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The Black Shadowed Starling – Of course he needs a hug…but he's going to need it more in this one! ;)

All I Ask of You

Joseph Buquet stood a couple catwalks away, looking at him in horror. Erik mentally cursed himself for not checking where the man was first for the show. He had gotten used to the drunker being away from his post because he had lost himself in a bottle.

"Get the seagull!" Erik commanded to Farren who quickly took off from her spot on the rail. Erik rushed to his feet and started towards Buquet.

The man startled and began to run, Erik chased after him.

The ballet continued to perform below them and Erik had to be grateful that Buquet was not calling out for help, seeming more in a panic to do anything except try to run away. Erik had to climb the ropes to get to the stagehand and when he finally did he rocked the catwalk they were on to make Buquet lose balance.

The other man did not fall but stumble enough for Farren to grab to his companion off his shoulder and for Erik to throw rope around his neck.

Erik went to Buquet and tightened his grip on the rope. Buquet jerked back and Erik was now pressed behind him willing the man to lose consciousness.

"Erik." Farren whispered urgently, the seagull companion already unconscious next to her.

Buquet was starting to weaken, but Erik did not let his grip up. He needed to make sure that the man was completely out cold before releasing his grip. He could not let him regain awareness until he and Farren had taken the human and his companion somewhere he would believe he got too drunk and had passed out, resulting in a strange dream of seeing the phantom. And even if he remember this enough for it not to feel like a dream, no one would believe him because he was always drinking, and those he told would blame it on the drink.

When Erik believed that the man was about to slump into sleep, Buquet suddenly jerked forward in one last attempt to escape.

Taken off guard, Erik's grip loosed which allowed Buquet to get away from him. Buquet stumbled from him.

Directly into open air.

Erik gasped and tried to grab him but it was too late.

Buquet let out a panicked squeak and fell between the catwalks. The rope Erik had used, knotted and got caught on the edge of the catwalk Erik stood on.

Buquet did not reached the ground, instead the rope ran out before he could and his body was forced to a stop, his neck breaking upon impact.

"No..." Erik whispered in horror as the screams began.

He took out his knife and cut the rope allowing Buquet's body to hit the stage instead of hanging limply in the air. The stage and audience erupted into chaos, Andre and Firmin tried to calm everyone down.

"Erik! We have to go!" Farren hissed, bringing his mind back into focused.

Erik and Farren quickly left the backstage, both avoided taking a look at the now lifeless seagull as they passed. The two of them made their way back into the shadows, and worked their way up to the rooftop. A place Farren suggested because only he, Christine, and the Giry's knew how to get too it that worked within the opera house.

The night was cold, winter was coming in, but Erik paid it no mind. His mind kept going back to the fear in Buquet's eyes as he realized there was nothing under him. That plea for help that Erik could not give in time.

Joseph Buquet was not a good man, but Erik had not meant for him to die by his hand.

"Erik!" Farren brought him out of his thoughts again. "Hide!"

He looked at her and saw that she was staring at the door. Erik dashed to a statue at the edge of the theatre, the one called Apollo's Lyre, and Farren took off in flight. Seconds later the door to the rooftop slammed open and Erik heard the Viscount.

"Why have you brought me here? We must return!" The Viscount demanded.

"We can't go back there!" Erik was startled to hear Christine's frantic voice. "He'll kill us! His eyes will find us there!"

"Christine, don't say that! Don't even think it!" The Viscount tried to reassure. "Forget this waking nightmare!"

"The phantom of the opera will kill and kill again!" Christine cried.

Erik froze upon hearing that. His heart stuttered at the realization that Christine would this easily believe that he would kill someone and that his actions were to punish her in some way. That he was after her. He might have been avoiding her the past week but he did not think it would led his protégé to think so lowly of him, that one accident could change how she view him completely.

"You know there is no phantom of the opera." The Viscount countered, but that seem to make it worse for Christine.

"My God, who is this man? Who hunts to kill?" Christine's voice dripped with despair. "I can't understand him! I never will!"

With each word, what felt like a knife drove itself deeper and deeper into Erik's heart until he had a hard time breathing. He was facing Paris but clung desperately to the statue behind him as the words made him weaker with their dread filled tone.

"Christine. Christine." The Viscount tried to soothe.

"Christine." Erik whispered brokenly, not able to believe that the girl he had basically helped raise would have such thoughts towards him. Especially before he had the chance to explain himself. He lifted his hand to his face and could not help but wonder if she would be saying such things if she had not seen his face. Had he turned into such a monster from an angel in her eyes?

