Darlings! I'm sorry for two counts. One) this is sort of late…and Two) I just realized how short it is! I fear this is the most awkwardly written chapter in the history of ever…but it is key to the plot, so, I could not just omit it.

lady katrhin: I'm glad you think it's getting better instead of progressively worse, hee! Thanks for the review – they really do make my day!

Lurks in Shadows: I loved how appropriate your username was for your review. I hope you enjoy the on-coming-Erik-ness! 3

VictorianDream: Your reviews make me so happy! I do try to write Erik as best as I can, I hope I do the poor man justice…though, I still believe he's too complex por moi! Haha, I love "the insanity factor" – so true! I mean, the man was just a LITTLE off his rocker…I don't know of many guys who would come up with scorpion vs. grasshopper. Then again, he had a lot of free time…

Stefynae: Yay Erik! I'm glad you like Adelaide…I hope you still do after she has her experiences with le fantome…ooo! Haha!

Phruity: 'ello, pointless reviewer! Nooo, that's okay, Elisa, I love you! Erik would probably let you out to go personally punjab Adelaide. Bwha!

M'selle de Paris: Thank you so much for your review – and for the reviews on my other one-shots I received today. To answer your question: no, actually! I read Kay back in November…though, I do have the reprinted version on pre-order. I'm always nervous about writing Kay since I haven't exactly read it 'recently'…but, I'm glad you liked them! Yay suspense! I hope you enjoy this chapter – and I look forward to your revivews!

XXXXX

I had rented a small hotel room across the street from the Touliers' home, waiting for my opportunity. That first day, simply waiting, was perhaps the first day in my life I had ever felt 'optimistic'. I watched her the night before, I could see her silhouette putting her daughter to bed. I felt guilty for a moment, knowing I would separate her from her daughter. We could fetch her later…and then be a family.

I knew my thoughts were twisted….to think! I was planning to abduct Christine. No. Abduct was not the correct word. I saw how bombarded she had been by people upon her arrival. I knew my Christine. I knew how her constant life in the public eye had to intimidate her. I remember how she had fainted after her debut as Marguerite….my new Marguerite…how could she stand such a larger stage? She could not. I was saving her, and I would save her daughter. Beneath the opera house, her true home, she would be completely safe and comfortable. Her life would be picturesque.

I had been so lost in my reveries I jumped when something out the window caught my eye. I saw the door of the Touliers' close, and a woman walking down the street, securing her bonnet around her face. My darling Christine. My God! She was heading precisely for the Rue Scribe. For a moment I foolishly thought that perhaps she was trying to return….no! Of course not. I knew though, I had to act quickly. I picked up my fedora, adjusting it low, I walked out of the inn leaving the money due on the front desk with the bill.

We walked past our familiar parc, I resisted the urge to run next to her and instead remained quite a few paces behind. She paused when she had walked a little way down the rue scribe, only meters from my alley entrance. I knew that could not have been a coincidence…my God! She wanted to return.

I knew then it was now or never. I would use my one power over her – over anyone. My voice. That voice that would bring people to their knees. I knew it obscured any other senses and stirred emotions they had thought themselves incapable of experiencing before. It was a trick from my childhood, but I knew it would work.

I began, softly at first, an English ballard I had translated into French. "Je t'aime seulement comme les anges aiment," the key lay on the ground, she finally recognized that's where the sound emitted from and walked towards it slowly. Blindly. "Dans les royaumes inconnus où la joie ne meurt jamais, Pourtant dans mon coeur je l'enterre, Loin de tous yeux humains" she held it in her hand, almost swaying back in forth in a stupor. I sent my voice to the keyhole, as she clumsily pushed it in and fiddled with the lock for a while before finally opening it.

"J'ai demandé de Dieu une âme apparentée, Et il m'a envoyé le tien," pushing the door open, she stood, dumbly surveying the darkness ahead of her. Throwing my voice down the long hall, she began to walk slowly.

"Pourtant je peux me casser seulement le coeur," keeping a reasonable distance away from her I followed behind her, letting my song pour through her soul, for every word I sang was true. "Pour tu canst n'est jamais le mien. Ah ! Ne tu pleurnichez jamais, Ah ! Ne tu pleurnichez jamais, Ah!"

She paused when she reached the bank of the lake, pressing her forward, she stepped onto the boat, crumpling on the musty cushions. Christine wrapped her arms around her head and began to rock back and forth, almost as if she was crying. My angel, my protégé, was fighting my control! I sang more passionately, "Ne tu pleurnichez jamais, ne jamais plus être le mien. Ah ! ----. Aucun rayon amical de lumière brille par les nuages, Cela abaisse au-dessus de ma tête. Pour la joie a pris des ailes et volé."

My voice filled the empty caverns, accompinied only by the lapping of the lake water against the boat as I poled us along. "Et les mensonges d'espoir saignant, muet et mort. Et seulement les mots de chagrin amer, Triste, Comme la dernière chanson du cygne." We reached the shore, and I could no longer countinue, I wanted her to see, to understand where she was…how she had come to be there, and what her future would hold. "Peut venir des - lèvres, le froid grandi et pâlit, Avec les secrets tenus aussi longtemps." I would not…I could not! finish the song. I planned then to someday finish it, but the words were too powerful. I stopped, perhaps too abruptly. She fainted, but before she could hit the ground, I was at her side as I planned to be for the rest of our lives.

With some effort, for I had recently felt age catching up with me, I lifted her previous weight in my arms. As I had planned, I went to push back her hat that had flopped over, and kiss her gently.

When I pulled back her satin bonnet, I do believe my heart stopped from shock. For, it was not my angel I held in my arms.

The rest of the song, if you're curious! Je t'aime, je t'aime, comme un amour de l'ange. Je t'aime, je t'aime, comme les anges aiment, Comme les anges aiment, comme les anges aiment, je t'aime, comme les anges aiment !

English translation:

I love thee only as the angels love,

In unknown realms where joy ne'er dies,

Yet in my heart I bury it,

Away from all human eyes. ------

I asked of God a kindred soul,

And he has sent me thine. ------

Yet I can only break my heart, ----

For thou canst ne'er be mine. Ah!

Thou canst never, Ah!

Thou canst never, Ah!

Thou canst never, never more be mine. Ah! ----

No friendly ray of light shines through the clouds,

That lower above my head.

For joy has taken wings and flown.

And hope lies bleeding, mute and dead.

And only words of bitter grief, Sad,

As the swan's last song, -----

Can come from lips, grown cold and pale,

With secrets held too long.

I love thee, I love thee, as an angel's love.

I love thee, I love thee, as the angels love,

As the angels love, as the angels love,

I love thee, as the angels love!

Music by V. Cirillo - 1880