MAN, I HAVE BEEN SO LOOKING FOREWARD TO WRITING THIS CHAPTER!

Oh and by the way, I know this song isn't Opera. Originally I was going to make up a song for this chapter, but recently I heard a song and it expressed what Elizabeth wanted to saw so badly so beautifully that I couldn't deny her the chance to sing it. So please, pretend she's singing an slightly more opera version but it still sounds the same, the lyrics are all standard, theres nothing futuristic in it to make it unrealistic, but it's perfect!

I DON'T OWN PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Elizabeth whipped round to star at Erik, standing in the doorway, his joker mask covering his expression, but she could tell from how he stood he wasn't happy.

"Er – master" she gasped, her hands flying to cover her unmentionables, her face crimson, "I'm, I'm not dressed, please…"

He ignored her, striding into the room and lifting the dress up to eye level for inspection "Hm…better" and then tossed to her "Put it on"

"But sir…" she began to protest, then gave up, what was the point? She needed a new gown to go home in anyway. So Elizabeth vacated to behind a changing screen and slipped on the dress. It was made from an old material and was a bit course from years folded in the back of a trunk, it wasn't comfortable and it itched her neck painfully, but it fit like a glove.

When she entered, her hands went to over herself as much as possible, the dress wasn't large, it was thin, she wasn't used to finery such as this, she certainly never dressed in white. "Master?"

He turned and looked at her, going completely still for a moment then, "Perfect" he said, his voice sounded…pleased "This is perfect"

"What do you mean?"

"You will wear this, forget the announcement, you sister is to play soon, come, you will go and sing. He picked up the mask Elizabeth had used, it was blue and light yellow, like the inside of a waxy tulip. He broke the stick and unravelled some of the ribbon adorning the rim. In seconds he had fashioned a tie-on mask, Elizabeth marvelled at his handiwork, but she hadn't forgotten his order.

"Sir I…I can't"

Erik froze in the middle of tucking back some of the mask's ribbon "What?"

She flinched, but stood her ground "I can't go out there, look at me, I can't be seen like this, not after what happened, it'll only be more humiliating, how much farther should I fall? Till I'm less than nothing in their eyes. We were wrong, I can't do this, I'm no diamond in the rough, I'm worthle—" before she could finish, he grabbed her wrist painfully, so painful in fact that had she not been wearing gloves, there would have been a bruise.

She cried out in pain as he pulled her up and forced her back to him. One hand on her waist, the other in her hair, her pins came undone and her thick black hair came tumbling down past her shoulders to her waist.

She could feel him, his hands on her waist, it was indecent and wrong but so, so warm. She could feel all of it; her heart was pounding so fast she couldn't feel it anymore, only him. She wanted him never to let go.

"Look" his voice commanded

Her eyes opened and saw what he was indicating. Her reflection, but it wasn't her.

The woman in the mirror was someone else, someone…beautiful. Like a star, dark black hair contrasted with the silvery dress, like starlight, was wild as it hung by her pale cheek from her Elizabeth the 1st make up. Her eyes dark from something she didn't recognize, her face flushed from being held, she looked wanton, strange and completely unlike the shy, unnoticeable, unimpressive, perfectly behaved older sister she knew herself to be.

She looked in the mirror, and for once, she looked exactly how she felt every time she sang and it wasn't the dress that made her look this way. It helped, it certainly did, but it was more than that, it was him. She saw the person he had made her into, the person he alone had seen and dragged out and more than that, she saw her eyes as he held her and knew.

She did love this man, she loved him. She couldn't understand how it was possible, she was still afraid of him, as she glanced at his mask, she knew what was behind it, and knew how horrible it was, but still, she wanted to be in his arms and never leave.

"Beautiful" she gasped, not quite believing this was her yet knowing it was.

"Yes, and I made you this way. You were nothing before, the person you knew before is gone 'Star'" he said softly and she shivered, he'd never called her this before, was this a…term of endearment! She felt like her heart would stop.

"But…" she whispered and he let her go, her body protested from the loss of his warmth

"If you so detest being second best, the fight for first place" he said looking at her, his eyes running along her frame, she felt shy, and covered her face.

"Fine, do what you want. But know, if you don't step out tonight, I'll take this as the end of our lessons" and then he left

She looked up aghast, he was leaving her?

Wait, why was she so distressed, wasn't this what she had wanted? She needed to leave him before she became so enamored that being without him, her being less to him completely broke her.

But then why did she feel so empty? She fell to her knees, her heart had stopped.

He was leaving; she would never see him again; never hear the dulcet tones of his voice, never feel the warmth of his hands on her again.

Elizabeth gripped her arms and released, it was already too late. He had become a part of her, if he left now, she really would break.

