Disclaimer: see Chap 1

CHAPTER FOUR

And then as always, life threw them a sour note. Selene was in the new production, and she had a beautiful piano solo that she played in the second act. Erik, ever vigilant, was watching the performance during the second week, and noticed a man who was staring fixedly at Selene. He had a murderous look on his face.

After the performance Erik followed Selene through the walls to her rooms, humming to her with his ventriloquism so only she could hear.

She was singing along softly, when suddenly she stopped - and turned white as Erik's mask. There was a man standing in the hallway, the same one as earlier.

"So is this where you've been hiding all this time," the man said, starting forward. "I knew you were not dead."

She backtracked a few steps. "You were in England," she said, her voice trembling.

Erik connected the dots and his fist clenched. It was Delacroix, the man who'd tried to kill her. He resisted the urge to leap out and kill the man on the spot.

"I was," Delacroix said, "but I came back. There's only so much supposed mourning one can handle before it starts to become boring." He sneered. "Thankfully, I've found you again and don't have to trouble myself with a new fiancé."

"No," Selene said, "go away."

"Make me."

Before Selene could blink, Erik was standing in front of her, his sword at the ready, pointing directly at Delacroix's throat. "I'd suggest you leave before I do something Selene might regret," he said in his most threatening tone.

The man's jaw dropped and he backed up against the wall. "Wh-"

"Tell no one of this," Erik warned. "Selene Gardinier is dead to the world, and dead to you. If I see you in this opera house again, or anywhere near her, you are a dead man."

Delacroix barely managed a nod before he fled.

Erik turned to Selene. "Go to the lair, wait for me there. I will follow him home and make sure he keeps silent."

She nodded, still shaking from the ordeal, and Erik went off. He tracked the Vicomte to his town house, and made sure the Vicomte did not try to tell anyone. Then, he returned to the opera house.

Selene was curled up in the sofa in front of the fire, a blanket wrapped around her. She was shivering violently, tears in her eyes from the shock.

Erik went to her immediately and knelt before her. "Are you hurt?" he asked gently.

She shook her head. "No," she whispered.

He sat next to her and pulled her into his arms to try and stop her trembling. She was frightened out of her wits. "You're safe, Selene," he soothed, smoothing her hair, "he's gone. He's never going to hurt you again. You're safe."

She finally calmed down, and curled up into his side. "I know," she said softly. "I trust you."

His heart swelled happily at those words. To have the trust of someone so beautiful and talented, and light... he swore to himself that he would never break that trust. Not ever.

They sat for a while, and then Erik picked her up and moved her to the piano bench. "Play with me," he requested.

She smiled and put her hands on the keys next to his.

"Sing with me, as well?" he asked.

She turned red and glanced away. "I don't sing very well, you know that."

He shook his head. "I don't care. Please?"

She placed a hand on the side of his mask, silently asking permission. He allowed her to remove it, and sat very still as she placed a gentle kiss on the scarred flesh.

"You should wear your mask less often," she said reprovingly. "It chafes, doesn't it?"

He shrugged the question off and started to play, Selene starting the second set of notes right on time. "You know the words?" he asked.

She nodded.

They sang and played the complete duet, and their voices and their music soared through the cave, echoing up the tunnels. And even though Selene's voice was average, the love song spoke volumes when she sang it to him. Erik had never felt happier in his life.

It wasn't long afterwards that the cast was rehearsing for Hannibal. Selene was on the piano, keeping the timing for the ballet and the singers. She envied the cleaning staff as they stuffed pieces of cotton in their ears to muffled Carlotta's screeching.

LeFevre and two other men appeared on stage, near the wings. "As you can see rehearsals are under way."

Monsieur Reyer huffed exasperatedly. "M. Lefevre, I am rehearsing."

LeFevre came to the center of the stage, completely interrupting. "M. Reyer, Mme. Giry, ladies and gentlemen, please, if I can have your attention, thank you." He waited for everyone to look over and continued, "As you know, for some weeks there have been rumours of my imminent retirement. I can now tell you that these were all true."

