Authors Notes - This chapter is a little longer thennormal, hope you all enjoy :) Thanks to my two reviewers for the last chapter RoseQueen and BrittanyPiercey and any readers who haven't sent reviews. I'd love to hear from you, so I can personally thank you for reading. I wrote personal replied to my latest reviewers at the end of this chapter.
Enjoy
Chapter Eleven
The following morning after breakfast, Charlotte approached Madame Giry. The previous night had made her realise it wasn't simply tiredness or a dream. Someone had sung to her and if it wasn't the other girls playing tricks on her, she needed to know who was.
'Madame Giry, may I speak to you for a few moments please?' she asked.
'Of course,' she nodded, seeing Charlotte looked worried and ushered her into an empty rehersal room. 'What is it my dear?'
'The past few nights, two evenings, I have heard a voice speaking to me in my room,' Charlotte said. 'I know it sounds crazy but I know the voice is real,'
Madame Giry looked at her, instantly realising. 'Perhaps it was a dream, my dear' she said gently.
'No, I was awake both times,' Charlotte said. 'The voice sang to me. At first I thought it was the other girls playing a trick on me but it was a male voice. A voice like I've never heard before,' she said softly. 'Meg told me of this Opera Ghost. Is it only a myth Madame Giry? The girls spoke of how he burned down the theatre and..'
'They are all silly tales made up to scare the younger girls,' Madame Giry told her. She wanted to tell this girl the truth but she couldn't. Not until she spoke to Erik herself. 'Perhaps they were playing a trick on you, I shall speak to them and make sure this nonsense stops,'
Charlotte nodded. 'I'm sure they are only trying to scare me, which hasn't worked, but it might frighten the other girls, especially the younger ones,'
'I understand Charlotte and I shall be trying to fix this problem as soon as I can,' she assured her. 'Now go and change for rehersal, we begin in 20 minutes,'
Charlotte nodded, leaving the room and went to change. Madame Giry leaned against the barre, thinking of what Charotte had just told her. She knew instantly who Charlottes "Angel" had been and she also had terrible sense of forboding of where this could lead if it continued.
Another fallen chandelier and burnt opera house.
She wanted to see Erik happy, goodness knows she did. But she knew he would not find hapiness in becoming another Angel of Music. She would go and speak to him, although she knew that while he thought of her as an ally, he wouldn't listen to her unless it suited him. She only hoped that perhaps she could try and reason with him.
However she wasn't confidant he would pay her any attention.
Madame Giry had left a note in Box 5, telling Erik she needed to speak to him and that she would be in her room after rehersal.
When she returned to her room after rehersals, she found a note waiting for her that had been pushed under the door.
'Dear Antoinette,
Come downstairs, I shall meet you at the lake
E"
She folded the note and put it into her pocket before she moved to one of the entracnes to the labyrinth that hadn't been closed off. With a lantern, she made her way through the winding corridors she had come to know so well.
Arriving at the lake, she found Erik here waiting for her.
"Antoinette, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?' he asked her. He was dressed all in black, his mask firmly in place.
'Erik, we need to talk. About the girl. About Charlotte.' Madame Giry said gently. She had a feeling this conversation would not go well.
Eriks features darkened slightly. 'What about her?' he asked guardedly.
'Now don't go getting angry,' she told him sternly 'You have to stop singing to her Erik. The child is beginning to wonder.
'Wonder what?' Erik asked, sarcasam ripping from his words.
'You have to listen to me Erik. You cannot put yourself through all that pain again. You must not. '
'And what pain would that be Madame Giry? Has the girl fallen for a silly Viscomte?' Erik asked.
'Erik,' Madame Giry said gently. She knew Erik was not pleased whenever he called her Madame Giry. 'Please. I know Christine hurt you and I'am truely sorry. But you cannot let this girl believe you to be an Angel,' she said.
'What should she beleive me to be then? The Opera Ghost?' Erik asked, bitterness lacing his words.
'She knows of the story of the Opera Ghost, ' Madame Giry replied. 'The other girls have been gossiping and spreading stories,'
"Of course, those stories they tell about me. Blaming me for everything, from stealing the ribbons of their shoes or a draft in the opera house,' Erik said.
'Yes,' she nodded. 'But we pay them no heed'
'Certainly not, I have no real interest in them,' Erik told her.
'But you do in Charlotte,' Madame Giry said gently to him
Erik physically recoiled slightly. 'Not at all Madame Giry. She was crying the other evening and the sound was disturbing my music. I sung to her so she would be quite,' he lied.
Madame knew that this was a lie but did not press it. 'That explains the first night but why the next time Erik? She wasn't crying then,'
Erik didn't respond for a few moments. 'What is it you want from me Madame Giry?' he asked her.
'I just don't want to see you be hurt again Erik.' she said gently. 'I can tell you. like this girl,' she said. 'If you honestly like her, speak to her. Not through the mirror, not behind a facade of an Angel, why don't you speak to her?'
'You know what would happen then, she would be replused just like everyone else is.' he turned away from her angrily.
'Christine was never truely repulsed by your face, it was your temper and jealousness,' Madame Giry snapped. She wanted this man before her to find hapiness and yet she knew his self pity would stop him from ever being happy.
'Wasn't she?' he swung back to face her his eyes blazing.
'No, she could see the man behind the face, just as I can,' Madame Giry stood firm. She knew in her heart Erik would never hurt her.
'LIAR' Erik snarled turned away from her again.
'Erik please,' Madame Giry stepped toward him. 'Please, I know this girl could see past your face if only you would let her,'
'Why because of her brother!' Erik growled.
'Charlotte loves her brother, she has struggled to care for him even now. A lesser girl would have simply kept him in the institution he was placed. But she saw past his disability,' Madame Giry told him.
'She loves her brother yes I can see that but how can you be so sure that she would not find me as repulsive as Christine did? Her brother is a beautiful child, not a hidious monster,' he growled. 'You say it was my temper, my jealousy that forced Christine away but it was more then that. If she had been able to accept me, love me then she would not have torn the mask from my face the way she did.'
'Christine was a curious child and she never changed,' Madame Giry said gently. 'If perhaps you could explain to Charlotte, I beleive she would respect your wishes,'
'You think Madame. They are all curious creatures, all of them no exception.' Erik said. 'Everyone wants to know what sort of creature lies behind the mask,'
'Erik please,' Madame Giry knew she was fighting a losing battle. 'No more Angel of Music. It will only hurt you both in the end and neither of you deserve that,' she said. 'Speak to her, you may be pleasently surprised,'
'No it will do no good,' he started to walk away. 'It is hopeless and we both know that.'
'Erik,' she called out to him and was surprised when he paused. 'Just think about it,'
What didn't surprise her was the chose not to respond before he disappeared into the darkness.
She sighed softly as she made her ascent up to the Opera House, unsure of she had made the situation better or worse or even if she had had any effect at all.
BrittanyPiercey - Thanks for reading. I've tried to give Charlotte some depth in this story. Also of fics just have one dimensional Mary Sues and while they great, I've tried hard to make sure Charlotte isn't one. I hope you enjoyed the update
RoseQueen - Hmm would she:P I have to keep you guessing. Thanks for reading the story.