Phantom of the Opera 1. Epilogue

**Another Light of Life**

I don't own Erik, nor do the other Poto characters, the poto story itself, nor the opera populaire and Charles Garnier. I do own, my Diane Elizabeth, Ian van Stewart and two more characters that will appear throughout the story. I also, would like to thank Wikipedia for the historical resources I needed. Enjoy reading.

**Epilogue**

**1872**

Grey, stormy grey depths stared at the marble friezes and columns which are complemented by statues of classical Greek mythology deities and bronze busts of distinguished musicians, including Mozart, Rossini and Beethoven.

The appearance of the Paris Opera is arguably reminiscent of an enormous wedding cake with Imperial decor. One discerns the immense confidence and desire to manifest artistic flair which its Architect and Imperial patron seemingly effused. The impact upon the senses which building exercises gives rise to thoughts of all sorts of overblown terminology but if illustrated in a dictionary's definition it would be 'opulence', in an architectural sense that is.

The young dark haired woman smiled, apparently remembering something.

_**1862**_

_"Papa... When will __**you**__ take me to __**the Opera**__?" an eccentric twelve year old, young Garnier with long dark locks tied up into a ponytail, pale skin and stormy grey eyed asked her father after staring intently at the painting of Paris Opera House. Charles Garnier in his late forties with dark brown curly hair and chocolate brown eyes who too was staring at the painting, turned to his daughter, smiled and ruffled her hair then nodded his head, indicating his approval. "When you're old enough, little one" he replied seeing the teen pouted at him. Chuckling, Charles reminded her daughter about visiting her sick cousin. Diane Elizabeth's face lit up once she heard what her father said, hugged him in thanks then had run off towards her cousin's house leaving the master of the house to return his gaze at his creation. 'Brings back good memories' he thought, smile still etched on his face._

_**1860**___

_Thirty five year old, Jean Louis Charles Garnier stared at his design entry for the competition held by the second Empire of Emperor Napoleon III who was seeking an Architect to design the plans for the new, state-funded opera house, with confidence. Applicants were given a month to submit their entries and he, was one of them._

_'Lady luck must be on my side today,' Charles thought with a small smile. Among one hundred seventy one other entries, his design was selected and__soon, he began working on the building which eventually would be named for him._

Charles simply shake his head then gave a rather amuse chuckle as another memory came flourishing back.

_**1861**___

_One year after Charles started working with the building, the Empress Eugenie, the Emperor's wife felt irritated that her favorite candidate, Viollet - de - duc had not been selected, 'instead, it is a man that is not famous nor known', the Empress thought now approaching the young unknown man. Giving a scowl, she asked him, now that she had his attention. "__**What is this? **__(Cue, her hands gestured at the construction of the opera then at the model) It's __**not **__a style; its neither Louis Quatorze, nor Louis Quinze, nor Louis Seize!" seemingly amused yet annoyed, the brown haired architect answered cooly, "Why Ma'am, __**its**__ Napoleon Trois" the Empress glared at him in which he raised a skeptical brow, "and __**your**__ complaining!" he added, irritation now clear on his voice.  
><span>_  
><em>With a sigh, the now famous architect simply turned around to fetch his daughter. When he saw what time it was, he needed to take his daughter and give her lessons, 'She did after all chose to learn and be interested at Architecture and not those hobbies that girls around her age would be engaged to... But then again, I'm glad that she has the same interest that I have when I was young...' Charles thought, quickly taking his coat before leaving the manor.<em>

**1872  
><strong>  
>Pale hands waved frantically at the now dazed Diane Elizabeth. Blinking her eyes she glared at the now seemingly entertained, Ian van Stewart whom let his hand down to his side and grinned, seeing a scowl had formed on his cousin lips, "Ah! Welcome back to Earth me dearest cousin. So, is this the place we'll rebuild?" he asked politely, his Scottish accent apparent through his voice. "Yes, this is the opera that Papa wants to reconstruct but since his busy with the villa in Italy and other various projects, we'll be the one to do his job." Elizabeth replied, eyeing his cousin closely "and since I know, you and Mr. Boredom are not so close to each other, I already predicted that you're coming with me... In here, oui?" she added, now giving him a mock grin. With a nod, Ian replied back with a jerk of his head towards the direction of the opera's door, "Well... That is true. Now, how 'bout we go inside and see what the great 'ol <strong>him<strong> and his fire had done to your father's creation?" Elizabeth shakes her head as she saw him wiggle his red brows at her. As an answer to his proposition, she dragged him inside the house, "Oui, let's go."

