Chapter 25

When Aisling voiced her theory about the pier, Erik retreated to his workshop without another word to his friends or to his wife. His daughter was in danger and he knew the Comte would not give her up so easily. He pulled out a trunk stowed away in the far corner of his workshop and opened it up. Inside were the few personal effects he brought with him when he left his world: his clothes, his music, and buried at the bottom was his Punjab lasso. He pulled out the lasso and thought back to his time in his world. After so long, he must become the Phantom once again to rescue his precious daughter. He gripped the rope tight causing it to creak before stowing it away in his coat. He closed the trunk and turned back to find Aisling standing at the entrance. She'd changed out of her dress and into a white Victorian style blouse with a black skirt and leggings and a long black leather and velvet coat over her shoulders.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I should be asking you that." She said. Erik shook his head.

"I'm going to get our daughter back." He said as if it were obvious. Aisling looked him over. Despite the more modern night attire, The image of the Phantom was apparent.

"I'm coming with you." She said.

"Out of the question!" He said. "I'm not letting you get hurt!"

"I won't get hurt! She's my daughter too. I'm not about to let some de Chagny prat harm my child without a fight." Erik came over to her and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of! I don't want to lose you again after just finding you!" Aisling's burned with an intensity he'd never seen before.

"Rosetta is my daughter too Erik. I've raised her for ten years, she's been my reason for living. I refuse to stand by and do nothing knowing she's in trouble. You can't stop me from going and you know it." He sighed.

He knew he wouldn't be able to stop her, that's what made things worse. Even if he left on his own and put her in the charge of their friends she'd find a way. She's a mother hell bent on getting her child back. Erik went over a desk and opened one of the drawers. He reached for something inside and pulled it out before turned back to face Aisling. He held the object out to her making her go rigid. A gun.

"If you're coming, I want you to keep this on you." He said. Aisling just stared at the weapon as if it might bite her. She never held a gun and never kept one. Even when her mother owned a gun she refused to even touch it.

"I never expected you'd have one of those." She said.

"Edward urged me to keep one." He explained. "Now, I want you to hold onto it. I want you to have some protection." He placed the gun in her hands and she felt uncomfortable. She just held it in her hands unsure what to do and couldn't take her eyes off of it. After a moment, Erik's hands covered her own and she looked up to meet his gaze. "I pray you don't have to use it. I've killed in the past so I have no qualms in ending his life should the need arise. Only use this at your greatest need."

Aisling took a deep breath and placed the gun in a hidden pocket in her coat. Erik held his hand out to her. She stared at his gloved hand remembering how so long ago that very hand wrote the most beautiful music, killed countless people, and held her in the most gentle embraces. She took his hand and they made their way from the workshop and through the theatre. When they reached the main staircase, Christine and Edward were there waiting for them.

"Do you even have a plan?" Edward asked.

"We find Phillipe and kick his ass." Aisling said, her eyes burning with a terrible ferocity.

"Erik, Aisling, you shouldn't just go rushing into this." Christine said.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Erik said. "The Comte destroyed our lives once, we won't let him do it again."

"How do you know he won't try to kill you?" Edward said.

"We don't." Aisling said.

"All the more reason to make a plan." Erik rounded on Edward at that moment.

"We don't have time for that!" He shouted. "I won't stand here and let that bastard have his way!" Aisling placed a hand on his arm. He met her eye for a moment and he began calming down.

"Christine, Edward, one thing I've learned as a parent is that you would run through fire to save your children. You don't care what happens to you so long as your child is okay. Without Rosetta I wouldn't be here today with all of you. If I lose her…" Her fists clenched at the very idea.

"I've only known my daughter for a short time," Erik said, "to know that I helped create such a beautiful child is still beyond me. She is so much like me as well as her mother. I won't let him take someone else I love away from me."

Aisling caught movement at the top of the stairs and watched as her father descended the steps and Raoul watched from the top. He came up to her, fearful creases drawn on his forehead and in his eyes but all she could think of seeing him is the guilt of knowing he'd caused this disaster.

"Aisling, don't go out there." He pleaded. "If you get hurt-"

"My daughter needs me." She said coldly and backed away from him.

"He'll kill you." He said.

"Maybe you should have thought of that before associating with the Comte de Chagny." He flinched. She'll remind him of his mistake for as long as it takes. Her daughter is gone because of him. If she does die tonight, it will be while protecting her child.

"Let's go Erik." She said, turning on her heel toward the door.

Erik watched the exchange between the two and almost felt pity for Gary. Almost. He knows he's sorry for what he did but his prejudice drove him to work with his enemy and brought his daughter into the fray. Gary fell to his knees, this eyes still locked on where Aisling stood and his whole frame shook. He feared for his daughter's life but knew she wanted nothing to do with him. Erik only shook his head.

