Welcome to Gaia! ::

Intermezzo:

Matthew had become very silent as he lead Victor up through the passages that had now seemed like second nature. The noise from the audience began to resonate down through the theatre. Matthew could hear everything around him, the actors, the musicians, the spectators, even the young man who was to be his shadow in this great drama. He pulled aside bricks, opened passages that hadn’t been unlocked in ages and brought Victor along for the ride. Soon they stood before a ladder that lead up a stone column.

“Why have we stopped?” Victor asked his voice hushed. Through the wall they could hear the growing anticipation of the audience.

“You are to take the Phantom’s place in Box Five,” Matthew said as he pushed Victor aside.

“And what of you?” Victor asked.

“I will be in view of you but of no one else,” Matthew said as he started up the ladder, “I will check to be sure that no one has taken up residence in my box,” he added and moved quickly up the ladder.

The box was empty when Matthew moved away the wall piece and looked into the lavished red box five. The body of the theatre had become filled with men and women of all ages. The great curtains before them remained closed but moved slightly as people passed behind them. Monsieur Fauxvoix sat where he had always been sitting in the front row, centre stage, where he could curse or praise his diva. He looked confident as he sat, glanced at his pocked watch and smiled at Matthew’s mother who sat beside him. She became nervous and moved closer to her husband who sat next her her.

Matthew cracked the knuckles on both his hands and pulled from a hidden pocket a red rose tied with a black ribbon and placed it on the ledge of the box before he disappeared from it again. He reached the bottom of the ladder where Victor waited and moved away quickly.

“Where are you going?” Victor asked as he grabbed Matthews cape to stop him, “what am I to do?”

“When the opera starts you will hear Gabriella sing a high cadenza at the end of her first aria, when you hear that move and take your seat in the box, do not move anything and stay out of sight. You are only to be seen, there are plenty of places to hide you face in the box. You will know when you are to be seen and when you are to disappear. You are to create the illusion that I am a ghost and can be in more places than one,” Matthew said in a hushed voice, “that will give me time to find my place and prepare for what is to come.”

“What is to come?” Victor asked.

“How good of a shot are you?” Matthew asked ignoring the last question.

“Fair,” Victor said, “why?”

“Because I will need you to fire three shorts. You’ll know when you are to do it,” Matthew said and turned to leave again.

“How will I know?” Victor asked more frantically.

“You’ll see me fly from one end of the theatre to the other, shoot the rope and then follow my lead. Just don’t stay visible for long,” Matthew said and stormed away.

Victor remained, dressed as the Phantom, in the darkness of the unfamiliar space. He sighed to himself and placed his ear against the cold wall to listen for his first cue. It would not be his last.



Matthew moved quicker as the music from the overture picked up. His place was high above everyone, in a room that once caused the opera house to be in great disorder. It was a room high above, disguised by the elaborate paintings of the ceiling. The room in which the mechanics of the giant chandelier would be kept. Matthew knew what he had to do, dropping the great mass of class and light wasn’t part of it, but his parents would not be happy all the same.

Gabriella took to the stage, with more beauty and grace than ever before. Her singing was pure perfection and her motions were light and flawless and yet in her eyes a great sadness. From his vantage point on the theatre Matthew could see her as she exited the stage and her body seemed so hunch over in fatigue. She was slowing down. The performance was taking its toll on her. She was giving up.

Intermission came and went and the opera drew on. Every time Gabriella took to the stage the audience seemed to sigh, lovingly, at the beauty before them.

Finally the final aria, the climax and the end was near. The pain was growing in Gabriella’s eyes but her voice rang on. Suddenly the lights in the great chandelier flickered. There was an interruption in the music as a manic laughter resounded in the space.

“What’s going on?” someone cried from in the audience.

Panic had settled.

“Why is he still in my Opera,” the Phantom’s voice echoed in the room as a spotlight fell on Fauxvoix, “did I not order him to never return!” the voice was angry.

Matthew stepped out from his hiding place, high above the theatre floor.

“The Phantom,” a woman screamed as people began to stand from their seat.

“He is nothing but a man,” Fauxvoix yelled, “get back in your seat and watch the show,” he was filled with anger for the great interruption.

Gabriella stood in the middle of the stage frozen with fear.

“Gabriella run,” A little ballerina yelled as she ran to her and grabbed her arm.

“You stay were you are,” Fauxvoix hissed.

“And if she doesn’t, Monsieur what will you do?” the Phantom yelled.

Chatter and fear grew louder and louder in the great space. Monsieur and Madame Belville had made their way onto the stage and stood supporting the young diva who looked close to fainting.

“What do you want Monsieur?” Joseph Belville yelled up into the openness of the opera house.

“My Christine!” The Phantom yelled and flung the lasso from his hand and toward the chandelier. He then jumped from his perch and flew down over the audience.

Screaming erupted as people ducked and sheltered children at the crazed man who flew from the ceiling.

Like a crack of thunder, a gun shot rung out through the building and the Phantom’s rope was snapped in two he landed only inches, on his feet, from Fauxvoix and aimed his pistol at his face. The Audience had gasped to see a second Phantom appear and then disappear in box five.

