Chapter 17 So close and so far
Walking down the corridor, Erik clenched his fists tightly trying to avoid the urge of turning around and hiding in the shadows again. As he approached the office of the managers he could admire the reconstructions they had made on the areas which had been affected by the fire. Two days ago he had watched as the woman he had once loved confronted his now wife, causing him an internal battle whether to act or keep hidden. At the end he had observed as Meg crumbled to the floor crying, without being able to do something to comfort her. After a while, she stood up, wiping away the remains of her tears. Silently, she placed the music box inside the trunk again and moved towards the boudoir, where she applied some powder to her cheeks trying to hide her reddened eyes. He observed amazed how she hid all of her emotions and stepped out of the dressing room, a fake but weak smile on her lips.
Erik stood behind the mirror stunned, how had she been able to hide all she felt on the inside? He knew that his absence was hurting her, as hers had hurt him. It continued to hurt him. So in that moment he had made a decision, he would meet the inspector and the managers, confessing who he really was. So now he was walking to their office, aware that some of the ballerinas and crew were following his every move. He arrived at the door, standing frozen in front of it. This was it; this was the moment of truth, the moment his life would be changed, and Meg's too. Secretly wishing to have Meg by his side, he closed his eyes and raised a hand, knocking at the door softly.
The door creaked open revealing one of the managers, Monsieur Andre. A look of surprise crossed his features as he stared at Erik.
"Good evening, Monsieur" greeted Erik politely as he bowed his head slightly.
"Good evening" replied Monsieur Andre "Is there something we can do for you?"
"Yes, first of all, let me introduce myself" Erik continued, fighting the urge to grin "My name is Erik, Erik Destler"
Erik stretched out a hand and Monsieur Andre grabbed it shaking it weakly. It was then when realization dawned in him and he opened his mouth to speak, when from behind appeared Monsieur Firmin.
"You are-"Mon. Andre began to stutter as he observed Erik with fascination "You are Marguerite Giry's husband- I mean, Destler"
Erik chuckled "I see Meg has told you about me"
"Not much" replied Mon. Firmin from behind Mon. Andre "Just that you were really busy with some work in Italy"
"Precisely" nodded Erik "So now I'm here to answer the questions the Inspector and you have for me"
Erik heard the sound of a chair being dragged on the inside of the office and after a moment, a tall man appeared behind both of the managers. He seemed to be a couple of years older than Antoinette, his face emotionless. His graying brown hair was well combed, his eyes sparkling with curiosity as he observed Erik. He had a moustache which matched the color of his hair, his lips forming a polite smile.
"But please come in" Mon. Firmin said eagerly.
Mon. Andre and the man moved aside as Erik walked inside the spacious office, the smell of coffee invading his senses. He stood at the entrance of the office as the door closed and the three men stood in front of him.
"My name is Inspector Jean" said the man as he stretched out his hand and grabbed Erik's hand in a strong grip, shaking it vigorously "I'm in charge of the case of what happened some time ago here at the Opera"
"A pleasure" answered Erik nodding curtly.
"I suppose you know that we would like to ask you some questions about that night" The inspector began explaining as Mon. Firmin and Mon. Andre walked to sit behind the large wooden desk.
"Yes, I'm aware of that" replied Erik in a stern tone, tensing his jaw slightly.
"Please do be seated" Mon. Andre encouraged as he drank from his cup eagerly.
Erik didn't want to sit, he felt his feet glued to the floor, but still he did as he was told and sat stiffly on one of the chairs. Inspector Jean did the same, opening a briefcase that was on the desk. He stopped abruptly and looked up to gaze at Erik.
"Madame Destler doesn't wishes to be here?" Inspector Jean asked curiously raising an eyebrow.
Erik resisted the urge to clench his fists and took in a deep breath. This was the moment when everything would be revealed and his life would be spared or condemned.
"I just arrived" explained Erik carefully "And I don't think it would be proper if she is present during this meeting"
"Why do you say that?" questioned Inspector Leger as as he took a large yellow folder from the briefcase
Erik kept quiet for a moment as he felt the gaze of the managers upon him. He wished with all his heart to have Meg by his side, to hold her hand, to hear her soft voice telling him that everything would turn out fine. But she wasn't, she didn't even knew that he was there, facing the authorities. She was out there, oblivious to the fact that their future was about to be decided.
