a/n: I was going to be mean and:
1) Wait for one more review
2)make this two seperate chapters
but I thought that it would be unfair to the people who really like this story.
Thankies to:
Kytten: I'm glad that chapter was good! I know what you mean about the alerts being screwy... andyour begging is actually what turned me, so go you! and thank you!
Son Ange: either did I, but this was really cool when I started writing it!
wolfegurl006: bored? Reading my chapter:'( TEAR, lol, j/k. pants! And yes, I did add stuff! too boring before? Well, I'm glad it's better now.
cherioxxx: Yes, Christine is dead. :( this is pointed out in the original story: An Enemy's Comfort. I wouldn't be surprised that you missed it, it's such a small part.
now, to the story! (long chapter btw)
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A few days later I finally let Raoul get up without me there to help. I let him know this by leaving before he wakes up and moving to practice some of my latest work. There is something about the new music that seems to match the past few days, a sorrowful hint, but in a loving way.
The first thing he does in his new liberation is come out and sit in a chair at my desk, listening to and watching my practice.
A smile creeps over his features as he watches me. My fingers move fast over the smooth keys, almost effortlessly now. He moves and I turn to look at him, never faltering in the song.
He stands and moves toward me and I stop playing, turning fully toward me.
"Please, keep playing," he prompts me.
I turn and pick up where I left off.
He leans over me; "It's about us, isn't it?"
His words halt me.
"Don't be embarrassed or anything, but I can tell. The way it sounds, it sounds like the way I feel about you, and the way you must feel about me," I turn to him, my face is burning.
He catches my lips in a kiss, and I give in, wrapping a hand around the back of his neck and pulling him in further. The two of us stay there, and start to take his lower lip into my mouth, tasting him and testing him. A low moan escapes from deep in his throat and we break.
He looks at me and then back to the music, "What's it called?"
I look back at it and frown, "I don't know yet."
He sits down on the bench beside me and wraps his arms around my waist, "I want to hear it all."
And so I start, from the beginning, playing all the way through to the end. He keeps his arm around my waist and a barrier of heat fills the space between us.
When I finish he looks at me, amazement in his eyes, "I love it. Christine would be proud."
Surprisingly the last line causes neither of us the pain is would have not so long ago.
I pull his head down and kiss the top of it, and then I kiss his lips, and then his jaw line.
I see he is smiling and I can tell that I am doing the same.
All the while there is only one noise in the background, the sound of feet, but neither of us even notice them.
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We don't notice the feet, until I hear a splash of water.
I turn quickly, holding Raoul closer to me, protectively.
"Erik?" he wraps his arms tighter around my waist.
"Stay here," I quickly pull the noose of the Punjab lasso out of my cloak, and Raoul inches back a little, apparently surprised I was concealing such a thing.
I move swiftly to the lake side and watch through the fence as the waves grow and the person moves closer. I finally throw the lasso over the person's neck just as they turn the corner. It does not matter if people hold a hand at the level of their eye, I am more skilled then that.
But instead of a scream I hear laughter.
"Good day to you too, Monsieur," it's Madame Giry.
"My apologies Madame, I carefully remove the noose from her neck.
She turns to me and smiles, "Not to worry, Erik. I have come to expect it after all these years."
I blush and lead her back on to the ledge, where we carefully make our way back.
Reaching the main room I see Raoul has not moved, just as I asked. He sees Madame Giry and jumps up, moving toward her.
"Please, Monsieur Viscount, I understand you are injured, stay put," he sits back down, defeated, as she makes her way over to him.
"It's great to see you again, Madame," he smiles and she embraces him.
I move off to the side, out of their way as she continues, "I understand you must have seen me the other day, since Erik would not leave you alone in this condition."
His head drops, shaking, "That's what got me into this. My leg wound reopened and he had to carry me back."
Madame Giry looks over to me, "Yes, Erik is a wonderful guardian."
"He's a wonderful angel," Raoul corrects without thinking.
