Chapter XX: The Point of No Return
Theresa stirred the next morning, expecting to be in her own bed with her sheets around her and in her night gown that she put on before she went to bed. But, when she shifted awake, she realised she wasn't wearing her sheets around her, these were red and satiny. She also felt how cold they were against her skin, her bare skin. Her eyes fluttered open, confused before she looked down at herself and what was around her. She smiled softly to herself, realizing that what happened the night before actually did happen. She held the sheets against her tightly, not letting them fall down below her breasts as she turned on her side, hoping to see Erik there.
A frown appeared quickly when she saw she wasn't. That was when she heard something lonely and sad come from the organ usually cluttered. The frown went deeper and slowly Theresa sat up in her bed, clinging onto her sheets still. She was surprised when she saw that she was surrounded by the almost transparent black fabric. She reached to the side, her ears still catching the sounds of the organ. It sounded absolutely beautiful, but almost heartbreaking.
When she pulled the rope, the black lifted away from her and she stared blankly forward. She moved herself slightly so that she could see pass the archway. Erik sat at his organ, his fingers pausing here and there along the keys, with his back to her. Theresa briefly had let go of the sheets, showing her bare chest before swinging her legs to the side. She picked up her shift before just slipping that on over her head and rose up, letting the hemline fall to her ankles. She stayed where she was for a moment, before taking a deep breath.
She had no idea why she suddenly felt so anxious with approaching him, and now of all times. The night they shared... to her, she thought it was absolutely beautiful. Theresa held no regrets at all. Yes, it did escalate quickly, far too quickly and she didn't know if she was able to stop it if she could, but it still happened. She turned on her heel, before she slowly moved forward.
Theresa leaned against the archway before smiling to herself again as he leaned forward toward blank sheets of music, scrawling something that could have been pure gold just by his touch. He didn't seem to notice her yet, not looking in her direction at all. She bit her bottom lip, still a little anxious, before she moved toward him, going down the stairs carefully. Last time she was on these, they made her fall. But now she was going to be extra careful.
Her quiet footsteps weren't quiet enough. Although, Erik, upon hearing them, still didn't turn around. He wasn't ready to see her right now. Theresa bit her bottom lip harder crossing her arms over her. Her wavy hair was in man-made curls and dishevelled all over. Theresa didn't say a word, curious to see if he would look around to look at her. Erik paid attention to his music at hand, a glance wasn't even thrown her way. Her small smile didn't falter at all, and as she walked she felt a familiar soreness that she felt the night before.
She ignored it, of course, and came up behind her. Erik felt her presence. Theresa slowly put a hand on his bare cheek, the other one being covered again by his mask. She rubbed it gently with her thumb, feeling Erik actually lean into her touch before she slowly lowered herself to sit on the same small bench in the little space he had left. His head still didn't turn toward her, he barely even acknowledged her. Theresa's face actually fell and she looked at him with a furrowed brow. "Did I wake you?" He asked her.
Theresa's hand fell to her side slowly. She shook her head no, "I woke on my own. What are you doing right now?"
"I'm writing music," he answered her shortly, putting his head forward. Theresa narrowed her eyes at him before she turned her head toward the closed gate. "I should bring you back, Theresa." Erik added to her, his voice barely audible as he gently placed his both of his hands on the keys of the organ. "They will be looking for you."
Theresa cast her eyes down onto the keys, watching his hands waiting to begin playing. Last night and this morning was one of the few times she had seen his hands without the gloves on. She examined them, seeing their size and how they seemed to be so delicate in touching his fragile organ. His knuckles slightly protruded as he prepared to play. She didn't know what he was waiting for exactly. For her to leave? For her to actually say something to him? She was waiting for him to actually say something to her.
Slowly, she laid her hand on top of one of his. Theresa felt Erik go stiff under her touch and reluctantly she tried intertwine her fingers with his. Erik looked down at their hands and swallowed thickly before slowly looking up. "Let them look then." Theresa said to him softly before letting go of his hand.
"I don't understand," Erik started to her, his face clearly confused.
Theresa's eyebrows knitted together, "You do not understand what, Erik?"
"You." He said to her, shifting his body toward her. Theresa's mouth parted slightly before Erik spoke again. "Last night... I don't know how it happened. Y-You..."
"I wanted to." Theresa told him quickly. "Erik, I think I made it clear. I do not regret anything at all and if it... if an opportunity to spend another night with you, I will take it without any sort of hesitation." Erik visibly gulped at the sound of that.
"It wasn't supposed to happen."
