Rekindling the Music of the Night
By: K.C. Vaillancourt
Disclaimer - You know the drill…I do not own anything associated with The Phantom of the Opera or lyrics of any songs I use.
Just as a quick warning I do edit all my work before I post and have people read my work but there still may be some grammar mistakes. I apologize for them in advance.
Author Note – Thank you to those who take the time to review, follow, or favorite my Phanfic. Your support and opinions are what keeps the momentum going.
For those who are wondering there is still A LOT more to come but I am not going to spill the beans. I am eleven chapters in and still feel like I am only getting started.
The Cemetery
Raoul and his men watched from the shadows of the trees as a carriage with two people sitting in the driver's seat pulled up to the iron gates of the cemetery. Raoul saw his men were about to step forward but he waved his hand for them to stay in position until he said otherwise. He watched as one of them stepped down from the carriage looking around before he helped the other down. The taller of the two took a lantern from the carriage to light there way. Together hand in hand Raoul watched as they opened the iron gates and stepped inside.
He gave the signal and slowly Raoul with his men behind him approached the gates but stopped. When the two figures were far enough away they entered the cemetery behind them. They separated hiding among the tombstones but keeping out of sight until Raoul made his move. He had not seen their faces yet and wanted to be sure it was his prey before he pounced. His lips formed into a wicked grin when he heard the harmonious voice of his wife.
Erik and Christine walked into the cemetery hand in hand. Erik's eyes darted over every part of the cemetery as they walked, something didn't feel right and he wanted to keep all his senses aware of anything out of place. Christine walked with him past the familiar tombstones and sculpted angels feeling overwhelmed by the memories this place brought back to her. The last time she was here she was begging her father to help her say good bye to Erik. Now she was here to say good bye to him. She closed her eyes letting a tear slip down her cheek.
She looked up at Erik who wiped away another tear that had escaped. As she opened her mouth to thank him she began to sing. "He was once my one companion. He was all that mattered. He was once my friend and father. Then my world was shattered."
Erik walked listening to her angelic voice and when she began the next verse he allowed his voice to join with hers. "Wishing he was somehow here again. Wishing he was somehow near. Sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed. Somehow he would be here. Wishing I could hear his voice again. Knowing that I never will. Dreaming of him won't help us to do. All that we have to do."
They stopped at the steps of the Daae mausoleum and continued their song. "Passing bells and sculpted angels, cold and monumental. Seem for him the wrong companions. He was warm and gentle." Christine closed her eyes as she could feel emotion filling her and her voice shattered the silence around them. "Too many years fighting back tears. Why can't my past just die? Wishing he was somehow here again, knowing I must say, Goodbye." She kneeled on the steps looking up at the mausoleum with Erik joining her placing the lantern on the ground and his arm around her shoulder. Christine held tightly to the hand of the arm around her. "Give me the strength to try. No more memories, no more silent tears. No more gazing across these wasted years." She looked at Erik tears swimming in her eyes. "Help me say, Goodbye. Help me say, Goodbye."
Erik placed a hand to her cheek as she became silent. "I never knew your father but from what you have told me all he would expect is for you to say what's in your heart." He whispered to her with a smile while wiping away more of her tears.
Christine nodded and looked up at the doors to the mausoleum. "My father had so many admirers in Paris that when he passed they all banded together to pay for this mausoleum. They felt a man of his talent deserved a proper tribute." Christine closed her eyes and took a deep breath before speaking again. "Father, I'm sorry it's been so long between my visits. I…" She cleared her throat trying not to let the sadness of what she was doing overwhelm her. "We…are leaving France, for good. I love you so much father and I couldn't leave without seeing you one last time to say good bye. If you watch over me as you promised you would, you know why we have to leave. I promise you I will never forget you." Tears began to fall from her eyes once more. "I love you father. Please keep us safe and protect us on our journey."
Erik wrapped his arms around Christine as she let herself fall into his chest letting her tears fall freely. I swear to you Gustave I will keep her safe. Erik thought as he stroked her hair. "No matter where we go he will be with us ma Cherie." Christine looked up at him smiling through her tears. "All that rests in that mausoleum is your father's body. His spirit will stay right here." He placed a hand over her heart.
Christine was about to respond when she heard the snap of a twig from behind them. Her tears immediately stopped when she turned her head and heard it again. "Someone's coming." She looked back at Erik. "You have to hide."
