Disclaimer: I do not own the Phantom of the Opera, any of the characters created by Gaston Leroux, or any creations of the ALW. I only own my plot and the characters.
Chapter Eleven- The Conclusion to the Phantom's Last Opera
Delphine
The horse went flying down the path. She could see the cemetery off in the distance. She wondered if they would make it, if the place would protect them against Robert. She didn't know if he was following them. She was too afraid to look back. Erik seemed concentrated on the path. His attitude had changed, he wasn't trying to comfort her. He seemed much more serious than in any previous situation.
She knew his jaw was clenched shut, that he was staring dead a head. He didn't want to look down on her. She wondered if she looked as frightened as she felt. The breeze, that would have been gentle if they were walking, was slicing across her skin.
She clutched her violin to her as she leaned forward a bit. She could see the gate coming at them. "Erik!" She said. He pulled the horse to a stop. She allowed him to help her down. Once her feet were on solid ground she began to waver. Her legs felt weak, like they couldn't help her stand up. She was afraid to walk, afraid that one step would send her crashing to the ground. Erik looked back down the road with fresh panic in his eyes.
Slowly she turned her head. Off in the distance was a horse. "Damn him!" She screeched as she pushed herself forward. She didn't know for sure if it really was Robert but something told her it was.
Erik caught her in his arms. Had she been falling? "This way." He said as he moved her toward the cemetery. She began to shake. Why was this man following her, chasing her? Why did he want to pursue her, surely she wasn't worth the effort to that man. All of this to keep an opera singer? It seemed odd to her. Maybe Robert just didn't want her to be happy. Maybe he would rather she suffer so deeply that nothing would bring that light to her eyes.
Was it possible that Robert felt threatened by Erik? She didn't know why he would feel so, but…there had to be some reason why he was following them. She felt the eyes of the crows hiding amongst the trees. The followed her and Erik, they watched her with their little eyes. She narrowed her eyes and placed a scowl on her lips. Erik moved her along and she followed him.
Erik
She moved along beside him in a trance like state. She seemed to want to hide her fright and anger at their current situation. He began moving her deeper into the graveyard. She glanced around at the gravestones, a passing sadness filled her eyes. He could see a mausoleum in the distance. Christine's father's.
He pulled her to him, wrapping his arm around her, moving her so close that whenever he stepped she had to step. "I hear him." She said with a monotonous voice.
"Who?" He asked, his mind couldn't handle her oddities right now. He was feeling the adrenaline rushing through his veins, the anger screeching through his soul.
"Robert, I can hear him. He's coming." She said with absent emotion.
He turned his head, looking back to the horse. There was no one there. He looked down on her with worry. "Darling, don't speak. I'll get you away from him." He said. When had he suddenly come to feel like it was Delphine who had to run? Earlier, it had been himself who had had to leave from Lennings pursuit. Now Delphine was trance-like, scared, confused, the subject to that man's obsession.
He moved her toward the mausoleum, she didn't resist until they were feet away from it. Than she pulled back, trying to break free from his arm. "No!" She shrieked. "I won't let her help us! That traitor…" Her face had gone dark, her eyes widened in outrage.
"Delphine," He pleaded with her. "come."
"No." She said as flung herself away from him. He watched her legs give way underneath her. He crouched by her and took her hand. Bringing it to his lips, he tried to smile.
"She owes it to us." He said trying to convince her that the mausoleum was the best place for them to go. "It won't be long, I promise."
Her eyes filled with tears, he watched her nodded at him. He began to lift her up. Her legs didn't seem to want to hold her anymore. He scooped her into his arms and walked toward the mausoleum.
Delphine
She put her arm around Erik's neck, making sure that she wouldn't tumble out of his protective arms. He moved her toward the mausoleum, the Daae mausoleum.
She had told Erik that she had heard Robert come, truthfully she had. She had heard his bellows and curses and his anger, it ripped her mind apart. The sounds weren't from that moment though. They were from her past, when Robert and she began to fight. When she had stood and took what he threw at her. Erik had looked at her like she had lost her mind.
