Music of the Night: The Phantom of the Opera Returns (Guile & Melody)

[Saiyan Princess]

Satisfied that her Pere wasn't leaving her forever, Lilly allowed Catherine to take her in her arms and hold her. "Alistair, come along, dear." She rounded on her brother to speak to him. Alistair was in somewhat of a daze. "What? Oh, yeah..." he followed her while waving to his father. This was all so new to the children that it was still difficult to take in. "Goodbye!"

 

[Guile]

Erik waved at his son with a sympathetic smile on his lips. He felt horrible that his children had to learn such news at a young age, but what could he do? He was only telling them the truth that they deserved to know. Or did they? Would it have been better for them, in the long run, if they never knew? He didn't know the answer to that question. "Goodbye!...my darlings." He let his voice trail off and watched them disappear down the hall before he turned and went home, his head reeling with thoughts.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Alistair, being a boy, was embarrassed of his father calling him "darling", but shrugged it off as Eric's way of saying that he loved them. "How will we explain this to Mother, Sister?" He asked Catherine. Sighing, the woman thought for a moment. "We will just have to tell the truth." Twenty minutes later, they were home and Raoul and Christine were spending time together in their room. Catherine was grateful that they had not been noticed and at once, she went back to her knitting.

 

[Guile]

Back down beneath the Opera, Erik's mind whirled. He wondered if the children would say anything to their mother and Raoul. The thought frightened him, but he didn't know why. Perhaps you are afraid that Christine will hate you for telling your children the truth. He thought to himself. He looked around at the pitch black room - save for a few candles that he still lit - and sighed. His heart lightened. Maybe this won't be so bad after all. He considered what could happen if they told the truth, hoping for the best outcome but fearing the worst. Then, he started to light more candles, slowly, one by one - each new flame setting a new perspective on his home again, a brightness that caused hope to flicker inside of his heart. The sight of the room and the feeling in his heart were two things he had not experienced for seven years.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

When, at long last, the De Chagney parents came around for supper, the twins were excited about telling them what they had discovered. "Mama, you won't believe what happened to us today!" Alistair exclaimed, catching his parents off guard. "And, what must that be?" Christine fixed his hair for him. "Mama, stop. I'm not a baby anymore!" He put it back to its original position and continued, or at least, tried to before his sister cut in. "We saw the Phantom of the Opera today!" Christine gasped, frightened. "And, what did he say? Did he hurt you?" Raoul questioned. "Nuh uh, he said that he was our father." The child waited.for the explosion.

 

[Guile]

Erik sat in his home, now entirely lit as it had been the day before Christine left seven years ago, and his heart quickened. He knew that the De Chagney's must know by now and he wondered what would happen to the children, or what Christine and Raoul would say to them. He began to get a headache from all the thinking and stress. I can't take much more of this... He thought to himself before sitting down to play his organ to relieve some stress. God help them... He thought about his children as he played on, letting the music surround his thoughts and take them to a distant place in the back of his mind.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine stood, having barely touched her food. Raoul knew what she was thinking and it hurt him much less than was expected. "I know you must go to him, or he may go back to killing for you again." He was done fighting a losing battle with Erik. Christine would just keep hurting unless she was with her teacher again. "If he makes you happy and you continue to sing, then I will gladly accept this." Wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace, he kissed her forehead. "I will gladly come to hear you sing and be happy. You are his student and his lover, I understand." He relinquished her again and she escaped. She would continue in the theater, like she did as a young one. He would have to come to her during these times.

 

[Guile]

Erik played his music for a good hour or so without stopping. It allowed him to escape his thoughts - which were tearing him apart the last several years. It also allowed him to escape his reality - which, the longer he stayed down in this pit of despair alone, he realized was an extremely lonely one not worth living. However, when he finally stopped his playing - tired of pretending the world around him wasn't moving on without him - the last thing he expected to see when he looked up was Christine.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She smiled at him. "Erik, you told them the truth." It wasn't a question. "I cannot hide anything from anyone, I believe." She got close enough for him to grab her if he wanted. She would allow him to make the first move, as was polite in her mind. "I cannot hide my feelings for you from you any longer. I cannot hide them from myself or Raoul or the children or anyone." Christine stood there, waiting for his first move like a game of chess. "I am choosing to continue here. If we continue remains to be seen." She held his shoulder.

