Til I Hear You Sing |The Phantom of the Opera|

Chapter Five~ Castle on a Cloud

I decided to post another update because you guys have been going crazy. I will not be posting for the next few days because I will be a a chorus camp, so I wanted to squeeze in a quick update. I hope you enjoy!

Erik

"No, no... this cannot be true," I tried to tell myself as I picked up the letter and it's contents. I looked at the envelope, praying that there was a name written on there, so way of identifying who had written this letter. 

Surely this must all be a messed up joke, someone trying to use my pain for humor. "Papa, is everything alright. Is someone there," Gustave asks from the across the room. I slowly look up at my son and I had to catch my breath. 

Giry sees my distress rather quickly. "Children, why don't you give your father and I a few moment to talk. Gustave go play your violin for your sister, I am sure that she will be excited to hear you play," she suggests. 

Gustave hesitantly looks up at me, fearful of how I would respond. He knew about the strict rule I had with music. Music was not allowed in our household after Christine's death. Every time I heard a note it felt like someone was stabbing me in the heart. 

"Papa, might I be allowed to play one song for Belle. I... I know that it is against the rules, I just wish to play one song that I have been working on for her," he asks politely. He was like Christine in that way. She was always so kind and polite to others, and Gustave had her same gentle tone. 

Wanting to distract myself from the letter, an idea appeared in my head. "Why don't you two both play me a song? I have heard you two practicing late at night," I suggested. Gustave and Belle's eyes grow wide as they realize what I was saying. 

Gustave nods his head furiously at the idea of playing for me. "Oh papa, I would love to play for you," he says excitedly as he and Belle both stand up and run over into their room. I sigh as I sit down in the chair as I run my hands through my hair. 

Giry lays a hand on my back, and I hand her the letter. "There is no name, Giry. Nothing that can tell me who sent it," I say. She reads the letter and I see the confusion in her eyes, "She is the only one who would know about that night," I whisper. 

"What is the significance of this night, Erik," Giry asks me, obviously still confused. I look around, making sure that the children were not coming. I would rather not like to explain to them about what happened that night. 

"It was the night before she was going to wed Raoul," I start and she slowly nods her head. "She came and found me... and she just came to say goodbye, but... then we said things that I shall never repeat and one thing lead to another and..." 

I could still remember everything that happened that night. Her words rang in my head every time I thought of her. I could still feel her lips on my neck and I remembered how her soft hands felt against my skin. 

She did not care that I was a monster and she forgot about the horrible things I put her through. She... she pronounced her love for me, and she proved that she loved me. She had given herself to me without a hesitation. 

I... I should have appreciated her more when she was alive. There were so many things that I wish I could have done differently. I would have never left her, I would have never doubted her love for me, and I should have held her closer. She slipped out of my reach and I could never get her back. 

Why did I not hold her closer? 

I snapped back into reality and I turned to look at Giry and from the look on her face she did not need anymore information, "And you two are the only ones that ever know of this night? Are you sure that no one has overheard you two talking about it, Erik," she asks me and I shake my head.