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20
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Raoul had woken up halfway through their first carriage ride. He was still in shock at seeing the Phantom and being in his presence, as well as learning from Jack that he had been the one responsible for saving his life.
Raoul nodded in silence, not wanting to make eye contact with the horrible beast. He found it so strange that he could just as easily save his life when back in the opera he had been all set to kill him. Strange, indeed. After some minutes, he decided that eye contact was the least he could do to repay the man's efforts. Afterall, he had saved his life this time.
He slowly brought his eyes up to Erik's and offered a small, forced smile. Erik raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what the special occasion was.
"So, Raoul. Tell me how you came to be locked up in the big underground contraption," Jack asked excitedly.
Raoul shrugged. "I don't know. About a week ago, I think, I was... uh... somewhere? And then... uh... something happened... well all I actually remember is that I was hit over the head with a blunt object. Everything went black and then I heard water. And... I've been in that 'big underground contraption' ever since-- until now, of course. So... thank you for rescuing me, both of you. I appreciate it. I'm sure everyone was extremely worried about me, especially Chri--" He looked over at Erik who glared at him with a piercing stare and stopped before he made a horrible mistake.
Jack paid no mind the almost-mistake. He placed his hands in his lap and leaned forward. "Wow! That is all so very exciting!" He exclaimed, very interested in hearing more. "Oh, and don't worry about Christine. She didn't even notice you were gone."
Erik growled at Jack and he winced apologetically.
Raoul furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that there was this guy-- well, this thing-- and he was impersonating you the whole time. So Christine didn't even realize you were gone until we told her. Who knows, she might have even done some rather... um... unspeakable things with that creature. Eww! Ha ha. You know what I'm talking about, eh? Like, if she--"
Erik growled louder at Jack. Raoul stared at him with a look of horror. Jack laughed. "Ah, mate. Don't get yourself all worked up. There's nothing you can do about it now even if she did what I said she may have done. Anyways, no need to worry about it anymore. That thing is dead. Saw in shrivel up in front of me very own two eyes."
"What?" Raoul asked, his eyes bulging wildly.
"You're just too funny," Jack smirked, patting Raoul on the knee.
Raoul frowned. He was very confused and didn't even know why. The rest of that carriage ride was spent in silence, save once again for Jack's carriage counting game-- which both Raoul and Erik had refused to take part in because of its utter absurdity. They sat faced away from eachother, looking out of their own windows in silence.
After transferring over to another carriage because the one they had taken would not bring them all the way back to Paris, they endured another silent ride, relieved to finally debark when reaching their destination.
"Where are we going? I want to go home," Raoul whined as he was led along a road. He was not answered. They began up the Black Pearl's gangplank, Raoul stopping on the wood and looking around. "A ship? Why on earth would I want to place myself on this hunk of junk?"
Jack turned around and offered a growl of his own. "Don't diss the ship," He said very coldly, and turned back around to continue up the gangplank.
Raoul gulped, realizing he now had two angry men against him. He followed Jack and Erik through the Pearl's halls. They came to a stairwell which led below. Erik turned around to Raoul and pointed. "Stay here and don't even think of moving or else you will be sorry," He ordered and then continued with Jack down the stairs. He turned around to look at Raoul again and saw that he had been inching away. Erik reached his hand into his pocket and pulled free a lasso. He stuck a finger into the noose and tightened it, causing the finger to go white.
Raoul squeaked nervously and stood still in his place. Erik smiled and returned the rope into his pocket, continuing down to his ship lair. They were greeted upon arrival by an anxious Christine. "You're back?" She said, sounding joyous. "So...?" She smiled.
"So what?" Jack replied.
Erik rubbed his hands together. This was the moment he had been waiting for... the moment when Christine would finally be his! Oh, how he had dreamed of this day for so long and now that it was here, it felt so surreal. So many thoughts ran through his head! He wondered if he was dressed properly for the occasion. He hoped it was not too overdone...
"Erik?" Christine asked. "Erik?"
He looked up at her, snapping from his daze. He tilted his head to one side and studied her face.
"Erik, are you feeling all right?" She asked nervously.
"Why of course, my dearest! I have brought you something... something special... a real surprise."
Christine leapt forward, clutching Erik's arms. "Yes, yes!" She replied hastily, hoping that he had brought her what she thought it was.
"Oh, you will be so happy with me when I show you. Perhaps you may even..."
Jack cleared his throat. "Ahem," He interrupted. "If I'm not allowed the dirty jokes then neither are you."
