After untying the rope from around his waist, Marcus quickly rolled it up and tied it around his belt before he continued on. On his way down the massive stair case, he came across Erik's water cage trap. Just as he prepared to jump over it, he discovered it had been set off. He looked down and saw Raoul trapped underneath. Fighting with the turn hinge while the platform came down on him. Without hesitation, Marcus hurried to find the loose brick in the wall. When he did, he pulled the lever to unlock the hinge so Raoul could get the turner to move. As the platform rose back up, Marcus shuffled across the cage while it was still under the water.

He continued his trek to the lair. Meg saw him and stopped the mob for a minute. She said she was watching for the debris falling from the ceiling. She continued to stop them every few seconds "Save her my love!" She said to herself. Madame Giry found the entrance to an escape tunnel that Erik used to come and go from the Op'era House. She hoped to help him again.

Marcus arrived to the lair to find no one there. He then heard the mob coming. He looked around for anything that could conceal him. He found a rack of cloaks, wigs and a mask. He grabbed and put on each item. Before he headed away, Erik walked in with Christine. Marcus hid where the swan shaped bed was. He watched as Erik told Christine they were going to be married then and there. As he prepared to come out to confront Erik, Raoul showed up.

He ducked back down and watched Erik open the gate to let Raoul in. Before he could do anything, the gate closed and Erik threw a lasso around Raoul's neck. The same one he threw he threw into the water earlier. Marcus remained frozen and cursed at himself for leaving that lasso there. He hoped Christine could talk him down. He decided that if she couldn't and he attacked, he would come to her aid and reaffirmed he would kill Erik if it came to it. Marcus took off the wig, mask and cloak and slowly submerged himself in the water. He carefully swam to the gate to see if it could be opened from under the water. He struggled for a few moments before having to go up for air.

He quietly came out of the water and back to his hiding spot. When his vision returned, he saw Christine kissing Erik. When they broke, Erik had seemed to have changed his mind on everything. Marcus didn't bother to try and figure it out. He put the wig, and the mask and the cloak back on and fled the lair with the cloak floating behind him in the water. He ducked and waited within the shadows of the catacombs. He heard Erik tell them to go. As they left on the Gondola, Raoul spotted Marcus and stopped it with a look of surprise and confusion.

"There's two Opera Ghosts?" he shouted. As Marcus looked over, Raoul stuck him in the shoulder with the oar.

"It's me you damned fool," Marcus shouted.

"What the? Why are you dressed like him?" Raoul demanded.

"To throw off the mob descending down here," he answered. "I saw what happened in there. He's been defeated! He can't hurt anyone anymore! He deserves to live. He'll live with the shame and guilt of his actions. He does not deserve to be killed! That would be merciful at this point! I'm heading off the mob so that that broken man can get away and live with nothing but his broken heart and so the two of you can get away. They'll suspect you and her you and her," Marcus explained.

"Broken and nothing to show for it. The guilt. Let him go, Raoul. I'll be right back. He has to know I'm at least grateful for my gift he gave me and that love will exist for him with someone. Some day," Christine said and stepped out of the Gondola.

Raoul let Marcus go and looked away from him. He was disgusted with Marcus for allowing the Opera Ghost to live. Christine returned to the Gondola. Raoul once again ferried them through the catacombs as they began to serenade each other. Marcus heard a noise from the lair. When he looked in, he saw Erik break all the mirrors and go through a tunnel behind the biggest one that was covered up. He was grateful to know Erik escaped and that he had a possible escape route himself

***
Meg ran ahead of the mob, claiming to check the severity of the falling debris before they continued. Marcus cut her off and told her it was him. He told her everything he saw and where to find her father and himself when it was all said and done.

"Why are you dressed like him?" she asked.

"When you meet up with your father and he asks you why I'm not with you, tell him…It was for redemption," he instructed her and gave her a kiss before he ran off.

***
The mob was drawing nearer to where Meg was. She stood a bit confused and then went into the lair once she saw it. The police and the others followed her in. Marcus sat in waiting just outside. Meg picked up her father's ivory mask and then investigated the lair with everyone else. Marcus took a deep breath and made his way to the nearest stairwell. He took a moment to looked at Meg and she looked back. He mouthed to her, "I will return to you," before ascending the stairwell.

Andre saw him, pointed and shouted, "The Phantom! He's getting away!"

The mob began to follow Andre and the police out of the lair. Meg looked on in fear. When she heard someone call for her, she took the ivory mask, found the broken mirror with the cover over it and went into the tunnel. Before closing the curtain, she looked back. She watched Marcus go out of site. She turned back around and went down the tunnel. Then suddenly one of the police officers shouted, "Halt!" Causing her to stop dead in her tracks.