Selene's jaw dropped, and she glanced up at the rafters in concern. Erik hadn't said anything about it.

"And it is my pleasure to introduce to you the two gentlemen who now own the Opera Populaire, M. Richard Firmin and M. Gilles Andre. I'm sure you've read that recent fortune in the junk business," LeFevre continued.

"Scrap metal, actually," Firmin corrected.

A young man came onstage as well. "And we're deeply honored to introduce our new patron, the Vicomte de Chagny," Andre said.

The Vicomte looked like the usual rich boy, but he had a sweet face. "My parents and I are honored to support all the arts, especially the world-renowned Opera Populaire." He gave them a short bow.

They introduced the stars, and rehearsals continued. Selene couldn't pay attention to the music and the new owners at the same time, so she missed everything until the end of the song and Carlotta began to throw a fit.

"I hope your Vicomte is as enchanted as the ballet as you are, because I will NOT be SIGNING! Goodbye! Bring my doggy. Bye bye, I'm really leaving." She started to storm off.

"What do we do?" the new managers asked.

LeFevre waved a hand. "Grovel, grovel, grovel."

They followed her, trying to convince her she was needed (she wasn't). "If I remember rightly, Elissa has a rather fine aria in Act Three of "Hannibal". I wonder, Signora, if, as a personal favour, you would oblige us with a private rendition? Unless, of course, M. Reyer objects."

"If my managers command. M. Reyer?"

"If my diva commands." Reyer looked over at Selene and she nodded. "Signora?"

"Maestro."

Selene played the introduction to the aria, and then Carlotta started to sing.

"Think of me, think of me fondly, when we've said goodbye. Remember me once in a while please promise me you'll try. When you find that, once again, you long to take your heart-"

With a rumble, a backdrop crashed to the floor, hitting Carlotta square in the back and knocking her to the ground.

The rest of the cast rushed to get her out, and Carlotta and Piangi stormed off the set, completely done.

"Gentlemen, if you need me, I shall be in Australia," LeFevre said happily, and went off, washing his hands of the whole affair.

"She'll be back won't she?"

Reyer shrugged and mopped his brow. Selene reached over and patted the older man on the arm comfortingly.

Mme. Giry held up a letter. "You think so, messieurs? I have a message, sir, from the Opera Ghost."

"God in Heaven, you're all obsessed!"

"He merely welcomes you to his opera house and commands you to continue to leave Box Five empty for his use and reminds you that his salary is due."

"His salary?"

"M. Lefevre paid him twenty thousand francs a month. Perhaps you can afford more, with the Vicomte de Chagny as your patron." She smirked.

"A full house Andre, we shall have to refund a full house!" Firmin said despairingly.

Meg Giry spoke up. "Christine Daae could sing it, sir."

"What? A chorus girl? Don't be silly."

"She's had a very good teacher," Mme Giry said.

"It's true, I've heard her sing," Selene said encouragingly.

"Let her sing for you, monsieur. She has been well taught."

Reyer sighed and looked at Selene.

She nodded. "She can sing, trust me."

"If you can't trust the pianist who can you trust?" he said, and turned to the stage. "From the beginning of the aria then, mam'selle."

Christine started off softly, quietly, and then grew in confidence, and soon she was singing with her full potential, blowing everyone away.

"That was..." Andre started.

"You're hired!" Firmin took her hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, our new prima donna!"

Everyone cheered, and rehearsals continued as Christine was rushed away for fittings and practicing the songs.

That evening when Selene came down to the lair Erik was at his desk, scribbling furiously. She went over to him and kissed his cheek. "You maneuvered things quite nicely today," she said, smiling at him.

He looked up from his work and smiled, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. "I did, didn't I?" he asked. "There is much work to be done."

"I'll let you get to it," she said, stepping away from him. "Have you had dinner?"

He followed her into the kitchen area. "Selene, would you work with Christine as she practices the songs? Now she is making her debut her practice must be visible. And she trusts you."

"I'll help her," Selene said. "M. Reyer already asked me to do it."

"Good, good."