"When has anything that involved the both of us was supposed to happen." Theresa laughed weakly and smiled sadly at him. Erik's frown almost disappeared as Theresa crossed her legs in front of one another. "I recall that I wasn't supposed to meet you, that we never were supposed to see each other, I wasn't supposed to look for you twice, and I definitely wasn't supposed to be here last night. Erik, I do not regret anything that has happened with you. Not at all."
Erik narrowed his eyes into Theresa's before he looked back down at the keys of his organ. Theresa could have sworn that she saw a hint of a smile on his face, but then both of his hands fall slowly down onto his lap. "What about Monsieur D'Aubigne?" He asked her, almost regretting asking the question. The name made Theresa take in a deep breath and she looked away from Erik quickly. Erik's breathing grew heavy as he stared down at Theresa, he could see that she was conflicted almost. Anger boiled his blood, his nostrils began to flare and he looked away from her. The words came out of his mouth beyond his control, they came out in the form of a hiss. "You love him."
It sounded almost like a hurt growl. Theresa looked up at him almost abruptly. "I love you." She said to him almost offended, but the words almost shocked her as they came out. Erik could barely hear her, his judgement almost being clouded as he suddenly stood up from their long bench. Theresa's eyes followed him as Erik walked a few steps away from her. Theresa stared at the back of his head while gazed blankly forward. "I always have loved you," Theresa told him slowly, rising from the bench.
Erik turned to face her, only to find that she was right behind him already. He looked her up and down, his eyes taking her in. It was unbelievable that she was there with him now. When Erik awoke with her in his arms, a certain type of joy fell over him that finally there was someone who looked past the distorted flesh on his face. However, it quickly changed. Erik thought and thought and thought until his head started to actually ache. He didn't understand this woman and he was almost ashamed. He hardly deserved her.
His intention last night hardly was what happened. It unravelled the wrong way and he couldn't help but think it was him who started it. He kissed her, but it escalated into something else far to quickly, to a level that he couldn't even imagine taking with... Christine. He almost felt actually... ashamed about what happened with Theresa. It shouldn't have happened, not with him. Erik stared down at her before reluctantly shaking his head. Theresa's face fell further down slowly and she furrowed her brow to him confused. "Erik..." her voice nearly cracked.
"Theresa," he started to her, his large, bare hands gripping both of her shoulders. With much effort, he pushed her back a step. It was so strange right now. His dream, his wish, had always been to have someone to love him back, and now that it finally happened—now that he finally found someone that he loved—he couldn't keep her. His heart almost felt heavy, but he felt like he had to do this. He continued on, "you don't truly mean that."
"I mean every word." She said to him quickly, trying to go against his strong hold.
"You don't." Erik said to her with a stoic expression, but it was hard for him to even keep. He could feel his bottom lip almost tremble and it almost made his words wobble. "I don't deserve you like you may think." Theresa's felt her stomach knot and her heart drop out of its cage because of its sudden weight. What was that supposed to even mean?
Theresa shook her head quickly. Erik could see the puzzlement swirling in her hazel eyes. "That is ridiculous, of course you do. You are a good man."
"I'm not, mon chérie." He felt Theresa actually shutter from her being called that. "I'm not a good man and you know that I'm not. I'm dangerous, Theresa."
"No, you're not!" Theresa nearly shouted at him, trying with all her might to take off his hands from her shoulders. But to her dismay, Erik only pushed down on them harder to keep her in place. She eventually gave up and soon told him loudly, "You are not dangerous, Erik! You're not at all, I know you're not."
"I've killed men, Theresa, more than twice." Erik admitted to her as if to prove her wrong. Theresa briefly looked away from him before she would gaze up at him again. "You have a life I rather would not take away. It would be wasted with me, Theresa, do you not understand?" He asked her before his hands dropped from both of her shoulders. Erik's eyes dropped down for a moment to see Theresa's chest go up and down slowly. He heard her breath come from her mouth heavily. Theresa's eyes were never taken off of him.
She shook her head no, "I actually don't understand." Erik didn't want to look up into her eyes, but he did so anyway. He felt his throat clog up seeing tears actually prick the woman's eyes, but she didn't let them fall out of them. She murmured to him softly after, "It sounds like a goodbye though."
Erik blinked at her words, but nodded his head. "Yes, it is." His voice came out hoarse and it nearly cracked.
"But I don't want it to be." Theresa said to him tentatively. She could tell that this wasn't something that she could fight about with him. Erik didn't reply to him, closing his eyes for a brief moment before opening them up again. She added on for herself, more so than for him to hear, "I can see though that there is no fight to be had about this."
