Author's Note: As always, anyone you recognize does not belong to me...of course, if you've been following this story for a while, you will recognize several characters that belong to me. Oh well, I suppose this is all just a moot point then. :-D

The Patron of the Opera - Chapter Fifteen

No matter how hard he tried, Erik could not force himself to concentrate on his music. The notes simply would not flow as they should have under the guidance of his masterful hands. He was disturbed to find that the events above at the Opera had such an effect on him; for the last five years he had thought himself impervious to human emotion. Although his fingers pressed down upon the keys of his organ, he could not find the melody that he was seeking. Instead, the chords of Czarina Catrina's overture sounded and he ripped his hands from the keyboard as if burned. Frustrated, he held his masked face in his hands and finally allowed himself to ponder over the thoughts that had been troubling him for the past several days.

It was deeply disconcerting that the sorrowful tale of Enoch Ardenson had stirred up feelings and longings that Erik had long thought dead. While he had believed that he had come to terms with his self-imposed isolation, watching Rose tenderly caressing the disfigured countenance of her former fiancé had awakened in him a passionate yearning for human contact. It was with great bitterness that Erik reflected upon his own fate; even after the deception of such a ridiculous charade, Rose still found it within herself to reciprocate the adoration of her damaged lover. He knew that he would never be granted the love or even the friendship of another human being.

After Erik had led Rose backstage, he had watched the opera silently from a hidden post in the wings that had offered him a clear view of the stage as well as Box Seven. He had watched as Rose sang the arias written by her lover with all the passion within her being and his keen eyes had seen the tears that had fallen down Ardenson's twisted visage. A secondary glance at the rest of the audience showed that her display had reduced many of the patrons to tears and he uncomfortably noted that at the end of the performance, Rose wordlessly abandoned her colleagues and stormed away into the opera, her face was soaked with tears.

After the finale, he had snuck back to his place in the Communard passage and had silently witnessed the interaction between Rose and Enoch. He had been completely surprised that Rose had bothered to comfort Enoch at all. In all honesty and after drawing from his own life experiences, he had expected her to be angry and to quickly reject her lost fiancé. Even in retrospect, the man truly had nothing to offer her except his love; with the destruction of his body came the loss of his livelihood, Enoch's reappearance into her life could only bring her further anguish. Instead of the display that he had expected, Erik had borne witness to the sorrow of the two unfortunate lovers as they wept together over their fate.

In the end, it was William who had interrupted them by barging into her dressing room without even bothering knock. He had watched the couple silently before announcing that Rose's presence was required in the grand salon. In a frigid voice, William had dispelled any doubt about his knowledge of the current situation.

"Rose, the managers and patrons are waiting for you and I strongly suggest drying your face before you leave. I'm sure that Mr. Ardenson would agree with me in that you look particularly horrid in that state."

Rose had stood and instantly recognized the furious note in William's voice. Stepping forward and reaching out to him, she begged him to listen to her.

"William, please...this isn't what you think...William, listen to me..."

Erik had watched numbly as William bruesquely dismissed Rose's horrified pleas for his understanding - he silenced her with a wave of his hand and roughly escorted her by the elbow to her door. She ripped her arm from his and continued to beg him to acknowledge her, but his next statement was so cutting that it rendered her speechless.

"I've no interest in any more of your lies, Lady O'Connor. I cannot begin to express to you the loathing that I feel for you both at this moment. I suppose you've had a good laugh at my expense, but you will keep up appearances for a few more moments."

He forced her into the hallway and coldly stated that he thought it best to keep Mr. Ardenson company in her absence. He had slammed the door in her stricken face and whirled around to face his rival who was cowering before him.

"You absolute bastard. If I wasn't a better man and if you weren't a pitiful wretch, I'd kill you right where you stand."

Enoch had flinched at these words but desperately tried to speak out to William. "Please, baron. I never meant for this to happen..."

William's eyes flashed dangerously as he interrupted the other's slurred speech." You lied to me. You deliberately misled me and took advantage of my good intentions. How long have you been plotting this? Did you two do this just to humiliate me?"

"No, we never plotted anything..."

"You expect me to believe you after all that you have done?" William hissed. "Don't you find it coincidental that you'd reappear after four years just to interrupt our wedding? Was it your intention to ruin my reputation, is that it?"

"I never wanted to hurt either of you..."

"You worthless monster! You haven't just hurt me, you've destroyed my happiness! I thought that she could finally love me and instead I learn that you've been deceiving me for years. How could I have ever been so naive?"

"Please, baron...Rose never lied to you. She is innocent; she never knew the truth..." Enoch whispered brokenly. "If there is someone to blame, it is only I."

William's gaze burned into Enoch and he stepped toward the cowering soldier threateningly. "You expect me to believe that she didn't know of you? After all the work she went through to get you to come tonight, you still expect me to believe in her ignorance?"

Enoch approached the baron and painfully knelt down on the carpeted floor. Bowing his head in a gesture of supplication, he slowly stated "I lied to both of you, Harrington. She didn't learn the truth until tonight, right before her entrance in the opera. I never meant for either of you two to know the truth. I had wanted you to marry her so that she would be loved and provided for..."

