A/N: Ok, this chapter is much much longer. And since I am posting it right away, I will respond to all reviews from chapters one and two in chapter three.
Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom. . . Blah blah blah. . .
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Chapter two: Why Are You Here
As Madame Giry led Christine down to the cellars of the Opera House, she informed her of her Angel's condition.
"Now Christine, you must be prepared. Ever since you left that night, he has been very depressed and angry."
Christine thought for a moment, trying to decide what to say. "Madame", she said. "I already knew he would be like that, don't worry." She gave a reassuring smile, but Madame Giry only frowned.
"My dear, I don't believe you quite understand the extent of his. . . 'condition'. You see, he knows me well, and the one time I have gone down there, he yelled and threw things at me!"
Christine was utterly shocked by this statement. Why would my Angel act so horribly? I know I broke his heart, but why take it out on Madame Giry?
"Madame", Christine sighed. "Do you believe he would do the same to me?"
"I do not know dear, I just do not know. But as I warned you, be very careful."
Christine smiled graciously, and stopped to give Madame Giry a quick hug.
"Merci, Madame. I don't know what I would do without you."
The rest of the journey downwards was in silence, and Christine reflected on the past events.
As I returned the ring to him that night, the look in his eyes when he saw what I was doing, oh god why did I leave! I knew I loved him then, I just was afraid to admit it to myself. And Raoul, oh poor, dear Raoul. He was always so sweet to me. And he made promises of happiness, and safety. But I was never happy with him . . .
"Christine! Christine!" Madame Giry hissed in her ear, causing her to jump in fright.
"Oh! Oh Madame, please do not scare me like that." Madame Giry gave her a sympathetic look. "What were you thinking about, ma petit?"
Christine blushed and looked to the floor. "Nothing, really, just. . . reminiscing I suppose." When she looked up, she realized they were at their destination. She took a deep breath, and suddenly felt very dizzy.
"Now remember what I told you child. Oh, and you may like to know, his name is Erik."
Christine smiled. "Erik." She whispered. The name felt so beautiful on her tongue, so right. It was the perfect name for him, she thought.
As she stepped quietly and delicately onto the shore of Erik's home, she noticed the terrible destruction. Almost half of the beautiful candelabras were strewn across the floor, some broken. There was ripped paper everywhere, paper that looked like sheet music.
Oh no, his music. They destroyed it! His beautiful, enchanting music that he worked so hard on, destroyed.
She nearly wept at seeing his music in little pieces, it was so precious to him, to both of them.
The beautiful bed she had slept in her first time in Erik's home was also ruined. The sheets were burned and torn, and the pillows lay shredded on the floor.
But the most important of everything, his organ. As she looked at it, she gasped. It was untouched! And there sitting in front of it, was Erik. Her Angel of music. The sight of him was almost too much to bear. He no longer donned his mask or wig, and his clothes were quite dirty.
He looked as if he had not eaten in months, he was nearly skin and bone.
But what really shocked Christine, was that Erik was not playing his organ. He was simply sitting there, staring at it.
Why does he not play? Did his music leave him the same night I did?
That thought alone caused her eyes to tear up. If she had really caused his music to leave him, she could not bear it.
Music was the one thing that meant as much to him as she did, if not more. Christine cautiously walked up to Erik, unsure of what to do.
Should I say something? Or should I wait until he realizes I am here?
Her earlier conversation with Madame Giry, and her warning, floated into her head.
What if he does the same to me? Or worse. . .
She gathered up all her courage, and laid a hand on his shoulder. To her surprise, he did nothing. Did he even know she was touching him?
Suddenly he shot up from the bench and whirled around. When he saw who was in his home, his eyes glazed over with anger.
"What do you think you are doing? You have no right to be in my home! Explain yourself!"
Christine quivered with fear, but straightened and wore a façade of complete calm.
"My Ang. . . Erik. I am so sorry. . . .so. . . sorry." With that she burst into tears, falling upon the cold stone floor. "I should have never left with Raoul, I made the biggest mistake of my life. I'm so sorry, Erik! I. . . I love you!" She sobbed.
He stared at her coldly, not flinching as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Why should I believe her? It is just another game.
He glared down at her, wondering when she would cease crying. She kissed you! That has to mean something! A voice told him. NO! That kiss was to save her beloved Vicomte. At the thought of that wretched boy, his heart hardened, and he grabbed Christine by the wrists and yanked her up.
"Why should I believe you?" He hissed. "Go back to your precious Vicomte, Madame Vicomtess!" He injected such venom into his words, that Christine looked as if she would fall to pieces. Her face had turned ghostly white, and she was shaking uncontrollably with fear.
"Erik, please. Please let me explain! I. ." "NO! You do not need to explain, I understand, completely!" With this, he threw her down and stalked away.
Christine watched as he paced the room, afraid of what he was going to do.
He suddenly turned around, and walked quickly over to where Christine was lying, so he was standing over her.
"I know why you came back!" He roared. "Your precious Vicomte failed your expectations, so you decided to return to your Angel. Well there is no angel here, Madame! The angel has been replaced by a DEMON!" Now leave me!"
Christine scrambled up from the floor, and walked over to him. But as she neared him, he picked up a music folder and threw it. "LEAVE!" The folder hit her side, and with a small panicked cry, she ran.
She ran through the water, not caring how icy cold it was. All she cared about was getting as far away from Erik as possible.
