Chapter 24: Thoughts of family
They had been singing for almost fifty minutes, and the music seemed to induce a somewhat insane trance over Erik. He breathed the music, felt the music, lived the music. In this state he appeared to be quite harmless, but it was still quite disturbing. But it made Christine and Marie Claire feel a bit relieved, as they hoped against hope that this would be what would help Gustav Daae's words come into being. Felix's fingers ran lightly over the ivory keys, as he played the final notes of the middle score, which was entitled 'Family of Music.' The young boy did not particularly like the music, in fact he found it quite disturbing, but he knew that it was genius as far as the arrangement went. Then the music slowly ended, and the three voices, high and low, rang out, beautifully perfecting the last note.
Marie Claire looked over at Erik, her heart pulsating, her breath shallow, as she tried to control her panic. She noticed that his eyes were unhealthily bright, and his expression manic. It seemed that the insanity that she had never wished to witness again was setting in. But she knew that Erik would never harm she, her mother, or Felix. But he would her papa and Arthur. Erik glanced up at the clock on the wall, reading that there were five minutes left for the Vicomte to make his decision.
"A mesmerizing job." he said, bowing to Christine and Marie. "I should say that you two are the perfect choices for those parts, but then again I never doubted that."
Christine's warm brown eyes were clouded with an immense hurt that appeared to be turning into what looked like... anger. "I will sing this no longer Erik," she said in a determined tone. "And nothing that you can say will change my mind."
Erik looked at her, his expression one of mingled surprise and bewilderement at her initiative. "As you wish my dear," he said as took her pale chin in his rough- skinned hand. "It is best anyway for I believe that it is nearly time to hear your darling husband's decision." he said, gazing into her soft, dainty features.
She backed away from his touch, tears welling up in her eyes and spilling over despite her efforts to keep them in. "You will gain nothing from this Erik," she said, her tone shaky but serious. "Nothing but further dissapointment. Look into your soul Erik, and stop focusing on the mask you wear."
Erik stared at her, a childlike shock in his eyes, that turned after a moment into a even more intense desperation. "I have tried again and again to make the both of you see. I AM your angel of music!"
"No," said Marie Claire, coming nearer to Erik and looking directly into his bitter features. "You are a man Erik, a lonely man and genius man who has allowed his soul to become distorted . One who has the potential to be great. You could have been a musical mentor to us, instead of trying to tear us away from those that we love so very much! Your life is in your own hands Erik, you cannot live in your past any longer! Marie Claire cried, her voice passionate as she tried to let him see that she was trying to understand.
"Do not pretend as though you understand me. Enough of this, I shall return in a few minutes." he said, walking out without further ado, his mind and his increasingly guilty conscience swirling.
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Raoul sat in the hard chair that Erik had placed in the room, staring with his painfilled and now spiritless blue eyes as he watched the clouds come ever closer, covering the sun and threatning to let loose a torrent of rain. he didn't move as he rested his chin on his hand, thinking fiercely of way to let his family escape, a way that would work. He wanted so much to free them, for he loved them so completely, that at the thought of them being unhappy, he could almost feel his heart breaking. He could not, and he would not make this decision. So, he decided there was nothing for it: he only had thing to offer the Phantom, and that was his very life. He would much rather die than cause Marie, Christine, or Felix to have to stay here, or to have young Arthur lose his life. He wanted more than anything to prevent their pain and hurt. Then as he squared his shoulders in decision, a teary smile came to his face at the thought of his family, the one that he loved to the absoute.Then as he sat, his head pounding and his heart racing, he thought he heard the faint sound of a violing playing the ressurection of Lazarus. At first he thought it was the Phantom playing the same violin that he had played that fateful day in the cemetary. But as Raoul turned,he saw what looked like a beam of sunlight filtering through the window, even though it was raining outside.
He gave a start, as he saw the filmy figure of Gustav Daae appear before him, holding what looked to be the very violin that he had taught Raoul to play when he was a young boy. Raoul stared, not daring to believe what he saw. His thoughts raced back to what Christine had said about her vision.
"Monsieur Daae?" asked Raoul, studdering slightly in shock. "Is that you?"
The ghostlike figure chuckled jovially as he smiled. "Yes, Raoul my boy it is. I just came to say thankyou for taking such tender and loving care of my daughter. She really needs you. I wanted to let you know how proud I am of you, you were always like a son to me."