She turned to look in the mirror; the girl there really was beautiful, too beautiful. She touched the cool mirror image and the girl on the other side touched her back. Dark hair, blue eyes, pale skin, flushed red lips, she looked like a fairy. She was beautiful, not as beautiful as the angelic Christine, bit not ugly, she was a different kind of beautiful.

Could she really…just maybe…could she really fight for first place, on the stage and in Erik's heart.

The thought was almost blasphemous, but once in her mind, it was too tempting to resist. Could she do it, fight to be the best and then fight to stay there. Could she do it?

Glancing to the side she saw the mask Erik had abandoned and caressed it.

Well…there was only one way to find out, as she donned it and shut the door behind her.

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Elizabeth's hair felt heavy and alien to her, bushing on her shoulders and waist. She resisted the urge to tie it back up as the weight from the voluminous tendrils forced her head up and her back straight.

In the main hall her sister was readying her score, Elizabeth couldn't see Erik in the crowed but she knew he was there, his dark eyes on the curtain she would appear from rather than her sister, waiting for her.

Her heart pounding, second thoughts began to traitorously penetrate her mind again, but a glance at her reflection in a shiny doorknob straitened her back yet again.

Her sister sat down and straitened her fingers "This song is one I have recently acquired, it's called 'Let it Go', by an unknown composer. Thank-you for listening to another Ashwin performance", and the entire congregation clapped enthusiastically.

Verity's fingers ghosted over the keys, it wasn't Erik playing, but it was Erik's song, and like all his music, it compelled her to sing.

Elizabeth took the first step into changing her life forever as she stepped from behind the curtain and sang softly "The snow glows white on the mountain tonight, not a footprint to be seen."

Verity's expert hands did not falter in her surprise at the sudden voice accompanying her playing, but the second she heard she felt sad. What a beautiful voice this was, though familiar, it brought an image of cold tundra, bare and cold. Who was singing? While in the room looked to the side where the red velvet curtain had been pulled back to reveal a woman, in a silver dress with ebony hair cascading down her back in ringlets, her face concealed by a mask, her lips ruby red. No one put a name to the mask, or her hair, they all stood in surprise at the unexpected added entertainment, and opera singer perhaps?

Elizabeth took another step, her voice shook as she surveyed the room of people staring at her, forcing herself not to run away "A kingdom of isolation and it looks like, I'm the Queen."

She saw her mother seated at the front, her mouth hung open at the intrusion on her daughters performance never thinking for even a moment it was both her daughters on stage tonight "The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside. Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I've tried."

She paused in her slow steps forward, hugging her arms to herself, thinking of how repressed she'd always felt, how she's always tried to hold in her anger at her parents injustice towards her, her desire to be loved equally.

"Don't let them in, don't let them see, be the good girl you always have to be," her voice rose in volume as she began to get lost in the song Erik wrote just for her, the one holding all her feelings. She was Elizabeth Ashwin, the bookish unremarkable, obedient older sister and nothing more.

"Conceal, don't feel. Don't let them know…"Elizabeth opened her eyes and then something changed, she looked out onto the crowd and saw it, they were listening to her, she was on stage and they were all listening to her song, "Well now they knooooow!"

"Let it go, Let it go!"she sang louder as Verity's piano mirrored the delicate state of her heart. Her voice resounding through the room, while unfolding her arms and holding it out to the crowd with a blissful smile and the music devoured her and she returned all that she had to it.

Finally, she could sing before everyone without hiding "Can't hold it back any more." She was breaking out of their stereotype "Let it go, Let it go, Turn away and slam the door! I don't care, what they're going to say! Let the storm rage on" she smiled coyly, a smile she'd never known she could even accomplish, for the first time, Elizabeth was alive "The cold never bothered me anyway."

Verity was playing without a problem as the violins joined in, looking up at the stranger who had upstaged her performance and yet she didn't care, the woman's voice was beautiful; Verity could feel it, every word. The crowed were riveted, yet the woman didn't seem to notice as she took her place in front of the Piano, her eyes closed. Then she opened them.

"It's funny how some distance, makes everything seem small," it was strange how much Elizabeth was connecting with this song, because up here on the stage Aquaria looked so small and insignificant, "and the fears that once controlled me, can't get to me at all!" she could see her mother's mouth moving, but she wasn't scared of disobeying her.

Her associations with the music only made her want to sing more. Elizabeth lent back on the piano "It's time to see what I can do, to test the limits and break through" The room had faded away as Elizabeth sang, she'd never felt so happy before, singing before an audience was so much different from singing on her own in a practice room, at that moment, Elizabeth felt so much more than herself, no, she was finally herself "No right no wrong, no rules for me…I'm free!"

"Let it go, Let it go! I am one with the wind and sky!" she sang with every ounce of her being as she stood and her hand rose to the ceiling. "Let it go, Let it go! You'll never see me cry" never again.

