I owe everyone a box of tissues for the last chapter, but I give you each an extra one seeing as this will make you cry too. I'm so sorry the last chapter made you all cry, but deep inside I'm cheering, because the chapter did what it was supposed to.
Epilogue:
Two years had passed since Christine's death and all Erik could do was eat, sleep, and compose. All he wanted to do was come up with an opera that would honor Christine's soul and allow her once again the glory of the stage. Lotte would sit near him as he worked at the organ, pounding out songs of pain and agony or playing out songs, so beautiful they caused him to stop and weep.
Jacqueline would cook his meals for him and always served it to him at the organ for they learned it was rather difficult to get him to eat anywhere else. Getting him to sleep was an even harder task. They had to make sure he was dressed comfortably and the lights dimmed just right before he could fall into a deep sleep.
Lotte didn't mind in the least bit that her father needed her care for she was willing to make the sacrifice. At the moment he was busy at work coming up with the last bit of his opera and she told him to come find her upstairs when he finished. She kissed his cheek and caressed his shoulder before heading up the tunnel.
Erik felt joy from that bit of affection from Lotte, but deep down inside he longed for death. So many times he wanted to curl up in his sleep and just let the darkness consume him, but now he had one last thing to create. This opera told Christine's story; the story of a young girl's struggle as she tried to make herself something greater, but still remain the same innocent girl she was. The opera's climax was when she met a man of a mysterious background, who gave her everything she ever dreamed of.
Together they made beautiful music until the day he was close to death and three simple words were all it took to save him it was then she finally came to realize how much she truly loved him. He was pleased with his work and for the first time in years he signed his opening page; Erik Daae.
Sticking the pages into a leather binding he hurried up the tunnel and came through the dressing room mirror. Looking upon the room, which had been left untouched as he wished it made old memories come back and he felt the tears fall. The roses around the room were beginning to wilt, but every week he had returned and placed a fresh one with the same black ribbon tied around it upon her vanity.
"Think of me. Think of me fondly when we've said goodbye."
Erik looked up and was surprised to hear a voice; her voice. Blindly he pushed the door open and walked into the backstage area following the angelic voice out onto the stage, but all he found was Jacqueline sitting there gazing out into the house. In confusion he watched her as the voice filled the theatre throwing him back to the gala, so many years ago as Christine graced the stage as the beautiful Elise.
"Jacqueline, where is she? How is it I can hear her singing?" he demanded as he slowly made his way across the stage.
Jacqueline quickly looked over her shoulder and stood up watching him as he came towards her. "Grandfather what are you doing up here? Mother said you were to stay downstairs and rest yourself."
"Don't doubt it Jacqueline. I heard her just now. I know for certain I'm not hearing things; unless of course I'm totally losing my mind." He threw his hand up to his forehead as if he was about to faint.
Jacqueline ran to him and allowed him to lean against her. "Grandfather you need to calm yourself. Sit down before you give yourself a heart attack," she advised slowly as she helped him to sit down on the stage.
"I heard her Jacqueline. She sounded so pure and so clear as if she was standing right there in front of me."
"I don't understand how it is you heard her sing. She told me she's been trying to reach you all this time and for some reason the communication ways are blocked."
"She tried to speak to me? But how I thought the dead couldn't speak."
"They can and Grandma has been speaking to me ever since that day two years ago. Every time I hear from her she sounds so sad, because she can't talk to you or give you any kind of sign that she's okay. However she can see you and she is proud of you that you have indeed made it this long without her."
"How is this possible? She can speak with you, but she can't even speak to me. I don't understand," Erik said as a series of sobs caused him to double over and lean into Jacqueline's chest.
"She doesn't know either. She's wanted to speak to you, but she can't." Suddenly Jacqueline sat up straight and seemed to be concentrating on something on the far wall, but in truth she was listening to a voice as soft as the wind as it delivered to her a very important message. "She's calling to me saying that she wants you to join her. It's your time to go."
