Penny: (walks into my room) Thanks for writing that last chapter for me, Christine!
Christine: (in a bit of a trance) Of course…anytime…
Penny: Christine? … (Slaps forehead and turns the music box off) Stop listening to him …he's melting you're mind!
Christine: (All the sudden flustered) Angel! Have you left me, my angel!
Penny: Christine, are you ignoring me!
Erik: Hello, girls! I bought the pocky! This Japanese delicacy is rather good!
Christine: Erik! (Runs to him, ecstatic)
Erik: (grins)
Penny: I give up! I'll post this chapter for my soprano friend and her phantom! Man, this is annoying me…
Red Rose
Chapter IX: After the Performance
The gala was in great commotion that night. The ballet girls were in a particular fright, glancing up towards Box 5 now and again. They had been hurdling together for comfort and protection, which, in the eyes of a chorus girl or stage crew member, looked awfully ridiculous. Those people weren't a least bit scared; for all their fears had been drown out by their intake in alcohol, which usually eased them up for a performance.
"He's coming, the phantom of the opera! He's coming tonight!" Meg whispered to her fellow dancers. "Not only that, but he's bringing someone with him!"
"Who would be mad enough to accept an invitation from the Opera Ghost?" A woman with soft blond curls and wide green eyes asked, rather stupidly.
"As if it weren't obvious! Christine Daae came back, don't you know? I'm telling you, that girl is going to put this place right back into the papers! It will be screaming of publicity!"
"Jammes! Don't talk like that! Christine is our friend! We should trust her good judgment!" Meg's eyes narrowed on Little Jammes, standing cowardly in the back.
"Well, it wasn't very good judgment falling for a half-crazed musician! Wouldn't it just be better if she went back to the hospital to visit her husband? Spare us this night which is destined to end badly!"
Meg thought up the satisfactory feeling of the impact of her knuckles against that girl's face. Of course, she wouldn't dare do a thing like that! She was a lady, and ladies aren't supposed to create acts of violence.
"What's with you this evening? You're always so frightened that you stammer when you speak! Let's not talk about Christine anymore. It's rude to talk about someone when they're not around to hear you!" The Giry ballet girl backed away from the group, showing she was no longer interested in this conversation. 'Mother will be hearing about this...'
………………
"Monsieur Chagny, time to give you your medicine!"
The nurse walked into the hospital room, carrying the tray with an assorted variety of drugs she would always give to him. Also, the nurse bought gauss, used to cover his opened wounds. She was a bit worried, when Raoul didn't answer with his usual groan of agony.
"Monsieur? Is everything all right?" Stepping quietly over to the bed, the doctor's assistant only rightfully assumed that her patient had fallen into a slumber.
However, that wasn't the case…
You see, Raoul de Chagny had been placed in the nicest room available, which just happened to be on the first floor…
"Sir? Sir, you must wake up." Carefully, the woman pulled back the sheets, discovering there was nothing under them but blood soaked cushions. Unable to even scream, she stared down onto the ground, spattered with a trail of red liquid that led up to a half-opened window.
Sticking her head out, the nurse searched frantically for any sign of the viscount.
"Oh, he'll bleed to death, if he is not cared for! It is dark out, where could he possibly go?"
And she ran to get the doctor.
……………………
"If I were to say 'Boo!' would that make people any more terrified than they all ready am?" Erik sighed, assorting Christine into the chair sitting lonesome in his box.
"Well Erik, you do have quite a reputation…" The soprano trailed off, afraid of what her accomplice's reaction might be.
"My dear, I have been working very hard to befriend my fellow man. There is no reason to be frightened of me!"
"Then explain to me, for my knowledge only, why you keep a Punjab lasso curled up in that corner?" Christine pointed an index finger towards the rope lying against the wall.
"It's-it's for protection! You never know what may happen these days…"
She giggled at his flustered expression. "Je suis sûr qu'il est..." (I'm sure it is…)
He smiled warmly at her, making Christine just want to melt into his arms, and then wish that time would freeze so she remain in that position forever and a day. Right now, Erik was all she wanted to think about…
But the horrible image of Raoul still haunted her mind. It gave her discomfort, and Erik could see the worried expression play across her face.
He pulled her to his body, and gave her a comforting kiss into the curls of that beautiful hair. "He's fine, my child. I'm sure of it."
She gripped the white fabric of his shirt with care, and allowed herself to feel calm as she nodded her head with reassurance. "Merci…" (Thank you…)
"Oh, Christine…"
The performance went on, and Christine found herself having an exceptionally good time. It was nice to blend in with the audience and enjoy seeing just how professional her and her friends were. When Meg graced the stage with her light foot work, Christine laughed at the thought of calling out her name in the silent gala. Erik, although, was not at all paying attention to the opera, or the cold stares Firmin was shooting him from below. He was giving full attention to the ecstatic woman sitting beside him. It was then he began to wonder why he was such a fool as to rejecting the kiss she had gave him, earlier in the day. He glanced at the lasso briefly and then pondered the thought that maybe he was becoming a bit too friendly towards his Chagny friend. Erik's thoughts erased quickly as Christine self-consciously placed her hand over his with tenderness, and intertwined her soft fingers with the black leather of his gloves.
The seats emptied after the finale but Erik and Christine remained as they were, talking about the show, which O.G. just agreed with everything his love had to say. Then, he and Christine walked outside the doors of the opera, enjoying the beauty of the night. The air was crisp and refreshing as it danced across their flesh.
"Let us sit down, Christine." Erik wrapped his arms warmly around her tiny waist, breathing in her sweet perfume which smelt of night-blooming Jasmine. She agreed, sinking into his lap with joy, as he pulled her down towards the earth's ground.
"The stars are lovely, aren't they, Erik?" She replied, gazing up towards the beads of light the twinkled brightly in the heavens.
'They could never be as lovely as you, my angel…' "Indeed…"
"Get-away-from-her…!"
Christine and Erik shot a look in the direction of the painfully familiar voice. There, in the darkness of night, was a deeply injured Raoul.
………………….
Penny: That was….evil.
Christine: I told you I didn't kill him!
Erik: Why didn't you kill him!
Christine: Because I have better plans for you… (Nuzzles Erik)
Erik: I trust you then… (Embraces warmly)
Penny: O.O…I wish I weren't here.
Erik: (to reviewers) No one likes a debtor, so review my friends! It's better if my orders are obeyed!