Castiel and the Phantom of the Opera [Destiel]

Chapter 17: Down Once More

          What happened next happened so quickly that hardly anyone could remember it. Everyone – Castiel, Dean, Sam, Meg, Gabriel and Zachariah, and even Meta Tronne – had a different version of what happened after Castiel tore off the Phantom’s mask. A panic ensued. A fire began to blaze in the theatre. People were caught in the inferno and were killed. People were crushed and trampled in the mad dash for the door. Raphael’s body was found with a noose around his neck.

          It was complete and utter madness.

          Castiel stood on the stage with Dean’s black mask in his hand, staring at the sight before his eyes. He had remembered Dean’s deformity, but his memory was still nothing compared to the real thing. The wig that Dean wore was now lopsided, exposing the one side of his face where no hair could grow. The skin on the right side of his face was red, distorted and twisted from the flames of the fire that had mutilated him many years ago. The majority of his right cheek was burned the worst; tendons, muscle, and bone were visible. The skin around his eye was singed, making his eye look smaller than the other. And then right side of his head that was usually covered by the wig was also badly burnt. Like his cheek, it was burn all the way down to the bone and the flesh was red and raw.

          Dean did not react when Castiel removed his mask. He didn’t shout or scream. He just remained where he was – kneeling on the floor – with a wounded expression on his face. His green eyes were wide and now full of tears of betrayal. “Castiel . . . ?” he asked, his voice ridden with confusion.

          People in the audience were screaming and shouting at Dean’s face. Castiel saw one woman in the front row faint and collapse into her husband’s lap. He glanced up and saw the officers in position, ready to shoot.

          “SHOOT HIM!” Meg’s voice thundered from Box 5.

          “NO!” Castiel shouted in response, rushing forward and pulling Dean close to him. If he stayed close to him the officers might not have a clear shot. “DEAN!” he shouted to his lover. “DO SOMETHING!”

          A shot went off and Castiel felt the bullet zip by his head. He jumped and pulled Dean tighter, squeezing him in fear. They won’t stop because I’m here. They’ll kill us both! We’re going to die! “DEAN!”

          The gunshot seemed to cause Dean to spring into action. His arms circled around Castiel’s waist and he pulled a knife from his jacket pocket. Castiel watched as Dean threw the knife at a nearby rope. The blade sliced through it easily, and Castiel stared with wide eyes as the chandelier that hung above the audience shook. “D—” Before he could even finish his sentence Dean threw something on the ground before them. Flames and smoke erupted up all around them, and then they were falling.

- - - -

          Meg could not believe her eyes; the chandelier was crashing down right on top of the audience. All she could do was watch in horror as it hit the ground with an earth-shattering thud. A burst of flame shot up from the wreckage, engulfing everything it touched. People all around her were screaming and fleeing for their lives. The stage was no empty – Castiel and the Phantom were gone.

          Everything had gone to hell.

          This is my fault . . . Meg thought in horror, and then she shook her head. No. This is that demon’s fault! He did this! He stole Castiel!

          Ever since Meg had overheard Sam and Balthazar talking about Castiel’s feelings for this Phantom of the Opera, she had begun to get a little paranoid. She tried to convince herself that Castiel didn’t really love this monster. She tried to tell herself that the Phantom was just using Castiel for his own sick, twisted schemes. Castiel was brainwashed – that had to be the only explanation. She remembered the way Castiel had walked toward the Phantom in the cemetery almost like he was in some kind of trance.