Thank you once again to all my reviewers, and the lovely people who are reading, following my story or have favourited it. Thank you so much.
To Topaz: I am glad I made your day better,
I do not own anything by Gaston Leroux, Susan Kay or Andrew Lloyd Webber, everything else is my own work.
Hallucinations and Guillotines
It had been a lovely day in the main opera house, Andre and Firmin were in good spirits, there was a slight hiccup first thing, when Andre found the Vicomte de Changy that morning hung over and tied to a lamp post naked right outside the opera house, when he arrived for work but after he and his coach driver had freed the Vicomte, Andre had given Raoul a blanket to spare his blushes and Raoul had calmed a shaken Andre promising him that it was as far as Raoul could remember because he was so drunk: Raoul's own friends that had done this not the Fabled and deceased Phantom of the Opera. Andre's coach driver then returned the young Vicomte home.
The rest of the day was just perfect. Andre was slowly walking back from yelling at the scene shifters, telling people how to do their own jobs, ones he would not know how to do himself; It always made him feel better, more like a manager.
He walked past the corridor that led to the cellars when he heard voices, if it was anyone slacking off just before the opera season started he would have their hides for it. Andre walked back to the corner of the corridor and peeked around, ready to leap out and scold the lazy so and so's, when the owners of the voices came into view.
There to Andre's horror were three Opera Ghosts, the first tall and elegant walked down the corridor holding what looked like a cat and a single red rose, the next Opera Ghost was slightly shorter and what skin of his hands Andre could see was a dark olive colour the rest was hidden by a large number of bandages, the third was shorter still, his cloak trailing behind him like a bridal train, this one carried a bouquet of flowers and what looked like a pair of lilac pantaloons. Each Opera Ghost wore an identical suit, shirt. mask, cloak and fedora.
It was too much for Andre, he gave a small squeak of shock turned on his heel and ran like the very devil was behind him straight to the office he shared with Firmin and slammed the door shut locking it.
Once inside he ran to his desk and with shaking hands pulled the drawer open grabbed a bottle of pills tipped two out and threw them down his throat following them with the glass of water that was on his desk.
Firmin looked up from his copy of L Époque. "What on earth is wrong with you?" Firmin demanded,
"Opera Ghosts breeding three of them!" Andre exclaimed still shaking.
"Breeding Opera Ghosts, what poppycock!" exclaimed Firmin "You have got to get control of your nerves, you are seeing Opera Ghosts everywhere. The Opera Ghost is dead! Remember? The mob sorted him out." Firmin proclaimed.
"You look then!" said Andre hiding behind his chair. Firmin rolled his eyes, walked to the door, unlocked it, opened it and looked down the corridor;
just in time to see three Opera Ghosts bearing gifts turn away from the manager's office and head down a corridor that lead to the back of the opera house.
Firmin went pale, seemingly calm he shut the door, locked it again, walked to his desk and reached for a cigar.
"By the saints; you are right!" Firmin exclaimed as he reached over and primed his cigar cutter; a sweet novelty designed to look like a guillotine; he turned to Andre taking a deep breath as if to say something as he pressed the cigar through the hole with his thumb.
He hit the leaver and the little blade came down with a dull thud. As Firmin looked back to what he was doing, to find the still uncut cigar jammed against the side of the cutter but only part of his thumb was resting against the blade. Then the pain kicked in; Firmin dropped the cigar and grabbed his handkerchief from his pocket with his other hand and wrapped his clearly cut thumb in it. He turned back to Andre feeling nauseous.
Andre looked at him, "Firmin are you alright?" Andre asked, as Firmin sat down,
"Andre could you please get someone to call the doctor," Firmin said trying not to pass out.
"God, are you sick?" Andre inquired,
"No," came Firmin's faint response "I appear to have taken the top off my thumb with my cigar cutter."
ooo
The three Opera Ghosts came up to Madame Giry's front door, "Remember," said Erik seriously "We know nothing about a naked Vicomte… Jean did you dispose of his clothes?"
"Yes," said Jean "I gave them to a beggar before we entered the passageway."
"Good thinking," said Erik,
"And I made sure the reporter from L Époque had left before we entered the Rue Scribe gate" said Nadir,
"I told you I would get my own back on that snotty little git one day!" Erik declared, "We may be friends now, but I have a long memory."
"As long as that is the end of it I shall say no more." Nadir finished secretly hoping that Erik had finished his triumph over Christine's former hero.
ooo
Erik knocked on Madame Giry's front door and Madame Giry opened it. In her hand, she had a copy of L Époque, she grinned at the three Opera Ghosts,
"You rotten bastards," Madame Giry sniggered, "I know you set Raoul up, but do not fear the girl's suspect nothing, and I never intend to tell them, there are times in the past when I have been not so fond of that little berk either." Madame Giry informed them "Come through," and recomposing her face to a more serious expression, Madame Giry led the men through to the parlour.
Nadir, entered first and on removing his mask, fedora and cloak gained the sympathy of both Christine and Meg,
"Oh, poor Nadir," cooed Meg "What happened to you?"
Nadir thought for a moment and decided to enhance his story, "I was attacked by a vicious beast, this morning.
"You poor thing!" exclaimed Christine.
At this point, Erik walked into the parlour one hand behind his back and the other held out in front holding the rose and Christine looked at him, as he handed her the rose. Christine bent her head and smelt the delicate scent and smiled.
"I love you my angel" Erik said as he got penitently on his knees. "I am sorry for last night, I was so nervous I over drank that will not happen again."
Christine smiled, "you are forgiven for that, but what happened to Nadir?" Christine asked, "He said he was attacked by a beast this morning."
Erik looked at Nadir who had the decency to at least blush and look at the floor. "He was," said Erik "I had to step in and tame the beast before it and Nadir destroyed my bathroom."
