I had planned to keep my fans waiting a couple of days before finishing this chapter, and second part to the last chapter but I just couldn't find it in me to keep all of you in such suspense, think of this as an early Christmas present! I hope to keep hearing such wonderful reviews and I thank each and every one of you who has continued to make this story such as success!
Chapter 22: Before The Performance Part 2
Christine stopped running to the chapel to meet Erik when she felt someone place their hand on her shoulder. She instantly froze, not knowing what she should do at this point; scream or stay? She was about to shake the person's hand off her shoulder and make a run for the chapel when the person began to speak to her, only then did the voice register the stranger's identity.
"Well, it seems my dear that you need to tell me where you have been all day," Madame Giry chided the oldest of her two daughters. She had not seen Christine all day yesterday and she soon began to grow worried when she was not in her dressing room last night. Something in her had an idea that she would be with Erik but she could never be sure with Christine.
Madame Giry always knew that Christine was a very inquisitive girl; she had always gone searching for some sort of adventure when she wasn't mourning the premature death of her father in the chapel. With the adventurous gene that Christine possessed Madame Giry knew that she would have gotten injured or in much more trouble had it not been for Erik watching over her—she had so much to thank Erik for in regards to Christine.
"I was with Erik last night, he wanted to make sure that I was fully prepared for the role I have to play today. It's all up to me Madame Giry and he needed to make sure that I was mentally ready for the part I was assigned," Christine turned her face away to hide the blush that crept upon her face as she remembered what had transpired between Erik and herself last night as he was "preparing" her for the role of Aminta. Christine knew that Madame Giry would interpret her body language as one of anguish and despair at what she was being forced to do. Now Christine did indeed hate that she was being forced into this scheme against Erik—but she felt better knowing that Erik was aware of the plan and had his own plan.
Madame Giry watched as Christine shielded her face from her vision and she began to feel bad for the young girl in front of her. So much was expected of her tonight, Madame Giry would only imagine the amount of stress that must be built up inside of her. Madame Giry gently pulled Christine into a hug before pulling her back to inspect her adopted daughter.
"Now, even though I should not condone you being with a gentleman without a proper escort I cannot help but feel better knowing that you were staying with Erik last night. I can only assume that he kept you very safe and well fed, yes? Good, now I also assume that you were going somewhere to see him again?" Christine nodded at the appropriate times all the while wondering how and when Madame Giry learned about all of this. Christine only hoped that she wouldn't guess as to what exactly they had done last night, she knew that Madame Giry would most definitely have a heart attack if she ever guessed that they had done such an act that was supposed to be saved for marriage. Yes they were only courting but even to her it seemed that they were married—even if they hadn't consummated their love for one another last night. Finally Christine found the courage to speak again and began talking once more.
"Yes, he requested me to meet him in the chapel as soon as I got back into my dressing room. Heaven knows that he is probably already there waiting for me, he's probably wondering where I am." Christine's voice grew more worrisome as she continued to talk. Her chocolate brown eyes shifted quickly everywhere to make sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation, it could be fatal if anyone was to overhear what she and her adopted mother were talking about.
Madame Giry noticed how easily spooked Christine was right now about keeping Erik safe from any prying ears. She couldn't help but smile, roll her eyes, and shake her head at the silly way that Christine was acting when she needed to be secretive. Madame Giry grabbed Christine's hand and started walking her towards the chapel. "Come along my dear, even I know it would be unwise to keep this meeting waiting too long. Some people are very impatient."
When the two women reached the backstage area (closer to the right wing), the more popular place to find people standing around before any show started, the two woman slowed their pace to a leisure walk and looked as inconspicuous as possible. The two woman almost reached the hallway that would lead them down to the chapel when they heard Carlotta screeching in the background.
"Why did he choose that cow over me as the leading singer? You two are the managers of this opera house, why can't you tell her that she is not the prima donna of this opera, IT SHOULD BE ME NOT THAT TOAD!" Madame Giry and Christine stopped momentarily to watch Carlotta bully the two managers, Andre and Firmin, into trying to get her way to the top once again.
Andre and Firmin looked at each other and rolled their eyes as they listened to Carlotta's incessant screaming and crying. They have had to deal with Carlotta for one season and it felt to them that even that was too much for them. She was constantly yelling at them and demanding a raise in her salary after every show insisting that she was the only one that deserved such money compared to the common filth that worked alongside her and her husband. Andre and Firmin had agreed to the first three pay raises but after the fourth it seemed completely unfair, especially after her mishap on stage during 'Il Muto'. Firmin felt that enough was enough tonight and so he decided to inform Carlotta of his final decision.
"If I do remember my dear Carlotta, it was you that sounded like the toad and Christine like an angel," Firmin spoke to Carlotta in such a friendly manner that it caused her to squeal and run back into her smaller dressing room to cry and prepare for her small chorus part.
Christine and Madame Giry looked at each other and laughed for a minute before returning to their journey to go to Erik. Their pacing grew much quicker as they got closer to their destination and when they finally rushed into the small stoned interior room Christine looked around and what she found astonished her.