“Get out of Paris, Monsieur,” The Phantom hissed as his pistol still stayed aimed at Fauxvoix.

“And who is going to make me?” Fauxvoix hissed as he jumped forward at Matthew reaching out for his mask.

Matthew flew back as well and caught Fauxvoix around the neck with the remaining bit or rope. With another quick flick of his wrist and a great gasp from the audience, Fauxvoix has been nearly strung up, the rope tight around his neck. His eyes began to bulge as the Phantom pulled harder on the rope that he had looped around a low set piece and lifted Fauxvoix so that he was standing on the tips of his toes gasping for air.

“I’ll make you,” Matthew hissed as the man struggled against the ropes, “I’ll not only make you leave Paris but I will make you pay for the things that you have done to my angel of music.” he turned sharply and looked at Gabriella. He winked. She stumbled backward at her cue. And seeming to be in absolute panic she screamed. A blood chilling scream. A scream that rang and deafened the ears of man. She then fell, faint, into Monsieur Belville’s arms.

“Quick get her out of here!” Belville yelled as he looked at his son and pulled Gabriella into his arms protectively, he winked back at Matthew.

Matthew turned sharply back to Fauxvoix moving the pistol back to his face and letting the rope relax a little more, “she may be out of my reach now, but I will have her soon.”

“She belongs to me,” Fauxvoix forced through his choking.

“She is MINE!” The Phantom yelled as men and women started to rush toward the stage to help. His pistol turned upward toward the giant chandelier.

Gunshots rang out, lights exploded in the chandelier. People ran screaming toward the exits as large chunks of shattered crystal came crashing to the floor.

“He’ll bring down the chandelier,” Madame Belville screamed.

The lights from the chandelier all went out. Darkness blanketed the open space. With a thud Fauxvoix hit the floor. The house light were brought back up quickly. But the Phantoms were gone.

Gavotte:

Matthew and Victor had rushed back to the house on the lake, long before any of the police had landed on the scene. Victor had changed from the garments that the Phantom had lent him and had disappeared from the house as he was instructed. He had work to do on the outside, much before the final performance and the great drama that was to unfold. He would be the final person to address the press or anyone with answers once everything about Fauxvoix had been revealed.

The young Phantom paced his lair. He was still filled with energy. The adrenalin pumping from what he had just accomplished. The smell of gun powder filled his nose. The weight of the weapon still in his hand. He shook all over with excitement that his plan would be falling into place. Everything had worked out perfectly, almost better than he had expected but he had to stop himself from becoming to engulfed in his first big triumph. He had to get through the following evening before he could really celebrate with his beloved. She was till to far away from him, even at this time and though only a day stood between them she felt years away and out of reach. She was brilliant tonight. Her hysterics were nearly too believable. Something inside him ached to know that he had induced that much fear into her small frame. He didn’t want her to ever feel fear again but he knew that this would be the most trying part of her life. Soon things would be easy, they had to be or he would believe that he had failed her in every thing he had ever promised.

It was hard, Matthew found, to calm himself but something in the house called to him. A voice in his ears told him the performance was spectacular and that everything was falling together perfectly. There was a guiding hand in all of the madness, Matthew could feel it and yet, when he stood with his gun aimed at Fauxvoix faced he was torn in two. Something deep within him told him to shoot the man right there and there was a force that pushed him on. But he had fought it will all his being, or what was left of himself, and managed to pull the gun away.

He walked quickly around the house, down the halls and past the rooms of torture that the original Phantom had constructed. Images played in his head of seeing Fauxvoix dying in one of the room. Slowly and painfully, all of his sanity slipping slowly away. He felt a strange pleasure in this idea and yet knew it was wrong. Something really was taking him over. He reached the door to the Phantoms room and found that it was open, the candle was still burning on the table but brighter than before. Matthew walked cautiously into the dark room and slowly walked to the wall and placed the pistols upon the shelves. He then turned, feeling a weight like someone had placed a cross on his back and had to stop. He leaned heavy on the coffin that belonged to the Phantom.

“Why didn’t you shoot him,” a voice in the room asked as the weight on his shoulders grew heavier. The voice was angry and yet terrible familiar.

“I couldn’t and risk everything,” Matthew cried in pain.

“You could have and taken her right then and there,” the voice yelled, “Christine is still suffering, you could have stoppered that.”

“I would have been caught!” Matthew yelled.

“The police are useless and compromisable you would have been fine,” the voice said as the weight fell away.

Matthew gasped for air as he fell to the floor. A hand reached out of the darkness and pulled him to his feet, almost off his feet and Matthew stared fearfully into the death white face of a man or ghost he couldn’t tell, “who are you!” he gasped.

“I am the opera ghost,” he said throwing Matthew to one side, “and I will have to finish what you started,” the ghost said and walked to the door, “your plan isn’t working perfectly because you are not giving in to me as you should. You could have been finished tonight!”

“I couldn’t have worked simply on passion this has to be well calculated and thought out! Or everything could be lost,” Matthew gasped as something seemed to hit him hard in the chest.

