The shot fired off echoed in the still Parisian night as time seemed to stand still. Erik looked down at himself covered in blood, surprised he felt no pain. Someone's shrill scream had made him open his eyes. Christine.
"Am I hurt?" Erik asked, straightening to try and find the bullet hole. The horrified look on Roxana's face told him something was horribly wrong. Am I dying and I don't even know it? He looked down and instant dread filled his chest. Curled in a pile at his feet was the young viscount, clutching his gut.
"Raoul!" He said, crouching and gently turning the boy to his back. It was in the right side of his abdomen. Erik breathed in relief that it hadn't been his lungs or heart. He seemed to be in shock.
"I'm fine." He slurred, "Don't you worry about…" And with that he fainted. Christine screamed, pushing Erik out of the way.
"Don't you dare do this to me. Don't you leave me! I need you Raoul de Chagny! Your child needs you! Goddamnit, don't you dare die!" Erik's eyes wandered to the Lord Westcliff standing there staring at the gun in his trembling hand.
"Look at you Andrew," Roxana hissed, "Look at yourself! What have you done? Shot an innocent man for your selfish needs!"
"I killed Justin…" He said softly, a tear falling down his face. "Justin was my best friend and I killed him. You're right…" He whispered.
Both Erik and Roxana's mouths dropped open.
"What?" She asked, wondering if this was another trick. Erik fingered the rope he had thrown inside his cloak upon leaving the tavern.
"I killed him Roxy…he's gone…and it's my fault. Mine." He said again, now openly sobbing, but keeping his hand on the gun. He cocked it and Roxana instinctively backed away, afraid of what he might do. He looked up at her slowly.
"I'm sorry…for everything Roxana. I'm sorry…" He said, closing his eyes and opening them again. Damned if she didn't pity him.
"Look Andrew, there is help…you can go somewhere to rest…"
He shook his head, his midnight blue eyes shining with tears.
"I was so obsessed with winning, that I thought I loved you…even after Justin died, I still had to compete with him…" Erik stepped forward.
"Roxana…" He said, trying to coax her away from the crazed man, knowing he was unstable and at any moment could finish what he'd started. She held her hand up for him to stay where he is.
"Tell Meg that all I ask is she name the baby after Justin. Please. She's free to do what she wants."
"Andrew what are you doing?" She asked suspiciously. He smiled kindly at her, all of the insanity gone from his eyes. He looked at Erik.
"I am eternally sorry for everything I have done to you." He said to the man before looking at Christine, who was clutching Raoul in her arms and then once more at Roxana. With a final sigh, he looked toward the sky and muttered,
"Forgive me Father for I have sinned…" Slowly he put the barrel to his temple and as Roxana screamed, "No!" He pulled the trigger and fell loosely to the ground.
"Oh my God!" Roxana cried, rushing forward, but it was too late. Andrew was already gone. Erik put his hand on her shoulder and gently pulled her off the ground.
"Maybe it's better this way." He said, kissing her hair as she clutched his bloodstained jacket.
"That is a wicked thing to say…" She sobbed, knowing he was right. Erik held her head against his shoulder.
"It's true though…" He said and she nodded.
"I know it…"
An hour later, Raoul was in the Paris hospital and Andrew's body had been taken by the local mortician. Word was sent to Meg, who was resting at home with her mother and Brett nearby. Garrett held a tearful Alana in the waiting room of the hospital as Erik had to console a hysterical Christine. In the end, he'd had to actually pick her up and hold her on his lap like a little girl, rocking back and forth until she'd finally fallen asleep out of exhaustion and fear. The doctor had offered to give her a sedative, but Erik told him she was pregnant. Roxana held Jamie who was wide awake on her lap and was talking softly to him. The next time the door opened, Rosie walked in closely followed by Julian Rousseau. Alana's eyes widened, but she still ran into Rosie's arms and told her quickly what had happened.
"Oh my God." Rosie said softly, laying her head on Alana's shoulder. She took Julian's hand and smiled sadly.
"Lane, this is Julian. My…fiancé." Alana's mouth dropped, but it wasn't because of what her sister said. It was because the Count had stepped into the room and was standing behind the couple. Slowly Rosie followed her sister's eyes around to meet her father's questioning gaze.
"Your fiancé?" He asked, turning to look at his wife. A mix of anger and hurt surprise covered his face and he brushed past her, leaving Elisabeth to sit uncomfortably between the two couples.
"We're going to talk…later. Right now I am worried about Raoul." He disappeared into the back with the Countess to find answers, stopping to pat Christine's curls as she slept.
Two hours passed and everyone but Erik had fallen asleep. The details of the night kept running through his mind. The tavern, the rooftop, the two gunshots and Christine's screams. The insanity of it all brought him back to that night almost exactly one year before. The first and only performance of his opera. Now, tonight a year after he'd threatened to kill the viscount, he had jumped in front of a bullet for him. Amazing how much could change in a year.
He felt Christine stir against his shoulder and looked down to see her brown eyes staring up at him, confused.
"Is he dead?" She asked him in the same lifeless tone she'd used when he'd first encountered her all those years before. He sighed.