He replied to her shortly, "None."
Theresa smiled softly at him and mentioned to him, "We tried staying away from each other, remember? It did not work out as planned."
"This time is different."
"Is it really that much different?" Theresa asked him with her voice breaking. Theresa took a step toward him and Erik was tempted to take a step away from her. Erik took a deep breath and nodded his head, not knowing what else to really say to Theresa. "I... I don't think it is that different, Erik."
"Theresa, do not dare go looking for me like you had last time, please." Erik said to her slowly, unconsciously moving close to her. He tried to not let his eyes again look over her greedily like he had before, but his attempt at it was awful. "This time I will not be there to save you if anything happens."
Theresa looked at him for a long moment, no words fell out of her mouth. Erik didn't know whether or not to believe his own words. He didn't know what he would do if something like that would happen to her. Would he help her as he did last time? When he looked into Theresa's eyes, she almost seemed hurt by his words. Hurt and puzzled. Erik almost immediately felt the need to take it back. He parted his mouth to actually say something, but he then felt Theresa kiss him tenderly. Erik's eyes widened for a moment, his hands were outstretched on either side of him.
His lips soon took hers in between, his eyes closing as his hands close to cradle her back. Theresa murmured in his mouth, "Addio."
Her eyes slowly opened and her lips from his, even though Erik was tempted to do what he can to keep them there. After a moment of air hitting his mouth, he opened his eyes to see Theresa staring up at him. Her hands were resting on his chest as her watery eyes matched his green eyes. They both stayed there as the minutes passed, and as each minute had passed Erik was finding it harder to let her get out of his embrace. It took him a moment to actually realize also that he was bunching up her shift within his hands tightly so he wouldn't let her go.
Theresa's chest had rise and fall against his, her breathing sharp each time she took in air. Erik then heard her say, "I would follow everywhere you lead me, Erik."
"I know," she was making this so much harder than it had to be for him, "but I cannot let you."
"If that is so, then let me go." Theresa told him slowly. Though reluctant at first, Erik let out the bunches of fabric in his hands and allowed her to take a step away from him. "I-I'll collect my things then." Erik took in a slow breath before he felt his head nod. Theresa forced herself to look down at the ground before she picked up the skirt of her shift to go pick up her dress. But she stopped when she felt Erik grab her hand in his. Theresa stopped in her place, almost frozen, before she turned her head to face him.
"Before you... you go," Erik started to her. He didn't want the words though to be true. Still not letting a tear fall, Theresa nodded her head to him slowly to continue. "Can you... can you sing for me?" Theresa's eyebrow raised confused before she smiled sadly at him, nodding her head. "I wrote the lyrics in the song we wrote together."
"You wrote it though," Theresa said to him softly. He shook his head no. "I had no hand in it."
"You found the title and provided the notes. I made it for you and I would like to hear you sing it." Erik explained to her, his thumb rubbing her hand in smooth circles. Her smile actually grew before she nodded her head to him, meaning that she would love to. Erik felt a smile come on his face.
"Just let me put on my dress and I will be back."
"Of course." He forced himself to let go of her hand before she slowly went up the steps. "I'll be waiting." Theresa then turned around and Erik gazed at her as she climbed the stairs. But the smile slipped off of his face and briefly he touched his lips lightly before murmuring, "Goodbye."
Erik then brought himself to set up a stand at the bottom of the steps, taking the red velvet folder that was first in Theresa's room the night before, and taking the music out of it. Quietly, he put it on top of the stand before his head immediately snapped up to hear a splash in the lake. The other side of it. Erik straightened his back before carefully stepping forward, his eyes narrowing. He briefly glanced up where Theresa had gone and was surprised to see that she hadn't noticed. Erik heard almost silent trudges, making him almost immediately look to his side to see an already tied lasso to be used.
He thoughtfully pondered for a moment, glancing up to where Theresa had gone once more before deciding on grabbing the Punjab lasso in his hand. Erik was silent, making his motions in the water almost unheard to even the most sensitive ears. He held his Punjab with dear life. He hid behind the wall being careful to not step and show himself to the intruder that didn't fall for the traps set along the way of the journey. His head leaned back against the rock wall, his eyes were narrowed into slits. "Hello?" Yelled the intruder, but Erik almost faltered at the familiar voice.
The quiet trudges became louder, Erik moved swiftly toward the voice without making a sound still. The man with a familiar voice was now under the gate, staring at the strange place confused. Erik tilted his head to the side to hear the man better once he said, "Where am I?"
