The sounds of the piano filled the air. How lovely it was to hear his music played by none less than his own flesh and blood, his daughter. He smiled to himself from his hiding spot, which happened to be in the garden. He had left the window open in order to hear the music. Suddenly a breaking of a twig was heard nearby. Erik acted upon instinct, he shrank back in the shadows caused by the various trees.
"I know you're there. And I also know I won't be able to find you. So come out of where ever it is you're hiding," the former Vicomte De Chagny said (after Raoul's brother died, he became the new Comte, which makes Phillipe the new Vicomte). Still no movement. Erik wished he had brought his Punjab with him, but luckily for Raoul, he had forgotten it. Raoul tried another tactic. "Lovely girl it is. She looks a lot like Christine"
Erik couldn't control longer. In merely a few seconds, Erik had pinned Raoul against a tree. His golden orbs burning with rage. "Don't you ever talk about one those two women again," Erik hissed at him. Raoul, still terrified of Erik's temper, noticed that Erik hadn't brought his Punjab lasso with him. "Forgotten your little lasso?" he tried to sound brave, but Erik heard how Raoul's voice shacked, even only a little bit. "You honestly think I need that lasso to kill someone?"
"You will not kill me," Raoul said.
"And what makes you so sure"
"Do you want to kill your daughter's friend's father? I'm sure she'll be delighted when she find out"
Erik couldn't take it any longer. He took a swing at Raoul, knowing he couldn't kill him, but he could knock him out. At least that would calm his temper just a little bit. Raoul fell limply on the ground. Erik knew it was time to take his leave.
For no apparent reason, Katerina decided to look at the great view while Melody was playing. What she didn't count on was to see how Phillipe's father fell to the ground and a dark shadow was creeping away. She shrieked, uttering her surprise. All the eyes went on her. "Phillipe, isn't that your father?" she asked while pointing to the three where Erik had fled from only a second or two before. Not only Phillipe, but also the majority of the class went to the window. They were all surprised to find Raoul De Chagny on the ground. Phillipe sprinted downstairs into the garden.
Jean-Jacques told one of the servants to go fetch a doctor. The rest of the class didn't knew what to do. Melody on the other hand, took her scores and went off.
Erik arrived at home. One could easily tell something was amiss. "What happened?" a concerned Christine asked. "Let's put it this way, I happen to come across one of your old friends." "Raoul! What happened?"
"Somehow he knew I was there. It probably wasn't too difficult to find out, even for him. Melody played some of my music. Combine that fact with her appearance and suspicion is on its way."
"Did something happened when he found you?"
"No not really, just a nice little conversation."
"A nice little conversation, is that what you call knocking somebody out?" Melody asked when she appeared on the threshold.
"You what?" Christine yelled.
"Did nothing that he didn't provoke. And why are you here, you shouldn't have run away Melody. It's best if you went back."
"Yeah because people surely didn't noticed my absence," she responded sarcastically. "but you're right. I'll go back" She smiled before saying the next thing "Do you want me to say hi to him?"
Erik just rolled his eyes. "Just let him know people don't mess with you okay?" "Sure will do," she said and with that she was off again.
The doctor arrived not long after he had got the call. After examining Raoul, he came to the conclusion no damage was done, only some large bruising. He had regained consciousness. Phillipe had asked him what had happened, but he refused to answer him. "Where's Melody?" he asked. "I think she has gone home, just like the rest had. Why?"
"I think I need a word with her," was all he said. The same, Melody re-arrived at Phillipe's house. She noticed that the rest was gone and they probably didn't notice she was gone too. Damn, I should have just gone home after the incident, she thought.
"Melody, what are you doing here?" Phillipe asked.
"Oh, uh, I- uh- think I forgot some scores. And I came back to retrieve them," she said. Phillipe knew something wasn't right, Melody would never forget her music. "My father wants to talk to you," he said to her.
Melody paled a bit. "Oh, about what?" "He didn't tell me. Come, I'll bring you to him." They walked the way in silence. Just before they would enter the room where Raoul stays, she asked Phillipe how he was doing. "Fine, he just has some bruising," with that Phillipe opened the door. The moment he opened the door, Raoul looked right into Melody's face. How she looked like Christine, except for the cold look and the mask.
"Phillipe, would you mind to give us a moment?" Raoul more demanded than asked. Phillipe exited the room and closed the door. Melody knew her parentage would be discussed. "So, you're the child of the infamous Phantom of the opera," Raoul stated. "Yes sir, I am," she answered as cold as she could muster.
"Do you all still live underground?"
"Sir that is not of your business. Besides, do you think I'm stupid enough to tell you where we live, so that you can inform the police? I know what my father had done in the past."
Raoul sighed. She really had the temperament of the Ghost. "How is your mother?"
