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

[Guile]

The intense anticipation building up inside Erik was almost too much. He balled his hands into fists and was pressing his nails to the palm of his hand. Hardly realizing, he was cutting into the skin, but his mind was elsewhere. All that tension that had been building up inside of him was released as fury when they announced Carlotta as the star. Letting out a scream of anger, Erik rushed out of box five and to the stage, but not onto it. He found the rope that held the chandelier up above their heads and pulled his dagger off of his side, his eyes wide with rage. He cut the rope and rushed onto the stage not caring who saw him anymore - Catherine was still out there. Rather than risk her life, Erik ran to her as the chandelier fell, seemingly in slow motion. He grabbed her and picked her up in his arms, disappearing through the trap door with her before the chandelier could fall on her. Just as they fell to the ground below the stage, Erik heard the thrilling crack of the seats breaking and the glass shattering. He let out a laugh at the sound, but wasted no time. Taking Catherine's hand, Erik pulled her to her feet carefully and raced with her back to Christine so that she could know that they were both alright. Taking in the sight below, Erik shouted to the managers. "You fools! Don't say I didn't warn you! You shall reconsider your choice of the star or something far worse will happen to you! I promise!" He growled, even as he shouted his words.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The two men responsible for this decision laid on the ground, shaking in fear once more. "H-He doesn't understand why we made our decision." Debienne growled. "This is what we wanted to avoid!" Poligny agreed, then, together, they both added, "he couldn't settle for one Daae, he had to take both!" Their shouts of outrage were barely heard over the screams of horror, especially coming from Carlotta. "I knew it! I knew that little prat was a part of this charade!" Christine felt that old rush of fear and longing consume her again, also worry for Erik and Catherine. Relief washed over her when she embraced her daughter in a bear hug, trying not to cry. Not for her almost being crushed, but for the fact that she wasn't picked. "My poor baby!" She cried, then held one of her arms open for Erik. "Thank you so much, my darling!" She kissed him. "And, what, Monsieur, do you plan on doing with yet another Daae, Opera Ghost?" Poligny asked the Phantom directly.

 

[Guile]

Erik hugged Christine back when she opened her one arm for him. He allowed her to kiss him and he couldn't help smiling as she did so. At Monsieur Poligny's question, Erik came out of the shadows from where the three of them hid. He stepped forward and addressed the man directly, as well. "I shall do what I damn well please, Monsieur." Erik's tone was curt. "As for Miss Daae, she is not being kidnapped - she is free to come and go to rehearsal and other such things as she desires or is needed to. I was simply saving her from that chandelier. We don't need such a talented, wonderful young woman like her destroyed."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine closed her now free arm around Catherine, swaying slightly just to calm her little girl. "My darling girl, be silent." She whispered, making sure that they were not heard over Erik. Catherine laid in her mother's arms, shivering as Erik talked to her managers. "Yes, m-ma'am." Catherine answered. The managers consorted quietly, before turning back to the evil being. "Enlighten us. Are you speaking of the century old chandelier that you destroyed?" He.growled. Andrew felt the building shake and immediately went to find the family. "Catherine!" He exclaimed breathlessly as he yanked her from.Christine. "You're safe!"

 

[Guile]

Erik grew more furious at those two bumbling idiots. "No, you fools, I was speaking of the other chandelier!" He replied sarcastically. "Of course I am!" He wished more than anything that he could go down and slap them both across the face, but that would just put him down where people could get to him - a group of people. Erik was distracted momentarily by Andrew's voice - it was soft so that the managers couldn't hear, but Erik did. Turning his head just enough to look behind him, he saw that Andrew had Catherine in his arms. Satisfied that his daughter's state would become better now that Andrew was here, Erik turned back to the two managers. "The chandelier is of no importance to me - I shall destroy the next one that you get if I must. I will do whatever I have to to get my words through your thick skulls, even if it means that I have to do more than break things around here."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Those words sent chills down the spines of everyone in the room. Andrew continued fawning over Catherine, checking every bit of bare skin that he could see. "Anything broken?" He would ask. Her response would be "No, dear." This went on for a few minutes, until he started asking about the state of the little children underground, especially William. Though he loved Jonathan, Alistair and Lillith to death, he needed to know about the son of the woman that meant most to him. "They weren't near the crash, my dear." Catherine assured him. Satisfied, William turned to her father, who was speaking to the managers. "And, why do you care, fiend!?!" Carlotta regained her voice. Christine wanted so desperately to just sink into the ground and leave for home. She started singing to herself, or, rather, mumbling the words. "The Phantom of the Opera is there... inside my mind..." She didn't know why this song came to her, but she didn't mind that it did. Any song would be enough to drown out the toad below her.

