Chapter eight-

How to Say Goodbye

The Persian, Nadir

I watched in stunned horror as Vanessa and Carlotta vanished into the Cellars below. I immediately opened the box in my hands and removed two pistols. I handed the box to Darrius and proceeded to the box door.

"Stay here, I will be right back," I ordered just before exiting the room. I raced to the stage. I had to find the Inspector or Vanessa would be in trouble. I found Meg fighting her way through the panicked riot of people. I didn't see Erik with her. This was not good. I grabbed her by the arm.

"Meg, where's Erik?" I asked, shouting to be heard over the screaming.

"I don't know! He disappeared after Vanessa was taken hostage." She shouted back. Fear filled her eyes as she stared at me. I knew exactly where he was.

"Help me find Ledoux! I'm going to need his help." I said, searching the mass of people on stage. It wasn't long before he and I mutually saw each other from across the stage. He and I pushed our way through the crowd to meet half way.

"What the hell just happened?" Ledoux shouted. He was followed by his team of policemen, thank Allah.

"I know where they are, I've spent years searching this Opera house in search of the Phantom... especially the cellars." I stated. Ledoux gave me a calculating glare.

"Lead the way." He ordered. With that we went to the nearest staircase to the lower parts of the theater. Armed with our pistols and lamps, we began a search and rescue. Knowing Carlotta, if we didn't hurry, she would be dead for killing Vanessa.

* * * *

Vanessa

"As I said, you are under arrest, now for two counts of attempted murder and one murder. Care to give up now?" I growled. The sounds of pounding feet grew as Nadir and his Persian man servant, Darrius, joined the scene, followed by several Surte. They fettered a raging, screaming Carlotta and dragged her up to the Paris streets. I then dropped to Erik's side, tearing the dress to make an improvised bandage.

"Mon dieu, you're bleeding badly." I shook, pressing the makeshift gauze to the profuse fount of crimson. "Nadir, get a doctor quick!" I cried, looking at the baffled Persian with a pleading expression.

"Vanessa..." Erik began, stopping to cough up blood.

"Lie silent now. You're hurt. We're getting you a physician." I stated soothingly, taking his hand in mine.

"Vanessa, it's pointless. They can't do anything for me and you know it. Besides, it's for the best. I've wished for death for a long time." Erik continued firmly.

"Don't talk like that! I won't tolerate it! You are far too important..." I stated matter-of-factly. Erik began to laugh roughly, only stopping to cough up more blood.

"Important?" Erik whispered.

"...To me!" I exclaimed.

"That is the most touching thing anyone has ever said. Vanessa, know that you are a woman who has been truly loved." He raised a hand weakly and rested it against my cheek. "I am glad that we met." I leant forward and kissed him tenderly. I pulled away as he started to cough again. I knew I couldn't disillusion myself into believing he would live.

"Oh Christ, Erik, I don't want you to die!" I said hoarsely fighting back the tears welling up in my eyes and trying to control the ache in my heart.

"Damn it, it hurts like hell.' He muttered. Closing his eyes, I rested my head on his chest. His heartbeat was painfully slow and his breathing was shallow. Sobs wracked my body as tears began to mingle with the blood already soaking Erik's shirt.

"Erik, I love you. Please don't give up on me." I said tamely. Erik opened his beautiful, gold flamed eyes, and calmly stared at me. "There's no one in the world I would ever be able to love, except you." I delicately removed his mask and kissed his brow. I barely breathed. Tears fell in great drops, I couldn't hold them back. I'd lost a lot of people, but none of them were as dear as him.

"Vanessa..." He began, a bittersweet smile creeping across his features. I felt him slip something in my hand. I glanced at my palm. Sitting there was a ring I recognized as the one that used to rest on the piano in his music room. "I was planning on asking you tonight." He murmured. Folding my palm around it, I knelt there beside Erik and watched as his eyes drifted shut, never to open again, knowing that his love was the reason I was still alive.

In a dignified manner, I folded his hands against his chest and smiled through my tears. Nadir returned bringing with him Meg and a doctor. At a glance I saw that they both knew that Erik was gone. Meg immediately threw her arms around me and started crying as I buried my sobs in her shoulder. Nadir couldn't take the sight and turned away, his eyes watery. Meg released me to see my face. I stared at my hand, the ring sparkling in it. Meg gasped despite her own tears. The sense of loss deepened, turning me hollow.

"Mademoiselle, he doesn't look well." I felt sick. I wanted to leave. Slowly, I rose to my feet.

"Doctor, surely you can see that he is dead." I sighed.

"Who was he?"

"He is one of a kind. He is Erik." I responded. Nadir took me by the elbow while Meg wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders, and together they guided me to the surface. On the Opera steps, a riotous crowd of news reporters and spectators barraged me with questions and hailed me as the hero of the Paris Opera, finally catching the murderer. Everyone assumed Carlotta was the Phantom, because she had everything to gain from the 'murders' she committed. They didn't know about Erik. And they never would.

