You Alone can Make my Soul Take Flight Chapter 66: Petri's findings, a phantom of the opera fanfic

Hey everyone, I'm glad that all of you are still reading the story! I understand that it keeps getting darker and darker but it keeps the story interesting. Anyway here's the next chapter….enjoy!

The next day, Clorinda sat alone in the attic bedroom while her mother and Erik were out getting ready for the so called "Show" that evening. Erik had lied out her dress for that evening across his bed so that she would have the privilege of looking at it all day long. The dress was white, with a pattern of red roses outlining the bottom of it. Why she had to get dressed up for this show that was nothing more than practice. She then heard a knock occur at the door, and seconds later Petri walked in. He was carrying a white rose and held it out to her once he approached her side. Clorinda looked at it so seriously before looking down at Petri.

"Thank you Petri, it's nice."

"Something wrong? You look so sad."

Clorinda smelled the rose and lied it down on Erik's table.

"No, I'm fine, it's just that I'm still upset about Monsieur Kire. He doesn't deserve my mother's hand in marriage even if it's only for show. He told me who my father is so I guess that makes him honest in some sense."

Petri had a seat beside Clorinda and intertwined his fingers with hers. He smiled and lifted her chin up wanting to make her sadness go away.

"It might be for show, but there's no reason why an angel like you should go to a show all alone. If you want, I could escort you there tonight like a gentleman should."

"I don't even want to go, but be as it may I will accept your offering. Thank you Petri, this means a lot to me."

"What are friends for? I'll be back by sundown to take you."

Clorinda nodded, and watched Petri leave the room. She didn't want night to fall because deep down she still didn't think that Erik deserved her mother even in a show only being performed for practice. Down in the theater, Erik stood in the back as he watched Curtis and Kasdon decorate the stage in objects that they had found in the basement of the theater. There was a war going on and no access to the outside world so for now he would have to settle for what they had. He began to felt bad about lying to Clorinda, but this was his only chance of getting the one thing he wanted, a wife. If he would have told Christine what Clorinda had really told him he wouldn't be standing where he was now. He was the Opera Ghost, and this plan was sure not to fail. By the evening he would finally own Christine as his own, and when the truth would finally come out it would be too late for any turning back. All's he had to do was keep Clorinda and Christine away from each other until the wedding was over and he would have a victory. Nadir had complained about seeing him up and walking about but nothing could keep him confined to a bed not even a fractured ankle. He had already gone through half the day and Christine hadn't spoken to Clorinda since before he lied to her. He had made sure to keep Clorinda in the attic while Christine was with Meg and Madam Giry preparing for the evening's events. As the last decoration was hung, Erik took out his pocket watch and realized that it was getting very late and he still needed to get a bath. After putting it back into his pocket, Erik began to limp back to his attic room to bath himself.

Christine stood in front of the mirror of Madam Giry's room as she tied the last lace of her dress together. The dress was the same one that Erik had made her years ago and she couldn't help but have the memory of Don Juan Triumphant pop into her head. That was the night his temper exploded, sending such fear into her body. Madam Giry began to brush Christine's hair as she stared at herself in the mirror.

"Something wrong Christine? In all my years I've never seen a woman look as upset as you on what should be the happiest day of their life."

"I'm fine, just a little nervous I guess. I mean I love Erik but something just doesn't feel right."

"You're just nervous, that's all. When I was married to Meg's father I felt the same way. You're not a virgin so you don't have to worry about pleasing him, so why be so worried? You'll make a great wife to him, and he will make a great husband. I'm happy that Erik is finally getting what he wants because sometimes I felt as if his time were running out to be happy. That is until he fell in love with you Christine."

Just then, Meg entered the room carrying a bouquet of roses and lied them down on the night table.

"They'll look so beautiful on you Christine."

"Meg, who will be marrying Erik and I tonight?"

"My husband Marco. Before he became a doctor he spent a year as a minister in the French church."

