Erik felt guilty after the argument with Colette over his feelings for Christine. However, he couldn't deny his feelings for Colette either. He wanted to find a way to repay her for the kindness that she had shown him, so he did two things. One of the things was he finished composing a lullaby for her, a melody which had been in his mind for some time, since that night when he first played so many weeks ago. The melody itself was for both violin and piano, to be played however she preferred. He put the final touches on the melody and signed the paper with his signature, along with his own message that was only meant for Colette on the back of the last page. The other thing that he decided to do for her was, needless to say, a shock to the entire company.
The rehearsals for Don Juan Triumphant had been underway for a little over three weeks, and the company was nowhere near ready to perform the opera, especially if it was to be to Erik's liking. Colette felt like that she was in the way most of the time during rehearsals as she tried to help design and paint the sets with the other builders, but Erik's temper had them stopping and restarting the building of the sets every other day. Colette ended up staying back, unable to fill her final commission. She hadn't told the managers that she was resigning her commission after this final opera, but the opportunity hadn't arose. The managers saw how Colette seemed out of place and unable to work with all of the chaos of all the changes being made, so they decided to commission her for a painting of the two of them. None of the previous owners had a painting commissioned, so they decided to be the trendsetters, as it were.
The only problem was that with painting Andre and Firmin while Erik was on the warpath was that there was constant hustle and bustle in and out of the their office. Colette had started sketching the two of them at work, sitting on a stool as she sketched on the canvas. She worked quietly and didn't speak while they worked, though she heard every word that was said between them, along with Carlotta, Piangi, Raoul and Christine. Colette was working on the fine lines of Firmin on the canvas when Andre burst in, throwing the score of the opera on their on his desk, letting out an exasperated yell, which made Colette jump and draw a large charcoal line right through a sitting Firmin who was reading the score. She cursed to herself and grabbed her eraser to fix the mistake while Andre began his rant.
"This is ludicrous," he shouted, pacing about the office as Firmin looked up from the libretto, his own expression frustrated and nervous. "Have you seen the score?"
"Yes, I have, and it is simply ludicrous, but we need to comply with his requests, Giles. If we don't, you know what will happen. Another chandelier…or worse."
"Miss Harker, you've heard the rehearsing for the last few weeks," Andre said, directing his attention to Colette after she had fixed the mistake and went back to working on the fine outlines of Andre and Firmin. "What do you think of this opera?"
"Well," she began, her attention focused on the canvas while she spoke. "I personally think that the music that was written by the Phantom is the best music that I have ever heard. He is very gifted and very smart. I believe that it's the two of you that are going about the rehearsals all wrong. Get the orchestration down first, with the singing, and then you should be able to start blocking rehearsals. Then again, I am only a painter. What do I know of the opera?"
The men chuckled and Colette swore that she heard a chuckle behind her. A very familiar, low, dark chuckle. She knew that the walls had ears, but if it was Erik chuckling behind her, she would've been very surprised since she hadn't interacted with him for weeks. She couldn't help but smile that Andre and Firmin had asked her opinion on the opera, even though afterwards she began to wonder if they thought her response was a joke. Andre and Firmin continued to talk about the opera for a few minutes, until they each pulled a note from their jacket pocket, reading them to each other. Once they had read their letters, Carlotta and Piangi burst in, Carlotta crying outrage and that the part she was assigned was an insult to the art that she performed.
"I wish that you could call this gibberish art," Piangi chortled, tossing his libretto down as he sat in one of the open chairs. "I don't care if he is the Phantom or Opera Ghost, or whatever everyone desires to call him. We shouldn't be performing this trash!"
It's not trash, Colette thought as she continued her work, her hand gliding over the canvas and finishing the portrait of Andre and Firmin. All that was needed now was to paint it, and it would be completely finished. She moved to get her pallet and brushes out of her bag when Raoul and Christine joined the already crowded office.