By the time Christine reached Madame Giry's quarters, she was soaking wet and sobbing hysterically.
She pounded frantically on the door, and when there was no answer, she collapsed in a sobbing heap on the floor.
As Meg Giry was walking towards the door to leave, she heard crying. Cautiously, she opened the door, and gasped in shock at what she saw.
There was Christine, her lifelong friend, soaked to the bone and crying on the floor.
"Mon dieu, Christine what is wrong with you! Come inside and change, before you fall ill!" Meg gently helped Christine up and inside, quickly fetching a blanket and wrapping it around Christine.
She ran to her mothers wardrobe, picking out a small robe for Christine. "Here Christine, put this on."
Christine gladly accepted the robe, and went behind the screen to change. When she finished, she sat down on a chair, still sobbing.
Meg looked at her worriedly, and sighed. "Oh Christine, do tell me what is the matter."
Christine looked up, and Meg thought about how terrible she looked. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she was white as a ghost. Poor Christine, it must have been a terrible ordeal to have affected her so.
Christine sighed, and began to tell Meg all that had happened; from meeting Madame Giry at the door, to running back to the upper levels of the Opera house. When she was finished, Meg just stared with her mouth agape. Finally, after what seemed like hours, she spoke.
"Oh, Christine! My poor ami, come here!" She grabbed Christine in a fierce hug, so tight that Christine could hardly move.
"We are beginning a new opera soon. Romeo and Juliet! Oh, you should try out! You would be terrific as Juliet!"
Christine pondered this for a moment. Could she sing again? She hadn't sang since Don Juan, Raoul didn't allow her to. He said it was improper for a vicomtess to sing.
And could she be up on that stage again? There would be so many memories, could she handle it?
"The stage is nearly complete in its reconstruction, Monsieur Firmin says it will be ready by the time rehearsals start tomorrow!"
After realizing she had nothing else to do, Christine decided on trying out.
"Alright Meg. That sounds wonderful." She realized her tone was a bit cold, and smiled kindly at her friend to soften her words a bit.
Meg jumped up and squealed. "Oh Christine, this is so exciting! Tryouts start in five minutes, you had better change your clothes and get out there!"
As Christine ran out the door and down the hall, she nearly ran into Madame Giry. She gave Madame a wide smile, and kept on running.
Madame Giry simply sighed and shook her head, then kept walking.
As Christine made her way towards the stage, she took in the sight of the grand auditorium. The walls were slightly charred, but there were men working to restore it to it's former beauty. A new chandelier had been raised, and although it was very small, it
was beautiful. The stage. She nearly cried when she saw the stage. There was a large chunk missing from the front of it, and the remaining area was completely black.
She was afraid to stand on it, what if it caved in? But there were already dancers rehearsing, so she supposed it must be alright.
She stepped gingerly onto the stage, and waited for instruction from Monsieur Reyer.
As soon as he saw her standing there, he smiled and instructed her to sing the aria from Romeo and Juliet.
Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face,
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night
FainÁ would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke: but farewell compliment!
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say 'Ay,'
And I will take thy word: yet if thou swear'st,
Thou mayst prove false; at lovers' perjuries
Then say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully:
Or if thou think'st I am too quickly won,
I'll frown and be perverse an say thee nay,
So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world.
In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,
And therefore thou mayst think my 'havior light:
But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true
Than those that have more cunning to be strange.
I should have been more strange, I must confess,
But that thou overheard'st, ere I was ware,
My true love's passion: therefore pardon me,
And not impute this yielding to light love,
Which the dark night hath so discovered.
Christine finished her piece to loud applause from all that were in the theatre. She instinctively looked up to box 5, and gasped when she saw a figure step into the shadows.
He was watching her, but why? She though he certainly must hate her. But perhaps he didn't, or maybe he was just curious to see how her voice sounded.
She sighed and walked over to Monsieur Reyer, who greeted her with an eerily large smile.
"Oh Madame". "Mademoiselle." She said softly. "Oh I am sorry, Mademoiselle. You most certainly have the part of Juliet! That was wonderful."
"Merci, monsieur Reyer." Christine smiled, and hurried to the dorms to tell Meg the news. When she found Meg, she was pinning her hair up into a neat bun.
"Meg, where are you going to? I just wanted to tell you that I got the part of Juliet in the new opera!"
"Oh, that is wonderful Christine! I am to be Juliet's nurse. I was just going out to eat dinner, would you like to join me?"
Christine smiled happily, and immediately accepted the offer. This is the first time I have been happy in months. She realized. She quickly prepared herself, and left with Meg, chatting joyfully all the way.
Christine sat in her dressing room at the vanity, thinking about dinner with Meg. It had been so lovely! They talked about the upcoming opera, Meg's possible suitor, and the fact that the 'Opera Ghost' had been completely silent.
While Christine was drifting into thoughts of Erik, she heard a small thump and someone cursing softly. She had been in a daze, so she wasn't sure where the noise was coming from.
"My angel, please forgive me. Come to me, my angel of music."
She knew that voice immediately, it was Erik.
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A/N: Ok. I know you're probably thinking "That was not the aria from Romeo and Juliet!" Well. I know there is one SOMEWHERE, because I've seen it before. So please excuse my extreme stupidity, lol.
I will try to get chapter 3 up soon, review and Erik will give you a kiss!