“I’ll finish this now! She is along in her room I will take her from there and be done with everything,” the voice said once more.

“Wait, you don’t understand the fragility of today. The police are every where and if anything happens, if anyone dies, no matter what, this place will be destroyed. If any death occur in this place at all, my family will loose the opera popular for good. We will be charged with the injustice. If anyone dies, Christine will be gone for ever. You have to understand that,” Matthew yelled, “too many things have changed since you walked among the living. Things have to be handled a different way. You can’t kill for revenge.”

“I can, I am the ghost,” the voice said to him, “and you are my dummy, if anyone is to be punished it will be you and I will finally have Christine.”

“The girl is not your Christine Daae!” Matthew yelled.

“Yes she is!” the ghost was furious.

“How could she love a man who thirst for blood! You’d loose her now as you lost her then!” Matthew pleaded as he pointed toward the painting on the wall, “if you continue on with what you have planned and not what I have suggested then we will both loose Christine. The Police will take her back to the world she once came from and we’ll never have her, either of us.”

“Again I say the police are compromisable,” the ghost yelled.

“But Christine is not!” Matthew screamed.

The ghost stopped, he turned back to look at the young man on the floor, “so be it, I shall give you one final chance. If by tomorrow Christine is not saved, I will take the matters back into my own hands,” he said and grabbed Matthew again, “you best not fail or you be the compromisable one. I have given you the tools you need to succeed in this your greatest moment. Do not fail,” he added and through Matthew from the room. The Door slammed behind him and locked. He would not be able to enter the room, haunted by the real ghost, again. Yet the warning rang in his ears.

“I wont fail,” Matthew vowed, “I simply can’t fail.”

“No you cannot,” the voice whispered like the wind through the hall of the house.

Matthew was unable to move for a long moment as he lay in the hall outside the door. It stood before him eery and forbidden. It taunted him down to the very pits of his soul. His body felt as though he had been through a great battle and yet a new horror had surface. The Opera was haunted by the real ghost and he had more powers than people believed him to have. He wanted Gabriella, believed her to be his Christine. Things were getting out of control. Once everything was done he would have to become like Raoul and flee with his beloved forever. He was to many men all at once.

Vaccilando:

The press had arrived earlier than anticipated. First the paparazzi and then the real news providers. The news vans lined the street in front of the theatre. With their coming brought the return of Fauxvoix, but he remained hidden from view. He didn’t want anyone from the news to see him until the questions had started that dealt with other matters. He was going to move into the foyer with them to avoid confrontations with the Belville’s and in the commotion he planned to grab Gabriella and leave. His plan was ill-conceived but he had not been thinking clearly. Fearful that he truly was losing everything, including his mind, he planned only to go on as things progressed. Something would show itself and he would know what to do. Everything always worked out in his favour and besides he now had the contract.

Finally Monsieur Belville, along with ushers from his head of house staff stepped through the grand front doors of the theatre and surveyed the congregation of cameras and microphones. It quickly became clear that they had held many press conferences in their time and Fauxvoix’s attempts at sneaking in were going to fail. He would have to walk past Belville who took it upon himself to check all of the press identification. If the person didn’t have any proper identification or was not of a credible news source, as the paparazzi normally weren’t, they were not permitted through the grand entrance and would have to remain in the street to see if they could be lucky enough to catch of glimpse of something.

Still Monsieur Fauxvoix could not risk not being present at the press conference. His diva had been inside without him for too long now and it was clear that something was happening behind his back. But he had been thrown into public attention for his misdeeds and if he tried anything to get Gabriella out he would be caught. He would have to wait till the evenings performance was finished.

The armed presence became more and more predominant as the time for the press conference drew nearer. Security guards began to take their places among the head of house staff members and police had begun to sanction off a viewing area before the theatre in the street. Fauxvoix knew it was time for him to act, he had to get himself inside. Straghtening his hat and coat, walking proudly as a man of status he walked up the stairs to the grand entrance and right up to Monsieur Belville.

“Good day,” Belville said as politely as he could force.

“We’ll see,” Fauxvoix huffed, “am I permitted to be present at my investments press conference,” he asked looking unhappily at Joseph.

“Under normal circumstances I would say no, but apparently the press wants to here from you,” Joseph said with a grumble, “So you are permitted to remain in the theatre today.”

“You need not worry, I wouldn’t want to stay here any longer than I have to. I will be taking Gabriella with me when the press conference is over,” Philippe said and began to walk though the grand entrance.

“We’ll see about that,” Joseph said angrily as he grabbed Fauxvoix arm, “you’ll not hurt that girl anymore.”

“Allegation that no one can prove,” Philippe hissed, “but I can prove that you are harassing me, so I suggest you let me go.”

“Fine,” Joseph said as he released Fauxvoix, “but you will not be permitted to move freely in my theatre. This is my property and you will act accordingly while in it. Captain Michel will be your chaperone for the remainder of your stay,” he added and motioned to the burly police officer standing at his side.

“That wont be necessary,” Fauxvoix said nervously.

