Disclaimer: I absolutely do NOT own, nor do I gain any monetary subsidies, for this fan fiction story. The characters, setting, names belong to the author that created them (Leroux, Kay), BUT the plot is all mine!
Author's Note: Hello all! Well, this is technically the last chapter of the story and BOY is it long and action-packed!! After this, there is only the epilogue. Thanks for all the support (and enjoyment that you all seem to have received from this story). I have enjoyed writing this immensely! I want to thank every single reviewer and reader! God bless. Feel free to let me know what you all think!
Another work I am working on is Mind of the Misanthrope, which is a good read as well. The plot is more in depth than even this one. I recommend you read that story. Please review if you choose to read it!
Chapter Twenty- The Final Confrontation
William lay on his side of the bed; his twisted flesh stared at the beautiful sleeping form next to him. She was so gorgeous, and he was sure that her God showed him mercy by letting His angel come to him. With a pale hand, he stroked her cheek and woke her up. After the wretched phone call, his mood soured as he drove them to another safe house outside Rennes. Today, they would finally wed and he was ecstatic.
Her green eyes were hazy as she slowly woke up confused by her surroundings, but as soon as she saw him, she smiled broadly.
"Hello, my love."
Touching his marred cheek, he leaned into her hand with a sigh of contentment. He responded by leaning towards her lips. As soon as their lips touched, all of the restrained passion was released. Her moan of pleasure when his tongue entered her mouth aroused him further and he rolled atop of her. He needed her now and nothing would ruin this moment.
Stopping for a moment, they simply stared in each others' eyes. There was no denying the deep love the two shared. William would make this right; he would right all the wrongs before she became his wife. Rising to his feet, he pulled her to her feet as well.
His deep voice beckoned to her, "Come with me, my angel. I need to clear some things up before I deserve the chance to become your husband." Despite her curious countenance, she followed him to the balcony of the house that overlooked the small country road as the groups of people walked down oblivious of the two above them.
Sitting on the small settee, she looked at him with loving adoration as he kneeled before her, taking her hands into his. His marred flesh contorted as his forehead creased with thought. His hazel eyes glinted with remorse and guilt, and she wanted nothing more than to kiss him to make him forget all the pain. However, she knew he must do this.
She shuddered as he stroked her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb before his alluring voice spoke.
"Stacia, oh my love, I have done you so much wrong; I am afraid I do not deserve your forgiveness...again. However, I cannot live without you in my life. All of this chaos with Desslar has left you emotionally traumatized, something for which I am to blame. I pray for your forgiveness."
With her thumb, she stroked his bottom lip as he previously done hers, before whispering earnestly, "You, my beloved, will always have my forgiveness."
Solemnly, he replied, "I do not deserve it."
"If mankind got what they deserve, no one would be happy."
She incredulously looked at his astonished expression and smiled. He closed his eyes as he brought her hands to his lips. Taking a deep breath, he gathered the courage to speak once more.
"You are my soul's mate, but before I wed you, I need you to know what I have not told you. I…I would do anything to protect you; you know this. I have been ordered to kill Erik Desslar. If I do not, then she will have you killed to punish me."
"What? No, you promised me! You promised me that this vendetta with Erik was over!"
He hissed, "Yes, I know, my love! I know I promised, but I will do anything to protect you! This deal I made with this woman was set in stone at the time. In order for me to find the man who murdered my sister, I had to agree to rid the world of the masked man. Had I known that you would give me a future, I never would have agreed to it."
"Who is this woman?"
"Her name is Madeline. She is Erik's mother and she is determined to have her son murdered. I have never seen such loathing, and it's unfathomable how much she hates her own son."
"What are you going to do?"
"The problem is if I do nothing, then she will have you killed. I want a life for us, my angel. We cannot have a life together if we are constantly on the run. Yet, I do not want to break my promise to you. However, I need to let you know because you are to become my wife. Not one secret between us…That is what we promised each other. What do you want me to do?"
"I don't know, and right now I don't care. All I want is to love you right now. All that matters is us."
Standing up, she smiled as she stuck her hand out to him which he accepted. Leading him back into the house, his burned flesh twist distorted as he wondered what she was planning. She led him to the bed where she sat him down at the foot. Pressing her index and middle fingers to his lips, she asked him to wait for a moment. Smiling he did as he was told.
Three minutes later she came out with a small box. Opening it, she revealed a locket. Incredulously, he took it and opened the locket to reveal what was inside. Immediately, tears sprang to his eyes as he looked from the jewelry to his fiancée in absolute adoration.
"William, I went to a custom jeweler who put these photos of your mother and sister in the locket. I know how much they meant to you and I wanted to do something in their memory."
Putting the locket back in the box and placing it on the coffee table, he pulled her to him. He kissed her lips with brutal force; their tongues explored the other's mouth while he lay down with her in his arms. His hands ached to touch her bare skin, but were temporarily satisfied with caressing her face. When she kissed his marred face, she also kissed away his salty tears.
Soon she began to leave a trail of kisses down his jaw-line and his neck where then she bit into his skin before using her tongue to alleviate the sting. He hissed with painful pleasure before groaning as heat began to build within his body. Waves of aroused pleasure began to pulse within the lower part of his body until his resolve crumbled and he ached for her. They had not been this intimate in months since he started the revenge ploy against Erik.
To his surprise, he felt her warm mouth on his chest exploring; tasting his muscular chest and abdomen as she slowly removed his shirt. His eyes began to roll up in his head as he tried to reign in his lust otherwise he truly would consummate the marriage before it even took place. Her trail of kisses was now near his naval, and his mind was clouded with desire and pure want.
Rolling over so he was on top of her, his hazel eyes searched her glazed green ones. Her lips were parted in such an inviting way that William had to struggle to keep focus. Her bottom lip quivered slightly as she elicited a small moan, "Please, William…"
Smiling, he descended upon her and their lips met together in a passionate display of their love. She opened her mouth and allowed him entrance, which he gladly plunged his tongue into her warm mouth. Thank goodness that the two were not on their feet for that kiss because if they had, their knees surely would have given way. He bit her bottom lip tenderly before whispering her name in a loving manner. Pressing his forehead on hers, he closed his eyes as he tried to regain his breath.
