Author's Note: Maybe Christine will accept him after all. As always please read and review.
Inspiration: None.
Quest for Acceptance
The morning was a cold one, the quilt felt so warm she didn't want to get out of bed but she knew she must. With the night that happened the day before she knew everything would be chaotic to say the least and she knew it would be a long day for everyone. The woman's body had been taken to the morgue as well as others injured were taken to the hospital. The extent of the injuries were not yet known.
The body and patrons gone however the mess still remained. Seven tons of bronze lay twisted and mangled while the crystal lay lay broken most of it crushed under the heels of the police and medics that rushed to the scene. It would take all the stage hands to clear the mess and get the opera house looking normal again. While the managers were holed up in their office in fear which was accurate for what they had heard and seen Md. Giry who has been wisely reinstated managed to get the managers focused long enough to reorder a new chandelier from Lacarière, Delatour and Cie.
It would make them 30,000 francs the poorer as well as the money the phantom required but both would serve to ensure the popularity and well workings of the opera house. Both were amounts they knew they'd be foolish to refuse to pay, and pay they did. As soon as the debris was removed the new chandelier would be installed in its place as well as a much stronger chain.
Jen got to the kitchen early getting the pots of water boiling for all the coffee, tea, grain and oats that would be required. The men would need something heartier than fruit and cheese this morning so oatmeal and porridge would suffice. Coffee was brewed and placed into several large carafes so the workers could refill their cups while working instead of coming back to the kitchen area.
Francois soon joined her assisting her with the carafes that Kent and Lucian would take to the stage to set up. Breakfast was soon finished and handed out to the men who were grateful for the warm meal. Most of her kitchen staff with the exception of Francois, Maurice and Rene went to help out in the cleaning efforts. The rest stayed behind so they could ensure the good meals and coffee would continually be provided for the hard working men and women that were eagerly getting the opera house reopened.
Jen sat down on the stool to get a moments rest before resuming work and picked up the newspaper that Robert had dropped off. It seemed the catastrophe at the opera house remedied a slow news day because the story took up most of the front page. The headline was in large bold letters, 'TWO HUNDRED KILOS ON THE HEAD OF A CONCIERGE'. Astonishingly she was the only one killed others were injured including her husband who suffered several cuts from the broken glass but none of them serious enough to cause death.
She felt a large warm hand on her shoulder knowing exactly who it was that owned the bear like paw. "Jennifer."
"Yes Francois." She turned to face him.
"Do you remember the cousin I was telling you about yesterday the fisherman?" She nodded softly. "Well he's offering to sell us some of his catch if we'll have it. He's right outside with it now if you'll take a look."
"Yes that will be a good idea with everything that went on yesterday I didn't really have much planned for dinner or lunch except for some chickens the butcher was able to get for me. Let's go take a look."
It seemed like Francis's cousin had a bountiful haul. He had some beautiful prawns and fish that were extremely fresh. The prawns were cleaned then steamed in white wine, shallots and garlic finished with some herbed butter to go with the boiled tarragon pullets for a quick protein filled lunch. The fish were gutted, descaled and cleaned before being portioned and steamed in the same white wine mixture as the prawns with the vegetable trinity. The bones and heads were thrown in two large stock pots to make fish fumet that would be served alongside the fish and vegetables for dinner.
With lunch done she quickly made up some plates for the old couple as well as Christine and the phantom. She quickly snuck into Christine's dressing room then left the two plates on her dresser near the mirror knowing the phantom would pick them up when he got the chance. To ensure she wasn't caught on Christine's dressing room she quickly left not waiting for Erik to arrive before heading to the old couple.
She caught sight of the Persian however he managed to allude her before she was able to follow him. So she instead headed back to the kitchen to ensure everything would be ready. She passed by the stage amazed by how fast everyone had worked it would only take another week and the new chandelier would be ready to be installed. Kent and Anton helped her take back the empty carafes to be refilled while she praised them on their efforts and let them know what dinner would be.
He looked at his angel who held his mask in one hand while her other hand was at her mouth as she looked at him with disgust and fear. A scream looked as though it would burst from her throat. The shock and betrayal courses through his veins. He shot up from the piano bench knocking Christine who was on it to the floor in his haste. In his shock he fakes arrogance telling her that all the women who see his face have to have him. He is a Don Juan like that of his opera. She will belong to him in due time she will want him as all other women have.
"Is the sight so horrendous to you, you little viper? You just had to see what lie under the mask. Well look DAMN YOU!"
Now that the shock was dissipating anger soon took its place as she continued to stare at him in horror. He grabs her hands using her nails to dig into his face to rip it off like you would another mask. "You SEE it does not come off this is the face I was born with. The face I can never change. The face that earned a mother's fear and loathing. My father never knew me which might have been better for him but my mother knew me. My mother gave me my first mask because she was unable to look at me like you are now. She couldn't stand the sight of me she locked me in a room kept me as an animal never showing me love or affection."
'No one will ever show me affection. Not a hideous beast like me.'