“Oh we insist Monsieur,” the police officer said, “we wouldn’t want anyone getting hurt now.”

Fauxvoix was furious to have a police officer baby sit him. Things were not going to move along as he had planned.




Matthew stood nervously over seeing the entrance and set up of the press and cameras in his parents theatre. It had not been his first press conference and it would not be his last, he knew this, but it would be one of his most important. This press conference dealt with a more serious nature. At his side stood Victor Th odore, a man that Fauxvoix didn’t know but was soon going to fear. Matthew and Victor had been through much of the wrong doings that Fauxvoix had put on Gabriella and her mother. The evidence was shocking and enough to take Fauxvoix in, no questions asked, but not here, it would cause to much of a commotion and Matthew knew that the situation had to be carried out with absolute delicacy. An air of revenge filled the space. It was a frightening feeling and Matthew’s shoulders still ached from the night before. The opera ghost was very real and had his own plans for the girl. It was time to take action.

On the floor of the great theatres foyer chairs have been arranged in a large square to accommodate the reporters. Cameras and microphone filled the outside of the square. Above them, on the landing that separated the first level with the balconies, a long table was set up with chairs and a card board back drop of white and gold that sported the name of the theatre. It was clear that it was a normal set up for the press. At the bottom of the stairs, security men, dressed in formal theatre uniform stood behind a velvet rope barrier to keep anyone from moving any closer to the secured table.

Matthew watched as his father ushered Fauxvoix in and the police officer joined him. He looked angry and annoyed to have this man following him, but the crowd did part as they came closer and he was allowed, without questioning, to take a seat at the press table. The police officer remained at his side the entire time taking a seat with Fauxvoix at the far left hand side of the table. Matthew and Victor had positioned themselves at the far right hand side of the table. Victor smiled over to the police officer and gave a courteous bow.

“Good to see you Victor,” the police officer said from his end.

“And you Robert,” Victor smiled.

“Who the hell are you?” Fauxvoix asked as he looked at the new comer.

Officer Robert Michel grabbed Fauxvoix arm as he tried to get up forcing him back into his seat.

“How rude of me,” Victor mused, “I am Victor Thodore, attorney to the late Madame Angelique and in charge of settling her estate. I have been looking for you for quite some time Monsieur Fauxvoix. We have much to sort out you and I,” he said as he patted the top of his briefcase, “I have asked a good friend of mine, Robert, to aid in the process just in case things get, shall we say, complicated.” he smile and sat back down beside Matthew.

“How much does he know,” Fauxvoix asked himself as he sat feeling the heat of the large room, “but why are you worried old man, she signed the contract you have nothing to fear, except maybe the little bits in-between,” he told himself as he fidgeted with his hands.

“The first signs of quilt are uncertainty, Monsieur,” the police officer whispered as Fauxvoix jumped to look at him, “contrary to popular belief, in the public mind you are already guilty.”

“These stupid Parisian can believe whatever they want, I’m gone by tomorrow at the latest,” Fauxvoix grumbled.

“I wouldn’t be to sure,” Robert said as he folded his hands calmly on the table and watched out at the crowd.

Minutes later Madame Belville arrived and with her a ghost, or what seemed to be a ghost. Gabriella clung tightly to Camille’s arm. Her gown floated around her and peddles fell from her hair at every step. Matthew noticed the concern on his mothers face. Something really was wrong. Gabriella’s feet were bare as she walked down the stairs. Her face was white as snow and her eyes looked glazed over. It was a terrible sight to see. The woman looked like a corpse, the life seemed to be sucked out of her. Camille brought Gabriella all the way to Matthew and sat her down next to him. Fauxvoix was furious even at this distance away from the girl, jealously rose in him. Madame Belville didn’t move from Gabriella’s side. She simply whispered something to her son.

“I don’t know what has come over her,” she said into his ear. Gabriella didn’t seem to be listening. She stared blankly out at the crowd of people, “she was fine this morning and now she is like this. She’s cold as ice and wont say a word. Maria is fearful as well, she said it just happened and she wont drop this,” Camille added as she pulled Gabriella’s right hand up to the table. In her tight cold fingers she grasped a red rose tied with a black ribbon, “what does it mean?” Camille asked.

“I don’t know,” Matthew said fearfully looking at Gabriella, “something else is at work here.”

“God help us,” Camille said as she turned and took her seat next to Fauxvoix.

One seat remained between the six of them. Soon Monsieur Belville climbed the stairs and took the remained place. The crowd that had gathered in the foyer began to settle and the cameras began to roll. Gabriella stared blankly out at all of them.

“My friends,” Joseph Belville was the first to speak, “we come together today under a deceiving shadow. The good name of this institution had been tarnished once again and it is our duty to inform you that everything is being handled with absolute severity. The attack last night toward Monsieur Fauxvoix is being looked into...”

Fauxvoix interrupted with a rude grumbled that was barely audible.

“...and we have employed the aid of the police for the remainder of his stay with us,” Joseph continued.

“Which wont be long,” Fauxvoix blurted in.