That was when Erik figured it out and he couldn't help but grit his teeth as Henri D'Aubigne slowly came into the lair. Henri walked past Erik, not even noticing him standing there as his eyes roamed the lair. "Theresa, are you here?" Henri asked the air carefully. Erik carefully took the Punjab in his hand, rubbing his hands on it before he took slow and careful steps behind Henri. "Theresa," Henri started again, his trudges through the water becoming more loud and abrupt. If Erik were to pick up his pace, making a little noise while walking he might have gone unnoticed still. "If you are here, please say something!" He said almost desperately into the air.
Erik licked his bottom lip and as Henri stopped by the gondola, Erik had gotten his Punjab ready. He had forgotten about Theresa for the moment, his pounding blood going through his veins and almost clotting his ears. A deep hatred for the man was still in him, and though he was about to let Theresa go, he was tempted horribly to put the lasso around the throat of the man that had hurt several times and almost successfully took Theresa away from him. That was all he felt until he heard her at the top of the steps. "Henri."
Theresa watched Henri apprehensively as Henri stood there, looking up at her confused. "Theresa? What are you doing here?" Henri asked her, taking a step out of the water and onto the lake's makeshift dock. Theresa didn't know what to do as she stared at Henri with wide eyes. Henri stared at Theresa expectantly, he looked at her up and down before deciding quickly to quickly walk up to her. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He asked her worriedly, his long strides hoping to reach her. Theresa turned her head toward him.
Before she knew it she was brought into an embrace with Henri, his arms circling around her waist as he buried his face in her neck. His hands smoothed themselves up and down the familiar fabric of the dress she wore last night. Theresa was too stunned to embrace him back, instead she stared blankly forward. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Erik watching the two of them from the lake and holding a rope delicately in his hand. Theresa then allowed herself to actually close her eyes as Henri moved away from her.
His eyes searched her face to see if there was anything out of the ordinary, but all Henri could find was shock and almost bewilderment. A frown edged on his face before he told her urgently, "God-damn it, Theresa, answer me! Are you okay?"
Theresa shook her head to get herself out of shock of the moment. "I-I'm fine," she eventually stammered out, delicately taking his hands off of her as she took a step back. Her eyes closing for a moment before she asked him worriedly, "How did you get down here?"
"The mirror," Henri admitted, almost sounding unsure like he didn't believe himself. Theresa took the time to look him up and down, and she noticed how he was soaked the bone. He must have fell in one of the traps, water was still dripping from dark curls. "There... there was a crack in it, like it was a little opened. But... to be honest, I didn't know what I would find when I walked through."
"You shouldn't have come." Theresa said to him softly, it was almost in a whisper.
Henri looked at her confused. "Of course, I should have. Theresa, you're worrying everyone upstairs, you could have been dead for all I knew." Theresa swallowed and took another step back, searching his eyes to see that Henri was genuinely worried for her and that there was a bit of... honesty in his eyes. "I honestly don't know what I'd do if that happened." The words were shocking come out of his mouth and when Theresa went to open her mouth, they heard a dark laugh come from behind Henri.
Henri seemed to have frozen in his place. "Well, if it isn't Monsieur D'Aubigne." Theresa breathed heavily when she laid eyes on Erik, walking out of the lake, with the water dripping from his breeches. Henri turned on his heel to have his eyes only widen. "It seems, I have been expecting you." The Phantom of the Opera mockingly bowed to Henri, making him immediately stand right in front of Theresa with his arms outstretched in an attempt to protect her.
He was faced with the man that he had heard and even told stories about. Exaggerated stories, but stories still. It was no mistaking that the ghost that haunted the Opera Populaire was standing right in front of him, with his menacing white mask that covered half of his face and his menacing eyes looking straight at him.
The Phantom was not in his usual garb that Henri knew he wore, but he still held a frightening presence as he walked toward Henri. He held a menacing and crooked grin that a villain in a fairytale would wear and a vein in his throat was popping out as he held his tied rope, the Punjab lasso, tightly in his hands. "It's you." Henri stated, his eyes looking up and down at the Phantom of the Opera. Theresa stared at Erik puzzled as she was forced to step backward, seeing as Henri took a step backward.
The Phantom smirked at him, his hand caressing his Punjab lasso almost as he stepped toward Henri. "You know of me, monsieur?"
"Y-You're... you're the Phantom of the Opera." Henri stated, stumbling on his words at first before he found himself scowling at the 'ghost' with such hatred that he buried a long time ago. He glanced behind his shoulder, not noticing how Theresa was completely calm behind him and staring at the Phantom puzzled. His thoughts were making up many theories. He turned back to the Phantom, "Did you hurt her?"
