Chapter 21

On the way back to Boston, Erik had a smug look on his face. Christine had held off on asking what he said to her father, but knew whatever he said; he managed to accomplish what he set to do.

"So, care to explain why you're so happy?" She asked.

"You could say my revenge is in progress." He said cryptically.

"Revenge?" She asked.

"Your father stole something precious from me all those years ago. He thinks that I kidnapped your sister, when I was actually liberating her; granting her wish, so to speak." Christine remembered the wish Ashley made. She wanted to stay in Paris. But when they told her no, she began to panic. But the real surprise was when she was spirited away by the man beside her. "I made a deal with him. If Ashley doesn't sing at the concert tonight, she's free from me forever. But if she does sing, her father must let her leave with me."

This is turning into a real life Love Never Dies story. Christine thought.

"And you made this bet with him knowing full well that Ashley will sing?" She said.

"Of course. I will not lose her again." He muttered the last part to himself. Christine began having a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something will happen tonight and someone may get hurt. If Ashley does indeed choose Erik, she's going to make sure that Erik and her baby sister make it out of there together.

"If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know." She said glancing at the masked man. Erik smiled at her offer.

"Thank you, Christine."

Ashley had spent the morning with Robert finding an outfit for the show tonight. It was hard finding a dress for her since Ashley was not the kind of girl who enjoyed wearing dresses. But after a while, she found a midnight blue dress that she could agree on. She told Robert that she had a pair of shoes she brought with her she could wear but needed to return to her hotel to get them. He went with her back to the hotel and she quickly retrieved a pair of black open toe flats from her suit case along with the flower bracelet she wore the previous night and a fake designer necklace she bought at Icing. Robert thought that she should get a pair of heels instead, but Ashley warned him that she has a terrible history with heels and he dropped the subject. When they returned to the Sheraton, there was still a great deal of time before the show so Ashley was free to wonder about the con before she had to get ready.

"Just be here by about five for hair and makeup." Robert told her.

"Sure."

Ashley first hit the dealer's room when she reentered the convention center and bought herself a Hamtaro plushie. She loved Hamtaro. It was one of her absolute favorite shows in her earlier years and still stands as a part of her childhood. She checked her watch and saw it was about two forty five.

What to do? She wondered. Then, she decided she would have a little practice with her singing and made her way to karaoke. When she made it to the room it was being held in, she went to the front to the sign up and began putting her name down. But what to sing? She wondered. Then, she went through her music list and instantly found a perfect song to sing. She wrote the song title next to her name then sat down in the first open chair she could find.

One by one the singers came and went. A couple of the names called didn't even show. Ashley constantly checked her key-watch to make sure she would be able to sing then make it in time for her pre-concert make-up. Finally, her name was called. She made her way to the stage as the person operating the computer pulled up the song. She used her iPod's internet app to look up the lyrics for the song then turned back to the person and nodded. The music began to play and she felt her heart beat faster and faster. But by the time she started singing, all her fears seemed to dissolve.

hoshi furu oka no ue ni
hitori de tachi-tsukushita
hitotsudzutsu mado ni tomoru akari ga

daremo ga egao no oku
itami wo kakaeta mama
ikite-iru yo
kono hoshi no naka de

umarete kiete-itta
ikusen no monogatari-tachi

haruka tooi hi no kioku
mune ni kizamareta
hitomi tojite omoidasu
ima koko ni watashi ga iru
kanjite Everlasting Story

watashi wo tsutsumikonde
tsutawaru ai no chikara
mune no kizu wo iyashite kureru no

deai soshite wakare
itsu datte guuzen ja nai

donna kurushii toki demo
sasaerarete-iru
kitto onaji omoi wo
wakeaeru hito ga iru to
itsumo shinjite

ima mo me no mae ni tsudzuku
chizu ni nai michi wo
zutto aruite-yuku kara
sono saki no mirai no tame
egaku Everlasting Story

watashi wa anata no tame
anata wa watashi no tame
ikite-iru yo
kono hoshi no naka de

The song ended and the room burst into applause. She placed the microphone back onto the stand then bowed before making her way off the stage. She looked back down at her key-watch and her eyes widened at the time.

"Crap! I need to go!" She grabbed her things and practically bolted out the door.

When Ashley made it back to the ballroom, she was relieved to find she had one minute to spare.

"Ashley, you're right on time." Robert said cheerfully. "Come; let's get you to hair and makeup." He led her to another room that was lined with vanities and had racks of dresses and people filling the room. Robert brought her over to her own vanity where her dress and other effects were waiting for her. "Now, let's get to work." He said and clapped his hands signaling two people to his side. "Roberta will manage your hair and Carmen will handle your makeup. I'm counting on you to make her beautiful ladies."