After Madam Giry placed a rose in Christine's hair, she stood up and spun around looking at herself in the mirror.

"Do I look pretty enough for him?"

Meg took Christine's hands in hers, and smiled.

"Christine, you look pretty enough for the king of England. You'll do fine tonight, I promise you."

Erik stood in the mirror adjusting his cummerbund. He had finally been able to stand the pressure of it against his pelvis after so many weeks of not being able to wear one because of his injury. This one however was red and matched the blood red shirt that he found himself buttoning at that very moment. It took him longer because of his blurriness in his left eye, causing such frustration. He could hardly see out of it, but the vision in it was definitely better than the night he awoke from blacking out. After placing his mask over his distorted flesh, Erik was about to place the black wig over his head when he stopped himself. Instead he ran a comb through the blonde strands that were on top of his scalp styled it to his liking. From the mirror, he could spot Clorinda sitting on his bed with her back towards him. She was dressed in the white dress that he had lied out for her earlier that day and wouldn't even turn to face him.

"What on earth is the matter with you?" asked Erik as he finished adjusting his black jacket.

"I don't think that you should do this, you don't deserve my mother, even if it's only for a show."

"You're still mad at me aren't you?"

"Yes, and I don't think that going along with this is going to change one thing Monsieur Kire."

"And why's that?"

"Because even though it's for show and not real I still think that you marrying my mother pretend or not you don't deserve her. If you really love my mother the way you say you do then you should care about what she wants and not about yourself all the time. I know that you want to marry her but by acting it out in a show is just showing her that you're impatient. If true love is meant to last then it will last no matter if you're married or not."

Erik was now fully dressed and ready to be married, but what Clorinda had just told him haunted his mind. She was right, right about his actions and about true love, but he couldn't turn back, not now. No, he was going to marry Christine and he was going to own her within the next few hours.

"Come Clorinda, we must get to the theater."

"But Petri is going to escort me."

"No, I order you to come with me at once. You will meet him there, now come along." he replied as he grabbed the metal staff to help him walk. Clorinda didn't argue with him, and walked beside Erik as they descended into the theater. Everything was decorated and in the seats sat Curtis, Meg, Madam Giry, Andre, Nadir, Kasdon, his wife Esmeralda their daughter, but no Petri. Clorinda had a seat beside Curtis, and watched Erik step onto the stage where Marco was waiting for him. Up in the attic, Petri approached the door wearing his best which consisted of a red vest and black trousers. He knocked, and waited for Clorinda to answer it. When the door didn't swing open, Petri entered the room that was lit by candles and looked around.

"Clorinda? Clorinda I'm here. It's me, Petri."

When Petri didn't get a response, he began to think that maybe Clorinda hid so that she wouldn't have to go to the wedding. He began to search under everything in hopes of finding her. When he got down on his knees and looked under Erik's bed he didn't see Clorinda, but a small music box sitting there. He removed it from under the bed, and looked at the top of it. Roses were carved into it's wood, and it's leaves wrapped around the whole entire box. Petri looked around making sure that no one was there before opening it to see what was inside. Once he opened it, Petri took out the contents and displayed them out onto the floor so that he could get a better look at them. The first content was a black ribbon, which meant nothing to him. The second object was a stack of letters that were folded neatly and bound with some ribbon. Petri curiously pulled one of the letters from the stack and unfolded it to read what was written inside of it. His father had taught him to read years ago, and up until now he hadn't had a single interesting thing to read.

"My Dearest Christine,

Tonight at the masked ball you wore the Vicount's ring around your neck. So this is the way you repay my kindness to you? Sneaking around with the likes of him and denying my love for you? You can sit in front of my face and deny your love for him but I have seen what you did. I followed you to the highest point of the opera house and watched as he sang that dreadful song to you and then you lied your lips up against his. How dare you do such an act when I have offered my love to you since the first time I spoke with you through these walls? I have yet to be kissed by a woman and I once thought that maybe both of our first kisses would be with each other! No, tonight that boy took away that ability for me and now I am left alone, and without the experience of what it feels like to kiss your beautiful lips. You and those two fools who run my theater may believe that those three months of relief were the end of my rain of terror, but you can let them know that it's just beginning. The only reason why I have not been around for the last few months was so I could have time to work on my Don Juan Triumphant Opera, my very work that you WILL perform in. Just remember that as long as you stay with that De Changy boy, the longer and rougher my terror will fill your life.

