Chapter Seven: Somewhere I Have Never Traveled
Meg tilted her face up to capture the rays of the sun, enjoying the spring warmth as she walked along the sculpted path leading to the front gates of the zoo in the Bois. As she looked ahead, her eyes searched for the form which had become almost as familiar as her own. He'd asked her to meet him here this afternoon, implored that once in a while, he needed to get away from his brother and the pressures placed upon him, and a trip to the Bois on a Sunday afternoon seemed just the ticket, even better if a friend would join him.
Meg hadn't had to think, she'd accepted, no hesitation.
'And just why did you accept?' Her inner voice whispered. She shook the thought from her head. Raoul was her friend, and nothing, not even her doubts, was going to spoil what she had. What she wanted didn't matter, so long as she could see his face.
"Meg!"
She turned, and there he was, running up the path she had just taken. His face lit into a smile as he finally reached her, and she felt her heart skip a beat.
"Raoul, catch your breath, you didn't have to run so!"
"I was afraid I'd be late, that I'd miss you all together," he breathed in.
His cheeks were an interesting shade of red, likely from the running in the afternoon sun, but otherwise, he was the composed gentleman she'd gradually come to know the past week.
Had it only been a week since that meeting in the café, the long walk afterwards? It seemed every day he made an excuse to bump into her, more and more, and she couldn't find it in her to ask why. The frown lines that had begun to show around his eyes just before Christmas were beginning to fade, and she saw once more the jovial manner she had seen the first time she had seen him outside Christine's dressing room.
Every day, he grew more and more handsome to her, and every day, she had to remind herself that though he may value her friendship, that was all he wanted from her.
He offered her his arm, "It's been a while since I've been inside the Zoo."
"For me as well, there's just never time," Meg smiled as she took the arm he offered, and they entered the zoo.
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"I can't believe you're leaving tomorrow," Marie lamented as she carefully folded one of Christine's dresses.
Christine looked up from another dress, "I'll miss you too, Marie, you and Gerard both."
"I'd kept hoping for the longest time that the two of you would decide to settle down in this house after Gerard gave it to Erik, but I know you still have your career to consider."
The younger woman smiled, "We'll be back before you know it. Perhaps one day, we will settle down here, it's not like we haven't talked about it."
"You have discussed it with Erik then?"
"Yes, once or twice. Right now though, our place is in Paris, at the Opera. I've got a contract that will hold me there for the next year at least, and, well, the Opera holds a special place in our hearts. We never would have met had it not been for that place."
"You never did tell me the story of how you met, Christine."
Christine placed the dress she had been folding into the small trunk by the edge of the bed, avoiding Marie's eyes. What could she answer to that? The story of the Angel of Music would certainly show Erik in the worst possible light.
Finally, she looked up to the curious eyes of the older woman, "Erik always spent a great deal of time in the Opera, and one afternoon, he had been in the building and heard Meg goading me into singing. At the time, I had been a member of the Corps de Ballet. He . . . he managed to find out who I was, and then came to me and offered me singing lessons. 'You have a beautiful voice, a natural talent, but it is like a diamond in nature, it needs a small amount of polishing.' It had been a difficult time for me, I was losing my confidence before he became my teacher, but once hearing that voice, getting to know him, learning, and . . . before I knew it, I realized I was in love with him."
Marie smiled as Christine finished the story, "And I'm glad you found him, and he you. If you had not met, who knows if he would ever have sought me out, or found Gerard?"
Christine nodded.
"I told Gerard that perhaps sometime in the near future, we can take some time to travel to Paris. I know Erik had a hand in building the Opera; I'd love to see it. I'm sure it's as beautiful as the buildings he designed when he was younger, even if he didn't design the Opera itself."
"It is beautiful . . . not so much on the outside, but on the inside, it's a veritable palace."
"Of course, the real reason I want to go is to see you my dear. Yes, I've heard you sing, but I'd love to see you onstage in all your glory! It's been a long time since I've seen an opera."
"Then you must come," Christine smiled. "Erik and I would love to have you, any time."
"The two of you need your privacy young lady. You don't need two old codgers like Gerard and I bouncing off your walls."
"Oh Marie, you are hardly old! Age is all in the mind, after all. And if Erik objects to the idea, just you watch, I have my ways."
Marie laughed softly, "I'm sure you do my dear, I'm sure you do."
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Raoul leaped up the steps of the stone mansion later that evening, his mind replaying every moment of his day with Meg. From the moment he saw her on the walk, her face had lit up with joy, and his heart had jumped into his throat. Christine had never looked at him in quite that way, though it was very similar to the look he had seen on Christine's face when she stood in that church, looking at Erik.
A low growl escaped Raoul's lips before he banished it and concentrated on Meg. Every time he saw her lately, it was new, refreshing, and he couldn't yet put his finger on what it was about her that kept him coming back to see her, though he kept thinking it was that offer of friendship. She'd sat and listened one night as he talked about his feelings for Christine, though he had not dared to tell her that they were starting to slowly diminish.
'What would she think of you if she knew that your heart is starting to beat faster at the sight of someone else? She'd withdraw her friendship, most likely. Besides, there's no chance and you know it. Christine should have taught you that much. Look at what you felt – thought you felt – and how it turned out, she loved Erik in the end, not you. Looks have nothing to do with it, it's somewhere else entirely, and you can't get by with just good looks and charm. No, mystery, magic, and an entrancing voice, and you don't have that. What would this woman see in you? Are you anything more than a pretty face and a large wallet?'
'No, remember, to Christine, that didn't matter, it was what was in the heart that counted, and her heart just didn't tick in time with mine.'