“Let’s hope,” Joseph said feeling angry now, “also the allegations that have surface toward Monsieur Fauxvoix, concerning Mademoiselle Gabriella, are also being investigated Victor Thodore has travelled to join us from Canada and we look to my son Matthew to aid in the legal aspects at our end,” he said as he motioned toward Matthew and Victor.

“What are you talking about,” Fauxvoix asked looking at Matthew, “what does he have to do with the law?”

“I am my parents attorney,” Matthew said dryly not looking at Fauxvoix.

“They failed to mention that,” Fauxvoix huffed unprofessionally.

“You didn’t need to know,” Matthew said.

“As for tonight’s performance, we hope that it will go on so long as Mademoiselle Gabriella is...well enough to perform.”

At this Gabriella stood, “the angel of music has bayed me to sing, and thus I shall,” she said her voice soft and almost musical.

“She is in no condition to sing!” Fauxvoix stated as he too stood, “look at her, what have you done to her?” he yelled.

“Silence!” a voice boomed from above.

Gasps rose from the crowd. Looking everywhere to see where the sound had come from. High at the top of the stairs to the left of the foyer stood a man in red. His face was covered, his clothing were ancient. His eyes burned red like flames.

“It’s the red death!” someone screamed.

“Forever she will sing for me,” the voice boomed.

“I will,” Gabriella said, “I belong to you.”

“And as for you,” the red death said as he came closer to Fauxvoix.

The police officer had drawn his pistol, “don’t come any closer,” he yelled.

The ghost walked on ignoring the police’s orders. More officers had surface from within the theatre all their weapons drawn. Captain Michel shook as he stared into the burning read eyes of the ghost. He walked right though the police captain and right next to Fauxvoix. From around his waist her pulled a length of rope.

“I doubt I need to warn you what this will do,” the ghost said as he stared at Fauxvoix, “you will pay for your crimes against youth and beauty. I need not tell you that strange things happen here,” and with a flick of his wrist the rope was around Fauxvoix neck again.

Gabriella gasped and fell backward. Matthew jumped to catch her before she fell. Her eyes had rolled back in her head and her breathing was shallow. The crowd of reporters gasped as Fauxvoix face turned from horror to pain as he grasped his neck.

“It’s the Phantom of the Opera!” someone screamed as the cameras continued to roll.

“Do not under estimate my grasp on this place,” the ghost hissed as he pulled Fauxvoix closer to him, “she will sing for me,” he said his eyes burning as he cut off Fauxvoix air supply.

“Stop or we’ll shoot,” The police had surrounded them now.

“Call a medic, she’s not breathing!” Matthew yelled from his place on the floor with Gabriella.

“You can’t stop me,” The Phantom announced to the police and with a flash of flames red and hot, scorching Fauxvoix skin The Phantom disappeared into thin air.

Gabriella’s eyes flew open as she sat up and gasped for air. The colour had returned to her eyes and face and her hands shook as she dropped the rose on into Matthew’s lap.

Le Tragedy:

Silence had blanketed the theatre again. The Belville’s wouldn’t let Fauxvoix out of their sight. They remained in the office for most of the afternoon and only left when the theatre was opening its doors again to the public. The foyer and other public areas of the theatre were amassed with police officers and theatre head of house staff. The police placed themselves at random throughout the building as the patrons began to arrive for the show. It was a strange presents for the regular theatre goers but they didn’t seem to mind to much. It was closing night for a wonderful show and with all of the negative and positive publicity it was bound to be a good show. The foyer was bustling with people and chatter. The topic on everyone’s mind were the strange affairs that had begun to make their way to the television and papers. It was clear that many of the people had come, not only for the show, but in hopes of seeing the opera ghost.

The brilliant velvet curtains were drawn once more, closing off the great world that lay behind. Workers were busy, two by two, to prepare the set and the stage for the final show. Costumed men, women and children ran frantically around backstage as the orchestra began to take its place. The building was soon filled with the avantGarde sound of a tuning orchestra and the strange panic that normally took over a cast before closing night. The actors and crew members were filled with all kinds of emotion. It hadn’t been the smoothest running show and tonight would probably be no exception to this unfortunate truth. People were nervous about the performance and even more so about the company the theatre once again kept. Superstitions were running high as people crossed themselves and prayed that everything would go over without a hitch. They didn’t want to anger the Phantom anymore than he already was.

Gabriella sat patiently in front of her vanity mirror for what seemed like the last time. Maria has stepped out to finished with her duties for the rest of Gabriella’s costume changes. She sat alone admiring her costume and the magical work that Maria did every night. Once again she could see the bruises that were there. They were fading but she understood why people were starting to notice them. People turn the other cheek when they are not aware of what goes on. It is easier to hide thing if people were not expecting it but now Fauxvoix’s behaviour was being publicised, rumours were starting and spreading fast. Gabriella was being noticed now in a negative light. She wished only for everything to be over.