 

[Guile]

Erik stood in silence, wondering why she came back and thankful that she had. He was stunned and his heart ached, once again, for the only woman he had loved all his life. For a brief moment, he was hurt by her presence. He wanted to ask her why she left him for the second time so many years ago. He wanted to ask her why, if she loved him, did she cause him so much pain. But, he knew she had never meant to hurt him and that thought kept all of his thoughts, that could have been harsh, inside of him. What little feeling of anger he had in him melted away at her confessions and all he felt anymore for her was love. He wanted to speak - tell her he loved her, always had and always would - but the words would not come. As she got closer Erik stepped closer to her - just two steps and they were face to face. He brushed her hair lightly away from her face and placed his hand on her cheek. He smiled at her, and in that smile were his own confessions of love that he had placed there for her to read easily. He placed his lips on hers and kissed her, at the same time, both as softly and as passionately as he had ever done before. He wrapped his arms around her and the warm feeling of her body against his made all the worries of reality shed from his mind. All he could think about was her.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She gasped every single time he retracted his luscious lips. It was intoxicating, the way he knew exactly where she wanted his hands and lips. "I don't want you to worry anymore." She had her hands on his shoulder blades. "I cannot leave you even if I wanted to. I've gone too far in and I'm too invested into you, as you are to me." She paused to kiss him again. "I've been with you since I was eight years old. Even then, even when you refused to show me your physical form, I longed for these lips." She wanted desperately to go back to those good times.

 

[Guile]

Erik held her close to his body, thanking God that she had come back to him. He only felt pain anymore when she was gone - he could be forever happy as long as she were near him. When she held him like this it was bliss. "When you left, I felt like a part of my soul had ripped in two and left," he confessed, "now that you've come back...I feel whole again. I feel invincible." He whispered in her ear. Her confessions made his heart beat abnormally fast, yet at the same time, he had never felt more at ease. "I will always be here for you, Christine. I couldn't leave this place until you came back, if you ever did, because this was the only place I knew you might look for me. If you wouldn't have come back I would have died here waiting for you." He didn't want to hurt her, he only told her this so that she could know how deep his devotion to her was. "I wish there was a word I could use that was stronger than love, but my mind seems to have drawn a blank. I just want you to know I love you Christine - more than life itself. And that is no exaggeration."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Hush, Erik. That feeling is gone now." She prayed that her words were true. "I will always come back to you. You've given me everything I've ever craved." She knew how hopelessly in love she was to him. "I won't do this ever again." Above, yet more commotion was heard. "Why is he still tormenting us! He has Daae now and forever!" These words filled Christine's ears. "You are still trying to convince them to allow me to sing instead of being a chorus girl."

 

[Guile]

Erik looked into her eyes and smiled at her. He was lost in her beauty and her kindness - the same way he had always been. He was only brought out of his trance when he heard the commotion above. He smiled guiltily. "Yes." He confessed. "It's where you deserve to be." He insisted. "However, I promise I've not hurt anyone. Just...caused a little trouble." He added with a little laugh.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"They will never allow it after your daughter's little accident." She smiled as she called Catherine his instead of theirs. "I will have to start at the bottom again." Laying her head back where it was destined to be, under his chin, "However, what exactly did you do?"

 

[Guile]

He let her rest his head on his chest and he smiled at the feeling. "It's funny how when she's done something wrong she becomes 'my' daughter." He joked, hoping to cheer her up. "It'll be alright." He reassured her. "And all I did was, well...you'll think it's childish. But, I suppose I can be sometimes." He chuckled. "I left them a few notes trying to persuade them and, when they repeatedly refused...I may or may not have...frightened off one of their lead performers." He confessed guiltily. "However, I plan to write them a new note - in light of the new circumstances - and kindly ask them to accept you back and assure them that if they do they will not hear another word from the dreaded opera ghost."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine laughed too. "Like father, like daughter. That is all I can say on that subject." She thought about everything else Erik had said. "That's wrong, my dearest." She gently shoved him away. "I do not want the spot if it was given to me by force." Moving away from him, she wanted the old times back. "What am I going to do with you?" She smiled to herself. "I mean, just because you gave me all that I have, doesn't mean you own me and can run my life." She said softly, not to offend the Phantom.

