Il Muto was set to begin within the next couple of days. Through those days they waited, the two had devised a plan to put Christine back on the stage and make sure that Carlotta would never want to sing again. She would be humiliated, publically. Ivy thought perhaps it was a bit too harsh, but never said a word. She couldn't imagine him wanting to put someone else through the tortures he had gone through, but it was his obsession that was driving him to this. So she would do his bidding, as she always did. To make him happy was the only thing besides dancing that Ivy lived for.
The night of the production, all was a'bustle. Everyone was pushing through the backstage area, not giving Ivy a second glance. Instead of watching from backstage, she had hidden behind a curtain just by the table where Carlotta's throat spray had rested. There would be some kind of distraction, though Ivy did not know what kind and she would make the switch. She wondered just what Erik would do, but remained silent and waiting until the Opera had started.
Ivy almost had ruined the whole thing the first time she saw Carlotta appear in the biggest and tallest wig she had ever seen. She knew the play called for her to be the Countess but this was a bit extreme. She'd never seen anything quite so tall. She had caught Mme Giry giving almost the same expression that Ivy was sure she wore across her own face. One of utter amusement and trying not to laugh. The Opera it seemed was going off without a hitch. Christine was the pageboy, mute and silent which Ivy thought to herself was a good thing, but kept those thoughts to herself. But, where was this distraction? The first act was almost over.
And just like that, a voice boomed over the audience. His voice. "Did I not instruct that box 5 was to be kept empty?" Ivy was almost stunned enough to not remember what she was supposed to do. How had he gotten his voice to loom over the whole Opera like that. On the stage, she heard Meg Giry claim that the Phantom of the Opera was there and everyone had gone almost completely silent. Ivy quickly switched Carlotta's bottle with her own and slid further back into the shadow's. That distraction wouldn't hold for long, especially not in La Carlotta's place. She would insist on going forward. Carlotta said something short tempered to Meg and Christine and came forward to grab her throat spray.
Ivy watched as the diva commensed back out on stage and started up the performance once again. She did not last long however, and started to croak like frog. If anyone found out that Ivy had switched that... Even Mme Giry wasn't likely to forgive her this time. She moved back out of the curtains and tried to appear as though she had just arrived. Carlotta had stormed off in a huff, and the managers were assuring their patrons that the Opera could continue. With Miss Christine Daee now taking her place. Just as he had wanted. Ivy sighed and shook her head though something caught her eye. Up above on the catwalk something was going on.
There were two figures up above, and there appeared to be some sort of confrontation but from so far up it was hard to tell. Only the silouhette of the mask gave way that one of those people was Erik, which made Ivy start to climb the ladder as quickly as she could. If someone had found him, and it was obvious that someone had things wouldn't be good. It was not Mme Giry or Meg or Christine for they were down on the stage. And no one else knew of the Phantom of the Opera, right? Ivy shook her head and continued to climb, the only thought in her mind was for the safety of the man in the mask.
As Ivy rounded up the catwalk, she finally recognized the other person. The voice gave it away first, that creepy hot breathed voice at the back of her ear that had whispered the foulest things to her before closing his hands around her neck. Joseph Buquet had found Erik. Or perhaps it was the other way around, she couldn't tell. Had Erik gone after him for what he had done to her? But Joseph had been missing. Ivy was confused and frightened as he saw the two men scuffle with each other. Joseph looked frightened, for which Ivy was truly thankful. As Ivy neared, she was spotted by both men who had turned to look at her.
"Ivy.. go back downstairs.. you do not need to witness this.." Erik's voice was strong and commanding and for a split second Ivy actually contemplated going right back down that ladder. No she hadn't wanted to see what Erik would do to this man who had violated her. She hadn't wanted to, but she needed to. To put it behind her. To make sure that Joseph was dead. Before she could say anything, Joseph had taken the opportunity of Erik's turned back to turn the tables in his favor.
The much shorter man charged Erik, knocking him down on his back on the catwalk, and letting something fall out of the cloak that had been kept against Erik's chest. But unlike before, Joseph wasn't going to use his hands. This wasn't a woman who he could just strangle to death for his own purposes. And he loathed this man, always making fun of him. Erik nearly had Joseph off of him when Joseph pulled out a knife and slashed at Erik. Erik scrambled back on his hands, trying to get up. Ivy stood there stunned and frozen with fear when she saw what was sticking out of Erik's cloak. His Punjab lasso. Seeing Joseph going for Erik one more time, Ivy finally made her move.
Grabbing the lasso with one hand, she put every fiber in her being into pushing Joseph back and off of Erik and trying not to tumble over the Phantom at the same time. If she tripped, it would be over. But Ivy's dancer legs kept her steady as she lunged. With the rope in her hands, she felt furious. A rage she had never known. The man had tried to kill her and was now going to try and kill the only man she had ever love. The knife was knocked to the side, sliding across the catwalk as the lasso went around his neck. Joseph struggled, his eyes bulging as he tried to push her off of him. Everytime Ivy got more angry, the further they slid until they were at the edge of the catwalk.
Ivy's hands had a mind of their own, tightening around the rope which was crushing his throat. The look in her eyes was frightening, especially to Erik who had gotten up and was trying to get her to stop. But she was a mad woman, unable to stop until he was stopped. Joseph started to go slack and finally Erik had grabbed Ivy enough to pull her back so that she wouldn't kill the man. Pulling her back, Ivy's foot pushed at Joseph one last time and he finally tumbled over the edge, snapping his neck and hanging down in the middle of the stage. And then, Ivy heard the audience scream. People were fleeing at once, and Ivy's eyes went wide. Had she just killed a man?
Erik did not give her a chance to stand there stunned. He scooped her up and fled as quickly as he could before anyone could see or find her. They would all blame him of course, the Phantom of the Opera killing someone but Erik didn't care. As long as they didn't take Ivy away from him, he would do whatever he had to to protect her. Using one of the back hidden packages from the catwalk, he had her down into the catacombs in no time. Ivy was shocked and clinging to him. He couldn't tell if she was crying, her face buried against his chest. Coming down to their home, he sat her down on the bed and pushed her hair away from her brow. "It's alright Ivy.. it was an accident.." he tried to soothe her.
Ivy was shaking though she wasn't crying. She looked up at him and just shook her head. Once again she could not find her words. Erik gathered her to him once more and she wrapped her arms around her. "Shh.. it's alright.. I have you. I won't let anyone take you Ivy I swear. I love you... I need you to be brave for me.. can you do that?" He looked down at her. Ivy stared up at him, an unreadable expression on her face. Had he just claimed he loved her? She wasn't sure if she had heard him right. She nodded feebily, about to open her mouth and tell him that she loved him when he looked alarmed.
"Christine.. I must find her.. you stay here and should anyone come down other then me, hide. Do not give yourself away Ivy I beg of you." She felt his lips kiss her forehead one last time as he fled. Ivy sat there bewildered. So many things had happened in the past five minutes and she didn't know where to even begin to comprehend. She had saved Erik and killed a man in doing so. And she thought he said he loved her, but he was dashing off to find another woman. She wasn't sure how long she sat there, stunned and then realized she could no longer just sit there. Ivy was determined to have him, no matter what the cost.