**A/N: **Now, that's quite a long epilogue. So, what say you, me lovely readers 'bout me first POTO fanfic? A review would be nice with no flames to be thrown on me. Anyhow, I'll see ye cheres on the next one.

Toots~!

Your humble writer,  
>HikaruElric<p> 


	2. Chapter 1

I don't own Erik, nor do the other Poto characters, the poto story itself, nor the opera populaire and Charles Garnier. I do own, my Anna Marie, Ian van Stewart and two more characters that will appear throughout the story. I also, would like to thank Wikipedia for the historical resources I needed. Enjoy reading.

**Chapter One**

Upon entering the building, the first thing Elizabeth and Ian encountered were spider webs, ashes, dust and coats lingering everywhere on the floor of the Grand staircase. Eyeing the railings and steps of the stairs closely, the young Architect took note of the damage, "Le Grand Escalier may have lost its beauty but we must replace it with a new one. People might think that it could've weakened from the fire and before we know it, collapsed." Elizabeth muttered out loud. Her red headed companion on the other hand, walked straight passed her and took a first step of the stair. "Yer right 'bout this, cous'n. It surely needed to be replace together with the door of this place." Ian stated once he reached the tenth step.

Snapping out of her trance by blinking her eyes, Elizabeth lifted her now dirty white skirt that reach her ankles and followed the young man. Giving a un-lady like snort, Grey eyes glared at the attire her companion wore then at her white dress, "Remind me tomorrow to wear a men's dress, this place is killing my dress." she muttered at Ian who laughed at her.

After the tour and checking the Grand Escalier, the two family relatives were now on the middle interior of the opera, letting their eyes wander and see the damage. The two thousand-two hundred seats were burned, left upturned or covered with dirt of dust. A large lopsided burned wooden beams, burned red curtain, a cracked open ceiling graced the enormous stage which can accommodate four hundred-fifty performers.

The ceiling on the other hand, the once beautiful art made by Marc Chagall was nothing but black and lifeless, "When I was a young lad, I remember seeing the ceiling depicting many scenes from the operas made by fourteen composers like Mozart, Beethoven and such... But now, all I see is a void of nothingness." Ian muttered, eyes now a shade of dark emerald. Elizabeth cast a glance at him, lifted her left hand on his shoulder and squeezed it softly, "If that's the case, you'll just have to recreate what you've seen. With your excellent skills, I know you can do it." Seeming to feel comfort by her gesture, the red headed smiled but frowns once he saw her narrowing eyes at something.

Following her line of sight, his eyes widen. The seven ton bronze crystal chandelier sat comfortably on the middle seat as if watching a play being played on the gloomy stage, pieces of crystal like diamonds could be found around the floor like a billion of bright stars on a night sky. "Father would weep if he sees what happen on one of his precious creation." Elizabeth said in a sad voice, worried for her, Ian suddenly snapped his finger as an idea hit him, _'a distraction would be nice to wipe off her now depressing state.'_ he thought, "I think we should split apart on checking out this place. One would be the Alcoves and the other, the rooms in the dark hallway over there" he pointed at the direction he stated before lifting his right hand to show a dime from his trouser's pocket, clearly interested at the idea, Elizabeth let him continue, "the coin I have here will make the decision of who'll go on the two areas I just stated. The one who picks head will go to the rooms while the tail, the alcoves. Well, what'cha think?" tilting her head to the side, the brunette chewed her lips in concentration. "Sound interesting... I say toss the coin! Head's mine." with a small grin, the coin was tossed up in the air twirling around like a ballerina then fell on the floor with a loud thud, head facing them. With a grunt, Ian gave a pout at the now snickering Diane Elizabeth. "Ugh... Why do you always win?" he thought aloud as he turned around heading off to the area he was destined to. "Because... **I'm** a Garnier." was the answer he heard before the rustling of fabric and then, soft footsteps which was obviously heading on the opposite direction.