Tears began to well in his eyes. No one that saw his face would ever love him or care for him. His angel would leave him as his mother did as everyone did. Now that his angel knew the truth he was a disfigured monster she would never return to him. "If you hadn't seen me if you had thought me handsome I would have gladly freed you knowing you would have come back. However now you know the truth you can never be free for you will never return to me."
What she did next shocked him to the core, she touched his arm even though it were only for a second to gain his attention it was still a touch. She spoke the words he never hoped to hear. "I can learn to accept you. You are a musical genius and a poor man who has had a hard life."
He let the tears fall, tears of relief as he felt accepted by her. It wasn't love but it was a start. A start in the right direction. He picked up the mask from where it had fallen on the ground and put the mask back on.
"We are done with the music for today it is getting late I will get you dinner then you will rest." He led her back into her bedroom before closing the locking mechanism and heading up to the kitchens.
When he reached the kitchen he saw Jennifer she had her back to him while stirring a small pot. He waited for her to acknowledge his presence as she always did except this time she didn't. As he got closer he could see why. Her eyes were half-lidded, her movements languid and her body looked shaky. Just as her knees began to buckle he caught her in his arms he was thankfully holding her from the side of he would've gotten hit in the face when he head shot up quickly as she jerked awake.
She stiffened in his arms as she quickly looked over at him. A look of relief passed over her as he eyes shuttered close as a shaky sigh escaped her lips. She looked over at him again as he let her stand and smiled at him. "Thank God it's just you."
"Where you expecting anyone else?"
His voice came out harsh but she wasn't phased by it. "I told Tiernan off yesterday. He doesn't look like a man that is used to hearing the word no. I don't want to be too careful in case he is the vengeful type."
His eyes softened at her dilemma. "Ah I see you are right to be on guard its not a good idea to be off guard if you are worried about such a man."
She looked at him again only now with studious intent. "You've been crying. Why have you been crying?"
She reached up a hand to touch one of the tracks on his face the tears had made but he moved back away from her hand. He ignored the hurt in her eyes at his moment but after Christine had ripped away his mask he was now extremely wary. He wouldn't risk losing his only friend because of the hideousness that lurked beneath the protective mask. Christine was kind enough to accept him even if he knew the fear was still present but he wouldn't risk it if Jennifer couldn't accept him. That betrayal would cost him too dearly.
"Yes I have been crying but they were tears of joy Christine has accepted me."
Her sadness turned to joy. "That's wonderful acceptance will turn to liking then can turn into love. This is great. I'll make the plates for both of you so you can dine with her. This is cause for celebration. Maybe you could share a glass of the Tokay."
"If it doesn't bother you I'd rather take my dinner here with you."
She wanted to ask him why he didn't want to dine with Christine but she was too excited he wanted to dine with her she didn't bother. "Sure why not."
He quirked an eyebrow at her strange phrase but accepted it as part of her unique charm. He saw her eyes were still drooping. "Sit I will serve us both. You look haggard."
She sat on the stool unable to stifle the groan that broke free or the popping of her spine as she stretched her back. "Yes I am exhausted. With keeping up with feeding all the men and keeping the carafes filled I didn't have much time to rest. The chandelier will take another week to get cleaned up and the seats repaired before the new chandelier can be hung."
"I didn't have anything to do with it."
"I didn't say you did."
"Well I am the phantom of the Opera and known for causing mishaps is wouldn't be a hard leap. I've already had one person ask me about it."
"Christine asked you about the chandelier?"
"No not Christine, a former acquaintance of mine."
"An acquaintance?"
"A man I knew in Persia..."
"The Persian the one that's been sneaking around the opera house."
"You have seen him before."
"Yes the last time I caught him snooping around in the cellars so I took him to the managers and told them that he did not belong in the opera house and was therefore trespassing and if he was seen on the property again where he shouldn't be would be taken by the police."
Erik laughed at the irony of the daroga being arrested by his own brothers in law enforcement. "Well he is a nuisance to me so perhaps you should do just that."
He placed the plates in front of them and ate quietly. The fumet was quite intriguing a flavor it had been ages since he had eaten fish or prawns which he recalled with fondness earlier that afternoon. He took the bowls to the sink praising her on a wonderful meal.
"The fumet was great the bits of fish where quite good. The herbs you used gave it a great flavor complimenting it quite well. As well as the prawns for lunch the sauce was done well and the chicken. I haven't had fish in a long time I had almost forgotten how good it could be as well as the prawns too bad they are so hard to come by I wouldn't mind having them more often. How did you acquire them?"
He found her silence strange and as he turned back to the table to gather the spoons and glasses he learned why. One arm served as a pillow for her head as the other still held her spoon. He took the spoon gently and puts the dishes in the sink then watched her sleep. He admired her greatly she worked tirelessly from early in the morning to late in the evening and yet still she prepared and warmed his evening meals. He quietly prepared the plate for Christine and took it to her dressing room where he would take it to her as soon as he finished something he had to do first.
A/N: So it seems Christine has accepted the phantom.
