14

October 23

Erik was not sure about going to the play. He told her that it was going to open the wounds. But Ashley being ever the slick one talked him in to it. After their little hug, Erik had been less uptight around her. It was just what he needed.

Alice was not impressed with her. She had come storming in yelling that James had called her and told her what Ashley had said. That was until Erik intervened and told Alice what James had said. She then started on about him, until Ashley yelled at her to shut up or sleep elsewhere for the night. It had been a mad house.

"So, Erik... are you nervous?" Ashley asked him.

"I'm not sure," Erik muttered, "I think I shall most likely know when we get to the theater."

"Now, if you feel at all uncomfortable or anything, we will leave. It's no trouble, and I really don't need to see the play when I have the star." Ashley hugged Erik lightly and got into the car and they drove to the theater.

At long last, they pulled around to the theater. "Well, we are here," Ashley told him. Erik nodded and got out of the car. She had to admit he looked great; he was wearing his tux suit and his white mask. He was tall and handsome. Looked like a true gentleman. Now don't get attracted. You have plans for him, she thought shaking her head. Together they walked toward the theater, though Erik had a much more purposeful and composed stride than she, who was still nervous.

Ashley squeezed Erik's arm, and he turned and smiled at her. When he looked into her eyes, he suddenly felt... warm, almost shy, though he was determined to hide these emotions. Erik cleared his throat and handed the doorman their tickets, and the doorman indicated a door on their left, which would lead to their seats.

The place was full of people, and Ashley and Erik found it a bit difficult to stay together while walking through the huge crowd. Erik saw that they had just about reached their seats when a man bumped into him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sir," he apologized.

"That's quite all right, it is awfully crowed," Erik replied, a pleasant smile across his features. The man straightened up and glanced at his face.

"Are you the understudy? The one to tonight's show?" he asked.

"I'm…," Erik started to answer, when Ashley finished for him,

"Yes he is. And it was nice meeting you sir, but he is late and the show will be starting soon."

"You look like you would make a great Phantom," the man told him," Do you think I can see close up the make up under the mask?"

Erik tensed, but Ashley once again saved him from answering," You know better then that! You'll see he's face on stage, at a more convent time. Besides you should know that Erik would not like to show his face," here she smiled sweetly, but with a warning tone in her voice," just be glad he doesn't have his Punjab lasso or …" she trailed of then stated singing," You must be always on your guard,
Or he will catch you with his magical lasso!
Those who speak of what they know find,
Too late, that prudent silence is wise. "

Erik and the man looked at her in surprise, before the man hurried away. Ashley and Erik shared glances and began to laugh to themselves. Ashley and Erik made their way to their seats quickly, and sat down.

"God, if only he knew," Ashley chuckled once they were seated. Erik nodded and removed his cloak, draping it carefully across the armrest of the seat. Together, they waited patiently for the show to start.

Fifteen minutes latter…

"Sold! Your number sir? Thank you," the man playing the auctioneer exclaimed, starting the show to thunderous applause.

"Lot 665, Ladies and Gentlemen, a paper mache musical box in the shape of a barrel organ. Attached, the figure of a monkey in Persian robes playing the cymbals. This item discovered on the vaults of the theater, still in working order, ladies and gentlemen."

"Showing here," the theater was filled with the delicate and soft sound of the musical box playing. Ashley heard a sharp breath, and looked up to see Erik's eyes wide. She told him that the music box was a fake and not the real thing, and he relaxed, but he tensed when he heard that Raoul had his box.

"Did that... happen?" Erik whispered in Ashley's ear softly, "Did that... get my music box?" Ashley almost laughed, because she knew Erik had tried very hard not to call Raoul something very nasty.

"I'm not really sure, actually," she murmured back, and Erik leaned back in his seat, attempting to relax, "But we'll can go if you're uncomfortable..." Erik nodded, but told her that he was fine, so leaned against him once more.

