Christine stood there, trembling in fear as Erik shot dagger at her from his eyes. His hands were still clasping mine, but now it was more painful than sweet. Then he turned from Christine to look at me; Erik looked at me with the most betrayed look in his eyes, almost as if he wanted to cry. I was shocked to silence, begging with my eyes to tell him that I wasn't any part of this. God, I didn't know what to do.
The sound of hundreds of marching boots shook us from our pause, it couldn't have lasted more than a minute. I looked around; the gendarmes were fast approaching. Erik lunged into action, pulling the sword from its sheath and slashing the cord that held the chandelier in place. Erik pulled me to him so I was close enough to kiss his chest; though he didn't seem like he wanted a kiss. His eyes were lit with something I can only describe as hellfire and it scared me. His arm was like an iron vice around my waist; with a vicious kick the trap door beneath us was opened and we fell through. At the last moment, Erik reached out with his free arm and pulled Christine after us. With his grip weakened I gripped him around the neck and locked my legs around his hips; sure I was being abducted, but I didn't want to die.
The cool air whipped up around my face and I let out a short, strangled yelp. After what could only be a few seconds with nothing above or below us Erik and I landed; Erik was expecting the rough landing and, with his arms full of me, was able to absorb the shock of the fall. I hardly noticed when Erik slipped into a crouch, trying not to jostle me. I opened my eyes, which I had closed in fear and buried my face in his shoulder. We were lucky, Christine wasn't. She landed heavily and, in those heels, the fall was made that much worse. She was only just prepared to land, not knowing the distance. Christine let out a scream of agony; I slipped out of Erik's arms and ran to her where she lay wilted on the cold, ugly stone floor.
"Christine! What's wrong? Does your ankle hurt?" I lifted the hem of her dress, exposing her ankle and white leg. Her lips had gone pale and she nodded. "Where?" The pain seemed too much for her so she pointed mutely to where there seemed to be a bit of swelling and slight discoloration. "Don't worry, it's only a bad sprain, nothing's broken. It'll be okay." I tried to reassure her, but I had no idea what was going to happen now, I was going through this completely in the dark. When we had sung together I had been so sure Erik loved me, but now I could feel his eyes burning a hole through my back. Shit, what can I do?
Erik's hand snaked out and grabbed me by the wrist, hauling me to my feet. I winced, he was holding onto me too tight. "Erik, stop! You're hurting me!" I tried to pull away, but his hold was too strong. He hauled me to my feet and began dragging me down the hallway away from Christine. She called after me, but Erik didn't stop.
"Hurt? My dear, you don't know the meaning of the word!" Christine somehow managed to stand and struggled towards us; with a heavy limp she fought bravely to pull me away from Erik. He easily pushed her away, making her cry out again and fall back down. Somehow she found the inner strength to get back up and follow us. I tried to support her weight, knowing there was no way to go but down; Erik was too strong for the both of us. He pulled a torch off the wall and used it to light our way.
"Down once more to the dungeon of my black despair,
Down we plunge to the prison of my mind." Erik gave my wrist a sharp tug, almost sending Christine to the floor again.
"Down that path into darkness deep as hell!" With another tug Christine lost her balance and was tugged away from me, causing her to fall to the ground. She crawled a bit, trying to catch up with us. We made it down quickly and Erik pushed me in the boat. Christine, who, God bless her, had not given up and was crawling right behind us was breathing heavily. Erik picked her up like she was a dried leaf and tossed her in beside me. She groaned in pain. I pulled her into my arms, trying to comfort her anyway I could and kept a wary eye on Erik. He pushed off from the shore and we were soon in the middle of the glassy lake.
"Why, you ask,
Was I bound and chained
In this cold and dismal place?
Not for any mortal sin,
But the wickedness of my abhorrent face!" He rowed fast as he could, spitting the song more than singing it. Soon we were on the bank of his home. Erik pulled me out with him, I could feel his anger rolling off him.
