This is by far the hardest chapter I have come up with and for those of you who don't normally review I will most likely see your name coming up in my e-mail that you've left some kind of note. I hope no one hates me to much for what will happen in this chapter, though I will be following the movie plot rather closely. So work with me on this please and bring tissues. I feel really dumb about this, but I never mentioned Meg having a family or husband for that matter. I may have to go back and edit that in some where. But she met her husband after starting as ballet teacher at the opera houseand has two girls as well.
I'll miss working on this and following will be the epilogue and thanks to all my viewers. Also there will be a sneak peek for the up coming story.
The song "No One Would Listen" belongs to the one and only Gerard Butler, because he sang it of course and because he's so gorgeous.
Chapter 70: Forced to Say Goodbye
Dear Diary,
Well it's the turn of a new year once again and I hope it goes as well as all the ones before it. The winter of 1916 took a toll on a number of people in Paris and I'm hoping no one within the Opera House has suffered from it. I keep the closest watch over everyone, so I can only hope.
Over the past years I have been gifted with some of the greatest treasures. My granddaughter, Jacqueline was married to a childhood friend by the name of Anthony and presented me with my great-grandchildren, Noah and Leah. My son, Joshua, just got married last year to one of the ballerinas by the name of Claire, who I hired just three years ago.
Lotte and Pierre continue to do well and it amazes me sometimes how long their love has lasted. I still remember that day back in 1889 when the two of them first meet back on the vineyard. I love Lotte with all my heart for if it hadn't been for her I never would have lived my dreams and had this life of adventure.
Christine and I now realize how much we've aged over the years, but we've taken such good care of one another that I'm surprised we've lasted this long. I just celebrated my 78th birthday and Christine is 63; though in my eyes she's still the most beautiful woman to have graced the earth. I love her with all my heart and if she was to leave me I have no idea how much longer I would be able to go on.
I love my family with all my heart and would never want to trade it for anything. It all started when I came to my angel at the mirror and soon it may end with us leaving our family to take over the business of making sure the Opera House continues to thrive.
xxxxx
Erik didn't even finish that line before he began to sob. He ran his hand through his now gray strands of hair and stood up from his chair. Looking down upon the diary entry he realized how lucky he really was.
A sound from the doorway caught his attention and he looked up to see Christine standing there. She was close to tears herself and he allowed for her to come in. Gathering her close he stroked her cheek enjoying the fact that it was still soft beneath his fingertips.
"Erik I heard you sobbing. What's a matter?" she asked sweetly as she touched his unmasked cheek. He barely wore the mask anymore seeing as the scar matched very well with the wrinkles on his face and the wig wasn't needed anymore, because the gray of his hair was a nice touch. Yet the fact that he had to be old just to fit in with everyone annoyed him.
"I was reflecting on the past again darling."
"Oh, were you looking at the good memories or the bad ones?"
"I've been focusing on the good ones. Our son is married and may have children someday. Our granddaughter has bestowed upon us two great-grandchildren. I still find it rather funny that she ran into that Anthony boy again and married him. Surely after she punched him over Sasha they would never see each other again."
"Love works in funny ways. I guess that's why I have you."
"How is our love funny? I'd say ours is a miracle. It took me 18 years to get you back Christine and since then I've never let you go."
"I feel the same darling. For so long I thought the mob had gotten you and left you to die. And to think you were coming to our daughter's window to make sure she was safe from harm. I truly am grateful to you Erik. But I've always wondered about something. Was there ever a time where you wanted to take her away with you?"
Erik hesitated and hung his head. "The first time I held her I wanted to take her back with me. I hated seeing both of you in that house with Raoul, but I had told myself a dozen times and more that it wasn't right for me to have either of you. Back then I thought the Opera House would be the worst place to raise a family, but now I see I was wrong. I wanted the both of you to be happy and safe. I guess there I was wrong too."
Christine smiled and reached up to kiss his cheek. "I think I know what stopped you from taking her then."
