Chapter 20 - Don Juan Triumphant

It was the night of the big performance. The audience had all taken their seats and the police were maintaining a presence just in case things went horribly wrong. Behind the opera house Raoul's car waited to take he and Christine away from here. Kimberlee was getting the last of her costume on, a wig so from behind as he entered the stage Erik would believe it was Christine.

The curtain rose as the lights dimmed and the orchestra began to play. Carlotta and the company came onto the stage and sang the opening act to Don Juan. The audience was awestruck, this was certainly more dark and sexually charged than other performances they had seen in the last year. Once Piangi had sung his lines leading up to the big finale of the first act, the duet between the innocent and Don Juan, he exited through the curtain at the back of the stage and Kimberlee entered from stage left. Erik came down upon Piangi and killed him to take his place on stage. Kimberlee lip synced the lines as Christine sang from the sidelines. Kimberlee looked at her and smiled signalling her to leave before he saw her.

Erik stepped out from behind the curtain with the cloak up to his face.

'Passareno, go away for the trap is set and waits for it's prey.'

The actor left and Erik made his way toward the front of the stage singing.

'You have come here
In pursuit of your deepest urge
In pursuit of that wish which till now has been silent
Silent

I have brought you,
That our passions may fuse and merge.
In your mind you've already succumbed to me,
Dropped all defences, completely succumbed to me.
Now you area here with me,
No second thoughts, you've decided
Decided'

He looked at Kimberlee now and not Christine. He was surprised but not angry, this is what he had wished for only a few hours ago when he sensed her here.

'Past the Point of No Return
No backward glances
Our games of make believe are at an end'

He moved toward her casting her a sideways glance and the slightest hint of a smile.

'Past all thought of if or when,
No use resisting.
Abandon thought and let the dream descend.
What raging fires shall flood the soul,
What rich desire unlocks its door,
What sweet seduction lies before us.

Past the Point of No Return,
The final threshold.
What warm unspoken secrets will we learn,
Beyond the Point of No Return.'

Kimberlee turned away from him to face the audience, glanced upward and took a breath.

'You have brought me,
To that moment when words run dry.
To that moment when speech disappears into silence,
Silence.'

She turned to face him, he was only a few feet from her.

'I have come here,
Hardly knowing the reason why.
In my mind I've already imagined our bodies entwining,
Defenceless and silent.
Now I am here with you,
No second thoughts, I've decided,
Decided.'

She looked at him deeply, letting him know she meant every word of what she sang. They both made their way to the staircases to ascend as she sang the next lines.

'Past the Point of No Return,
No going back now.
Our passion play has now at last begun.

Past all thought of right or wrong,
One final question,
How long should we to wait before we're one.
When will the blood begin the rise,
The sleeping bud burst into bloom.
When will the flames at last consume us.'

Now at the top of the stairs they faced each other from opposite ends of the bridge. Erik's heart was pounding as was Kimberlee's. The look he gave her told her this performance was meant for her alone, not Christine. The way he looked deep within told her that he still wanted to be with her. They sang the next part coming together on the bridge, never unlocking their gaze.

'Past the Point of No Return,
The final threshold.'

They reached for each other and he took her into his arms spinning her in front of him, holding onto her tightly.

'The bridge is crossed,
So stand and watch it burn.
We've passed the Point of No Return.'

He continued to hold her and gently caressed her, she leaned into him and a moan only the two of them could hear escaped her lips. He was back where he truly belonged, with her. The music softened as he sang the next part.

'Say you'll share with me,
One love, one lifetime.
Lead me, save me from my solitude.
Say you'll want me with you,
Here beside you.
Anywhere you go let me go too,
Kimberlee, that's all I ask of you...'

She looked at him and raised her hand to his face. She quickly removed his mask and cut him off by kissing him. She had forgotten where they were momentarily but was quickly reminded when she heard the gasps and screams below as his face was revealed. He looked at her and then to the audience. He felt betrayed and angry. He cut the rope which connected to the chain which held up the chandelier, a chain he had earlier unclasped just in case he needed an escape. He then kicked a lever opening a trap door dropping them into the caverns below. As he dragged her forcefully to his home she could hear the screams above as the chandelier came crashing down igniting the opera house into a blaze that would destroy it.

Kimberlee saw the anger in his eyes and was scared as he picked her up and carried her to the shore inside his home closing the gate behind them. When he put her down she looked at him and could see that he was fighting himself not to lash out at her physically, but that didn't mean he wouldn't yell.

"Why did you do that?" he shouted at her

"I could ask you the same thing with the chandelier. You do realize that you've destroyed your home and possibly killed innocent people."

