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

34 - Devil Take the Hindmost

-Erik- 

Next thing i knew I found myself with a lit candle stick in hand and standing out on the balcony looking over the view. Many times had I found Nathalie here in this same posistion. Lost in thought contemplating life and what had been happening around her. yet is seems the roles had switched this time around.

-Nathalie-

I woke from one of my usual nightmares. Something about Dominick hurting the ones I hold dear and taking me away from everything I had here. But when i awoke I looked to the other half of the bed to find it empty and the candle lit on the night stand.

Curious I stood and quitley left the room to find where he had wondered off to, to find him sitting on one of the chairs that sat out on the balcony. Coming up behind him I set a light hand on his shoulder doing my best not to scare him, only to make him jump lightly as he glanced back at me and gave a tired and sad smile.

"Everything alright my love?" I asked him. He nodded.

"I just have a lot on my mind." He replied as I crossed over and sat in the chair next to his own.

"Don't you always?" I joked lightly but my weak attempt at humor didn't even make a dent into the tension in the air. "Do you wish to talk about anything?" I asked. Only recieving a shake of the head from him. 

Looking into the sky and where the moon was located. The sun would be rising soon and you could hear birds chirping in the distance as the day slowly came into view. Finding myself lost in thought for a few moments i wasn't exactly sure how much time had past when Erik had stood up.

"I'm going to begin preperations for tonights show." He said as he picked up the candle stick. I felt a sigh escape my lips.

"Remember what you promise me" I replied looking up at him. He laid a light kiss on my forehead before replying to my statement.

"Of course my dear. Everything will go back to normal after tonight I assure you." He said giving a light smile to try to soothe my worry. But it didn't really help. I felt like something bad was going to happen and I couldn't get it to leave my gut.

Christine had been here for almost a week now and today was going to be her last day. I had worked with her on the Aria she was supposed to sing and it seemed her son Gustave and Anastasia had become friends.

Things felt alright but I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. Tonight.

Shaking the thought away I stood up and decided to prepare myself for the day.

...

-Erik-

I watch as Ms Giry leaves the bar headed out after trying to convince the family to leave. Trying to get Raoul to take his family and leave. I see the rage in Raoul and feel my own rage building. I saw Christine's bruises and how he acts around her and the anger I feel twoards him is almost unbearable. How dare he lay a hand on her that way. How dare he threaten my Christine in such a manner.

"Ms Giry!" I hear Raoul call and feel myself scouff "I'm not afraid of him!" He exclaimed. The shaking in his voice prooved otherwise. He was afraid. He is afraid. and there is no way he could prove to me that he wasn't because I know for a fact he is. "I've bested him before!" He continued to yell even though Ms Giry was already long gone from being able to hear his drunken comments. "If he ever had to courage to meet me face to face! Man to man!" He continued.  That's where I found it was a good time to step out of my hiding spot. Seeing his eyes go from anger to fear. his voice shaking and his sturdy posture failing. "No... no. It can't be" He said trying to proove himself.

"Not afraid of me you say?" I found myself speaking faster than I could think as I walked out and twoards him watching the fear in every little movement he made. It was enjoyable to see the wreck of a man he turned out to be. Oh was this going to be fun.

"S-stay back! Or I'll kill you I promise you!" He continued to yell. 

"Of course" I looked at him from over the bar as he continued to back away "As you said before you've beaten me before. But that. Was a long time ago Visconde." I said sternly starting to make my way around the bar. "And we were playing a different game." Everything started to blurr together in my anger that I wasn't thinking. 

Look at you, deep in debt
Stinking drunk, pitiful
Shall we two make a bet?
Devil take the hindmost  

Look at you, foul as sin
Hideous, horrible
Call the stakes, deal me in
Devil take the hindmost

Our Christine shall choose tonight
Let her choose
Is she yours or mine?
Draw the line

If she sings, you lose tonight
I won't lose
You leave from here
Fine
Disappear
Fine

And if she won't, if I win
All your debt's wiped away

Very well, let's begin
Devil take the hindmost

You think you have the odds
Our old game
You think you're in control
It's been changed

You think you've fixed the dice
Every throw
Well, I will gladly roll
Riskier

I'll bet against the house
All the rules
I'll even double down
Rearranged
Fortune's on my side
Fate has redesigned most

I won her long ago
Cut the deck
I won her from you then
Let us play

I'll beat you even now
You and I 
I'll win her back again
Once again

And when the game is done
Either way
Devil take the hindmost

Now Christine shall choose at last
Is she yours or mine?
We've a son, our bond's secure
Are you sure?
What?
Are you so sure?
What do you mean?
Such a child, strange to see, talented, musical
Huh?
Is he more you or me?
Which one do you find most?

You lie
Yet you doubt
No woman could
Doubt your wife
Or ever would
Doubt your son
Love such a man
Everything
You're insane
Doubt your life

Now we play, for your life
So now I play for my life
Devil take the hindmost
Deal the cards

I call your bluff

Let them fall
The game is on

Choose your hand
And we will see
Try your best
Who wins out

He who wins
Once and for all
Wins it all
Devil take the hindmost

She walks, you leave together
Pockets full, debts paid
She sings, you leave alone
Devil take the hindmost

With that I let go of the Vizcondes neck and left him behind in the bar leaving and going straight to my office. I walked in and it all hit me at once and the first thing I did was knock over a near by table with all the things that had been on it flying everywhere.