"What?"
"The fact that she was barely a month old she would have still needed me and that would have forced you to kidnap me once again."
"I could have done it. I'm sure you would have gone willingly."
"Anywhere you go Erik let me go too. Back then I would have gone anywhere you wanted me to go. I almost thought I was foolish waiting for you to return. It hurt me so much inside when you didn't return and Lotte would ask about you. How was I supposed to tell her that her father was most likely dead in the cellar of the opera house? Do you have any idea how much that hurt me?"
Crystal tears slid down Christine's cheek and landed on Erik's hand. He pulled her close and held her to him. He had never meant to cause her such pain. His beautiful angel didn't deserve such a thing as pain, but his foolish decisions had done that anyway. "Christine I'm sorry. I didn't think ahead. No one, especially you deserved to feel that pain and I wish I could have gone back and changed that."
Christine raised her fingers and placed them gently on his lips. "Don't say you would change anything. I'm grateful of the life we have now Erik. If I had stayed with Raoul my whole life I would have had his heir and dying with a noble status. I enjoy more the fact that you allowed me to just be me; without a status and without any expectations, but to love you and our family."
For quite awhile all they could was hug one another when suddenly Christine's legs gave way and it was all Erik could do to keep her from falling to the floor. She looked around in confusion as he helped her to sit down in the chair.
"It's never been that bad before," she said softly.
"What's never been that bad before? Christine has this been happening often?"
She looked up at the sound of worry in his voice. "I keep having these times when my body becomes so tired that my body gives way and I'd be stuck where I am till someone came and found me. Usually it was Lotte and we were both to afraid to say anything. I also thought it would go away in time, but it hasn't."
"You should have told me Christine. We need to get you a doctor." He lifted her into his arms and quickly got her through the tunnels and up into one of the stage floor rooms that had a bed. "Stay right here darling. I'll send Lotte in to stay with you till I get the doctor okay? I won't let anything happen to you."
Christine smiled weakly as he kissed her forehead, which he realized was starting to grow hot. He hurried out onto the stage were rehearsals for the new season were going on and he grabbed Lotte's arms with little explanation.
"Father what's going on? I was just about to sing," Lotte asked as they hurried back to the dressing room. When he didn't answer she reached out and grabbed his arm turning him to face her. Big tears were streaming down his face and he looked like a total wreck as his body trembled.
"I just found out about your mother Lotte and if we don't get help I'm afraid she may die. The two of you were fools for not telling me sooner what was going on," he shouted.
"Father I wanted to tell you, but mother told me it was just a small thing and would pass in time. Now I see she was wrong. I didn't think something would actually happen."
"She's in that dressing room. I'm going to go and fetch the opera house doctor and be right back. All I want is for you to sit with her and also get a cold compress. I think she's getting a fever."
Lotte reached up and rested her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry I'll take care of her."
In the past years the family had been resituated around the opera house seeing as the lair had grown crowded. Lotte and Pierre still lived down there along with Erik and Christine. Joshua and Claire had a small suite they shared on one of the upper floors, and Jacqueline, Anthony and the children had a larger suite within the opera house walls. But as soon as they heard about Christine's condition they all became worried and came down the stairs towards the dressing room, but Pierre had positioned him self outside the door and permitted any of them from entering at that time.
"Father please I have to see her," Jacqueline exclaimed frantically.
"No, she may be sick and the last thing we want is to expose any of you to it," Pierre said as Erik ran up with the doctor and went into the dressing room closing the door behind him. Now no one had the choice, but to wait and see what happened.
xxxxx
Christine felt awful as the doctor checked her over. Erik sat up by her head keeping the cold compress there hoping her fever would go down. His eyes were so filled with worry and she hated seeing him like that.
The doctor let out a sigh as he pulled the blanket up over her again. "Monsieur may I speak with you in private?"
Erik stood and went over to the opposite side of the room with the doctor. "What is it Doctor? Will she be all right?"
