Disclaimer: I'm tired of writing this but I must. Phantom of the Opera and namely Erik do not belong to me, neither does Gerard Butler (damn). Ariel, the cast and crew of the Phantom's Lair Theater, the theater and the play their performing 'Blind To It All' do belong to me.
Thank you to all my loyal readers, I love you all. Shesshomaru's Angel, Miranda de la Costa, An Anti-Sheep Chees Muffin and Count Orlok. Hope you enjoy this.
Note: The second half of 'Blind To It All' is here. I'm absolutely giddy because i'm going to see Phantom of the Opera on stage for the first time on Tuesday.
' Blind To It All' has a lot more to it but I need to get back to Erik's and Ariel's relationship so i'll be cutting it pretty short. I'm thinking of making it into a full fledged fan fiction, so tell me what you think. Should I?
Anything not happening on stage will be in italics so as not to further confuse you all until the play is over.
Chapter 8: Blind To It All Part 2
Manaree opened her mouth and sang and Erik leaned out of Box Five to watch her.
Anything but lonely
Anything but empty rooms
There's so much in life to share
What's the sense when no one else is there?
Anything but lonely
Anything but only me
Quiet years and too much space
That's the thing that's hard to face.
Both Erik in the sound booth and the Erik on stage were captivated by her voice. The Phantom in Box Five was in danger of exposing his presence. Manaree's voice was building in power and she gave her soul as she did whenever she sang.
You have a right to go
But you should also know
That I won't be alone for long
Long days with nothing said are not what lie ahead
I'm sorry but i'm not that strong.
Anything but lonely
Anything but passing time
Alone is what i'll never be
While there's still some life in me
Manaree stepped forward without her cane and took a commanding stance as if she could see the managers and address them. Her words strong when she sang them. She was proving herself.
I'm still young don't forget
It isn't over yet
So many hearts for me to thrill
If your not here to say how good I look each day
I'll have to find someone who will
Anything but lonely
Anything but empty rooms
There's so much in life to share
What's the sense when no one else is there?
The song reached its peak and Manaree let the last note soar.
What's the sense when no one else...................IS THERE?!
Firmin and Andre sat without a word for a moment. Manaree came back to herself and retrieved her cane. Her face confused. " Monsieur's?" She asked uncertainly.
Adre came to first and nudged Firmin out of his stupor. " Ah.............well mademoiselle Manaree. Your voice is................well magnificent. But the situation with your sight cannot allow us to take such a risk. I apologize..........." Firmin tried to manage his dismissal. But Erik had shaken himself of Manaree's singing as well and made himself known.
" My dear managers, it would not be in your best interest to dismiss such a talent." Erik said and the managers instinctively shrunk back at the familiar voice. Though they never turned to see the Phantom in plain sight in Box Five " Think of the publicity gentlemen of a blind diva who took Paris by storm." Erik said with a sneer thought it was obvious to everyone he was putting praise into his comment.
" He has a point Adre. " Firmin said with a shaky note to his voice. " It would certainly draw a crowd." The managers were frightened no doubt but they also saw a benefit for once in the Phantom's demands.
" Of course monsieur." The managers replied finally. " As you wish. Mademoiselle Manaree congratulations, you are the new primma donna of the opera populaire."
Erik smirked and was gone. The managers fussed over Manaree for a moment telling her of rehearsals for the morning. " You may stay in any room in the Opera during your employment here mademoiselle. We shall have a suite made up for you in the morning. "
The managers said already putting affections on their new primma donna. But Manaree waved them off, almost hitting Firmin with her hand. " That won't be necessary. I already have a place of residents but thank you monsieur's. Good night."
Manaree left the two baffled managers behind and her cane tapped as she went. " Do you suppose that being blind makes her fearless?" Adre asked and Firmin stared at him bewildered. " What do you mean?" He asked. " Well while we cowered my dear friend, the lady stood there with a smile and did not even seem suprised by the phantoms voice." Adre said obviously trying to puzzle the whole thing out. Firmin scoffed. " Then perhaps we should pray for blindness, then we wouldn't be such cowards."
The scene changed once again and Manaree made her way back to the lair while Erik was seated on the throne silently watching her.
" Where did you learn how to sing like that?" He asked. Manaree's cane stopped , she stared blindly ahead. " I had a tutor." She said simply and again started walking. "1.....2.....3...4.....5....6." She counted until her cane touched the organ. " 6." She verified and started moving and counting again until she touched Erik's leg at the throne.
