A/N: Wow, again it has been a long time, longer than I had planned or hoped to have posted. This summer was busier that expected. I figured I should go ahead and post what I have now, becuase it might be a while until I am able to post again. Band season has started again (I've already been through 2 weeks of hell bandcamp with 114 heat index days) and I need to start College Applications and such, as well as finsih my AP English summer reading assignment (I still have to read Crime and Punishment in about a week! EEEK!) So tonight the chapter had to go up!
Again thanks to all my reviewers, you guys are great! (4 this time...come on guys, thats really sad, only 4 reviews for the last chapter. I know more of you read this, I have a hit count) I'm sorry if I didn't reply to your last review, but I will try this time. So please review! Also just a little warning about grammer and such, since I was the only one to go over this chapter, and I don't catch everything a Beta does.
Disclaimer: I've said this 25 times already...
Monsieur Andre's words were still ringing in her ears. 'Everything'. She had never heard anything that quite made her double back, as that word. Her thoughts were racing. 'Whoa, this can not be happening. Maybe I misheard him. Did he really say that I just inherited everything? Like this very chair I am sitting on, or better yet, this room? This house? His shipping company? His other properties? Shit. This really can not be happening. Honestly, I am a no one in this town. I only have like….two friends and I "came off the street" parse. Literally. Never in my life would I have dreamed of this happening. Yet never in my life would I have thought of dieing in one time and "awakening" in another. What would Erik think? Will he kick me out, now that I have my own place? I've never been this well off, even when I was living at home. What will I have to do?'
"Are you sure that's what the guy said, that I would get everything else?" the words finally came to Aslynn's mouth, as she whispered to Andre.
"Yes mademoiselle, that is what the gentleman said." Andre whispered back.
"Wow." Was all she was able to reply, the wave of shock still sinking over her. The lawyer was finishing up with the will, as the last item was to be left to Aslynn, and as he finished, Charles took his place to make the next announcement.
"Would please met us at the Church of Saint-Severin in one hour of the requiem," was all Aslynn caught. After he was done talking the room slowly filled with chatter, everyone glancing around for the woman who just inherited the estate. Andre was about to leave to get a drink when he glanced down at the silent woman. Her face was flooded with a look of shock.
"Are you alright mademoiselle? May I get you a drink?"
Waking up form her dream state she looked up to see the aging man. "What? Oh, yes please. Something strong should do."
Andre was now the one with a look of shock. A woman, soon to be one of higher class, was asking for a stronger drink. He was about to ask if she was sure, but just nodded and walked over to one o the servers. He came back with two mimosas, and he handed one to Aslynn. She gratefully took it and downed about half of it in one gulp. Sitting next to her in a now empty chair Andre asked, "I'm curious mademoiselle, where have you been staying all this time you have been in the city?"
This question caught Aslynn off guard. "Um, well… I … I've been staying with a fried. It takes me about 15 minuets to walk here, so it's pretty close."
"Excellent. May I ask who the lucky man is?"
"Oh, he's not that kind of friend." Aslynn replied with a blush rising to her cheeks.
"You're staying with a gentleman? I do hope he is married." The aging man asked. He was more and more astounded by this woman every second.
"Er, well yes." She quickly replied, hoping that he would take the yes for both questions, or she just could pretend she didn't hear the last part.
"Oh, well then, but I was referring to your engagement ring."
"My late fiancé gave it to me. He passed away in an accident, over a year ago." Aslynn replied, looking away.
"I am terribly sorry to hear that." Andre said in a comforting voice.
"Yes, I am too." Her eyes glazed over with a far away look.
The conversation drifter to a lighter tone, which relieved Aslynn. She hated it when people brought up Chris, even when it was unintentional. The pain that pierced her heart that night when he died would resurface, letting the wound reopen.
"We should probably head to St. Severin for the requiem now; the crowd seems to be lightening." Monsieur Andre said, getting up from his chair.
"Sounds like a plan," the young woman simply replied, allowing the gentleman to help her out of her chair. As they neared the door it occurred to her that she didn't have a cab. "Monsieur Andre, I don't have my own coach. How am I supposed to get there?"
"Ah, don't worry mademoiselle, Garnier had two coaches. But I rode over here with my cousin and her husband, you are welcome to ride with us."
"That would be great." She gratefully replied, following Andre to the door. Outside under an umbrella was a middle aged couple.
"My dear cousin!" Andre called out to the couple, who instantly turned around. "I see you've already ordered the carriage! Splendid. I would like to introduce you to Mademoiselle Aslynn O'Neil. Mademoiselle O'Neil, this is my cousin Claudine Maure and her husband Edmond Maure."
