Here it is...the end. It is bittersweet for me. I have been working on this particular story for a long time. I hope all of you have enjoyed Angel of Music. I am throwing around ideas for a sequel tentatively titles Angel's Daughter. If you are interested in reading about Erik's daughter then let me know I may be more willing to get it going quicker if there are people interesting in reading it. Thank you for all the support you have given me. I really appreciate the messages and reviews. So here is the final chapter in the Angel of Music. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Erik does not belong to me no matter how many birthday wishes I make.

Chapter 24

They drove through the town in their car looking at familiar sights, more familiar to her than to him. They pulled up in front of an old opera house. The man got out and walked around to open the door for his lady. They were really early for the night's performance and as they walked hand in hand through the quiet halls they remembered what had transpired there years ago. The state of the opera saddened them. In the years since they had left the opera it had fallen into a state of disrepair, the carpets under their feet was threadbare and the drapes hanging on the walls were drooping and worn. They walked up the stairs and saw the beautiful banister was chipped and no longer shined as it once did. They walked down the hall to where the boxes were located and stopped in front of box five.

"Excuse me. Can I help you?" The couple turned and looked at the older woman who had addressed them.

"We are here for tonight's performance. We know we are early and we just wanted to get in before everyone came." The older woman smiled when she recognized the younger woman.

"Kiki?" She asked. Katherine nodded smiling at her husband. He smiled back at her his eyes twinkling.

"Yes, Mrs. Grey, but I go by Katherine now. How have you been?"

"I have been good. The opera has not been doing so well since Christa died." She shook her head sadly and Alexa nodded.

"We heard. We were so sorry for Raoul and their children." They had heard that everyone that had been involved in the plot against Erik fell on hard times and had never been able to recover. Erik had told her about that night and the words he had said to them as his heart broke when he heard about the plan to betray him. Katherine believed that their guilt and not his words were the cause of their troubles and she told Erik several times but he never believed her.

"I was glad to hear of your success." Mrs. Grey smiled at Katherine.

"Yes we have been blessed." She said smiling at Erik again. Mrs. Grey looked toward the man standing next to Alexa. She had not noticed but the man wore a thin silk mask the color of his skin that covered his whole head.

"Good evening Mrs. Grey. It is nice to see you again." Mrs. Grey's eyes widened when she heard the familiar voice. She looked from the man to Alexa who nodded.

"It is nice to finally meet you." Mrs. Grey said a little nervous. She had always wondered what it would be like to meet her ghost benefactor. "Enjoy the show." She said not knowing what else to say. She handed them a program and Katherine took it. Erik grabbed her hand before she could pull it back and placed a silver bracelet onto her palm. She saw the expensive piece of jewelry and looked Erik her brow creased.

"It is a thank you, from both of us. I know what you tried to do for me and I don't forget those who help me. Thank you." He smiled at her and they both walked into the box leaving her in the hall. She looked at the bracelet again and thought about how happy they both had looked. They were obviously very successful since they could afford such an expensive looking gift. They both looked handsome in their formal clothing. Together they made a striking pair. She remembered back to that night many years ago when she had stood up for what she thought was right. Of all the people in that office that night she was the only one whose life had not been ruined. Yes she was not rich working at the run down opera but she was happy. She had always hoped that he had escaped and when she heard the music they had made together she had suspected it was him and had bought every CD they had put out. She had hoped that one day they would meet but they were famous musicians and after what had happened would probably never come back to the opera again. Now she wondered what it was that had brought them back.

Katherine and Erik sat down in the front of the box and looked around the magnificent theater. It was just as they remembered it. Just a little older and not as shined as it used to be. They watched as people began to file in and as it came close to curtain call they saw the amount of empty seats. They watched as the opera began and realized why the seats were so empty. Though the opera was good it was not what it had been when Christa sang. When it was over they stood and clapped. They had heard that even Charlotte had been missed. They waited until the theater was empty before finally standing and walking out of the box. They wandered through the halls until they came to the manager's office. Alexa knocked and after a second the door was opened by Fernan. He looked tired and as worn down as the opera. He smiled at them without recognition.

"Mr. Klaschnikov. I am Katherine Bennett and this is my husband Erik. We called you last week about the opera." Fernan nodded sadly. He did not want to sell the opera, but it had never been the same since that fateful night many years ago and when Christa died it had stopped bringing in a profit completely. He motioned them into his office.

"Yes Mr. and Mrs. Bennett welcome. I did not know you were going to be coming to town so soon." He knew about Katherine and her success and had suspicions about who her husband was. He had heard the music and recognized the beautiful voice. He was glad it was them who wanted to buy his opera.

"We want to buy the opera but we want you to stay on to manage it." He looked at her in surprise. He had figured that with their history they would be quick to get rid of him. Fernan looked at Erik for the first time and saw the mask. Erik looked at him and Fernan felt uncomfortable under his burning stare. He knew those eyes and they had haunted his dreams for years. Erik smiled and nodded.

"Yes Mr. Klaschnikov I am who you think I am, though I am ashamed to admit it." Erik looked at his wife and Fernan swallowed. He was unsure how to react to being in the presence of the ghost he had hunted so fervently.

