Disclaimer: I do not own Erik, or Meg, or Madame Giry, or any other characters from the ingenious mind of Gaston Leroux! Or anything by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Anne, however, she's mine...well, she resides in my head until her story is done.
AN: Freaking A this took forever! There are a few surprises in here, at least I think so, but things are starting to heat up for Anne and Elizabeth!
Chapter 52
Elizabeth stared at her reflection in the full length mirror enjoying the feel of the gold colored satin against her skin. With Christmas over, and their finances mysteriously back to normal, the blonde had splurged on the expensive fabric. Of course, attending the New Year's Eve Ball at the Populaire had been another reason to spend money on herself. The young woman did a turn to admire herself one final time before turning to the other occupant in the room. It had been an absolute delight spending the holidays with the de Chagny's and Elizabeth was thrilled with being tied with the most fashionable and upcoming woman in all of Parisian society. Regardless of Christine's birth she had managed well for herself and Elizabeth would continue to do the same.
"You look absolutely beautiful, my dear."
Elizabeth smiled and allowed her heart to skip a beat when his voice came up behind her. She turned to face him, thrilled to see him standing there in her room. "Thank you. I had this color picked especially for tonight."
"You suit the color well." He walked over to her and slid his hands around her waist, pulling her closer. "It's a shame that I can't rid you of this beautiful dress while everyone is out." He pressed a kiss to the her jaw and neck sending shivers down her spine.
"We'll have to find a spare moment later," Elizabeth responded, pressing a hand against his chest. "Until then, you're going to have to control yourself."
He stepped away from her and pressed a kiss to her hand. He silently made his way to the door but before closing the portal behind him he turned back and looked at her, desire purely evident in his eyes. "The carriages will be here in two hours."
"Until then, dear Raoul." Elizabeth smiled one of her best smiles as he closed the door and she returned to her reflection in the mirror. Truth be told, there was not going to be a later...at least, now for a while. True, the Ball was going to be the main event of the night. She was not going to turn a pleasant event into something gruesome, but it was going to be the beginning for Anne's demise.
Elizabeth walked over to her vanity and pulled out a long black case. She opened it and smiled wickedly as the light glistened off the steel blade. Of course, she would deliver the final blow but there would be some things to take care of. Grandmama's accusation about a place that had been gifted to Anne was going to have to be proved. If it was true, Anne was going to have to pay. She had always been the special child. She was even happy as a low class citizen! She picked up the blade and turned it over.
"Soon...Anne," she whispered to the darkness. "Very soon."
I paced back and forth in the private dressing room I'd spent the last few minutes in. My nerves were going to tear me to shreds and my heart was racing like a hummingbird's wings. There was no way that I could go through with this. Singing would surely bring back too many painful memories...it was tied to a dark moment of my life. I second guessed going along with Erik's plan for me to sing now of all times. Why did I ever think that this was a good idea? I had assumed that he would have asked me to sing at some small event just to prove to me that I could perform. But, no. I had to sing in front of all of Paris!
"Anna, you're going to wear yourself out pacing like that." Erik's calm voice echoed in the room and I patiently waited as he stepped through the double sided mirror and into the room. We were in the Prima Donna's rooms and Madame Carrollton had already gone out to perform her piece and I was to be the concluding performer.
"I'm scared, Erik." My voice came out as a pathetic whisper and I realized how childish I sounded. "I've never sung in front of such a large crowd before."
Erik came over to me and placed his arms around me as if to comfort me but it wasn't until a few moments passed that I realized he was really laughing at me.
I frowned up at him. "I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown and all you can do is laugh at me!" I tried to pull away but he wouldn't let me.
"Forgive me, Anna, if I'm trying to make these next few minutes easier for you. You're nervous and that's understandable, but you should not be trying to pass out in the process." He held me firm and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. "I'll be with you through every note you just might not be able to see me."
I nodded, realizing how stupid I was being. I took a few deep breaths and tried to steady my nerves. I was content to just stay in Erik's embrace until Aunt Giry came bursting through the door, Meg right on her heals. . I turned to her and found her with mock disapproval on her face as she shut the door.
"You cannot be in here with her! What if someone were to see you?" Aunt Giry took my hand and Erik released me. I instantly missed his touch. "You're lucky your dress did not wrinkle."
"Oh, Anne you look so beautiful!" Meg clapped her hands happily and took another look at my dress. "The dark blue is lovely! You look almost regal!"
I smiled at them both for their kindness and turned to find Erik almost completely through the hidden mirror door. "Where will I find you when this is all over?" I asked him, a small fear nipping at the back of my mind.