She grasped both sides of his disfigured face with her hands as she looked at him. Smiling, they both kissed each other's cheeks with tender loving care. After that, he rolled on his side as she did to face him. They entwined their hands next to their heads. For a minute, the two enjoyed the amorous moment before Stacia broke the silence.
"I wish that Christine would open her eyes, so Erik can make her as happy as you make me."
Stroking her cheek affectionately, he gave a gently insightful response, "As surprising as it sounds, I hope so, too, my angel. Erik has led a hard life. Even if I do not necessarily like the man, he is your friend and I will try to respect that. Despite all the complications I have with him, he and I understand each other's pain. However, his personal pains from the past far surpass mine. My mother and sister loved me, but he never had a family. His father is a jerk while his mother is out to make sure he dies."
"What are you going to do? Are you going to kill him?"
"Sweetheart, I think I may have a way to save us all from additional pain; however, you must not be apart of it for your own safety."
"I understand, beloved, and I trust you. Do what you think is right. Now…you have to go…"
"Why is that?"
"Don't you know it is bad luck to see your bride in her wedding dress on the wedding day?"
He laughed genuinely before rolling out of bed. Both of them could think of nothing except marrying each other, a dream that they had for years.
--
Paul was more irritated than he had been in such a long time. He was impatiently awaiting the arrival of his son, Damien, and his longtime friend and co-conspirator, Michael Tourna, to meet him in the abandoned warehouse.
Debienne and Poligny (Michael's and Paul's fathers respectively) were recently arrested for five counts of capital murder, embezzlement, fraud, organized crimes, and white collar crimes where it was rumored that the prosecution had solid evidence that would send them to prison for the rest of their lives.
Yet, the former opera managers managed to ensure their criminal sons would not be implicated in any of those crimes. So while they suffered, their sons would be free to continue their fathers' legacy.
A loud sound erupted from behind Paul, startling him. Turning around to the frost encrusted windows that let the small amount of moonlight stream in, he only saw darkness. Then appearing in the soft light, he recognized his son and Michael.
Whispering furiously, "Where have you two been? I have been waiting for nearly an hour!"
Damien, a tall and lithe young man with blue eyes and curly black hair, looked much like an angelic cherub in the face, but he was as much the monster as his father. He also had the temper of a tiger. Quiet and serene…until provoked…
"Relax, father. It's all been arranged. The idiots, Andre and Firmin, told Michael and me the whole ploy to lure Desslar out in the open so the police can take him in to custody. But we will get him first."
Paul sighed with annoyance and crossed his arms, "How do you propose we kill him in a room filled with people and police? That is a wretched idea, son! Desslar will surely have something planned."
Michael gave that signature sinister grin before replying, "Calm down, Paul. I recently received a phone call from someone who very much hates Desslar as much as we do. She can help us succeed. She after all is here to talk to us about what she has in store for that horrid man."
"A woman? Don't tell me you found some whore the masked man banged…"
A soft but beautiful voice, very reminiscent of Desslar's, reverberated through the warehouse once again startling Paul who was unaware that someone was listening. A woman emerged from the same shadows the two men had come out from.
Her eyes were a fiery gold and her deep chestnut colored hair was slightly wavy. Her high cheekbones gave her face a feminine and thin appearance. She was of healthy stature with bronze skin. However, there were slight wisps of grey in her hair and lines around her eyes that indicated her age. Yet, overall, she was still a very beautiful woman.
And a beautiful woman Paul recognized immediately as none other than Madeline Desslar, the mother of the hideous masked man. She was alive! But how?!
"Hello Paul. It has been a long time hasn't it. I bet you had not expected me to live; in fact, I can bet my life you believed I was dead. But I am not."
Paul's heart thundered in his chest before he erupted with utter rage, "You! You are the reason that bastard still breathes! You are the reason my wife is dead! Everything that has happened because of Erik is your fault!"
Her eyes flashed angrily and she jabbed her finger an inch from his face. Her voice was low and filled with venom as she spoke to Paul, "You are as much as I to blame for Erik. Had you not tried to kill me during all nine months of my pregnancy, he would have been born normal! You also had plenty of chances to kill him yourself after that bitch died and you didn't! You are pathetic because you now need my help to finally kill that man. I had to come back to life in order to make sure our son's life ended!"
Damien stood shell-shocked by this revelation before he pushed past Madeline, surprising her, and shoved his father with fury.
"You cheated on my mother! You slept with this woman! How could you not tell me this?! How could you not tell me that Desslar is my half-brother?"
Paul shoved his son back before gripping his shoulders and exclaiming wildly, "He is not your brother or of your blood! This woman was a slut when I met her. Who knows who that masked man's father is! He is probably some drunken crack addict from the streets. She tried to ruin my life…tried to hurt your mother with that lie. I could not let that happen, son! Tell me you understand."
Madeline crossed her arms across her chest with a smug countenance as she responded to Paul's claims.
"Damien, your father is the one who needs to be second-guessed. He did not only sleep with me; he slept with a whole brothel of women before and after me. I know who the father of my wretched child was then and I still know him now. He is not some drunken crack addict as your father claims. He is a great man. Paul, you and I both know that we need to work together to get rid of the masked man before he ruins all of our lives. He is close to finding out the whole truth. I had a very capable man who had every motive and desire to kill Erik, but then he got soft because of a woman. And your plan at the Masquerade Ball was ill-planned and prematurely done."
The judge folded his arms across his chest, mimicking her and pouted as his son glared disdainfully in his direction. Michael had remained silent during the exchange and he wished that he could speak so desperately that he clenched his teeth to keep from speaking out. His love for Madeline had not faded in the slightest during the two decades. He wanted to hold her to him and kiss her all over.
To this day, Paul had no idea of his betrayal and if he ever found out, Michael knew he'd pay with his life. No one ever double-crossed Paul without paying for it with his life. It simply was the way it was.
So he swallowed his words, having full faith in Madeline's ability to defend her self. He too had been surprised by the fact she had lied about her death for quite sometime. Grieving for years, he had never truly gotten over her 'death.' Two days ago, he got a phone call from her and his world suddenly had purpose once more. Building an empire under a pseudonym, she made quite a fortune and a name for herself.