"No need to worry about that." Carmen said. "When we're through with her, she'll be the belle of the whole show." Robert smiled feeling satisfied and left the three women alone.

"Now, let's get started." Roberta said and began working her magic.

The concert was finally underway, and Ashley was more than ready for her turn to grace the stage. She was going to finally live her dream at last. Then again, she already lived it in Paris, but it was something much more in her world. She was going to prove herself to everyone what she could do. She looked down at her engagement ring for the fifty-billionth time and felt her heart beating uncontrollably at the thought of being Erik's wife. All her dreams were going to come true at long last. She went over to her dress and began pulling it off the hanger when someone came into the room.

"Miss Ashley, there's someone here to see you." She looked back at the woman who was in the doorway.

"Really? Who?" She asked.

"He says he's your father." Ashley felt the blood drain from her face. How on Earth did he know?

"Um, he can come in." She said and clutched the dress to her chest as if it was some sort of security blanket.

When Gary entered the room, he was stunned to see the young woman before him. It was indeed his daughter, but her hair was all done up in a beautiful style with some loose curls framing her face and she was wearing a touch of makeup that made her eyes seems a bit larger and her lips were the color of blood. She was absolutely beautiful.

"Ashley, look at you. You look like the most beautiful girl in the world." He said, not wanting to use the word woman since he still saw her as a young girl.

"Thank you." She said. "It was all done by professionals. I could never accomplish this on my own." She turned back to the dressing table and reached for her flower bracelet and snapped it onto her left wrist.

"Ashley, there's something I need to tell you." He said making his way over to her table. She looked at him in the mirror and eyed him warily.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Six years ago…" She felt her pulse hasten at his words. What did he know? "…Six year ago, we went to Paris for a special event. You were singing in a competition."

How does he know that? She asked herself.

"On the last day, you were named the winner. But when you said you wanted to stay in Paris, the judges told you that was impossible. After they told you so, you were kidnapped by a monstrous man." She turned to face her father with shock written all over her face.

He knew all along? She thought feeling a mix of pain, confusion, and anger welling through her.

"This man held you for three days until we finally managed to get to you. However, he was persistent on wanting to keep you. In the end, we rescued you and brought you home." Ashley was trying her best not to freak out at her father for telling her such things, especially when she knew he was lying to her. "Since then, there has been no more traveling to Paris. But it seems that mad man has found a way here and has set his sights on you again. I fear he may be here now." He knelt down beside his daughter and took her hands in his.

"What are you trying to say?" She asked tonelessly.

"Don't sing tonight."

"What?" She said appalled.

"That monster is planning on taking you again. If you go out there…"

"But I have to do this. Please, I need to!" She said trying to keep her voice even. Gary could see that she didn't want to give this up.

"Ashley, listen to me. You need to give up on these silly dreams. You're a grown woman now and you need to start living real life." Ashley wanted to smack him so hard for saying that but held herself back. "Ashley…" he took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. "I'm only doing this because I care for your safety, and I only want what's best for you." Ashley knew he only wanted what was best for her; he never stopped telling her so. But with everything he said, he made it sound like she had no other option.

"Dad, I have to be on stage in ten minutes." She said. "I can't just-"

"Ashley, please!" He interrupted her. "My car is waiting outside. I'll take you home tonight and can have you back at the convention tomorrow morning if you so wish. But we must leave here now." Ashley couldn't look him in the eye. She wanted to sing out on the stage, but she couldn't deny her father either. What was she to do?

"Go and tell the stage manager I don't want to be disturbed. I need a moment to think." She said sounding defeated. Gary almost felt like smiling that she was considering leaving. He got up and left the room. When she was finally alone, Ashley began breaking down.

It's not fair! She thought to herself. It's just not fair! She stood from her chair and took the bracelet from her wrist and threw it against the wall before sinking to her knees and started sobbing. As she did, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and had the distinct feeling she was being watched. She turned around towards where she threw her bracelet and saw Erik standing there holding the piece of metal.

"You know his love is not enough… You know it isn't what you need." He began singing to her. "You know you're made of finer stuff… I think on that we all agree." Ashley began rising from her place on the floor still holding onto the dress she was to wear for the show and never letting her eyes stray from the man before her. "It's time to leave him in the dust… It's time to be who you should be… It's time to do now as you must… And set the music in you free!" By now, he was standing right beside her and was gently caressing her cheek. She leaned into his touch, relishing in the sweet feeling.

"In moments, mere moments, drums will roll… There you'll stand just as before…" He continued to sing as his hand moved from her face down her neck and shoulder and down her arm until he had her wrist and placed her discarded bracelet back on her. "The crowd will hush and then in one sweet rush… I will hear you sing once more." He turned her to face the mirror then picked up the necklace Ashley had brought with her and proceeded in draping it across her neck and clasping it in the back.

