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A Phantom's Love	By : YamiAlchemist Category: M through R > The Phantom of the Opera > Het Views: 1235 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Phantom of the Opera

Chapter List
- 1-A Phantom's Love
- 2-The Phantom's Return
- 1
- 2
So this is my first time writing for this fandom. Please go easy on me, I beg of you. I wanted to create a story that was different than the other ones I've been reading in this fandom, and this is the result of that desire. Just a few things before the story starts.

First of all, this is kind of an AU story. It does not take place during the same time era as The Phantom of the Opera does, nor does it involve the same characters (in a way). Which leads me to saying that yes, the character's names are the same, but they are not the same characters. If you read the chapter closely, you'll understand why I say that.

Second: This is no longer my prompt story. Learn To Be Lonely has taken that place.

Third and final thing is that I do NOTown The Phantom of the Opera or anything else contained within this story. I did not make money off of this, nor do I ever intend to. Everything belongs to their rightful owners. This was created purely for entertainment purposes only.

*Added note: I changed the summary because I didn't particularly care for it. The story contents have NOT changed whatsoever (aside from a few spelling mistakes being fixed).

Now that that's over with I have just one thing left to say:

Enjoy!

A Phantom's Love

"Some of you may recall a strange affair… of the Phantom of the Opera... A mystery never fully explained…" Auctioneer – The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
It spread quickly, like a wildfire in the jungle. It was the talk all over the world, in many different languages. People gossiped about it during their lunch breaks and in the hallways of their schools. The announcement, which had been kept secret for a few years, was now played on every major news station across the globe repeatedly. Newspapers of all sizes wrote articles about it every day, talking about the excitement of such an occurrence. An event like this had never happened before in the history of the world, and it was more talked about than every celebrity in Hollywood. Even though the announcement itself wasn't a large affair, the effect it caused continued to circulate the media months after it first appeared. It was rapidly becoming the most talked about event anywhere. No one could deny the meaning behind the announcement.
The Phantom of the Opera was to be performed at the very opera house it was based on, The Palais Garnier.
The Palais Garnier was a fairly well known opera house throughout France, but its popularity grew exponentially after the release of the announcement. People from all over the world flocked to the opera house to see one of the many shows playing there. Each night the seats were packed with people and the Palais Garnier was seeing a spike in both attendance and revenue that the opera house had only seen in its earliest days. Located in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, the Opera House was one of the most beautiful opera houses to exist in the city. Though it primarily performed ballets since the creation of the Opera Bastille, the news of the Phantom of the Opera's performance there reminded everyone of the Palais Garnier's true purpose: the performance of operas. The reaction to the announcement was practically instantaneous. Libraries, schools, and movie rental stores were seeing an increase in interest in the story. So much so that all of the books and movies were checked out, or waiting to be checked out. No one, especially not the cast of the play, expected such an explosive response from the world. It was true that they were all hoping for a little piece of publicity, but it became such a widespread event that it mystified everyone connected with the play. When the Opera House closed its doors 3 months ahead of schedule to prepare for the premier, the entire world held its breath in anticipation.
The day dawned clear and warm, the sun hovering lazily in the east as the people of Paris began to move about their day. It was 8 o'clock on April 24, and the air was already warm with the scent of spring. It brought about a sense of refreshing change to the city, and everything looked brighter and happier now that the last claws of winter were slowly disappearing. The Palais Garnier stood in the middle of the city like a lost gem, its architecture a product of the past. The early morning frost still clung to much of the building. It was old, but still very beautiful, or at least, that's what Christine Haven thought as she stood in front of its doors looking upwards. The young brunette stood there in a thick sweater and jeans, a stark contrast to the beautiful designs on the building. A small sigh escaped her as she popped her peppermint flavored bubble gum. She was so excited back in New York when she heard she got the part of Christine. It was such a huge break for her that she almost didn't believe it, but she had the signed official letter in her suitcase with her. Apparently some talent scout caught a play with her in it and thought she'd be the perfect person to play Christine. It seemed that Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber also believed so. Which was how she found herself standing in front of the Palais Garnier half numb with shock. It was just now hitting her that she was going to be playing Christine in the famous Phantom of the Opera. While that in itself was rather shocking, the fact that she was going to play Christine in the exact building the story was based on was almost too nerve wracking to the poor girl. On the outside she appeared to be very calm and collected, standing there staring up at the building. On the inside she was freaking out, hardly believing that she really was going to be doing this. A part of her wondered if she actually would go through with this. It was the biggest thing to happen to her since… well… ever. Even her getting a part in a Broadway musical wasn't this huge of a deal. Broadway performances happened all of the time. This… this was The Phantom of the Opera in its home opera house, so to speak. It was almost too much for Christine to handle. Almost, but not quite. Growing up in Vermont had given her a little bit more confidence and control. While she was most certainly overwhelmed, she wasn't going to back out of this now. It was the opportunity of a lifetime and there was no way she was going to pass it up.