"No, I'm not going to leave you…"
Christine stood pulling him up with her. She quickly wiped away what was left of her tears. "There's no time to argue." She whispered as she pulled up her hood. "If it is Raoul we will have the element of surprise, mon fantome." She said with a smile as she kissed him on the cheek pushing him back. "Go, now."
Erik hesitantly let go of Christine and slunk back into the shadows. He watched a man walking up to her. He narrowed his eyes when he saw it was indeed the Vicomte. He doubted Raoul would come alone. Somewhere in this cemetery were men ready to aid him in kidnapping Christine. He wished he hadn't left her alone but now was not the time for regrets. She was right it was the time for the phantom of the opera to return at his best.
Christine could feel Raoul approaching. She turned to face him pulling her cloak and hood closer trying to hide her face. "M. Vicomte. It is an honor to meet…"
"You can save the act Christine. I know it is you." Raoul whispered. He stopped only a few feet away from her.
"Christine?" She gave a laugh and placed a hand to her chest. "I am flattered Monsieur. I have simply come to pay tribute to a brilliant artist. My name is Belle De…"
"Enough Christine!" He yelled. "You can change your name, your hair, and your clothes but I know it is you." He calmed himself down and gave a small laugh. "You are as predictable as I had hoped. I knew you would never leave France without telling your father good bye. It was smart trying to get me out of Paris so you could come here." Christine said nothing wondering what he was talking about. Raoul looked around before looking back at Christine. "Where is he?"
Christine sighed. There was no point in trying to hide. She pulled down her hood and shrugged her shoulders. "As you can see I am alone."
"You weren't when you arrived or even a moment ago. Where is your precious angel?"
"No one is with me Raoul." Christine insisted.
"You should know by now that I can see through your lies. He was with you when you arrived and is still here somewhere. He would never leave you alone and vulnerable to save himself. Now, where is your friend in the white mask?"
Christine held back a gasp as something Erik said repeated in her mind. "No one except those I have revealed myself to know what the phantom looks like and there is no real proof that I am him. Anyone who did see me that could expose me never lived to tell the tale." Here looking at Raoul the realization hit her. Raoul knew his face. Masked or Unmasked Raoul knew what Erik looked like. She silently cursed herself. Why hadn't it dawned on her before? She saw the hint of a black cloak whisk by out of the corner of her eye and decided to drop all pretenses to buy Erik time for whatever he was going to do. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Raoul. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what."
"I know Madame Giry told you about my angel's past. Why didn't you tell me what you knew?"
"Because I knew if I did you would go back to him." Raoul explained taking a few steps closer to her.
Christine backed up stepping onto the stairs looking at him with disgust clear in her eyes. "You're right. I would have gone to him. If nothing else than to tell him I didn't think he was a monster. That I understood why he did what he did and was the way he was."
Erik silently snuck up behind the first man he saw. Unlike most people he could see quite well in the dark of night. Something he attributed to his years in the opera house. He looked ahead and saw Raoul getting closer to Christine which made his eyes narrow further. His men seemed to be keeping their positions, for now. Erik acted quickly and before the man could react he placed one arm around his neck and the other behind his head tightly until the man was limp in his arms. He silently dragged him away. He buckled the unknown man's sword belt around his waist and moved on to find the next.
Raoul looked at Christine. "You have asked a question of me now I have one of my own. Was any of it real?" He continued before she could say anything. "Your love for me. What we shared on the opera house roof top. Was it real?"
"At one time I thought it was." Christine admitted. "But I know and I think you do as well that it wasn't. We were never truly in love. I should have been stronger when you decided to force yourself back into my life and told you the truth about my feelings for my angel of music from the beginning. I loved him but fooled myself into loving you like a suitor instead of the brotherly affection I had for you."
"I knew it." Raoul growled. "I always knew you loved him even when you vehemently denied it. Tell me Christine, every time we made love were you making love to me, or were wishing you were with him."
"From the day I left the opera house I wished I was with him." She said feeling satisfaction that she could extract some measure of revenge with her words. "All the time I spent with you I wished I was with him. When we were married I wished I was marrying him. When we kissed, when we made love, whenever you touched me in any kind of tender way I wished you were him. How do you think I was able to get through the six years I was with you?" She could see the anger in his eyes intensify but she didn't back down. "Every time you beat me I held on to him. That's how I got through years of being the outlet of your anger. He was and is my strength."