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Raoul was standing at the entrance to the Opera Populaire in his finest tuxedo that he could find at such a late notice. The five piece suit and tie was so masculine he was sure that Christine would beg him to take her back as soon as she laid eyes on him. But he knew that if she were to deny him once more he had a secret plan up his sleeve in case the bad choice was chosen on Christine's part—and if she did choose the wrong choice, many people will suffer because of her ignorance and stubbornness. He hated to make the woman he desperately loved to make a choice such as this but he knew that he needed to get her to see the light and show her that he would be the best option for her. By God he was the most eligible bachelor in all of France! She should feel honored that he would lay his eyes upon her.
He looked down at his pocket watch to see the time and as he watched the second hand reach the twelve and the church bells in the distance rang seven times he knew that the police should be arriving any second now. They had informed him that they would arrive promptly at seven in the evening—sharp. He began tapping his foot impatiently as he awaited the arrival of the police force when he heard the stamping of horse hooves in the background. Soon enough a few seconds later many black carriages arrived and as each door opened at least ten officers pooled out of each carriage. Doing the mental math Raoul figured that there had to be at least fifty officers ready to be of service here tonight.
Raoul waited as he watched each of the officers' line up along the side of the opera house, he didn't care how many people were watching this spectacle and he continued to wait until the chief of police introduced himself to the Vicomte.
"Good evening Monsieur Le Vicomte, my name is Raimond Beaumanoir. I am the chief of police and tonight we will readily accept any and all orders that you request of us. We are in your service for the evening to keep peace and watch over the welfare of all the attendants tonight." Raoul was very pleased to see how willing the police were tonight, usually they were not as open and willing to stand at the ready to shoot a man. Raoul walked the perimeter and area of the opera house the previous night to find the best places to put each officer and he was sure there was more than enough officers to stand guard at each entrance in case the Phantom of the Opera planned to make an entrance at tonight's opera.
"I will need the men to go to each entrance that connects to the stage in the opera house on every level. We cannot leave any opening for the Phantom of the Opera to be allowed near Christine or he will be bring the opera house down into ruins." Raoul informed every one of the dangers that the Phantom would terrorize the Opera Populaire with if he continued to roam around freely in Paris' opera house. Raoul wanted the madman gone as soon as possible so he could propose to Christine so that they could start living their lives.
"Very good Vicomte, my men shall go their posts immediately with no delay. The show will begin in forty five minutes monsieur, allow me to walk you in to your box safely should we encounter the Phantom of the Opera." The Chief of Police walked with Raoul while the other officers went to all the open entrances that led to the stage and to all the private boxes and rows in the audience. So far everything was going according to Raoul's plan and it seemed to him that winning this fight was so much more easier than he had originally thought. The Phantom did give a good fight and Raoul always loved an opponent that never went down without a fight, defeating them was always so much more fun that way.
As they made their way into the opera house it was obvious how many people stopped what they were doing in order to see what was happening to cause the chief of police to be standing so close to the patron of the opera house. Andre and Firmin came rushing up to the two men wanting to know immediately all about what was happening.
"My God man! Did you bring the entire police force tonight as your plus one for the performance DeChagny?" Firmin shook Raoul's shoulders as he ran up to the men before him. Andre continued to watch the incoming officers find places for themselves to stand guard for tonight, but never once did he question the rash actions of the Vicomte, his finally continued to donate generous amounts of money to the Opera Populaire every month to continue to keep the opera house running smoothly.
"Come now Firmin don't you remember when we discussed this with the Vicomte? We wanted there to be armed guards at the performance to finally capture the Phantom of the Opera! Think of the publicity!" The fame that was promised if this was successful caught Firmin's ears and he looked at all the police officers once more before grunting in forced agreement before leaving for his box. Andre quickly apologized to the two prominent men before him before scurrying off to find the other manager already sitting in their box. Andre sat down and poured them both a glass of brandy.
"Really Andre, this isn't helping my nerves," Firmin confided in to his life-long friend as he looked back at the two police officers standing with their loaded guns behind them. The police were not the only thing that was stressing him out, this past month preparing for this damned opera was hell and Firmin was nervous as to how the Phantom of the Opera will react; will he be pleased or terrifyingly angered? No one knows.
"Well at least the hard part for us is over, all we have to do now is wait for the performance to begin."
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Christine stood there and saw Erik kneeling in front of the picture of her father, praying. The candle was lit and she was barely able to catch the words that he spoke to Gustave Daae alone. It tore at her heart how much raw emotion was seeping through Erik's lips—she felt the pain and anxiety reach the deepest part of his soul.
"Dear God Gustave, please make sure everything goes to plan. Please dear God, she means everything to me—if anything were to happen to her I would die, I can't live a life without her. I swear that I will protect her from now on until death do us part but please just keep her safe tonight. I do not know how tonight performance will work out but all I want is for her to be safe. Do with me as you must but please keep Christine away from any harm. I would die for her, I would do whatever it takes to keep her safe," Erik moaned near the end and Christine watched how his head fell into his lap. She guessed that he was so engrossed in praying that he did not hear them enter.
