Okay...lets get one thing straight...What is with you all thinking this is over? We haven't even got to the good stuff yet! Honestly! Stick around my dear readers, I don't plan on giving up this crazy phic any time yet! And I apologise to all those who didn't get the commentary, it did nothing, but I had to get it out...Back to the Story!
And to anyone who wants to join the DBCA or is a member, my friend Mel and I are slowly sorting out a web page, but it might take a little while, I'll let you know when it's done and in the mean time, to join, sing the song, that's all there is to it.
Review replies: I have over 300 reviews!
Sapphire-aria: Do you have no faith? I am not done yet!
Aurora: The whole thing in one shot? Wow...I'm impressed, welcome to the DBCA, the side will be up...eventually
Mrs. Malfoy: No I am not done, of course you may join, happy to have you
Phantomofleopera: Its only a flesh wound. You at least had the sense to realise this isn't over yet
Laivine Rosc-Hend: Thankyou! (Erik: You praise er like that again mademoiselle and she will get a big head)
Angel of mystery: Did you know that if you start the soundtrack playing, th Gerry clone will automatically go into whichever mode that song requires... with you as Christine. My personal preference is music of the night.
Perti: Never fear! Strangeness will dissaear! Actually, hang on...no, it wont, but this chapter is slightly angstier and more Erik like.
Naomipoe: I love chatting with my muses, especially in Chemistry, it's the best time to get story ideas.
Nixieharpist: Rock
Kiss of Darkness: Oops, thanks, my uncles name is Gerald, (not the Gerry, unfortunately) I always get confused : P
Blaze: Story continues today!
Emma Noble: Thankyou!
Nightshadesister-1: I'd be thrilled to read your phanphic, post or email it asap! And thankyou for the sugar! (gets evil grin) Have fun with Boromir!
Cap'n Meg: Goes down on knees to beg forgiveness: You are welcome! You are always welcome! Twas not me, twas my muse! No really, he's taking over again, scary
Jen Lennon: Song sung, your in, just hang on for the web page
BiP: This update isn't fluff, but think you'll like it.
Once they were in the gondola, Adriana started pulling black feathers from her hair, wincing as the quills got caught in her tangled mane of darkening blonde hair. Erik watched her from the corner of his eye as he negotiated the channels through the Opera House bowels, tripping carefully constructed switches with the pole to allow the heavy grating to rise silently as they glided beneath. Erik leapt from the boat and offered her his hand, leaning back to pull her up she collided with him, sending the Phantom stumbling backwards as Adriana pressed her face into his chest. "Its good to be home," she sighed, still leaning against him. Erik paused awkwardly, "Are you alright?" he asked, tilting his head down to look at her, she nodded, her face still buried in his shirt. "Just tired." She yawned and rubbed at her eyes, black feathers still clutched in her fist. Erik saw a stray feather still clinging to her hair and reached up to pull it out with a sharp tug. Adriana jumped back in pain "Ow! What was that for?" she demanded, rubbing her injured skull. Wordlessly, Erik held up the feather, hiding a grin. "Go to bed," he instructed, "Go directly to bed,"
"Do not pass go, do not collect $200" Adriana finished, removing the feather from his long fingers, Erik laughed, tucking a stray lock behind her ear. "I'll see you later tonight," he promised.
"Why?" she frowned, her exhaustion evident, she looked like a grumpy kitten, he decided, "Where are you going?"
"Nowhere," he shrugged, "It's only about five o'clock." Adriana spun round and reguarded the grandfather clock by the divan in surprise, "It feels later," she murmured, "Ok, I'm out of here," she gave him a brief, momentary hug, and slipped around him, fingers trailing across his breast as she stumbled off in search of her room. Erik watched her for a moment, fingers unconsciously rising to touch his chest, to match the tightening in his stomach, then shaking his head, he moved to his finally retuned organ.
Erik sat at his organ, smoothing and caressing the ivory white keys. His fingers hesitated a moment, then crashed down against the black and white notes, pouring his heart and soul into the music.
