What Dreams

May Come

Chapter 25

Chance to Live

A plume of silver smoke swirled against the darkened backdrop of the catacombs. The ring of the gun echoed deep in the darkened chasms of nightmares and dreams, then silence follows. Frantically, the man's eyes dart back and forth in search of the Ghost who had haunted the Opera House for years had finally met his end by the barrel of his gun.

"Guillaume!?" the man whisper shouted to the encroaching darkness. Panic washed over him, for he could no longer hear his friend's breathing, nor feel him by his side.

Breathing hard, the man stepped back, the gun still remained clutched tight in his hands as his eyes continued to dart back and forth. The sound of water dripping somewhere off in the distance, and silence answers him back.

"Guillaume!?" he tries again his voice raised an octave higher in hopes his friend would hear him.

Silence, then he heard it, the sound of feet scrapping against broken stones, followed by a muffled cry.

"Guillaume!?" he cries, his panic rising. The rapid beat of his heart, thrums loudly in his ears and his breathes come out hard and gasping.

"FABIEN!" The man stiffened hard, for though the cry was brief, there was fear laced thick in his friend's voice, and he knew at once, who had him.

Guillame's panic stricken voice echoes off the grime infested walls, fading as he's dragged further into the darkness, a strangled cry and then silence.

Fabien's heart tightened hard in his chest. Shaking violently his eyes darted frantically, his gun shook in his hand, his finger, itching to pull the trigger at the slightest bit of movement.

Elphaba poked her head out of the shadows. She had heard the gunshot and immediately her heart stopped dead in her chest, fear took hold, strangling the air from her lungs.

When she heard the man's screams, relief soon released her from the python constricting her lungs and throat, allowing her to finally take in air. For a moment her head swam, the world spun and the nausea returned. Biting it all down, she held her breath as her dark chocolate eyes searched the lair for any sign of Erik.

A soft gasp, slipped past her lips, seeing Fabien stalk the catacombs, gun in hand shaking in time with his body, his eyes wide and his teeth chattering loudly in his mouth. And for a moment, Elphaba wondered if they would shatter.

Turning, Fabien stopped and turned towards Elphaba. Stiffening, Elphaba ducked back into the shadows. Inwardly she cursed her stupidity.

A dark smirk spread across Fabien's cracked lips, for he had spotted her and he was more than happy to use this woman as bait to draw out the aberration.

"Oh Monsieur Phantom!" calls out Fabien as he cocks the hammer of his gun and points it in the direction where he had spotted Elphaba, "If you value your whores life, then come out and face me man to freak!" he calls out.

Elphaba clenched her eyes in anger. Slowly her hand rose and fisted at her side. How dare that man call Erik a freak! Instantly her eyes few open feeling her magick react to her emotions.

"Come out. Or I put a bullet right between her eyes" smirking he lifting the barrel up a little and takes aim.

"You want me!?" booms Erik's voice, which seemed to ricocheted off the walls, bouncing in the darkness, and making it sound like it was coming from all different directions.

Frightened, the man waves his gun in terror in every direction he heard Erik's voice reverberate from. His body shivered more, feeling like the masked man's presence was closing in on him, for the air around him seemed to have been drawn away from him, swirling, and turning ice cold.

"Come out and face me you freak!" screams the man.

"I'm right here" Erik's voice came from behind him. Screaming, the man jumps, turns and fires his gun. The bullet ricocheted off the walls, nearly missing the top of Elphaba's head.

Growling, Erik leaped out of the darkness, his dark chocolate eyes glowing with rage.

"The Phantom!" he screams. The gun fires again before being ripped out of his hand. Hitting the ground, Fabien's eyes widened in horror, for the Phantom's face was mere inches from his. His dark chocolate eyes glared maniacally back into his.

"How dare you enter my domain," growls Erik darkly. Slowly his hand rose and grabbed the man's throat hard, "I should gut you now and use your innards as a bow tie"

"Oh please don't" a strangle cry, and the man shakes violently against the ground.

Snarling, Erik leans in closer, the heat of his breath, wafted against Fabien's face, making him cringe in fear. "Give me one good reason why I should let you live?" he growled.

"P…please! I…I have a wife and child!" Fabien pleaded. It was pathetic, but what other choice did he have. Guillaume; though is best friend since childhood, had basically talked him into joining him in the hunt for the Phantom's body. In truth, he didn't want to go, nor stir up the ghosts from the past.

Now here he was, pressed to the ground, the Phantom's hand gripped tight to his throat, his face mere inches away. Blinking frantically, Fabien nearly choked for the Ghost was close enough that he could feel the tips of his lashes brush against the deformed maniac's chin.

"Oh God please don't kill me!" Fabien cried, "I'll do anything anything! Just don't kill me!"

Erik growled. Slowly his fingers tightened around the whimpering man's throat. If this had happened a few months ago, Erik would have had no qualms at all at ending this miserable man's life. But now, after all having met Elphaba, and lived through the horrors of his past, he was finding himself at a crossroads.

For a moment, he glared down at the man's face, and something flickered in his own dark brown eyes; pity, an undertow of guilt, and remorse crashed within his heart. And he soon found himself slowly uncurling his fingers from around the man's throat.

Fabien, who had been shaking and whimpering pathetically on the ground stiffened, feeling the masked man's fingers fall away. Rolling his eyes upwards, he held his breath, seeing the Phantom slowly lift his head away from his.

"Get out of here. And never come back" growled Erik. After a moment, he regally rose to his full height, his dark chocolate eyes glared down at the man, silently daring him to try and lift a finger against him again.

Shaking, the man nodded and pulled himself off the ground, his eyes never leaving Erik's.

"Thank you…Merci merci beaucoup!" rising to his knees, Fabien grabbed onto Erik's hands and kissed them, "Merci beaucoup!" he repeated in between kisses.

Erik stiffened hard and stared down at the man in shock. This was not the kind of response he was expecting from this man, for no one, save for Madame Giry, Meg, and now Elphaba had dared to touch him. Lost for words, Erik continued to stare.

Fabien, feeling him stiffen, hid his smirk behind his knuckles as he kissed Erik's hand again. Unseen by the Phantom, he reached behind him and slid a dagger hidden in his beltline free.

"Merci beaucoup!" A flash of steel and Fabien drives the dagger deep into Erik's side. "Die you miserable bastard!" he screams in anger.