Sorry it's been a month since the first chapter. I have been busy and lost track of time. Please enjoy and don't forget to leave me a review. I will try to update more often than once a month.
When I awoke, I gasped for breath, finding that I was back in the bedroom of the Phantom's home. Perhaps everything that had taken place was a dream and nothing more. I sat up and rubbed my head, attempting to stand and head towards the family room. As soon as I pulled open the bedroom door, I was met with the sound of angry music. I tiptoed to where the sound was coming from, finding the Phantom sitting at his piano attempting to play with both of his hands, but was failing miserably. He groaned in pain each time he attempted to strike a key with his injured hand, sometimes stopping all together to grasp his shoulder. For at least ten minutes I stood behind him, watching as he struggled, eventually pounding the keys in frustration and stopping all together. That's when I decided to make my presence known.
"Maestro." I spoke so softy, my voice startling him.
"Christine?" he spun around to face me, his right hand still caressing his left arm. "You shouldn't be up. You need rest."
"I'm all right." I assured.
When I spoke, my voice was still hoarse and achy. I had trusted Carlotta and she had poisoned my voice. I was such a fool to believe that a monster such as her could ever be kind.
"No, you're not."
The Phantom reached for a black fabric sling that was sitting on top of the piano and placed it over his head before resting his arm into it. He rushed into the kitchen where a kettle was steaming on his stove. He worked quickly at making me up a drink and bringing it back out to where I was still standing.
"Sit down." he instructed in a caring tone of voice. "Please."
I took a seat in his black armchair, and he handed me the steaming teacup.
"Drink this, it will help restore your voice."
I was about to speak, when he stopped me."Save your strength, Christine."
The drink tasted like flowers and was soothing as I swallowed each drop. When I was finished, the Phantom reached out to take the cup from me.
"Try to remember what happened, Christine."
"Maestro..."
"Erik." he corrected. "Please, call me Erik."
It was strange putting a name to the man that I had thought to be nothing more than an angel all these years, but I nodded and tasted it on my lips.
"Erik..."
Erik closed his eyes and softly sighed, as though he had just heard the most beautiful sound in the entire world.
"Tell me what happened, Christine."
I wove Erik the tale of what had taken place with Carlotta in my dressing room. The more and more I told, the more I could see Erik's right hand angrily gripping the arm of the chair he was seated in.
"It's all my fault."
"No!" he cried. "You didn't know. Monsters like Carlotta have a way of disguising themselves to be angels. What she did is unforgivable, and her actions will not go unpunished."
"I should return to the opera house."
I tried to stand, when Erik gently pushed me back into my chair.
"No, Christine. You need your rest, and you need to restore your voice. I already sent a letter to the company stating that you are under my wing and shall return when I see fit."
"So, I am your prisoner?" I questioned.Erik pressed his eyes closed at my very accusation.
"No, Christine, never."
There was a moment of silence and then Erik changed the subject.
"You brought me breakfast and made me tea yesterday."It was not a question; it was an accusation. I nodded, afraid of what he was going to say next.
"Why?"
"I wanted to check on you." I replied. "I wanted to make sure that you were all right."
"That was..." Erik paused as if trying to find the right words to say. "A kindness. Thank you, Christine."
There wasn't much to keep myself occupied in Erik's home. Eventually, Erik found himself back at his piano and spent the reminder of the day writing music scores. I decided to make us dinner and watched from the kitchen as he used his right hand to write while his left remained in his sling. Watching him made me wonder if he always wrote with his right hand or if he had just taught himself due to his recent injury. Erik didn't have much in the way of food in his kitchen, but I was able to find some potatoes and carrots to make a stew. When our meal was ready, I placed it down on the small kitchen table and approached Erik, who was still seated at his piano.
"Erik?"
The man barely looked up from his work as I spoke to him.
"I made us dinner and it's on the table."
He paused from writing, his mismatched eyes gazing over his shoulder at me.
"That was very kind of you, Christine, but I'm not hungry."
"Nonsense," I said. "You haven't eaten all day."
Now that I thought about it, the muffin I brought him the other morning was probably the last time he had eaten.
"You are more than welcome to go eat dinner without me, Christine."
I was starting to get angry, for the polite thing to do was join me for dinner.
"You are being rude and ungrateful, Erik."
Faster than lightning, Erik shot to his feet, his height overpowering my own.
