Chapter 25

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

We had been searching for hours, and yet we still had not seen any sign of him. It was very unnerving, I am the Opera Ghost, I should know everything that goes on under this roof, yet this one thing I could not figure out. Evangeline was nearly beside herself; her eyes had gone red and puffy from holding back her tears. I could not blame her, after all for years she had thought that if she returned to the Opera something bad would happen. Yes she had thought that I would have been behind it, but the idea is there.

The Ball had been slowly emptying out for a half an hour at this point, in a way it made our job easier as there was less of a crowd to search through, but it also meant that Boutcher could have escaped. I had gotten out of my Red Death costume, but kept on the skull mask.

I was giving up hope, sad to say. Perhaps Boutcher had taken Gabriel far from the Opera House, maybe he was no longer even in Paris. But I made sure that our little search party kept looking. There were only a few guests left, I had wondered off by myself when I heard something.

"I swear Julian, saw it clear as day. The man was carrying someone over his shoulder," said a guest. It caught my attention so I listened in a little closer. "He went through one of the doors that led to the stage."

"Really? Jean I think you have had a little too much to drink this evening," said the man's companion.

I thought about it. All though I am sure that it was a probable that the man had been drinking a little too much but perhaps…..I quickly went back over to Evangeline, Giry, and Daroga. They were standing on the stairs trying to get a better view point. Giry had an arm around Evangeline who was now letting tears stream down her face, Daroga craned his neck looking in every direction he could.

When I got to them I wrapped my arm around Evangeline, "I think I know where he is." I said calmly. They all looked at me expectantly

"Apparently someone saw a man carrying someone over their shoulders go to the stage." I explained.

"Then let's go,' said Daroga going up the stairs.

"No Daroga," I said reaching out grabbing his shoulder, he stopped "I want you and Antoinette to get the police."

"Are you sure Erik?" asked Giry.

"Yes, and please hurry." I pleaded. Giry and Daroga quickly left the building while Evangeline and I hurried along to the stage.

**** Evangeline's POV ****

It was eerily quiet, almost a little too quiet. "Erik? How are we to know if they are in here or not?" I asked quietly my voice quivering.

He looked around, "I know this place as though it were the back of my hand." He said, from the rafters I heard the slightest sound, "And no one can hide from me in here." He took my hand and led me up to the rafters.

Over on the other side stood a man with brown hair, looming over a figure dressed all in black…Gabriel. His eyes were closed, his hands and feet were bound by rope but he otherwise did not looked harmed…thank heavens. "Distract him for me," Erik whispered as he let go of my hand and quickly disappeared into the shadows.

"Louis?" I called out.

Boutcher turned towards me and smiled "Ah so you found me. Took you long enough."

"Louis, please let Gabriel go he hasn't done anything to you," pleaded Evangeline.

"Oh don't worry. It has never been about what the boy has done to me. Rather it was what you had done to me," explain Louis.

"Louis, what do you mean I have never done anything to you." I said. On the far end of the rafters I saw Erik looking like what seemed like a shadow slide across the catwalks.

"What do you mean you have done nothing? You broke my heart!" Louis cried out angrily, "We had a chance to be together and you denied me!"

"If I remember correctly Louis it was you who was seeing another girl behind my back," I cried back.

"And as soon as you found out and broke off our relationship, I regretted it. I realized what a fool I was. I wanted you back more than anything, we were happy together." He said, "But no you just had to waste your affection on that malformed monster."

"Erik is not a monster!" I said firmly, "Wait how did you know…"

"What he looks like under that mask." I laughed, "Wasn't that hard really, I mean what fool wears a mask unless he has something to hide. The first time I saw him go back underground all those years ago I knew who and what he was… a freak, a monster."

"You were the one following us." I said.

"Of course, I was looking for any opportunity to swoop in and get you back. But you fell in love with him so quickly. Then you had the nerve to get married to him, and then when I found out you were having his child…well I knew I had to make my move or I would lose you forever." He explained kicking Gabriel's body which let out the faintest moan.

I screamed, "What did you do to him?" I asked.

"Oh, just used an old trick of mine. Guaranteed to give knock someone out for hours." He said holding up a bottle full of some unknown chemical.

Erik was on the other side of the catwalk now, his mask removed, a lasso in his hand he looked down right murderous. "I used the same thing when I got that husband of yours out of the picture. Knocked him out with a club before giving him this, should have conked him out for hours. It gave me more than enough time to forge that letter, convincing you to leave out of fear. Once you had gone it left me free to make it seem like you had been killed."

Erik was maybe just a few feet away now, "After that I tried everything to win you hear back. Helped you to raise your son, treated him like he was my own," said Louis, "But then this stupid boy had to go and find his father."

Just as Erik was ready to place the lasso on his neck, Louis rolled his eyes, "Is that how you want to play it monster? If you place that around my neck your precious son goes over the edge" He put a hand against Gabriel shoulder edging him closer to the edge.

It was at that moment that Gabriel seemed to wake up, he looked at me moving his mouth just enough for the gag to come off a little, "Mama?" he asked groggily. Erik skirted around Louis and came over to me, the lasso still in his hand.

"What do you want Boutcher," growled Erik. The look on his face really made him look like a monster.

"Well I would say your wife, but given how she kissed you earlier I doubt she would want to leave you any time soon." said Louis contemplating. Gabriel started to struggle against his bonds. "Maybe a few hundred francs in exchange for the safe return of Gabriel….or perhaps" Louis began to pull a metal object from his coat pocket….a pistol.

The police started to stream into the theater below. Gabriel stopped struggling against his bonds for a moment he mouthed something before he kicked out his legs tripping Louis who went falling over the edge of the rail causing the entire walk to swing. I quickly grabbed on to the sides to keep myself from falling over. Erik leapt forward; I closed my eyes not wanting to look.

Mere moments later I heard a loud thump, I wait to hear two more but they did not come. All I heard were the sounds of the police barking orders to each other. I slowly opened my eyes, expecting to see the worse.

But there they were, in one hand Erik clung on to the rail of the catwalk in his other hand he clung on to Gabriel's bonds. Both of them were alive and I couldn't be more relived.

REVIEWS

A/N: Sorry everyone for the wait, but I had quite a few issues when it came to writing this chapter. Would have been released yesterday but after a horrible omen that came to me in a dream I had to rework this. Originally Gabriel was suppose to fall to his death as well (now you know why I said I needed a protective bunker). I realize the whole Louis thing kinda came out of the blue and all, and I apologize for that. However I plan on one day rewriting this entire story expanding on it so that things make more sense, don't know when I do this but I do plan on doing it. Now the next chapter shall be the last chapter of this story…you know what that means? Yes it means that soon I shall be able to release the sequel SOMEHOW HERE AGAIN, which I can already tell will be much better than this story. On a side note feel free to check out my POTC fanfic "These Curses of the Black Pearl" while you wait. See you all soon GMF7.