-Discontinued- A Guiding Hand (A Phantom Of The Opera Fan Fiction)

24 - one stop..

-Nathalie-

After chasing after Lucas and managing to loose the angry mob that had found their way into the catacombs. We finally made out ascend back up into Paris. Well the edge of Paris at least.

It was snowing lightly and I had realized that I was still in a nightgown. It seemed Erik had taken notice because he had taken the cloak that he had grappled last minute and wrapped it around my shoulders. As angry as I was with him I was grateful that he had done this.

"A small town not too far away from here has a rather large port that has a boat that is going to America in the morning" Lucas said looking around the rather empty street. "I said what I did because we needed to get out of there before getting caught by that mob. We do need to start our walk though." Lucas said. I felt like he continued but I had looked over to see a rather familiar cemetery.

I felt tears starting to build up in my eyes as I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I looked over to Erik who seemed extremely worried about me. Which I could understand why. Though I would have preferred if he hadn't worried so much.

"Nathalie..?" He said to me as I quickly looked down and wiped my eyes feeling my hair falling into y face before smiling a bit and looking back at him.

"I'm fine Erik.. But I was wondering.." I paused and looked over at the cemetery before frowning and looking over at Erik once again. "If I could stop to see my mother..." I said Lucas had been listening into what we were saying.

-Erik-

"If I could stop to see my mother..." Nathalie looked at me with a sorrowful expression. I was a little confused at first until I had put two and two together. She had seemed distracted by the near by cemetery, and if I remembered correctly her mother had passed. I couldn't blame her if she wanted to do such a thing before running away to another country. I looked down at her and nodded. She gave me a sad smile before taking my hand and interlocking our fingers before leading me to the cemetery.

-Lucas-

"We will have to start our walk soon sense the boat does depart in the early morning" I said before glancing over my shoulder to see that Erik and Nathalie hadn't kept walking with me. Nathalie seemed to be focused onto a near by cemetery.

Nathalie had asked to see her mother. Was she gone? Buried in the cemetery maybe? I guess that would make sense for someone who didn't have a home and was living in the opera house. Then again I shouldn't be talking sense Madame Giry had taken me in from the streets as a young boy.

I watched as Nathalie took Erik's hand and started to walk towards the cemetery. I respectfully walked a slight distant behind them.

-Nathalie-

The snow started to come down heavier as I walked through the all too familiar cemetery. I remembered walking through this old cemetery when it was still used. The tombstones were still here but they had stopped burying the dead here and started another cemetery at the other side of Paris.

I remembered the spring my mother passed. The bright flowers, singing birds, and warm weather. I remembered how less tombstones were here when I was younger, the trees were slightly smaller and bloomed with fresh flowers. Thinking back to the day of the funeral I felt tears welling up in my eyes.

"I hate you!"

I remembered those last words I had said to my mother and how I longed to take it back. How I longed to hug her and hear her sweet voice again. After being bullied by my older brother or father. How she calmed me and helped me through everything.

How ungrateful I was back then. How I said those three words. I didn't hate her, nor would I ever. I loved her with all my heart. And knowing that I would never be able to apologize for my actions.

I felt my heart drop as I walked around the corner to see the large black marble tomb stone. I remembered the freshly dug hole and how we placed her favorite orchids onto her coffin before we watched them burry my once loving mother, that was now a rotting corpse.

I walked to the tomb stone slowly and knelt down in front of it. With my already cold hand I wiped the snow off from the plaque.

Rosalee Cordelia Labell
1834-1859

A loving wife and mother, a kind young soul.

As I read the plaque I felt myself break. I remembered how I wasn't allowed to cry at my own mothers funeral. I remembered how my father told me in the carriage on the way there that if I did I would have been an embarrassment to him.

My hand reached up to my chest as I sat there staring at the tombstone and remembering how the moment I got home I ran to the garden and cries until I was asleep by the fountain. I remembered how I awoke to a cat meowing and rubbing against me. I remembered how I was scolded for leaving the house without permission. I remembered the druken beating and how my father said.

It's because of you that my Rosalee is dead!

I remembered how my father wouldn't let me see my mother after she fell ill. I remembered how he'd scream at me if I had. I remembered how my life crashed before my eyes after I had said those three words.

I hate you!

It was all my fault and I knew this. For once I believed my father. I didn't deserve the life I had before my mother passed.

Wishing I could hear your voice again
Knowing that I never would...

Too many years fighting back tears
Why can't the past just die?

Wishing you were somehow here again...

I found myself singing softly as I looked down at my hands and replayed so many memories in my mind.

"I'm so sorry..." I mumbled as tears streamed down my cheeks "it's all my fault..."

As I was about to continue I felt strong arms wrap around me from behind as a few more tears streamed down my cold cheeks. A hand came up and wiped the tears away as I heard the familiar voice sing.

No more talk of darkness
Forget these wide eyed fears
I'm here
Nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you.

I turned to look at Erik and before he could continue I turned fully and hugged him tightly as he did the same to me.

Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask of you..

I sang through my tears as I felt his arms tighten around me and I looked up at his unmasked face as I smiled weakly at him.

"I haven't been here sense the funeral.." I said hearing my voice change due to the fact I was still crying. He wiped away my tears again and smiled down at me before helping my stand and hugging me again. We stood like that for awhile before I finally pulled away and smiled up at him.

"Let's get going" I said as Erik smiled at me and kissed my forehead sweetly before taking my hand in his as we walked to Lucas who was patiently waiting for us as we three headed off to make our way to America..