Chapter Six

Cemetery Showdown

Reaching the cemetery, Heather got out of the carriage and opened the gate. Joe drove around the side of the fence and out of sight. Heather walked in. the fog swirled around her like tendrils of smoke, conforming to her figure and clinging to her body. The dawn's light hit the tombs, casting dark shadows everywhere.

"You were once my one companion, you were all that mattered. You were once a friend and father, then my world was shattered." Heather sang. "Wishing you were somehow here again…"Slowly she walked through the cemetery, trying to prolong the showdown between Joe and Clay. When she reached Christine's father's tomb, she sat at the bottom of the steps. Then she finished the song.

Joe began to sing. "Wandering child, so lost and lonely. Yearning for my guidance," Heather looked everywhere. She was trying to determine the origin of his voice; she couldn't fall for the trick. She knew she was slowly slipping in. She was unsuccessful on both counts. She couldn't help but answer.

They continued on together, "Wildly my heart beats against you, but my soul obeys!" then Joe began the Phantom's part over, "Come to me Angel of Music, I am your Angel of Music…"

Suddenly Clay rounded the corner. "No, Heather!" he yelled, stopping her on the steps. "Don't fall for it!" he said as he joined her side.

"Oh!" Heather screamed as Joe jumped down off the roof of the tomb in front of them. Clay pushed Heather behind him and drew his sword at the same time as Joe charged him.

Clay sidestepped him, but Joe's shoulder brushed his and they both fell. Joe landed before him and moved out of the way as Clay fell onto his back. Pulling back his sword, Joe stabbed at Clay. He rolled out of the way and scrambled to his feet. He dodged another swipe of the sword. Joe snarled in anger, his eyes burning. The next one Clay blocked, their swords showering the ground with sparks. Heather bit her lip, following their every movement with her eyes.

They moved all around the cemetery, using statues, trees, and other tombs for cover. Anything they could find they used. Heather could see Clay was starting to tire out. It was proven when Clay missed an easy block. The sword caught his shoulder and ripped it open. "Clay!" cried Heather. She ran down the steps towards him.

Just as Joe was ready to finish the job, he flew backwards. In his place stood Heather. She was no longer wearing the skirt. Instead she was wearing a pair of black breeches. She stared defiantly at him, angry. Joe laughed, "Do you really think you can stop me?"

Heather smiled back, teeth gritted as she answered. "Yes, I do!" she said mimicking Carlotta's line on the opening of the movie. With that she jumped into the air. Clay watched as if everything was in slow motion.

Heather jumped up, kicking out with her right leg as she did a complete three-sixty degree turn. As her foot connected with his jaw, and Joe's head snapped back. By the time he hit the ground, Heather was already on the horse and running to Clay. She pulled him up behind her and kicked the horse and they took off at a gallop. They continued on like that for a good ten minutes before Heather slowed it down to a trot, making sure that Joe was not following.

Once they were sure he was far behind them, Heather leaned back against Clay's chest, sighing with relief. He responded with a one-armed hug and a light kiss on her cheek. Heather led them and the horse safely back to the opera house. Immediately after arriving, Heather rushed Clay off to her room so she could take care of his wound. Thankfully it was not too bad.

Clay winced as Heather pressed a wet cloth down on the injury. "Ow," he teased. Heather smiled. "Sorry, but I think I have to cut the whole arm off, anyone got a knife?" she teased back as she cut off the end of the gauze tape she had wrapped around his forearm.

"Thanks back there. I would've been dead if you hadn't been there." Clay told Heather, his voice becoming serious again. Heather glanced down, avoiding his gaze.

"It was nothing. I'm just lucky to know so many martial arts and fighting skills, I guess. It's nothing I'm proud of though. Besides, I don't think I could take losing you. Ever." she told him quietly. Clay looked at her and put his hand under her chin, forcing her to bring her head up and look at him.

"I'm not going anywhere." Slowly he bent down, his face getting to closer to hers with each second. Heather closed her eyes and tilted her head towards his. Hesitantly their mouths met each other's. Then slowly they began to deepen their kiss and Heather wound her arms around his neck and started to play with his hair.