"You actually expect me to believe this? And where would you figure into her life if I were to marry her? Did you ever consider that?"

"I would not be part of her life," Enoch stated regretfully. "I cannot provide for her. I am no longer able to be the husband that she needs..."

"I am to believe that you would willingly relinquish your claim on her -you, who fought against all honest and decent society for her affections? What sort of fool do you take me for?"

"Please, baron..."

A soft knock on the door silenced their conversation and Enoch struggled to pull himself upright as William moved over to the door and answered it. In the hallway stood Meg Giry and her brunette friend; they both peered around William before meeting his gaze with a timid greeting."

"Monsieur le Baron, Mother told me to give this to Monsieur Simmons. She said that he would be here." Meg whispered and indicated the bundle of cloth in her arms.

"There's this as well, Monsieur le Baron." The brunette handed him a tousled wig and he took it with an expression of disgust on his perfect face. When he would have closed the door, the two dancers still had not moved and with a sigh, he questioned them about their continued presence.

"Oh, Monsieur, is it true?" Meg asked eagerly. "Is it true that he is really the composer? Did she really leave you for him?"

Both Erik and William's eyes widened in shock at the audacity of the petite ballerina. Even the brunette appeared horrified and began to offer stuttered apologies for her companion.

"Megan Giry, how dare you? Offer your apologies to the Baron at once, you impertinent girl!" called out an imperious voice from further down the hallway. Erik winced for Meg's fate when her mother appeared in the doorway, her thin face flushed with anger and embarrassment.

"Monsieur le Baron, please forgive my daughter's rudeness. Her sinful love of gossip is unpardonable, I know, but rest assured that she will cease this behavior immediately."

Megan and the brunette dancer offered their apologies and rushed away to escape Mme. Giry's wrath. The matron stayed behind and in a low voice, whispered to William "I must let you know that there is a great deal of speculation amongst the artists; a great many people watched Lady O'Connor's outburst. It would be best to decide now what story you wish to tell so as to curtail the rumors before they come."

William looked down at the tattered garments and wig in his arms before meeting the unnerving gaze of Mme. Giry. "What are they saying, Madame? What happened backstage during the performance?"

"Our stagehands are superstitious, Monsieur le Baron. They believed that Monsieur Simmons was the embodiment of a ghost that is said to haunt the opera and took him backstage. Lady O'Connor stopped them before they went too far." Mme. Giry replied in an ominous voice.

William looked back at the bundle of clothing and realized that they were the same ones that Enoch had worn to the masquerade ball. Finding fresh tears and bloodstains in the thin cloth, William recognized the significance of Mme. Giry's words and realized the reason for the urgency of the masked fellow who had interrupted their night of music.

"Tell me what happened with Rose, Mme. Giry. Why did she sing in Carlotta's place?"

"I don't really know, Monsieur le Baron. She had an altercation with Mr. Simmons and shouted at him in English...something regarding that locket I gave you, or so it seemed. She was upset and then Carlotta refused to go on. Lady O'Connor struck her in the face and I believe that she may have broken Carlotta's nose. I'm sorry, I do not understand English. But I can assure you that Carlotta behaved no worse than usual towards Lady O'Connor; I suspect that it was the argument with Monsieur Simmons that set her on edge."

"What are the rumors then?"

"One of the stagehands can understand some English and said that Lady O'Connor accused Monsieur Simmons of lying to her and stealing something that belonged to her last lover. The ballerinas have been sharing many rumors for months about Lady O'Connor's past and I believe that they've managed to convince themselves that Monsieur Simmons is her lost fiancé. I do not believe them for a moment, but many people will. That is why it is so important to address this matter now, Monsieur le Baron, before the rumors truly get out of control."

"Thank you for your time, Mme. Giry. I will address this situation. Please, Madame, would you be as kind as to inform Lady O'Connor that I wish to speak with her immediately. There is something I simply must say to her."

Mme. Giry nodded in assent and walked down the dimly lit hallway. William closed the door and, after dropping Enoch's belongings gently onto a desk, ran his hands through his thick hair in frustration. "I'm a fool...I cannot believe that I accused her like that...how could I have been so stupid?"

He loosened his cravat and rumpled his shirt as he continued to lose his composure. He paced back and forth through the room and muttered to himself "I'm an absolute idiot...how could I have done this? All of these years I loved her only to throw my chance away; how I must have shocked her! How I must have hurt her..."

Enoch watched as his former rival's persona crumbled with anxiety and despair. Reaching out to the other, he stated "She will certainly forgive you if only you ask."

"You don't understand, Ardenson." William replied, shaking his head in his frustration. "You may have loved her, but you never knew her as well as me. She may forgive me, but she will never marry me now."

"But she must!" Enoch was horrified; there was no life that he could offer Rose and for her to reject William now was comparable to suicide. "She simply must marry you; I can offer her nothing."

"She'll choose to marry neither of us, don't you realize that? She always was an honorable woman and never would've put herself in this position if she could've avoided it. She never would've made promises that she couldn't keep and she will not wish to choose between us." William stated in a resigned tone.