She had wanted to make him see, make him grasp what she meant. She had wanted him to see that she was terrified of Robert. Erik wasn't afraid though, he was to strong for that. "Everything will be okay." He said as he moved his face toward her.
"I don't understand this." She said as she looked at him. "How did this all happen? One minute we were going to run away together, we weren't in any hurry. The next we have flown away, running away from him. To no use though." She said with a sigh. "He wants me. He wants me to keep the Opera Populaire afloat." She shook her head.
Erik glanced at her before forcing his eyes to turn away from her.
"I won't do it." She said with disgust. "I won't." She shook her head again, the tears brimming in her eyes. She felt like a helpless child, a child who relied on someone to help her out.
Erik gave her a half smile. "You would refuse him, I know you would." He said. How had he seemed to know that she needed his strength, that she needed to be told she could stand up for herself? She had done so before, but to do so where Robert was concerned seemed abnormal to her.
Robert had possessed her, taken over her whole life. When he had left she had felt broken and alone. She had been lost, had no connection to her former self. Yet somehow she had found it, she had won it back. She had regained trust, regained love, regained a life she had thought was dead.
She was terrified that Robert would rip it from her fingers. She was even more terrified that she would be forced to bend to his desires. Robert was the type of man who always got what he wanted. Nobody stood in his way. If he wanted her to keep his business up he would fight to the end to get it. The end. She wondered if she could see the end. She wondered what would take place in this cemetery.
Erik would fight for her too. He would fight, he wouldn't let her get away that easily. She knew that, she trusted that. Could Erik win against Robert? Would Erik be his end? The idea hit her with force. Erik had been a murderer before. What was stopping him now?
She had seen him in violent moods before, no matter how rare. She knew he was strong, she knew he could harness great power over Robert who had had little training.
Erik looked at her expectantly. The thoughts stopped immediately. Was she thinking of having Erik kill Robert? Was she possibly getting that low? She looked at the mausoleum before them. "I want you to stay in there." Erik told her. "No matter what happens. Promise me you'll stay there."
"Erik…"
"Promise me." He said with force.
"I promise." She said. He gently set her on her feet, but let her lean against him. "Now you promise me that you won't kill him." She stared him in the eye, watched him falter for a moment.
"I-"
"Erik, I know you were thinking of it. You must have been, don't worry I was as well. We cannot stoop to his level. I won't let you become like that." She said. He nodded his head as he placed a hand on her waist.
"I promise."
She offered him an encouraging smile. "Than I'll do my part." She said as she forced her legs to hold her. She moved away from him, his warmth, the safety of his arms. She looked back before she disappeared, the sight of Erik standing there before the mausoleum with that look on his face. It triggered something in her heart, a fierce emotion, something stronger than the love she felt for him. She didn't know what it was but she knew that it had tied her to Erik with something stronger than she had ever experienced. Her soul felt like it had been filled, like she had finally come to her other half. Erik, how she loved him.
Erik
He watched her disappear. As soon as she was out of sight he turned and studied the ground about him. There was no reason he couldn't hide but he didn't like the idea of leaving Delphine. He wanted to stay as close to her as possible. She had seemed so weak, so tired.
There was no sign of Lennings yet but Erik didn't doubt that he would make his appearance soon. He wondered what would happen if he settled himself down right there, waited for him to come. Delphine had made him promise not to kill Lennings, he didn't think he had it in him anyway. The idea certainly was appealing, though. It would clear up all of their problems. Once Lennings was out of the picture they wouldn't have to worry.
He stood there, unsure of what action he was going to take, when her voice floated from above him. She was singing, a sad familiar song. Delphine was singing her Requiem Mass for the Heart. He turned to her voice, it drew him in. He was immersed in a sudden dizzying sensation, as if he were spinning. "There you are." Came a snarling voice. It cut through the sad melody. His eyes flew open. Lennings was standing there, just behind him. He knew if he turned he would see the man. Would he have his pistol raised at Erik? He wouldn't be surprised. "Why don't you turn around?" The voice said with indifference.
