A/N: I apologize for the huge wait for this chapter! While I was writing, I had some... Complications. In January, there was a bad storm where I live and it knocked out the power right when I was writing and I hadn't saved and lost almost the whole chapter. Then I lost the hard drive where I store the chapters and barely found it a few days ago... Again, I apologize and I'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again. I will also try to update the story ever other week but no promises! I hope you all enjoy the chapter!
Review replies:
grapejuice101: Sorry for not replying to your PMs! I rarely check my account through a computer (usually through mobile) and didn't notice them until yesterday. Anyways, I'm glad you loved the chapter! As for your question... Kind of but not really? By that I mean I'm only going to be using music from the broadway for the sequel but not much else. Maybe a few things here and there but mostly it's just going to be whatever pops into my head...
The Fullmetal Jedi of Paris: True! The only Erik-bashers I've met were on Tumblr and they were just plain rude. I agree, Raoul isn't really a bad character in my opinion and I think he does well with Christine. And Erik does need someone with more compassion and understanding, Christine just can't give that to him.
Guest #1: Thank you! I'm glad you like my story and like Isabelle!
Guest #2: Thank you!
Jazz: I'm glad you like the story- hope you enjoy the chapter and sorry for the long wait!
Potofan123: I'm glad you like the story and enjoy the chapter!
Guest #3: I'm glad you like the story! Sorry for the wait!
Isabelle(1st person):
I woke up to the sound of two types of music being played close to me. One was soft and it sounded a lot like the melody to Masquerade but I wasn't sure. The other one was a slow song but it was played loudly and I didn't recognize the song. Slowly, I blinked my tired eyes open and pulled myself into a sitting position, rubbing the sleep that was threatening to take over out of my eyes. After I was sure I wouldn't be tempted to close my eyes again, I looked around and saw that I was still on the swan bed with the black curtain down and surrounding me.
I turned to the side and saw that the paper mache music box was near me and had played the melody to Masquerade. To my surprise, I saw that the music box looked more like the ones used in the broadway shows, the money taller and creepier- or in my opinion it was.
The other song was still a mystery to me but I guessed that Erik was playing it since the music came from the main room. I reached up for the cord and pulled on it so the curtain would get pulled up. It only took a few seconds and the curtain was soon out of my way and reach. As I stretched my shoulders, I began to wonder where Erik had slept or if he had slept since I had taken the bed.
I felt a small twinge of guilt but I shook it away since he could've taken me back to the Prima Donna room once I fell asleep. Instead of getting up and going to Erik like a normal person would do, I leaned against the pillows and wondered what I was going to do next. I remembered that when Christine had awoken, she had taken Erik's mask off and caused him to get mad and push her down.
Immediately, I told myself I wasn't going to do that and end up making the same mistake that she did. It would be to cruel and upsetting to do it since Erik already did so much for me. Plus, I wanted to get to know him and pulling his mask off would not help in the slightest. I decided that I would just get up and talk to him or something and hopefully not make myself look like a fool. But I knew if I went out, I would have to address the fact that he pretended to be the Angel of Music when he obviously wasn't.
I didn't know how that was going to end but I knew it could end up bad if I didn't choose my words carefully. There were many ways I could go to discuss it but I didn't know which way I should do. I could flat-out tell him that I knew since the beginning but I think I needed more tact than that. Or I could feign innocence and pretend I didn't know until earlier but I'm not the best liar. After a few minuets of thinking it through, I knew how I was going to approach it and what I was going to say.
Hopefully he wouldn't get upset with me and start yelling about this and that. And I prayed that he wouldn't bring up the wedding dress because if he did I would probably go into ninja mode. Which means I shout something random to distract him then take off running. Even if that happened knew I wouldn't get far because one, he was probably faster than me and two, I would probably trip and end up breaking something. That wouldn't be fun, especially since I wasn't wearing any shoes and am more likely to trip.
I took a deep breath to calm my nerves down before I went to the edge of the bed and slid out. The stone floor was cold under my feet and I couldn't help but shiver. Carefully, I began to walk to the main room, doing my best to avoid cracks and dips in the ground. Erik was still playing the organ so I assumed that he didn't know I was awake. He had changed the song he was playing to one that was fast paced. I didn't want to interrupt him while he was playing so I leaned against the wall and listened quietly.
While I listened to the music, I toyed with the charm bracelet still on my wrist. It helped me take my mind off my inner panicking as I looked at all the details on each charm. They all looked like they were hand carved and hand painted. Every detail was precise and planned, not a strand of paint out of place.
