15 years later
Eric ran up the opera house steps taking two at a time "Christine!" He hollered opening the front door.
"Good God Eric do you really have to yell all the time?" Raoul asked crossing his arms.
Eric glared at the blond haired man becoming bitter, "When you are around, yes." He growled harshly.
Raoul rolled his eyes still after all of these years Eric couldn't stand the presence of him.
"I thought I saw Christine leave a while ago." Raoul said getting back to preparing the ticket booths for that nights show.
"Oh and one of the stagehands was looking for you to." Raoul added as Eric turned to walk away. Eric left him with nothing more than a grunt.
Raoul shook his head almost 16 years since he had made the biggest mistake of his life, now he was employed by the one who he humiliated in front of the entire Paris Opera. All because of him being jealous.
"Is he in a mood today?" Meg asked coming up from behind him. He turned around to face his wife her long blond hair was pulled back into a near bun she was holding the hand of their 7 year old daughter.
"Every single show that plays I see what happened. I wish I could just erase it."
The man sighed lowering his head.
"God damned thing." Eric grunted fighting with the backdrop trying to get it to drop.
"We have been battling it all afternoon sir."
The stagehand told Eric handing him a wrench.
Eric pulled again muttering a curse. "Why did you let this get rusty?" He panted pulling again his arms starting to get tired.
Finally with a crack and a squeak the backdrop fell. A little scream sounded beneath him.
Panicked Eric looked over the railing down onto the stage.
"Dad!" A 11 year old ballerina scolded putting her hands on her hips and looking up at him her brunette bun askue.
"Are you hurt Ada?" Eric asked her.
"You about gave me a heart attack mister! I'll tell mom!" She replied her face red.
The stagehand laughed, "she has a little attitude."
Eric groaned wheeling up the backdrop. "I think it's working now." He pointed out a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Where is Rosa?" The stagehand risked asking. Eric looked at the boy who couldn't be older than 17 or 18 his eyes seemed to be in a dream.
Eric felt a fatherly protective instinct kick in, "if you touch her with even a 10 foot pole." Eric threatened harshly.
Fear flooded the boys green eyes his face turning from a blushed read to a white. "Of course sir." He nodded his voice shaking as he turned to leave. A smile stretched across his face happy he could still enforce a sense of fear on people.
Eric double checked the back drop. "Be nice to him." Christine's sweet voice scolded behind him wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I just scared him a bit, there is nothing better than seeing the fear of death in that boys eyes." Eric humored darkly.
"Just don't scare him off, he is a good boy." Christine instructed her voice was firm as she rested her face in his back.
"What time is it?" Christine asked. Eric could feel her warm breath on his back relaxing his tight muscles.
"6:30" he replied "we should get to the box."
Slowly they made their way down to box 5. "We're alone for a little while." Eric pointed out placing his lips gently on hers.
Christine kissed him back wrapping her arms around his neck. Pulling him closer.
Eric let his hands linger down her back confirming her to him.
"I hear Nadir." Christine whispered as Eric kissed her neck.
"He can wait." Eric replied clutching her hips.
The door flung open. "Oh wonderful! I've always loved a little romance before a show!"
"Do you mind old man?" Eric hissed to the persian whose face was now wrinkled and his hair dashed white grey.
"Nope I'm quite alright thank you though."
Christine giggled releasing Eric. "I declare you two I'm surprised you haven't killed each other in all these years."
"I've thought about it." Eric replied his glassy eyes growing dark.
Nadir stretched out in his box seat with a sigh. "Meg and Raoul will be up in a bit."
Eric shot a glance at Christine, who was chuckling. "Come on Eric play nice."
Eric was tempted to roll his eyes but he decided not to.
Meg and Raoul entered the box moments before the lights dimmed and the orchestra started playing. Eric leaned forward with anticipation, all of his children in one performance for the first time.
Down in the pit Eric could spot Whilliam his only son a genius with any instrument, he was on the lead violin tonight. He was only 14 and had already bumped his way to the top, and had just started composing.
Eric closed his eyes and listened to the overture pride swelling up in him.
