Author's Note: Hello everyone! Just to let you all know Scarlet plays another song in this chapter, you can find it in the playlist I made, which you can find on my main page. Its called Sleeping At Last - "Saturn" (Official Music Video) there is no piano really in this song but I couldn't find a better version so just use your imaginations lol. As usual, you'll know when to play when you see a bolded ( . Thank you so much, and let me know what you think!
xXx
Erik watched as Scarlet suddenly spun and ran the way they came. He opened his mouth to call out to her, but slowly closed it. His heart ached in his chest as he turned away and put his head against the wall, his hands reaching up to grab at his hair. He pulled slightly and gritted his teeth in anger.
"What am I doing?" he whispered to himself, "What am I doing?" He closed his eyes and the scene replayed before him; Scarlet up against the wall, fear in her eyes as well as worry. Worry for who? For him? No one cares about him. Why should she ever care about him? Why should anyone? Why? Why? Why?
He was close enough to smell her perfume. It smelled of lilacs and roses, and the scent of it caused his gaze to fall to her lips. It was suddenly like the world didn't matter, nothing mattered or existed except for him, Scarlet, and the space between them. He found himself slowly closing the gap, his eyelids falling and his heart soared in the fact that she was leaning in as well.
But why was his heart soaring? Why was she leaning in too? Why? Why? Why? It doesn't matter. All that mattered was the space between them. They had to close that space.
But the face of Christine was waiting for him behind those closed eyes. They way that she looked at him when they had met at the masquerade, and then her shocked face as he ripped her ring away from her neck; the face of horror and betrayal.
Erik spun away from Scarlet and practically threw himself against the opposite wall, his shoulders shaking. How could he do that? Why would he do that to Christine? His precious Christine? He couldn't betray her, he couldn't betray himself. He just couldn't.
Why?
Why?
Why?
Erik couldn't help but chuckle, "Look at us," he said, "Life and Death battling one another." He could hear Scarlet panting behind him. She had been holding her breath when they... when they almost...
"We couldn't be battling if you would just listen to reason." she whispered.
Erik found himself turning away from the wall to look at her, his heart aching from this night of turmoil. Her eyes widened and filled with tears.
And then she ran from him, just like everyone else.
Erik opened his eyes and stood up straight. He turned away from the wall to head back to his lair when a spot of green caught his eye. For a second he thought Scarlet had returned, his heart jumping to his throat in anticipation, but fell when he spotted her masquerade mask lying on the stone floor. He slowly knelt down and picked up a mask, a forest green with a flower and leaves of ivy that would frame the side of a face. It must have fallen off in her wake. Erik sighed and stood up, still gazing at the mask. The smell of her perfume still lingered and he closed his eyes at the scent of it, bringing the mask to his nose as he leaned back against the wall, his racing heart slowing.
And he was once again met with the scared face of Christine, and in his shock he almost crumpled the mask in his grip. He opened his eyes and glared into the catacombs. Into the void. The abyss. His home and dominion.
"I can't lose sight of what's important," Erik told himself, "I can't. I've come too far for anything else."
He dropped the mask at his feet and walked into the darkness, pushing Scarlet from his mind and replacing her with the singing, happy image of Christine, looking up at him in adoration.
xXx
Tears fell from my face as I ran, blindly letting the path in front of me lead the way out of the catacombs and up to the surface. The thought of Erik's traps crossed my mind, but the thought of him throwing himself away from me only made me want to run faster.
'He only cares about her,' my mind screamed in pain, 'He doesn't see you in the way that he sees her. He never will.'
Just keep running.
Just keep running.
Before I knew it, out of sheer luck it seemed, I found a small door and burst through it, shutting the door behind me. The bright, golden light of the foyer blinded me and I shielded my eyes, gasping as I stumbled back into the door which had seemed to disappear entirely, as if it had never been there at all.
Suddenly I heard screaming. I blinked and tried to look around, before I was tackled by a pair of arms.
"Ragazza stupida! Sei un vero idiota! Come hai potuto andartene in quel modo! Pensavo che il fantasma ti avesse ucciso! Quello che è successo? Ti ha ferito?" she said, looking me up and down, lifting my arms and checking me all over, "Lo giuro su Dio se ti mette un dito su di te, lo darò la caccia e lo ucciderò io stesso, il bastardo!" Screamed Carlotta in my ear as she grabbed me again and hugged me to death, "Oh, I'll kill you! Don't ever do that to me again, I swear! I thought you were done for! A goner!"
I chuckled and squeezed her back, tears still running down my face, "It's ok, Carlotta, I'm fine! He didn't hurt me I swear!" I wiped my face and looked around. I had found myself at the side of the grand staircase. There must be a hidden door in the wall that goes under them.
"Lo ucciderò! Giuro che lo ucciderò!"
I pulled Carlotta away from me, "Hey, hey, Carlotta! It's ok! I'm fine, he didn't hurt me! He let me go, I'm fine."
She sniffed, her makeup running down her face, "You are ok? You swear?"