Yet, she still loved him too after all these years. She had been too afraid of Paul to come out of hiding and secretly feared having children because she did not want another freak like Erik. Those two fears kept her from telling him she was alive. However while reading a newspaper from her trip to Rennes; she came across the Masquerade Ball Massacre. It was there she read about her hated son and that soft man, William Addams. She was furious at his sudden conscience, but she resolved that he would go through with it if she threatened the woman he loved.
Men were so easily manipulated by the women that hold their hearts. She should know; she almost paid with her life but had survived. After calling Michael two days ago, the two met at an upscale restaurant and retreated to her loft where they made love all night.
Nothing and no one would hold her back from being with the man she loved. So, the four of them worked out their issues (withholding the necessary information) and she informed them of what they were going to do the night of her freak of son's warped opera.
--
Erik Desslar was pacing while listening to Rachmaninoff in hopes to get rid of the negative feelings and broken heart he had. Nothing soothed the raw ache that was tearing him apart from the inside out. He wanted to destroy everything around him, but that would not do him any good.
Nadir, for years, had been his only friend and conscience. And throughout the years, he had learned much about emotions and life from his Iranian police comrade. Erik knew that while he was angry, he was truly just devastated by Christine's utter betrayal and Nadir was the only person that could get through his anger to his heart.
He had an ominous plan that would get her to face the detriment she had caused his heart by her agreeing to help the police kill him. Staring into the mirror he looked at his ravaged face…if you could call it a face. With a cry of rage, he flung the mirror from the wall and threw it on the floor where it shattered into millions of pieces. His rage was not satiated so he overturned all of the furniture in the living quarters of the underground home before he was through.
Placing his back on the wall and sliding down to the ground exhausted by his antics, he put his bleeding hands over his head as he wept from the hurt that now settled in the anger's place.
The same disquietude that brought peace to people only brought him more misery because the silence just reminded him of how alone and isolated…unloved…he was. Suddenly, the door opened and Nadir entered. Not even batting an eye at the damaged room, he placed an empty duffel bag on the floor in front of the deformed man who stared emptily at him.
"This is your bag. You are leaving the country tonight. I talked with your superiors at MI-6 and they want you back. You were one of their best agents. Your supervisor Charles Dubois has already lined up field assignments for you in Zimbabwe and the British Isles."
Limply waving a white skeletal hand, Erik moaned into his other hand before responding with a groan, "No, Daroga, I am not leaving. I need to finish my business here then I will leave."
Nadir paused as he looked at the masked man before he questioned in his emotionally detached police interrogative technique, "You know about the managers' ploy, don't you?"
Erik bitterly laughed and scoffed, "You mean the idiot de Chagny's plan to have me killed. I can't say as I blame him. I'd be afraid of me too. Oh do not look at me like that Khan! You have nothing to worry about. I am not going to hurt anyone and I do not intend to die. I just need…closure…"
Nadir sighed before lowering himself to Erik's level and looked at him squarely in the face, knowing it made the usually masked man uncomfortable.
"I cannot stop you nor will I even try. Just promise me to do your best to stay alive with as little casualties as possible."
Desslar chuckled darkly before retorting loudly, "Promises are made to catch gulls with, Nadir…" Then he added softly, "But I will give you my word to your terms."
Placing a warm hand on the man's shoulder, the Iranian smiled softly before responding in his accented voice, "That is all I ask, my friend. If you need me for anything, you know where to find me."
As the Middle Eastern man began to walk towards the door, Erik's last sentence stopped him cold.
"If anything does happen to me, I want you to take care of Madame Giry and little Meg. They will need the help in order to survive. This blasted opera house does not pay enough for even a rich man to survive. And make sure Christine…is happy."
Befuddled, the Persian turned around to find the room was empty. His friend had vanished into thin air, and this time, Nadir had an overwhelming sense of dread.
--
Premiere Night of Don Juan Triumphant
A loud screech erupted in the chaotic backstage, "You call zis water? A peasant's spit would taste better zan zis garbage!" Madame Carlotta with her Botox-tight face nearly frightened all of the staff as she trudged around barking orders. She threw the water down and then became enraged when a stagehand moved the location of the stagelights.
"And you! You need to fix ze lights, pronto! I need zem all on me as I enter ze stage! Vamanos!"
The stagehands and most of the ballet girls rolled their eyes in annoyance as Carlotta continued to act as if she were the boss. Then they all moved to the side as the orchestra strolled by with their instruments in their arms following their conductor.
Monsieur Reyer was a small man with wild gray hair and a wizened face, but he was a kind soul. He also was developing a headache from all the commotion, and he had not patience for the Spanish diva's fit especially that day.
"Madame, we do not have time to remodel the Opera House to your standards. We all are nervous with all the police activity here tonight, and I suggest you be silent because no one needs to create a disturbance."
It was highly unusual for Monsieur Reyer to speak out, but whenever he did, everyone listened to him and Carlotta was no exception. Christine Daae had the leading role and the Spaniard only had a minor role as instructed by the Opera Ghost although she was clearly disgruntled by this.
As the swarms of police raced around in order to find their proper place, there was an anxious feeling in the air. The Opera House was abuzz with rumors and gossip about the mysterious enigma that held such power to bring the entire police force bombarding the theater.
While the commotion was occurring, Christine was in her dressing room and had just finished getting dressed as the lead female, Aminta. Sitting down at her settee, she took some powder to blot out the puffiness and redness from her eyes. She had been crying all morning about what was ahead of her.
She did not want to hurt Erik; Lord, she loved him so much! Second doubts were eating away at her nerves and heart. More than anything, she wished she and Erik could be together for the rest of their lives, but there was no possible way.
She just had to be content with the way her life would be: married to Raoul de Chagny, have a nice luxurious life filled with all amenities, and possible children. While that life seemed great and appealing to most people her age, Christine did not wish for that future. She wanted Erik, pure and simple.
Sighing heavily, she closed her eyes and said a small prayer as she set her powder to the side before heading to the stage. As she wandered down the hall, several armed police officers rushed past her with their bullet-proof vests, large weapons, helmets, and black attire.