Erik continued to play for a few minuets and stopped as he finished the song. I took a deep breath and was about to clap when I noticed that my hair was out of its braid. I froze and looked at my locks of hair, wondering how it got out since I had put it into a solid braid. And the short amount of time that I had frozen was enough time for Erik to begin another song.
As he continued to play, I thought I might as well just go braid my hair before gaining his attention. So I walked back in quietly and easily found my ribbon by the pillows on the swan bed. I nimbly began to put my hair into a french braid and tied it off with the black ribbon. Once I was finished I began to walk out to the entrance only to trip and fall on my face with a loud thud!
"Shit! Ugh, that hurt!" I cursed, rolling on my back and letting out a pain filled groan. I didn't notice that the organ had stopped playing nor did I hear the frantic feet heading my way. "Damn it to hell! Ugh, it still hurts! How the hell did I ever become a dancer?"
"Isabelle? Are you alright?" I heard Erik ask suddenly. I sat up imminently and looked back at him with wide-eyes, only now noticing the lack of music. The pain was still present but I managed to ignore it in my embarrassment.
"O-oh I'm f-fine," I stuttered, feeling my cheeks heat up in a bright blush. I felt like a total idiot, tripping over a small crack in the ground. This was so going as I had planned. "I did not trip on a crack! I mean, who does that these days? That's so seventeenth century!"
Erik chuckled softly, finding my rambling amusing or something. He held his hand out for me to take and after a moment of staring at it with confusion, I reached out and accepted it. He slowly pulled me to my feet and once I was stable, I let go of his hand, still a little embarrassed. For some reason, I couldn't look him in the eyes and instead I looked down at my wrist and began to toy with my charm bracelet. I think the main reason I couldn't look him in the eye was because I just realized the situation I had put myself in. Here I was, standing a few feet away from the man who obviously cared for me and trying to act as if nothing was going on. Also, it might be the fact that I found him extremely attractive and wasn't the most graceful around people I like. And It might be because the damn chemise I was wearing had riled up in my sleep and I wasn't exactly comfortable.
I almost jumped when I felt Erik's smooth hand gently lift my chin up to look at him. Damn, his hands were really warm! Erik didn't say anything as he looked over my face, as if trying to find something that I couldn't see.
"It doesn't appear that you have any injures," Erik commented, slowly, almost reluctantly, letting go of my face. "It might bruise for a bit though."
"Oh joy," I said sarcastically before grinning. "Just what I need, right?"
"Right..."
"So..." I began, looking at the ground and clasping my hands behind my back as I shifted on my feet. My original plan wasn't going to work now so I decided that I was just going to improvise. "You're The Phantom of the Opera..." I darted my eyes up to see Erik nod slowly, as if trying not to scare me. "But you're also my Angel of Music, right?" I saw him nod his head again. "Okay then! I just wanted to get that cleared!"
"You... You're not afraid of me?" Erik asked, his eyes wide with shock. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and instead shook my head with a smile. "Why?"
"Well you have been my Angel of Music and never once have you threatened me or treated me unkindly," I began, thinking over my words carefully. "You've been very kind and listened to me during lessons when I was pi- angry and needed someone to let it all out to. And you can't forget that you've taught me so much and made me a way better singer then I was before." I smiled at him, "just because you're not actually an angel, doesn't mean I'm going to hate or be afraid of you.
"Even if you're the scary and mean Phantom to others, you're still the kind Angel to me. Although I am a bit angry that you didn't just tell me who you really were in the beginning," I saw Erik flinch. "I understand why you did though, you probably thought I wouldn't except you offer for training." I bit off a grin when I found a way to start my plan. "But because of the lies you're going to have to do something in order to fully gain my trust."
"What?" Erik asked, his eyes pleading. I felt a little bad but didn't let it stop me from doing my plan. "I'll do whatever you need me to do to gain your trust back."
"Well it's more like what we're going to have to do," I said, letting my smile through. "We're going to have to get to know each other!" I saw Erik falter a bit. "Nothing to serious at the beginning, just little random things about each other. Like favorite color and time of day! That kind of stuff!"
"I.. think I can... manage that," Erik said after a moment, nodding his head with a smile. "Do... Do you want to start now?"
"Sure! Can we sit somewhere though?" I asked. Erik nodded and lead me to a table, pulling the chair out for me to sit. I smiled in thanks and waited for him to sit down in return. "Okay first lets set the rules! I ask a question with my answer and then you answer the question. Then you ask your own question and give me your answer and then I answer it. I hope that makes sense." Erik merely nodded his head. "First things first, what's your name? I know you already know mine!"
