chapter 4

Raoul was at the bar drinking away his sorrows since Christine had just basically divorced him and left to go back home. but now he was worried for his sister. and his son. Sadly, he regretted what he did to her. He was so desperate for a child. and he knew. but then there is this part of himself that he has a feeling that Lucius was not his. He was nothing like him. Yes, he was like his mother. but there was nothing of him inside of that child. Christine never wanted children. she was a whore, but he did love her. but he loved his sister much more. She is special in so many ways. and he should know he knows her whole life since she shared it with him and the family before, they agreed to let her blood adopt them. along with szayel and Trista who are basically ones who follow her. he knew that bella has a fake marriage to szayel. but she didn't know that he knew.

"Buddy, don't you think you've had enough It's practically morning already."

"One more, I said." demanded Raoul

"All right. All right. My shift is over anyway, so let's settle the bill, okay? Jeez, you're in a bad way, ain't ya Worse than most that wind up here. Here's the morning shift. Maybe he'll know what to do with you."

"Yes, what to do with me. That is the question. isn't it? That has always been the question, ever since the beginning, m sister looks for sympathy. I give her nothing but sorrow. she asks for honesty, I've give her none to borrow. She needs my tender feelings. she begs it of me! I giver her ugliness, why does she love me? She yearns for higher things. things I can't give her, the rush music and fighting brings, I can't deliver, and even when she sings and soars above me. I try to clip her wings, why does she love me." said Raoul

Raoul put his head in his hands. He is disgusting and still lusting after his sister. even though he was happy to be rid of Christine. even though she was never going to get a dime from him. she used enough of his money. bella she was different. yes, they are related by blood-by-blood adoption. but it didn't stop him wanting to be with her. He can't stop thinking of the time he spent with her. even though he did it wrongly and drugged her. but he enjoyed it. That is what makes him so sick.

"one more drink sir, that's what I need, don't you think sir, leave the hurt behind." said Raoul

the bartender lifted his head. and for the first time we saw his face. reflected in the mirror. its erik. he was listening to the bastard speak his mind. while he was wondering what he was wallowing about. from what he heard that his whore of a wife left him. but he was still lusting after his beloved. his sister of all things. come on that was just sick. but for now, he was just going to see and what he was going to hear. He wanted to hear what the sick bastard was going to be confessing. He was going to hear his inner most thoughts. something he needed to hear.

"Did you hear me? another drink!" demanded Raoul

erik snorted and wondered how his beloved delt with this for so long. The bastard is a sick freak of all things. but he was going to see what he was going to hear. without another work he pours another glass and shover it in front of Raoul. Raoul obliviously reaches for the glass and drinks it. He did not even noticing who was the person who handed him a drink. for all he knew he could have poisoned him. even though erik did think of doing that. but his beloved would be not happy with him if he dared to do something like that. even though szayel had told him he offered as well. but she told him no on the fact that she didn't want anything like that. even though she has every right to toss him into the gates of hell. but she was not going to do that either unless it was necessary.

"she wants the man I was brother and father. yes I did wrong by drugging her and doing things to her. I wanted a child so bad and my wife at the time didn't want none. well at least she thinks she does what me the way I used to be. she needn't bother. beneath this mask I wear. there is nothing of me. just horror shame, lust and despair. why does she love me? how 'bout you sir? tell me what am I to do sir, leave the hurt behind." said Raoul

Raoul sighed and felt like he just confessed to a priest from what he had just blurted out. it seemed he didn't even notice who he just confessed to. erik was trying to hold his anger in. how dare this bastard think the way he does. he was going to make sure to get his son and beloved away from him. Raoul needed help. unless this is how he always felt. he always thought the man was a bit off. and he was the one who was called a monster. this man here is the true monster. he never had to drug a woman to have sex with her. even though bella is the only one he had sex with. but she came to him willingly. he was about to reveal himself but suddenly the door flies opened. meg enters in a bathing costume. her hair is wet, and she is wrapped in a towel. erik cursed his luck.