Matthew paced the grand entrance to the house on the lake. He was nervous and afraid that things would not work as they should. He hoped that no death would come tonight but he feared it was inevitable. Dressed once again in his black formal attire, the mask feeling foreign to him for the first time, he grasped the lasso that he had found on the floor outside the Phantom’s room. This was to be his only weapon tonight, the rest would be left for the police. It was strange, though, that he didn’t feel the presence of the Opera Ghost in the house. It was a calm and peaceful place once again. He felt comfortable and ready for what was to happen. Everything was clear in his mind, and yet he felt a pain in side him. He hadn’t been completely honest with Gabriella as to how things would run tonight, he hadn’t really told her anything about it and he was beginning to worry that in her fragile state things were start to go wrong and progress at blinding speeds. But he had to put the doubt out of his mind. I would only make him second guess himself and he didn’t need to be doing that anymore than what the Opera Ghost had already made him rethink. Sadly some parts of the evening he would have to fly by the seat of his pants and only hope for the best. Hope was really all he had left now.

High above the stage, box five appeared to be empty. Its red velvet chair and cushions had been the same for many years. But appearances can be deceasing. Seated in the regal chair, waiting for yet another evening of music and horror the Phantom of the Opera sat, like a king over looking his domain. He looked as he did in his youth when Christine Daae had come to live and train as a ballerina. It had been a long time ago and many things had happened in his life to bind him to this place. It wasn’t his choice to stay behind and haunt the theatre, he had done enough of that in his life time. He longed now only for rest and believed that the beautiful Gabriella Angelique, the modern image of his Christine, could bring to him his final rest. Tonight he took his seat in box five, a seat he hadn’t occupied since the days of his living but tonight he needed to be present in whatever way possible. He hoped that his being in the box would calm the poor girl and unnerve the young man. They needed to have the balance of all of their emotions tonight if everything was going to happen smoothly. As for the evil man that had disrupted the balance of the theatre, the phantom could keep a close watch on him, as he had many people, from high about the stage in his luxurious box five.

Monsieur Philippe Fauxvoix knew that his time was drawing near. They knew too much now and he was giving up his battle with them. He would have to ride out whatever they through at him because in the end he had the new contract that was binding Gabriella to him. He walked silently along side Madame and Monsieur Belville as they headed to take their seats. Victor was granted a box seat for the evening and Jean, the paramedic, had returned as well.

Once the audience had arrived in their seats the door had been shut behind them and an armed police officer stood watch outside each. The emergency exits from the theatre were also guarded by police. The house lights remained the only lights in the great hall as the chandelier had not completely been repaired. It was going to cost the Belville’s close to a million dollars to fix the damage that had been done but they knew that what was really happening was worth more than money. It was a life they had been trying to say and the publicity, both good and bad, had brought in much revenue for their theatre. It wouldn’t be as bothersome to repair the chandelier as the new was making it out to be but it would provide them with another excuse to over publicise the relighting of the chandelier, perhaps a new performance of some obscure passion would be fitting for the renewal of light in the theatre.

Maria had returned to the young woman’s dressing room and found her where she had left her. She looked stunning in her costume and the excitement in her eyes was contagious.

“You are not afraid young one?” Maria asked as the bells of the theatre rang the first warning that the show was about to start.

“Never had I been more ready for a performance,” Gabriella smiled, “it is going to be my best,” she said and followed Maria to the door.

“I will miss you my young one,” Maria whispered into the girls ear as they stood just behind the stage curtains waiting for Gabriella’s first cue.

“You will see me again,” Gabriella said as she hugged her nurse, “but finally you too will be free from this horror.”

“I look forward to it!” Maria whispered as the curtains opened and the overture erupted.

“You much go and be away from this so that they cannot accuse you of anything. I will take it from here,” Gabriella said as she kissed her nurse on the cheek and then watched as she disappeared into the darkness of the innards of the theatre.

Gabriella was brilliant on the stage, this night. Her voice rang out like bells, her acting was so real. The pain and the sorrow that she portrayed made even the strongest of men in the audience tear up. She glanced to box five as she sang and could see that the Phantom was happy. The music stirred the audience and yet Fauxvoix sat in the front row with fire in his eyes. Gabriella could see the revenge growing and it frightened her. If ever he would get her back she would surely die. But on this night she was free. The stage and the audience and the presence of her Phantom made her free.

Intermission came and went and she sang on. Everything was moving along smoothly. She wondered when it would happen but couldn’t dwell on the subject. Before she knew it the opera had come to its climax and the songs of the performance filled the space. The end drew near and fear began to set in. Nothing had happened. No one had moved from anywhere in any ways. She could see the Phantom in his box and Victor in his. The chandelier hung lifeless and the Belville’s watched on as Fauxvoix grew angrier. The end happened, the final song, the final chorus and then the final violin went silent. The curtain closed and the opera was over. The only thing left were the bows.