The Phantom scoffed at him, shaking his head no. "Why would I ever hurt a beautiful woman like her?"
"You've killed men, it wouldn't surprise me if you have ever stooped low enough to harm or kill a lady, you beast." Henri said through his teeth, still taking steps back as the Phantom stepped closer to him. Theresa was at a loss, looking between them hopelessly as she tried not to bump into anything behind her.
"I will never harm or kill her, monsieur. You have my word." The Phantom said to him slowly, his eyes narrowing dangerously at him. Henri scoffed at him, not believing his word, but he stopped in his place once he saw the Phantom a few feet away from him, not going any closer. "You are a little wet, Monsieur D'Aubigne. I am sure it is from water and not paint this time."
"Shut up." Henri said to him. "I have a hard time believing you."
"And why's that? A Phantom's word is not to be trusted?" The Phantom asked him, throwing his hands on either side of him mockingly again. Theresa pursed her lips before she moved slightly back more and to the side to get around Henri. He didn't notice her trying to go around her.
"Theresa will never be here with a monster by choice! She knows what you do, she knows what you are capable of." Henri simply states. Theresa parted her mouth slightly and glanced over at Henri. She would prove him wrong right now, but she didn't have the courage to right now. She remained silent.
"Oh, does she now? Then, I'm afraid that you'd be very much surprised."
"What do you mean?" Henri asked him confused, his eyebrows knitted together. He went to look behind his shoulder to ask Theresa, but she wasn't there. He glanced over to see that she was farther away from him. Theresa's eyes were looking between the both of them and somehow Henri, knew that she didn't know what was going on right now. In fact, now that he really looked at her, she didn't look at the Phantom with something along the lines of fear. She looked calm, but puzzled at the same time. He swallowed thickly before turning his head back to the Phantom. "No, she would never."
"Erik, please." Theresa started to Erik, looking at him almost pleadingly. Erik briefly snapped out of his Phantom personality to look over at her. His face softened. "Leave him alone."
Confused, Henri turned to Theresa, his arms falling to his sides. "Erik?" He questioned to him. Theresa turned to Henri reluctantly before nodding her head slowly to him. "You... you called him by his actual name." He stated matter-of-factly, personally not believing what he was hearing. Theresa grimaced at his tone, before nodding her head at him again.
"I have come to know the Phantom, Henri." She worded it carefully as she saw Henri actually round to her, completely forgetting the presence of the Phantom in front of him. Now, looking at Henri, between him and Erik it was he that frightened her. There was a strange expression on his face. It an expression mixed with hurt and something that Theresa had never seen on it before. Was it... was that betrayal?
Henri couldn't believe what he just heard. "Come to know him? Theresa, what the hell do you mean that you have come to know him?"
"Exactly how it sounds, Henri." Theresa said to him slowly. Her words were chosen carefully as she looked at him, trying to hide the fact that Henri's presence was beginning to frighten her. "He is not the Phantom of the Opera to me. He is Erik."
"Theresa," Henri started to her, "you cannot tell me that you are serious." Theresa picked her chin up strongly, her eyes staring right into Henri's as she nodded her head 'yes.' Erik merely blinked over at her as Henri looked between them, his face contorting with disgust. He turned back to Theresa and his voice cracked as he stated, "He killed my father, Theresa." Theresa took a deep breath, looking away from Henri briefly as he took several steps toward her. "He's a madman, a lonely and sick madman, and you're telling me that you... that you befriended him."
Theresa closed her eyes for a moment before looking into Henri's unsure of what else to really do. She had no words for him, none at all. Henri looked deeply in them, searching for something more. He didn't know what was going through his head right now, but one thing was for certain. There was a lot more than what she was letting on. "You... you are in love..." he started to her, looking in her eyes even deeper before turning to the Phantom, who was looking at Theresa now. His face was softened from before, and there was a familiar look in his eyes that Henri had in his eyes before when looking at the beautiful woman in front of him. He turned his head back to her, taking a step forward. Theresa didn't even move back from him.
It hurt her though to stay locked in his gaze. Henri was unpredictable right now, he even knew he was unpredictable and frankly, he didn't know what was going through him. He had never felt this way about someone in his life... but all he knew was that his chest was beginning to ache just from the mere thought of the two of them together. The monster... who killed his father and the woman that he fell madly in love with. The woman that he was devoted to getting.
His voice broke as he said to her, "Him. You... you are in love with him." Theresa didn't answer him, instead she took both of her lips and closed her eyes for a brief moment before opening them. "Have... have you ever even loved me? Or was this... was this all a game for you?"