" Your making a terrible habit of hitting me with that contraption mademoiselle." Erik said and Manaree simply smiled. " What on earth are you counting for?" He asked when she had turned away and kept counting till she reached a candelabra and nearly knocked it over.
" Unlike you monsieur, I have to depend on my memory of where objects are. I count how many steps there are between objects so I don't run into them. I don't enjoy looking the part of a blind woman." She said, a bit of venom in her words.
Erik sighed and walked over to Manaree and took hold of her arm. She tried to pull away but he held her firmly. " What are you doing?" She demanded, she sounded afraid. Erik sighed.
" If your going to live here I won't have you knocking over candles and setting the entire opera house on fire." He said and Manaree smirked. "Afraid i'll finish the job you started?" She asked slyly. Erik scoffed. " I wouldn't mind if you did, but i'd rather not be here when it happens." He said and started to walk Manaree around the room and counted with her.
" What is your name sir? I don't plan on calling your monsieur phantom forever." Manaree said. He hesitated for a moment before answering. " It's Erik." Manaree smiled.
" Well Erik, you must call me Manaree from now on instead of mademoiselle. Especially if i'm to live here."
They came back to the organ and Erik took Manaree's hand and sat her on the bench. Sitting beside her, he placed Manaree's hands on the white keys. She smiled, though she couldn't see them her fingers found a note and she managed a small tune. " You play?" Erik asked and Manaree shook her head. " No." She said and stood, leaving her cane behind.
" I believe that contraption as you call it won't be necessary down here anymore." She said and carefully walked to the throne and stopped just before it. A joyous smile on her face and she whirled about with a laugh. "See, and all I did was count." She said and slowly made her way back. "And all I have to do to find you....." She said reaching out her hand and touching his mask. " Is listen to your heartbeat." Manaree smiled but did not remove her hand.
Erik was silent, still as a statue. He seemed sad when his hand covered hers on his face.
" Sing for me." Manaree whispered. Erik nodded, she could feel it with her hand on his face.
Some of my old friends are here
The light isn't good but their outlines are clear
I'm talking of solitude, silence and doubt
I tried to escape them, they soon found me out
Some of my old friends are here.
But Erik stopped not long after he started. Manaree frowned and her hand started to remove the mask from his face. Erik instantly grabbed her wrist with his other hand. " No."
" Erik, what can a blind woman do to you?" She asked, she waited till Erik let his hands slip away in defeat. She slid away the mask and bared Erik's deformity but she could not see it, so she did not flinch away or make a sound. Erik stared at her in amazement realizing the fact.
Then Manaree reached out to touch his face and once again Erik was startled but not before she had made contact with his face. He cried out like a child who had been struck but Manaree held firmly to his shoulder to stop him from retreating. " Don't be afraid." She whispered. Her hand brushed across his deformed cheek, Erik flinched and Manaree tried to soothe him.
" Erik I can't see your face, but I do see you. Your not a monster." She said and kissed his deformed cheek. " And i'm your friend if you want one."
Erik wrapped his arms around Manaree and held her close, she didn't refuse the embrace and instead returned it. " No more tears. I'm won't leave you here."
The scene changed and it showed over time how the primma donna and the phantom started to have feelings develop for each other. Erik had stopped wearing his mask in her presence while they were in the lair though she never removed her smoke glasses. Manaree sang on stage while Erik watched loyally from Box Five and they celebrated later.
Manaree was walking through the lair without her glasses on, she squinted her eyes and touched a candle. She could see. Erik walked in and Manaree quickly replaced her glasses and fained blindness.
" Manaree, its late. Why are you up, rehearsals are early tomorrow?" Erik asked, concern in his voice. Manaree didn't speak for a moment.
" Erik, I need to tell you something. But I need you to answer a question first." She said carefully. " Of course what is it?" He asked and took her hand though Manaree wasn't startled or suprised by his touch, Erik noticed.
" Do you love me?"
Erik did not let go of her hand. " Yes." He whispered. Manaree sighed.