"... Some of you may recall the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera, a mystery never fully explained. We are told, ladies and gentlemen, that this is the very chandelier which figures in the famous disaster. Our workshops have restored it, and fitted up parts of it with wiring for the new electric light, so that we may get a hint of what it may look like when re-assembled... Perhaps we may frighten away the ghost of so many years ago with a little illumination, gentlemen?"

The chandelier was hoisted up above the crowd, and the play continued. When "Christine" started singing Think of Me, Erik began to take deep breaths. Ashley leaned over kissed him gently on the cheek, and he calmed down. Ashley was glad to see him get worked up, but she needed him quiet. They didn't need to draw looks to them.

"We never said our love was evergreen

Or as unchanging as the sea

But please promise me that sometimes

You will think o-of me!" The crowd burst into applause as the actress playing Christine finished her song, and Erik half-heartedly clapped along with everyone else.

Why is this affecting me so? Pull yourself together, it's just a play, and she said you can leave at any time... You'll be all right.

Christine was then shown in her dressing room, and Erik somehow knew what was going to happen next. He mouthed the words under his breath.

"Bravi, Bravi, Bravissimi..."

The play went on, and Erik could not help but clench his fists once as Raoul came in. If only things had been different... but did he want them to be anymore? Erik glanced at Ashley uneasily. He did not want to answer that question.

The person playing Erik himself took Christine below to the labyrinth, and Ashley could almost feel the tension in the theater. Goodness, how these people get worked up over this story! Half and hour later, the people playing Raoul and Christine emerged on the "rooftop" of the "opera house." Ashley glanced at Erik every few seconds. This was what she had been waiting for. This were the girl betrays Erik.

"Why have you brought us here?"

"Don't take me back there!"

"We must return!"

"He'll kill you! His eyes will find us there!"

"Christine, don't say that..."

"Those eyes that burn!"

Erik felt his breath catch in his chest, and struggled to breathe without making it seem like the effort it was. The air seemed thick and heavy around him, and he felt, for a fleeting instant, that an invisible pillow was pressed over his face, suffocating him. Ashley immediately noticed this and smiled to her self, and touched his face gently.

"Erik, you okay?" she asked. When he did not instantly answer, she groaned inward if she didn't do something he might explode… not that it would be a bad thing, but not here! So she did the quickest thing she could think of, she kissed him passionately. Erik felt the "pillow" being lifted, and sank back in his seat, his brow damp with beads of sweat.

"I am... fine. I'm fine," he answered, surprised.

Erik was able to watch the rest of Act I without further emotional breakdowns, even when Christine and Raoul kissed.

They stood up for intermission. "Mon ange... I am fine, I just don't want to seem a burden for you-"

"Erik, its fine. If you want to go, we can." Ashley leaned forward slightly, but did not kiss him this time, because of all the people surrounding them.

The lights of the theater flashed a few times, signaling the beginning of Act II. Ashley and Erik once again resumed their seats, Erik more comfortable now.

"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..." Christine and the Phantom sang passionately, a fire of power and love in their voices, and Ashley found herself rolling her eyes. Love! She thought, love doesn't last forever like everyone says. Now hate, madness and evil are much or long lasting and fun! The Phantom began to sing, and Erik found himself mouthing the words again absentmindedly.

"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 to!

Christine, that's all I ask of you!" Erik suddenly realized that he had not mouthed the exact words, though. While the Phantom had sung "Christine, that's all I ask of you," Erik had sang "Ashley, that's all I ask of you..."

Ashley had heard and winced.

Christine tore off the Phantom's mask, and his ugliness was displayed to the whole theater. Erik's hand flew instantly to his face, but Ashley shook her head, and he lowered his hand.

" This face, which earned

A mother's fear and loathing

A mask, my first

Unfeeling scrap of clothing...

Pity comes too late!

Turn around and face you fate!

An eternity of this

Before your eyes!" Erik was still lip-synching the words breathlessly with his lips.

"Order your fine horses now!

