While Marcus was meeting with the Phantom on the catwalk, Madame Giry was making sure the girls were getting ready for bed before she could retire for the night herself. After she finished her rounds, she watched Marcus make his way down from the chandelier balcony. Her intrigue overwhelmed her. She waited for him at the top of the staircase to the dormitories. He was startled when he bumped into her.
"What were you doing up there during this hour? Should you not already be done and getting ready to retire for the night?" she asked.
"I was just finishing my nightly chores Madame Giry. It took slightly longer than usual tonight. I had to pick up Joseph Buquets slack, " he replied.
She rolled her eyes while nodding. An awkward silence fell between them. He began to walk away when she placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at her but did not make eye contact. She looked down and then back at him.
"I see you have done as I have asked Monsieur. Even though it pains you. I appreciate that you have enough respect to fulfill my wishes. I know you understand why. You're not a fool as I thought before. But my wishes remain the same. Do you nderstand?" Madame Giry said to him and walked away.
"Your wish is my command Madame Giry," was all he could say to her. She stopped again but did not look back before she again continued on her way.
During that time the girls were preparing to go to sleep. Meg went down the hallway with her costume to hang it up in the costume room. She suddenly felt as if someone was watching her. She turned to the mirror for reasons she could not explain. She investigated it but the mirror was normal. When she turned around, Joseph Buquet was standing in the door way smiling a vindictive, evil smile. "Evenin' Meg," he said with his smile growing wider.
"You know, you are just as pretty as Christine Daae? Though she doesn't possess the skills you do. Maybe I should see just how skilled you are in other areas," he said as he advanced on her.
"You're not supposed to be in here. Now leave!" she demanded.
"Ah, but I have been waiting for this moment for some time. Where only you and I will know," he replied.
Meg backed up and began screaming for help. Madame Giry heard her daughters cries and rushed to the costume room. She saw what was going once she arrived. With all her might, she pulled Joseph back. She slapped him in the face as she screamed that he knew better then to be anywhere near the girl's quarters. He stepped up closer and backhanded Madame Giry. Knocking her to the floor. His attention then turned back to her now, very frightened, daughter.
Marcus heard the commotion from the stairwell and headed in the direction it was coming from. He ran faster when he heard rushing foot steps coming from above him. His pace quickened from a run to a sprint, in order to beat the other person to the room. He arrived to the costume room, to see Madame Giry on the floor holding her face. Then he saw Joseph Buquet holding Meg against the wall with his arms on each side of her. His anger grew when he saw Meg screaming and trying to fight off a kiss from him. With a shout he charged at his superior.
In three steps he went from the door to the other side of the large room. He grabbed Joseph by the hair and then slammed his head into the wall before throwing him to floor. Joseph glowered up at him.
"You'll regret that you pestilent piss ant!" he shouted at Marcus as he pulled out a knife.
Joseph lunged at him with it. Marcus caught him by the throat and the wrist holding the knife. He again slammed Joseph against the wall. This time back first. After a struggle, they took each other to the floor where they struggle more for the knife for a moment longer. Then ,as quickly as it started, it was over. Marcus was kneeling over Joseph with the blade pressed against Joseph's throat.
"I should kill you for striking Madame Giry and trying to rob her daughter of her innocence. Instead, I am going to let you live in shame of what you've attempted. You get to bare this as a reminder the next time you want to try something like this, ever again!" he shouted.
With that, Marcus cut Joseph's face and pulled him off the floor. Without another word, Joseph ran off holding his hand against the cut. Marcus then helped Madame Giry off the floor and immediately went to check on Meg. She held him and cried while her mother knelt next to them. She placed one hand on her daughters back and stroked her hair with the other. When Meg calmed down, she kissed Marcus on the lips. He looked into her eyes with concern.
"Meg, are you alright? Madame Giry are you alright?" he asked concerned.
Madame Giry gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek
"We are forever in your debt Monsieur," she answered.
"Nonsense," he replied quickly.
"No monsieur, he could very well have killed us," Madame cried.
"My only concern is that you're both alright," he stated while he comforted Meg.
"I feel it is only proper to do anything in my power to repay you for your selfless act," Madame Giry reassured.
He thought for a only a second and knew what he wanted."Then all I ask for, is your blessing to be with your daughter," he answered.