Neither of the two noticed a pair of green-blue eyes watching them nor the white half mask covering the right side of his face, glittered on the darkest area of the stage. Eyes lingering on the dark haired woman, a thought struck his mind, _'Garnier? Why does that name seems so familiar?'_

Erik knew someone entered his domain, actually his real domain was his solitude below the Opera house but now he considered the whole place as his. Following the young girl, a memory he desperately wanted to forget pop out of his mind, the memory where she... _'STOP! Just stop!'_ his mind screamed not wanting to remember **her**. The sound of footsteps halting woke him up from his thoughts as he saw the 'girl' frowned and narrowed her eyes at the hallway, "Wonderful... Aside from reconstructing, this place offers a whole cleaning session." she muttered to whom Erik raised a brow from his hiding spot, _'Reconstruction? Cleaning?'_ he asked himself after hearing the girl's mumbling. Earlier on, he thought the intruders were another drunk of a bastard man with his plaything of a woman who wanted to spend some intimate moments at the opera regarding of who was residing in it, _'of course... Everybody __**thinks**__ I'm dead.' _he hissed to himself, watching closely the little brat as she opened the first door to her right.

Elizabeth felt uneasy as the door gave a loud protest as it open. Surely it wasn't the sound of the door... It was something **more**. _'Like someone is watching over us... No, __**me**__ once we entered this place.'_ she thought, lifting the gas lamp she's holding to see the room clearly, "The managers room." she whispered to herself, seeing a wide table at the middle of the room with three chairs resting on its side. Unknown documents could be found around the table. "And as per usual covered with dust." she stated, letting out a chuckle before quickly exiting out of the room to proceed to the next room.

Minutes turned into hours after expecting the rooms of the dancers, the ballet instructors, the seamstress, the prima donnas' room and other random rooms she could open. After closing the door of the kitchen she tap a finger on her chin, thinking aloud, "It's now obvious that the only thing this place needs to rebuild is the interior, the stairs, and the door. The rooms however just needed a few cleaning and such but the alcoves..." trailing off as she open another door of a random room, Elizabeth remembered her cousin who was already checking out the place. "A library." she muttered again to herself, rolling her grey eyes she walk in and scan the whole room. Two book shelves filled with different genres of books could be seen on the left side of the room next to a closed window and two sofa chairs rested below it. On the right side of the room, a huge painting of a ballerina depicting the swan lake hang on the wall, a writing table and a chair could also be found on the area. The floor on the middle was covered with a luscious red carpet and a musical instrument much to her delight could be found. "A piano." she breathed out loud, approaching the said instrument, Elizabeth uneasy feeling was completely replaced with joy once she sat on the piano bench, running her fingers on the keyboard testing if it still had its tune, she smiled and closed her eyes, allowed her fingers to play a music that her mind thought, before letting her voice sung throughout the room.

_I remember tears streaming down your face  
>when I said; I'll never let you go<br>when all those shadows almost killed your light..._  
><span>  
>Behind the book shelf, Erik's eyes widen once he heard her voice, <em>'<em>_Mon Dieu__! Her voice... I never thought a voice could be more beautiful __**than**__ hers!' _his mind screamed inside his head. His green blue eyes glued on her, watching her through the darkness.

_I remember you said, Don't leave me here alone  
>But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight<span>_

_Just close your eyes  
>The sun is going down<br>_  
>Erik felt his eyes close as he let the music wash out all the thoughts in his mind, thoughts of her.<p>

_You'll be alright  
>No one can hurt you now<br>Come morning light  
>You and I'll be safe and sound<br>_  
>Heaving a content sigh, Erik wondered why the beat of his heart fasten by just hearing her sing, <em>'probably because this is the second time you heard someone singing, aside from you of her.'<em> his amuse mind chided him in which he completely wave off.

_Don't you dare look out your window  
>Darling, everything's on fire<br>The war outside our door keeps raging on  
><span>_  
>Eyes opening, Erik found himself singing with her and her bewitching voice<p>

_**Hold onto this lullaby  
>Even when the music's gone<br>Gone**_

Unknown to them, they haven't notice their voice rising throughout the entire room. Deep tenor contrasted with Alto but Erik knew, the girl was just holding back

_**Just close your eyes  
>The sun is going down<br>You'll be alright  
>No one can hurt you now<br>Come morning light  
>You and I'll be safe and sound<br>**_  
>Erik stopped singing once he noticed what he had done. Never in his own life did he sing without him noticing, it was usually the women population who succumbed to his voice <strong>NOT<strong> him.