"And music, our music, will swell and then unwind… Like two strands of melody at last entwined!" He began, as if controlling her, lowering her back into her seat. "Fulfill us, complete us, make us whole… seal our bond forever more… " She turned back to face him and he knelt down before her and took her hands in his. "Tonight, for me, embrace your destiny… let me hear you sing, once more!" He stood back up and released her hands before disappearing from the room.

"Five minutes Miss Ashley!" She heard someone say from outside the room. She turned back to the mirror and began feeling a terrible sense of hopelessness overwhelm her.

"Twisted every way, what answer can I give?" She almost wanted to laugh at herself for saying that line. She found herself trapped in her very own Phantom story and knew that she couldn't give a happy end to both sides. Someone was going to get hurt and who she hurt was all up to her. "I know I can't refuse, and yet I wish I could. Oh God." Her head went back into her hands as she thought once again about her choices. She leaves with her father and gives up the man she loves or she goes on that stage and possibly turns her back on her father. She peaked out from her hands and saw, resting just mere inches away from her, was a blue rose. She picked up the flower and held it gently in her hands.

"Ashley… Ashley, don't think that I don't care…"

"But every hope and every prayer rests on you now…"

She clutched the rose to her chest as she felt all the pressure she was under take over. She wanted to curl into a ball and hide away from the choices she has to make, but she knows it's not that easy. So, she placed the rose back down and began getting into her dress.

Back stage, Gary was pacing around wondering what Ashley was thinking. He didn't fail to notice the multitude of emotions that flashed in her eyes as she spoke to him and knew that this may be harder than he anticipated.

Will she sing?
Will she flee?
What is she thinking now?
Is it him?
Is it me?
Devil take the hindmost

Erik was standing elsewhere backstage thinking about what Ashley's father had said to her. He tried to make it sound like Erik was a monster when he told his story. But he knew that Ashley knew better. He just hoped that the guilt that man was placing on her wouldn't cloud her judgment.

Will she stay? Obey your heart
Will she go? And sing for me
Does she know? Even now? You want it so
Ashley please, stop the show! Stay and be mine eternally
Devil take the hindmost

Now it's time, so make your choice
You know what must be done
Use your head
No time to wait
Hesitate
We're all undone

Christine managed to find her way backstage, thanks to Erik. She wanted to make sure her sister was alright when she heard her father was there. She knew he would try and manipulate her in some way to pull away from Erik. She didn't want to see that happen.

Will she stay? Obey your heart (What if she won't go on)
Will she go? And sing for me (What if she'd loose her nerve)
Does she know? You want it so (What if her voice won't serve)
Even now? Stay and be mine (What if she failed him now?)
Ashley please, (She has to sing for him)
stop the show! Eternally (And reach her happy end)
(Devil take the hindmost)

Christine was close to the dressing room now and peaked inside to see Ashley in her dress staring into the mirror with a torn expression in her eyes. She knew that she had a hard decision to make and it was eating at her mind.

Will she stay? Obey your heart (What if she won't go on)
Will she go? And sing for me (What if she'd loose her nerve)
Does she know? You want it so (What if her voice won't serve)
Even now? Stay and be mine (What if she failed him now?)
Ashley please, (She has to sing for him)
stop the show! Eternally (And reach her happy end)
(Devil take the hindmost)

(Now it's time,)
(No turning back)
(All is on the line)
(Here it is,)
(The final dance)

One last chance
To get what's mine

Ashley stepped from her dressing room and Christine immediately approached her.

"Ashley, don't let anyone influence your decision. I know you're a strong girl. Just do what your heart is telling you." She said and patted her shoulder before walking away. Ashley made her way to the stairs leading onto the stage and looked out as the lights dimmed awaiting the next singer's performance.

"Devil take the hindmost." She sang before stepping out onto the stage to face her destiny.

The songs used in this chapter were Everlasting Story from the anime Fushigi Yugi and Before the Performance and Devil Take the Hindmost reprise (with altered lyrics) from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies.

For Devil Take the Hindmost: Erik, Gary, Both, (Christine), (All)

So yeah, I gave Christine more of a role here, having her be the sort of Madame Giry character to Ashley. Even though she and Ashley had been rivals over the Phantom for years, since she knows that Erik is in love with her, she wants to help Ashley and Erik be together. And when I have Christine, Erik, and Gary singing DTtH, I needed to find how I would distinctify all their singing roles. It was very difficult there. So, next we have the performance and then... you'll have to find out. Oh, and the bit about Ashley waiting anxiously for karaoke, I put that in for my same experience. I was waiting to do karaoke and kept checking my watch because I had to get ready for the Masquerade right afterwards (oh the irony!).