 

[Guile]

Erik was taken aback by her actions. He didn't understand - he thought that she wanted this, to be a singer again. "I'm sorry Christine..." He whispered, daring to take a few steps closer to her, though she was turned away from him. "I'm not trying to run your life. I'm sorry if it comes across that way." He placed a hand on her shoulder and ran it up and down her back soothingly. He hated to see her upset at him. "What can I do?" He asked her softly. "I want you to be a singer, but I also want you to be happy. If you want me to stop persisting that they let you back - if that's what would make you happy - then I will." He couldn't believe that he was saying this, that he actually meant it. "I'll do anything for you."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

His hand position was soothing to Christine. Her smile was very minimal, but it was there. "I know you'll do anything for me." She sighed. "And I would do even more than I can for you, my love." She felt the pressure on her back that was the Phantom's hand. She felt a lot better when she could zone in on this and nothing else, such as her children's petty arguments. "I don't mind what ever you do, as long as it doesn't involve taking someone's life who doesn't deserve it." She fell back into him and passed out.

 

[Guile]

Erik caught Christine before she could hit the ground. He picked her up in his arms, carried her over to the bed, and laid her down on it gently. He spoke to her, trying to get her to wake up, but he got no reply. "Christine?" He asked and placed his hand on her cheek, but there was still no response. He did the only thing he could think to do - he wet a rag and placed it on her forehead before running it down the side of her face. He hoped the coolness of the water would wake her, but he wasn't sure. He was concerned for he didn't know why she had passed out so suddenly. He prayed that nothing was wrong with her health. Perhaps she is just strained from the events of the night... He reasoned with himself.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

As the water dripped onto her face and into her hair, Christine woke. "I am sorry." She held up her hand, weakly. "I didn't mean to frighten you, Erik." Christine smiled as she said this and finally took his hand. "My dear, you are pale." She pointed out. "Perhaps you should rest yourself." She moved over for him.

 

[Guile]

Erik took her hand in his and smiled down at her, thankful she had woken. With his other hand he caressed her cheek. "It's alright, my dear." he did as she asked and crawled in beside her. It was strange to him - this feeling of nervousness that he got. He had been beside her before, had children with her, and yet he still felt as though he were wrong to lay beside her. Nevertheless he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the forehead. "I must ask, what was it that made you faint? I hope not anything I said." He said worriedly.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She cuddled up to him in a childish manner, laying her head on his chest. "No. I am just weak, especially around you." She turned her chin up to him. "Your touch is what caused this moment of weakness." She kissed his cheek. "Why is there guilt and fear in your eyes?" She squeezed him gently. "We are meant to be together if we have this wonderful family." With one hand on his chest and the other flat under the left side of her head, she smiled as she responded.

 

[Guile]

Erik's heart pounded - he knew what she had meant by his touch causing a moment of weakness because he felt it every time she touched him as well. "Well, I suppose I'll have to stop touching you then." He joked with a grin on his face. "I don't want you fainting all the time." He laughed softly and kissed her once on the lips softly before answering her question. "I suppose, even after all we've been through, for some reason I feel that I don't belong here with you." He hoped she could understand his feelings. "I want more than anything to be a family with you and the children. I guess it will just take some getting used to on my part." He confessed before kissing her lips softly again.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She furrowed her brow. "Excuse me?" She sat up, looking angry, though she was teasing him. "You can't do that or I won't come down here again." She tried her best to look serious about all of this. "I cannot waste my time here if I get nothing from you in return." She teasingly got into the boat and started rowing herself away. "Oh dear. It seems I forgot to open this gate."