Chapter 9: Acting As A Mask

Rose was beginning to worry about Erik as she had not heard from him in weeks and in a few days it would be a whole month! Also Christine had been avoiding her as if she were the plague itself; Which really upset her... She knew that they had fallen out but they still had exchanged small talk and a polite greeting when they crossed paths... But now Christine would always avoid eye contact with her and go in a different direction if they were ever in the same place.

Raoul had entered the opera house and found Rose sitting on the reception area staircase steps with a sad expression,

"Well if it isn't little songbird" Raoul greeted with a chuckle and Rose couldn't help but look up before smiling brightly,

"Raoul... I had heard that you were the opera's new patron" she said as the young vicomte took a seat next to her,

"And yet... Our paths have not crossed" Raoul pointed out gently,

"I know, I'm sorry... This place keeps me busy" Rose explained as she began toying with a loose thread on her apron and Raoul looked at her with gentle concern,

"What's on your mind, little songbird?" he asked,

"Oh just... Everything" Rose murmured tiredly and Raoul wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder with a gentle chuckle,

"Well that certainly is a lot... I got the impression from Christine that... You both are not as close as two sisters should be these days... Did you both have a disagreement of some kind?" Raoul asked gently,

"... Do you remember how Mr Daae used to tell us stories of the angel of music?" Rose asked after a long moment of silent thought and Raoul smiled,

"Indeed I do. I just still can't believe that you still address him as Mr Daae even after all these years" Raoul pointed out but offered her a sad smile,

"... He thought of you as a daughter just as much as he did Christine... You can't keep blaming yourself" Raoul comforted gently,

"... I know it's just... Christine has been receiving lessons from the angel of music... But... He's fallen in love with her and... I guess i'm..." Rose tried,

"Jealous..." Raoul concluded gently but also came to a very wrong conclusion when he thought Rose's was talking about the attention that Christine had been receiving from himself and so she had become jealous because she also liked him,

"Well... I am sure that the angel of music thinks highly of you even though he has fallen in love with Christine" Raoul reasoned, in attempts to let her down gently,

"I know I just... I don't want my feelings to mess up the friendship that me and... The angel have" Rose explained but Raoul smiled at her reassuringly,

"Don't worry. It won't" he promised, lifting her hand and pressed a kiss to the surface before standing,

"Right, I must get to my meeting with the managers before I'm late. Try and not be so hard on yourself, little songbird" Raoul encouraged before hurrying off and Rose could only sigh in a tired manner once again.

It was that night that found Madame Giry rushing around the opera house in a panic,

"ROSE!" she called over and over until eventually Rose heard her and exited the auditorium in which she had been carrying out some last minuet costume repairs,

"Madame Giry?... What's wrong?" Rose asked concerned as she saw the ballet mistress rushing down the main staircase with an expression of relief,

"Oh thank goodness. You need to come with me, Now" Madame Giry insisted and began pulling her towards the door that lead to the basement,

"Where are we going?" Rose insisted as she followed her down the staircase and was surprised as she watched Madame Giry open a secret passageway,

"I know that you and the phantom are friends... I know that you know his secret; That he isn't really a ghost" she admitted,

"I need your help... Christine has done something very foolish and right now. Erik is paying the price" Madame Giry explained before leading Rose into the passageway and down into the catacombs after closing the secret entrance,

"What are you talking about? What has Christine done?" Rose asked, growing more and more concerned with each passing moment,

"... She removed his mask" Madame Giry admitted and Rose could only look at her horrified,

"... What?... Wh... Where is Christine now?" she asked,

"... She fled at the very sight of him... I have tried to calm him down... I fear that you are the only one whom can help him" the ballet mistress admitted as they came to a stop,

"Follow this corridor until you reach the very end. There is an old stage horse named, Caesar... He will take you the rest of the way" Madame Giry instructed before removing a flaming torch from its wall holder and handed it to Rose whom nodded gently,

"Thank you" she bid before beginning her journey further down into the catacombs and Madame Giry silently prayed that Rose could calm him down as she made her way back up to the opera house.

Rose was cautious as she entered Erik's lake side home and it was easy to see that it had faced Erik's rage that Madame Giry had mentioned,

"Erik?... Erik, it's me..." Rose called gently before tying Caesar's reigns to a post and patted his mane gently before making her way forward towards Erik's organ and she saw him crouched down whilst he quietly sobbed and she knelt down gently by his side,

"Erik... Look at me" she encouraged gently but he did not move,

"Erik..." Rose said again, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder,

"LEAVE ME!" Erik snapped causing Rose to jump but she came closer, placing both her hands on his shoulders and turned him around gently and the candlelight allowed her to see the twisted and mangled flesh that tarnished the left side of Erik's face,

"... Just go" Erik whispered, brokenly but looked up stunned when Rose brushed the back of her hand against the marred flesh with a gentle touch that made Erik gasp in shock,

"I'm not going anywhere" she vowed, pulling him close as she hugged him and allowed him to sob into her shoulder as he suddenly clung to her as if she were his only life line... And in that moment... She was.

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Kind Regards,

TheAuthor1996