Title:Leave Me to Love
Author: i Megaphone (Formerly known as Fickle Girl)
Rating: T, for adult themes, language, and violence.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from The Phantom of the Opera. I do not own the lyrics from Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera Musical. I do not own anything but the plot and certain characters.
Summary: Raoul and Christine have been happily married for sixteen years. The love they share has produced their only child, a daughter. When she goes to live at the newly rebuilt Opera Populaire, will history repeat itself?
Chapter Seven:
The dark halls of the Opera Populaire filled Christine with fear as she made her way through them. Voices from the past echoed around her, claiming her senses. The candles that lit her way flickered as her gown swished and swayed. She did not know where she was going, but continued to follow the candles anyway.
The sudden appearance of a black door made her jump. She was absolutely certain that it had not been there a moment ago. A familiar melody could be heard from behind it, and a voice in her mind beckoned her to push the door open. She obliged, and turned the golden door knob, taking in the sight that fell before her eyes.
He stood there, his cape flowing behind him. The white porcelain mask he wore covered half of his face, hiding the horror that lived beneath it. His eyes called for her, begging her to take his hand. She found that she could not resist him, and moved closer to the dark angel, staring at the hand that was held out for her to grasp.
She took it, waiting for something to happen. He smiled at her, pulling her against him. Words that she had tried to forget began to pour out of his lips, and she realized that she was singing as well. His voice blended beautifully with hers. The hypnotic sound of his voice claimed her, and she felt herself letting go of whatever she had come to know as reality.
He was all that mattered.
He led her through the familiar maze, glancing back at her every few moments. She shivered at his gaze, wanting nothing more than to keep it on her. They descended the stone staircase, and she saw that a black horse was awaiting their presence. He lifted her onto it, and led them to the edge of a lake.
The gondola was familiar, and she let out a sigh as she felt him lift her from the horse. He helped her into the gondola, and she began to sing again. He encouraged her, telling her to sing for him. She continued, not knowing how to deny him. She did not know how long she had been singing when they reached the lair.
He left the boat, and then took her hand. She let him pull her from the boat. She let him lead her to the dove-shaped bed. The silky red sheets called out to her, and she let him place her on them. She watched as he stood before her, singing words that had haunted her for so long.
He stopped singing. She was confused by this. He wasn't supposed to stop singing, she was sure of it. He sat at the edge of the bed, his gaze finding her own.
"Christine, I have waited here for you for so long. I never lost hope. I knew that you would come to me. I knew that you could not resist the music of the night," he whispered, his green eyes glowing eerily as he spoke.
She suddenly realized where she was, and screamed. He had taken her down to his lair again. The only difference was that she had let him! She wanted to leave this place. She did not want him near her. She knew that if she let him come any closer, she could not stop him from claiming what he had wanted so many years before.
He smiled knowingly at her. "Oh, Christine, how times have changed us both. Years ago, this would have satisfied me. Unfortunately for you, I've come to realize that you will no longer be enough for me!"
He grabbed her, pulling her against him roughly. She felt his hands grip her hips, and she cried out in pain.
"Yes, that's right! You fear me, just as you always have! Christine, you are right to fear me! Nothing can save you from what is to come, not even your precious Vicomte! Ah, where is here? Oh, yes, I almost forgot…"
He put his fingers under her chin, and forced her to look to the right. The sight that met her eyes made her cry out in horror. There, on the floor, lay her beloved. He was covered in blood, a lasso hung around his pale neck. She fought to free herself from her captor, but he would not let her go.
"You monster, how could you? You let us go, you le us go! Why, why did you do this? Why!" she screamed, scratching whatever came into contact with her nails.
He hissed in pain, and threw her to the floor. "Vicomtess, you truly are a fool if you believed I would ever let you go. You knew I would come one day. What you weren't expecting was that I would come to claim not you, but your daughter!" he ran to the left of her, and grabbed something.
Amalia stood before her, dressed in a wedding gown. Christine cried out in agony, not wanting to believe what was in front of her.
He moved to her daughter's side, placing his hands around her small wait. Amalia did not protest. The Phantom of the Opera was going to take her daughter, and she could not stop him.
"My bride," he whispered, making her face him. A ring appeared in his hands, and he roughly slipped it on her finger. He smiled then, amused at the situation.