She looked at Madame Giry and begged her with her eyes to allow the two of them to have a moment alone. She saw some doubt in the older woman's eyes but in the end she saw the fight relented in her adopted mother's eyes and with a curt nod the ballet instructor left the two of them alone to have the last minutes of freedom together.
Erik jumped up when he heard the door open and close and when he saw Christine standing there in front of him he immediately ran to her and engulfed her into a crushing hug. He needed to feel her against him, have her next to him and hear that she loves him before he went insane. His nerves were shot because of performance and he was more nervous than he ever had been before. Everything will change after tonight and he didn't know whether it will end in his favor or the Vicomte's. Damn the Vicomte to hell for having everything that he couldn't give to Christine! He had the perfect face, the titles that were not even meant for him and he had their parents love. A love he was never given until Christine came into his life.
Christine pressed herself against Erik as hard as she could without crushing him in the process. She was so frightened about what was going to happen, she didn't know if she was going to be ready or able to perform because of her nerves wracking her mind. She knew the songs and stage blocking but could she ever put the man that she loved in harm's way? Was there anything she could do to make sure he wasn't hurt? For now she couldn't even think about that, she just allowed herself to selfishly bask in the moment of being with Erik.
Erik pulled Christine arm's length away from him and placed his hands on her shoulders. He watched as she lifted her eyes to meet his and softly smiled at his brave little Christine. She was doing something so important for the both of them, and not just them but everyone working and attending at the Opera Populaire tonight.
"Are you ready Christine?" Erik asked Christine gently as he watched her eyes dart everywhere due to her being frightened. He was nervous for the both of them but he never wanted her to feel the way he was right now. Christine finally looked at him and began speaking the words that she desperately needed to release before they consumed her.
"Erik, I'm frightened…don't make me do this. Erik, it scares me, don't put me through this ordeal by fire. He'll take me, I know. We'll be parted forever…he won't let me go. The man that I once knew as a friend, I now dread. If he finds me, it won't ever end. And he'll always be there, threatening me in my head…he'll always be there, threatening me in my head…" Christine clutched to Erik as she released her inner demons and fears. She didn't stop the tears from pouring down her face and she was thankful that Erik allowed her to rid her body of the emotions that she had to pent up for the past month.
After a while though when her tears turned into slight hiccups he tilted her face up to his and wiped away her tears while singing softly to her, "You said yourself, he was nothing but a man…yet while he is here, he will haunt us 'till we're dead." He hated to press this on her but it was the truth. If his damned brother was still around he will not allow them to be together. Erik had to put an end to this, it was up to him to end this tirade!
Christine listened intently to Erik's small speech and tried to comprehend what he was telling her. Finally when her mind was able to make sense what he was expressing her she was slightly shocked.
"Twisted every way
What answer can I give?
Am I to risk our lives
To win the chance to live?
Can I betray this man
That I once knew as a friend?
Do we become his prey?
Do we have any choice?
He'll kill without a thought
He will murder all that's good
I know we can't refuse
And still I wish we could
Oh God, if we agree
What horrors wait for me?
In this, our trapped opera"
Erik hated knowing how frightened Christine really was about tonight. Yes, he knew that the Vicomte was really forcing them, well actually Christine because the Vicomte didn't know that Erik himself was actually going to sneak into the opera, to participate in this opera. Erik also knew that the Vicomte had many guards all throughout the opera house but he was not worried because he knew of so many different paths that the guards didn't know about. But for now he needed to calm Christine down once more before it was time for her to go onstage. He took Christine's face in his hands once more before he began to sing to her once more as Erik, and not Don Juan.
"Christine, Christine
Don't think that I don't care
But every hope and every prayer
Rests on us now!"
He leaned his face down and kissed Christine one last time. As his lips met her soft ones he reveled in the taste and texture, memorizing each feeling and sensation that coursed throughout his body and after a minute he pulled back. When he looked down at her and saw that her body had followed his it pleased him knowing that she enjoyed their kisses just as much, if not more than, he did. He smiled down at Christine before making a vow for them both.
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Raoul had finally seated himself in Box Three, his own private box, and started filling his whisky glass full of the strongest brandy that the opera house had in stock. Normally he wouldn't drink but tonight would be the night that his life changed. He would get Christine away from that freak that she so desperately loved and defend that it made Raoul sick. What did that monster have that he didn't? What did she see in him that Raoul himself did not possess? Was it the music? Is that what was keeping his Christine away from him—if that was the case then damn the Phantom to hell for all of eternity.
He reclined himself in his chair and watched his brandy swirl in his glass as he sang his ultimatum to his now two foes,
"Seal my fate tonight
I hate to have to cut the fun short
But the joke's wearing thin
Let the audience in
Let the opera begin!"
Oh my gosh! Wow, so I changed a few lyrics to fit the situation and yes at the end I made Raoul say that ultimatum, but you have to admit it really does set the mood for the performance! Please review and let me know what you want to see happen during 'Don Juan'
Your obedient servant,
PhantomsAngel1870