**starts to cry** Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. I can't believe this story is almost over...
Disclaimer- Do I look like Andrew Lloyd Webber? Wait... don't answer that. And even if I was him, I think I would know how to spell my name.
Chapter Nine- One by one I watch the illusions shatter...
All three people whirled around to look at the intruder. Each person had a different expression in their eyes. The female had fear, the child had hidden anger, the masked one had rage, and the one holding the gun- pure madness.
"Christine, time to go. You belong to me; you pledged it long ago. You promised to love, cherish, and OBEY me." He motioned her to come closer.
Christine hesitated and Raoul noticed. "I see… you would rather stay with this monster than me."
"The only monster I can see is you," Marguerite stated boldly.
He turned his gun on the child, "Well, well, well- look who decided to join the conversation. Marguerite, it has simply been ages…"
She glared at him, "Not long enough."
"I agree whole-heartedly, but you see, I had to come and visit because how else could I kill you? I mean I could have hired someone, but I thought killing you myself would be more fulfilling." His smirk twisted into a mad grin.
Erik entered the conversation at this moment, stepping in front of both of the females in a protective stance. "You will do no such thing."
Raoul's head tipped to the side as he looked at the Opera Ghost before another smirk appeared on his face. "You're right, monsieur, I have to get all distractions out of the way first." And with that, he shot Erik.
Due to Raoul's poor aim, the bullet grazed Erik's left shoulder instead of going through his still beating heart. But it sill frightened Christine and she ran to Erik, immediately trying to help him.
Marguerite stepped forward; the rage she had kept in check for so long was now evident in her gaze. "Why are you hurting him? This has nothing to do with him or Christine, they are both long won battles. It's me you want, isn't it? Me you want to kill."
"Always so bright and straight forward, I could never deny you that," Raoul mock complimented.
"It's not like it will be a complicated task for you Raoul, you've done it before," loathing dripped from every syllable as she spat a truth at him.
Christine's head shot up and she looked at Raoul and questioned him, "Raoul?" She stood up and Erik slowly followed her lead.
"It isn't true Christine, don't listen to these futile lies!"
"Yes it is!" Marguerite exploded. "I once told you I believe what I see. Well I believe that you are a monster because I saw you standing over Jillian's body!"
Christine gasped and went pale. Erik's face registered one of surprise. Raoul just muttered an oath under his breath.
"Yes," she hissed. "You wish you killed me now, all those years ago when I ran away from the sight of you murdering your own daughter!"
Raoul was utterly pissed, "Well there is one way to remedy that mistake."
The gun went off for the second time, barely missing Marguerite. Instead, it hit the broken mirror behind her. The force of the shot knocked the mirror off balance and it fell forward, crashing onto Marguerite's frail body, knocking her unconscious.
Raoul, believing she was dead, laughed in triumph. Christine was screaming and Erik was yelling his daughter's name.
"Now that we've got that little slut out of the way," Raoul gestured to the next room, "Let's go into the study to have a nice little chat."
Christine walked slowly as if in a trance. Erik however, reached unconsciously for his lasso. He swore under his breath when he realized he had left it in his room.
Christine was grabbed so suddenly, she didn't even notice it until she was tied to the chair. As soon as she realized she couldn't move her arms she snapped out of her daze and struggled.
"Sit still and be a good girl." Raoul kissed Christine on the forehead and turned toward his enemy of the old.
*
Excerpt from the diary of Christine Daae-
When Raoul had kissed my forehead, I wanted to scrub my flesh until it was bright red. He thinks her can treat me like a child, that after this everything will go back to normal. That I can just forget that my daughter is lying dead under a mirror. But he forgets that I've had to escape more than once from rope. And he didn't tie my hands very well. If Erik stalls just for a little while, I can escape these ropes.
*
"You've just killed a child, that doesn't bother you one bit does it?" Erik sneered.
"Compared to all the people you have killed? I don't think that two naughty little girls will even us out."
"Quite so, you are more of a monster than I. I would never lay a hand on a woman or a child, never."
"Are you saying we have much in common, Phantom?"