"It was hardly a game, Henri." Theresa said to him softly. But she didn't answer his first question. Henri was so close to her right now. His grey-blue eyes taking on a different colour as he stared at her angrily. Henri could hardly even hear his own thoughts as his blood pumped through his veins. He couldn't even control his own movements as his hand slowly was brought up, shaking while doing so. Though Theresa saw the hand being brought up, she didn't stop it as Henri's knuckles collided with her cheekbone with such force that it almost threw her to the ground. She tried not to actually yelp from the sudden pain, but she brought her hand up to nurse the cheek harmed, balancing herself on the nearest surface.
Erik's eyes widened at what he had just seen and immediately he tightly gripped at his Punjab, ready to put it into good use before Henri whirled around, going in his jacket and taking out a pointed dagger. A small dagger that he always carried on his person, just in case he would need it. "One more step, or I swear to God, I will leave you bleeding on the floor." Henri warned Erik.
Erik tilted his head up, swallowing before asking, "You are really going to try and test me, monsieur?" Theresa slowly looked up to see the rusted dagger in Henri's hand, her eyes widening at the sight. Erik glanced down at her for a moment, gave her a reassuring nod, before looking back up at Henri. The nod he gave her was hardly reassuring to her.
"You took my father," Henri started to him, his eyes turning almost into steel, "and you took her away from me as well. I think it is you, who shouldn't try and test me."
"Henri, please, don't do—." Theresa started to him, trying to reach out to his shoulder to stop him. She knew that this wasn't the Henri that she knew. Something was going on with him. Something that she couldn't name, but she had to at least try and stop him before something would happen. He cut her off with a sharp look and the sharp look did its work to quiet her. Theresa gulped before turning to Erik, mouthing to him not do this. Theresa knew that she would be useless in calming them both down, but she was tempted to throw herself in front of someone.
Erik ignored her. He said to Henri, "I am having trouble remembering your father, what was his name?"
"Joseph Buquet." Erik's eyes then lit up with recognition and he even mouthed an 'oh' before he caressed his Punjab lasso in memory. Theresa's eyes were stuck on the lasso anxiously, nervous as to why Erik kept stroking it like it was some sort of pet. It did more than just worry her. It practically scared her, almost more than Henri at the moment.
His tone was almost sadistic as he spoke, "I see where you get it from. He was a bigger drunk than you are... do you know how he died?" Henri didn't answer. Theresa watched from behind and could only imagine Henri's face. The vein in his neck was most likely protruding, his eyes might have flared, his face might have even contorted with anger at the sound of the question. Henri watched as Erik stretched out his lasso tauntingly, Theresa wanted to stop this so badly. But the words or the actions didn't want to be shown. "Would you like to be next?"
"Erik, no." Theresa tried to say, but it was being choked back. She didn't even realize that her throat was being clogged by something, that she was holding back tears. She couldn't watch this happen! But she couldn't pry her eyes away nor bring herself to run away from the both of them. Something else that she wanted to do like she did in Italy once her mother died. Run away. Erik hardly heard her, nor did Henri. The two men were focused on each other now. Henri gripped his dagger even more tightly in his hand before the anger in him began to further cloud his judgement. He couldn't take it any more.
Theresa watched as Henri charged at Erik, the dagger out fully now and prompted to be used. Erik gritted his teeth at Henri before he simply moved to the side, letting Henri fall to the ground. Erik shifted his Punjab, grabbing Henri's hand tightly within his and bringing him up to his knees. Henri cried out as his hand holding the dagger tightly inside of it. Erik squeezed his hand hard, hearing the bones within it crack from the strength being used. He gritted his teeth, closing his eyes as the pain surged through him.
Soon, by squeezing his hand, Erik had gotten the dagger to slip out. Henri's hand was red once it was released. He stared down at it in disbelief for a moment, feeling the bones that must have broke while his hand was being squeezed. Erik was going to make this quick, he didn't even feel the need to kick away the dagger to not give Henri the slightest chance to strike back. He knew that the already weak man was done before he even charged at him. "Keep your hand at the level of your eyes, monsieur!" Erik shouted down at him, taking the Punjab in his hands tightly again and throwing it around Henri's thin neck before pulling to where it was just about to close in.
Henri tilted his head up, now on his knees as his eyes glazed over the man that murdered his father, took away the woman he loved, and was about to murder him. He was surprised that he hadn't even began to do his worse. "What are you waiting for?" Henri asked Erik. Erik merely glanced over his shoulder to see Theresa, standing there in shock. Her eyes were locked on the lasso, staring at it with pure horror.
