Phantom of the Opera 1. Memories

(A/N):

**Hey guys! Thanks for checking out my E/C Fanficiton! This is the first chapter of my story, it is kind of long but it opens up the entire plot line of my story, and i promise you that it will get better from this chapter on! R&R!**

**Your obedient servant,**

**PhantomsAngel1870**

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><p>Chapter 1: Memories Brought Back<p>

Paris 1919

The Opera Populaire is in ruins compared to its former glory making those who used to work there reminiscent of the days of the past. The once grand palace does not attract eyes anymore for the splendor of the opera, but for the auction sign posted out front. A few men and women are attracted inside to buy a piece of the historical site, some want the landmark to pass down to their generations and some are looking for cheap ways to make a profit by selling the props to others.

Madame Giry was walking outside when she saw once more the place that was her childhood, and most of her adulthood. A small smile slipped through her stern composure as she remembered the many triumphs she made as the former Prima Ballerina during her time in the spotlight. She longed to once again hear the encores after her solo ballet and the many roses that graced the stage even long after her dance was completed. A sigh escaped her mouth as she remembered that was in the past now and her brittle bones would not dare endure another plié. Nevertheless, she was determined to obtain something that had escaped from the fire's grasp to remember her time there well. As she set off towards the entrance of the opera house she was unaware of a fellow friend whom was attending the auction as well.

Raoul DeChagny was watching the grand opera house come into view during his carriage ride into the main streets of Paris. He utterly despised the place and wish it had burned down completely. However, he immediately took back the thought as soon as he began to remember the many good times that held to his heart. He remembered the infamous masquerade ball that he and Christine had attended together, the many opera's with Christine as the star, the rooftop with Christine. Yes, the place in itself reminded him completely of Christine Daae, the most amazing and beautiful woman he had ever met. The joy of the memories of her soon washed the Vicomte into a deep depression once more as he stepped out in front of the Opera Populaire for the first time in fifty years.

One of Raoul's nurses went and grabbed his wheelchair and his doorman opened the door. Despite the loss of his use of his legs, Raoul was determined to show the strength that was left in him and refused the help of the doorman and got himself into the chair without further help. Soon he realized how much energy it had taken to do this and allowed the nurse to maneuver him inside the opera house.

Once they were inside the nurse found herself in awe of the opera house's former glory and looked beyond the dust, cobwebs, and grime and saw what used to be a magnificent building which obviously held many memories. Raoul gently tapped her out of her deep thought and pointed towards the small crowd with his shaky finger. The nurse nodded once and gently guided the Vicomte to the auctioneer.

The auctioneer's booming voice disturbed the peaceful silence. "Sold. Your number sir? Thank you. Lot 663 then, ladies and gentlemen: a poster from this house's production of "Hannibal" by Chalumeau." A stage hand for the auction then shouted "Showing here!" The small group looked quietly at the poster, most of which contained La Carlotta in her former glory before Christine Daae came. A scowl came upon both Madame Giry and Raoul, however, neither of them knew they were there together.

The auctioneer slightly grunted to regain everyone's attention. "Do I have ten francs?" The auctioneer encouraged the crowd with his reasonable price. When no one took the beginning offer the auctioneer lowered it, "Five then, Five I am bid." Hands started to shoot up at once and the auctioneer continued. "Six, seven. Against you, sir, seven. Eight?" The man nodded his head and the auctioneer mandatorily called out "Eight once. Selling twice. Sold, to M. Lefevre. Thank you very much." The monsieur was handed his slip of paper identifying him as the new owner of the poster and the auction continued on.

The auctioneer boomed "Lot: a wooden pistol and three human skulls, from the production of "Robert le Diable" by Meyerbeer. Ten francs for this." A woman's hand shot up, "Ten, thank you. Ten still." Another taker rose their hand soon. "Fifteen, thank you. Fifteen I am bid. Going at fifteen." When no one offered to raise the price more, "Your number sir?" The auction continued on.

"Lot ladies and gentlemen: a papier-mâché musical box in the shape of a barrel organ. Attached, the figure of a monkey in Persian robes, playing the cymbals. This item, discovered in the vaults of the theatre, still in working order, ladies and gentlemen. Showing here." The monkey began playing its haunting tune that struck Madame Giry and the Vicomte's attention immediately, bringing back memories of the past.

The auctioneer waited a moment after the playing stopped. "May I commence at fifteen francs?" A man rose his hand slightly "Fifteen, thank you sir." Raoul had no idea who wanted the monkey but gestured towards his nurse to raise her hand in offer. "Yes, twenty from you, sir, thank you very much." He spoke towards Raoul and the Vicomte nodded in return.

Madame Giry shot up her hand. Memories swirled inside her mind bring her back to the days when she was younger and the opera house was in its former glory. "Madame Giry, twenty-five, thank you Madame. Twenty-five I am bid. Do I hear thirty?"

Raoul was quite persistent and rose his hand this time. "Thirty. And thirty-five?" The auctioneer motioned towards Madame Giry who in turn shook her head slightly and allowed Raoul this piece of closure. "Thirty once, thirty twice. Sold, for thirty francs to the Vicomte de Chagny. Thank you sir."

The monkey was immediately handed to Raoul who carefully looked over the familiar piece that so haunted his life before in this opera house. Suddenly as if caught in a terrible dream HIS voice filled his mind and the haunting melody captured himself once more. "A collector's piece indeed...every detail exactly as she said...will you still play, when all the rest of us are dead..." The auctioneer's voice soon brought Raoul out of his reverie of the Angel.

"Lot then: a chandelier in pieces. Some of you may recall the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera: a mystery never fully explained. We are told, ladies and gentlemen, that this is the very chandelier which figures in the famous disaster. Our workshops have repaired it and wired parts of it for the new electric light. Perhaps we can frighten away the ghost of so many years ago with a little illumination? Gentlemen?" The auctioneer chuckled slightly at his own joke and beckoned towards the men who began helping to lift the chandelier up once more.

Paris, The Opera Populaire

1881

The entire cast and crew were in a hurry setting up everything for the night's gala and the performance of Hannibal. The singers were warming up their voices, the dancers were stretching and the stage crew, well they were doing what they did best and that was drinking and spying on the scantily clad slave dancers.

The conductor M. Reyer had all the performers on stage in very little time practicing their main song.

"_This trophy from our saviours, from our saviours, from the enslaving force of Rome! With feasting and dancing and song, tonight in celebration, we greet the victorious throng, returned to bring salvation!_"

Madame Giry and M. Lefevre, the owner of the Opera Populaire greeted and soon brought in a younger man, "Vicomte, welcome" M. Lefevre said with firmly shaking the young man's hand. All the while, the company continued to practice.

"_The trumpets of Carthage resound! Hear, Romans, now and tremble! Hark to our step on the ground! Hear the drums, Hannibal comes!_" The large burly leading tenor stepped towards the front to take the stage with a little man next to his side. "_Sad to return to find the land we love threatened once more by Roma's far-reaching grasp_." The conductor immediately started tapping his small pedestal to grab the men's attention "Gentlemen, gentlemen."

However, M. Lefevre was walking into the middle of the rehearsal with two men at his side with they were speaking. "Rehearsals, as you see, are under way, for a new production of Chalumeau's 'Hannibal'". M. Reyer was slightly annoyed at the stopping of his rehearsal and announced it himself, "M. Lefevre, I am rehearsing."

M. Lefevre nodded his head but continued on. "M. Reyer, Mme. Giry, ladies and gentlemen, please, if I can have your attention, thank you." He waited as everyone slowly stopped what they were doing in order to give him their full attention. Once the room was silent he continued on.

"As you know, for some weeks there have been rumors of my imminent retirement. I can now tell you that these were all true, and it is my pleasure to introduce to you the two gentlemen who now own the Opera Populaire, M. Richard Firmin and M. Gilles Andre. I'm sure you've read their recent fortune in the junk business..."

M. Andre immediately jumped in to correct M. Lefevre, "Scrap metal, actually." M. Lefevre quietly apologized while two dancers in the back of the group quietly spoke of the two men, "He must be rich!" The older and more mature of the two friends spoke with a little laugh. The two girls knew that they could get many of things off these men if they used their gifts perfectly.

M. Lefevre continued on with his many introductions. "And we're deeply honored to introduce our new patron, the Vicomte de Chagny." Many women, if not all, clapped heartily as the young man walked in towards the older men with an air of arrogance that one was gifted when they were spoiled throughout their life.

Christine Daae, one of the many dancers saw him and her eyes widen with horror. She couldn't believe that it was him, she thought she had left him behind for good. She looked around, not wanting HIM to find her this stressed because then he knew something was not right. When she didn't see him she hid behind Meg. Meg didn't know what was wrong with Christine and immediately looked at her with worry shining through her eyes.

Christine moved closer to her ear and whispered, "It's Raoul, when I was young my father and I used to live near him in a small house. His father was fond of my father's playing and paid my father greatly. However, Raoul saw me one day and took a great interest in me and continued to trail after me despite my obvious disinterest in him. I had to tell him 'Raoul I cannot simply like you. You are absolutely horrid.' Of course I left him in such a state of shock but it was only the necessary thing to do."

Meg listened to every word and was quite thankful when she ultimately knew that her friend, nay sister, had no interest in the man she was looking at now. "Christine, he is so handsome!" Christine sighed and thought to herself about how handsome another man she knew was.

Raoul's voice boomed above all the whispering women's. "My parents and I are honored to support the arts. Especially the world-renowned Opera Populaire." Another round of applause came from the company, which the Vicomte graciously accepted.

M. Lefevre looked towards the leading soprano, heavily cladded in gold and a hat as large as her ego, and kissed her hand while he showered her with compliments to the three men who now oversaw the opera house. "Gentlemen, Signora Carlotta Guidicelli, our leading soprano for five seasons now." The women bowed over dramatically towards the men who were now her managers. Her servants behind her bellowed loudly, "Bravo! Bravo!" towards her. While her husband, cleared his throat.

M. Lefevre walked towards the leading tenor and properly introduced him. "Signor Ubaldo Piangi." M. Piangi bowed his head lowly towards the Vicomte who responded with, "An honor, Signor. I believe I'm keeping you from your rehearsal. I will be here this evening to share your great triumph." Raoul looked towards the conductor, "My apologies, monsieur." and left.

M. Reyer nodded his head towards the Vicomte, "Thank you, M. Le Vicomte, once more if you please, Signor," and M. Piangi was once again practicing his solo. Carlotta, currently, was in the back with her servants telling herself, "He love me, he love me".

Christine was now beaming with a smile that Meg hadn't seen in a while, "He didn't recognize me!" She hugged her friend while Meg encouraged her, "He didn't see you either!" The two girls laughed and soon ran to their spots to wait for their turn to gleam in the stage light.

Mme. Giry had to move M. Firmin and M. Andre to the wings of the auditoriums stage for the ballerinas to enter from the right side to perform their dance as the slaves. "If you please, monsieurs. We take a particular pride in the excellence of our ballets, monsieurs." She spoke to the two men while they admired the females portraying the punished slaves of Rome.

M. Firmin nodded his head in agreement with Mme. Giry and pointed out, "I see why, especially that little blonde angel." Mme. Giry looked to where he was pointing. "My daughter, Meg Giry," while M. Andre pointed towards Christine. "And that exceptional beauty, no relation I trust?" He looked towards Mme. Giry hoping that the young beauty was not her daughter. "Christine Daae, promising talent, M. Andre, very promising."

M. Firmin's interest increased greatly as he spoke, "Daae, you say? No relation to the famous Swedish violinist?" Mme. Giry continued walking along the perimeter of the stage while answering the manager. "His only child, orphaned at seven when she came to live and trained in the ballet dormitories." M. Andre spoke with a little much earnest, "An orphan, you said?"

Mme. Giry smirked slightly as she answered their shared silent question. "I think of her as a daughter also. Gentlemen, if you would kindly stand to one side." The disappointment was very obvious in the two gentlemen as they viewed the dress rehearsal from the wings of the stage while the rest of the cast and crew continued on with their song.

"_Hannibal's friends_!" The many men and women chorused. However, as Piangi was moving away he stepped on Carlotta's dress as she was moving away and made it tear. She glared towards him screeching, "Oh no, not on my dress, why?" Causing the lead tenor to shy away quickly.

"_The trumpeting elephants-hear, Romans, now and tremble! Hark to their step on the ground-hear the drums! Hannibal comes!_" Carlotta looked over at the managers to make sure they were paying attention to her, however, she grew completely furious when all she saw was their eyes locked onto Christine.

Carlotta began walking away yelling, "Ah Daae, all that they want is your dancing!" While M. Lefevre tried to calm the situation by reminding her of tonight. "The Vicomte is very excited about tonight's gala-" But Carlotta's hand silenced him as she continued.

"He's excited by dancing girls as your new managers!" She yelled as she pointed towards M. Andre and Firmin. Once she saw everyone was watching her next reaction she went on.

"Because I will not be singing! Goodbye, everyone!" She turned and began to leave the opera house as M. Lefevre muttered, "Now it's finished," as he began walking after her. Carlotta continued giving out orders to her servants.

"Get my doggie, bring my doggie. Bye, bye!" The two new managers were scared to death and began begging M. Lefevre.

"What do we do?" M. Lefevre sighed and muttered to them "Grovel, grovel, grovel." He gestured towards the diva with his hands and the two men said "Right," in unison as Carlotta spoke above everyone, "See you later, beecause I'm going out. It is finished!"

Andre and Firmin managed to catch up with her and began sputtering compliments. "Principessa! Bella diva! Goddess of song!" Carlotta stopped and began nodding her head. "Si, si!" She agreed with the two managers.

M. Andre cocked his head towards the conductor and spoke louder. "M. Reyer, isn't there a rather marvelous aria for Elisa in Act Three of 'Hannibal'?" He smiled as he glanced towards Carlotta expecting her to become happier, however, that did not occur.

The diva bobbed her head, "Yes, yes, yes. Ma no! Because I have not my costume for act because somebody finish it! And I hate my hat!" She accused her maids and she began to cry.

Monsieur Firmin took the stage this time. "I wonder, Signora, as a personal favor if you would oblige us with a private rendition. Unless, of course, M. Reyer objects..."

Carlotta once again raised her hand and spoke. "No. Aspetta, aspetta. If my managers command..." She said as she smiled and laughed a little bit. The managers in turn laughed lightly with her and faced the conductor. "M. Reyer?"

The conductor straightened his jacket and nodded towards Carlotta, "If you diva commands?" Carlotta hardened towards him demanding, "Yes, I do." As the diva prepared herself the conductor quieted everyone.

The two managers, now exhausted, moved towards Monsieur Lefevre and began small talk. "Monsieur Lefevre, where exactly are you retiring?" M. Lefevre answered with "My house." with M. Firmin returning with "I see."

Once the orchestra was prepared the conductor looked at Carlotta. "Signora?" Carlotta sprayed her red wine down her throat and answered him with a throaty "Maestro" while the music slowly began to play.

Carlotta began to sing with the most nasal, off key, voice that was ever heard in France causing M. Andre to wince slightly and producing a large headache in M. Firmin's head. "_Think of me, think of me fondly when you've said goodbye. Remember me once in a while please promise me you'll try. When you find that once again you long to take your heart..._"

Suddenly a stage prop fell onto the diva as she was croaking her song! The managers yelled "Signora!" as Carlotta dramatically fell on the floor screaming. Christine looked up into the catwalks to see the familiar black coat that gave away exactly who did this. She smiled softly as a single red rose with the black ribbon fell in front of her. She picked it up quickly and caught a whiff of his familiar husky, amber rich, cologne. Meg ran over whispering "He's here the Angel of the Opera..." as the managers continued fretting over the diva. "Signora! Are you all right?"

M. Lefevre shouted upward towards the catwalks. "Buquet! For God's sake, man, what's going on there?" A fat, dirty, greasy man leaned over as he began pulling the prop back into its former position. "Please, monsieur, don't look at me: as God's my judge, I was not at my post. Please, monsieur, there's no one there: or if there is, well then, it must be a ghost..."

The managers, obviously shaking, looked at the diva. "Signora, these things do happen." Carlotta's face turned as red as her hair as she began yelling at the two short men. "For the past years, these things do happen. And did you stop them from happening? No! And you too, you are as bad as them, these things do happen. Until you stop these things from happening, this thing does not happen! Ubaldo! Andiamo! Bring my doggy, and boxy!" Carlotta pointed at the managers and finally at her husband and the midget. As the now former lead tenor walked past the men he scoffed, "Amateurs!" behind his back.

Carlotta shouted above the chaos, "Now you see. Byebye I'm leaving." And for once she truly left the opera house grounds.

M. Lefevre took his turn for the managers' attention. "Gentlemen. Good luck. If you need me, I should be in Australia." M. Firmin groaned loudly while M. Andre trekked after Lefevre, "Signora Guidicelli, she will be coming back, won't she?" A spark of hope glittered in the manager's eye. Lefevre looked back at him, "You think so, monsieur?" And he too left the opera house for good.

The two managers were becoming quite stressed and it was only their first day at work! They had to replace not only the leading tenor but the leading soprano as well! Not to mention a handful of workers trailed after her.

Christine Daae watched as chaos ensued and silently smiled to the "empty" Box Five. She watched the dark hoping for a glimpse of his presence but alas he did not make himself shown. She sighed silently wishing for just a little encouragement to help her with her bashful behavior. During her moment of thought Mme. Giry took center stage to put the upheaval to rest.

As Giry walked towards her managers she procured a letter, all too familiar to Christine, and handed it to the two clueless men. "I have a message, sirs, from the Opera Ghost." M. Firmin roughly grabbed it from the older ballet instructor and shouted, "God in heaven, you're all obsessed!" He tore open the envelope and quickly scanned the letter while Mme. Giry continued on.

"He welcomes you to his opera house-" she began again when she was interrupted by Firmin.

"His opera house?!" Firmin appalled while Mme. Giry continued on.

"And commands that you continue to leave Box Five empty for his use and reminds you that his salary is due." She pointed her cane towards the box that was closest to the stage and the one that had the most spectacular view of any performance.

"His salary?" M. Andre questioned as he tried to get a look at the mysterious letter that was given to him. The opera cast was standing by curiously to see how the new managers would react to the strict rules of the Opera Ghost. Yes, even they know it was not wise to question the motives of a ghost that has brought nothing short of success to their opera house.

"Monsieur Lefevre used to give him twenty thousand francs a month. Perhaps you can afford more, with the Vicomte de Chagny as your patron." Giry smirked at them when their jaws dropped at the significant amount of money that was in possession of nothing but a ghost.

"Twenty thousand francs?!" Andre half shouted.

"Madame, I had hoped to make that announcement public tonight when the Vicomte was to join us at the gala, but obviously we shall now have to cancel as it appears we have lost our star!" Firmin told Giry, and most likely everyone else, as he began ripping up the letter. Christine gasped quietly at their reckless behavior towards the Angel, her Angel, and knew that he will not be happy tonight during their lessons.

"There should be an understudy," Andre asked more than stated towards the conductor.

"Understudy? There is no understudy for La Carlotta!" Reyer scoffed towards the foolish man. Reyer knew that these men had no idea what opera was really about, that's what the Opera Populaire gets for hiring men in the junk business.

Firmin began to get extremely scared. "A full house, Andre, we shall have to refund a full house!" The numbers were flying through his head summing at a large amount, thousands of francs that they will lose tonight.

Christine sighed heavily for she loved to perform in front of crowds and grew very sad that they would not be able to perform one of her more favorite opera's. She loved to silently tell them stories through song and dance.

As the new managers were stressing about the large amount of money they would be losing on their first day of work Christine decided to take a little walk to clear her mind. Her Angel had always taught her that as a performer she must be able to control her emotions.

She wished that her Angel could be here to help her through this turmoil ensuing and began looking for her Angel and suddenly saw a fluttering above her in the catwalks. As she looked closely she saw the familiar red rose with a note attached. Christine grabbed the rose and once again smelled his warm scent then opened the letter. She admired the perfect curves and grooves that her Angel wrote with along with the fantastic black ink and red bordered paper he used.

_Christine,_

_Darling you are ready for the stage, as it has long been ready to grace your presence. Sing for the men who are running my opera house and make our song take flight._

_Angel_

Christine closed the letter and her eyes and sent a small prayer to God and her father asking for strength to do this. Once her mind was calm and steady she walked towards the men who were frantically searching for some way to not have to give back money.

As Christine walked back into the room she saw Madame Giry coming straight at her and gently lead her to the new owners. Christine began shaking with fear that she would disappoint not only her father and Madame Giry but her Angel too.

"Christine Daae could sing it sir." Christine immediately stood straighter as she began remembering her Angel's lessons on proper stance for singing.

Andre scoffed towards the two women in front of him. "The chorus girl? Don't be silly!" However, he kept his attention on the young girl that he was admiring not an hour ago.

"She's been taking lessons from a great teacher." Giry continued on, pressuring the men into employing her. Christine began wondering how Madame Giry knew that she had an Angel teaching her how to sing but soon dismissed the notion because everyone knew that Madame Giry simply knew everything that went on the Opera Populaire.

"Who?" M. Firmin asked Christine directly.

It took a moment for Christine to find her voice and shakily answered Firmin. "I don't know his name, monsieur." Of course she actually knew his name, _Angel, _but she wasn't ready to share this information yet. Guessing by the way that her Angel never spoke of the outside world, she decided that he was not ready for his presence here be known yet either.

"Let her sing for you, monsieur. She has been well taught." Madame Giry persisted on. The two managers looked at each other knowing there was no point in arguing with the ballet mistress.

"Alright, come on, don't be shy, come on, come on," Andre said as he held out his hand for the chorus girl. Christine took a deep breath and walked towards him while she mentally prepared herself for the ultimate test.

"Just, just..." Andre began trying to instruct Christine what to do. However Monsieur Reyer stepped in and took over.

"From the beginning of the aria mademoiselle." The conductor readied the orchestra. Andre walked back over towards Firmin who began talking again.

"Andre, this is doing nothing for my nerves." Firmin stated as he went over the many events that happened in such a short span of time.

"She's very pretty," Andre noted about Christine. He thought to himself that perhaps they could go search for a soprano for the Opera Populaire around France and Italy if this does not go well.

The conductor raised his baton and looked at Christine for her que. Once Christine nodded towards the conductor the music took over her. At first she closed her eyes to feel the music but soon the words were flowing out of her heart. She looked towards Box Five hoping that her Angel would be in his regular spot to watching her performance for him and him alone.

"_Think of me, think of me fondly, when we've said goodbye. Remember me once in a while please promise me you'll try. When you find that, once again, you long to take your heart back and be free if you ever find a moment spare a thought for me..."_

Andre and Firmin stopped her singing with their massive applause and brava's. They nearly tripped over their own feet as they flew to her wanting to know how she is able to sing like so and stay as a mere dancer.

Christine smiled and softly raised her hand like Carlotta, however, with her it was a much visible kinder gesture. "Monsieurs I would gladly play Elisa in tonight's opera, but I only ask of two things." Christine felt quite guilty for already beginning to sound like the stereotypical Prima Donna but she had to make sure that these two things were strictly obeyed for her and Angel.

Andre jumped up at her acceptance. "Of course mademoiselle! Anything you want is yours to have, what is it my darling that you wish for?" Christine did not take too kindly for the pet name he had just used but continued to smile hoping the Angel did not act upon the little word the older man used.

"I wish for one of Carlotta's former rooms, the one with the mirror…" Christine begged the two men to not question her for why she wants that particular room for she could not bear to lie.

Her angel informed her that there is indeed someone called by the Opera Ghost that roamed the opera. Angel explained to Christine that the Opera Ghost helps him oversee the entire opera, and will begin to help Christine with her music lessons. At the time Christine implored to know why her Angel of Music wouldn't be able to help her all the time and he replied with that there are so many others that need his help and guidance that he couldn't possibly be with her all the time.

Christine would always ask more about the Opera Ghost and her Angel would answer her every question. Throughout their time talking about the ghost she learned that he used Box Five and anything that happened during the rehearsals or performances was of his doing. Her Angel informed her that he was also called the Phantom by the cast and crew and that she will need to fear him because the Angel and the ghost are one in the same.

"Of course Ms. Daae! And what is the second thing you desire?" M. Firmin said as he gently took Christine's hand. Christine released it quickly to point towards the Box Five.

"I would like to honor the Opera Ghost's wishes and to allow his continual usage of Box Five. You see, sirs, he has helped the Opera Populaire immensely throughout the seasons past and I fear if we anger him it would only end in disaster." Christine was afraid for everyone else if his orders were not followed. She knew that he would not lay a finger on her, he must admire her just as much as her Angel does.

The two managers were reluctant to her second request. They were speaking with the Vicomte alone who seemed quite interested in the usage of the Box Five, and this current impasse to keeping them and the Populaire in the Vicomte's good favor would be making the decision nearly impossible. However, the men knew that Christine made a valid point and they knew themselves that she is bound to bring in enough money to recover the financial loss of not allowing the Vicomte the box tenfold.

Andre turned towards Christine once more and smiled at her. "Very well Mademoiselle. The Opera Ghost may rest peacefully knowing that the box is secured for him and any guests he should choose to bring along."

Christine smiled widely and thanked the men immensely. Rehearsals were cut short for the day due to the excessive excitement which pleased everyone greatly. Christine ran back to Meg and hugged her while the two girls cried from happiness.

Meg pulled Christine back a little. "Oh Christine this is so exciting! You can sing now, and might I ask when you acquired such a lovely voice, it's so unfair!" Christine laughed at her sister's joke.

"Oh Meg you know my voice does not compare to your beauty! Why no one cares about me while they see you gracefully make a much more beautiful song with your dance than I do with my voice!" Christine joked back at Meg as the two girls held each other's arms as they walked back to their dormitories.

"You know everything will change now, don't you Christine? I mean now that you're the Prima Donna we won't have any more free time together." Meg told Christine with a little tear rolling out of her eye. Christine wiped it away and hushed Meg gently.

"Meg, sister, our fun will not be stopped just because I sing now." Christine stated matter-of-factly. Christine gave a sly smile as she added, "Besides I would never let that happen as the new Prime Donna!" She said with a laugh and little wink. The two girls were very joyous to anyone who saw, all beautiful and full of life.

Before they could make it into their dormitories the girls were soon stopped by Madame Giry. The ballet mistress stood in the two giggling girls' way and asked Christine to follow her to her new room. Meg sighed as she and Christine hugged and promised each other they would see each other soon. Once they were finished with their hug and kiss on the cheeks, Christine was soon following the only mother figure she had ever known.

Madame Giry looked at Christine and saw the new glow that illuminated throughout the young girl. She was proud of Christine's achievement and her modest acceptance of the position as well. She was very pleased with how she treated the role of lead soprano and expects much greatness from her adopted daughter.

Once they reached the room Madame Giry showed Christine her closet with each costume marked appropriately for each opera along with the according gloves, shoes, and makeup she will need. Christine mentally noted each set and the way to apply such makeup.

"Tonight, you will need the gold dress, pink dress, and white dress for your solo Christine. Then you will need the white shoes with the gold dress, the dark pink shoes with the pink dress, and the gray heels with your white dress. Do you understand?" Madame Giry tested the young girl to see if she was capable of this job.

"Yes Madame, I fully understand." Christine replied happily as she admired all the beautiful new costumes she was obtaining, and quite thankful that they were not as revealing as the dancer costumes.

"Good, I will leave you to yourself to get collected for tonight's gala. I am very proud of you Christine, you will do well." The ballet mistress told Christine as she hugged her. Madame Giry closed the door to give her daughter privacy.

Christine went and sat down at her new vanity, a vanity all for herself! She looked into her reflection noting every flaw and wondered of the makeup now in front of her. Some were more clay like and others were in a powder state. There were browns, blues, golds, reds, pinks, purples, and even black! Next to the various colors were different brushes and next to those were the lipsticks for her use. Alongside the makeup were oils to put in her hair and brushes of various sorts. Then, next to everything was a bowl of rose petals with a note attached.

Christine's heart began to race and gently opened the mysterious letter.

_Christine,_

_You made the song come to life as you sang today. If you are in need of my assistance all you have to do is ask. I look forward to hearing you sing tonight and I will introduce to you the Opera Ghost that has helped the Opera Populaire for many years_

_Forever yours,_

_Angel_

Christine's heart began to race as she saw the letter Angel had given her. She slipped out of her clothes and walked towards the bathtub and filled it with warm water and some rose petals. As the aroma filled the room she slipped into the water and closed her eyes as she sang one of the songs her angel would sing for her when she was younger.

"_Sometimes I watch you while you sleep, I know you're somewhere in a dream, and I'll cradle you in my arms tonight..._"

Christine was soon lulled into a half wake-half sleeping state and peacefully enjoyed the rest of her bath. After the water grew cold she retreated one of the robes for her to wear and sat down once again at her vanity to read the note again. She knew that he would have something to share with her after the performance, pointers to remember or even a quick lesson. But what Christine wanted most at the moment was to see him, and so she decided to call him.

"_Come to me strange angel_," Christine sang hauntingly. She waited eagerly for her Angel's standard reply when he came to see her. She set about straightening the room and her hair to please him. Once the room was in perfect order she sat down at her vanity to fix her hair and to try the rose oil. She gently lifted the top and smelled the warm aroma of roses and applied some into her hair and on her neck, wrists, and elbows.

She sat the oil back down on the vanity and felt around for the hairbrush as she looked at her reflection. However, she knocked down the oil and quickly replaced it before any of the contents would spill on the beautiful carpet floor.

She sat back up in her chair and began applying act one's makeup on her face. She took some of the blue eye shadow and placed her applicator brush on it and gently smudged it on her eyelids along with some black in a very thin line. Then she applied some rouge to her cheeks along with a deep red lipstick.

She stood up and rang her bell which allowed a maid to come in and help her get into her costume for Hannibal. She stood on the small platform as they stripped of all her clothes and began compressing her chest with the corset tightly.

"Please miss, only to twenty inches." She spoke roughly as her body was being shook from the dainty maid's strong fingers.

"But Miss Daae! You must be shrunk to eighteen inches according to the managers!" The one tying her corset implored.

Christine smiled and shook her head. "Well if the managers have a problem with me preserving my voice for tonight's performance they may come and discuss such matters with me and me alone. I will not allow my voice to be strained for beauty's sake." Once the maid set the corset to twenty inches Christine kindly asked her to leave.

As Christine finished her costume she sat at the table and began to feel her Angel's presence. She looked around foolishly, she knew that she would not be able to see an Angel. She scrunched up her eyebrows and spoke aloud.

"Angel?" Christine desperately wished to hear her Angel once more before the performance.

"Yes Christine?" His deep musical voice filled the empty room and Christine's heart. She began to smile as she heard the voice that she came to love over the years.

"Angel I do not wish to disappoint you tonight. I am afraid I will not live up to your expectations," Christine began rambling.

"Darling, you could never disappoint me. Never." Her Angel spoke the last word with such force Christine immediately believed him and knew not to question his faith in her any further. Oh if only her Angel possessed a body, she knew that she would never ask for any other thing!

"Now," her Angel's voice distracted her thoughts. "Christine, it is time for you to leave your dressing room to go to the wings of the stage to await to grace the audience with your presence. I will be in my box five watching you and if you are extra good tonight I will grace you with my vessel."

"Angel, if I may ask, what is a vessel?"

"A vessel is a container to hold something in. In my case, I am within a human body. However, because of this I cannot be perfect."

"Why will you not be perfect if you are an Angel?"

"Well Christine, angels are perfect beings who live in heaven, and so since I am turning myself into a human I will no longer be an angel and so I will not be perfect. My face with be deformed in some way I am unaware and I will spare you from its horribleness."

"I am sorry for questioning you my Angel," Christine answered after a while of processing all the information of which her Angel has been generously sharing with her. Christine silently chastised herself for ever questioning her Angel's abilities or reasons for certain things.

"Do not apologize Christine for there is simply nothing for you to apologize for. Now I must warn you I will be a human and that is all. When I am a human I would like you to treat me as you would anybody else, if you please." Christine could hear her Angel's voice grow softer and gentler than the commanding voice she had grown accustomed to hearing throughout the years.

"As you wish Angel," Christine bowed her head a little to her invisible Angel.

"Now, go along and make the music come to life once more." Christine nodded her head and started for the backstage area, humming a few scales to warm her voice up with before she faced the world.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you to those who have made it to the end of this chapter! This was an idea i have put away for a couple of years and only recently have i decided to push through with it. My obsession with POTO has recently soared this month so i have been crazily writing chapters trying to fit in what i believe what would've happened had the movie gone my way. Anyway, thank you and please review on any ideas you have or questionsconcerns!**


	2. The Performance

Chapter 2: The Limelight & Raoul…

…"Now, go along and make the music come to life once more." Christine nodded her head and started for the backstage area, humming a few scales to warm her voice up with before she faced the world.

As Christine waited backstage for her que, she saw Meg coming back offstage from her first ballet solo her mother, Madame Giry, has allowed her to do and Christine believed that Meg deserved a solo a long time ago. Compared to everyone else Meg has a right to be Prima Ballerina but then again Christine understood that Madame Giry was not allowed to show any favoritism to her only daughter.

