Hello everybody! And hello to my lovely reviewers! An update...a little later than expected so my apologies.
Mademoiselle P: also sheepishly grinning Aww you're going to stick with my fic. It's true that there is pretty much no age gap between Ali and Jeremy but I think that them being closer in age works in this fic. More Jeremy slave driving here but you're right, she has to be perfect...
Lilly Fair: Thanks...I'm glad that you're enjoying it
Karmabelle: If only I could find a real life Jeremy...
Celestial Death: I'm very happy that you like it. I hope this chapter is OK
Christy Day: An update for you!
Chapter 4- In which Jeremy is both very sweet and very scary...
OK, well not quite like that but I thought it was high time to bring out the darker side of Erik in him...that temper and all
Ah yes...and concerning an incident with a falling sandbag...the answer to that will reveal itself in the future...
Your obedient servant
Maska (M.K?)
Disclaimer: I still don't own Phantom of the Opera... goes into corner to sulk
4. Unmasking Jeremy
It had obviously been raining during the night. Ali walked along the street towards the theatre conscious of the large black cloud that loomed overhead. She quickened her pace hoping that it wouldn't rain before she got to the theatre. She wasn't so lucky. There was a clap of thunder and a heavy shower came streaming down. By the time Ali arrived at the theatre, she was soaked. Shivering, she ran into the hall colliding into Jeremy.
'I'm, I'm sorry,' she gasped, sniffing and wiping her hair out of her eyes.
'Ali!' he said. 'You're wet. Why were you outside?'
'Caught in the rain,' she replied thinking that it was pretty a self-explanatory answer.
Jeremy took her hand. Her teeth started to chatter. He had a concerned expression on his face as he stroked her cheek gently.
'You're so cold,' he said softly. 'Come on, you've got to warm up.'
Jeremy led her to the radiator and told her to sit against it. He poured something out of his thermos flask into a cup and gave it to her.
'Here, drink this.'
'What is it?' Ali asked accepting the cup.
'Tea,' Jeremy replied simply.
He watched satisfied as she swallowed the liquid.
'You need dry clothes,' Jeremy said suddenly.
'No, Jeremy don't worry,' Ali protested embarrassed about the attention that he gave her.
Jeremy ignored her and rummaged in his bag.
'I just picked this up from the laundrette,' Jeremy explained producing a long skirt and an off-shoulder top. 'They belong to my sister. She's about the same size as you'
Ali smiled gratefully and accepted the clothes. She went to the bathroom to get changed and hung her wet clothes on the heater. The clothes fitted her perfectly. She re-entered the hall. They were still the only people there.
'You look good in that top,' Jeremy said suddenly.
Ali felt herself blush.
'Thank you,' she murmured as she walked over to him and kissed his cheek. 'Thank you for everything.'
Jeremy said nothing. There was the sound of a door opening and Mr. Conclair and Mr Lamport entered the hall.
'Well, how are you two this wet, miserable morning?' Mr Conclair said. 'How lucky I am to have you two here. I'd like to use the opportunity to rehearse 'Music of the Night'.'
'How did your rehearsal go?' Mr Lamport asked curiously.
'We made progress,' Jeremy replied, looking at Ali and a slight smile parting his lips.
'Well, up onto the stage you go,' Mr. Conclair said. 'Let's practise. Now remember, Ali, you by this point are under the Phantom's power. Wait for him to move you and react to him. Jeremy, you're trying to seduce her through music. You're gentle with her but at the same time you have a great control over her. Let's see what you can do'
Mr. Lamport sat down at the piano and played the first few notes of Jeremy's song. He began to sing in his intoxicating voice and Ali felt very much like Christine, listening to the Phantom sing, absorbing every note.
Night time, sharpens
Heightens each sensation…
Darkness, stirs and wakes imagination
Ali felt Jeremy approach her from behind and placed one hand round her waist and the other on her bare shoulder. She leaned back against him.
Silently the senses
Abandon their defences…
A few people entered the room and watched as the song progressed. Jeremy stepped away from Ali who stood calmly with her eyes closed.
Slowly, gently
Night unfurls its splendour…
Grasp it, sense it
Tremulous and tender…
Jeremy ran his fingers across her cheek and pushed her face away from as he sung the next line.
Turn your face away from the garish light of day
Turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light
And listen to the music of the night…
Ali hadn't noticed the people who were arriving in the hall watching them. She didn't even notice Sam who stood staring at the stage dumbfounded. As the music reached a new height, Jeremy once again stepped behind Ali and held her neck, drumming lightly on her throat with his fingers.
Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams!
Purge all thoughts of the life you knew before!
Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar!
And you'll live as you've never lived before…
Sam glared at Jeremy as he bent down, brushed away Ali's hair and kissed her bare shoulder. He smiled as he felt her shudder. He stepped away, with Ali's hand in his and began the next verse.