"Because I'm here to confess my crimes"
He saw as the expressions of the managers turned from shock and surprise to terror. Inspector Jean remained silent, observing Erik closely, as if he was expecting him to smile or continue. But he didn't. The air in the room became heavier and suddenly Erik felt as if he was choking, having the necessity to get some fresh air. After a moment, Mon. Andre leaned on the desk, his expression shocked.
"You mean you are-"he mumbled observing Erik intently, a hint of fear in his voice "That you are the Phantom of the Opera?"
Erik looked at him, a tense expression "I was the Phantom of the Opera"
The room fell quiet again and Erik could feel the gaze of all the three men on him. Trying to calm down, he remembered what Meg had said to him so many nights ago. They wouldn't be parted. How he wished that he could believe that.
"Do you understand the importance of what you are confessing, Monsieur?" asked Inspector Jean carefully, eyeing Erik with a severe expression.
"Yes I do" said Erik coldly "I am the one who nearly destroyed this Opera"
"But-"Mon. Firmin began nervously, twisting his fingers "But your face is normal. The man who kidnapped Christine Daae had the right side of his face deformed…"
Erik chuckled quietly "That's the reason I didn't arrive until today. I was having a reconstructive surgery in Italy. I even have a medical permission of my doctor, Marco Antoniazzi, if you want to see it"
Looking inside his jacket, he took out the paper Marco had given him in case he would need it. Meeting the Inspector's waiting gaze, he handed him the paper and leaned back onto his chair, cautious to not show any emotions.
"Sinus surgery?" asked Jean curiously as he handed the note back to Erik, who put it again inside his jacket.
"Yes, that was caused because of a bone malformation" Erik began explaining as the managers observed each of his moves "So they had to reconstruct part of my nose and cheekbone"
"Brilliant" whispered Jean "Andre, please send someone to inform the judge that his presence is urgently required"
Instantly, Mon. Andre stood up and walked out of the room
"You are unrecognizable" gasped Mon. Firmin staring at Erik's face intently, making him feel uncomfortable.
"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you" answered Erik sarcastically.
Mon. Andre returned and sat down again, his face flushed by the effort he had made, apparently he had run. Erik knew that the surgery would correct almost his whole deformity, and to know that not even those fool men recognized him made him feel satisfied with the results. He would tell Marco all of that. But what would Meg think? Would she still want him when half of his face had been changed?
"Now, we need to get serious" interrupted Jean taking his briefcase once more "There is something you need to see"
Digging into its content, Erik waited anxiously until Jean held out a folder with several papers inside of it "This is the documentation about the past events at the Opera House"
Erik grabbed it, trying to not begin trembling. Holding it firmly, he put it over his lap and opened it, passing one page after another, trying to swallow past the lump which had formed on his throat. Suddenly feeling as if the tension was vanishing from his entire body, he looked up to meet Jean's expecting gaze.
"There are no signatures"
The signature lines at the bottom of the page in which the Vicomte and Christine should have signed were blank, so as were the ones reserved for the managers.
"There are no charges against me?"
Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur Andre exchanged a nervous look and then turned to look at Jean, who observed Erik with a pleased smile.
"That seems to be the case, Erik" began Jean as Erik continued to pass the pages "You are a very lucky man"
"But how can that be?" Erik demanded quietly "I caused so much damage…"
"Well, apparently everyone realized that it was you who lead the Opera to its glory"
Mon. Andre turned to look at Erik and cleared his throat "Even when we complained about your demands, later we realized that it was the best choice we could make"
Erik felt a knot forming in the pit of his stomach. It was then, just until then, when he realized that these people did mind him. They had lived scared of him, but they actually did consider everything he suggested, sometimes demanded, just because they realized that Erik was right. He hadn't been invisible for all of them, they actually trusted him somehow. Even to the point that they hadn't pressed charges against him. Erik looked at the managers with an expression of gratitude, hoping that someday he would be able to say it aloud. It was then when a paper caught his eye.
"Piangi…dead?" whispered Erik shocked placing a hand on his temple "But…but how? I didn't kill him! I just tied him so he couldn't escape!"
"He died, Erik" answered Jean calmly "But it wasn't because of you, apparently he had a heart attack due to the high level of cholesterol in his blood"
Erik closed his eyes tightly and took in a deep breath. He couldn't believe it. He had practically condemned a man, just because he was too blinded to do anything else during that moment, his mind was only on getting to the stage to perform with Christine.