As the fear and regret resurfaced and started to gnaw at her stomach, she became distracted as Meg and Raoul met her at the backstage entrance. Hugging both of them, she waited for one of them to speak as they both had a peculiar look on their faces. Her fiancé was the first to take the opportunity.
"Christine, there you are! We have been worried that you may have run away!" His jovial tone revealed that he was joking but Christine did not find the humor. She truly did wish to run away and never turn back. She was in love with two men, but her heart belonged to Erik first and always would.
Meg interrupted her thoughts as she pulled her hand and excitedly spoke, "Christine, come! The premiere of the opera is in ten minutes. We need to get in position before Mama kills us both!"
Smiling softly, Christine tried to swallow the dread that had risen and settled in her throat. Wringing her wrists, she took her place behind the stage and waited for the show's beginning in order to bring an end to her loved one.
--Meanwhile--
Madame Giry rushed past the police officers as she spotted the infamous Afghan hat that patrolled the theater among the audience in the aisles. With his back to her, Nadir did not hear her approach and startled when she grabbed his arm.
"Nadir, what are we going to do? How are we going to help Erik with all of the police here that are looking for him?"
When she saw his solemn face, dismay filled her being because she knew that they could do nothing to help their masked friend. He hugged her, which shocked her because he always had a phobia about public displays of affection. Yet, she was not going to complain. She was going to enjoy his warm embrace.
"I am so sorry, Antoinette. I tried to get him to leave the country and return to England. He refused until he goes through with his plan. Yet, he is well aware of Raoul de Chagny's arrangement to have him arrested or killed. There is a chance he is prepared…Don't look at me like that, Anne. I can do nothing to stop him. You know how unruly and uncontrollable he is when he gets like this!"
"I know, Nadir. I know. However, I am still afraid for him. He is like our brother, and it would kill me to lose him. I also worry that innocent people will get hurt in the crossfire."
Turning her back she crossed her arms and sighed contentedly when Nadir took her in his arms once more. Whispering in her ear, his comforting words spread through her form like water down the throat on a hot day, "Do not fret, Anne. I will do whatever it takes to make sure no one is hurt during the unraveling of this plan."
Soon he let her go when William Addams and Stacia approached them in the crowd. They all greeted each other before moving to the shadows in order to have more privacy to talk. Once they all were out of earshot from the nosy crowd and police, Nadir spoke first.
"What are you two doing here? I thought you called and told me that you were going to get married tonight. Anne and I have this handled."
Five squad members raced by before William responded sarcastically, "Yes, I can clearly see that you two have this situation handled."
Rolling his eyes, the Iranian implored, "Addams, get your lover and get out. I have no idea what Erik has planned but whatever it is, it isn't good. You better be on the safe side and leave now before things get worse."
At that moment, Carlotta's screeching reverberated around the auditorium. She was causing a scene by screaming at Christine who stood pale and fearful in front of the audience who now took their seats.
"Too late now…"
Suddenly, the lights flickered on and off and a loud boom erupted as screams echoed throughout the theater. When the lights finally came back on, Carlotta was screaming while holding her bloodied head with a busted light lying next to her on the ground. Some of the backstage employees came and helped her off the stage as she moaned and complained the whole way. The audience was dead silent then erupted into a fit of applause, ignorant of the dangerous action that had just transpired by Erik's hand.
Stacia and William made eye contact before he departed to backstage as the curtain lifted for Act I of Erik's masterpiece. Nadir soon followed his suit, leaving the two women behind to do nothing but wait and watch.
Backstage, the burned man disregarded the shrieks and snickers from the onlookers as he made a straight bee-line towards Christine who was waiting for her introduction. Right when she was to make her debut, William yanked her backwards. Visibly shaken, her eyes narrowed when she saw him.
"You! I have to go out there now. Erik is waiting for me."
"You listen to me Daae. I know you love that masked fiend, and I am trying to make things right for my fiancée. Stacia and Erik are friends, and she wants you two to be together because you and Desslar love each other. To please her, I am here to try to convince you not to go through with this. Go and find Desslar. Escape while you two still have time."
Her blue eyes flickered with conflicting emotion and question. Then she crossed her arms across her chest and defiantly looked back at that badly burned man.
"You think you know me I suppose…Well, you don't. Your lover needs to mind her own business. I am engaged to Raoul. I love him. You and that woman need to butt out of our lives."
William's fists clenched before he grabbed her wrist to prevent her from moving to the stage. His anger was obvious as he calmly yet venomously spoke to her.
"Because of you and Erik Desslar, the entire police force is out there. The audience is full of innocent people that most likely will get hurt and your indecision is breaking your fiancé's heart. Do not think for one second that you are fooling any one. Raoul is not a dumb man. Even if Erik dies, de Chagny will see the grief and love in your eyes…for another man. I guarantee that. So you decide. If you step out on that stage and innocent people get hurt, it will be entirely on your head."
With that said he walked away. Christine glanced from his retreating form then back at the stage. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out into the spotlight on the stage. Monsieur Reyer had played the same intro music at least four times during her delay and the audience was more attentive now that she had appeared.
Beginning her aria, she knew that she had sealed Erik's fate with her decision. Raoul and the managers watched from Box Four with keen interest. He was looking for that infernal masked man while the police squadrons were hidden throughout the Opera House also waiting for the arrival of their target.
Stacia greeted her beloved when he and Nadir returned. She kissed him and they retreated to the same shadows when they were speaking before. Madame Giry and Nadir shared a knowing glance before they took their seats on the far right, wary of what was about to transpire.
"Did you speak to her?"
"Yes, Stacia, and it did no good. She is determined to go through with this murder ploy. She thinks it's the right choice…that we are merely trying to deter her from what is right."
"How can she believe that this is right?"
"The same way I believed that murdering Desslar was the right thing to do…until love showed me I was wrong."
"I love you, William. Promise me that you won't do anything to jeopardize our future."
"Oh Stacia, I love you so much."
They embraced and kissed passionately, yet she was aware that he did not make the promise nor would he likely do so. Before she could respond, he tore himself from her embrace and left her alone in the shadows as he disappeared.
--On the Stage--
'This was it!' Her mind screamed. The passionate duet between Aminta and Don Juan, and her heart was beating so fast, she got light-headed. The audience was enraptured by the powerful music of her Erik's masterpiece. She had not seen her masked man the entire time and was beginning to feel elation at the prospect he was not coming and had escaped.
