AN: Yea I don't have that much to say for this chapter except, enjoy!
Aria had slipped into her dorm early the evening she went out with Etienne. Thinking she might get an early start the next morning she went straight to bed.
Bad idea.
She woke up several hours later, completely rested, at three in the morning. Bored and restless she ventured back out onto the roof. Swinging down from the edge she huddled in the crevice behind the gargoyle. Paris was enchanting at night, she would give it that. The lights of the city blended with the lights of the sky.
She heard the door leading up to the roof open softly. She knew it was Erik. No one would possibly be up here this late. His cloak whispered along the floor as he approached the edge. Aria pressed against the wall, sinking into the shadow.
The sound of quiet sobbing floated down to her. Erik knelt on the stone ledge burying his face in his fists.
"God you are truly cruel! Have I not suffered enough? I am but a mere mortal, how much more shall I have to bear?" His sobs quieted, Aria watched as he looked out onto the city. He began to sing, softly, mournfully:
So
many times out there
I've watched a happy pair
Of lovers
walking in the night
They
had a kind of glow around them
They glowed with heaven's light
I knew I'd never
know
That warm and loving glow
Though I may wish with all my
might
No face as hideous as my face
Was ever meant for heaven's
light
But suddenly an
angel smiled at me
And kissed my lips without a trace of fright
I dared to dream
that she
Might even care for me
And as I sang to the stars that
night
My cold dark world did seem so bright
I swear it must be
have been heaven's light
But now I know
That I shall
never know
That warm and loving glow
Though I might wish with
all my might
No face as hideous as my face
Could ever be Meant for heaven's
light
His voice changed, becoming dark and heated.
Tell
me, sweet stars
Why I still see her dancing there
Why her
smoldering eyes
Are still scorching into my soul
I
feel her, I see her
The sun caught
in
her raven hair
Is blazing
in me
out of all control
Like
fire
Hellfire
This fire in my skin
This burning
Desire
Is
turning me to sin
Erik let out a cry of rage. "How can she choose the boy over me? How have I lost her so quickly?" Dark depression eked into his voice, "Perhaps it is better, if I leave them to their happiness. I have thought about the end so many times before. Hell on earth seems worse than the real thing." Aria's heart raced, he was going to kill himself! He shifted close to the edge,
"How strange a thing death, a release from pain, from suffering, in so simple an act as falling into oblivion."
"Erik stop it!" Scrambling back onto the roof Aria reached for him. He looked at her in disbelief. "I have chosen no one! How can you talk like this? You cannot make this choice, you don't have the right!"
Anger laced his words as he lashed back out at her, "Foolish child, who are you to criticize me?"
Tears raced down Aria's face as she let his words wash over her. "I can judge no one. If anyone should ease the burden on the world and take their own life it should be me. I have done horrific things in the name of a love that caused revenge to control my life. I have done things, horrible things in the name of a passion that is corrupting and killing me. My soul is black and bound for hell, I know that. But when I'm with you I am able to forget my anger, please, don't leave me alone in my pain; I would not have the courage to follow you if you go beyond."
Grabbing her
shoulders and shaking her he demanded, "How can you ask for me to
not leave you
alone when you have rejected me like this? How can you stand there
and try and stop me when you obviously don't care? You will be
much happier with the boy when I am out of the way!"
"Erik
shut the Hell up!" Livid, Aria dashed hot tears from her face and
struggled against his hold, "Do you listen to nothing? Etienne is
my DANCE PARTNER!"
"You weren't dancing on your lunch date today," He glared at her. "Women are all the same, you tease and flaunt, leaving men like me who are not so blessed as your boy to posses
such a charming face." He looked her up and down critically, "What could you ever know about being ugly? Look at you, perfection."
"As if I cared about looks!" Aria fought him and struggled against his hold halfheartedly. As much as she would deny it, the way he was staring at her made her insides squirm pleasantly. Gripping her painfully, he twisted her she was pressed to his chest with her arms pinned between them. Her breaths were coming quickly, her breathing heady and shallow. This position made it hard to concentrate on their argument.
He hissed into her ear, "That is all that matters, to anyone!" Erik noticed her short excited breaths and the hot flush of her skin.
"Erik I am just like you! I am thrust into a world where people are afraid of me and hate me because of how I look. You may forget but I cannot! I see it where ever I go. The sidelong glances people give me in the street, the mothers who pull their children away. Anywhere I go I am seen as either a freak show or a servant! I was lucky they let me in here! I am just as rejected as you, but I don't lock myself away and hide! My skin color is something I can never change! But you could heal your face, if you weren't such a coward."
Erik's golden eyes blazed as he searched her emerald ones. "What do you want from me? I could have learned to live in loneliness, but you come and turn my world upside down."
Aria let out a frustrated cry, "How can I make you understand? What do you want for me to do?" She finally wrenched out of his iron grasp. The cold air whipped her hair around her as she tried to cool her temper.
Erik made no move to grab her; they stood static for what seemed an eternity. The air practically crackled with electricity between them. As Erik contemplated her, his own rage retreated. He realized he was wrong to assume, as much as he hated to admit it. As he observed her the anger was obvious, but there was something bubbling under the surface. He wanted it to come forth.
But he knew whatever she felt; she would keep hidden, if he didn't listen. Damn it! Erik hated talking things out. He'd much rather battle it out in a passionate rage. With a frustrated inner sigh, he sat down. Aria looked at him incredulously, "What are you doing?"
"I'm listening. I want to know what we are. I don't want to, at all, but I'm willing to," he cringed, "talk."