"It is done! She is mine! And now you will stay down here with your beloved husband, rotting away in the bowels of the opera house!" he yelled, grabbing her and throwing her on the ground next to Raoul.
She began to scream, begging Amalia to help her. She begged her daughter to run, leave while she had a chance. Nothing worked. And as the cool metal pierced her skin, the last image she saw was her daughter kissing the Phantom.
Someone was calling her name, but as she looked around, she could not find whoever it was. The calls grew louder, and she suddenly felt herself beginning to drift away from the scene. Was she dying?
"Christine, Christine wake up!"
She felt someone shaking her, and she groaned as she opened her eyes. Her vision caught sight of her lovely husband, and she cried out in relief. It had been a dream! He had not taken her family away from her. She smiled then, wrapping her arms around Raoul.
"Oh, Raoul, I had a nightmare. Please, don't worry," she sighed, pushing herself away from him, and making him look at her. She smiled triumphantly as she saw him relax.
He caressed her face, and placed a chaste kiss against her lips. "Well then, Little Lotte, you must get up. Your daughter is waiting for you, and you shouldn't keep her waiting any longer," he said, while pulling her out of their warm bed.
After sharing a few more kisses, he left her to dress. She called for her maid, and began to lay out her clothes for the day. After her maid had helped her, she made her way to the dining room. Her daughter and husband sat there, conversing animatedly, and eating their breakfast. She smiled at the sight; she was so blessed.
Amalia noticed her mother, and beckoned her to come and join then. Christine obliged, and took the seat near her husband. She did not miss the constant looks her daughter gave her as they continued to eat.
"Amalia, is something wrong?" she asked, worried by her daughter's unusual behavior.
Amalia blushed, and quietly said that she was fine. This was not like her daughter to be bashful and quiet. Something was wrong. Of course, last night had been frightening, and she had not forgotten the events that had occurred. But, unlike last night, she was not going to let anything ruin her day. No, her past would not put a strain on her relationship with her daughter.
"Darling, after breakfast, would you like to take a walk with me outside?" she asked her daughter. She wanted to spend a bit of time alone with her. No, she needed to spend some time with her.
"Oui, Maman, I would like that very much," she said, folding her hands across her lap and smiling slightly.
Satisfied, Christine continued on with breakfast, reveling in the joy that her family brought her.
The air outside was very nice for October. The sun was out, gleaming against the many leaves that were scattered across the grass. Christine found this time of year to be beautiful, and walked along the cobblestone path with her daughter. As they made their way to the stone bench, both women sat down.
Amalia stared at her mother, not knowing where to start. Should she tell her everything that had gone on at the party? Should she tell her of the man who had preoccupied her dreams all night long? Was it appropriate? She bit her lip nervously, contemplating her options. This was far too complicated!
Sensing her daughter's distress, Christine took the lead. "Amalia, is there something you'd like to share with me?" she asked, taking her daughter's hands into her own. She noticed that they were ice-cold, but did not say anything regarding it.
"Maman, how did you know that you were in love with papa?" There, she had said it!
To say that Christine was shocked by her daughter's question was an understatement. Why would her sweet child want to know these things? She closed her eyes for a moment, and tried to gather her thoughts. She had to go about this in the right way. She could not say the wrong thing.
"How did I know that I loved your papa? Hmm, let me think. Well, I think that it all began when he fetched my scarf from the ocean when we were children. Oh, if you could have seen him!" she chuckled at the memory.
"Your papa was all dressed up, but he chose not to care about getting wet just to save my scarf! I was very grateful, not only about my scarf, but also that I had met such a nice boy. After that, we became the best of friends. We would play at the beach, or my father would read us stories. Sometimes, he would play the violin for us. After my father passed away, Raoul came to me. He comforted me, and he promised me that I would never be alone. I cherished him in that moment. Unfortunately, we were separated for a long time. I had to go and live at the Opera Populaire, for I did not have any other family. As the years went by, I always thought of him, and always wondered if we would ever meet again. Then fate stepped in, and he became the Patron of the Opera House. Oh, I was so excited to see him! He did not recognize me at first, but when he finally did…it as almost as if we had never parted," she glanced at her daughter, and smiled as she saw the look of delight upon her beautiful face.