Erik nodded. "You are right. How silly I am to have forgotten. I'm silly! Silly! Silly! Silly Erik!"
Christine tried to smile, but she was questioning the Phantom's sanity at this moment. He seemed... off.
"Well, I shant keep you waiting any longer. On with the surprise, then!" He shouted merrily, already envisioning Christine in his arms. He could almost taste her sweet, soft lips on his. And this time snakes would not dart from her mouth... hopefully. And if they did? Meh. He could learn to live with it. He turned away and began to the stairs. "Prepare to be dazzled!" He called off to Christine. "You will soon be mine," he muttered to himself.
He got halfway up the steps and saw Raoul cowering at the top. "It's okay now, you can come down," He told him. With a bit of hesitance, Raoul began slowly his descend down the dark stairs. He wondered what monsters would be down there waiting for him...
They reached the last few steps, Erik instructing Raoul to stand behind him and not be seen if he knew what was good for him. Then they approached Christine once again. She looked around, wondering where Erik's 'surprise' was. She frowned, not seeing Raoul anywhere. She only hoped that Erik's surprise would not be that ugly musical monkey box. Monkeys. Ew.
Jack watched Raoul cowering behind Erik's cloak, then he raised his gaze back to Erik. "And now, my sweet, the gift I've promised you. I know it's not much... but I think you'll like it all the same," Erik said humbly. He twirled his cape quickly and stepped back. "Ta da!" He yelled.
In the spot which Erik had left behind stood a tired and disheveled Raoul de Chagny who sucked his thumb in fright. He lay his eyes upon Christine and pulled his thumb from his mouth. "Christine!" He shouted in amazement.
"Raoul!" She shouted in equal amazement. She ran into his arms and embraced him tenderly, planting kisses all along his face.
Erik nodded in triumph. His gift was a success. Now it was his turn for a gift. "Now come to papa," He said, opening his arms wide and closing his eyes, expecting Christine to thank him for the amazing gift. But after several seconds without receiving any hug, he frowned and opened his eyes. Christine and Raoul were still in embrace. He lowered his arms back to their sides slowly and felt tears come to his eyes. His plan had backfired, afterall.
"Oh, I love you, Raoul. I've missed you so much. Where have you been?"
"I--"
"Oh, I don't care!" She exclaimed with joy, hugging him tighter.
Jack looked at Erik's wet eyes and shook his head, knowing all along that something like this was bound to happen. It was tough seeing Erik go through it, though. He stepped to him, opening his own arms. "I'll give you a hug, mate."
Erik scoffed and turned away, wiping his face dry. Christine looked over Raoul's shoulder and saw him. She pulled away from Raoul slowly, realizing what had happened. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she said, "Oh, Erik I'm sorry. You're a really great guy and I love you for bringing me such a great gift." She threw a glance at Raoul. "But... I love Raoul more. I hope you understand."
He nodded, sighing and walking away into the darkness of his ship lair. For several moments Jack, Raoul and Christine had thought that Erik had gone to hide, but he emerged shortly holding several papers in his hands. He approached Christine and gave her the papers.
Confused, she looked down, shuffling through them. They were all paintings and drawings and poems that Erik had made for her. The outfits which she wore in some of the drawings were a bit... disturbing... as well as several of the paintings of she and Erik in the... uh... poses in which they were... yet the idea was all very flattering. She held them back out to Erik but he shook his head. "No, keep them," He told her. "I want you to have them."
She smiled, looking at the disturbing sketches once again. "Thank you," She replied. "I'll treasure them."
Erik nodded sadly. "Well, I suppose you should be leaving now. You're giant manor is probably missing you.
She sighed, taking Raoul by the hand and leading him to the foot of the stairs. She stopped suddenly and turned around, returning to Erik. She kissed him softly on the cheek and a smile came over his face.
He bent his mouth to her ear. "I understand," He whispered solemnly.
She walked back to Raoul and they ascended the stairway. After throwing one last glance at her dismissed tutor from the top of the stairs, she not only disappeared from Erik's view, but from his life. And he never saw her again.
Jack placed a hand on his shoulder. "Not what I would have done... but hey, that's me. You did the right thing, mate."
Erik felt tears coming again. He turned to Jack. "May I... uh... take you up on that offer?" He asked quietly.
Jack furrowed his brow, trying to think of an offer he had made to Erik, then remembered and a smile came over his face. He stepped forward and embraced him and they stood locked in eachother's grip in the darkness.