Aria was struck, he was going listen? He sat with a painful, expectant look on his face. She couldn't think of anything to say. The fact that he was going to let her say what she had to say, was astounding. The infamous Phantom of the Opera, was, backing down? This innovation was so staggering she struggled for something to say. "I, this isn't fair! I can't be mad at you when you're being reasonable!" Erik fought a smile and then started laughing. She was very endearing when she was flustered. Miffed at being laughed at Aria reached over and gave him a hard shove. Grabbing her wrist he pulled her down with him, laughing harder. His cloak ripped off his shoulders. Aria ended up on her back, arms crossed grumpily. He was on top of her, holding himself up on his hands.
Aria stuck her lip out in a pout and gave him a hard flick in between the eyes. His head dipped in pain, "Hey!" he said, he opened his eyes and said in a very different voice, "hey." He
peered down at her a soft smile on his face. He laughed quietly, "I think talking may not be so bad after all."
Aria's eyes warmed and he slipped off of her. He held his hand out to her to pull her up. She took it, letting herself be pulled in close. She looked away shyly, his intense gaze was intimidating. Odd, she was never shy, then again, he was never understanding. Erik turned her face lightly with his finger. She looked again into his golden eyes. They held a fierce protectiveness, but also a fear. He was afraid of her, her rejection. His lips drifted closely to hers. They brushed ever so slightly, before he jerked his head back. Aria felt empty. "Someone's coming!"
Erik grabbed her and nimbly swung over the edge. Crouching in Aria's earlier hiding space he kept his hand firmly over her mouth. A few feet above them the door creaked open. Soft footsteps wandered over to the edge. A rustling of cloth. "Erik?" Aria almost gasped, Madame Giry! "What in the world? What are his clothes doing here?" She walked closer to the edge. "Erik? Are you here?" No reply. "Strange…" suddenly you could feel her go rigid. "Aria! If they are together! That girl had better be in bed!" Madame Giry took off running.
Erik and Aria both scrambled back to the top of the roof. "I have to get back to the dorms! I can't be caught out of bed or I'll be thrown out for sure!"
Erik grabbed her hand and dragged her through the doorway and down the stairs. "I know a secret way back to the dorms!"
Even as he was dragging her down the secret tunnel he heard her mumble, "Yea I kind of figured."
He blushed knowing she was referring to his "peeping tom" incident. He said nothing as he pushed her through a small door and onto a beam in the girl's dorms. "Land lightly," He said. She scoffed at him. He smiled, and then suddenly became serious. Grabbing her face he whispered fiercely, "Return to me, no matter what." Aria nodded before she fell off the banister, landing lightly on her feet. Silently she raced to her bed and jumped into the covers. Not two seconds later Madame Giry burst into the room.
All the girls sat up in their beds rubbing their eyes sleepily. Had they slept in? Madame Giry looked around until she found Aria's bed. When her eyes landed on her she became instantly suspicious. The girl looked sleepy, strange for her. Also despite her exhausted appearance, her cheeks were flushed and rosy, her eyes were over-bright. Slowly Madame Giry made her way over to the bed. The entire time neither woman looked away. Aria's eyes feigned confusion, but still held an annoyed defensive look. Aria stood as Madame Giry came closer. Madame Giry stopped and looked down at Aria.
With wide, innocent, mocking eyes, Aria asked, "Madame Giry, is there something you need from me?" She blinked, keeping up the façade.
"Aria, would you mind stepping out into the hall for a moment?" It was phrased as a question but was definitely an order. Aria followed her as she walked into the corridor.
Madame Giry whipped around once the door was shut. "Stupid girl! What are you doing? Do you think I'm blind? I know where you were tonight!"
Aria rubbed her head. This bothersome woman was giving her a headache. "Madame Giry I have no idea what you are talking about. I was in my bed just now correct?" Reluctantly
Giry nodded. "If I had indeed been out of the dorms, how could I possibly have known you would come in to check on me?"
"I know you were
with Erik!"
Aria glared at the woman. Patience was not a
virtue Aria had much of, and Giry was testing the little she had. "I
may exercise a relationship with whomever I choose! What I do
outside of rehearsal and performances is no concern of yours. I
understand you know of our past friendship?" Madame Giry nodded.
Aria's voice changed and was soft and pleading, "Then Madame
please, why do you insist on trying to separate us? He is the only
friend I have, and I am his. He is so broken and hurt and I am
trying to help him. I know you are not fond of me, but I would never
do anything to harm him. Our connection runs deeper than you may
know. I know you care for him very much, for his sake please, please
don't take that away from him."
Madame Giry stared hard at the girl. "I assume you have not heard of the events which happened here not so long ago?"
"I wished to hear them from Erik alone."
"That is noble, but perhaps not wise. I will respect your wish but I will tell you this. He was betrayed by a woman here, a dancer and singer with immense promise, much like yourself. If I see the events of the past repeating themselves, I will stop them, no matter what."
Aria nodded, "I
understand you feel the need to protect your home. But I do ask that
you remember; I am not this woman. I will never betray Erik."
"So
you say now, and what you consider betrayal may be very different. Erik is very difficult."
Aria smiled brazenly "So am I."
"I am sure. You may go back to bed." As Aria was about to slip into the dorm Madame Giry stopped her. "Aria, Erik did tell me about your relationship with Gustav." Aria blanched, "I hope it will not bother you, but Christine is coming to participate in the upcoming opera."
With tremendous effort Aria forced a smile. "Why would she bother me?"
Giry smiled, "Good."
"But Madame, please do not tell her, about our father." This was the first time she had realized she and Christine were technically half-sisters.
"Of course, that is a matter for you two to discuss."
"Thank you Madame, for listening."
Aria was about to slip through the door, when Madame Giry called out to her. "But Aria," she stopped, "I will be watching."
Haha, so there you go. You almost got lemon in this chapter, but who knows what will happen next chapter? Plus I am having trouble as to what to do with Christine? Any suggestions?
