Chapter 38
Christine's POV

"Did you really think you could defeat the phantom?"

It was all so fast I barely saw him move. Erik had caught Jesy by the wrist before she could strike.

He tightened his grip on her wrist, forcing her to send the dagger south and clang on the floor. "I'll teach you to mess with the phantom."

"Now on my watch!" I shouted and charged after him myself.

I threw myself on his back and grabbed at his face. Once I found the mask, I gripped it tight and tore it from his face. He was appalled by this and threw me off. I went flying through the air, landed hard near stage left, the impact sending me on a roll into the wings.

"Ah!" I hollered and began to rub my throbbing arm.

Erik's eyes flared with a never ending blaze of anger. He was starting towards me, when Jesy threw something at his head. "I'll deal with you later," he growled and turned.

Jesy staggered back as he marched closer and closer. Her hands were empty, marking her defenseless, unless she could punch the lights out of him somehow. Her eyes scrambled for an idea, but there were none. She had drawn a blank. The desperation in her eyes was clear enough for a blind man to see.

I grit my jaw in attempt to sit up, only my arm had given out beneath me. Great. Of all the times I had to get an injury...

Jesy was struggling even more. She was a fine dancer, and had small experience in martial arts. But it wasn't doing her any good. Erik had a great advantage in more ways than one. He had the height of a giant, and swiftness of a ninja. His strength was unimaginable. Even if I could get on my feet again, neither one of us stood a chance.

This situation needed an army.

"Erik," Jesy hollered, "you're already making this worse than it is!"

"All of you should have stayed home!" Erik growled and pushed her back. "None of you should have interfered in my affairs!"

Jesy grit her teeth, staggering to balance. "She's our friend! You gave us no choice! You've brought this on yourself!"

He slapped her to the floor. "And that was brought upon you."

She crawled back as fast as she could.
I was able to get to my knees and find my shoulder was dislocated. How many times could I recall that happening to me during rehearsal? Only too many. But my wrist was in bad shape. It hurt to move, but I didn't have much choice.

Looking up, things were no better, not that I expected them to be so. Erik had Jesy's throat in his formhold. I gasped helplessly.

I gotta do something...

Look at me. Dislocated shoulder, possibly broken wrist and lack of advantage. What help could I be?

Wait a second... bien sur! Of course!

I crawled further into the wings until I was out of sight and started calling the police. It took only one ring before they answered and reported the situation and address, and the police were on their way.

Until then, it was my job to keep him distracted long enough until they arrived.

I peered around the curtain and saw Jesy thrown to the floor, rolling on and on until she reached the edge of the stage at the pit. My eyes grew to the size of basketballs as I saw her fall over the edge.

"AH!" she screamed.

"Jesy!" I hollered and began to crawl.

Then I saw her hand gripping the edge just before she fell. A sudden relief calmed me, but did nothing for my heart beat.

Erik marched out to the edge of the stage pit, smirking a most devilish smirk. I furrowing my brow in worry, and fell away into the shadows, rubbing my shoulder.

What was I doing? I couldn't just sit there while my best friend was doing all the work for me. I stared at my shoulder and made my decision. In rehearsal, the dance instructor had popped my shoulder into place hundreds of times. How hard could it be to do it myself?
I positioned myself accordingly, braced myself.

One breath, two. And POP! I groaned in agonizing pain for a split second, when the pain had gone away, but soreness had taken its place. The feeling was mutual.

My wrist was not able to be helped. I looked around for something to defend myself with and found a large metal pole.

Parfait!

I snatched it up and got to my feet, rolling my sore shoulder once and schooling my face to hide the pain from it.

Come on, Christine. You can do this!

I leered out of the shadows and started towards Erik, stopping short when I realized I don't need to fight. I can talk this out.

Quick thinking.

I gathered a smaller object than the one I had obtained and threw it at the back of Erik's head, getting his attention.

"Why?" I asked. "Why are you doing this?"

He turned full on towards me. "Your voice. Your voice did not have what it needed."
I furrowed my brow and shook my head. "What do you-"

"Your voice deserved so much better. You deserve so much better."

"Oh really?" I asked. "And what could possibly be your definition of better?"

"Not this life!"

"You locked me away in a sewer against my will!"

"How else was I supposed to protect you?!" he shouted at me. "I gave you everything you wanted, and yet-"

"What about everything I needed?" I retaliated. "Air, sunshine, social interaction, clean water, a finger that doesn't throb, to name a few."

"I was going to give you a better life."

"What about what I wanted? Did you ever think about that?"

He stopped in words, the blaze in his eyes suddenly simmered down.

"What happened to you?"

He lifted his gaze to mine.

"What happened to you that made you this way? You were my favorite teacher! I loved your class and I loved learning in it! Then you turned on the love and everything went downhill. What happened?"

His chin raised until he was at his full height. Then one by one, he stepped in my direction. My hands tightened on the pole with every step he took.

"What happened to you?" I demanded.
"I'll tell you what happened to me!" he growled. "You rejected me! You denied me the happiness I so dearly longed for!"

"Happiness?"

"That was all I ever wanted! What forced you to deny that to me?"

I shook my head. "You still don't see?"

He charged at me once more, the blaze reignited. "This time, I'm not letting you go!"
I raised my pole and sentit his way. He swerved back in shock, as if surprised I would do that.
"Christine... angel please!"

"Don't. Call me. Angel!"

I swung again. And again. And again.
Every time he staggered back further and further, until he reached the edge of the pit. I was about to send another swing his way, when the doors burst open, and the police filled into the theatre, weapons drawn and orders barked.

"Police!" one shouted. "Show me your hands!"

Erik turned around at the sudden entrance. The flame that once reigned within his glare was now distinguished by an invasion of tear.

At last... justice reigned.

.........
Happy New Year everyone! So sorry about the agonizing wait for this chapter! I am now a full time college student working a part time job at Bath and Body Works, as well as trying to get babysitting jobs as well! Many of you have contacted me with questions of when I would update, so, here it is! Only one more chapter after this, and that will be it.

Comments are always appreciated! And Happy New Year!