Chapter Twenty Five - The Music Of The Night

Forgive me, but I'm a major fan of Phantom of the Opera (mainly musical, but I have read a shortened version of the story), so let me have my fun with this chapter, which is half inspired by that plot. So, uh, yup. Also, I ship Phantom and Christine. No questions there. Anyways, do enjoy this chapter, especially if you've seen the musical. Sorry for the people who have only read the book, but I drew most of my inspiration from the play.

Evx : Hehe, evil Mina is quite fun...I learned that when I was writing Remembered. One reason I'm using that again in this story is because Remembered had quite a bit of potential, only for me to turn off the tap because it wasn't enjoyable anymore. So, I definitely want to use more evil Mina, although a more conflicted Mina that's not sure she wants that is quite a bit more fun to write about, hehe. And indeed, I enjoyed making Nan freak out on everyone. As for Ever? Well, we'll be learning more about that matter later... c:

Reanna-Kris-Katelyn : I can live with sharing him. :3 And I agree with that, although whether or not Brody dies in this specific story I can not say...Mainly because I don't know if he will or not. cx And thank you! I'm glad you liked it!

Guest 1 : Ooooh, interesting theory there. :D Whether or not it come into play is yet to be seen...Although, this whole disaster is definitely affecting everyone in different ways. A sadistic Charlie and a crazy Nan. Anyone else wondering what will happen when the others begin to crack under the pressure?

Roseberry007 : Uh uh uh, did I actually say that Ever was officially dead? I just said that they received her dead body...Hehe. I'm gonna leave you guys to chew on that, cause I don't feel like giving away if she's actually dead or not. But like I said, they only received her dead body, and is there a way to know for sure that it's her's? And I'm glad you're liking it, and that there's some pity for Nan and Sarah. They need a little pity party thrown for them. ;; Also, thank you! I'm glad you like my writing so much!

And now? On with the show! We're back to our little date with Mina and Teague!

Mina's POV

I glance down at the chains adorning my wrists, and frown as Teague tries to get me to follow him. Catching where I'm looking, he frowns as well. "What is it?" He looks slightly impatient.

"Nothing." I shake my head.

He huffs. "What is it with you girls and not telling what's wrong? I can tell something is wrong, so just spit it out."

Taken aback slightly by his sudden burst of jerkiness, I glare at him. Of course, that only seems to amuse him a bit, which in turn angers me even more. It's a cycle that can't be interrupted. "Fine. I'm tired of these stupid shackles that are made of stupid iron encasing my stupid wrists. I don't even know why you made them out of iron, because it's not like I'm Fae."

"Then why are they irritating your wrists so much?" I try to ignore the doubts that plague my mind from that single question. He pauses, and the air is filled with an awkward silence till he speaks again. "Do you promise not to run?"

You know, that doesn't seem very much like a demand. In fact, it seems more like a question. Like he needs my reassurance. That thought alone is enough to make me snort, which gains a scowl from Teague. It takes all of my energy to stifle my chuckling. "Do you honestly think I'm going to run right now?"

"You want me to answer honestly?" He frowns.

"Yes."

After a moments hesitation, he shakes his head. "No. I don't think you are going to run."

"Then there's your answer."

"You're going to answer based on how much faith I have in you?" He seems shocked by that.

"Yes."

He seems confused, but then shakes his head and just decides to accept it. It honestly looked like, for a moment there, that he was having a silent conversation with himself. I decide to ignore that impression. I don't exactly understand my mood shift. Maybe it's just the flowers. I want to hate Teague, because he's forcing me to marry him - I don't know when - and he's been trying to kill me for a long time now. But, at the same time, I don't want to hate him. Actually, I honestly want to kiss him. Noticing that my eyes have wondered to his lips, I quickly let them dart away, and his face gives me his signature smirk to let me know that he caught me. Snap!

"Alright." With a flick of his wrist, the chains are gone. He extends a hand to me - again, nervously, and I manage to contain my snort this time - which I hesitantly accept it.

He leads me through the maze of flowers - thankfully, not a literal maze, as that would frighten me out of my mind after the tests from the past - to a small clearing. Soft music plays, but I'm not actually sure where it comes from. It's night time. How did I not notice that before? I guess my sense of times is a bit destroyed after being locked in that room for so long. I'm surprised I know my right from my left.

"Do you care to dance, Mina?" His cocky grin is still on his face, all nervousness seeming to have been forgotten.

