Chapter 21

Dedicated to my readers…

****Erik's POV****

"I know," said Daroga calmly.

The smile melted off my face, "You knew?" I questioned raising my eyebrow.

"Yes, almost since the boy arrived actually," answered Daroga. My fingers began to twitch.

"You have known for over a week that I have had a son," I said calmly expressing my now growing anger, "and you haven't bothered to tell me?"

"Well to be honest, Antoinette figured it out and told me. I just suggested that we not tell you for safety rea…" before he could finish his sentence as I had thrown him to the ground and began to strangle him.

****Gabriel's POV****

I glanced up to Box 5 where only a few moments ago Mr. Kahn had been sitting. It had only been a few seconds since I last looked at the box but now it was empty. Rehearsal was running smoothly, Carlotta was still fuming at what happened last night but she was still her Prima Donna self.

As I flipped through the papers that had been handed to me, most of them just being random pieces of paper, I heard the voice from one of the stage hands above cry out "Watch out below!" I looked up to see one of the sand bags that was used as a counter balance come hurtling down from the rafters with a back drop not far behind, both were heading straight for Carlotta's head.

Time seemed to slow down; I threw the papers in my hands to the ground and went running. Now I do not like Carlotta, I make that quite clear very often even if I am right in front of her face, my distain starting from when I first arrived at the Opera House when she called me a little rat or something along those lines. But despite my strong dislike for her I still ran in to save her, just moments before the objects were to hit her I jumped.

"Señora Giudicelli," I cried as I crashed into Carlotta getting her out of the way. The sand bag came crashing down on one of my legs sending an excruciating pain up my leg, while the back drop crashed on to my entire body….today was just was not my day.

****Erik's POV****

I stopped strangling a struggling Daroga when I heard a scream that sounded a lot like Carlotta. "Someone get Doctor Renaldi!" I heard someone cry just seconds later. Looking over to a breathing hard Daroga, we nodded and crawled over to the edge of the box looking over the side.

There was not much to look at though, actors and stage hands alike were blocking the view of what was going on, two people came running in with a stretcher. I nudged Daroga in the side with my elbow, "Go see what's going on."

"You do it," he stated.

"Just do it…..please?" I said, he stared at me "I will forgive you about not telling me about Gabriel." Daroga sighed and quickly got up exiting the box. Not even two minutes later he returned with a panic stricken Antoinette, the look in her eyes told me something was wrong.

"It's Gabriel," she said quickly. I jumped to my feet and ran.

**** Gabriel's POV****

I was in pain, really bad pain, it radiated from my lower leg all the way up through my body. Two of the stage hands lifted me onto a stretcher, "Get him to my office, we will have Doctor Renaldi look at him there," said Uncle Richard.

The stage hands brought me to the office very quickly, Great-Uncle Richard followed close behind. When we got to the office, they carefully lifted me off the stretcher had had me sit in one of the chairs, they set my leg up on another chair before they left me alone in the office with just my Great-Uncle.

"I'll be outside waiting for the doctor," he said, his hand on my shoulder, his voice full of concern, "Try not to move."

As he walked away I joked "Really because I think this is the perfect time to take a stroll along the Seine." He looked back at me and shook his head, sighing as he closed the door behind him. I was left alone; well not really, as the main door closed two holes appeared on the portrait on the wall, right where the eyes should have been. The holes were soon reoccupied by eyes once again.

"What did you do boy?" asked my father's voice through the wall.

"I saved Madame Carlotta from a falling sandbag and a back drop," I answered.

"You did what? Why did you do that?" he asked.

"I am not really sure, just a reaction I guess." I said as I tried to lift my now throbbing leg sending a fresh new wave of pain.

"Do not move you will make it worse," he demanded.

"Yes sir," I sighed. The door knob began to turn, my father's eyes disappeared and the holes were once again just painted eyes.

****Erik's POV****

"Are you sure this is a smart idea?" asked Gabriel as he limped behind me with a bag over his shoulder a walking cane in his hand, the doctor said he hadn't injured his leg that badly and that it should be fully healed in about three months.

"Yes." I answered.

"But you have only known that I'm your son for a week, are you sure you have thought this through, me moving down here?" he questioned. I had come up with the idea soon after the doctor left, believing that it would be easier for me to keep an eye on him making sure he didn't injure himself even more than he had.

"I have had plenty of time on my hands, of course I am sure," I stated. When we had reached the waterway, I motioned to the row boat I had tied there, "Here we go into the boat."

I stepped in first then, helped Gabriel as he cautiously stepped into the boat, placed his bag behind him and took an oar; I sat down next to him and grabbed the other oar. "So did you write Evangeline about coming back to Paris for the Ball?" I asked, the annual Ball de Masque was coming up in the upcoming week, Gabriel and I but mostly myself had figured it would be the perfect time to have Evangeline return to Paris.

"Mother? Yes I have written to her, whether or not she'll come is another question?" he stated.

"Why wouldn't she come," I asked.

"Oh I don't know maybe because her supposedly dead husband was the Opera Ghost and she feels as though coming to the Opera House will rip her heart in two knowing how he loved the place," said Gabriel sarcastically.

I turned to him, "Oh come now, I see that as a reason to come. After all she must have so many fond memories of the place."

"If you say so?" he said looking around, "These tunnels aren't so bad when you are not lost in them."

"You will come to know them like the back of your hand in time," I said.

When we reached the lair, I helped him out of the boat. He looked around my cavern home, his eyes filled with amazement. I took his bag from him and placed my hand on his shoulder "Welcome home," I said.

****Gabriel's POV****

It was early the next day; my father had brought me up to Music Room and then left me alone. I was sitting down at the piano as I had done for the last week courtesy of Carlotta. She had declared that I was her hero…god it pained me to be called that by her…that I had saved her from certain doom, so she decreed that I wouldn't have to work until my leg had full healed.

I was just fooling around on the piano playing a simple melody when I sensed someone had come into the room. My fingers continued to slowly move along the keys as I turned my head to see who had come into the room. When I made eye connection with the person I stopped playing and smiled….

****Erik's POV****

I wasn't expecting anyone else to be in the Music Room when I returned, but I have to say it was a nice to surprise to see who was there. Looking in from the hidden compartment I saw the face I had wanted to see again for years a face that for years I thought I would never see again. The long blonde hair tied up into a loose bun, the eyes that showed compassion not matter how mad she had been. I pressed myself very close against the wall as though it would get me a better look. Before my eyes was my angel…my Evangeline.

REVIEWS?

A/N: AND SHE IS BACK! :D It has only been 10 chapters but Evangeline is back baby. Which means we are entering the final chapters of this story, we are offically closer to the sequel than we are the start. Poor Gabriel see what happens when you try to save Carlotta, and I am sure that this will NO way EFFECT what will happen to him later. Up next the Bal de Masques and soon the reuniting of Erik and Evangeline. Check out some THE PHANTOM art on my DeviantArt Page while you wait for the next chapter.