_Just close your eyes  
>You'll be alright<br>Come morning light,  
>You and I'll be safe and sound...<span>_

Opening her grey eyes, Elizabeth thought she just heard another voice sung with her as she stood up. "Silly girl. It's just your mind playing with your head." she mumbled with a small smile, _**'I wouldn't say that if I were you...'**_ her inner voice said. Frowning, Elizabeth grab the lantern resting on the piano bench and decided it was time to see her cousin, she didn't want to be alone especially that voice from head said to her give her the creeps.

Walking straight passed the bookshelves, Diane Elizabeth never noticed a pair of green blue eyes watching her the whole time or the shadow of a man that played freely on the wall caused by the light coming out from the lantern she had. Once the door closed, Erik let out a breath he was holding the minute the girl left the room. Walking silently at the piano, he let his finger ran through the keys she'd touched, his mind ordering to know who the girl that gave an air of importance was. With a swish of his cloak, Erik walk differ on the dark to his home as he let out his final decision. _'I __**must**__ know who she is._'

**A/N:** enter dramatic gasp! Now that our little Erik made his appearance what will happen to the two cousin specially Elizabeth? I would like to thank 13sapphire13 and xJill Lovett for reviewing my first Poto fanfic. I hope it doesn't suck and would be a wonderful story. Anyway, I do not own Taylor Swift's song: Safe and Sound. I just love that song... Reviews would be appreciated, thank you.

Au revoir!

Your humble writer,  
>HikaruElric<p> 


	3. Chapter 2

**Another Light of Life**

I don't own Erik, nor the other Poto characters, the poto story itself, nor the opera populaire and Charles Garnier. However, I do own, my Dianne Elizabeth, Ian van Stewart and two more charaters that will appear throughout the story. I also, would like to thank wikipedia for the historical resources I needed. Enjoy reading.

**Chapter two**

Waiting outside the Opera House for about an hour was something a man will never appreciate, specially when people who happened to pass by on the streets of Paris would looked at him like he'd grew another head for just sitting on the steps of the once fame Opera. Muttering some words a child will never want to hear, Ian was about to barge inside the music house and seek his cousin out if it weren't for the fact that said person came out. Releasing a sigh of relief, the red head jogged off towards the pale looking Diane Elizabeth.

"What's wrong with you? You look like you've encountered a ghost or something..." Ian asked in a jesting manner, though his companion never catch the humor on it as Elizabeth simply shook her head and assured him that she was just exhausted from inspecting the Opera. The unease feeling Elizabeth felt in the library lingered in her mind as they started walking on the way back to the hotel they rented rooms for the mean time.  
><strong>-<strong>  
>As soon as the two were in their respective rooms, Ian immediately ate his dinner and went in Elizabeth's room with no preamble of acknowledgement. The chocolate haired architect after entering her room, on the other hand, has no desire to eat dinner so she simply wrote a letter to the new owners of the Opera. Elizabeth was about to put the parchment inside the envelope when all of a sudden her door slammed open revealing a red headed male. Narrowing her stormy grey depths at the sheepish Scott and with mirth amusement spoke her musing outloud,"Ian... Do you know the existance of knocking?" Elizabeth asked in which Ian only ignored and asked back a question, "What about you? What took you so long?" "If your going to ask me on how's my tour. The rooms are simply in a dire need of cleaning. You?" the female architect answered back, disregarding the last question as she installed the paper inside a blue envelope then sealed it with their family emblem. "Well, nothing much. The alcoves too has the same condition with yours... <em><strong>Except<strong>_ for box five, it looks like a hurricane ravaged it." replied Ian with a knowing look to his cousin who in return pinched the bridge of her nose, a story told by her father which centered on the construction of the Paris Opera House came flourishing on her, though she _wasn't_ the only one thinking about it.

Beneath the Opera House, if a **sane** person would ever survive the traps set on the maze of tunnels, this person might get a chance to catch glimpse of a lair before receiving a death grip around the neck from a person they never want to meet.

