Love Revived

Chapter XIII

Everyone was here... except Erik of course as we discussed how to go about not letting him find out.

"Well, I was awoken in my bed the day the managers came... and you Raoul, I remember that night was one where Erik sang me to sleep," I said as we all went around to say how and when we remembered.

"Obviously, we were performing Don Juan, and I caught Monsieur Destler in his box, triggering what I assume to be bad memories from America," Meg added, her voice soft and still sorrowful.

It was two weeks later, and I had finally performed Don Juan completely. Now it was time for a new seasoned opera. It was certainly a success though, possibly returning for the next year.

"Very well, we do not mention America or Coney around him," Madame Giry said as she sipped her tea.

"I was getting a drink, trying to comprehend your disappearing from my life. The moment the liquor touched my lips I collapsed into the memories," Raoul said. He didn't really spend more time than he had to here, I just wanted to make sure that if he happened to run into Erik he knew what to say.

"I was privy to this knowledge long before the lot of you, Christine knows this, as I had planned on simply guiding us to Don Juan and hence letting fate take its course, not bringing my dear Meg to help Erik. I couldn't hurt her again, and I could not let you get hurt, Christine." Madame Giry shared her thoughts, far kinder than when she had been before.

"That's good of you..." Raoul muttered uncharacteristically calm for returning to his normal self.

"I do have my daughter's best interest at the core of my heart, Vicomte, do well to remember such."

I furrowed my eyebrows as the Madame looked between Meg and Raoul who were simply stoic.

"There is little I want to make you all do for me, as I do not deserve it, but just please do well not to mention of this to Erik... any of it. And pray he is listening not through the walls," I added scarcely, wandering my eyes about the room.

"I should go," Raoul said suddenly, "Good day to you all." He tipped his hat and left the rom with one last look right past me. I couldn't tell if he had pin-pointed something in his gaze, but I had little time to worry.

"Erik will want you back, Christine, I highly suggest you heed him. Are you not making wedding plans soon?" Madame Giry asked me with a smirk.

"We happen to be, yes," I replied with a very content smile.

"I rather hope to recive an invitation," Meg tried to joke, her strange gaze fixed on the door fading away. She sounded weak, like the past few days of remembering had killed her inner conscience.

"I assure you that I will have the people I love the most there," I replied, hugging my friend and saying my partings, leaving the room just as Raoul had.

I walked for a little while, before I returned to Erik. It was a soothing thing, too, as I had little else to do while I rummage through the opera house. I wanted to go to the roof at one point, so I began to make the journey, swiftly coming up through the accessible door. The air smelled clean up here, and very cool compared to the cramped and heated mug of the insides of the opera house. I guess that was why I enjoyed the catacombs so much, they brought me new surroundings and wonderfully smelling air. Candles littered the floors in candelabras, but I found that it was still so intoxicating and fresh. There was no need to go outside or a need to escape. I never wanted to escape.

"Fancy meeting you here," a soft voice, melancholy as it was said from behind me.

"It is a rather rancid coincidence," I replied laughingly.

Raoul chuckled and leaned over the railing as I did.

"Paris is beautiful up here, I see how it is so easy to fall in love with another in a scene like this-"

"Raoul, please do not make this harder than it already is," I begged, looking over at him.

His features were calm and cool, collected as I found him. He wasn't even looking at me, but it looked as if every emotion was flooding his eyes. There was a love there that hadn't been there before... What had happened in the few moments I had let him go from that horrid meeting?

"Are you alright?"

"Quite, I find myself in love with the Paris air, the surroundings that gave me life and a place to grow up," Raoul said quietly. If he had said anything above a whisper, I think he felt that someone would hear him that wasn't me.

"We have done very much of that when I am only seventeen and you once again, twenty-four," I remarked, turning back to look at the landscape.

People below us tottered around in their personal business, something I found dreadfully fascinating. They were all so oblivious to the person next to them when they saw that person walk by them at the exact time every single day. That could be all you knew about that person, that you saw them pass by without fail in front of the coffee shop you hate. That could be it. Or, you could be nosy and find they loved the coffee shop you detested, and you also knew the person familiarly. You have visited their house, and you may wave hello to them as you pass. The point was, no one actually knew anyone, but did you really want to? What if we did know everyone around us? If I could look at the small lady of about twenty talking to a gentleman and tell you everything about her without blinking an eye, would the world be different? If I had only known everything about Erik the moment he spoke to me, then maybe things would have changed. Things would have been different.

"My body feels different. I feel like I never drank a drop of alcohol, and all my money is in my pocket, weighing it down. Not to boast. There is little I find I do not like about the situtation we were forced into bar the fact that I do not have you, Christine. I had the chance to re-write the opera I had finished with a single note. A letter telling you I left you, how dare I? I was a coward, Christine, and for eveything I accomplished in harming you upon, I apologize."

Raoul was apologizing, and all I could muster were tears. Even as I thought that bliss would erupt from this damned situation, I found myself in more despair now than I had been before.

"I accept your apology."

"That means more than the world to me."

I nodded and flashed him a smile worth a million words, at least I hoped it was. I had trouble expressing true emotions unless I was under a thousand gazes, expecting me to play a part in an opera.

"You should return to your prince, Christine, I assure you he must be awaiting."

"Take care of yourself, and it would do you well to love again...."

"I know," he muttered, turning away as we said our last good-bye for a while.