Raoul smiled slightly at this man, whom he had cared for so much, and whom he held as high as his brother Phillipe in esteem. "I love your daughter so much, monsieur, and we have created such a wonderful family together. But now I am afraid that we are going to lose it all." He said, his voice shaking from emotion. "And I am willing to give my life to secure their freedom."
A sad look came over Gustav's face, and he moved closer to Raoul. "That is an incredibly brave and honorable notion Raoul. But did Christine not tell you what I told her?"
"Yes she did, but I don't see how it can come true. This seems to be the only way to get my loved ones out safely." said Raoul, running his hands through his dark blonde hair in frustration.
"Trust me Raoul, they will come true, everything will be alright. You will see." said Gustav in a reassuring tone as both heard footesteps in the hall. "Keep up your hope, and never forget how much you are loved by your family. Good luck." he said as he dissappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.
"But wait, How! I don't understand!" yelled Raoul, as Erik opened the door. Raoul turned to the opening door, a cold sweat running down his neck, but a valiant fire in his eyes.
"What are you yelling about monsieur, there is no one in the room?" said Erik walking over and taking hold of Raoul's wrists. "Have you come to a decision?"
"Yes," said Raoul firmly, trying to hold on to his deceased father in law's words. "I have."
"Excellent." said Erik, tying Raoul's wrists so tightly, that Raoul flinched and shot his foe a dirty look."You may tell your decision as soon as we are all gathered back in the room."
"You will not get anything from this," said Raoul. "Can you not see that what you are doing is hurting those that you claim to care for?" Raoul yanked his wrists from Erik's grip. "I can walk myself, I know where to go."
"As you wish," said Erik in a sarcastic, silky tone, as he pushed the door to the sitting room open.
Raoul's eyes were met with the sight of his family, and his heart warmed at the sight of them, even though their situation was bleak.
"Raoul..." said Christine softly as he went to sit near them, her eyes full of love, and riddled with worry.
Marie and Felix both seemed to light up a bit at the seeing the face of their beloved papa.
Raoul sat on the couch next to his family, his wrists still bound, as all eyes fell on Erik, who stood at the entrance to the room, an unreadable expression on his masked features.
"I am going to retrieve young Monsieur Page', don't go anywhere." he said in a snide voice, as he closed the door. As he walked, the small sense of wrong and guilt came to him again. He stopped, as though he were changing his mind. But he shook his head. No, this was right, he was doing what he should. Wasn't he?
He stalked down the hallway, not letting his thoughts get to him, focusing on only the door in front of him. He threw open the door, and his eyes were met with the tearstained, and yet still defiant eyes of his former protegee.
"Bonjour Arthur. It is time to return, and hear you dear father in law's decision." said Erik, in a stony voice.
Arthur looked up at the man dressed in black, still hating to believe that all of this was really happening. He stood up and looked Erik directly in the eyes. " I simply cannot believe that you have gone this far. And I cannot believe that I ever trusted you as my teacher."
Erik shook his head, a smirk on his face. " I have told you time and time again, Arthur, that if you had only listened to me, we would still be on good terms."
Arthur looked away, his heart beating faster at the thought of his beloved wife, and the children to come, and tried to think of a way to get his family out. He decided to take Raoul's advice and keep a level head until he was back in the room with his family. He felt Erik tying his wrists together, and the brave young man walked silently from the room, only glad that he would get to see his beloved again, and no matter what happened, he would find a way to find happiness for her, and her family, that was like his own.
Erik was surprised at Arthur's silence, but he did not doubt that both he and the Vicomte and Arthur had something up their sleeves. And as he walked in the room, and he saw the look on Marie's face as she saw Arthur, both she and her mother's words echoed in his head. Did they really understand him?
He shook his head and turned to the group, his eyes focused, desperate, lonely, and angry.
"Well, seeing as we are all gathered together again..." But before Erik could even finish his sentence, the group heard the door burst open with a bang. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: I am so sorrry for the delay, I have been so busy with school! But thankyou so much to all of my reviewers: Samantha, I am the Angel of Music, Guitarprincess(yay RC!), and Asia 1st, I love your reviews! I hope that all my readers like this chap, and please read and review! Please forgive the shortness of this note, as it is way past time for me to go to bed! Thank God for long weekends! Oh, and also, let me stress that there will be NO character deaths in my stories, and all will end well. It just takes time to get there! Love you guys, and thanks! I promise to answer all reivews next time!