Erik sat at the bench of his organ, recalling what had occured earlier. It was now clear to him that the woman was an architect whom will reconstruct the Opera house to dazzle the audience once again. _'But a __**woman**__?' _his mind asked, surely it was something new to him and maybe, in the society of France. _'Because... __**I'm**__ a Garnier.'_ a female's voice echoed in his mind as if answering his question which made his green-blue eyes to widened in shock as a thought crossed his mind, "It couldn't be..." he stated. Abruptly, Erik stood up and walked inside his room then opened a drawer of the cabinet where he took an old folded newspaper before sitting at the foot of his mother's bed. Eyes scanning the headlines, the dark haired musician allowed his mind to race back to the past.  
><strong>-<strong>  
><em>Since early childhood, Erik Destler has wished to eventually become the designer for a Paris Opera House. Unfortunately for him, the contest for the position was over by the time he learns of it in his perusal of his mother's old newspaper after her death. Erik decided to approached the winner, a young brunette architect named Charles Garnier wherein he made a deal with him to help design and build the Palais Opera House. Garnier pacing a problem with the ground water underneath the opera house reluctantly complied to the offer.<em>

_Below the Opera House, an artificial lake was created by the two architect. They used eight hydraulic pumps to deal with the groundwater level that kept rising. And__  
><em>_by the end of the year, the substructure was essentially complete and Charles Garnier was enlighten that he gave the young masked man his approval to build a maze of tunnels and corridors in the lower levels.__ While Charles and his construction team worked feverishly to complete the Opera House, Erik not only builds the maze of tunnels and corridors but makes a lair for himself, past the underground lake, where he may live protected from the public._

"What is your connection on Charles Garnier?" Erik asked himself as he placed the newspaper on the other side of the bed before blowing off the candles letting the darkness consume him. The song the woman sang awhile ago played in his mind lulling him to a peaceful sleep for once in his entire life.

Elizabeth snapped back to reality as her cousin cleared his throat, "Sorry I left you on Earth.. Its just, I remembered something my father told me." she said, giving Ian a soft apologetic look. Shaking his head, Ian flashed the brunette a cheshire grin then, announced to retire for the night. Hearing the click of the door being shut, Elizabeth turned her attention on an additional piece of paper laying on the table as she again started to write another letter, this time to her father.

_**'Dear Papa,**__**  
><strong>__**I do hope that you are alright and having a break from days of hard work. If your wondering where we are currently staying for the time being, Me and Ian rented two rooms in a hotel near the Opera house since I don't want to go back on our old house in Sarthe for it brings memories about mother. Speaking of the Opera, I must say, I feel relieved as the only place we needed to reconstruct are the Grand staircase and the interior. Nevertheless, I assure you Papa, me and my team will bring back to life your wondrous creation.**____****_

_**But papa, there is something I wish to tell you. It concerns the tale you once told me before I left Italy to travel here in france. I have no idea why I remembered it, specially when me and Ian checked the Opera house. I felt someone was watching us. Papa I do not want to worry you for I think the unease I felt is only fatigue from the events happened today that it made my mind to play tricks on me. Tomorrow, Ian and I shall fetch his father and his work team to start the reconstruction as soon as possible. **_

_**May God preserve us all.**__****_

_**Your loving Daughter,**__**  
><strong>__**Diane Elizabeth'**__**  
><strong>_  
>Smiling at her work, Elizabeth folded the paper and slid it on a white envelope with a sealed emblem of their family name. Placing the envelope next to another one. The twenty five year old Architect stood up, walk silently on her bed and layed on it after turning off the gas lamp. A song she'd performed inside the Palais Opera House played in her dreams together with an unknown voice of a man singing with her.<p>

**A/N:**

Bonjour ma cheres~! Sorry for not updating so soon. A lot of important events got on my way. Anyway, I would like to thank those who read and review the first chapter of my fiction story although I would like to say sorry as well because I never notice the wrong grammar and spelling. But I do hope you guys enjoy this second chapter specially with our phantom's assumption. What do you think? Does he have a strong and correct assumption? Tune in next time for the third chapter to find out.

**P.S**  
>I really enjoyed and appreciated your reviews, so keep reviewing and give me a confidence boost and motivation! Thank you~ (w)<p>

Your humble writer,  
>HikaruElric<p> 


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Phantom of the Opera, Family, Romance