Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Wheldon, The Mummy belongs to Steven Sommers and The Phantom Of The Opera belongs to Joel Schmacher, Gaston Leroux and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The songs in this story belong to the songwriters who wrote these amazing songs. Please don't sue me, I'm completely and utterly broke and it's for entertainment purposes only.
Timeline: Post-season seven, Buffy, post-The Mummy Returns and during the movie The Phantom Of The Opera.
Pairing(s): Erik/Christine (a little bit), Buffy/Erik, Dawn/Erik (friendship), Raoul/Christine (sorry for those of you who hate Raoul), Willow/Christine/Raoul
Author's Note: Hello, dear readers! Two chapters down, two to go till the next story. Anyway, I've recently seen the movie The Da Vinci Code and it's a really good movie (although, I'm Catholic but I don't really believe the story in the book is real anyway). So if you guys haven't seen it run not walk to the nearest movie theatre. Anyway, thanks for the reviews to those who have reviewed my story. This is the chapter that some of you have been waiting for which is the chapter with the song Point of No Return that has a bit of a twist to it.
Well, enjoy the chapter and remember to vote in the pairings poll. Also no flames! I will ignore them and I don't have the patience for them.
WARNING: Character death in this chapter (but it won't be a permanent one though) and some angst. Just to warn you good folks.
Summary: Raoul and Willow were caught kissing by Christine causing friction between them, Buffy, Dawn and Erik. Meanwhile, Erik opened up to Buffy by telling her about his abusive childhood.
God, I hate walking on this thing!
As much as Dawn hated to walk with her cane, she knew that she had no choice if she wanted her leg to heal properly. She winced when pain shot up her leg as she took a step out of her room in Erik's lair. As she found out the hard way, walking around the lair with an injured leg with a cane as a guide was not easy. So Dawn tried her best to avoid any uneven ground as she was walking around and to be careful not to fall into the lake when she's at the edge.
Man, I'm bored. What can I do?
Dawn looked around trying in vain to find something to cure her boredom. Buffy and Erik had left two hours earlier to visit Madame Giry, Willow and Christine at the Opera Populaire leaving her alone in the lair. After a few minutes, her eyes darted on Erik's organ and suddenly felt the urge to play something on it. She remembered the time when the Phantom started to teach her to play it as well as singing after she told him that she once played the piano as a child three months previous. It had taken some time but Dawn was able to play close to six songs on the organ but there one song that she had wanted to play.
Problem is that this song didn't exist in this time period. But I think I can play it without relying on music sheets.
Without giving it another thought, Dawn sat down on the organ bench and with her fingers poised over the keys, she started to play the song that only she could hear and then began to sing it. It was another song that she loved as a child and was sung to her a dozen times by her mother.
Just as Buffy and Erik were walking through the passage, the Phantom stopped when he heard organ music. The music was unfamiliar but as he glanced at Buffy, he saw that she was familiar with it. Before he could ask her his unasked question, Erik heard a familiar voice singing. A voice he knew like a note of a song.
Dawn.
As quietly as they could, the Slayer and the Phantom continued their way down the passage and reached the lair. What Erik saw brought tears to his eyes. Dawn was sitting on the organ bench playing a song that he had never heard before but to him, it was the most beautiful song he had ever heard. The song sounded like it had a message of hope for peace, prosperity and brotherhood. Never in all of his years living on Earth had Erik heard such a song played and sung beautifully as he was hearing it from Dawn. He and Buffy smiled proudly as Dawn continued to sing her song unaware of their presence.
My God! I have taught her well. She has such a beautiful voice just like Christine and Elizabeth.
That was the one thought that ran through Erik's mind as he listened to the song Dawn was playing on his organ and singing. He felt Buffy's hand slipping his own and her head rested on his shoulder. At that point, Erik felt the power of the song's message go over him and began to shake in sheer emotion. As Dawn began to play the final notes and sing the final words of her song, Erik let the tears he had been fighting back run down his face and he kept on smiling through his tears.