"morning bernie! coffee please! hurry up, before I freeze, I'll just take it black….vicomte. fancy meeting you here. mother said I would find you here." said meg

"miss giry." said Raoul

"Drowning your sorrows, are you?" asked meg

"On the contrary, I'm celebrating a reunion with old friends. Friends I had long thought dead and buried. And you?" asked Raoul

"do you know where you are?" asked meg

"Hell, I imagine, but I know what the gates of hell already look like." said Raoul

Meg wondered if he was drunk or something when he started spouting knowing what the gates of hell looked like. there was no such thing as gated of hell. Yes, there is a hell. but the gates of hell. erik ears perked so he knew what the gates of hell looked like as well. but he was going to listen to this conversation. because he never trusted the giry's. Yes, she helped him out more than once. and saved him. but there was a time that she changed and became greedy over time. but now he was going to see what the little bitch was going to do. and see if she was going to talk to Raoul and get him to leave. if that is going to happen. then she will regret for even daring to try,

" yeah whatever you say. around here they call it suicide hall. it's a place people end up when they don't know where else to go. the hopeless… the desperate. a good place to step off the side of the pier and quietly vanish" said meg

" you seem to be a regular." said Raoul

" me? I come here to swim. this town is coarse, and cold, and mean. it's hard to keep your conscience clean. faceless in the crowd, anything allowed. and so I come at dawn each day, come to wash it all away…. sink into the sea, blue cool and kind, let it set me free, let the past unwind…. leave the hurt behind." said meg

meg needed to make them leave if she ever was going to get what she wanted. ever if she was ever going to be headliner and get the man with money. She needed Isabella gone. even if she has to kill her. erik was listening. it was something that he was getting unnerved about. it seemed that meg was always screwed up in the head. but she was not making sense. Raoul arched a brow and wondered what the hell is wrong with meg. He always knew Meg was not right. even at the opera house. madam giry always watched over her daughter as if she was going to make others know that she was not mentally straight. he was able to notice it though. meg sighed and knew she must try to make him understand what she needed him to do,

"you should never have come to America. It's not a place like you and Isabella. It's too easy to forget who you are and where you belong. that why mother says you must leave here. now, take your sister and the boy and the two servants and go." said meg

"Leave? But what about tonight? What about the concert? the money? Am I to just runaway? from him?" asked Raoul

"and when the sun rises tomorrow, we can all start again, clean, sail across the sea,… put us out of mind… close your eyes and flee…. let yourself stay blind…. leave this place behind.." said meg

"im not afraid of him! I've bested him before! and if he ever had the balls to meet me face to face. man to man." snapped Raoul

meg rushed out the door to go and tell her mother that she talked to raoul. and hope that he will listen to her. but she had a feeling that he was not going to listen to her. while Raoul turned to the bar only to be face to face with erik who was smiling waving as if to saw hello. Raoul nearly pissed himself from who was there before him. erik was smirking. oh, how he missed making this little pissant piss his pants. He loved it once he made him shit and piss himself. Raoul cursed. He couldn't believe it was him before him. It seemed he had gotten his wish.

"No….it can't be?" said raoul

"Not afraid of me you say?" asked erik

"Stay the hell back or I'll kill you I promise you." hissed Raoul

"of course. as you say, you beaten me before. but that was a long time ago vicomte. and we are playing a different game. Look at you. deep in debt. stinking drunk. pitiful. shall we two make a bet. devil take the hindmost?" said erik

erik smirked he knew what he was doing, and he was going to win. This was something he knew for the fact. His bella was already wanting to stay. if that delicious kiss says anything otherwise. oh, how he still tasted her sweet heavenly lips on his lips. Raoul was cursing his luck on what was going on right now. and he knew that he was stuck. Just like Christine, he loved to gamble. and he was going to agree to whatever this fucker was going to have bet on him. and he had a feeling it was going to be his sister. from what miss giry had indicated that bella and the phantom had something going on. even though he knew of their friendship.

"look at you, foul as sin… hideous! horrible! call the stake, deal me in, devil take the hindmost." said erik

"our Isabella, shall choose tonight," said erik

"Let her choose," said Raoul

"Is she yours or mine," said erik

"Draw the line." said Raoul

Raoul was starting to figure it out. that he was never inlove with Christine it was all puppy love. and he was truly in love with his sister. his sweet Isabella. how dare he even think she would go near him in love with him of all people. but he has a feeling there was going to be more to learn tonight than he even thought of. while erik was wondering if the moron figured out that he only had puppy love with Christine. and his Isabella was the one he truly loved. He was going to make this bet and he knew for one thing he was going to win. He should go and join his wife. well ex wife that is.