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed at Carlotta - the sound echoed through the room unintentionally because he already knew they could see him. He wasn't trying to throw his voice to hide himself, now he was doing it to frighten them. Erik's laughter cut short as he grew furious at her - he leaned well over the edge of the balcony and stared right at her, yelling. "How dare you speak to me, you toad!" Erik growled, then straightened himself up again. "If you must know it's because Miss Daae is my..." he cut himself short. No, fool. Don't tell them that! Erik tried to correct himself quickly. "She deserves the lead role, far more than you, Madame! She is superior to you in every possible way, and I shall not rest until Catherine gets the role she deserves!"

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine gasped, feeling as though their secret was almost revealed to all of Paris. When he caught himself, she breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you, love." She whispered, tugging gently on his sleeve. "Should we go back? I've been terrible in keeping up with feeding my children, especially little Johnny." She kissed him again. "Come, our children await us." She pulled harder. "Just let her be, for now." She kissed his neck. "Please?" Even though she was asking, he didn't have a choice whether or not he came with her. She had him wrapped around her little finger. Andrew followed them, carrying Catherine the whole way. "You feel like you'll faint." He said soothingly. As Christine led the group, she kissed her husband again. "Please?" She asked again.

 

[Guile]

Erik was busy scowling at carlotta, but Christine's soft words and kisses soon calmed him down. A part of him wished he could stay - he wasn't finished with Carlotta or the managers. However, Christine truly did have him wrapped around her finger. Erik knew he would do anything that she asked of him, ever. "Of course, love." He whispered to her, turned away from the group below, and followed Christine out of box five. As they made their way home, he slipped his hand in Christine's and smiled at her as he entwined their fingers. "I will let her be...for now." He assured his love.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Excellent!" Leading the long trek home, she was humming a song that they both knew the words to. But, she wished to tease him and not sing, acting as if she had lost her voice while playing the damsel in distress earlier that day. "I must admit, when you had cut the chandelier down, I thought you wouldn't make it in time, Papa." Catherine muttered, sleepily, as her eyes got heavy. Andrew hugged her to his chest as the doorway to home came into view. Christine was still humming one of her favorites to herself. "Don't you know the words, Master?" She asked him, cutting off her humming, almost frustrated.

 

[Guile]

Erik walked along beside Christine, listening to her humming which was almost as beautiful as her singing, which he wish she would start up. It didn't take him long to realize he was teasing her, but he was distracted momentarily by Catherine's sleepy voice. He smiled back at his little girl, safe in the arms of the man she loved. "I will always make it in time. I won't ever let anything happen to you, Catherine." As they got closer to the gate, Erik's attention was brought back to Christine at her words. He started laughing and wrapped his one arm around her, placing a kiss on her cheek as he teased her. "Nope, it seems I have forgotten. Such a shame!"

 

[Saiyan Princess]

From not very far away, one could hear the screeching of two babies, one much higher pitched than the other. But, what made Christine laugh was not the crying of her son and grandson, but Alistair's reaction to them doing so. "Ah! Make it stop!" He covered his ears as he covered his head with a pillow. "This is torment!" Lilly wasn't fairing much better. Unable to focus on her own singing, the little girl found it difficult to come up with a new tease for her family as her ears, she could have sworn, were starting to bleed. "Oh no! Ali! The Phantom is coming to get us!" She wailed, pushing him over to hide herself under the bed next to him. "He's big and mean and scary looking!" She was causing the bed to shake, still trying to block out the babies.