"My name?" Erik asked slowly, his brows furrowed. I guessed he wasn't used to that question and it made my heart clench with pain. "It's Erik..."
"Erik," I tested the name out, even though I already knew his name and had said it before. "I like it! It suits you! Now your turn!"
"What's..." I saw his brows furrow as he tried to come up with a question. His brows with furrowed in thought and after a minuet of no question, he almost meekly asked, "what's your favorite season? Mine's winter..."
"Mine too! We're winter buddies now," I exclaimed, raising my hand for a high-five. He stared at my hand with confusion. "High-fives haven't been done yet, have they?"
"No?"
I groaned as I lowered my hand in embarrassment, another blush across my face. "Nevermind that... What's your favorite color? Mine's dark blue, like the sky as it approaches nightfall."
"I like black the most although I'm fond of red to," Erik responded much quicker than the last time. "Favorite instrument? Mine is an organ…"
And that's how our morning went, with both of us asking each other personal yet silly questions. I enjoyed it, seeing that Erik let himself out of his little shell just to gain my trust. Of course I already trusted him before but this was the only way for us to get to know each other. Or the best way to get to know each other. I don't know how long we simply asked each other questions but Erik suddenly tensed and looked up, frowning.
He stood up and walked over to me, holding his hand out. "Come, we must return... Those two fools who run my theatre will be missing you."
"Oh okay," I said grabbing his hand and letting him help me into the gondola. The trip back to the Prima Donna room was filled with him telling me a few things about the opera being played tonight and he gave me tips for when I was the Countess. He seemed sure that I was going to be playing her but something told me that I wasn't. As we got back to the Prima Donna room, I turned to him after opening the mirror.
"Thank you Erik," I smiled. "For... you know... Everything I guess... And letting me get to know you. We're going to have to do this again soon," Quick as I could be, I reached up on the tips of my toes to kiss his unmasked cheek before hurrying through the mirror with a bright blush. I refused to look back as I went behind the dressing screen to wait for the mirror to close. When I heard the mirror click close, I waited a few moments before coming out with my shoes. I slid them on before I fixed my chemise that I realized had riled up again. I turned to the vanity and took my hair out of its braid before beginning to brush my hair.
"I need to bathe," I murmured before walking out of the Prima Donna room and heading toward the ballerina's dorms. As I walked inside, I saw that everyone was already gone and I guessed that practice had already started. I didn't stop to think about it long, making my way to my trunk and pulling a few things out before heading to the bathes.
Forty minuets later, I was sitting in the storage room sketching a picture of a sleeping Fenris. I had slipped into a long, black skirt and a long-sleeved dark blue shirt after I had taken a long and hot bath. Turning to the side, I looked up at the light blue sky that was filled with white clouds. It looked so peaceful and so different then the sky from the future. The sky where I came from was still the came color but it didn't look as clean as it did now.
"There you are!" I heard a voice exclaim from the door to the storage room. Turning toward the room, I saw Meg rush toward me. "I've been looking all over for you!"
"Hello Meg," I said, standing up and closing my book. Fenris lifted his head as he woke up and stared at Meg with a tilt of his black-furred head. I frowned when I looked into Meg's eyes and saw the bright worry in them. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"No! It's just that," Meg ringed her hands out nervously. "You see... Emma, Christine, and I went looking for you yesterday but-"
"But they weren't able to find you," a sharp voice said from the door. I turned and saw Madame Giry walk in, giving Meg a hard look. "But it doesn't matter anymore, you're here now and that's whats important."
"Good morning Madame Giry," I said politely, bowing my head slightly. I turned to Meg, "sorry for worrying you guys... I fell asleep in box 5 when I went to clean it." A little lie wouldn't hurt her or anything... I turned and saw Madame Giry give me a nod of approval for lying. It didn't make me feel any better for lying to one of my best friends.
"Why didn't we think of looking there?" Meg muttered to herself before turning back to me. "Wilhelm was worried for you... You should go tell him what happened."
"I will," I nodded.
"But after that I want you to go rest," Madame Giry told me. "I don't know how well you... slept last night and you need to rest up before the show tonight."
"Yes Madame," I bowed my head again before going off to find Wilhelm. It didn't take me long for he was in the music room and it was one of the first rooms I looked in. "Hey big brother!"