Raoul felt himself fuming but stayed where he was glancing behind Christine trying to make it look like he was looking at the Mausoleum.
Christine saw his glance and felt a presence behind her. She knew it wasn't Erik and just as he was about to grab her she brought her hands together and elbowed him as hard as she could in the stomach. As he was gasping for air she took one of his arms and flipped him over onto the ground. He grunted as his back landed hard on the steps. She saw Raoul approaching and grabbed a dagger from her boot staying on one knee holding it to the man's throat. "Stay back."
"Christine I know you. You're not going to…" He stopped talking as he glanced at the hand that was holding the dagger then back up to her face. "Your wedding rings."
"I removed those chains days ago." Christine spat at him still holding the dagger tight to the man's throat feeling it make a small nick in the man's skin who made no attempt at moving.
"You might have taken off your rings but you are still my wife." Raoul pointed out. "You belong to me."
Erik had dispensed with the last man he could find and his eyes widened when he saw Christine take down the man who had almost grabbed her. He unsheathed the sword he had stolen and began to walk toward the Vicomte.
"Raoul." Christine started. She held back a smile when she saw Erik emerging from the shadows. "Let me go and end our marriage. I know there is a woman out there who will love you the way you deserve. We can both be happy in our lives. There is no need for this to escalate into further violence. I am sorry for the pain I caused you but I love someone else."
"You belong to me Christine." Raoul repeated.
"This is not six years ago in the catacombs of the opera house with you and my angel switching roles. Be the man you once were and walk away." Christine yelled keeping her hand steady so the man she was holding didn't move.
Raoul shook his head. "You know that is a foolish request. You may have one of my men but there are more here. You are outnumbered Christine. You will let my man go and come home with me whether you want to or not." He ran forward toward Christine. She removed the dagger from the man's throat and tried to run when Raoul caught her by the wrist as she reached the top of the steps.
"Let me go!" She screamed struggling to be free of his grasp. It was almost like one of her nightmares.
Raoul was about to say something when he felt the blade of a sword at his back and a voice he never thought he would hear again behind him. "You heard Christine. Let…her…go."
Raoul did nothing and felt the blade pushing harder into his back. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the glint of a silver blade and smiled. He whirled Christine around in his arms taking the dagger from her hand and holding it to her throat. "Sheath your sword phantom."
Erik's blade was pointed directly at Christine's heart and he was about to do as Raoul asked.
"Erik, no." Christine said and her eyes widened as she realized what she had done.
Raoul smiled. "Erik. So it has a name." He tightened his grip on Christine. "I will only say it once more. Sheathe your sword."
Erik looked into Christine's eyes and could see her shake her head ever so slightly. He looked at Raoul. "I always knew you were a coward. You claim to want her as your wife but you would use her as a shield to save yourself."
"I don't claim anything." Raoul whispered as he held the blade closer to her throat. "She is my wife. Now step aside and crawl back into the darkness."
"You will leave with her over my dead body." Erik said not moving from where he stood.
"Gladly." Raoul smiled and glanced behind Erik who smiled back at him.
"If you are waiting for your henchmen you have once again underestimated me." Erik growled. "It is only you, and me."
"No there was…" Christine was about to say when she felt the blade on her neck come a bit closer.
Erik kept his eyes fixed on Raoul. "He has been dispensed with like the rest."
"It doesn't matter. You will let us go." Raoul pushed the dagger into Christine's neck and she held back a wince in pain when she felt it cutting her flesh. Erik felt himself fill with anger as he saw blood begin to trickle from the cut Raoul had made. "That is only a small nick. If you don't move I will spill her blood on these steps and neither of us will have her. Come now, you don't want your precious Christine to be hurt any further. Do you?"
Christine looked into Erik's eyes. He knew what she was going to do and before he could say no she stomped on Raoul's foot with her boot as hard she could. Raoul grunted in pain and for a moment removed the blade from her neck. Christine pushed his arm away and followed up with an elbow to the stomach. She ran from him to Erik's side.
When Raoul caught his breath he looked up and found the blade of the phantom's sword was now pointed at his chest. He glanced at Christine at Erik's side holding his other hand and looked back at him with fury burning in his eyes. "You have no comprehension of the mistake you have made."