"Come now. No more talk of darkness." The Viscount's voice persuaded softly. "Forget these wide-eye fears. I'm here, my words will warm and calm you. Let me release your doubts and let me dry your tears. I'm here. With you, beside you."

Erik paused at the words spoken by the Viscount. They sounded like words of a lover. He knew the Viscount had been trying to visit Christine, had he gotten the chance while he was not paying attention?

"Say you'll love me every waking moment." Erik's breath caught in his lungs as Christine's voice replied suddenly a lot calmer. Not being able to help himself, he carefully peeked from behind the statute he was behind and saw the Viscount and Christine standing closely together, almost wrapped around each other as they held the other's arms. Nada and Tyce were standing by the door, watching and waiting for their humans. "Promise me, that all you say is true."

"Let me be you shelter, let me by your light. We're safe, your fears are not a worry." The Viscount offered, taking Christine's hands in his.

"I want my love returned. A world with day and night." Christine smiled and squeezed his hands. "With you, also beside me."

"Then say you'll share with me, our love, for lifetime. Let me help you with your quandary." The Viscount pleaded.

"Share each day with me" Christine implored.

"Each night, each morning." The Viscount declared.

"Say you'll love us." Christine began.

"You know, I do." The Viscount nodded.

Then the two kissed and Erik's heart crumpled inside his chest. He had to look away, he could not bear the sight of his protégé promising her love to the Viscount and him the same to her.

"I must go." He heard Christine's voice say a few moments later. "They'll wonder where I am. Wait for me Raoul!"

"Christine, I love you." The Viscount confessed.

Shortly after, Erik heard the door open and closed again. He came around the statue to find the rooftop empty and slumped against statue. Farren came back and landed on the ground a few feet from him. She was staring at him in concern, probably because of the emptiness that had filled Erik at the understanding that Christine had betrayed him.

"I gave her my music. Made her song take wing." Erik whispered to Farren and himself. "And now, how she repaid me. Unmasked me and betrayed me."

"He was bound to love her, when he heard her sing." Farren replied softly, not taking her eyes off her despairing human.

"Christine." Erik gasped, tears pooling in his eyes, making his vision blurry. After all these years of training, she did not last more than a week under the affections of a suiter and broke her promise to him. And the Viscount, who he had started to believe might be a friend, also betrayed him. Going against his wishes when he had known for a while that he was to stay away from Christine.

He clutched his head between his hands as he started to hear Christine's and the Viscount's declaration of love echoed in his mind.

"Erik?" Farren asked cautiously.

Hearing those words of love again made the dull ache in Erik's heart initiate into fury. A fire of consuming rage that engulfed his heart and entire being.

Years wasted! In the end he failed at what he had promised himself he would do all in his power to never allow to happen again!

"Erik!" Farren screeched as he let out a bellow of rage.

He turned and climbed the statue behind him. Apollo's lyre.

"You will curse the day you did not do, all that the phantom ask of you!" Erik vowed viscously, hearing Farren let out an eagle's cry as he said the last word.

Unexpectedly, his chest flared up with such pain that he almost slipped off the statue. Luckily, he was able to keep his hold, but his free hand went to his chest where the pain was, his hand bunching his shirt together as he gasped in agony.

The ache came from inside his chest, right where his heart was.

The pain only lasted a few seconds but to Erik it had felt like an eternity. Once the feeling was gone he continued to breathe heavily for a few minutes. He caught his breath and slide down the statute, landing shakily on his feet.

He finally turned back and spotted Farren next to the door.

His golden eyes met with reptile black. He was not surprised to find that Farren had transformed into an alligator. His entire being was now focused only on revenge and he shall have it…

Seconds after Il Muto ended and the cast was on stage to accept applause, Erik, hidden from view, chopped at the rope that held the chandelier up above the audience. On its last thread, Erik looked out at the crowd. They wanted a monster? He will give them a monster.

"Go!" he yelled as he cut the last thread.

As he made his way out, he heard screams and seconds later a satisfying crash. The screams echoed behind him in panic and horror. If Christine and the Viscount could betray him, he will gladly show them the monster they believed him to be. With a vicious smirk, he entered the darkness of his domain.

And here we are! Hope you enjoyed it! Leave a review if you did. Read alligator info below. Next chapter will be in Raoul's POV. See ya next time!

Erik – Farren: Alligator- Maternal, revenge oriented, quickness, aggression, stealth, efficiency, and basic survival instincts.