"B-But I can't dance..." I stare down at my clumsy feet, facing going red.

"Have I taught you nothing, Mina? I can make any girl look good, and it's not like there's anyone here to see." Geez, he really has gotten over that bout of nervousness, hasn't he? "Plus, I know for a fact that you are not bad at dancing. I saw that during the Little Red Riding Hood quest," Oh gosh, I hated that one, "and during the Cinderella one, in case you haven't forgotten." Right. He danced with me before he blew up the Fae Godmother Guild. That didn't seem to matter so much anymore - as guilty as that thought made me - as I stand here with him though. He honestly looks sincere.

Wait...Did Teague just insult me and compliment me in the same minute? I couldn't believe my ears. But I wasn't going to mention it. I wanted to savor the fact that he had actually payed me a compliment, even if it was a false one.

"So?"

I was lost in thought and totally blanked out. The red creeps back onto my face. "Hm?"

"Do you want to dance, or will I have to force you?"

I'm honestly not sure if he's joking or not. I choose to believe the former, just because I honestly don't have the energy to bother with hating Teague right now. "Okay. Don't make me regret this."

"Oh, trust me, Mina. I won't."

The music is enchanting, and the movement to the music seems natural. It's effortless, much different from the other times, where I had to focus on my feet to make sure I didn't make a mistake. Is it wrong, that we seem to be a complete fit? I don't know.

"Close your eyes, and just listen to my voice." His voice is a whisper, close to my ear.

I do as instructed, but can't help asking one question. My voice is also a whisper, although I'm not exactly sure why. Which is funny, since that's exactly what my question is in a sense. "Why?"

"Sh." Hi voice is extremely gentle, which is very strange from a figure like Teague. But I don't feel like I'm in any danger. In fact, I feel just the opposite. I feel as if I'm safe. "Just focus on me. Just give up fighting me, Mina. We both know you love me. All you have to do is..." He pauses, as if to give me a moment to let it sink in, "accept it."

"Accept it?" I almost feel like I'm in a trance.

"Accept it." He repeats. "Accept me. Accept who you're supposed to be. Your life will be changed to something so much better...If you can only just accept it."

"But who am I supposed to be?"

"I think you know, Mina. You've felt it, inside you. The darkness that you know you're supposed to embrace. Why do you fight it, Mina? There's no need to be afraid of it. You don't need the life you had before. You don't have to cling to that. You just need to focus on what's here right now."

He turns me, putting a hand around my waist. We've stopped dancing, I can tell because my feet are no longer, and I can feel his breathe against my ear as he speaks. Is he right? Is that what I'm supposed to accept? Maybe it is...

"Just give in to it. Then you will be free."

"Free...? Free of what?"

"Free of everything that holds you back from your fullest potential. Charlie sees that potential. I do too. Just accept it."

Closing my eyes, I give a subtle nod. Because something inside of me has opened at those words. Feelings that I kept bundled away begin to emerge, feelings that I'd all but forgotten about. Anger at people for things I'd buried away so that I wouldn't be angry. Frustrated, irritated, sad, and upset are only a few words to describe it. I'm overwhelmed, falling back against Teague as if the sudden onslaught of memories and emotions physically knocked me over.

"Can you feel it? That power?"

And I could. The darkness I had been struggling to keep outside was in. I'd pushed up against that door for a long time, slipping lone feelings that I thought didn't belong through the crack under the door. But maybe I was wrong to do that. That was what my friends and mother had told me to do. According to Charlie, they seemed to be wrong about many different things. They were wrong here too.

"Yes."

And I liked the feeling that this power gave me.

Eeeeee, excuse me while I do a little bit of fangirl squealing. Yes. I am allowed to do that over my own fanfiction. Don't question it. cx It is completely natural...I think. There's no way to really be sure. xD Anyways, hurrah! Mina sees to have accepted who she is...Well, actually, who she needs to be so a ton of us can be really happy. We get the evil trio of sadistic Charlie, psycopathic Teague, and then...well, then there's just Mina. Uh, she doesn't get a cool adjective till we see more of her personality with this change of tune that will take some time to truly develop. But, the influence of the dagger will definitely help.

So, um, how about those three reviews, guys? Let me know what you think about our evil little guys! Also, what's your opinion on the possibility of a slightly evil Nan? Does that seem like something that would happen now that her best friend is evil? I'd love to know what you guys are thinking!

~ Dagger