Sweet Intoxication
Chapter 9: I Couldn't Be Happier
Author's Note: Hello everyone. Sorry for not updating sooner.Hope you will like this chapter. Yes, the chap. title is from Wicked, the BEST play on Broadway (second only to POTO of course ;) And, heads up! There are going to be some surprises in store ;). Happy reading, and please, I am DYING to know what you guys think of the story so far, so REVIEW!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Phantom of the Opera, never have, never will. :(
Erik sat in his favorite chair, just thinking. He had been restless these past few monthes since Christine had left him for Raoul. He was working on his new opera. At first, it had been like hell knowing Christine wasn't coming back, but Erik refused to accept the fact he lost her. That was why he could not wait untill the Masquerade Ball. He knew that there was no way a Prima Donna and a Patron wouldn't come to the Opera's biggest social event. He had every thing planned out perfectly. There was no way he would lose Christine again. It had nearly made him go mad, thinking of her with that Vicomte instead of with him where she belonged. Tonight, the Phantom of the Opera ws going to triumph.
Christine was in her dressing room, getting dressed for the ball. It came up so quickly on her. She had gone before, but only certain times, to perform or dance with the other ballet girls. To think, only a year ago, she'd been getting dressed in her tutu and stockings, getting ready to perform, and here she was now, in a gorgous pink floor length dress that Raoul had purchased for her, ready to go dancing at the ball with her fiancee. She watched her long skirts swish over her new silken dancing slippers and sighed. Even though everyone thought she had to be the happiest girl on earth, she wasn't. She had been wonderfully happy when she first became engaged to Raoul, but now she wasn't. She began having second thoughts. Of course, she didn't want to end up an old maid, but was it right to marry so young? And how was she so certain Raoul was the same person she fell in love with all those years ago. What if she was marrying the wrong man? What if she'd have to spend the rest of her life married to some innattentive bussinessman that treated her like some possesion? And, she began thinking more and more about Erik: his strong, soothing voice, his smooth black hair, his muscular, sexy figure. Rauol seemed like a young schoolboy compared to Erik. Christine knew what she would have to do to help herself and Rauol: break the engagement.She just wasn't sure if she would have the heart to do it.
Two hours later, Christine was fully dressed, and Rauol was escorting her to the ballroom. There had been plenty of oppurtunties for Christine to tell him, but she kept stalling. She just hoped she could tell him before she would be walking up the aisle in a wedding dress.
"Raoul, I think we need to talk"
Raoul sat down in a nearby chair and gesturedfor her to do the same. Christine did, and stared down at her gloved hands.
"Sweethart, I'm sorry, but I don't think this, uh, arrangement will work out.I really want to-"
Raoul broke in "I know where this is going."
Christine looked up at him, hoping he understood. "You do?"
"Of course. We haven't danced yet, and you're upset. What kind of fiancee am I ? Come on, I'll waltz with you now." He stood up and helped her up with him. They began to swirl around the room, and Christine looked up into his loving face. How on earth would she ever be able to do this now?
Fortunatly, she didn't think about it for too long. As they were waltzing, Christine saw someone move up along the balcony. She saw a swish of a red cape very briefly, and knew who it was. Thank god.
The ball went on. Christine and Raoul danced almost every dance togther. When the chorous began singing the final lines of Masquerade, all the dancing stopped and everyone turned their attention to the performers on the grand staircase. Raoul and Christine laughed at their silly antics and Christine sighed happily. Maybe being married to Raoul wouldn't be such a bad thing.
Suddenly, the chorous stopped singing. The lights dimmed and everyone turned their attention to a stunning figure at the top of the staircase. Christine looked up and felt faint. There stood her Angel, clothed in a dazzling red suit and cape, taking in everything and looking at all the people gasping and screaming at the sight of the Opera Ghost. Christine looked at him as he began to walk down the steps and sing in a coldly amused voice:
Why so silent good messieurs?
Did you think that I had
Left you for good?
Have you missed me good messieurs?
I have written you an opera
Here I bring the finished score
Don Juan Triumphant
He sang as he slammed the music onto the ground and drew his sword from his sheath. Christine felt Raoul lightly touch her shoulder and began to walk away. Erik continued:
Fondest greetings to you all
A few instructions just before rehearsal starts
Carlotta must be taught to act
Not her normal trick of strutting
Round the stage
Our Don Juan must lose some weight
It's not healthy
In a man of Piangi's age
And my managers must learn
That their place is in an office
Not the arts
Erik placed his sword back into its sheath. He turned and looked at Christine. She knew everyone must be starring at her, but she didn't even notice. Erik continued as Christine looked at him, certain of what she had to do.