Yet as she concluded her part of the aria, she instantly recognized her maestro's voice as the counterpart of Point of No Return. Immediately the audience's attention shifted from her to the black cloaked hooded figure to the left of the stage. Everyone became entranced by the magnitude and mesmerizing quality of the man's voice. Even the police squads, managers, and the Viscount were all hypnotized.
Christine shuddered beneath his ominous gaze, for only she could see those gold orbs that bore into her eyes. Slowly approaching on foot, he sang the decrescendo as he came closer to the woman who had shattered his heart.
Erik then outstretched his arms and slowly enclosed them around her waist, pulling her back to his chest while singing intimately in her ear. She shivered with desire and fear when he roamed his long fingers across her shoulder's flesh. His lips lowered and kissed the nape of her neck when she began the crescendo part of her song.
Closing her eyes in ecstasy, she continued to sing her heart out for the man that held her. He was all that mattered. Too engulfed in their ardent love song, the two did not heed the danger that surrounded them.
Above them in Box Four, Raoul watched in horror at his fiancée's behavior. She looked like she was in an erotic trance as the man held her. When she finally looked up at him, her eyes glistened with tears and remorse; he knew that the man was Desslar.
He bolted to his feet and cried out, "There he is! That masked monster is him! Shoot him! Shoot him! Kill him now!"
Christine gasped in horror as the stage's lights flashed back on as the audience gave shrieks of surprise. Erik was stunned momentarily but was about to flee when the woman he loved did the unthinkable. Ripping of the mask, she threw it aside revealing his wretchedly deformed face to most of Rennes.
Cries of disgust and repugnance echoed through Erik's mind as he tried to understand why she committed another betrayal. Searching her eyes, he found no answer. All of the sudden, he heard the cocking of several weapons, but he didn't care. All he wanted to do at that moment was die.
Unfortunately for him, his wishes would be disregarded. Raoul, impatient by the police's caution, grabbed the pistol from its holster, ignoring the man's protest, and took aim. William lunged for the gun out of nowhere and ended up causing the gun to go off, missing Erik by mere inches.
Now the audience members were on their feet and rushing to the locked doors or any other exit in a frightful attempt to escape. As William and Raoul fought for the weapon, the gun went off several more times hitting two people, the stage background, and William himself.
Clutching his abdomen, the burned man tried to regain his breath as the Viscount tried to reload the weapon. Christine and Erik were still on stage, shell-shocked. The police did not try to shoot for the theater was in utter chaos. There was no clear shot and now they tried to keep the people calm.
William stepped on the balcony's edge to the astonishment of the managers who were pallid by now. Philippe rushed past them in order to retrieve the gun from his brother's grasp. Stacia pushed past the throng of panicked people to see her lover facing the ceiling near the new chandelier.
"William!"
Her cry fell on deaf ears as he leapt from the edge to grab the chandelier's rope. Holding on to it, he was lowered instantly while the chandelier went up, increasing in speed towards the roof. Crying out in terror, her mind was momentarily stunned before the FBI part of her flew into action. She grabbed the two injured people along with policeman Nadir and they moved them out of the way just in time as the chandelier plowed into the ceiling, emitting an explosion of glass and sparks spiraling down upon the already panicked crowd.
By that time, the police had evacuated most of the theater but still there were some people left that were now lacerated by the chandelier glass or burned by the fires that now started. William rushed backstage while in Box Four, Raoul finally pushed his brother out of the way.
Taking aim, his mind slipped further into jealous madness. His finger put some pressure on the trigger the instant William Addams yanked the lever to release the trapdoor beneath Erik and Christine's feet. The gunshot rang out as Raoul saw that his fiancée had escaped to the bowels of the theater with his enemy.
"Damn!"
Taking the gun, he rushed out of the Box and ran downstairs towards the trapdoor where they had slipped through. He pushed past the injured people and ran over the glass, his shoes emitting crunching sounds. When he made it to the stage he was about to dive in the open hole, but suddenly another man shoved him to the ground.
"Get out of my way! What the hell is wrong with you?! That monster has my fiancée!"
The man glared down at him, his ugly burned face distorted with anger and hostility. He gave a derisive snort of laughter before he contemptuously spoke to the fallen de Chagny.
"I am not going to move. Christine is in love with Desslar, and no matter how much you yell or berate, that isn't going to change. You know as well as I do that she is in love with him. That is why you are so angry. Leave them be or I will make sure you never interfere again!"
Grinding his teeth, the handsome face contorted with rage as his blue eyes flashed with resentment and secretly grief. With one swing of his leg, he knocked his opponent's feet from underneath him. William hit the ground hard, his breath knocked out of him from the sheer force of his fall.
Blood began to pour out from his previous gunshot wound as he could only helplessly watch Raoul rush past his fallen form to the door that led to the underground caverns of the Opera House. His head fell back as his vision blurred.
"William!"
The voice of his beloved brought him back to reality. She held his head on her chest as she stroked the side of his burned face. He wrapped his arms around her, seeking comfort and healing only her love could bring.
Madame Giry ran to them with a medical kit. During her time in Iran, she had become a trained nurse in her spare time thanks to Nadir. Thank God! She and Stacia would be able to save William who was already starting to lose consciousness.
While they tried to save his life, Nadir was helping the police evacuate and stabilize the victims that had suffered greatly due to the chandelier's explosion. The managers and Philippe were outside, trying to play damage control with the media and reporters that had arrived moments ago.
If only they knew how close they were about to come to total disaster, for there was a plethora of dynamite underneath the Opera House to wipe out at least twenty blocks around the nearly destroyed theater.
--Beneath the Opera House--
"Erik? Erik, please say something!"
Much to her annoyance, Christine received no response from the unmasked man who held her wrist in his iron-grip. She could only see his silhouette in the dimly lit tunnel as he led her further into the bowels of the theater. He refused to say a word to her, and although she could understand why, it was driving her insane.
Soon the tunnel led to the underground lake where the boat knocked against the dock as the waves slowly rolled ashore. Still reticent, Erik helped her in the boat as he climbed in after her. Picking up the oar, he rowed the boat past the raised portcullis to the dock on the opposite side of the lake.