Christine watched as Meg headed back towards the group of ballerinas and chatted with them about how her dance went. Christine smiled and thought back to the memories they both shared when she first arrived to the Opera House.

For a moment Christine was transported back into time when she was a young eight year old girl again and the pain of losing her father to the sickness washed freshly over her again. Once more she began to feel the tears threaten to escape from her eyes and she felt powerless to stop them.

Christine decided that praying would help not only the fresh wounds of remembering her father's death but to also stop her heart from racing fast. She found a spot away from the other cast and crew and sat in the dark corner.

_Oh I wish you were here papa, I don't know how I can do this without you. I need you here with me, you were supposed to grow old and have grandchildren. If I could go back in time I would have done anyting to have stopped this from taking you away from me. Things have changed so much for me and I wish you were present tonight to hear me sing like we used to when we traveled around the world together with your violin and laughter. I didn't cry as much or worry about things because I knew you were right there with me. Papa, I met someone I love with all my heart but he is an angel and I cannot be with him because he belongs up there with you and mama. Please, dear god, help me find a way for us to be together. He has helped me through so much since your passing._

Christine finished her prayer and did the sign of the cross just in time for her to reach the wings and walk in on time. However, now she felt a wave of calmness around her and she was not frightened anymore. It almost felt like one of her papa's hugs he used to give her when she was a little girl, and Christine welcomed the safe and warm feelings that it brought upon her.

As she finished her lines to Piangi and he left the stage Christine faced an entire auditorium filled with people staring at her. But it didn't matter soon because once the music began she took a breath and allowed herself to gaze at Box Five, knowing that her Angel was watching her from his seat, to the back of the room as she began to sing.

_Think of me, think of me fondly, _

_When we've said goodbye_

_Remember me once in a while_

_Please promise me you'll try_

_When you find that, once again, you long to take your heart back and be free_

_If you ever find a moment spare a thought for me..._

_We never said our love was evergreen or as unchanging a the sea_

_But if you can still remember, stop and think of me_

_Think of all the things we've shared and seen_

_Don't think about the ways things might have been…_

_Think of me, think of me waking silent and resigned_

_Imagine me, trying too hard to put you from my mind _

_Recall those days, look back on all those times_

_Think of the things, we'll never do_

_There will never be a day when I won't think of you_

_Flowers fade, the fruit of summer fades they have their seasons so do we_

_But please promise me that sometimes_

_You will think of me!_

After hitting the high D on the "me" Christine could feel the adrenaline rush hit her as hundreds of roses were thrown onto the stage for her. All she could hear was clapping, whistling, and many "bravos" and "bravas!" As the curtain fell, almost all the stage crew and cast members flocked to her to congratulate her and question where she got the voice of an angel from. Christine felt herself smile wholeheartedly, for the first time in forever, and let the feeling flood her entire body.

After about ten minutes of constantly answering questions and saying thank you more times than she could count, Christine politely excused herself due to the exhaustion she felt from performing for her first time. Everyone, of course, agreed wholly with her and stopped pestering her as she went to the small chapel that was built in the opera house.

After she lit a flame over a picture of Gustave Daae she had placed there when she first came here and said a prayer for her father about the performance, she felt someone else was in the room with her. She heard a familiar voice call her name followed by the musical sound of her angel. Christine instantly relaxed because she was excited about meeting him tonight.

Meg emerged down the stairs and flew to her foster sister,

"Oh Meg! You did so amazing during act two! You danced so fluidly and gracefully out there that it brought me to tears!" Christine knew she was lying about seeing her dance, but she also knew that her friend and sister needed this appraisal as well because all her mother gives her is criticism.

"Christine enough of my acceptable dancing when you are the true star of the Opera Populaire now!

_Where in the world have you been hiding? Really you were perfect!_

_I only wish I knew your secret, who is your great tutor?"_

Christine was suddenly worried about that and looked away from Meg's imploring eyes, Christine knew that her long time best friend could read her eyes like a book and was not ready to answer any questions that arose from Meg's curiosity. Christine turned back to face a very excited Meg and smiled.

"I'm sorry I didn't let you know I was coming here, I was just feeling faint after singing so much tonight along with all the excitement." Christine glanced over to the picture of her father and Meg followed her eyes to see what she was really doing. Meg sighed because she could understand, according to her mother her father left them when Meg was a little newborn. So in a way, her father was as dead as Christine's was.

After Christine finished looking at her father's picture she gained enough courage to share a little secret with her sister, "Meg, when your mother brought me here to live, whenever I come down here alone to light a candle for my father a voice from above and in my dreams appears to me. He was always there you see, when my father lay dying in his bed he told me that I will be protected by an angel. An Angel of Music." Christine let the memory fill her and soon she felt the calming presence of her angel watching over her.

Meg pursed her lips trying to find the right way to ask her questions. "Christine do you believe, do you think the spirit of your father tutored you?"

Christine gently laughed, "No, of course not Meg. Not my father, someone else. But he loves me and I love him. That's all that matters.

_Father once spoke of an angel, I used to dream he'd appear_

_Now as I sing I can sense him and I know he's here!_

_Here in this room he calls me softly, somewhere inside hiding_

_Somehow I know he's always with me, he the unseen genius!"_

Meg followed her close friend as she walked and spoke of a man she barely knew. "Please,

_Christine you must have been dreaming, stories like this can't come true_

_Christine you're talking in riddles and it's not like you!"_

Christine spoke more about how her Angel guided and guarded her throughout the years in the opera house, feeling much better now that she was able to tell someone else about a person who has managed to make her feel like living once her last reason, her father, died arm's length away.

Meg walked with Christine back to the deserted hallway in the cast member's wing which only held Christine's dressing room. Meg looked around and thought, _it's strange that in this entire, and very long hallway, that the builders only put Christine's dressing room in here. It doesn't make any sense! There should at least be a maid's closet or even a bathroom. Oh well, there are so many things about this opera house that I will never understand I might as well at it to the list…_

When Christine and Meg reached the dressing room Meg began to walk in but Christine kept her from entering. Meg gave Christine a questioning look while Christine began to think up an answer.

"Meg I would really like to be alone with I'm getting freshened up. I need to pray to my father as well, please?" Christine hoped that Meg couldn't see through her little white lies and waited as Meg processed everything before answering.

"Well, I guess so Christine. If you need anything though, you can always talk to me or ask me, don't ever worry about me judging you. Ever. We are sisters remember? I promise to always be there for you." Meg said as she hugged Christine.

The little speech her sister told her made Christine almost cry from how sweet it was. _Oh Meg, there is so much that I have kept from you. I wish I could tell you everything but I cannot because it is not safe for you to know. _Christine decided on a safer reply,

"Thank you Meg, I believe you with all my heart. Thank you, I will be back soon but you go have a good time, do not let me ruin your night," as she closed the door on her closest friend she ever had. Christine sighed and began humming as she removed her dress and replaced it with a much nicer nightgown she found in the closest for her new personal belongings.

She sat back down at her vanity and began looking at herself wondering why it was her that got into the limelight. She heard a knock at her door and got up to answer it.

She was welcomed to find a young, handsome to some girls, pompous man holding a large bouquet of flowers.

"Hello miss, I would like to let you know that your performance tonight was simply amazing and oh! These flowers here are for you from my father and I." He handed her the vase containing all the daisies and lilies." For some reason this man looked so familiar to Christine but she didn't let her curiosity become noticeable.

"Thank you Vicomte," Christine replied politely as she sat the vase down at the table near her. She knew that she needed to keep her guard up because something in her didn't trust this man.

"Yes, well you are welcome. Not many people get the chance to go from a dancer to the leading soprano overnight. I need to return to my fiancée now, she will probably be waiting for me, she is really a big fan of yours."

Christine smiled and blushed politely to the compliment. "Yes well thank you messieur, I thank you for the pretty flowers." Christine watched as the man nodded his head and left while Christine closed her door once more to think to herself.

But before she could close it she heard a familiar motherly voice call out for her. "Christine! Wait, may I see you for a moment?" Christine saw her foster mother walking towards her at a calm pace. Christine grinned as she remembered all the lessons that Madame Giry taught her from proper lady mannerisms to the strict rules of ballet.

Once Madame Giry walked up to Christine she asked if they could move into her dressing room. Of course Christine knew her Angel would not mind her mother being in her dressing room because if she had not brought her to live here then she would never have known her Angel!

Christine relaxed as she sat back down and watched Madame Giry conjure a blood red rose with a black ribbon tied into a perfect rose on the stem.

"You did very well my dear, he is pleased with you," Madame Giry stated as she handed Christine the rose. Millions of questions immediately flew into Christine's mind, for a moment causing her to wonder if this was exactly how Meg felt all the time, and soon was about to ask many of them to Madame Giry now.

Who is the person she is referring to? Is this the same person that she knows? Is she talking about her angel?

Before she could ask Madame Giry any of these questions her foster mother quickly and swiftly excused herself from Christine's dressing room stating that she was retiring for the night and believed that Christine should sleep as well.

The young soprano looked up to the woman she has seen as a mother for many years now and nodded in agreement. The older woman looked at her daughter once more before leaving to retire to sleep before practice for Faust begins in mere hours.

Christine finished up removing her makeup and placing her curly dark brown hair into a low ponytail and began walking about to the door when a deep musical voice filled the empty air once more.


	3. The Phantom

Chapter 3: The Phantom's Music

_Insolent men! These slaves of fashion basking in your glory!_

_Ignorant fools! These brave old managers sharing in my triumph! _

It shocked Christine that her Angel could make his beautiful voice to turn harsh and cold instantly. But as she listened to his words Christine began to assume that the new managers must have been praising themselves for discovering a singer in the ballet. Half of herself wanted to sigh and roll her eyes and the other half wanted to console her Angel, and that half ended up winning her internal argument.

_Angel! I hear you! Speak I listen…_

_Stay by my side guide me! _

_Angel my soul was weak—forgive me_

_Enter at last, Master!_

Christine knew that her apology and appraisal must have worked on her most beloved Angel because almost instantly his voice changed back into that warm safe sound that she became accustomed to hearing throughout the ten years that he has been there for her.

_Flattering child you shall know me, see why in shadow I hide!_

_Look at your face in the mirror, I am there inside!_

Christine felt her heart race as she slowly turned to the mirror. _This is it, _Christine began to think. _ I finally get to see my Angel—I mean the man—that my Angel has turned into. Oh dear god please let this not be a dream! _Christine thought to herself as she slowly began to see the outline of the most handsome man she had ever saw!

She noted how his chin was strong and firm, he was dressed in the most impeccable black suit with maroon and grey accents, his hair was very neatly combed back, very muscular and on his ride side of his face laid a white leather mask. In that one instant she knew that mask from anywhere.

It was not uncommon to hear some of the ballet rats to tell scary stories of the phantom of the opera. Some of the stories included him tying a noose around a neck, others said that his voice alone will seduce anyone into doing anything that he wishes, and a few have even gone as far as saying that he will murder those who defy him. But not matter how the stories vary one thing remains, he wears a stark white leather mask on one side of his face.

Christine knew that this discovery would have shocked even the most sensible of girls, but when had she ever been sensible? She was the one girl that would have rather ran through the mud without a care in the world about how dirty her dress got rather than sit through a tea party and listen to idle gossip about the various women in town.

Christine smiled at the man before her because she realized just how much this man was and has done for her. The man in return nodded his idea and held out his hand to her as the mirror vanished into thin air. Christine was only hesitant about taking a strangers hand, however the protectiveness she felt radiate through the man before her calmed any and all of her fears about what laid ahead.

As they walked through a damp passageway Christine could not stop herself from admiring the tall, dark and mysterious man in front of her. She knew that he was masculinity incarnated, and she knew that he was so powerful that he could make anyone do anything he wanted to in the opera house. He need only a simple reason to bring upon a week of terror for the entire cast and crew during rehearsals. Never has he ever interrupted a performance, the phantom may be considered mean but never was he _that _rude.

Christine found she could not speak to him, and remembered what he had taught her to do instead: In the absence of words one learns to music to communicate.

_In sleep he sang to me in dreams he came_

_That voice which calls to me and speaks my name_

_And do I dream again for now I find the phantom of the opera is there inside my mind_

Her Angel looked back to her and Christine swore she saw his lips twitch upwards trying to compress a smile that simply refused to stay hidden. She knew that he was remembering the lesson of the power of music in the absence of words as well.

_Sing once again with me our strange duet _

_My power over you grows stronger yet_

_And thought you turn from me to glance behind_

_The phantom of the opera is there inside your mind!_

His rich melodic voice filled Christine's soul as their voices intertwined in the most perfect harmonious sound she had ever heard. It seemed like their voices were almost made for each other and that they were meant to sing together. As Christine began to learn that her Angel was indeed a man, but not just any man, the Phantom himself and she was his outlet to the world!

_Those who have seen your face draw back in fear_

_I am the mask you wear…_

She let him know that she realized the connection, but also told him that she was happy knowing that she alone knew him unlike how anyone else knew him.

_It's me they hear…_

Christine shuddered as his voice growled seductively.

_Your/My spirit and your/my voice in one combined_

_Than phantom of the opera is there inside your/my mind_

_He's there the phantom of the opera! _

Christine began singing higher and higher, proving to her Angel that she was worthy of his presence and that all their lessons created her into what she is able to do now. As she reached her highest note possibly they finished rowing their boat into a cavern home of some sorts, but the beauty of the forlorn place outshone any and all strange qualities it possessed.

Christine stood mesmerized by the splendor of the different things in this little island. To the right held bookshelves upon bookshelves crammed with many different sorts of books that she could not wait to delve into. Along the left held paintings and blueprints of the early stages of the opera house all the way to its current design. Past the paintings were set replicas and further to the right held the largest organ Christine had ever seen. On top of the pipe organ held many pieces of sheet music with the sole title "Don Juan Triumphs".

She quickly glanced down at the music and was thrown back by how complicated each measure was. Christine began humming along but was too soon caught by various notes and the advanced way they were all written together. As soon as she picked up the sheet music to get a better look she felt a warm and gentle hand rest upon her shoulder and heard his voice fill the empty void she held in her heart when he was not by her.

"_Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation_

_Darkness stirs and wakes the imagination_

_Silently the senses abandoned their defenses…" _

The soft lullaby caused Christine's mind to grow foggy about everything except for him. Yes, she knew she loved to listen to his music that he created for her and her alone but now she was truly beginning to _feel _as this Angel sang of the music of the night. She silently watched and listened to his voice yearn for her to abandon the light of day and stay with him in the darkness that everybody tries to fight. She placed her hand in his warm gloved hand and followed her mentor, her friend, and her protector as he taught Christine to understand just how beautiful the dark music could be through his song. Christine allowed herself to close her eyes as she felt their spirits soar intimately within the music as she joined him in his song:

"_I'll let/let my/your mind journey through a strange new world _

_I'll leave/Leave all thoughts of the life I/you knew before _

_And I'll let/Let my/your soul take me/you where I/you long to be_

_Only then can I/you belong to you/me"_

As their duet hung in the air with their last note mingling in perfect harmony, Christine took ahold of her moment to show her Angel how much he meant to her while it seemed he was still in shock. She placed one hand on his perfect cheek and the other hand over the place of his heart.

"_I'll touch you, trust you, savor each sensation_

_I'll let the dream begin and let my darker side give in _

_To the power of the music that you write"_

Christine sang her heart's desires out to the Angel in front of her. Nay, not an angel anymore she reminded herself, but the man that her Angel turned himself into so that he could be with her from now on. She knew that her Angel must have loved her enough to be willing to give up all of heaven's glory to be with her on Earth. She watched his reaction to her pledge to her Angel and smiled as she saw a tear slip through his eyes. Gently she wiped it away with her thumb and gladly accepted her Angel's hand as he slowly, and shakily, offered it to her.

With one of his hands in hers, and his other on her lower back, her Angel guided her along to a secret hallway she had not seen earlier. As they walked through the hallway she noticed many doors and became instantly curious to the secrets laying behind the hidden doors that were as old as the opera house itself.

Without realizing it Christine was gently, but forcibly, stopped walking. With the surprise that was most likely evident in her eyes Christine looked towards her Angel that was for a moment smirking at her with a half smile. Then with a little nod to her left Christine saw what made her and her Angel stop in this particular place.

There, standing not ten feet away from her, was _herself_ but bearing a wedding dress instead. Her first reaction was to go into shock but she knew better than to do that because when she looked closer all she saw that is was just a mannequin bearing the exquisitely detailed white ballroom gown.

She looked at her Angel once again and gave him a big smile to show him how much she appreciated the little, actually big, surprise he had just shown her. As she looked into the piercing blue eyes that reminded her so much of the ocean Christine saw appreciation, warmth, and something stronger that she had not seen since her father was alive—in her Angel's eyes she saw love.

"May I touch it?" Christine's tentive voice make out quite shakily despite the strength she summoned up while staring into her Angel's eyes. She saw his eyes widen in surprise, good or bad she was still unaware of it, and he cleared his throat.

"Of course, my darling, it is made just for you after all." His gentlemanly behavior and the fact she was able to see more of the dress made Christine's heart soar. Without thinking twice Christine flew to her Angel and pressed herself against his chest in a tight embrace while she silently thanked him for everything he has done for her now and in the future. For a while she felt him stand there as still as a statue very tensely, but Christine persisted to hug him. It was not until he finally wrapped his own arms around her waist and returned the warm embrace that she finally freed him from her grasp.

Christine slowly moved towards the dress once more and felt the fabric of the train. The satin felt smooth and held a beautiful ivory tint to the entire ensemble made for a bride. The veil was so thin and soft that it was almost like a spider's web with its intricate detail and fragile state. Christine felt tears well up in her eyes as she wondered what it would be like to deserve something so beautiful, for the wearer must be just as beautiful in order to fully compliment the dress. Somehow she knew that her Angel had this for her, but she couldn't exactly say how she knew it.

"Oh Angel…" Christine half whispered and half awed in wonder. Her angel was so amazing Christine felt some of the tears escape from her eyes as she stood up to walk back towards the man waiting for her at the entrance of the room.

Once more, he offered his hand to her and she readily accepted the offer. She watched as his other hand hesitantly raised itself to gently hold her chin and slowly lift it so they could look at each other. Christine couldn't stop the tears from welling in her deep brown eyes as she searched the depths of her Angels clear blue ones. She felt his hand rest upon her cheek and she relaxed against it and closed her eyes as she sighed in contentment. Ever so softly she felt his thumb wipe away her tears as she did for him not long ago.

"My name is Erik," her Angel—Erik—said to her with his hand still kept on her cheek.

"Mmm, Erik," Christine sighed with a yawn and immediately fell asleep in her Erik's embrace.

The second Erik heard Christine grace his name on her soft lips he felt his soul begin to soar. She finally knew that he was a man. Not an intangible Angel, but a real and touchable man. As he felt her body go limp in her arms Erik reprimanded himself for not realizing just how much Christine had went through today and was mad with himself for making her exhausted to point of passing out.

He gently carried her to the back of the hallway they were already in and saw her room he was still in the process of preparing for her was locked. With a small grunt he carried her further down until they reached the last door on the left—his room.

Erik thanked whatever diety that was out there that he had left his door slightly ajar from earlier. Yes he could open his door with her in his arms but it was had most likely awaken the angel he held in his embrace in the process. With the front of his shoe he gently put pressure against the door immediately causing it to open completely with no trace of a sound being produced.

He walked with her towards his swan bed that he had salvaged from years back during a darker version of the Swan Lake that was not doing very successful. Erik laid Christine down against the blood red satin sheets and saw just how much the color complimented her ivory skin and dark hair. He leaned down and caressed her cheek once more as he sang,

"_You alone can make my songs and life take flight_

_Help me make the music of the night…"_


	4. Sweet Music

Hey guys! I have been crazy about this fanfic these past couple of days (in a good way!) Please R&R!

Chapter 4

Joseph Buquet was stumbling about with his bottle of whiskey in hand as he towed his body to the ballerina dormitories. He smelt of alcohol and could not remember the last time he bathed, something he would remind himself to do as soon as he was done with his business with the little girls he loved so much. As he approached the door he heard their soft whispers about what they did today and the gossip they heard at the market or in the bakery.

Joseph pushed the door open and was welcomed to a few squeaks from some of the girls while the others covered themselves with their blankets for propriety's sake. He nodded to all of them and walked with his powerful steps towards the lone chair in the middle of the empty aisle at the far back of the room.

Meg Giry watched the man carefully as he trudged through the girl's dormitory. She rolled her eyes as he sat down and made himself comfortable and acted if he were going to get a private performance from someone, a performance either made for the stage or for the bedroom. The thought sickened Meg instantly and she shook her head as she let the thought of him touching her vanish from her mind instantly. Once she regained her composure she looked directly in his eyes and crossed her arms over her chest to give the same impression her mother imposed on every cast and crew member at the opera house and to be more conservative.

"Excuse me Monsieur Buquet but may I inquire as to why you are in a _ladies _dormitory at this hour of night? I am sure that if the managers knew about this they would have your head for it," Meg stated with the coldest demeanor she could summon from the depths of her voice.

"Well missy, I am sure that the phantom will have my head much sooner than the managers do if they keep acting like bitches," Joseph grumbled as he watched the perky little blonde stand up to him. He admired her for the effort but he knew that if it ever came down to it he would be able to overpower within seconds.

Megs eyes grew wide as he continued on, _he's drunk_, she thought. _He is drunk and he is around the entire ballet corps. He could do as he wished to any of us. I will not stand back and let this happen, I need to distract him. _

"Well sir, if you know that the phantom will kill you much swifter than the managers you must be well informed with the ghost that haunts our walls," Meg asked as she gestured to the grand walls that surrounded everyone.

"Yes mademoiselle I sure am. In fact I know quite a lot about him. Now ladies gather around and let your good friend Joseph tell you a little tale about the Phantom of the Opera and his magical lasso…" Joseph threw his arms open while he watched the girls gather around to hear what he wanted to say. The younger and new ballerinas were the most timid and shy about the story but the older ones knew Joseph so much better and laughed and played along to his little act that he performed for their enjoyment. Everyone was laughing by the middle of his story—everyone except the two Giry women who were now standing in the back of the room as they listened intently to the man's tale:

"_Like yellow parchment, a great black hole served as the nose that never grew…_

_You must be always on your guard, or he will catch you with his magical lasso!"_

Almost out of thin air he produced a lasso and playfully captured Ariana LeVange as she was talking to one of her friends and pretended to attack her as she squealed with delight while she cried out his name from laughing too hard.

Madame Giry decided that that was enough of Joseph's storytelling, it was too close to the truth for comfort to the retired prima ballerina and she swiftly walked up to the man and ballerina acting as the phantom and one of his victims. She quickly pulled the noose away from them and began to speak to the entire room:

"_Those who speak of what they know find, too late, that prudent silence is wise."_

Antoinette watched as many of her students began nodding their heads in agreement, while some others that were boisterously laughing a few minutes ago bowed their heads in shame. When she felt that the ballerinas had all learned their lessons she turned to the man that began the upheaval.

"_Joseph Buquet, hold your tongue and keep your hand at the level of your eyes!"_

Madame Giry wrapped the Punjab lasso around the man's thick sweaty neck as he spoke the warning that kept the punjab's victims alive…if they were quick enough. Luckily for the man he was one of the few that were quick and kept the lasso from claiming another victim. They stared each other in the eyes for what seemed like forever until Antoinette relaxed her grip on the lasso and Joseph carefully removed the death trap.

Madame Giry cleared her throat and saw that every one of her students shifted their eyes to hers as they waited for further instruction from their mentor.

"Well my dears, it's time for bed now. We all have a practice to attend in a mere eight hours. Goodnight ladies," Madame Giry ended the playing and turned off the lights as she watched everyone settle back into their beds but refused to leave until she saw her daughter's eyes close and her body relax.

Christine awoke but refused to open her eyes because she _knew _last night was just too impossibly perfect to have actually happened, though she did give a great amount of credit to her imagination for being able to conjure such realistic images that stirred her senses so amazingly. She took a deep breath and realized that she forgot to change out of her corset before going to bed and groaned loudly and lightly cursed.

"Damn it, Erik will _not _be able if he finds out that I slept with this thing on. But since he is not around I figure a few more minutes of sleep will do no harm." Christine snuggled back into a comfortable position and tried to regain the sleep that she yearned for.

Right before she relaxed into a slumber she heard the door open quickly and she shot up in bed. She looked around and noticed that it was not her room. Not even her bed. _Oh dear god, _she thought to herself, _I am in Erik's bed. Erik, he __**is **__real and I wasn't dreaming about anything. Oh dear god this is too perfect to be true. _Christine slowly got out of bed scanning and drinking in every square inch of the room she was in.

She knew that it was Erik's room because it held a masculine feel to it due to the deep dark mahogany dresser, chest and desk. On top of the desk held different pieces of sheet music and various inventions that were in various stages of the beginning to some that were even close to being finished. The walls themselves were rock being covered by intricately designed Persian rugs.

As she walked around the perimeter of the room Christine came across a door that led into a private bathroom that, Christine decided, was made specifically for Erik. She admired the large bathtub and sink that held various types of colognes and shampoos and soaps. In a cabinet close to the bathtub there was many dark red and black towels of various sizes and another cabinet held a set of clean and nicely pressed clothes for him to change into after bathing.

Christine felt her cheeks begin to blush as she thought of Erik taking a bath in here. She placed a hand against her cheek as she realized how wanton these thoughts in her mind were, not that she minded but this feeling was entirely new to her.

Slowly and gently the silence began to be filled with an organ playing the most beautiful music Christine had ever heard. She automatically knew that it had to be Erik playing for no one else she knew ever was able to play an instrument just as perfectly as him.

Christine walked quietly, as to not disturb him in his moment of peace, into the main room that she remembered last night before she passed out from complete exhaustion. She glanced around and marveled once again at the majestic splendor that the place emitted and began to think aloud:

"_I remember there was mist_

_Swirling must upon a vast glassy lake_

_There were candles all around_

_And on the lake there was a boat_

_And in the boat there was a man"_

Christine looked around the room searching for Erik and saw him at his organ writing furiously. He stopped though as soon as he heard Christine and looked at her for a second before returning to his work. He cursed himself for removing the jacket, vest and cravat when he started to feel uncomfortable in all the clothes. He noticed that his robe was tied around him but his nightshirt hung deeply open and feared that Christine would see him in such a state and shy away from him.

Christine began walking towards Erik while still thinking out loud:

"_Who was that shape in the shadows,_

_Whose is the face in the mask?"_

As soon as Christine reached her destination she gently pressed her hands down on Erik's shoulders and smiled as she felt him instantly relax to her touch. _He trusts me, _Christine thought to herself as she continued her hands up his neck and caressed his face. She looked at the mask lightly began to lift it up curious to see what was underneath it that this man was hiding from the world. Before she removed the mask she remembered what her Angel at the time told her.

"…_since I am turning myself into a human and…my face will be deformed…"_

Before her curiosity got to the better of herself, Christine stopped her hand from prying the white leather mask away from the intriguing man before her. She knew that Erik was slowly beginning to trust her and she knew that she wanted to keep it that way. If she ever harmed him, physically or mentally, she knew that it would hurt herself tenfold.

A soft sigh escaped from Erik's lips as Christine continued her gentle caress. As he closed his eyes he began to feel the light pressure of her fingers begin to massage his neck and shoulders as she began to hum the song that they sang with each other last night. Ever so slowly, as to make sure that he did not cause Christine to stop the massage she was giving him, Erik replaced his fingers back on the organ's keys and began playing the song along with Christine's humming which grew louder and morphed into the beautiful singing that he had trained her to be able to do.

Christine smiled to herself and changed the song she was singing so quickly that it had caught Erik off guard but nonetheless continued the small song anyway.

"_Stay with me, don't let me go, because I can't be without you _

_Just stay with me and hold me close, because I've built my world around you_

_And I don't want to know what it's like without you"_

Erik listened to the sweet little song that Christine, _his _Christine, was singing to him and for him alone. But as he listened to the words she was speaking to him, he could not help but to wonder what she was asking of him. Did she really want to be with him forever? Was she so willing to condemn herself to him for the rest of her life? Did she love him?

Erik felt Christine remove her fingers and the absence of her hands was obvious to him. He was slightly disappointed that the massage was over so quickly, he had never received one in his life that felt quite like the way Christine managed to do it. Yes, the servants in Persia tried to see to it that he was absolutely comfortable but their hands never possessed the tender loving touch that Christine's had.

Christine walked back towards a couch she saw not far behind her and picked up the novel sitting on the side table. It was the story "Les Miserables" and as she carefully turned the cover she recognized the emblem that proclaimed it being a first edition. Her eyes widened in wonder because she knew just how expensive these books can get, and she was curious to how Erik acclaimed so much money in the short time while he changed from her Angel to this human man. Something seemed so off about it all to Christine and she felt she needed to know Erik much better, she realized she didn't know anything about him at all—except for the type of soap he uses when bathing. This only information she had of him made her blush fifty shades of red but cleared her throat quickly and began reading the novel.

The two people worked quietly for what seemed like an eternity to each, before the silence became too uncomfortable a small figure darted into the main room and rushed towards Erik. The small black cat with bright blue eyes matching Erik's perfectly dropped the note with the Giry emblem on the back on top of the organ ultimately restricting her owner from further playing.

As soon as Christine saw a figure flash by her she let a slight scream escape from her lips and saw Erik turn his head towards her with an eyebrow cocked up. But he soon put two and two together and came to the conclusion that Ayesha must have frightened her when she brought the letter.

Erik picked up the letter and opened it carefully as to not rip any of the paper.

_E,_

_The managers are searching everywhere for C. Bring her back._

_Your friend, _

_A_

After finishing the letter Erik stood up and straightened his clothes before walking towards Christine.

"Come, we must return. Those two fools who run my theater will be missing you," Erik spoke gently with a little humor as he offered his hand to Christine once more. He gratefully sighed as he felt her hand take his once again.

Erik decided to take the shorter and much quicker route back to Christine's dressing room so that she would be able to return much quicker. Before opening the mirror to Christine's dressing room Erik brought her forward and showed her how to use the mechanism so that she would be able to open it herself in any situation where she needed to. It was simply a little switch hidden between two rocks that needed to push down in order for the gears and pulleys to do their job.

As Christine stepped over the threshold she turned around and grabbed Erik's arm before he had the chance to leave.

"When can I see you again Erik?" Christine asked earnestly. She enjoyed their time together so much that she wanted to go back to his kingdom of music as soon as possible. Never before has she ever felt so filled with music, she felt like she was part of the music more than she normally was on the stage.

Erik was shocked that she wanted to see him again and by the way her eyes were gleaming, she wanted to return soon. He knew that he could never deny the woman standing in front of him anything that her heart desired, and her heart desired to be in his humble abode once more. Down once more they will travel to his island-like home and down once more they will sing of the music of the night. His heart began to race as his mind brought about images of what else he wanted them to do together. But for now he was content, nay thrilled, that a woman as beautiful as Christine wanted to be with him more.

"You may return tonight after your rehearsals have concluded, if you wait here for me I will personally escort you and show you the way back to my home," Erik answered her question with Christine nodding in reply.

"Thank you Erik, thank you for everything. I'm sorry but I have to go now, thank you again," Christine said and kissed Erik on the cheek without even thinking about it. Christine was already gone to rehearsals before Erik could reply as he went back down to his house to play the music he had created for her until she returned to him once more.

"You're welcome my Christine, my love."  
>_<p>

The song that Christine is singing to Erik while he is at his piano is "Stay With Me" by Danity Kane. I came across it as a Erik/Christine song and I loved it so much that I had to add it!


	5. The Notes

I would just like to thank everything who has taken their time to read my story! It's only been up for about three days now and I've had close to 200 views on my first story!

Chapter 5: Ghosts From The Past

The Opera Populaire was still slightly buzzing with excitement the morning after Christine Daae's huge success in Hannibal last night. Monsieurs Andre and Firmin were constantly replying to new patrons who were seeking to have patronage to the new opera house—and especially the new breakthrough celebrity.

Not only was Christine getting attention for exceeding the La Carlotta in the breathtaking performance last night, but also for her mysterious disappearance immediately following the ending of the opera. Everyone in Paris knows that the Prima Donna always graces the attendants with her presence at the after party following each performance. To the patrons the lead soprano is being the most down to earth person they know, but everyone who works at the opera house knows that it is simply for the managers to obtain more money.

After reading many overly long letters from rich families wanting to support the Opera Populaire and its fine talent Monsieur Firmin decided he needed a break from his work to be able to think more clearly. Monsieur Andre half mindedly nodded in agreement and Firmin went out for a leisurely stroll.

As he walked he noticed many of the cast and crew reading this morning's newspapers review on the opera from last night. Usually the newspaper's front page was drowned with an oversized picture of Carlotta Guidicelli, but this time there were words—and Firmin could not stand thinking about the type of gossip that would be stirred from this pompous articles.

With his blood near boiling point Firmin grabbed the closest newspaper from him and was given a loud and shrill "hey!" from one of the female seamstresses that was taking her break. He glanced over the front of the page and followed some of the articles only stopping when the publisher mentioned the "Phantom of the Opera" or the "Opera Ghost" intervening in some unimaginable way once more.