As soon as she finished her song, Dawn became aware that she was not alone anymore and she turned to see Buffy and Erik standing behind her with proud smiles on their faces. She noticed that Erik was crying silently despite the proud smile on his face and smiled back at him. At that point, Erik went over to her and threw his arms around her in an embrace that was that of a brother who was proud of his sister.
"That was the most beautiful song I have ever heard." Erik said in a voice filled with emotion. "What is it called?"
"It's called Imagine." Dawn replied. "It was written and originally sung by a singer named John Lennon in the twentieth century. My mom used to sing it to me when I was growing up. She once told me that it was a song of peace, hope and prosperity and that it's one of her favourite songs of all time. Ever since you began teaching me to play the organ and to improve my singing, I have always wanted to play this song but I wasn't sure how I was going to pull it off without music sheets since this song doesn't exist in this century."
"You did an amazing job, Dawnie." Buffy replied. "I mean, you are a natural when it comes to music just like Erik. We're proud of you."
"Thanks, guys." Dawn said with a smile that the Slayer returned gladly. Then Buffy joined her sister and fiancé in a fierce group hug and they remained that way laughing all in a while.
Meanwhile …
"Well, it's back to the old drawing board." Willow said with a frustrated sigh as she and Christine began to clean up the mess that both the young singer and the Wicca made when they attempted to test a spell that they had hoped would create a time portal similar to the one the demon used to send it and the Chosen Trio to the nineteenth century. Unfortunately for the both of them, after five tries the spell had backfired and caused a small fire in the dressing room. Willow used a spell to put out the fire and with a sigh began the process of cleaning up with Christine's help.
Christine glanced at her sympathetically. "I know you were working very hard on this spell." She said. "I'm sorry, Willow."
Willow smiled at her. "You don't have to apologize, Christine." She replied. "I'll just have to do a little more exprienmenting that's all. In the meantime, we'll take a break and then get back to work on this later."
Christine nodded. "All right, I'll see if Meg could bring us some lunch." The young singer went to the door but when she threw it open, she stopped dead in her tracks. Concerned and wary, Willow raised her hands with a spell at the tip of her tongue but then she lowered them and her concern and wariness turned into anger when she saw who it was. It was Raoul.
"Raoul." Christine whispered in a mixture of anger and relief.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Willow shouted obliviously still angry at him over what had happened between them and Christine.
Raoul winced at Willow's shouts and the furious look on her face but kept his gaze on the two women. "I came to apologize to the both of you for what happened three days ago. What I did was wrong and I dishonoured you both."
Raoul turned his gaze to Willow as he spoke his next words. "You were right, Willow. It would never work between us and that you would not do anything to betray Christine or any of your friends and I took an advantage of that and pushed you into doing something that you didn't want to do. For that, I'm so deeply sorry. I know now that while you do have feelings for me, you don't want to come between me and Christine. Please don't hate me for this. Didn't hate nearly destroy you when you killed that man using the dark arts?"
At Raoul's words, Willow's seething anger vanished almost instantly when she saw the sincere look on his face and saw the logic and the truth in his words and her shoulders sagged.
Raoul's right. Hate nearly destroyed me when I killed Warren after he killed Tara. Revenge took me to a place that I don't want to go again. As much I want to hate Raoul for what happened, I can't do it. I don't want a repeat of what happened two years ago.
With a sigh, Willow kept her eyes focused on Raoul. "You're right, Raoul." She said. "Hate and revenge took me to a place that I don't want to go again. It nearly destroyed me. As much as I want to hate you for what happened, I can't do it. I've seen what hate can do to a person and I've experienced it myself. I don't want to go back down that road again."
"And you're also right about one thing," The Wicca continued. "I do have feelings for you. I do love you. But I know that it's not meant to be. You already have someone who loves you so much and who will stand by your side. Christine loved you and she still does."
Christine glanced at Willow with tears in her eyes looking frightened and nervous before glancing back at Raoul.
"Go to him." Willow whispered softly.
Shaking from sheer emotion, Christine walked slowly toward him and stopped when she was in front of him. There were so many things that she wanted to say but now she couldn't think of a way to say them. Raoul took her hand and held it.
"Raoul …" Christine started to say but was cut off as he spoke.
