(A/N: Oh no, here we go… the much anticipated "Don Juan" chapter… Lol. Thank you to ALL of my reviewers, and a special thanks to Songe… That was one of the longest reviews I've ever gotten!
Thank you again everyone! Enjoy the update!)
Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Point of No Return
The first scene went smoothly, both the managers agreed. It was most certainly the best show the Opera House had ever put on, even if it was a bit…morbid…
The audience watched in anticipation as Don Juan and his servant, Passarino, recited their plan and exchanged places. Then Don Juan hid behind a curtain, and the lovely Miss Daae entered as Aminta.
The managers turned their gaze to Box Five. So far, there was nothing…
xxxxx
Piangi smiled to himself and pulled the curtain closed behind him. It had been a good day so far, and was only promising to get better. Any moment now…any moment the Phantom would appear in Box Five. Then, at long last, they would have their revenge!
Piangi chuckled to himself, and then turned his attention back to the voices onstage. In a moment, he had to go back on…
Suddenly he heard a voice behind him. Surprisingly, however, it was not a male voice. It was a female voice that he recognized…
"Monsieur Piangi, you were doing better than usual tonight." Madame Giry announced quietly, "But unfortunately, you will no longer be needed in this scene. I am sorry for this, but it's the only way."
Piangi whirled around to face her just as she brought something heavy down on his head. Later, he would awake in his room with no recollection of any of the events from the opera.
xxxxx
"Hurry, Monsieur, you don't have much time." Madame Giry spoke softly so that they could not hear her on stage, watching worriedly as Erik donned Piangi's hooded cloak.
Erik turned to her then. "You have my thanks, Madame."
Madame Giry nodded briskly. "May luck be with you, though I fear that you may need more than luck to get away with this. You certainly don't look like Piangi, Monsieur, and you sound even less like him. Thankfully."
Erik even smiled a little bit at her. "I will be careful."
"I'll take Piangi to his room—if I can carry him, that is—and then watch those officers to try to find out what is going on. I don't believe anyone really knows but the managers and Piangi, though…"
Erik was about to respond, but at that moment, the actor who played the servant said, "Master?"
Erik waved Madame Giry away, and responded with the appropriate line… "Passarino… Go away for the trap is set and waits for it's prey…"
xxxxx
The audience heard the change in the voice right away. Piangi, though he had a decent voice, did not sound anything near as angelic as this one did. Could it be…?
They all waited with baited breath.
The managers did as well. Andre gave his partner a worried look and mouthed, "Piangi? What happened… that certainly isn't Piangi! Is it…the Phantom?…"
Firmin gazed down at his friend, giving him an 'I-told-you-so' look.
Andre gulped and turned his attention back to the stage, where a black robed figure was appearing…
xxxxx
"You have come here… in pursuit of your deepest urge…in pursuit of that wish which till now has been silent… silent…"
Christine, too, had heard the change in the voice as well, and she knew exactly what had happened. Why hadn't she expected something like this!
"I have brought you, that our passions may fuse and merge…In your mind you've already succumbed to me, dropped all defenses completely succumbed to me…"
She took a shaky breath and pretended as if nothing had changed. She had to keep up the appearance, for Erik's sake…even though she had a horrible suspicion that everyone else knew who he was, too…
"And now you are here with me, no second thoughts…You've decided…decided…"
His voice sent shivers down her spine. 'Well,' she thought 'At least this time I don't have to worry about not being passionate enough…'
Everyone watched the figure's progression across the stage, hypnotized by the angelic voice. Even the officers forgot to watch for their signal to shoot from the managers… which really didn't matter, as the managers had quite forgotten to give it. Everyone watched with bated breath.
"Past the point of no return…No backward glances! The games we've played till now are at an end…Past all point of "if" or "when"…no use resisting…abandon thought, and let the dream descend . . ."
Christine closed her eyes and lost herself in the sound of his voice. She restrained the sudden urge to jump up and run to him, reminding herself that they were in front of a huge audience.
"What raging fire shall flood the soul? What rich desire unlocks its door? What sweet seduction lies before us . . .?"
Christine couldn't stop herself from sighing, but it was so faint that only Erik noticed. He raised an eyebrow slightly under the cowl of Don Juan's robe, a tiny smile playing about the corners of his lips. He continued, watching Christine's reaction intently. He had reached her now, and gently placed his arms around her.
"Past the point of no return, the final threshold - what warm, unspoken secrets will we learn? Beyond the point of no return . . ."
Christine was glad Erik was holding her, or else she would have collapsed. She regained her senses just in time to continue her part of the song.
"You have brought me to that moment where words run dry, to that moment where speech disappears into silence, silence . . .I have come here, hardly knowing the reason why . . . In my mind, I've already imagined our bodies entwining defenseless and silent - and now I am here with you- no second thoughts, I've decided, decided . . ."
She was doing the best she had ever done in all of her practices, even better than when she had practiced with Erik. She was now pouring her heart into her voice, and it made it all of the more amazingly beautiful. Though she still blushed slightly at Aminta's seductive words (and blushed more when she realized that they were true) she pulled herself together and continued.
"Past the point of no return -no going back now — our passion-play has now, at last, begun … Past all thought of right or wrong -one final question: how long should we two wait, before we're one . . .?"
Christine found that she wasn't embarrassed anymore. She became increasingly aware of Erik's arm's around her, and her song was getting more and more sincere. She bit back a moan as he began to gently press kisses on her neck. Her breath quickened, but she continued to sing. She couldn't mess up, not now…
"When will the blood begin to race the sleeping budburst into bloom? When will the flames, at last, consume us . . .?"
Now Erik's voice joined hers, and the audience sat in complete awe. The sound and the feeling of both voices combined were incredible.
"Past the point of no return the final threshold -the bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn . . . We've passed the point of no return . . ."
There was a ringing silence as they stopped. Everyone sat still in their seats, and then—slowly—began to come out of their reverie.
Erik gently drew Christine even closer to himself, and sang softly in her ear. "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime…lead me, save me from my solitude…"
Christine drew in a breath. This wasn't in the script… what was he doing! She looked down to where the officers in the pit were, still blinking dazedly.
"Say you want me with you, here, beside you…Anywhere you go, let me go too…Christine, that's all I ask of—"
He never had time to finish, however, for at that moment Firmin came out of his trance and quickly signaled for the officers to shoot the man onstage.
The closest policeman raised his gun, and Christine let out a cry of despair. "Erik!" She quickly turned and pushed him to the ground, landing on top of him.
She wasn't a moment too soon, either, for the bullet went whizzing right over their heads.
Erik swiftly nudged her off from on top of him and scooped her up in his arms. Then he let something drop to the ground, causing a column of smoke to rise up around them.
"Goodbye, gentlemen. It has been a pleasure working with you."
Christine felt the floor drop out from underneath of her, and then everything went black.
(A/N: Well, I hoped you all enjoyed my version of Don Juan. There are still a few more chapters left, so stick around! Please R+R!)
...Hilary...