" "_Mystery after gala night", it says "Mystery of Soprano's Flight!" _

_Mystified all the papers say, we are mystified—we suspect foul play!_

_Bad news on soprano scene—First Carlotta, now Christine!"_

Firmin was astound as to the outstanding stories these writers created for the newspaper. He was afraid that the reader's would begin to believe what the little black and white paper say and he feared that it would harm the opera house's income. Monsieur Firmin never believed that running a _real _business could be this hard.

"_What a way to run a business! _

_Spare me these unending trials!_

_Half your cast disappears,_

_But the crowd still cheers!_

_Opera!_

_To hell with Gluck and Handel_

_Have a scandal and you're sure to have a hit!"_

Firmin threw the newspaper on the ground in frustration and as he was calming down he heard something fall behind him. As he turned around he looked at the ground and saw a letter that was addressed to one "Monsieur Firmin" written in amazing black ink script. As he held the letter in his hand he looked around everywhere to try to catch the prankster escaping the scene but alas, the grand foyer was deserted of everyone but him.

As Firmin glanced over both sides of the letter intended for his eyes he heard his friend and business partner yelling loud enough to wake the dead in the cemetery in Perros-Guirec,

"_Damnable! Will they all walk out? This is damnable!" _

Firmin ran up to him and tried to subdue Andre's anger,

"_Andre, please don't shout! It's publicity and the take is vast! Free publicity!" _

Andre still felt like there was nothing he could do to stop what was happening before his eyes: the Opera Populaire's cast members are beginning to disappear one by one.

"_But we have no cast…"_

Firmin shook his head slightly and chuckled. He walked with his friend down the stairs and said,

"_Andre, have you seen the queue?" _

Andre nodded his head slightly and Firmin smiled as he believed everything was all cleared up for now. However, that secure feeling left his body and mind immediately as he saw a familiar looking letter hanging out of Andre's coat pocket. He pointed it out to his friend and asked as he sighed,

"_Oh, it seems you've got one too?"_

Andre rolled his eyes and grumbled in response as he quickly leafed it out of his jacket and cleared his throat before reading the mysterious note he found on his bedside table this morning.

" "_Dear Andre, what a charming gala! Christine was in a word sublime! _

_We were hardly bereft when Carlotta left—on that note the diva is a _

_A disaster, must you cast her when she's seasons past her prime?""_

Firmin was shocked by the author's words, no one had ever dared to insult La Carlotta—the best opera singer in all of Italy. Now that his friend had shared his letter he found it was only befitting that he read his as well.

" "_Dear Firmin, just a brief reminder: my salary has not been paid. _

_Send it care of the ghost, by return of post_

_P.T.O._

_No one likes a debtor, so it's better if my orders are obeyed!""_

Both men were soon outraged by the ominous notes that were being sent to them when they had down absolutely nothing wrong, or at least anything they would feel guilty about doing. Soon they found themselves yelling together,

"_Who would have the gall to send this?_

_Someone with a puerile brain! _

_These are both signed O.G._

_Who the hell is he?!"_

For just a split second the men stopped what they were doing and thought of who the person or thing it was that would be sending them instructions. Instantaneously the managers remembered the ballerinas and their talk of the phantom of the opera and it all became very clear as they both spoke,

"_Opera Ghost!" _

Andre scoffed, "It's nothing short of shocking," while Firmin nodded and agreed with, "He's mocking our position!" Andre then included, "In addition he wants money," while Firmin thought, "what a funny aberration" and the managers were then agreed in unison,

"_To expect a large retainer, nothing plainer—he is clearly quite insane!"_

The two men continued to argue over their letters they were given by the Phantom of the Opera while the Vicomte ran into the room with them.

"Christine?!" He shouted in wonder causing Andre and Firmin to look up at him while Raoul continued on.

"Are you talking about Christine Daae? Is she here?" The Vicomte persisted on, he _needed _to know if she was actually here in Paris after so many years of being in the dark.

Andre looked at Firmin questioningly before he slowly answered Raoul's many questions carefully, Andre knew that they needed the DeChagney's to keep their patronage so that the vast amounts of money kept flowing in.

"Yes Christine Daae works here, in fact she was the leading soprano at the Gala last night. To your second question, good Vicomte, we have no idea where she is at. In fact all the newspapers' headlines are about her mysterious disappearance," Andre said as Firmin handed Raoul this morning's newspaper.

Raoul read the paper but was not dissuaded, these two men were the managers of the opera house! They should know about each cast and crew member, it is only their job! Raoul soon began to think, _it is not uncommonly heard of that dancers and singers would sleep with their employers to get a raise in pay or a raise in fame—but Christine would never do that! Ever! She was such a sweet girl when we were little that I know she would never do that. But I have seen stranger…_. Raoul was furious with his thoughts but with all the clues given it almost seemed the most likely truth.

"I have one more question monsieurs before I leave," Raoul said as he reached his hand into his jackets pocket.

"Of course Monsieur! Ask us anything you want!" Firmin groveled to the young man.

"Since you are Christine's employers I would presume you two of all people would know her whereabouts. Isn't this the letter you wrote?"

Firmin was shocked to see yet a third identical letter bound by a skull. He grabbed the letter and began to open it.

"And what is it that we are meant to have wrote? Written!" Firmin read the paper to himself before he repeated the contents out loud,

"Do not fear for Miss Daae,

The Angel of Music has her under his wing.

Make no attempt to see her again."

Raoul was freshly shocked, he didn't read the letter when he had first received it due to his frightened state, and he immediately came here. But as he repeated the letter in his mind he immediately realized that he had indeed seen Christine, she was the leading lady that he had brought flowers to and complimented at her dressing room!

_It had been so many years since I had seen her, she looked so different she was hardly recognizable, _he thought, _oh dear god it was __**her **__I lied to about having a fiancée! I had only said that just in case another woman tried to flirt with me, oh god she must think I am betrothed now. Dammit! _

Raoul waited for the two managers to get out of their shocked state before continuing his interrogation.

"Well if you didn't write it, who did?"

Just as soon as Andre opened his mouth to answer Raoul's question another person came barging into the foyer, a person he and Firmin hadn't seen in weeks.

Carlotta pushed past many people until she stood right in front of Andre and Firmin and began speaking in her thick Italian accent.

"Where is he?" She screamed.

"Ah, welcome back!" Andre dismissed the ex-leading lady's question.

"Your precious patron, where is he?" Carlotta continued on.

Firmin rolled his eyes and regarded the singer's question, "What is it now?"

Carlotta pulled a very familiar piece of paper out of her bodice, "I have your letter, a letter which I rather resent!" She spat as she glared at Raoul.

Firmin looked over to the Vicomte, "And did you send it?"

Raoul, appalled, yelled back, "Of course not!"

"As if he would," Andre included which earned him a nasty glare from Carlotta for siding with the patron instead of herself.

Carlotta then rounded on Raoul, "And did you send it?"

Raoul yelled once more, "Of course not!"

"What's going on?" Andre said as he watched the fight continue on.

"You dare to tell me that this is not the letter you sent?!" Carlotta said as she threw the letter at Raoul.

Raoul glared at her and asked calmly, "And what is it that I'm meant to have sent?" He then read the note aloud for everyone to hear.

"Your days at the Opera Populaire are numbered.

Christine Daae will be singing on your behalf tonight.

Be prepared for a great misfortune should you attempt to take her place."

Andre and Firmin looked at each other for a moment as they both contemplated on all that has happened in a single morning, they both knew that they would not allow this "Phantom" to act like he held any authority over them, the managers! He each held one of Carlotta's hands as they spoke with her about everything that occurred,

"_Far too many notes for my taste, _

_And most of them about Christine!_

_All we've heard since we came_

_Is Miss Daae's name—?"_

As they were speaking with everything, another two figures walked into the room and interrupted the conversation being held. The older ballet instructor and her daughter walked up to the small group of distressed managers, patrons and singers and delivered her news,

"Miss Daae has returned," Madame Giry began.

"I hope no words for as far as we are concerned," Firmin added quickly as to stop Carlotta's angers from becoming overbearing. However, it seemed that Andre did not feel the same way as he began to ask questions about her whereabouts,

"Where actually is she now?" He asked as he began to walk down the stairs towards the ballet instructor and dancer.

"I thought it best she was alone," Madame Giry answered as Meg stepped up and spoke as well.

"She needed rest," she softly said to the large crowd of people.

Raoul started to walk towards Antoinette and pleaded, "May I see her?" He had hoped he could somehow charm one of them to allow him access to see his beloved friend, he knew that he needed to talk to Christine. For some reason he felt that he was beginning to fall in love with her all over again.

Madame Giry raised her hand to stop the young man's advances and shook her head while replying, "No monsieur, she will see no one."

Carlotta and Piangi looked at each other before asking Madame Giry, "Will she sing? Will she sing?"

With a little smile hardly noticeable Madame Giry procured a note from her dress sleeve and held it out for all to see as she spoke, "Here I have a note!"

Everyone began to walk up to her asking, "Let me see! Let me see!"

"Please!" Firmin scoffed as he grabbed the note from Madame Giry and read it aloud for everyone,

" "_Gentlemen, I have now sent you several notes of the most amiable nature, detailing how my theater is to be run. You have not followed my instructions. I shall give you one last chance. Christine Daae has returned to you and I am anxious to see how her career should progress. In the new production of "Il Muto" you will therefore cast Carlotta as the Pageboy and put Miss Daae in the role of Countess. The role which Miss Daae plays calls for charm and appeal. The role of the Pageboy is silent—which makes my casting, in a word, ideal. I shall watch the performance from my normal seat in Box Five, which will be kept empty for me. Should these commands be ignored, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur. _

_I remain, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant,_

_O.G._" "

Carlotta rolled her eyes and threw up her arms as she shouted, "Christine! It's all a ploy to help Christine!"

Firmin shook his head to Andre, "Whatever next?" Andre nodded and agreed, "This is insane…"

Carlotta shot up once again, "I know who sent this: The Vicomte—her lover!"

Raoul glared at Carlotta, "Indeed? Can you believe this?"

As the managers tried, but failed, to get Carlotta's attention she cried to herself, "O traditori! This is a joke! This changes nothing! O mentitori!"

"Signora! You are our star and always will be!" Andre pleaded with Carlotta as she huffed and continued her whining.

Firmin finally put his foot down as the man in charge, "We don't take orders! Miss Daae will be playing the Pageboy—the silent role…Carlotta will be playing the lead!"

As Carlotta, Andre and Firmin went away trying to bring back the older lead soprano Raoul was about to leave before he felt someone grab his arm. He was about to yell at whomever thought it wise to grab ahold of someone so powerful but he soon saw that it was the young dancer he dance noticed in the opera. He remembered how well she could dance, how flexible she was and just how far she could stretch her legs…

"Monsieur do you have a moment, I need to speak to you about Christine?" Meg pleaded with the young, and noticeably handsome, Vicomte.

Immediately Raoul's thoughts of him with the dancer in front of him vanished as soon as heard Christine's name.

"Of course mademoiselle! Please tell me everything you know!" Raoul held out his hand for Meg. His father had always taught him to treat every lady like she was a queen.

As Meg accepted his hand Raoul led the two of them to Box Three, the Vicomte's personal box he used last night to watch the opera. Of course the view was not as splendid as the view would have been in Box Five but even he knew that the managers would not allow him in the _Phantom's _own box.

Meg sat down in the chair next to Raoul and scanned the room before beginning her speech she carefully prepared. When she knew that no else was around or would be able to eavesdrop on their conversation Meg sat back down and took a deep breath. _I am doing this to help Christine, this man seems like he truly cares for her and I only want my friend to be safe_.

"These notes about Christine are not just any notes, Monsieur le Vicomte. The person sending these is also the same person that has been posing as her Angel of Music. Sir, she tells me that she hears him talking to her through walls in her dressing room and I am afraid that this is one in the same as the Phantom of the Opera! Monsieur le Vicomte I believe the Phantom of the Opera is Christine's Angel of Music!"

Meg breathed in deeply after finishing her speech to the Vicomte DeChagney she watched carefully as she saw him thinking very hard about what she just spoke, so she sat back in her chair and waited for him to talk again.

Raoul sat there debating what the young woman just told him. _Could what she is saying be true? She is Christine's friend no doubt, judging by how much she knows of Christine. But this man? Who _is _he? Why would any sane man truly wish to terrorize an opera house for so many years?_ Raoul knew that this man could not be trusted at all and become very worried for Christine. _Yes, _he thought, _I will watch out for her safety and should anything happen I will take her away from this place and keep her safe in my own house if I have to. But first I need to learn more about this Phantom of the Opera—no matter how insane I think this accusation is._

"Meg, if you don't mind I am curious to see if you happen to know more about this so called "Phantom of the Opera"?" Raoul implored as he took her hand in his and gently rubbed it. To his pleasure he saw the little dancer blush profusely and watched her try to compose herself.

"Well sir all I really know are stories and myths about the mysterious Phantom. But anyways, he is a ghost who stalks the empty halls of the Opera and helps keep it running. He watches the performances from his box five every time we perform and the next morning the managers find a letter from the phantom that holds his notes and criticism from the performance the night before. If he is not pleased with the performance something usually goes missing at the next rehearsal that correlates with the section that did, in his opinion, the worst. For instance monsieur, the ballet did not do very well in 'Faust' and the next morning we could not find our ballet shoes until later when we went to rehearsal and found them all with a note attached that specified to Madame Giry that she needed to train us more. Maman did not like that one bit and she had us practice for five hours straight. The phantom has also done worse things such as killing people in the past when they got in his way, he is simply dangerous monsieur and I fear for Christine!"

Raoul listened to every word and speculated silently to how a ghost can do such tangible things if the ghost is dead and not with the living. Therefore, Raoul concluded, this "phantom" must be a man that is portraying such a silly role. But that leads him to his next question, why would someone want to do this with their lives? It sounds like so much work for one person to do: he must do the trick, not been seen doing so, and in that case he would have to walk through walls—probably the reason why people call him a ghost. Still, nonetheless, Raoul was very concerned for Christine and decided he must take action.

"Thank you Meg, you do not realize how much this has helped me. I am in your debt, is there anything I could do to repay you?" Raoul asked as he kissed Meg's hand.

Meg watched him kiss her hand and blushed once more, and in fact there was something that she knew that she would wish for him to do.

"In fact Monsieur le Vicomte there is something I would like to ask you to do for me, but please you may refuse is you feel that you could not, or would not, enjoy it," Meg replied softly with the hint of her blush remaining.

Raoul was sure that he knew that she wanted to go to bed with him, he had been offered by so many ladies the same opportunity and he never would displease a woman. However, Meg's answer shocked him when she continued.

"There is a New Year's Masquerade Ball that the Opera Populaire hosts every year. My mother has never let me gone to it due to the fact that I never had a date. I would love to go, if you would be so kindly to escort me?" Meg pulled her eyes up to look at Raoul's and noticed the lovely shade of brown they were.

Raoul was saddened by this, he was planning to ask Christine to the Masquerade when he saw her again. But he also knew that Christine's kind nature made her not be able to turn many people's offers down and so Raoul felt like she would have a date to the Masquerade before he would be able to ask her himself. Using his natural acting abilities he brightened his face with a smile and looked at Meg.

"Of course I would enjoy going to the Masquerade Ball with you Mademoiselle Giry, it would be my highest honor. I will write to you and tell you all the details: where we shall meet and dine."

"Thank you Vicomte! You do not realize how happy you have made me!" Meg then threw her arms around the Vicomte and pressed herself against him tightly as she hugged him. After she had done it she realized how improper it was and immediately pulled herself off him while apologizing for her rash actions and excused herself to her room to go to sleep.

After Meg had left Raoul sat there for a few minutes and wondered how he would be able to get Christine away from this freak and keep her as his. He knew that they were meant for each other, despite the fact they hadn't seen each other in ten years. He was ready to kill to make sure that she never left him again and he'd be damned to see someone lesser than him get something that he desperately wanted.


	6. The Face Behind The Mask

I would like just to say thank you to everyone that has read my story up to this point! I can't believe I've already reached 300 views in under five days on my first fanfiction! Please read and review to let me know how I am doing, I am anxious to hear back from my readers!

Your obedient servant,

PhantomsAngel1870

Chapter 6: The Killer Performance

Christine paced her dressing room as she waited for Meg to come back. Earlier that morning she ran in there out of breath, telling Christine that she needed to tell her something very important after she was done with said important business. Christine stopped pacing and checked the clock in the corner of the dressing room, it had already been two and a half hours! Where could Meg be and what on earth was she doing to make her friend wait this long?!

Before Christine got up to go look for Meg herself the blonde dancer ran back into Christine's room very frightened. Meg's eyes kept roaming everywhere as if she was being watched while muttering under her breath,

"The Angel sees, the Angel hears, the Angel knows…" Meg knew that something bad was going to happen again if the managers and Carlotta continued with the nonsense they were doing right now. Oh dear god something bad was going to happen and Meg could feel it in her bones.

Christine grabbed Meg by her shoulders causing her to come out of her small trance. Meg sighed and sat down with Christine on her chaise to begin the chain of events that occurred this morning while she was asleep, carefully leaving out her conversation with the Vicomte about the Phantom.

"…and the managers and Carlotta completely dismissed the notes that the Phantom sent to him! No one has ever done that to the Phantom and lived to see the light of day again Christine! Oh dear god I hope nothing happens to them, it was horrible the way that Carlotta acted as if she owned the Opera Populaire. What I'd do to see her kicked on the streets!" Meg huffed at the last sentence and crossed her arms across her chest causing Christine to burst out laughing.

"Oh my dear Meg to be honest I am a little worried about what their actions will do to the production as well but, nevertheless, you know as well as I that no harm ever comes to those who faithfully obey the Phantoms wishes so that means you will be untouched! You did as he asked of you and your mother and you are in his good thoughts now." Christine said to sooth her distressed friend and sister as she hugged her tightly.

"I know Christine, it's just so scary! At least I can keep my mind off it with preparing for the Masquerade that is next week, I have to—" Meg was cut off by Christine's large gasp.

"Meg you never told me you got a date! Who is this lucky man that has the honor to take you dear sister?" Christine implored as she grabbed Meg's hands.

Meg bit down on her lip and shakily took her hands out of Christine's grasp while she thought of the best way to approach this.

"Well I don't know how you will react about this Christine, I am sorry," Meg began.

"There's nothing to be sorry about Meg, it's not like you have stolen my date for I have not one for you to steal!" Christine said laughing slightly at her joke, but was soon sadden by the thought. She knew exactly who she would want to take her to a night full of dancing and music and laughter. Oh how she would love to show him off to the world and claim him as hers for all the people to see. He deserved to be with all these other people, not alone. No one deserves that kind of punishment.

"It's the Vicomte DeChagney." Meg said very quickly to get it over with. She watched her friends eyes grow wide with shock for a moment and then softened gently as she laughed once more.

"Is there something funny that I missed Christine?" Meg asked Christine worriedly as she saw her friends face turn slightly red from the lack of air in her lungs. Christine looked at Meg and tried to regain her composure to answer her question.

"Oh no there's nothing funny, nothing funny at all," Christine said as she cleared her throat before continuing on. "In fact, this is wonderful! I am very happy that you and Raoul will be attending the Masquerade together. Now I _know_ he fancies you!" Christine told Meg as she winked at her causing Meg to blush just as much as when she was with Raoul.

"Oh, well thank you Christine, I think I need to go to rehearsals now before Maman catches me missing them. I'm sure you remember how strict maman is," Meg told Christine as she fixed her hair into a tight bun.

"Oh yes I remember, in fact she was particularly worse in the early morning rehearsals." Christine reminisced of the older days with a small smile. Some days Christine wished to be back with the corps de ballet so that she didn't have to worry about anything except making the high jumps during the ballet act. Then again, she loves to sing and act too much to give up her position she has been rewarded now.

Once Meg was done fixing her hair and touching up on her makeup she turned back to Christine and gave her a big hug and then stepped back and looked at her sister with a slight smile.

"I just hope you don't get hurt Christine, if you ever need help you have many people waiting for the word to come to your rescue," Meg reminded Christine.

"I thank you for such a large vow Meg but I am a big girl now and I can take of myself. If I do something wrong I, and I alone, am responsible for what my actions cause. I do **not **want anyone getting in harms way to try to protect me. He's too strong for anyone to beat, he always wins in the end. He keeps me safe Meg, I trust him with all my heart. I know that he will never lay a hand on me." Christine promised Meg before the dancer had to leave.

"If you say so Christine, I—I just love you," Meg said with tears in her eyes as she left. After Meg left Christine stood there and whispered,

"I love you too my dear sister."

Christine sat on her chaise and looked at her mirror longingly, to anyone else who saw her aat that moment they would very quickly believe her to be simply and positively mad. But she did not care at that moment. All she cared about was that she wanted—no, **needed**—to see him now more than ever before.

As Christine decided on this decision she got up and carefully inspected the mirror. To everyone else it is a simple, but unearthly beautiful, mirror. To Christine it was so much more than that, the mirror transported her into the world of music and love and it was her goal to figure out how to open the door's to sweet music's throne. She continued running her fingers over all the edges and parts of the mirror until she felt a little switch on the right hand side of it, she took a deep breath, and quickly flipped it and watched the mirror open faster than one blink's their eyes.

Christine took a quick glance down the dark and damp walkway that led her to Erik. She looked in her room before glancing back into the hallway before nodding her head and grabbing a candle to help light her way on her journey to finding the man she held dearly in her heart.

It felt like hours before Christine managed to find her way to the boat that her Angel had used to bring her directly to his home. As she rowed the boat slowly but ever so surely she hummed along to the song that they had both sung during her first time with him. Christine took the right and then the direct left she distinctly remembered and was rewarded with Erik's playing as a sign that she was close.

As she took another right Christine felt something hit the oar she used and watched as a gate down the way open quietly. Christine closed her eyes and gave the lord a silent thank you for not disturbing Erik and his playing. With the gate in complete view now Christine was rowing quicker than ever to be able to see the man she had missed ever so much.

After a couple of minutes of pushing the boat to her destination Christine finally reached the shore line and knew that she had not disturbed Erik because when the water stopped crashing she heard him begin to sing the accompanist to the grand piano he was playing,

" _No one would listen, no one but her _

_Heard as the outcast hears. Shamed into solitude_

_Shunned by the multitude, I learned to listen_

_In my dark my heart heard music._

_I longed to teach the world, rise up and reach the world_

_No one would listen, I alone could hear the music_

_Then at last a voice in the gloom seemed to cry "I hear you;_

_I hear your fears, your torment and your tears."_

_She saw my loneliness, shared in my emptiness_

_No one would listen, no but her hears as the outcast hears…" _

Christine was rooted to the spot in which she stood listening to Erik pour his heart out into the music he sang for the empty audience. The smooth, velvet texture of his voice added with the mourning of a life he would never know brought Christine to tears before she even realized it. She watched Erik's back hunch over the piano to sing and play once more. Before he could do so, however, she made her presence known,

"Bravo monsieur, that was truly magnificent." Christine almost whispered but she knew that it was loud enough for her Angel of Music to hear.

Erik shot his head up to see who managed to come into his lair at this time of day, everyone should be at rehearsals and he knew that no one would possibly be able to accidentally stumble upon his home because he made sure all the secret passageways in the opera house were locked until the curfew. When his mind registered that the woman in front of him was Christine his heart began to soar and he started smiling brightly but soon stopped when he realized that she had just overheard himself in his private moment. As Erik debated with himself about how he should feel about Christine's presence he could feel her walking towards him.

"Erik, why do you hurt yourself with your music? It was such beautiful music and a wonderfully sad and tormented song," Christine begged him to talk to her. She felt that he trusted her enough to be able to open up more with him now that they have grown so closely together throughout the years. Their relationship has developed so much since the days when she was younger and still believed him to be the Angel in which her father had sent her.

Erik thought of her words for a minute and bowed his head down in shame. _I have saddened her, and that was the last thing I have ever wanted to do. She only ever deserves to be happy, and if knowing why I sang that will make her happy I am left with little choice but to please her with my reasons. _

"I sing that song because I deserve the torment it creates Christine, someone as ugly as I does not deserve the beautiful music of the light such as yourself. Please forgive me for causing you to become distressed over me." Erik stated, somewhat pleased with his respectable gentleman response.

"You do not deserve to call yourself ugly Erik! Never speak of yourself that way! Because if you are ugly than I am ugly as well." Christine put her foot down, never would she allow such a perfect man to let himself disgrace his own being with such hateful words.

"You don't even know the whole of it Christine, you cannot speak like that when you have not even seen the ugliness," Erik sighed as he slightly touched the white leather mask that laid upon his face. His one shield from the hatred of the people above who deserve to walk in the light. Their hatred is deterred because of the mask, it is his own personal sanctuary after so many years of learning about the world's humanities' cruelties.

"Please let me in and let me be the judge of this 'ulginess' of which that you speak of. Please let me in and let me take care and love you Erik." Christine begged and she held Erik's hands and kissed his knuckles fervently. Erik was shocked that such a perfect woman would ever _voluntarily _wish to see his face, but then again Christine was never a normal girl. That was something Erik knew quiet well as he watched her grow over the years that she lived in the opera house.

Erik lifted his hand to touch his mask and then pulled it back as if he touched fire, "Christine I don't know what I would do if you screamed, everyone else's screams would be nothing compared to the pain that yours would put me through. Don't you see? Nobody else matters but you, I couldn't bare to lose you if you should choose to see only the horror that is my face.

Christine watched the man she was growing to love open up his deepest and darkest fears to her. Part of Christine enjoyed that he trusted her enough to be able to trust her with this personal information and the other part wanted to comfort him in his time of need. But based on what little human interaction Erik has been allowed in the past, her comfort she'd shown him could easily be interpreted as pity—something neither of them wanted from people but always got due to Christine's fathers passing which led to her being an orphan and Erik because of his face. Christine smiled to herself slightly and held his hand.

"I won't scream Erik, I promise. In fact, I will close my eyes while you remove the mask and you become used to having me in your presence without it on. Once you are comfortable enough for me to see you I will open my eyes." She watched Erik's eyes burn with a new emotion, hope?

Erik thought about this for a moment. _This could actually work, this plan of hers. It all makes sense, I can get used to her around me, and god this woman is making me feel normal for once in my life. _

"Very well Christine, we shall try your plan," Erik said as he smiled and rubbed Christine cheek with his gloved thumb. Christine's face instantly brightened more as she sat straight in her chair and closed her eyes as she promised.

Erik watched her eyes closed and breathed out loud. _It has been so many years since anyone saw my face, _he thought, _and I promised myself that __**she **__was the last time I would ever show anyone my face after she jumped out of the window. I don't care what anyone else said, I know that there was some part of her that wanted to end her life after she found out that she began to have feelings for me. I understand though, no one wants to love a monster. Yet, Christine wants me to remove my mask so she __**can **__love me. I knew she was different, but never have I ever thought that she would end up being this extraordinary—I love her all the more for this brave attempt—and should she not scream at my face I will never leave her side ever again._

Erik looked over at Christine patiently waiting and mentally counted to three. At the three he slowly removed his mask with his shaky right hand and ever so slowly set it down on the table next to him. Looking over at Christine he could tell she had heard his mask touch the table but she never tempted her eyes to open, she was almost just as patient as he himself is.

"Don't open your eyes let, please," Erik whispered to the ivory angel sitting in front of him and he received a slight nod of her head as her agreement to his plea. He slowly lifted his hand as he reached her and caressed her cheek and carefully drew his lips to wear his hand just was and softly kissed her silken skin.

He sat there for a moment more watching her and almost feeling normal. He knew that if she should fully accept him than he would feel completely normal. Was he ready for that risk? Did he want her to see him truly and not be afraid of the ugliness but see the beauty underneath? Yes, yes he watned her to with all his heart. He wanted to make sure she did but he didn't know how to exactly word it, how can he ask her to do that? Then he remembered how he told Christine to speak through music when words could not do justice. He thought for a few minutes then held Christine's hands and began to sing to her.

"_Can you feel the beauty underneath?_

_Can you feel it? _

_Come closer, _

_You've no fear of the beauty underneath_

_Can you face it_

_Can you take it_

_Can you see through to the beauty underneath_

_To the splendor and to the glory _

_To the true beauty underneath_

_Can you accept it and can you embrace it?"_

Christine felt his hand glide against her skin then his kiss following right after his caress. At that moment she did not care that her face was tinted with a dark blush, all she wanted was to see this man that she knew so long. She waited and waited and soon heard the deep musical voice beg her to see his true beauty. She smiled as she kept her eyes closed and softly but very much eagerly whisper, "Yes."

Erik grinned and finished his song,

"_Then open your eyes to the beauty underneath_", Erik finished singing and watched Christine's eyes open.

Christine saw Erik's left—and very much handsome—side of his face and looked to the new side open to her and saw a red mangle of flesh that looked like it was in so much pain. She kept her face very stoic just to ensure that Erik did not misinterpret any of her body language as fear or pity. She silently lifted her hand to caress the terribly red, right, side of her loves face and looked up to see his eyes pleading with her. She gently smiled and thought of something appropriate to say to him.

After much contemplating Christine finally asked, "Oh dear Erik why do you wear such a mask, does it not hurt to wear it all the time?" She said as she gently rubbed the sensitive lumpy skin on Erik's cheek while tenderly kissing away the visible redness, giving it easily away that Erik was in quite a tremendous amount of pain.

Erik nodded softly as he began to cry. He had never met a person who cared about the pain of which his face caused him physically and mentally all his life. Everyone thought he deserved to feel pain for the pain of which he caused his mother by being alive. The entire town believed that his mother did the right thing to send him off with the gypsy's and so what was the only life he knew for six years.

Christine continued to caress Erik's face for a few more minutes while she thought of something else to tell him, something that she knew he would understand that would show him that she did not care about his face.

"_This beautiful face_

_Holds no horror for me, love_

_It's in your soul_

_That the true beauty lies."_

Christine sang to Erik as she watched him sink his head in his hands break down in front of her. She didn't know of any other way to show him her love but one action. She slowly pulled his hands away from his tear streaked face and pulled his face up. She saw that the man in front of her was confuse as much as she was nervous, but she didn't stop, or think, as she pulled his face to hers and kissed him.

For a few minutes Christine did not feel his lips moving at all but after a while later she began to feel him beginning to understand how to kiss and he slowly began kissing her back with a hidden passion that she soon mirrored with everything in her body that she didn't know either of them possessed. Their hands frantically searched each other's bodies as they moved over every curve and dip.

It hurt Christine to have to pull away from their intimate embrace, even if it was to breathe. As she tried to control her breathing she looked up to Erik and she watched his smile produce a very cocky grin. She smiled back as she went over the last few minutes and carefully looked at his face. Now that she looked at it for a second time she realized that there was nothing wrong with it at all in her opinion, in fact that face made him look all the more beautiful and she said it twice as much. She realized had he not had that side of his face they would have never met.

"Erik, I know that this may not be the best of times to ask but what am I to do tonight? The managers completely disregarded your instructions and casted me as Serafino in 'Il Muto' tonight. I know this might sound horrible but do you not think Carlotta is more of a toad than I am? All she is missing is the voice and she would be perfect…" Christine muttered near the end causing Erik to laugh very loudly, this made Christine happier than she ever thought she could be.

"Don't worry my dear, they will pay for their blatant disobedience. Trust me, my love," Erik replied as he reached down to take Christine's hand. He led her back to her dressing room as they walked in the most comfortable silence that they both have ever felt in each other's presence. Once they reached Christine's dressing room he opened the door and told her the directions he had readied in their trek through the passageways to the light of day.

"I want you to get ready in your costume and play your part in the opera, let me take care of everything. I love you with all my heart Christine," Erik said as he kissed Christine's hand.

"I love you too Erik, and yes I trust you with everything." Christine smiled as she gave him a goodbye kiss. It wasn't until Christine walked to her privacy board where she began undressing that Erik looked at her vanity mirror and saw he had left his mask down in his lair. Christine had done the impossible.

Christine made Erik feel like a man once again.


	7. A Killer Performance

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last six chapters! I am so pleased with all the feedback you all having been giving me and it makes me so happy that my story is good! Please keeping reviewing and let me know if there is anything that you think should happen or any characters that i should bring out more.

I am sorry but in this chapter there are a few cuss words that I feel were necessary to emphasize the attitude and personality of a specific character in a situation. Most of the words are in French but easily translatable on the internet. I would rate this chapter M for such words I used.

I hope you enjoy the story so far and thank you for reading.

Your obedient servant,

PhantomsAngel1870

Chapter 7: The Killer Performance

Christine was finally finished dressing in her Serafimo clothes and hated the way they felt on her body. As she studied herself in the mirror she came to the conclusion that these were very much men's clothes and laughed. _So this is what it is like to dress like a man! Well I for one do __**not **__like it one bit and I am sure that Erik would have no problem with that at all. _

As soon as Christine thought of Erik she brightened up despite the situation that was occurring right now. Nothing mattered at that instant except for him, he alone helps her through her daily struggles and by God Christine vowed to make him proud tonight at the performance, even though she would not be singing. So as she sat down and set to work at her makeup she was surprised to find a blood red rose with a black ribbon tied into a perfect bow attached to a note.

