XIX

She knew that voice, in that one word it immediately became evident that it was not Piangi. In the one word she became aware of his presence on the stage. And in that one word she knew that this would be an opera unlike any other the theatre had ever seen, or would ever see again.

Antoinette prepared her dancers before going towards the stage to watch from the sides. She could already hear the voice, but when she rounded the corner she felt her stomach lurch, and had to steady herself at the sight before her.

There he was, standing on the stage, right in the open. Even she had not expected such folly. But then again, it was Erik, and she had never truly been able to understand him. However it was not simply the fact that he was there that shocked her. It was the pure, unbridles passion that seemed to influence their every action. They were toying with each other, especially Christine, and she was shocked by it.

"Maman?" Meg whispered.

"Shush," she replied, though it was unnecessary. Meg was already staring at the stage, where her friend and an unknown man were standing on a bridge, singing of passion, and acting as if it were real.

Raoul knew from the moment Christine had looked at him that the man on the stage was the Phantom. He alerted the police behind him, and then the managers, who in turn alerted their own set of gendarmes. It was all set, so he turned back to the stage to watch.

It was almost unbearable to watch them together. The way they moved, the enticing little nuances, the subtle signs. He tried, tried as hard as he could, but no matter what, he could not convince himself that it was acting. He knew that it wasn't.

The way he touched her, the way she responded, the way she acted, the way he responded. In all the rehearsals he had never seen her act that way. She had been scared, afraid to go anywhere for fear of that man, the very same man who seemed to bring out all of her secret longings.

"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…"

God, he was caressing her, and she responded to the gentle touch like a lover, she had responded to him like a lover throughout the entire song. But by now the gendarmes would be in the wings. But then he began to sing again, quietly at first. But his voice seemed to carry through the entire theatre, and Raoul suddenly felt as if he was second to this eccentric and sensual man.

Christine felt as if a fog had descended upon her as his fingers tangled in her hair, and stroked her neck and shoulders gently.

"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime…Lead me, save me from my solitude…" he pleaded, and she suddenly became terribly aware of the police all around them, the police he seemed so oblivious to, "Say you want me with you here, beside you…" he grasped her hands, and in his eyes she could see all the love and sadness that he felt, "Anywhere you go, let me go too-Christine, that's all I ask of…"

She couldn't let it happen, she couldn't let the gendarmes kill him. So, very calmly she placed her hand on his cheek, praying that he would understand what she was doing.. Then, jut as he was about to finish she pulled off the mask, praying that he would run, just like he had before. Instead he gave her a look of such betrayal and anger that it made her blood freeze. Then he looked up at the grand chandelier, and knew it was all over.

With a grunt he drew his swords and slashed at one of the many ropes of the set, it whipped away quickly and his foot drove into a hidden lever. There was a jerk, and then his arms wrapped around her as the bottom of the bridge opened. Her stomach dropped as they began to fall, and, above the rushing of the wind, she heard people screaming and a resounding crash.

Antoinette gasped as the chandelier crashed to the stage, and the people swarmed from the theatre in a blind terror. The stage almost immediately caught fire, and it spread quickly. People were screaming and crying. Carlotta was lying over the body of her dead lover, while others tried to get out.

"Where did he take her?" Raoul demanded, jogging up beside her.

"Come with me, monsieur, I will take you to him!" she replied, "but remember: keep your hand at the level of your eyes!"

"I'll come with you," Meg said.

"Non, Meg, non! You must stay here," Antoinette replied, pushing her daughter back, "come with me, monsieur, do as I say."

Meg watched them go, then turned back to the mob of people following then. Turned around and spread her arms to stop them from following, "No!"

Christine barely had time to recover from the fall before she found herself being dragged down through the theatre, "Down once more to the dungeons of my black despair! Down we plunge towards the prison of my mind! Down that path into darkness deep as hell!" he cried, rounding on her bitterly, "Why, you ask, was I bound and chained in this cold as dismal place? Not for any mortal sin, but the wickedness of my abhorrent face!"

Erik turned away bitterly and continued to drag her towards the boat. On his way he made sure to set off the traps that he had set, in case anyone tried to follow him. Christine struggled against him, which only made his grip tighten.

She had caused all of this, she had humiliated his in front of thousands of people. She deserved this fate.

Once at the boat he pushed her into it, and pushed off from the shore before she could get out, even then she tried, but he made sure to keep her inside. Once they arrived at the lair he dragged her out and towards the place where the mannequin stood, still dressed in the white wedding gown and veil.

"Hounded out by everyone! Met with hatred everywhere! No kind words from anyone! No compassion anywhere!" he cried, grabbing onto her shoulders and turning her roughly towards him, "Christine, why…why?"

She just shook her head, too confused and afraid to answer. Why…why what? There were so many questions in that one simple word, especially from him. She turned away and looked at the dress.

"Put it on," he growled.

"What?" she breathed, why?"

"Put it on!" he repeated, then he turned to glare at the lake, "you can use the bedroom to change."

Christine didn't move until he shoved the dress into her arms. At least he would give her privacy. Very slowly she backed away from him and went into the bedroom to change.

Antoinette led Raoul down through the theatre. There were many stairs, but she knew the point where the dangers began.

"Your hand at the level of your eyes!" she said, raising her hand in demonstration.

"The level of your eyes," Raoul repeated, mimicking her motion.

"This is as far as I dare go," she said, looking down at the hundreds of spiralling stairs.

"Thank you," Raoul said.

Antoinette watched as he took a few more steps, tearing off his tailcoat and neckwear as he went. She crossed herself quickly before turning back up towards the theatre. She only prayed that he made it to the lair, and that he did not fall victim to one of Erik's traps.

Christine changed slowly, keeping one eye on the entrance to the room, just in case. But he didn't come, he didn't disturb her privacy. Once in the dress she stepped out into the lair and saw him fiddling with the veil on the mannequin. Rage immediately bubbled in her gut. She knew what he wanted, and it sickened her and terrified her.