He swirled around, the man now standing before him looked taken back. They stood facing each other. There was no pistol raised yet, a sword was drawn, raised at the level of Erik's chest. "Where is she?" Lennings asked. His concern was false, Erik could tell that Lennings could care less. "It doesn't matter, I'll find her when I'm through with you." Erik was defenseless, he had no sword on him, no weapon to defend himself with at all.
"How brave." Erik taunted, hoping that Lennings would rush into an attack.
He let out a laugh. "You are hardly one to speak of bravery." He said as he moved away from Erik. "You flee at drop of a hat. How sad Delphine must be, a man who can hardly defend himself. How can you protect her?"
"Are you asking to see?" Erik snarled. This is what he had wanted. For Lennings to make him angry. He would make sure Lennings was forced to fight him. He had promised Delphine that Lennings would remain alive, but he had said nothing about unharmed.
Lennings let a laugh escape his throat. "I would love to see." He said with a mocking tone. "Where is your weapon?" Lennings asked with a smirk.
"I don't need one." Erik said with a growl.
"Have it your way than." Lennings said as he rushed at him.
Delphine
From inside the mausoleum she could hear Robert's frustrated screams. She knew that Erik had avoided any injury. Robert seemed to not be fairing so well. She had heard him curse as there was a clatter of metal on stone. She clenched her skirts between her fingers.
There was a bellow of rage that came from Erik. Her heart leapt into her throat. "What are you?" Robert's voice quavered. He had taken off Erik's mask. She couldn't help it, she jumped to her feet and dashed out of the mausoleum.
---
She looked at the scene she had run into. Erik stood with a hand over his face, he looked disheveled. Robert crouched on the ground, as far away from Erik as he thought he could get. He had a cut on his upper arm and there were some bruises starting to appear on his face.
As soon as she was out they both stopped to look at her. Erik's face drained of all color. "Delphine!" He said with surprise.
"I'm sorry, oh Erik, I'm so sorry. I couldn't stand it any longer." She said as she watched him carefully. "I was scared…for you." She said as she moved toward him.
She had overlooked that she had to go past Robert to get to Erik. Robert, sadly, had not. He jumped up and grabbed her arm. She screamed and began to try and yank her arm free. "You thought you were going to get away." He said. "You thought you would run away with that…that monster." He said with disgust as he turned his eyes on Erik. "You aren't getting away that easily."
"Let me go." She said. She began clawing his arms with her free hand. "You are the monster." She said as she tried to pry his fingers off of her flesh. He held her with a powerful grip.
Erik made a move toward her, a terrified look on his face. "Let her go." He said with a warning tone in his voice. Robert smirked, it seemed to contort his face, at least to Delphine's eyes.
"Why would I do that?" He asked. "I have all the power right now, don't I? I have all the weapons, Delphine. And you, what do you have?"
"Your weapons have gotten you nowhere." Erik said.
"That is with a sword, I admit I have little training with a sword. This, however," He said as he pulled out the pistol he had hidden from sight. "is a little bit different." He raised it and pointed it at Erik.
"NO!" Delphine screamed. Her scream made the birds take flight.
"No?" Robert asked. "You don't want him harmed? I think I can make you happy if…"
"If what?" Erik asked with suspicion.
"If she does what I ask of her." Robert said as he looked down on Delphine. "You remember my propositions?"
"I would hardly call those propositions, you didn't leave much room for my decision." Delphine said with anger.
"But you remember?" He tried again. "Do you agree with my terms?"
"No, never." Delphine said as she twisted her arm in an attempt to get away.
"Than your lover will suffer." Robert said as he moved the gun so it was pointed at Erik's chest.
"NO!"
"So now you will except?" Robert said with a cruel smile. "If you want him to live, you will except." She looked at him with hatred.
"You are horrible." She said as she closed her eyes. She knew that Erik would be in pain. She knew that she had done exactly what he had not wanted her to do. Exactly what she had promised not to do.