"I'm so sorry, Christine." Raoul said in a voice filled with emotion. "I dishonoured you in the worst way possible as well as I dishonoured Willow. I love you. Would you please forgive me?"
The tears that Christine had been fighting back streamed down her cheeks. "Oh, Raoul." She sobbed and she threw her arms around him in a tearful embrace with Willow watching them with a smile on her face. The embrace lasted for close to a few minutes before Raoul and Christine pulled away and glanced at each other lovingly. But Willow saw that apologizing her and Christine was not the only thing on the Viscount's agenda and when she saw him pulling his gaze from his fiancée to the Wicca, her suspicions were confirmed.
"I take it that coming here to apologize to me and Christine was not the only reason you're here." Willow said.
Raoul shook his head. "You're right, Willow. It's not." He replied. "I also came here to bring you some good news and some bad news regarding a way to trap the Alga demon."
"Okay, what's the good news?" Willow asked.
"Well, the good news is that I have a plan that I hope will capture the demon." Raoul answered. "I'll need to meet with Elizabeth and Erik to tell them though."
Willow noticed that Raoul had a grim expression on his face when he said Erik's name and her heart gave a horrible jolt.
"Do I want to know what the bad news is?" The Wicca asked fearing that she already knew the answer.
Raoul hesitated before he spoke. "The managers believe that Erik is responsible for the death of Joseph Buquet and of the incident with the lights during the Il Muto performance and they want to capture him in the act."
Willow glanced back to Christine and saw a look of utter horror on her face that she knew was mirrored on her own face. Then the two women glanced back at Raoul.
"Erik had nothing to do with that man's death, Raoul!" Christine exclaimed. "Isn't there anything you can do to stop them?"
Raoul shook his head sadly. "I wish I could do something but the managers have already arranged for the policemen come to the performance next week. I tried to get them to call it off but they were adamant. They also planning on giving you the lead role in the next production to use you as bait to lure Erik out into the open."
At that point, Christine looked even more upset and was the verge of tears. Willow couldn't help but feel sorry for the young singer then an idea came into her mind like a light bulb.
"Wait a minute," The Wicca said with a snap of her fingers. "I have an idea but we need to tell Buffy and Erik about this first before I tell you what it is."
Raoul and Christine nodded and the trio were out of the door in an instant to head down to the catacombs. As she walked behind the young couple, Willow thought of something that sent her a wave of dread down her body.
Buffy is not going to like this especially if this involves Erik.
Later …
"Okay, let me get this straight. The managers have planned to trap Erik using Christine as bait by giving her the lead role in the new production after you plan on setting a trap for the demon?"
It had taken some time (and cooler heads) but Willow, Christine and Raoul had managed to explain to Buffy, Erik and Dawn what the managers of the Opera Populaire were planning to do and just as Willow predicted, Buffy was very upset and horrified over the fact that a trap was about to be laid for her fiancé. She was also furious that they were going to use Christine as bait in their trap by giving her the lead role in the new production. Willow could tell that this wasn't sitting well with Dawn and Erik either just by looking at their faces. They both looked just as upset and angry as Buffy.
"But, I think that we could use their trap to our advantage." Willow replied. "To trap the Alga demon while springing the trap for Erik."
Erik could see the look in the Wicca's eyes that said that she had a plan. "What do you have in mind, Willow?" he asked.
"The trap for the Alga demon consists of some magic and a major distraction." Willow replied. "We need to keep the demon away from Christine while at the same time keep the policemen away from you."
"How would the managers know if I will make an appearance at next week's performance?" Erik asked.
"Because they're expecting it." Buffy replied. "The demon will probably expect it too but it's more interested in killing Christine than any of us."
Willow nodded. "Exactly." She said.
"According to my research," Raoul said. "An Alga demon's one weakness is the stone it uses to create portals. Without it, the demon cannot travel between portals and therefore, would make it more vulnerable to harm than with the stone. But if the stone of an Alga demon lands in the hands of a witch or a human …"
"It would protect them for harm just like it would with an Alga demon." Buffy said realizing what the Viscount was trying to say.
"Exactly." Raoul said. "One of us has to steal the demon's stone but a distraction will be needed to do so."