"Isabelle!" Wilhelm exclaimed, setting his cello down as he walked over to be and hugged me close. "I thought the Phantom got you! I thought that maybe... Maybe he had fallen in love with you like he did with Christine and taken you to his home and refused to let you leave!"
"How do you know that's not what happened?" I semi-joked but winced when I was Wilhelm pale. "I'm just joking! Nothing like that happened, Will. You have nothing to worry about. Hell, I haven't even talked to him since that one day in box 5! And let me tell you... it sucks!"
"My poor, lonely Izzy," Wilhelm cracked a grin before letting me out of the hug. I felt bad about lying to Wilhelm but I knew it was for the best. "Where did you go anyway? And what voice did Raoul hear in the Prima Donna room?"
"Oh Raoul must have heard the music off my phone that I turned on," I shrugged, doing my best to lie to Wilhelm. "And I went to clean box 5 after Raoul went and talked to me. I didn't really feel like eating so I snuck out before he could come get me."
"Why didn't you just decline the offer?"
"Raoul doesn't like to take 'no' for an answer," I grinned. "Sorry for making you worry though..."
"It's fine," Wilhelm shrugged and grabbed his cello and bow. "As much as I want to continue to talk, I have to go practice my part with the other musicians. I'll see you later!"
"See ya," I waved goodbye before I made my way to the ballerina dormitories. As I got in, I put my sketchbook back into my trunk before plopping on my bed. It wasn't long before Emma came running through the door with a sad and disappointed look on her oval-shaped face.
"What's wrong, Emma?" I asked with worry, getting up from my bed to try to comfort my friend. "Did something bad happen?"
"Something bad did happen but not to me," Emma shook her head before staring at me large pity filled eyes. "Something bad happened to you... Meg just told me about it."
"Wait what happened?" I asked with confusion. I didn't remember anything bad happening, everything this morning had went pretty smoothly and nicely.
"Carlotta came back and she's going to be the role of the Countess!" Emma frowned. "You were supposed to be the one to get it since you took over the main lead in the last opera because Carlotta left. She took the part that was meant for you! Now your supposed to play as the page-boy, the one silent role in the Opera!"
"Oh," I murmured, looking away. I felt heartbroken, like I had just tasted fame and suddenly it was ripped away from me and smashed into the ground. But a part of me wasn't surprised, it wasn't like I expected Carlotta to never return. I think I was mainly disappointed because Erik had already given my tips for the role but I wasn't going to be to use them. I hope he doesn't get mad when he finds out that I'm not the Countess like he wanted. "That's..."
"Heartbreaking? Upsetting? Unfair? A bad choice?" Emma supplied.
"Disappointing," I sighed, running my hand through my loose white locks. "I should probably go to Madame Giry and see what she wants to me wear and stuff..."
Emma nodded her head before disappearing out of the room. I slowly began to braid my hair as I walked to where I knew Madame Giry usually was. As I walked, I heard the sound of multiple people singing and I recognized the melody that belonged to Prima Donna. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Raoul coming in my direction and I quickly darted behind a pillar to hide, not wanting to let him see me. I winced as I heard him sing under his breath,
"Isabelle spoke of an angel…
Is this her angel of music?"
I stayed behind the pillar as Raoul disappeared into the small chapel. I could still hear him sing as he did heaven knows what down there. Though I suspected he was looking for some sign of Erik.
"Orders! Warnings!
Lunatic demands!"
His voice got louder as he walked back out, anger and frustration in his voice as he sang,
"I must see that these demands are rejected!"
For a moment, I stared in the direction of where Raoul disappeared before letting out a sigh. I hoped that whatever Raoul was planning wouldn't be to much of a problem and cause Erik to flip out. A few moments passed before I went back looking for Madame Giry. She was looking at costumes and picking up a few articles of clothing. I frowned as I heard her sing sadly,
"She has heard the voice of the
Angel of Music."
"Hello Madame Giry," I said after she finished singing. She turned to look at me slowly, her sadness still present in her eyes. "Emma told me who I am playing as... Do you have the costume for me?"
"Yes my dear," Madame Giry nodded and handed me the bundle of clothes. "Put this on with dark make-up... Don't put on any accessories..." She eyed my charm bracelet with a suspicious expression. "On second thought, it might be best to keep that on." I frowned, not understanding what she meant but I didn't stop to ponder it.
Looking over the clothes that I was supposed to wear as the page-boy, I murmured, "he isn't going to be happy about this, is he?"
"No, he is not," Madame Giry sighed. "The managers have forced him to place his curse on this opera house..."