"I can't die yet; my opera," he shouted throwing up the binder, which she grabbed from him. "Promise me you will perform it. Promise me."
"I promise. I know Grandmother will be pleased to hear this and I'm sure you will be also," she said gently as she placed the binder aside and helped him lay across the stage.
"Jacqueline it's all happening so fast. I don't feel ready to go," he shouted his eyes searching the air above him wildly. "Is it really my time?"
"She says it is. Just relax. She assured me that you go without feeling any pain. Trust what she says Grandfather. Trust in the words that I say for her and everything will be okay. I'm here."
Erik started to feel as if he was beginning to slip into what felt like some kind of dream world as he felt Jacqueline grab his hand. "But how will I know that you all will be okay?"
"Don't worry Grandfather we'll all be fine," she said before Lotte's cries of worry took over as she kneeled down and saw her father's eyes close for the last time as he feel completely limp against the stage.
xxxxx
Erik could hear beautiful noises all around him. There were birds singing in a tree overhead and the sound of a fountain flowing off in the distance. He sat up keeping his eyes closed and he began to feel his youth being restored to him. He reached up his hands to touch his face and right away he felt the mask placed securely over the right side of his face.
He opened one eye and then the other first seeing his hands, but he pulled them away only to bring them up again as the light blinded him. With a groan he stood up and slowly brought down his hands allowing himself to adjust to the light. Once he could see he looked ahead of him to see a large golden gate sealed shut with some kind of lock. Three people stood outside and as he looked closer he began to make out who each one was.
He had only seen the picture of Stephan Daae once and now here the man was standing and talking to three woman. He recognized a young Meg and Mme. Giry right away, but as soon as he saw her standing there he knew immediately that he had made it to heaven after all.
Christine looked up and saw a figure clad in a black suit, his cloak and mask a dead give away. "Erik?" she whispered at first stepping forward a bit. Rubbing her eyes she realized it to be true. She lifted the edge of her skirt and sprinted towards him. "Erik!"
They fell into one another's arms and ended up on the ground. Christine reached her hand under the mask and flipped it off his face placing tender kisses against the marred skin as tears of joy fell down her face.
"I thought I'd never see you again," Erik said as he reached up and caressed her cheek.
"I would always wait for you Erik. Forever and always I would wait for my Angel of Music."
The story she is complete and Erik and Christine have been reunited. I almost thought to end it with Jacqueline's last statement, but I wanted to include the part with Erik seeing Christine once more. As I promised there will be a sneak peek for the upcoming story, which will be started in late summer, early fall seeing as I need a summer job, so I can have money for school. But that will come after the list of reviewers and other thanks I have to give. So be patient. If it doesn't matter much to you skip ahead.
First off there is the recognition of the Raoul Haters United Club Members:
CoolGirlEmily, LoverofBalto, Ophicial-Phan, Son Ange, spunkeygirl, inkie pinkie, Little Lottie, Melissa Brandybuck, Fox of the Nova/Ivory Core, xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx, An Anti-Sheep Cheese Muffin, Vera-Sama, Pickledishkiller, LadyDarkWater, gothicVampireHuntress, Moon Avenger, neverliedown, AmandaTheVampireLove, Serena Fae, Bondaged Vampiresa, phantomstfbeluvr, and La Phantomess.
All of you were worthy of the title Raoul hater and will continue to be one from this day forward. Congradulations to all of you for a job well done!
