A/N: Thank you all for your kind comments and reviews. Without you none of this would be possible. Please continue to spread the word. Although this is ending soon, there is still much to be told.

As always, Phoenix and I would love to hear what you patrons think. It is what fuels us to write this. Once again, the stage is yours.

With much love,

Erik

Chapter 44 – Only God Knows Why

The gentle sound of rain echoed throughout the opera house. Lightning streaked the sky and lit up every window. Thunder crashed all around and made most of the younger dancers jump in fear.

Meg watched each dancer perform without any mistakes. Rene sung, off in the wings of the stage. He guided them along their path. The opera was moving swiftly and without any problems. Meg had given Angelina the day off to spend it shopping and doing whatever she wished.

"Again…"

The dancers obeyed and began once again as Monsieur Laurent began the piece. Rene began circling the stage, letting his voice bounce off of the walls. The rain seemed to be an instrument itself. The pangs on the roof seemed to join in the melody of the song. It was soothing and seemed to bring most of the opera house into a different mind set.

Meg heard the doors behind her shut closed. The shuffling of feet across the red carpet of the main hall distracted her for the briefest of seconds. She continued to watch the dancers as a young man stood behind her. He cleared his throat, finally causing Meg to turn to him.

"I have a message, Madam."

"From who?"

"The Vicomtess de Chagny." He paused, holding out the bundle. There were a few stains on it from where the rain drops had hit it. "It is of the utmost urgency."

Meg's hand shook as she took the bundle from the boy's hand. Reaching into the purse on her side, she handed the boy a coin and he scurried off.

The seal was unbroken but was unlike any other seal she had seen before. It seemed to be put on with haste and without thought. It was a half seal – barely recognizable. Her fingers refused to open it.

The song began to calm the nerves that wanted to explode inside of her. Her fingers began to play with the seal.

It is of the utmost urgency…

Breaking the seal, her fingers tore open the outer most shell of the bundle. Inside lay two letters – each bearing the same seal that she had broken. Lifting the letters out, the covering floated to the floor.

Stains were marked upon both letters. Meg knew that the rain had not done the damage.

Tears…

Turning each letter over, Meg noticed two names: My Dear Friend Meg and My Beautiful Angelina. Her hands trembled once again. Placing the letter for Angelina on a chair, she looked at the frenzied handwriting of her name. Several stains were upon the frail looking parchment.

The song seemed to continue on for an eternity as her fingers found the strength to open the folded letter. Tears came to her eyes before she could read a word of it. The handwriting was frantic and she could feel the pain behind them. Glancing toward the bottom, she noticed the name. The letters had been given to the messenger by Christine but the letters were signed by Raoul.

My Dearest Meg,

I have not the words to begin this letter. Christine has locked herself in our room. She has not left for days. The news that I am about to share with you has brought to our lives a hole which will not be filled even in time.

Alexander has passed on. Our son, our dear Alexander, has met Death.

Meg gasped. It cannot be true! Her gasp seemed to echo and it reached Rene's ears. Monsieur Laurent continued on with the never ending melody as Rene began toward the woman whose tears stained the carpet.

I have walked in the rain for days. I have been trying to find the words to tell my Angel of Light. Angelina will suffer far more than I can bear. My beautiful Christine has not said a single word to me since we heard of the news.

Meg, I beg of you to be there with Angelina when she reads my letter. I wish to be there with her – to hold her and assure her everything will be alright. But in Christine's current state, the doctors are worried for her health. Please assure her that I will be with her when I can. She must write me and tell me everything she feels – even if it is anger. I want her to feel sorrow and pain. She cannot bottle it up inside as she does.

Rene finally reached Meg before she fell to the floor. Helping her into one of the chairs, Rene knelt in front of her as she finished the letter.

She will scream – of this I know. Alexander and she were more than brother and sister – they were best friends. Her heart will be torn and I will not be there to mend it. Please, Meg, find someone to be with her while she cries. I long to be with her. But until I am, keep her safe from not only the world but from herself.

Thank you, Meg. Thank you for all that you will do.

With much love and sorrow,

Raoul

Tears fell down Meg's already stained cheeks. Her eyes would not look at Rene continuing to kneel in front of her. Her heart was slowly breaking. The boy she had helped to raise was gone from the world that loved him.

"Meg, what is it?"

There were no words she could find. Her throat felt as though it had swollen shut. The letter dropped from her hand and seemed to float on forever. Rene gently picked it up and began to read. His eyes grew wide as Meg stared off into space.

"There is a note for Angelina?"

Meg merely nodded her head. Rene picked the unsealed letter from the arm of the seat next to her.

"Meg…look at me."

Meg's eyes finally met Rene's. His hand grasped hers. Her eyes burned from the continuous flow of tears. They felt swollen and she knew they were blood shot.

"We must tell Angelina."

Her head began reeling from the thought of telling Angelina of her brother's death. Without Raoul here, Meg knew that it would be the hardest thing for Angelina to go through.

"I cannot."

"Then let her father's words tell her. We need to be there to console her."

Her head nodded without restraint. Her father's words would break the news to Angelina. She would find out the truth of the death of her brother.

God help me and guide me. Let me be there for Angelina like you have been there for me during so many sleepless nights. Let me be there for her like Christine was when I lost my child. God, grant me the strength…

Meg rose on legs that did not want to support her weight. Rene stood in front of her, watching to see if he would need to help her walk.

"Where is she?"

"I saw her walk through the back stage area. She should be headed to her room."