"Hounded out by everyone,
Met with hatred everywhere," he rested his arms heavily on my shoulders and cupped my face. I tried to turn away, but he forced me to look into his sad, and angry yellow-blue eyes.
"No kind words from anyone,
No compassion anywhere;
Danielle, Danielle,
Why, why?" He shook me a bit, letting his anger swallow his sorrow. I tried to break out of his grasp, but I only succeeded in distancing myself from him a bit.
"Why? I didn't do anything!" Again she shook me, more forcefully this time.
"I know you had a hand in this! You conceived this plan to reveal me to tall of Paris!" Now he was talking crazy, and if I hadn't been so scared I'd be angry.
"Stop Erik! She had nothing to do with this, it was Raoul and I who planned this, Danielle had no idea! Please, don't hurt her, if anything, hurt me!" Christine hobbled out of the gondola and ran over to us as fast as she could. She tried to put herself in between Erik and I, but I held her back.
"Christine, what are you trying to do? You'll get yourself killed!" She steadied herself on my shoulders and looked into my eyes.
"Danielle, you've been trying to protect me as best you could since the beginning, please let me return the favor." I could cry right now. God, my emotions were on their last leg before completely fried. Erik snarled, really snarled. It was like he was a wild animal making his presence known. What little color that had returned to Christine's lips immediately drained away. Erik turned to the alcove and stalked away, tearing off the dress coat as he went, leaving him in a fastly-becoming-untucked white poets shirt and a pair of black pants. He roughly pulled the long, filmy white dress from the mannequin and threw it to me.
"Put it on." He growled. I looked at the fabric in my arms.
"It'll be too big," I said, not wanting to go into detail as to why. A mean smirk appeared on Erik's face.
"I'm sure you'll find that it does." I still didn't move; Erik became angry. "Did I not just tell you to go?" I held my ground, trying to seem brave, when, in fact, I was quivering on the inside.
"No," I said defiantly. The fire in Erik's eyes blazed like a bonfire on a moonless night.
"You will put on that dress if I have to strip you down and dress you in it myself." He took a few menacing steps towards me before Christine pulled me up the steps into the the swan room. I could see the strain on her face so I didn't fight. I looked around the room and saw my backpack leaning against the bed. I felt my blood boil; he had touched my personal things.
"Please, don't do anything reckless; let's just do as he asks until help arrives. I'm sure Raoul will be here with the entire police force in no time," Christine said, trying to be optimistic. Yeah, sure. I pulled the fake rose out of my hair and stripped out of my costume without putting up a fight and Christine laced me into the wedding dress. It was strapless and tight until the hips where it flowed out like a wide waterfall. It was pure white with gold thread and pearls stitched into patterns all over the bodice and along the seam lines. Erik was right, it did fit me perfectly; moreover, it accentuated my breasts and made my waist look tiny; the neckline was that of a sweetheart, but lace covered my chest, making a high color at my neck that had to be buttoned up. I could see my brown skin easily through the delicate fabric; Erik must've been busy. Finished with the lacing of the corset waist and buttoning, Christine stepped back to look at me.
"You look beautiful." She tried to smile, but failed. I tried to smile back.
"Let's get this over with," I said, walking to the door, putting on a brave face. I looked around the cavern for Erik and found him a few feet away at the bottom of the stairs. He was looking something over in his hands; I craned my neck to see what it was. As soon as I did, I felt my heart stop, them beat a million times faster.
It was Christine's engagement ring. He was going to try and force me to marry him. Oh God. I let what anger I had flair up in me; I guess I now had to fulfill my part.
"Have you gorged yourself at last
In your lust for blood?" Erik looked up and around at me, eyes widening at my appearance.
"Am I now to be prey
to your lust for flesh?" I now stood in front of him wary and had taken a seat half way down because she couldn't make it all the way with her ankle.
"That fate which condemns me
To wallow in blood," he closed the distance between us and reached to caress my face.
"Has also denied me
The joys of the flesh." I turned away from him.