The cast had arranged themselves backstage to take the stage again when the curtains opened. The great curtains opened again and one by one the cast members took the stage. Applause filled the theatre and soon Gabriella was the last left to take her place. She sighed sadly to herself. Nothing had happened was she doomed to belong to Fauxvoix for ever, their plans would be over by the following morning. The contract between the Belville’s and Gabriella would be finished and Fauxvoix could move in again. Tears began to fill her eyes as Armide’s theme filled the theatre. She dried her eyes on the sleeve of her costumes, she didn’t care anymore, and walked slowly onto the stage. She hung her head sadly as she walked and the audience grew silent. She looked out at them, the tears washing away her makeup and showing her horror filled face. It was a heart breaking sight. Silence enveloped the theatre, the music stopped as Gabriella sobbed in the middle of the stage. She fell to her knees. Madame and Monsieur Belville rose to their feet but before they could move Fauxvoix was running toward her. Up the side stairs on the stage. Gabriella gasped to see him. His eyes were not filled with compassion but anger and hatred. He reached her and struck her. The audience gasped.

“How could you do this to me insolent girl,” he yelled.

The Phantom stood in his box but no one saw it, they were to captivated by the horror on the stage.

“It has all gone wrong for you hasn’t it! That is why you are crying your Phantom hasn’t come to save you! Ha!” Fauxvoix sounded insane now. The police officers had opened the doors to the theatre in time to see him strike her again.

“Please just kill me,” she sobbed, “my heart is broken to be left here again. I don’t care what you do to me now. I just ask that you have mercy and kill me.” she knelt before him her hands outstretched in prayer, “please put me out of this misery.”

“You leave me no choice,” He hissed at her as he raised his hand to strike her again.

A scream rang out as his hand fell upon her. The police had began to run down the aisles toward the stage.

Like a crack of thunder a rope landed itself in the middle of Fauxvoix’s back. He cried out in pain as the rope hung down from the ceiling of the stage. Down from above a black figure was descending. It landed on top of Fauxvoix forcing him to the ground.

“What the hell,” Fauxvoix yelled as he spun from under the cape that cloaked him in darkness. He fought with the fabric to release himself. When he finally did the crowd was screaming. He watched as a man in black formal wear, sporting a white masked lunged at Gabriella.

Gabriella screamed in fear as she felt the arms grab her. The police officers were running faster toward the stage now.

“Please don’t cry,” Matthew whispered into Gabriella’s ear as he carried her to the middle of the stage. He turned to the audience and looked frantically around. Pulling the rope from around his waist he flung the end toward Fauxvoix. He cried out in pain again as it hit him in the arm. The lasso fell to the floor as Matthew turned back to Gabriella, his eyes pleading with hers “if you could scream again that would be great,” he said.

Gabriella’s visioned cleared as she heard the familiar voice she looked up into his face. His eyes were red, his hands shook as he held her. He too looked like he had been crying.

“Please,” he whispered his eyes begging her.

She creamed, the most terrifying scream she could as she tried to fight away from he man she loved.

Suddenly the floor fell out from beneath her. She clung to Matthew in fear as they fell. She could hardly breath from the fear as they seemed to fall forever.

Above the stage Fauxvoix scrambled across the stage to the opening in the floor. He reached the edge and caught a look down just as the trap swung shut in his face. He stood in his place as the police reached the stage.

“After him, he’s taken her below!” Fauxvoix yelled as he pointed to the sides of the stage. Police officers ran in either direction.

The audience were panicking now. The story of the Phantom of the opera had been very clear to them all, as Parisians. They knew that when ever the Phantom had vowed revenge it ended badly and they began to flee the theatre.

Fauxvoix was furious. He looked up to the flies of the theatre and saw the rope hanging from high above the stage.

“Who is working the flies,” he yelled at the Belville’s, fury in his eyes, as they two had arrived on the stage.

“No one its all automatic now,” Joseph said panic in his voice.

“Lies, this whole place is a well worked lie! All against me!” Fauxvoix screamed, “FIND HER!” he yelled and ran off himself into the darkness the surrounded the back stage.

Romance:

The red and blue lights of the emergency vehicles flashed bright outside the front of the theatre as police officers roped off the area with yellow police tape and crowds began to gather outside. Gabriella sat silently, wrapped in a woolen blanket on the steps of the theatre, her arms bandaged from the ordeal but otherwise she seemed to be fine. Her beautiful costume was now ruined but it would be the last time she would have to wear it. Everything around her looked to modern from what had been happened. She had felt as though she had stepped back in time, back to the time and the place of the Phantom of the Opera. But now, here on the steps of the theatre, beneath the electric street light and the flashing lights of the police cars she was flung back to her world, to reality. It had been true that for quite some times she hadn’t even stepped outside of the theatre and now here she was in the fresh air.

“Here drink this, it will warm you,” Madame Belville said as she came to sit beside Gabriella on the steps. Her face was warn and red. Her cheeks were tear stained. She looked like and older woman than she was.

“Is he ok?” Gabriella asked looking toward a pair of ambulances.

“They need to take him to the hospital for stitches and stuff but they say he should be fine. Most of his wounds are clotted over, they say he doesn’t need much attention,” she answered as she wiped her face with a handkerchief, “they want you to go and be check over by a doctor as well,” she added as she finally looked at Gabriella.

“I’ll be fine here,” she said with a smile.