He played passion, angst, beauty, heartache, anger, lust, and distraction. Warped notes of distraught echoes surrounded him, hazing is mind as he bent low over the keys, striking the jarred notes as his fingers crashed over the music and his soul burned. He played until his shoulders ached and his fingers cramped from scribbling melodies onto his music sheets. Finally, exhausted beyond the point of being able to see, he stood, stripping off his cloak and jacket he shook the ache from behind his eyes and ran hand through his dishevelled hair. Hands clasped behind his back he paced like a silent shadow, still burning with so many unplayed songs that his chest felt like it would rip itself apart it they were not released. He paused a moment and glanced proudly at the sheets he had already filled. There was no mistaking that there was one piece in particular was an intoxicating score, he had never composed for an alto before, but the low dark melody was full of unspoken longings and rich desires. He lifted the first sheet and frowned a moment, taking a quill he dipped it in blood red ink and changed the first note, much better. He glided the fine end of the quill down his mask thoughtfully, then giving a smile that did not quite reach his eyes, began adding the words.
xXx
An hour, perhaps more passed before Erik removed his fingers from the glossy ivory keys. He needed sleep himself, he yawned idly, pausing a moment to scrawl a title on a newly composed score and stood, heading for his own coffin. As he passed the Louis-Philippe room he heard a light song emerging from within, sung rather whimsically, he stopped and shook his head in disgust, the girl was never going to obey anything he ordered. He paused and listened a moment, "…and dandies, drinkers of brandies, what do I know of those?" he scowled, tapping one polished boot on the stone floor before giving himself over to pacing again, he had just composed one of his finest pieces, one written especially so that she could sing it, and here she was, toying with the light notes of a cloyingly and depressingly sweet little tune. He opened the door and poked his head in the singing grew louder.
"I need someone older and wiser
Telling me what to do
You
are seventeen going on eighteen
I'll depend on you"
The bed was empty, as was the rest of the room, strewn with half finished costumes and immeasurable notebooks and scraps of writing everywhere. He might have been a bachelor, but the girl left stuff everywhere!
"Adriana?" he called, stepping inside. "Yeah?" her voice answered from the bathroom, he noticed her Queen Costume thrown carelessly onto the floor as he crossed the room, that should have warned him.
"You wait little girl, on an empty stage for fate to turn the light on" her voice continued. Erik walked into the bathroom and leapt back with a yelp of dismay.
Adriana was quite calmly lying in the bath, overflowing with bubbles, brushing her hair out as she sang, up to her ears in bubbles.
"Oh Snap!" she cried, as he slammed the door shut, trembling furiously, Adriana grinned to herself, lifting a pitcher of hot water to cascade it over her head and down her shoulders, rinsing away the bubbles. Outside, Erik was seriously contemplating beating head thoroughly against the wall. He had told her to go to bed, but no, there she was, flirting around in nothing but a tub of bubbles! Something in him stirred, telling him to go back in there and confront her, if she was to live with him, then she would learn to deal with the consequences. His managers paid him in francs, should not the Theatre Wraith thank him for his generosity as well? He turned and sat on the red sheets of the swan bed, folding his arms firmly. He had long ago conceded to calling her a companion, and she was as good a friend as any, was she not? But there was no denying he wanted her, her touch, once annoying and childish, now drove him mad with lust. His fingers on the keys of his organ, played Don Juan automatically when she entered the room. He ground his teeth in frustration. He knew she cared for him, he could see it in her eyes when he sang, but his own heart was as black and cold as that of the Devil himself. He was fond of her, he desired her, but he did not love her, so where did that leave him?
xXx
With a long towel wrapped around her, Adriana sauntered out of the bathroom, trailing clouds of mist. Her hair was twisted into a high-topped turban, and with a well practised movement, she dipped her head forward and flicked the towel off, casually tossing the wet cloth back into the bathroom and hooked the door shut with her heel. Her hair was dark and damp, but kicked and curled from scrubbing and drying it in her towel. Tossing the wet strands from side to side until she had some semblance of a part she turned, scrunching her hair in her fingers to see Erik seated on the bed with his arms crossed, his head held high and his eyes burning, looking extremely dangerous.
"Oh, you still in here?" she smiled, pretending not to notice the sweat glistening on steady rising and falling of his chest, Erik nodded slowly, "This is my house, mademoiselle, is it not?"
"Yes," Adriana replied, inwardly wary of the glow in his charismatic eyes, "I noticed that," she crossed to her dresser and lifted a silvery chain, she bowed her head and clasped the necklace around her throat. A tiny silver disc glinted at her neck, catching Erik's eye, "Come here."