Suddenly Clay broke the kiss, causing Heather to look at him questioningly. He got to his feet, "We shouldn't have done that. I have to go now." Without another word he turned around and was gone. The door closed gently behind him. Heather stared at the door in shock. Had she done something wrong? Was it not good? Was it her? She asked herself in confusion. Tired and confused, she leaned back in the bed and continued to stare at the door.

That morning, around nine am, Alyssa opened the door to Heather's room and slipped in. she wanted to make sure that nothing too horrible had happened last night at the cemetery. She shuddered at the thought of Joe killing Clay. Walking into the room, she saw Heather asleep, sitting up, in her bed. "Heather?" Alyssa whispered.

Heather's eyes flew open. "Clay?" she asked.

Alyssa shook her head, "No, it's only me, Alyssa," she said quietly.

"Oh." Heather said her face falling in disappointment.

"What's wrong?" Alyssa asked her in concern. "Has something happened?"

Now it was Heather's turn to shake her head. "No, nothing is wrong. I'm fine."

Just then Paige interrupted them as she too opened the door and walked in. Alyssa threw her a glance. Paige got it and immediately left the room, Alyssa following behind her. "What is it?" Paige asked once Alyssa had shut the door behind her.

"Clay is my best guess. When I woke up she immediately thought I was him. She seemed kind of disappointed when she it was only me," explained Alyssa.

Paige nodded in understanding. "I've got a plan, I'll go get Scot, and you stay here with her for now until I get back. Okay?"

Alyssa said yes and went back into Heather's room. "Really Heather, what is it? You can either tell me now, or I'll drag it out of you. Your choice." Alyssa told her shrugging.

Meanwhile, Paige went to find Scot. She found him on the stage practicing the dance for Don Juan with some newly made friends. She beckoned him over, knowing she should be practicing, too. "What?" he whispered, glancing around to make sure that the area she had led him to was clear.

"I need you to help with something," she whispered back. Quickly she explained the plan to him. He nodded, "Got it."

Paige got back into her carriage and ordered the driver to go to the Opera's business offices. He gave a slight nod and started the horses. They went at a mild pace, their hooves making clip-clopping noises on the stone streets. Once reaching her destination, a footman helped Paige down. Slowly she walked inside.

"Clay and I kissed." Heather said, she got up and walked to her clothes rack. Alyssa's mouth dropped open in shock. "And then he just got up and left. All he said was 'We shouldn't have done that, I've got to go.'"

"You mean you actually kissed, kissed?" Alyssa squealed, not quite sure she had heard right the first time. "Are you serious?"

Heather kind of smiled, but turned serious once more. "Yes, I am quite serious. But that isn't the point, why did he just leave like that?"

The man sitting at the front desk looked up as Paige walked in. "Yes, may I help you?" he asked.

Paige pursed her lips, "Yes you may. I am here to see le Viscount. Please tell him immediately," she replied stiffly, as Carlotta would have. The man nodded and scurried out of the small room. Seconds later the man retuned and beckoned for her to follow him. He opened the door for her, she stepped into an office and he shut the door. Clay was busy writing something. Without looking up he asked, "Yes?"

Paige frowned, "Clay," she said. Startled he looked up. He opened his mouth to say something, but Paige held up a hand. "No, let me talk."

"What did you do to Heather?" she demanded.

Clay's mouth dropped open, "What do you mean, what did I do to her? I would never do anything to her!"

All of the sudden Scot walked into the room. Paige made room for him by her side. "She is very upset."

Alyssa stared at Heather. She was unsure of what to say. How could he just leave like that? What was his problem? "Well, I really don't know why he would just leave." Heather picked out a dress; it was dark green with light green trimming and some lace. Heather went behind the changing screen and quickly changed. When she reappeared, Alyssa could see the tears welling up in her eyes. Quickly Alyssa covered her mistake, "I'm sure he just remembered some work or something that he had to do. That's all."

Clay jumped to his feet, "Is she alright?" he asked.