"This face, the infection
Which poisons our love." No, what poisons our love is your idiocy! I couldn't say that, he'd kill me. I felt him caress one of my long curls.
"This face which earned
A mother's fear and loathing." He walked to fetch the veil, I felt ice form in my stomach. That's what had first made me feel sorry for him. I looked at him then, following him with my eyes.
"A mask, my first
Unfeeling scrap of clothing." I tried to put my hand on his arm, to comfort him; he pushed me away, his voice becoming gruff and angry again.
"Pity comes too late!
Turn around and face your fate!" He forced the band of the veil on my head.
"An eternity of this
Before your eyes." He positioned himself so his deformity was right in my face. Quickly, he bent down and picked up a bouquet of pink roses, the kind that still have a lick of green in them, my favorite, and placed them, along with Christine's ring, in my palm. Christine quickly spoke up from her position behind me.
"This haunted face
Holds no horror for me now.
It's in your soul
That the true distortion lies." Christine was shaky as a leaf and her skin was the color of a pearl. Erik smirked cruelly. I really hated that look on him.
"Wait!
I think, my dear,
We have a guest." We turned toward the portcullis and there stood a very weary and waterlogged vicomte. Christine immediately hopped up on her bad ankle and ran down the stairs.
"Raoul!" She called from the bank. Surely the water wasn't that deep, but we didn't know the depth where we had come in, it could have a drop off.
"Sir, this is indeed
An unparalleled delight." Erik gave him a fake bow.
"I
Had rather hoped
That you would come." Erik walked down from where he was and stood on the back next to Christine, dragging me along with him.
"And now, my wish comes true.
You have truly made my night!" He wrapped his arm possessively around me, letting his hand rest dangerously close to a certain body part that, with one wrong move, could get him slapped.
"Let her go!" Christine whacked him in the arm. Erik easily knocked her on her butt. I grabbed his hand and pulled it off of me.
"Free them!
Do what you will, only free them!
Have you no pity?" It was clear Raoul had no more energy to stand, by the way he was leaning on the gate.
"Your lover makes a passionate plea," Erik said sarcastically to Christine.
"Please, Raoul
It's useless!" I called.
"I love them!
Does that mean nothing?"
"Stop it." Erik whispered.
"I love them!
Show some compassion!" Raoul rattled the gate, trying to find a weak spot.
"The world showed no compassion to me!" He spat.
"Christine,
Danielle,
Let me see them." He begged, Erik waved his hand.
"Be my guest, friend." Erik raised the portcullis with a careless flick of his wrist.
"Be my guest, sir...
"Monsieur, I bid you welcome.
Did you think that I would harm them?" He motioned back to me.
"Why should I make them pay
For the sins which are yours?" Erik threw a rope around his neck causing Christine to scream and me to gasp in horror.
"Order your fine horses now!
Raise up your hand to the level of your eyes!" In a flash Erik had Raoul tied to the portcullis and sang to him in the most mocking voice I'd ever heard.
"Nothing can save you now,
Except, perhaps, Danielle!" My knees turned to jell-o and I backed away as he advanced from the water. All I could focus on was him.
"Start a new life with me.
Buy his freedom with your love!" There were spots in my vision, was I fainting?
"Refuse me, and you send her lover to his death!" He viciously pointed at Raoul.
"This is the choice,
This is the point of no return!" With how angry Erik was I could have mistaken him for a demon instead of an angel. I turned to Christine, who seemed to have the right words.
"The tears I might have shed
For your dark fate,
Grow cold and turn to tears of hate!" Erik's breathing came harsh. He pushed past us and went for another lasso.
"Christine, Danielle, forgive me,
I did it all for you,
And all for nothing!" Christine and I joined in.
"Farewell, my fallen idol and false friend
We had such hopes, and now those hopes are shattered!" Erik brushed passed us with a new noose for Raoul's poor throat.
"Too late for turning back,
Too late for prayers and useless pity." Raoul tried to knock him away, but failed.
