"Learn how to love
Life that is lived alone..."
"Alright, madams and monsieurs!" Monsieur Chapal exclaimed, gesturing to all around him to come forward. He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me to him, his arm around my shoulder. "Tonight is the night we have all been practicing for and, thanks to Christina, did not have to cancel." I smiled. "I just want to tell you, good luck. Don't let me down my loves." Then, with a last bow to the actors and actresses, he left the side room. My best friend, Mary, looked at me from the other side of the room. She was to play Carlotta and followed me into the dressing room. There was an awkward moment for a moment...
"Christina!" she finally exclaimed, spinning my chair around and making me force her. "I'm sorry! Everyone thought you were dead! He... he... he said that you didn't matter anymore and that..." she began to burst into tears and I stood, putting my arms around one of my two best friends in the world. She looked at me.
"It isn't your fault." I said quietly, "I blame John, not you. He seduced you..." I smiled sadly and turned away from her. She stood behind me, helping me lace up the corset for the opening act. I turned to look at her.
"Mary," I said quietly, "Don't be sorry. It wasn't you at all, and..." I smiled, "I have a secret to tell you." My eyes were twinkling. She looked at me for a moment before standing before the mirror as I tied her corset. She looked at me from the mirror.
"What?"
"When I was out looking for my father..." I said, "I fell in love." Her eyes widened and she turned so quick the string twisted around my finger and pulled off violently. I put it to my mouth as it stung. The pain went away quickly.
"With who? Tell me! Is that why you're not so mad about John and me?" I nodded and with slight hesitation turned her back around, tying her corset tighter.
"I fell in love with Jack Sparrow." I whispered in her ear. Her eyes widened as she put white powder on her face.
"The pirate?" She asked me incredulously, staring at me in the mirror. I nodded, looking down. "The pirate." I nodded again and she shook her head. I quickly, in a hushed voice told her everything, just as I had Will and Elizabeth. Every moment her eyes widened, as did her smile.
"Oh! What a love story!" she cried and twirled once. I smiled to her and walked over to the trunk in the corner, where my costume was folded nicely. I pulled it out and smiled. Suddenly, a piece of parchment fell to the ground and I frowned, reaching down and picking it up. It was the letter that was given to Monsieur Chapal when I left, all those weeks ago. I quickly unrolled it, something heavy inside of it, my handwriting on it... I looked down at my hand where the heavy object had fallen and gasped.
"The necklace!" I exclaimed, looking at the pendant the jewel was round and on the outside there was skull and crossbones and a ship. I held it in my hand for a few moments before tucking it around my neck... no one would care as long as I kept the pendant on the long chain hidden in the front of my dress. I doubted anyone would even notice.
I pulled on my first costume, pulling my hair back as best I could. I did not like the amount of skin that was left showing, nor how thin and wispy the fabric was. I tugged at it as I looked into the mirror.
"You have nothing to hide." Mary said, taking my shoulders as I looked into the mirror. She was wearing her costume, an insane amount of white powder, and lots of pink makeup. I smiled at her.
"Nothing but this." I said and put powder on the Pirate brand on my arm, hiding it as best I could. Mary gave me a small smile. Next I put powder on the scar on the side of my stomach, where I had been shot. As I placed my hands on it I could feel Jack's there, pulling out the bullet with a gentle hand. I quickly pulled my hands away and dismissed the thoughts. "He's with Eva now," I said quietly, "He's never coming back." Mary looked up and frowned sadly.
(DISCLAIMER: I do not own Phantom of the Opera. It is simply one of my favorite performances and I wanted to slip it into this story. Here goes the performance!)
"Come, Christy." She said, "The dancers are rallying. I rushed out with her and fell into my place.
I watched from my pose onstage, gazing out into the faces of all the people, Commodore Norrington and Governor Swan included in the audience, stretching out until the end of the room. I felt no stage fright and stood there the way I was supposed to.
"We will have to cancel the show!" Mr. Tallis exclaimed, who was playing Monsieur Andre.
"Christine Daae could do it, Monsieur." "Madam Giry" said, stepping forward. I followed her. "She has been taught by a great teacher."
"Really," Monsieur Firmin said, examining me, "Christine". "Who?"
"I don't know his name, Monsieur." I said meekly, but loud enough for the audience to hear.
"Let her sing for you, Monsieur." Madam Giry said, "She has been well taught."
"Well, go ahead." Firmin said. I stepped forward, looking out into the audience.
"This is doing nothing for my nerves."
"Sh, don't fret Andre, she's very pretty."
I, not only as the nervous Christine, but as the nervous Christina as well stood. I cleared my throat very quietly and began 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 back and be free"
Nothing is keeping you from being free love, but yourself... all you have to do is let go..."
"If you ever find a moment
Spare a thought for me"
Jack smiled and reached one hand behind him before pulling out a beautiful black violin and black bow... "It's for you luv."
"We never said our love was evergreen
Or as unchanging as the sea
But if you can still remember
Stop and think of me."
His lips were touching mine, the kiss that still brought me to my knees.
"Think of all the things
We've shared and seen
Don't think about the way
Things might have been."
A tear rolled down my cheek.
"Think of me
Think of me waking silent and resigned
Imagine me
Trying to hard to put you from my mind."
"It's a terrible thing for me to be saying, luv, but... I do love you..."
"Recall those days
Look back on all those times
Think of the things we'll never do
There will never be a day
When I won't think of you!"
John's voice rang out from the faulty audience that we had in the front.
