To Live Again 11
Dedicated to Gentlewoman, TheNewMargarita, and, of course, wanderingchild.
Where would I be without you, my lovely, loyal readers?
Erik held Joelle in his arms as they sat in the carriage, determinedly meeting Lyle Etienne's eyes.
It took all of his self-control not to flinch under the other man's intense scrutiny. Finally, Lyle broke the silence.
"So Dom says you live beneath the Opera House." He said conversationally.
"Huh?" Erik was caught off guard.
"Yes, the Opera House. Not that that's so terrible, in comparison to some of her other suitors." Lyle reflected, "They come from far and wide you know, and there was this one man who claimed to have lived in a rather large cave."
"What?"
"But Dom says your... unusual dwelling is rather nice, if a bit elaborate. I have concerns, though."
Nervousness swelled up. "What are these...concerns, Lord Etienne?" He managed to ask politely.
"My daughter is like a bird, a creature of sunlight and open air. They found that out the hard way at the convent. She's like her mother, in that respect."
"Oh, well you see, I have a plan for later. The place under the Opera House was only... for bachelor life, you see." He was relieved to have come up with an answer, and an honest one, so quickly.
"Good, now, Monsieur Noir, Erik, if I may, I really must ask you: What are your intentions with my daughter? She doesn't deserve a man who only wants to play."
Erik was momentarily surprised by the man's bluntness. "Huh? I... Of course not, I mean I..." He stopped, sighed, "I love your daughter." He said, after a moment, "I plan on marrying her and moving out to a rather nice house I have set aside in the country. When this matter with Rojer is settled, of course."
Lyle nodded, grudgingly approving, "He is in the hands of the law now." Lyle sighed, "He had us all fooled. He was practically part of our family, but all this time, he was hurting Joelle... my little girl... right under my nose... How could I not see it?"
"Um..."
Lyle locked eyes with the uncomfortable Erik, "Promise me something, son."
"Eh..."
"Promise me you'll protect her. At all cost, keep her safe... as I could not..." Lyle pleaded.
"I—" Erik began, but was cut off,
"I need to know that she'll finally be safe." Lyle went on.
"I swear." Erik replied solemnly, "For my sake as well as hers. I could not stand to see her hurt."
Lyle nodded, "Thank you."
The man suddenly looked so much older than Erik had ever seen him, "I failed them." He confided, weary, "My wife, my daughter... I lost my Oriana... I could have lost my baby girl..."
Erik nodded, uncomfortable again, "Erm... yes. Joelle told me about what happened once. At one point, she seemed rather set on naming her first daughter Oriana."
"Oh? What did you say?"
"I said it was a lovely name, but at the time I didn't understand the significance. She didn't say it was her mother's name."
"They were very close, my girls." Lyle mused, "Ellie's the living image of her mother. I'll show you the portrait of them together later."
"I'd like that."
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'Amazing,' Erik thought as he lay Joelle carefully in her bed. 'Everybody loves her here. I shouldn't be so surprised, though. She seems to have had a better childhood than I did. Most of the time.' He trailed his finger down her cheek.
'So lovely. What did I ever do to deserve you, little one?'
Carefully, he removed the makeshift bandages on her hands and rinsed them carefully in a basin of slightly warm water the maid had brought, then lovingly dried then, applied the provided salve, and carefully wrapped them again in the soft linen bandages.
'He'll never hurt you again.' He promised again, kissing the now-bandaged hands lightly.
"You might as well stay for awhile." A voice said from the doorway.
Erik looked up, surprised to see Raoul.
"When did you come in?"
"Christine and I arrived not long ago, and I knew you'd be here. You were very careful with her." He observed.
"I love her." Erik reminded him.
Raoul nodded, "I know. I'd have skinned you alive if I thought you were lying about that."
Erik raised a skeptical eyebrow.
Raoul continued, "Anyway, you two seem right for each other. I said as much to Christine earlier, believe it or not. You know, you're not such a horrid fellow when you're not trying to kill me and abduct the love of my life."
