A/N: Only 3 Chapters this weeks as I really thought this should be the chapter I ended this update on.

RR

Chapter 49- Never Again

Meg sneaked a quick peek through the curtains in the centre of the stage. Turning around she smiled at the other dancers.

'It's full,'

They all nodded, grins on their faces. All of the actors, the singers, the managers... all of them were worried about the Phantom but not the dancers. They were just all excited to see another full room, another eager crowd. The chorus had become so accustomed to the Phantom's presence over the years that, though they feared him, they had a quiet ease about him. Meg was probably the most afraid of him yet even she felt something of a calm inside her that evening.

If the managers wanted to play games with him she was sure that the fate would be there's alone and not the dancers, providing that they did their jobs and stayed out of the way. Every dancer had expressed their concern for the plan to capture the Ghost but it all fell of deaf ears, they were fairly low in the pecking order when it came to the decisions of the theatre.

Meg risked another glance out and spotted her father and Laurent sliding into their seats close to the front. She wished that she could catch their attention and wave to them. It was good to know that they were there supporting her.

Her eyes drifted around and at every corner was a guard or a police officer, all in the dark uniform and hats. It dampened her mood slightly. It was not that she did not want them to catch the Phantom, he had murdered people, but she wished they would do their investigation at some other time instead of using her friend as some sort of bait.

When she stepped back she spotted Christine sitting alone in the corner, her face was grey and she looked ready to fall down. Meg approached her slowly, trying to judge if she should call for help.

'Christine?'

Her friend looked up. 'Meg,'

'Are you alright?' She frowned and placed a hand on Christine's shoulder.

'Yes, I'm fine,'

'Are you ill?'

'Really,' Christine said. 'I'm fine,'

Meg paused for a moment, looking carefully at Christine's pale face. 'As long as you're sure,'

'Worried,' The word came out as a strangled whisper.

'Why?' Meg asked but she thought she knew anyway.

'Him,'

'The Phantom?'

Christine nodded. 'My teacher,'

'He is a killer,'

Christine looked at her, eyes wide, but said nothing. She neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, instead she looked at Meg with pain and moisture in her eyes. Meg wondered if she would cry but she jumped to her feet.

'No use with this,'

Meg was confused. 'What?'

'This moping around,' Christine took a long breath. 'It's doing me no good,'

Meg stepped closer to her friend and whispered, so no one else heard, 'You don't have to do this,'

'I have no choice,'

'You always have a choice,'

Christine kissed her cheek, 'Not in this,' she said with a frightening finality.

The gas lights were set low and, as Louis looked out at the almost impossibly huge crowd, he wondered if he was doing the right thing. Word had most certainly made its way to Erik Lambourne and in his attempt to rescue Christine, he had sealed his own fate. He stood in silence, with a programme in hand, waiting for the crowd to settle before he took his seat right at the back. Gabriele had told him to meet him at the rear of the theatre in around a half an hour.

Slowly, people began to get comfortable in their seats and Louis felt that it was safe enough for him to settle into his seat. He was sitting next to an attractive young couple who smiled a greeting at him.

'Your first opera?' The young woman asked in a whisper.

'No,' Louis answered and the sound of his own voice made him cringe, did he really sound so gruff? Another glance at the blonde told him that he did, she was leaning away, looking uncomfortable.

In an attempt to make up for himself he smiled at the man with her. 'Do you come to the Opera Populaire often?' He was quite pleased with the softened tone.

The man seemed to relax, as did the woman. 'No, actually we don't,'

The blonde smiled. 'We heard this was a little... unorthodox, so we decided we would come to see it... how lucky to get tickets on opening night, wouldn't you agree?'

Louis nodded. 'Definitely,'

'Secretly my husband is hoping to catch a glimpse of the infamous Phantom of the Opera, there was a news report that he had returned,'

'Is that so?' Louis raised his eyebrows. If only you knew, he thought.

The woman was nodding earnestly and, although her husband looked embarrassed, there was something else in his eyes, something twinkling there. As Louis was about to speak again the orchestra began to play, filling the room with a gentle sound that led into something faster, more violent. Louis took a quick glance to the woman on his left, her face was creased in a frown, as if confused by the music.

Louis admitted, it wasn't what he was expecting either, but he couldn't say that he disliked it. He was no expert and he thought that that was what made him a good critic. The music was raw and direct, there were no overtly complicated parts and Louis could barely tear his eyes away from the stage. Then she appeared.

Christine glided onto the stage, her dress tugged her waist in, and she moved gently from side to side, allowing her voice to be heard. Louis was so caught up in the performance he did not notice the police officer to his left.

'Excuse me, Monsieur,' The voice was quiet and Louis had to strain to hear him, yet he could not take his eyes away from the stage. 'Monsieur, could you follow me please?'

As irritated by the interruption as he was, he knew that by refusing a police officer he could very well scupper the plans they had already made. He sighed loudly and stood, gesturing to the couple sitting with him that he would be right back.

The policeman turned his back and led Louis out of the door almost directly to his left. The officer guarding that door was staring at the stage and, without looking, gave a quick nod as the two men passed him. When they got into the cold corridor the officer walked off ahead and this only added to Louis' growing anger.