“You gain your freedom and yet you don’t want to run away from this place. The terrible memories it will bring to you, I don’t understand it,” Camille said with a sigh.

“Its been my life for so long I wouldn’t know what to do, where to go, or how to survive on my own. It’s something I am going to have to learn, I suppose, but for now I have had enough shock for one night, the familiarity will do me good and besides I have grown to love the place more than I can even remember my own home town,” Gabriella said as she turned to look back at the brightly lit theatre.

“You can stay a long as you need to,” Camille said as she watched her husband come out of the theatre, “we’ll help you out in any way we can.”

“Thank you so very much for all of you kindness,” Gabriella smiled, “I can’t begin to express my gratitude to all of you. Its been a very dangerous time for all of us. I still don’t understand how you could have voluntarily put yourselves in the position to help me and yet I thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing what you have done.”

“It as been our pleasure Mademoiselle,” Joseph said as he sat down on the steps beside her.

“What, now,” she asked looked very much like a child, “what is to happen with Fauxvoix?”

“Well that is hard to say, the police have only just found him,” Joseph began

“Is he dead?” Camille gasped.

“No, alive, but shrieking like a mad man,” Joseph said with a little chuckle, “we’ll just say that he finally believes in our ghost. The found him just as you said he was, Gabriella, but they said that he had gotten lost within the theatre and then that the walls had led them to him. Whispers they said from a man leading the way. They found him still as can be, sweat rolling down his face and standing just so on his tiptoes. He was grateful to see them, or so I am told, until they cut him down and told him he was to be charged with assault against you and our son. I am sure many more charges are to follow but at least now he is in captivity.”

“I can assume he didn’t take that well,” Gabriella sighed, “but what happened had to happen so that no one else would be hurt by him.”

“Its very true my dear,” Joseph said.

“I cannot believe how brave you have been through all of this,” Camille said, “everything has been absolutely mortifying.”

Before Gabriella could say anything the doors to the theatre flew open once more and two policemen and Monsieur Fauxvoix emerged from the theatre.

“Mine I tell you she belongs to me we have a contract!” Fauxvoix yelled as they came down the stair and passed Gabriella and the Belville’s, “its here in my pocket you can’t take her away from me!” he screamed.

“Wait,” Joseph said as he stopped the police officers from dragging away the crazy screaming man, “I’m sorry old man but this farce has been on you all along. Gabriella secretly signed a contract to us which voids any contract she may have signed with you,” he said and held the paper out in front of Fauxvoix for him to read. Then he gently reached out and pulled the paper from Fauxvoix pocked, “ah yes, and the date here on this contract clearly shows that it was signed while she was under our care here at the opera populair. I’m sure Victor would be pleased to see all of this.”

“This is none of his business,” Fauxvoix yelled, “its against you and me!”

“I’m sorry to prove you wrong again but Victor drafted our contract for us,” Joseph stated, “he is involved, and I am sure you’ll be seeing more of him in the coming days from your place in the Paris prison,” he added and handed the papers to Gabriella, “you life is finally back in your own hands.” he said with a smile.

“Thank you,” she said as she stood from her seat on the stairs. She walked over to Fauxvoix and looked deep into his eyes. The fear and the pain was gone from hers. She stood tall and proud before a man who had once held her captive, “you’ll never be aloud to hurt me or any one else every again. Do you understand,” she said more forcefully than had ever come out of her.

He hissed at her as the police men pulled him away and shoved him into a patrol car.

“He’s gone for good,” Joseph said as he helped Gabriella sit back down on the steps of the theatre.

“At last,” she signed, “finally tonight I can rest.”

“You deserve it,” Camille smiled.

“I think we all do,” Joseph added.

“His tyranny is over, the people he has enslaved for so long are free finally,” Gabriella sighed as she clutched the papers to her chest.

“Why, child, if this terrible time in your life is over are you still looking so terrible tortured?” Camille asked as she put an arm around the poor girl.

“It is because of me that your son is injured,” She said as tears swelled in her eyes and the ambulance pulled away from the curb and off into the street.

“He’s going to be just fine,” Victor said as he came to stand by the small group that had assembled on the steps, “and so are you, very soon.” he smiled as she handed him the contracts she had clutched so close to her heart, “we have much to talk about Mademoiselle. I have things for you from your mother. But everything can wait till morning. I think it is best that you get some rest. The press will want to see you in the morning and then things can finally regain a sense of normalcy.”

“To be normal,” Gabriella said as she dried her tears, “its been something I have longed for, for what seems to be an eternity. I don’t know if I would even recognise it if I was staring at it.”

“Well, we’re all here to help you find it dear,” Camille said as she stood finally. All the cars and the lights had begun to fade from around the theatre. The police were leaving but the yellow police tape stayed intact. It would a long while before everything really had settled but things were certainly becoming quieter, “come, let me take you to your room. You’re nurse will be waiting to help you with your thing and I do think a warm bed and the knowledge that you are safe tonight will help you to find some sleep.”

Gabriella followed silently back into a building that had once announced her captivity, but tonight it invited her freedom.