Paige and Scot crossed their arms. "You tell me. What did you do last night after the cemetery?" Paige requested.

Clay started, "We rode the horse back to the opera house, and she bandaged my arm up. Then we, we kissed." Paige and Scot looked at each other and smiled. "Then I got up and left."

Paige frowned, "You just got up and left without an explanation?" she said in shock. "Why in the world?"

Clay looked down at the desk, "When we first started dating, she said that that kind of kissing was not allowed unless we were married. If we were married. It's one of her rules," he explained to them, putting emphasis on the word if.

"Ah, so you thought it would be okay to leave without telling her anything so that she could worry that you might hate her and think she is imperfect?" Paige said in mock understanding. "What a great idea."

"Look, I know now that I shouldn't have, but at the time, I was in shock and thought it the best thing to do. Okay?" Clay argued.

Clay sat down in his chair, guilt written all over his face. He rested his head in his hands. He sighed, this movie, this past, was starting to feel like it was never going to end. Quietly the other couple left the office room and returned to the carriage that was to take them back to the Opera Populair. Once inside the carriage they talked. "I think it worked, and now we don't have to ask Heather what happened and make her feel worse." Scot said. Paige nodded in agreement.

"Totally."

"Yeah, maybe so. But I doubt it. What if he left because of me? What if he doesn't like me anymore?" Heather bombarded Alyssa with her unanswered questions. "Is it my fault? Is it me?"

Alyssa stopped Heather by putting her hands on her shoulders. "Heather!" Once she had Heather's attention, she continued. "It is not you. You are perfectly fine. He wouldn't leave because of you, or if he didn't like you anymore, without telling you. It's not your fault. Besides, he clearly is in love with you, just as you are in him." Alyssa reminded her. "Got it?" Heather nodded numbly.

"Good."

When Paige and Scot reached the opera house, they went their separate ways, parting with a quick and secret kiss. Paige went to Heather's room to meet with Alyssa. Scot went back to his practicing. Alyssa was sitting in a chair inside the doorway when Paige opened the door. Heather lay on the chaise lounge gloomily reading a book.

Both of them looked up when Paige entered the room. When they saw it was her, Heather went back to her reading. "Hey Paige," Alyssa greeted her.

"Hey Paige, I can read French." Heather informed her in a semi-happy voice. Paige looked at the pages, indeed it was written in French. She looked impressed.

"Let me see?" she asked and held out her hand for the book. Heather handed it over unwillingly. "Don't lose my spot!" she warned her. Paige nodded and started to read the page, slowly at first because it wasn't English, but then faster as the spell began to take affect. Within a couple of minutes she had finished. She handed the book back to Heather. "Interesting. And cool." Heather resumed her reading.

Paige motioned Alyssa over to the door. They stood there and talked for a couple of minutes. Heather heard bits and pieces of their conversation. "Oh, that was a great idea! Did it work?" she heard Alyssa say.

Paige answered, "Yeah, it did. He should be here in a little bit I'm thinking." Heather was grateful that she had friends like Alyssa and Paige because they were so willing to do something like that to help her. She smiled a little, so happy that they were her friends.

"Hey you two," Heather grabbed their attention. They turned to face her. "We should go look for Christine and them. We aren't doing anything, we have time," she suggested. "If we put it off any longer, they could be seriously harmed." The other two nodded in agreement. Unhappily Heather put down her book and got up.

Rounding up Scot, they began their search. "You know what?" Alyssa suddenly asked.

"Huh?"

"We completely forgot to ask Madame Gary how to get into the mirror room. And if there is any other entrance to that sealed room!"

"Crap! We were shocked about Meg, we just didn't think of it!" Heather smacked herself in the forehead. "Ouch."

"Oh stop it, we all forgot." Alyssa said, "Let's just concentrate on finding them. We'll worry about the rooms when we get there. Everyone agreed.

"Let's split up then. Scot and I will take the sealed off room, Heather, you have the mirror room. And, Alyssa, you have full responsibility of the dressing room." Paige ordered.

"We'll meet back here in and hour. Okay?" Scot instructed. Everyone nodded and went their separate ways.