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

[Guile]

Erik sighed and nodded his head in agreement. This was no place for such talk and he knew it. Another time, perhaps, he could figure out more of what Christine had to go through. Of course, why should it matter? Erik didn't know why he was so curious, but perhaps it was because he wanted to know what his wife had to endure at the hands of another man. Erik wanted to know the full extent of the pain she had endured, and be the loving husband she needed that could make up for all that pain. He didn't want secrets between them. "I understand, Christine. Forgive me, I will speak of it no more tonight. I am delighted that our little girl is happy at last, and married to a loving husband." Erik smiled and placed a kiss on Christine's temple to reassure her of the truth in his words. "Let us celebrate."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Now?" Christine grinned. "This really isn't our time to do so, is it, my husband?" She laughed and watched as Andrew led Catherine out on the dance floor. "But, don't fret. We'll have that later." Catherine could not hide the sheer joy that was burning inside her heart at the moment. She was married to the greatest husband ever! She had a beautiful boy that loved her! Everything was going according to plan. William decided now would be a good time to start reaching for his mother. "Ma!" He laughed. That was basically the extent of his vocabulary right now. "Ma!" Raoul shuddered at the sound of that, for, not only was Andrew related to him, but that boy was as well. Catherine tried to ignore it.

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed at Christine's words but sighed as if disappointed. "Oh, alright. I will wait and let the children have their fun first." He didn't even realize Raoul was there, let alone nearby, as he held William tight in his arms and spoke to him. "Now, William. Let your mother have her time away from you." He chuckled as he teased the little boy that couldn't understand him anyway.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The party was going in the right direction through the night. "No!" William struggled against his grandfather. Christine laughed. "The poor boy doesn't want that to happen, it seems, my love." She couldn't keep her eyes from her daughter. "She looks just like I did that night, doesn't she?" She rubbed her grandson's back to calm him, which, surprisingly worked. Lilly walked up to Raoul, unaware that it was he behind that mask. "Hi, I'm Lilly." She was very friendly, as always. The man got down on one knee in front of her. "Hello, Miss Lilly." Christine watched the scene, starting to get nervous.

 

[Guile]

Erik, too, was entranced by his daughter on the floor with Andrew. "Indeed she does, Christine. Very beautiful, with a celestial air about her, just like you." He smiled at his wife, but she was looking off at something else and not looking too pleased. "What it is, Christine?" Erik asked as he turned his head to see Lilly speaking to a man. It was difficult to tell who the man was - he wore a mask and was turned away from them, kneeling on the ground. "Shall I go get her, my dear?" He asked, feeling uneasy about the situation himself. Erik didn't like the idea of Lilly talking to that man - there was something about him that seemed...off.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She nodded her agreement. "Yes, go get her. Be careful." She felt like throwing up. Lilly had the baby with her. That man wasn't to be trusted. Christine, for her grandson's own safety, took him away from Erik. "Please, don't take my babies." She was visibly upset. The managers of their home noticed this. Trudging over to Madame Destler, they stopped. "We heard your words. Would you like him thrown out?" Christine couldn't answer them. She was getting sick. She felt that she would lose not only her two youngest, but her husband as well.

 

[Guile]

Erik kept staring at the man. There was just something about him, but he wasn't sure what. Erik shook his head at the managers. "No...no, it's alright. I will go to them." He wanted to see this man, face-to-face - wanted to figure out who he was. Immediately, Erik made his way over to Lilly, Jonathan, and the strange man. When he got there, he placed his hands on Lilly's shoulder in a subtle, protective gesture. "Lilly, sweetheart, your mother would like to see you and Jonathan. Why don't you go over to her?" He asked of his daughter, making it seem as if she were being called away instead of being sent away - away from this man whose identity was still unknown, for Erik hadn't looked upon him yet. He was focused on his children. "Go on, darling." He attempted to push her gently off in the direction of her mother.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Raoul got to his feet as soon as he felt the Phantom's presence. "My dear, you are truly a delight." He kissed Lilly's hand, to which the little one squealed in delight. She didn't even register that these lips felt so familiar. These lips had touched her own, even her cheek as a goodnight gesture. That's when she felt fingers on her shoulders. Looking up, her hair falling down her back again, she smiled up at her father. "Papa!" She overjoyed to see the man. Using on arm, she hugged his leg in welcome. "What for, Papa?" She asked in regard to Christine calling her over. Why didn't Christine come get her if it was so important, if she was so worried? Then, Erik pushed her in Christine's direction. "Papa, I love you." She hurried back to Christine, who got down on her knees in order to squeeze the child. She was shaking. "My babies!" She gasped in relief, running her hands through Lilly's hair.