Straightening her shoulders, she nodded her head firmly to herself and picked up her suitcase before heading towards the main door. Reaching out, she pushed the door silently open and walked in, her jaw immediately dropping the moment she stepped inside. Pictures did not do the Palais Garnier justice. It was absolutely breathtaking inside. Directly in front of her was the Grand Foyer. It was huge and beautiful. Golden columns with beautiful carved etchings lined the hallway and at the very end, a large mosaic covered the wall and ceiling. What made it spectacular was the large gold chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. Certainly not as large as the main chandelier in the auditorium, but each one was large enough in its own right. She felt sorely out of place as she wandered down the hallway gazing at the beauty of everything. She found herself wishing she had worn something a tad finer than the old sweat shirt and jeans she had on. It was like stepping back into the past and wandering among the rich history of the building. If she imagined hard enough, she could almost see ladies in beautiful evening gowns and men in grand tuxedos walking slowly down the hallway chatting about what they were about to see. Her wandering footsteps eventually led her into the Grand Staircase and she stopped dead in her tracks as she gazed at it. Directly in front of her was the largest staircase she had ever set eyes upon. It traveled up one flight before branching off into two different staircases, both leading to the auditorium inside. Flanking the staircase were life like golden statues holding several lamps high up in the air. High above on the ceiling was another beautiful painting of scenes from various stories. Her eyes were wide as she took in all of the detail surrounding the area and she manage to miss the lone person standing at the very top of the staircase.
"I take it this is your first time to the Palais Garnier, Mademoiselle," the figure said, a slight tone of amusement coloring their voice as they gazed down at her. It wasn't the first time they saw that reaction on a person's face. The architecture of the opera house was one of a kind. There was so much detail in every corner of the building that it mystified even the most critical of people. A kind smile played on the figure's lips, even as their eyes danced with laughter at Christine.
She snapped her head up towards the voice with a slight jump. Christine had been so involved in looking at the building that she forgot that there were other people inside as well. A dark blush stole over her cheeks as she rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. She felt a little embarrassed at being caught gawking at everything, but it wasn't like she could help herself. The building was beautiful and was meant to be looked at, in her opinion. It was almost worth it to come just to see the architecture of the place. A shy smile appeared on her face as she replied to the woman's question, "That obvious, huh?"
"Yes, but everyone has that reaction the first time seeing this place," the woman remarked. She rested her hand on the staircase railing and looked up at the high ceiling. Yes, everyone has that kind of reaction to the Palais Garnier, including her. When she first came here, even she looked around like she was seeing the most beautiful thing for the first time in the world. A small sigh escaped her as she turned her head back towards Christine and said, "You must be Mademoiselle Christine Haven, the young lady who is to play Christine Da'ae. Everyone has gathered in the auditorium. Sir Webber will be explaining the instructions of what we're to do before rehearsal starts."
With that, she turned and started heading towards the entrance to the auditorium. Christine took a deep breath and hurried up the stairs as quickly as she could. As much as she would've loved exploring the place more, she couldn't risk missing the meeting. It wouldn't look good on her part to miss the first meeting of production. Especially since Sir Webber himself was going to be talking to them. She would have a chance to look around later after she got settled. Right then it was best that she hurry to get into the auditorium. Vaguely she hoped that she wasn't the last one to arrive. That would certainly be awkward. The door to the auditorium was left open and she quietly stepped inside. The inside was spacious and just as intricately designed as the rest of the building. All around her were rows and rows of seats that extended all the way down to the orchestra pit near the stage. She tilted her head to look upwards and her eyes slowly trailed up the various floors filled with additional seating for those who could afford it. At the very top her eyes rested on the enormous chandelier that hung from the ceiling. It was even larger than she imagined, and as she looked up at it, she couldn't help but feel a sense of overwhelming awe come over her. This was the chandelier that created such a disaster in the story. It was rather awe inspiring to be standing under such a famous creation.