Before the elder man could finish the introductions Madam Maure exclaimed, "You are the young woman who inherited the estate! It's a pleasure to meet you. Monsieur Maure and I were just discussing who you were." She then lent in a bit to whisper, "He thought you were Monsieur Garnier's mistress, but I couldn't tell." Striating back up see asked louder, "How do you know Monsieur Garnier?"
"I guess it was pure change that I met him. I had just come to the city and he offered me a job as his book keeper. He came to be a father figure in my life." She smartly replied, with an embarrassed blush on her cheeks. How dare that man think she was Garnier's whore.
"Yes, I see. How fortunate for you." The middle aged woman kindly replied, realizing that she might have offended the younger lady. She politely continued the conversation, hoping to regain the woman's trust.
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The carriage ride to the church was short, with most of it spent with Madam Maure saying how wonderful the city is and that she hopes Aslynn moves into Garnier's house. Aslynn thought this was because she wanted to be able to visit the estate. She also invited Aslynn over to dinner at her best convenience.
They quietly entered the church, all taking seats in a pew four rows back. As the others knelt down to pray, Aslynn took a moment to look around at all the other people, clad in black, either praying, pretending to pray, or whispering to their neighbor. There were more people entering the church, many of whom where not at the will reading but had known Garnier at some point. Some probably didn't even know him personally, but worked for him or just wanted to attend a wealthy merchants requiem mass. She failed to notice a shadow sneak in a side door and head up to the balcony.
'It's been a long time since I've been to church. I don't… I haven't been since I've been in Paris, since I've been in 1875. I remember when I was little and my mom would always dress me up to go to mass every Sunday, rain or shine. Then after I got confirmed in high school I stopped going. That was my… rebel stage. Maybe I wouldn't have done as many of the stupid things I did if I still had the church in my life. But when I meet Chris in college, he brought me back to religion and showed me how it wasn't just for when you wanted something. After the accident, that was the only thing that kept me from loosing myself. I guess I can thank Chris for that, even if I did loose him to learn that there is always a bigger plan. Erik probably isn't that religious, so he wouldn't care if I start to attend Sunday mass. I don't think he would at least. I still don't know that much about him, even though we have been living together for a while now, well only a few months, but still. He is very quite, and keeps to himself. One day, One day I'll break his shell and get him to open up.'
Her thoughts took her right until the service started. The priest started the requiem and instantly Aslynn was lost. "Whoa," she said softly, loud enough for Andre to turn to her.
"Is everything alright?" He whispered, concern filling his voice.
"Yes, it's just…. This is the first requiem that I've been to, and it's quite different that expected." Aslynn quickly said. She has been getting good at making up likely excuses on the top of her head.
The gentleman just nodded and returned his attention to the mass. Meanwhile Aslynn was trying to decipher the service. 'This must be in Latin, for I do not understand one word he is saying. And he isn't facing the congregation, he's facing the alter and has his back toward us. That is very odd. I wonder why he doesn't address the people.'
Then the light bulb in her head went on. 'Oh! Duh, this is before the Vatican II council.' Sighing softly to herself, Aslynn slumped back against the pew and did her best to follow along.
Up above in the rafters of the church, no one noticed the black shadow pacing, watching the gathering below. Not even the pigeons flew at his presence, for he blended in like an ordinary shadow. If one were to glance up and see him, they would only think there was a slight breeze or that it was a just a figment of their imagination. If they caught a glimpse of his bone white mask, they would most likely think it a pigeon or light hitting a piece of marble.
Erik had followed the crowd form Garnier's house to the church, picking out which carriage was taking a certain young woman. He had no interest in the funeral mass, except for one person. The music even bored him, for he could, and has, written a better requiem mass, wishing that he was composing him own. But he had a reason to hope to grow out of that now.
'What are you thinking Erik, you don't love her, you never can. Your heart belongs to Christine, if anyone could have it. And she turned you down. No one can love you, so you can't fly your heart like that so it can easily be taken away in the wind.'
When he saw a familiar head turn to whisper to Aslynn his body filled with a furious rage. How could that peacock know her! Or even dare to talk to her! His blood pumped violently through his veins, as his body trembled with anger and jealousy.
He was tempted to let the congregation know he was there, and to tell Andre to stay away from Aslynn but several things stopped him. He didn't want to frighten Aslynn, even though he was angry with her for letter that scum talk to her. Second, Paris wasn't ready for the Phantom's return, and if so, this wasn't the time nor place to do it. He did not care about being in a house of the God that had forsaken him, but he rather a few other key figures be there.
