Chapter Eleven
DISCLAIMER: OK; I don't own phantom of the opera. Plain and simple
Meg had fallen asleep on one of his sofas in the back room; while Erik had been reading; and Karen had fallen asleep in one of the chairs. Erik looked up from his book to see them all sleeping; Iris's back was propped up against the sofa which Karen was asleep on. He didn't know if he should move them; they looked comfortable; all except Iris; she didn't look comfortable at all; but as he rose to move her to one of the other sofas; she stirred and saw him still awake; and getting up. Iris rose and saw Meg and Karen still fast asleep. She looked at Erik and seemed hesitant about what to do or say.
"sleep well?" Erik asked softly. "Come; let us not disturbed them." She nodded and the two walked out into the main room with the organ and everything else. He slid the book back onto the book case; and Iris flipped through his paintings as Meg had done earlier.
"Karen and Meg can't stop talking about you." Iris brought up suddenly. "After Karen returned with that skull; Meg and Karen kept talking; even during practice. Is this were Karen keeps coming?" Erik nodded. "Erik, do you like my sister at all?"
"Of course."
"Meg said something strange before; but I don't know what it means. She said something like.. "If you ever got the chance, would you.." and then she stopped. Do you know what that means?" He shook his head. She walked over to one of the book shelves and pulled out a book at random. It was a book filled with big words; and very few pictures. She opened it and staired at it as if she were reading it.
"Now I must ask you something." Iris looked up from the book and at him. "Why is it Karen did not come the usual way? She came through the way that could have killed you three."
"Madam Giry locked the door."Iris answered. "She doesn't want Karen around you. So she locked the door so Karen couldn't come." She looked over behind him and rose a hand.
"Hi Meg!" He turned and saw Meg Giry lingering in the doorway. "Is Karen awake yet?" Meg shook her head.
"No, not yet." Iris nodded and went to explore his home; while Meg still lingered in the doorway.
"You needn't hide." Erik told her, smirking. "I promised Karen I wouldn't use your skull as a holder for my paintbrushes." That caused Meg to hesitate more; but she finally moved out of the doorway.
"Do you like Karen at all? I mean, not just as a friend as I do; or a sister like Iris; I mean, do you like her? Like Christine?" Erik blinked; he had considered that once before; but it had been pushed into the back of his mind. "If you do; I mean; it's worth a try. Karen likes guys like you. She hates guys like Raoul or Raphael." Erik was shaking his head; but he didn't know why. It was like it was shaking itself. He was shaking it; but he didn't know what he wanted to say to go with it. "Or not. Whatever you dare do." There was silence; before Meg kept saying things in Karen's behalf. "I sometimes worry about her. She hasn't been able to trust anyone in thirteen years. So It might be good for her." But just as her sentence ended; Karen had gotten up; and walked through the arch way.
"Meg, do you think your mother is worried?" Karen asked, slowly waking up.
"Probably. But we've no way back." Erik walked off while the girls thought of a way to get back. Erik returned with a skeleton key.
"It opens every door in the opera Populiare." He set it down in Karen's hands. "So Madam Giry cannot lock you out anymore."
"Thank you Erik."
Erik escorted them to the mirror. Meg and Iris had gone first; but Erik had requested a word with Karen before she left. So Meg and Iris waited for her behind the mirror.
"Karen I-" He never felt so hesitant around her. It was what Meg had said that got him thinking that way. "I want you to come back. You will won't you?" He saw a smile spread across her face; and she took his unmasked face in her palm.
"Of course I'm coming back. Even If I wanted to. There is no way for me to keep myself away from you." She gave him one final; assuring hug; leaving him, letting him know she'll come back as long as she is welcome back. Once the hug ended; she bid him farewell and left. Unlocking the door and leading Meg and Iris out. Erik was left alone; but he couldn't help himself but smile.He turned to return to his home; trying to figure out if he should make a move when he sees her again; or later, during a different meeting.
"My darling!" He heard from behind the door.
He slid the mirror open and lisoned through the door.
"Raphael go away!" He heard Karen bark at him. "I don't need to throw up all over the hallway."
"Why won't you work out our problems with me? I was only a child when I left. Let us work this out."
"Over by dead body." She hissed. "I don't care if you were just a child or not. I was a child as well; but I hung onto the promise."
"Of course you did!" Raphael commented. "Your a woman. Women hang onto empty childhood promises." Erik winced. He knew that was a bad move. After that; he heard nothing. Suspense overcame him while he waited for them to make another noise; say another word; or something. But when nothing happened; he wanted to know. He cracked open the door. Raphael was unconscious on the floor with a black eye. Erik smiled; Karen was certainly nothing like Christine. He closed the door and returned to his mirror world; where he hid himself until his next meeting with Karen.
Karen walked through the halls alone. She was unsure of what she was feeling. She hated Raphael; but she didn't know what to make of what he said. She had been alone all of her life; and he just expected her to take him back. She heard someone coming down the empty; dark halls. She got scared and leaned on the wall; waiting for either a friend or Raphael. She saw; through the illuminating candle light; that it was Erik. A smile spread across her face as she hugged him.
"Thank god." She gasped. "I thought it was Raphael. Don't scare me like that." Erik smiled and put his free arm around her.
"I will be more careful next time." He felt her cling onto his shirt; holding on tightly as if she were afraid. "Are you afraid of something?" She shook her head. She didn't say a word to him; all she did was hold onto him. He put his candle down on a table and put both of his arms around her. "Come, let us go else where." She nodded and watched as he picked up the candle. He wrapped his gloved hand around her's and walked with her onto the roof. He blew out the candle once they reached the top; and set it on the horse statue's base. They sat on the edge of the rooftop; and Karen smiled. Erik caressed her cheek in his hand; she smiled and hugged onto him.
"Erik. Thank you for being nice to Meg and Iris. It means a lot to me."
"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." Karen smiled; and Erik hugged onto her. "I heard you and Raphael arguing. Saying that you held onto it because your a woman was the stupidest thing he could say."
"It did feel good to hit him." Erik smiled and hugged her tighter.
"If I had you back when I was a child. I'd never have let you go."
"Erik, can you promise me you'll never leave me?" Erik nodded; and lifted her chin.
"Of course I can. I'll never leave you; if you never leave me." She smiled and hugged him; he nearly fell off the side of the opera populaire; but he caught himself and held onto her.
"It's a deal then."
aww:DD It's so cute!
omg, I got the soundtrack to POTO! IT'S THE HOTTEST CD EVER! I got the special edition CD so it has 2 disks:DDDDDD IT'S AWSOME!