" Then i'd like to tell you about my old tutor. The one who taught me how to sing." She said and Erik took a sharp breathe. " Hear me out Erik....... I met my tutor two years ago, his name was Galen. I still had my sight then and like I told you before I was ready to sell my soul to sing the way I was meant to. Galen said he would teach me and give me a place to stay without cost. It was too good to be true and I wouldn't have been able to pay him in the first place, so I accepted. For a year he taught me and I progressed, staying in the house he owned. I wanted to achieve a voice that would put me on the stage of this very opera." Manaree stopped, her voice had been filled with happiness but her face had suddenly fallen into a pained expression.
" I had finally perfected my voice to its peak and Galen was so proud. I was to come to the opera the next day to audition so that night we went out to celebrate with some of Galen's friends..........." She paused for a moment.
" He had drunk too much by the time we returned to the house. We fought, he didn't want me to leave calling me ungrateful for all he'd done. I knew he didn't mean what he said so I took it all in stride. But he was impossible to calm. I never saw his hand I only felt it when he struck me."
Erik tried to bring her into his arms but she only pushed him away gently.
" I've been blind ever since that Erik. The doctors said that Galen had hit a nerve that caused my blindness, and that in time I may be able to see again but there was nothing they could do for me. Galen didn't stop me from leaving, he knew I couldn't forgive him for what he'd done. So I left and came here." Manaree finished and finally let Erik hold her, leaning her head on his chest.
" Why tell me this now Manaree?" Erik asked, stroking her hair. She sighed.
" Because for the past few weeks my eyesight has been returning to me." She said painfully and Erik almost pushed her away.
" What!? You can see, you've able to see me without................" Erik's hand went to his unmasked face. " How could you lie to me!" Erik's voice was full of anger as he turned from her to hide his face. " I thought you were different....what a fool I was to think you'd be different then your betraying predecessor." He said and laughed a malicious, insane laugh. " What a fool."
" Erik stop it!" Manaree screamed and she pulled off the smoked glasses and tossed them away. " Look at me !" She cried and Erik calmed for a moment but still held anger boiling within. He stared into her clear emerald eyes and laughed.
" Why should I look at you my dear? To see the beautiful soul who will leave me? Why torture me so? Give me peace and let me alone. I've had enough of love and its cruelty." He said weakly, on the brink of tears.
From the sound booth Erik's heart lurched at Anthony's words.
" God why can't you realize i've seen your face already. Clear as day and have I ever screamed in terror or turned away once? No Erik, i'm not so naive and there is no one here to steal me away. Your face doesn't matter to me why does it to you?" Manaree said, pleading with him to understand.
Erik sat at the organ and refused to meet her eyes again. His shoulders slumped in defeat.
Manaree was furious and grabbed the stunned phantom by his shirt collar. " You will hear me out Erik, look at me and tell me why I would stay if I was frightened of you. If I thought you were a monster why would I love you?" She asked and tears began to race down her cheeks when she kissed him. Erik was still for a moment but it wasn't long before he brought her down in his arms and kissed her back passionately.
There was a cheer from the audience as they saw the two embrace. There was a very mixed reaction from Erik who watched the actors kiss. He felt a mixture of joy and jealousy thrum in his chest.
Manaree pulled away and kissed his deformed cheek. Erik's eyes were shut as she did so and he smiled. " I love you Erik." She whispered and suddenly Erik stood and gathered Manaree in his arms and spun her around. She laughed and held onto him. When he stopped and set her down he simply stared into her seeing eyes. " And I love you Manaree."
Then he sang, from his soul.
If I never knew you
If I never felt this love
I would have no incline of
How precise life can be.
And if I never held you
I would never had a clue
How at last i'd find in you
The missing part of me
In this world so full of fear
Full of rage and lies
I can see the truth so clear
In your eyes so dry your eyes
He ran his thumb across her cheek to take the tears away as he sang and smiled.
And i'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever if I never knew you.
Manaree smiled at him and when he finished she began to sing.
If I never knew you
I'd be safe but half as real
Never knowing I could feel
A love so strong and true
And i'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever if I never knew you
Erik joined her and they sang to the heavens.
I thought our love could be so beautiful
Somehow we'd make the whole world bright
I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong
All they'd leave us were these whispers in the night
And still my heart is saying we were right.
And if I never knew you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Empty as the sky
Never knowing why
Lost forever.......if I never knew you..............
The curtain came down and the audience applauded enthusiastically. Making whooping sounds and calling out the actors names. Anthony and Ariel came out from behind the curtain and bowed to the audience who gave them a standing ovation.