Madame Giry placed one hand on her chest and the other on his shoulder. "After what you just selflessly did, I can not say no," she answered with tears and a smile. " You have proven yourself worthy. I would be proud to have you and her together."
Once they all calmed down, Madame Giry escorted her daughter from the room. Marcus stayed behind to tidy up. Once alone in the costume room, he looked over and from behind the farthest wall, he discovered Erik had watched everything happen. His eyes grew wide when saw he had a lasso ready. He calmed down when he saw Erik was smiling. Marcus left the room shortly after.
Once alone, the Phantom looked around and spoke out loud.
"Well done my boy. Well done indeed! You certainly have proven your love and what you're willing to sacrifice for my daughter. But now that imbecile Buquet shall pay dearly for what he's done!"
The following morning, Marcus was woken up in his cot by Erik. It was not yet sunrise.
"Monsieur!" he said, very startled.
"Please Marcus, as I told you, you may call me Erik," he replied. " Get dressed and take these letters. Put one on the desk of Firmin, the second on the desk of Andre and take the third to La Carlotta's home. In case you are wondering, you need not worry about Christine Daae. She is safe and has been returned to her room."
Marcus nodded sleepily and set his feet on the floor. Before Erik went through the secret door in his room, he stopped and looked at him again.
"I want to thank you for what you did. Thank you for saving my daughter."
"No thanks are needed Monsieur. Regardless of the circumstances between myself and Meg, I would have done it either way. There was no excuse for what Joseph Buquet did. No person deserves that."
"Thank you for being noble. Josephs time shall come. When it does, you shall step aside and stay out of the way. Now, get dressed and deliver my letters."
After Erik disappeared, Marcus got dressed and reluctantly delivered the letters. His most reluctant delivery was to La Carlotta's home. Even though he did not care much for her, he had a bad feeling about the contents within the letter. The seal with a skull imprinted in red wax furthered his uneasiness. He returned to the Op'era Populaire just after sunrise. Once through the door he was startled when Meg approached and gave him a kiss. Madame Giry gave him the news that Christine had returned. He held Megs hand and accompanied them to deliver news to Firmin and Andre. The two were in the foyer complaining about the letters they received. Suddenly Raoul arrived followed immediately by La Carlotta and Piongi. She was yelling at Raoul about her letter.
Meg rolled her eyes at the sight of La Carlotta.
"Looks like another failed opera now that the diva of the op'era house will cry until she gets her way," she whispered to Marcus.
He chuckled a bit and shook his head. They found out that box five was to remain empty for the Opera Ghost's use. Furthermore that in the nights op'era, they would be doing, "IL Muto," Christine was to play the lead and La Carlotta was to play the silent pageboy. When that group began to walk, the trip felt there was no choice but to follow them. They ended up following La Carlotta to the stage.
"We should not defy the Opera Ghost Monsieur's," Marcus warned.
Raoul scoffed, "Coming from the man who dismissed the tale."
Firmin and Andre ignored him too and returned to grovelling with and placating La Carlotta. They then told La Carlotta that she would play the lead. When Marcus and Madame Giry tried again to tell them not to do that and to listen to the Opera Ghost, they were sent away. Raoul even rolled his eyes at them. Meg attempted to expressed her discontent for the decision but was sent away as well. They were all made nervous by the new owners decision to defy the Opera Ghost. Even more by Raoul when he decided he would sit in Box Five that night.
"Do not do that Vicompte. I beg you," Marcus plead.
"Go back to the catwalks where you belong and don't bother me with such none sense," Raul replied before pushing him aside.
A week later, everyone was ready for the op'era. An hour before they were to begin, Marcus rappelled down from the catwalk to talk to Meg. She was worried that something awful was going to happen because the Opera Ghosts orders were being defied.
"We can only hope that nothing will happen. If something is to happen though, I will die before I allow any of it to fall upon you," he promised her.
"I could not live knowing it fell upon you though. I can not live without you. I would rather die too than allow anything to happen to you," she replied and kissed him.
"Not even the Opera Ghost could keep me from you. I love you, Meg Giry," He kissed her one last time before the show began. He looked displeased when he had the other crew members on the catwalk pull him back up. It was knowing that he had to deal with Joseph Buquet. When he got back up, Joseph ranted about the rappelling. The rest of the crew on the other hand, thought it was fast and creative the way Marcus did that and wanted to learn how. When it came time for him to stand next to Joseph Buquet, they said nothing to one each other other except for what was job related.