Next are all the signed reviews including those of you who at times gave anonymous reviews, but still included your pen names; so many of you lasted with me since the beginning and a lot of you joined in sometime in the middle. Whenever it was that you started reading I must say if it wasn't for all of you and your enthusiasm I don't know where I would be. The fact that this story was such a big hit still surprises me and it's something I always dreamed of. Thanks for all your words of praise, comfort, and even demands. They helped a lot:
Phantom-lover72, Padfootz-luvr, timepsycho, Countess Alana, Dreaming of my angel, Amidalasky Snape, Roccovende, Lil Shady, Ivory Core/ Fox of the Nova, Serena Fae, Pickledishkiller, Little Lottie, Carkeys, Countess Vladislaus Dragu, Spunkeygirl, La Foamy, Moon Avenger, Hermonie Fear, dogs, Rae Anderson, monroe-mary, xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx, inkie pinkie, xAngelxOfxMusicx, An Anti-Sheep Cheese Muffin, Melissa Brandybuck, CoolGirlEmily, SecretChances, madamfluff, IrishPotterChick, Vera-Sama, Son Ange, Demon-In-Me, Emma-J-Riddle, Ophicial-Phan, AmandaTheVampireLove, gothicVampireHuntress, LadyDarkWater, xchristinedaaex, LostSchizophrenic, oh la la love, Silinde, Vimana Feral, Bondaged Vampiresa, lilinnocentvivi, wosao, The Angel's Maggie, Crystal Sister, Sugar Peaches, christine xavier, Skywind, GerryISUChick04, CelticLady, Dark Amystika, PhAnToMaNdRoCkYhOrRoRfAn, IndiaPyro, Lizzie Black, La Phantomess, Madame Opera Ghost, Gi Xian, Wolf Prince, and kiwi93089.
This is to you anonymous writers. You deserve credit even though I don't know who you are:
neverliedown, chrissy, clinex, blondgolfer…oops…sorry, bottlecap16, Malaika, angel, sweet peaches, phantomstfbeluvr, pototfbeyeluvr, duskyrose, mysistersnameiserika, mimi, a.e. migs, POTO is my savior, megan h, ……, Shortone, iceangelmkx, and Triguntri.
But oh my god 600 reviews. I think I'll need one of those boxes of tissues now.
Now as promised here is the sneak peek for the next story.
"You can't condemn the opera house," Lotte shouted at the inspector.
"I can Madame and I will until you have it update to the theatre standards. It's not safe using gas lit lamps nowadays and so all theatres are being closed down and switching over to electric light," the inspector explained writing something down on his clipboard.
"Our Opera House has done just fine with the gas lamps and if you close down all the theatres what will the Paris people do for entertainment?" Pierre asked.
"That's not my problem. Now I'm giving you a choice. Close down and install electric light into your theatre or the government will purchase the property and remove you for trespassing on private property."
Lotte and Pierre looked at one another in pure horror. If they argued they would lose the Opera House all together and they had vowed to keep the building in the family. They had no choice to except the first choice.
"We'll close down then and do the installing. The last thing we want is to lose the building," Pierre said sadly.
"I knew there was a way of getting you to comply. Employees are welcome to continue living on the property if need be, but warn them that they will have to be relocated at times to make room for the workers, who will be installing the lights. Now do you have lower floors that need to be taken care of as well?"
"No, we don't use the lower floors. They've been empty for years," Lotte said quickly.
"All right then."
Jacqueline listened from a nearby dressing room and was shocked at the news of the Opera House closing down. This wasn't right. They had to perform her grandfather's opera like he had asked. She made a promise that it would be presented the following season and that was a month away. There was no way the lights would be done by then.
"They can't do this. If Grandfather was here he'd have a few things to say about all this," Jacqueline whispered to herself as she watched the deal take place.
"You know you're right. I would have a few things to say about all this," a familiar voice said from behind her.
Jacqueline could feel the hairs on the back of her neck rise as she slowly turned around and gave a blood curdling scream when she saw a familiar figure standing within the glass of the mirror; her grandfather had returned…
So what do you think? This story has no title yet and no basic plot line as of yet, but it is in a thought process right now. Seeing as I need a summer job and money for college. I need to wait until fall to start on this, so do be patient. I will work on my college story in the meantime for those of you awaiting that and maybe some more poetry. I hope soon to begin the next installment of Lotte's story.
Thanks everyone for your kind words once again and I'll miss working on this story, but I am so happy to see it complete and now I get to do the most boring job of all; editing!