Christine carefully picked up the rose and smelled it momentarily. The dark husky and forest smell reminded her instantly of her Angel and she began to grin as she carefully untied the ribbon from the rose and opened the note and read it as she put her hair black into a low ponytail with her new ribbon.

_Christine, _

_As you have brought to my attention earlier the managers and La Carlotta have blatantly disregarded my strict and very kind instructions on how our opera house should be ran. They have punished themselves by placing you in the role you are playing tonight. Please meet me in the dark corner in the right wing after you are done with the last act of the opera and then we will return to my home to allow you a proper rest away from the prying eyes of the unworthy people that run this theater in the light of day in my stead. Do not worry my love, there will be deaths anymore, I remember the prayer you sent to the Angel of Music that pleaded for the Phantom to stop his killing. I will never kill again until you give me permission. _

_Yours forever,_

_E_

Christine read and reread the letter over and over again as she slightly smiled. Everything about the letter was beautiful, except for the last sentence. Christine began to feel slightly uncomfortable with the power that Erik had just given and shifted in her seat. How could she ever give the final verdict for a person's life no matter how horrible they are or the sins they committed. She could not think of any situation that she would grant Erik that power _except—_she thought—_when he is in mortal danger. I could never let him just let somebody hurt him but, no, he is the __**Phantom **__that everyone is too frightened of to even dare to harm him. Oh god I can't bear to think of this anymore. _

As she thought about it more Christine realized that the killings that the Phantom committed must have two sides to the story—the one she knew and his reasons to why he committed such an act. As she sat down on her bed it all became clear to her, the killings were a result of someone frightening him and trying to cause him harm. As Christine drew closer to a final reason she realized how protective and shy Erik really was, and from what she knew of his past it would make complete sense for him to not be able to trust many people in this world due to some unknown cruelties that those evil people from his past did to him. Christine just couldn't comprehend why people would strike at the weak and helpless, however, Christine had a flashback to when she was eight.

_Christine was just finishing learning the dance that she would be performing in her first opera at the infamous Opera Populaire. After bowing low and receiving the satisfactory clap from the ballet instructor, Madame Giry allotted Christine a half hour break for reciting the dance correctly without any type of guidance. Christine beamed and thanked Madame Giry profusely before grabbing her things to leave for the bakery. _

_As soon as Christine had her shawl wrapped around her head and back La Carlotta came in and "accidentally" tripped Christine on her way to leave for a little bit. Carlotta laughed at the way Christine fell causing her to lose all the money that she had earned from the past week and picked it up while saying,_

"_Well, well, well, what do we have here? A little ugly rat hmm? I haven't seen you in my opera house before so what are you doing here? Trying to steal some of my money now are we?" Carlotta said as she pinched Christine's cheeks with her thumb and forefinger while Christine fervently shook her head denying the sin that Carlotta was accusing her of. _

"_Of course I would never steal from you La Carlotta! That is my money I had earned this past week from working a little extra around the opera house, I swear!" Christine whimpered with pain from the Italians strong fingers and nails digging into her flesh. _

_The Italian woman watched how Christine squirmed and smiled evilly as she broke the skin of the little dancer in front of her. It was hard to hold back the tears but Christine managed to do so—her papa always had told her to not show fear to anyone because they would be able to use that against you—in order for Carlotta to not find any weakness in her. _

"_So you are accusing me of lying you little bitch?! Why you are nothing but a little whore that escaped from the brothel!" Carlotta spat with venom as she brought Christine's face up to hers. Christine saw the way Carlotta's eyes looked. She remembered how her father had always said that the eyes were the gateway to a person's soul, and if her father was correct then Carlotta was evil personified. _

_The way that Carlotta's sparked with fire frightened Christine and she knew that Carlotta was going to do far worse to her than a few little words if she kept doing nothing but allow it to happen. Therefore, without thinking, Christine spit in Carlotta's face and stomped on the diva's foot before Carlotta was able to get a hold of Christine. As Christine ran away to the chapel, the only safe place she knew in the opera house, she heard Carlotta calling after her. _

"_Merde! Get back here and face me you little putain!" Carlotta screamed after Christine. But never did Christine stop running for the sanctuary of the holy chapel. _

_Once she was there she locked the door to the room and laid down and cried while she check for any blood, when she found some on her face she began to cry for herself and for the others in the world that faced the same abuse, or worse, that she did. _

_Suddenly she felt that warm and safe presence that her Angel had and looked around for him, "Oh Angel please be here. I need your help, I can't do this anymore. She hates me so much, what am I to do?" Christine pleaded as she looked everywhere for a sign of her Angel. For a while she heard nothing and began to give up until she finally heard the musical voice of her guardian. _

"_My child, the first thing I would do is to bandage your face. The evil woman made you bleed and I left you some bandages and whiskey to clean your cuts with behind the statue of Mary in front of you, second I shall tell you something very important for you to always remember as you minister your wounds." Christine quickly fetched the medical gauze and whiskey while thanking her Angel under her breath and soon began disinfecting her cuts as her Angel spoke once again._

"_Christine the world is cruel and wicked, they pry on those that are weak and defenseless and hurt us because we are not able to harm them as much as they can to us. But, to remedy this, we need to learn how to defend ourselves properly and sometimes we have to do bad things to them in return so that they know how it feels. Do you understand? Sometimes we have to stand up to them and let them know that we will not allow them to hurt us anymore," her Angel spoke to her softly with so much emotion it made Christine cry a little. _

"_But what if they continue hurting me Angel? What do you do if someone tries to __**really **__hurt you?" Christine persisted on. _

"_Well Christine, in that case, if someone to really try to hurt me I would have all rights to keep myself safe including murder," Christine gasped at the rash solution her Angel had given her. Don't Angels and God believe that murder is a sin, how could they allow such an act to be done? Almost as if he read Christine's mind her Angel continued on._

"_If the act of killing another human being is done in self-defense, such as a war, then the murder is annulled. Christine, God forgives those who hurt others to keep one's self safe. Trust me Christine, I will not allow Carlotta to hurt you ever again." Her Angel swore to her._

_Christine smiled and looked up to the ceiling, "I love you Angel," she said as she finished bandaging her wound and found a small secret amount of money stashed at the bottom of the basket with a note attached saying "For Christine"._

"_I love you too Christine," Erik had replied behind the wall as he watched the door close after Christine had left. He sighed and went back down to his home happier now that she understand, in some way, why he did what he had to do when someone tried to harm him._

For the remainder of her time before she was called to the performance Christine kneeled against her bed and prayed to her father for guidance tonight during the opera. _What am I to do papa? How can I just allow these people to take advantage of me day after day? I hate hurting people's feelings but I cannot stand having them talk to me as if I was the trash that they throw away in the trash cans. I know you taught me to never let anyone make me believe I am not good enough but without you here that strength vanished. Please papa, give me a sign as to what I am to do. _

Suddenly, a slight breeze ran through the room towards the note on her vanity. Christine saw how it fluttered the letter that Erik had written to her today. Christine smiled as she realized what the message that her father had sent her had meant—Erik was the answer to all her prayers.

Erik was walking through his secret passageways in the opera house as the auditorium was beginning to be filled with more and more people who were attending the opera tonight. As he pressed his ear against the wall all he was able to hear was gossip about La Carlotta and appraisals to La Carlotta. _Ignorant fools these slaves of fashion, basking in this toad's unworthy glory, _he thought to himself. He was never able to comprehend what made these people so important to the Parisian society but soon remembered once again—titles, money, and beauty—that those unimportant things that people are overly obsessive about are what cause fame.

Erik sighed and missed the days when it was actual talent that brought one's name to life, where people did not care who you were or how you looked or how much money one has. Gustave Daae, Christine's father, was a prime example. He was a poor violinist that played in the very same opera house that Christine performs in, yet, he is still remembered today for the passion and love in which he played his cherished violin. To put this in true perspective Erik had heard that his lost violin (but really was in the safe care of Christine in her dressing room) was acclaimed of at least five hundred million pounds.

Erik shook his head and continued on throughout the bottom audience and slowly made his way to the private boxes with the larger names who had larger amounts of money. As Erik was about to return to his Box Five, he heard his stage name being said in Box Three. Quietly, he sneaked into a secret room that was between his box and the strangers and listened intently.

He heard a young pompous sounding man talking quickly as if to get all the information he possessed out of him before he ran out of air. The things he knew began to disturb Erik instantly and soon his whole body was alert.

"Father you don't understand, this girl who works here, she is actually dancing down there, was telling me all about the Phantom and how he is dangerous and is trying to get Christine to go away with him and—" The young man was saying very quickly. Erik was angered by the way he young man was talking about _his _Christine. This young man had **no **claim on the young girl. The young boy was soon cut off by what sounded like an older man's, presumably the father of this boy, voice and the man began talking to his son.

"Well son, if what this girl is telling you is true then you need to tell the managers. Do not get yourself involved in something where you do not know all the facts yet. As the Navy not taught you anything?" The older man chastised his son. Erik chuckled silently to the father's attitude to his son, it almost sounded like disapproval to the rash decisions his son was making.

"Yes father, I will tell the managers as soon as I can," The boy told his father which in returned received an approving grunt from the older man. Erik waited a while longer and when nothing else was said except for trivial manners such as appointments to have dinner with a duke or a meeting with the Prince of France he left to return to his box to watch the remainder of the opera.

As he sat back down in his chair he saw that he made it back in time to watch Christine's character begin acting.

Christine was preparing her character's role by beginning to dust the miscellaneous prop furniture placed out accordingly as a bedroom on stage, she was very curious to see how this opera was going to play out this evening. She heard several actors yell,

"Oh, go go" to those that were supposed to start the opening to go out on stage, and the opera began. The two men and lady all stood huddled in front of the audience as they gossiped about the plot of the performance,

"_They say that this youth has set my Lady's heart aflame!_

_His Lordship, sure, would die of shock_

_His Lordship is a laughing-stock!_

_Should he suspect her, God protect her!_

_Shame! Shame! Shame! _

_This faithless lady's_

_Bound for Hades!_

_Shame! Shame! Shame!" _

The actors rushed off to the side as Carlotta and Christine took center stage and began discussing their plan,

"_Serafimo—your disguise is perfect! _

_Who can this be?"_

Carlotta's character called out to this person who was now entering her bedroom. Piangi, Carlotta's husband, came strutting in clad in the same, but masculine version, attire as Carlotta.

"_Gentle wife, admit your loving husband,_

_My love—I am called to England on affairs of State_

_And must leave you with your new maid,_

_Though I'd happily take the maid with me!" _

Piangi spoke the last part of his speech to the audience and was rewarded with a lot of laughter erupting from the crowd of attenders. Monsieurs Firmin and Andre laughed along with everyone else and was pleased with the reactions they were getting so far, neither of them were worried about the Phantom's empty threats. Firmin leaned over to Andre as he pointed to the actors on stage and said,

"That is exactly something the public loves! There's the Countess de Cherbourg," Firmin pointed to Box Four to Andre, "She's invited us to her salon, you know. Nothing like that would endorse our junk business." Andre looked over at his friend and corrected him, "Scrap metal!" While Carlotta continued speaking to the audience herself.

"_The old fool is leaving!" _The diva produced twice as much laughter as her husband and smiled proudly to herself. As soon as Piangi left after spanking Meg's butt as another maid and tossing her a coin purse, Carlotta spoke to Christine.

"_Serafimo—away with this pretense! _

_You cannot speak, but kiss me in my husband's absence!" _

The two woman hid their faces behind Carlotta's fan while Christine caressed Carlotta's hip implying that they were kissing. However it was entirely different behind the fan, Carlotta and Christine glared at each other the entire time. The tension was so thick between the two women that it could be sliced with a knife. While the women acted accordingly to their roles Carlotta began singing the aria that she had prepared for a while now,

"_Poor fool, he makes me laugh! _

_Haha, haha_

_Time I tried to get a better better half! _

_Poor fool, he doesn't know!_

_Hoho, hoho_

_If he knew the truth, he'd never, ever go!" _

Erik watched the opera with increasing irritation and anger towards the diva croaking what was meant to be a beautiful sounding yet humorous aria. Carlotta, was instead making it sound like a strained piece of shit. As he climbed the stairs to the top of the auditorium he stood against the ledge and used the ventriloquist skills he had read upon and perfected to address those who had disobeyed him.

"_Did I not instruct that Carlotta was to be kept quiet?" _His voice boomed over everyone and was happy to see them searching to find the mysterious person everywhere but to no prevail.

Christine glanced upward and heard Meg say, "He's here! The Phantom of the Opera!" Christine searched and saw a familiar black cloak concealed every well behind the large chandelier in the dark shadows.

"It's him," Christine said loud enough for the entire stage, and Erik, to hear her.

Carlotta looked over at the insolent little ugly girl beside her and snapped her fan close and pointed it at her as she spat, "Your part is silent, little toad!"

"A toad, madame? Perhaps it is you who are the toad…" Erik said ominously as he left to return to his box and watched Carlotta laugh off the matter and called her maid to spray her throat with her familiar red wine. As she hummed a few warm up notes she nodded approvingly and returned back to the stage.

Erik smiled to himself as he saw his plan was working, he was very proud of how smoothly it was going. Earlier, he had replaced her real wine with a concoction that he had created to mimic the drinker's voice to sound one of a toad when drank. He sat back and smiled to himself as he patted the diva's wine in his coat's breast pocket and readied himself for a good laugh.

As Carlotta returned to the stage with a huge smile plastered on her face as she asked the maestro to start the aria all over again for her to return back into her character. As the orchestra began the aria once more Carlotta looked back at Christine and commanded,

"_Serafimo, away with this pretense!_

_You cannot speak but kiss me in my… CROAK_

_Poor fool he makes me laugh—CROAK _

_Haha haha CROAK" _

Carlotta started crying and croaking all at the same time, all in all it was the most horrid sound that ever graced Erik's ears but yet he was happy all the same as the two buffoon managers walked up on the stage and called everyone to their attention,

"Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize, the performance will continue in ten minutes time when the role of the Countess will be played by Miss Daae. Until then, we will crave your indulgence for a few moments time. Meanwhile, we'd like to give you the ballet from Act Three of tonight's opera."

The conductor was confused for a little bit until he understood—there was no ballet in act three, it was in act _four_—what the managers were trying to tell him. Soon the orchestra and the corps de ballet were prepared to give the audience the ballet that followed the unmasking of Serafimo in the Countess' bedroom.

Erik watched the small chaos unfold at his little prank on the spoiled diva and relaxed once again in his chair as he took mental notes on the ballerina's performance. He was in such a good mood right now that he decided to tell Madame Giry to give the girls a break after he plans on asking her to question all her girls to see if one of them was gossiping about the Opera Ghost with anybody recently.

As the ballet came to its climax a body suddenly dropped from the ceiling and hung midair with the man's neck hung in a rope. It was obvious that he died instantly after his neck was broken the way he fell onto the stage in the most painful way possible. Erik immediately stood up in his seat and ran to the dark corner that he told Christine to meet at after the performance and thanked God when he saw her trembling form.

The ballerinas screamed and cried as they ran off stage while a few of Buquet's lovers stayed behind to cry upon his dead body. The entire crowd was shaking restlessly in their seats, they had only heard that the Phantom was conceived to be able to do such crimes but never before had they been forced to watch one of his sins first hand unravel on a staged performance!

Erik ran as fast as his legs would take him. As he thought back to the body he remembered the way the rope was tied around the neck of Joseph Buquet. It was all tangled, therefore, it's only logical to presume that the man accidentally fell into a group of ropes that were unfortunately there as he fell off a catwalk perhaps. No, it wasn't him because it was not tied in a Punjab lasso, that was how Erik had always done it and he knew that there was no possible way he was guilty because he was in his sit at the time of the disaster. He shook his head and knew that he just needed to find Christine and very soon.

As he ran to her he heard the accusations of the Phantom being behind the death of the stage hand but right then he didn't care. In all the pandemonium he only wanted to make sure that his Christine was safe. He knew he couldn't take her to his home right now, no, someone was bound to see them take one of his secret entrances. Erik decided on a different course of action as he held out his hand to Christine as soon as he reached her.

"Come Christine, we need to get out of here now."


	8. A Rooftop Rendezvous

All these reviews/views that I have been getting have made me so dang happy! I am sorry if it has been taking me a little bit longer than normal—I have to practice the piano and clarinet for my school's region tryouts and wow is the music hard! Plus I am begging my parents to get me a violin for pure Phantom of the Opera intentions. I loved the way they played the tune of Angel of Music in the cemetery scene so much that I just wanted one so badly!

Anyway, thank you for reading the start this far and please keeping reading and reviewing my work! I love each one of my fans!

Your obedient servant,

PhantomsAngel1870

Chapter 8: A Rooftop Rendezvous

Andre and Firmin gasped as they saw the dead body of Joseph Buquet hit the stage floor, they didn't believe that the Phantom would have actually continued out with his threats due to their disobedience. They both looked at each other in shock and nodded before addressing the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seats. Do not panic! It was an accident…simply an accident!"

Raoul was up on his feet and pointed to the body and said, "See Father! The Phantom of the Opera takes another life, Christine needs help now!" Raoul ran down to the stage while pushing past many actors and stage crew members trying to pull him away from the crime scene.

"Get off of me! Do you not know who I am?!" Raoul yelled back and shoved them off of him before running towards the stage once more. Finally Raoul was able to the reach the backstage area and he looked around for anyone. It was completely deserted and his Christine was gone.

As he looked out in the audience to see if she was perhaps within the attenders but was not able to see her at all. He placed his hands behind his back and paced for a while growing more and more frustrated by the second. _Where can she be? She needs to get out of here before the Phantom manages to capture and kill her too! He will take her against her will and defile her body with his…oh dear god I have to find her. Nobody as beautiful as her needs to be with some freak who poses as a ghost. No, a beauty as her should be with someone as gorgeous as me and by god I will make sure it is exactly like that. _

Raoul continued to think about where he could find Christine, where she could have possibly run off to. _Where would a girl such as herself run off to it she was scared? _Raoul thought for a while before he finally decided upon the location in which he could find Christine and take her away like the knight in shining armor he was. _Her dressing room! That's where I will find her at! I will go to the dressing room and make sure she leaves with me! Then I will call the police and have them search the opera house for this so called "Phantom of the Opera" and have him arrested at the very least. _

Raoul grabbed a hold of one of the stage crew members and asked him to the point the way to Miss Christine Daae's dressing room. The man, Auguste, looked at the strange man for a second before shaking his head and giving the most simple instructions he could think of to lead the man to the isolated dressing room.

"Well sir, first you will need to go to the very end of this hallway, take a left, go up the flight of stairs, when you reach the picture of the early stages of the Opera Populaire you will take a right, go down the hallway and at the very end you will find a single door. That door opens up to Miss Daae's dressing room, but are you sure that it is a good idea for you to go in there? I mean you are not her fiancée and not her husband or brother—" Auguste continued rambling on about the repercussions to having a man alone in a dressing room with the leading lady. Auguste didn't like the way that the man looked about frantically but he gave the instructions anyway. As a cast member he knew not to disappoint a noble, let alone a patron, because he knew that in doing so his job would be in serious jeopardy.

"You have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do in this opera house! My family and I are very generous in giving you enough money to pay each of the workers good enough for you to easily put bread on the table for you and your family. Now leave," Raoul spat as he threw a few francs at the man for giving him the information he sought despite the extra opinions he threw in there at the end.

Raoul began running as fast as he could to reach Christine's bedroom before the Phantom did and got much quieter as he got closer. By the time he reached the hallway that held her dressing room he stopped moving. Raoul listened closer and was able to pick up small and quick footsteps and placed his hand on his knife he always kept against his hip in his pants. Finally when this mysterious person came into view he saw that it was Christine and they locked eyes for a second before she ran off again. It seemed like an eternity before Raoul was able to move his feet again.

Christine and Erik had just reached her dressing room when Christine saw Raoul. She looked at the man that she had not seen in over twelve years and there he was outside of her dressing room staring at her with a feral look in his eyes and holding a long knife in his hand. Christine suddenly became very nervous and stopped Erik from walking towards her dressing room by placing her hand against his chest. She turned around and grabbed his hand before running to the only safe place she could think of.

"Erik, please, I know where we can go," Christine said as they hid in the shadows, running to the one place she knew that they wouldn't be found—the rooftop. As they were running Erik became increasingly confused and spoke to Christine,

"_Why have you brought us here?" _He asked her as they continued their pursuit away from an unknown danger to him.

"_Don't take me back there!" _Christine replied as they anxiously kept running away. She knew that Erik had no idea as to what she saw, but the way that Raoul looked at her made her afraid for both of their lives. The way his eyes pierced her soul and she saw the intention to kill in the depths of his green eyes of his.

"_We must return!" _Erik pleaded with Christine but never stopped their running, he needed to get her to his home! It was the only completely safe place in this entire opera, Erik just couldn't see why Christine would want to go to the rooftops. What made her stop from wanting to go to his home?

Christine shook her head furiously and tried to make Erik understand what she had seen. She knew that they could not go back there if they wanted to stay safe, Raoul could and would hurt them both out of a jealous rage. She had grown up with him for three years and she had seen the way he became when someone tried to take something from him that he wanted. He never let anyone get away with stealing something that he thought should be his.

"_He'll kill me! His eyes will find me there!" _Christine shuddered.

"_Christine, don't say that…" _Erik begged to Christine as they ran up a flight of stairs.

"_Those eyes that burn!" _Christine's frightened voice moaned as she remembered the way that Raoul's eyes gleamed with a desire that burned and killed.

"_Don't even think it Christine!" _Erik asked of Christine. He hated that she was so frightened and he was not able to protect, for he didn't even know what the danger was.

"_And if he has to kill a thousand men—" _Christine continued on in her frightened state, she needed to let Erik know the extent of the danger that they were in.

"_Forget this waking nightmare…" _Erik cut Christine off, he was becoming frightened by the way she was beginning to talk of this mysterious man that would go to **that **extent in order to capture Christine. Erik knew then and there that he would do everything in his power to make sure that Christine would not be harmed by this threat to their relationship.

"_Raoul will kill and kill again!" _Christine sang on in terror, she knew that he would never stop looking for her and that it would never end until he took her or one of them was dead.

"_This boy will not touch you, believe me! This boy is no threat at all!" _Erik promised Christine as the ran down several hallways. He needed her to know that he will protect her from everything, including this boy that was trying to take her away from him.

"_My God, who is this man I once knew who hunts to kill?" _Christine could not understand what came over Raoul! After so many years of knowing him as a kind and sweet boy he has grown up to have succumbed to the same darkness that overcame Erik at one point in his life. But one look in Raoul's eyes made Christine know for sure that there was no light and humanity left in her childhood friend. None at all.

"_Who is this man, this man who brings death?" _Erik wanted to know exactly who this man was. It wasn't safe for either of them anymore, this Erik was sure of. He needed to know everyone from Christine so that he would be able to draw up a plan for them should the time ever come.

"_I can't escape from him I never will!" _Christine cried, he would never stop searching until she finally succumbed to him and gave herself to him fully. _Is there a God out there to help me to free me from this curse? _Christine thought as a few tears fell from her eyes.

"_Who is this man you see, everywhere he can be," _Erik searched everywhere as they continued their sprint to the sanctuary to the roof. Was it just him or did it seem to take longer to get to the roof this way rather than through one of his secret passageways? It's been too long away from the light of day for him to know any difference anymore. Soon, they were both singing to their fears,

"_And in this labyrinth, _

_Anywhere we may be_

_This Raoul is always here:_

_Everywhere we can see" _

"This Raoul is not threat to us…" Erik once again pleaded to Christine. He held her hands as he watched her eyes widen as she recalled the events that led them to run up to the roof. He knew that she wanted to tell him something, so he patiently waited for her to find her voice.

"_Erik, I just saw him_

_His eyes showing me a world of unending night_

_They led me to a world where all hope and love dissolves into darkness…_

_Darkness… _

_Erik I've seen him! _

_Can I ever forget that sight! _

_Can I ever escape from that man?_

_So distorted and crazed, he was hardly a man_

_In that darkness…_

_Darkness… _

_But I remember the times when we were young_

_He always was a strange, sweet friend_

_In those days there was no cares in my mind_

_And through those days my soul began to soar_

_And I lived without a care in the world…"_

Erik listened to how Christine was truly frightened of this man named Raoul and how he was able to kill what got in the way of what he most wanted, which in this case, was Christine. Erik's Christine. Anger flared through Erik's body fster than it ever had before, he vowed to himself that Raoul would never lay a finger on Christine or he swore to God that he would kill Raoul instantly.

But suddenly Erik heard Christine's voice change from scared to reminiscent and Erik listened intently. He soon learned how close his Christine was to this Raoul, how many day they spent together and Erik's worst fear was beginning to become real. This Raoul was so infatuated with Christine that the boy believes that it is actually love. Erik was finally beginning to understand and he didn't like the way things were going. So instead, Erik cupped Christine's cheek and rubbed it with his thumb while he whispered to her,

"_What you remember was the past and nothing more…" _Erik held her tightly as to comfort them both and soon heard her whispering once more.

"_Yet in his eyes there was also the sadness of the world…_

_Those pleading eyes,_

_That both threatened and adored…" _

Erik whispered her name to grab her attention, "Christine, Christine…" He needed to tell her something important when he heard another male's voice call out to Christine and instead of telling Christine what he wanted to say he had to tell her quickly, "I will hide behind the Apollo statue while this intruder is up here. Do not be alarmed, if you are in need of my assistance just call to me in the usual way." Christine nodded sadly and watched her love hide in the darkness while she waited for the other man to find her.

Christine stood very still and silently as she heard footsteps walk up to her from behind and quickly turned around to face the person that was trying to catch her off guard. When she recognized the familiar light brown mop of hair and the nicer clothes that clearly gave away the status of her older childhood friend, Christine smiled sadly.

"Oh thank God I found you again Christine! I cannot believe that I finally found you out her after I saw you run away after the disaster that the Phantom caused tonight!" Raoul exclaimed as he grabbed Christine into a bear hug. Christine groaned as he crushed her against his chest.

Christine gently removed herself from Raoul's embrace and looked at him with horror and shock, how could he just assume that her angel had done just a terrible act of sin? He had no right to do so without justifiable evidence.

"How can you just go and assume that the Phantom did such a thing Raoul? That is wrong and you know it! Maybe it was just an accident," Christine defended Erik without making it too obvious of her close relationship to the Phantom. They both knew that if the world found out prematurely about their relationship then things could go from bad to worse in an instant.

Raoul looked at his long lost, but found, old childhood friend and was appalled at the way that she could defend such a monster's work as just a mere accident. No, there was absolutely too much evidence proving this mysterious man as being guilty.

"Christine, your friend Meg told me all about how the Phantom is and that he uses his magical lasso to kill those that get in his way. The stage crew member must have obviously been in his way and the Phantom killed him. Did you not see the rope that was tangled around his neck?" Raoul shook Christine's shoulders trying to get her to see the reason behind the situation at hand. Why couldn't Christine see how much danger she was in at this haunted Opera Populaire? Raoul began to feel an overwhelming sense to protect Christine and take her away for them to get married.

Christine laughed at her friend's accusation, "Yes Raoul a tangle of rope! Honestly, I am sure Meg—wait, Meg, Meg Giry, told you about the Phantom? My friend, and sister, Meg Giry told you about the Phantom of the Opera?" Christine nearly yelled at Raoul's face. Raoul nodded silently and told her all about the conversation he had with Meg Giry in his private box the other day.

"Christine, all I want to do is to protect you from this evil man. You don't know what you're up against. This man posing as the Phantom is insane! I need to get you away from here so that you are away from the dangers he inflicts upon the opera house. In fact I can get you to sing at any other opera house you want! Just say the word and I'll—" Raoul grabbed Christine's arm while explaining to her all the opportunities she could have if she would only allow Raoul to take them away from this place.

Christine had enough of how Raoul was treating her and pulled her arm out of his grasp. She would not stand to have a pompous little, god forgive her, bastard tell her what she is to do with her life. She managed on her own since her father's death twelve years ago and she was one hundred percent sure she was able to make these choices on her own.

"Excuse me monsieur, but I do believe that you have no right to grab me in such an improper way. You are not my fiancé, husband, or my dead father," Christine spat at him. "As you should know the _Phantom_ has done nothing but help me in my continuing success at the opera house, so why should I have to fear him? You on the other hand have done nothing but harass me and try to assume that you yourself are in a position where you have the authority to tell me what to do. You may be a Vicomte and patron to the Opera Populaire but you will **never **be half the man my father was. Now would you please leave me alone? Don't you have a fiancée to attend to?"

Raoul was speechless to the long speech that Christine gave him. He always had known his Christine to be a kind and gentle woman but never had he seen this side of her, it kind of frightened him how cruel and mean that the girl he loved was throwing all these insults at him. All he wanted was to see her as his bride and his alone. No one else deserved her.

"Christine I don't have a fiancée, I only said such a thing because I didn't recognize you at the time and I didn't want another desperate diva trying to seek my attention again." As soon as Raoul finished his explanation he felt a sudden burn against his cheek. He realized that Christine must have slapped him.

"Raoul DeChagney! I cannot believe you called me a desperate diva and you **lied **to me! Friends would never lie to another. Dear God just leave me be!" She cried as she pointed to the door that led back down to the opera house. Christine had enough of Raoul and she never wanted to see him again.

"I understand what I said was heartless and mean Christine. I will give you as much time as you need Little Lotte, but I will **never **give up on you. I will wait for as long as I need, but you will be mine in the end. For now Christine I bid thee goodnight," Raoul declared as he left Christine where she stood and Christine collapsed on the floor.

Raoul thought over the first conversation that he had with Christine in over twelve years, yes some things he said were a bit harsh but then again he needed her to understand how dangerous the situation she was in right now. He rubbed his cheek from her slap and laughed at himself and shook his hand as he realized that it was the first slap a woman had ever given him—they were all too afraid that he would do something terrible to them should they even try. But Christine had this fiery spirit about herself that only attracted Raoul even more to here. He would not give up on her no matter how much or how long it took he told himself as he walked back to his carriage to take him home.

Erik had listened to the two people argue for what seemed like hours and how he loved his Christine for sticking up for herself like she did with this Raoul DeChagney boy. Erik made a mental note to review over the boys files that were kept in the managers office so that he could learn as much as possible about this new rival of his. Anyone who dared to take Christine away from him was an enemy and Erik had to keep a closer eye on Christine from now on.

When Erik heard Christine slapping the boys cheek it took all the power in Erik's body and mind to keep himself from laughing out loud. His Christine had such a fiery spirit and Erik loved her all the more for it because it made her that much more interesting of a person. When he felt the coast was clear he revealed himself again to Christine and saw her huddled in a pile on the ground sobbing.

Erik quickly ran up to her and embraced her to get her warm again. Christine hugged herself tightly to Erik and listened to the rhythmic sound of his heartbeat that soon began to lull her into a peaceful trance. She breathed in and smelled the forest, husky smell of his cloak and felt Erik wrap herself in it against him to keep her safe from the winter cold. A warm fuzzy feeling spread throughout her body as she remembered the message that her father had sent her. Erik really was the answer to all her prayers that she sent to her father. He may not be an actual angel but she had always thought of him as one. He may not be a heavenly figure but every time Christine was with him she felt like she was in heaven.

As she rested her head against Erik's chest Christine felt an overwhelming feeling come over her in her heart. She looked up into Erik's eyes and knew right then that she and him were meant for each other. There were so many similarities about them that she had never noticed before! They both thrived on music, they also grew up alone for a large portion of their lives and were first hand victims to the world's cruelties. They wandered the world looking for a love that they had both only dreamed of and Christine knew that this man right here with her was the man that she had dreamed of, and she loved him.

Erik felt a new feeling build up inside of him as he felt Christine relax completely against his body. She had seen his face, heard the tales of terror in which he was the star and tormentor to those who worked at the opera house, seen his home, and yet still wished to be with him more. Erik had never known someone who would have willingly accepted his embrace before and he felt himself falling in love with the girl he was holding now.

Erik pulled Christine back so that he could see her, and lifted her chin up so that he could look into her eyes as he softly began to sing to her.

"_No more talk of darkness_

_Forget these wide-eyed fears. _

_I'm here, nothing can harm you—_

_My words will warm and calm you. _

_Let me be your freedom, _

_Let the moon's light dry your tears_

_I'm here with you, beside you,_

_To guard you and to guide you…" _

Erik softly smiled at Christine as he watched her tears stop and she returned a smile back as she replied to his song.

"_Say you'll love me every waking moment,_

_Turn my head with the music of the night…_

_Say you need me with you now and always…_

_Promise me that all you say is true_

_That's all I ask of you…"_

Christine felt Erik press against her back and wrap his arms around her waist to hold her close and keep her warm. She felt so safe and protected with him by her side and listened happily as he continued their song of love.