When the boat touched the shore, the former MI6 agent gruffly but quietly spoke for the first time, "Get out."
Christine hesitated for only a moment, which enraged her loved one further. His eyes glistened with tears and fury as he yanked her out of the boat when she did not do as he commanded. With a cry she fell to the ground and looked up at his pitiful face.
His sunken black sockets seemed to swallow his gold eyes while his pale complexion did nothing to hide the blue and red veins that now were more visible due to his fury. His thin layer of skin was stretched taut over his prominent skull as his limp hair clung to his forehead from sweat. His two slits for nostrils flared as he sucked in gulps of air instead of breathing normally.
His skeletal hands clutched the sides of his bony face as he emitted a combination between a moan of pain and groan of anger. His white, thin lips twisted up into a sinister grin as he snarled at her, "You actually thought you and your lover could succeed in killing me?! After everything I have done for you; you betray me time and time again! You are no better than a woman who pretends to love a man only to suck the life out of him and move on to her next victim!"
Christine slowly stood on her two shaking legs as she held the side of dock's railing. She spoke, aghast at his cruel words, "Erik, you did not believe me when I told you of my feelings for you. You accused me of lying…"
He raged, "You did lie! All you have ever done to me was lie!"
"You lied to me about my father's death! You are not so innocent in this as well!"
"I never attempted to portray myself as innocent nor have I agreed to take part in trying to kill someone. You did that on your own!"
"I felt that I had no choice, Erik! I felt you would be better off if…"
He recoiled from her words as he bitterly retorted, "If what? If I died? How would I be better off, Christine? Oh…I see. You believe because I look like a corpse, I would be better off if I actually became one. Instead of twisting my heart and feelings for these past months, all you could have done was tell me you have fallen in love with someone else. I would have walked away and left you to your happiness."
Christine, tears falling down her face like rivers, slowly approached her heartbroken masked man and softly apologized. Immediately, he yanked his head up and his deformed face stared into her tear-stricken one. His gold eyes that once held that immense fire, the fire to his soul, now were dull. Her heart dropped as she literally saw that fire diminish with her three words. 'I am sorry…'
He turned from her and collapsed to his knees, the burdens all of the sudden overwhelming him. She tried to go to him and offer him her life, heart, soul, anything to stop his pain; however, he emitted a heart-wrenching cry of agony. That cry seemed to paralyze any and all of her movements and attempts to soothe his anguish.
Stooping down she tried to wrap her arms around him, but he slapped her arms away. He shakily stood on his feet and went inside the house as the young singer followed. Shutting the door behind her, she merely watched him pace the room. His hideous visage contorted and distorted like some sick, twisted carnival side show as he moved from side to side.
Suddenly a shadow emerged from the hallway and Nadir appeared. Sighing, Christine tried to speak but was cut off by Erik's angry yells.
"Get out of here, Khan!"
"No Erik," the man in the corner calmly replied.
Then another shadow emerged to reveal Madame Giry. With a cry of rage, the formerly masked man continued to rave at the two people who dared to intrude into his territory and tell him what to do.
"I am so sick of everyone interfering in my damn life! I want everyone to get out! This is between Christine and me!"
Nadir tried to step closer to his friend whose back was turned to him, but Erik's chilling words stopped him dead in his tracks, "If you take one more step, Khan, I will set off the thousand pounds of gunpowder spread throughout the underground cellars. That will wipe out at least ten blocks of Rennes including this very theater!"
Immediately, the policeman halted while Christine gasped, appalled and horrified at her loved one's madness. How could she have driven him to such despair?
"Erik, how could you take more innocent lives?!"
"Well, Christine, how could you break my heart in two?!" He mocked her tone before he angrily stalked over and picked up a chair, broke it into pieces, and threw the shards down except for a chair leg.
His pallid skeletal face whirled around as his gold eyes flared with the intense fire only incensed by his rage toward Nadir and Antoinette. His beautiful voice was marred by his deep torment and fury as he whispered viciously, "Get the hell out now or else I will make sure no one finds you two. You were supposed to protect me…You were supposed to help me…"
Nadir astounded by his accusation rebutted, "I have protected you, Erik. Remember Iran? I helped you escape when the leader wanted you to be assassinated. I have been your conscience for years, even helping you in your grief when Luciana was killed."
In his madness, he could not understand what was going on around him. His mind further travelled into the past as old emotions and traumas caught up with him. Antoinette spoke quietly, trying in vain to lower his agitation level while Christine helplessly watched.
"Erik, I have been there for you every time you needed me. We both have tried to protect you and help you, but to whom Christine's heart belongs was not our choice to make. We cannot make her choose you!"
Wrapping his arms around his deformed face, Erik moaned with recognition and woe as the reality of her words settled in. He knew she was right…and he hated she was right. Sighing, he released his grip on the wooden leg and it clamored against the floor before he turned his back to the three of them.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he spoke, his back turned to them, fearing his newly gripped sanity would slip with the sight of the woman he loved and the only friends he had in the world.
"Please go. You speak the truth, Khan. And you, too, Antoinette. Will you go if I promise to stop making more chaos? I will not trouble you two any further. I will not do anymore harm to the innocent."
Nadir and Madame Giry glanced at each other apprehensively, but Christine finally found her voice and convinced them that things were calm now. With two unsure but resigned nods, the two of them left their masked man and his former pupil alone.
Once they were across the shore, Nadir still felt some unknown sense of dread but he continued to lead Anne out of the catacombs, leaving what would happen next up to Erik and Christine.
"Erik, I do love you. I have loved you for a long time…I-I let my fears consume me…and lately, I have b-become someone I don't even recognize. Can you please forgive me? I know it's asking for a lot. Erik, I feel like I am rambling…Will you please say something?"
He had not moved from his original position and did not make one movement during Christine's confession. Sighing, he looked down at his shoes and noticed that one had a scuff mark on it. He also took note of the missing button on his coat and loose thread on one of his cuffs. As odd as it appeared, he was quite perturbed by those flaws because it seemed to him that nothing about him was good. He was only made up of flaws and how could anyone love that…
"Christine! Christine, answer me! What has that monster done to you?!"