Softly, deftly
Music shall surround you…
Feel it, hear it
Closing in around you…
Suddenly he pulled her towards him and stroked her cheek again. Ali closed her eyes and leaned towards him, resting against his chest. Jeremy smirked as he noticed Sam watching him and began to stroke her hair.
Open up your mind
Let your fantasies unwind
In this darkness which you know you cannot fight
The darkness of the music of the night.
Jeremy suddenly spun Ali around so her back was towards him and placed an arm across her neck and chest and began to gently sway her. Ali raised her hand behind her head and found Jeremy's hair. She began to stroke it gently.
Let your mind start a journey to a strange new world!
Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before!
Let your soul take you where you long to be!
Jeremy pulled slightly away from Ali and whispered in her ear.
Only then can you belong to me…
Floating, falling
Sweet intoxication!
He took her hand and placed it on his cheek. She began to stroke the side of his face that would be covered by the mask. Jeremy closed his eyes and sighed, leaning into her touch.
Touch me, trust me
Saviour each sensation!
Let the dream begin let you darker side give in
To the power of the music that I write
The power of the music of the night…
Jeremy smirked arrogantly at Sam who was now positively fuming. Debbie had joined him and she too looked at awe at the pair on stage. He took Ali hand and led her across the empty stage to where the mannequin of Christine would be. He walked behind Ali whispering:
'I'll catch you.'
She closed her eyes and placed her trust in him falling backwards as her character fainted. Her trust was not in vain. Jeremy caught her as he promised he would and carried her across the stage, laying her down on the floor. He gently stroked her hair.
You alone can make my song take flight
Help me make the music of the night!
There was a deadly silence from everybody. Somebody started to clap and everybody joined in, except for Sam who was staring with his mouth open at the pair. Ali sat up and Jeremy helped her to her feet, kissing her hand. She could feel her face burn red. Jeremy led her to the front of the stage where he gave an arrogant little bow and stepped down. She followed him slightly dazed. She was amazed by the power that Jeremy had over her. She had not been acting, apart from the faint of course. He had completely taken her breath away. She didn't hear Mr. Conclair's praises, she didn't hear Jenna mutter that she though that Jeremy had sung a note wrong, all she could hear was Jeremy's voice in her head. She looked around for him but he seemed to have disappeared. She staggered over to Sam and Debbie, hardly noticing the approving glances that she received from the other cast members.
'Um, Ali, wow!' Debbie said. 'That was, um, intense.'
Sam just looked at her.
'So what's happening with you and Jeremy?' he asked half jokingly, half seriously.
'Nothing, nothing,' Ali said quietly. 'It was just acting.'
Sam didn't look convinced.
'Sam, relax. Why do you care so much anyway?' Ali asked almost accusingly.
'Sorry, forget I said anything,' he replied quietly.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
He watched from the shadows as she spoke to Sam and Debbie. His lips parted into a smile. She had enjoyed that. Sam was jealous, everything was going his way. He had been unaware that Ali could have been so easily influenced by his music and his touch. She was more like him that she cared to admit.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
'I would like to introduce Mrs. Sinell, our choreographer,' Mr. Conclair said gesturing to a tall, spindly woman dressed from head to foot in black.
She wore her hair in a tight bun and with pursed lips gave a disapproving glance over everybody in the cast sitting with a slouched back.
'I have come to teach you the basics of dance. My forte is in ballet but I believe that I am also to choreograph your masquerade scene. Correct?' she asked looking over to Mr. Conclair for confirmation.
He nodded in the affirmative.
'Have any of you performed any kind of ballet before?' she asked
A few girls put their hand up. Mrs. Sinell nodded.
'How many of you continued past the age of 10?'
The girls put their hands down.
'I see,' Mrs. Sinell said. 'Well I doubt that you have your own ballet shoes so I will lend you some for the duration of the performance. They are in the box,' she said gesturing to a cardboard box on the floor beside her. 'Help yourself to a pair in your size.'
There was a scrabble to get a pair of shoes. Debbie and Ali got their pair and sat down, both slightly intimidated by the woman. Ali was sincerely grateful that Jeremy's skirt was loose and flowing so that she could move around easily.
The girls were soon to learn the Mrs. Sinell was strict, very strict and she had an annoying habit of hitting an unsuspecting leg that had dared to bend. It was true that they were only learning simple steps but it was very demanding for Ali who had never danced ballet in her life. Debbie leaned over to her.
'Sophie doesn't need to invent her own character at all. She can just do an impression of Sinell.'
Ali glanced over at the girl who played Madame Giry. She seemed to be sitting, taking mental notes of everything that Mrs. Sinell did or said. Ali grinned.
'Let's hope that she doesn't have a stick in the performance then,' she replied.
'Miss. Connia. What is it of such great importance that you have to talk to the person next to you?' Mrs. Sinell's voice rang in her ears.
'Nothing, Mrs. Sinell. Nothing,' she said quickly.