"Fernan we know how much you love this opera. I knew it when you tried so hard to get rid of me. That is why we want to keep you on as manager. We both admire you and what you have done to keep this place afloat. We are going to keep everyone else as well with just some minor changed in casting. We are tired of traveling and wish to settle down with our children." Erik said gesturing around them. "What better place than here. We just have one demand. We want box five for every performance." Fernan laughed as Erik reached his hand out to him. "Do we have a deal?" Fernan nodded taking his hand in his.

"Yes we have a deal." He had hope for the first time in years that things were going to get better for him. These two cared about the opera as much as he did and they would make it successful again. He was glad that they had never been able to catch Erik when they wanted to. If they had they opera would not have such great owners. "Well, let's go see the cast." They all stood up and walked out the door. Fernan led the way backstage where they passed Mrs. Grey.

"Mrs. Grey would you gather everyone on the stage I have an announcement." She looked fearful and he put his hand on her arm. "Everything is ok Mrs. Grey." He said and she nodded. Everyone knew that the opera was going under and that it would be sold soon. She felt relieved that Fernan was not worried about it and hoped that Erik and Katherine had bought the opera.

Fernan and the Bennets arrived on the stage as the first cast members arrived. They looked at the strangers and realized what was happening. They all knew this was going to happen and were fearful of whether they would have jobs when it was all over. The last member of the opera staff arrived on stage and Fernan began to speak.

"Everyone this is Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Some of you may remember them from many years ago. They are going to buy the opera and have assured me that everyone is staying on after they take over." There was an audible sigh from the group.

"Yes my husband and I think you are all very talented and you just need some guidance. Mr. Klaschnikov will continue to run the business side of the opera and my husband Erik will be in charge of the performances. He will also be the lead in every opera." She heard a few groans from some of the older cast members who remembered Charlotte and lots of excited whispers from those who knew who them as famous musicians. Katherine smiled, "He will give you a demonstration to show that he is more than qualified to fulfill the position." Erik stepped forward and began to sing. Even without accompaniment his voice was wonderful and she saw there were a few looks of shock on the older employees faces. The song ended with everyone feeling a little dazed.

"Rehearsal begins tomorrow for a new opera. I expect you all here promptly." He stepped back behind his wife.

"You can all leave now." Fernan said when no one moved, though most left a few stayed behind looking nervous.

"I know why you are here. Yes I am he. I think that we should make a new beginning. I am here to make this opera better than it ever was. Don't worry." They all looked at him wondering what to think. They finally left and Erik looked at Fernan. "We will see you tomorrow Mr. Klaschnikov."

"Please call me Fernan." Fernan smiled at him. Erik nodded.

"We will see you tomorrow Fernan."

"I am glad you are the ones buying the opera." He walked away leaving Katherine and Erik on the stage. He grabbed Katherine's hand and pulled her to a spot on the stage. He tapped his foot on the floor and they started to sink into the stage.

"I want to show you something as the trap door came to a halt and he led the way through the dark until he came to a wall. He reached up high on the wall and the wall slid aside. Katherine followed him through the opening curious about what he was going to show her. He turned on a switch and it illuminated a room covered in black velvet with a coffin sitting on a platform in the center. The room was musty and she could tell no one had been there for many years. "This was my home." He said walking to the coffin and rubbed his hand across the dusty velvet inside.

"I just wanted you to see it. This is what you saved me from." She walked up to him and hugged him. "You are my salvation. I want to tell you the last thing that I have not told you from my childhood. First I want to sing to you." He sang My Salvation and when he finished the music hung in the air like a tangible thing that she could reach out and grab. "I had written that song when I was you because I needed someone to save me. I was in such pain ad desolation every day that it threatened to overcome me. I always hoped and prayed that an angel would come and rescue me. My angel was a little late in coming but she finally showed up and I never let her leave my side to keep me from falling again."

Katherine looked into his eyes and she was filled with happiness. She had seen the pain in his eyes and saw as overtime the pain went away. Now as she looked his eyes burned bright with joy and peace. She loved this man and she was glad he was putting the pain and the past behind him. She was glad he had decided to buy the opera. They could do a lot of good for the people here.

"Thank you Erik, for showing me this and telling me." She pulled him close and placed a fervent kiss to his lips. Erik held his wife and felt like his life had come full circle. He had accomplished everything that he had set out to do with the help of this beautiful woman in his arms. If it had not been for her he never would have made it out of the opera. She gave him the peace he needed to live his life to the fullest.

"When people heard that the famous Erik Bennet was singing in an opera house permanently they came from all over the world to hear him sing. Everyone wanted to hear the voice of the Angel of Music."

Kaylin leaned back and stretched. When she finished she looked at the computer screen with satisfaction. It was finished, the story of her father's life. She had been devastated when he had died two years ago. He brother and sister had ways of keeping their parents alive through their music, and she only had her writing. She was always closer to her father than her mother, and she felt like she was losing the memory of them and decided that to keep the memory alive, especially the memory of her father, she would use her talent and write the true story of his life. After all she is the angel's daughter.