"Come, we need to tell her everything."

Holding out his arm, Meg grasped it – afraid she would fall if she did not. Rene silently led her through the opera house. The dancers ignored their absence and continued their routine. The song that Monsieur Laurent conducted continued to play – changing into a melancholy melody.

Angelina smiled as she pulled a beautiful navy dress from a garment bag. She twirled in front of the mirror, holding it up to her petite frame. There was hope in her heart that Erik was watching. It warmed her and chilled her at the same time to know that her teacher could be standing behind the mirror watching her without her even knowing.

A soft knock on her door had Angelina turn with the dress still pressed against her.

"Angelina?"

She smiled. "Come in, Rene."

The door slowly opened and Rene stood in the doorway with Meg behind him. Her look quickly turned from happiness to bewilderment.

"What happened?"

Meg stepped out of the shadows. The letter seemed like a dead weight in her hand.

"Oh, Angelina…"

"Madam Giry, what is going on!"

Angelina watched as Meg held the letter in front of her. Hesitating, she grasped it but Meg did not let go.

"We are here for you."

"You are scaring me."

Touching Meg's shoulder, Rene gestured to the door. "We should give her a few moments."

Angelina watched as Rene and Meg walked out of her room and quietly shut the door. Her legs were shaking and were growing numb. Sitting down, Angelina noticed her parents' seal on the back of the letter.

Opening the note, she peered inside. Tears stained the parchment as splatters of ink were along the sides of the letter. She noticed the writing – her father's. Her fingers danced over the letter, letting it linger as if somehow she was clinging to whatever happiness she had left.

My Beautiful Daughter,

Angelina, I wish I was there with you in Paris at this moment. But your mother's health has forbid me to ride to Paris as fast as my horse would take me. There is something I must tell you, my dear Angelina. Something I fear will hurt you more than anything else…

Angelina did not want to read and farther. It scared her to no end at what her father needed to tell her. Her heart raced at the thought of what it could be. Nothing prepared her for what she read next.

Alexander went to work on Sunday morning. It was unusual for him but his partner wanted a head start on Monday morning's work. It was dark before Alexander could come home. As you know, his firm is on the other side of town. During the night, no one should walk the streets – whether it be a man, woman, or child.

He became surrounded by three men…

Her hand instinctively went to her lips. No, no this cannot be happening…

It was almost three in the morning when we received a knock on our door. A friend of ours, Monsieur Garland, was a doctor at the hospital during the night shift. He quickly told us of Alexander's condition. We immediately arrived at the hospital…

My dearest, there were several words that Alexander said to me before the doctors said there was nothing else that they could do…

'Tell Angelina that I love her…'

Tears streamed down her cheeks – hot and burned her flesh. No! He is not dead…he is not dead!

He died just before the sun rose. The doctors did everything they could. No money in the world would have helped him. I would have sold my soul to the devil if I could have saved him.

I want to hold you in my arms and tell you everything will be alright. I wish I was there with you so that you may cry upon my shoulder. Dearest Angelina, Alexander was the light in all of our lives…but now he looks down upon you as an angel. Let him lead you to the future you deserve so much. He loved you as a sister and as a friend. He still loves you.

Please, Angelina, do not bottle up your emotions as I know you will. Release them in any manner you wish to as long as it is not going to harm you in anyway. Write me, yell at me, do what you must. Do not hold it inside of you.

The funeral is several days from when you will receive this letter. We will understand if you cannot be in attendance. Alexander will understand. The pain you are feeling is great but know that there are people around you that will help you understand it and get you through it.

My dear, I love you. I love Alexander. I love your mother. I would have done anything to save him. I will do anything to save you. Please forgive me for his terrible fate. May God forgive me for failing the both of you.

My love always,

Your father

The words stung her in places unimaginable by anyone. Her heart collapsed and darkness swept over her.

"No!" Angelina screamed as she sobbed. "No!"

The door burst open and Rene quickly ran through the doorway. Before he could put his arms around her, Angelina stood and stumbled away from him.

"Do not touch me!"

The letter fell from her hand and slid near the mirror. All she saw was darkness and blood. Her hands flew up as Rene tried to reach for her.

"Angelina…"

"He is not dead!"

"Please, listen…"

"He is not dead!"

Meg stood in the doorway and watched as Angelina broke like a shattering vase upon the floor. The flower was slowly wilting away.

"Do not pull away, Angelina."

"He is not dead, Rene. He will walk through that doorway…"

Rene took a step toward her, not wanting to scare her. "He is not coming back." Trying to reach out for her again, she screamed as tears took over her face.

"I want Alexander!"

Angelina fell to her knees – the floor under her not giving. Her knees screamed in protest to the pain but she ignored it. The pain was greater within her heart that anything she could inflict.

Arms reached around her and she did not move. Angelina was numb. Nothing could jar her from the feelings that stirred within.

Rene began to rock her back and forth in his arms. Trying to console her, her tears would not end. His shoulder became soaked with the hot tears that seared his skin.

"He is watching over you as we speak. Your brother will never leave you."

He felt her sob and her body shake. There would be no sleep for the weary tonight. Afraid of nightmares and dreams, Angelina would stay awake so that the pain would continue to find its way to her soul. There was only one man that could take the pain away. As much as Rene wanted to help her, they were friends and now the closest thing she had to a brother but did not possess what was needed to help.

Erik would guide her and help her through the pain. Rene would continue to be her rock and be by her side. But he knew that Erik was the only one to help Angelina heal her heart.