Raise up your hand to the level of your eyes!

Nothing can save you now,

Except perhaps Christine!" Erik was shocked. What kind of monster had he been? Now he understood what Christine had meant when she sang "It's in your soul that the true distortion lies..."

Erik came back to reality just as the play's climax was about to end. Christine was approaching the Phantom, and he, could feel the crowd waiting with held breath.

"Pitiful creature of darkness

What kind of life have you known?

God gave me courage to show you

You are not alone!" she moved forward and kissed the Phantom's lips. Erik moved up his left hand and ran and finger lightly over his twisted lips. He remembered that kiss all too well. How could he have forgotten it? It was his first.

The actors broke their embrace, and the Phantom took a candle and held it high above Raoul's head. The rope holding him prisoner fell, burned by the flame.

"Take her, forget me, forget all of this

Leave me alone- forget all of this

Go now, don't let them find you

Take the boat; "The Phantom sang in a despairing voice. Raoul and Christine embraced before him, and walked slowly toward the boat. The Phantom walked and sat before the music box, which started up magically.

"Masquerade

Paper faces on parade

Masquerade

Hide your face so the world will never find you..." Once again, Erik was lip-synching along with the Phantom. Christine entered again, and handed the Phantom his ring, and Erik felt a tear come to his eye as the Phantom sang the words that had once before almost caused Erik himself to want to die:

"Christine, I love you..."

Christine and Raoul started off in the boat, and began to sing All I Ask of You as Raoul poled the boat along and Christine held onto him as though for dear life.

"You alone can make my song take flight

It's over now, the Music of the Night!" The Phantom sang before disappearing under his cloak. The lights in the theater illuminated once more, the crowd applauded, though Erik was too... stunned to do anything. When he had done that he slipped thought time and had come here. Ashley had to lift him out of his seat before he came to his senses.

"Erik, you alright?" Ashley asked, concerned.

"Yes, my dear," Erik answered as they walked arm-in-arm out of the theater.

"So it wasn't too bad?" Ashley asked.

"No, although, it was still shocking and I'll admit that I am still a little disturbed that everyone now about me, that that had happened. And was put to a play to entertain."

Ashley nodded; good this was what she wanted. "How about a walk before we go home?"

Erik thought for a minuet," Yes, the air will be refreshing."

So Ashley steered him to the left side of the building. They walked for a while, when they were both slammed into an alley. Ashley fell, ripping her hands open. Erik being bigger only stumbled. The man went to Erik and cracked him in the head with a bat. Erik fell, but swung his fist at him. Erik caught his face. The man riled back howling, clutching his face. Erik stood and walked to him, just as the man put his hands down. The man then punched Erik in the face causing the mask to fall off. Erik froze, as did the man.

"Freak! Monster!" the man spat in his face.

A look came over Erik's face. One that was so terrible and evil that even Ashley winced. The man then turned to run, but Erik grabbed him by the throat, interrupting his breathing.

The man's hands flew to his forearm instinctively, trying to make him loose his grip on him. Erik turns him around and stepped into the light.

Ashley eyes widened and watched as his tall figure stood in front of her, suffocating him with his large hand. His eyes were on fire and his lips twirled in an almost evil grin.

He looses his hand, letting him take a deep breath.

"Freak? Monster?" he hisses the words," I'll show you murderer." With that Erik takes both hands and snaps the man's neck. He let him fall.

Ashley was impressed, but knew better then to show it. She bent down and picked up his mask, not letting some of the fear that was in her show. Ashley straightened and looked at Erik.

"Here Erik, I think we better go…" Ashley trailed off as Erik started to walk towards her. The same evil glint in his eye.

"Erik? Stop it. It's me Ash…" her voice was caught in her throat when he grabbed it and started to tighten. "Erik! Stop!" his hand tighten harder.

"I'll teach you, Christine. I'll teach you not to take off my mask!" he snarled at her, and then shoved her against the wall.

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