Twisted Every Way(Phantom Of The Opera Fic)

Chapter 24: A Mask and a veil.

"Why do you wear that mask?" Autumn asked curiously.

The clock struct twelve, her favorite time of night. When all still and silent, and the best questions got asked.

Erik sighed, "All in good time. I do not teach those who ask silly questions."

Then there was a silence as Christine knit, Gustave read, layed out calmly on the floor and Erik fummbled through papers.

The girl looked at the silent three.

"Where has Nadir gone?" She asked after a moment. She had grown rather fond of his kind nature.

"He is with his familly now, In London."

"Oh." She sighed.

Once again a silence.

"Are you the opera ghost?" Autumn asked calmly, as if it were a perfectly normal question.

Gustave looked up from his reading. Shock more than offense filling his posture. Even Christine slowly set her Knitting aside.

Gustaves eyes were full of puzzlement. "How-why-Why do you think that?"

She smiled sadly, "Virtue wears a veil, vice a mask. Victor Hugo said that in the book your reading. I've read stories about the ghost, I know his virtues, it wasn't that much of a leap."

Erik frowned, she was clever. Perhaps even as clever as Gustave.

Perhaps too clever to keep their secret.

"Take of your mask." Autumn stated looking at Erik. "Oh please do."

Erik frowned and Gustave stared. "I will not for reasons only important to me."

Autumn looked at Erik with compassion, a look that Christine had one adorned him with.

But Christine had looked with Pity. Pity that came far too late. Here was love, kindness.

Autumn before she could be stopped, reached up to her teacher and with her delicate soft hand swaning removed his mask.

Erik closed his eyes and ears, expecting a scream of horror.

Gustave and Christine did the same, knowing full well what it was like to see the face of fire for the first time.

Silence.

Autumn did not run or cry. She stood, expressionlessly where she had stood before.

"Why do you wear a mask? What have you to be ashamed of?" She baffled. "You are a good and just man and your face reflects it. No. I see no flaw. The stories were a lie. How foolish of me to believe them."

Tears came to Erik's eyes.

"Whoever told you you needed to wear such an unfeeling scrap of clothing over your peculiarity needs to perhaps recognize their own internal flaws before pointing out the physical ones of others." She set the mask down with a thwack at the table.

Gustave stared awestruck at her.

She frowned at him, "Is there some difference I am overlooking?"

Gustave shook his head in surprise.

Christine stared. How she wished she could have spoken so kindly so vailantly. How much happier she would have been now.

Never before had she met a woman of such strong will and temperment. Autumns reaction had not been what she expected.

Erik smiled threw his tears and almost laughed.

"Have I said somthing wrong?" Autumn asked concernedly. "I've over stepped my bounds again havent I? I always am."

Erik took her hand and smiled at her. "Not a single thing. You will have every wish your heart wants. I will teach you at the best of my ability"

Autumn smiled and just for a moment, Gustave was able to imagine loving someone like that.

"How did you do that?" Gustave asked her once Christine and taken Erik aside.

"There are two types of people in this world, ones who hide behind a mask and those behind a veil. You decide which you'd rather see." She stated.

"I'd rather see a veil..." Gustave said with a teasing smile.

It wasn't till several weeks later that Autumn would sing at a lesson. She would sit quiet, hands crossed and tongue tied. Erik had gave up wearing his mask around her because he knew the moment she saw it she would reach up and remove it.

Gustave got taller, and even less shy. His voice could now boom down the hallways and his laughter even more so.

He was handsome, there was no doubt. The Opera people became used to seeing him but never did know where he came from.

Autumn went about her life as normal. She knew one day she would be forced to leave the opera behind and fufill her place in society. So she did her best to appear acomplished in her studies to her mother. Except that during her mind often drifted of to the darkest corners of the opera house where she knew at the end of the day, Gustave her adopted Mother and her teacher would be waiting.

She would do anything for them.

Anything.