'Well if it is nothing, I don't see why you need to talk. And straighten your leg!' she barked once again, hitting Ali over the knee with her stick.
At the end of the rehearsal, Ali was aching all over, especially around her knees. She was looking forward to going home and having a long hot bath when Jeremy suddenly approached her from behind.
'Are you ready from some singing practise?' he asked.
'Jeremy, must we? Tonight? I'm aching all over, I just need a break.'
Jeremy was unmoved.
'Performing is hard work,' he replied simply turning towards the piano.
'That's alright for you to say, you weren't having your knees hit by a stick.'
'If you do it right, your knees won't be hit.'
Ali was completely taken aback, expecting sympathy.
'I don't see you doing ballet.'
'The Phantom is not a chorus girl. He is a composer. Now we practise.'
'Jeremy!' she wined, feeling very much like a long child again.
Jeremy walked over to her and looked into her eyes. She stared back at him, trying to let him know that she would not be conquered. Suddenly, he swooped her up in his arms. She gave a little scream out of shock as he carried her over to the piano.
'Now you're here, you may as well sing,' he said, smirking slightly.
Ali didn't know how to respond. Jeremy took advantage of her silence to play the opening few bars of 'Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again'. Ali automatically sang, seeming to forget her previous reluctance.
When they had finished, Jeremy praised her voice but stated her mistakes harshly.
'Can I have some your water?' she asked, pointing to Jeremy's bottle on top of the piano.
'Of course,' he replied.
As Ali walked over to lift the bottle, she saw a book lying next to it. It had a shiny black cover and she could almost see her reflection in it. Curious, she opened the cover. Suddenly Jeremy's hand appeared from no-where, slamming the cover down.
'Don't read that,' he said in a commanding voice.
'What is it?' Ali asked.
'Nothing,' Jeremy muttered, taking the book and putting it underneath his coat. 'Now we do your song again.'
Ali found it incredibly hard to concentrate on singing. She was off in a world of her own, wondering what Jeremy could possibly have written that he wanted to keep so secret. Suddenly, the boy's fists slammed angrily down on the keys.
'Concentrate!' he snarled. 'Your voice is flat and has no emotion in it. You can't expect to sing well if you do not concentrate!'
'I'm sorry,' Ali whispered, shocked by Jeremy's outburst.
He scanned her face severely.
'I'm going to fill my bottle up from the water dispenser. When I'm back, we will sing.'
Ali nodded. If it had been anyone else, she would have told them what she thought about a rude outburst like that. Yet Jeremy seemed to have some kind of hold over her that made her bite back her words and stay silent. When Jeremy left, she tried to practise some scales but her thoughts kept straying to the book. She looked over at Jeremy's coat. He wasn't there and one little peak couldn't possibly hurt. Jeremy had obviously composed something that he was embarrassed about or he would have shown her for sure. He was helping her with her voice, maybe she could help him with his confidence. Before she even realised it, the book was in her hands and she was stroking the spine. Could she? Jeremy would be back soon, one little look wouldn't hurt.
She opened the pages and looked at the page. It was a drawing of a monster. The monster was in its layer, standing over the corpse of a dead girl. She turned over and saw a drawing of bird with a broken neck. The next page showed one man, with a cruel face, stab a knife into the back of another man. The victim's face was twisted in unimaginable pain. Ali was shocked by the drawings. Jeremy, who seemed so passionate about his music, drawing such disturbing images. Why?
A hand dropped heavily onto her shoulder and turned her around. Jeremy stood in front of her, looked down at his sketchbook with the open page and ripped it out of her hands. He looked furious.
'I told you not to look in there!' he snarled shaking her. 'Damn you, you nosy little girl!'
'Jeremy, I'm, I'm sorry!' Ali cried, pulling away from the furious boy.
Jeremy threw his book to the side, lifted up a chair and shouting threw it to the ground. Ali screamed and ran away from him. He advanced on her angrily.
'These were my demons! They were not for you to see!'
Ali tried to apologise once again but her voice was drowned by Jeremy's swearing and cursing.
'How can you ever like me now? Now you know what goes on in my mind. The demons that haunt me!'
Ali stayed silent as Jeremy appeared to pull himself together.
'Get out,' he said quietly.
Ali took a step towards him.
'I'm sorry,' she whispered.
He ignored her
'Get out! Leave me! Go now!' he yelled.
Ali was so scared by Jeremy's sudden outburst that she turned and fled the building.
'Ali! Why?' Jeremy cried quietly to himself, before falling on a heap in the floor placing his hands in his head.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
He knew that he had upset her and scared her. She had seen his dark side. The images of his imagination that haunted him. Could she ever like him now? Now that she had seen the more disturbing side of him. Now that he was no longer the musical genius to her. What could he now say to her that would ever excuse him from that outburst? He shook his head in despair. Why did she have to look? Why?