"Ah, and here is the little flower," Carlotta exclaimed, her arms crossed with jealousy as Christine crossed the room. Colette felt it was time to try and escape the crowded office as she soon sensed the tension of everyone there. However, as she went to get up, Andre motioned towards her to sit back down and stay to finish the painting.
"Ah, Miss Daae, you're quite the lady of the hour, for you have secured the largest role in the opera."
"Ha! Christine Daae," Carlotta questioned the managers, crossing across the dressing room to Christine, flipping a stand of her hair behind her. "She doesn't have the voice!"
"Signora, please," Firmin said exhaustedly, clearly tired of dealing with Carlotta and her petty jealousy.
"You're not agreeing with this, are you," Raoul asked the managers, setting Christine down in a chair so she wouldn't faint. Colette noticed that Christine looked like she hadn't slept, obviously worried about her role in the opera. She could do nothing, but sit and watch the drama unfold before her eyes.
"We have no choice, Raoul!"
"Don't you see that she's the one behind this? Christine Daae," Carlotta began to rant, pacing about the room. Christine couldn't take anymore and she stood up from her chair, going to Carlotta.
"How dare you! You evil woman, how dare you?!"
"Do you think I'm blind? I am not a fool."
"Don't you see that I don't want any part of this plot? I didn't cause this! It isn't my fault!"
"Are you backing out?"
"Miss Daae, we can understand your apprehension to the opera, and it's your decision, but why not," Andre asked, coming around to the other side of the desk.
"It's your duty," Firmin told her, going up to Raoul. "Convince her!
"I cannot sing it, duty or not, Monsieur Firmin."
Raoul shook his head at Firmin, frustrated that they were all turning their tails between their legs as he went over to Christine, taking her in his arms and rubbing her backing comfortingly.
"Christine, you don't have to," he told her gently, then shot a look of disgust at Andre and Firmin. "They can't make you."
As Andre and Firmin looked at each other, as if they were about to surrender in a battle, there was a knock on the office door and Madame Giry entered, carrying her own note from Erik. She closed the office door and began with, "Please, Messiers: another note." There was a collective groan of frustration as she unfolded the note and began to read what new instructions Erik had written for them.
"Fondest greetings to you all!
A few instructions just before rehearsal starts: Carlotta must be taught to act, and not her normal trick of strutting around the stage. Our Don Juan must lose some weight – it's not healthy in a man of Piangi's age. And my managers must learn that they're place is in an office, and not the arts.
As for Miss Christine Daae, there's no doubt she'll do her best. It's true her voice is good. She knows, though, should she wish to excel, she has much still to learn, if pride will let her return to me, her teacher.
If Miss Daae should choose not to perform in the role of Amita, then the role shall be given to…"
Madame Giry stopped reading, her eyes becoming wider as she read the last few words to herself. Her gaze traveled from the letter to Colette who was still sitting on the stool, and not saying a word. Madame Giry's stare suddenly worried her and Colette stood up, crossing the room.
"What's wrong," she asked, looking at Madame Giry. When Madame Giry didn't answer, Colette took the letter from her hands and began to read over it. She read over Erik's beautiful penmanship, her mouth falling open slightly with an inaudible gasp. She read it over and over, and then spoke the final line aloud.
"If Miss Daae should choose not to perform in the role of Amita, then the role shall be given to Miss Colette Harker, who…who has perfect pitch and will not require any training to take the part.
Your obedient friend and…Angel…"
She looked up from the note, and all eyes had fallen on her. The room had become silent, so silent that you could hear a pin drop. Christine had separated herself from Raoul, her expression showing relief knowing that Erik wanted Colette in the role and not Carlotta. The silence was broken by Andre, who was standing next to Firmin in front of his desk.
"Is it true? Do you have perfect pitch," he asked, unsure of what it meant, but it had to mean something positive because Carlotta and Piangi had begun to whisper each other in Italian, and from what he could tell from their tones, it wasn't anything good.
"Well…I…yes, it's true."
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because I wanted to paint, not sing. I don't do well on stage."
"Well, we can fix that. You can begin attending rehearsals! We can put you in the chorus!"