"I'm sorry to say, but she's caught that terrible illness that's been going round. Slowly the body shuts down and I hate the fact that there is no known cure at this time. Many people have died."
"How long does she have? What precautions should we take?"
"She's got about a week. Continue with the cold compresses they help with the fever and make sure she gets plenty of fluids. Even though you know it's soon the end doesn't mean you should give up all together."
"Thank you for coming so quickly. And I'll do as you said for I wouldn't want for her to die in agony. I want her to be at peace when…" he chocked out a sob. "…she leaves me."
"I understand Monsieur. I've known the two of you for quite a few years now and if there are two people who truly love each other it's you and Christine."
"Thank you once again Doctor. You'll be in our prayers."
The two of them shook hands and the doctor picked up his bag and left the dressing room addressing the rest of the family before going on his way. Jacqueline went to the doorway and looked in with Joshua right behind her. Lotte was at her mother's side rewetting the compress and pressing it to her forehead.
"Father is Mother all right?" Joshua asked as Erik looked over at them.
"Your mother is very sick. She doesn't have much time left, but it's up to all of us to make sure she's comfortable."
Jacqueline and Joshua nodded. But the thought of losing his mother caused tears to stray down Joshua's cheeks. Jacqueline's tears were for a different reason. She was deeply upset about the current events, but it was the fact that this ordeal would bring her grandfather, so much pain and agony. For 28 years she had witnessed the love they shared for one another and soon that love would have to travel through time and space until it reached the receiver.
She straightened herself before she officially broke down. Large tears were mixed with heavy sobs as Erik pulled her close and held her. Lotte looked up in alarm at her daughter, but her father only nodded his head slightly showing that he had it under control.
He allowed Joshua into the room and helped Jacqueline out into the hall, so whatever was said didn't upset Christine. Then he told Pierre to go about and tell the employees of what was going on, so no one was left without questions causing rumors or gossip.
"Jacqueline, I know you'll miss her. We all will."
"It's not that," Jacqueline said looking up and wiping her eyes.
"If it isn't that do you mind telling me what it is you're crying about?"
"I will miss her, there is no doubt there, but I'm more afraid for what will happen to you when she dies. The love you two hold is strong and if a part of that bond is broken I don't want to know how much pain that will bring you. I'm scared for you, because I know what lies back in the past. All that pain, heartbreak, and oh I should just stop talking before I make things even worse."
"Jacqueline calm down. I understand what you're saying. But you and I have gone over death before."
"This is different. Le Noir and Sasha isn't grandma. I won't let the hatred of her passing on consume you. I don't want to see you fall into despair," Jacqueline sobbed once more burying her head into his chest. "You're stronger than that."
Erik was grateful someone had so much faith in him, but he wondered, as he tried to comfort her, what would happen when the time came for Christine to leave him? Would he turn into a blubbering fool and break off every tie with society or would he go into a blind rage causing everyone to run in fear of being harmed?
"Father, Mother is resting now, but I made up a bed on the divan for you, so you can stay by her tonight," Lotte said stepping out of the room. She looked upon the two of them in confusion. "What's wrong with Jacqueline?"
Erik quietly explained while Lotte took her daughter into her arms whispering words of comfort to her until Jacqueline finally calmed and looked upon both of them. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to doubt anything."
"It's all right sweetheart. This is a big change for everyone and we'll all look out for one another. When the time comes we want her to be comfortable."
"Well I understand that, because the last thing she needs is discomfort, but I'm more worried about what will happen afterwards. She's done so much for us and I can't stand the thought of letting her go," Jacqueline said quietly gazing up at her grandfather, who remained silent as he stared at the bedroom door.
"Father how about you go in and sit with mother? I'm sure she'll rest a lot better with a familiar presence in the room. I'll go talk with Jacqueline, but if you need anything don't hesitate to come get us all right?"