Buffy grinned at him. "You let me worry about that." She said. "That demon's ass is mine considering that it tried to kill Dawn and Erik. Not to mention Christine." Then she frowned when she saw that Erik was glaring at Raoul rather fiercely. He's still pissed at Raoul over what happened between him, Christine and Wills.
"Okay, how is this going to work between you and Raoul?" The Slayer asked directing her question at the Phantom. "Do I have to pull you guys apart while taking down the Alga demon or do you think you two can behave?"
Erik winced at the frown on Buffy's face as she asked her question. He was still angry at Raoul over what had happened between the Viscount, Christine and Willow but he knew that if he wanted to protect Christine, they have to work together whether he liked it or not. Sighing, he kept his gaze on Buffy and nodded his head.
"I think the Viscount and I can put our differences aside and not kill each other during the attempt to trap the demon." Erik replied.
Buffy barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "You're too kind." She said rather sarcastically. Then she glanced back at her friends and sister.
"Now that we worked out our differences, let's get to work."
A week later …
"Are you sure that this will work, Buffy?" Dawn asked rather nervously. It had been a week since the meeting down in Erik's lair and preparations for the trap for the Alga demon were almost finished. Willow had worked on a few spells that she hoped would subdue the demon and another few spells that would distract them. But it wasn't really the preparations for the trap or for Erik's safety that was worrying Dawn. She was worried and nervous at the thought of using Christine as bait for both traps but she knew that there was no other choice.
Still that doesn't mean that I have to like it.
"I don't know, Dawnie." Buffy replied.
Dawn couldn't help but tremble in worry and fear. "I really don't like this plan, Buffy." She said in a small voice.
Buffy's face softened at the worried look on her sister's face. "I know, Dawn. I don't like it either." She said softly. "But we don't have a choice and it's too late to turn back now. Nothing will happen to either Christine or Erik. I'm going to make sure of it."
"It's just …" Dawn paused before she spoke again. "I'm worried that something bad is going to happen."
"I know." Buffy said. "But we've been though worse, right?"
Dawn couldn't help but smile a little at her sister. "Remember when we were in this big pit fighting demons as we were trying to stop Willow from destroying the world?"
Buffy nodded remembering that night very well. "That was the night when I told you that I would teach you how to fight."
Dawn hesitated before she spoke again. "As I was saving Christine that day in the cemetery from the hellhounds, I yelled at her to run. To get out of the cemetery. She said that she wasn't going to let me die for her. You know what I told her?"
"What?" Buffy asked.
"Better me than you." Dawn replied. "That was my reply. Christine is like a sister to me, Buffy and I feel the same kind of sibling connection with her as I do with you."
"Like family." Buffy replied. "Like a second sister."
Dawn nodded. "I hate for something to happen to her. I know I should try to be positive but it's hard to be when …"
Buffy nodded. "Me too." She said softly. "I think you should talk to her. Because she really needs a lot of support right now. From what I've heard from Erik, Christine is really scared and needs a shoulder to cry on."
Once again, Dawn nodded her head. "Okay." She turned to walk down toward the door but then she turned around again to face her sister.
"Thanks for the listening ear." She said with a small smile.
Buffy nodded. "Don't mention it." She replied.
"See you in a bit." Dawn said with a wave before she continued walking out of the lair and took the passage toward Christine's dressing room. After twenty minutes, she reached the mirror, pushed it open and stepped through. To her surprise and dismay, she saw that the room was empty. Then she remembered what Meg told her about the small chapel at the other side of the Opera House. At that, Dawn quietly walked out of the dressing room and went down the corridor until she made a right turn and saw a doorway to what Dawn assumed to be the chapel. She looked around and saw that Christine was on her knees in front of a small table covered in candles. Her shoulders were shaking which indicated to Dawn that she was crying and it made her feel worse than she already felt.
Christine must have sensed Dawn's presence because she said. "Dawn, I'm frightened. Don't make me do this." She sobbed softly as she spoke.
Dawn felt her heart break at the fear and despair in her friend's voice. She wanted so badly to tell Christine what Imhotep told her during their encounter as a way to reassure her that she wasn't going to let anything happen to her. But she was forbidden to and that made Dawn feel very frustrated with herself.