"She's doing fine. Maybe I can persuade my father to let her visit you. You were childhood friends, weren't you?"
"More than that in fact. We loved each other. Your mother only stayed with him because she wanted to safe my life. Great father you have huh?"
"I can't justify what he had done, but I do know that my parents love each other very much. But it seemed you grew over her, getting married and starting a new life."
"What could I do, my status obliged me to," Raoul was starting to get a little angry. Truly this girl had her father's tongue.
"Did you loved her?" Melody suddenly ask.
"What?"
"Did you loved your wife?"
"Of course I did"
"Then don't be bitter about the loss of my mother. You found your happiness, even if it was with another woman. I'll arrange for her to come visit you by the end of the week. But that's all I will do. Good day sir," and with that she went off.
She collided with Phillipe in the hall. She grew angry. "You've been listening?" she asked her, venom dripping from her every word. "No of course not. I just …" "Good," Melody cut him off. "I'll take my leave," and without explaining a thing she was gone. She didn't went straight home, or to her parents house. She knew that Raoul could have ordered someone to follow her, hoping to learn the location of her parents.
She walked in the city, anger fading with every step she took. She walked around for about an hour, thinking it was safe for her to return home. She entered her apartment and was surprised to see her father. "You followed me to Raoul's house, didn't you?" she said
Erik chuckled. It didn't surprised him that she knew that, she would have done the same if she stood in his shoes. "Interesting conversation you had." Melody's eyes widened "You heard that?"
"Of course I did, I'm just to eavesdropping people. It's been a long time, so it was rather nice to do that after all these years. Oh, your mother will drop by at De Chagny house tomorrow." "Good, then at least I kept my promise. Do you mind leaving? I'd really could use some rest," Melody said.
"No, problem dear," Erik said, went to kiss her forehead and went off. Melody went straight to bed.
At school, the accident with Phillipe's father was the number one subject to talk about. Especially because Katerina said she had seen a shadow pass by Raoul. Many speculations were discussed. Some said the attacker was one of the persons who worked for the Comte De Chagny and who wasn't too happy with some made arrangement. Others said it was a rival landowner. But the speculation most discussed was one that said the Opera Ghost heard of what was going on and avenged himself, hoping to kill Raoul after he had told everything that had happened.
"Ridiculous," some said. "If the Opera Ghost wanted to kill Raoul, he would be long dead by now" Many agreed with the statement.
"But what if he knew when he'd kill the Comte, all of Paris would be looking for him, again"
"He already escaped their clutches once, I believe he could have done it again," Melody said. After that last argument, an uproar of agrees and disagrees were heard. At that moment, Madame Galure entered the classroom. "What on earth is so important to create such a pandemonium of voices?" she asked.
"The eventually return of the Opera Ghost," Jillian said. Madame Galure just rolled her eyes "Why would he return? After the affair with Christine, I think he'd be stupid not to flee and never come back. The police even searched his home under the opera. Why would he come back if the police knows where he lives?"
The whole class was silent. Madame Galure had a point there. "Well, no answer? Good, then we can continue the lessons," she said and started.
Nothing significantly happened, not even during acting. But then Monsieur Ofraie started asking when the script and music would be done. "I think that might take another few weeks," Jean-Jacques said. "Oh, good. Tell me, how far are you?"
"I think we finished the first 3 acts," Gustave said.
"Excellent! Copy the pages for everyone, in a week were holding auditions"
The uproar of the beginning of the day started once again. Everybody was excited. They all wanted to play a significant part in their production. Even though they knew not everybody would be able to do a big part.
"Hey Melody, what do you think? Who in this room has the best change to be one of the lead's?" Jillian asked. "I mean, you wrote the music, you must be able to know who could sing their part the best"
Surely Melody didn't expected the question. "Uh, I don't know… yet. But I'm sure the teachers would know best"
"What do you want to do?" Katerina asked her. "I think it's best if I stayed behind the scenes, with the mask and stuff"
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I forgot for a moment. But what if we got you a flesh coloured mask and put some make-up on the edges? From a distant, nobody would notice"
"I still think it's best if I stayed behind the scenes," she said.
Christine couldn't delay it any longer. She should just go and visit Raoul. "What are you waiting for my dear?" Erik asked her. "You've been waiting all day. I think it's time to go and visit your friend" It could be heard easily that he didn't like the proposal Melody had made Raoul, but he thought that his Christine earned a visit to her former lover. "Yes, yes, probably it is," Christine said. She grabbed her purse and kissed Erik goodbye. "I'll be back soon, it won't take long," she reassured him. "Be safe, okay?" he asked her. She nodded and went to the dark tunnel.
After a trip to the De Chagny estate, Christine explained the reason for her visit to the servants. The led her into a room and soon after that Raoul entered. "Hello Raoul," Christine said.