The Phantom's Guardian (the Phantom of the Opera fan fiction)

Down once more

"Desiree,,, Desiree,,, wake up..."
Somebody was shaking her awake.
The first thing Desiree noticed was the mixture of wooden flooring and crumbled set pieces with the unmistakeable scent of fire and smoke. Her right arm was heavy and painful at the same time, blood oozing from a flash wound where the bullet from the police officer's gun might have scraped it. Her whole body ached, while her old wound at the back of her head throbbed as she was flung back onto a set piece when she fell.
"Hey, are you okay?" Clara pulled her up and helped her sit up.
She must have been unconscious for some time as the theatre is now in chaos.. Almost all the audience has gone. The hall is empty except for some policemen who were running about. One or two stagemen were trying to extinguish some fire that has broken out.
"Oh, Clara, it's all gone wrong. What happened now?" Desiree suddenly become frantic.
"Desiree, the Opera Ghost kidnapped Christine again, the vicompte and policemen, and a whole mob of stagemen followed to hunt for him, and Madame Giry led them. She said she knows where to find them."
"No, no no. I need to go.."
"You can't, you're injured. He is mad, Desiree. He murdered Sinor Piangi." Clara insisted.
"NO, no, It's all because of me..." Desiree groaned and got up. A broken half-mask lay on the stage and she picked it up, sobbing.
"Clara, thanks for all your help for me. But I have to go. The Phantom did not murder Piangi."
With the last of her strength, Desiree pushed Clara away and ran out, leaving her frozen with that information.
**********
The usual trip to the lair from the marketplace made Desiree queasy and afraid this time. She was afraid of what scene would await her. ("Did I change something already?") Is Erik hurt?)(" I should try my best to explain to Christine. It is all my fault.)
Knowing all the shortcuts, she made it to the lair door very quickly. She heard commotion inside the lair, but its only three people.
Erik, without the mask, was holding Christine, who wore the white dress, captive, and backing towards the organ, with Raoul cautiously inching towards them.
The scene made Desiree halt. It seemed like it was exactly unfolding as the original final ending scene. She stopped and waited in the dark.
"Monsieur, I bid you welcome!
Did you think that I would harm her?
Why should I make her pay for the sins which are yours?
Nothing can save you now - except perhaps Christine..."
Erik's voice is wavering and crazy, it was clear he was in a lot of pain as well as fury.
"Christine, you shall stay with me and in return, I will spare his life."
"NOO, please, Angel of music... .who deserves this?Angel of music..., you DECEIVED  Me!!! "
Christine's shout echoed in the chamber.
Erik froze.
Christine slowly inched forward to press her lips to Erik's deformed ones. She hugged him and whispered in his ear.
Erik's eyes were widened.
Then, suddenly, he dropped to his knees, silently sobbing.
Christine got up and ran towards Raoul, who hugged her tightly to his side.
"Take her - forget me - forget all of this...
Leave me alone - forget all you've seen...
Go now - don't let them find you!
Take the boat - leave me know, swear never to tell, the secrets you know, of the angel in hell"
"GO NOW!"
"GO NOW AND LEAVE ME!"
Christine took off his ring from her dainty hands, and put in Erik's hands. Then, she ran out with Raoul. Desiree took cover behind a step, the pair just missing her by inches.
********
Desiree slowly steps inside the familiar lair, which is now littered with broken plates and ornaments, showing the struggle that had took place before.
She slowly knelt next to the sobbing Erik.
"Erik.."
Fast as lightning, Erik turned towards her and hugged her tightly. "Desiree.... What shall I do now?"
Desiree froze. It was the first time he called her by her correct name.
She tried to pat his arm and he sobbed again, like a child.
"I am sorry, Master, Erik..."
His grip almost crushed her and she winced and flinched from the sharp pain from the wound on her arm.
Erik draws back quickly and saw the blood.
"You are bleeding."
"It's nothing."
Then, he remembered that he doesn't have a mask on his face. It was his turn to flinch away.
"NO" Desiree almost shouted. She grabbed his arm. The strong muscled men did not broke away by force, and Desiree was happy for it.
"Do not hide from me, please..." She couldn't help touching his gnarly folded side of his face, gently turning him to face her.
The green eyes she loved so much were wet and in clear pain.
"I am still here. You are not a monster, I am proof of it. Isn't it?.."
His crazy eyes scanned her face rapidly, looking for horror and disdain. He must not have found any, as Desiree felt his arm slacken under her grip.
"She hates me..."
"She doesn't hate you. You hate yourself. That's all."
Desiree didn't know how many minutes passed by, both of them just sitting on the cold,wet floor holding each other's arm. She did notice Erik's sobs died down a little.
When she was about to ask "What now?", they heard noises.
"Track down this murderer he must be found!
Track down this murderer he must be found!
Hunt out this animal, who runs to ground! Too long he's preyed on us, but now we know, the phantom of the opera is here deep down inside!
He's here the Phantom of the Opera..."
Desiree's head shot up. "Erik, why is the mob here?"
Erik was instantly alert "They must have come down from the trapdoor from the opera"
"But, there are several traps in that route, aren't there?" Desiree asked hurriedly.

Erik was silent...
"I closed all traps since you almost died in one of these..."
"Oh, no.. Erik, you must leave, leave and hide"
"You are injured, you should be the one to leave"
"It's nothing, just go now.If they found you, they will kill you surely."
"I can't leave you, Desiree. I won't let you pay for my wrongs."
Pleasure filled her heart as her ears basked in the joy of her name on his lips, but her conscience is screaming at her, saying that the timing is all wrong.
Desiree's eyes widen, in some distance, she saw faint lights of torches at the other side of the lake.
"Please, Erik, go now. I promise nothing will happen to me. I will follow you soon. They just can't find you here. If they did, it will all be over. You will live. You have to live. Promise me that you will live for yourself, not for anyone else."
"What shall you say to them?" He asked, holding her uninjured arm tightly.
Desiree wrecked her mind.
"I will pretend I arrived together with them. I could make it look like you took your own life in the lake. Then, we can meet back at Clara's house. I told her that you did not kill Piangi."
Erik hesitantly and reluctantly agreed.
"Go, please, Erik"
He scrambled for another mask in the room and dark shroud.
His green eyes glittered in the dark. He looked into her eyes.
"Desiree, promise me you will see me again"
Heart in her throat, Desiree replied. "I promise. Now go"
With a nod, the Phantom disappeared into the darkness.
With time running out, Desiree got to work.
"so long he prayed on us, but now we know,
the phantom of the opera is there, deep down below"
Her own blood drips on the floor and Desiree trailed it to the waterfront like he jumped into the water.
The sounds and echos of the angry mob draws nearer as she took out the broken mask. She was about to put it at the shore when she felt the gust of a very cold air.
She wondered how a cold draft could get underground but as soon as she felt the dizzying sensation, she understood what is happening to her. She had felt the exact same way in front of the Palais Garnier before she found herself in this world.
"No! No, no no! This is not happening. I can't go back right now. I promised him. I need more time" Desiree moaned.
However, her senses began to dull with the familiar sense of vertigo clouding her vision. The mask clattered from her hand onto the shore of dark water. Desiree's world was plunged into the darkness again.
*********
Author's Note,
Here it is, another part in years!!!
One more finale and we are done with this book.
Maybe I will update tomorrow, if I got enough reads and comments.
Thanks and see you soon!