Keep Me Close

A Monster or A Man

Erik POV

"Erik!" I heard a shrill voice call from the doorway. I was barely awake when I felt some one shove me onto my side waking me up more. Madame Giry stood over me a look of disgust on her face...
"Get up, now." she said. I only looked at her with displeasure.
"Erik Destler! Are you a monster or a man? A man wouldn't have done this.... A man wouldn't have left his daughter in the middle of the night... A man wouldn't have-"
"Enough!" I screamed at her taking the last sip of the bottle in my hand. She didnt flinch at my outburst but instead threw a pile of clothes at me.
"Get dressed. Be a man, the man I know you are inside." she said throwing my mask at me as well. She stormed out of the room leaving me to my solitude. I looked at the picture of my daughter on my desk from the night of her performance, where all my torn up sheet music I had worked on turning my ten years of loneliness sat next to it. What have I done?
I looked around the room to see everything smashed and torn up. I had destroyed somewhere very dear to me... Somewhere i took comfort.... The place I first began to think Lily could be my daughter only to find it was true. Somewhere I had built my organ and piano. My hand trembled moving the bottle of liquor away from me.... I had drank away my pain last night like the man who i loathed more than anything had done...
"Erik you fool," i muttered to myself softly beginning to sob. I felt the door creek open to reveal Madame Giry standing there no longer looking angry but this time sympathetic.
"Erik is not a monster... Erik is a man. A man i raised, a man I care for with every inch of my being." I couldn't meet her gaze as she bent down to my level. She softly grasped my chin and turned my face to look at her. She took her hankercheif and began to dry my tears.
"Erik is a monster... you cannot deny that" i said bearing my teeth. She only looked at me as i leaned my head against her chest like a small child would do to his mother. I cried, and cried. She then made me look at her again, her eyes beginning to water.
"No, Erik is not a monster. Erik is a man with flaws. The Phantom of the Opera is a monster that you've been running from for so long... concealing all the pain inside from all your years of suffering, then you received a gift. You had a child, a child you cannot bear to see grow up because you fear her leaving you Erik " she said.
"Erik is sorry..." I said. "What have I done?" I said softly.
"You lost control, and two people very dear to you are the ones suffering right now. You need to pull yourself together and get dressed. There's been a fire " she said standing and leaving me there.
"Where? Did a ride catch fire?" I asked concerned.
"No, the theater..." She said looking at me with sympathy.
"No..." I said. "Is she ok? I need to see her!" I said scrambling to my feet and running to the door.
"No, change. Then we will go." She said. My daughter my be hurt and it was my fault. I quickly changed and ran to the door. I ran passed Madame Giry and to the stables to get my horse.
"Mr Y?" A man outside smoking a cigarette said to me. I walked passed him and swiftly went to my horse, i saddled him and mounted. Dante nor Ramin however, were no where to be seen.
"You there!" I yelled pointing to the man who had spoken to me. "Where is Dante?" I asked worried that his conditioned my have worsened.
"Hospital sir with his boy. His son pulled a girl from the fire at the theater last night" Ramin saved her....
"Get!" I yelled and my horse took off into the streets making my way to the hospital. I had never traveled this fast in my life, weaving through the carriages and people littering the streets. My cape flowing behind me, and the wind whipping into my face. I arrived to the hospital quickly and jumped from my horse tying him up to the nearest bench,
"Good boy" I said patting him as I took off to the doors.
"Where is Lillian Destler?" I screamed to the young woman at the desk, she jumped back frightened by me.
"Sorry?" She said shaking.
"A girl, rescued from a fire last night, Lillian Destler" i said slamming my fist to the desk "Speak woman!" I boomed again getting the attention of the people around us with horrified expressions.
"Pediatric wing, down the hall to the left" she said trembling at my demands.
"Thank you" i said calming slightly. "Apologies Madame" i said turning and running down the hall. I followed her direction to see sickly children and nurses roaming the halls.
"Mr Destler!" I heard a young girl yell. Noel came running toward me, wrapping her arms around me crying. I let her do this, before asking.
"Where is she?" I said frantically.
"In there" she said sniffling and pointing to a room.
"Thank you" I said placing a soft kiss on her cheek. She sobbed more before retuning to her father sitting in the chair outside of Lily's room. Meg sat there still crying on his arm,
"Erik" she softly said looking at me. I was still upset with her. I ran to the door and swung it open before stopping in my paces looking at the sight of my daughter...
"No..." i said barely able to walk. Lily laid there with her eyes closed. Her flesh was burnt badly on her arms and legs... The only thing normal seemed to be her face... I stumbled grabbing onto various furniture to hold myself up.
"God no... please..." I muttered falling to the ground next to her bed. I touched her warm, frail hand. My eyes let the tears flow, resting my hand on her bed. "I cant loose you... please." I cried barely able to breath. I didn't know how long I sat there crying.
"I knew as soon as I heard the last name... She also has your eyes" a familiar voice from long ago said..."Don't worry old friend... she is comfortable. She will wake up in a bit." A hand was placed on my shoulder, i slowly tuned around to see the face of a man from almost twenty years ago.
"Nadir"