Enjoy!
Nico
"It seems bigger than I have memory of," Rae said, standing on the steps of the Paris Opera House.
Gerard began to climb the impressive marble stairs. "They added a wing in the 50's," he said to her. "So technically, it is bigger."
He suddenly became aware that Rae was no longer following him. He turned to look down at her.
She wore a clingy, black skirt with slits up to her hip, which hugged her curves temptingly. Black, high-laced boots were evident against the white of her leg. An equally tight black turtleneck completed the outfit.
Her thick curls had been fastened artfully about her face; large framed black sunglasses hid her green eyes from the world.
She bit her rouged lip nervously.
Truly, she was a vision.
"Come on, Rae," Gerard urged. "Isn't this what you've been waiting for?"
Rae sighed, clutching her skirt in her hand and closing the distance between her and Gerard. "It's overwhelming," she stated. "And I find that, lately, there isn't much that doesn't completely overwhelm me."
"I suppose that would be one of Christine's major downfalls," Gerard said, clasping Rae's hand encouragingly. "She was never one for bravery."
Rae half smiled. Gerard looked very much the part of 'famous rock star' today. Earlier, he had gone out, outfitting himself with several new items, including the tight black leather pants he was wearing now. A crisp white shirt hung open over a black tee, which did nothing to hide the muscles of his chest.
His black hair was stylishly mussed; his dark eyes once again outlined in black.
Together, they looked impossibly sleek and stylish.
The entrance to the Opera House was a powerful site. Rae clutched Gerard's hand as they entered the old building, the only sound the click of their shoes against the highly polished marble.
"Gerard!" A surprised, high-pitched female voice exclaimed, hurrying closer to the pair of visitors. "Welcome back!"
Rae watched as the statuesque blond woman hurried over to Gerard, kissing him enthusiastically on each cheek.
Rae could not help but feel jealousy at the closeness Gerard obviously shared with this woman.
"Bethany," Gerard said the woman's name warmly. "Great to see you again."
"Likewise," Bethany purred, a French accent lilting her voice. "How are you feeling, darling?"
Gerard nodded. "Better, thank you. Nothing that a small sojourn couldn't fix."
"And who is your friend," Bethany asked, looking at Rae.
Was there distain in her voice? Rae couldn't tell.
"This is Rae Browne," Gerard introduced the women. "Rae, this is Bethany Page…manager of the Paris Opera House."
"Pleased to meet you," Rae said tersely, not really feeling pleased at all.
Bethany nodded at Rae, and then returned her attention to Gerard, looping a thin arm through the crook of his. "What brings you back here, Gerard?" Bethany asked. "We don't have you on the bill until the summertime."
Rae followed Gerard and Bethany as the walked across the lobby to where Bethany's lavish office stood. Once inside her office, Bethany immediately lit a cigarette, offering one to Gerard, who took it willingly.
"Rae has never seen the Opera House…I felt obligated to share its beauty with her," Gerard explained smoothly.
Bethany delicately plucked a piece of tobacco from her tongue, eyeing Rae once more. "How lovely of you, Gerard, taking one of your fans out for an exciting afternoon," she said, her voice condescending.
"I am not one of his fans," Rae informed Bethany.
"Oh?" Bethany asked, sounding interested and looking back to Gerard. "Has the most eligible bachelor in the music industry finally decided to settle down?"
Gerard laughed. "Not quite," he said.
For some reason, the answer irritated Rae.
"Do you mind if we have a look around, Bethany?" Gerard asked, clearing his throat.
Bethany extended her arms. "Be my guest," she said. "The Paris Opera House is always open to you."
"Thank you," Gerard said, extending his hand to Rae.
She didn't take it.
"I'll stop in before we leave," Gerard informed Bethany.
"Have a good time," Bethany said, kissing his cheeks again.
"Come on, Gerard," Rae said impatiently, wishing that the French woman didn't feel the need to constantly touch Gerard.
"You didn't like her," Gerard said to Rae once Bethany was out of earshot.
