Erik: Seven days...
Very funny, loser... Well, Erik, generally this time through I'm the Spawn of Satan and you're everybody's new best friend...
Erik: 'Tis how it should be... I swear, if you kill me-
Now, Erik, let's not do anything rash.
Erik: Well, let's get on with it, then! I want to know what happens!
Now if I didn't know any better, I'd say you sounded almost excited to read the new chapter... OK, then...
phantomfreak258: Well, this girl seems to really want you to get better, Erik... She's even threatened to stop reviewing if you don't...
Erik: Well, she's right of course! You can't have a fic without me!
darklady5289: Someone's on your side for once! She thinks I'm horrible, and that I should stop being so mean to you.
Erik: Your comments are appreciated. It's about time someone told the authoress off!
I think she just wanted a little closet-time...
Erik: Figures...
Paige Turner3: Well, here's someone who is quite confident that you'll recover.
Erik: I appreciate your faith in me, but I don't trust the authoress.
Em: Awww... She likes me!
Erik: Oh, puh-lease...
But once again, she wants you to get better.
Erik: Well, thank you dear...
But she didn't appreciate your comments about A Walk to Remember...
Erik: Is it my fault that I'm just not into chick-flicks?
Anyways... Onto The Confession...
Erik: AKA - Erik's miraculous recovery!
Erik, just read the chapter and keep your mouth shut!
XxXxX
The doctor left Erik's room, a grim expression on his face. Erik had been rushed to the nearest hospital, where Christine, Raoul, and Marie-Eve had been waiting for the past several hours.
"Monsieur…?" the doctor addressed Raoul.
"Doctor?"
"We removed the bullet from Monsieur Erik's chest. The fellow is darn lucky. It barely missed his heart and lungs."
"But…?" Raoul prodded, sensing the man had more to say.
"Monsieur Erik lost a lot of blood. He is a strong man and is fighting for all he is worth but…" the doctor sighed heavily. "But it could go either way."
Raoul looked at the floor. "Is there nothing more we can do?"
"Just be ready… If the time comes… Monsieur does happen to be awake, but is very weak. Normally, we don't let family members visit under these circumstances, but in this case," the doctor glanced at Christine and Marie-Eve, "in this case, I think we could make an exception…"
"Thank you, doctor." Raoul turned to his wife and daughter. "May I?"
They nodded gently and Raoul entered Erik's room. The first thing Raoul noticed was how deathly white Erik was. He was wrapped up in several heavy blankets. Tiny beads of sweat formed on his forehead as Erik fought for his life.
"Erik?"
Erik turned his head slowly, struggling to make his eyes focus on Raoul's unmoving form.
"Vicomte?"
Raoul pulled up a chair beside Erik's bed.
"Erik… I have a confession to make to you…" Raoul began slowly. "I have never understood my wife's endless pity for you. I could not comprehend how she could continuously forgive you in spite of all the things you've done. Even after you took Marie-Eve, she did not feel anger towards you. However, I…" Raoul exhaled heavily. "I hated you. I felt no sorrow when I heard that you had been captured by that evil man again. I thought you were getting what you deserved."
Erik closed his eyes. "I understand…" he whispered hoarsely.
"But then I watched you take a bullet that was not meant for you. You shielded Marie-Eve with your own body. You risked your life to save my daughter." Raoul looked deep into Erik's now-open eyes. "And she is my daughter as much as she is yours. When you did that, I finally understood Christine. She always told me that you weren't a bad person, and now I realize that she was right. You are more a man than any other I know." Raoul stood up and grasped Erik's hand. "Thank you, friend…"
Raoul turned and left the room without another word. Then Christine entered.
"Erik…" She brushed a stray lock of hair from his eyes. He reached up and touched her hand.
"Christine… I'm so sorry… For everything…"
Christine laid her hand against his deformed cheek. "I'm not… You gave me a gift… You gave me Marie-Eve."
"I should… should never have… taken her…" he managed.
"All fathers deserve to know their daughters…" she whispered softly. "And if it isn't already apparent, I forgive you for what is past." She leaned down and gently kissed his lips.
"Take care of Marie-Eve," he rasped.
Christine turned and left the room with tears in her eyes. A moment later, Marie-Eve entered.
"Papa?" She approached the bed timidly.
"Marie-Eve…" he struggled. "You… you don't… have to… to call me…"
"You are my Papa!" she insisted. "Now I have two papas, and I love them both very much."
"My angel…" he whispered as she picked up his big hand in her two small ones.
"Papa… I'm sorry for what I said to you… before… I think I understand why you did what you did." Small tears slid down her cheeks.