" Thank you very much." Ariel said grandly and smiled. " I like you to give Anthony Carter and his beautiful wife Giselle Carter, our Christine a big round of applause. This will be their last play at the Phantom's Lair Theater because next year they'll reprise their roles in the Phantom of the Opera stage production." She said and stepped aside to let Anthony, still in his make-up to take a bow and someone pushed Giselle out on stage who was in her street clothes. The two bowed and the lights came on.
Erik thanked Tom for letting him watch the show from the sound booth. Making sure that no one saw him out of habit instead of necessity, he made his way backstage. He found Ariel there talking excitedly with her fellow actors. Hugging Giselle as she gave Ariel a beautiful red rose.
Erik stopped and watched her for a moment. I have nothing to give her. How can I approach an angel without something to praise her with? Erik thought with a pain of guilt. He was used to being prepared for things like this. It had been so long but he didn't want to go to her empty handed.
Erik felt someone slip something into his hand, he turned and saw Veronica smiling at him. He looked down and she had slipped a sterling silver rose in full bloom into his hand with a rhinestone resting within its petals. Erik raised an eyebrow at the action. She shrugged. " You thought I was going to let you stand there and suffer? I only play Carlotta darling. " She said and walked off to her dressing room. He smiled at the rose and went to his angel.
Ariel still had tears brimming in her eyes from the last emotional scene from the play. And Giselle's gift didn't help matters. " Giselle. Your leaving soon, your not supposed to give me roses." She responded trying to give the flower back to the blond. Giselle only laughed. " Nonsense, you were wonderful tonight you deserve it." Giselle looked over Ariel's shoulder and smirked. She leaned in close to her friend and whispered slyly. " And I believe the man of your dreams is coming this way to tell you that as well."
Ariel blushed and tried to wipe at the tears on her face, making sure she was presentable. Giselle gave a very girlish laugh, playing at suprise when Erik came closer. " Oh Erik, I didn't see you there. How did you enjoy the show?" She asked. Ariel felt his presence right behind her and relished in the nearness. It felt so good to be near him.
" Marvelous Giselle, and I came to congratulate the bella diva who made such a thing become what it is." She heard Erik say and she loved the affectionate tone she sensed in his words. She turned to him and smiled, there was a gleam in his eyes that she couldn't explain.
" For you mademoiselle." He said and presented a beautiful sterling silver rose. It's petals fully open and something resting in the middle. It was a rhinestone she had no idea where he'd gotten it, but it sparkled beautifully in the stage lights. " Its beautiful, thank you." She said, wanting to hug him but not sure if that was appropriate. They had kissed once already but was he really that ready for full human contact?
Erik was wondering the very same thing about Ariel. She had openly hugged and touched other people all the time as most actors were prone to do but would she really feel comfortable showing him the same affection maybe more? Erik was afraid to try and find himself rejected for being bold.
Fortunately the decision was made for them as Veronica suspiciously walked behind Ariel and by no means accidentally bumped into the red headed singer. Ariel fell forward right into Erik, who not being prepared again for such a thing fell backwards when he attempted to catch her. They toppled to the floor Ariel ontop of Erik as Veronica bit her lower lip and attempted to look innocent. " Oops sorry, are you two okay?"
Ariel and Erik stared into each others eyes and tried to figure out what had just happened. Neither of them moved and frankly neither of them wanted to.
" Uh........thank you." Ariel said uncertainly.
I'm evil I know. But I want reviews before I continue. Let me know I still have loyal readers please. I hope you guys liked the musical I busted my butt writing that.
This was super long and I hope you guys don't expect that all the time. The songs were 'Anything But Lonely' from Sarah Brightman's Andrew Lloyd Weber cd. The little verse Anthony sang was a song from Micheal Crawford's Music of the Night cd called ' One Of My Best Friends' and the last song was 'If I Never Knew You' from Micheal Crawford's disney cd.
I want you guys to tell me what your favorite part of the story was so far and if I should write a fan fiction about Erik and Manaree. It will be fleshed out and have a lot more things going on then the simple plot I have. So review and tell me and the next chapter will be up in the next couple of days as usual. Hopefully.....................
Oh by the way Veronica, I hope you like what my little primma donna did to Erik and Ariel. I like the idea of her helping further their relationship instead of hindering it. Tell me what you think.