Madame Giry straightens up and turns to me, "I only came here to check on you two, make sure you had enough things, since I'm going shopping later, and also to remind you that the ticket of yours, Erik, is only good for tonight."
I smile and nod, moving to write something on a scrap piece of paper.
I write down only a few things, food mostly, and hand the list back to her.
"Thank you, Madame," I kiss her hand and she moves to embrace me.
"You're like a son to me, Erik, remember I'm always here to help," she pulls back.
She moves to Raoul, "It has been nice seeing you again, Monsieur."
He moves to stand and she allows him to as he takes her hand, kissing it.
"Always a pleasure, Madame," he sits back down.
She takes the list from me and heads out, toward the ledge, again.
She looks over her shoulder at me, "The play starts in two hours. The girls have been working hard, so try not to do anything drastic until after the first act."
I laugh, "No promises, but I shall try."
She leaves and I go to sit down by Raoul again.
I look at him sternly; "I'm not going tonight."
He looks at me in shock, then shakes his head, "No way, you're going, and I'm going with you!"
I shake my head, "No, you're still hurt."
He grasps my hand, "Please? We can watch it, together, peacefully."
My head tilts to one side and I stare into his eyes. His eyes plead with me and I give in, "Alright, we'll go."
He smiles, grasping the back of my neck and moving me closer, placing a light kiss on my lips. A smile creeps onto my lips and I move in to kiss him again, harder. I take his lower lip between my teeth lightly and a moan escapes his throat. I move my tongue into his mouth and I feel his meet mine. The two of us stay locked like this for some time, until he moves back and we both are left gasping for air.
"Erik?" he turns to me.
"Yeah?" I place a hand on his shoulder.
"What are we to wear? Especially you, since they are not expecting the Opera Ghost to appear in Box 5," his hand moves to hold mine, squeezing it gently when he first grasps it.
"I'll think of something," I pull him to me.
I let go of him, and as he sits up straight I move to pull over one of his trunks.
"I don't want you getting hurt," he protests.
"I'm more worried about you getting hurt, Raoul," I move the trunk in front of him.
He opens the top and I see suits, all expensive and well tailored. He blushes, "My brother and sister's would never have me wear anything less than the best."
I look at him in shock. He has never mentioned his family before.
"What about your parents," I don't want to push it, but I am curious.
He seems to have an unnatural obsession with his hands as he won't look at anything else when he answers, "My mother died giving birth to me and my father died when I was in my teens. I was raised by my elder brother, Philippe, and many female relatives." He laughs at the end, but the laugh is dry.
"Raoul… I… I'm so…" I can't find anything right to say.
"Sorry?" he looks at me and then back to his hands, "don't be."
"I had no right to ask," I point out.
"I wouldn't have answered if I didn't want to," he gives a heavy sigh.
I take him in my arms and I feel a stray tear drop onto my hand. I move my head so I can kiss the tears on his face away and he cries harder.
I put his head on my shoulder and whisper to him, trying to comfort him, "It's alright. I'm here now; there's nothing to worry about. I'm sorry, Raoul. Shh…"
I feel so guilty, and that's not something I normally feel. I know that I have not had an easy past, but he has never prodded me into talking about it.
He sits up, regaining his composure.
"I should let you get dressed in privacy," I stand up and go into my room before he can say anything.
Walking to the wardrobe I pull out a plain black suit, with my cloak, and pull out a perfectly white porcelain mask. I change my outfit easily, placing the mask on my face. It feels cold, almost biting at my skin, and I shiver. After getting used to not having to wear one down here I feel constricted, like I'm in prison for something I did not do.
I walk back out, but he has not finished changing yet. He is struggling to get on the pants for his suit. His suit is much more colorful than mine is: a mix of blue and gold, like at the first masquerade, along with some white on the shirt.
I clear my throat to alert him of my presence, "Need help?"
He looks up and I see his face is a bright shade of red, "I just can't stand up."
I move to his side and help support him long enough to successfully pull on the pants. I then help him sit back down.
He looks up at me; "You didn't really conceal who you are."
"They won't be able to see into our box," did I just say our box? The words make me smile.