"_Let me be your shelter, let me be your light. _

_You're safe: No one will find you_

_Your fears are far behind you…" _

Christine turned around to face the man she loved for so long and told him of her strongest desires in the world. She grabbed his hands and told him,

"_All I want is freedom,_

_A world that is not dark…and you,_

_Always beside me to hold me and to hide me…" _

Erik grinned as he heard Christine profess that she wanted to have him beside her for the rest of their lives and sang with all of his heart, pleading to hear the one thing he desired.

"_Then say you'll share with me_

_One love, one lifetime…_

_Let me lead you from your solitude…_

_Say you need me with you here, beside you…_

_Anywhere you go, let me go too_

_Christine, that's all I ask of you…"_

Christine lifted her hand and placed it against his perfect cheek and continued to ask Erik to love her,

"_Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime.._

_Say the word and I will follow you…" _

Erik held Christine in a strong, yet gentle, embrace as they sung in unison.

"_Share each day with me each night, each morning"_

Christine looked up at him with pleading eyes and begged, "Say you love me," to which Erik nodded and whispered, "You know I do". They stared at each other's eyes while beseeching,

"_Love me—that's all I ask of you!" _

Erik spun Christine around in pure happiness as they kissed each other passionately while tears of joy spilled from their eyes. Never had two people in the entire world felt happier than Erik and Christine did in the moment of such a deep and promising love that was vowed between the two on that rooftop. As they pulled away to breathe from such a loving kiss Christine smiled up at Erik and knew that she did love this man. When she heard the church bells ringing in the distance she shook her head and smiled.

"I must go, they'll wonder where I am. Come with me Erik!"

Erik looked at Christine and sighed contently as he whispered, "Christine I love you," and kissed her one more time before they headed back.

"_Go order your fine horse!_

_Be with him by the lake! _

_And soon you'll be beside me! _

_You'll guard me, and you'll guide me…" _

Christine sang to Erik to go get Cesar ready for them to return to his kingdom of music once more together where they can create music of their own once more in solitude from the cruel cold world.

As Raoul stood outside the opera house he heard the song that Christine and some man were singing together, a song of pure love. The kind of love that he deserved to have, not some stupid man who most likely worked at the opera house. Now Raoul had to find out who it was that Christine was secretly meeting up with. Raoul hung his side and sang softly to himself,

"_I gave you a chance to have the world…_

_To make your life carefree…_

_And now how you've repaid me:_

_Denied me and abandoned me_

_He was bound to love you_

_When he heard you sing…_

_Christine…_

_You will curse the day you did not do_

_All that I asked of you!"_

Raoul screamed into the night air as he told himself that he would not let Christine go, no matter how much it took. And he knew of a little blonde dancer that could help him pull it off perfectly…


	9. The Lake

I'm sorry for those who closely follow my story! I had to go on a small hiatus in order to refresh my brain to write more brilliant chapters for my Christine/Erik fanfiction! Plus to help myself write this story I have ordered The Phantom of the Opera sheet music for me to play on my piano so I can get in the phantom mood.

Thank you again for following/favoriting/liking this story, it means so much to me that you read my work! I already have plenty of ideas for different stories to come even though I never want this one to end!

Chapter 8: The "Bal Masque"

Christine, who was ready for the night to come, was waiting in her dressing room for Erik. Thinking about the rooftop rendezvous they just had made a shiver go down her spine but she could not tell if it was from the lingering frost hanging to her sodden red cloak or if it was from the excitement that awaited tonight.

Christine walked up to the mirror and covered the right side of her face with her hand, she didn't mind covering it all in fact. Actually, she wouldn't mind a little secrecy every now and then. After a while of waiting she sat back down on her chaise lounge and removed her cloak for a different one. The new one was a dark gray with black and deep, dark, red roses covering every inch of the gray fabric. On top of the roses laid a cover of black lace with white trimming. _Yes, this will do nicely in the impending coldness of winter. _Christine thought to herself as she wrapped it around her and tied the mandatory bow around her neck and released it to feel the slight pressure on her neck that told her that she was keeping it from falling.

She looked at herself in the mirror and removed the black ribbon from her hair to allow the wild dark brown curls fall all around her heart shaped face and slowly began to remove the makeup that was from this evening's performance earlier. _The performance, the body…oh dear god, I never got the chance to ask Erik about that. I know that he had no part in the death but I cannot help but be curious. Dear God please let him not get mad at me, I have heard of his legendary anger and I do not wish to be subjected to it. _

Christine continued to clean herself as much as possible before her love arrived to return her back to the world of music but no matter what she could not get the image of Joseph's body out of her mind. His bloodshot eyes and purple bloated face kept continuing to resurface to the front of her mind. Those piercing green eyes that burned into her soul caused Christine to go pale. Yes, Christine decided, she was going to have to ask Erik about this sooner or later and she **much **rather it be sooner than later.

As she looked at the clock sitting on her mantel she saw that it was half past nine and wondered what could be taking her Angel so long to get her. Surely he could not have lost his way? He always made it clear that he knew every passageway in the opera house by now and he could not be stalling. No, he looked much too excited on the rooftop to be nervous about her coming back down to his house again. Why would he not show himself to her Christine wondered silently as she began to pace around her room. Then the idea struck her, _maybe he wants to play our little game again, _Christine thought aimlessly with a mischievous smile.

"_Come to me strange angel…" _Christine sang hauntingly to the dark mirror and awaited for the Phantom's usual way of escorting her to his home. She watched the mirror curiously hoping to see a glimmer of light escape through the mirror's edges but to no avail, nothing appeared. Christine sighed, almost musically, as she sat back down and awaited for her knight to come rescue her from her impending doom of complete boredom. When Christine was about to give up and try to fall asleep she heard a light, but audible tapping at her door.

She immediately bolted straight up on the chaise wondering who in their right minds would be up at this hour. She could not go to receive the door because she was far too incident for any visitor this late at night and even began to think about yelling at the persistent knocker. After a few minutes of constant knocking Christine's curiosity overrode her sense of propriety and she went to open her door. Before she started walking she looked at the mirror and quietly promised Erik that she would be right back right after she went to see who was there.

As she walked silently to the door's handle she began to wonder of who it could be on the other side. It surely could not be Raoul because if he had any mind at all, any sense of how she truly felt of their relationship, then he would know that it was not the best time to see her.

Christine shook her head and decided that whoever it was on the other side would get a mouth full from herself as soon as she identified the person who intruded on her speculations of Erik on why he was so late to receive her after such a romantic time up on the roof.

Christine latched her fingers around the door handle and pulled it down to swing it open. She saw that she caught the man in a mid-knock and Christine laughed when she saw Erik's surprised face staring at her. After Erik's shock melted away as he heard Christine's wonderfully beautiful laugh he softened his gaze and returned a very heart felt smile and kissed his Christine's hand.

"Why mademoiselle I do not recall telling a joke," Erik mumbled slightly embarrassed to Christine as she hugged him tightly to her. Christine stayed in that position for a few moments before answering Erik as she tried to compose herself.

"Why of course you did not monsieur, it was I that I was laughing at! Here I was expecting my knight in shining armor to walk out of his enchanted mirror and I hear this person knocking on my door, most likely frightening my knight away. I come here to yell at whoever is knocking on my door at this late hour and find none other but the knight himself!" Christine laughed a little more before blushing at what she had just told Erik. She _just _confessed that she was waiting for him to come retrieve her, she was always told that woman should make the men wait. But why would Christine want to spend time **away **from Erik when it only made her want him more.

Suddenly as her face blushed a deep crimson she heard the deep hearty laugh that Erik produced from the depths of his chest. Erik knew that Christine was waiting for him, he had been watching her from behind his mirror and saw all her nervous tendencies being done thoroughly. She had fixed her hair, removed her makeup and paced. Pacing was always something he had seen Christine do before something nerve wracking. From a performance to an audition to telling any secret of hers to Meg or himself. Erik found it really cute in a way.

Christine looked up to find Erik smiling at her and she impulsively kissed his cheek, causing Erik to come out of his small trance. He shook his head slightly and grabbed Christine's hand. "Come Christine, the fine horse awaits for our return," Erik said as he guided her through the mirror through the tunnels that lead the very much in love couple back down to the realm of music. The hallways were much more glamorous this time compared to the last time that Christine had visited Erik. The walls gave off the look of gold and in each candelabra hanging on either side of the hallway was a small bundle of roses encompassed in a thick black ribbon.

On the floor were hundreds, if not thousands, of roses that seemed like they were of every shade of red from the palest pink to the deepest and boldest red. Christine could not help but be touched by the romantic notion and deep thought and preparation that Erik must have gone into to make this such a success. It was obvious with each rose and black ribbon that Erik was telling Christine that he loved her and Christine couldn't help but want to show such love in return.

As they finally went down the last hallway and reached Cesar, Erik grasped Christine by the waist and gingerly mounted her on top of his horse. As custom, Erik held the reins and led the black horse to the boat as to keep Christine dry and not tired from the excessive amount of walking that Erik had grown used to. Every now and then Erik snuck peeks at Christine and could not stop himself from watching how her hips swayed gracefully, even sexually on top of the horse.

Erik averted his eyes from the sight—anything but a terrible sight—and returned his gaze once again out of spite to his self-control. Now, not only were her hips swaying but her nightgown had opened for Erik to openly gaze at the creamy white flesh of her upper thighs that were exposed above her stockings.

Erik clenched his jaw as he felt his lower regions tighten ever so slightly, he could not allow himself to lose the dignified self-control he had been able to maintain this long, and god damn it he would not allow it to ruin their evening! He started thinking of everything to reduce the pressure of the region below his stomach. Nothing worked until he thought of Carlotta's singing, singing worthy of a toad, and the pressure immediately went away.

_Thank you God, thank you so much for giving Carlotta at least one useful job in this world. Although I am sure that she would be of some use as a cheap swindling whore at the brothel down the road. I know far too many men would spend a couple of francs on her body rather than hear her sing. I, unfortunately, know she already uses the prior skills much too often on the managers._ Erik shivered from the horrible thought and looked up to see that they had just reached the boat. Thank god for his impeccable timing, as always. 

Erik released his grip on Cesar's reins and gripped Christine's waist to help her down from his horse. As he lowered her he looked up to her and saw a flame in her dark brown eyes, a flame of a deep passion that he didn't realize that Christine possessed in all the years that he knew year. Well, yes, he knew that she had a passion of how much she loved those in her life but never did he once believe that she would hold that same kind of love for him as well, and now that he saw it he vowed to never let her down ever again.

He guided Christine back to his boat for another journey to his home and made sure she was comfortable on the pillows that laid on the bottom. Once she was seated he wrapped a blanket around Christine's cloak to make sure that she was warm and only when she nodded in consent did he start rowing the gondola through the lake that led them home.

Christine busied herself with the journey by trying to memorize the way back to Erik's home as she made mental notes of the different ways to go through the maze to reach the prized destination. _Left, left, right, straight for two hallways, and then take another right. _After a while of concentrating on the different turns she decided to talk to Erik so she turned around and faced her company.

She was surprised that he was already looking at her with the intent to talk to her as well and she smiled to see the similarity of the situation. She waited for him to begin talking to her but instead of talking his left cheek began to blush slightly and she saw him look back up as he continued rowing.

Christine let her mind wander to thoughts of the upcoming masquerade ball that the Opera Populaire was hosting that was tomorrow night. She bit her lip to keep the years at bay as she realized that she had no costume to wear for such a grand occasion and wished to God to help her in some way to have one fitted for her in the impending week ahead, adding that her Angel of Music should attend the ball as well. After the prayer was done, Christine did the sign of the cross and kissed her fingertips before placing them over her heart so that the prayer would be sent quicker, her father taught her this method when she was little and it has worked ever since.

After she was finished with all her thanks to God, Christine opened her eyes to see that they were almost to the edge of the lake, and to Erik's home, and became giddy once again. As she leaned over the edge of the boat as it reached the middle of the lake Christine lost her balance and fell into the black darkness of the icy waters. The coldness cut through all the layers of skin and went straight to her bones causing her body to thrash less and less to succumb to hypothermia's grip on her.

After a while Christine stopped her attempts to swim and accepted her fate. She watched the dim lights that reflected upon the surface of the water from above and saw a dark form enter the lake after her. She could not see or understand anything but all she knew was that there was a white mask that grasped her attention, and it grasped all her attention firmly before passing out as soon as they resurfaced.

As Erik cradled Christine's limp, but barely alive, body to his bed he prayed to her God that he will help him get Christine safe again. He laid her damp body against his red satin pillow and blankets and began removing the cold, wet, garments that restricted his Christine from becoming warm. As he carefully removed each one to ensure that it was still in perfect condition, Erik laid a thick wool blanket over Christine's practically naked form and gently opened her mouth.

Erik recalled from the medical textbooks that he had read about performing a procedure called mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, an emergency procedure used when a person is barely, or not, breathing at all. He closed his eyes and began rereading each and every word on the specific page that documented the detailed steps that were involved when performing the routine: first, you tilt the victim's head at an angle as to ensure that air can reach into their lungs. So Erik gently caressed Christine's head and tilted it at a small angle for her comfort, but large enough to do the job perfectly. The next step for him to do was to check to see if there was anything blocking Christine's throat that would restrict her breathing, so he did as the medical text told him to do and he gently probed his index finger in her mouth to see if there was anything in her throat, and there was nothing. Erik continued on with all the steps until he reached the final one, pressing his mouth to hers.

Slightly shaking, Erik bent down and press his lips against Christine's soft ones and blew air into her throat. He watched her chest rise and fall with the air he had supplemented her with and he continued the treatment by pumping his fists against her chest. After ten reps of pumps he poured air into her body once more to only have it have no effect.

"Come on," Erik growled to her as he continued pumping her chest to restart her heart. Erik knew that she had to wake up, oh dear god there is so much for her to live for and he knew that he needed her more than she would ever know! Erik never once stopped that night and continued on for what seemed like hours on end. By the tenth blow into her mouth Erik grew desperate.

"Please Christine, please come back to me, please baby, please," he pleaded and begged the lifeless body that laid before him. Erik had to find a way to bring this woman back to him or else he would never forgive himself, there would be no other point for him to live!...and suddenly there was a small coughing sound that protruded from the swan bed.

Erik looked at the bed to see Christine's body beginning to bring back the color it had, her cheeks became flushed and her lips became red. Everything about the woman before him was alive, and healthy, and perfect. Everything about Christine shined with perfection and Erik could not find it in himself to stop the downpour of tears that fell out of his eyes as he threw his arms around the woman he dearly loved. "Oh dear god Christine don't **ever **scare me like that again!" Erik shuddered as he held onto her by her waist and didn't stop until his crying subsided with the gentle ease of Christine's caresses and humming.

Christine continued to wait for Erik to subside the tears but also embraced each one for it was part of the wall that Erik was breaking that stood between the two. Yes, each tear showed that he began to trust her more and more and Christine would cherish the moments when they truly felt like a couple, and in those moments Christine loved Erik more than she had before.

After Erik finished crying he looked up at the beautiful pale angel before him smiling kindly down upon him. He was in awe to how she was able to stand to be near him when he felt her fingers gently remove his mask and dab his tears away with part of the blanket in her hand. Christine, forgetting or not knowing that she was naked underneath the blanket, exposed her left breast as she wiped away Erik's tears. Erik instantly saw the sacred piece of flesh that his eyes were graced to see and he gently raised his hand.

Christine saw the entire scene happen, she saw her breast become exposed to the chill in the air and she saw Erik's eyes shift to her naked form. She begged that he would not be different from any other man and pleaded that he would do the gentlemanly thing. As she watched his hand lift and move towards the breast now perked in his direction Christine watched with anticipation. But as soon as she saw Erik remove the blanket from her hand and replace it over her chest without inappropriately touching her at all Christine gazed up at Erik and blushed intensely.

Erik smiled at Christine and knew exactly what he would give her. He was going to make her a masquerade costume for the ball tomorrow night, it will be a pink dress the shade of her blush. She will be Juliet, if she pleases, and Erik will have it done by tomorrow—sleep is not worth anything compared to the joy in his heart when Christine will see her costume made specifically, and only, for her.

Shaking himself out of his reverie, Erik looked back down at Christine who laid contently on _his _bed and he could not help but smile and kiss her on her forehead.

"Get some rest Christine, you have had a very trying day and I recommended a full night's rest. Then once you awake tomorrow I will have a warm bath prepared for you and a surprise afterwards if you are good," Erik ended the request with a little chuckle.

At that point Christine was so tired all she could do was nod and as she did, she laid her head back down on the pillow and fell asleep immediately. Erik watched as his beautiful angel slept and kissed her forehead one more time.

"You alone can make my song take flight, help me make the music of the night."


	10. Surprises Before The Party

Thank you to all those who have been constantly reading and reviewing to the chapters I have been posting, I have finally reached just over a thousand views in two weeks! Regarding the last chapter, I am fully aware that in the 2004 movie there was a three month hiatus between the "All I Ask of You" roof scene and the Masquerade Ball. However, my writing skills are not sharp enough to write enough, well written, chapters to describe why the phantom had not shown himself. Therefore I had to change it to only a couple of days. That puts the production of Il Muto in December which also explains why it was snowing heavily in the movie!

Also, my mom surprised me with The Phantom of the Opera sheet music to the 2004 production (for the piano) and I am so in love with it that I will begin to upload it on Vine!

I remain your obedient servant,

PhantomsAngel1870

Chapter 10: The Masquerade

Erik left Christine alone in his room and shut the door quietly as to not wake her from the sleep that she so desperately needed. He noticed when he came to get her that evening that Christine had applied some of the stage makeup that was roughly the same shade as her underneath her eyes to try to diminish the dark circles that crept underneath her skin that gave away her poor sleeping habits.

Before the incident occurred Erik promised himself silently that he would make sure to get her to sleep early even if that meant putting laudanum into her tea to relax her completely that would lull her brain into a deep slumber. But because Christine had somehow managed to fall into the lake, something Erik was still unsure as to how she had done it, she had only sped up the slow tranquil process that Erik had planned out for the evening. He had planned to play a few lullaby's that swarmed into his mind right now, make her some herbal tea and sit her down with a good story. He was sure that would have worked, but for now that plan would just have to wait for another day.

Erik smiled to himself as he thought of their future together and that he was able to tell himself that there would be another day for them to do absolutely nothing in each other's presence. It was astounding that they have become so accustomed and relaxed to each other's presence that the idea was comfortable to each of them. _Maybe in a few years' time I will be able to ask her the question I have been burning to ask her, then we will be able to live our lives together once and forever all. _Erik smiled to himself and sighed as he realized he had a very important surprise that he had promised Christine a few minutes ago.

As he walked out of his hallway into the main area Erik put some water on to boil to make some coffee and walked into the room containing Christine's wedding dress and began the process of slowly undressing the mannequin so that the materials did not get dirty or damaged. With each article he removed he placed them on the chaise lounge that was laid off to the side and folded each one carefully to make sure that no wrinkles were to be created.

After he was finished with the last few smaller pieces Erik wiped his brow as sweat beads began to form and run down his neck. He untied his cravat and unbutton his vest as he set those aside by Christine's white dress and placed his jacket on one of the hooks that he had installed in the wall. The cool air hit his right, deformed, side of his face as he placed his mask on top of a table that was nearby and went to his storage room that contained all his food on the left side, extra sheet music and quills and wax to the right and at the very end there was a door that led to one of the Opera Populaire's secret gardens. But Erik, and he alone, tended to this garden and had created one of the finest rose gardens in the entire city of Paris. It was in the rose garden that Erik would pluck a red rose and remove each thorn, no matter how many pricked him, to give the final smooth rose to Christine with his signature black ribbon.

Once Erik reached a chest and opened it he set to the task of finding the fabric to begin the long process set before him. After a while of shifting through various shades of black and red Erik decided that those would not best suit a virtuous and innocent girl such as Christine. Ultimately in the end Erik picked several shades of pink ranging from a pale baby pink to a darker shade that was identical to the roses in Erik's garden.

He carried the roles of fabric back to the now naked mannequin and set to work. Throughout the process of making this dress Erik decided upon an off the shoulder style with parts of the dress bunched up in the back. He knew that woman, but a few men, prominently created clothing for the outside world but throughout the years Erik learned that he could only rely on himself to create clothing that specifically met his physical needs.

Erik returned to the kitchen when he heard the water begin to whistle and made his coffee with some of Persia's finely made coffee beans. He made a mental note to retrieve some more from the store the next chance he had. After he was done making the strong concoction he went to check up on Christine to make sure that she was still sleeping.

He slowly pried open the door and looked in to see the most heavenly sight. Christine was laying on her side in a spooning position with her front part of her body pressed tightly against a pillow. Her back was bared to whoever's eyes laid upon the angelic sight and her massive amount of curls sprawled everywhere. Erik felt his heart pound loudly against his ribs and reminded himself that he was a gentleman, and being a gentleman will be the way to keep Christine's love.

With a firm nod Erik, as quiet as a panther, stoked the fire that was dwindling down in the corner on Christine's side of his, _their?_, bed and added more wood and some whiskey to make the flames bigger and brighter. He basked in the warmth for a moment and wondered what it would be like if their lives were as simple as this. Is it possible? _Would Christine really wish to be with someone, something that looks like me? To kiss and look upon a face as ugly as mine? Oh dear god what if our child inherits this curse! _Erik's continuing nightmare's plagued him once more and he began to shake his head firmly to push them away at the present.

With one last look at Christine's still sleeping form Erik went back into the main room to finish up the last few details and layering to Christine's dress before he deemed it worthy of her unearthly beauty. Roses found themselves placed on the back of her dress, and white satin sleeves that were made to fit off Christine's shoulders were applied as well as a layer of clear satin that laid upon the pink layer to give off a more feminine look were applied. Erik decided he would tell Christine that she was to be Juliet from the Shakespearian play.

After Erik was done with his creation and a last look over he almost completely forgot the most important piece—her mask. He quickly moved to his work desk and pulled out a regular mask that covered both eyes and set about to designing it to match her dress. The ending result was that the mask had a rose on the right corner and it was a pale pink color with a rose lace pattern with an elastic tied to the back so that she didn't have to worry herself with holding it up the entire night with a stick. Once the glue was dried on the mask Erik carefully placed it on the mannequin and returned to his room with the intent to sleep.

But as Erik watched Christine sleep innocently on his, _their?_, bed he decided to stay the night in the guest room, Christine's room, instead. He slowly peeled all his layers, except for his underwear, off his body and crawled beneath the sheets and allowed his body to pass out from the all the excitement of today and did not awake for many hours until he heard some noise being made in the kitchen.

Erik peered through a small slit of his eyes that he opened up to identify the intruder whom of which was currently in his kitchen making so much noise at, he looked up at the grandfather clock nearby, nine in the morning. Logic told him that it could not possibly be Madame Giry because it was a Friday and the corps de ballet had a three hour rehearsal on each Friday that began strictly at nine, but since it was the day of the Masquerade Ball for the New Year Erik knew that the woman would most likely be in the ballroom leading the people who were setting out to prepare all last minute touches. Therefore, he concluded, it **must **be Christine! Almost immediately Erik became nervous and excited all at once.

_Did she see the costume yet? Oh god I hope she likes it, I know it will never have any competition with her own beauty…_Erik's train of thought rambled on and he became so deep in thought that he didn't realize that Christine had walked up to him with breakfast until he felt something touch his arm.

Instinctively he grabbed whoever's hand was laid upon his forearm and anger came almost immediately. But as his eyes met those of the intruder Erik relaxed and released his death grip on the very same woman he was just thinking about. As the events that had just occurred replayed in Erik's mind he realized what he had done to the only woman he loved and madly blushed before excusing himself.

Christine stood there in shock, not just from Erik's vice-like grip he had on her wrist, but from the way that Erik had blushed in embarrassment and fled from her like the black plague. Christine stood there for a while aimlessly, she didn't know what to do at this point but take the tray back into Erik's room to leave for him if he became hungry later. She picked up the silver tray and began walking towards the hallway that contained all their rooms and stopped midway her journey and nearly dropped her tray in surprise.

Right before her very eyes was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen in her life! The dress itself was flawless with stunning details and accessories fit for a princess, and every second Christine was looking at it made her fall in love with it more. Almost subconsciously Christine walked towards the dress after placing the tray down on of the tables and admired it carefully while she barely touched the smooth fabric and awed at the stunning mask that went with it.

_A mask? _Christine thought. Obviously the dress was feminine and made for a woman to wear, but where did it come from? How did it get here? Christine knew that it was not there before she had fallen asleep so it must have arrived while she was dreaming of her and Erik at the Masquerade Ball…

_That's it! It must be for the masque ball tonight, _Christine thought triumphantly to herself as she continued to study it. All too soon she began to daydream about wearing it tonight…being held in Erik's arms as they danced…him leaning down to kiss her softly for all to see that **she **was _his_…and Christine continued to sway everywhere as if she were in that dream, dancing away with her prince in disguise. Oh how much she wanted it all to be true, all he had to do was ask and she would be his.

Erik controlled his breathing as he stood in his room. He would not have reacted as he did if he knew at all that it would have been Christine's hand that had laid itself upon his arm. _Oh god, what have I done? _Erik groaned as he thought of what Christine must be thinking about him right now. After a while of working out all the options he finally decided to go back to her to apologize for his rude behavior towards a beautiful woman such as herself. He smiled knowing that it was the best method to win back Christine's trust that he so feared that he had lost.

As he walked out of his room he listened for a second to hear where she would be at and after a while he heard shuffling in the room that contained not only her wedding dress now but also the masquerade ball dress. Erik's heart started beating faster and he got a little shaky as he walked towards the room containing the surprise that he had created only for her. Luckily though, Christine had not heard Erik in his journey to the room and he saw that she continued to hold the dress up to herself. Erik leaned back against the wall adjacent to the room and let out a huge sigh but immediately regretted it as soon it was released.

As Christine finally placed the mask on she heard someone outside the room and knew that the only logical answer was that it was Erik, and dear god how much she wanted to see him to apologize for her rash behavior. So Christine carefully walked outside the room to find Erik and begin to beg for his forgiveness.

As Erik turned around to enter the room he felt his body collide with another and he unceremoniously fell to the ground on his butt. Christine, who knew that she was going to fall, grabbed onto the closest thing by her and soon fell on top of Erik. For a while both people looked at each other, both of whom were equally astounded and slightly embarrassed that they found themselves in such a compromising situation.

Christine was the first one to move and she quickly got up sputtering apologizes so fast that she was unsure if Erik caught even one of them. Erik felt her hair brush against his good side of his face and stood up himself as he brushed off the dust that collected onto the back of his pants.

"Oh dear god! I am so sorry Erik, if I knew that you were out here I would have made my presence more clear, I thought that you were reading or about to practice or even writing music! But I swear that if I had known I would have—"

Erik kissed Christine on the mouth to silence her ranting. He found it adorable how concerned she was for him and it was something that he would never ever forget. He also knew that he should be apologizing, not her, because Christine has nothing to apologize for. Never.

"Mademoiselle, it is I that should be apologizing for running into such a beautiful young woman such as yourself. In fact, I am entirely in the wrong for placing you into such a compromising situation that you had found yourself on the floor." Erik's face reddened slightly as he imagined what had just happened not a minute ago. How her body pressed against his in the most intimate way possible, and how neither of them fought the feelings they had both felt for what seemed like hours.

"I am in your debt Christine, you may ask whatever you wish of me and it will be my command," Erik promised Christine as he took her hand and kissed it. Silently, Erik was hoping that she will not beg of him to stay out of her life, or to leave her forever. He would rather her to command him to kill himself than to leave her.

Christine hovered for a second as she processed what Erik had just told her. _I can have him do anything that I wish? Anything! _She looked over at her masquerade ballroom dress and took a deep breath before continuing to voice her sole request of the man before her.

"Very well Monsieur Le Fantôme since you so insist that I tell you of anything that I desire, I wish for you to attend the Masquerade Ball with me tomorrow" Christine said with confidence and a light air of humor when she spoke Erik's title. She watched his reaction turn from surprise to admiration to worry in the span of a few seconds time. Before Erik could voice his worries to her Christine grabbed his hands and spun them around. The sound of Christine's laughter filled his heart and Erik smiled back at her as she cupped his face.

"Just think about it Erik! Imagine how much fun it will be, plus everyone will be wearing a mask, nobody will be asking questions except for your name. You told me once that you never got to experience life from above and I want you to now. Please Erik, for me?" Christine begged him with her big brown eyes pleading to him.

"Your wish is my command Christine," Erik told her as he bowed in her direction. "I will pick you up tomorrow at Madame Giry's house. Is there any costume in particular that you would care of me to wear?" Erik asked her as he watched her blush slightly.

"Well in fact Erik I have been reading a few short stories from Edgar Allen Poe. I am reading 'The Mask of Red Death' and I do believe that you would look very handsome in the color red." Christine said as she kissed his cheek. Erik thought that this was a perfect idea and nodded his head before bowing again to her before kissing her forehead.

"What a splendid idea Christine, in fact I believe I already have something I could use to make the costume. But for now it will be goodbye until tomorrow night." Erik decided it would be for the best to send Christine off to the Giry's house tonight so that there would be no scrambling tomorrow before he went to retrieve her tomorrow for the dance. But first, he must inform Antoinette of the news.

_Yes, _he thought, _I would need to discuss this with Antoinette. And it has been such a long time since we have talked that I think I will go and surprise her. _So as Erik sent Christine off for the later rehearsal that was due to begin in thirty minutes he gave her a note to give to Madame Giry and he kissed her goodbye as they reached her dressing room mirror.

There was a new skip in Erik's walking and for some reason he felt the urge to hum. So as he went through the different hallways to reach Antoinette's room anyone underneath the Opera House would be able to hear the sweet melody that was produced from Erik's lips.


	11. Night of Splendor

**(A/N)**

**I know, I know. I keep beating around the bush to get to the Masquerade Ball scene, but it just seems that every time I write a chapter something new pops up into my mind (like Erik's music ;) ) and I just HAVE to include it in my fan fiction!**

**Here is the Masquerade Scene! Be prepared for a VERY long chapter! **

**It makes me so happy that there are still so many Phantom of the Opera fans out there! I do have a question for all the users, so please review with your answer because your answer could determine how the story ends!**

**Do you believe that Raoul and Meg should have a deeper (more meaningful, like Erik and Christine's relationship in this story) relationship? **

**And now let's journey back to Paris, France January 1****st****, 1871 to two different couples preparing for a night of splendor, dancing, and new discoveries…**

Chapter 11: The Night of Celebration

Erik reached Antoinette's office before rehearsals were over, like always, and made himself at home. As he sat on the couch in the corner of her room he removed his mask and opened the container of brandy and poured himself a glass, mind you it was more than a normal man usually drank. However, Erik grew to hold a larger tolerance to alcohol than most of the Parisians and he let the warm liquid run down his throat. He eyed his mask on the table and grunted at it disapprovingly, the white piece of leather always gets in the way of doing normal things like eating, drinking, _kissing_…as soon as the last thought came into his mind Erik shook his head and resumed with the task at hand.

A glass of brandy was exactly what he needed and Erik was glad that he took advantage of this moment. By God he deserved a drink every once in a while and after all the excitement of the previous couple of days he knew that he needed it more than ever! But unlike most men Erik began to feel the symptoms of becoming drunk before it was too late. His fingertips had a buzzing sensation and he felt his equilibrium altering slightly. Only then did he decide that he had had enough to drink for tonight.

The second he had placed the glass back on the tray and replaced his mask Madame Giry walked back into her office after a struggling day with practice. She removed her shoes and put on her usual slippers to help with the arthritis in her feet. Years and years of being the prima ballerina had taken a toll on her toes and ankles.

When she reached her desk she closed her eyes and rubbed her temples trying to subdue the impending headache that she had gained from hearing the managers and Carlotta argue over the fact that Christine was back and rehearsing Carlotta's "role" in the upcoming show of 'Romeo and Juliet'. According the Carlotta it was all Madame Giry's fault that Christine was even here which earned Antoinette and Carlotta a very long argument that concluded with Carlotta vowing she was not going to leave until she regained the position she deserved.

Meg Giry had seen what was happening to her mother and the former leading soprano and rushed over to her mother's aid. As she placed herself between her mother and the Italian woman before her she had been very sweet to Carlotta.

"My God of course you should be return to your rightful position!" Meg exclaimed for all to hear. Many of the cast and crew members found this very interesting, why would Meg Giry stand up for Carlotta Guidicelli? But soon their questions were all answered as Meg continued on.

"You're absolutely right Carlotta," Meg began as Carlotta gave a very smug proud smile for all to see.

"You should be given back the title as Prima Puttana," Meg said with a huge grin as she saw the Italian woman's face change from several different emotions; from false pride, to astonishment, then to anger, and finally blind rage. In her rage Carlotta struck Meg Giry and shrieked in her face causing a large bruise to form along with a small cut by the ballerina's eye.

Of course, no one dared to place the blame on Carlotta so the managers tried to place it on Meg Giry. Thankfully Antoinette was there before any harm was put to her daughter's reputation and Madame Giry gave a very big mouthful to the two idiots who "owned" the opera house. Antoinette came to appreciate Erik's power over the Opera Populaire more and more every day.