She slowly wandered down towards the group of people that were chatting in the front of the auditorium. She was still very much in awe over everything and couldn't help but stare around her. Goosebumps broke out across her skin and she swallowed hard, fighting back the urge to run to the nearest bathroom and scream her head off. Get a grip, her mind said as she got closer to the group. She was cast as Christine, a leading role of the play. It wasn't her first time on stage, and her shock was rather ridiculous, or so she thought anyway. Anyone else in her shoes would be just as shocked, but she couldn't stay shocked for long. She was there to do a job, not act like a silly little rabbit afraid of its own shadow. Mentally nodding to herself, she looked down at the group and determinedly strode forward. The lady from earlier was seated off to the left and still giving her a look of pure amusement. She couldn't help but feel a tad annoyed at that, but shrugged it off. There wasn't much she could, or was willing, to do about it. Instead she chose a seat to the right of the aisle and sat down quickly, placing her suitcase between her feet. Glancing up towards the stage, she noticed an older man with combed back blonde hair sitting casually on the edge, his smile kind and his gaze calculating. She licked her suddenly dry lips and swallowed harshly once again. This was Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, the man who hired her to play Christine. She suddenly felt like a small child in front of a very important person. He smiled at her and nodded before speaking, "We're waiting on one more person to show up, but I think we can go ahead and introduce ourselves. As most of you know I am Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and I'm the one signing your paychecks."
A nervous laugh escaped the group and Christine fiddled nervously with her sleeve. Instinctively knowing it probably wouldn't be a good idea to have gum in her mouth while she was talking, she gulped it down roughly and took a deep breath as Sir Andrew nodded to a man on the left side of the auditorium. The man stood up and faced the group, a charming smile on his lips. His light brown hair framed his face and she couldn't help but think the way his eyes traveled over them that it felt like he thought they were very much below him. Mentally chastising herself for thinking such thoughts without even knowing him, she focused her attention as he began to speak, his tone slightly arrogant, "Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen. I am Raoul Larson. I will be playing the role of Raoul de Chagny, Christine's love interest."
The lecherous look and wink he sent her way made her blush heavily and everyone laughed. She felt her skin crawl at the look and she almost shot him a heavy glare. If he thought she was going to be doing anything romantic with him offstage, he had another thing coming. She was here to perform, not fall into bed with some random actor she didn't even know. Oh sure, she knew his name. Who didn't? He was famous around the opera circles for his tenor voice and good looks, but that didn't mean she knew him personally. It was always a rule of hers that she would never simply fall into bed with someone without getting to know them first. Call her old fashioned, but she liked to have something in common with the person she was sleeping with, rather than not knowing them at all. A few of the roommates she had while living in New York called her a prude for that, but she didn't care. She had morals and she'd be damned before she gave them up. Especially for a pretty boy who seemed like the type to not even care about her satisfaction at all.
She watched as he sat back down and a black haired woman stood up and faced them. She seemed a little shy as she folded her hands in front of her and spoke, her voice heavy with an Italian accent, "Hello, everyone. My name is Carlotta Fay. I will be playing the role of Carlotta. Unlike my character, I hope to get along with all of you."
The last part was sent directly at Christine when Carlotta looked her directly in the eyes and smiled hopefully. It was such a sweet gesture that Christine couldn't help but smile back and nodded welcomingly. She too hoped they would get along. While she knew almost nothing about the Italian opera singer, she did know that many people called her sweet and adorable. Looking at her now, Christine agreed with all of them. Carlotta did come off as being sweet and adorable. The Italian woman sat down and the woman who spoke to her earlier on the staircase stood up confidently and faced the group.