Back below the service ended, later than hoped for. It was hard for Aslynn to follow, making the mass long and uncomfortable. She accompanied Andre, Madam Maure and Monsieur Maure to their carriage to continue on to the cemetery for the burial. Only Garnier's closest friends and workers continued on. The crowd was significantly smaller as most people only really wanted to hear the will and pay their respect at mass, or at least show the city that they knew him.
Again, the small group failed to notice the same black shadow follow them about and into the carriage behind them. On the carriage ride to the graveyard, Madam Maure asked,
"Mademoiselle O'Neil, what do you pant to do with the inherited estate?"
"To be honest, I haven't the faintest idea. Monsieur Andre said I was let all of his vacation homes as well as the main estate, so I would like to find out where they are and see them before I decide to keep them or not. I am keeping the main estate for sure, and I might even move into it, but I haven't really given it too much thought. I would like to invest the rest of the money somewhere, since I don't trust the banks and I am not comfortable keeping large amounts of money on me." Aslynn stated, thinking about the crash that started the Great Depression. 'Even though it is a while away, I still wouldn't think the banks now can be trusted…unless the Swiss banks exist now, but I don't think they have much interest, they are just for storing stuff.'
"Well isn't that a fabulous idea! It should be something grand, which would introduce you to society and show Paris who you are. Maybe you should be the patroness of some new artist or of a school for musicians."
"Musicians?" Aslynn asked herself out loud, her thoughts returning to that certain masked man she lives with. Andre and Madam Maure started to talk about different schools and such, but Aslynn paid them no heed. She was focusing on something else.
'Erik has done so much for me. From just being kind to me when I was first brought to his home to letting me stay. He has also become someone I can trust my story to, my fried. Maybe even more than a fried. I thought I could never repay him, but now… now I think I can. He loved music so much; it's what he eats, sleeps and breaths. Well he does have his designing and scientific experiments, but for the most part, it's music.'
"Monsieur Andre," Aslynn interrupted, "You are one of the current owners of the Opera Popular, am I right?"
"Why yes, why do you ask?" He cautiously replied, a worried line settled in on his brow.
"Do tell me about it; running it and all, and it if is possible for an investor to purchase it before the official sale date?"
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People slowly left the tombstone of Monsieur Garnier, all parting their separate ways, with carriages pre ordered. Erik told Aslynn he would meet her at the cemetery, but she couldn't find him anywhere.
While glancing around, Aslynn bid Andre and his cousins' goodbye. "I will be stopping by your office this week to finalize everything. Until then, take care."
She finally spotted a carriage away from the rest of the coaches, with a man cloaked in black sitting as the driver. She waved good bye and happily headed over to the carriage. Well, as happily as one can be for just loosing a friend. As Aslynn neared the driver she noticed him watching her every steep, and almost instantly she recognized those eyes that where following her.
"Afternoon," she sweetly called out, smiling to Erik.
He nodded, and motioned for her to get in the cab. She smiled again to Erik, a smile of one who is holding a great secret. As soon as she had closed the door, the masked man kicked the horses into action, and they rode off down the rode. The carriage ride was short, and they stopped when they reached the abandoned barns of the opera house.
Erik opened the door for the woman, his expression as cold as stone. Before she could tell him about the funeral he was around to the other side of the carriage, undoing the horses.
"Erik? Are you okay, you haven't said a word to me since you picked me up, and now it seems like you're trying to avoid me." Aslynn said, following Erik around the horses.
As fast as a bolt of lightening, the mask man whirled around, his eyes no longer like stone. His green eyes where filled with yellow specks of fury. He approached Aslynn so quickly she gasped as she was cornered next to a stall.
"No, everything is not okay." He growled, causing one of the horses to kick nervously into the ground.
"Erik…" before she could say anything else he stopped her with his violent look.
"How dare you talk to that insolent Peacock! I will not stand you conversing with him!" He snarled through his teeth, his voice crescendoing with every word.
"W-who are you t-talking about?" Aslynn quietly replied. She forgot how demanding of a person he can be, and how easily he can make her uncomfortable.
"Andre." Was all he spat, glaring down at the woman.
"Oh, him… y-you really don't need to worry Erik, that's what I was going to tell you." She nervously said, glancing away form his intense stare.
"Then you better start explaining, for my patience is already dying."
Aslynn's mind was racing with a million thoughts. 'Great, what do I tell him? I didn't want to tell him about the offer, which was supposed to be a surprise, kind of thank you gift for him. Well, I guess I could tell him about the estate. But is it really wise to tell him everything now? He is not himself, or at least his rage would blind him from understanding anything. Gosh, what do I tell him?'
A/N: I know this was a bit short, but please let me know what you think!