Madame Giry finally looked up and saw a masculine figure sitting in her couch ten feet away from her. At first her heart began to race faster than Carlotta's vibrato, but soon it mellowed down when her brain registered that it was, her "adopted brother", Erik. She saw that he had an amused smirk on his face so she automatically knew that whatever it was that he wished to inform her was of good intentions, thank god there weren't any death threats…today.

"So Erik I assume that whatever it is that we will be discussing tonight is of good fortune?" Antoinette asked with a little sarcasm dripping near the end.

"Yes Antoinette, finally your God has looked down upon me and answered a prayer of mine," Erik replied somewhat nervous now.

"Oh? And what can that be?" Antoinette asked innocently, although she had a good feeling that she already knew that it had to do something with Christine. Antoinette saw the young soprano during practice and the way Christine almost skipped around and hummed it almost seemed logical to assume that Erik had been the cause of such a change in attitude.

"I wish to escort Christine to the Masque Ball tomorrow night. I was hoping that she could stay with you tonight so that it would make the plans easier," Erik asked with his voice faltering in the ever so slightest.

Antoinette beamed at the news and nodded her head in consent.

"But of course it's perfectly fine Erik! Yes, well Meg's date will be picking her up around seven so I believe that that would be a good time for you to escort Christine as well?" Madame Giry could not help but be excited for both Christine and Erik. She had always wanted them to discover each other, but she also never pushed the relationship because she believed her intervention would have only driven them apart.

Erik watched, what he had always recognized as, his sister become thrilled about the idea of him escorting her adopted daughter to the masquerade. He was surprised that instead of being excited with her he became nervous instead. _Is this how all men feel? Is this normal? _

Erik contemplated how he was feeling while he watched Antoinette discuss times and all the performances that were going to happen. But he couldn't help but watch his mind wander over to how the managers _still _disobeyed him, and he _had _promised a disaster beyond their imagination. Perhaps the Phantom could make an appearance at the ball tomorrow night. He knew he would just have to discuss it with Christine.

He continued to nod and grunt in response to everything that Antoinette was telling him as he waited for an appropriate time to bid her goodnight. He caught a moment of silence between the two of them during which Antoinette let out a soft yawn and he took the Que.

"It seems to be getting late Antoinette, I believe it is time for me to return to my home. I bid you goodnight and goodbye until tomorrow evening at seven."

Antoinette nodded at Erik and watched as her brother entered one of his secret passageways behind a curtain in her room. She sighed as she collected the papers she needed to sign for Monday and returned to the stage to walk Meg and Christine back to her home. She smiled as she knew that Erik will bring over Christine's costume before the three women managed to return back to her home.

Christine walked with Meg and Madame Giry back to their Giry's small, but very comfy, home. The home had three bedrooms, all acquainted for each of the women, yet one bath. Christine smiled as she remembered the many occasions where all three ladies could be found waiting for one of the three while she used the bathroom, and now as Christine looked back she realized that she must have put the Giry's through hell when she would cry in the bathroom near the beginning of her mourning of the loss of her father.

Christine opened the door to the bedroom that she had always used as a little girl and was very pleased when she saw that nothing had been moved—it was exactly how she had left it when she moved into the opera house ballerina dormitories. Her dolls where still in the brown chest that lay in front of the quilt covered bed, her small dresses where still hanging in her closet and her diary was still between her pillow and mattress.

As she sat down on her bed and relaxed Christine smiled for a while before she noticed a rose with a note on the bedside table. Carefully leaning over to pick both items up, Christine smelled the rose and was immediately reminded of her Erik. The blood red rose smelled just like him and Christine wished to never be parted from him again, if only she knew how he truly felt about her.

After admiring the beautiful flower Christine laid it back down on the bedside table and opened the note and read it as she felt tears beginning to form around the corners of her eyes.

_My Christine, _

_I do not know how I shall survive being parted from you tonight—but I shall have to survive with the condolences that I will see your radiant smile and beautiful eyes once again tomorrow evening at seven. Every second away from you pains me greatly, but do not worry for my sake, I shall be revived of all the pains once I have you in my arms once again. Sleep well tonight my Christine for I am counting the seconds until we are together once more. _

_I have something I wish to speak with you about tomorrow evening in the carriage ride to the opera house involving the Phantom. Please do not keep yourself up late tonight, if you need anything to help you sleep ask __Antoinette __ Madame Giry and she will know exactly what to administer. _

_With all the love in the world, _

_Erik_

Christine's eyes hungrily took in each word that Erik had written to her. After she had read it close to ten times she placed the letter back down on the side table and saw a big mass of clothing peeking out of her closet, however no matter how curious Christine was at that moment it did not matter because sleep caught up with her body and mind. All too soon Christine slumped back against her pillow as she succumbed to the sleep she desperately needed—all the while dreaming of Erik and his music of the night…

_She was running through an abandoned hallway in the Opera Populaire when she heard that musical laughter floating behind her. She started laughing as well and Christine realized that she was in a dream and Erik was chasing her! So she did what any other girl would not do and she stopped and hid behind a curtain in that room. Thankfully the curtain was only translucent, thereby giving her enough light to see through the curtain at her chaser. _

_Erik had ran after Christine but lost her behind a corner, wanting to surprise her he waited a few seconds before jumping out into the open corridor's entrance. But Erik, for the first time, was stunned to see that the person he was chasing was actually gone! He had to give it to himself—Christine has been getting better and he was very proud of that. As he began walking away he wondered where exactly she could be. _

_Christine took the opportunity when she saw that Erik was becoming distracted with his thinking as he began to left and she matched his footsteps precisely. She knew quite well that Erik would be able to pick up on any rhythms that were out of syncopation. As she drew closer she silently held her breath and grabbed him around the waist causing a large, deep, gasp erupt from Erik's throat. _

_Christine could not hold it in anymore and began to laugh harder than she had in many many years and because of her laughter she was unaware that she was now the one that was captured. Suddenly she was able to feel everything; from Erik's chest pressed against her back, to his arms wrapped around her waist, his lips against her head, and exactly how __**her **__body was reacting to each one of these new discoveries. As she turned around to face him she never would have expected him to do what he just did. _

_His lips crashed against hers as if they were the last source of oxygen and she returned the sentiment just as strong. For once in his life Erik allowed all the barriers to be broken, all the worries to be released, all the love for this woman to be shown. Christine stopped trying to do the proper thing for once, she let Erik in completely and did not care as she felt her clothes being removed. Yes, finally they were going to show each other what true love really was._

_All too soon Erik stopped his ministrations and took Christine by her shoulders and started to shake her as he yelled her name. _

"_Christine! Christine! Wake up!" His worried face soon morphed into a familiar blonde girl that Christine knew…_

…_and another amazingly wonderful dream was to be interrupted by a bystander, _thought Christine as she finally came back to the real world. She opened her eyes to see Meg right above her at eye level which Christine had to keep herself from screaming out loud. Christine gazed at her friend as Meg continued on talking.

"Honestly Christine, I don't know how someone can really sleep until twelve in the afternoon. It is beyond me—" Christine grabbed her pillow and quickly swatted her friend with it before Meg was able to get any more out of her mouth. For a whole minute Meg sat her with her mouth opened in the shape of an O and did not blink at Christine. Christine smiled back sweetly and astounded,

"Why Meg! I do believe this is the longest you have gone without talking! I shall inform your mother of a new method to keep you silent," Christine smiled mischievously as she slowly got up to go to the kitchen where she figured Madame Giry would be found sitting at the table drinking her usual black coffee with a croissant while reading the morning's paper.

As Christine turned her head towards the door she felt something hit her with such a great force that it actually pushed her out of the way to the door. When she regained her senses she saw that Meg was blockading the door with her body and her own pillow in her hand while breathing heavily, almost as if she had just finished a great battle.

The two girls looked at each other and themselves for a few minutes before breaking out into a laughing fit as they chucked pillows at each other's heads. For once they acted like they had when they were little, no responsibilities, no rules—just living life to its fullest and greatest.

Antoinette stopped reading her paper as she heard a commotion in the guest bedroom and decided to check on the girls to see if they were beginning to prepare for tonight's Masque Ball. As she neared the doorway she decided she would acknowledge the schedule and time limit the girls had to prepare themselves and opened the door to receive a pillow thrown right at her face. A silence so thick that it could be cut with butter ensued right after the misfire of the throw pillow hit Madame Giry and both girls bowed their heads as they had done in practice when in trouble.

Antoinette knew that she had two options at this point. One, she could be the strict adult figure the girls had grown up with their entire life and she would be able to maintain the sense of authority that should and would never be overthrown. Or two, she could allow herself and the girls this one freedom before the festivities tonight and she would be able to bond closer to the girls that she had loved ever since Meg was born and when Christine had come into their lives. Both options weighed heavily on the older woman but she knew that she could and would have to only pick one and after a few minutes of standing in front of the girls speechless she decided to do the sensible option. She began to laugh.

"Oh my, I haven't participated in a pillow fight since I was you girls' age and still living in the dormitories of the opera house!" Antoinette said as she laughed and replaced all the pillows back onto the bed. The two young performers in the room with her were more stunned than the managers were when they had discovered Christine the night of Hannibal. Madame Giry watched as her two girls stood in front of her very surprised and she immediately went back to option one and hit her cane against the floor to regain their full attention.

"Now that all the fun and games are over with, I think it would be best for the two of you to begin getting ready for the Masquerade tonight. The two young men will be here in," she stopped and looked at the clock in the corner of the room to remind her of the time, "six hours and you two have yet to fill your stomachs with food, bathe, do your hair and makeup and even put your costumes on."

Christine and Meg looked at each other once again and immediately thanked Madame Giry as they began bustling about as they began the tedious process of preparing themselves for a ball. Madame Giry smiled and shook her head as she watched her two children busy themselves so much over two men that Antoinette hoped with all her heart would both take care of the two girls that mean more than life itself.

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Erik sat at his organ and finished the opera "Don Juan Triumphs" that he had been writing for five years now. He flipped through Act 1 all the way to Act 5 and was so pleased with himself that as he was making himself some of his favorite Russian tea he absentmindedly began to sing the tenor lead for the love song between the male and female lead during the last act as they proclaim their love for each other.

He hoped to he would be able to give the managers the script tonight, given that Christine gave him her permission when they'll discuss this in the carriage, and then the Opera Populaire will become even greater.

He glanced over at his Red Death costume and was quite pleased with how the skeleton mask turned out from those endless hours of working on it which had ended a few hours ago leaving him just enough time to finish his life's work. He pulled off his regular half white mask and for the first time in at least five years, Erik pulled out the only mirror in his home and looked at himself.

At first he was disgusted at the tangled web of flesh on the right side of his face, he was indeed a monster. But his mind started to doubt this insult for the first time, and instead of an ugly monster in his mind an image of Christine appeared and she had the most adoring and loving eyes in the entire world. Erik returned to his reflection and began to see what Christine had seen that night so long ago. Maybe he actually just might be…beautiful?

Erik had not given it too much thought after that concluding question and began applying the necessary stage makeup to cover the slight deformity at the bottom of his face to make it seem like it was never there. Once Erik was pleased with the smooth façade he had created he turned to his eyes and applied black all around his eyes to give the appearance that the skeleton mask was indeed the head of a skeleton. Erik chuckled softly as he realized how horrible this costume was, it will frighten a lot of people. But at least they won't know his identity. But what if someone did recognize him? What would he do then?

Erik got up and retrieved his sword, his favorite sword, and dropped it gently on top of the heap that was his costume. He was going to go prepared, armed, in case anyone had any foolish idea to try to unmask him to the world prematurely or try to harm him or Christine. He knew that this was to be a joyous occasion but Erik could not help but be cautious because it seemed that everyone's morals drop far past decent when enough alcohol has been taken in.

His loose poet shirt hung open all the way so that his broad chest was revealed. When Erik saw just how dirty he was he decided to take a bath before preparing himself in his costume. He removed his wig and mask and carefully prepared the warm water in his bathtub using a contraption that he had built all the while making sure that none of the stage makeup he had, stupidly, placed on his face earlier got smudged. God forbid he had to look into a mirror again…

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Raoul DeChagny took his time preparing for the Masquerade Ball as he got dressed in his navy uniform that he had been honored with during his time in the navy for those ten years. The uniform was one of the most dignified in the navy and Raoul was going to let everyone know of his accomplishments he achieved during his time in the military. He also decided to wear this to impress Christine and Meg on the side.

The young Vicomte did a once over in the mirror that stood eight feet tall and was impressed at how gorgeous he was, _none of the girls will be able to keep their eyes, let alone their hands, off me tonight. _The Vicomte continued to proudly praise his beauty and yet wished he would be able to cut the long hair off into a shorter fashion, however his mother would not allow him to do such a thing. According to her it was a longstanding tradition for all the DeChagny men to keep their hair shoulder length and she would rather fall over dead than to see one of their few traditions be ruined by the new fashion of today's generation.

Raoul sighed and sat down at his desk while he tied his glorious mane with a navy blue ribbon to give the appearance of shorter hair. He grabbed his glass of whiskey that was sitting on the edge of his place marker and saw that he had barely any left. Without a second thought he took the last of the alcohol in his mouth and let it sit for ever just a minute as he felt the burning sensation build throughout his body. The adrenaline kicked in and he finally swallowed the substance and retrieved his jacket and bouquet of lilies for Meg.

He went down several hallways before finally making it to the front of his mansion and bid his parents goodbye for they had politely declined the invitation to the Masquerade Ball claiming that they would be too tired after their tour of Italy to attend the event. Raoul, on the other hand, had no choice but to except for two reasons: one, he had already promised Meg Giry that he would go with her for her graciousness in giving him information about Christine and her Angel of Music, and two, he was the patron to the opera house that was hosting the huge event—he had to be there.

He opened the door to the cold December chill and briskly walked down the three sets of stairs to reach the bottom and to finally have the door opened for him in the carriage that would be taking him and Meg Giry directly to the Opera Populaire. They had both agreed that rushing dinner before a long night of drinking wine and dancing would not be the best idea and so they decided to eat an early supper at their own respective houses.

Raoul sat down on the plush dark green velvet lined cushions in the carriage and gently tapped the top of the roof which notified the driver to start their course to the small Giry flat in the busy streets of Paris. Raoul sat in silence, contemplating on how this night was going to go as smoothly as possible without as much interference as possible to distract him from the job he had tonight—to get Meg to trust him more than she even trusted her mother, herself, and even Christine. Raoul knew that if he was ever going to learn more about this Angel of Music or the infamous Phantom of the Opera, then it would be better to how a direct insider of the cast and crew members of the opera house tell him everything he wanted to know than to go to the clueless managers every time he heard of a little gossip. Hell, he knew that Meg Giry would tell him things that the managers will not hear about for weeks on end until it is too late.

He laughed to himself as he began to realize how easy it will be in order to get Meg Giry to do everything he wanted her to do. She was such the typical, clueless, dancer that the Opera Populaire birthed. Raoul knew that all he had to do was say the right words, do the correct actions and sooner or later (hopefully sooner rather than later) Meg would do every whim of his that he _sweetly _asks of her to do for him.

Raoul peeked through the curtains of his carriage and saw that his driver was beginning to slow down, they must be near the Giry's residence. Raoul prepared himself; he put a gleaming smile on his face, held the bouquet behind his back and walked towards the door with a large boost of confidence. However as Antoinette opened the door he was surprised at what laid inside the house and soon that confidence he once held shattered.

Christine had opened the door expecting that Erik had arrived earlier than expected when she saw that familiar long light brown mop of hair. Her smile faltered ever so slightly, she knew that he wouldn't notice, and welcomed him as nice as possible without him noticing how much she would rather him be on the other side of the world from her in this instant.

_Why is he here? Doesn't he have something else better to do than to constantly follow me around? _Christine thought. Raoul sat down on the couch in the living room and looked at Christine's prominent figure that was defined in the pale pink Juliet dress she wore tonight. All her curves and assets were larger than he remembered and he couldn't help but look at them. God how he wanted her. His thoughts were cut by Christine clearing her throat.

"I am here to escort Meg Giry to the masquerade ball, I am sure that she told you about it a while back Christine," Raoul explained as he watched her.

Christine suddenly felt horrible for accusing him of following her. She knew that Raoul liked her but she should have realized that he wouldn't have gone to those types of extremes for him to try to get her attention. Then it all came back to her, the memory of Meg rushing into her room telling her that the Vicomte was taking her to the Masque Ball. Christine remembered being happy for her friend and relieved that Raoul didn't like her anymore, but the way his eyes bore into her made Christine feel uncertain that Raoul's feelings for her had changed.

"Let me go get Meg and let her know that _her _date arrived safely," Christine said quickly and stood up to leave Raoul and search for her friend. _Hopefully Meg will be able to keep Raoul busy while I wait for Erik to arrive, oh I wish he was here right now. _Christine finally made it to Meg's room after letting Madame Giry know that Raoul had arrived. Christine always knew that Madame Giry was old fashioned and believed that young adults should have a chaperone in the room at all times. Thankfully, Christine desperately wanted Madame Giry in the same room as Raoul as to keep him from doing anything that wasn't honorable or disrespectful towards Christine or Meg while Erik still wasn't here.

Christine knocked on Meg's door and when the blonde dancer opened to see her friend waiting for her she knew that her date must be here and bounded down the hall with Christine in tow.

Once Meg made it back into the living room and saw Raoul sitting on her couch she felt the butterflies in her stomach begin to flutter and she swore she had never seen a more handsome man in her entire life than the one sitting before her now. She saw how his Navy costume complimented his shade of eyes and his tan skin. He gave her an award winning smile and she swore her knees would buckle from the beauty of it.

Raoul stood up and kissed Meg's hand noticing how he was making her swoon and gave her the bouquet of flowers he brought with him. Meg took the flowers while thanking him as profusely as her blush was right now and after she put the flowers into a vase she sat back down on the couch with Christine and her mother and started talking to Raoul about how she and Christine knew each other and how close they were. All the while Christine prayed and prayed for her Erik to come and save her.

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Erik hailed a carriage as he was exiting his entrance to the opera house and made it around to the left side to make it seem less conspicuous. The man that was driving had to be a little older than Christine, most likely twenty five, and stopped his horse right in front of Erik. The boy had lighter colored hair, almost sandy brown, and darker skin that reminded Erik of his friend Nadir Khan. The younger Nadir look alike jumped down from his seat in the carriage and looked at Erik for a moment and bowed his head before he began to talk.

"Good evening sir, my name is Gabriel. Is there anywhere in particular that you wish for me to drive you tonight?"

Erik took out his wallet and found fifty francs to give to the poor lad that had to drive in such bad traffic tonight. Erik didn't miss the way the boy's eyes widened drastically and then went back to normal after a second due to the boys shock. Erik waited patiently while the boy put his money into a wallet of his own before directing the young man where to take him.

"Good evening Gabriel, my name is Monsieur DeNuit. I will be of need of your services to take me to 4597 Rue Serret in Paris. From the house I will be collecting a Mademoiselle Daae and I will like you to address her as such. Be the perfect gentleman and make our drive to the Opera Populaire tonight for the Masquerade smooth and I will promise you more francs for your services," Erik told the young man everything that he needed to know. Erik was afraid of how Christine's quick rise to stardom will cause her reputation with all the people in town to change drastically and he wanted to make sure that at least one person would still treat her the same way.

Erik was sure that Gabriel knew exactly which Daae he was talking about. Of course everyone knew of Gustave Daae and his amazing violin abilities but all for the past months everyone has been talking about Gustave's mysterious daughter rising to fame just like her father had back in his day.

Gabriel reluctantly nodded in assent, he knew all about Christine Daae and had even attended one of her opera's and now he finally got to meet her! But alas, the Monsieur DeNuit told him to treat **the **Christine Daae just as any other _regular _person—but she wasn't just any other person! She should, and by God, will be treated like the queen of France if Gabriel had any say in the matter!

After his silent proclamation during Erik's speech Gabriel nodded in consent at the end and opened the door for Erik and waited for the man to get comfortable before closing the door and heading off to the house of which that Erik had told him the address to.

Erik, in the meantime, sat uncomfortably in the dark carriage that brought back dark memories of his past. His hands entwisted around his dress pants and the back of his neck beaded with sweat as his ineer demons from the past came back to haunt him. Once again he could feel the sting of the whip on his back lash over and over again. Once more did he hear his cruel and demented name given to him from the ages of three to twelve: the Devil's Child. Erik touched the leather of his now white mask that covered the top half of his face. His fingers trailed down to the bottom half and felt the skin colored rubber that covered and smoothed out the smaller bottom half of his deformity.

A large sigh escaped from Erik's mouth as he realized that he would look like a regular man attending the masquerade tonight. His Christine was a genius for coming up with the idea, no one would recognize him. Ah, he almost forgot his plan to come to the party as the phantom. Yes, he would be needing to talk to Christine about this plan once she was in the carriage with him. Dear God did he hope that she would agree to such a thing, he needed to keep up his reputation as the Phantom of the Opera—but he respected Christine far more than his unusual career.

Erik felt the carriage begin to slow down and knew that he was coming close to his destination. He looked out his window and saw Antoinette's home coming up in the distance and he quickly smoothed his hair again, grabbed the bouquet of red roses that were tied down with a black ribbon—he had made it himself just for Christine—and made sure that his mask was in place.

When the carriage stopped a little too quickly for Erik's pleasure, the boy Gabriel opened the door for him and bowed and held his arm open. Erik stepped down from the carriage and nodded to the boy before walking inside with a nervousness that he didn't realize that he was capable of being. By God he was **the **Phantom of the Opera! He wasn't scared of anything and here he was frightened to see a little five foot six singer…that he so dearly loved! Shaking his head in stubbornness Erik plastered on a large amount of confidence and knocked three times on the wooden door solidly.

The door swung open right as he was about to knock a fourth time and Erik was welcomed to see Antoinette Giry already dressed in her costume for tonight's ball. Erik smiled warmly at her and kissed her hand when Madame Giry welcomed him into her home.

"You look amazing tonight Antoinette," Erik complimented his adopted sister as he magically made a pink tulip appear out of thin air. Antoinette laughed and thanked Erik as she accepted the rose that he had given her, she continued to smile as it brought back memories of them when they were younger. She loved Erik so much, but she only loved him as a brother. Oh how she was so thankful that Christine was able to love Erik the way she never could have.

"Oh dear Erik, let me take your cloak," Antoinette admonished as she removed the cloak from Erik and put it in their coat closet off in the hallway from the parlor. Erik walked with Antoinette and almost stopped mid step as he heard Christine's melodious laugh reach his ears. Madame Giry heard her laughing as well and ushered Erik into the living room where he found Christine, Meg, and…the same young man that was threatening to hunt him down on the night of Christine's debut!

The bastard had the audacity to sit next to _his _Christine! Erik felt every bone in his body instantly become protective of the dark haired beauty he looked at right now and saw just how fitting the costume was for her. Christine looked like a goddess in the pale pink dress that he had created for her and when Christine saw him standing there he could have sworn that he had died and gone to heaven.

Christine and Meg had been laughing at a joke when she had heard someone walk into the room. She looked up from Meg and saw that Erik had arrived and immediately her stomach was filled with butterflies. She saw the red dress suit and skeleton mask upon his face and saw just how handsome he looked in it. Oh how she wished that he could hear her thoughts right now, then she knew that he would ask her to be his and Christine would say yes a thousand times over.

Christine ran up to Erik and hugged him tightly as she whispered, only for him to hear, in his ear, "I have missed you so much. Never leave me again." Christine felt Erik's silent laugh course through his body and pulled away from him to look at him better. She looked at his eyes and saw the love he had for her shine through them.

Erik pulled Christine's hand to his mouth and kissed it tenderly as he watched her face redden deeply. No one else in the room mattered at the moment and frankly he didn't give a damn to whoever saw their tender sentiments between each other. Erik continued to amaze Christine when he magically made her bouquet appear and he saw how Christine recognized his traditional way of showing how much she pleased him as he saw her caress the black ribbon that held all her flowers together.

Erik looked at his watch on his wrist and saw that it was time for them to leave to arrive to the masquerade on time. He walked over to Antoinette and kissed her hand again before apologizing.

"Forgive me Antoinette, Christine and I must be leaving now so we can arrive to the Masque Ball on time. I hope to find you there tonight," he told his sister as he slightly bowed his head in her direction. Antoinette smiled as she gave them her consent to leave as she hugged Christine and wished them to have a fun night, but not too fun.

Erik held his arm out for Christine, to which Christine gladly accepted, and they interlaced their arms and walked out to the black carriage. Christine looked up at Erik's piercing dark blue eyes and became excited.

"Oh my! Is that carriage for us?" Christine exclaimed excitedly as they drew near to it. Christine noticed how regal the entire carriage was. At a first glance it looked to be entirely black but now that she looked closer there were dark reds that accessorized the exterior and interior of the carriage. The young man that stood patiently waiting for them was dressed in a suit as well, not as grandeur as Erik's, but still he looked very nice.

Once Erik and Christine made it back to the carriage Erik looked at Gabriel one more time to remind the boy of their discussion from earlier and the young boy made such a slight nod of his head it would go unnoticed by those who weren't looking for it. Once Erik was pleased with the boy's attitude he released Christine's arm and allowed Gabriel to do what his service entitled of him.

Gabriel opened the carriage door before holding out his hand for Christine Daae. He gave her one of his best smiles as he felt her hand slide into his.

"You look lovely tonight Mademoiselle," he complimented her as she blushed slightly as he helped her into the carriage. It took every bit of the self-control that Gabriel possessed to not kiss her hand, let alone kiss her entire body, as he watched her and helped her get into the carriage safely.

Erik then preceded to help himself into the carriage while Gabriel went back to the front to get the horses ready for the trip back to the Opera Populaire. Erik peered out of his window to make sure that Gabriel wasn't eavesdropping before he started to talk to Christine.

"You look amazing tonight Christine, all the angels in heaven are weeping at your beauty tonight." Erik complimented Christine as he kissed her hand. He was amused to see a deep blush appear on his Christine's face and heard her start to falter in her speech—something she never had done.

"Why, umm, thank you. Er umm you look quite dashing yourself," she told Erik as she watched his smile get bigger. She watched him for a couple of seconds and she thought about him. He was simply amazing, he always wrote her beautiful letters…and that reminded her of the letter he had left for her on her bedside table. With a new sense of confidence Christine cleared her throat and began talking again.

"Erik your letter on my bedside table? I was curious to what you meant by 'I have something I wish to speak with you about tomorrow evening in the carriage ride to the opera house involving the Phantom'" Christine watched a new realization dawn upon Erik by the facial expressions he made. She knew that whatever it was that he needed to tell her was very important so she allowed him as much time as he needed to prepare himself.

Erik cleared his throat before recounting the speech he had prepared for this moment.

"Christine, as you know I possess a…unusual career choice. I have a reputation at the opera house as the infamous opera ghost and lately I have been foregoing from making any appearance as the Phantom. Also, I have recently finished writing my life's work "Don Juan Triumphs", this opera is the key to the Opera Populaire's success because I've written it in such detail that it will allow the cast and crew members to focus on more detail than ever before! So I believe that if I excused myself from your presence to smoke or the use of the restroom then I would be able to reappear but as the Phantom with the script. I would be able to get the managers to understand what I expect of them. I swear that I will not harm a single person, just warn them."

Christine sat in silence as she listened to Erik explain his master plan to appear as the Phantom to tonight's masquerade. She knew that his unexpected entrance would indeed frighten any and all that are attending tonight. They all have heard of the infamous Phantom of the Opera, they've seen what he is capable of and all the tales that are about him, but never have they ever seen him.

Again, Christine agreed that the singers and dancers were beginning to slack in their jobs that they were given in the opera house. Some of them, like Carlotta, have even started mocking the Phantom because he had not shown himself in months. They had began to deliberately slacked in their roles, missed easy notes all because he wasn't threatening them anymore. The managers had even openly made fun of Erik and Christine hated every second that this mockery continued—all he wanted to do was help the opera house and make it successful with his guidance! And these buffoons didn't accept the help because he was a ghost and not human, along with that his help isn't made of money. Christine agreed completely to what Erik was proposing to her, and he even promised her that he would not harm anymore except for their pride.

"Yes, do it," Christine almost whispered to Erik as he sat waiting for her to think the entire situation through. Erik was, to say the least, surprised that she would agree to such a thing as this quite as quickly as she just did. For a few minutes Erik could do nothing but finally he nodded and held her hands. Now that she had agreed to this there was something else he needed of her to do.

"Thank you Christine, you have no idea what this means to me. But now there is one more thing I must ask of you my dear. I need you to act like you don't know me when I am personifying the Phantom. You must be as scared as all the others, I hate to have you act such as a way but it is necessary." Erik yearningly asked this beautiful woman sitting across from him to help with his plan tonight. He knows that it is so much to ask of Christine and he wasn't deserving of this woman but he asked nonetheless.

Christine nodded her head and felt his lips kiss her forehead. Her body relaxed under his touch and she leaned in to kiss him in return when the carriage stopped and Gabriel opened the door to let them know that they had arrived. Christine pulled herself back into her seat and put her mask onto her face before looking back at Erik.

With Christine's mask on her face now he laughed a little to see just how amazing she looked with one on.

"My dear, the mask is a very fitting look on you," he mused. Christine immediately understood the hidden meaning behind his words and smiled in return before bowing to him after she was helped out of the carriage by Gabriel.

Erik walked up to Gabriel and paid him the money that was promised before Gabriel left. The couple then followed the flow of people to the inside of the Opera Populaire as the rest of the important people from the opera house made their way for the masquerade.

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Firmin and Andre were walking with their dates when they accidentally bumped into each other. They removed their masks and Firmin looked at his friend.

"M'sieur Andre?" He asked as they walked into the opera house.

"M'sieur Firmin!" Andre replied in excitement as they were welcomed by the lovely gold and white and black that surrounded them. Firmin leaned to stand next to his friend before continuing to talk.

"_Dear Andre, what a splendid party!_

_The prologue to a bright new year! _

_Quite a night! I'm impressed!_

_Well, when one does one's best_

_Here's to us! A toast for the city_

_What a pity that the Phantom can't be here!"_

The two colleagues laughed as they walked into the main foyer of their opera house. They went off to find a few drinks for themselves and their dates while everyone was dancing on the floor. They found a small table and laughed as they talked about what they were going to do with the New Year ahead of them.

Soon the cast members of the Opera Populaire, mainly the chorus and few higher singers, arrived and everyone was enthralled by their dancing that introduced their song for tonight's masquerade ball. Of course Monsieur Reyer was in charge of the choreography and orchestra to make sure everything ran smoothly.

"_Masquerade!_

_Paper faces on parade…_

_Masquerade! _

_Hide your face so the world will never find you!_

_Masquerade! _

_Every face a different shade_

_Masquerade! _

_Look around _

_There's another mask behind you!_

_Flash of mauve…splash of puce…_

_Fool and king…ghoul and goose…_

_Green and black..Queen and priest…_

_Trace and rouge…face of beast…_

_Faces…_

_Take your turn, take a ride on the merry-go-round…_

_In an inhuman race…_

_Eye of gold…thigh of blue…_

_True is false… who is who…? _

_Curl of lip…swirl of gown…_

_Ace of hearts…face of clown…_

_Faces…_

_Drink it in, drink it up, till you've drowned_

_In the light…_

_In the sound…_

_But who can name the face…_

_Masquerade!_

_Grinning yellows, spinning reds…_

_Masquerade! _

_Take your fill_

_Let the spectacle astound you!_

_Masquerade! _

_Burning glances, turning heads…_

_Masquerade! _

_Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you! _

_Masquerade! _

_Seething shadows, breathing lies…_

_Masquerade!_

_You can fool any friend who ever knew you!_

_Masquerade!_

_Leering satyrs, peering eyes…_

_Masquerade!_

_Run and hide_

_But a face will still pursue you!" _

Firmin and Andre stopped Carlotta, Piangi and Antoinette Giry along with her daughter Meg and Raoul DeChagny and decided to join them in tonight's celebration. As they shook the men's hands and kissed the women's knuckles they all laughed together as Carlotta and Piangi began to sing with the group joining in all together soon afterwards.

"_What a night! _

_What a crowd! _

_Makes you proud!_

_All the crème de la crème!_

_Watching us watching them!_

_And all our fears are in the past! _

_Three months…_

_Of relief!_

_Of delight!_

_Of Elysian peace!_

_And we can breathe at last!_

_No more notes! _

_No more ghosts!_

_Here's to health!_

_Here's a toast: to a prosperous year!_

_To all our friends that can hear! _

_To the new chandelier _

_And may its splendor never fade!_

_Three months! _

_What a joy!_

_What a change! _

_What a blessed release! _

_And what a masquerade!" _

The group laughed with one and each other while Raoul kept an eye on everything and everyone around him. He was sure that he will find a way to get Meg to give him more information sooner or later if he had any say in the matter.

Christine and Erik finally made it inside the opera house and Christine pulled Erik off to the side as she realized the meaning of all that they have been through—they were actually courting!

"Think of it! A secret courtship! Look—your future fiancée! Just think of it!" Christine grinned at Erik as she told him of her discovery. Erik knew all along that what they did would be considered courting to society, and they both acted as if they were courting, but they never spoke of it and he did have plans to ask her in the proper way soon this week. However, he still wanted everyone to know that she was his in some way or another. He didn't want anyone trying to take her away from him with lies and threats.