"Here I stand!" she took a step forward "And here I'll stay!" never again would she let someone force her to the back "Let the storm rage on"

The piano instrumental gave her time to breathe and actually take notice of her crowd. They were watching her, all of them. Aquaria, Anthony, her family, those girls and men who had laughed at her, they were all watching her, their eyes on her with awe and amazement. It was such a wonderful feeling, to show them she wasn't a talentless nobody. But still, something felt wrong, something felt incomplete.

"And one thought crystalizes like an icy blast. I'm never going back" she smiled "The past is in the past!" and then she ripped off her mask

"Let it go! Let it go! And I'll rise like the break of dawn!" and relished in the gasps around the room, especially her mothers. She went against Erik's plan again, too elated to refuse her body as she rain in between the seats up the stairs.

Now they were looking at her, the real her, not the person they all believed her to be. "Let it go, Let it go! That perfect girl is gone!"

Elizabeth let go of the person she used to be and held out her arms offering her real self to them as she stopped and twirled around to face the congregation her arms raised "Here I stand, in the light of day! Let the storm rage on!" and come what may, she was never going to be the same.

She smiled "The cold never bothered me anyway."

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The song ended and silence filled the room as she panted, exhilaration sill ran through her veins, she wasn't finished, she wanted to sing more and never stop. She loved this so much; she loved singing with every fiber of her being and wanted to do nothing else.

In the crowed aquaria's mouth had dropped open in fury, murmurs began around the room as they all came to the realization that the person whose voice had so captivated was the maladroit older Ashwin sister. Her mother fell back and Abigail had to catch her. Mrs. Mallory was smiling widely, she had probably recognized her in the beginning, she was wearing the dress.

But Elizabeth wasn't afraid anymore, because she had spotted Erik in the crowd. Slowly, he slipped up the bottom of his joker mask; just enough to reveal his mouth as she bestowed a pleased smile and that was all she needed.

Elizabeth still didn't feel like she could do this, but if she didn't, she'd loose him forever, and Elizabeth decided that for the first time in her life, she was going to fight for first place, in love and music because she loved both too much to give them to anyone.

Then the silence was broken as she took a step back and brushed back her dark hair, smoothing it against the fabric of her dress, "Ladies and Gentlemen" she said softly, then coupled and repeated more loudly "Ladies and Gentlemen, I understand you must be confused. My name is Elizabeth Ashwin" violent whispers exhaled around the room at the confirmation, but she ignored them "And this is my sister Verity. We were delighted to perform for you tonight" and she curtsied.

In the silence, one loud clap filled the room, Elizabeth looked up to see Anthony clapping, he was smiling proudly, then Hermione, then Abigail and then another person and another until all except few were applauding them.

"Lizzy!" Verity exclaimed as she leapt up and hugged her tightly.

Elizabeth looked out unto the crowed and spotted Erik leaving though the back entrance. Suddenly, she thought of the newspaper clipping of Christine as rush of inferiority overwhelmed her. But Elizabeth forced it aside.

Erik would want to know she was here; she probably hadn't left yet, if she told him now he could still catch her. But she didn't. She stayed her hand and kept her mouth shut.

She wasn't going to fun from her feelings ever again.

For the first time, on stage before an adoring audience, Elizabeth felt home.

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Erik watched Elizabeth being enveloped in the embrace of her younger sister as she was escorted onto the dance floor and to the rest of her family. The sight of his star being crowded by others irritated him somewhat, Erik was unbelievably possessive of what he believed to be his, but he was pleased with her so he allowed it. Besides, she might as well say her goodbyes to them while she could.

Elizabeth had been astounding, everything he had imagined when he first heard her sing that day so long ago, she wobbled a few times on certain notes and she wasn't supposed to take off her mast till end, but no matter, such things were fixed with more training.

He had taken a stone and created a jewel, there was no way he was going to leave it here to fester and gather dust in a glass case, taken out every now and again to be party entertainment at balls and gatherings rather than inspiring dreams and imagination.

But how to convince her to go with him, Elizabeth was fiercely loyal to her family, how to lure her away from the ton to live life at the Sunset Theatre?

Well, he thought as he watched her perfect smile at being praised by her mother and friends; that was for another time. Let her bask in her first glory for now, he would make sure there were more of them.

Elizabeth was radiant, her face shone with a light he'd never seen before, her eyes sparkled like sapphires. She had been born for the stage. Erik had never seen her more beautiful, his beautiful Star.

Then suddenly, as he thought this, something caught his eyes as he stopped and turned. Had he seen? No, it couldn't be. For a moment, he thought he'd seen a flash of familiar brown hair. But Christine was in America, he knew this.

No, it was impossible, he was only reminiscing of his days with another jewel of his creation.

Happy Christmas! Everyone, here's my Christmas Present to you all.

Please return the gift with some reviews, hint hint.