Erik could only nod before disappearing through the bedroom door. The gas lamps had been turned down slightly, yet he could still make out Christine's form against the shadows of the walls. Quietly he cursed for being so blind to the warning signs. But had she told him sooner there would have plenty of chances to prevent death. Did she wish to die? Did she hate being alive so much that she was willing to just throw her life away and leave him in the darkness again?
No, she wouldn't do that. She had told him and shown him so many times that she loved him. She was probably just as scared as he was. He sat down in the chair near her bedside and reached up to touch his face. He had left the mask down in the lair, but he'd rather not have it right now. If Christine was to wake she would more than likely wish to look upon him without it.
To her the distortion was nothing. The first time she saw it she was afraid, but as soon as she saw how miserable it made him she realized how much he wanted her love. She suffered 18 years in the arms of that Vicomte instead of resting in the arms of the one person she wanted to be with. It made no sense to him that they had been able to conceive a child together, but when it came to her big decision he wasn't willing to commit and sent her away with Raoul.
He rested his face in his hands and let out a sob he had been holding back, so as not to wake his fallen angel. He let the tears fall through his fingers and down to the floor without a care. Nothing else mattered to him anymore until he got that one last time to tell her just how much she meant to him.
xxxxx
"Christine…Christine."
In her dreams Christine could once again hear her Angel of Music calling to her as she traveled along a well-lit tunnel down into the depths of the opera house, only this time no one was holding her hand. She looked around in wonder as the candles moved out of her way as she continued on down the passage.
When she came to the point with the horse there was no horse much to her surprise. She went down the stairs and stopped as her dream world started becoming reality. The caverns around her were beginning to become dark and the air around her grew cold and unfriendly. Remaining still she tried to adjust to the darkness when she saw a single light up ahead coming towards her. There was the sound of fabric sweeping across the ground and heavy footsteps.
"Christine, what are you doing down here?" the sweet voice of her angel called out.
"Angel? I had to see you. Please come closer. I'm so scared," she said close to tears and she wrapped her dressing robe tighter around her.
The figure carrying the torch stepped closer and Christine let out a hesitant gasp. Her angel looked at her confused and slowly reached out a hand to her, but she pushed it away and came towards him instead reaching up to feel his right cheek.
"The scar it's gone. But how?" she asked as her hand moved over smooth skin where the scar had once been.
"What are you talking about my dear? I never had a scar especially not on my face."
Christine explored deeper with her fingers noticing there was truly no sign of there ever being a deformity of any kind while her angel seemed to be enjoying the attention he was receiving. She stepped back to get a better look and saw his right side looked the same as his left. There was no flaw within his features, he was perfect, yet she stepped back once again thinking she had completely lost her mind.
"Christine, what's wrong?" the angel asked her reaching out for her again. "Don't tell me I frighten you. I never meant to do that to you."
This was the same person she had fallen in love with, but she didn't understand how it was he was without the scar. Sure the thought had passed through her mind many times on what he would look like without it, but that didn't mean she wanted him to change.
"Tell me your name."
"Erik. My name is Erik."
He sounded exactly the same as he said his own name. There was no doubt now that it was him, but the fact that her dreams had changed him annoyed her. She didn't want Erik to change. She wanted him to be the same as he always was. The deformity was nothing to her.
"You're not the same!"
The dream Erik stepped back and looked at her in alarm. "What are you talking about Christine? I thought you wanted it this way."
"I'd rather have the old Erik back; the one, who needed my love."
xxxxx
Christine was tossing and turning in her sleep. Erik looked over and checked her forehead. It was burning hot and he quickly wet the compress and began dabbing it gently onto her forehead. He thought of a song and gently sang it to her when her eyes came flying open and she looked around in a panic.
When their eyes connected she finally calmed and put a hand to his deformed cheek. "Thank goodness you're still the same."
"Have a bad dream?"