"But why is it secret? What have we to hide? You promised me…" Erik leaned down to kiss Christine as he reminded her of so long ago when she promised him that she would never hide anything about them ever again. He remembered her vow of love and he will never forget that even after he dies.

"No Erik, please don't do this. They'll see," Christine became anxious of the distance between the two of them. She looked around to see if anyone had taken notice of what the two of them were doing in plain sight. But thankfully for Christine it seemed as if they have gone unnoticed. Erik, on the other hand, was not faltered by Christine's reasoning as he kissed her neck.

"Well then let them see. It's a courtship, not a crime! Christine what are you afraid of," Erik cooed in her ear as they walked towards the dance floor.

"_Let's not argue/Let's not argue_

_Please pretend…You will…/I can only hope I'll..._

_Understand in time!" _

Erik and Christine finally made it to the dance floor and Erik swept Christine into a waltz as the music played on. For the five minutes that they danced no one else in the room mattered and it seemed as if they were the only two in the world. They spun and danced around the room without a care in the world and finished were they began at ending the dance with a long kiss as they watched the entertainment finish their song as they smiled and laughed.

"_Masquerade! _

_Paper faces on parade! _

_Masquerade!_

_Hide your face so the world will never find you! _

_Masquerade! _

_Every face a different shade!_

_Masquerade! _

_Look around_

_There's another mask behind you! _

_Masquerade!_

_Burning glances turning heads…_

_Masquerade!_

_Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you! _

_Masquerade! _

_Grinning yellows, spinning reds…_

_Masquerade!_

_Take your fill—_

_Let the spectacle astound you! _

_Masquerade!"_

The song ended on a high note and everyone in the crowd cheered. Erik and Christine went over to a counter to get something to drink. Christine ended up choosing a chilled tea and Erik chose a stronger type of brandy that Christine had never heard of. After they found a place to sit Christine watched Erik sip at the brandy in his glass. She found it strange that the waiter only filled the glass up a third way and was curious about the brown substance in the crystal glass.

Erik sipped away at the brandy noticing how much easier it was to do normal human things with this different mask on. He appreciated the freedoms that came along with it and looked over at Christine. Even through her mask he was able to notice that she was curious about what he was doing and he only assumed that it was the drink that she was eyeing so carefully. He titled the glass in her direction before speaking.

"Do you want to try the brandy Christine? I'm sure you have never had a sip of alcohol in your life!" Erik teased her as he watched her eye the drink again. Christine nodded and took a sip of the strong drink and immediately scrunched up her nose as she felt the alcohol burn her throat even from the small amount she allotted in her mouth!

"Thank you Erik, but I think I will stick to drinking my tea from now on," Christine said as politely as possible which earned her a booming laugh from Erik in return. The couple sat there as they watched the dancing couples and singers, clapping when appropriate. But soon after the final singer for tonight was over and Erik was finished telling Christine how she herself was far better than any other sing er tonight, Meg came bounding over to their table with Raoul following closely after her.

Meg and Christine hugged and chatted while Erik and Raoul held a very civil (and tense) conversation about politics, the opera house, and many other aristocratic conversation topics. After a while Erik stood up and excused himself for the bathroom to which Christine nodded. She knew however that he wasn't really going to be using the bathroom and prepared herself for tonight's **real **entertainment that was going to begin shortly.


	12. Why So Silent?

Chapter 12: Why So Silent?

Christine continued talking to Meg as Erik left for the "restroom". Christine knew that she and Meg had not been as close as they used to be recently and she felt saddened by that. Thankfully though they would be able to talk for a little while now.

Raoul sat in complete and utter boredom as he watched the two ladies in front of him gossip about their childhood together here and at Madame Giry's home. Raoul could not care less about what flowers they picked or the kind of cookies they baked. All he wanted was some form of entertainment to keep his mind off of Christine's bust that was very visible in the dress she was wearing. He knew that if Meg were to leave them alone, and he was certain that she wouldn't; damn that girl, then he would flirt with Christine and not let her leave him this time.

Just as the music began to end everyone was astounded to see an ominous figure standing at the top of the staircase in front of them. The tall masculine figure wearing a black suit was wearing a half faced white leather mask and then everyone knew—the Phantom of the Opera made his appearance after so many months! Everyone became instantly frightened and back away a couple of steps as he drew into the main foyer. For a long time no one made a sound as they watched the Phantom stand there.

Erik, on the other hand, had enough of their bitter silence and took a step downward the staircase as he began to address the entire crowd of people standing before him. Most of the men were shaking slightly with the women trembling behind their dates. However, Carlotta Guidicelli was one of the few women that included Christine, Meg and Antoinette who did not hide.

"_Why so silent, good messieurs?_

_Did you think that I had left you for good?_

_Have you missed me, good messieurs?_

_I have written you an opera!_

_Here I bring the finished score_

'_Don Juan Triumphant!"_

Once Erik had reached the bottom of the staircase he threw the score down at the feet of the managers and pulled out his sword. He heard many gasps escape from quite a few of the women in the audience and was surprised that he heard some men squeal as well—the bastards weren't worthy to be called "men" if they can't even hold in that they were frightened in front of women. What use was a man if he can't control his emotions during battle?

Erik bowed to his audience with only his head and held his sword in both his hands. He now had to let everyone know who it was that actually ran this opera house, who made it the success it is today! He kept his cool, powerful, demeanor as he continued on with his performance.

"_Fondest greetings to you all! _

_A few instructions just before rehearsal starts:_

_Carlotta must be taught to act, not her normal trick _

_Of strutting round the stage._

_Our Don Juan must lose some weight—_

_It's not healthy in a man of Piangi's age. _

_And my managers must learn that their place is in an office, not the arts"_

Erik walked over to Carlotta and Piangi and telling his strict instructions for how his opera is to directed. To emphasize Carlotta's excessive need for the spotlight he rustled the hat that reminded him of a Shahbanu, the wife of a shah's, hat. The jewels twinkled in the light as his sword messed with them and Carlotta uttered a toad-like gasp from her mouth in astonishment. Erik had to hold himself from rolling his eyes at the most stupid scene that she was making of herself and continued on to Piangi.

The large, obese, man was standing his ground to Erik. This pleased Erik as he realized that he was acting like a true man should—nevertheless, Erik knew just how to put fear into anyone that he wished to. He began to tell Piangi the instructions for his role as the leading male in his opera and pushed the tip of his sword into Piangi's stomach as a warning and a good way of insulting the man of the wife that never does as she is told. The man nodded his head in understanding and Erik continued on to the two older men to his left that called themselves the managers. Erik laughed internally as he realized just how much they looked like idiots now—Andre's costume as a chicken was given justice for the way he was acting right now.

As he made his way to the two men that held the title of "owners" of his opera house Erik pointed his sword at their faces to emphasize that the only useful thing they could do for the musical arts is to stay in their offices and sign the pay checks and bills—that's it, all they should be able to do is the paper work, but even then Erik wished he could do just that so that he could have complete control of his opera house. It killed him that he wasn't perfect, otherwise he would be running the Opera Populaire much more efficiently than these two men ever could. But alas the show must go on and Erik continued with his instructions.

"_As for our star, Miss Christine Daae…_

_No doubt she'll do her best—it's true her voice is good_

_She knows, though, should she wish to excel _

_She has much still to learn, if pride will let her return to me_

_Her teacher, her teacher…" _

Christine played her role exactly as how Erik explained to her. She knew that everyone else would be lividly terrified to see the opera ghost in flesh and so she mirrored how she had seen all the other women react. She looked into a mirror and for a second she truly believed that she was actually frightened to death of her Erik. But never once did she break her facade.

When Erik had called her name above the crowd she looked up to see his eyes piercing into hers. For a while she stared back at him as if he were the only other person in the room. In that moment she knew that no one else mattered but him, and dear god how grateful was she that they were courting now. After such a long time of waiting he had finally wanted to take their relationship further! Christine finally understood the virtue of patience and how rewarding its outcome could be!

Christine then felt a shift in the way Erik was talking and she felt an internal pull that tugged her into Erik's direction. It was amazing how it felt to feel oneself have this underlying need to be near the one that a person loved more than their own life. As she slowly made her way to her Erik she watched at how his breathing quickened ever so slightly and she saw the silent message of love in his eyes, and dare she say an apology? Before she had too much time to dwell into that second message Erik's voice rang with a power most people were frightened of.

"_Your chains are still mine!_

_You belong to me!" _

Erik hissed as he grabbed Christine's ring from her neck and made his way back to where he started from. He saw the frightened look on his Christine's face and it tore his heart, but then he remembered what he had told her to do and the pride he held for her swelled inside his heart.

As he finally made it back to the Opera Populaire's insignia at the top of the staircase he threw one of his homemade smoke bombs onto the floor next to him and opened the secret trap that led him to a storage area underneath the main foyer. He heard many screams from above but never once did he think that the little Vicomte would follow after him.

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The opera ghost had finally made an appearance and Raoul embedded the picture of him down to great detail. Raoul was angered by the Phantom's appearance, mostly because he saw what the Phantom's presence was doing to Christine right now. Raoul wanted Christine badly and knew that the Phantom was only making the matters worse. He felt his sword at his side and knew that if the Phantom got anywhere near Christine he would feel no qualms about pushing it through the Phantom's heart.

_A heart? _Raoul thought. _If this opera ghost has a heart then that means he is not an opera ghost but a man. A ordinary, regular, and very killable man. What kind of freak poses as an opera ghost and demands a salary every month? I swear to god himself that I will stop this freak from laying a hand on Christine. She will be mine and she will come with me to my home and live with me until I can propose to her and we can get married. Then she and I can produce an heir for the DeChagny legacy. Or maybe four heirs…or more… _

Raoul saw that during his long think about taking Christine to be his, completely, she had done the opposite to what he expected her to do. She was actually walking towards that monster! Raoul heard the way that the man was talking about her, being the leading soprano in his opera, and how she was reacting to his voice. His _voice_. Raoul really believed that someone or something hit him in the back of his head as he realized that this _Phantom _was putting his Christine under a magical spell with his _voice_. Raoul knew that he needed to act quickly before something happened—and then something just happened.

The Phantom had created a distraction with a vast amount of smoke and Raoul started running before he thought of anything through. As he neared the smoke he felt the ground give way underneath him and he jumped into the hole not knowing what laid ahead of him.

As Raoul fell and landed onto his two feet he looked around as saw that there were mirrors everywhere surrounding him. Raoul's head started to hurt as he looked around and only saw himself because he knew that he needed to find this so called "opera ghost" to put an end to him, become a hero, and take Christine for himself. It was obvious that the Phantom had feelings for Christine and it was up to Raoul to put an end to this insane man so that Christine can have her mind set back to normal and she can see just how perfect Raoul was for her and her future.

A flash of red echoed through all the mirrors and Raoul pulled out his sword. The infamous white half mask was then floating behind Raoul's head everywhere and Raoul had to blindly slash out behind him but nothing was there and so Raoul continued his half crazed need to kill the man that was playing tricks against his mind.

Erik watched as the stupid little boy continued in his attempts to hurt himself and shook his head at how easy it would be to kill him—Erik almost pitied the boy's "valiant" attempt. Erik pulled out his Punjab lasso and hung it in the middle of the room, he knew that it wouldn't be too long before the boy's mind went crazed over the torture chamber Erik had built and Erik continued to watch from his safe corner.

Raoul searched everywhere but to no avail the opera ghost was never to be found. He drew closer to the middle to get a good look everywhere. Unknowingly Raoul stood right under Erik's lasso and stood waiting for something to happen.

Erik smiled off in the distance and began to slowly lower the lasso to right above Raoul's head, however fate decided to help Raoul and Erik watched as Antoinette, his adopted sister, _helped _the foul little fop out of his torture chamber. As the two people left Erik was enraged but knew that he must hold the anger back for now and changed his costume back as he returned to the masquerade to keep his identity concealed.

As he entered the building through a secret passageway near the restrooms he quickly made his way back to Christine and hugged her tightly. He pulled her back and said a little louder than normal so that others could hear him as well.

"I'm sorry my dear, I seemed to have lost my way coming back and it took me a while to find out how to get back to the main foyer. I heard many people gossiping on my way here and I was afraid for you so I hurried as fast as I could," Erik told Christine as he kissed her forehead tenderly. Christine caught onto what Erik was doing and hugged him tightly before replying.

"Oh dear god Erik, they were true, but now that you are here I feel safe." Christine said as she pressed herself against her chest. There were many people murmuring in their growing audience, some were "awing" and the others were discussing the events that had just taken place. Christine instantly felt just as uncomfortable as Erik did in the growing crowd and told him that she was growing tired.

Erik smiled down upon his lovely Christine, silently thanking her with his eyes, and decided that it was time for them to leave the party for Christine to get some rest.

Christine knew that she needed to discuss many things with Erik such as how they were going to solve the Phantom issue with him showing himself in public now. She had heard of many unorthodox practices but that was of little concern right now. She also was curious about where Raoul went off to and how Erik was feeling. She leaned her head against his arm as they walked hand and hand back outside the opera house only to walk through Erik's secret entrance back down to his home.

Erik sighed as he began wondering what he was going to do now that he had shown himself as a man. People will want to see him without the mask on but how would he be able to do such a thing without scaring away every person that looked upon the devil's mark.


	13. The Past Comes To Life

Once Christine and Erik reached their home once again Erik settled in his big armchair, put his arms on his knees, and dropped his face into his cupped hands. He didn't know what to do anymore, how was he going to make it now? People have seen him in public, the splendor of the night caused him to forget how to act and now a good handful of people know what his feelings for Christine are. How is he going to handle that now? He'll have to be two separate people—Erik and the Phantom.

Christine saw how distressed Erik was becoming and she walked up to his tense form. She allowed her hand to gently rub his back in the most comforting manner she could produce and after ten minutes of him not talking, not even moving, did she decide to sit on the ground next to him and pressed her head against his knee like she so often did with her father.

Erik looked up to see his angel sitting against his form and he sighed heavily. So much was happening to him and Christine that he just wished Gustave was here again. He had always known what to do in circumstances like this when he was still alive and Erik wished more than anything to bring him back to help guide him and Christine once again through these hard times. Erik knew that he hadn't done many religious things since the death of his good friend, almost father, which helped him regain himself during the dark times of his life. For once in his life Erik prayed without caring who heard or saw him, this was important and he wasn't going to hide any longer.

"Dear god Gustave, please help me figure this out. You helped me figure out the violin, and if you could do that then please just show me how to get out of this mess," Erik whispered into his hands. The man that he once saw as a friend, and Christine as a father, was not exactly here with them but Erik could sense his presence. He always swore that this would have made his skin crawl, knowing the spirit of the man and Christine's father, because he was sure that Gustave would have hated him for the way that he had treated Christine. How he **lied **to her all those years.

But as Erik continued to feel Gustave's presence grow stronger he did not feel any hatred or scorn but love and kindness. Erik looked up half expecting to see Gustave's body translucently floating in front of him and Christine but he was not. Instead a comfortingly feeling encompassed him and instead of a face he heard a voice.

"_Oh my dear boy what has happened to you?" _The warming sound of Gustave Daae's voice weaved its way into Erik's mind and a few tears escaped from Erik's eyes. Erik looked at Christine to see if she was hearing what he was but from the way she was still absently looking off in the distance Erik was sure that she wasn't hearing her father's voice. Erik knew that he didn't actually have to talk aloud so he began to think.

_Gustave I need your help once more_, Erik thought with a little saddened smile. _It seems that your daughter has somehow managed to tame the beast in me and gotten me to go out in public. Forgive me for not asking your permission to court your date, I do not mean to insult you. _

Erik could hear his old friend's laughter fill his head and Erik was relaxed a little more through this.

"_Erik my boy, I have been watching the two of you very intently after my passing. Now I don't approve of lying but what you did for my daughter redeemed yourself, in my eyes, of all your past transgressions. I have seen Christine grow to love you as a father, friend, and then finally a lover. Erik, the reason I chose you as her betrothed was because I knew that you would be able to take care of her better than her old man ever did." _Gustave let out a large sigh as he watched his only child sit at the foot of Erik's figure like she used to do with him before the sickness had taken over him. Neither of them believed that that was how their story would end and Gustave felt horrible for all the pain that he caused his daughter those many years before Erik had made his presence known. 

Erik pressed his lips together as he felt the first signs of tears form at the corners of his eyes, but for now he knew that he was going to hold them at bay. There was so much more to discuss with Christine's father about tonight and their future. Then the sudden image of the Raoul boy popped into Erik's head and he knew that he needed to ask Gustave about him.

_Gustave do you know anything about a boy called Raoul? Christine has briefly mentioned to me that she knew him during her childhood so I assumed that you had met the boy at some point as well. Please, I need to know everything that you know about him. It's the upmost importance for me to know everything so I can protect Christine. _

Gustave sighed once more as he rubbed his eyes, yes he had seen everything that was transpiring between Raoul DeChagny and Christine and he was very disappointed in the way that the young boy was turning out to become. He was never that way when he was younger. As he looked at the way Christine clutched herself to Erik Gustave knew that he had to tell Erik everything and he wasn't sure that Erik was going to like what he was going to hear. Now they _are _just rumors but there is too much coincidences in them that makes Gustave think there's more to the story.

"_When Christine was six we were in rough times, money was scarce and my faith in humanity was slowly deteriorating because none took pity on us even when it was winter. So every day I trudged through the snow to my usual corner and I began to play as passionately as I possibly could on my violin to attract any passerby's. None came for hours on end but one man took pity on me and handed me enough francs that would last me and Christine two whole weeks. The man smiled as he handed me the money and began to speak to me._

'_Sir, I have a generous proposition for you' the man started to talk to me. At the time I grew weaery of anybody I had met on the streets so I took a good look at him. I could tell by the way that he had dressed that he was of the higher class and I stared at the money contemplating about declining his offer and make my way back to Christine. _

'_Before you leave monsieur I promise you that if you accept the proposition then you and your child would have a roof over your heads, access to two servants and more money from where that came from.' I knew that I couldn't get my hopes up with this man, I've heard too many tales of which different men said the same things to weary travelers and then took them through alleys and beat them to death—I would not and could not leave Christine to fend for herself._

_I guess the man saw the doubt in my eyes and he handed me a card with his name and address on it. I studied it for a few minutes and when I felt that it was not a fake I thanked him for it. On the top of the card held the name Vincent William DeChagny._

'_Please feel free to come to my home when you and your child are ready. If you tell a carriage driver that you are going to the DeChagny home I will pay for the ride to my home.'_

_I nodded and began to watch him walk away, but curiosity burned deeply inside me and I couldn't stop myself from running after the man to ask exactly why he wanted my services at his home. _

_The Monsieur DeChagny looked at me then and smiled. 'I have a son who's eight and has taken accustomed to loving the sound of a violin. He told me that he wants to learn how to play it and I feel that you would be the best tutor possible. I have heard great things about you Gustave Daae and I know that you would not fail in teaching my son.'_

_Of course I accepted the job because I needed the money to help ensure Christine has a good future and the count treated us exceptionally better than most people would treat a tutor. We were given two rooms for ourselves with a bathroom for each of us. The countess, who had lost a baby at the time, spoiled Christine with mannerism and etiquette lessons for her to become a proper lady of society. The countess believed that all ladies should act the same despite their ranking in the social circle of France. _

_As part of the agreement I had taught their son, Raoul, how to play the violin. I knew immediately that he was not a natural musician because when he played it lacked passion that I know that Christine uses to sing and you do to play the organ Erik._

Erik blushed at the compliment that he received from Gustave and continued listening intently to his guardian. Erik didn't realize how close of a relationship the Daae's and DeChagny's had before she arrived at the opera house and continued to listen to the tale.

_However Raoul and Christine grew close to one another as they grew up for several months in the same home. Christine had a knack for finding herself in situations that she should not involve herself in and the result ending up being that Raoul too had become curious of Christine. For many weeks I watched how Raoul grew protective of Christine and normally any father would be proud to have a noble take interest into his daughter. However, I grew to despise it because I knew that Christine had a free spirit and did not deserve to be forced into settling down with a future she has no knowledge of. _

_I decided it was time for Vincent to be aware of his son's advancements upon my daughter and so I decided to discuss the matter with him in his office— I have learned that if the listener is comfortable it causes him to be more compliant in negotiations. I am sure I have taught you that in the past yes? Well anyway, I told Vincent that I was not very happy about how his son was controlling my daughter and he began to __**laugh**__. I tried not to let my anger get to the best of me so I took a deep breath and waited. _

'_Oh Gustave you know how young boys are, they like to show their women how thing swill be. No harm is being done except that your Christine is learning her place for when she becomes Raoul's wife.' Vincent told me as he drank his brandy at his desk. I was infuriated and called him many sinful things, although I regrettably do not apologize for anything I said to him. I stood up and walked out of the door without turning around to see his face—though I am guessing it was one of shock. _

_I went outside to find Christine and told her we must leave. Luckily by that time I had earned well more than enough payment and was able to buy ourselves a small home and was able to snag a small home by the sea for my darling daughter. _Gustave looked down at his daughter who was now sleeping and softly stroked her hair. Although no one could see him do the act he saw in Christine's smile that lightened her face that she knew subconsciously that her father was there protecting her.

_I knew however, that our money would not be able to sustain us for the rest of our lives so I went and auditioned for a spot as a violinist at the Opera Populaire. One day after returning from a practice I had heard little ballerina girls laughing and giggling about gypsy's here in Paris. However Antoinette who was at the time the prima ballerina, who must have been in her teens back then, was clearly distressed. I was the only one she ever talked to and she confided in me about a boy she had saved from a cruel fate and she needed my help. I think you know the rest of the story from there my boy. _

Erik nodded as he grew to realize that the boy was indeed himself. He sighed as he remembered the rest of the story—how the stranger had come to him and Erik was surprised to see that he was not alarmed in the slightest of the Devil's Child. Erik remembered how the older man cared for him, clothed him, fed him, taught him the music of the night and gave him vast amounts of books in order to let Erik further his education at his own pace. He remembered Gustave giving away his daughter to him on his deathbed and him begging Erik to promise to take care of his daughter. Erik held Christine's hand tighter at the thought and caressed her hair.

But something kept nagging him. The countess spoiled Christine at a time of her greatest need and he could not help but need to thank this woman in some way possible. Why he wanted to thank this woman for a deed that had been done so many years ago, he didn't know. All he knew was that he wanted to repay her for probably helping Christine during a dark time, but in order to do that first he needed to know the woman's name.

"Can you tell me her name, the countess that helped Christine?" Erik thought to himself and waited for Gustave's reply.

_Elisabeth Bellerose was her maiden name before she became Elisabeth DeChagny. She—_

Erik growled in anger as he cut off Gustave's answer. He knew that name, he would recognize that woman's name anywhere. He knew this woman quite well and he was not pleased that she was being brought back into his life once more.

"Did Elisabeth have raven black hair, dark blue eyes, hourglass figure and alabaster skin?" Erik growled and groaned at the same time. The pain in his voice was evident which is probably why Gustave was hesitant that first to answer him.

_Ye-ye-yes she did. How do you know this woman? Did you come across of her? I'm sure she is one of the few that treated you with the upmost kindest like she did with my Christine. _

Erik laughed for a second, not the happy lovely laugh that Christine loved to hear more than she loved to breathe oxygen. No, this laugh was mocking and very sarcastic.

"I know her—no I knew this woman, but not anymore—because this woman is my mother." Erik suddenly remembered all the stories that he heard growing up in the village that despised him and all the stories of his mother's valiant attempts to destroy him. Yes, Erik knew that entire story but it is not the type of story that he ever wished to recount even to Gustave.

_Erik I know that this is a story you do not wish to tell me, but I do believe that you should let Christine know of this woman. Her son is making advances on her and it is very much obvious that she is taken to you. If Raoul ever finds out about you it could be dangerous not only for you but for Christine too. She needs to know about this story. Please tell her for my sake, I know that she has an innocent heart but she must know of the world's cruelties at some point in her life. She cannot grow up in a fairy tale anymore. _

Erik nodded and tried to compose himself once again. All the pain and suffering that his mother inflicted upon him as soon as he was born returned to him all at once and it almost become overbearing for his soul. He looked down at Christine and stroked her cheek gently as he thought of how simple life could be if people never did bad things. He sighed and kissed her forehead as he lifted her up in his arms and carried her back to his swan bed and laid her underneath the red satin blankets. He could not go to sleep yet and so he sat at his desk as he slowly and shakily pulled out a small worn down brown journal hidden in a secret compartment.

Inside the journal there were many entries made by a small child's hand. That small child wrote in the journal from age five to age eight—right before he was captured and taken to the gypsy's. For three years the child wrote every day in his journal about his days and what he did and learned. He would also account what his mother did to him for that day and Erik peered down and noticed small red dots that would cover some of the more grizzly entries. Erik closed his eyes as he realized that the red dots were his own blood from the punishments that his mother inflicted upon him.

Erik opened it back up to the first page and started to read everything once again, feeling his heart clench tightly against his chest as his past came back to life. Every whip, every slap, every cut and cruel act his mother inflicted on him became sharper once again and Erik could not help but cry when he finished the journal. He cried for his lost childhood and he cried for others in the same situation as him and mostly Erik cried for the loss of humanity.


	14. The Truth Is Revealed

**Wow! I cannot believe how many people are enjoying my first story! I cannot tell you all how much it means to me! However, I do regret to say that with school coming up, and I going back on the 25****th**** to finish my last year of high school (SENIOR year baby!) updating might becoming a weekend thing.**

**To anyone who is wondering/asking me I WILL be following the 2004 storyline and ending this story in a fashion of the 2004's ending and might I add that it will of most epic proportions.**

**Please continue to review the story and/or chapters that I upload! Because you know what that means, my most loyal readers, more chapters are uploaded! **

**Your obedient servant,**

**PhantomsAngel1870**

Chapter 14: The Graveyard

Christine awoke more refreshed than she had felt in a while, after seeing her Erik acct the way he did last night hurt her heart and it hurt even worse because she did not know what she could do to help him. But knowing her strange angel, sometimes it was the smallest things she did that he loved, therefore she sat beside him and leaned on him to let him know that she was not going to leave him in the state that he was currently in.

As she sat up in Erik's bed she began to think about what had transpired last night. She remembered watching the stress take its toll on Erik and how he crumpled in his chair was self-evident that he needed some help. Even though Christine gave all the love she could give she knew that he needed more than just that, he needed guidance. So as she sat there she prayed to God begging Him to give Erik help in the best way possible. It wasn't seconds later until she heard him praying as well and then it happened.

Christine felt the air of the room change, it was still the same cool temperature that the lake permeated but there was a new glow in the dark, and she knew that it could only be her father. As Christine allowed her body to relax against Erik's leg she basked in the moment of feeling her father all around her once again. She could feel his love and warmth encompass her and she felt as ease with the situation at hand because she knew that her father was going to take care of Erik.

She heard Erik grow silent as she felt her father's presence in the room and she took advantage and closed her eyes to feel closer to the two men who mean the world to her. But as she spoiled herself with this she felt her body relax and fall into the most comfortable sleep she had felt since her parents were still alive, and that brings her back to this point.

As she sat herself up in the red satin covered bed she looked over and saw Erik sitting at his desk with his flawless side facing her. Christine looked closer at the extraordinary man before her and saw that there was a single line of tears coming out of his eye and Christine's nurturing side immediately told her to go and comfort her Erik as he had done for her all those years. So without a second thought or hesitance she got out of his, _their?_, bed and placed her hands on his shoulders.

Christine watched for some kind of reaction and when she saw none come out of Erik she began to slowly massage his shoulders. As she felt some of the tension loosen in his shoulders and neck she heard a soft moan escape from Erik's lips and she smiled because she knew that she was helping him. That's all she ever wanted to do. So for a while she continued on in her job of relaxing Erik and once she felt his shoulders and neck relax she continued down his back and finally his arms. Once her ministrations were completed she could tell that whatever was stressing him was somewhat soothed for now.

Christine sat back down on the bed trying to figure out what she was going to do with herself for this day when Erik came and sat down next to her. Because of the newly added weight right next to her on the bed Christine felt herself unintentionally being pulled against Erik's side, not that she minded at all, and relaxed herself there. After a while of silence Christine pulled herself up a little to look at Erik.

"Erik? Are you alright?" Christine asked as she saw his eyes perk up to hers as she spoke his name. His deep blue eyes swarmed with a vast amount of emotions before he shook his head and the blue eyes retained the stoic quality once more. Christine heard Erik clear his throat before he began to talk.

"No I mean yes I am alright, as you put it. I am actually trying to find the best way to tell you something that I discovered last night, and I am not sure how you will handle this new information. There is so much that you do not yet know and I am afraid you will not like what I have to say." Erik said sadly near the end, oh what he would give just to have Christine not angered with him after the end of this conversation.

Christine watched him curiously and decided to place her hand on top of his. At the touch she saw Erik looked up at her and Christin knew that she had to choose her words very wisely.

"No matter what happens, what is said or done, I will always be here for you. I will not stop loving you because of secrets you have yet to share with me. Never forget this Erik," Christine vowed to the man before her. She saw hope and love glimmer and shine in Erik's eyes and wished for that to never go away.

Erik sat there, still slightly hesitant to come forth and share the news of the information that he had been seeking to discover for a while now. _How can I explain to her how I had heard her father tell me all of this information that will forever change all of our lives? How will she react to that? What will she say when she finds out that I know, well knew, her father. Oh dear god, then she will ask more questions and then she will find out that we are betrothed. I never wanted her to find out about that, I wanted her to share her life with me because she wanted to, not out of some need of obligation for her father's last request. But I will need to warn her about my mother—no, she is not my mother anymore. I do not care if she birthed me. She is no longer of __**any **__relation to me now. Now she is just Elisabeth. _

Erik sighed and looked at Christine, he knew that she is the only person that he could trust in this world and now he had to entrust in her some deep and hidden secrets of his past. But what would be the best way of doing this? It had all started so many years ago and so many things had happened in that time span that he needed her to know but he couldn't talk for that long. So in the end he decided to hand her the small worn leather journal and told her to read it.

"Please Christine, this is all I can offer you for now as an explanation. There are things in this journal that I could never speak aloud and so I have to forfeit the storytelling to my younger self all the years ago. If you have any questions please do not be afraid to ask but please refrain from asking them until you read the entirety of this—my childhood." As Erik finally let the leather bound remnants of his childhood completely slip form his fingers Erik watched as Christine held it carefully but tightly as to never let it leave her grasp.

Erik nodded once, his formal gestures never left him, and began to leave the room. As he made it to the doorway he barely heard an audible, but quiet, "thank you" come from Christine's whispered lips. He kept himself from turning around and finding sanctuary in her wonderful arms but forced himself to continue looking onto the lake. He realized that he must have been holding his breath because he let out an audible gasp and whispered laced with agony, "oh Christine" as he left her to her reading as he found what sanctuary he could at his organ.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Christine watched as Erik walked away after handing her a journal of his from his past. She looked at the leather bound cover and saw initials: E.D.. She guessed that the first initial E was intended to be shortened for Erik but she was still unsure what his last name was. That was her first question that she had for him, well she has had it for a while and has been holding it back as to not anger him, and with this inquiry she decided to open up the mysterious journal and begin he descent into Erik's childhood.

The first entry that she opened up to was dated to February 7, 1850. Christine looked at the perfect calligraphy writing before her and began reading the first entry.

_My dearest friend, _

_Today is my ninth birthday and one of the maids has bought this for me. You will be my dearest and closest friend because everyone else is afraid of me. I try to get them to understand that just because my face is of likeliness of the devil, it does not mean that the devil has reached my heart. But they always shift their eyes away and mother refuses to hug me, she is afraid that my face will smear against her skin and cause her own body to be marked by the devil. _

_It is too cold for me to wander around the grounds outside like I usually do to stay away from all the people in the house. I prefer the animal's company to the one of humans because they do not judge too quickly like everyone I have met so far. My papa is always in his office and I never get to see him anymore—but when I do see him he always pats my head and smiles down upon me, I wish he was here right now. _

_I wish I could be normal for my mother, I want to be handsome so that she would be able to love me again but I fear that this abomination of a face that I have will prevent me from ever find a true love. Earlier I had gone out into the hallway to seek the kitchen to obtain something to eat because I had not eaten since the night before and my mother had caught me. _

_She had immediately pulled me back in here and spanked me and whipped me with father's belt for stepping outside of my room. I am afraid to go out there, my dearest friend, but I know that I need to face my fears if I am ever to stay alive in this personal hell of mine. _

_Sincerely, _

_Erik D._

Christine was unaware that she had begun to cry while reading the depressing entry that her Erik had written in this journal at only nine years old. _Nine years old! _To make sure that her tears did not ruin the fragile papers in front of her Christine quickly wiped them away and tried to make sense of everything. It seemed completely irrational that his mother would react in the way that she did when faced with the fact that her child had a facial deformity. She knew that if she were to bear Erik's child that she would love the little babe whether or not it was physically deformed. For a moment Christine caught where her thoughts were leading and blushed for a moment as she thought about having children with Erik.