"Bathroom?" asked Christine puzzled,
"Yes," replied Erik, with this he brought his other hand around from behind his back to reveal the beautiful cat who looked at Christine and Mewed at her.
"This is the beast to which Nadir refers!" Erik declared as he handed the cat to Christine, who hugged the little cat, clearly enchanted.
"You may name her whatever you please, she is a rare breed I have only seen once before, a Siamese cat." Erik finished, as he stood up.
"Is she not the sweetest thing you have ever seen!" cooed Christine, she then turned to Nadir and narrowed her eyes, "A beast Nadir?" Christine scowled, "This poor sweet little cat?"
"That poor sweet little cat, caused all my injuries!" Nadir justified.
"Only because you said you could wash her easily." Erik reminded him.
"Cats do not like water," Christine chided him. "Still we forgive you do we not sweetheart?" Christine spoke to the cat who just looked at her yawned then fell asleep in her arms.
"Where is Jean?" Meg asked,
the third Phantom entered the room, "Here my sweet!" replied Jean still holding his gifts;
"What are you doing with Meg's new pantaloons!" Madame Giry demanded as she snatched the lilac items from Jean's grasp, rage and motherly concern infused her voice.
Erik and Nadir, looked at each other and moved to stand behind Meg and Christine, so they were out of the firing line.
Before Jean could answer, Meg stepped in and saved the day. "Maman," Meg said sweetly I have not worn them and I took them down to Christine to show her as she loves the colour lilac."
Christine nodded eager to defuse the ticking Madame Giry.
Meg continued "I must have dropped them without realising it and…"
Christine continued "I found them in my room and folded them up placing a note that said material for Meg on them meaning to bring them back, but I forgot. Jean must have seen them and not realising what they were he just picked up the fabric and brought it back."
The two ladies looked at each other both secretly hoping that the little performance would save Jean's liberties.
Madame Giry surveyed the five people in the room suspiciously, but even Erik managed to maintain an air of such sweet innocence, the five of them looked like a choir of angels, she gave up.
Jean walked forward and handed Meg the vase of flowers, "I too am very sorry for last night, A little token of apology," Jean said penitently "You hang it up using the rope around the neck of the vase."
"Oh!" said Meg "How lovely, a live hanging Bouquet not a dead…"
"Shut up!" said Nadir, Jean, Christine and Madame Giry in unison.
Erik just looked at the ceiling trying not to laugh, "How well suited they are, Meg and Jean are a perfect couple." he thought.
Then Jean said warily "Meg, I have to show you something, please do not hate me for it and please never leave me for it?"
Christine shot a look at her husband, Erik stepped behind Christine and whispered in her ear," He has a few cat scratches on his face, so I coached him how to break it to Meg."
"You always did love dramatics Erik," Christine giggled softly.
Meg slowly walked up to Jean "What… what has happened?" Meg asked nervously,
Jean slowly removed his mask….
"Cat scratches?" Meg responded furiously "All that drama for a few cat scratches?"
Jean looked forlorn "Erik said it would make you feel sympathy for me?" Jean asked hopefully.
"Oh, my sweet beau, you are forgiven for scaring me, however; never do that again!" said Meg grinning at him.
At this point, Erik cleared his throat "Ladies," he said as he addressed Christine, Meg and Madame Giry, "Are we foolish men forgiven?"
The ladies looked at one another,
"Well…." Said Madame Giry,
"Yes!" said Meg and Christine together.
"Since all is well and good, can I suggest a cup of coffee?" asked Madame Giry,
"Thank you but no." replied Nadir "I have a servant who most likely thinks I have run away from home and will be concerned."
Erik and Christine looked at each other smiled and turned to Madame Giry, "No thank you," replied Erik, "We have a cat to settle and other matters to attend to."
"Not before time!" retorted Nadir, which earned him a glare off Erik and a blush from Christine.
Meg walked over to Christine and hugged her "Just relax, from what you have said, I will not see you for some days to come!" Meg whispered in Christine's ear.
Christine just smiled and said, "I will see you later."
Jean said, "I would like a coffee please?"
Madame Giry narrowed her gaze at him, "I am sure you would; you and I have need to have a little talk any way." Jean swallowed and looked nervous.
Nadir made his farewells and left. Erik and Christine with the cat followed suit and left the Giry's and Jean to their little talk.
ooo
On the way, back to the lake house. Christine and Erik walked down one of Erik's passage ways that did not need a lake voyage, concerned that the cat would not appreciate the water.
Once inside the house Christine let the cat down to the floor, the cat promptly ran straight to Erik's reading chair, jumped up settled in and went to sleep.
"Wonderful," remarked Erik "I now have to wage battle for my own chair!"
"Look at it this way, she will keep the seat warm for you," giggled Christine.
"You are not unhappy we kept the cat?" asked Erik,
"No," replied Christine, "She can be my little baby, one I can nurture and still sing on stage with." Christine finished with a wistful look in her eye,
Erik paled gulped and felt faint. Leaning on the back of the couch for support for a moment.
"what will you call her?" Erik asked as feeling less faint he removed his cloak hat and mask,
"What is Siamese in Arabic?" asked Christine,
"Sayami," replied Erik,
"I think we shall call her Saya" Christine decided,
"I like that," agreed Erik, "and now we have returned home the cat is settled, I think it is time for…"
With that Erik picked Christine up in his arms gave her a seductive smile, and went to carry her into his bedroom.
The cat looked up from the chair and raced after them, just making it into the bedroom before Erik shut the door with his foot.
Erik's bedroom door opened slightly, and Erik's hands gently pushed the now indignant cat out into the corridor and then shut the door again, to a chorus of giggles from Christine, then the sounds of a kiss and bliss came from behind the bedroom door.