"I didn't say that," Rae replied.
"You didn't have to," Gerard said.
"Look, it's not me that's so jealous. It's her," Rae said, for once glad for the scapegoat that was Christine Daae.
"Sure, sure," Gerard teased.
"Where are we going," Rae asked, changing the subject.
Gerard sighed. "I thought, first, I'd like to go up to Box Five."
Rae shuddered. "Okay," she said, her voice sounding slightly fearful.
"Rae," Gerard said, extending his hand to her.
She hesitated.
"Come on," he soothed. "This is what you came here for, right?"
Rae nodded, grasping his hand. "I'm afraid, Gerard," she admitted.
Gerard nodded. "You don't have to be," he told her. "I'm here."
The back stairs leading to box five had been re-carpeted. It was the first thing both Rae and Gerard noticed as the made their was through the winding path leading to the phantom's box.
Rae shivered as they reached the heavily curtained entrance to the elusive box.
"It feels so lonely," she said, goose bumps rising on her arms.
"It was a lonely place," Gerard agreed, pulling back the velvet curtains.
There, as if no time had passed at all, was Box Five.
Gerard sighed audibly. "He watched her from here," he said after a moment. "He fell in love with her from these seats."
"She could see him," Rae piped up. "He was always there…watching her…"
Suddenly, a gust of wind whipped through the theater, chilling both Gerard and Rae.
"What was that?" Rae asked.
"I don't know," Gerard admitted.
Slowly, the pair became aware of a soft, haunting melody.
It started out as a few simple piano chords and eventually swelled into a full song.
"Don Juan," Rae identified the overture correctly.
"Where is it coming from?" Gerard wondered aloud.
Rae walked further into the box, resting her hands on the gilded ledge of the railing.
"It's his spirit," Rae announced. "I can feel it…trapped behind these walls."
"Trapped?" Gerard repeated.
Rae nodded. "That is what we have to do, Gerard." She said forcefully, turning to face him.
"What?" Gerard asked.
"We must free them," she said softly. "They are trapped here…trapped within us. And once their souls are free, so we will be."
"How?" Gerard asked.
Rae shrugged, feeling helpless. "I don't know," she said, tears threatening to spill over her cheeks once more.
Suddenly, Rae was gripped with a flashback.
Her entire body went rigid as the painful memories of her past took control of her senses.
"Take her…forget me…forget all of this…"Christine felt herself being pulled away from the Phantom…away from the warmth of his lips…away from the bravery that had brought her mouth to his.
Raoul was beside her, pulling her into the small boat she had shared so many times with Erik.
She watched as Erik stumbled back up the shore of his home, the anguish apparent in his entire body…the hunch of his shoulders…the gasp of his voice…
A voice began to cry out in her mind…
Get out of the boat!
Return to him!
You belong to him!
Yet she remained by Raoul's side.
Dependable Raoul, who would never let harm fall her.
She looked back once…
In time to see Erik shattering the mirror that would never lead him to her again.
Rae shot up in the dark, her skin covered with a thin layer of sweat.
"Gerard?" She called anxiously.
A dark figure approached her bed, sitting next to her.
"I'm here," Gerard whispered, bringing a cool cloth to her head.
"What happened?" Rae asked.
"You fainted," Gerard said, smoothing the cloth down her cheeks. "Again."
"Dammit," Rae exclaimed. "Damn these memories! Damn Christine! And Damn Erik!"
She fell back on the pillows, bringing the heels of her hands to her eyes, applying pressure to the pounding that existed there. "Where am I?" She muttered from under her hands.
"Back in the hotel," Gerard said softly.
Something about his voice caused Rae to look up at him.
"What's the matter?" She asked.
"Something has happened, Rae," Gerard admitted.
"What?" She asked nervously.
Gerard stood up slowly, turning on the light.
Rae gasped as she saw rivers of black eye-makeup cascading down his cheeks.
"Gerard!" She exclaimed.
"Rae," he replied. "I've been cured."