"Can it be? Can it be Christine? Bravo!" I saw him get up and turn to the audience.
"Long ago, it seems so long ago
How young and innocent we were
She may not remember me but
I remember her..."
I cut in with my part.
"Flowers fade
The fruits of summer fade
They have their seasons so do we
But please promise me that sometimes
You will think...
Of me -!"
The curtains closed... and all I could see was Jack...
And so the opera performance went on, at every available chance sending thought so Jack through my mind.
It came to my favorite part.
I moved to leave the "room" that was the stage, my hand reaching out to a door... but Ian's voice rang out through the stage.
"Insolent boy this slave of fashion
Basking in your glory
Ignorant fool! This brave young suitor
Sharing in my triumph!"
I turned, opening my mouth to sing as "Christine" heard the voice of what she believed to be the Angel of Music.
"Angel, I hear you speak
I listen
Stay by my side
Guide me
Angel my soul was weak
Forgive me
Enter at last
Master"
"Flattering child you shall know me
See why in shadow I hide
Look at your face in the mirror
I am there inside!" I turned to the mirror before me, looking at myself as it came to the middle of the stage. I knew that the audience could see things moving at a flowing pace and they could see Ian, or Eric the Phantom of the Opera behind it, as if looking through. I looked at the mirror, all I could see was my father... and then Jack... my father greeting Jack with a warm hand.
"Pst!" I snapped back to reality
"Angel of music
Guide and guardian
Grant to me your glory!
Angel of music
Hide no longer
Come to me strange angel!"
"I am your angel of music... come to the angel of music." I could hear John's makeshift yelling on the other side as Raul tried to get into Christine's room at the sound of the singing.
The familiar organ music proceeded through the audience and I stepped through the mirror that had opened, the Phantom's hand extended and taking mine. His face was half donned with a mask, his body clothed in a suit and black cape. The original setting continued to slide away until we were surrounded by darkness and candles.
"In sleep he sang to me
In dreams he came
That voice which calls to me
And speaks my name
And do I dream again
For now I find
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my mind."
The Phantom smiled at me.
"Sing once again with me
A strange duet
My power over you
Grows stronger yet
And though you turn from me
To glance behind" On cue I turned and looked around.
"The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside your mind"
"Those who have seen your face
Draw back in fear
I am the mask you wear"
"It's me they hear."
Together we sang:
"My spirit and my voice"
"In once combined
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my mind."
I sang alone now:
"Is there... the Phantom of the Opera."
I began to hit the notes that I had been practicing for, going higher and higher as the "Phantom" coaxed me on to continue singing.
And with a final note, the scene was over. The curtain closed, my last note ringing out over the audience.
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Now John and I (AKA Raul and Christine) ran over the stage and onto the stairs that the stage crew had set up on the far side of it to an upper level, that dropped down. It was truly magnificent.
John sang quietly, holding my hands. "There is no Phantom of the Opera."
MI cried, "Raul I've been there
To his world of unending night
To a world where the daylight desolves into darkness
Darkness
Raul I've seen him
Can I ever forget that sight
Can I ever escape from that face
So distorted deformed it was hardly a face in the darkness
Darkness
But his voice filled my spirit
With a strange sweet sound
In that night there was music in my mind
And from music my soul began to soar!
And I heard as I've never heard before..."
John overlapped the last line, taking my hands: "What you heard was a dream and nothing more..."
I shook my head, turning toward the audience, tearful, "Yet is his eyes all the sadness of the world
Those pleading eyes
That both threaten and adore..."
John put one hand to my face "Christine... Christina-ine!..." I tried not to glare at his slip up.
"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime...
Say the word and I will follow you
Share each day with me each night each morning"
I sang: "Say you love me..."
"You know I do."
"Love me, that's all I ask of you."
The music got higher as John put his hands on my neck and his face close to mine, his pale green eyes staring into my blue ones... I knew I was supposed to do something...
All you have to do is let go...
"Christina..." John whispered. I looked back at him. The audience suddenly hushed and the music stopped, "Christina, kiss me!"
"I love you Christina."
"Are you ever going to leave me Jack?"
He wouldn't have left me... it was I that left him... it was Eva that took him away...
I looked at John Walker.
"I don't think I want to go back to Port Royal, Jack... because I don't love him anymore... I love you..."
"Christina!" John said shaking my shoulder a bit. "Kiss me." I shook my head.
"No, John." I whispered, "I can't..." Quickly, I pulled away from him and turned, my black dress and red cape being held up by my fists. I ran...
For a fleeting moment I thought I saw Monsieur Chapal smile as he whizzed by... but perhaps it was just my imagination.
The faint singing of Ian, as I ran out the side door, past a smiling Mary and out the door.
"You will curse the day you did not do
All the Phantom of the Opera asked of you!"
"Christina!" I could hear voices behind me as I turned into an alley and onto the docks, through the streets of Port Royal, pushing the people that weren't at the opera away from me.
The wood on the docks, as I pushed past the keeper, clicked under my shoes the salty air blowing my hair back
"Christina! Christina!" Desperately, I looked for any sign of a ship that would take me away.
I spotted a merchant ship, not a yard away and leapt over the gap, landing on the rope that hung from the side and climbing up. It was difficult in my dress but I made it to the deck nonetheless just as I heard booted footsteps on the dock.
"Make ready to sail boys!" I heard and rushed back into the captain's cabin, rolling under his bed. "Come on! Put your backs into it!" The ship suddenly was rocking under me.
I was off and gone from Port Royal forever.