"I don't know what it was. I was coming down to the lair and the candles were there, but you weren't. I could hear you calling my name, but you were no where in sight. I got to where the horse was, but the horse was gone too. Then everything around me went dark and cold. When I thought I was surely going to be alone for awhile I saw a single light ahead of me and you appeared out of the shadows without your mask on, but it wasn't the deformity that scared me, it was the fact that the deformity was none existent that scared me. I like you the way you are."
"Well if you like me the way I am then I like myself the way I am. It's what brings you closer to me."
"Stay with me please?"
"I'll always stay with you. I'll stay with you until…" he hesitated.
"Go ahead. You can say it. I know exactly what will happen."
"Until you go and join your father."
She smiled at him. "I never thought of it that way before. I do miss him terribly. But until I go Erik my heart belongs to you and you only. Ever since you spoke to me as a young child I knew we were destined to be and I was stupid to let Raoul interfere."
"You weren't stupid Christine. It just never occurred to me how innocent you really were. I wanted your love so badly that I was blinded by the fact that I frightened you. Do you forgive me?"
"I'll always forgive you. Every night following Don Juan I would say a pray for you and I forgave you for all you had done. I know for certain that you were only doing those things to protect me. You'd do anything for me."
"I declared my everlasting love for you and in Don Juan I made it quite clear that I would die for you. But I have a song that I composed many years ago that I want you to hear. I never shared this song with anyone and now I'm finally willing to share it with you."
He held her hand and began to sing the words of the song in a sweet melody as she watched him. "No one would listen/No one but her/Heard as the outcast hears/Shamed into solitude/Shunned by the multitude/I learned to listen/In my dark my heart heard music/I longed to teach the world/Rise up and reach the world/No one would listen/I alone could hear the music/Then at last a voice in the gloom/Seemed to cry I hear you/I feel your fears/Your torment and your tears/She saw my loneliness/Shed in my emptiness/No one would listen/No one but her heard as the outcast hears/No one would listen/No one but her heard as the outcast hears."
Christine looked up at him her eyes filled with tears. "Oh Erik, that was beautiful. I knew I was important to you, but not that important."
She moved over a bit in the bed and tugged at his hand letting him know she wanted him to join her. He made himself comfortable and allowed her to curl up against him on his chest. He ran one hand through her grey curls and entwined his fingers of the other hand with hers one arm wrapped protectively around her. All night they lay like that allowing the other to feel safe as sweet dreams drifted through their heads.
xxxxx
Erik was grateful that the week had taken its time, but as the end of it crept up on them he became terrified. Soon he was going to be forced to say goodbye and he wasn't ready yet. Even though Lotte and Jacqueline had helped in keeping Christine well cared for her health was continuing to fade. Her face became pale and over the course of the week she had lost mobility in her limbs.
He clearly looked no better. Lotte warned him constantly that if he didn't continue to eat or sleep he would surely end up as weak as she was. He would have gladly given up on living to be with Christine, but he had promised her that he wouldn't give up on her accord.
At times he felt like he had run out of tears for he would experience rib shattering sobs, but no tears fell. He was a nervous wreck and the only thing that kept him sane was Christine's words of encouragement.
xxxxx
The day everyone had feared was finally here and the only four people allowed in the room were Erik, Lotte, Joshua, and Meg. Everyone else waited outside passing around a box of tissues and awaiting any kind of news.
Christine no longer had any feeling in her body, but it felt more like she was just overly tired. As she looked up at her four witnesses she felt the tears well up in her eyes and as she began to cry a wave of coughs came to her throat. Instead of holding them back she let them sail their course, even if it caused her to cough up blood in the process.
When she was finished she looked up once again her throat in pain. She made eye contact with Erik and she watched as another tear fell down his scarred cheek. "Erik, don't cry. It pains me to see you cry," she said her voice barely a whisper. "Promise me that you'll go on after I leave and take care of yourself. I'm sure Lotte and the rest of the family will help you."
"Rest your voice Mother. You shouldn't be straining yourself."
"I'll speak if I wish. I want to be sure I have said all before I go. How do I know that you all will be all right when I go?"
