-Discontinued- A Guiding Hand (A Phantom Of The Opera Fan Fiction)

14 - Plans and a New Patron

-Nathalie-

I sat alone on the roof tops on a cold night. The sounds of the town loudly below me. I sat on the bottom of a statue with my head held low as I thought over my past. I was trying to decide something. Because I had promised myself years ago that unwound never fall in love again. Yet here I was contemplating the man I knew I loved.
I was afraid to hurt him, but I was more afraid of being hurt again. The same way Bryce had.

I ran my fingers through my hair as I looked down at the journal and pen sitting in my lap. An idea came to mind. I knew I would never be able to say these thoughts a loud... So what if I wrote them and showed them to Erik? Maybe he would be able to understand why I'm afraid.

-Erik-

I sat alone that night drowning my sorrows once again in alcohol as I laid in the swan bed that was originally for her. My only company at the time was the sound of the lake and the cold unfeeling emptiness of my lair.

I couldn't get Nathalie out of my mind. And her words. I was trying to figure out a way for me to show her how she means to me. And that I want to return her feelings, but the fear I have to do so. I remembered the song I was working on, it was only a melody and no lyrics at the moment, but what if I were to use that?

I slowly sat up and looked at the entrance to the small room I was in before slowly getting up and walking out to my piano again. I sat down at the piano and sighed

"Better get to work..." I said allowed.

-Nathalie-

I had gotten a note a couple days ago from Erik saying that he was working on a project and we would be able to talk again soon. In complete honesty I missed him but I needed to focus on Briggeta (I forgot what the opera I picked was). I had taken time to finish what I wanted to Erik to look at and I finished learning the music.

"Lady's and gentlemen if we can have you attention" I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard the two owners of the opera house talking.

"Today we would like you too meet our new patron Dominick Radley." The other owner had said. That name was familiar to me but there was no way he could be who I was thinking of.

"Dominick has graciously offered to help us in the absences r of the Viscount." I looked up and wouldn't you know it there he was. Dominick Radley.

I felt myself growl under my breathe as the brunette smiled at everyone and glanced around. He looked down at me and I quickly looked away and toward my music hoping he wouldn't notice me.

"My family and I are very excited to be helping the opera house and I'm excited to see where this opera house will be in the future" Dominick spoke. If this was the guy I was thinking it was I was going to have to avoid him at all costs.

Everyone clapped and soon we returned to rehearsals with the new patron watching our rehearsals. I felt strange because I felt as though he was staring at me with his almost black, heartless eyes. I got a cold chill as I thought about the past.

We were soon dismissed for the day and I got up to quickly run up to the dormitory. I found a note sitting on my bed with the usual red skull as I smiled widely and quickly put away my things and sat on my bed opening up the note.

"Dearest Nathalie,

I do hope you are not still upset over what happened the other day. If you would like, meet me up on the roof at sunset, I would like to show you a few things.

With love

Erik"

I felt myself widely, I probably looked like an idiot as I read over the note a couple times and saw 'with love'.

"Hey Nat!" I heard Meg's voice snapping me from my thoughts as I quickly hid the note as she flipped on the bed next to me.

"Oh hey Meg." I smiled at her. I really hope she didn't see as she glanced behind me at something. I felt her quickly snatch something it looked like a black velvet box.

"Whats this?" She asked as she opened it and I quickly snatched it away from her.

"It's nothing" I said holding the box glancing down at it for a moment before looking back at her.

"Oh really?" Meg said with a smirk as she punched at my side and I squirmed. She was able to snatch the box away from me again and ran to the other side of the room.

"Meg!" I growled and quickly ran after her. She kept it out of my reach as I quickly tried getting it back.

"Oh common Nathalie what is it? Why can't I know?" She said childishly as she tried to open the box but someone snatched it from her hand.

"Meg Giry." Her mother Madame Giry stood in between us now and stared sternly at the both of us. "Now what is this about?"

"I just wanted to know what Nathalie was hiding, I'm sorry mother" Meg hung her head in shame as her mother eyed the both of us.

She looked down at the velvet box and then handed it to me and grabbed Meg by the arm and guided her from the room. She had probably wanted to talk to her.

I looked down at the black box in my hand as I felt an eyebrow raise as I walked back to my bed. I sat down slowly opening the box. What I saw was a beautiful bracelets made of gold. A heart placed in the middle with an elegant pattern around it. Two wings on the chain to make it look like the heart had wings with a pink jem in the center of the wings.

I saw a small slip of paper in the box and I pulled it out reading.

"Dearest Nathalie,

I hope this is to your liking

With love

Erik"

I felt myself smile wider as I gently picked up the bracelet and set it on my wrist. Putting it in place as I admired its beauty.

I quickly put away the box and started to head out to go to meet up with Erik. But I was stopped at the bottom of the stairs by the new patron. Dang it. Why is he even still here.

He was talking, more flirting, with one of the chorus girls. I think her name was Emily. He glanced over and smiled at me making an excuse before coming over to talk to me.

"Good evening miss may I talk to you for a second" he said to me looking down at me. I looked up at him for a moment before looking away.

"I actually have to go do some things Monsieur I'm sorry but I can't talk" I said before quickly moving past him but he grabbed my wrist.

"Oh but I insist" he said trying to pull me closer to him but I had learned to be able to turn my hand and pull away from him quiet easily.

"I said I have things to do. I'm sorry" I said before running up the stairs. When I got to the roof I closed the door behind me and waited for awhile hoping he would have got lost in the many different paths that lead to different parts.

I stayed leaning up against the door for a little while before I looked over to see Erik who had been waiting for me I presume sitting at the bottom of our usual statue.

"Is something wrong?" He asked as he stood up and walked over to me.

"No nothing is. Let's just go it's cold up here" I made an excuse even though I wasn't even cold and he just looked at me a little confused.

"Okay?" He said before we both walked over to our usual passage way and started to head to his lair.