Hmmm? 5 reviews from 500. It seems my reviews are lacking a bit. I guess the story got so long people don't want to write a review to every chapter or school got in the way I understand completely. I'm sure many of you keep reading just not reviewing and that's fine. For the few of you who do your feedback is so great, like a pick me up on a day of disappointment and pain. I love you all (HUGS).

Oh I forgot to mention in the last chapter that the item in the frame Erik hung up was the article stating the accident. That's why it was a national holiday for him. Okay on with the next chapter where Jacqueline's talents are put to the ultimate test.

Chapter 65: A Stage Debut

For a couple of months things for the Opera dwellers went back to normal. Erik spent most of his time now trying to come up with new pieces and sometimes Jacqueline would accompany him by playing on her violin. If he ever got frustrated he would ask her to play something for him to get the creative juices flowing once again.

The first time she played Music of the Night straight through without so much as a squeak across the strings Erik was beyond proud. She was now five and already as great as violinist or if not better than Christine's father. Sadly he had never heard Stephen Daae play, so he couldn't make the proper comparison.

"Jacqueline once again your musical talent is superb."

"Thank you Grandpa. Shouldn't we be getting upstairs for the show tonight?"

Erik looked at the clock over on the desk. "My goodness your right. Come on let's go."

Jacqueline tucked her violin into it's case, but before she could put it down Erik grabbed her hand and led her upstairs. She tried to tell him, but he was too intent on being on time. Though when they got back stage there was no hope of that happening.

"Oh, Monsieur it's wonderful that you're here," the conductor exclaimed as Erik appeared.

"Why, what's the problem?"

"The first chair violinist hadn't arrived all day and then I just received a telegram that he's out with the flu. Were one violin short and it's too short notice to replace him."

Erik cursed under his breath and looked around. Right away his eyes fell on Jacqueline and the violin case she held in her hands. He smiled at the idea he was forming and turned back to the conductor. "How about we let my granddaughter play first chair. She already knows the pieces by heart and with your excellent conducting skills she'll know when to play."

The conductor looked at Jacqueline. "You mean her? The one who would play with the violins in the pit before rehearsals?"

"The one and the same."

"Are you sure she knows how to play the scores?"

"Jacqueline do you mind giving the conductor a quick demonstration?" Erik asked her as she looked back and forth between the two of them.

She nodded and put the case on the ground. She rosined up the bow and did a quick tuning before she stood and waited to start. Erik nodded and she smiled. Placing the bow to the strings Jacqueline began to play filling the entire stage with the sweetest score from the Opera.

All the backstage crew and cast looked over in amazement and gathered round to listen. The conductor was standing with his mouth hanging open at the girl's unique talent. It was hard to understand that a 5 year old could play those pieces without looking at a single sheet of music and not make a mistake.

When Jacqueline finished there was joyous cheer and applauding coming from everyone, who had witnessed the demonstration. She looked over her shoulder and saw that her parents and her grandmother were clapping the hardest and her mother was crying. To show she wasn't rude she turned around and bowed before the crowd.

"So…" Erik said looking to the conductor. "Does this convince you enough that she should play 1st chair tonight?"

"But she's only 5 years old. The audience will surely notice."

"They will not. The wall of the pit is high enough. They won't be able to see her, but they will be able to hear her," Erik brought up.

"I see I have no other choice seeing as we're pushing time as it is. All right she can be first chair, but she needs a black dress."

"I'll take care of that," Lotte said as Erik took care to pack up the violin for Jacqueline, so she could go get dressed.

The two of them disappeared into the dressing room and came back out with Jacqueline dressed in a simple black dress and black shoes. She took the violin case from her grandfather and motioned for him to lean down. "Thank you," she whispered into his ear and kissed his cheek before following the conductor down into the pit.

"Erik you didn't have to do that." Christine said coming up behind him.

"Do what? I didn't make the first chair sick for her sake. Those things happen and she was the only one who knew the scores. She was the perfect substitute. That demonstration she gave was all her own."