Till we meet again my angel my love for you shall never die. I remain Mademoiselle, your obedient lover and angel.

ERIK"

Petri folded the letter back up, and removed another one to read.

" My Dearest Christine,

Tonight I need to apologize for my temper. I know that over the last nine months I've been upset about your pregnancy. I was so angry with myself because I believed that Raoul fathered your child. I was called from the construction site because you went into labor. Even though I was certain that you were having Raoul's child I ran, ran home as fast as I possibly could just to be at your side. Once I got there, I watched from the rafters as Nadir helped you give birth. You looked so beautiful and now I feel like a fool for not being at your side and holding your hand. I was sure something was wrong when they took the baby away as soon as it emerged from you. No Christine, I didn't run away I immediately ran to Madam Giry who was holding it in her arms. She looked at me and began to tell me how God lets us know who our children are. When she handed me the child, I looked into it's beautiful eyes and it was then that I realized that I wasn't holding Raoul's child, but my own. She had the same scar on her face as me, and everything about her belonged to me. Her eyes, her face, her lips, they all belonged to me. We have conceived a beautiful child Christine, which is why I told you to name her Clorinda. She is of beauty and she is ours. So please forgive a stupid man for his actions, I only thought that a monster could create a monster and not something as beautiful as our daughter.

I love you with all my heart,

Erik"

At that moment, Petri's eyes became huge as he reread over what he had just read. Erik was his best friend's father. He didn't believe it until he picked up the last content which was a picture of Erik holding Clorinda's infant body. He had lied, lied to Clorinda about who her father was. Which probably meant that the wedding wasn't a show after all, but his real wedding. Quickly, Petri picked up the letter and the picture and headed towards the theater, hoping that it wasn't too late.

Erik waited for what seemed like long minutes once he stood on stage. He just wanted Christine to walk out so that this wedding could be over and done with. When she did step out next to him, he couldn't help but take a deep breath. This was it, and she couldn't have looked more beautiful. Once she was beside him, they both stared at each other for a few seconds, neither one of them looking happy. Marco took Christine's hand, and placed it over Erik's before starting the ceremony.

"Everyone that is gathered here tonight has come to celebrate the final steps of Erik Kire's and Christine Daae's life of solitude. Together they will step out of this room and into a world where neither one will be left alone. This madam and monsieur's is why life goes on and why the brightness can shed into the darkness of rooms, Love. I would like to start the ceremony off by having Christine say her vows to her lover Erik.

Christine took a silver ring from the palm of her hand and placed it on Erik's shaking finger before continuing with her vows.

"Erik, you are my love and now through sickness and health we shall be together forever. Nothing can tear us apart now and it is with all the my happiness in the world that I become your living wife until the day I die. I now give myself to you and only you forever more."

Erik couldn't help but shed some tears at what Christine had just said to him. She loved him, she truly loved him, and now he was going to marry her all because of a lie. The theater got silent, as Erik looked at Clorinda who was sitting with her head down. She was miserable and all because of him. She had lied to her and now she thought that this was all a show and still she was miserable at the thought of him marrying her mother even for pretend. Christine touched Erik's jaw, and forced him to face her.

"Erik, say your vows." she replied ever so softly.

Erik could tell by her voice that she wasn't all that happy, and that's what he wanted more than anything in the world. He was doing the most wrongly of things and now he was thinking twice about it. He knew though if he stopped the wedding now and told the truth, he would never get another chance at it so took Christine by the hand and placed the ring that has caused him so much pain onto her finger. Erik was literally shaking so nervously that he had to calm himself down before he could speak.