"I'll find you, Anna," he replied, before disappearing through the door, the mirror sliding back into place.
"We've come to get you in place!" Meg smiled, taking my gloved hands in hers. "The place is so full! Everyone is excited to see the newest singer at the Populaire! Madame Carrolton is being surprisingly pleasant during all of this!"
Yes, I was amazed at how calm the diva was being during all of this. For two weeks, the paper had been clamoring about for news of the debuting singer but the Managers had refused to speak a word. No one knew except for a select few that it was going to be me. I suppose that was what worried me the most. If I failed, it was going to look poorly on the Managers and to those who knew...not to mention I would make a good fool of myself in the process.
"Come on, Anne," Aunt Giry urged me onward. "It's time."
The spot had been chosen early. Erik had taken care to make sure that he was going to see without being seen as he watched his beloved make her entrance into the music world. How happy he had been when Anne had said that she would sing one piece for him! He knew the pain and trauma it would cause her and their rehearsals had been filled with moments where she had to breathe and put the past behind her. Old memories had a tendency to surface at the least opportune moments and he hoped that this would not be one of those moments.
The crowd was filled with the usual gathering of high society, including the de Chagny's as well as Anne's sister and brother-in-law. Erik was glad that they could see what had become of the woman that they had so thoughtlessly pushed aside to fulfil their own agendas and personal needs. They had passed over a treasure like Anne for something that could be bought with money.
Madame Carrolton had been finished for a full half an hour before the Managers came on to introduce their following and final performer. It puzzled Erik briefly to find that after her solo, she had briefly disappeared and only now just returned. There was no time for congratulatory remarks as everyone was now keen on who would be next. Erik leaned against a pillar on the second story of the Populaire Ballroom and watched as his precious Anna was introduced. There were whispers of curiosity and recognition amidst the onlookers. The whispers turned to silence when the music started and Anne did not make her appearance at the top of the stairwell. A few turned and the others followed to find Anne at the back of the hall, her voice ringing out clear and pure.
Who knows when love begins
Who knows what makes it start
One day it's simply there
Alive inside your heart
It slips into your thoughts
It infiltrates your soul
It takes you by surprise
Then seizes full control
Try to deny it
And try to protest
But love won't let you go
Once you've been possessed
Love never dies
Love never falters
Once it has spoken
Love is yours
Love never fades
Love never alters
Hearts may get broken
Love endures
Hearts may get broken
Love endures
And soon as you submit
Surrender flesh and bone
That love takes on a life
Far greater than your own
It uses you at whim
And drives you to despair
And forces you to feel
More joy than you can bear
Love gives you pleasure
And love brings you pain
And yet when both are gone
Love will still remain
Once it has spoken
Love is yours
Love never dies
Love never alters
Hearts may get broken
Love endures
Hearts may get broken
Love never dies
Love will continue
Love keeps on beating
When you're gone
Love never dies
Once it is in you
Love may be fleeting
Love lives on
Love may be fleeting
Love lives on
Erik watched with rapture and pleasure as Anne sang the song meant for her. He watched as she awed the entire audience with just the sound of a voice so innocent and so passionate that it was unworldly. She had begun at the back of the hall but as the song progressed she had made her way through the crowd, an aisle forming almost of its own will. She had slowly climbed the stairs as if searching for her love standing there. It wasn't until the crescendo, the highest point where she declared for the world that love would live on that she turned to face the crowd. She wore a look of triumph and for the briefest of moments he could have sworn that she saw him and she sang the final line just for him.
The sound that erupted when the music stopped was one that could have rattled the Populaire to its foundation. Shouts of praise rang through the ballroom and Erik felt a surge of pride for his beloved Anna. She was a beautiful soul that, for some strange unknown reason, had fallen in love with him and had consented to be his...forever. Such a joy was not one he had ever dared dream of and soon...very soon, she would truly be his.
Erik gripped the railing in front of him anxiously awaiting for the moment that they could finally be alone. He left the second story of the ballroom and made his way to the room she shared with Meg. He wanted to see her now...needed to see her now. But it was the not the time. He left a note for her atop her dresser and as he made his way back out the door, something stopped him. He turned back to look at the room noticing that something was not right.
A further inspection of the room made him realize that the trunk at the foot of Anne's bed was open and things were scattered about as if someone had dug through it. It was curious as he knew that Anne was a tidy person who would never let anything just laying about. He shook his head, figuring that it was probably the result of nerves, and tidied up the papers and pictures that were scattered about and piled them back into trunk. Then, just as silently as he entered, he left the room and made his way back to the lair, waiting for Anna to come to him.