"If she sings tonight. you lose tonight." said erik

"I won't lose!" said Raoul

"You leave from here…" said erik

"Fine!" said Raoul

"Disappear!" said erik

erik was making sure he knew the conditions of the bet they were making. this man was not going to be taking his beloved and his son with him. he was going to keep them here. even though he already knew that is where she was going in the first place. She kissed him. and that meant that she was choosing him instead of her perverted brother who did things to her. and think that HIS son is his. he was going to make that clear while he was at it. Raoul didn't know if he should be betting on his beloved sister. even though he would bet off Christine. not like he hasn't done it before. but Isabella is precious to him. but he knew that it had already started.

"Fine! and if she won't… if I win?" asked Raoul

"All your debts. wiped away." said erik"Very well… let's begin." said Raoul

"Devils take the hindmost." said erik and Raoul

"Our old game. it has been changed. every throw riskier, all the rules, rearranged, fate redesigned most. cut the deck, let us play, you and I, once again, in the end, either way…. devil takes the hindmost." said erik

" you think youe have the odds. you think you're in control. you think you've fixed the dice, well I will gladly ross. I'll bet against the house, I'll even double down… fortunes on my side. my sister loves me. and I won her long ago, I won her from you then. even though you were friends, I wager even now, ill win her back again, and when the game is done. devil takes the hindmost." said roaul

"now Isabella shall choose at last…. is she yours or mine?" said Raoul and erik

erik walked a little away from Raoul as he thought of how he was going to win. He was going to win his beloved. even though Raoul was talking about Christine and Isabella. but he was happy that he never loved Christine in that way. but his Isabella was going to be here with him along with their son. he was going to have more children with her. while Raoul was trying to figure out why he would bet his own sister the one thing he loved most. Yes, he loved Christine, but she was different. She loved having him bet her off. even though he knew what she did with those people. that is why he never had sex with her ever again. He knew what she had, and he was not going to get that. and yes, he himself had done things for debts and that involved sucking dick and getting fucked in the ass. but he was not going to admit that to the phantom.

"we've a son… our bond secure." said erik

"Are you sure you sick bastard?" asked erik

"What do you mean?" asked Raoul

"Such a child…. strange to see… different…. musical…. Is he more you or me? which one do you find most.?" asked erik

"YOUR LIE!" yelled Raoul

Raoul cant believe what he was hearing. how could Isabella have sex with something like this. sure he was sick in the head for what he had done to her more than once. but he didn't want to believe what he was hearing. erik smirked he knew that the bastard the sick bastard needed to know. the man needed to know that Lucius his sweet little boy is not his. neither is Isabella. She is his sister not his wife. the sick man has a obsession with his own sister. szayel told him all about it. and it was going to end tonight. he was not going to let his Isabella be taken from him. and he was not letting this sick man have his way with her no longer.

"deal the cards, let them fall, choose your hand, try your best. he who wins. wins it all." said erik

"I'll call your bluff! the game is one! and we will see who wins out! once and for all wins it all…." said Raoul

"devil take the hindmost!" said Raoul and erik

" she wlaks…. you leave together, pockets full. debts paid. she sings. you leave alone." said erik

erik had Raoul in a stangle hold. as he pushed him away as if he was garbage. in which he is garbage to him. he knew his Isabella wouldn't be made over what he had done. even though he knew she knew he would be speaking her sick brother language. Raoul gripped his throat and was trying to gain breath. as he finally figured out what he had just done. how could he done this to his sweet Isabella. he just betted his only thing that he loved. hell with the kid. but he was not going to leave with out his Isabella. she is his sister and she was going to obey him. even though he knew he was going to regret thinking that way. as he stumbled off the pier towards the beach. as the first beachgoers of the day begins arriving on the sand.

meanwhile a few hours later

phantasma on stage as they started to ready for the show. that was when the trio of gangle, fleck and squelch went out to greet everyone. well dr gangle who happens to be the master of ceremonies. even though they were happy that Isabella was going to be performing tonight. they have been looking forward to this day. they were the first that the master had told them. no one else since the giry's are not trustworthy. that old woman has been lurking and pacing as if she was back with her plotting. but not the time to think about that. They have a crowd to please.