"What about Buquet?" whispered Erik through gritted teeth without opening his eyes.
"No one knows what really happened with him just that he was absolutely drunk the moment he fell down to the stage"
Erik opened his eyes abruptly, an expression of shock in his face. Jean had an innocent stare. So now Erik understood it all. They couldn't blame Erik for Buquet's death, because no one had seen what had happened in the catwalk, no one could prove that it had been Erik who had killed him. Possibly he had fallen and become tangled on the ropes as he was totally inebriated. But somehow he knew that Jean knew exactly what had happened. This man was protecting him?
"Now…let's talk about your sentence-"began Jean, the sound of a soft knock in the door interrupting him.
Immediately, Mon. Firmin jumped from his seat and ran towards the door, opening it quickly. A man walked in; apparently the same age as Jean. He was less tall and more robust, his white mustache covering almost his whole mouth. Jean stood and shook his hand.
"I'm glad you could come, your honor" greeted Jean as the judge sat at the nearest chair.
"They said it was urgent" answered the man with a slight nod in acknowledgement.
"Erik, this is Judge Antoine Gilles" introduced Jean as Erik stood up and shook the hand of the judge "This is Monsieur Erik Destler; he has arrived just today and admits to be the one everyone calls the Phantom of the Opera"
"A pleasure" Judge Miller said with a smile "I was eager to know you. My wife is a big fan of yours"
Erik couldn't help but smile "Thank you, Monsieur"
They sat down again as Jean handed the folder with the documents to the judge. The room remained silent as the judge read one page after another. His face was emotionless as he read every statement that was written. Erik couldn't help but to feel nervous, this was the man who would decide his fate and somehow, Meg's fate too. He wished to walk out of the room and find Meg, embrace her and run away with her back to Florence, where he had found happiness for the first time.
"Well, Erik, I think we can already establish your sentence"
The voice of the judge startled Erik and he turned up to look into his eyes quickly.
"What?" asked Erik with a tone of surprise "Without a trial?"
"I think this would be the most appropriate thing to do" began explaining the judge as he shifted on his seat "I guess you have no idea how popular you have become since that night. People wish to meet you all around the city; some because they admire you and others…well, let's just say that they were part of the mob which followed you down the tunnels"
"No trial or rights…I'm used to it" chuckled Erik darkly.
"It's the only safe option I can offer to you" answered the judge calmly "Otherwise it would be an open trial and you would probably end up in jail"
Erik raised his hands in defeat and smirked "No, please, do continue"
Judge Gilles sighed tiredly as he opened his own briefcase and took out some papers. From the corner of his eye Erik could see as the managers shifted uncomfortably on their seats and looked nervously at each other. Meanwhile, Jean remained silent, his gaze on his lap.
"I assume you have heard about social service and probation?" asked the judge as he opened the folder in front of him.
Erik nodded "Yes"
"Well then, you will have both of them" declared Judge Gilles as he glanced up to meet Erik's waiting gaze "As you know, the Opera is having its reopening this weekend…considering that its Monday your labor will only last until the night of the premiere"
"I don't understand what I'm supposed to do" said Erik as he observed the judge carefully.
"They will be doing Don Juan" declared Jean, talking for the first time since the Judge had arrived.
Erik threw a quick glance at the managers and then looked back to Jean "I'm aware of that"
"One of the requirements of your sentence is that you give permission to perform it, as it is your opera" explained the Judge.
Erik stared in disbelief from Jean and the Judge to the managers. They wanted to use his opera? Well then, they could do it as many times as they wished, Erik didn't want anything to do with that. He wasn't proud of that creation, he had only made it with the sole purpose of seducing and persuading Christine to stay with him. The music was filled with most of his darkest emotions, his despair, hate, lust and rage. It had nothing to do with who he was now. He was different and he didn't want to own that opera anymore.
Although he could do something to make it different…
"I permit the use of my opera" began Erik carefully "Under one condition"
"What would that condition be?" stuttered Monsieur Andre nervously.
Erik bent his head to one side and looked to Judge Gilles "That you allow me to add something to its content. One more ballet"
The managers exchanged nervous looks and then turned to look at the Judge. Erik waited patiently for his answer as he entwined his own fingers in his lap. He had written a ballet during one of the nights he had spent alone, yearning for the presence, the touch, the voice of Meg. He knew that this was the only way to redeem himself in front of the Parisian society: adding something beautiful and pure to that dark opera. And he knew exactly who should dance, for no one was more appropriate to represent salvation than the same person who had saved him.
