Chapter 25: Coming True
Everyone stared as the dooor came open, at the soaking wet and wild eyed intruders. There in the doorway stood Lucien, Madame Giry, Meg, and Lizzie, all of whom looked as though they had ridden on horseback all the way from Paris in the storm.
"Ah, how nice to see we have secured some guests for the evening." said Erik as he eyed the group unhappily.
"What do you think you are doing Erik?" asked Madame Giry, her voice laced with worry and crushing dissapointment.
"Simply making a deal. A treaty if you will." said Erik, not meeting her accusatory gaze.
Lizzie's and Meg's eyes were widened in fear, but they had begged to come along to help save their friends. Lucien's boyish and youthful face was contorted with rage, and yet tears slid down his cheeks as he stepped forward, directly in front of Erik.
"You lied to me monsieur," he said slowly. "And you used to me in your plan to hurt my friends. It is a nearly unforgivable trick." He didn't back down, even though Erik's glare was like ice.
"But a good trick nonetheless." said Erik, smirking. "Now I daresay the lot of you ought to take a seat."
Then at those words, a couch came flying up behind the four and they fell onto it, and when they tried to move, they seemed glued to the upholstery. Erik's mystical magician's powers were again at work. He turned again towards the de Chagny's and the Page's.
"Now where were we? Ah yes, I believe it was time for the Vicomte to announce his decision." said Erik with the air of one making light conversation. Raoul looked up, a strangely calm expression in his blue eyes. "I have come to a decision," he said wearily, and yet still with a certain strength in his voice. "I cannot make any of the choices that you gave to me, for it would mean hurting one of my loved ones, and sacrificing one of them to save the rest, and I will not do anything of the sort. If their lives may go on in the way that they wish them too, then I am more than willing to give up my life for their freedom. This is the decsion that I have made, and I will fight for it." he said firmly, turning back to look at his loved ones eyes that met his with such sadness that it made him want to fall on his knees and cry, but he valiantly stood his ground, for their sake.
Erik stared, but he looked back at Raoul, contemplating. "I must say monsieur, that that was not one of the choices I gave you, but on the other hand, I cannot refuse. But I shall not kill a defenseless man." he said as he threw Raoul a sword, that looked as though it had seen better days.
"Raoul!" cried Christine in a desperate voice as she stood up. " Erik please don't do this! I will stay if you let him go!"
"The contract is sealed my dear." said Erik,
"Look at me Erik!" she said with an intense look in her eyes. "You will break me if you do this!"
"Your breaks will heal my dear, I can assure you of that. I am your angel of music after all." he said as he advanced towards Raoul. "You may trust in me."
Raoul stood, sword unsheathed as he prepared to defend himself. And the only fear he felt was not that of dying itself, but of leaving his family behind. But it was the only way, and he knew that the good Madame Giry would be there to get his family out, and would ensure that Erik kept his part of the deal.
"I do this to save my family," said the vicomte softly, "And because I love them."
Lucien, Meg, and Lizzie all sat trying desperately to rid themselves of Erik's spell. Felix was wide eyed as Arthur put his arm around the young boy's shoulder. And tears fell, even down Madame Giry's face, as she watched her lonely friend, and her brave son in law came head to head once again. And just before the battle began Raoul turned to look at his family, and saw Christine mouth an I love you to him, which made him smile. Erik meanwhile, looked over at Madame Giry, and tried to read her expression.
The swords clanged together for the first time with the same speed and strength on either side. Another clang, and then another, with Raoul constantly looking back at his family, and fending off Erik. But as they moved closer and closer to the wall, Marie Claire feared that Erik would back her father up against the wall, for though her father was an excellent sword fighter, she knew that the sword the phantom had given him was about to fall apart. A tear slid down her face, flowing down every crease, and then falling to the floor. Her papa was going to give up his life for them. And then, at the next clang, something in her erupted, and she simply couldn't watch this happen.
"Stop!" she cried, getting up from the crimson red couch and walking ever so calmly toward the two. "Please Erik, don't do this! I won't let you!" she exclaimed, as she took her father's hand that wasn't holding the sword.
"Your father made his choice Marie Claire. He chose to die for you." said Erik, still amazed at the girl's stubborn unwillingness to give up.
"He did that because he loves us Erik, can't you see that?" said Marie, her blue eyes lighting up with a white fire.
Erik kept his gaze on her as he instictively moved his sword agianst Raoul's. "Give me one reason that I should stop." said Erik, trying to keep his voice emotionless. He looked behind him as he heard a soft voice in answer.
"For the same reason that compelled you to do it before Erik," It was the voice of Christine. "Compassion. And though you may not believe it, it is felt for you because you showed it to us all those years ago."
Erik looked away from Christine, his heart racing, as he tried to look back at Raoul and continue the fight, when he realized that Raoul could have easily finished him when he had turned his back to him. But he hadn't. And then as he slowly turned, he accidentally caught Marie Claire's eyes, and he saw there, all of the innocence and hope that he had seen and still saw refelcted in Christine's eyes now and over twenty years ago. He dropped his sword, backing away from everyone. He couldn't do it, and he cursed himself for not being able to.
