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

[Guile]

Erik smiled warmly, feeling as if he were in some sort of dream, when the baby took his finger. He chuckled, but was cut off when he heard a voice behind him. Inside, he burned with hatred, but he tried to remain calm. He stood and turned, facing Raoul. "Do not speak of William. He was three times the man you are. And you will never leave here with Catherine. I will not stand by and watch you take her, so I'd say it will be best for you if you just leave now."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Raoul was finished with these games. He had a weapon out. Within feet of the Phantom, he kicked him. "What's the matter, Beast? Did you honestly think Christine would want you, a creature from hell, instead of someone like me who gave her her freedom, whereas you wanted to keep her down here?!?" Catherine screamed, awake at last. "Stop it!"

 

[Guile]

Erik was knocked over, his nose bleeding a bit from being kicked by Raoul. He quickly got to his feet, keeping a safe distance between him and Raoul, who had the weapon. Fury blazed in his eyes, and he knew this was it - it was time to fight. "Damn you, vicomte! Quit with your lies and fight me if you wish! That's what you really want, isn't it? Me dead! So quit tormenting my family and fight me!" Erik pulled his dagger from his side and held it in front of him - it was better than no weapon.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I will gladly leave, if you hand over either Christine or Catherine. Face it, you're over your head in crying and hormones." He laughed. Catherine was still too weak to stand, but screamed. "Don't do it, Papa!" Raoul rounded on her. "Don't do what, sweetheart?" Catherine was disgusted. "Leave me alone! You've already gotten what you wanted! You've ruined my life!" She was crying, for she was remembering how Raoul had hurt her when he had her those few hours. "Kill me, and your secret hideaway will be revealed to all of Paris, Erik!" Raoul laughed.

 

[Guile]

Erik looked from Catherine, to Raoul, to Christine, and back to Raoul. His hand wavered, and he blinked nervously a few times. He wasn't sure what to do. He couldn't give them up, he would sooner die for them, but he couldn't kill the vicomte. "You aren't taking either of them. I won't allow it." But he didn't know what to do. He could care less about his hideaway, but Raoul was raving mad and Erik didn't know if he could fight him. While the vicomte was laughing, Erik reached out with his dagger and cut his shoulder, jumping back out of the way. He still held the dagger out in front of him protectively. This was all he could think to do - he would not allow the vicomte to take any member of his family. Not if he could help it.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Raoul screamed in pain and Christine had to do something, anything, or the man would die. "Erik, I have to go with him! He'll just keep coming back and hurting you, and I cannot bear to watch anyone get hurt!" She didn't want to go, but this was her only chance at saving Erik. "Please, I swear that I love you, but I must return with him or he'll kill you!" She was trembling as she sang hers and Raoul's song to prove that she belonged to him now.

 

[Guile]

Erik shook his head in disbelief. "No, Christine! Don't go...I would rather die!" He listened to her singing Raoul's and hers song and it tore his heart in two. He couldn't bare to see her go. Erik knew she loved him, but he still couldn't stand to see her sacrifice herself like this. However, his pleas were futile. He knew she would go anyway, to save him, and he cursed himself for that. "I love you..." He whimpered as tears ran down his face.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Raoul joined in, smiling at Christine. "I love you too, my princess." He kissed her passionately as Christine turned back to her children. "My loves, we have to leave now." Lillith glared at her stepfather as she led the way back out of the catacombs and to the fresh air above. Catherine, the baby and Alistair came after, the baby crying as the Phantom of the Opera disappeared from his sight. "Hush, little.baby." Catherine pleaded as they sat in the carriage again and rolled away from her home.

 

[Guile]

Erik watched them go, tears blurring his vision. He sank to his knees in despair and let out a wail of agony once they had been gone for quite some time. He threw the knife and it clanged against the wall before hitting the ground near the bed. Erik wept for many hours that night. On and off, his fury would come and he would have to force himself not to break anything. Instead, he shouted obscene words about the vicomte and swore he would kill him, but then he would start weeping again for he knew he couldn't.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Raoul took them back for weeks, until he was comfortable with letting them out on their own and he was sure that they would return to him and not Erik, but there was one little girl that could not exactly stay away from her father. She would sit there in Box Five, waiting for him even though the season had ended. "Angel of Music, come to me." She would say, though she never once got a response. "Please, my beloved angel!"