She gave off an air of experience and understanding at the same time, though when she looked at Christine, she couldn't help but smile in amusement. Her long brown hair was braided down her back and her brown eyes seemed to dance with laughter as she surveyed the group. Her obvious French accent came through when she started to speak, "Bonjour, everyone. My name is Sophia Giry. I will play the role of Madame Giry. I am excited to be here."
It was short and to the point, but it seemed to work for everyone, since a chorus of hellos echoed from everyone. Something started to nag at the back of Christine's mind and she felt her eye twitch slightly as she pondered on it. Her mind was still focused on what was distracting her when a younger woman sitting next to Sophia stood up and began to speak in an even thicker French accent than the brunette, "Bonjour. My name is Emily Giry and I will be playing ze role of Meg Giry. I am also Sophia's daughter. I look forward to working wiz everyone."
By now Christine was visibly suspicious. It was simply too much of a coincidence in her mind. There was simply no way it was a freak accident with their names. The rest of the cast rattled off their names and what parts they were playing. Victor Firmin was to play Richard Firmin, Kevin André was to play Gilles André, James Piangi was Ubaldo Piangi, Patrick Buquet was Joseph Buquet, Hugh Reyer to play Monsieur Reyer, and Gabriel Lefèvre to play Monsieur Lefèvre. It was almost as if the entire cast from the play was sitting right before her. Something hinky was going on with all of this and she simply couldn't ignore it. She could pass it off as a coincidence if one or two of them had the same name as their characters, but everyone had a variation of the characters names. That was impossible in her mind. The eye twitch went from only happening occasionally to fully twitching by the time it was Christine's turn to introduce herself. Everyone gave her a confused look when she stood up and placed her hands on her hips, a suspicious frown on her face as she said, "Hi. My name is Christine Haven, and this can't be a simple coincidence."
"I believe I must agree with you there, Mademoiselle," a deep baritone voice said from behind her. She froze as the voice washed over her. She knew that voice, how could she not know that voice? People from 20 different countries knew whose voice that was. She visibly fought the urge to swoon right then and there and simply took a deep breath before turning around slowly. She vowed to herself that she was not going to faint because of him. She had to reinforce that thought several times when she finally caught a glance of who the voice belonged to. The gods of theatre, if one believed in such things, were definitely not being very kind to her.
The man stood casually leaning against one of the seats, his muscular arms crossed over his chest in a relaxed manner. His left leg was crossed over in front of his right one and he was gazing at them all in amusement. She let her eyes slowly take in his entire being, from his dark black hair which hung in a messy way around his face that made him look drop dead sexy. A brown leather jacket covered up the black t-shirt that was hugging his torso in all the right places and her eyes traveled down to the plain blue jeans that fit him rather well and the untied combat black combat boots on his feet. A blush covered her face as she trailed her gaze back up to his face and noticed he was gazing right at her, a roguish smile on his lips as he caught her staring. The blush deepened and she quickly ducked her head to hide it as he introduced himself, his obvious British accent filling the air as he spoke, "Hello, I'm Erik Daeris. It is a pleasure to meet you all."
A few people chuckled when Christine sat down quickly and kept her eyes to the floor. Everyone could tell the effect he had on the girl and it was quite amusing to watch. Well, everyone but Raoul found it amusing. He was glaring at Erik with such hate that it amused the dark haired man greatly. An idea popped into his head and he smirked as he sauntered down the aisle and took a seat in the row behind Christine just to her right. His actions not only flustered her, but caused the glare on Raoul's face to deepen and he chuckled softly to himself, the sound causing Christine's breath to catch. This was the man she was going to be working in close contact with? He wasn't the only one she was going to be working with, of course, but the others certainly didn't make her feel like a high school girl with a crush. A little voice in the back of her mind couldn't help but saying that he was much more gorgeous in real life than he was in pictures. And his voice… it was enough to make butterflies explode in her stomach and her knees weak. She wasn't going to survive working with the man for 3 months, not including the month they were going to be performing in front of a live audience. She was definitely going to end up crushing on him badly, even if she didn't want to. The kiss scene popped into her head and she almost groaned out loud. It was going to take everything she had to not turn to putty in his arms when they kissed. She was doomed and they hadn't even already started yet. Sir Andrew's smile was a lot more genuine and warm now that Erik had managed to break the ice with his appearance, no matter how embarrassed Christine felt from it. He gazed over the group of actors as he said, "Thank you for showing up, Erik, on time for once. I welcome you all to the Palais Garnier. This will be your home for the next four months. You will live, eat, sleep, breathe all things Phantom and come July, you will be so good at this play you'll be able to perform it in your sleep. Or that's what I hope, anyway. The owners of the Palais Garnier have been so kind as to transform some of the dressing rooms into actual bedrooms for you, so you'll be able to stay here in the Opera House. I encourage you to get to know each other and become friends. You'll be working together for the next four months. Try to be civil to each other, please."