"Say you love him
And your life is over." Raoul warned, ready to give his life for mine. I almost cried.
"Past all hope of cries for help.
No point in fighting," their voices blended together.
"For either way you choose you cannot win.
(Either way you choose he has to win!)" Erik tugged the lasso, adjusting it so it wouldn't slip off.
"So do you end your days with me,
Or do you send him to his grave?" Erik gave the rope a mighty tug, causing Raoul to choke and sing as best he could his next lines.
"Why make her lie to you to save me?" Christine was so overwhelmed she fell to her knees and began to cry. I don't know what kept me standing; I guess it was the knowledge I needed to sing this part.
"Past the point of no return," he sang at the same time I began.
"Angel of Music,"
"For pity's sake, Danielle, say no!" Raoul called.
"Who deserves this?"
"The final threshold," Erik sang.
"Don't throw your life away for my sake!" Raoul was crying. I hated it when he cried.
"Why do you curse mercy?" Christine sang weakly with me.
"His life is now the prize
Which you must earn!"
"I fought so hard to free you."
"Angel of Music," Erik wouldn't listen to me!
"You've passed the point of no return!"
"You deceived me!" Had he ever loved me?
"You had Danielle give you her mind blindly!" Christine said from the ground.
"That's the worst part, Christine." She looked up. "I didn't."
"You try my patience, make your choice!" For emphasis he gave another pull to the rope, choking Raoul. How had I gotten myself into this mess? Raoul might die, Christine's damaged beyond repair and Erik; Erik, the one I love is crazy. I looked at all of them, my mind racing a million miles per hour. I knelt down next to Christine.
"I'm sorry you had to go through his. I guess you're lucky that I took the story away from you." I attempted to smile, but I just couldn't. "I'm sorry Erik took your ring, I'm giving it back now." I placed the ring in her palm and cured her fingers over it. I stood again, dropping the bouquet of roses next to me, readying myself for what I had to do next.
"Pitiful creature of darkness,
What kind of life have you known?
God give me courage to show you,
You are not alone." I pulled his face down to meet mine and pressed our lips together in as sweet a kiss as I could. Hey, I didn't know what I was doing, I've only ever read about kissing before. Erik let go of the rope and slowly put his hands on my hands over his face. After several seconds he pulled away. At first he gave me a watery smile, he was so happy and relieved I had chosen him. Then his face molded into disgust and self loathing. He ran his hands down his face and let tears fall. Slowly, Erik pulled the noose off of Raoul's neck and walked up on shore.
"Track down this
murderer, he must be found!
Hunt out this animal, who runs to ground!" Oh God, it was the mob!
"Take her, Forget me,
Forget all of this." Christine and I hurried to untie Raoul; he was taking deep breaths, like each would be his last.
"Leave me alone,
Forget all you've seen.
Go now don't let them find you," he flung his hands behind him, telling us to go away. He was in utter despair.
"Take the boat.
Swear to me, Never to tell.
The secret you know of the angel in Hell." As soon as he was free Raoul hugged Christine and I close.
"Go now! Go now, and leave me!" Erik retreated into the swan room to wallow in his sorrow.
"Quick we need to get out of here!" Christine was already going to the gondola. I was still looking where Erik had gone. "Danielle, quick!" I turned to them and turned back. Why was my heart so conflicted?
"I'm sorry, I can't go with you." I looked up at them; two people who really loved each other, ready to start their lives together. Their mouths were agape.
"Danielle, I won't leave you here!" Raoul tried to pull me to the boat, but I got out of his grasp easily.
"You have to. He needs me more than you do." They looked at me like I was crazy. "Hey, people do crazy things when they're in love."
"You love him? After all he did?" Christine sat aghast. I was finally able to give her a real grin.
"Hey, you got the rich vicomte, let me had the dark, dangerous Opera Ghost." She shook her head. "Well, he's never known love, how else would he know how to go about getting it? Now go, go live your life. Just remember to Think of Me." That got them to smile. "And you can always come see me or I can come see you."