"The mistake I made was not killing you when I had you trapped in my lasso." Erik growled.
Raoul stepped back to unsheathe his sword and lunged at Erik. Christine let go of Erik's hand backing down the stairs as they began to fight each other. She looked on and felt like she was transported back to six years ago.
The sound of metal upon metal filled the silent cemetery as Erik and Raoul faced off with each other. They met each other blow for blow ducking and weaving as their swords continued to bounce off each other. Erik jumped as Raoul tried slash at his legs. When he landed he held back a grunt as Raoul's blade sliced his arm.
They continued, landing a series of parries and thrusts until Erik finally saw his opening. He pivoted and slashed Raoul's wrist with a dagger he had hidden up his sleeve causing him to drop his sword. Raoul stepped back and cursed when he felt his back hit a tree. He looked up and saw Erik advancing on him. "This is how it should have ended six years ago." He was about to plunge his sword into Raoul's chest when he heard Christine scream as she ran toward him.
"Erik no!" He stopped but kept the blade pointed at his heart so hard it began to cut through Raoul's suit jacket. Christine approached them and looked at Raoul. "We don't have to do this. Raoul, I am begging you please let us be happy and you can do the same. This doesn't have to end in violence."
Raoul ignored her and looked at Erik seeming not to care about the precarious situation he was in. "Return what is mine and I will let you walk away with your life."
"You're ignorantly confidant for a man who has a sword pointed at his chest. Besides, I can't return to you what was not yours or mine to begin with." Erik responded.
Raoul looked at Christine. "If you want him to live you'll come home with me."
"No Raoul." Christine said. "Our marriage is done. I will never come back to you."
"You are my wife."
"For now." Christine whispered.
Raoul took a deep breath. "Remember that I gave you this chance. If you insist on being with this monster, I will make it my mission to hunt you both until you are mine again and he takes his last breathe." Raoul smiled ignoring the blade that could pierce his heart at any moment. "Even if I were to end our marriage so you could be together. Your Erik is still a wanted man for murder and I will see to it that justice is served."
"I think you served your justice for him on me." Christine said. "Isn't that enough?"
"No." Raoul stated and let his smile widen. "You can try to deny it Christine but you liked what Anton and I used to do to you." He glanced at Erik. "All whores like it a little rough."
"Enough of this!" Erik yelled as an image of the scars Christine bore came to his mind. He was once again about to kill the Vicomte but stopped when he felt Christine's hand on his arm.
"Please Erik you can't." She looked at Raoul seeing right through him. "I don't know why but you'll give him exactly what he wants." She looked back at Erik. "All we need to do is walk away."
"You're not going anywhere." Raoul whispered.
Erik pulled his sword back but not before he slashed Raoul across the chest. "That is only a small taste of what you deserve." He whispered and threw something on the ground. It exploded and covered Raoul in grey smoke. As he coughed and tried to see Erik sheathed his sword, grabbed Christine's hand and ran with her back to the carriage. He lifted her into the driver's seat and jumped in next to her grabbing the reins. Before he could whip them Cesar and Arturo began to gallop away disappearing into the dark forest.
The man Christine had had in her clutches earlier approached Raoul holding the back of his head as the smoke cleared. "M. Vicomte are you alright?"
"I'm fine you fool." Raoul spat out as he stood up looking down at the wound Erik had given him. It was merely a flesh wound. "Let's go."
Raoul whistled and horses galloped into the cemetery. He jumped on his as his other men began to emerge from the darkness and did the same. Raoul circled to look at them. "Do I have to have a brain for all of you? The plan was to trap them and not one of you thought to sabotage their carriage." Raoul was annoyed he hadn't thought of it himself but it was easier to blame the other men. "They may have gotten away from us but there is only one place that monster will think they can go to be safe." He turned his horse around galloping away with his men close behind.
While Erik, Christine, and Raoul were at the Cemetery in Paris. Anton, Bernard, and his people emerged from the forest into the field where in the distance was the Giry home. Bernard saw the glow of a fire in one of the windows. He hoped it was merely a distraction and that they had already left. Anton turned to them. "Stay here while I check things out." Anton got off his horse and walked toward the house. He snuck up to the front door and smiled when he heard two female voices inside.
