So, now Erik is getting very brave. I think this is one of the bravest things he has done and will ever do. And what's more, he has a surprise in store for his wife. I hope it will work out and please everyone. And I hope you all will like this chapter. I hope you all enjoy reading it.

Greetings Petit Erik

Erik POV

When Christine's aria was finished, we jumped up and broke into thunderous applause. She bowed and looked at everyone, beaming. She looked up at us and gave Raoul a radiant smile. He turned fiery red. I grinned and patted him on the shoulder.

"I'll be right back, angel. I just have to go somewhere for a minute, okay?", I said to my wife.

She nodded, smiled and kissed me. I returned her kiss fervently and then walked out of the box. With trembling knees, I made my way to the stage. But before that, something had to happen. I let my voice do the talking.

"Did I not instruct that Box 5 must to be kept empty?", echoed everywhere.

I heard many of the guests gasp. My former phantom laugh echoed. Then I went on stage. Before I did, Nadir handed me the microphone.

"You'll do fine," he said, patting me brotherly on the shoulder.

I nodded, smiled nervously, and walked to the stage.

"I hope I didn't scare you too much," I said.

"Absolutely not, maestro," Christine told me.

I smiled and came up from the back of the stage. Courageously, I continued to speak.

"You may have noticed that this is not our actual prima donna. Unfortunately, she has fallen ill and we have had to find a replacement so that we can present this opera to you. That's why I'd like to have another especially strong round of applause for this wonderful understudy," I said as the opera erupted into rapturous applause.

I beamed and Christine blushed.

"Thank you very much, my manager," she said.

Now everyone was really looking at me.

"Well, I didn't expect my position here to become known so quickly but apparently it's out now. Unfortunately, my best friend who welcomed you all here doesn't know so much about art, so I had to take over. But all this would never have been possible without my wonderful family," I said, pointing to Box 5 where my family was sitting.

The opera erupted into thunderous applause. I beamed and saw Lou waving at me.

When the applause had died down, I suddenly heard someone call out to me.

"Love you, Dada!", Phia called loudly to me and waved.

Everyone started laughing and I laughed too.

"I love you too, little one," I replied and waved to her.

"We love you too, Daddy!" the other kids shouted.

Everyone and I laughed again.

"I love you too, angels."

They all waved at me and didn't stop until I waved back.

"And for you, Mademoiselle, I have another surprise. Vicomte, would you please come over here?", I called out to Raoul and saw his eyes widen.

He nodded and walked out of the box. Then he came up on the stage and to me and Christine.

"This young man here has something very important to say to his girlfriend," I grinned and patted Raoul on the shoulder.

He smiled nervously at me and I could feel him trembling slightly. I stood at the side of the stage, Nadir came to me, took the microphone from me and put one on me, which I luckily didn't have to hold.

"Is that ready for Louise too?", I whispered to him.

He nodded and wired the microphone to me. At that moment, Raoul got down on one knee in front of Christine and I saw her start to cry.

"My dearest Christine, will you marry me?"

She looked at him and started nodding.

"Yes! Yes, of course!" she cried and fell around his arms.

He laughed and kissed her as he put the ring on her finger. The opera erupted in applause and whistles. Many stood up and gave standing ovations. I came back on stage from the side and hugged them both.

"I must confess that I knew something about this but I had to be silent as the grave. But I still have something to do. And that is with someone I love more than anything. My wonderful wife. Louise, will you please come to me?"

I heard many whistles as my wife got up and came to me with the children. The two little ones ran up and clung to my leg.

"Awww!" many exclaimed.

The children looked at me and beamed at me. I stroked their heads. Then I looked to my Lou. I held out my hand to her and she came to me.

"Oh, she is beautiful," many breathed and looked at my wonderful wife.

"This angel on earth is the woman I have been privileged to call my own for almost 5 years. And I would never want to give her away. That is why I have a surprise for her. And for that, I would ask her to go to my colleague and get a microphone. And we will prepare her for something. In five minutes, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to start."

Everyone applauded and I disappeared backstage with the children.

I saw that Lou had brought my mask and wig. I took them from her and put them on.

"You were so brave, angel. I'm so proud of you," she said and kissed me.

"Thank you, dear. I have to say I'm proud of myself too. Are you ready, dear?"

"For what?"

"Your surprise," I grinned.

Then I knelt down in front of my children.

"Will you guys please stay with Nadir? You're welcome to watch us but please stay with Nadir, okay?"

They nodded seriously and I hugged them all.

"I'm ready, honey," Lou said, and I turned to her.

"Then let's go, dear," I replied.

I went backstage with her, put on my former cape and fedora, grabbed a lantern and went to my wife.

"Erik," she gasped, looking at me.