Erik still had a stoic, expressionless face and with the mask on, Theresa could see the ferocity taking over. This is not him, she thought to herself. Theresa could never get into the head of Erik, but she always tried. But right now, she didn't even know if this was Erik's head that she was getting into. Erik turned back to Henri, looking down at him as Henri still waited for him to do what he knew was coming. "You don't exactly need an invitation, Erik." He said his name almost in a growl, his words were hardly coming out through the tightness of the Punjab around his neck. At any moment, he would die.
Henri knew that very well, and he would welcome death like a friend. Erik then leaned in close to tell him, "Your last words." Henri stared at Erik long and hard before his eyes turned to Theresa, who was still standing there bewildered... not sure of what to do right now. Then she saw a smirk on Henri's face, the smirk that she always melted for. He was smirking at her now of all times and it somehow amazed her. Theresa took a short step toward the two of them.
"I..." he started, but trailed off. His face still holding its smirk, his trademark. Before he opened them up again, and told Theresa slowly and with difficulty, "My... my apologies, my lady." Theresa put a hand to her mouth, and shook her head no really quickly as he looked up Erik. Erik's hand was almost itching as he heard Henri hiss up at him, "Do it, please."
She couldn't watch this or let it happen any more. It was quick. Theresa screamed out loud as she put a hand on top of Erik's arm, putting herself in between him and Henri. "No!" Alarmed, Erik looked over to see Theresa, as if he was being brought out of a dream and brought into reality. Henri's, whose eyes were closed, looked up to see Theresa standing in front of him, breathing heavily and staring up at Erik with swollen eyes that were narrowed at Erik. Erik saw the familiar tears that were pricking them, and some were even allowed out. She slowly shook her head no at him, "If you are the Erik I believe you to be, then I ask you, please, don't do this. Please."
Theresa watched as Erik looked between her and Henri, who was still waiting for his death. She saw how Erik actually swallowed before looking back into her eyes. She murmured softly with a lot more ease than she thought she would have, "Please, you are better than this. It's not worth it."
"Theresa..." Erik started to her. He almost shivered when he felt her hand go up to his own, still holding the Punjab tightly in his hand. She laid it on top and folded her hand over his. Henri watched this being done pointedly. The effect though was almost magic. His hand loosened its grip on the lasso and the other fell to his side. Theresa held onto him tightly, her bottom lip finally giving way as it trembled. A strangled out sob came out of her as tears came out as Erik, with a grip on her hand still, looked to Henri, who had visibly softened after what had happened. For a brief moment, Erik had let go of her hand, giving Theresa the freedom to actually lean against the wall with her face in her hands. Her body was trembling as each sob that she tried to hold back came out.
Erik looked down at Henri, his nostrils flaring. But Henri didn't see the same type of anger flaring in his green eyes that were in them before. After a moment, Erik took the Punjab from around Henri's neck and threw it to the side. Henri took a deep breath of air, feeling a sort of relief come over him. Then, Erik came in front of him, bringing a finger to Henri's face. "Note, I'm merciful now. But next time, I won't be." The relief went away just as quickly as it came and Henri stared down at his finger. "Now, leave here."
Theresa looked up from her hands, her puffy and swollen eyes looking at Henri sadly. He slowly stood up from where he was as Erik walked over to her. Theresa kept her eyes on Henri, who was looking down at both of his hands before looking up at her. There was a conflicting look in them, she noticed it right away. Her breathing slowed down, her eyes never leaving his before she noticed how they went back down to the dagger on the floor. She watched Henri wearily, uncertain of what was going on.
She then felt Erik's thumb resting on her cheek, his hand stroking where she was backhanded. Briefly, she took her eyes off of Henri to look up at Erik, who was looking down at her with concern. "Are you okay?" His question wasn't as urgent as Henri's was when he asked her the same thing, which caused a sad smile to show on Theresa's face.
She nodded her head to him before she said, "I've gotten hit before, Erik. It's nothing that I cannot take." Erik knitted his eyebrows toward her confused. "Thank you for not..." she started softly before she would have to explain what she meant by what she said before.
He shook his head at her, "No, thank you, mon chérie... you are... I... I love you." Erik couldn't help it but feel strange that those words have came out, especially to someone like her. But it felt right, they were easy for him to say to her. Theresa's smile actually grew toward him, looking more happier than sad. Theresa though decided to see if Henri had left them both before anything else would happen. Her smile fell when she saw him actually closer than ever rather than ever, with the dagger he was staring at before in his hand.