"I don't see a problem in that" declared Judge Gilles as he nodded slowly "You may add the ballet to its content"
"But-but the premiere is in less than a week!" squeaked nervously Mon. Firmin.
"How would we be able to introduce a new choreography to the ballet troop?" asked fearfully Mon. Andre, looking to his partner.
"I'm sure Madame Giry will be able to manage" stated Erik calmly "She is the best ballet mistress you could have"
Erik took from inside his jacket a couple of wrinkled score sheets and handed them to Mon. Firmin, who took them hesitantly.
Mon. Firmin sighed in defeat "I suppose that's true"
"Well, now that that's settled we can proceed to the next part of your sentence" interrupted Jean, glancing meaningfully to the Judge.
"Yes, that's right" said Judge Gilles clearing his throat "The most important thing about your assignment will be discretion"
"I have experience on that matter" smirked Erik.
"I'm being serious, Monsieur" said the Judge carefully "No one can know who you really are, as it could be dangerous to your wife and yourself"
Erik remained silent, not taking his eyes off of the old man. Although he knew he didn't deserved the treatment he was getting, Erik couldn't help but to act defensively. His heart pounded loudly, secretly wishing that none of them could hear it, although he was sure that even the crew rehearsing out in the stage could hear it.
"We believe that the best for you will be musical service" stated the Judge eyeing Erik "One in which you need to be unnoted"
Erik stared to the Judge surprised "You want me to play some music?"
Judge Gilles smiled pleased "Not just some music"
"I'm sure you know that the orchestra is missing one member" said Jean, making Erik look quickly at him "They are missing a pianist. And we have been told that you play a large amount of musical instruments, so to play the piano for the premiere of your own opera would be a piece of cake"
Erik stared stunned to Jean, turning his attention towards the managers slowly. They had a small smile in their lips, perspiration drops revealing their actual state of nervousness. He just needed to play the piano? That sounded just too simple, not at all dangerous or difficult. But it couldn't be so easy, they must have been thinking in something more.
"Why do you believe I will find this task easy?" whispered Erik through gritted teeth.
"Well, because you love music and this Opera House!" stated Judge Gilles with a smile "And with your musical experience we know the performance will be astounding"
Erik closed his eyes in frustration, massaging his temple slowly "In that case I'm honored"
"It will be a breathtaking performance, with the composer himself leading the orchestra" said Judge Gilles excitedly "Meg Destler as the leading dancer…and Christine Daae as the leading soprano!"
Erik opened his eyes abruptly at the name of his wife; she had agreed to be the leading dancer? And Christine would be the leading the soprano? His frustration increased as he realized that probably Meg and Christine would share the stage, what would happen after the fight they had had? Erik was sure that Christine would not recognize him, but what if she did? What if she warned the Parisian mob that the Phantom was back? No, she wasn't that evil…but what of that Vicomte of hers? Erik breathed heavily trying to calm himself down. Nothing wrong could happen, the night of the premiere would pass quickly and soon Meg and he would be going back again to Florence.
Erik opened his eyes and glanced towards the managers, whispering forcefully "And have our managers agreed to that?"
"Yes" nodded vigorously Mon. Andre "It's a good idea"
"Then, all is settled" declared the Judge with a smile "You will need to attend to rehearsals this week"
"And remember, no one can know who you really are" said Jean in a warning tone.
Judge Gilles stood up and everyone followed him, meanwhile they returned the folders to their respective briefcases. Erik turned around and faced the Judge once more.
"When can I see my wife?" asked in a stern tone, a severe expression in his features.
"Not today Erik" sighed Judge Gilles sympathetically "There's one more condition about your sentence..."
"We must pretend this meeting never occurred" clarified Jean as he approached to the door "You may see her tomorrow, as if you haven't arrived today"
Erik tried to swallow past the lump in his throat and cleared his throat "Very well"
"We know that you will follow all of our instructions, but still we need to have a way to have contact with you out of the Opera House and to be sure that you will complete your service" The Judge began explaining as he stood near the door "So we'll assign you a guard, he will accompany you from your residence to here, and of course, in case any threat or danger should arise, he would be there to guarantee yours and your wife's safety"
Erik stood stunned, observing the judge with wide eyes. A man following his every move? That would be the hardest part of his week. Probably he would know how it felt to be followed. He wanted desperately to be left alone, but if that man would guarantee Meg's safety, so be it.