I grinned and kissed her hand.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

The music started and I heard many jeering while we were at our post. I took her hand and slowly led her forward and my wife started singing.

„In sleep he sang to me

In dreams he came

That voice which calls to me

And speaks my name

And do I dream again?

For now, I find

The Phantom of the Opera is there

Inside my mind"

Many started hooting and whistling. I smirked and led my wife on. At the same time I began to sing myself.

„Sing once again with me

Our strange duet

My power over you

Grows stronger yet

And though you turn from me

To glance behind

The Phantom of the Opera is there

Inside your mind"

Many started applauding and whistling loudly. I looked at Nadir and saw my two big children clapping their little hands as well. I was so proud of my little angels. Then Lou continued to sing.

„Those who have seen your face

Draw back in fear

I am the mask you wear"

I continued to sing.

„It's me they hear"

The two of us sang together and I saw many of the guests singing along. Some of the ladies had tears in their eyes and I saw them dabbing them away with their handkerchiefs.

„Your (my) spirit and my (your) voice

In one combined

The Phantom of the Opera is here

Inside my (your) mind

(he's there, the Phantom of the Opera)

He's there, the Phantom of the Opera"

I led my wife backstage where the boat was waiting. She sat down and looked at me with an amorous look. I smiled and slowly led it forward. At the same time I continued to sing.

"In all your fantasies

You always knew

That man and mystery"

Lou kept singing and it sounded really wonderful.

"Were both in you"

When we sang together, it felt like everyone else was singing along with us. It was wonderful to hear it.

"And in this labyrinth

Where night is blind

The Phantom of the Opera is there

Inside my (your) mind

He's there, the Phantom of the Opera"

And then Louise did what I would never have thought possible. She actually sang a perfect E6. I was almost in tears with joy. In the end, I pushed her to the top.

"Sing for me!"

Her voice rose to the heavens and it sounded wonderful. When we finished, everyone broke into thunderous applause. Lou and I bowed to everyone and I kissed her hands. She smiled and stroked mine with her thumbs. Then I moved away from her a bit and started singing the music of the night. As I began to sing, everyone hooted and clapped loudly. Slowly and contemplatively, I sang the song to my beautiful wife. I saw that she had tears in her eyes. At the end, I took her hand in mine and when I finished, she stood in front of me beaming happily, tore off my mask and wig and kissed me stormily. Everyone stood up, burst into applause and cheered for us. We both bowed and I held my arms out to my children. They immediately came running onto the stage, and we took them by the hands and bowed with them.

"Nadir, come here!", I called loudly to him because he was still hiding at the edge of the stage.

He sighed with a smile, rolled his eyes and came on stage with me.

"This man is in charge of all business, because unfortunately he doesn't know as much about art as I do," I grinned at him.

"How exceedingly kind of you, old friend," he laughed.

Everyone else laughed as well and I chuckled.

"No, seriously. He is a very dear friend to me, who not only has a wonderful sense of humor, but also saved my life at the time. And because of that, I'm honored to be standing here, alive, and to have this wonderful family. And for that I am grateful beyond measure."

I hugged my wife and my best friend. At the end, we all took another bow to thunderous applause and walked off the stage.

"Oh, Erik, angel, you were wonderful. I'm so unspeakably proud of you ", Lou squealed and kissed me stormily.

I giggled, hugged her to me and returned her kiss.

"And now?" she asked.

"Now we go to the reception, of course. But first we have to do something," I said, pointing at the children.

They all looked very tired and could barely keep their eyes open.

"Come along, angel. We have a suitable room for them."

I lifted my little daughter in my arms and Lou lifted Basti. Then we walked together to the room I had in mind. It was a large, comfortable room with four beds for everyone. I would have personally set the room up that way because I could imagine something like tonight happening one day. We undressed the kids while Jere and Josy did it alone. Then they all went to bed and curled up.

"Good night, Papa. Good night, Mama," Josy and Jere whispered, while the two little ones had already fallen asleep.

"Good night, my angels," I breathed and kissed them both on the cheek.

Louise did likewise and together we walked out of the room. When we arrived in the large reception hall, the entire cast and orchestra immediately approached us.

"Oh, Erik, you were wonderful. Really. I never thought you could sing like that," Marius, the conductor, said to me.

"Thank you, Marius. I really realized how much I missed singing. It was really liberating," I gushed.

At that moment, many of the guests approached me and Lou to talk to us. I noticed myself starting to shake. Lou squeezed my hand reassuringly and smiled at me. I returned her smile a little wryly. But my fear was unfounded. People were talking to me as if I were normal and not deformed. It was a wonderful feeling. We received a lot of praise and admiration for our performance. Some people also thought they were looking at the Phantom himself because of my voice. Oh, if they all only knew...