"We will. Joshua and I will look out for Father and I'm sure Jacqueline will lend a hand too," Lotte said fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. "I'll miss you so much."
The two shared their last loving embrace before Lotte pulled back her fist placed over her mouth as the tears now began to fall. Joshua moved forward and kissed his mother's cheek.
"Goodbye Mother. I will miss you terribly when you go."
"And I will miss you my dear son. You were a joy to me and always will be. Take care of Claire for you never know how special a girl is till you lose her."
"I will Mother." He reached down and hugged her before he too pulled back and stood beside his sister, who wrapped her arm around his shoulders.
Meg took his place and hugged Christine also. "You've always been a sister to me Christine and I know Mother is up there waiting for you as well. Don't feel bad though. I may be along soon also."
Christine laughed a bit. "I'll be awaiting you of course my dear friend. I'll keep your mother company until you get there. However take your time. You still have your own family to watch over."
"Oh Juan-Paul, Abigail, and Rose are quite capable of caring for themselves. The girls are basically ready to start their own lives and I won't stop them. They need to get out there and see the world. Luckily there aren't anymore Opera Ghosts to worry about," she said with a smile as she looked over at Erik, who only smirked.
"Well tell them I wish them well."
"I will."
Meg gave her one last hug then moved aside allowing Erik to take her place. He sat down in the chair and took her hand in his hand. "I wished this day would never come, but it seems that God has turned against me once again," he said in a choked sob.
"That makes two. I wished this day would never come either," she said her voice becoming less clear, but Erik caught every word. "I'll wait for you Erik. I will always wait for you for I…I…love…"
That was all she had managed to say before her last life line had been severed and he felt her hand go limp in his. Was this to be her downfall like his had been when she revealed him during Don Juan?
"No, Christine. Lord how could you not let her finish that simple statement?" Erik cried as he picked up her lifeless form and pulled her close to him. He let out a painful sob and as Lotte, Joshua, and Meg looked on he kissed Christine's parted lips and stroked her cheek as if she was still alive. "I love you Christine. I've loved you from the start and always will. You mean the world to me and I will still worship the ground you walked upon."
"Father?" Lotte asked as she moved towards him her hand outstretched ready to place it on his shoulder.
"Leave me!" Erik snapped as he looked up and glared at the two women looking down at him. Lotte jumped back at the anger in his voice and looked at Meg for support.
"Honestly now. Do you want to break your promise to Christine already?" Meg questioned as Erik looked over his shoulder.
The pained look on Lotte's face brought him back to reality and he laid Christine's form back upon the bed. "I'm such a fool. Jacqueline was right. I was going to become someone that everyone feared. I can't let that happen. Christine wouldn't want that to happen. She would want me to mourn her for awhile then go on with my life. I will truly miss her and always cherish those tender moments we shared. She will be in my heart for always and soon we'll be together again."
"Of course you will. We will all see each other again," Meg said coming over and placing a supportive hand on Erik's shoulder. "And you will have those memories of her in your heart to look back on when you feel lonely. And never ever forget that you have a son and daughter that love you dearly."
Erik looked over at Joshua and Lotte. Both of them had grown up so much in the past few years and as he looked at Lotte he swore she looked just like her Mother. He went over to them and pulled both of them into a strong hug. "The Music of the Night is not yet over and I need your help to make sure your mother's story lives on."
OMG! The story has ended. But there is still an epilogue and all the thanks to type up. I still can't believe my story got this long and that I actually worked to complete it. I feel satisfied with my work even though I plan to go back and edit a lot of things seeing as this story has mistakes everywhere. I couldn't have done it without everybody's support and a large box of tissues. I hope to have the epilogue done soon. Plus I have to plan out my next story and finish my college one. Gah I have way too much to do. This is suicide. I really hope you guys don't hate me for this chapter, but it's the one thing that follows the movie plot. Except Raoul died evil grin.