"Christine, I……I…." he looked around to still see everyone waiting for his response.

"Christine, I….I will make sure that your cup will never empty for I will be your wine, your sorrow…………your…..your sorrow will never be around for I will lift your spirit. Your candle will never burn out for I will be your way in darkness. I…..I love you with all my heart."

Erik and Christine stood there looking at each other for a few seconds before Marco went on.

"And so it is to be that Christine Daae will be Erik's lawfully wedded wife and Erik her loving husband. Christine Marie Daae, do you take Erik to be your husband, faithful to him and only him until the day you die?"

Christine looked up into Erik's eyes and nodded.

"Yes, I do."

"And do you Erik Kire take Christine to be your wife, faithful to her and only her until the day you die?"

Erik stood there looking into her eyes wishing that she would have said no to him. She had said yes and now it was his turn to answer but Clorinda's sorrow had kept him from answering. Marco snapped his fingers in front of Erik's eyes to get him to focus and out of his own little world.

"Erik, you can't be married until you answer me. Do you take Christine to be your wife, faithful to her and only her until the day you die?"

Erik knew that it was now or never so nodded.

"Yes…I….I…I..do."

"Then it is final, you may now kiss your bride."

Erik and Christine stood there looking into each other's eyes for what seemed like minutes before Christine leaned in and kissed him quickly on the lips. It was the worst kiss the both of them had ever shared, and Erik now knew that he was past the point of no return. Within minutes, everyone had moved into the dining room to eat and celebrate the marriage. Erik and Christine sat at the end of the table with each other and ate in silence as everyone else conversed. Erik couldn't help but notice that Clorinda was sitting with her head down as she ate. It ached him to know that he lied to her, and the guilt of really marrying Christine had begun to bother him. It was at that moment that Petri entered and approached Clorinda.

"I need to talk to you."

Clorinda got to her feet, and walked out into the hall with Petri. Once they were alone, Clorinda looked up at Petri with such sorrow.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you Petri. Monsieur Kire made me go with him. You probably think I'm a big jerk now probably."

"No, look I have something I need to tell you. Monsieur Kire is a liar Clorinda, he lied to you."

"What do you mean?"

"That wedding wasn't a show, it was for real and there's more."

Petri unfolded the letter and handed it her.

"I can't read that well Petri."

Petri immediately took back the letter, and read it to her.

" My Dearest Christine,

I love you with all my heart,

Erik"

At that moment, Clorinda began to sob. He had lied, Erik had lied to her hole life when he knew that he was her father. Petri handed her the picture, and Clorinda looked at it as the tears kept falling. The picture was of herself in Erik's arms. Why, why had he lied to her about being her father? Why?

"Where…where did you find this stuff?"

"Under Monsieur Kire's bed. They were all inside a small music box."

In anger, Clorinda stormed back into the dining room in tears, and stood in front of her mother and father. The room got silent and everyone turned to face Clorinda as the tears kept falling down her face. Christine tried to wipe her tears away, when Clorinda backed away from her, and looked at Erik.

"Daddy?"

Erik's face had lost all it's color after hearing what she had just said to him. Clorinda slammed the picture down on the table, and Erik slowly picked it up.

"You lied to me! You lied to me my whole life and now you even lied to me tonight when you told me this marriage was just a show. All I ever wanted was a father and now that I know the truth I'd rather it go back to being just me and my mother. You are and always will be a horrible father! I will never call you father! You don't deserve my mother and you don't deserve me!"

With that being said, Clorinda ran out of the room crying. Christine looked over at Erik, and gave him a dirty look.

"Is it true Erik? Did you say that this wedding was just as show? Did she not give you permission to marry me?"

"No Christine, she didn't. I lied to her to marry you because I love you with all my heart no matter what the opinion of a five year old girl might be."