"Ungrateful, Christine?!" he angrily snapped. "I am saving you from losing your appetite, my dear."
"Why...Why would I lose my appetite?" I stammered.
"And how does one eat while wearing a mask, Christine?" he snarled. "They don't! For me to eat, I need to remove my mask and I refuse to do so in front of you."
Erik was going to starve himself if only to save me the horror of seeing his face. No, I couldn't allow him to do this. Yes, his face frightened me, but it wasn't something that I couldn't eventually get used to. Knowing that he wasn't going to join me for dinner, I went into the kitchen and brought his plate out to his piano. Though, before I could even place it down beside him, Erik flung his arm up in anger, causing the plate of food to spill all over my dress, and for the plate to shatter on the floor in a million pieces.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I do not want to join you for dinner!"
My eyes filled with tears, and I began to cry. He was such a monster at times, so much so, that I didn't even want to be around him.
"You are a monster!" I cried. "And it's not because of your face."
I hurried down the hall and slammed the door to the bedroom closed. After changing out of my soiled dress, I found a nightgown in the wardrobe and slipped it on before sobbing into my knees.
"Christine?"
A little while later, I heard a knock at the door, followed by the sound of Erik's voice softly calling my name. I didn't want to answer him, for I was still mad at how he had acted earlier.
"Christine, please answer me."
Finally, I took a deep breath and answered Erik.
"Come in."
The door opened and Erik walked in carrying a cup of tea. He placed it down on the night table and stood before me as I sat on the bed.
"Christine, I want to apologize for the way I acted earlier."
"All I wanted to do was make us dinner."
"I can be a terrible tyrant at times, Christine." Erik said. "I've never had company before, and it's something I may never get used to. I am sorry and I will do anything to make it up to you."
"Anything?" I questioned.Erik nodded.
"Anything, Christine."
"Remove your mask."
Erik's eyes widened in horror. "Anything but that."
"Erik, please..."
"I should go." he stammered as he attempted to hurry to the door, but I grabbed his arm.
"Angel, please," I begged. "I want to see your face."
"You've seen it once before, and we know how that ended." he cried. "I cannot bear the same heartache again, Christine. I am happy with what we have, and I will never ask for more."
"But I will." I replied. "I want us to be able to sit down and enjoy a meal together. You said it yourself that you can't eat with your mask on. Please, Erik, I want to see your face."
"You will regret it." he assured. "And I will never be able to live with myself."
"I will not change my mind."
There was a pause, and then Erik turned around so that his back was facing me. I saw his right hand reach up and unhook the leather strap with trembling fingers. He stopped himself several times before I saw him release it. His whole body was trembling now as he stood there, too terrified to turn around.
"Please, Christine," he begged. "Reconsider."
But I couldn't, for I knew I would never be able to continue staying with him if we couldn't even do normal things with one another, such as eating a meal. I slowly rose from the bed and stood behind him, my hands placing themselves on his shoulders to turn him around. Not only had he removed his mask, but he had removed his dark wig as well. Standing before me was a man with little hair and a face that was covered in scars and sores. His flesh was twisted, raw, and covered in exposed purple veins and blue arteries. There was even a small section of his head where his skull was exposed and covered in the same canvas of veins. Oh, his face looked so painful and tender, even his lips looked painful to the touch. His mismatched eyes were pressed closed so that they couldn't see my shocked expression.
"Are you satisfied?" his cold voice uttered.
When I didn't answer, his hand fumbled with his mask, and he placed it back over his face.
"I knew what your reaction would be," he continued, his eyes still pressed shut. "And I was a fool to think it would have been any different."
My bottom lip trembled, and I was too afraid to say anything else. Erik approached the door, taking a deep breath before opening it to take his leave.
"Tomorrow," he said. "You can return to the stage. I will not hold you here a moment longer than you have to be. You have a performance that will be expecting you."
"Maestro…"
I was still looking for the right words to say to him, but he wouldn't listen. He held up his hand to stop me from speaking, a look of agony spreading across his face.
"I would appreciate it if you never asked me to remove my mask in front of you again."
"Maestro, please," I begged, rushing towards him."Do not ask me again." his cold voice replied.
Before I would even make my way to him, the door was slammed in my face. I knew I had broken his already fragile heart. The following morning, I expected for Erik to wake me and lead me back above ground, but when I emerged from my room and found nothing but a handwritten note, I knew that he was still upset with me.