Another day. He would need to wait one more day until he could finally see her. But he couldn't wait, not when they were so close to each other. He needed to see her, no one had to know. Mon. Firmin opened the door and they walked out. Erik's breath caught in his throat when he realized that there was a small crowd at the end of the hall, watching expectantly towards them. Jean grabbed him by the elbow and motioned him to move forward, ignoring the murmurs and whispers from the crew. It was then when something or rather someone caught his eye. A flash of blond hair appeared behind the crowd, making its way towards the front. It was then when their eyes met, a look of desperation in her eyes. He tried to stop and go to her, but Jean didn't allow it and forced him to keep walking, leaving Meg behind, a look of surprise in her eyes. He blinked furiously, trying to clear his vision. So close, but still so far.
Meg walked into the stage late in the morning with her slippers in one hand. Most of the ballet dancers were already stretching, some on the floor and the others doing some pirouettes at the back of the stage. As she sat down on the floor and got on her slippers, the conversation of two ballerinas caught her attention.
"-I think it's really him" squeaked excitedly one of them, Meg recalled her name was Marie.
"No, he couldn't be, he is so handsome" protested the other with a dreamy look.
"Maybe he had a mask" pondered Marie.
"He wasn't! I saw his face! It looked quite normal" breathed the other one "He was so mysterious and…My God I think I'm in love!"
"But what would he be doing with the managers, the Inspector and that judge?" asked Marie thoughtfully "The Judge would only appear in case that he was actually the Phantom…"
Meg's breath caught in her throat at those words. The Phantom? Here? No…that could only mean one thing. Could it be perhaps that Erik had arrived, and he was facing the authorities on his own? Tying the last slipper, Meg stood up and walked towards the ballerinas, kneeling down near them.
"Hi" greeted Meg in a polite manner "I couldn't help but hear what you were saying…who is with the managers?"
"The Phantom!" smiled Marie excitedly
"He is not the Phantom, Marie" said the other one with a roll of her eyes.
"He is!" protested the ballerina "Why else would he be meeting those four men?"
Meg's heart began pounding loudly and she cleared her throat, trying to hide her excitement "How does he look like? When did he arrive?"
"He entered to the office like two hours ago" answered Marie.
"He is so handsome!" said the other one excitedly "He's so tall and muscular, his hair is a clear black combed backwards, and his eyes…Dear Lord those eyes! I could get lost in those green orbs forever!"
"Meg? Where are you going? Meg!"
She could hear as Marie called after her, but she was already out of the stage. The description they had given her was exactly as Erik looked like. He had arrived and was with the police. Without her. Why hadn't he looked for her so they could face the authorities together? She ran as fast as she could, passing the main entrance in a blink of an eye and soon entering through the main hallway. There was a little crowd at the end of the hallway, so Meg hurried her steps and stood behind a robust man.
"What are you waiting for?" whispered Meg trying to catch her breath.
The man turned around and answered "We believe it's the Phantom who is in there"
But before Meg could ask anything else, the door creaked open. Meg squeezed between the people, trying to reach the front so she could see properly. The voice of Mon. Firmin reached her ears and he saw a quite large group of men stepping outside the office. She recognized Jean, the Inspector which had interrogated her, but there was also another man, that would be the judge. It was then when she saw him, their eyes locking. She tried to reach him, but the crowd wouldn't let her. Why didn't he go for her? Sadness crept over her body as she saw him keep walking to the end of the hallway, his eyes never leaving hers. She could see that he was in as much pain and desperation as she was, but why didn't he approach her?
Soon, the group of men was out of sight and the hallway was filled with murmurs and curious whispers as to who was that mysterious tall man. Meg stepped out of the crowd and made her way towards the stage once more. But she couldn't go there, not when she felt so defeated and dizzy. Erik was here, but still he hadn't gone for her. Why? He had promised to take her away once he arrived. She couldn't stand being one more day without him, she needed him, it was a physical necessity, which caused a strong pain in the middle of her chest. Instead of entering the stage, she kept walking, hugging herself as she went where her feet took her.
