Chandelier

Chapter Twenty Two

Eriks POV:
I watched from the shadows of the stone angel on the roof of the opera house. Dimitri pulled her through the door and onto the roof, "Why are we on the roof Dimitri." She looked annoyed at what he was doing. "I saw you upset earlier, I wanted to show you this place." He said turning back to her, "Look I'm not like everybody else here...I'm not rich and I'm just a stand in for Piangi while he's gone, I've been struggling and this has helped me to relax." He said holding her hand and looking back at her, I've seen that face before...I pushed further out from behind the angel. "Look it may not help you but it's worth it to try." He said looking into her eyes. "That's kind of you but I don't see anything that could help you relax here Dimitri." Good she wasn't amused. "Just look." He said, turning her to face the city streets of Paris. "It's...its-." She stuttered. No no no she was entranced, she had tears dropping down her cheeks. "Are you okay?" He said she turned and fell into his arms crying. I was clenching the statue hard enough I could snap it. I stopped listening. I was so angry I turned back just as, "Oh Collette-." He started as she cut him off with a kiss. I could feel my heart shattering. I ran to the shadows, I knew I would distance myself from her...but I never thought I'd lose her. I had to end this madness, by me not being there I was losing her...I wrote like never before nearly ripping the paper as I raced back up to the mirror she lay giggling like a child in her bed, she looked beautiful as ever laying there. I held the note tightly in my hand. She turned to fall asleep, I couldn't miss my shot. I knocked against the glass sliding it open and slipping into the shadows. She walked over to the mirror picking up the note, "Erik!" She said searching through the dark corridor from the mirror "Erik please, where are you." She said walking out just a little bit enough to be able to see me. "It's like you don't even care anymore." She said, dabbing her eye and examining the letter before dropping it back on the floor and walking into her dressing room. I couldn't keep this up anymore. I walked over to the mirror. "Mon Ange...forgive me." I said looking at her crying into her pillow. She shot up turning to me, "ERIK!" She ran over knocking into me wrapping her arms around my waist. I could hear her sobbing and feel the tears wetting my shirt. "Oh Erik I thought you gave up on me forever." She said squeezing me tighter. "Mon Ange I never gave up on you...I've always been here, admiring from a distance." I said placing a hand on her back. She raised and fell as she sobbed breathing heavily into my chest. "You saw didnt you?" She whispered looking up at me. I gazed down at her, she looked scared... "I am aware of what transpired on the roof, yes." I said looking away. "I'm so sorry Erik." She said hiding her face in my chest. I never wanted her to fear me, what was she so afraid of me doing. "I-." I started, "please don't hurt him." She barged in before letting me finish. It flashed images in my mind, that night, the noose, Raphael...that's what she thinks of me, a monster...a killer.