He shot both Raoul and Erik a glare warning them to behave. If he didn't know about the past history between the two, the glares both were giving each other spoke for themselves. Oh yes, the two men definitely had a history together and it wasn't a pleasant one. Erik Daeris and Raoul Larson were the bane of each other's existence and were constantly trying to outdo the other in some way. Raoul was jealous over Erik's natural ability. He managed to break into the opera business on his own accord with absolutely no help from his parents, despite their owning several opera houses. Not that Raoul believed that, of course. He was determined to prove that Erik had help from his parents in some way. Erik, of course, simply hated Raoul's attitude. The boy, for he refused to acknowledge that Raoul was a grown man, was very much playboy. He loved to toy with women's feelings and bodies and that pissed off Erik to no extent. In Erik's mind, Raoul was full of himself and a fool. More than once he felt the urge to punch his lights out, but always refrained. His managers wouldn't be very happy with him if he knocked the selfish little prick on his ass, no matter how much he deserved it. It would've given him great pleasure to punch Raoul's lights out, but he didn't want to lose this role. Especially now that he finally saw the girl who was to play Christine. She was absolutely beautiful and there was no way he was going to let Raoul hurt her.
Sir Andrew sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. If he was honest with himself, Raoul wouldn't even be in the play. He only tolerated Raoul because of his parents, and it was his parents that pushed him into hiring the man for the spot. He just knew it was going to be a long four months. He saw Erik nod his head at him and sighed somewhat in relief. At least Erik would behave himself. Sir Andrew knew that he wouldn't cause trouble unless Raoul started it… and that was going to be the problem. Shaking his head in annoyance, he stood up and motioned to the group with his hand to follow him as he said, "If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your rooms."
The group stood up and collected their belongings. Many of them had come with a simple overnight bag and nothing more. Christine actually felt like one of the more prepared people with her suitcase filled with clothes, books, and writing utensils. She took a few steps out into the aisle when a hand grabbed her elbow and prevented her from going forward. Turning her head, she looked over her shoulder and into the dark emerald eyes of Erik, the charming smile on his lips turning her legs once again into jello. He stepped out of the row he sat in and walked around to her side before letting go of her arm as he said, "I just wanted to say that it is an honor to meet you, Miss Haven."
"Trust me, the honor is all mine," Christine replied as the two began walking towards the stage to follow Sir Andrew. Out of the corner of his eye, Erik noticed that Raoul was once more glaring at the two of them and he couldn't help the small smirk that turned up the corner of his lips. It was so much fun to provoke the brunette. Christine was oblivious to the actions of the two as she continued, "It is a great honor for me to be working with someone as famous as you, Mr. Daeris."
"Please call me Erik," he replied with a visible wince as they walked along behind the group back stage. Hearing himself be called Mr. Daeris made him feel like his father, and that was something he definitely didn't like. Considering the fact that they were going to be working together, it would also get very tiring if she referred to him like that all the time, "Mr. Daeris is my father. I'm just plain Erik. I insist, especially since we're coworkers."
"In that case, plain Erik, I insist you call me Christine," she said in a joking manner. She had no idea where the ability to joke with him came from, but she found it a safe avenue to take. After the small embarrassment she felt earlier, she had the right to tease him a little. Besides, if he didn't like it, he would tell her as much and she'd stop.
But Erik did enjoy it and it was refreshing to find someone who would joke with him. His status tended to prevent such things from occurring. Not too many people that he met had the courage to joke around with him, even though he was an easy going type of guy. They all treated him with a cautious respect, like he was going to be one of those famous celebrities who threw fits if someone was rude to them. He wasn't Raoul, and having Christine joke with him like she was made him laugh as he replied, "Very well, Christine. I have a feeling it's going to be very entertaining working with you."