He seems to be thinking the same thing, but ignores it, "Please, try not to do anything. I want to watch the play without any trouble."
I take his hand in mine, "I won't do anything, unless it is truly necessary, my love."
He smiles, lifting my hand to his lips and brushing them over my knuckles. He then pulls me to him and does the same to my lips, trailing kisses all the way from my jaw to my neck. When he kisses the soft spot right behind my jaw I shudder slightly, and I feel him move to kiss the shell of my ear.
He pulls back, smiling with his innocent boyish grin, and I look from him to the clock.
It's still an hour before the play starts, but I want to get there without a rush, so we don't irritate his injury further.
"Come on, let's start heading to the seats," I place the ticket in my pocket and to him, taking his hand and helping him stand.
He takes my help gladly and I walk us to the boat, where I help him in and gently drift us to the other side. Once there I help him back up and we start our slow but sure walk through my winding maze.
Once we reach the exit to Box 5 I show for him to stay put as I move to the other side. Once I am sure no one else is around I open the entrance and help him through.
We enter the box with fifteen minutes to spare.
I seat him in one chair and then move to the wall, the masked side of my face facing inwards, so no one else can see it. I look down at the stage and marvel at the beauty of yet another one of my play's scenery.
I then turn back and take my place in the other chair, moving it closer to Raoul, and pull his head to rest on my shoulder. He does not protest, and willingly lays his head down as I run my fingers through his beautiful hair.
A sharp knock on the door startles us both.
"Excuse me, but I think that I did not see your tickets when you entered," I lift Raoul's head and stand up, moving to the door.
I open it so that only the unmasked part of my face is showing, "It is only me and your patron in here sir."
He looks past my face to see Raoul, "I still need to see your ticket, Monsieur."
I pull it out and hand it to him, "Now, if you'll excuse us, the play is about to begin."
"Your pardons, Monsieur, I am only doing my job," I nod and close the door.
The play is just about to start, as I listen to the band start to warm up, playing scales that they were taught when they first learned the instruments. I know the exact notes that they should be hitting and I listen as a few clarinetists and trombonists retune their instruments.
I watch as the people get set and I feel Raoul move closer to me, a wall of heat building between us. I allow him to rest his head on my shoulder again just as the curtain rises and Carlotta, along with a few dancers, start the first act.
The acts fly by, until the third one.
By then Raoul has sat up straight, and is content in simply holding my hand, as we both stare at the stage.
The act goes into transition and something goes wrong. Someone back stage has dropped a set too early, and I hear Carlotta's voice start to scream, "It's that blasted Phantom again! He will never quit!"
My grip tightens on the chair and I feel Raoul squeeze my hand, trying to calm me. He fails as I hear her voice again, "Please, for once, let's try to rid ourselves of this nuisance and get on with the show."
I move to stand on the edge of the wall of Box 5. I laugh loudly and start to yell, "My dear Prima Donna, how could I cause the set to fall when I have been sitting here watching the opera this whole time?"
I hear a gasp rush through the crowd and I hear Carlotta scream at me, "I don't know! But how is it that you can get passed a large barrier of police men to get onto stage and kill Piangi?"
I can't take it anymore, "You, my dear, shall pay for…" I do not get the rest of it out, for unfortunately I have failed to notice the gun that one of the stage crewmembers has aimed in my direction. A shot goes off and I hear it hit somewhere behind me. I have been missed but the noise has sent me off balance. I start to fall and just when I think I will fall to my death something grabs my wrist, causing me to painfully jerk to a stop.
I look up and see Raoul, grasping my right wrist with both of his hands, his knuckles white.
"It seems you have me now," I try and laugh.
"I've always had you," he pulls me up, and together we get me back into Box 5.
"Are you alright?" he looks at my wrist.
"Nothing serious," I wave it off, "we have to go."
I pull him out of the box to see the shadows of a riot coming up towards us.
"This way," I whisper, going through the wall again, closing it just as the first of the men turns the corner.
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a/n: well? let's really try to get five reviews this time!
