Author's Note: Well, here is the chapter you've all been waiting for. I appreciate all the reviews thus far, and would especially appreciate reviews on this chapter. Enjoy, and I hope that this fits how you all were hoping for it to turn out!
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Chapter 10: Prima Donna
The simple switch of sacrifices halted the crowd for a moment. They had come for the monster, and the angel approached instead. They were momentarily at a loss.
"Come down, Phantom!" someone screamed from the crowd, and they began to boil over again. "Come down and face your fate! Don't send her in your stead, murderer!"
Christine closed her eyes. Lord, give me strength.
Everything depended on her now. If she failed, it was all over. Only hours before, Raoul's fate had rested in her hands as she stood on this same shore. Now, Erik's fate rested there.
"The trap for him is set, and waits for its prey!"
The people halted again, startled at the sound of her voice.
"You have come here in pursuit of your deepest fear, that fear which has till now been silent…silent…"
They had heard this before, only a few hours before, and Christine's lovely voice held them captive as it had done before.
Where to go now? Christine closed her eyes, searching for the words that would persuade this mob to leave.
Don't think, Christine. The mind is the killer of the soul. Let it come, let it flow. The music will come from your soul. You need only let it go.
Erik had said those words to her, years before, during one of their lessons. Had he ever thought that one day his lessons to his young ingénue would prove the saving of his once wretched existence?
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Madame Giry saw Christine speak softly to Erik, then descend the steps of the dais, and she felt hope renewed.
She saw the crowd's reaction to Christine's first words, and she felt suddenly that perhaps all was not lost.
"Not all the furies of Hell can overcome love." She pulled little Meg close to her, guarding her in the case of the crowd's rioting. "If anyone can save him now, it is you, Christine."
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Christine turned to look at Erik, and she found her next words. The crowd was restless, and she began again, banishing fear lest it cause her voice to shake, her words to falter. Her strength was all that could save Erik and her. Strength for him, who had none of his own left, to fight the battle which he could no longer win. Slowly, she began to sing.
"In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came…that voice which calls to me, and speaks my name. And do I dream again—for now I find, the Phantom of the Opera is there, inside my mind!
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Erik joined her, softly, singing quietly to himself. The mob could not hear him, but he prayed Christine could, and perhaps it would help her.
"Sing once again with me, a strange duet…my power over you grows stronger yet. And though you've turned from me, to glance behind—the Phantom of the Opera is there, inside your mind!"
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Christine did hear him, and her voice grew in intensity. The trembling left her, and she found the words, altering them to fit her plea to the crowd.
"Those who have seen his face draw back in fear…I am the mask he wears, it's him you hear. His spirit and my voice, in one combined—the Phantom of the Opera is there, inside your mind!"
She heard soft murmurs in the crowd, and she changed the song, her voice softening and the melody changing.
"Stranger than you dreamt it, can you even bear to look or bear to think of him, that loathsome gargoyle who burns in hell but secretly longs for heaven, secretly…secretly…"
She didn't dare look at Erik. She knew what pain would be on his face when he heard his words of self-condemnation coming from her lips. Trust me, Erik, her heart begged.
"Fear can turn to love, you'll learn to see, to find the man behind the monster, this repulsive carcass who seems a beast but secretly dreams of beauty, secretly…secretly…"
The crowd stirred, but a calmer air seemed to fall over them. Christine returned to familiar territory. The point of no return…
"Past the point of no return, the final threshold—the bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn! We've passed the point of no return…"
Christine searched their faces, and she saw too much anger and unrest still. Tears filled her eyes. She was so close to failing, so close. One more try…
Christine's voice changed, softened, became tremulous with sadness, and she extended her hands to the crowd, begging them, pleading with them.
"I gave you my music—made your souls take wing. And now, look how you've repaid me…denied me and betrayed me…"
She paused, speechless for a moment. This is what Erik meant when he spoke of the music coming from my soul. She had no idea where the words had come from.
"I was bound to love him, when first I heard him sing…Erik…"
She dropped her hands, and whispered softly, so softly that she was not even sure that anyone but herself heard.
"Must you take him from me? The only crime he ever committed was to love me…all others sprang from that one. He has been punished all his life…all he ever desired was love…can you in good faith punish him for wanting that which every human heart desires?"
The strength seemed to leave her, and she dropped to her knees on the shore, tears flowing anew. Madame Giry tore herself from the fringes of the crowd and rushed to Christine's side, gathering the girl up in her arms and holding her gently, whispering comforting words to her.
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There were few things the people of France loved more than a good tragedy, drama or romance. Faithful patrons of the arts they were, and the pitiful nature of the young woman who had stood before them and now lay crumpled on the shore affected all of them.
The women were the first to speak of leaving. But as Christine's music progressed, even the men began to toss down their weapons and suggest that they go. That sentiment spread through the crowd, until suddenly they had switched sides almost unanimously.