"Perhaps… but then again, who would want to be compared to you? You are pathetic. You don't know how to deal with a problem, so you shoot it. You can't bear to share anything. You feel nothing but hatred and pride. You are nothing."
Raoul's eyes flashed for a moment. Remorse was visible for the briefest of moments, but it was a good sign. If he broke, he'd be easy to restrain.
"Watch your words, sir, remember who is holding the gun," but even as he spoke the gun wavered in his hand.
"Then kill me if you must. But I will die a happy man knowing that it is I who Christine loves. And then I will be able to join my daughter in heaven."
*
Marguerite stirred. The only thing that came to her foggy senses was pain. She opened her eyes and all she could see was red and glass.
"Where am I?" she murmured.
Distantly she heard her father's voice speaking and Raoul's voice answering. And all the memories hit her full force. She had to get up or Raoul would kill him. Her mind was determined but her body wasn't responding.
"Get up," she growled at herself.
Slowly she got up and, careful of the glass, slid out from under the mirror. Glass was stuck in her hair and in her clothing, her body covered with little scratches, some deep others not. Shaking off the excess glass, she started to limp towards the study.
*
"Christine doesn't-" and then the meaning behind Erik's words hit him fully. "You and Christine… and Marguerite is your daughter. She gave herself to you…"
"Yes she did. Right after the graveyard and I held her all night long, as our daughter was conceived," A proud smirk appeared on Erik's face.
"You soiled her… and I married her? You- you, this is all your fault and you're going to pay!" He bellowed as he cocked the gun for the last time that evening.
*
Excerpt from the diary of Erik-
I would remember for the rest of my days the reaction I had to the gunshot. My eyes shut as I waited for the inevitable pain. Everything slowed down and distantly I heard glass breaking and a male scream of shock and pain. Then nothing. But my first coherent thought was,
'Getting shot sure didn't hurt as much as I thought it would'
And then I made the worst mistake of my life, I opened my eyes.
ERIK: Review, please.
CS: Well, what are you waiting for? Erik just asked you to do something... like you can resist him!
Disclaimer- Do I look like Andrew Lloyd Webber? Wait... don't answer that. And even if I was him, I think I would know how to spell my name.
Chapter Nine- One by one I watch the illusions shatter...
All three people whirled around to look at the intruder. Each person had a different expression in their eyes. The female had fear, the child had hidden anger, the masked one had rage, and the one holding the gun- pure madness.
"Christine, time to go. You belong to me; you pledged it long ago. You promised to love, cherish, and OBEY me." He motioned her to come closer.
Christine hesitated and Raoul noticed. "I see… you would rather stay with this monster than me."
"The only monster I can see is you," Marguerite stated boldly.
He turned his gun on the child, "Well, well, well- look who decided to join the conversation. Marguerite, it has simply been ages…"
She glared at him, "Not long enough."
"I agree whole-heartedly, but you see, I had to come and visit because how else could I kill you? I mean I could have hired someone, but I thought killing you myself would be more fulfilling." His smirk twisted into a mad grin.
Erik entered the conversation at this moment, stepping in front of both of the females in a protective stance. "You will do no such thing."
Raoul's head tipped to the side as he looked at the Opera Ghost before another smirk appeared on his face. "You're right, monsieur, I have to get all distractions out of the way first." And with that, he shot Erik.
Due to Raoul's poor aim, the bullet grazed Erik's left shoulder instead of going through his still beating heart. But it sill frightened Christine and she ran to Erik, immediately trying to help him.
Marguerite stepped forward; the rage she had kept in check for so long was now evident in her gaze. "Why are you hurting him? This has nothing to do with him or Christine, they are both long won battles. It's me you want, isn't it? Me you want to kill."
"Always so bright and straight forward, I could never deny you that," Raoul mock complimented.
"It's not like it will be a complicated task for you Raoul, you've done it before," loathing dripped from every syllable as she spat a truth at him.
Christine's head shot up and she looked at Raoul and questioned him, "Raoul?" She stood up and Erik slowly followed her lead.
