Metal Band One-Shots

That Fateful Night (Marone)

 A/N: First off, you should know that I am writing this on an absolutely random, spontaneous whim, without any previous plans, and I'm sorry if this doesn't come out that great.

 Now, a little backstory: The song above is 'Beneath a Moonless Sky' from the musical 'Love Never Dies', which Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote as a sequel to 'The Phantom of the Opera'. But unlike 'Phantom', LND doesn't have that great a reputation. It first opened in London in 2010 to a lot of negative reviews, and no production of it seems to stay open for too long (it's never even been brought to Broadway, despite 'Phantom's popularity). I myself have some mixed feelings about it, but the music and songs in it are beautiful and well-written, but the plotline didn't make much sense to me.

 'Beneath a Moonless Sky' is a duet between the Phantom and Christine. I honestly think the best version is the one from the Danish production (and I don't even speak Danish), but the version I posted above is from the Original London Cast recording, with Ramin Karimloo as The Phantom and Sierra Boggess as Christine, because I thought it might be better to post an English version.

 And I decided to write this with Simone and Mark because I already wrote three 'Phantom' inspired stories with them, so why not a fourth?

~~~~~~

 Simone couldn't step into the shack quietly at all, not without making any creaking sounds. Of course this was the place he would hide. Lonely, abandoned, worn down. The same way he would have felt.

 "Mark?" she called softly. "Mark, are you here?"

 There was no reply, no sound besides the creaking of the floorboards under her feet.

 "Please, Mark," she said, a little louder this time. "If you're here, please come out. I just...want to see you."

 From somewhere else within the shack, she heard another pair of creaking footsteps, as they came closer and closer to her.

 "What are you doing here?" a voice whispered. "You're not supposed to be here."

 "Mark." Knowing his voice, Simone threw her arms around him. He stood stiffly, not hugging her back.

 "You came looking for me," he said. "Why? You're supposed to be getting married."

 "I know. My wedding's tomorrow. But I don't know that I want to, Mark."

 "And you came looking for me because of that?"

 "I wanted to see you again," Simone said. "Just one last time before I'm wed. We were friends once."

 "Exactly, Simone. We were friends once. Everything changed too quickly. You know that."

 Simone nodded. "I know. I'm sorry, Mark. I never wanted anything bad to happen to you. I cared about you too much to want that."

 "Is that why you're here?" he asked softly, a hit of disbelief in his voice. "Because you still care?"

 Simone wasn't sure why she chose to seek Mark out. She was getting married the next day, and she was happy. She was supposed to be happy. And yet...something was missing.

 "You're what's missing," she said aloud.

 "What's missing?" Mark repeated. "What do you mean?"

 "You're the part of me I've been missing since we last saw each other. Mark..."

 She didn't have to say what she was thinking. He knew; she could sense it. And she knew what he was feeling.

 She got up on her tiptoes and kissed him. She knew it was what they both wanted, and it was time they stopped denying it.

~~~~~~

 Mark knew it was wrong.

 He loved Simone with all his heart. He loved her, and he would never deny it. That would be lying to himself.

 But he to face the harsh truth. He couldn't give her a good life, not the one she deserved. The man she was marrying could give her that, but he couldn't. He knew what he had to do.

 He looked down at Simone's sleeping form. He was sorry to have to say goodbye, to let her go, but he knew it was the right thing to do.

 "Farewell," he whispered. "Be happy, Simone."

 And he went out to face the world alone.

~~~~~~

 Simone loved Mark. She knew it now. She would tell him she loved him, tell him everything.

 She awoke early that morning, ready to tell him, ready to declare her love for him.

 But she found him gone instead.