"Thanks?" Erik said, "And I guess you aren't quite as hopeless as I thought you were."
"I was, some time ago, but I've grown up, and I'd like to think I'm a better person for being with the woman I love." Raoul admitted.
"I never thought I'd say this, De Chagny, but perhaps, in time, we could be friends." Erik mused.
"I'd like that." Raoul agreed, "And I think it would make the women in our lives very happy. They seem to have bonded."
"Funny turn of events there." Erik quipped.
"Truly." Raoul concurred, "It's going to be odd, though. Not hating each other, I mean."
Erik nodded, chuckling, "Ah well, perhaps we could do battle again in the future. Of the non-lethal variety."
"You mean for fun?" Raoul's eyes widened, surprised.
"Joelle mentioned you play cards."
"She would." He mused, "I'm actually not so terrible at it."
"She said you were one of the few people who could beat Dom." Erik informed him. "She spoke of you a bit when she found out about our truce. Seemed determined to get me to like you."
"Christine did the same thing."
"I think we've been conspired against." Erik realized.
"Clever minxes."
"Indeed." Erik drew the covers gently over Joelle's shoulders. Raoul couldn't help but smile at the unexpectedly tender side of his former enemy.
"Have you ever noticed that whatever you thought your life was, it could change in a single instant?" Raoul asked thoughtfully.
"It's been known to happen." Erik replied distractedly.
"Not even a full day ago, we were only grudgingly tolerating each other." He continued. "And now? Nearly friends, no longer the bitter enemies we were!"
"Rojer hurt Joelle, he's my enemy now. He deserves to die painfully for every second of pain he caused her."
"On that, we are in agreement." Raoul stated.
"But I don't want to kill anymore." Erik said, "I don't want anymore blood on these hands... these hands I touch my Angel with."
Raoul smiled, "So she is your angel now."
"There will never be another."
"Like I said, you are welcome to stay. Uncle Lyle isn't really in a state right now to talk. He gets like this sometimes, since... well, you know..."
Erik nodded.
"He wanted me to tell you that, though. Consider it. I know it would mean a lot to her, to have you here." Raoul said over his shoulder as he exited.
Erik kissed Joelle lightly on the lips; "I'm not going anywhere, my dear." He promised, sitting on the bed beside her.
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Joelle awoke to the feeling of warm sunshine on her face and warmer arms around her.
She was vaguely aware of a dull, throbbing ache in her hands.
Suddenly she remembered the previous day's events and her eyes opened immediately.
She was infinitely relieved to see that it was Erik who held her.
Then it dawned on her.
Erik.
Here.
Real.
In the sunlight beside her.
She drank in the sight of him lying there, fast asleep with his face lying on the pillow beside her.
Tears filled here eyes and she blinked them back, determined to commit the sight to memory.
There he was, her love, real and here.
He did not disappear like a shadow in the sun.
He still wore the same outfit as yesterday, mussed as if he hadn't left her side for a second, even to change.
His dark brown hair was tousled and fell over his face/mask.
He had never looked more perfect to her.
Infinitely moved she snuggled closer, reaching over to gently move the hair from his face, and closed her eyes, kissing his cheek tenderly. "I love you so much, Erik." She breathed.
"Mmmmm... 'Morning, Angel." He murmured.
She opened her eyes again, to find him looking back at her, a small, contented smile on his face.
She blushed, "Sorry to wake you, luv."
"If I could forever wake up to that, I would be a happy man." He said, "And I love you, Joelle."
She sighed, snuggling close to him again, "How do you always know exactly what to say to make me melt inside?" She asked softly.
He chuckled, "Ah, now that would be telling, my dear."
"Did yesterday really happen?" She asked.
"Yes."
"So much good and bad, all at once..." She murmured.
"Shh... Try not to think about it, darling."
"What should I think about?" she asked.
