"They who? Stop staring!" Helen asked, wrapping herself tightly in her robe as Rich looked at her.
They had been expecting some more workers and two new star singers. That's who Helen guessed it was first. Rich shook his head and closed his eyes,
"Just come down stairs and see!"
"Can I get dressed first?" Helen raised an eyebrow at him.
"What's wrong with what you're wea– oh. Yes. But hurry!" he left, closing the door behind him.
Helen sighed. She had really hoped that she could just go to bed! She had been up since five in the morning and it was two in the morning now! She was never going to get any sleep…
She changed without a complaint and headed down the stairs with a wide yawn. She made it into the lobby where the door was open and men were bringing things in, setting them down, and then repeating as they rushed in and out of the door.
She was suddenly embraced in a hug to where her face was hid in the chest of a man and squeezed. She recognized the smell of the cologne and hugged back,
"Papa! You're here!" they pulled apart and she looked up at him, "Where is mama?" Helen asked hugging him once more.
"I'm right here, Len!" her mother's voice came. Helen ran to her mother and gave her a hug. She started to sob quietly.
Eight years, she had not smelt her father's good cologne. Eight years, she had not felt the warmth of her mother's arms. Eight years, she had not had a full family with her.
"It's been so long!" Helen stated. She pulled away from her mother.
"Look how beautiful you are! How have you been doing? Spending your share of the money foolishly I suspect?" Her mother laughed, Christine Daae laughed.
"Foolishly?" Helen stepped back once, "I hardly call fulfilling my dreams, 'foolish'!" Helen whispered. Her papa, Raoul, hugged her once again.
"Of course it's not! That's just the way we left you! We're tired," he knelt down in front of her, holding her hands, "Forgive us."
"Off your knees father! You two need to rest before the big day ahead of you! The Opera house awaits!" Helen pulled him off his knees and led him and her mother up the stairs, into the neighboring room of her own.
"Helen…that's what we wanted to talk about…" Raoul sat down on an armchair that was placed in front of the fireplace.
"Papa. Mama. Can we talk about this later? I've been up for a long time and I wish to sleep!" Helen hugged her mother, Christine, and her father, Raoul, goodnight and was about to leave when her mother stated,
"He has come back…hasn't he?"
"Mama! Not now! I'm tired and you, too, need to rest. Goodnight." Helen shut their door and walked into her own, locking the door. She changed, for what felt like the one-hundredth time that day, and then went to bed, falling asleep nearly at once.
That night passed with no dreams. Her thoughts were all black but yet, at a peace. She felt even more relaxed than she ever had before.
"Helen? Time to wake up!" Rich's voice came from the other side of the locked, oak door.
"Al-all right…" Helen yawned. She slipped out of the warm covers and onto the cold wood floor. Her thoughts were focused on making it to the mirror and washing and not on what happened next.
"Helen!" A familiar voice called from the privacy wall.
"What?" Helen stammered backwards from shock.
"It's me!"
"There are lots of 'me's'…. Which one are you?" Helen replied sleepily.
"O.G…." he replied.
"Good morning! H-how did you get in my room? Nevermind that…. My mama and papa are here!" Helen began to wash her face as he climbed out from behind the privacy-dressing wall. He was in his normal white and black.
"Good morning. Really? They are?" he looked around nervously.
"Not here, here, but in this building. They're coming to the Opera House today…" Helen grabbed some clothes, "So…I'll see you at practice then?"
He got the hint and nodded, heading out the window.
"Helen? Are you descent?" Raoul's voice came.
"No! I'll be down in a few minutes."
"It's ten to seven!"
Helen turned to the grandfather clock against the wall by the window and gasped. Indeed! It was! She changed quickly and rushed out and down the stairs to the street, meeting her mother, father, and Rich on the sidewalk,
"Ready?" Rich smiled. Helen was all ready walking down the street.
"Is she always this way?" Raoul asked Rich.
"For the past six months she has…it's a whole new Helen!" Rich laughed.
Upon arriving, Christine stopped at the stairs. Raoul looked at her and helped her in, "It may be a big step for you to come back here, Little Lottie, but we have to…"
Christine nodded and walked in beside him, looking in awe as the entry hall looked exactly as it did twenty years ago. Raoul examined the room and then pointed above the door inside. Christine looked and saw herself looking back at her. It was the portrait that Miser Andre insisted she got painted after the play 'Hannibal' was a success.
"Papa? Mama? Ready to go into the Auditorium?" Helen's sound voice came, from up the marble stairs. Christine and Raoul walked up the stairs and nodded to Helen's request. Helen pulled back the heavy doors and led them in.
"Helen!" Christine squealed as she saw how beautifully it was decorated.
"Madam Helen! Practice is starting! You need to be in your first position!" Natalie came up, she smiled, "Welcome Home Madam Christine and Miser Raoul! Come Helen!"
"Sit in the front row!" Helen smiled at them and ran off with Natalie to behind the red velvet curtains. Music started to play and the curtains slowly began to open. They sat down.
Helen was quickly put into costume and was pushed into her spot in line.
'What do you expect of me, master?' the father in the play asked in song to the four-fingered man, the Phantom,
'You owe a lot
In which you cannot pay!
You're lovely daughter
Will be mine one day!' the Phantom replied.
'She is not a music box!
You can't pull her off the shelf!' the poor man yelled back in anger.
'Ignorant fool!
You brave young suitor!
Don't you dare fight against me!
For you'll pull your life to an end…'
'You cannot kill us and expect
To catch her heart!' the peasant-wife walked in and set her hands on the shoulders of the man.