'But she's different, she's not Christine. Christine met Erik before I came back, there's always the chance that if I had found her before she had met Erik that things could have been different. And it's not as if Christine doesn't care at all for me, she just sees me as a brother, as her childhood playmate, and nothing more. Can I fault her for that? She hurt me, but she didn't want to, or so she said. No, I believe she didn't want to hurt me, she's not that type of woman.'
'If I were to confess to Meg that my heart is beginning to race for someone else, how would she look at me?'
'If I were to tell Meg I think I'm falling in love with someone . . . what would she think of me? What would she think if she knew who?"
Raoul shook his head as he walked into his chambers, and dropped the coat of his dress suit on the chair in the corner. He stalked over to the writing desk in the far corner, pulled out a sheet of paper and hastily began scribbling out his thoughts.
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"Oh, how I wish Christine was here right now," Meg sighed as she dropped down onto her bed later that evening. Her mind had been replaying her day with Raoul since the moment he had left her off on her doorstep, the moment he had leaned over and . . .
And the door had opened from the inside, and her mother had stood there, her voice almost harsh as she said, "Meg, it's almost dinnertime."
Meg had said her goodbyes quickly and dashed in the house, hoping her mother would hold her tongue for once, which, thankfully, she did. That dinner had still been a strained affair, Meg could tell her mother wanted to say something, anything. Meg never gave her the chance, however, dashing upstairs almost immediately, pleading exhaustion.
Now, however, that she had found sanctity in her room, she found she couldn't sleep, but didn't dare light a candle lest she give away to Maman that she was indeed awake!
'He almost kissed me. Almost. He would have, I can feel it deep down inside, he would have kissed me if Maman had not opened the door.'
'Oh Meg!' Her voice of reason interjected. 'He's a nobleman for goodness sakes, if he had leaned down to kiss you, well, Maman always told you they only wanted one thing, and it wasn't marriage!'
'What would it be like with him? Christine has let some small hints slip, that it's wonderful between her and Erik. Oh, if only I weren't so inexperienced! But then, what would Raoul think of me then? Would he still desire to be my friend? And isn't being his friend infinitely better than any other prospect that is open between us?'
Her mind, and heart, continued to race, until she fell into the blissful oblivion of sleep.
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"Are you sorry to be leaving in the morning?" Erik asked softly as he and Christine snuggled together in their bed.
Christine lifted her head off of his bare chest to look him in the eyes, unguarded now. "In a way, yes. I'll miss Marie and Gerard immensely, but I miss Meg, and Madame Giry, and I'm sure you miss Nadir, though I know you will miss Marie and Gerard just as much as I will."
"I daresay you're right. Gerard asked me about us making this our permanent home, you know."
"I'm not surprised, Erik. Marie asked something similar of me today."
"Oh she did, did she?"
"Well, in a round about way she did, she said she'd hoped we would settle here. I know she's got Gerard, but I sometimes think she's a bit lonely for female companionship."
"I have my own thoughts, but they are neither here nor there, mon cher."
"And what thoughts are those?"
"She sees you almost as a daughter. Did you not see the fervor she put into organizing our wedding? Helping you pick out the dress, which I must say, you looked heavenly in."
"Oh posh, I think you rather enjoyed helping me out of it."
Erik laughed soundly, "I can not deny that I enjoyed that part immensely."
Christine started to chuckle along with her husband as his arms tightened around her.
"And you miss the Opera, n'est pas?" he asked softly.
"Yes, I admit, I do. I miss some of the people. Not all, but some."
Erik nodded in the darkness, "Though I admit, it is nice to come here and
be more . . . normal."
"Normal," she whispered softly. "You know, Erik, I'd rather have one minute of you than all the so called normal in the world."
Erik smiled at his wife and kissed her gently on the forehead.
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Author's Note: Another week, and my muses were kind enough to provide us with another update. YAY! Seriously, I originally planned to try to keep the pace I set with it's predecessor, but there have been some scenes which have almost felt like pulling teeth, none of these guys seem to want to do what I want them to do! But . . . still, we've an idea what is coming down the road. Erik and Christine are about to return to Paris, and . . . the Opera! What new surprises lie in store? Stay tuned for next weeks installment!
Anyways . . .
Mel: Never fear, Nadir is coming along soon, likely after Erik and Christine return to Paris. As for the song . . . um, if you want it, e-mail me. I searched every download site there was for months not finding it, and it's not widely circulated, but I've already sent it to one person who e-mailed and asked, plus . . . um, not wanting to give anything away, but AFTER this story is done, there is one more, set many years down the road (which I've not posted yet and will NOT post till this one is done) which utilizes that song, soooooo . . .
Angelofnight: No worries . . . I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for "Love Comes . . ." it was after all my first full length! And I read somewhere you're threatening to take down the Lyre? DON'T YOU DARE! I'm still hoping you'll get back to it . . . eventually? PLEASE?
Aspen: Well, Christine's reaction to Meg and Raoul . . . if it becomes more than friendship . . . well, you'll see ;-)
L'Ange de Folie: I know about being lazy, I try to review myself as often as possible . . . which is admittedly not always as often as I would like! The address . . . I'd like to think that Erik and Nadir discussed it . . . perhaps I can use that as a base when Erik sees Nadir after returning to Paris (we see the wheels turning in Stemwinder's head . . .)
Deidre: Sorry to hear about AP English taking all your time. I miss your voice of reason and am desperately waiting for her to come out and give me a good laugh!
TPP, Aspen1, Ash, Aenigmatic: Thank you all, and don't worry, I plan to! Soon, very very soon, I promise.
Everyone else, even those who have not yet reviewed . . . you know you wanna! Just kidding, I loves ya whether you do or don't, and this story is gonna continue one way or the other. But I love to hear what you think anyways ;-) (Hint hint)
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