in size as he said his name.

"You are the one who owns the theater!" She said excitedly and jumped out of bed and approached the masked man. Erik knelt down to her height and gave her a warm smile.

"Indeed little mademoiselle. I own Theatre Phantasma. This hotel is mine as well." Rosetta's jaw dropped as she listened to him. "Would you like to visit my theater my dear?" Her face instantly lit up.

"I can see it?" She said.

"But of course. Tell me where you want to go, tell me what you want to see. Let me grant your wish."

"Could you show me, if you please all Phantasma's mysteries? All the secrets hidden there, deep inside your theater." Erik began feeling that strange familiarity in the girl again. He could not put his finger on it, but there was obviously something more about this child than he was seeing. But he would solve that puzzle later.

"You may see it all when you come to visit. In fact, I myself will show you. I promise." He said and lightly touched the tip of her nose earning a small giggle from her. He gave her one more smile before returning to his full height and turning to leave the room.

"Mister E?" He stopped mid step when he heard Rosetta speak to him again. "You wear a mask just like Mister Phantom." He turned abruptly at her words, shock written in his eyes.

"Mister Phantom?" He questioned.

"Yeah, Mister Phantom of the Opera." He raised his eyebrow at the child. How did she know about the Phantom of the Opera? Then, as he thought about it, Aisling must have told her the stories. He smiled to himself that his wife would do this.

"I suppose I do, don't I?" Gary watched the exchange between these two and was feeling his nerves turn on end. He moved from his spot and over to Rosetta.

"Rosetta, why don't you get dressed now." He said and began pushing the little girl towards the bathroom attached to the room. "Get dressed and I'll order some breakfast for you." Rosetta just stared at her grandfather with a blank expression before entering the small adjoined room to prepare for the day. Gary sighed then turned to leave and join Erik in the living area.

"What a child." Erik commented as Gary came into the room. "Full of life. Full of her, wouldn't you agree?" Gary made no comment. He just continued to watch the man before him with suspicion. Erik could not help but smirk at the man, knowing full well that things were becoming more complicated for him. "I saw Aisling at the theater moments ago." He watched as the older man's face paled at his words. "She sang. I could feel the pain that she's been…" he turned to look at the bedroom door, "…otherwise masking." Then he let his gaze settle back on Gary. "I am giving you this chance to make the right decision. Tell her I am here and where I am and I assure you she will be forever grateful for reuniting her with her lost love." Gary knew he was stuck. He couldn't let his daughter go back with this… this thing. How would he know she would come back? But, then again, he knew if he told her and helped them reunite she would be happy again and would be able to reinstate some form of relationship with her again.

But then he thought about his words. This man manipulated her before and he would manipulate her again. He was a monster and he could not forget that. He gave a long, hard look at the masked man before him refusing to hide the distain in his eyes.

"I will never give my daughter to you." He said. Erik's eyes burned into his and Gary knew that he had just woke the beast in this man.

"I am offering you a way back into your daughter's life but I can also destroy what little respect she has left for you." He growled as he stalked down the other man. "I heard her in my theater! Her heart is dying monsieur. Suffering all alone in the dark. Give her life again. Return her to me! Or I will make good on my promise and take everything you have ever loved!" Erik was done playing games now. Aisling was here in New York and he was not about to let them leave.

"She is my daughter." Gary said.

"And she is my wife!" Erik shouted. "Monsieur, do not forget that I know you had a part in my almost demise." He growled causing Gary to tremble slightly with fear. "And I know who you allied with in this feat. You may have had the upper hand before, but now we play a different game. You'd best watch your back from now on, for I may be lurking in the shadows." And with that said, he turned towards the door and made his leave. Gary was able to breathe a little easier after he left.

"Why was he so angry?" Gary turned to see Rosetta standing in the bedroom doorway. He went over to the ten year old and knelt before her.

"He is not a very good man." He explained. "He only wants to hurt people who get in his way." Rosetta didn't seem convinced.

"He said he knew my mom." She said.

"He only thinks what he wants to think." He said. "He's obsessed with your mother and wants to steal her from her family. You shouldn't go anywhere near him." Rosetta digested his words for a moment and thought about this man she just met. When he looked at her she could tell he was a bit scary, but she could feel something underneath it all. In his eyes she saw a terrible sadness. She knew there had to be more to him than what Gary was telling her.