I nodded, "I promise. He didn't lay a finger on me." Probably a lie, but at this point I didn't care. I was tired and emotionally and mentally drained, and really needed some time to think about this whole ordeal. Carlotta screaming and crying over me was not going to help.
"Where iz your mask?" Carlotta asked.
My hand flew to my head and I found that my mask was indeed gone. I must have dropped it back in the catacombs.
I shrugged, "Must have misplaced it. I'm sorry, Carlotta. I'm sure it was really expensive."
Carlotta shrugged and waved her hand, "Don't worry about et. Zee important thing iz that you are ok."
I looked around and moved out into the foyer, noticing that the once full room was now deserted, "Where is everyone?" I asked.
"Zee moment zee Phantom took you, everyone except for Umbaldo, zee Patron, zee managerz, leetle Daae, and zee Giry's ran. After dat everyone else left to look for you."
I turned around and looked up the stairs, then slowly began to make my way up them, Carlotta following me close behind. I stopped once I reached the landing, staring at the golden piano.
"Do..." I turned to Carlotta, a tear running down my face, "Do you think you can give me a few minutes? Maybe you could go get the managers and tell them I'm ok? I asked, "I... I think I need a moment to.. to think. And to be alone."
At first, Carlotta looked hesitant, then her face softened and she nodded slowly, "Of course. I'll be back shortly. Don't you dare go anywhere." she said, pointing a finger at me as she backed down the stairs.
I nodded and as I gazed back at the piano, my heart pounding in my chest. I took a deep breath and stepped closer. I reached out my hand and dusted a few pieces of confetti off the keys. I slowly let out the breath I was holding and nodded my head.
I sat down in the seat and placed my hands on the keys. ( Softly the keys rang out into the empty foyer, with no one to hear me play except for myself. My eyes watered but I kept my sore fingers moving. They ached from a long night of playing, but I couldn't stop now even if I wanted to.
I needed to do this.
I took a deep and shaky breath, feeling the pull of my heart and closed my eyes trying my best to prepare myself for what I was going to see.
For a moment, everything was dark, the only noise I could hear was from my own playing. Then, slowly, I could hear the beeping of the heart monitor and I took a deep and shaky breath before I opened my eyes.
I gazed around the hospital room for the first time in months and looked down at my bed. I gasped at the sight as tears flowed down my face.
My hair was dead looking and scraggly, my skin looked wax-like and thin. My hospital gown was hanging on me like a sheet and there were dark circles under my eyes. I looked almost dead. I had been in this bed for what seemed like months. How much time had passed since the accident? How long have I been away?
I looked over, noticing the familiar blonde hair. Emily sat next to me, holding my hand and tears were running down her face as well. She looked older, as if the light that used to fill her, what I had admired most about her, had left. Her usual bright and wavy blonde hair was now dull and uneven, her happy brown eyes had darkened and her cheery smile was missing. She wore a clean, grey suit that had been ironed and a briefcase was placed next to her. It looked like she had just come from somewhere very important.
"I have some news," she whispered, "We won." she laughed, shaking her head, "The man who hit our car 7 months ago was finally put in prison. He's been charged..." she whimpered, "With reckless drinking and driving and...," more tears fell,"...your possible murder...," she let out a sob and gripped my hand harder, my heart fell to my knees at the sight.
I shook my head, "M-Murder?"
She stood up straighter and wiped her tears away, "The court has made him pay all of your medical bills and if he doesn't pay he'll get ten more years." she sniffed, "The doctor's say... that if you don't wake up soon you have maybe a month left before we need to decide what to do. They...don't think you will wake up at all." Then she began to cry, "Why did this have to happen? Why did we ever go and see that... that stupid movie?! If we never went, we never would have been on the road, we never would have been in a crash, and you would still be here!" she sobbed, burying her face into my hand.
I stared at her as she wept, my heart pounding, yet the heart monitor beeped at an even pace. I looked back over at myself, taking in my complexion, the truth finally hitting me, "I'm dying." I whispered to myself. I looked back over to Emily, and began to cry with her, "I don't know how to come back," I said to her, "I don't know if I can! I want to, I do and If I knew how I would!" I ran to her, but being unable to let her know that I was here, I collapsed to the floor at her feet, sobbing. I could still hear the music in the background, the beeping from the heart monitor keeping rhythm.
I looked back up at her, and stood on my knees. Tears fell down my face, but I opened my mouth and began to sing.
"You taught me the courage of stars before I left," My eyes widened as I realized that I wasn't the only one who began to sing. Emily began to softly sing as well.
"How light carries on, endlessly, even after death.
With shortness of breath, you explained the infinite.
How rare, and beautiful it is to even exist.
I couldn't help but ask for you to say it all again.
I tried to write it down, but I could never find the pen.
I'd give anything to hear you say it one more time,
that the universe was made just to be seen by our eyes.
I couldn't help but ask for you to say it all again.
I tried to write it down, but I could never find the pen.
