A New Start

Chapter 10: A Walk in the Park

Thankfully nothing went amiss at rehearsal, and after assuring her parents that she would be alright with Arthur, she and Arthur went for a walk. Her parents had seemed to like Arthur when she had introduced him to them. Her mother had caught her eye as if to say "I know you like him, we'll talk later" and smiled brightly. Raoul had smiled stiffly and shook Arthur' s hand a little to heartily. Marie had laughed at this. She knew that it would be hard for her father to accept suitors in her life, and she was grateful that he hadn't done anything embarrasing, or for that matter he didn't interrogate Arthur about anything. But she knew that he would be at home pacing until she returned. And when Marie Claire had introduced Arthur to Lizzie, Lizzie had blushed, said hello, and whispered "lucky" to Marie before giving her a quick hug and leaving the two alone.

"So," said Arthur, smiling at Marie Claire, "There's a nice cafe right down the street, would you like to go and get something to eat?"

"Sure." said Marie happily. She left out the part about being starving.

Arthur put his arm out for her as they walked out into the evening twilight. She took it and they made their way down to the cafe.

It was about an hour later, and Marie and Arthur were sitting at an outside table at a quaint little french cafe, sipping their drinks and eating pastries. Marie Claire was liking Arthur more and more as the evening went by. In fact she was rather fond of him. He was very funny, telling comical stories about all of the things the other actors had done during his time at the opera house. He was also very sweet, offering Marie his coat when he noticed that she was shivering. She also couldn't help but notice that his eyes sparkled whenever he looked at her. Not to mention that he was incredibly good looking, with his sandy hair pulled back, and his chocolate colored eyes. Marie had found that she wasn't nervous at all around him. They seemed to have a lot in common, considering that they had been talking and laughing for the past hour with no lull in the conversation. As they finished their drinks and pastries Arthur asked Marie a question.

"There's a nice park right across the street, would you like to go for a walk before I take you home?" he asked, hope in his eyes.

"I'd love to." said Marie Claire getting up.

They walked under a starry sky, with just a slight breeze. It was the perfect weather. Then Arthur turned to Marie Claire with a serious look on his face.

"So you can hear his voice too Marie?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, I can." said Marie Claire, trying to think of a way to tell him what had happened yesterday.

"I've heard him for quite some time now." said Arthur as he watched a shooting star go by. "He's helped me with my singing, given me tips. I've improved greatly onver the past months. That's how I got the part of Hannibal. But I've never met anyone I could talk to about his before I met you." he said, smiling at her.

Marie Claire smiled back, then sighed heavily. She had to tell him.

"What is it Marie?" he asked concerned.

"Arthur, yesterday the Phantom, well he came after you left. I fainted, and the next thing I knew I was in his lair. I seemed to be under some sort of trance, and I sang for him. I even sang songs that I've never heard before. But I sang, like I've never sung before. The music seemed to be all around me. It was amazing." she said, sounding as though she couldn't believe what she was saying.

"This is the same thing that happened to your mother isn't it?" he asked quietly.

"Yes it is. She has always said that he was indeed a great teacher. But she did not like the way that he used violence and fear to manipulate people. She was always afraid that he would take her away from everything that she held dear. She wanted so badly to help him, but he didn't seem to understand. But she was worried about my papa, because the Phantom was always after him. They tried everything to try and make Erik understand, but all three of them had to go through a lot before it was finally over. It was hard for everyone at the Opera Populaire. But at least my mother had my father to rescue her and to be there for her. He was always there to love her. And he always believed her when she spoke of the Phantom. I wish I knew how to find the man behind the Phantom, but I also wish that I had someone there that understands this experience." she said, both her voice and her body shaking.

Marie then found that Arthur's arms were wrapped around her in a warm embrace. She seemed to calm down.

"What if you had me? Come, no more talk of this darkness. I'm here for you Marie Claire." said Arthur with a loving tone in his voice.

Marie's heart fluttered and a huge smile came over her features. Her eyes shone. The night suddenly seemed pleasantly warmer.

