That Face in the Mask
Chapter Eight: Sickening Changes
A/N: Hello everybody! Okay, I'm very excited because my school got a snow day and I get a day off! Yippee! So, anyway, instead of laying around watching POTO for the millionth time, I decided to update my fic!(Even though I haven't updated for like, ever)
See, aren't I good?
Now, you guys could be very good by leaving a review on the way out.
Meg lay in bed a bit frustrated. She'd been bedridden for the past two weeks since her illness, and the doctor and her mother both firmly insisted she remain in bed until she got her strength back, and she was sobered and growing impatient at not being able to do anything. She hadn't danced since that day in Erik's lair two weeks ago and she could practically feel her thighs and stomach expanding by the day. All she had been eating was bread and soup, soup and bread, four times a day the past two weeks. She was extremely restless, and kept snapping at people when they asked her how she felt, even at Erik when he'd dropped by yesterday. She smiled in spite of her frustration at the look of pure amazement and shock on his face yesterday when he had asked her if she felt any better and she abruptly replied "Well would you feel any better if you'd been stuck in a bed for two weeks with nothing to do?"
And of course, she had received about a million kind letters and notes from people she knew, old friends, people her mother knew, her mother's old friends, wishing her a fast recovery, good health, and telling her how glad they were that she was feeling better. But that, on top of Mme. Giry, Cedric, Firmin, Andre or Erik dropping by every five minutes to keep her company, see if she needed anything, e.t.c., just made her annoyed at how everyone thought she was so helpless and weak when she felt strong as a horse. She wanted to do something, not just lie around all day.
Fortunately, just when she was about to explode from boredom, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in" Meg yelled As if they wouldn't anyway she thought
Meg sat there for a few seconds. No one was coming in.
"Come in" she yelled again louder
"Meg, I'm right here" said Erik, standing over in front of the mirror
Meg yelped and nearly jumped a mile, putting a hand to her heart "Good god Erik! Did you have to scare me like that? I nearly fainted."
And of course, Erik was instantly concerned
"Are you sure you're feeling all right? Is something wrong? Do you need anything?"
Meg groaned exasperatedly and blew a hair off her forehead " No Erik, it was a JOKE!"
Erik grinned "I see you're feeling better than yesterday." He walked over to her and lightly kissed the top of her forehead. Their relationship had progressed ever since Meg's illness, and he didn't feel so uncomfortable or shy about kissing her or hugging her, since he had almost lost her. Meg felt exactly the same towards him, since she realized how she felt about him and how their time together was almost cut short, but neither one actually said it out loud.
"Not much"
"Well, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong! Everything! I can't do anything or even get out of bed, I'm so bored I'm going to scream, I haven't danced in two weeks, and everyone keeps coming in, asking me every second if I'm all right or if I need something. Which I don't, before you ask again" Meg said, cutting Erik off
"Look Meg, I know this is probably the last thing on earth you want to hear, but you really do need to rest. That was one serious case of pneumonia you came down with, and if you start getting active again before you're completely well, you'll just make yourself sick again"
"Thanks for the information Dr. Tuchante. I know that already."
"Well" said Erik, pulling up a chair for himself from the nearby desk " Anyway, I thought about how bored you were yesterday and I brought you a little something I think girl-women like"
Erik pulled his hand out from under his cloak, revealing what looked like two sewing samplers and gave them to Meg
She looked up at him and smiled "You just did this to make me feel guilty for snapping at you"
"Partly, yes. And partly because I didn't like thinking of you all alone up here bored with no one else around and nothing to do. I've been through that enough for the both of us"
Meg felt hot shame creeping up her neck as she realized how much of a horrible bitch she must have sounded like for whining about being lonely and isolated while Erik had spent most of his life like that.
She cleared her throat embarrassed and looked down at the two samplers "My, these are lovely. But, um, Erik?"
"Yes? What's wrong?"
"Well, nothing, but I assume you don't know much about sewing samplers, but you need a pattern, and thread. But that doesn't matter. I'm horrid at sewing anyway."
"Well, it's a shame to hear that, since everything you need is right here"
Once again, Erik demonstrated his magic skills by closing his hand and opening it to reveal two small, folded patterns, six different colors of thread, and a package of needle and a thimble.
(The real magic trick was how he fit that all in his hand )
Meg gasped with pleasure "Oh Erik, you're so thoughtful! But where did you get all of this?"
"I have my ways" Erik said mysteriously, depositing all of the supplies into Meg's lap, and running his hands down her back, making her shiver with pleasure. Meg giggled like some giddy schoolgirl.
Erik kneeled on the side of the bed and gestured towards the supplies
"Why don't you look at the patterns?" he suggested
Meg nodded and did so. There were two beautiful images on the grid patterns. The first was a long string of musical notes running up and down a grand staff, coming from a piano, with beautifully formed script below it displaying the words "God gave us music whilst we may pray without words" and the second pattern had a pair of cream ballet slippers with the ribbons falling freely from it, with a faint outline of a ballerina's dancing body in the background. Meg gasped
"Oh Erik! These are so beautiful, and are all the things I enjoy! Oh, you're too good to be true. I can work on these while I'm recovering. Oh thank you!"