"Detective, what lead you to believe that La Carlotta was the Phantom?" a reporter shouted.

"There never was a Phantom, and as far as I'm concerned the only viable proof states that Carlotta killed only Count Francis."

"BUGGER OFF! She's had a hard day." Meg snapped at the horde and, with Nadir's help, she got me into a carriage for home. I was numb.

"Detective..."

I turned to see Chief- Inspector Ledoux staring at me with a mixture of surprise, embarrassment, and apology.

"Yes, inspector?" I asked as he approached.

"I must apologize to you." He answered. He extended a hand to me. "Good work. You are an impressive woman."

"Thank you." I answered, shaking his hand. Nadir and Meg placed me in a carriage, climbing in after me. A few minutes later, I barely registered Nadir and Meg guiding me out of the carriage as a horrified Natalie raced out the front door.

"What happened?" She asked, not getting an answer. She immediately led the way into the house to the stairs and up to my bedroom where I was forced to lie down without much of a fight. I stared at the ceiling overhearing what the three were whispering.

"Should I call a doctor?" Natalie squeaked.

"No, she's not hurt physically. She needs to be alone for a while." Nadir murmured sadly.

"Like hell I'm leaving her alone!" Meg hissed. "She lost her Fiancée! There is no way she needs to be alone!"

"I can hear all of you. I'm fine." I said wryly. I heard a collective gasp as the two women beamed in joy. Meg raced to my side taking my hand as Natalie sat on my other side.

"Are you sure, Hon? I mean.... with Erik..." Meg couldn't even finish her sentence. I just stared at her in an empty stare. I think I was in shock. All I knew was I wanted the pain to go. And I didn't care how. Natalie's hand took mine and something about having that unquestioning compassion brought me to tears again. The two women immediately embraced me. Before long I was asleep.

Epilogue

The case raised me to new heights in fame. I was Paris' resident hero, the woman who had caught the infamous Phantom of the Opera. I knew in my heart that each one of my increasing list of clients would expect the same magic, the same talent. Yet, my life would never be as whole as when I was with Erik. I could still perform beyond expectation, but I took no pride in it. After many press reports, where I told most of the facts, and fabricated others, I couldn't even walk down the street without some civilian recognizing me. A few months passed and Carlotta was convicted. I couldn't hide my happiness when the verdict was read and the woman was hauled off to the Bastille. It was far from what the woman fully deserved.

The three of us sat in the house by the lake one day, Meg sipping coffee, Nadir pacing, and I was reading the L'Echo, rolling my eyes in disgust by how many times I saw my name in the papers.

"You would think Paris would get tired of me," I scoffed. Meg smiled knowingly. "Nadir, will you stop pacing like that?"

"I'm waiting for someone." he announced. That caught my curiosity.

"Who?"

"An old friend..." He murmured abstractly.

At that moment, the alarm bell rang, announcing the approach of a visitor. I tensed. Who knew where Erik's home lay besides Nadir, Meg, and me? As a knock rang on the door, the answer hit me.

"Bonjour Madame De Chagney, welcome back." Nadir greeted the Countess Christine. I felt stunned by her appearance.

Then nausea hit me as it had been more frequently prone to in the past few months. "Excuse me." I hurriedly blurted as I ran to the bathroom. I found myself leaning over a sink as my stomach did a cartwheel. Once my stomach had quieted, I heard Meg call through the door.

"Vanessa, are you alright?" She cracked open the door and poked her head inside.

"Yes I'm fine. I just keep feeling sick at odd times of the day. It's been going on since Carlotta's arrest," I replied. "And that's not the only thing. I think the stress is getting to me because.... well, my monthlies have stopped."

Suddenly Meg's face turned to a suspicious expression. She then plopped herself next to me on the bathroom floor.

"Vanessa, tell me honestly. Did you and Erik do... anything?" Her voice was filled with playful suspicion. I blushed immediately, remembering that one night I had lost myself willingly.

"Oh my god, you did!" Meg gasped, bursting into giggles. She then jumped to her feet and shouted out the door. "Christine, get in here! No Nadir, Not you!" The former singer made an appearance soon after and Meg was positively beaming.

"What is it? Are you alright, Vanessa?" Christine asked sincerely, placing a cool palm to my head.

"She's pregnant!" Meg blurted conspiratorially. Christine's expression froze. Then slowly, like a spring thaw, a smile creased her lips.

"That's wonderful! Wait... Is Erik..?" There was no need for her to finish the query. I nodded in a bewildered fashion. I was pregnant? I had a new life inside me, slowly growing into a child with its father's eyes and intellect. As the knowledge sinked in, it grew on me. I knew then I'd never be rid of the Opera Garnier. I'd never be free from the history I'd been a part of. It had given me a new life, one that in a few short months would be filled with even more joy. I realized, as Meg and Christine dragged me into the parlor and announced the news to Nadir in overly excited tones, and as he then spun me around the room in joy, I was blessed. Blessed to have met these amazing people. Blessed to have loved him.