"Christine,I do apologize, but I will not be able to take you back to the world above. Be careful and take the stairs. Your angel of music will be watching you from the wings this evening.O.G."
I sighed and placed the note down before taking my leave to the world above. I had only been back in the opera house a few moments, when Raoul passed me. He gasped when he spotted me and quickly embraced me.
"Lotte! I have been so worried about you!"
"I'm fine, Raoul." I assured."What did that monster do to you?"
I shook my head. "Nothing, Raoul."
I tried to break away from him, but his grasp was still tight.
"I have to get ready for today's rehearsal."
"That is what I have come to speak to you about, Christine." he replied. "Come, we have much to discuss."
I was confused about what Raoul was talking about, but followed him to the manager's office. It was there, that I was sat down and surrounded by the horror story that began to ensue, one that was about the night's performance and the destruction of my precious angel of music.
"His weakness is Christine." Raoul said. "If anything were to happen to her, he would come running. Look at what he did last night!"
The managers nodded as I continued to sit there completely terrified about what was to take place later this evening.
"We take the lead role from Christine and place her in another." Raoul continued. "When he appears, and we know he will…"
"What are you saying?" I finally cried.
Raoul became silent and just faked a smile at me.
"Christine, this has to be taken care of." Raoul said, taking my shoulders into is hands. "He has been terrorizing this theatre for way too long. Last night, he kidnapped you off stage; what's next?"
I pressed my eyes closed and shook my head of the thought."Christine, please agree to help us end this."
What was I to do? Was I to tell Raoul to let things be? No, I couldn't tell Raoul the truth, that truth being that the Phantom and I had become close friends. What would anyone think if they knew what he and I were. I could only give a small nod, and that was as good an answer as any. I never thought in a million years that their plan would work, for Erik was always a step ahead of them.
"You are coming to Christmas dinner in a few days, are you not?" Raoul questioned as we left the manager's office.
"Christmas?" I questioned.
Raoul chuckled. "Yes, Christine. I invited you a few weeks ago, but you never gave me an answer."
I faked a smile. "Of course, Raoul."
"Wonderful."
Raoul was walking away, when I called for him one last time.
"Raoul?"
He spun around, a huge smile spreading across his face.
"Promise me that no one will get hurt tonight."
"Cross my heart, Christine."
I trusted Raoul with my life and took his word; little did I know that his promise had been nothing more than a lie. Carlotta was given the lead role, and I was given hers, which was completely silent. With a sold-out auditorium, the woman sang her heart out, the retched sound echoing off the walls and down to the cellars below the opera house. My eyes scanned the entire auditorium as I stood in the background, searching for any sign of him. In my heart, I could sense that Erik was already here, and I feared for what was about to play out within these walls. The performance went on as normal until it was my turn to stand beside Carlotta and dance as she continued to sing. That's when everything suddenly changed. From out of nowhere, an angry voice echoed through the auditorium.
"How dare you defy me!" the voice roared. "Did you not heed my warning!"
The music and Carlotta came to an abrupt halt.
"He's here!" I said, my body trembling with fear.
Carlotta gave me the cruelest gaze before shoving me to the ground.
"Your part is silent!"
From the rafters, Erik suddenly appeared. He slid down using one of the ropes and landed on stage, causing the people in the audience to scream. The mere sight of Erik frightened Carlotta, for she screamed and went running, but he stepped on the end of her dress, causing the large woman to trip and fall to the stage floor.
Going somewhere, Madame?" Erik sarcastically growled. "We have much to discuss about what has taken place last night!"
Carlotta went running for her life as well as most of the actors on stage. I just stood there, too terrified to move.
"Christine, what's wrong?" Erik stood in front of me, his back facing the audience. His hands gently took hold of my shoulders and I looked up at his masked face with horrified eyes.
"Christine…"
Suddenly, my worst nightmare came true. Erik was attempting to speak with me once more, when a loud gunshot rang out. The ear-piercing sound instantly stunned me, and Erik's face became one that was stricken with agony.
"Erik?" I muttered his name, his grip on my shoulders becoming light.
"It's…It's all right, Christine." Erik softly replied. "It's…"
Before Erik could finish, another gunshot rang out, and his knees began to quake. It had been a lie! Raoul promised me that no one was going to get hurt, when in reality, the plan had been to kill the Phantom of the Opera.