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed uncontrollably at Alistair and Lilly's reaction to the baby's crying. When at last he was able to catch his breath, he shouted out to the two. "You best let the Phantom inside - I don't care how big, mean, and scary looking I am. If you don't let us in through this gate you'll have to deal with the creaming children." He paused, teasing. "Come to think of it...never mind!" Erik took Christine's hand and started to lead her back the way they came. he took only a few steps as he pretended to be leaving again. "That would be much better than us having to deal with them!"

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The little boy shot out of the bed immediately and started tugging with all her might on the lever that would allow her family inside, but it was just too heavy. Alistair considered this for a moment and decided that he would rather have the parents raise the child rather than two almost eight year olds. Together, they decided to count to three and then push. "One..." Lilly started off. "Two..." Ali chimed in. "THREE!" They pushed down together, falling into the water at the same time. "Water everywhere!" Alistair whined as he stood, then helped his sister. The babies continued to scream their lungs out. Andrew carried Catherine in and set her in the chair to take care of the baby he called his son. "There's my big boy!" He laughed, taking the now eleven month old baby away for a changing. He made one of Erik's faces as he did so. "Next time..." he gagged. "Someone else can do this!" "I'm never having kids!" Lilly moaned, almost crying. Alistair nodded his agreement. "Never!"

 

[Guile]

Erik watched his children work together to open the gate, finding himself growing more proud of them by the second, but he couldn't help roaring with laughter when they both fell in the water. As the gate rose, Erik went inside and over to the two and ruffled their already messed up hair. He teased them about their comments. Erik patted Alistair on the back lightly and chuckled. "One day, son, I promise you'll change your mind." To Lilly, Erik lifted her chin up so that he could look in her eyes and teasingly said, "as for you: good. That's what I want to hear from you, my little girl." Erik laughed at his own words, knowing very well that she would change her mind as well.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The twins laughed at him, both obviously lying about the fact that they would never have children of their own. "Well, you're already a grandfather, Papa." Alistair teased. "What's a few more added to that later on? I think you'll miss the lovely smell coming from them." He laughed as he saw Lilly turn red at her father's touch. Christine enjoyed hearing her babies talk this way. "Surely my big strong handsome man will change his mind." She kissed his cheek. "After all, they may not seem like it now, but when they're yours. It's amazing." Another thought came to her. "This is exactly what you sounded like to me as a single mommy with two babies." Andrew, to spite Erik, took his shirt off to start working on more furniture for the family. "I'll just be here a while, if that's alright, sir." He added to Erik. "William needs me." He pointed to Catherine.

 

[Guile]

Erik faked an annoyed facial expression at Alistair's comment. "Hey! We don't need to go there...your mother is in the same boat as I, you know! Why is it always 'father...you're a grandfather!" Why is it never, 'hey, mother! You're just as old!'" Erik laughed until he saw Alistair laughing at his sister. Getting an idea, Erik went silent, then picked Ali up in his arms suddenly and held him upside down, his face inches from the water. Erik wasn't going to keep his son like this for long, he just wanted to freak him out. "Quit picking on your sister!" He laughed as he inched the boy closer to the water. "Or else I'm going to dunk you under again!" Then, he flipped Alistair right-side up again and placed him on his feet. That's when he saw Andrew shirtless again. "Indecent exposure..." he mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear, but pretended like he was talking to himself. Then, he looked up at Andrew innocently. "Oh, what was that, son? Sure, you can stay. You're always welcome here." His words were true, but Erik was teasing. He mumbled, pretending to disapprove again, under his breath, 'you and your muscles are always welcome." Laughing, Erik shook his head at how ridiculous his family had become, including himself.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"It's because Mother never complained, Papa." Lilly laughed as her brother was turned upside down and almost dunked in the water. Making huge steps just to get to her brother in time, she laughed. "Now look who's red." She pecked his lips and laughed again. "That'll teach ya!" She was still laughing when Andrew walked by, shirtless as he held William, singing a little song from his childhood. "Oh, my sweet William," he kissed his cheek. "If only I could gather the courage to ask her to be my wife. Then, I could be your father." He swayed slightly, causing the baby to laugh and try to grab the stubble beard that Andrew had. Noticing his soon to be father in law speaking to him, he immediately stood at attention. "Thank you, sir." He smiled, bowed and stood back up. "I sure hope you will allow me to be part of your life."