"Ladies and gentlemen… Mr Y is pleased to present to you his final surprise of the season!" announced squelch

"a command performance by Isabella laufeyson, the most heavenly diva of this or any age," announced dr gangle

" but first those of you who taste is a little more earthbound…." said fleck

"the sweetheart of the midway…." said squelch

" the oooh la la girl!" said gangle

"the incomparable…" said fleck

"meg giry!"

a gally painted vaudeville olio fly down. and stylized vaudeville version of the beach. bathing sited chorus girls run on stage and take their places. a flourish and meg is revealed. Meg was in her element not even thinking about Isabella. She was there to please the crowd. as she did her act and went back to her mother who was waiting for her. She was overly excited from her performance. Nothing could bring her down now. madam giry paces the floor. awaiting meg arrival.

"Mother did you watch? everything is solved! mother cant you tell, the new routine…. it went so well! I was worried, just a touch, that it might've been too much, just a bit, well rather free… but just listen to that crowd! Why they've never been so loud. screaming for me!" chirped meg

"meg" said madam giry

"and the master must have heard every note and every word…. mother tell me… did he see?" chirped meg

"meg, stop it," said madam giry

"Even he will now concede. I'm the only one he'll need…." said meg

Meg looked to her mother and saw her expression and wondered what was going on. Why was her mother looking that way for. its as if there was something wrong. Her mother was always so supportive of her. so, what was going on now. madam giry sighed and knew she needed to break the news to her poor daughter. There was not much she could do to comfort her. She was just going to do what she thought was best. and go and tell her straight out. the whole truth. even though she knew this was going to be the end of them with the master.

"mother what's wrong?" asked meg

" meg sweet fool, you did all you could. charming and bright… and yet still not enough…" said madam giry

"what do you mean?" asked meg

"how you danced! They're all entranced! yes, all but the one whose entrancement we sought." said madam giry

"He wasn't there?" asked meg

Meg was confused why was her mother acting like this. It's as if there was something going on that she never told her about. Yes, her mother knew more than she did. and knew more about the master than she did as well. but she didn't understand why her mother was saying the stuff she was saying. with such venom and such anger. She did what she was told by her mother to get rid of the vicomte and his sister and her son along with the two servants. so why was her mother saying what she was saying right now. didn't they leave.

"where, poor girl do you think he was? yes, that's right, in with her all along!" spat madam giry

"Isabella?" asked meg

"Dreaming of their son, their love we knew nothing of, too smitten to spare you one moment thought." spat madam giry

"But you said…." said meg

"All that you gave him, its all been a waste." spat madam giry

"Your wrong!" cried meg

madam giry knew she was going to far with her daughter sometimes she forgets her mental health issues. but she was too angry and to pissed off right now to even notice. she should not be pushing this far with her daughter. but right now, she needed everything to be out in the open. while Isabella was getting ready for her show. in which should have been her daughters. not that freak of nature. Yes, she knew what Isabella was. when she was showing erik her memories she saw it all. impressed but right now she was going to have to make sure meg knew that the master didn't want her. She was not the one he wanted. It seemed to be that way from the beginning.

"all you have done, it has all be erased…." said madam giry

"don't say that!" cried meg

"now he has them," said madam giry

madam giry finished what she had to say to her daughter. and now she must go back and do what she needed to do. they still needed to earn a living to survive in the world. not even realizing what she had just done. driving the final nail in her daughter coffin with her words. her anger, meg screamed out of anger and flings herself into the chair at her dressing table. while she weeped in despair from all what her mother had told her. how could it all end this way. even though it didn't really end in the first place since it never started. it was all inside of her head. and her mother nurtured those thoughts. and that was something that she was dealing with right now,

meanwhile a litte while later

bella smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror as she liked how her face and hair looked. and she too sits at her dressing table to finish preparing to get ready for her grand performance. Lucius was standing at her side fascinated by her dressing routine, something she always done. nothing has ever changed from how she always prepared herself. something that has been done since the first silver kingdom. nothing has changed with her routine. she had a nice long talk with szayel and Lucius, he felt bad for what he had done. he explained that he was only shocked and that is something she understood greatly. but for now she needed to finish putting one last puff of powder on her face.