"They deserve it, all of them."

"You don't mean that Erik, I know you don't."

He took her arm firmly and led her to the alcove where there was now a mannequin with her likeness, not Christine's, in a wedding gown.

"Expecting me were you?"

"Put it on" he ordered her releasing her arm.

He walked over to the organ and waited for her to return. She place her hand on his shoulder making him turn to face her.

"So what now? Have you filled your lust for death, am I now supposed to fill your lust for flesh?"

"It was not supposed to be this way. I didn't want to force you down here."

"Erik, I'm here with you willingly. I could have fought you if I wanted to, but I am here. Willing to give myself to you if that is what it will take to get back the man I love."

"How can you still love me after all I've done?"

"Call me foolish, but I told you that I would always love you. I know the man you truly are; you are not the monster they all claim you to be."

In the distance they could hear the mob approaching. Kimberlee swore under her breath, Andre and Firmin were supposed to let her talk to him. She had promised that the Phantom would not bother anyone after tonight but they were determined to make him pay. His tormented soul was payment enough and the monster he had become was now gone. She took his hand in hers.

"Erik, if they find us you will be arrested and probably given the death penalty. I have two tickets on hold at the airport, if we hurry we can make the next flight out. Come with me to California, come be a father to your son, he needs you. I need you."

He looked into her eyes.

"We'll be safe there?"

"As long as we are together, I've transferred to another university so they won't be able to find us, but we must leave now."

"Alright, let's go."

Kimberlee smiled as Erik picked up a candle stick and began smashing mirrors. The last one he came to revealed a passage that she wasn't aware of. He took her hand and after pulling the curtain down behind them he led her out of the opera house and into an alleyway. They were surprised to see Raoul's car at the end of the alleyway. The door opened and Raoul stepped out in front of them.

"We thought you two might need a ride to the airport," he said.

"Thank you Raoul, that's very kind of you," Kimberlee said.

They climbed into the car and sat across from Raoul and Christine. There was an awkward silence until Raoul spoke.

"I called the airport and had them change the names on the tickets to Raoul De Chagny and Christine Daae, this way no one will suspect that it was you two on the plane. We'll continue on our way by car."

"Thank you, good thinking."

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused and the people who died," Erik said quietly.

"We forgive you, I see now why Kimberlee fell in love with you to begin with," Christine said taking his hand in hers and giving it a squeeze.

When they arrived at the airport Raoul made sure the coast was clear before they got out of the car. Erik raised his hood to hide his face having left his mask behind and then shook Raoul's hand in thanks.

"Take care of her," he said to the young man.

"I will and you take care of her and your son."

"I will. Thank you again."

The car drove away and the two of them went inside to collect their tickets. Once the plane took off they finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling safe at last. Erik was a little nervous having never been on a plane before, but Kimberlee held onto his hand to reassure him.

"We're safe Erik, nothing will happen. Just prepare to be sitting for the next thirteen hours or so," she said smiling.

Erik looked at her taking the entire night into account. She still wore the wedding dress and he still wore his Don Juan costume. They couldn't have stood out more if they tried. The wig she had worn on stage had been removed and tossed aside at the opera house and her hair was slightly dishevelled from being in it. He leaned over and gently kissed her, she returned it gently at first but then deepened the kiss hungrily. Oblivious to the other passengers around them they continued in their embrace, they had both waited so long to be together again that they didn't want the kiss to end. When they did finally part Kimberlee noticed, over Erik's shoulder, the couple in the next aisle smiling at them. The woman spoke.

"You two on your honeymoon?"

"Sort of, the start of our new life together," Erik said not breaking eye contact with Kimberlee.

"We had a runaway wedding, our parents didn't exactly approve of us being together" Kimberlee said noticing their appearance.

"Well good luck to you both. My advice to you is never go to bed angry, any argument can be solved if you want it to be."

"Thank you, we'll remember that" Erik said smiling at Kimberlee.

She leaned back in her seat as Erik wrapped his arm around her to hold her close. She rested her head on his shoulder and he in turn placed his gently upon her head. Kimberlee sighed with contentment as she closed her eyes and Erik rubbed her arm lovingly.

"By the way, you sang beautifully tonight," he whispered to her kissing her forehead.

"Thank you, you weren't so bad yourself sir," she whispered back.

They both closed their eyes and succumbed to sleep and dreamt of their future together.

A/N Okay either I've seen the movie waytoo many times (guilty) or I'm completely obsessed that I had to have the lyrics exact (again guilty). On another personal note, Phantom is coming to my city in August (does happy dance), I can't wait to see it on stage.