After Erik exited the suite he felt like strangling Gary for his stupidity. He knew it would be much easier to kill him and take back his wife and her child but knew killing him would solve nothing and wasn't nearly as satisfying as making him suffer. No, he would win her back and get his revenge on Gary for all he's put them through. First, he had to find the best way to reveal himself to Aisling without causing her too much shock. That's when he thought of the girl. He promised to show her around Phantasma. If he could begin with her, she would help Aisling realize what was going on. He reached into his coat and pulled out a black envelope embroidered with red and gold and in white letters, Aisling's name written on the front in an elegant style. He placed the envelope right on the doorknob of the hotel room for her to see.

Soon. He said to himself. Soon everything will fall into place.

At the book signing, Aisling had on the persona of the polite and excited author meeting and greeting her fans, pulling out her black Sharpie and leaving her inscription on each book that was placed in front of her. She was even happier that the press has yet to find out about her being there and that every patron who comes through has kept their word for secrecy so far. But her mind was going over what happened at the theater that morning. When she arrived there, she'd released her bottled grief at losing Erik. For ten years she tried not to think of him; keep her mind on her work and on her daughter. But her dreams were still plagued by the night of his death and of constant nightmares of him that she would wake and would cry herself back to sleep. And as she stayed at the theater, she thought she'd heard someone singing to her. It was a man for sure, but the voice was unmistakable. It was Erik's for sure. But he was dead; he couldn't be the one. Yet he sang their song. No one else knows the importance of that song. Something wasn't adding up here.

"Next." She called out for the next person. As the book was placed in front of her, she pulled out her Sharpie and began signing her name. "There you are." She handed the book back to the person and called for the next person.

Christine and Meg were next. They were so excited when they came to the store a short while ago. They'd just entered when they heard someone talking to another customer about the big surprise the owners spoke of.

"I can't believe it! A. Destler is here for a book signing!"

"But she never comes out in public. Why would she be here?"

"Then again, no one's ever seen her publicly and this meeting was a secret. We've also been told not to tell anyone."

"I guess that makes sense. Besides, that way she can go where she wants and no one else would know she's here."

Christine and Meg still found it strange that A. Destler would be in public after staying in the shadows for so long, but if they could have the chance to meet her, who were they to complain. They headed towards the section where the signing was being held. As they approached they found a line of people beyond a red velvet rope with an employee sitting at a small desk with a stack of contracts beside him.

"Good day ladies." He said. "Are you looking to see the surprise?"

"Yes." Meg said.

"Alright, I just need the two of you to sign these wavers. You are not to repeat what you see beyond this point outside the store. If you cannot comply with these terms I cannot allow you to pass."

"We can keep this quiet." Christine said.

"Great." He said. "Just sign these." He handed them the contracts and two pens. They signed them and handed them back. "Thank you, have your books ready."

They held their books close to their chests as they approached the table. They would finally know the identity of the elusive A. Destler.

"Next." The person in front moved aside giving a clear view of the table. They looked up and saw…

Aisling waited for the next book to hit the table but the people just stood there. She looked up and saw the two women standing before her. Her eyes went wide.

No way. That's impossible. She thought.

"Mrs. Destler?" Aisling jumped at Leslie's voice then shook her head.

"It's nothing." She said and returned a smile to her face, though not quite as enthusiastic as before. Meg and Christine broke from their shock as well and placed their books on the table. Aisling pulled her pen out and signed their books. "There you go." They said nothing as they walked from the table. She was here in the city. Aisling was here in New York. More importantly, she was A. Destler.

Christine and Meg practically ran back to the theater to tell Erik the news. But when they reached his office, they were surprised to find him gone. They began searching the entire theater but there was no sign of him. Where on Earth could he be?

"This is strange." Meg said. "Erik is always here, so where could he be?"

"Looking for someone?" Both women gasped a bit when they heard Erik's voice behind them.

"Erik, we've been looking for you." Christine began. "We have something to tell you."

"Does this include Aisling being here in the city?" Both their eyes grew wide.

"You know?" They shouted together. Erik eyed them suspiciously.

"How do you know?" He asked.

"She was at the book store." Meg explained. "She was signing her books." She held up her book and showed him the signature inside the cover. Erik examined the signature and let out a small chuckle. No wonder he couldn't find her. He straightened himself up again and Meg closed her book.

"She was here just this morning," He explained, "and tomorrow, she will be returning by personal invitation." Meg and Christine looked at the other in confusion.

"She's coming here tomorrow?" Meg said.

"Yes, so I will be very busy until then. If anyone should come looking for me, I will be in the workshop." And without another word he strode away. Christine and Meg were a little shell shocked by the whole situation, but now was not the time to dwell on their discovery. They had a feeling that tomorrow would be a busy day.