Imhotep, if you were here right now and seen just how upset Christine really is, you wouldn't have asked me not to tell her about how she was my sister in a former life. She needs to know before it's too late.
To her surprise and shock, Dawn heard the former High Priest's voice in her mind.
I hear you, my Princess and you are right. Christine Daae needs to know the truth. I know I have told you not to tell her about her former life but now I believe it is time that she knew who she really was all those years ago. Time is almost gone and I do not believe that she will find out on her own in time. Tell her what I have told you. Tell her of her former life and her destiny. The time, when we will meet again, my Princess, is near. I shall see you soon.
Wait! How are you talking to me in my head? Dawn asked.
Through the Gods or what you call them 'the Powers That Be'. Farewell for now, my Princess. At that point, Dawn heard Imhotep's voice echo in her mind before it was silenced completely. Then she turned her gaze down at Christine and knelt down beside her ignoring the pain in her leg. Then she took her in her arms.
"It scares me. Don't make go through this ordeal by fire." Christine sobbed.
"Shh. It's okay, Christine." Dawn said softly. "Buffy, Willow, Raoul, Erik and I won't let anything happen to you. I swear on the soul of my mother, Joyce Summers, I will protect you. Injured leg or not." After a few moments, the two teens pulled apart. Dawn took a deep breath and looked deep into Christine's eyes.
"Christine, there's something I need to tell you." Dawn said in a serious voice. "It's something that I should've told you that night when I woke up from my coma."
Bracing herself, Dawn explained to Christine what Imhotep told her about the two teens being sisters in a previous life and of the destiny that awaited her in the twenty-first century. When she was finished, Dawn saw that Christine looked overwhelmed by everything she told her.
Like the fact that she was my sister in a past life and that her destiny is in the twenty-first century rather than in this one.
"Christine, I know that this is difficult for you to accept and to comphend but …"
"No, Dawn. That's just it." Christine said. "I know why I feel drawn to you and why I feel that we have met before. What I don't understand is what he meant by my destiny lying in the twenty-first century. What is my destiny? And why in the twenty-first century?"
Dawn shook her head. "Imhotep couldn't tell me. All he said was that you will have a part to play in the fight against this new threat and I don't know what that is either because he couldn't tell me that." Stupid Powers for their stupid cryptic.
"It's something that you have to find out for yourself, Christine." Dawn continued. "Not every answer can be found with just the Powers."
Christine nodded. "Of course." Then the two teens heard a voice shouting.
"Christine!"
The young singer turned to Dawn. "I must go. I have to prepare for the performance." She said still sounding frightened.
"I better go too." Dawn replied. "Erik and Willow are probably back by now and Buffy must be getting worried about me. We'll see you at the performance."
Christine nodded and the two teens walked out of the room in silence.
One hour later …
"Remind me again, Willow. Why are we doing this?" Buffy asked nervously as she put the finishing touches on her outfit which was a white dress with a matching cloak and shoes. Her hair was done into a braid that hung over her right shoulder. Once she was satisfied that her dress was in perfect condition, she glanced up at Willow who was dressed in a midnight blue evening gown also with a matching cloak and shoes. Her hair was pulled back into a bun. Buffy saw that her best friend was just as nervous as she was.
"Ask me that in twenty minutes when we trap the demon." Willow replied sounding confident but the anxious look on her face suggested otherwise and to the Slayer, it was not very reassuring.
"I'm praying to the PTB that this plan works otherwise we'll have a problem." Buffy said.
"It will work." Willow said. "Raoul and I have taken care of everything. Not to mention, Erik."
"Speaking of which, where is he?" Buffy asked.
"I'm here, Elizabeth."
Buffy and Willow turned to see Erik standing before them dressed in a white shirt with a brown overcoat and black pants. He was also wearing a black mask that covered his entire face. Buffy went to him and wrapped her arms around him and Erik returned her embrace as he wrapped his arms around her and held her.
"I really don't like this plan, Erik." Buffy whispered.
"I know, my love." Erik said. "But it's too late to turn back now. Besides, I need to do what is necessary to protect Christine and defeat that foul creature once and for all."
