Oh...my...God...

oh wow...this is the second to last chapter. There's only one more...I mean wow. It's so surreal.

Honestly surreal how this whole story has gone.

So I give to you, my faithful readers, the SECOND TO LAST chapter.

I'll see you all again one more time.

WARNING:

The FADA (Fanfiction Addiction Detection Agency) has come to the conclusion that this story can be highly addicting. The Author cannot be held responsible for drops in the reader's grades due to new chapters. Large doeses of Requiem can lead to dependence. The Author is not responsible for withdrawal symptoms which can occur when author fails to update speedily enough.

In memoria aeterna erit iustus, means: The Just shall live in memory everlasting
Christine didn't notice that Megan stiffened when she hugged her. It was just as well. Today weighed so heavily on Megan that if she would have to explain her harsh feelings toward the singer, it may prove to be too much. "It is so good to see you again! And in time for your wedding of all things…I remember when Raoul and I got married, it was such a small hurried affair, we were still running from…Him." Christine spoke in a rush.

Affair is right. Megan thought softly to herself. She was torn. She was so happy that Christine had left Erik, because that let her feel hope—in the smallest sense—that she could have had a chance with him, at his heart. But at the same time she knew that Christine leaving had hurt Erik even more than everything else in his life had put together.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to find something she could say to Christine, but there was nothing left between the girls, not even hate. Not that the Diva could see that. "It is good to see you as well." She finally managed after a pause that seemed to go on and on forever.

Not even Erik was left for her now. He would go to America and maybe he would find a pretty young woman who could sing in a match to his music and not break his heart.

Even if Megan had gotten past all his barriers she would not have been a good match for him. She was just a dancer, and not a very good one at that. He was…he was an Angel of Music and he deserved a woman as perfect and beautiful and gifted as he was. She tried to picture him smiling, and that gave her a small amount of will and power.

Enough strength at least to smile at Christine and return her delicate hug, enough to turn on her heel and be led down the aisle, enough to wish Erik happiness if nothing else. She stood at the double doors that lead out into the chapel and there she waited with Raoul on one arm—he had been kind enough to offer to give her away—and listened for the music.

"Megan my dearest child." Madam Giry exclaimed rushing to her daughter's side and pulling her into a tight hug. "I am so sorry I pushed you to marry an Emperor, I am so sorry that you had to spend your life worrying for me. I am sorry I could not have been a better mother to you." She was crying. It was the first time Megan knew of, but Madam Giry was actually crying.

"Mother I am not dying, I am getting married." Megan said, pressing her hands to her mother's shoulders and trying to push the woman away, she didn't want to start crying or she was certain that she would never stop.

"For all he will do to you, you may as well be dying. I am sorry it has come to this, I was certain he would have come, certain he would find in you what he wanted in Christine. You are twice the woman she is." Madam Giry assured her child.

"I love you Mama, but we know that's not true. She was better than I, but at least I can do this for him, even if he would not accept my heart, I can offer him protection." Megan said though her throat was getting thick. Raoul had stepped to the side when he saw mother approach daughter, but now that Megan stepped away and stood ready once more he returned to her side and kiss her cheek, whispering that everything would be fine.

"Christine and I were so happy we could be here for you." He said, a few tears matching the ones that slipped free of Megan's eyes. His were for joy, her's were in mourning. Mourning the life she was leaving, and the life she couldn't have no matter how hard she wanted it.

"Thank you." She whispered as the music swelled, welcoming her into the church. It was so light and airy, holy and perfect for a bride, but to Megan, to Megan it was a dirge at best, a doleful song that filled the church where she would meet with her death.

There were no pretenses she would live only to die. She realized now how much like Erik she sounded like, and suddenly found herself laughing. She had one bright spot in her future, there would always be a little bit of him inside her now, a little bit of his personality and she could turn to that when things were at their worst.

The doors were pushed open by two tiny boys who must sing in the Choir of this church. Megan swallowed and tried to slow her pounding heart as she walked up the aisle and towards the alter which held the Baron, and the Priest. Behind her the boys were closing the door as she and Raoul walked slowly, in time to that horrid music.

It took a lifetime to reach the end of the path, and there Raoul left her so she stood alone beside the Baron and before the priest. She felt herself slipping away, falling into a hazy dream as she tried to avoid listening to the death sentence this aged man would hand down to her.

