Erik had gone nearly a week without his beloved angel, and it was hurting him immensely. She seemed upset as well, but with Madame Giry following both their movements with the eye of a hawk, Erik wasn't going to dare risking a few moments with Ella. He had promised her he wouldn't let them send her away, and he wasn't going to break that promise even if it was torture for him to stay away.
Luckily for him, today was the day they usually had lessons. Ella would come to him and everything would be alright. Madame Giry wouldn't be able to stop them again. But first he needed to pay a visit to the ballet mistress. He had a note for her to deliver. There was a cellist who was consistently sharp, and Erik wasn't happy about it. The man needed to learn to tune or he was going to be out of a job rather quickly.
"You seem to be in a better mood," she commented as he handed her the envelope. "Are you finally done sulking? It's been a week and yet she hadn't returned to you."
"But she will," Erik replied smugly. He pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. "In about twenty minutes in fact."
"Lessons don't count Erik."
"What?!" he cried in disbelief. "I've done as you asked. I haven't communicated with her just as you said. Ella's willingly coming to me, just like she's done since she's arrived."
"For all I know, she's coming out of fear of angering you."
"Antoinette just let us be! I love her!" Erik shouted in frustration. "Why can't you understand that? Why must you do this to me?!"
"Because the last time you loved someone, you terrorized her, you murdered how many people to have her, and you destroyed the opera because of her! I'm doing this for everyone's well-being. Think of it this way, you can't hurt her, and she can't hurt you."
"No instead you're punishing both of us," he replied bitterly. He spun on his heel and made his way to the chapel before Antoinette could respond. Just because he couldn't see Ella face to face didn't mean he couldn't see her at all.
Hidden in the secret passage, Erik waited for Ella to arrive. Soon enough, the beautiful redhead appeared in the doorway. Her face fell when she saw the empty room. If he didn't know Antoinette would be at the top of the stairs, Erik would have revealed himself to her. He clenched his jaw tightly, fighting the urge to call to her. Say something! he pleaded silently with her. Wonder where I am, ask if I'm here, just say my name! Do it and our misery is over!
Ella tried to repress the crushing disappointment that appeared within her when she saw Erik wasn't there. She hadn't heard a word from him since Madame Giry brought her back upstairs. No notes, no advice, no music. She hadn't even seen him. For time to time she thought she could sense him, but that was it.
She wondered if this was because of Archer. Ever since he had spotted the bruise, he had spent much of his time following her like a lost puppy. Ella did her best to try and convince him to leave her alone, but Archer simply didn't seem to understand the word no. Was Erik abandoning her? Did he simply not care about her?
On the verge of tears, Ella was about to call out his name, when she heard footsteps running down the stairs. "Ella, Ella!" Meg exclaimed, bursting into the room. "You'll never guess what happened!"
"What happened?" she asked.
"Mademoiselle Bouvier is with child!" Meg shouted. "She's with child out of wedlock! Do you know what that means?"
"It means she's going to be a mother even though she isn't married," Ella replied.
"No silly!" Meg laughed. "It means that the scandal has ruined her reputation! If she wants to maintain any shred of dignity that she has left, she has to step down from her role as Prima Donna! It means that we have no lead soprano and we're going to have to have auditions!"
"Oh, are you going to audition?"
The ballerina shook her head. "No, I don't have a strong enough voice. But you should! Imagine if you got the part! Can you imagine the look on Jacqueline's face? You know she already think she has the position."
"I…I don't know," Ella stuttered. She still didn't feel very confident with her singing, and now that Erik had disappeared, she knew she couldn't handle such an important audition, let alone being on stage as the leading lady.
"You can do it!" Meg said encouragingly. "I bet you can wipe that smug smirk off Jacqueline's face! C'mon let's go see if we can find a song for you to practice!" She took Ella's hand and the two took off for the music library.
"Don't think this means I'm actually going to do this!" she cried as they made their way upstairs.
Two weeks. Two weeks since she last saw Erik. Ella was utterly miserable. Her life felt so incomplete without his lessons to look forward too. She went to the chapel nearly every day, but he wasn't there. He had abandoned her completely.
"Ella, are you excited?" Meg asked. "Auditions are today!"
She shook her head. "Meg I told you, I'm not. I can't. I can't sing for other people. I freeze up and I freak out. I mean, you saw when I fainted!"
"Then don't sing to impress other people," her friend replied. "Sing because you want to. And while you're at it, sing to show up Jacqueline."
"Maybe next time," Ella insisted. "But not today."
Meg sighed in defeat. "Maybe it won't be so bad with Jacqueline as Prima Donna. Maybe she'll be nicer once she's above us. Oh wait; she'll be an even bigger horror."
"It's possible she won't even get the part!" she said, trying to boost her friend's spirit. "Someone else might."
"Yeah, right," Meg snorted. "Of course she'll get it, just to spite us. Let's just go watch and pray there's someone better than her willing to try out."
As singer after singer had their turn on the stage, Ella couldn't help but dwell on Meg's words. Don't sing to impress people. But what if she wanted to. What if she could impress Erik? What if he left her because he thought she wasn't worth the effort? Could she impress him enough to come back?
When the number of people auditioning dwindled down to zero, unfortunately it looked like Meg was going to be right. Jacqueline was definitely one of the better singers. Ella suddenly made up her mind. "Monsieur Reyer! I'd like to audition!" she announced, standing up.
The conductor looked to the managers who shrugged. "Why not?" Andre sighed.
"I knew you'd do it!" Meg cried.
Ella made her way to the front of the stage. She could feel herself clamming up as everyone stared at her. What on earth had she been thinking? Then she looked up to Box Five, realized Erik was there, and knew why she was doing this. Keeping all focus on that box, she let everything melt away as she began to sing a desperate plea to Erik.
"Someone to hold you too close
Someone to hurt you too deep
Someone to sit in your chair
And ruin your sleep
And make you aware of being alive
Someone to need you too much
Someone to know you too well
Someone to pull you up short
And put you through hell
And give you support for being alive-being alive
Make me alive, make me confused
Mock me with praise, let me be used
Vary my days, but alone is alone, not alive!
Somebody hold me too close
Somebody force me to care
Somebody make me come through
I'll always be there
As frightened as you of being alive,
Being alive, being alive!
Someone you have to let in
Someone whose feelings you spare
Someone who, like it or not
Will want you to share a little, a lot of being alive
Make me alive, make me confused
Mock me with praise, let me be used
Vary my days, but alone is alone, not alive!
Somebody crowd me with love
Somebody force me to care
Somebody make me come through
I'll always be there
As frightened as you to help us survive,
Being alive, being alive, being alive, being alive"
The moment she finished, the entire theater burst into applause, yanking Ella back into reality. She felt her knees get weak and the room began to spin from all the attention. Thankfully, Meg pulled her aside. "You did fantastic! Where on earth have you been hiding that voice all this time? You definitely got the part! If they don't give it to you, then the Phantom better make them give it to you!"
Up in Box Five, Erik was thinking the same thing. It was amazing how much progress Ella had made. Although, looking over, her face was a chalky white. She looked as though she was going to faint, but Meg Giry was taking care of her, fending off all the staff who wanted to praise the poor girl.
Erik knew that her song was meant for him. He wanted nothing more than to reply to her, but he was still bound by his promise to Antoinette. Looking across the theater for her, intending to send her a glare for what she was putting them through. Much to his surprise, she was talking to the patron.
The boy seemed rather pleased with himself. Erik wondered what he was up to. He pulled something out of his pocket and showed it to Antoinette. Just as he put it back, Erik saw the glint of gold. His heart stopped when he realized it was a ring. An engagement ring.