"I agree with you there, Erik."
Buffy, Erik and Willow turned to see that Dawn had finished getting ready for the performance. She was dressed in a black evening gown with a matching cloak and shoes. Her hair was also pulled back into a bun at the back of her head. Dawn carefully walked toward them using her cane for assistance.
"Christine is scared to death. To tell you the truth, so am I." Dawn said.
"We all are." Willow said gently. "But we've been through worse situations than this, right?"
Knowing exactly what the Wicca meant, Buffy and Dawn nodded.
"I mean, we battled many Big Bads and we always came out of those battles victorious." Willow continued. "Like the Master, Angelus, the Mayor, Adam, Glory, myself and finally the First Evil. We've defended humanity against them and we always came out winning the war. Dawnie, you said that Christine is really scared. She would be a fool not to be. I would be too if there was a demon after me trying to kill me. But what I'm trying to say is that if we could defeat these Big Bads without anything to show for it, then we defeat this one too and the next one and the next one."
Leave it to Wills to try and give a speech before the final battle. Buffy thought with a smile. She looked up at Erik and saw that he was thinking the same thing. That gave the Slayer strength and the determination to carry on with their plan.
"Okay, ladies and gent." Buffy said. "Let's put this plan into action."
At that, the Slayer, the Phantom, the Wicca and the Key went to the small boat the edge of the lake and sailed to the other side to the Opera House and their trap.
Later …
As the performance of Don Juan Triumphant began, Buffy didn't pay attention to it and scanned her eyes around the auditionum looking for any sign of the demon. So far, she hadn't seen it but decided to keep her eyes peeled. She couldn't help but wince at the sound of Carlotta's singing as she sang her part of the opera and the Slayer inwardly groaned.
I'm so glad that she's not singing the lead otherwise the plan would be harder to execute. Plus, she's the worst singer on the planet!
Buffy then started fidgeting nervously and anxiously in her seat when she saw Christine enter the stage and she started to sing her part of the opera. After she was finished, the man who was playing Don Juan then started to sing his part of the opera. The Slayer winkled her nose at the sound of his singing and of his appearance.
God, those managers have a god-awful way of casting. That guy is too overweight to be playing Don Juan. He's supposed to be a handsome guy like Casanova.
Then the actor exited the stage with a cackling laugh that sent icy chills down the Slayer's spine. Christine then sang the next part of the opera. After a minute, Buffy saw someone enter the stage. At first, she thought that it was the actor playing Don Juan but then she saw that the man was too thin to be the actor and she realized who it was.
Erik!
Suddenly her nervousness returned in full force and she once again started to fidget in her seat. Even as Erik was singing what was supposed to be the actor's next part of the opera, she couldn't force herself to relax. Then after a few moments, Erik started to sing the next song of the opera.
Buffy couldn't help but feel very frightened for both Erik and Christine's safety. The trap for the demon was already set but it also trapped her fiancé in with policemen everywhere in the Opera House. She glanced up at Box Five where Raoul was standing waiting for any sign of the Alga demon then she looked back at Dawn and Willow who looked more nervous than she was. That didn't comfort her and relaxed her in the least. As Erik continued to sing, Buffy tried to force herself to relax.
Just by looking at Christine's face, Buffy could tell that she didn't like the plan anymore than she did. Now even more nervous, anxious and unable to hold it anymore, Buffy began to stand up to get to the stage.
"Wait!" Willow hissed as she tried to stop her. "Buffy!"
Buffy ignored her companions's protests as she got up and walked to get to the aisle muttering to her apologizing to anyone whose feet she stepped on the way. She heard Christine sing her part of the opera as she was getting to the aisle. As she was walking onto the stage and before she realized what she was doing, Buffy began to sing what was still supposed to be Christine's part of the opera looking at Erik the entire time with a loving and fearful expression on her face.
What is she doing?
That was the one thought that ran through Erik's mind as he saw Buffy climb onto the stage. He knew that this wasn't part of the plan but he could tell by the look on her face that she didn't care. He could see the fear for him and Christine in her eyes. Glancing at Christine, he saw the look on her face that told him to keep the show going despite Buffy being on the stage. So he began to sing again as did both Buffy and Christine taking his beloved fiancée's hand as he did.