"Today we---"

The doors of the church burst open and most people in the church jumped. Christine and a few other women even screamed. Megan turned, to see what the fuss was about. There in the doorway was none other than the Phantom of the Opera. This was not Erik, this was in all honestly the Phantom of the Opera.

He stood framed in light in the center of the double doors with his cape swirling around him, and making as dashing a figure as he had the night of the infamous Masquerade.

He took two steps forward and Christine clung tightly to Raoul, she was begging him not to let the Phantom have her and he was crying as hard as she was and promising that he wouldn't.

Megan wished he would stop sobbing, it was making her want to cry at the fact that Erik had put his life in danger for Christine even though she had turned him down and smashed his heart to pieces.

"You-you-you're dead!" The Baron asked, drawing the sword at his side. Megan wasn't certain he knew how to use it, but it could hurt Erik all the same. As much as he enjoyed playing at being a Ghost he was a mortal man of flesh and blood and could be killed.

"I am the Phantom of the Opera! You cannot kill me for I am already dead. I waged war ont eh Grand Opera House, brought the Chandelire to the ground and made the great Carlotta croak like a toad! I can do whatever I wish!" He shouted, and even standing on the ground like a normal man and facing a whole church of people he was imposing and his voice rose to the very rafters.

Best efforts aside Megan's heart skipped a beat and she prayed, for just a moment that he would stretch out one gloved hand and call to her. So desperately did she hope that when his hand stretched out towards her, palm up, she nearly cried, trying to shut her ears to when she heard him call for Christine, who was huddled in the pew with Raoul while both wept softly.

"And I wish for you, Megan Giry." He said with that thick as syrup voice. Megan nearly began weeping right along with the Count and Countess De Chagny. She raised one hand to flutter between her breasts asking the silent question of "me?" to which Erik made no move, only a tiny quirk at the corner of his lips.

"I will not let you harm her!" The Baron yelled, while Raoul stood as well and shouted his own challenge, which was quite laughable through his tears.

"Megan?" Her mother sounded more angry that questioning. Megan knew what she meant, and decided to do something about it. She did not care if this was a dream or if he was using her to get to Christine. She did not care that a moment ago she thought he would have left her with no thought at all. She did not care because none of it mattered. All that mattered was he was standing only three meters away with a waiting hand and open invitation.

So with little thought to what she was about to do or grace Megan bent, hiked up her heavy skirts and ran without another word towards Erik, gripping his hand as soon as she was near enough. He gripped it back just as tightly and she followed him as he spun on one heel and ran to the thick, heavy rope that would have rung the bells to announce her wedding.

A wedding she would no longer have to go through with, because Erik had come to save her, just as her mother had said just this morning, though it seemed an eternity had passed from that time until this.

He gripped the heavy rope in one gloved hand, and drawing a sword of his own he sliced the rope that held the counterbalance sending them soaring into the air: a feat which did draw a small yelp from Megan, and allowed her a chance to cling tightly to Erik while they flew through the dusty church air.

At the top he helped her onto a small ledge while below the men burst into action. She wanted to ask why he seemed to have cornered them but she was too memorized by those cat eyes which saw only her, just as she had wished for so very long. They stared at her, and welcomed her and she wanted nothing more than to fall into them and stay there forever.

"I thought you were on your way to America." She whispered finally. He turned to look at her, but whatever he said was lost as a shadow shifted and tugged on Megan's hair—which had grown in the time she could not bring herself to return to the ballet. She yelped and turned to see the tall, gangly form of the Ratcatcher.

"Dancing Rat!" He shouted, as though that were a greeting. She could not contain a giddy laugh. Erik touched her back and even through the beading and the lace and the fabric she could feel the heat of his hand etch itself into the flesh of her back.

"Follow him Megan, he'll lead you to safety, I will lead your fop of a fiancée on a merry chase." He told her, pushing her at the smiling man.

"Erik," His name was a mere whisper spilling out of her mouth, a prayer.

"Did you not hear me? No man can kill me." He told her, moving his hands so he could cup both of hers.

"And what about you being hurt?" She asked. A part of him, long buried tried to smile a little at that.

"I wish for you. I will not let someone else decide if that can or cannot happen so long as you are willing to stay beside me." He promised with an almost fervent tone to his voice. She felt warmth blossom in her stomach. He was passionate towards her. Not Christine.

She did not know what had changed his mind to see her as she saw him, but even if it was for only a moment she would get a lifetime of enjoyment out of it. She would treasure as much time with him as she could get forever.