Both Erik and Christine turned to face the door, knowing that Raoul de Chagny was rapidly approaching. He always had a habit of interfering at the worst moment. All of the calm that had finally taken over Erik suddenly left him as the jealous, murderous rage returned to take its place.
Christine knew it as soon as his gold eyes lit up with fire and his posture became rigidly straight. Looking toward the door, she could find no words to stop or warn her childhood friend of the danger he was about to face by walking through that door.
A loud raucous sound blasted in the room, and to her horror, she saw that the door was splintered near a small yet unmistakable hole. The bullet had lodged itself in the opposite wall while Raoul let himself in, aiming the pistol right at the deformed man.
Erik made no movement other than to cross his arms and his massive height menacingly loomed over the two of them. He would not be deterred from some pompous aristocratic brat. The skull for a head became alive with the fire for two eyes and black abyss for a mouth as it descended towards its target.
With a small cry of surprise, Christine was pushed behind her music maestro as he shielded her from the Viscount's gaze. Raoul pushed past the door and invaded the house, determined to kill the monster and rescue his fiancée from his wretched grasp.
"Christine, I have come. Do not be afraid. We will end this nightmare once and for all. We will be able to have our future together as husband and wife…like we have talked about!"
Pointing the gun at his enemy's head, Raoul gently put slight pressure on the trigger before his hand dropped it instantly as the Erik snapped his wrist to release the Punjab lasso around his neck. Within moments, the tables had turned in the MI6 agent's hands as he brought the younger man to his knees.
With a sneer, he moved out of the way to let Christine see his handiwork. His melodic voice was distorted as it dripped with sarcasm, "It appears, my dear, that we have a guest…a much unwanted one at that. Whatever shall we do with him? Hm? Perhaps we can throw him in the lake with the rest of the useless waste Rennes tends to throw away. No? Well, I am sure I can think of some way to get rid of this waste of breath."
Raoul's blue eyes blazed with hostility as he vainly struggled to free his self from the lasso's deadly grip. He clawed at it which caused his enemy to tsk tsk at him for his pathetic attempts. Christine grabbed Erik's arm and implored him to stop and let Raoul go.
"Please, Erik. If you love me…if you have any compassion, you will let him go."
"Compassion?! Ha! Why show something the world never showed me?! No, Christine, you have manipulated my feelings far too long. Now I am in control!"
Raoul was beginning to feel light-headed from the effects of his oxygen supply being slowly depleted, but he looked at Christine. His disheveled evening wear matched the dirt that covered his perfect complexion while his once crisp golden hair was wet and limp. His eyes were as blue as the day she met him as a child.
In her heart, she felt pity for her childhood friend for his unrequited love and fear that Erik would take his life for a vain purpose. She had created this entire situation. If only she had told her former mentor her true feelings and had ended her relationship with her friend, none of these horrible events would have happened.
"Let her go, you monster! She loves me, but you can't accept that. There is a large group of police and military personnel heading down here to hunt you down. Accept that you are defeated and leave. Leave and you may yet live."
A maniacal laugh was the response to the Viscount's suggestion.
"Ha! Do you honestly think I am afraid of you or your kind, boy? I fear no one and nothing!"
"Except unrequited love!"
At that vocal outburst, Erik tightened the lasso which caused Raoul to sputter and choke. Christine cried out and rushed to her friend's side. No matter her feelings for Erik, she certainly did not want any one to die or suffer because of them.
"Erik, stop! Please stop! I will do whatever you want if you just let him go! You have his gun. He is unarmed!"
For a moment, the cloud that covered those gold eyes lifted and he sadly responded, "You would do whatever I wanted except love me and accept me as I am: a sad, hideous man."
Then that wall was back up again as he slightly loosened the lasso because Christine asked him to do so. He was so angry that his body was literally shaking with the rage that he had withheld for so long…yet she knew his heart was breaking also. And that shattered hers as well.
Raoul had grown silent as he saw something strange overcome his love, something he had not seen before-courage. Standing up, she approached Erik who merely watched her curiously but also never loosened his hold on the lasso.
Whispering with that beautiful voice, she glanced sorrowfully at her fiancé before returning to meet Erik's eyes with her gorgeous blue eyes, "Erik, the world may never have shown you compassion, but I am prepared to do so."
With that said, she brought his head down to hers and their lips met. If only fireworks could describe the depth of the passion that kiss brought them both! At first both were awkward and unsure, but soon their love took over and they instinctively deepened the kiss.
Raoul struggled once more against the lasso as he cried out indignantly from the spectacle. Inside he knew that this was the beginning of the end. He knew that Christine was truly lost to him now and it devastated him.
Christine gasped in shock when her maestro pulled away from her, the cold air washed over her body as his warm body left. He turned his back to her and looked down. Erik closed his eyes in an odd cross between ecstasy and utter despair because he received his first kiss from the woman he loved; yet, that kiss had come with a price.
The price was to save the man she loved…the woman he loved who loved someone else. In perhaps one of the most deciding moments of his life, Erik's small spark of sanity took hold and he realized that he could never hold her to him against her will. If her spirit died, then he would die along with it.
All he ever wanted was for her to be happy, and now he recognized that he must do whatever it takes to ensure that even if it means she needed to be with another man…As utterly painful and difficult as that was going to be.
Heaving a sigh, he whispered, "I appreciate your confession, Christine, but you are merely saying it out of pity. I have no fight left in me. Just go; marry the boy…Just leave now and be happy. That's all I ever wanted for you in the first place."
Fear and panic gripped her so that she could not speak or respond. Her silence only seemed to support his prior statement and so he turned to look at her tear-filled eyes and quivering lip. His gold eyes had diminished to a dull hazel while her blue eyes reminded him of the ocean she so loved. Another fragment of her he would forever be haunted by…should he survive the rest of the night. He loosened the Punjab lasso enough for Raoul to take it off his head. The Viscount was numb from pain and trauma as he tried to regain focus.
"Listen to me, de Chagny. You must take the eighth and tenth cellars. Once you travel them both, you will come to the end of the catacombs and there will be a ladder. Climb it and it will lead you out to the city. Take Christine. Guard her with your life and make her the happiest woman alive. Give her the life I could only dream of giving her."