As he held Buffy's hand in his own, he pulled her closer to him and in true fashion moved his hands up and down her body. As he did, Erik glanced at Christine who was smiling at him with tears in her eyes. Seeing the compassion in them and the gratitude for both him and Buffy for trying to protect her, Erik began to sing again this time it was part of the song Buffy sang to him that night on the roof of the Opera House when she confessed her love for him.
Erik was cut off when Buffy pressed her lips against his in a passionate kiss. As she kissed him, he kissed her back pouring all of his love for her into it. As she was kissing him, Buffy removed his mask revealing his deformed cheek but they both ignored the gasps and screams from the audience and from the cast and only focused on each other. But then more terrified screams forced them to break apart and they saw that the demon had come with an evil grin on its face; it took out a quill from its back and threw it at Christine's direction.
"Oh, no you don't, asshole." Buffy snarled and she shoved Christine out of the way of the poisonous quill saving the young singer's life. Then she looked to see that the demon had cut a rope and it laughed an evil laugh. Feeling a sinking feeling at the pit of her stomach, she heard the sound of glass shaking. Buffy looked and felt the blood drain from her face when she saw that the sound was coming from the chandelier and that it was beginning to fall from the ceiling toward the crowd of people. People screamed and ran to get out of the path of the falling chandelier.
"Dawnie! Will! Get out of here!" Buffy screamed.
Willow looked up and saw that the chandelier was about to crash into them. Quickly she got up from her seat.
"Go! Now!" she yelled at Dawn. The two women started to run as fast as they could but Dawn fell onto the ground. As she tried to get up, she saw the chandelier was getting closer. Frantically, she grabbed her fallen cane and tried to run but she knew that she wasn't going to get out the way in time.
"Willow!" Dawn screamed. "Help me!"
At Box Five, Raoul jumped from the balcony of the box to get to Buffy. But he stopped when he saw that Dawn had fallen and was trying to run out of the falling chandelier's path. Knowing that she wasn't going to be able to get out of the way in time and not caring who saw him, Raoul ran toward her, grabbed her arm and pulled her away narrowingly missing the chandelier by inches. He pulled Dawn to the stage with Buffy, Willow, Erik and Christine close behind her then he turned to her.
"Are you all right?" Raoul asked her.
Dawn nodded her head. "Thanks to you." She replied. "Where's Buffy?"
"I'm right here, Dawnie." Buffy said. "We have to get to back down to the catacombs. It's our last chance to get this demon before it does any more damage."
"Buffy's right. There's too many people around here to finish this." Willow said. "Everyone, gather around me."
Raoul, Christine, Erik, Buffy and Dawn gathered in a circle around Willow. The redheaded Wicca chanted some words in Latin and before either of them realized what was happening, the world swam around them. The burning stage of the Opera Populaire was replaced by the familiar sight and smell of Erik's lair down in the catacombs.
Christine nearly stumbled forward but Raoul caught her before she fell into the lake. "Thank you, Raoul." She said.
Raoul nodded and he turned to Willow. "What spell did you use to get us here?" he asked.
"A transportation spell." Willow replied. "It was the only way to get back down here without using the passage."
"Very clever, Willow." Raoul commented. "Good work."
"Now what?" Dawn said. "It won't be long before the demon realizes that we're not above ground …"
"And before anybody tries to find Erik since they think he did all of this." Buffy finished for her. Then she turned to Willow with a worried expression on her face.
"The spell you used to distract the policemen. Do you think you use it on any person who's going to get down here?"
Willow returned her best friend's worried expression with a grim expression on her face. "I just might. But it will depend on how many people are going to storm down here to try to find Erik."
Buffy was about to say something when an evil laugh echoed throughout the lair. Her eyes flashed and narrowed dangerously when she saw the demon standing at the gate. Christine screamed in terror. Raoul ran to her and wrapped his arms around her protectively. Willow lifted her hands with a spell at the tip of her tongue while Erik and Dawn held their weapons of choice which were a sword and a spear and stepped in front of Christine and Raoul.