"I will stay with you forever." She promised. And she meant it with all her heart. Even if he tired of her, she would keep him in her heart.

"Then I will not allow anyone to take you from me." He told her, and there was a moment where they stood staring at each other, each trying to memorize the moment in their own ways.

Megan pitched forward onto her tip-toes and kissed his cheek. Unable to contain herself, she did not want to think of it, but it was possible that this would be the last she saw of him, and she wanted as few regrets if possible if he were to die, for if he died, her life truly would end.

She finally understood why her mother had been so broken when her father died.

"I expect to see you again." She whispered before running off after the Ratcatcher who was giggling and chattering to himself as he ambled away.

She was grinning so much that her whole face ached. And yet, nothing that happened could make her happier, she was just terrified that soon she would wake and find this all to be nothing more than a wonderful dream borne of a terrible reality.

"You will." He promised, and there was a tiny, fledgling smile there. It was small, and pathetic, and vanished in a moment, but it was still there, if even for a moment, and that was all because of the little ballerina who was following one of the only friends he had.

She truly was a wonder.

It seemed like her mother had been right. It seemed like she had not given her heart in vain and that maybe, just maybe she would get the happily ever after she had wanted ever since she was a child, though maybe what it was that made her happy had changed, she was still going to be happy.

He had come for her. Not Christine. He had come to save her. Megan Giry. Little Meg the petite rat was wasn't even all that good at dancing. None of that mattered because now she had a man who could look at her, and see nothing but her.

She didn't even mind if he would yell at her sometimes when he got angry, or that he would love music more than her, because he would be there at her side and let her stand by him. Best of all he would let her dance if he could provide for it.

It did not matter if she couldn't find the time or the room, but he would let her if she could only find a way, she would not have to give anything up to stay with him, nothing that mattered at least.

I hope to see you all again for the last chapter. You guys are so awesome to hear from. (I should take this time to be really mean and say you don't get to read the last chapter until I have a BILLION reviews. But I can't resist posting for that long.)

Irish(I know the "At" sign is here but it won't show up)hart: I am worried about the turn my story has taken after your kind review. Which was very kind and I am glad that up until now you have been so pleased with my story. Hopefully this wasn't too crazy a turn for my story to take, and that there has been lead up to it, which I hope there has been. And I hope to explain it more in the epilogue. I am glad to hear you think I pace myself nicely because as I have mentioned before I have always been terrified of doing that. So I hope it earns your seal of approval, you'll have to tell me what you think. In reguards to your question I meant to follow Leroux, but research proved he was sort of spastic in what he put in, and I liked the way that Megan looked when I saw a stage production, which is the ALW version--not to mention I've had Masquerade stuck in my head for the last...well, like four years. Now it's sort of a combination of my warped imagination, ALW, and Leroux.

Jen Summers: You really mean it about Megan over Marguerite? I am so paranoid about that now and I am almost tempted to go back and change it...I like Megan better, but I wrote the story so I think I may be too close to be critical. Either way thanks for saying, it makes me smile to know someone out there likes the name "Megan" for her. As for slapping Christine it was really hard not to, she was so annoying, in this chapter and in general. But I figured that she would just cry about it and Raoul would try to comfort her and in the end it wouldn't do any good at all. Hah Raoul crying makes me happy. I know I didn't dwell on it, but I felt that I would rather more time with Erik who is hot and angry rather than Raoul who is pathetic and weepy. I did, I gorged myself on your review. Raoul was more annoying than insperation, but he did prove fun to beat. Thanks for lending him to me all the same, and I shall return him now, I've just the Epilogue and unless you've Erik stashed somewhere I don't think I need help with that.

Kyrene Once Blood Roses: The chapter pretty much spoke for itself in answer to your question, but it was so perfect I had to address it all the same, OF COURSE Christine is just something in passing. She's too wrapped up in Raoul and clinging to her childhood to notice anything important, like the fact she had one of the most awesome men EVER in love with her and she picked weepy Raoul.

Rising Twilight: Yeah...its probably so trite and over-done but at least he didn't come in at the time when the priest goes "Speak now or Forever hold you peace." I just couldn't resist, it was so perfect and wonderful a place for him to come in and save her and I warned all of you that I'm a sucker for Happily Ever After.

Sugarbomb53086, and Anime-Queen46: Thanks so much for your reviews they help me to stay inspired and write as well as I can.