"Lucius, could you hand me those earrings? the diamond ones on the left…." said bella

Lucius smiled brightly and did what his mother had asked of him. He passed her the earings. as she put them on. The finishing touches seemed to be perfect in her books. Minako and Alice would be proud of her for how she looked right now. oh, how she missed them all. but soon enough she was going to be seeing them. Well, that was something that she wished. but she was not sure if that was going to be the case. she forgave erik and she knew what she wanted. for her and her son. Trista agrees with her along with szayel. This is where they belonged with him. He is her king and she wanted to be with him. She missed him so much all those years. she didn't know Raoul walked in. he was watching them.

"There how do I look?" asked bella

"You look so beautiful! so very beautiful! like the queen that you are mother.!" chirped Lucius

"You, too are beautiful! so very beautiful! once this performance is through, we'll spend some time just us two, wont that be fun." said bella

"Uncle! doesn't mother look lovely tonight?" asked Lucius

"Indeed, she does. my darling sister always looked lovely as she looked the very first time I saw her in our family estate," said Raoul

"And look at you Raoul, you look like that pain in my ass that watched over me while I healed from my wounds. always left me a single red rose." said bella

bella shivered she loved Raoul as a brother, but there was things she cant forgive him for and that is saying something. He has always been a bit weird from the very beginning. but she was not going to say anything about that. While Raoul shivered, he remembered the wounds and she was still as beautiful as the moon angel that she is. even though she is his sister he wanted her for himself. but he knew she would never go for that. So, he never tried and went to Christine who was his childhood friend, and love as well. Raoul asked Lucius to leave and that was something he did. She didn't even notice him asking.

"since my wedding night after what I have done to you. things have gone…. astray." said Raoul

"Brother dear…" said bella

"The demands I've made, all the hopes mislaid…. I'm aware of the price they've exacted… thought I've no right to ask you to, there's one more I'd have you to do, if you love me as a brother and I love you." said Raoul

"anything." said bella

"don't sing the song Isabella." said Raoul

bella narrowed her eyes at what he was asking of her. This was something that she was not expecting. and she was not going to listen. but she would hear him out. This is the reason why she wanted to remain here. it was something that she wanted. She felt at peace there. and with erik of course. but she would see what else Raoul was going to say. she would hear him out. and she had a feeling that he wanted to leave and go home. but either way she was not going to leave. He was going to be leaving by himself either way. and she was hoping he would understand that. even though she had this sick feeling something bad was going to happen tonight.

"but Raoul…" said bella

" you have to know something terribly wrong sister," said Raoul

"but I have to do this… listen please… I need to do this." said bella

"you need so much, its true….. and I've denied you. You need the brother you knew back here beside you. You'll have him back I vow! just ask it of me! but we must leave here now, if you still love me…" said raoul

"Do you mean it Raoul? truly you will stop being a creepy pervert?" asked bella

"I've booked a passage for five to Cherbourg on the Atlantic queen, it leaves in a hour, we'll have enough time. I beg you…. let's be on it. for all our sakes…. and the child. leave this place behind." said Raoul

Raoul hugged bella who wanted to punch him right now. She was not going to be on that ship. she was not going to go back with him. Raoul smiled and left to go to wait for the show to see what she chose. bella glared at the spot where she once stood. and wanting to burn it to the ground. that was when erik materialized from the shadows behind her. he placed his hands on her throat sensually. and bella freezed ins pleasure. He is placing a jeweled necklace on her. bella gasped at what she saw. The necklace was beautiful. very beautiful. It shined like her silver crystal.

"He knows his love is not enough… he knows he isn't what you need. He knows you're made of finer stuff I think that we're all agreed. it's time to leave him in the dust, it's time to be who you should be, it's time to do as you must and set the music free….! in moments, mere moments, drums will roll. There you will stand just like before. The crowd will hush, and then in one sweet rush, I will hear you sing once more! and music, our music will swell and then unwind! like two strands of melody at last entwined! fulfill us! complete us! make us whole! seal our bond forever more! tonight for me, embrace your destiny! let me hear you sing once more!" said erik

erik disappears in the shadow. leaving bella shaken with pleasure. oh god she wanted that man, and she was about to take him to if he didn't leave. the stage manager came to tell her that it was time. but her thoughts were somewhere else. but she made her choice. and she was going to with it. as if in a trance bella steps out onto the stage. the curtain is drawn, bur she could feel the electric presence of the audience on the other side. stagehands are busy around her. but she is oblivious to them. the orchestra is tuning. she is ready for her fate with erik, it was all she ever wanted. and she was not going to lose him ever again.

to be contined