"Go. Leave." he said in a hoarse whisper, turning his back towards them.
It was quiet for a moment, as everyone took those words in. Then Christine, Marie, Arthur, and Felix all slowly got up and ran to Raoul and he engulfed them in relief, tear filled hug. Then Meg, Lizzie, Lucien, and Madame Giry, came over to join as well. And even though everyone had been through hell at the hands of this man, they were all so thankful to him, for letting them be together.
"Go now, before I change my mind!" yelled Erik.
At this, the family and friends went quickly out, with everyone shooting backward glances, that is save for Madame giry, for she stayed there, with Erik. Erik turned shocked to see that this time, he was not alone, and as he looked over at Madame Giry, he caught the eyes of Christine and Marie, and in both eyes he saw ulitmate gratuity for letting them go. But before the group exited, Erik, heard a soft whisper from a young voice.
"Thankyou." It was the voice of Felix, who quickly followed his father out. Raoul nodded to Erik as he took Felix's hand, as though he too were thanking Erik. The last person to exit was Arthur, with Marie Claire at his side, and he too, though still worried and angry, nodded to his former teacher, knowing that someday all would be able to forgive because of this compassion shown on all sides.
The door closed with a creak, and Erik and Madame Giry heard the crunch of Lucien's horses on the gravel. She turned to Erik, and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Erik, words cannot express how proud I am of you. And happy. But I cannot help but wonder; what has caused this change in you?" she asked gently.
Erik sighed. "Because I realized, really right after the moment that the vicomte chose to give his life for his family, and from the moment that Christine and Marie were pleading with me, that they love each other. They will never love anyone as they love each other, and it is not my right to tear them apart. What else could I expect? No one will ever love me." said Erik in a harsh tone that masked his despair.
"That's not true," said Madame Giry in a heartfelt tone. "I do." she enveloped the man in a hug, and thought that now, just maybe, that finally, all those that she loved could be happy.
Erik seemed stunned at first, but then realized that what she said was true. "Do you think that they will ever forgive me?"
"Yes," said the good woman. "One day they will"
And then, though it felt akward, Erik returned her embrace, and though he still had a tumble of emotions inside, he was comforted by knowing that there was someone who could love him.
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A few minutes later, when the group had all come back inside Lucien's warm and cheery house, Lucien went about, directing them all to rest, and going about the house trying to make them comfortable. There was a silence in the house, but it was a relieved one. Raoul had one arm draped around Christine, as she leaned her head against his chest, and one arm around Felix, who appeared to be falling asleep. Arthur had Marie enfolded in his arms. And Meg, and Lizzie were also running about helping Lucien. Then Meg sat down across from the family and surveyed them as only a good friend could. There were tearstains on their faces, there were shocked looks in their eyes, but she read there too, a glint of happiness through the pain. For Meg knew, that this family wanted nothing more than to be together, and that their love was something special. Memories of all the years that she had spent with this family, ran through her head.
Memories of Raoul and Christine's wedding day, memories of the days Marie and Felix were born, and memories of the day Arthur and Marie had been married. She smiled, thinking that now, perhaps, everything really would be alright, Her thoughts flew to her mother, back with the Phantom, and she worried for a second if she was alright. But she knew somehow, that she was. She had never understood her mother's realtionship with the Phantom, and now she realized, she would not question it. For perhaps it was her mother's job to help the Phantom.
After a few more moments, Lucien and Lizzie entered the room again.
"Well, is everyone okay?" asked Lucien in a whisper.
Raoul looked up at his best friend with a slight smile. "We're together, and right now, that's all that matters."
And as he said this, Christine pointed out that the sun was coming out again, and the clouds were moving away. And everyone smiled at that, for they knew that Gustav Daae was smiling down at them from heaven. And he had been right. Everything would be okay. It would take healing, it would take time, but it was true, for everyone.
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A/N: Well there you have it! I told you everything would be okay for everyone. It just proves that you can be a strong RC fan and still give Erik a happy ending. I will not give any hints as to where the Giry/Erik relationship is going, you shall see in time. And never fear, for this story is not over yet, there are still several chapters to go! Thankyou so much for all of your support, I really hope that I can get to 100 reviews before the ending of this story! I hope that you like this, so please read and review!
Guitarprincess- I am so glad that you like it, and am also glad that you consider it an early birthday present. I always love to read your reviews, they are so uplifting and encouraging! Hope that you like this chapter, and look forward to more romance for Raoul, Christine, Marie and Arthur in future chapters! RC forever!
I am the Angel of Music- Yes, Madame Giry has come. But please faithful reader do not distrust me, for I value your opinion on my writing. I hope that this chapter shows you that what I said about happy endings for everyone is true. I thought that yuo especially would like the Erik- Madmae Giry part near the end. I hope that you like this, please review!
Asia1st- Yup, Lucien is back! I hope you like this, and thanks for reviewing!