Ada was one of the younger ballerinas. She was very talented and had a good chance of becoming the prima ballerina in the future.
"Are you nervous?" Christine asked Eric causing him to jump. "The first show Rosa has been in being the Prima Donna.
Eric nodded slightly. "Well she has the best teacher." Christine whispered rubbing his back. "I should know."
Rosa entered the stage dressed in a bright red and gold dress her black hair freshly curled a ruby smile on her face.
Eric's mind flashed back to Christine's first show she was dressed in a similar gown the same excited smile on her face.
Rosa looked up to Bix 5 locking eyes on her father. He gave an encouraging nod, her mouth opened perfect notes flew from her mouth. The crowd gasped at her angelic voice.
Song after song after dance passed. His children performed flawlessly. The opera ended with a bow of the cast roses were thrown at Rosa's feet. Ada skipped to her older sister giving her a hug and congratulating her.
Eric jumped up, unable to control his joy and ran backstage to find his children "did you see!" Ada gasped leaping into his arms. "I did it!"
Eric kissed the girls forehead, "I am so proud of you." He whispered.
"Good because you almost killed me dropping that backdrop." She joked standing on the tips of her pointe shoes trying to get to his towering height.
"We will go to dinner as soon as I can round up your brother and sister." Eric told her with a last kiss.
Ada skipped off to go squeal with the other ballerinas and Eric went to go search through the chaotic backstage for his other 2 children. "Congratulations sir." A few of his employees said as he passed.
"Will!" He called spotting his tall dusted blond haired son.
"We did tearable!" William growled "I swear no one can find a pitch I tried to conform to it but those idiots can't get it."
Eric couldn't help but laugh at his sons ranting, "you were on key." He told him. "Johns instrument was out of tune, I'll talk to him and see it didn't happen again."
Eric couldn't help but laugh thinking of Paris and all of his critiquing. Those days just seemed like a haze to him.
William left to go rant to the other violinists as Eric made his way to Rosa's dressing room.
Gently he knocked on the door with the back of his knuckles. "Oh no it's your father." Eric herd a boys voice cry.
"Matthew, he doesn't bite to hard." Rosa said trying not to hide a laugh threatening to come out. Eric smiled amused at the stagehand the same one he had just threatened.
"It's his bark that scares me." The boy admitted before Rosa opened the door.
"You were sensational tonight." Eric beamed our stretching his long arms to her. Ignoring the boy cowardly hiding in the corner.
"I will leave you two alone." Matthew finally choked after they talked a moment.
"Bye Matt! See you tomorrow!" Rosa giggled her face still flushed from the excitement of the night.
"I am so proud of you." Eric smiled wiping away a stray curl. Rosa hugged her father tighter, "oh father, I never want to stop singing!"
Eric thought he would explode from the amount of pride she was forcing into him, "then don't ever stop." He whispered softly.
"Oh! I found this most beautiful song tonight when I was going through some old operas." Rosa announced rummaging through the desk. "Have you ever heard it? She asked handing him a folder.
Eric took the folder noticing a red wax mark one he hadn't seen or thought of in years.
Flashes of his and Christine's voice lessons in the cellar appeared in his mind.
"Are you ok?" Rosa asked watching Eric's face grow pale staring at the folder he hadn't even looked at the contents.
Slowly he nodded wondering how it got there, He choked unable to say anything.
Rosa shrugged "I just found some old newspaper clippings about a opera house in Paris and some opera ghost. It is really fascinating, I feel like I have been there with that ghost like we have a connection of some sorts. Is that silly papa?"
A lump formed in his throat as he opened up the folder his eyes glassed over. "You alone, can make my song take flight, help me make the music of the night." He whispered almost singing the song.
Rosa looked at him in awe, the song had moved her to but his emotions were different something that she had never seen in him.
"Yes, I know this well." He choked thinking back he had planned to sing this to Christine after Don Juan.
"Who was its composer?" She asked confused at the way he was acting. He never showed much emotion over anything except his music.
"The composer was a ghost, someone dead, but one woman made him alive." He whispered letting his mind wandered back to Paris.
The End! I hope you all liked it please let me know what you all think!