"Let's go," was heard from several raised voices. "The poor creature has suffered enough."
A murmur of dissension sprang up, and it seemed that the spell was broken, but Madame Giry suddenly looked up angrily and called out to them:
"How many nights did you sit in the theater of the Opera Populaire and listen as Miss Daae gave you her heart and soul through her music? What have you given her in return?"
Several of the people agreed, and a ruckus began as the few who still called for Erik's blood waged war with the majority.
"Enough!" the chief of police finally called out. "The man is a murderer, and wanted for many crimes. It is not the will of the people that governs here, it is the law, and the law demands justice! Come down, Erik!"
The mob turned on him and his officers in an instant, and fear showed plainly on the faces of the police. "We can't stop them, sir," hissed one of the officers. "They'll be on us in a moment. Let's give this up. He has Miss Daae, and of her own free will, it's plain to see. He won't murder again, I think."
The chief of police turned to Madame Giry. "If we go, what assurance can you give that this problem won't arise again?"
"I'll answer that."
Erik strode down onto the lakeshore and looked directly into the chief of police's eyes. "Christine was right when she said that all my crimes sprang from love of her. If not for her, you would have all been drowned by now. She stopped me from turning that lever, there," and here he pointed to the apparatus on the wall, "and so doing saved all of your lives. You were my last obstacle to her, and if you leave, I swear to you that so long as Christine is not harmed or threatened, I will never be found guilty of another crime against humanity so long as I live." He smiled. "You see, officer, I never had much love for humanity, or they for me. But Christine has made me a part of what you call humanity, and so if for her sake I must live at peace with them, then I will. You will not find cause to hunt for me again."
Christine's eyes opened and met those of the officer. "Please," she whispered. "Please."
The chief of police hesitated only a moment, and then he nodded. "Let's go!" he called, turning and gesturing for them to leave. "Let's all be gone from this place, monsieurs, and no one will be arrested for rioting!"
Nearly as one, the mob turned and calmly began to head back across the lake. The man who had attacked Christine paused, and the officers wasted no time in arresting him for assault as soon as they recognized him. The chief of police tipped his hat to Christine and Madame Giry. "Good day Miss Daae, Madame." He glanced at Erik. "Take care of her, monsieur. And don't let me hear of your name unfavorably again."
Erik nodded his assent, and then the police left, Christine's attacker in tow.
He knelt and picked her up in his arms. Christine put a hand on his shoulder. "I can stand, Erik."
She stood to her feet, though her hands rested on Erik still for support. She smiled at Madame Giry. "Thank you, Madame."
"But Christine, I did nothing."
Christine smiled knowingly at her former teacher. "Nonetheless, thank you." She turned, and, with a reassuring touch on Erik's arm, walked towards Meg, who launched herself at her friend with a cry.
Erik and Madame Giry were left facing each other. He was the first to speak. "I apologize for what I said earlier, Antoinette. I did not expect to see you with them."
"I know, Erik." Her face was smiling, but her voice was sad. "So Christine loves you, then?"
A smile spread across Erik's face. "You cannot imagine my joy. I thought she had left me…left with the Viscomte…and then she returned. She is an angel, Antoinette, I can't fathom how she could love me, but it is enough that she does."
Madame Giry nodded. "Goodbye, then, Erik."
Erik bent and gallantly kissed the back of her hand. "I hope that this will not be our last meeting, Antoinette."
"You know where to find me, Erik."
He nodded, and smiled at Christine when she returned to his side.
"Come, Meg!" Madame Giry called, and the girl followed, glancing back at Christine. "Goodbye, Christine!" Meg called sadly.
"I'll see you again!" Christine answered. "Never fear, Meg."
The two climbed into the boat that Raoul had docked at the entrance and that Madame Giry had brought over with her and Meg. Madame Giry turned to look at them as they left the shore. Her eyes met Christine's briefly, and then Erik's.
His eyes briefly locked with hers, and a small smile appeared. Thank you, Antoinette, they seemed to say. Thank you for everything.
And then, the boat slipped under the grate and faded slowly from view, leaving Erik and Christine on the shore.
"We will see them again, won't we, Erik?"
"Of course, Christine."
Well, what did you think? The story doesn't end here, although the ending of this chapter is rather final, but I am hoping to take it further into Erik and Christine's new life together. Unless, of course, you wish for it to end. Reviews of this chapter especially will be greatly helpful, and I'd like to know what you thought of how I used the lyrics in Christine's plea to the mob, how I changed Erik's lament at the end of "All I Ask of You" for this purpose, and whether or not the story should continue.
Also, if it does continue, the next chapter will be almost, if not entirely, things heating up between Erik and Christine. I'll try to keep it in a PG-13 realm, however.