When her daughter made no sound, she continued on. "He still made me feel safe. Then, one night after a terrible ordeal fell upon the Opera, your father comforted me once more. He promised me that he would keep me safe, and that he would never let anything or anyone harm me. I knew then that he would always be with me. After promising me these things, he told me he loved me! Oh, I was shocked, but I knew that he really meant it. I did not say it back, I was not ready yet, but your father was patient with me. Even though I did not say it, I felt it in my heart. I knew that we would be together forever," she finished her tale, purposely skipping over the other events that had occurred. It was not the right time to share those things with her daughter. Silently, she vowed that when the time did come, she would finally reveal all to her.
"Oh, maman, that is so romantic! It is obvious that you and papa were meant to be from the start. Maman, do you think that I could ever have what you two share?" she asked silently, waiting for her mother's response.
"Sweet child, of course you will! You are young, and you have time to find love. I promise you, one day you will find yourself madly in love with a man. It will come as a shock, but it will be beautiful." She embraced her daughter, and wondered how the years had gone by so quickly. This young woman before her was amazing, and she knew that she would find someone just as amazing to love her completely.
Amalia held her mother tightly, content with what they had just shared. She had been so wrong about her feelings for that man! It could not have been love. The things that she had felt were nothing like what her mother had just told her. She had been so silly, thinking herself in love with a stranger!
"Mademoiselle, there is a man in the foyer waiting for you," a maid said, causing Amalia to jump slightly. Her mother pulled away from her, and gave her a funny look.
"A man you say, Elise?" she asked, a smile spreading across her face. "How interesting, how very interesting."
Amalia could not believe her mother. She knew that she did not have any male suitors, and here she was, making fun of her!
"Maman, if you would excuse me," she sighed, following Elise to the foyer.
She followed the maid, and let her take her leave once they had reached her destination. She gasped as she saw who had been waiting for her. There, standing in the foyer, was none other than Monsieur Duboir!
"Ah, Mademoiselle de Chagny, how wonderful to see you again," Monsieur Duboir said, taking her hand and kissing it lightly.
She laughed at this, and moved away from him. "Good morning, Monsieur. I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here?" she asked, not wanting to deal with him at the moment.
He feigned a look of shock, but smiled nonetheless. He offered his arm, and she took it. As they walked, he explained that he had been sent back to speak to her and make sure she was alright.
"Of course, I did not have to come, but I really did want to see that you were fine," he said, staring at her intently. She blushed under his gaze, and suddenly found the room to be quite warm. That fact was quite odd, considering it was October.
"Monsieur, you are far too polite. I do not think that anyone else would have bothered to come and check on me," she said, unconsciously holding his arm tighter.
He noticed this, and gave her a smile that made her feel light in the head. How odd, she thought, furrowing her brows in confusion. They reached the sitting room, and she sat down. She gestured for him to join her, and he did just that.
Amalia suddenly realized that his knee had brushed against her own. She was sure that it had been an accident, but she had still noticed it. She placed her hands upon her lap, and looked at him with interest.
He took the initiative, and began to speak. "Right, well, as far as I can see, you are definitely alive and well. I am very pleased with this. Hopefully, nothing else will happen, and you'll be fine."
"Monsieur, again, I really must thank you. You are kind, and just the thought that you would want to make sure that I am alright makes me feel much more safe," she said. She suddenly realized that these words had been spoken by her mother, and felt a twinge of fear course through her. He made her feel safe…
"Mademoiselle, it is my job to keep you safe! If anything happened to you, I'd be a waste. Your safety is my number one priority, and I will not rest until it is assured," he said passionately, grasping her hands within his larger ones.
She did not remember giving him permission to do so, but let him carry on. His hands held hers tightly, and she smiled as she stared at them. They fit together nicely, as if they were made to be entwined. He continued speaking to her, but she did not listen. Instead, she stared at him, realizing that he really was quite good-looking. She felt comfortable in his presence, unlike the feelings she got when she was around the gentleman suitors that would bore her to the point where she wished for death.
His voice was lovely as well. She stared at his lips as he spoke, and liked the way they looked when he would smile. She noticed the dimples that would appear on his cheeks, and felt the sudden urge to touch them. Of course, she didn't, but she couldn't forget that she had wanted to.