She needed to see Erik; to see if he was all right, to see how he felt, how the surgery had improved his face, how it had affected him. To know if he needed her as well. Walking towards the path that lead to the chapel, Meg felt hot tears rolling down her cheeks. Surprised, she wiped them away, not realizing that she had begun crying. She didn't want to cry anymore, not when soon her pain would be over and she would be reunited with him once more. Meg walked around the corner when suddenly she was grabbed from behind and was dragged into a passage in the wall, something she hadn't noticed. She open her mouth prepared to scream, when a big hand clamped over it. The man dragged her, lifting her slightly off the ground. Meg kept fighting back, terror evident in her face as her heart pounded with fear. Suddenly, the wall closed, leaving the man and her inside a long tunnel in complete darkness. She began twisting and kicking, the man holding her without an effort. After a moment, she began getting tired and stopped, breathing heavily through her nostrils, her screams drowned on the back of his massive hand.
The man relaxed and leaned closer, a familiar scent invading her senses. Suddenly, her heart began pounding loudly, just that this time it wasn't because of fear. The voice proved to her that her imagination was not playing games with her.
"I'll take my hand away if you promise not to scream"
Meg remained silent, her eyes getting used to the consuming darkness. Faint light came through a crack on the wall, illuminating one side of his face. His eyes sparkled with excitement and passion as he observed her, studying her face. After a moment, he lowered his hand, the tunnel filling with sounds of her labored breathing. Meg stared at him wide eyes, believing that if she blinked he would disappear once more.
"It's me" he whispered, his voice filled with sadness "I needed to see you"
Meg blinked furiously and slowly reached up a hand, placing it carefully over his left cheek. The feeling the contact of his warm skin with her cold skin gave her was shocking. Memories of the time she had spent with him flowed in her mind as she caressed his cheek with her fingertips. Erik closed his eyes enjoying the sensation her touch gave him. He needed this. They needed this. Slowly, he opened his eyes once more, placing his hand carefully over her hip. The only sound in the empty tunnel was their breaths, as slowly their bodies recognized each other.
"It's you" Meg smiled.
Lifting his hand to raise her chin, he bent his head towards hers and molded his lips over hers. Her heart pounded loudly, threatening to escape from her chest. Meg curled her fingers in the back of his neck, pulling him down to her. She felt as he encircled his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, his hand resting in her lower back and the other one at the crook of her neck, his thumb absently caressing her cheek and jaw. She could feel his desperation and frustration, so as his desire, adoration and happiness. He only broke apart for an instant to allow them to breathe, but soon he recaptured her lips, smiling against her lips the moment she whispered his name against his lips.
He slid his hand down her neck and towards her waist, pulling her closer, groaning softly against her lips. She moved one of her hands to his chest, fisting the material of his shirt tightly. Suddenly, it was as if nothing had happened, as if they had never been separated. No lonely nights crying, filled of grief and pain, she felt whole once more, complete and alive. Slowly, he eased the pressure of his lips for more lingering kisses along the line of her lip and rested his forehead against hers.
"Hello" he whispered heavily trying, his hot breath hitting her face.
"Hello" she giggled softly, pressing herself into his chest.
He embraced her tightly, securing his arms around her tightly. They stood in silence for what seemed hours. He rubbed small circles in her back softly. She couldn't believe it, he was here, with her, holding her, just like what seemed so very long ago. She was afraid of letting go, afraid of losing him once more. It had all been worth it, the pain, tears and sadness, it had all been worth it. He had finally returned to her. After a moment he pulled back, looking her into her eyes.
"I need to leave" Erik said, sadness in his eyes.
"But you have just arrived" she protested, fear in her voice as she pressed once more against his body.
"Until tomorrow, my love" he soothed caressing her back "I talked with the Inspector and he believes it's the best for both of us if we pretend I arrive tomorrow"
"You talked with them?" asked Meg anxiously "What did they say? What is your sentence?"
He pulled back once more and smiled "It's a long story, and I promise I'll tell you every detail tomorrow"
She frowned, tears spilling from her eyes "Promise me we will be together"
He leaned down and kissed her once more "We will"
This time it was him who was assuring her that everything would turn out fine, that they would be together. Stretching one hand he opened the wall, allowing her to go out. She turned around to face him once more, but he was already walking silently through the dark tunnel, surely the way he had come. Although she wished for him to turn around and take her with him, she knew he would do what was best for her safety. Turning around she walked out of the tunnel, momentarily stunned by the light. She began walking towards the stage, the daylight warming her skin, although she would have felt more comfortable in the darkness by his side.