 

[Guile]

"I love you two, Lilly." Erik heard it - the voice that had tormented him for so many years. He knew immediately why this man looked so familiar and why his presence was so daunting. Raoul. "Why are you here, Vicomte?" Erik asked as calmly as he could, after Lilly left, though his tone had a hint of distaste hidden in it. "You are not welcome, despite being family to the groom." He scowled at the man but tried not to growl his words. "You should know this by now."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The Vicomte smirked as Lilly's curls disappeared from view. Then, he turned his attention to her father. "Ah, my old friend. I can't say that it's a delight to see you." He grinned from ear to ear. "In regard to me not being welcome here, that is not for you to decide. That is for my Christine's child to decide, as well as my cousin." He came up with a very cruel taunt. "I wasted my time finding a mask. There's no neeed, really, for me to have one." He circled the father of the bride. "Unlike a certain someone that we know, I can show my face." Christine kissed Lilly's cheek. "Don't be frightened." She cooed.

 

[Guile]

Erik found himself growling as the Vicomte circled him as if they were animals - Raoul the predator, Erik the prey. "I don't give a damn what you think of my face. My family and friends do not care about it and that is all that matters to me anymore." Speaking of his family, Erik was reminded of something. "Do not ever call Christine yours! She had nothing to do with you anymore." Erik found himself glaring at the man. "You broke your promise to me, Vicomte. The last time I saw you, you assured me that it would be the last time that I ever would see you. A man is only as good as his word...now I see that statement rings true."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I will always keep my promise, if that promise means something to me." He stopped, behind Erik now, so that he could see Christine clearly. "I see you haven't stopped spawning, have you?" He sipped his wine. "They're still as horrible as their origin." He chuckled softly. "This new beast looks just like his sire." He spoke as if they were animals as well. "Truly disgusting." He felt a sense of pride. "Tell me, why do you still believe that you can strut around Paris like this?"

 

[Guile]

Erik's anger surged within him, not because of Raoul's comments about him, but about his children. "Do not speak of them in such a way!" He growled through clenched teeth. "How can you even say such a thing about Christine's children? If you truly loved her, you would care about the children as much as her. They are just as much her as they are me." He shook his head in disgust. "You are despicable." Erik spat those words as he turned to face the Vicomte. "And you wonder why Christine left you." Now, it was Erik's turn to chuckle. "I believe I can appear in public like this because I have a loving wife, children, and friends behind me who all love me for the decent man that I know myself to be. What do you have, Vicomte?" He half-growled, half-teased.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The smile faded, then resurfaced. "Tell me, are you speaking of the woman that you stole from me?" He sneered. "Use your head, Erik. The reason I am like this is because you took Catherine from me that night nine years ago when the child was revealed as yours!" Raoul was infuriated. "I will not stand by and let my life be taken from me!" He shouted, running toward Catherine with a knife. He caught her, spun her around, and held the knife to her throat. "One move that I see as a threat and the bastard dies!" Catherine was shaking in fear, beads of sweat dripping down her face. The whole party was too frightened to move. "Daddy...h-help me." She whimpered. Raoul dragged her toward the exit. "One move and she dies!" He repeated. "Look at me now, Lotte! Look at me!" Christine moved toward her daughter. Catherine squealed as Raoul poked her neck and disappeared from view.

 

[Guile]

"No!" Erik ran after Raoul, but he was only allowed a few steps before a knife was placed to his daughter's throat. He stopped dead in his tracks, heeding the Vicomte's warning. "Let her be!" Erik screamed at Raoul before speaking to Catherine. "It's alright, sweetheart. I won't let anything happen to you." He promised her as she was drug further away by the Vicomte. Erik saw Christine start to move, heard Catherine's squeal, and held out his hand to his wife. "Stop! Do not move!" He warned her before Raoul felt he should kill Catherine. No, Erik wouldn't let that happen. Not now, not ever. He pulled his own knife from his pocket before following after the Vicomte. Erik knew he would have to get him when he wasn't looking - stop him that way. If Raoul even suspected that he was following, surely he would kill Catherine. God, don't let him take my little girl! She has done nothing to deserve this!

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Raoul gripped Catherine's hair and drug her down the hall. Christine stopped at once, heeding Erik's orders. "Lock everything down! No one gets in or out!" The managers ordered. "I hold no animosity toward you, Catherine. I shan't harm you." He had calmed just a little, his heart not in fight or flight mode anymore. Erik was right! Raoul was alone. He had no one to love him, not even the child that he lost so long ago. With fear mixed with anger, he wandered down the steps and through the corridors until he reached the front door. That's where he let go of Catherine and handed her a wet rag. "Let me see the cut." He was very calm. The only thing that would set him off was Erik coming to take Catherine away. Catherine stumbled away, but tripped and busted her lip on the ground. In a daze, she only made it to the wall until she was held against it by her former stepfather. "Relax, you are in no danger as long as you stay calm and let me help you." He dabbed the rag against her neck, the knife still in his other hand. "Don't worry. You'll be free when I'm done with you." Catherine's memories came back to when she was a child and her immediate reaction was to go into panic mode like she did as a child. "PLEASE NO! DON'T DO THIS!" Raoul attacked her anyway.