As for our star
Miss Christine Daae
No doubt she'll do her best
It's true her voice is good
She knows though
Should she wish to excel
She has much still to learn
If pride will let her
Return to me, her teacher
Her teacher
Erik finished. He began walking towards her. She walked up the few remaining steps towards him. Her angel drew closer and closer towards her, acting as if no one else existed on earth but the two of them. Christine was in a dreamlike trance she never wanted to end.
Unfortunatly, it did. Erik was taking in every detail of her body in the gorgous ball gown when he spied something that infuriated him. He saw that Vicomte's engagment ring hanging on a chain around her neck. He eyed it furoiusly, and snapped it off her neck, breaking her chainwhile singing:
Your chains are still mine
You belong to me!
He stepped a little bit backwards. Suddenly, he swirled his cape and was gone in a flash of red smoke, falling downwards through a hole in the floor. Without even realizing what she was doing, Christine picked up her skirts and began to run towards him. She heard Raoul calling her name, bur she dudn't stop.She braced herself and and down through the hole. She felt herself falling,and then her body hitting a hard floor with a thump. She wildly looked around for Erik, but all she saw was herself ? She finally realized she was in a room filled with mirrors. Then she thought she saw a glimpse of a red cape in a mirror She turned around, but Erik wasn't there. Where could he be? Christine was starting to get annoyed with all of these mirrors. Erik could be anywhere. She lifted her skirt and slightly ran around a bit, looking for him.
Suddenly, Christine heard a loud snap and turned around. She covered her mouth with her hands and screamed. There was a noose hanging from the ceiling! She felt her head go light, and suddenly everything went black and her cheek was on the ground.
Erik saw the entire scene from behind a mirror. He had expected that moron the Vicomte to follow him down here, not Christine! And now she had fainted because of that noose he had set up to fall. He pushed one of the mirrors aside like a door and rushed over to Christine. She didn't seem to be hurt, but he still cautiously checked her for any injuries before he thought about lifting her.He began to lift her upper body when he heard running footsteps. His instincts told him to flee, but his heart told him to stay here with Christine. He didn't have much time to think! He cautiously placed Christine back down, kissing her forehead lightly. "I'll return to you love." he said He stepped behind a mirror once again, and hoped whomever those footsteps belonged too, they didn't find their way into here.
But they did. Madame Giry came rushing in, holding a candle,followed closly behind by Raoul.She immediatly saw Christine slumped over on the floor. "Mon dieu!" she exclaimed "Christine, can you hear me? Christine! Christine!" she said, lightly patting her face.
Raoul got down on the floor beside Christine. "Christine, honey, please wake up! It's Raoul sweethart! If you can hear me open your eyes!" he exclaimed. He turned to Madame Giry "How did she get down here? What happened after I left? Is she hurt?" he demanded.
Madame Giry looked at him "Vicomte, I will explain everything to you later, but right now we must take care of Christine. She isn't hurt, so we should take her back up to her room. We will be able to care for her properly there. Come, help her up" she said. Raoul gently lifted her upwith Madame Giry helping him. He carried her through the doorways and secret passageways, being careful notto hit her head or any part of her small, delicate body against the walls as he walked back upstairs. Erik watched the entire scene from behind the mirror, and struggled to control himself as that arrogant little Vicomte was taking Christine from him again, earning Christine's love and compassion that should have rightfully belonged to Erik.
Raoul and Madame Giry helped Christine into her bed. Madame Giry helped adjust the covers a bit, felt for a fever, and checked for numerous other bruises or symptons and then was finally convinced someting must have shocked Christine, and she fainted. And, Madame Giry had a pretty good idea who must have caused Christine to faint like this.
Raoul sat by Christine's bedside, holding her hand, and talking softly too her. When he couldn't take it any longer, he had to ask "Madame Giry, what was she doing down there that caused her to faint? And why were there all those mirrors?" he asked.
"Monsieur, I don't know, truly."
Raoul drew in a breath sharply "Does this have to do with that Opera Ghost, Angel, whoever he is ?"
Madame Giry turned and began to walk away " Please Monsieur,I know no more than anyone else"
"That's not true! Please, Madame Giry, for my sake, for Christine's, for everyone's! You told me a bit about this 'Angel' before, but I'm certain you know much more than what you said. Please" Raoul asked, a pleading look in his eyes. Madame Giry left the room, motioning for Raoul to follow. Heglanced at Christine for a moment. "Monsieur, it's all right. We can leave her for a few moments. She'll be all right" she said.
He followed Madame Giry out into the hall and into her dressing room. She glanced at a photo of a young girl on her vanity table and sighed. "I will tell you everything that I know and remember about this Angel, Monsieur. It will take quite some time, but I will tell"