"No Christine. He's not. We don't know anything yet. The Count and Countess and trying to get answers. Raoul I do believe is in surgery." She nodded, not willing herself to get up.
"What if he dies?" She asked and he sighed.
"I thought I taught you never to give up hope." He said, brushing her hair out of her face. She began to cry.
"I can't help it. I just have this horrible feeling he's going to die and I am not ready to raise a baby, much less on my own." She said and he looked at her incredulously.
"Christine. You will never be alone. You will always have Roxana and Antoinette and Meg and the Chagnys…and me." He said hesitantly, feeling strange to say it. "You always have me. We would take you in…you will never be alone. I wouldn't allow it."
They both looked up as the Count and Countess returned to the room, both ragged and exhausted looking. The girls woke as did Roxana while they all looked questioningly to the couple.
The Count nodded tiredly,
"He's going to live. Luckily, the bullet didn't piece any organs, only tissue." Christine fell against Erik's chest, sobbing raggedly. Roxana, moved closer to rub her back.
"Oh thank you God…thank you Jesus…thank you…thank you…" She cried.
"I also thought you all might like to know…" The Count began, "That Lady Westcliff gave birth tonight to a healthy baby boy." Hope filled Roxana's eyes.
"Amen." She said, taking Erik's hand. The Count turned to his eldest daughter.
"Now…why my dear child, did you not tell your loving father that you were engaged or even courting?" He asked sternly, crossing his arms. The Countess touched his arm.
"Georges…" She warned, trying to keep the peace but he waved her away.
"Now is not the time Monique." He said standing as tall as the day he was married, still muscular as a twenty five year old man. Rosie looked up at him, her big blue eyes fiery.
"I didn't tell you because I knew you wouldn't approve since Julian's family is not among the rich." She said angrily. Georges filled with hurt.
"Is that what you think of me Rosaline? That we are a shallow and vain family who want nothing to do with anything but money? All I have ever wanted for my children is for them to be happy." He said, looking at Monique, who nodded.
"But Mother, you always say that it is important to be proper and think of reputation." She said and Monique smoothed her dark hair back.
"Rosie…it is important, but there is a time and place for that and in the end, your happiness is what matters. Did you honestly think we would forbid you from marrying Julian simply because he works for a living? If anything, it will make you appreciate him more!"
Hope filled the girl's eyes.
"So are you giving us your blessing?" She asked, clutching the boy's hand. Georges looked at Monique who nodded slightly before he said,
"Yes. Of course. If Monsieur Rousseau is what makes you happy, then he is who you shall marry." The Count said, with a yawn. Rosaline leapt forward and captured her father in a tight embrace, suddenly pulling away in shame.
"Oh dear…Raoul is in agony and I am celebrating." Georges smiled down at her.
"But he will live and for that, we should celebrate."
"Listen Christine, Raoul has to stay the night. You should go home and get some rest." The Count said to her and she nodded. Erik put his hands on her shoulders.
"Roxana and I will see to it she is cared for." He reassured. Christine swiveled to look up at them.
"I want to see Meg." She said and Roxana nodded.
They were led into the bedroom at the Westcliff mansion. Brett put a finger to his mouth when he saw them, his eyes wide with pride as if he himself had conceived this child with Meg.
"He's asleep." He whispered, leading them into the room. Meg was sitting up, holding the bundle while Antoinette sat beside her. Dread filled her when she saw them and it became obvious that Meg had no idea what had happened. Christine rushed forward to sit on the other side of Meg and put her arm around her looking into the baby's face.
"What is it? Where is Raoul?" She asked fearfully.
Christine sighed.
"Meg…Raoul got shot." When Meg lost the color in her face, she put her hands up. "He's going to be alright, but he had surgery tonight." Meg began to sniff.
"It was Andrew. Wasn't it?" She asked and when Christine nodded, she began to sob. "He locked me in the attic before he left. I tried to run. That's when I went into labor." She said and Christine hugged her tightly.
"Oh Meg, I am so sorry." She said regretfully.
"Where is he?" She sighed and Christine looked at Roxana before shaking her head.
"He's gone sweetheart."
"Gone?" Meg asked in confusion as Christine took her hand.
"He's dead. He killed himself after he shot Raoul." She said and Meg's face broke as she looked down at her baby.
"I mean…I didn't love him anymore, but dead…he was the father of my child…I just…dead? Are you sure?" She asked, clutching the baby.
"I'm so sorry Meg." Christine said. Roxana stepped forward to look down at the baby who surprisingly resembled how Jamie had looked when he was born only with blonde hair.
"He told me to tell you he was sorry for everything and that all he asked was that you name the baby Justin." She said and Meg, breaking down, nodded, leaning against her mother.
"I will." She said as Christine got up and was replaced on the bed by Brett. He wrapped his arms around her and held her gently.
"It's over now Meggie. It's all over…" He whispered, as she looked down at Andrew's son.
"Welcome to the world Justin Andrew Westcliff…" She said and Brett laid his cheek on her head.
"Why not make it Justin Andrew Westcliff Reynolds?" He asked and she looked up.
"Are you proposing?" She asked and that impish grin she had fallen in love with crept onto his face.
"Why? Are you accepting?"