I'd give anything to hear you say it one more time,
that the universe was made just to be seen by our eyes."
I panted as I stood up and gazed back down at my frail body, "I don't think I'm going to come back." I whispered to myself, loss filling my heart. I took a breath and kept singing.
"With shortness of breath,
I'll explain the infinite.
How rare and beautiful,
It truly is,
That we exist."
I looked back at Emily and closed my eyes, my fingers coming to rest on the keys. Slowly, the beeping of the heart monitor faded away, along with my past as I said my goodbye to the life I had lived.
I opened my eyes into the golden light of the Opera house, but even that didn't help my aching heart.
Suddenly there was a loud noise, a bustling of footsteps and I stood up from my seat as Firmin, Andre, Carlotta, Piangi, Madame Giry, Meg, Christine, and Raoul burst into the foyer, a look of worry written on their faces.
"Mademoiselle!" Andre yelled as they all climbed the stairs to reach me, "Are you alright?"
"Y-Yes I'm fine." I stuttered.
"When the Phantom took you we all thought the worst! Thank goodness nothing happened." said Firmin.
Raoul stepped forwards and held his arm out to me, "I tried to come after you and save you, but I couldn't catch the two of you. You just... disappeared"
I nodded, "It's ok, I'm fine. T-Thank you, Raoul."
Suddenly Carlotta stepped forwards, "Alright, alright everyone. Give zee girl some space. I am sure after a night of partying and kidnapping she iz very exhausted, as are we all."
Andre stepped forwards, "I agree. I suggest a night of good rest and then," he took a nervous breath, "We can all talk about our 'situation' tomorrow evening."
Andre and Firmin looked at each other and nodded. The two of them looked at everyone, "Goodnight." they said before making their way down the stairs and out the building. Madame Giry turned to Meg and whispered to her. Meg nodded and began making her way up the stairs. Madame Giry looked at Raoul, and the two shared a knowing glance before she began to make her way upstairs too. They must have talked about Erik's backstory while I was gone.
Carlotta turned to me, "I must leave now, but the moment I return you will not leave my side," she smiled, and I chuckled softly, "Us talented folk stick together, yes?"
I nodded, "Of course."
She smiled and nodded, before turning away, "Ciao." she called as she left, Piangi striding along next to her.
I smiled. Maybe Carlotta wasn't so bad after all.
I turned to walk up the stairs myself, but Christine held out her hand to me, "Wait," she said, then Christine turned to Raoul, "Goodnight Raoul. I'd better get to the ballet dormitories."
Raoul shook his head, "Not without me. You need protection. That monster is still after you."
I bristled, but kept my mouth shut.
"Raoul-" Christine started, shaking her head.
"You can't talk me out of it." He said to her, "I'm staying by your side until he is behind bars." Christine glanced over at me and I looked away, biting my tongue.
Her face softened and she smiled up at him, "Ok," she said, "You can stay." Christine turned to look at me, "Let's go, Scarlet." I nodded and the three of us made our way up our rooms.
After a minute of walking in silence Christine turned to me, "Are you sure you're ok?" she asked softly.
I glanced over at her, "You want to know if I'm ok?" I asked.
Christine nodded, "I know we're not on good terms at the moment, but I still care about you. You're still my friend." she leaned closer, "He didn't hurt you, did he?" she whispered.
I shook my head, "No," I leaned closer, "Really, Christine, he let me go." I looked forwards and saw that we were nearing my room, "Now," I started as I took out my key., "I had an amazing night, everything was great, despite Red Death crashing the party." I stuck my key in the door and with a twist it opened for me. I turned back to Raoul and Christine.
"Goodnight, you two." I said, and quickly shut the door behind me.
I stared at the wooden door in front of me, listening as their footsteps died away. Once everything was quiet I slowly turned away from the door. I took off my dress in the middle of my room, and slipped on my nightgown. Wordlessly I picked up my dress off the floor and hung it on a hangar in my closet. I stared at it for a moment, then I walked over to my nightstand and pulled out my drawer, digging through it until my hands clasped onto my MP3 player. I turned it on, placed the earbuds in my ears and crawled under the covers on my bed, not giving a second thought to my hair or my makeup as I chose the song Saturn by Sleeping at Last. I closed my eyes and let the tears silently fall as sleep quickly overtook me.
xXx
Author's Note: Here are the Carlotta translations. I used Google translate (yikes I know) so don't cite me on this ok?
Ragazza stupida! Sei un vero idiota! Come hai potuto andartene in quel modo! Pensavo che il fantasma ti avesse ucciso! Quello che è successo? Ti ha ferito? Lo giuro su Dio se ti mette un dito su di te, lo darò la caccia e lo ucciderò io stesso, il bastardo : Stupid girl! You are a real idiot! How could you leave that way! I thought the ghost had killed you! What happened? Did he hurt you? I swear to God if he puts a finger on you, I'll hunt him down and kill him myself, the bastard!
Lo ucciderò! Giuro che lo ucciderò! : I'll kill him! I swear I'll kill him!