 

[Guile]

Watching Andrew with William made Erik smile. True, William wasn't his son, however he was still dear family and seeing someone not already a part of the family taking to him so well made Erik overjoyed. "Son, you already are a part of our lives." He smiled at the young man genuinely. "It's all a matter of when you wish to make it official."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine noticed as well what Andrew was trying to say and she couldn't be happier with this fantastic turn of events. Her little girl was so close to getting married and she didn't even know it. "Erik..." she teased. "Now is probably a good time to frighten the man that's trying to take our little girl away." Christine smile showed in the firelight. "I'm not quite ready to have her go just yet. She's mine until she's at least thirty." Andrew laughed. "What a shame. I was hoping to have her as my wife in the next hour." He flexed his muscles. "I mean, it's not as if you can stop me." He grinned from ear to ear.

 

[Guile]

Erik listened to Christine and turned to face her with a smile on his face. He kissed her cheek and glared out at Andrew teasingly as he did so. That's when he saw the young man flexing his muscles and joking with him. "You know, Christine...I was going to let him take her peacefully." He grinned at William slyly. "But...now I feel as though I've been issued a challenge." Erik joked referring to Andrew's 'it's not as if you can stop me' comment.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Trying very hard not to laugh himself to death, Andrew smiled at Christine. "I'm not scared of some tiny, rookie opera singer." He guffawed until her husband stepped forward and he backed up, sizing him up. With his heart racing and his knuckles whitening, he tried to sound confident through his tease. "Now, you..." he pointed at the Phantom, "you, I'm scared of." Though they were more or less the same size, and Andrew had agility and age on his side, he was sure that he wouldn't get off so easily if this were a real standoff. "Monsieur, there are children watching." He joked. "And, I'm holding little William hostage. No sudden moves." He chuckled as he kissed the baby. Catherine, unknown to everyone, was watching this little skit play out. She could hardly stop her laughter.

 

[Guile]

Erik stood there in silence, not removing his threatening gaze from Andrew's. Of course he was only teasing, but Erik wanted to see the young man intimidated - even if just a little bit. After several moments of silence, Erik finally spoke softly but firmly. "As you very well should be..." He let the words hang in the air, waited for a few more moments, then finally let his smile show through. "If you were a real man," he teased, "you would put the baby down and face me!" Erik laughed, making it very well known that he was only picking on Andrew.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"You see, sir.." Andrew laughed, "here's how this will work. I put him down, then elope to Germany for a while with him and your daughter, then I'll come back and let you see your grandchildren when we have them." He put William down in his crib and turned back to Erik. "It sounds like a marvelous plan, don't you think?" He smirked, then noticed little Catherine, awake at last. "My darling! Good. Get ready. We're going to Germany." He kissed her cheek. "How romantic!" Lilly repeated her words from so long ago.

 

[Guile]

Erik's smirk left his face as he heard Andrew's words and saw the smirk on his face. Laughing, but unsure wether the young man was serious or not, he went up to him and grabbed his arm gently, turning Andrew to face him. "Ah, ah!" Erik shook his head, teasingly. "You..." he pointed a finger at Andrew, still teasing, "you aren't taking my daughter anywhere." There was a smile on his face. "Not until I see a ring on her finger declaring her as your wife forever more." Though he only joked, Erik found that something inside his heart was breaking. He knew for sure it was the thought of a man, literally, taking his little girl away from him. It killed him and she wasn't even gone yet. He turned to Lilly, with a smile on his face as he laughed. "Don't encourage them!"