She obeyed, walking over to stand before him, barefoot and in her green towel that reached down to her knees. Erik lifted the necklace, imprinted with one of Raphael's thoughtful cupids, his eyes glowed as he watched the silver charm. The backs of his fingers were ice against Adriana's warm, damp collar. Her hair steamed slightly in the darkness, lit only by a few candles, his gaze travelled upwards from her necklace, past her pale, broad, shoulders and transparent neck, where ghostly blue veins crisscrossed and pulsed under her skin, up to her lips, half opened, breathing deeply and rarely, past the mole on her cheek and scattering of freckles, to her eyes.
Grey eyes. not blue grey, not greenish or brown, just grey. Erik realised he could see nothing in her eyes, she refused to allow the gold streaks to show him what she was thinking. One arm crossed her stomach and the other hung limp at her side. Erik's fingers gently lowered the charm to her bare throat, slowly brushing his nails down the length of her arm. His fingers reached hers and enveloped them a moment, before gliding up to stroke her throat and the base of her chin with a death cold touch.
With slow fingers, Adriana raised one hand to brush against his hair, Erik closed his eyes and his twisted lips breathed raggedly with desire. Feeling braver, Adriana ran her fingers through his hair again, taking a step closer, her fingers brushed against his mask.
Erik jerked back in venom, not again, not after Christine.
He stood lifting her maroon dressing gown from beside him he towered over her. "Get dressed." He ordered, "Then meet me out there, I have something I want you to sing." Adriana nodded once, lowering her eyes and taking the velvet robe as Erik left, shutting the door behind him.
xXx
Erik turned as he heard the rustle of cloth enter the room, Adriana stood there questioningly, dressed in a blue skirt and brown shirt with sleeves that fell to her knees. Erik nodded and indicated the organ with a jerk of his head, fingers clasped behind his back to stop them trembling. He did not know what her reaction would be to his song, Don Juan had raised Christine's voice to its highest and most beautiful moment of song, but it had also destroyed her, yet as betraying as it felt, he knew Adriana was stronger.
"So you fixed it?" she smiled, a note of admiration in her voice, "Yes," Erik replied curtly, handing her a page of lyrics, "These are yours," she looked down at the words, and her face settled into her carefully contrived blank expression to hide what she felt. She scanned the writing once briefly, then went back and read it more slowly, following the notes required of her, a slight frown or smile creasing her face as she read. Finally she looked back at Erik, and he saw the gold streaks one again in her eyes, "Thankyou" was all she said. The Phantom shrugged, seating himself at his organ. He played the song through once, indicating when and how she was to sing, Adriana's eyes grew wide at the though that the Phantom himself had written such a piece for her. the music ended and he looked up at her, even behind the mask, his anxiety was evident, "Are you ready?" he asked in a low voice, she nodded reassuringly, "Take it away maestro," Erik glared at her and she lifted her hands in apology, "Sorry," Erik turned back to his organ, and began the intro. Strong, surging, powerful notes echoed around the chamber as Adriana opened her mouth and began to sing.
"The Night holds deep seduction
In its blackness which I
hide
I shun the brightest daylight
In the shadows of your
sight
Here I am
Do with me as you please
And I beg
Your
guidance on my knees
Blood runs red but a heart of black
I seek in him all that I
lack
In love or lust seek what I trust
Else all is lost and
fear I must
Here I stand
Do with me what you will
Both love and
fear
They bind me to you still
My mentor,
Tormentor,
Devil and Angel all in one
The
chains that bound me to who I am
Are now released and they all
turn to you.
So trust in Night
But not in sight
Lost beyond the point of
all but fear
I can but pray that my callings will you hear…"
Adriana threw everything she had into the song, losing herself utterly in the music as Erik guided her with the keys of his organ through the verses and chorus. Finally the song ended and she turned to him, eyes bright and almost gasping for breath, Erik watched her, his head lowered, looking up at her through his mask. She held up trmelbing hands as evidence of the effect the song had on her. "I've never sung like that in my entire life!" she declared, Erik nodded, the look in his eyes indescribable, "You did brilliantly, my dear" he murmured, "I am proud of you."
Authoress: The main part of this was written while I was still in my big green towel, with my hair all tangled and curly and wearing that exact necklace, fresh out of the shower.