"You've done enough, monsieur." Erik said. "From one father to another, what you did goes beyond mere paternal protection. If you'd trusted Aisling from the beginning this wouldn't have happened. If I wasn't worth her time she wouldn't have stayed with me, surely you know that." Gary took a deep shuttering breath. He knew Aisling wouldn't waste her time on a man she didn't think was right. The fact she's so devoted to Erik is still beyond him, but if she sees something in him he cannot see… Erik walked past him walking toward the door but just before leaving, he said one last thing.

"Let me protect her now." Without another word, Erik walked through the door and out into the night.

Christine and Edward watched the exchange between Aisling, Erik, and Gary. From what they knew of her father, they believed his intentions were well meaning but misguided. To see him in person, they felt sorry for him. It's true he did wrong but he only wanted what was best for Aisling. However, they knew he'd sided with their enemy in order to split them apart which they agreed was unforgivable. Two different sets of parents actions for their children lay before them. Christine reached for Edward's hand thinking about what parents they'd be. Would they be overprotective? Would they be more relaxed giving them more independence? They promised each other they'd get married after this ordeal is over, eventually having children of their own. There is much to be admired from both sides and much to learn from. They will also learn on their own then the time comes.

A parent's devotion is incredible. Christine thought. Seeing someone go to incredible lengths for their child, whether those lengths are good or bad.

Once Aisling and Erik left, reality set back in. Rosetta has been kidnapped and her parents are on their way to save her. The one underlying fear is if someone will get hurt this night.

"What do we do now?" Christine asked. Edward took a deep breath before answering.

"I think we should call the police." He said.

"And what will you say?" They turned to see Raoul standing just a few feet away. "Don't forget, no one knows who we really are. Chances are, Phillipe will expect us to call the police and is prepared to expose us all."

"But surely no one would take him seriously." Christine said. "I've seen the stories about us. No one would believe him."

"Christine, it's more complicated than that." Raoul said. "Over the years I've been researching interdimensional travel. The reason no one knows we exist is because no one's supposed to know. The fact they allowed people to do it and how it came to be is still a mystery since there wasn't much I could find without setting off red flags. There have been people in the past who've tried exposing this phenomenon. Long story short, they mysteriously disappear before they can. It's not meant to be."

"Then what about Aisling?" Christine asked. "She's done it. The first time was for a-"

"Singing competition. I know. This was when the system was more lax. Because the Phantom wanted to keep Aisling in our world, they feared the same could happen to anyone else. After the incident, all travel has been forbidden. All portals were shut down and most of the data locked away. Most people involved had their memories altered so they wouldn't remember the experience and all personnel were required to sign contracts vowing never to speak of world travel ever again otherwise they'd undergo the same process."

"If this is true," Edward said, "why hasn't anyone come after us? More importantly, if Aisling managed to travel back to our world after so long, has anyone noticed?"

"I'm not sure." Raoul said. "Aisling's ability to travel to our world is a miracle. How we all managed it is strange as well. However, someone must have noticed at some point there's been recent travel between worlds. Whether this is true is unknown, but if we're found out we're all in terrible trouble."

Christine and Edward found it hard to believe how dangerous their situation truly was. No one thought much about traveling to this world after seeing Aisling and Erik travel in between worlds. Never once believing their presence in this world would be a problem.

"Then if we don't call the police, how do we help Aisling and Erik?" Edward asked. Raoul shook his head.

"I don't know." He said. "But if we're exposed, what Phillipe did in the past will seem like a mere inconvenience." Edward ran a hand through his hair.

"Okay, so if we don't call the police what other options do we have?" He asked, but Raoul seemed distracted at that moment. "de Chagny?"

"Raoul, where are you…" Christine turned around where Raoul was looking. Her gaze lead her to the bottom of the main staircase where Aisling, Erik, and Gary had their exchange. Only now, Gary was gone.

"Please don't do anything stupid," Raoul said. "for all our sakes."

Aisling stared out the window of the car as they drove to the pier. She prayed her hunch was right, however she knew someone would get hurt tonight. Something in the back of her mind told her someone wasn't going to survive the night. Aisling reflected on her experience thus far. Ever since that first day when she was fourteen, her life became a part of the Phantom's story. He became her Angel of Music when she was young, haunting her mind and her dreams from then on. When she found him again, she became determined to change his story and give him a happy ending only to result in tragedy. Yet a ray of hope continued to shine on them as Erik was transported to her world in order to find her. Then came Phillipe and his plan to separate her and Erik again by falsifying his death. Tragedy follows them wherever they go. Nothing can stop it. Aisling tried to think of a way out of it; a way to break the cycle, but no matter what she knew blood would be spilt this night. Whose is still the question. Their story cannot end happily, it never will. Is this the curse of the Phantom? Is the world so against giving him a normal life?