She reached up and hugged Erik's shoulders. He chuckled
" Well, I thought of you when I saw them and I knew you'd love them" he said sheepishly
"Oh, Erik, you were right! You always know just what I need. But, Erik, how will I explain who got these for me to maman and everyone else? They'll want to know" Meg asked
For once, Erik was speechless. He obviously hadn't thought that part through yet
"Well, uh, you could say you found them. Or, better yet, uh,"
Erik groaned
"Just say Cedric got them for you"
Erik cleared his throat, trying to hide his disgust at the thought of Meg giving credit for beautiful gifts he'd gotten her to the damn fop. Oh well, had to be done
"But Cedric will know he didn't give them to me"
"If he's got any brains, he'll shut up and go along with it" Erik muttered
Meg turned around "What was that?" she asked sharply
"Nothing. Well, just say you were asleep and those were there when you woke up, so he must have gotten them for you. You know he won't say otherwise when you seem so delighted"
Meg kissed him on the cheek "You really are a genius"
Erik grinned "I know"
Meg laughed "And so modest too"
Erik started to laugh when his sharp hearing heard the sound of a lock clicking in the doorway. He quickly shushed Meg. "Shhh, Meg, someone's coming"
Meg gasped "You'd better leave, quickly now!"
Erik got up and shoved the desk chair back into place. He kissed Meg quickly on the cheek "I hope you recover quickly so you can visit me again. And work on those samplers, all right?"
"All right" Meg said quickly. She waved Erik away "Go on, you have to leave. Go!"
Erik started to leave through the mirror, when he turned back around and leaned against the door frame "Meg?"
Meg turned around "What the hell is it now Erik? You have to leave!"
"I know, I was just wondering when I could come visit you again" Erik said playfully, mocking what Meg had said word for word before she hurriedly left at their first visit.
Meg smiled caustically and did the same "Whenever you want, I'll be here. Just make sure to leave your calling card. You know how many social calls I get" she said, mocking Erik's remark word for word.
Erik smiled at her, mouthed "Au revoir, Meg", and left, closing the mirror almost all of the way behind him. Meg noticed this, along with the little strip of light shinning through the crack where it wasn't secured all the way, but there was nothing she could do, for at that moment the door opened up to reveal Meg's mother. Meg hurriedly shoved the sampler packages under her bed covers and smiled
"Bonjour Maman"
"Bonjour Meg. So, how are you feeling today?"
"Much better. Maman, when can I get out of bed again?"
"Soon, meg, soon. Have some patience. A few more days, another week at most, and then you'll be up and about again. Which is what I came to talk to you about."
Mme. Giry sighed, and Meg could tell she had rehearsed this. Mme. Giry glanced at the mirror for a moment suspiciously, as if looking for something (or someone) to be there that wasn't before, and Meg could feel her heart lurching, but fortunately she sighed and shrugged it off. She turned her attention back to Meg and gently took her hand in hers.
"Meg, I've spoken to the doctor, and he believes you might have fallen ill from all of ,well, this" She gestured to the burnt rafters and debris "He says no one should really be in here for too long, let alone living here, breathing in all these fumes and wreckage, and he thinks that's what made you sick. Besides, it's too dangerous living here, with all the falling debris and the burnt timbers, and the building's structure has weakened so much, it might be getting ready to collapse over our heads as we speak. You know how much this place means to us both, but as much as we love it and cherish it, we just can't live here anymore."
"What?" Meg said disbelievingly. How could she do this?
"I know, it seems cruel to do, but it's for our own safety. This place will eventually be restored, if it can get more funding, and you'll already be dancing ballet at the Opus Majestique. I've spoken to them about your illness, and they understand. If all goes well, you can be in the performance of Copperella next month, if you can work hard and catch up. And I've been promoted to Assistant Ballet Mistress, so we'll have a little more money coming in. And besides, I've found us a wonderful room in a boarding house-"
"Boarding house!" Meg exclaimed "Maman, how, what-"
"I know, chere, I know, it's a shock for me too, but we'll need to adjust. As soon as you're well, we can move in. And it has a sitting room, kitchen, bathroom, and two bedrooms. You'll get your own room to yourself Meg. It's only a few minutes walk from the Opus Majestique, practically across the street. And the rent is..."
As Mme. Giry droned on and on, Meg found her thoughts a million miles away. Move out of the Opera Popluaire? For good? How could she do it! True, Meg would have her own room she wouldn't be sharing with twenty other twittering girls and her mother, but still, this was too painful and shocking to believe. Meg had grown up here, performed here, had all sorts of good and bad memories and experiences. She couldn't think of anywhere else but here as her home. And Erik-
Erik! Oh no! If she left here, she'd probably never see Erik again! He couldn't just walk out in the open to pay her social visits, and it had been hard enough sneaking out of her own room down to see Erik. How could she accomplish it from a boarding house halfway across town? It was impossible!
Meg could practically feel her heart breaking in two at the thought of leaving her home, and Erik behind. It was almost like starting a new life. She couldn't do it. She wouldn't do it. She liked, loved Erik too much to not see him again. There must be something she could do. But protesting wouldn't work. Her mother had already rented the room and secured their jobs, and her mind was made up.
Well, the hardest part would be telling Erik. She didn't know how she could do it. But, between the two of them they could figure something out. Their relationship was too strong now to just put it behind them and act as though it didn't exist.
Meg knew that life wouldn't always stay the same, as much as she wanted it to, that it had to change, but she wished in vain it couldn't, because her heart couldn't take anymore sickening changes.
A/N 2: Yeah, I know, very lame, short chapter, but I came down with a severe case of writer's block and this is the best I could come up with. So, let me know how much this chapter stunk by reviewing!
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