Her eyes widened and the rest of her face fell in pure horror. She cried out, "Erik!" Then Theresa felt her world topple over before her very eyes.
"This is awful, Firmin." André shook his head, reading the note he found on the top of the dresser. His handkerchief out and in front of his nose as his eyes began to water. Firmin was in the room, staring at the bed where a body was laid. In the middle of the body, a dagger was sticking out right in the stomach. "I... I haven't an idea about what was going through his head writing this. It... It is not at all coherent." André said, dropping the note on the ground, the handkerchief was shaking in his hand as he looked away from the bed.
Firmin stared blankly forward at the body. "We knew about his troubles, André. It shouldn't have come to a surprise... but... let me see it!" He bent down to pick up the note, reading it over. André turned his back on the victim, staring absently at a spot on the wall. "What are we going to do?" Firmin asked him, almost sounding desperate. "This is the third death, under our management."
"But this death is different." André said. "The other two were murders, Firmin, this was hardly a murder." The note, the way he was placed, André knew what it pointed to. "Monsieur D'Aubigne was a good man, we could agree on that, but he was a good man with troubles. We must pay our respects to him."
"Of course, of course we will." Firmin stated, nodding his head. He couldn't take his eyes off of the body of Henri D'Aubigne, laying there so peacefully. "We have production in less than two weeks, though, André. What are we going to do now with a missing soprano and a... a dead lead tenor?" Firmin almost stumbled on his words as he looked over at André finally, hoping his friend would have some answer to this. André shrugged his shoulders at him.
He stated, however, "Madame Giry found Signora Baccelli after we couldn't find her, Firmin. She is no longer missing, she spent her morning in the church by here. But I'm afraid, our Prima Donna is still in the dark about this. Madame Giry hasn't told her yet."
"This is so heartbreaking... she is not going to take the news lightly, André." Firmin commented, shaking his head. He just knew that they might actually have no soprano for the next production. Theresa was going to be too heartbroken to actually perform in it. "I heard that Monsieur D'Aubigne actually had started to court the young woman. Now what is she to do? Her mother... what was her name again?"
"Amelia, I believe." André answered, glancing back at the body, but almost immediately turned away from it.
"Yes, Amelia Baccelli stopped singing after our Prima Donna's father died, I heard. She's too young in her career for this to happen, what if she follows in her mother's footsteps?"
"We will not know until we know, Firmin." André replied to his colleague, briefly glancing over at him before stating to him. "We... we should tell the others the news, though. We can't keep anyone in the dark about this. Not anyone." Firmin nodded slowly to him, taking one final look at the once vibrant and charming man that roamed the halls of the Opera Populaire. The talented tenor laid there, with his hands limply around the handle of his own dagger that caused his death. In the shadows of the tenor's room, was the man who had killed him... really.
The Phantom of the Opera took a step out, now draped in his cape. His white mask shined in the morning sun as he looked down at the man who he almost had spared the life of. His eyes fell on the man's dagger and then, with one final look, the Phantom of the Opera turned around to leave the room secretly, knowing that the Prima Donna was still in his lair, sitting on his swan shaped bed in shock. He stepped back into the shadows, quietly opened the hidden door, and then stepped back into the darkness of his tunnels. He shut the door to his secret passageway, and then turned on his heel before making his way through the labyrinth.
End of Part One.
I feel like Satan right now. It's three in the morning, but I was way too determined to get this chapter done. I'm not in the mood to really write my author's note above, it's a long night. Thank you to everyone who showed their support of part one of this story! It means so much to me that you guys really do enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it. I hope you all enjoyed this ending too, I know... it kind of... is depressing... uh, a little bit... shocking, but... yeah...
So a few parting notes before I go to bed. Actually, one note really. I think I have mentioned it on here before about the new Phantom story I have planned, 'A Wounded Lullaby' If I haven't then this is the first time, yay! So I was thinking while I'm planning out Part Two of No Backward Glances, do you guys want me to post that up? I put up a poll on my profile that will be opened right after I post this chapter. So, it would be really great if you do vote for whether or not you want it up. It's up to you, really. If you want more info about it, the summary is on my profile and somewhere on my Facebook page is the preview. The preview is under my notes, if you want to check it out... somewhere in there.
And also, Part Two WILL be posted in here. But I will be putting the story as completed, which it sort of is for now... but yeah.
That's about it, thank you all for reading Part One! See you soon in Part Two or A Wounded Lullaby (once again, up to you guys)! Thank you so much again!