"Well, well, well. Slayer, are you ready to die?" it said sneering at her.
"Don't bet on it." Buffy growled. Then the Slayer waited for the demon to make its first move. It did when it threw a nasty punch at her which she blocked. They exchanged a series of brutal kicks and punches before the demon got a weapon which was a sword.
"Elizabeth!" Raoul shouted as he threw his sword to her. Buffy caught the sword and blocked the demon's attempt to stab her in the gut. As it turned out, the demon had a never-ending supply of weapons because it switched from a sword to a battle ax. Buffy tightly held her sword as she continued to fight the demon. He swung his ax at her legs in an attempt to cut them from underneath her but she was too fast for it and she jumped out of the way. At the point, she realized that she was fighting a losing battle. The demon was pretty energized while she was already weary from trying to help the people escape the Opera House but she wasn't going to give up that easily and refused to be outmatched.
I can't. For Erik. For Dawnie and for Willow.
Then as she was swung her sword at the demon's head, he swung his stone ball and it hit contact onto her sword breaking it in half. It also made contact with her arm. Buffy winced in pain but she didn't cry out. Then she saw that the demon had its stone in the pocket of the pants it was wearing. Using half of her broken sword, Buffy jabbed it into the demon's leg. As it roared in pain, she slid under its legs and grabbed the stone out of its pocket. Then the demon took out four poisonous quills out of his skin and gave her a furious glance.
"Time to start the dyin'!" The demon sneered and to the Slayer's horror, he threw the four poisonous quills right in Erik's direction.
"Erik!" Buffy screamed. Without thinking of herself, she ran and shoved Erik out of the way of the quills. But she couldn't get out of the way in time and she was hit by the four quills.
"Buffy!" Willow and Dawn screamed in horror.
"Elizabeth!" Erik cried out in horror and grief. Christine and Raoul both gasped in horror.
"Oh, no." Christine whispered in horror. Raoul tried to get to Buffy but Christine grabbed his arm.
"No, Raoul!" She cried. "There is nothing you can do for her. Let her finish this." She breathed a sigh of relief when the Viscount nodded and watched the scene with a mixture of horror and grief.
Despite the venom that was now flowing in her veins, Buffy managed to remain standing and she looked at the demon with a cold look on her face and with a cruel smile. Then she lifted up her sword and threw it in a way which should have been impossible for a dying human being. The sword hit home into the demon's forehead. He looked at Buffy in shock and horror.
"No fair." It rasped and it fell into the lake dead. Buffy took one step toward Erik and then began to collapse to the ground. Erik ran forward and caught her in his arms. Tears began to well in his golden eyes as he looked at her.
"Elizabeth." Erik whispered.
Buffy smiled weakly at him and she struggled to keep her eyes open. Her face twisted in pain from the effects of the venom but she remained strong. "Erik, I …"
"Yes, Elizabeth?" He said.
Buffy's breathing became laboured as she struggled to say what she wanted to say to Erik. She focused her eyes on his face and placed her hand on his deformed cheek.
"Erik, I-I love you." At that moment, she closed her eyes and her chest went still as the life left her body. Her hand slid off of his deformed cheek and fell limply at her side. Buffy was gone.
"Elizabeth?" Tears spilled down Erik's cheeks as he felt his heart shatter in a million pieces. "No, no." His grief was unbearable. "NO!" As Willow, Dawn, Christine and Raoul watched with grief etching on their faces, Erik let out a howl of anguish that echoed throughout the lake before he broke down into uncontrollable sobs. Dawn broke down crying in Willow's arms who was also crying. Tears ran down Christine's cheeks as feelings of pity for Erik and grief for Buffy ripped through her. Raoul took her in his arms as he glanced at a devastated and grieving Erik.
"Oh, Elizabeth." Erik sobbed softly as he held her lifeless body against his chest and cried into her hair. He mourned for the woman who loved him for who he was and for the lost chance of being with her for the rest of his life.
God, I'm evil! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Remember to vote in the pairings poll (I need more votes folks!) and no flames! I will ignore them and I don't have the patience for them. I'm not sure when I will be updating so just keep your eyes peeled!