Author note: Erik's opera isn't well, going to be like in the movie or play. I didn't want to use point of no return. I wanted to use something totally different and original. So that's what I'm going to do. If you like the songs then go out and borrow or buy the CD Rearmament by Happy Rhodes (one of the best groups ever!) The song is called 'For We Believe'. It's an awesome song.

Chapter thirteen

Opera's, kidnappings, and torn hearts

Christine stood at the side of the stage waiting for her cue. She watched Piangi exit the stage and she walked on. She waited for Piangi to enter the stage again but when his character did, it wasn't him. She could recognize Erik anywhere and there he was, adjacent to her. He began singing.

"What is this thing? What is this love? Where is this hope coming from?"

She gulped. It was the song from her childhood that she had been singing at the bow of the ship after she had her dream about Erik, her former Angel of Music.

"Where is this hope coming from?" She continued.

"Why do we see future before our eyes?"

"Why do we see future before our eyes?"

"Clouded with what's to be. Make our own destiny. We know that that's the key."

"We know that's the key."

They sang and danced with each other and a fiery passion began building during this simple song. Christine never sang her childhood song so fervently, never with so much love. She looked into his eyes and she could see so much love; but also pain and sorrow.

"For we believe in what we do."

"For we believe in what we do."

"Safety scares us away. On the edge is where we play. When we run, others delay."

"When we run others delay."

"For we believe in what we do."

"For we believe in what we do."

"For we believe in what we do."

They finished the song together.

"For we believe…"

The final cords rang out through the audience. There was a shocked and stunned silence. The music was so beautiful, so exquisite. The two of them looked at each other for a long period of time. The ship's armed staff caught wind that it was Erik who was singing alongside Christine. They began inching forward to make their arrest.

In another totally different part of the ship, the two lovers by the clock that I had identified as Rose and Jack were having a bit of a crisis themselves. Jack was being led away in handcuffs because he supposedly stole some stuff from Cal. Even though their story has nothing to do with our present story I thought I would just mention that.

"Christine I love you…" Erik whispered into Christine's ear. What ever trance he had had on her during the song was now broken and she lifted her hand up and snatched away Erik's mask. His cruel and contorted face shown for all the audience to see and there was much screaming. Erik's face shifted to anger as to why she had ripped off his mask. He grabbed Christine and then the ship's stage power turned off making the entire Opera House pitch-black. When the lights turned back on Erik and Christine were no where to be found. A stunned Raoul quickly got out of his seat and ran to that chapel Christine had visited so often, the same chapel where he had his lone confrontation with Erik.

"Erik let me go!" Christine screamed as Erik carried her into his lair.

"Christine I love you! Can't you see that?"

"You're a creepy monster that's what you are!" Christine yelled.

Erik's heart felt like it had been ripped into a million pieces.

Raoul entered the chapel and as he began looking behind the painting of the angel a hand shot out and touched his shoulder. It was a man he had never met before nor had seen on the ship. Raoul looked at him confused.

"Who are you?" Raoul asked.

"My name is Nadir, you need help don't you?" Nadir asked.

"Yes I do. Erik has Christine; do you know how to get to his lair?" Raoul answered.

"Indeed I do. I was just about to head down there myself. Follow me." Nadir said leading Raoul through the painting of the angel.

"And if you value your life keep your hand at the level of your eyes."

Raoul did as he was told.

Nadir and Raoul walked through many secret passageways and tunnels on their way down into Erik's lair. The passageways began to get narrower and constricted as they got closer to his lair. Nadir found a hatch at beneath their feet.

"Here we are." Nadir said opening it. He gestured for Raoul to go first and he jumped in. Then Nadir followed. The room was dark and they did not have a light so they had to blindly feel they're way around.

"But Christine, I taught you to sing. I did so because I loved you." Erik explained.

"Erik, I'm glad you helped me sing but…"

"We can live down here together forever and we can sing all day." Erik promised.

"But I don't want to be with you here Erik."

"Well then when we get to New York City we can rent a flat somewhere with a beautiful view…"

"Erik you don't get it. I don't want to be with you."

Raoul found a wall. It was smooth and cold to the touch and Raoul banged on it.

"Raoul stop!" Nadir hissed but it was too late.

"Ah! Is there someone in my chamber?" Erik asked to no one in particular. He walked over to a side wall and opened a slot and peered in. He then flicked a switch and a bright light gushed into the room. There were two occupants in Erik's torture chamber that evening. An old friend; Nadir and a young enemy; Raoul.

The enterable heat engulfed in the room. It was unbearable. Raoul ripped off his shirt to try and get some relief, it didn't help. The sand beneath their feet began to burn and as they screamed Erik laughed. Oh how sweet revenge tasted.

"Erik! Please let them go!" Begged Christine

But Erik just laughed. For you see everyone goes a little crazy sometimes. More often then not it's the ones who live deep under ground, or in our case, in the bowels of the ship with no one to talk to. Erik, the lonely composer, artist, singer and everything in between did happen to go a little crazy. Well not just a little crazy maybe VERY crazy. Crazy like, you know, when you get a pizza delivered four hours late and they still make you pay? Wait maybe that wasn't a good example. I know I get a little crazy over that. Ok maybe crazy as, well… ok there is nothing as equal as Erik's craziness at the moment so you're just going to have to take my word for it. Well Erik continued laughing and Christine sank in despair. Her once angel of music had gone off his rocker and was about to kill her fiancé.

"Erik let them go!"

"Oh I can't let them go. Only you can." He said with a deviant smile.

Christine looked at him confused.

"How do you mean?"

Erik walked over to a chest on the floor. He opened up the lid and in it sat a scorpion and a grasshopper.

"Turn the scorpion and you vow to stay with me forever and I will let them go. Turn the grasshopper and this whole ship goes up in a blaze of glory."

Christine looked at him horrified.

"The decision is yours Madame."

Tears started to stream down Christine's face. How could her former angel do this to her? If he truly loved her why this? She looked at the two insects. She couldn't turn the grasshopper because she didn't want the ship to blow up and kill everyone on board, but she didn't want to turn the scorpion because she didn't want to be with Erik. Her mind whirled and she finally knew what she had to do. She turned the grassho- just kidding. She turned the scorpion and walked up to Erik. She looked into his sad and twisted eyes and pulled him close. She gave him the biggest and most passionate kiss she could muster. The minuets seemed to tick by and they continued kissing. Raoul and Nadir had no idea what was going on and Raoul feared the worse. Christine pulled away with a half smile on her face. Erik looked like he was about to cry. Then it happened. The ship shook as if it struck something and then water began to stream into Erik's tiny home beneath the ship.