 

[Guile]

Erik could hear his daughter crying out to him, but he couldn't go to her. He stayed away for her sake - for all of them - though it broke his heart. If he were to speak with any of them and Raoul found out...well, who knows what the vicomte would do to them? For weeks, Erik stayed down in his empty home below the Opera, trying to think of a way he could get them back. There was never any possible way he could figure without the vicomte coming after them. The only thing he could think to do was run away with them - but where would they go? He couldn't drag them away from the Opera, it was the girl's lives! His as well. The idea was unthinkable, he knew. But, as each day past and Erik grew lonelier and more frightened for his family, he couldn't stop thinking of ways to try and bring them home.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Aware that her father liked playing games, Lilly sat her little tush on the seat and said. "You know, I can't leave without my goodbye kiss, and I haven't had one in a few weeks." She sighs. "Such a dilemma. I guess you won't be attending my audition performance. I wish you would give me a sign that you're listening. A rose, perhaps." She begged. "Just leave a note for me and I swear I'll hide it." She folded her hands together and started praying. "God, if you're up there, my mama isn't happy right now. She says she is fine, but, I guess that's just to keep us happy. You see, my papa is gone and my mama is with a man that hates kids. Please, help me." She was crying for a long time, until Madame Giry came in with the Phantom's salary. "Miss Lilly? He isn't coming. I've tried to speak to him and he won't answer." She seemed upset.

 

[Guile]

Erik sat below, hearing what Lilly was saying. It crushed him, hearing his little girl beg for just a sign - anything from him. He longed to go to her, comfort her, tell her everything was alright and that he'd be there anytime she needed him. He just couldn't bring himself to do it. Erik heard her praying and he started to cry. He had always told the ones he loved that he would always be there for them, and here he was, hiding from them. Granted it was for their own sake, but it still made Erik feel like he had gone back on his word. He prayed that they would understand - especially Lilly, who was trying desperately to seek him out. "Oh, my child, I beg you to understand." He whispered to himself as Madame Giry went in to talk to his daughter.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The child just looked at the old woman. "Madam, please, why is he doing this? I need my papa and he knows it!" She was crying so profusely that her hair was sticking to her face. "Please, tell him to speak to me!" Little Lilly was on the verge of a mental breakdown at this point, when Meg Giry came to see what was taking her mother so long. "Mother, I..." she had spotted her best friend's daughter. "Oh, I see." This hurt Lilly more than ever as she got up on the ledge and prepared to jump.

 

[Guile]

Erik had started making his way up to the House above - he had only wanted to look at his little girl, just one glance. He hadn't seen her in quite a while and he at least wanted to be near her. He thought that perhaps she would sense him and calm, but as he got closer to box five he heard her wails. He heard Meg Giry in there as well and then silence came over the group. Erik sensed something was wrong and dared to look into the box to see what had happened. They were all turned away from him, but Lilly was on the ledge preparing herself to jump off. Erik forgot all of his other worries and screamed, "no!" as he ran into the box and shoved past Meg and her mother. He grabbed Lilly around the waist with both arms and hauled her back into the box, throwing them both onto the ground. Erik held his child in his arms still, even as they lay there, and his entire body shook form the fear of what could have happened. "My God, child, what were you thinking?" His voice was far from angry, but it shook from his fear and relief that he had gotten there in time.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Giry and Meg stumbled as they were pushed from their feet, the gold in Giry's hand clattered to the floor and was still. "My word!" She exclaimed as she saw her old friend come out of hiding for the first time in weeks. "Monsiuer, is she alright?" Lilly was trembling violently under her father's weight. "I-I just wan-wanted to s-see you a-again..." she was frightened, for she thought that she was being chastised for almost taking her life.