'Father…?' Helen, who played Lily, called holding the notes as was expected.
'You two were lucky!' the Phantom ran off the stage. Helen smiled at him and walked on,
'Father? What's all the commotion?
Was there something I missed?
What was that commotion?
Did the man come to collect his money bliss?
We owe him a lot and I'll work to get it
But don't expect me to be a true devotion!'
'I expect of you nothing more than you offer…' the "father" walked over to her and kissed her on the forehead, 'You do what your heart says!'
"Stop! Stop. Stop…" the conductor waved and tapped his white conducting stick, "Helen? Where is your lovely voice?"
"I've gotten few hours of sleep, Miser! I'll be better tomorrow! Can we proceed?" Helen replied taking a few steps towards the Orchestral Pit.
"Yes, yes. Let's practice the Ballet from the Act Two! Helen, Keliann, and James! Off! Girls – On!" the music for the ballet began and twenty or so ballet girls came out and began to dance as Helen pulled the Phantom down to sit beside her as they watched the ballet.
The Phantom cringed at Christine as he sat three seats away from her, but right beside Helen.
The Ballet was wonderfully put together. Helen, Rich, and the Phantom stood and clapped at the end. Helen leaned over to him,
"Ready?"
"I really don't want to…" he replied.
"Please? For me?" Helen pleaded.
"All right…" he sighed and took the few steps over to Christine and Raoul, as did Helen, before him.
"Papa? Mama? I suspect you all ready now the Phantom?" Helen moved aside, showing the Phantom. His mask was still clinging to the side of his face. He, somewhat, glared at both of them, before he said,
"Good morning. I suspect your runaway trip was amusing?" he felt nothing but coldness to them.
Neither of them replied. Helen sheepishly smiled,
"Phantom…please? Find some consideration for them? I know that they hurt you… but please. As long as their here…"
He nodded merely,
"My part is coming up. I need to be on stage…" the Phantom nodded to both of them and walked up the stage, disappearing behind the curtains.
"He still has a heart of rock! He's only doing this to please you! Don't listen to anything he says!" Christine advised grabbing Helen's hands. Helen pulled away,
"He's changed and he's joining us for dinner!" Helen turned and made her way up the stairs, ignoring her mother's calls.
Helen was furious. Couldn't her parents just give him another chance? It certainly didn't look like it! She ran down the hall and into her dressing room, throwing herself onto her bed, only to find it all ready occupied. She screamed and jumped back in surprise, falling to the floor.
The Phantom sat on her bed laughing silently, "I didn't mean to give you that big of a fright!" he grinned.
"What are you doing in here?" Helen stood. She sat on the other end.
"I thought that you were going to come in here and change for your next part and I wanted to talk to you first…"
"What is it?" Helen asked with a motherly tone. He looked at the mirror and then back at her, locking eyes,
"Well… do you still want me to accompany you to dinner? I don't think I'm going to be a guest of honor with your parents…"
"Yes! I don't care what they think! You've lived here all your life and it's time that you explored a bit! Dinner is still on, even if my mother throws a fit!" Helen stood; he mirrored her with a smile.
"Thank you," he hugged her, "For everything…"
She hugged him back and held on for a minute of nirvana,
"You're welcome," she pulled back, "Well… I'll see you out there!"
He nodded and took to the stairs that led to the stage. Helen closed the door behind him and changed into her next costume; which was about the same amount of cleavage that the ballet girls wore. She was to be noticeable, among the other girls, so, she wore black as they wore gray, brown, and a dark, earth green.
"Helen! You're on!" Natalie's voice came through the door, with a knock.
"All Right!" Helen opened the door as she slipped into her see-trough black-tinted ankle skirt, which was over a black, small skirt, "Why do you think we have to wear these?" Helen was pushed into a seat and make-up was quickly applied to her porcelain face.
"He likes it!" Natalie laughed. Helen chuckled along and was bushed onto stage, and acted the parts out that she was told.
When she got a glance at her parents and Rich, she saw that Rich had his eyes wide open and looked like a cannon could not disturb his concentration, and her parents were chatting quietly with smiles on their faces. Helen smiled and made her way to the front of the stage, kneeling (as in prayer), to sing her part, this finally got her parents' attention,
'Take it all away!
The darkness and the light…
No more hand decisions
No more right and wrong!
Give me a model
A guide to lead the way
Some one who doesn't wobble
In the choices that they make
Don't give me someone perfect!
I'll never make the cut!
I don't need someone perfect
All I want is just
A friend
A guide
A love
A life
Someone there who cares
A father
A mother
A teacher
A brother
Some who'll be there
When I need a helping hand
To brush away the tears
When I need a little laugh
To chase away the fears
So, take it all away
The Darkness and the light
And send me an angel
To show me how to fight…'
"There's the voice we know!" the conductor smiled at her, "Miser Phantom! You're out and buying slaves!" Dangerous music began to play, yet it was soft and helped the scene. The Phantom came out on stage doing his part and looking at the girls as they danced as they were supposed to do and picked a few to buy and then stopped when he saw Lily. He leaned over to the "manager" of the "slaves" and sang,
'Who is that angel?
Who's that over there?
What is her price, good miser?
Just name your share!'
A/N: Good chappie? Please R&R! Flames will be laughed at. Thanks for the reviews!
Disclaimer: LOL! That last song Helen sung was a poem written by my good friend! So, that's more of a disclaimer for her so she doesn't sue me for an Oreo and my pajamas… don't ask. She was hyper when she told me to put that on there.
Bye!