"Hush-a-bye, mon ange… It will be alright…" he choked.
"Oh, Papa!" she cried. "You must get better! You must!"
"Marie-Eve… Let me tell you a story…" Erik's voice assumed newfound strength. "Once upon a time, many years ago, a boy was born. He was a helpless infant whose only desire was to be loved, just like any other child. But the boy had been born with a terrible deformity on his face, and his own mother could not bear to look at him. The boy pleaded with his mother, doing everything he could to please her, hoping that one day she might love him as he loved her. He wished for her only to hug him, or kiss him, but every time he tried to show his affection, she would throw a mask at him and force him to wear it. The boy felt completely isolated and very lonely. He attempted to pass his time by reading the multitude of books in his home. He learned many useful things – architecture and design, philosophy, science… But the boy found true peace in music. He learned how to compose. He would write songs for his mother and sing to her, desperately hoping to win her love. But the pitiful boy soon came to realize that his mother would never love him. So he ran away from her, never looking back, and began his quest for acceptance.
"He travelled many days and nights alone. One evening he was captured by Persians and taken away to be sold as a slave. He ended up becoming a servant for the Shah of Persia. The boy was treated horribly, and he found no friends among his fellow slaves. He felt more alone than ever before, but forced himself to find peace in his music. Two years passed in this manner, and the boy tired of his ill treatment at the hands of the Shah. He managed to escape back to France, his country of birth. He was tired, hungry, and alone, but his heart still hoped that one day he would find someone who could love him. Yes, he dreamed of an angel… A beautiful angel who would share his passion for music and love him in spite of his ugliness.
"It was not long after the boy returned to France that he was discovered by gypsies. The gypsies captured him, hoping that they might profit off of him in their travelling fair. The boy was exploited for his hideousness, until a day when someone discovered his rare musical capabilities. So the gypsies made him perform everyday for a paying audience, and he was beaten severely if he refused. Finally, one night, a young ballerina came to the fair, and pitied the poor boy. That night, after being severely whipped, the boy retaliated in anger and killed his keeper. The ballerina, who had come back to see him, found him with the dead body. She helped him escape and took him to the caves below the Opera Populaire in Paris.
"There, the boy lived alone for many years, until he grew to be a man. He became cold and bitter and as dark as the caves in which he dwelt. Then one day, he fell in love with the angel of his dreams. She was very much an angel – innocent, gentle, and kind – and she appeared to him in the form of a woman. But the woman loved someone else, and the hideous man's heart decayed with jealousy and hatred. Then one night, he did something terrible to the woman. She had a baby soon after… a little angel. The angel was raised as the daughter of another, and the dark man watched her grow up from a distance.
"Finally, years later, the man met his angel for the first time, and she showed him more joy and happiness than he had ever known. His heart's deepest longing was finally fulfilled, for he knew that his little angel loved him. They were happy together, until the man's dark past caught up with him, and he let himself be wounded for his angel…"
"But then," Marie-Eve cut in, "the man got better and they all lived happily ever after! The end!"
Erik coughed wearily. "No, Marie-Eve. I don't think he will…"
"But Papa! I need you! I love you, Papa!"
"Don't cry for me, little one… I am with you in music… and I'll always be in your heart… Marie-Eve… I love you…"
Erik's eyes closed and his hand became limp in Marie-Eve's grasp.
"Papa…?"
XxXxX
Well, Erik? What did you think?
Erik: YOU BIXCH!
Dear me... You kiss your mother with that mouth?
Erik: WHY DID YOU DO THAT?
Relax, Erik... You are too melodramatic...
Erik: What a way to end a fic!
Who said it was over?
Erik: It's not?
One more chapter, dude!
Erik: Well, it'll probably be a crappy chapter, too! Considering I most certainly won't be in it!
Now, don't judge a fic before you finish reading it... I think everyone will like the last chapter.
Erik: You also think Titanic was a good movie!
Sure... In a sad, tragic way... Maybe I'll get Raoul to say a eulogy at your funeral...
Erik: No way! That fop isn't saying anything about me! Man, I hope you get flamed big time for this!
Well, you win some, you lose some... C'mon, let's go back to your closet. We'll watch Darkness Falls and eat some popcorn and clodhoppers.
Erik: Clodhoppers?
Delicous little packages of graham cracker and chocolate. The ultimate comfort food! I eat them every time I'm depressed.
Erik: Well, combined with the popcorn and the movie, I just might find the heart to forgive you.
There you go! You're feeling better already! OK, guys... Please review and check in tomorrow for the last chapter! See ya!