Christine slapped him across the face, and ran from his sight. Afterwards, Erik rose to his feet and looked at everyone.

"Show's over."

Erik couldn't bare to show his face to his daughter and wife. Instead he stood at the windowsill waiting for her to return for the remainder of their wedding night. It was very late by the time Christine had returned to the attic bedroom. As soon as she entered, she ignored him, and walked over to the wardrobe to change into her night gown. Erik who couldn't stand the silence, turned to her to break it.

"Some wedding wouldn't you say so yourself? Who would have thought that two newly weds would be so miserable on their wedding day? Makes me think that you really didn't want to marry me and only did it because of our bet."

"Hush Erik! You are nothing but a liar who only said what I wanted to hear just so you could get what you wanted. You should be ashamed of yourself for telling Clorinda what you did. A show? A show Erik? And now she knows that you're her father! How does that make you feel? There's no turning back now Erik, we're a family weather you like it or not!"

"Well how about you? Just admit that you were having second thoughts tonight about marrying me! I could see it on your face!"

"Me? What about you? You couldn't even get through your vows without stuttering!"

Christine sat down at the piano, and pushed a key down with her finger.

"I do love you Erik, but I want to know what happened to the true love? The passionate love that we felt for each other? We once loved each other out of heart and now it's become just a silly game of lust. I spoke with Clorinda about it and she doesn't seem too upset about our marriage anymore, how could she? What's done is done. She's mad at you though for lying to her, I'm mad at you for doing such a thing."

Erik had a seat beside her, and placed his hand over hers.

"Just tell me that you married me tonight because you love me Christine, please just be honest about that. I can't go on living as long as I don't know the truth."

"Yes, I married you tonight because I love you. I'm just not so sure about why you did it."

"I always thought that by marrying you I would finally be happy knowing that I have a wife. Clorinda, she told me something tonight that I thought about. She said that if true love is meant to be then it will last weather you're married or not. That is why I couldn't get through my vows, not because I didn't want to marry you, but because I was doing her such wrong. Even though you're now my wife it seemed as if nothing has changed, you're still here with me and I just feel horrible about what I've done. I'm beginning to think that maybe my final lust in life was always just having you by my side, married or not."

Christine smiled, and removed the mask from Erik's face.

"That kiss tonight was so horrible, maybe we should start over again."

Erik smiled, and began to passionately kiss Christine, and couldn't stop himself from lifting her up into his arms and pining her up against the wall as they continued. Erik gave off small kisses down her neck, as Christine moaned for him.

"Oh Erik! Yes."

Erik kept kissing her neck, as he held her arms up above her head. He wasn't expecting to go any farther, that was until Christine yearned for it.

"Take me Erik."

Erik stopped the kissing, and looked at her.

"What?"

"Take me, make me yours. I'm your wife now, make me fully your wife."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Erik, please."

Without hesitation, Erik began to kiss her neck again as Christine pulled the cummerbund down to his knees so that she could get access to his trousers. Once they were down around his knees, Christine made the move and wrapped both her legs around Erik's waste, thrusting herself into him. Erik moaned at the feeling, and looked at her.

"Here? At this moment?"

"Yes Erik, don't stop just keep going."

Erik immediately threw her arms above her head once more, and began to thrust into her as her legs tightened around his waist. The wall behind them enhanced the feeling as Erik thrusted deeper and deeper into his wife.

"Oh Erik, harder!"

Erik did as he was told, and kissed his angel as he thrusted harder into her.

"Oh Erik tell me that I'm yours! Say it!"

As Erik kept thrusting, he moaned the words into his angel's ear.

"You're mine Christine, and I'm yours. Oh Christine."

It was at that moment, that hearing his angel call his name sent him over the edge causing him to finish. They both panted and looked into each other's eyes before kissing once more, and Erik worrying about what the following morning would bring. His daughter knew who he was and now the fun was sure to begin.

More to come soon! Please R&R and tell me what you think, thanks!