He smiled, kissing her neck softly, "Think about showing me you garden today. Just you and I, and the flowers that you love, like we planned. Think about that, Joelle."
"I love you."
"I know."
---------------------------------------------------
Christine sighed happily, ticking her husband's bare shoulder.
"You were my knight in shining armor last night, Raoul." She whispered.
He smiled, "He was trying to take you away."
"I know. But you never let it happen."
"Never again." Raoul breathed, "Once was enough."
"More than enough." She agreed. "But I think that pirate's intentions were less honorable."
"Certainly. But I can't say I blame the man for wanting to carry you off and ravage you. You're so lovely the poor fool didn't stand a chance!" He grinned, "But ravishing you is my job."
"And you do it very well..." She purred, "Speaking of ravishing..."
"I like the way you think."
Neither was seen until much later...
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Erik stared at the Eden surrounding him. "Incredible." He said, "You did this all yourself, Joelle?" He asked.
Joelle shook her head, "No. When I'm in the garden, I'm never alone." She replied, "My mother's spirit is all over here."
He nodded, "You two were very close." He observed.
"More than words can say. I wish you could have known her."
"If she's as much a part of this place as you say, I think I already do, to some extent."
Joelle hugged him.
A warm breeze swirled merrily around them, like another set of arms.
Joelle gasped softly, "Oh!" She raised wide eyes to meet his, "I think she likes you!" She grinned.
"I'm glad." He said, slightly nervous by the sudden presence he felt.
Joelle was right.
It was everywhere.
After a few moments, the fear slipped away. Peace replaced it.
He was engulfed by a feeling of loving acceptance in the warm, sweet-smelling air, as if someone else truly was there.
And that someone else was very happy.
"I think I understand why you love this place so much." He said later, sitting on a bench next to the harp fountain she'd told him of days ago.
She smiled mischievously and tucked a daisy into his hair. "Told you." She said lightly.
A flash of silver on her neck caught his eye. "What's that?" He asked.
She lovingly drew out a rose shaped pendant. "It's her locket." Joelle confided, "I found it here."
Twisting a clever hidden clasp, she opened the flower. Inside was a tiny, exquisite miniature of a gorgeous woman holding a tiny little boy and girl on her lap. Joelle smiled tenderly down at the picture.
"That's us." She whispered. "Dom and me, and Mama." She traced the edges of the picture lovingly, "I've never showed this to anyone." She said, "This was my confirmation. My sign." She sighed, "My sign from Mama that everything would be ok. That it was right... That we were right..." She blushed, "But I probably sound like an idiot."
"I think you sound adorable." He assured her, kissing her lips softly.
"Good god! Do you two ever come up for air?" Came a teasing voice.
Joelle laughed, "Oh, like you should talk, Raoul! Abed until the afternoon and I KNOW you two weren't sleeping!" She teased.
"Joelle!" Christine chided.
"Oh, don't sound so scandalized Christine! It was probably your idea." She quipped.
Erik snickered behind his hand as the couple went bright red.
"Oh cut it out, 'Phantom'." Raoul snapped.
"Heh."
"Do I need to separate you two?" Joelle scolded.
Both men grinned playfully at her, "No Ma'am, we'll play nice." Raoul replied.
"You see we've found a new object of murderous rage." Erik said cheerfully.
"Only you could say that as if it were normal, Erik." Christine sighed.
"Well, let's look on the bright side." Joelle said, "They're getting along, and the have a new hobby." She said brightly.
"But does it always have to involve murder?" Christine asked.
Erik and Raoul shrugged, "We could play chess?" Erik suggested.
"No, cards. I've heard how you play chess." Raoul said.
"I can't help it if I'm a mastermind."
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There you go. Wadda ya' think of that? Raoul redemption! Sorry this wasn't as long as I thought, but I ended up having to cut this in half for continuity's sake. More soon, I promise!
Hope ya' like it, and again, you guys are the best!