Meg was packing another satchel as her mother did the same. "Are we almost ready?"
"I only have a few more things to pack. You're certain Bernard said he would buy us some time."
Meg nodded. "As I told you when I arrived he said he would lead them in the wrong direction a few times so I would have time to get back and we could leave." She paused for a moment. "What about Erik and Christine's cabin behind the house? Should we burn it in case anyone comes looking?"
"There is not time. Besides no one knows it is there. There is no reason we can't leave it alone. I would hate to destroy it if there are things that they want sent to them once they are settled."
Anton had heard enough and walked back toward the men waiting for him. He didn't hide his anger as he approached Bernard. "By the third dead end you lead us to I began to wonder about you but I chalked it up to the darkness. When we arrived here did you think I wouldn't find out?"
With that question Bernard knew the Giry's were still inside and his cover was blown. Before he could say a word in his defense he felt Anton's blade slicing through his abdomen. He fell to his knees his hands becoming dark red as they were covered with the blood gushing from his body. Anton pushed him to the ground with his boot using Bernard's shirt to clean the blood off his sword. He stood back up as Bernard died not giving him a second glance. "Now that this interloper has been dispensed with, the Giry's are inside the house. I heard them say there is a cabin in the woods behind them. I am going to go check it out." He looked at one of the men with him. He was a young man with orange-red hair and auburn eyes. "Julian take Marcus with you to the stables to prepare the ladies horses." They nodded and walked away. He looked at the other two men who were the largest of them all. They both were tall with strong builds and had long brown hair with matching eyes. "Victor, Vincent you man the front door. If the ladies try to leave make sure they are given the proper accommodations on their horses." Anton turned around and walked back toward the house.
Madame Giry thought she saw a shadow out of the corner of her eye and stopped when she was about to put on her cloak.
"Maman? What is it?" Meg asked concerned when she saw the alarm on her mother's face.
"There is someone here." Madame Giry whispered as she made her way to the kitchen window. She thought she could make out two figures entering the stables and another walking past them. "It's time for us to go."
"Maman, what's going on?" Meg asked as she watched her mother pick up her satchels. "It could be Erik or Christine."
Madame Giry looked at her daughter. "Do you not think they would have used the front door instead of sneaking around? We cannot get to our horses. We will have to run into the forest."
Meg finished with her own bags and fastened her cloak. She joined her mother at the front door and as they opened it they gasped as they encountered two large men. "Going somewhere ladies?" One of them asked in a deep sinister voice.
After following a small dirt path he had found Anton saw the cabin. He approached it slowly remembering what Raoul had told him about the trap he was caught in at the opera house. Once he was at the front door he drew his sword and opened it slowly. It was dark and he could tell no one was inside. He walked slowly through what he assumed was a sitting room. After lighting a fire and a few lamps he began to search the cabin for any sign of where they might have gone.
He started in what he assumed was the phantoms bedroom and found nothing until he got to the kitchen. On the table he saw two rings sitting in the center. He immediately recognized them as Christine's wedding rings and put them in his pocket. He could only imagine the reaction Raoul would have when he gave them to him. He quickly searched through the bookshelves but there was still nothing. He sighed in annoyance and decided to leave.
He made his way back to the Giry home and when he turned a corner to get to the front door he stopped. Both Giry women were on their horses with their hands bound in front of them. He walked up to Madame Giry and smiled. "Hello Madame. I am sure you have heard we have been looking for you for some time." He looked at the other men. "At least our trip here was not a complete waste."
Madame Giry made no indication that she was concerned about the situation she and her daughter were in even though inside she was cursing her own stubbornness at not leaving sooner. "Did you find something useful?"
Anton mounted his horse the smile fading from his face. "I did now. Let's go. I'm sure the Vicomte will be delighted to see you both."
Meg looked around at the men with them and then looked to her mother. "Where's Bernard?" She whispered.
Anton turned back to look at her. "You will pass him on our way." He turned back and they began their journey back to Paris. He smiled when he heard Meg's gasp as they passed Bernard's body. He may not have found anything that told him where Christine was but knew he was returning with something much better, the two women who could tell them exactly where she and her phantom were going. He would do whatever he had to do to get them to reveal the information his friend needed to find his wife and kill the monster that was driving him to madness.