 

[Guile]

Erik got off of her, but still held Lilly tightly to his body, as if he let her go she would no longer be safe. "I know, sweetheart, I know." He had to keep his voice from quivering from the tears that were almost coming. "I wanted to see you too...but, please, never do that again. Please, promise me you'll never do that again no matter what." He ran his hand, which was still shaking, over her hair and kissed her forehead. Erik stood and helped Lilly to her feet, then he answered Madame Giry. "Yes...yes, I think she's alright now. I apologize - for the fright." He added and turned to Lilly again. "Are you alright, my child?"

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The tiny child looked from her father, to Madame Giry, to little Meg Giry and back again. "I am sorry for the fright, everyone." She confessed to them. "I just really desired to see my father again after he was taken from me." She felt Erik shaking and let go of him, for fear that she was making it worse by holding onto him. "My father, don't make me go back. Channel that old Phantom energy just enough to keep me with you. I'm not asking for a murder, I just want to stay, but I cannot do that if I'm constantly going back and forth between you and Mommy." Giry gasped. "Child, no!" Lilly glared at her. "YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND MY FEELINGS AT ALL!!!"

 

[Guile]

Erik ran his fingers through his hair as Lilly asked him to stay. He was torn - he wanted to keep her, but what would become of Christine and the other children if he did? He couldn't say. However, looking into his daughters eyes, he could hardly deny her. Plus, he could bare the thought of her in a house with that man. Finally, he put his hands back at his sides and made a decision. "Alright, my child. You'll stay with me if that's what you wish." He smiled at her, feeling a bit devious for agreeing He started to feel that old rush of fiendish delight again - not because he was taking Lilly, but because he was defying Raoul by doing so. He reached out his hand for Lilly to take.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

With that old energy that she had as a young girl, she gladly took her father's hand. "Thank you! Thank you!" She kissed his hand in her gratitude. "Papa, it means so much to me!" She looked similar to how Christine was when she met Erik for the very first time. "I promise! I'll be good and I won't go anywhere or do anything until you say the word." She was determined to make it work with her father.

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled, immensely glad to see his daughter so happy. He placed another kiss on her forehead. "I know you will, darling. You're a good girl." He caressed her cheek with the back of his free hand. "Now," he said picking her up in his arms with the laughter of a father, "let's go home." He smiled warmly at her, then looked up at Madame Giry and her daughter with that same smile and light in his eyes. "Thank you, both of you, for everything you've done over the years. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to take my daughter back where she belongs." Without collecting his pay he went out of the box with Lilly in his arms. Over his shoulder he called, "please, keep it as a gift from me", in reference to his salary.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Madame Giry looked at the money she had gathered for him. "What do I tell Vicomte De Chagney and Christine Daae, Monsiuer?" She called to him. "Please, I do not want anyone harmed." Meg gasped. "Who would harm them?" Her mother sighed and pat Meg's head. "Don't you worry, De Chagney will not harm them." Lillith listened to her father's heart and smiled. It felt like she was home again. "What if he does find out?"

 

[Guile]

Erik thought for a moment, then called back to Madame Giry. "You can tell them...I've taken my daughter where she belongs, where she wishes to be." The harshness in his tone was meant for the vicomte, which he was sure Madame Giry understood. As he continued down to their home, Lilly still in his arms, he held her close. "Don't worry, my darling. If he finds out, well..." he didn't know what to tell her. "I won't let anyone harm you or our family. I promise."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The two woman in box five gasped and stood there for a long time, contemplating this. The mother then gathered her thoughts and followed Meg out of the box. "Yes, sir." She whispered. Lilly smiled and wrapped her little finger around her father's and kissed his hand. "Promise." She was happy. It was terrible, but she was glad to have him all to herself. "At least now we can have some time together to work on my music." She giggled. "I wanna sound like my Mommy."

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled, a warm feeling going through him at his little girl's touch. "Of course! I forgot all about that. How could I?" He chuckled. "We shall start as soon as you wish and I promise you, you will sound just like your mother. You're just like her - so quick and eager to learn." They got down the stairs and he placed her into the boat, a part of him not wanting to put her down. He wanted to hold his little girl while he still could, before she grew up just like her sister.