"No, thank you," she replied politely, starting to tremble a little. "I-I would really just rather paint."
"I won't do it," Christine spoke up, and the room fell silent again as everyone turned to look at her. "I can't. I won't do it. Let Colette take the part, because I won't."
"Christine," Raoul said, looking at her and kissing her forehead. "Don't you understand? We've all been blind, and the answer is staring us in the face. This could be the chance to ensnare our clever friend once and for all."
"What do you suggest," Firmin asked, the attention going back towards Raoul and Christine.
"We play his game, perform his work because we hold the ace. If Christine sings, he is certain to attend."
"Madness," Madame Giry said loudly. "This is madness! Messiers, believe me - there is no way of turning the tides."
"You stick to ballet," Firmin spat at her, turning his attention back to Raoul. "Do you really believe that this will work?"
Raoul didn't answer, but instead when to Madame Giry, standing up to her. "Help us! Instead of warning us, why don't you help us?!"
"Monsieur, I can't. I wish I could! I really do!"
The argument between Raoul and Madame Giry sent the whole room into a frenzy of arguments and panicked discussions. Colette was in the middle of it all, although she wasn't arguing with anyone. The voices overlapped one another like the chattering of the audience while waiting for the opera to begin. Piangi and Carlotta had begun to gang up on Christine, blaming her for all of the accidents and all of the patrons' affections going toward her, a young diva. Colette went to defend Christine, but between Raoul having his shouting match with Madame Giry and the walls where he was sure that Erik was hiding, Christine let out an anguished and frustrated cry, throwing her libretto across the office.
"If you don't stop, I'll go mad," she shrieked, and the arguments ceased, Raoul turning his attention to her. Seeing that she was in a panic, he went to her and grasped her by her arms to hold her up. Andre grabbed a chair and pushed it towards and Raoul helped to sit down as she began to beg him. "Raoul, I'm frightened! Don't make me do this! Raoul, it scares me! Don't put me through this ordeal by fire…he'll take me, I know! We'll be parted forever…he won't let me go. What I once used to dream, I now dread. If he finds me, it won't ever end, and he'll always be there singing songs in my head. He'll always be there singing songs in my head…"
She let out a small sob, and the room fell quiet again. Raoul wiped her tears as Carlotta whispered loudly, "She's mad."
"Christine, you said it yourself that he was nothing but a man. Yet, while he lives, he will haunt us 'til we're dead."
She let a low sigh. "I'm being twisted in every way. What answer can I give, Raoul? Do you want me to risk my life to win the chance to live with you? How can I betray the man who once inspired my voice? Do I become his prey, and do I have any choice? Don't you see that he kills without a thought; he murders all that's good. I know that I can't refuse, and yet, I wish I could." She looked towards Colette, as if she would volunteer and take the role out of Christine's hands, but Christine knew that she would have to agree to sing eventually. "Oh, God…if I agree, what horrors wait for me, in this - the Phantom's opera?"
Raoul leaned in and planted a small kiss on her forehead, sighing softly. "Christine, Christine, don't think that I don't care, but every hope and every prayer rests on you now. Please do this. Please sing in the opera."
"No…I can't!" Christine bolted up from her chair and ran out of the office, crying. Raoul ran after her, calling her name. Carlotta, Piangi, and Madame Giry left the room soon after to prepare for rehearsal, leaving Firmin, Andre, and Colette alone in the office once again.
"Well, rehearsal is in two hours," Firmin told her gently, handing her bag to her. "We'll see you then. You should still learn the part – just in case."
Colette gave a soft nod and left the office in a daze, leaving the canvas there. She had hid her emotions well. Inside, she was screaming at the fact that Erik had done this to her, but at the same time, she was feeling exhilarated at the fact that she was going to be included in the opera apart from painting the backdrops and designing the sets. However, she needed to yell at Erik for springing this on her without even so much as a note to give her a bit of warning beforehand. Once she was away from the office, she made a beeline for her room and threw her things down, then went on the search for Erik.