"How will we know how to find you?" Well, it's cheesy movie time.
"I'll be in your heart." I gave them a jaunty smile. They snorted. "Now get. Christine needs her ankle checked and Raoul, you got choked like a bitch, you need to get that fixed." He rolled his eyes. I felt tears in mine. "Goodbye." I hugged Raoul. "Hey." He looked down. I showed him the necklace he bought me and he smiled. "I always wear it." He squeezed me again and let me go.
"You're really staying with him?"Christine asked. I let out a short laugh.
"Be careful, that's the Angel of Music you're talking about." She lowered her head in embarrassment, or something; I'm too emotionally exhausted to know. "Hey, you were a kid, lighten up. And besides, he might not be an angel, but he was a damn good teacher."
"Yes, he was." I smiled.
"Come visit anytime." I hugged her and stepped away from the boat. Raoul got in and began to row away. "Hey!" They turned. "Love you." I made a heart with my hands; they made them back. I waved, but decided not to waste any time. I ran up the steps to the swan room, pulling the wet material off of my legs. I stood in the doorway just watching. Erik was sitting on the ground, propped up like a lifeless doll and staring at his music box.
"Masquerade
Paper faces on parade . . .
Masquerade
Hide your face so the world will never find you." Erik looked up at me and managed to give me a hollow smile.
"Danielle, I love you." I walked over to where he sat and crouched down.
"Do you really think I'm going to leave you?" I smiled at him. "I admit, you can be quite annoying and piss me off a lot, you also don't know how to take 'no' for an answer, and you're a mass murdering criminal lunatic," Erik's eyes fell to his hands, "but you're my mass murdering criminal lunatic." Erik clenched his fists and looked me in the eye.
"Does that mean that you care for me… as I do for you?" I scoffed. He had just said he loved me and he can't say it now?
"Was there ever any doubt?" I let my head fall to the side as I smiled. Erik seemed to still for a moment before a wide, teary smile crept across his face. "Yes, I love you." Slowly, as if not to scare me, he rested his hand on my cheek and pulled our faces together.
"Track down this murderer,
He must be found!"
"Holy crap! We need to abdicate, quick!" I grabbed my backpack and slung it on over my wedding dress. Man, did I feel weird. Erik shook himself out of his daze and hurried me along to the mirrors.
"You alone, can make my song take flight,
It's over now, the Music of the Night." Erik smashed the mirrors, to throw them off our track or for dramatics, I didn't know. Erik climbed first through the escape route through the last mirror and pulled me in after him, closing the curtain behind us. We heard shouts, then hushed whispers, like they were afraid that they were going to wake the ghost. Erik and I traveled farther into the tunnels until we couldn't hear anything but our breathing anymore. "Here. This is my safe house. It's still underground, but if my home was ever invaded I would have a place to go." I nodded. God, I was tired.
"How long til we can go back?" Erik shrugged.
"I have no idea; once all the people are gone I need to alert Madame Giry that we got out and are safe and change the traps." I nodded again. God, this wet dress was uncomfortable. Erik seemed to sense my discomfort. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"I just need to change my clothes, this dress is soaked from the waist down." Erik looked down and flushed. I rolled my eyes. "Yes, that means you're going to unbutton my dress, get over it." Erik stuttered something before I kicked him into gear. Soon I had a blushing and useless Erik sitting in the corner facing the wall while I slipped into the blue chiton dress that I had come here in. I looked down; same dress, same shoes. I had the strangest sense we had come full circle. "Okay, I'm done." Erik turned around and smiled.
"Just as I remember; beautiful and angelic." He held me like I was a unicorn made of glass. I wrapped my arms around him and smiled. I felt so whole with Erik, like everything just needed to be here. Erik gently swept me off my feet and sat down, making me sit on his lap. I lifted an eyebrow. "I-I'm not trying to try anything, it's just that, we'll be waiting here a while and I don't want you to stand the entire time." I'd expect nothing less from Erik.