Nodding dumbly, the Viscount headed towards the door while Christine stood rigidly in the same position where she had kissed Erik.
"Erik, please…"
"No, Christine, don't speak. My grip on my sanity is somewhat fragile and I fear that anymore of your confessions will send me to the grave…Well…I feel defeated anyhow. Please go. GO! Get out of here! Get out now! I don't want to see your face anymore! LEAVE! LEAVE ME NOW!"
With one gulp of fear, she and Raoul turned on their heels and ran out of his house, slamming the door behind her as he collapsed to his knees and wept bitterly from the ache that now was spreading throughout his entire body.
Christine and Raoul were rapidly approaching the second boat tied further down the dock, her thoughts were jumbled together and her heart felt a million pounds heavy. More tears fell down her face much to her shock and chagrin. She had never felt so much heartbreak and sorrow in her life other than losing her father…
All of the sudden, she shrieked when a pair of firm arms wrapped themselves around her. With all of her strength she kicked the offender who let out a loud grunt before releasing her. Facing the person who had tried to get her, she recognized who he was. William Addams stood halfway in the shadows, breathing heavily, clutching his wounded side as he tried to gather breath to speak.
Christine pressed a hand over her chest, feeling her rapid heartbeat. "What are you doing here? Have you come to hurt Erik?"
Chuckling darkly and taking gulps of air, he responded sarcastically, "I believe, Mademoiselle, you have hurt him far more than I ever could. Yet that is not the point. Your fiancé, de Chagny, has quite the aim. He seems to have shot me while trying to shoot the man you truly love."
Peering at him queerly, Christine was unsure of what to make of this man who had made it no secret how much he hated her lover. Yet, here he was acting concerned over this man he once said he hated.
Raoul shook his head as he heard the dogs barking in the distance. Desperately he tried to grab Christine's hand, "Christine, we need to go. The police are coming! We need to leave if we ever are going to get that chance to marry and be happy!"
Indecisively, she looked between the burned man and her fiancé as she tried to decide what to do. However, William stood in front of Raoul and looked directly at her, speaking from his heart. He did not want her to leave without hearing what he had to say.
"Look, I know that I am not your favorite person nor am I likely to be invited to your future wedding anytime soon. However, you and I both know that if you get on that boat and rush back to marry your fiancé, a man you do not love; you will regret it until your dying breath."
"I know, William. But what choice do I have if he is telling me he does not want to see my face? That he wants me to leave him?"
"Oh foolish girl!" Coughing violently, he waited until the spell subsided before he continued despite the fiery pain that was plaguing his body.
"Look at my wretched face…My body is riddled with the same scars as my face. Yet, I have the love of a beautiful woman. She loves me! Erik has those same scars…and far worse scars from a painful and tumultuous past. He has the opportunity to be happy with the woman who loves him for simply himself. He just doesn't see it, Christine. He cannot see that you love him because he does not believe any one is capable of loving him. Go to him! Turn and go back now, before you lose the chance at being with the man you truly love forever!"
"I love him so much, William! You are right. I need him to know that I honestly love him with all of my heart and soul. I want to spend the rest of my life with him…I do not know why you are doing this, but thank you for preventing me from making the biggest mistake of my life."
With a firm nod of his head, the burned man answered, "You are most welcome, Christine. Stacia has gotten me to see the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel. I was so absorbed in trying to get revenge; I made the same mistake as Erik Desslar in that I totally had tunnel vision. I failed to see the woman that I had loved from the moment I laid my eyes one her had not stopped loving me because I had lost confidence in our love. She did not lose confidence in me. If you know your love will survive and never die, then you run to that person and you never turn back. You never regret that."
Nodding, Christine now knew he spoke the truth. She was ready to fly into Erik's arms and be with him. She had been so wrong but now she had the chance to make all those wrongdoings right. She needed him as much as he needed her if not more.
Turning on her heel, she was heading back to the door when she gasped because the man she was running to was at the threshold of the door and had heard everything that was said. His hand gripped the doorframe as he tried to process what had happened. Christine loved him…Christine loved him! It was possible! She had loved him for so long and he was too pig-headed to hear her!
His joy took over his body and he ran to her, taking her in his arms. Holding her tight to his form, they both laughed and relished in the feel of touching their bodies. They were meant to be. Looking at her, Erik's body immediately burst into flames of passion. How he wanted to kiss those beautiful lips…How he wanted to spend the rest of his days worshipping her body, soul, and mind!
Raoul stood next to the burned man, unable to deny it any longer. Christine, the woman he loved, was truly in love with someone else. Swallowing his pride, he closed his eyes in a vain attempt to wash away the pain that now was engulfing his entire being. He knew what he had to do. He had to ensure that his former fiancée was safe and could run away with the man he had grown to hate. As much as it stung, he knew that Erik did love her, and she seemed happy with him.
Without a word or farewell to his childhood friend and lover, he took the second boat across the shore. Christine noticed he was leaving, but somehow a goodbye would have been too painful for the both of them to endure. Perhaps acceptance of what was the truth was the best way to say goodbye, especially to one's fantasies. Instead, she closed her eyes and buried her self in Erik's willing and loving arms.
Their loving and tender moment was ruined by the sound of the police and the K9 units attempting to locate the masked phantom who had nearly destroyed the entire theater. Unable to stop himself, William urged them to escape.
"You do not have time to delay! You two must leave now!"
A second thought was not needed, for Erik regained his senses and immediately whisked Christine into his arms before heading to the eighth and tenth cellars. William was left alone on the shore to await the arrival of the police as he ensured the two of them would have time to escape fully.
He knew that his wife would be very proud of him for what he sacrificed and did because he loved her that much…just as Raoul sacrificed his happiness and future in order to ensure the woman he loved would be happy.
Try as they all might, they would soon find out that Fate has a way of jumbling and mangling people's lives before finally leaving them to a path that they would never seem themselves on.
Author's Note: This is the longest chapter I have written thus far. I hope it was all worth it, too! Please review and let me know what you think. I hope to conclude this story within the next week…I pray you have enjoyed this roller coaster of a ride. Trust me, all loose ends will be mended by the Epilogue.
© Copyright 2008