Christine looked at him with that strange little look of hers, and then she smiled. "I know you wouldn't do something like that anymore, but back then you might have." She leaned up against him and kissed his chin.

"You know me to well my love. I decided it best to let her accomplish something on her own for once. She needs to know the benefits of excelling beyond expectation. I'm just helping her step into the light a bit."

"You're giving her the chance you never had right?"

Erik hung his head. "Exactly."

"Erik do you realize how great you are?"

"No, tell me."

"You're so great that even all the angels in heaven can't stand in your spotlight. I love you."

The two locked lips right then and there and no one said anything, instead went back to getting ready, because this was no rare occurrence. The only thing that could break them apart was the stage manager making them aware that there was only 5 minutes to places.

"You'll do wonderful tonight," Erik told Christine before he slipped away.

She watched him go and placed a hand over her stomach. "How can it be so difficult to tell him? It may not have been planned, but it is still a joy. Another life coming into the world, because of our love. But it may make him mad seeing as there is already too many of us living in the lair. We may have to get a house or something to make room, because I know Jacqueline wouldn't want to be separated from her grandfather and I don't want Lotte to go away from us. Luckily my morning sickness was under control for the most part and I'm not that big yet. After the show I'll tell him. He needs to know sooner or later."

xxxxx

Down in the pit Jacqueline had butterflies in her stomach as she looked around at the other musicians, who were all much taller and older than her. The conductor had explained the situation to them, but some of them still looked pretty confused about playing beside a 5 year old.

As she tuned her instrument her eyes looked about the boxes trying to find her grandfather. Soon he entered Box 5 and sat down in his seat. She smiled at him trying to push away the fact that she was nervous and he smiled back. With him there supporting her she knew she could do anything she put her mind to.

The conductor tapped his stand with his stick and everyone raised there instruments. Jacqueline's heart was racing as she waited to begin, but the minute the bow slid across the strings all fear melted away and she played perfectly with the rest of the orchestra.

The curtain opened and the show went on smoothly getting plenty of laughs and claps from the audience. Jacqueline was so excited with each turn of the sheet music. The funny thing about the way she played was she seemed to imitate her grandfather when he played; swaying with each note and pouring her heart and soul into every bar. It seemed as if she ignored the performance going on above her and worried only about her music.

All of a sudden there came the sound of whistling and clapping from the audience. Jacqueline opened her eyes to see that her grandfather was clapping along with the audience on the job well done. Her mother and grandmother stood on stage taking their bows and a bunch of flowers were being thrown on stage.

A long stemmed red rose with a black ribbon tied around the stem landed in Jacqueline's lap. She picked it up and looked at it happily. "The perfect gift for a job well done," she thought.

xxxxx

Back stage Erik had lifted Christine in his arms and twirled her around. "Oh my dear you did so well. I'm so proud of you," he said pulling her close to him.

"Don't forget to congratulate Jacqueline," she told him.

"I did. I threw her one of my roses."

"Aw Erik that's so sweet of you."

Christine looked past him a second to see Pierre and Lotte come up behind him with a sheet stretched between them. She was going to tell him and she wanted to be ready for anything.

"Christine, are you all right?"

"Erik I have something to tell you."

Erik looked concerned. "What is it, love?"

"Well I know we've been together quite awhile and all. We already have a beautiful daughter and a beautiful granddaughter, but it turns out we'll be adding to the family again," she said putting her hands over her stomach.

For a moment Erik stood there wide-eyed at what he heard when his eyes rolled back into his head and he fell back. Lotte and Pierre held the sheet the best they could; keeping him from hitting the stage floor.

"Was that the reaction you were expecting?" Lotte asked with a giggle.

Okay I now this was rather short, but yeah it was a fun way to end it. Don't ask why after all these years they only had Lotte, so far. My story, my rules live with it. Sorry to make the chapter short once again, but it's all I got right now. Hope you guys like it and review.