"But your wedding is in a month! You will return to England and she must go with you!" Enoch shouted, desperate to convince both his rival and himself that Rose's best interests lay in wedlock.

"It is over, Enoch. She may have married me if only to save our reputations but I broke her trust. I let her believe that I didn't trust her and she shall never marry me now."

"She must be your wife! You must help her!"

"I believe that I am no longer in need of assistance from either of you" Rose stated coldly from the doorway. The two men ceased their argument as she walked into the room, her czarina robes complementing and enhancing her regal stance and composure. It was obvious that she had spent the last minutes collecting herself; her face was cool and calm as she approached the two rivals for her heart. She walked over to the two men and stood before them, fixing both of them with a burning emerald gaze before approaching her desk.

"I wish to be left in peace and beg your indulgence in the matter. I confess that the performance this evening was quite exhausting and I wish to retire for the night." As Rose said this, she absently played with the scraps of paper that covered her desk. William reached out to her first and with a desperate voice, begged for her forgiveness.

"I am so sorry, Rose...you must understand..."

"You must understand that I am exhausted and wish to retire for the night. Both of you, please leave me..."

"Rose, please listen to me..."

She slammed her fist down onto her desk, knocking several papers and books to the floor. Whipping around to face them, she was enraged as both men recoiled upon seeing her expression. "Are both of you deaf? I asked you politely to leave me in peace. Is that beyond your comprehension?"

She stormed over to the door and opened it with a forceful swing. William, upon deciding to give her the privacy she so craved, left first. He manfully schooled his expression to hide his despair when Rose pulled away from his embrace. Enoch followed him in silence, taking hold of his wig and jacket as he left the room. He met Rose's eyes as he walked through the doorway; he was horrified to find them as expressionless and cold as the emeralds they so resembled.

As soon as Enoch was gone, Rose slammed the door and locked it from the inside. Erik watched her with pity as she paced the room, her hands shaking uncontrollably at her sides. He had left her for propriety's sake; she still needed to undress from the performance and obviously needed time to compose herself. Later that evening, he had heard her sobs echoing from the room at the top of the Communard's passage down at the organ in his lair.

A/N: Okay, this is really quite short when you compare it with the other chapters – there is a reason for this! I originally had written this chapter and the next as one, but too much happens and it got too confusing so I decided to cut it off here where the tapestry has been snagged; it will be the next chapter where it falls apart entirely. For this reason, I want to have the story finished in its entirety so that I can make the posts quickly one after another. It should not be too long until this is completed, but with school starting up so shortly after the last semester ended, I cannot guarantee anything just yet. I do intend to update with part two of this chapter sometime within the next week or so. Thanks for your patience.

Sthrissa, thanks for your review and I hope that you enjoy the continuation of this piece. It's always a pleasure to hear from other authors and readers; thanks for your support!

LilShady, thank you so much for your continued support with this piece as well as the rest of my work. I hope that your summer has been slowing down so that you have time to enjoy it before heading off to college. When I first came to university, I also moved in early courtesy of our honors college and let me tell you, it saved me a ton of trouble come the major move-in day of my school. I'm at an urban university and moving is a total nightmare – I'm very glad to be done with all of that as I've leased my own apartment for the last two years. As a response to your review, I just wanted to let you know that Erik and Rose will interact with one another one last time before the end of this piece and that you needn't fret about the lack of Erik and other favorites; Rose and Enoch's story is just about finished while Erik and Christine's will continue. Oh, and about Erik dancing…I regret to say that he won't dance in this piece. But, when I finally get the courage to post Repetition on (given the response to similar pieces here, I'm a little less than eager to post such a project only to have it ripped apart!) , you'll find him dancing with the best of them! The best of luck to you in your upcoming semester and, despite sounding a bit cynical and disillusioned, may your college experience be better than mine was/is. Oh, and best of luck with the roommate if you've got one (personally, I think that everyone needs a wish for a compatible and good roomie!).

Unseenhope18, thank you for your review! I'm always thrilled to hear from other readers and am very happy that you enjoyed this story despite the lack of our regular characters. I can understand your trepidation about reading the newer additions to our fanfic library (the 2004 movie really did spawn some abysmal pieces if I have any room to talk) and am glad that you didn't hate mine! This piece is my first piece of fiction (although others have already been completed) and will always be special to me, even if the majority of phans dislike it or overlook it. Now, regarding your study abroad plans…have a wonderful trip! I've never been anywhere outside of North American and Europe, but my friends have always had wonderful things to say about their travels. It's slightly funny…I began writing this fic while abroad due to lack of other distractions and you're off to some exotic locale sans internet (I think I'd die!). I'm sorry to say that I don't think that I'll have it completely finished by the time you're scheduled to depart, but if you simply must know what I intend to do before you go, I could email you some spoilers if you wish (just drop an email or review with the request and address). The majority of this piece should be finished and uploaded in the upcoming weeks, so you should still be able to catch the end of the Rose-William-Enoch triangle and some of my transition to the PotO events that we all know and love. I'll do my best not to leave you with a major cliff hanger! Have a wonderful trip and best of luck to you with your preparations!