"IL MUTO," began with a nice audience reaction. While the show progressed, Marcus was startled when he heard Erik's voice, angrily come from behind him in the shadows.
"Why is the toad playing the lead and why is that bastard sitting in my box. You knew of this! Did you not try to tell them to follow my instructions?" Erik demanded to know.
Marcus quickly explained that because of Raul, the managers ignored him, Madame Giry and Meg when they insisted he not be defied.
"I believe you Marcus. I shall be putting the fear of Hell into them. Tonight! You just do your job and stay out of my way," Erik told him and disappeared.
Marcus shook his head and went back to the work. A while later he noticed Erik down on the stage. He watched curiously, as Erik spiked La Carlotta's throat spray and put it back. He stood in shock when he realized things were about to get real bad, real quick. At the same time he chuckled at the thought of what was going to happen to La Carlotta's voice. Suddenly everyone turned around when Erik disrupted the performance. Angry that Box Five was not kept empty as instructed. The cast did their best to carry on after the interruption. Not even a minute after, La Carlotta began to gasp, sounding like a toad as she lost her voice. Causing Marcus and everyone in the Op'era Populaire to laugh.
Marcus looked behind himself when he heard someone running. He turned and saw Joseph Buquet staring at Erik. Joseph began to chase after him. Marcus quickly got in front of Joseph to try to convince him not to do what he was thinking of doing.
"Piss of Levesque, " Joseph replied.
"If you chase him, he will kill you for meddling in his affairs," Marcus tried to warn again.
Joseph then punched him in the jaw and continued his pursuit of the Phantom. He believed he had the phantom in his sites. He kept telling himself that he was going to be the hero who brought the Phantom of the Opera to justice. At least he thought he would be. Little did he know, Erik saw what happened and while in the control room on the balcony, he grabbed a lasso and hid it in his cape.
Marcus got up and followed the pursuit. Ignoring the pain in his jaw. Soon after, he caught up to Erik on the stage left catwalk.
"I know what you're planning to do Erik. I beg you, please, do not do it while the op'era is in progress. I beg of you! Please wait until tonight's performance is over. That way there will be no one to witness you do it."
Erik glared into his eyes. "What was our deal Marcus?"
With that, Marcus looked away and stepped aside. He slammed his fist on the rail of the catwalk before watching the chase continue. Moments later, when Erik outsmarted Joseph Buquet, Marcus tied one end of a rope around the catwalk railing and the other around his waist. Ready to rappel to the stage. The op'era continued on while the cast was still confused about the drastic progression to the ballet scene. They set up after La Carlotta lost her voice. Marcus helplessly watched all of the commotion.
He saw Madame Giry bringing Christine to the stage to take over the lead. He then heard another commotion and saw Joseph Buquet on the stage right catwalk. Erik then appeared on the other one across from him. When Erik mimicked his movement and caught him as he tried to jump up onto the platform opposite them, Marcus looked away. He knew Erik was about to put the lasso around Joeseph's neck.
When he looked back, he heard Erik say to Joseph, "You meddle in my affairs and you know better. For that you may have lived. But for what you did to my daughter and the way you tried to dishonor her, is why now, I shall see you in Hell!" He stared at Marcus after he tied the lasso to catwalk. His widened in horror when Erik smiled and pushed Joseph Buquet off the side of the catwalk to hang to his death.
When everyone down below began screaming, Marcus rappelled from the catwalk to the stage where the cast was running in a frenzy. He untied the rope just in time to catch Joseph's body as it dropped lifeless to the stage. Madame Giry looked up when Erik slid down from the catwalk by a rope and behind the curtain. Marcus ran from Joseph's body to Meg. He grabbed her by the hand and urged to her to go with him.
"Let's go! We need to get out of here!" he shouted.
They ran off in the opposite direction from Christine and Raoul. Erik and Marcus locked eyes for a moment. Marcus was upset but Erik was grinning. His eyes were angry. Marcus looked forward while Erik disappeared into the shadows. Madame Giry gathered the girls up to calm them down and didn't notice that Meg was not there. They headed to the prayer room in the basement.
He decided it was time to talk to her about something important. He knew it could be too soon. It very well could be the wrong time. He knew it was something she wound never want to know but he knew she needed to be told. He decided she would find out as soon as they got to the room.