 

[Guile]

Erik had started off taking it slow through the halls. The last thing he wanted was to left the Vicomte see him and hurt Catherine because of his sudden appearance. It wasn't until he heard Catherine screaming that he started running towards the sound. He finally got there - Erik finally found them near the front door. Unfortunately, what he saw when he got there was enough to make Erik see red and and lust for the blood of the Vicomte. "GET AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!" Erik screamed and launched himself at the Vicomte, tearing him away from Catherine, making sure neither of their knives cut the girl.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Raoul and Erik tumbled with each other. Raoul dropped his knife on the top stair. He was defenseless. Catherine was at the top of the stairs, dress torn and her body battered. Andrew spotted his wife and immediately went to her aid. "It's okay...I'm here." He scooped her up, just holding her. "You're alright." The party was over, Catherine was ruined. Andrew's heart ached. He wanted to protect and kill all at once. "I love you." Andrew kissed her cheek. "Please, just rest." Raoul growled. "Get away from me!"

 

[Guile]

Erik pinned Raoul down on the ground by his shoulders, rendering him unable to move. He pulled his dagger out once again and the metal flashed in the light, looking satisfyingly menacing. Pressing the sharp blade up against Raoul's neck, Erik growled. "I ought to kill you right now. I should slit your damn throat, you disgusting vermin! How could you do that to Catherine? She is your cousin's wife! You're ex-wife's daughter!" Instead of the blade of his knife, Erik's fist came in hard contact with Raoul's face.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Raoul screamed in agony. "Please stop!" He covered his face with his hands. "Please, have mercy! You don't want to really kill me, do you?!" He was crying now, looking pathetic. He wasn't going to fight back. Christine came around the corner. "ERIK!" She saw him.with the knife raised in the.air, blood dripping from it. Raoul's blood. "Erik, please!" Christine begged as well. "You are no killer!" She saw Catherine resting in Andrew's arms, a look of relief on her face. "Erik." She flew down the stairs. "Let him free. We'll have the police deal with this. Just let him go." She wrapped her hand around Erik's knife hand to stop him. "Please."

 

[Guile]

Erik was still screaming at the Vicomte. "How dare you ask me to have mercy on you! How dare you after all you have done to this family?!" Still, Erik did not go to kill him, though he didn't put the knife down either. That's when he felt Christine's hand around his hand and looked her way, his anger fading as he looked into her eyes. "I won't kill him. I did not plan on it." Erik glared back down at the Vicomte. "But he deserved to fear that I might." As he stood and put his knife back where it had come from, he spoke again to Raoul. "You are a pathetic excuse for a man. Don't you ever threaten my family again, or I won't think twice about running a blade across your throat for real." Erik may have been bluffing a bit with his last sentence, but he made it seem like he was serious. He wanted to drive such fear into the Vicomte that he would never dare threaten any of them again.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Oh, bless you! Bless you, Erik!" Raoul exclaimed, breathless. "Now, if you'll be so kind as to get off of me..." he gasped for breath. "Y-You're crushing m-my ribs." He pushed against Erik's legs. Christine sighed. "Erik, if you please." "Christine, call him off, please." Raoul continued. Christine took her husband's shoulders. "Erik, come away, dearest." She was very kind with her tone.

 

[Guile]

Erik shook his head, a disgusted look on his face, and stood. He backed up away from Raoul and took Christine's hand in his impulsively. Pulling her gently off to the side, he voiced his concerns to her so that the Vicomte could not hear. "Christine, I do not trust him. I think we need to get the police involved. He has harassed our family for the last time. I cannot stand to see him do it again. I do not want to kill any one, not even him, but my patience for the Vicomte is running dry." He sighed and shook his head yet again. "I just don't think we should walk away and let him go."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine smiled kindly, revealing that little girl that she was many years ago. She took both of his hands. "Oh, my darling Erik, you are such a good father." She hugged him. "I shall help you get the police involved." She kissed him. "Don't worry. Catherine is safe, thanks to you." Holding onto her husband, she watched as Raoul shoved past Andrew and Catherine, who still wouldn't even look at her husband. After the slamming of the doors, Catherine breathed a sigh of relief. "Andrew, darling, you'll understand if I can't carry on the wedding night tradition, won't you?" Her eyes were pleading. Andrew took her face in his hands. "I will wait for you, even if it takes a week, a month, a year, ten, or even fifty." He kissed her forehead. She took his hands, which were still on his face and kissed them. Lilly came running past her parents and into the arms of her sister. "Sissy!"

 

[Guile]

Erik relished Christine's hug and kiss. They were so comforting at a time of stress, as this was. "It means the world to me to hear you say that, Christine. I've always wanted to do the best that I could for our children. I just wish I could prevent all this horror from happening to them." He was relieved to find that Christine would help him involve the police. Truthfully, Erik had been afraid as to how Christine would react to all of this mess. After all, the last time Erik bothered to ask, she still loved Raoul - or at least, in part. "Thank you, Christine, for being willing to help. I think it will be better for us all this way." He took her hand in his and went over to Catherine, Andrew, and Lilly. "Catherine, my dear, are you alright?" Erik placed his hand on her back, comfortingly. "I'm so sorry that that wretched man even got near you."