The blush she fought so hard to get rid of earlier spread across her cheeks once more and she nervously picked at her sleeve again, a habit she developed when she was in high school. His voice was like liquid silk wrapping around her and her heart sped up simply from hearing it. If this was how she was going to react being this close to him, she was completely and thoroughly screwed when it came to the more intimate scenes in the play. His laugh flowed over her like a warm caress and she fought the urge to sigh dreamily. Yep, she was screwed. Shaking off the feelings with a mental shrug, she looked up at him and smiled as she said, "I do hope so."
"Miss Haven, this is your room," Sir Andrew's voice floated back at them and pulled them back into reality sharply. Snapping her eyes forward, she felt relieved when she noticed that the group hadn't noticed their interaction. She knew she was in for a world of teasing if anyone saw her reactions. Grasping her suitcase in hand, she hurried to the front of the group as Sir Andrew opened a door to his left. Peeking her head into the room, she couldn't help the gasp that left her lips. Inside was a large bed big enough to fit three of her, a beautiful wardrobe, and a full length mirror on one wall. It was simple in nature, but that only made her love it even more. The large comforter on the bed silver with a small green leaf pattern flowing across it, and the wardrobe was made out of the most beautiful cherry wood she had laid eyes on. But what really caught her attention was the mirror. She stepped inside and set her suitcase down next to the bed. Turning around in a full circle, she looked at everything with wide eyes, not realizing that Sir Andrew remained standing in the doorway patiently waiting for her to get done looking around her room. When she finally managed to take her eyes off of her room, she smiled sheepishly as he asked, "I hope everything is to your satisfaction?"
"It's beautiful, Sir Andrew. I love it," she said with a firm nod. Love it? She was overjoyed to have such a beautiful room to stay in. Even her apartment back in New York hadn't been this beautiful. That place couldn't even compare to the bedroom she'd be staying in for the next four months. But of course it was the Palais Garnier she was staying in. Not some cheap apartment in the middle class section of New York City. This was royalty compared to that.
Sir Andrew nodded his head and walked away, the group trailing behind him as he led them off to their own bedrooms. Erik paused in her doorway and leaned against the frame as he watched her grab her suitcase and start pulling things out of it. A tiny smile played on his lips as he said, "My room is right across the hall, Christine. I'll leave you to get settled, but if you need anything, feel free to knock on my door."
She turned around at the sound of his voice and smiled brightly. The excitement of being there finally coursing through her veins and she couldn't help but to grin at him. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she replied, "Thank you, Erik. I'll make sure to do that."
"I'll see you at lunch then?" he asked her as he stood up and turned to leave. Lunch was being hosted at a nearby restaurant at the expense of Sir Andrew, not that it would cost him very much to take them to lunch. They were all to meet back at the stage a half an hour before lunchtime so they wouldn't get lost. It gave them all several hours to get settled in. Though, with the way Christine was unpacking, it wouldn't take her very long to get settled.
She nodded her head in response and he left, presumably to his room. Walking over to the door, she softly closed it and turned the lock, sighing in relief when she was all alone. Padding back over to the bed, she turned and fell backwards upon it, her arms spread out as far as they could go. She was finally here, at the Palais Garnier. Her dream of becoming famous was finally coming true, and she could hardly believe it. The next four months were going to be an adventure that she was never going to forget. It all seemed like a dream come true to her and she was so excited to start rehearsing for it. Who would've thought that a small town girl like her would end up in such a famous role? It was everything she had hoped for and more. Whatever deity it was that existed was surely turning her into the luckiest girl in the world in her opinion.

And there we have it. The first chapter to A Phantom's Love. A little slow going, I know, but it's only the beginning. Things will get a lot more interesting later on.
Please review and let me know what you think of it. Also, if you happened to see a few spelling errors, feel free to let me know. My stories are not beta'd, so all of the mistakes within are my own fault. I really appreciate it when people let me know I make errors. Helps me to fix them and make the story a lot easier to read. Flames will be used to grill steaks.
Jaa!
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A Phantom's Love