The mob chased Marcus, thinking he was the Phantom. Marcus was running for his life up the stairs. He got halfway up and the police officer shouted again, "Halt!" He ignored the officer and kept going. The officer pointed his riffle and fired!

Madame Giry had been walking down the tunnel for some time with her lantern and finally found Erik. She carefully approached him until he turned around. Erik ignored her and looked back down the tunnel. Suddenly Meg appeared. Standing and staring at him. He stood stunned and stared back at her. She held out his ivory mask to him. He took it from her and put it on.

"Father?" she asked with confusion and slight hopefulness.

"My child!" he cried out.

He embraced her for the first time ever as her father. Madame Giry smiled at the site. It was as if what just happened meant nothing to him.

"It has healed my heart to be in your presence. I know now who I care about and who cares about me. I am so sorry daughter. I'm sorry I was not better to you."

He then looked up anxiously, "Where's Marcus?"

Meg let out an anxious sigh. "He said it's, redemption. He was dressed in your cloak, a wig and one of your masks. He headed off the mob from the lair," she answered.

Erik looked at her stunned when suddenly they all heard the gunshot. Meg screamed "No!"
She began to run towards the lair but Erik held her back. Madame Giry went out to check. She saw Marcus fall from the stairs and into the water. The mob grew angry because the water was too deep for them to retrieve the body. They went up the stairs to look and did not see the body float back up. Suddenly Madame Giry spoke up.

"You missed! He jumped into the water and is heading for the North staircase! Hurry and you might catch him. I will make sure everyone is out. I can find my own way! Hurry," she shouted.

The mob quickly ran up the stairs after, who they thought, was the Phantom. Meg caught up to her mother. Erik slowly came out from the tunnel and joined them. Meg and her mother looked for Marcus' body. Eric waded into the deep water. Shortly after he came back and was pulling Marcus behind him. He laid him onto his side on the floor of the lair. Marcus then coughed up some water and took long, deep, gasping breaths.

They helped him sit up right and took off the mask and the cloak. The wig seemed to have fallen off. While looking him over to see see how he survived, Meg found a hole in the cloak where the bullet went through. Erik knelt down in front of him with a look of guilt and forgiveness.

"What you just did, means more to me than you will ever know. I want you to have this," he said and then handed Marcus his sword,

"This sword was forged by the greatest blacksmith in all of France. It was meant to be the greatest on display until I purchased it personally. It's yours now. It may not be much, but it's what I can do to say thank you."

After a moment, Erik looked at all three of them.

"I'm sorry about what happened and what I've done. I am in love with her very much and will always be. Just like I'll never forget you, Antoinette. You gave me our daughter."

"I'll never forget you either, Erik," Madame Giry replied and hugged him.

"My daughter. I'm glad to finally meet you. You're beautiful like your mother. I wish you all the best. I'm so sorry I was not a father to you," he said and hugged her again.

The flaming debris became worse. They searched the lair to grab what they could. Erik became enraged when he discovered someone made off with his papier-mâché musical box, in the shape of a barrel organ with a monkey dressed in Persian robes playing the symbols on it. Marcus grabbed him by the shoulder and waved him on. They left the lair for the last time.

Erik stayed in the tunnel when Marcus and Meg left. Madame Giry stayed behind.

"Are we going to keep in contact, Erik? Will you still be there for Meg?" she asked.

"Of course, Antoinette. I am saddened though, that I can't give you the music box as a symbol of our friendship," he answered.

After a passionate kiss, they parted ways for the last time. Madame Giry watched Erik disappear into the shadows.

After The Op'era House Incident

Marcus and Meg were wed two weeks later. A beautiful rose was left for them after their wedding. And again when their son Erik, was born. They had three more children. Antoinette, Cosette and Marcus Luke Levesque Jr. They would see Christine and Raoul only a few times in the passing years. Then never again after Raoul took over the family business for good.

In the year 1919, the elderly Meg Giry-Levesque arrived to a cemetery. She went to her late husband's grave. It read:

Marcus Luke Levesque Sr
1845-1915
Beloved Husband & Father
Remembered Op'era House Owner

She looked down the way and saw an old man in a wheelchair, sitting still at a grave. She approached him to find that she had caught up with Raoul De Chagney after they both left the auction at the old Op'era Populaire. She didn't say anything when she saw the red rose with the engagement ring on it that the late Vicompte was gazing at.

"Of course, my father will always remember her," she said and walked away from him for the last time as he peered at her in shock.

Thank You For Reading this revised version. I Hope You Enjoyed. Please Read and Review.

Unfortunately It Had To End once again. This Is by Far and Always Will Be, My Favorite Story
If you enjoyed this, check out my other stories. There will be another Phantom story eventually. So, the Only Proper Way To Send This Off:

"IT'S OVER NOW! THE MUSIC OF…THE…NIGHT!"

I remain your most loyal servant…TheGrandDisciple.