"Let me be your shelter, let be be your light. You're safe, no one will find you, my words will warm and calm you." sang Arthur.

"All I want is freedom, a world with no more night. And you always beside me, to hold me and to hide me." sang Marie Claire, taking Arthur's hands in hers.

"Say you need me with you here beside you. Anywhere you go let me go to, Marie that's all I ask of you." he sang, brushing her curls back form her face, his eyes shining.

"Say you love." said Marie.

"You know I do." said Arthur.

"Love me that' s all I ask of you" they both sang.

Then they found themselves swept up into their first kiss. Marie Claire smiled into the kiss, remembering her mother telling her of she and her father's first kiss, and the song the had sung. This seemed to be very similar, and Marie decided that it must be fate. They broke apart and Arthur picked her up and spun her around. His eyes sparkled as he laughed, and when he put her down he smiled.

"It seems like I've known you forever Marie Claire. I love you."

They kissed again.

"I love you to." she said, her blue eyes dancing as her brown curls blew in the evening wind.

This seemed to be one of those cases of love at first sight.

"I'd better get home soon or my parents will worry." said Marie with a loving look.

"Alright, I'll walk you home. We can't have a young lady walking about Paris alone now can we?" he said laughing and taking her hand.

"I'm so glad that I've found you Arthur. And I'm so glad that you believe me about the Phantom. Its strange that you can hear him to." said Marie Claire, puzzled.

"I don't why, but if something is going to happen, I'm sure we'll find out soon enough. After all, he does have the courtesy to at least let us know when a disaster is about to happen." he said seriously.

As they arrived at Marie's house, they stood in front ofthe door.

"Goodnight madmoiselle de Chagny." he said kissing her hand.

"Goodnight monsieur." said Marie Claire curtseying. "I shall see you tommrow."

"Till tommorow then, though it shall seem like forever." said Arthur as he walked off.

Marie walked in the door, temporarily forgetting her fears about Erik. Little did Arthur and Marie know that someone had been watching them from the darkness.

As Marie Claire had expected, her parents were waiting for her on the couch by the fire when she came in the door. She twirled in the door and took off her blue cape. Her parents both looked at her as though waiting for her to say something. She smiled mischieviously.

"Hello mama, hello papa. How are you? Thank you for letting me go with Arthur." she said as she made her way toward the stairs yawning.

"Wait just a minute there Marie Claire de Chagny." said Christine eyeing her daughter, as if she knew something.

"Marie, what happened? Am I sensing that you like this boy?" asked Raoul casually. But Marie could tell that he desperatley wanted to know.

Marie Claire laughed at the expressions on her parents faces.

"Yes I do like him. He's very polite, sweet, and charming. I'd like to court him." she said, blushing. She would tell them about the kiss later, she didn't want to shock them.

Christine nodded her approval, so Marie looked to her father.

"Papa, would it be alright?" she asked with big eyes.

" I suppose so." said Raoul with a rather painful look on his face. "He seems to be a nice man, but I'll be watching. You're my little girl after all."

"Thank you papa." said Marie Claire giving her father a hug and going up the staris. A few minutes later, as Marie was getting ready for bed, she heard a soft rap on her door. It was her mother, and she had a knowing look on her face. She sat down next to Marie on the bed.

"He kissed you you didn't he?" she asked grinning.

Marie blushed, a smile creeping up on her face.

"Yes." she said quietly.

Christine hugged her daughter warmly.

"I'm so happy for you sweetie. I thought he had since you pactically danced in the door. But I didn't want to say anything in front of daddy, he might have had a heart attack." said Christine, grinning.

Marie chuckled. That was certainly true.

"We'll tell him as soon as he gets used to the ideaof me having a suitor." said Marie.

"This reminds me so much of when your father and I fell in love," said Christine fondly. " Well sleep tight sweetie, I'll see you in the morning." said Christine as she closed the door.

And as Marie Claire slept that night, she had dreams of her newfound love, Arthur.