Aisling could feel the outline of the gun in her coat. Her mission to give Erik a happy ending isn't over. Even if she has to die to protect him. She placed a hand over the spot where the gun was. She desperately hoped she didn't have to use it. Another hand slowly found its way over her hand and she turned to see Erik sitting closer and looking her right in the eye.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked. Aisling closed her eyes and heaved a heavy sigh.

"It's just so unfair." Aisling said. "We've gone through so much together. From the first time we met, it feels like everything is trying to keep us a part. No matter where we turn there's always someone trying to separate us. And now this." She clutched at the gun through her coat. "What did we do to deserve this?"

"I don't know." Erik said. "But I do know that despite what tries to keep us a part, there's a force trying to keep us together." Aisling gave him a queer look. "When you fell down that trap door when you were fourteen, I guarantee you that more than one person stood on that door throughout the day, the week, and so on. The fact that you fell through is far than just coincidence. Furthermore, you followed the passage to where I was hiding. If you didn't follow my music we never would have met. We were destined to meet Aisling and it's that same force that continues to bring us together again. We won't be deterred by the Comte or anyone else."

"Then why do I have this terrible feeling something will go wrong?" Erik pulled her closer and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I promise you, after this night, we will ever be separated again." Aisling didn't feel as optimistic. Something's going to happen that will change their lives. For better or worse she knew not, she just prayed they can save their daughter at the very least.

Once the pier came into view, Erik sat a bit straighter. Aisling could see his fingers twitching ready to grab for his lasso at any moment. Aisling felt a similar sensation to reach for her gun but closed her eyes and forced the feeling away. She focused on the ocean instead, watching the waves crawl up to the shore then slip back to their watery bed. Crashing up against the wooden beams of the docks exploding into white foam before falling back down staining the water with hissing bubbles. She grabbed onto Erik's hand to anchor herself back to reality. This wasn't the first time she'd lose herself in her surroundings. Sometime after Erik's death, she would zone out on the smallest things as if she were entering another world. A world only she could enter. Every thought about life slipped away; she forgot her pain, her sadness, her anger, but also her happiness and her hope. She became an empty shell escaping into the deep recesses of her mind. When this happened, she latched into something real to keep her from going under. Back then, she had Rosetta to cling to. Now, with Rosetta gone, Erik had to pull her back.

"Aisling?" She turned away from the window to look at him. "Where did you go?"

"Someplace beyond reality." She said. "I've been there so many times after your death. If I don't have something to bring me back…" She lowered her eyes and stared at the buttons on his coat. "It's like an escape from this world; from the things that hurt me. Other people use drugs to escape. Me, all I have to do is let my mind go. Just stop thinking and let everything slip away." She felt ashamed for saying this. It's true she's never done drugs or done alcohol in the past, but she still managed to create the same numbing effect within her own mind. So many times she used this and there have been times she wished she could just let go. She felt pressure on the back of her head as Erik pulled her closer.

"I understand." He said. Aisling swallowed hard. "You're not the only one who's craved escape over the years." He reached for one of his sleeves and rolled it up revealing multiple scars along his arm. Tiny little red marks scattered across his skin. "I became addicted to morphine after escaping from Persia. When I returned to France and began living under the Palais Garnier, the pain of the world became so much. Before I knew it, I found the numbing effects of the drug most comforting." She buried her face in his neck and held him as close as possible. She remembered hearing about his morphine addiction in his earlier years, but seeing the scars were painful for her. "However, there came a time when I gave up morphine for a time."

"When?" Aisling asked.

"When I met you." He said. Aisling looked into his eyes and saw the soft unspoken affection she'd known for many years. "That first night when I met you, that was the first time I couldn't bring myself to use the needle. Each moment I was with my I felt the urge dissipate. When you were gone, I felt the urge to use it again. Even over the past ten years I've thought about it." He leaned his head against hers.

"It's hard not letting go." Aisling said.

"I know." Erik said. He lifted his head and Aisling watched out the window as one of the docks came closer. On the end was a man dressed in an expensive suit with dirty blond hair neatly combed back. At his side was a young girl with black hair and frightened eyes.

"Rosetta." Aisling said prepared to spring from her seat. Erik grabbed her wrist before she could jump out of the car.

"We have to tread carefully." He said. Aisling took a deep breath and reconfigured her thoughts. When the car finally came to a stop, Erik knocked on the window separating the front seat from the back. The glass opened slightly and he began talking to the driver. "Go back to the theatre." The window closed and Erik made for the door. He took another look at Aisling and reached out his hand. She stared at it for a moment then placed her own hand in his.

Time to face the devil. She thought. He pulled the door handle and she heard the click of the lock and the door swung open.