He followed nearly half way down before he said, 'Where are we going?'

The officer did not answer, instead he held up a gloved hand and beckoned him closer. Louis stepped forward.

'What is this all about, Monsieur?' he demanded. 'I have paid for my ticket, I wish to watch the opera,'

When he was ignored again he placed his hand roughly on the policeman's shoulder in an attempt to turn him around and make him answer. It did not go according to plan. The police officer grabbed his wrist and flung him to the ground as though he were a rag. Lying face down on the dirty floor made dust shoot into his throat and he coughed out a harsh sound.

'Now, now Louis,' The officer said. 'You need to learn to control your temper,'

Now the man's voice was easier to hear and there was absolutely no doubt that Erik had returned. Louis tried to roll onto his back so that he could fight back but Erik's foot found a nerve in his spine and rendered Louis' legs basically useless.

'Where is Gabriele?' Erik asked.

'I don't know,' Louis felt Erik's foot grind into his back. The pain was almost unbearable.

'Don't lie to me,'

Louis winced at the pressure. 'I really don't ... know,' he managed to somehow push the words out.

'Where are you to meet him?'

To lie would be foolish. 'Behind the theatre in around ten minutes,'

'Good,'

Louis coughed again, his throat dry and swollen.

'How many are with him?'

'I don't know,' The pain in his back intensified again and Louis felt very faint. 'I'm telling you the truth,'

'No educated guess?' Erik was mocking him.

'All of them,' He gasped for air. 'I think they are all coming,'

Erik knelt by his side and out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of white. His tormenter leaned closer to his ear, so that his lips were almost touching it. 'You were going to hurt her,' His voice was a sinister whisper.

'No,' Louis exclaimed with every bit of energy he had. 'God no! He wanted you to come back,'

Erik moved his head over to Louis' other ear. 'You were going to take her somewhere, you were going to kill her,' His voice was calm, so even...

'No!' Louis pleaded. 'Please, you've got to believe me. All he wanted was to get you to come back, she was a ploy,'

'He will hurt her,'

'I told him not to,'

Erik laughed in his ear.

'I told him not to!!' Louis coughed, felt vomit bubble into his throat. 'Erik, let me stand,'

'I think we both know that that isn't likely to happen,' He whispered. 'Don't we, Louis?'

'God...'

'Not here,'

'Please...'

Erik laughed again. 'Too late,'

'I'll help you,'

'You're pathetic,'

'I wasn't going to hurt her!'

'Just me then?' Erik asked, his voice light.

'It isn't like that...'

'Then what is it like?' Erik said, as his knee dug into Louis' kidney.

Louis opened his mouth to answer but Erik stopped him.

'On second thoughts,' he said. 'It doesn't really matter,'

'We needed money,' Louis tried to explain through stolen breaths.

'I know that,'

For a moment he was confused. 'How do you know?'

'Gabriele is a lying piece of pond scum,' Erik explained. 'Just because you are a fool, does not mean that I am,'

'Let me go,' Louis tried to twist his body out from underneath Erik but he just dug his knee in harder.

'I can't,'

'I'll go home,'

'No, you won't,'

'I will... I will,'

Erik leaned around so that Louis could see his face, there was a strange twinkle in his eye. 'You won't, Louis,'

'Erik...'

He smiled. 'Louis?'

Louis gasped for another breath, his chest feeling heavy. 'Why are you doing... this?'

'Because I can,'

There was no response to that. There was nothing he could say. He tried to fight again, turning and swaying but Erik simply pushed him a little harder and Louis became a heap on the floor again.

'Such a big man,' Erik smiled. 'Yet so weak,'

'I am not weak,'

'Of course you are,'

'I'm... I'm not,'

'Then we shall make a deal,' Erik said, making eye contact with Louis. 'I'm going to let you stand and if you can escape then I will let you go and not pursue you further,'

Louis gulped in air. 'You need to let me get my bearings,' He was grasping, he knew it.

'Of course,' Erik smiled. 'It wouldn't be fair otherwise, would it?'

Louis felt the pressure relieve from his back and Erik stepped away, standing in front of him. He pushed himself to his feet, wobbling slightly as he stood. He gathered his bearings and took in his surroundings.

'I'll give you twenty seconds,' Erik said. 'From now,'

Louis knew it was useless to fight him, he was too weak now, so he turned and bolted, letting his legs carry him as fast as they could possibly go. The bile was in his throat, his legs felt heavy, but he ran and ran. He rounded another corner looking for a door but found none. Instead the corridor was straight and he followed it, running hard and fast.

At the end of the corridor was a door he knew led outside.

He ran for it.

He was barely a few feet away when something dropped over his head from above. He stopped running, out of breath and looked down at his neck, there, around it, was a rope.

'Louis,'

He looked up and saw Erik holding the rope over a beam.

'What time are you meeting with Gabriele?'

Louis glanced down at his pocket watch, heart racing. 'In less than five minutes,'

'I'll let him know you're sorry you couldn't make it,'