"Mademoiselle, did you hear what I just said," he asked firmly, bringing her thoughts to an end.
"Oh, no, I'm sorry. What were you saying," she asked innocently.
"I said, your father has asked me to be a sort of guard for you. I wanted to know if you would mind. If you have any reasons for not wanting me to be, I'll gladly tell him that I can't."
Her insides began to quiver, and she had to stop herself from jumping up and dancing around the room. Oh, she could kiss her father for this! This lovely man would be her guard. She couldn't find any reason not to let him.
"Monsieur, I would be honored to have you be my protector," she said quietly, gazing at her lap. He was still holding her hands, and she could not come across a reason to get him to stop.
Unfortunately, he did realize, and looked down in shock. He quickly let her hands go, and stood up in a way that would make one think he was on fire. "Mademoiselle, please accept my apologies. I should not have done that," he said, putting a hand through his hair.
She could have laughed at the sight of him, but stopped herself. She grabbed his hand, making him look at her. "Monsieur, I assure you, there is no need to apologize. No harm done," she teased, giggling as he looked at her, stunned.
He was about to say something, when his eyes caught sight of the ring that was placed on her finger. It looked to be an engagement ring. That solitary thought made him frown. She was engaged? He had not known!
Amalia's smile vanished as she saw him frown. Had she done something wrong? Had she hurt his feelings? She had not meant to!
"Mademoiselle, may I ask who the lucky fellow is?" he suddenly asked, and she found herself even more confused. Who was he speaking of? And why was he lucky?
"Monsieur Duboir, I am sorry, but I do not understand. What are you asking me exactly?" she asked, not knowing how to go about this.
He looked at her for a moment, and then spoke. "Mademoiselle, your fiancée. I was just wondering if I knew him."
Her fiancée! She did not have a fiancée. Why would he have thought – and then it hit her. He had been looking at her hand moments before he had frowned. Oh, he thought that a man had given her the ring!
"Richard," she said, not noticing that she had used his first name, "I'm not engaged! This ring, it was a gift." She saw the look he was giving her, and continued, "It was a gift, but I do not know who it was from. But, I can assure you, I am not engaged."
A huge grin spread across his face, and he sighed in relief. The grin fell when he took in what she had just said. "It was a gift, but I do not know who it was from." What if the person who had caused such chaos last night had given this to her?
"Mademoiselle, you are certain that you do not know who gave you this ring?" he asked urgently. The look she gave him confirmed his question, and he began to panic. If the man had given her the ring, she was in danger. She'd have to leave for a while. It was the only way to keep her safe! He'd have to speak to the Vicomte about this as soon as possible.
"Unfortunately, I must leave. I have urgent business to attend to, and I cannot keep it waiting. Mademoiselle, it has truly been a pleasure," he said, and then kissed her hand. He quickly left, not looking back.
Amalia was utterly confused. What had just happened? What had caused him to leave so suddenly? Oh, men were so hard to understand!
With a loud sigh, she plopped herself down onto the couch, and crossed her arms across her chest.
Wow! I think that's the longest chapter I have ever written. And that's 17 pages worth of madness for you! I really enjoyed writing all that.
Now, on to Amalia. As you can see, her feelings are everywhere at the moment. It isn't strange, seeing as she's a sixteen year old girl, who's never been in love before. She doesn't understand anything she's feeling, and she's quick to assume things about people. I really don't believe that she's in love with Richard or Erik right now. That may change as this story progresses, but for now, Amalia is just an overemotional teenager.
As you can see, I've put my little plan into motion. Richard will suggest Amalia go away for a bit, and I'm sure Raoul will agree - but not at first. Hmm, and where will she go? Well, I think you all know where she'll go.
Hmm, this fic has received 430 hits. Chapter six had 64 views, yet only 2 people reviewed. I'd love it if you could take a few minutes out of your busy lives and leave a review for me. I really don't want you to think I'm begging, but I just want to know what you all think. Be it negative or positive, it doesn't matter. I'm all for constructive criticism.
And I'm sure you've all realized by now that I do not have a beta. I really don't know how to go about getting one, so it'll be just me until I figure that out.
Happy New Year!