"It isn't true Christine, don't listen to these futile lies!"
"Yes it is!" Marguerite exploded. "I once told you I believe what I see. Well I believe that you are a monster because I saw you standing over Jillian's body!"
Christine gasped and went pale. Erik's face registered one of surprise. Raoul just muttered an oath under his breath.
"Yes," she hissed. "You wish you killed me now, all those years ago when I ran away from the sight of you murdering your own daughter!"
Raoul was utterly pissed, "Well there is one way to remedy that mistake."
The gun went off for the second time, barely missing Marguerite. Instead, it hit the broken mirror behind her. The force of the shot knocked the mirror off balance and it fell forward, crashing onto Marguerite's frail body, knocking her unconscious.
Raoul, believing she was dead, laughed in triumph. Christine was screaming and Erik was yelling his daughter's name.
"Now that we've got that little slut out of the way," Raoul gestured to the next room, "Let's go into the study to have a nice little chat."
Christine walked slowly as if in a trance. Erik however, reached unconsciously for his lasso. He swore under his breath when he realized he had left it in his room.
Christine was grabbed so suddenly, she didn't even notice it until she was tied to the chair. As soon as she realized she couldn't move her arms she snapped out of her daze and struggled.
"Sit still and be a good girl." Raoul kissed Christine on the forehead and turned toward his enemy of the old.
*
Excerpt from the diary of Christine Daae-
When Raoul had kissed my forehead, I wanted to scrub my flesh until it was bright red. He thinks her can treat me like a child, that after this everything will go back to normal. That I can just forget that my daughter is lying dead under a mirror. But he forgets that I've had to escape more than once from rope. And he didn't tie my hands very well. If Erik stalls just for a little while, I can escape these ropes.
*
"You've just killed a child, that doesn't bother you one bit does it?" Erik sneered.
"Compared to all the people you have killed? I don't think that two naughty little girls will even us out."
"Quite so, you are more of a monster than I. I would never lay a hand on a woman or a child, never."
"Are you saying we have much in common, Phantom?"
"Perhaps… but then again, who would want to be compared to you? You are pathetic. You don't know how to deal with a problem, so you shoot it. You can't bear to share anything. You feel nothing but hatred and pride. You are nothing."
Raoul's eyes flashed for a moment. Remorse was visible for the briefest of moments, but it was a good sign. If he broke, he'd be easy to restrain.
"Watch your words, sir, remember who is holding the gun," but even as he spoke the gun wavered in his hand.
"Then kill me if you must. But I will die a happy man knowing that it is I who Christine loves. And then I will be able to join my daughter in heaven."
*
Marguerite stirred. The only thing that came to her foggy senses was pain. She opened her eyes and all she could see was red and glass.
"Where am I?" she murmured.
Distantly she heard her father's voice speaking and Raoul's voice answering. And all the memories hit her full force. She had to get up or Raoul would kill him. Her mind was determined but her body wasn't responding.
"Get up," she growled at herself.
Slowly she got up and, careful of the glass, slid out from under the mirror. Glass was stuck in her hair and in her clothing, her body covered with little scratches, some deep others not. Shaking off the excess glass, she started to limp towards the study.
*
"Christine doesn't-" and then the meaning behind Erik's words hit him fully. "You and Christine… and Marguerite is your daughter. She gave herself to you…"
"Yes she did. Right after the graveyard and I held her all night long, as our daughter was conceived," A proud smirk appeared on Erik's face.
"You soiled her… and I married her? You- you, this is all your fault and you're going to pay!" He bellowed as he cocked the gun for the last time that evening.
*
Excerpt from the diary of Erik-
I would remember for the rest of my days the reaction I had to the gunshot. My eyes shut as I waited for the inevitable pain. Everything slowed down and distantly I heard glass breaking and a male scream of shock and pain. Then nothing. But my first coherent thought was,
'Getting shot sure didn't hurt as much as I thought it would'
And then I made the worst mistake of my life, I opened my eyes.
ERIK: Review, please.
CS: Well, what are you waiting for? Erik just asked you to do something... like you can resist him!