"I'm going to try to get some rest, you should too. It's been a long day." He nodded and fell silent. I closed my eyes and listened to the rhythm of Erik's heart. It seemed like only a few minutes later that he was shaking me gently and waking me up.
"I think they're gone; I'm going to go check." I followed Erik to the mouth of the tunnel and waited around the corner. I felt stiff from sleeping so long, so why am I still so tired? I wiped my eyes. "It's clear." I went into the main room; it was the same as we'd left it, nothing was missing, just looked through.
"I guess they were worried that the Phantom of the Burned Burger is going to come get them for stealing his stuff." Erik looked visibly relieved that everything was still in order.
"Rightfully so. I don't go into their houses and rifle through their stuff." Erik looked disgusted. I felt disgusted. I let out a loud cough. Then another. And another. Until I was coughing up blood.
"Erik!" I could feel the blood vessels in my lungs rupturing. I crumbled to the ground letting out long streams of blood from my was by my side in a flash. His hands fluttered uselessly around my chest, finally dumping me on my side so the blood could drain out. There was a rushing in my ears and I couldn't make out anything he said for a long time. All there was was me; and I was dying.
There was so much blood everywhere. Somehow, Erik had managed to not get any on , I was so dizzy. "Danielle, what's happening to you?" Is that what he's been saying? I'd thought that was obvious.
"Erik, I'm dying." He shook his head, refusing to believe. "Yes I am." I smiled up at him.
"We just need to get your medication and you'll be fine." He sounded so sure.
"No, Erik. There is no more." Tears were streaming down his face for the third time today. Or more, I didn't keep count.
"How can there not be any more?" I Think I was starting to feel a bit loopy.
"It's been so long since I came here, it couldn't last forever," I brought my hand up to his wet cheek and rubbed soothing circles.
"Try not to get worried
Try not to turn on to
Problems that upset you
oh Don't you know
Everything's alright
Yes everything's fine
And I want you to sleep well tonight
Let the world turn without you tonight
If we try
We'll get by
So forget all about it tonight." My breathing was hectic, I had to pause a few times during the verse just to get it all out. I couldn't believe that I was going to die of the banks of Erik's lake. At least it was soothing listening to the lapping of the water on the shore. Ssshhh, sssshhhh, crrrnncchh. Wait, that wasn't the sound on the water, that was the sound of someone's feet on the sand. I lifted my head as best I could and caught sight of a man dressed in blue with a black top hat and golden hair. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Why do you laugh?" Erik asked softly. I pointed to the man. Erik looked up and stared right through him.
"Der Tod is here for me. He was the strange man I saw in Blaise's room just after he died. You trixter, you." I smiled at him.
"My dear old friend
Can't believe you're here, old friend
After all this time
So many years
You look sublime
Well worth the tears." I laughed once, but decided against it, it made me hurt. Erik gripped me.
"Please Danielle, please don't leave me; not now, not when I've just found you." My heart sank.
"I'm sorry Erik, but I can't. Even now I hurt all over, the light is growing dimmer. And Der Tod calls me." I looked over at the man. If I didn't love Erik, I was sure I would have lost my heart to him, he was such a beautiful man.
"Danielle, please-" I put my hand over his lips.
"I can't Erik. I'm sorry; I love you but please, let it be. Let me rest." Erik's tears fell onto my face like salty rain. "Don't be so sad, I'm going to be with my mother again, and Maria; maybe this time I'll get to be her big sister. I'll see you again, Erik, no one can love like us and be parted forever." Everything was going dark. I could almost not see Erik anymore. Of course, I could see Der Tod in perfect view. Silently he held his hand out to me. With the last of my energy I reached for him as well.
And there you have it; chapter 31. No,this is not the end, don't worry. Everything's Alright from Jesus Christ Superstar and Dear Old Friend from Love Never Dies, both written by ALW. All characters belong to their rightful owners, please read and review.