Her heart began to throb as she let the realization sweep over her. There was no other solution, she had to do it. If she didn't than Erik would be hurt. She breathed in deeply, trying to calm herself before she sealed her fate.
"Delphine," Erik's gentle voice called. She opened her eyes and looked at him. He stood there, as tall and stiff as she had ever seen him, but his voice was soft and loving. "don't do it." He said. "Don't bend to his will. You can stand up to him."
"Erik, I can't…I cannot let you get hurt. I would never forgive myself." She turned to look at Robert. "Please, let me go to him. I promise I will do whatever you want, as long as you don't hurt him and let me say goodbye." She felt tears gathering in her eyes. She could feel them escape her lids, fall down her cheeks.
"Be quick." He said as he released her.
She hurried over to Erik. "I want you to leave France." Delphine told him. "I want you to go away. Don't tell me where, just go." She paused and lowered her voice to a whisper. "I'll find you, I promise." She said as she put a hand to his cheek. She smiled at him. "Goodbye."
He leaned down and kissed her. As he did, his hand fell away from his face. She clung to him, she didn't want to let him go. "I love you." He said as he held her to him.
"I love you." She said as she pulled away from him. "Remember." She sad.
She went back to Robert. "I am ready." She said as she gave him her full obedience.
"Come to the horse with me." He said as he offered her his hand. She ignored it and went ahead of him. His horse was just a bit off from where they stood. She heard Robert chuckle. She could feel his eyes on her as she walked to the horse. Finally, his footsteps started, they went a few steps and than stopped. "Goodbye." She heard him say.
She turned to see what he was doing when the sound of the pistol going off shattered through the quiet scene. She let a scream escape her mouth. "You told me you wouldn't!" She yelled. She tried to race to Erik, who lay slumped on the ground. He was moving, struggling to get up. "Erik!" She cried as Robert held her back.
"Lets go." He said as he pulled her back toward the horse. She fought him, tried to leave his grip.
She saw Erik stagger to his feet. "Go." He said quietly. "I'm fine." He said with pain in his voice. She saw he had been shot in the arm. He pleaded with his eyes. She nodded her head and let Robert lead her away.
He placed her roughly on the horse and climbed on behind her. As Robert pulled the horse back toward the gate, toward the entrance, she looked back on Erik. He stood there watching her. She wished he could feel her love. She wished he knew that she wanted Robert to die, had she known that this would have happened she would have made sure that he was killed.
"You'll only make it worse for yourself." Robert said. "Stop looking at him, your last image of him should be a good one, no?" She sighed and turned away from Erik, knowing that she might never see him again.
Erik
He watched her ride away with Lennings. When she had run out of the mausoleum his heart had stopped cold. When Lennings had caught her what he had feared suddenly happened. The pain in his arm didn't bother him much. The pain in his heart was much greater.
So Lennings had got what he wanted. He knew that Lennings thought that he would die before he could get back to the Opera Populaire. Erik felt stronger than that, though. He waited until they were out of sight before he started toward his own horse.
So he now had nothing. Delphine had been torn away from him, she had fought but it had been a futile attempt. She had said she would find him, but he didn't know if he wanted her to. Maybe she would be able to live a normal life if she didn't find him. It would be hard for both of them, he wasn't denying it, but it might be worth it. At least for her.
He climbed on his horse and started off in the opposite direction. He would stop at a hospital somewhere along the way. He didn't want to return to Paris. He put his hand to his face. His mask, it was gone. It had been shattered when Lennings had thrown it away. The saddlebags on the horse yielded a hat. He arranged it so that it covered part of his face, the shadows covering the rest. He would get a new mask as soon as possible, but until than this would have to do.
He started on, headed out of Paris, out of France.
Author's Note: So, this chapter wasn't that nice. Sorry it had to end that way. This is the second to last chapter in my story. So this is really nearing the end. I hate to do this, but hey, at least Erik lives. I'm sorry, again, about this chapter. It won't end with the sadness that seems to be surrounding the ending. Those of you who hate Robert will be happy with the ending, I think. Thanks to those of you who have reviewed I am very grateful.
Until next time…