Her instincts told her to immediately seek out Erik and embrace him and never let him go. But her rational side told her that she was completely sure that Erik would interrupt her behavior as a sign of pity and that is something that neither of them wanted from other people, they both just wanted love and she knew that she was going to give him so much love that it will make up from all the indiscretions of the people from his past.

Christine sighed shakily and continued on in her reading, after reading about six months' worth of entries about his various inventions, adventures, musical discoveries, architectural designs, magical talents and the punishments that he suffered daily from his mother along with every other page containing small to large amounts of blood spots Christine finally began to understand the man in the other room. However a new entry caught the attention of Christine and she stopped and read it a couple of times before making any accusations.

The journal was dated on April 5th, 1951 and the coincidences that Christine discovered shocked her more than she believed was possible.

_My dearest friend, _

_I write in you once again. It is raining deeply outside and I am now of ten years since my birthday of February seventh. I have seen my mother's stomach grow progressively larger over the lengths of these past eight months and I have been extremely curious to know why but I knew that it would be bad of me to ask such things of her, my tutors have told me to never ask a woman of her age or of her weight—both are considered extremely and highly rude. _

_But as I sit here on my small and simple bed I cannot keep the screams from my mother out of my head. I have tried several times to place my head underneath my pillow and to play my music but nothing is ever loud enough to engulf the screams of my mother's pain—she may hate me but I do not like to see her in pain._

_Wait, my dear friend, I hear crying now. My mother's voice is easily recognized but now it is accompanied by a higher pitched and smaller voice. What is it that is screaming so loudly and such off key?_

_A maid has just ran in here out of her breath, to which I handed her a glass of water and I waited until she was done with it, and heard her inform me of the baby that has just arrived. I stood there for five minutes I am guessing in complete shock, my friend. _

_I know of babies, what they are and how they work but I am still unsure as to how they are made. I asked the maid if I was allowed to see the baby and the maid looked at me for a second before pardoning herself to discuss the matter with my father and mother. I was surprised to see my father come in and escort me himself to see my new baby brother. I had never seen my mother so happy before and it was self-evident how much more she loved this baby more than she could ever love me._

_My father had led me to what he called a crib, but in my mind it looked more like a cage, that held the newest addition to our family. He told me that I was now a big brother and it was my job to protect the little one now, I nodded to my father. I reached down to touch one my baby brother's round cheeks when my mother came out of nowhere and grabbed the baby screaming at me to not touch her Raoul._

_I am so sorry._

_Sincerely, _

_Erik D._

Christine accidentally let the journal fall out of her hands as the shock hit her. Erik D…DeChagny! _Oh dear god that means that he is in fact Raoul's brother! Oh my goodness I would have never guessed, but dear god why was I never informed of this by Erik or especially Raoul! He should be aware of such family matters and it was terribly wrong of him to keep such things from me. But God if he knew that I knew about the Phantom of the Opera and frequently visited said Phantom, who knows what horrors I will face from Raoul's hand. But if Raoul knew that the Phantom was his legitimate brother then all charges that Erik has on him could be cleared. _

Christine continued to think about her plan to help Erik. She despised Raoul more than she ever had now because she knew that he had been keeping very large secrets away from her for a very long time, even when they were children! She shook her head, still fuming with anger, and continued to read on in Erik's life. She read about how he had to watch Raoul grow up from a distance to ensure that his mother would not lay a finger on him for even breathing the same air as Raoul, he watched how his mother showered Raoul with gifts and voluminous books—now she understood why he despised Raoul so much as soon as he heard his name. It was all beginning to make sense now.

A year passed on Erik's journal before another shocking revelation was founded on May 15th, 1953.

_My dearest friend,_

_I know not when I shall see you again for I have decided that living in this mansion full of money and looks is not the life for me anymore. It was never the life that I would have chosen. I long to be in the world full of music, laughter, dancing, designing, and bringing happiness to those less fortunate than I. It seems that I have long passed my stay of welcome in my own home and I now leave it all for my younger brother Raoul. I regret knowing that I shall never get to know him as an older brother should—a mentor, guider, protector, friend…but nevertheless he shall make plenty of those soon enough. _

_It seems that my mother has taken no notice of me not being around as frequently as I had in the past and I have taken this opportunity to slowly prepare myself for the journey of finding someplace that I shall call home. Do not fear for me, the journey may be long and tiresome but there is a welcoming home out there for me, I shall find this home that I am destined to be at somehow or another and I will welcome it with open arms. _

_I shall leave tonight around midnight to start my trek towards the city of Paris where it is said that one will find an abundance of opportunities for talents that I have seen to possess. It is my goal to go work for the well renowned Opera Populaire and slowly walk myself up the ladder until I am the owner of the grand palace for music. Once I own the Opera Populaire I shall make it twice as extraordinary as it currently is. _

_Sincerely,_

_Erik D._

Christine wanted to know what happened after that, did he make it here perfectly? Where there any more of his journeys that she was unaware of? As she turned the page she noticed that it was the end of the journal but there were a few loosed leaf papers that substituted for those that were not sewn into the binding. She curiously looked at the date which was significantly longer than those of the papers that were bound into the journal and read the first letter that was closest to the last date in the journal

The paper was dated to be July 19th, 1858 and it did not possess his normal greeting, Christine knew that things must have happened to have caused that to stop.

_I am under the opera house, and safe. Antoinette told me that it would benefit if I write out how I am feeling but I am confused as to how that will help me? It will only cause the wound to reopen if I ever have to read this again, but for her sake I will appease and do as she says._

_For the past three years I have been in the care of a caravan of gypsies. As I remember writing when I was younger I had promised to make it to Paris to start my career in music. Well along the way I was stopped by gypsy's and taken aboard as one of their attractions. For three years the only purpose I served was to frighten anyone who dared to look upon "The Devil's Child". Javert, my "master", beat me every day and when I thought he wasn't around I began to sing because it reminded me of home and I had much rather wanted to be there instead of this cage I am in. This cage that held nothing but a small pile of hay and a bag for me to place over my face. _

_So for three years I made Javert money and traveled all over the continent. One week we stayed in Paris and I saw a girl, who later I knew to be Antoinette, show me kindness and help me escape after I finally found a way to dispatch of Javert. We both knew that she would not be able to be with me constantly so I was greeted to her closest and most trusted advisor, father figure, Gustave Daae. _

_For the next four years Gustave mentored me when he could, leaving his daughter in the care of their neighbor. He brought me food, water, clothes, books, instruments and sheet music. Anything that I needed was taken care of and in return I decided I will pay him generously no matter how much he refuses. Sometimes when he would kindly refuse it and place it in front of me I would sneak it into his jacket pocket and he wouldn't notice it until he returned home. I want to repay the man that helped me regain some sense of the small amount of humanity that was left in me. _

Christine flipped the paper over which held a letter dated December 24th, 1859: the day of her father's death.

_I do not know what I shall do now with my life. Antoinette has only just now returned from the countryside after the passing of her husband, and I am not too sure that I will warmly embrace her back into my life now, and Gustave has passed into the next life. Without Gustave here to guide me anymore I do not know what I can do with myself. _

_It was too hard to bear to walk into his home late that night, sitting next to the fever stricken man and listening to him talk about this Angel of Music that he had always told his daughter, Christine, about when she was frightened or sad. He looked me deep in the eyes and made me promise him that I will take care and watch after his daughter. After I swore my life onto the duty it seemed to make Gustave relax a little bit, and the poor man looked drained of almost all of his energy. _

_Once more he looked me deeply in the eyes, I almost feared that the gaze would pierce whatever was left of my soul, and told me that he wanted to give his daughter away to me. He understood that the two of us have never met but he knew from the start that there would be no better and truer match in all of Paris. He told him that he had watched me carefully and he felt that his daughter would be completely safe and loved in my care. I thanked him, for that was all I could do at the moment. All too soon I heard someone walking towards the door and hid in the shadows. _

_I saw Antoinette sit down with a girl who must have been around twelve—if this was his daughter then we would have an eight year age difference! But I guess this will not be so bad once she grows up. I continued to watch the exchange of words between the father and daughter and soon a feeling protectiveness came over me, I am not sure how or where it came from but I feel a need to watch over this younger girl that I barely even now. Nevertheless, I vow to watch her and protect her and soon I hope she will come to love me and look past my horrible face to judge me for who I really am, not what I look like. _

Christine cried more than ever now, silently though as to not alarm Erik, because when she was little she had always thought that her father had sent her the Angel of Music, and now it seems that she couldn't have been closer to the truth! Her father may not have sent her an actual angel but when she was given Erik it was more than what she would have ever imagined in her time of grief.

As she thought back to all the days she had been at the opera house she realized that he was always there to protect her, no matter what she went or did she was never harmed despite the constant warnings of danger from Madame Giry, the corps de ballet, and the managers. If she was sad candy would appear on her bed beneath her pillow, and if she was shining with happiness she would find a red rose with a black ribbon that was later used to show how pleased he was with her.

Christine didn't realize how much he was a part of her life all because of her father and now she knew what she desperately needed to do. So with a new found determination Christine walked gracefully to Erik who she found hunched over, deep in thought on a new work he was writing. Christine watched him for a while before clearing her throat to announce her presence in the gentlest way she could think possible without frightening him too much.

She saw Erik jump slightly at the disturbance, and she softly laid her hand on his shoulder. He turned slightly and looked at Christine, she could tell that he was frightened because his eyes gave it all away. Christine smiled softly and held his hand as she leaned down to ask him the one question that she decided was the most important.

"Erik, can I please go visit my father in the cemetery?".

**Who all thought the question was going to be something else? If you have your own questions about anything you read today feel free to message me/review and I will personally answer any and all of the questions. **

**How is Erik going to react to this question? How is Christine going to cope the next time if she sees Raoul? How is Erik and Christine's relationship going to be now that she knows everything?**


	15. Journey To The Cemetery

**(A/N)**

**ErikaDailmoreThePhantomess: To answer your questions, I really do believe that Erik knew Christine's father on a more personal level because due to Gustave's need for money at the time it would have led him to the one place in Paris that is known for its musical arts: The Opera Populaire, and a friendship between the two men grew over a common passion of music. On the second question, it's more of what I was able to pick up in the movie. These are two very stubborn young men, who know plenty about mannerisms and are very skillful in many fields, Erik's immense hatred toward Raoul and the way he wasn't trying to end his life immediately as he did with Joseph. Well if Erik was a DeChagny, that would make him the oldest and he should be given all titles, hmm?**

**PhantomFan01: Your reviews always make me smile!**

**Keep up the reviews! I LOVE them and they've been inspiring me lately to continue updating more often than the majority of authors (I really can't stand leaving you hanging there with such a cliff hanger I left!)**

Chapter 15: Revelations

As Raoul was about to move again in the peculiar room filled with mirrors he felt someone place their hand on his shoulder. He gasped before seeing that it was in fact Madame Giry, and he had to reluctantly give up the search in this room of finding the phantom so that he could end the crazy man's life to claim Christine once more.

He followed Madame Giry closely as they left through various secret passageways that he was most curious to know why and how she knew the way through them all. Raoul realized that she has to have some idea of the phantom of the opera seeing as she is the only one that is ever seen to be delivering his mail and correspondences to the managers and to return him his monthly due. On top of all that, she was also the only one, Meg and Christine included, who was not harmed by the phantom in any way. In fact, if anything she was treated much kinder and was awarded more often than not with the Phantom.

He called out to her as he saw that her paces were growing quicker, he couldn't lose her just yet.

"Madame Giry! Madame Giry!" He cried out and saw her glance up to see who was calling out to her.

"Please, Monsieur, I know no more than anyone else," Antoinette said as she began to try to open her door to get space between her and this quite, please forgive her, obsessive man. She had never met someone who was just as determined as him to get a girl…wait, he reminded her very much of someone she knew quite well. But she knew that the man that she thought of would find it incredibly insulting if he should ever hear her profess such a likeness.

"That's not true." Raoul called out. He knew that there was just too many coincidences between Madame Giry and the Phantom of the Opera that it was just impossible for him to overlook everything and believe the lies that the woman was spouting out of her mouth right in front of him! To the **patron **of the Opera Populaire!

"Monsieur, don't ask, there have been too many accidents," Antoinette begged Raoul not to persist any longer, she couldn't answer his questions that she knew were swimming in her head without betraying the only person she had that was as close to a brother as it was possible for her. He loved him like a brother, and as a noble and valiant sister she was not going to be broke to give anything away about Erik.

"Accidents? Please, Madame Giry, for all our sakes…" Raoul begged the older woman before him. He wanted to be the nice guy, the one that would chat with her on good terms about what was going on at the opera house, evidently what has been going on for many years now, without having anything bad go wrong. But he knew that he could also be the bad guy as well and if he needed to, he knew just how to persuade the older woman to give me all the information that he needed to last him a lifetime with the help of Meg Giry and Christine.

For a while all Antoinette Giry could do was stand there astound at the young man's hand on her arm in a vice like grip. She knew that it was no use to try to fight her way out of him because she was older and her bones were more fragile than they were twenty years ago, and the man in front of her was younger, stronger and he didn't think things through fully as he should where it concerns others and just not himself. But Madame Giry also knew that if she were to anger the patron of the opera house that his anger could be taken out on her daughters and Antoinette knew that he had the power to take them away from her and never let her see or hear from them again and it hurt her older heart knowing that there was a chance of that happening now. Finally she breathed deeply and answered the Vicomte DeChagny.

"Very well," she opened her door and led him inside gesturing towards a chair for him as she went about lighting the oil lamps on her desk and chest of drawers. Finally when it came to the final lamp she looked down at a younger picture of herself that was taken not long before the events of which changed her entire life.

"It was years ago. There was a travelling fair in the city, gypsies. I was very young, studying to be a ballerina. I was one of many living in the dormitory of the opera house. We were led through many different attractions included a woman with a beard, a man with stretchable skin, and a contortionist. Yet none of them were as amazing as the next one, a man with a grizzly gray black beard beckoned us into his tent and introduced us to a boy called 'The Devil's Child'. I didn't see anything evil about him and so I did not participate in the mockery that started and torture that the man had imposed upon the poor soul. I had lingered behind after everyone had left wanting to make sure that the boy was ok, I couldn't stand watching him being hurt. But before I was able to realize anything, the boy had strangled the man while he was counting the money he had earned from his sideshow. I have hidden him from the world and its cruelties. He has known nothing else of life since then, except this opera house. It was his playground and now his artistic domain. He's a genius, he's an architect and designer, he's a composer and magician. A genius, monsieur."

Antoinette did not realize that she was on the verge of tears by the time she was done recounting the tale of her adopted brother. It hurt her tenfold every time she thought about how much he must have been tortured, how much of his humanity was lost through the animalistic way he was treated during those years of which he was in that caravan. All the sickness he must have been subjected to because he was never properly cared for. There was no one there to comfort him and so he had to find his way through the darkness alone. It hurt Antoinette to even think about where he would be now if she had not come that night like she had tried so hard to do with her friends.

"But clearly, Madame Giry, genius has turned to madness," Raoul stated as he was done listening to the tale of the Phantom of the Opera. He had to sit there for a while thinking about what this all meant—it meant that the Phantom was nothing more but just a man, and yet while he lives he will haunt them until he is dead. So Raoul came to the conclusion that it was his duty to dispatch of this man as quickly as possible because the sooner this man is gone from the opera house for good the sooner he and Christine can start a life together.

"Monsieur please, he is not a madman! He is only trying to protect himself from those that mean him harm. Please Monsieur Le Vicomte you must believe me! You need to stay away from him or else you could be the Phantom's next victim! You do not know what this man is capable of monsieur!" Madame Giry begged with the young and utterly foolish young boy. If he continued putting these wrong notions into his mind who knows what will happen to them all when Raoul tries to test the Phantom's patience,

"I must leave and find Christine Madame Giry, thank you for all the time and answers you have given me today. I promise you that you will not come to regret the decision you made by doing so for me tonight." Raoul kissed the older woman's hand before leaving to find the girl of his dreams and to tell her all of which he heard. He secretly hoped this would frighten Christine away from protecting the "Phantom of the Opera" as much as it would with any of the ballerinas. And once his Christine was away from the Phantom then it was his turn to push his sword through the beating heart that he knew hid behind the black cloak of the ghost that has haunted this, _**his**_, opera house for far too long.

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Christine awaited for Erik's reply as she watched him think over her only question in his mind. She knew that he would have to think it over thoroughly because it would mean to have them out in public again and if he were spotted it would become an even greater risk because of his mask. She completely understood if he would rather not go at all but to her surprise he slowly began to nod his head.

"Yes, I believe that it would be wise to visit your father…given the circumstances we are in right now." Erik said, weighing each word as he watched Christine's reaction. When he saw a shy small smile tug at the corners of Christine's lips he continued on talking, telling her of the plan that he believes will help them the most in the couple of hours to come as he handed her a small pouch of money.

"I will need you to pay the coach of the carriage with this money. I have put some extra money in there as well in case you see something you need or for any other reason. I will need to take the driver's spot so please do not worry for the coach, I am merely just making him unconscious and putting him in one of the servant's quarters beds while he is asleep," Erik watched as Christine nodded with consent towards his plan. Erik smiled slightly and rubbed her cheek with his thumb as he admired her so much for her strength. He grabbed their cloaks and set off towards the stables to begin their journey.

Once they both got outside Erik stayed in the shadow's embrace as he watched Christine walk into the stables. He knew that she knew exactly what to do in regards to their plan but it still caused a protectiveness of her to possess him whenever she was not in arm's length of him. Christine was such a fragile girl that she needed to be protected—there were too many men in this world that would take advantage of a young woman like Christine and not think twice about doing ungodly and immoral acts to her that would forever taint her thoughts of humanity. So Erik waited, impatiently, in the darkness of a corner nearby the stable house waiting for the stable driver to come out and prepare the carriage.

As Christine continued walking towards the man who was the head of the stables it was obvious to her that he was either extremely tired or drunken. His hair was scattered everywhere and the poor man, in a vain attempt, tried to submit it into flattening down as he saw Christine approached him. Upon closer observation, Christine saw that his shirt held unpleasant looking stains of sweat and others that she could not name for now. The man's portly stomach shyly peaked out from the bottom of his shirt and his brown pants were in no better condition. Christine then decided that the man must have been drunk last night and slept in his clothes.

Nonetheless, Christine still walked up the man and held out the small bag of money that Erik had supplied her with earlier. Christine was unaware of how much it currently held but she was sure that she would be able to borrow proper clothing and some flowers with the amount held inside.

"Monsieur," Christine said to the stable manager as she offered him the bag of money. The stable manager looked at her suspiciously for a second before shrugging and taking it gently from her awaiting hand and inspecting the coins he retrieved from inside. Upon his speculation, the stable manager believed that the little soprano gave him _actual _gold coins. He thought about informing her of this but on second thought he kept himself from speaking aloud, if the little girl wanted to give him this sort of money who was he to refuse?

"Ou vas tu, mademoiselle?" The stable manager asked Christine as she began walking away. Christine pondered for a second before replying, "The cemetery." With this said the stable hand bowed his head slightly and began to grab the blankets, horses, and reigns that will be necessary for this trip.

The stable manager walked into the stable and grabbed two of his finest horses and walked them over to the carriage to start putting the reins on them. Once the horses were attached to the carriage, the blankets were in seat for the young soprano, and himself, the stable manager went to retrieve his cloak when he felt someone place a couple of fingers on his neck and he fell unconscious.

Erik grabbed the older man before he fell and hit the ground. He knew that the pressure point on the neck would cause him to pass out and thank god he was prepared for the man to fall. Erik looked around to see if anyone had seen what happened, and thanked god that it was still the early morning. But now he was faced with a new problem, just because it was the early morning did not mean that everyone was still asleep inside and if he did pull the man into a room did not mean that it would go as silently as Erik hoped. So now with the new problem established Erik knew that he had to think of a better solution quickly. He looked to the carriage and shook his head, it would be too risky to bring him along the journey…and then he got an idea.

Since two of the horses stalls were empty now that meant that there would be two empty places of big piles of relatively warm hay to lay the man on until he had awoken. Besides it was not uncommon to hear that a stable hand fell asleep on the job and hid in the hay as to not be seen by the managers or other people willing to announce the slack in their working habits. So as silently as he could he drug the man towards the stables and with a, louder than he wished, grunt Erik dropped him in the hay and covered him with a blanket to make it seem like he had fallen asleep on purpose. After Erik was done and pleased by his work he headed back to the carriage and sat in the driver's spot to await for his passenger.

Christine walked over to the modest wardrobe that held outfits that were available for rent and after a while of searching through its contents Christine found a suitable black mourning dress and went into a small changing room to put it on. She knew that even though it had been many years since her father's death she still felt that it would be respectful to wear black in the presence of his absence. After she was done lacing up the back of the dress she walked back towards the carriage, but grabbed a small bouquet of red roses before she made it.

When she reached the carriage once more she saw that Erik had wrapped his cloak around his mask to obscure it from curious eyes in the town and she smiled softly at him before nodding. He held out his hand which she gingerly accepted and allowed him to help her into the opened top carriage. He waited while she arranged the blankets across her lap and couldn't help but notice just how much the color black complimented her pale alabaster skin. Once she was done Erik looked up to her and watched her eyes sadden as she spoke to him, "To my father's grave, please." Erik nodded once more before leaping into the driver's spot and making the horses take them to their destination. He may not have been around the people physically to know where the cemetery was located, but after years of studying maps he knew the town just as well, or even better than, most of the Parisians themselves.

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Raoul had spent the night in one of the smaller rooms that the opera house held because he didn't feel ready to go back home yet. After all the excitement of the masquerade and the new discoveries of this Phantom of the Opera he felt it would be better to stay on the premises so that he would be able to learn more at his own pace.

But suddenly, while he was in a dream of Christine and him performing their first marital act as husband and wife, Raoul was awakened by a loud grunt. He shot up in bed with beads of sweat still apparent on his naked chest and he peered out his window to see someone walking towards a carriage dressed in black. At first Raoul thought this to be the mysterious Phantom of the Opera but as he looked closer at the person Raoul saw it to actually be Christine herself! His feet were planted to the floor as she watched a man, who was carefully not showing his face, help her into the carriage and drive her off.

Raoul thought to himself, _that is strange that someone would be afraid to show their face in public, who would do that? Oh dear god it is him, the phantom of the opera! He must have my Christine under some spell that would make her willingly want to go with him somewhere and it is up to me to get her away from this insane man! _

So without further thought Raoul pulled his boots on and ran out to the stable house. Once he was there he quickly located the stable manager rubbing his head as if he had just awoken and Raoul ran up to him because he of all people must know where she is going to.

"Where have they gone?" Raoul nearly shouted to the man. The man's eyes squinted, as though he had been drinking very heavily, as he thought about where the young mademoiselle had asked him to take her half an hour ago. For a while he could not remember and he just stood there thinking about all the events. Finally as he remembered he opened his mouth to tell the young man before him but as the stable manager looked into the Vicomte's eyes he saw something that he didn't like there: control. The stable manager himself had a young daughter, close to the soprano's age actually, and he knew that if this young man treated and acted around his daughter this way there was no chance in hell that he would allow them to be together. So the fatherly instincts kicked into him once more as he looked down at the boy in front of him.

"Why do you need to know young man?" Raoul knew immediately that the stable manager was challenging him and Raoul was very impatient at this moment and did not stand for it.

"I am the Vicomte DeChagny, your patron, and you will not speak to me in that way or I will see to it that you are on the streets begging people like me to spare you a franc just so you can live." Raoul stared at the man and watched several emotions pass through him; fear, anger, sadness.

"Oh, the cemetery," the stable manager finally submitted in the end. He hated knowing that he betrayed that young Christine Daae girl because of the power that the boy in front of him held above everyone working at the opera house. He sighed as he remembered the way that Christine would come in and feed and pet the horses as she sang simple little songs to the animals—she was by far one of the sweetest girls he had ever known and he only prayed to God that she would be able to forgive him one day for the betrayal that he showed.

Raoul nodded as the information registered into his mind and hopped upon a white horse that was nearby as he made his journey to the cemetery. He vowed to himself that once he got to the cemetery he would take Christine away from there, the opera house, and even Paris if necessary as to show her that he is exactly what she needs in life—a protector from all the evil that is transpiring around her and seducing her into submitting to the darkness.

_Whoever this is that is controlling __**my **__Christine into thinking that she would ever desire such a freak as himself will pay for it. He will pay for all the pain and misery I have gone through just to make Christine see that I am all she has ever wanted. She made it quite clear to me when we were younger that she would want to be my bride when we grew up—she even told me so when we were little at my summer house! Yes, when I get her back I will remind her of the promise she made to me when we were children and she will uphold the agreement that we made and she will be my wife and birth the heirs to the DeChagny legacy. I am the only one that my parents can rely on now to uphold the name, I am the only one that is left. _

**(A/N):**

**Ohhh! Raoul is very determined to get Christine back from the Phantom! Just to clear it up, even though I know it might be obvious:**

'**Ou vas tu' in French basically means "Where do you want to go?" in English! **

**How will Christine and Erik react when they reach their friend and father's grave? Will Raoul make it there on time and interrupt the couple? How will Raoul feel if he ever finds out Christine's true feelings for the Phantom of the Opear?**


	16. An Unexpected Reunion

**Oh god thank you to everyone who has been reviewing/PMing me about this story! I love all of your kind words and questions because they just make me want to keep writing this story forever! Anyway, I will try to get to the end of this story in eleven days, however I have a feeling that I will not be able to do that. So therefore my updating might become a little slower due to schoolwork (unless I can access this website on my schools computer! :) ) Also, I thank each and every one who have grown to hate Raoul and love Christine/Erik together! **

**Your obedient servant,**

**PhantomsAngel1870**

* * *

><p>Chapter 15: Broken Hearts and Winter's Fight<p>

They had finally arrived to the cemetery. From where Christine sat in the carriage she could barely see her father's mausoleum and knew that it would be a good distance of walking until she would finally make it to her father once more. Subconsciously her grip on the roses grew tighter as she thought of what her father would be thinking of her actions in this past year and for once Christine couldn't help but let the tears fall freely. She needed her father more than ever now that she was in a fight she didn't know how to handle.

She sat thinking some more of what her father would be thinking of her and barely noticed Erik come and hold his hand out for her like the proper gentleman he was—Christine couldn't help but smile as she knew that if anyone would be able to help her get through this visit it would be Erik. So as she stood up she gently held his hand and allowed him to coax her body out of the carriage but grasping her waist and lifting her out before securely tying her cloak around her shoulders to keep the chill from her body.

They set off to the entrance of the cemetery and as they entered Christine silently motioned the sign of the cross on her body. Growing up in a Christian family Christine knew to pay her respect to her God when entering a sacred ground such as a cemetery or church. To some, a cemetery would be the least sacred ground but Christine knows that there are so many histories behind each of the tombstones marking names and dates, some holding vague summaries of the dead's accomplishments. But Christine knew that there was more than just what the tombstones showed—there was always another side to the story.

Christine glanced at Erik and saw his normal stoic form begin to falter ever so slightly, she knew how much her father meant to her but she almost forgot that the same man that she called a father was once Erik's closest friend and companion before his death. With as much courage as she possessed Christine began to talk of her father once more, it is what was needed in this situation and she knew that she had to be strong for not only herself but for Erik now as well.

"Little Lotte thought of everything and nothing. Her father promised her that he would send her the Angel of Music. Her father promised her…her father promised her…" She allowed her voice to be a carried whisper, she could hear the wind caressing each of the words she spoke which only caused the sadness to be emphasized more than she expected. With the roses in her right hand and her left arm hooked in the crook of Erik's right arm she watched Erik's reaction to her words—she saw even more emotion and it pained Christine to see him on the verge of tears. But this is what they both needed, everyone needs to vent the pain of the past for how else will they ever be able to set Gustave fear and stop mourning his absence on this Earth. It astounded Christine so much when she heard Erik begin to sing for the person that meant so much to them that she began to join in the song as well.

"_You were once our one companion_

_You were all that mattered_

_You were once a friend and father_

_Then our world was shattered_

_Wishing you were somehow here again_

_Wishing you were somehow near_

_Sometimes it seemed if we just dreamed_

_Somehow you would be here_

_Wishing we could hear your voice again_

_Knowing that we never would _

_Dream of you won't help us to do_

_All that you dreamed we could! _

_Passing bells and sculpted angels,_

_Cold and monumental. _

_Seem, for you, the wrong companions,_

_You were warm and gentle._

_Too many years fighting back tears,_

_Why can't the past just die! _

_Wishing you were somehow here again_

_Knowing we must say goodbye_

_Try to forgive, teach us to live!_

_Give us the strength to try! _

_No more memories, no more silent tears! _

_No more gazing across the wasted years!_

_Help us say goodbye…_

_Help us say goodbye!" _

Christine and Erik finally made it to the steps of Gustave Daae's mausoleum by the end of their lament to the man that inspired them to do so much with their lives. He was the one that began to teach them about music and not a day goes by that either of them don't think about his lessons that they would give to them. Even though Gustave knew Erik and Christine at different points in their lives both of the young people knew that he was bound to have introduced them to each other had his life not been short lived and taken away from them as suddenly as it was.

Erik stood there gazing at the resting place of the man that had taught him so much, who had rescued him from the darkness that began to grow around him. Gustave was the light that pulled him away from the evil that began rooting itself into his body and soul—and Erik is indebted to the man for saving him before it was too late. A stifled sob from Christine broke Erik out of his reverie of his old companion and he saw how she shed tears for the father who is not here anymore. This reminded Erik of a small song he had composed for Christine when she was younger and he felt it would be best to sing it for her now than to leave her alone in her own darkness. So as Erik moved himself behind her and hugged her close he began his lullaby.

"_Wandering child, _

_So lost, so helpless _

_Yearning for my guidance." _

Christine immediately recognized the little lullaby that she would hear the nights in the oepar house when she could not sleep because of the fresh wounds of losing her father. That same song would help her be able to go to sleep and know that there was another day ahead of her—another day where she would be needed by people, where should be helpful and be useful. That was her only motivation, the man behind her now was the only reason that she continued to live on her life because he was the only one to give her a reason to live. So with a smile saddened smile on her face she continued her part in the song that she would sing along with him when she was alone in the chapel.

"_Angel of Music_

_Friend and phantom _

_Where are you there, staring?" _

Erik smiled as he heard the words to their small duet, he was ecstatic that Christine remembered the first song that they had written together those first months that she had arrived to the Opera Populaire. It will make things much easier to help her now that he knew that she remembered this song for it was only this song that was able to make her stop crying when she was scared, and so he continued with his part in a soft humored voice.

"_Have you forgotten your Angel?"_

Christine smiled a little more as she thought over the question Erik had just sang to her. How could ever dare to think about forgetting her Angel of Music, her Erik. He was the only source of light and happiness in this cold dark world in which they lived in. He was the only person that she ever wanted to be with, and now at her father's grave, Christine was never surer of a decision in her life. With a new feeling of love for the man behind her Christine turned around and faced him before continuing on with the song.

"_Angel, oh, speak_

_What endless songs_

_Echo in this whisper…" _

Christine's eyes wandered over Erik's face imploring him with unspoken questions with answers and reassurances that she so desperately needed to hear proclaimed from his lips. She lightly touched Erik's cheek and saw his deep blue eyes swim with the love that he had for her and soon all her worries were washed away as he held her hand against his cheek. But Christine knew that their song was still continuing and she waited for Erik's reply.

"_Too long you've wandered in winter_

_Far from my loving gaze…" _

Erik caressed each word trying to reach out to Christine to let her know that will always be there for her no matter what happened to either of them. And when she leaned closely and sang with a passion that he was unaware that she contained it awakened feelings in the both of them that they were not aware were there as they sang together.

"_Wildly my mind beats with you…_

_You can't resist _

_And your/my soul obeys…_

_Angel of Music! _

_You chose me/I chose you_

_Turning to true beauty_

_Angel of Music! _

_Please stay with me/My protector_

_I won't leave you/your strange Angel…_

_I am your angel of music…_

_Stay with me my angel of music…" _

The two lovers were about to seal their promise with a kiss but as their lips begin to brush something awoke them out of their trance they had surrounded around to two of them. Something was wrong and they both knew that it wasn't good but it was too late for them to go hiding and so all Erik could do was hold Christine close and tell her that he loved her so much. Christine in return held him tightly as well, returning the embrace fully as they awaited to see the face that belonged to the crunching footsteps that came quickly in their direction.

However, Erik had a feeling he knew just who the owner of the footsteps were and so he kissed Christine on the forehead reassuringly and hid by Gustave's mausoleum and awaited for the intruder to make himself present.

Christine stood there waiting anxiously, scared, and slightly curious to the strange way that Erik had reacted to the person coming their way. For a minute Christine just sighed and waited and when she noticed the bouquet still in her hand she slowly walked up the steps of her father's final resting place and laid them down at the door hoping that whatever happens next that it will not end in bloodshed upon her father's grave.

Raoul had finally made it to Christine before it was too late. He had heard the voice of the man that was defiling his Christine through singing to her to gain her trust. What disgusted him even more was that he was using the persona of the Angel of Music, the same story that Gustave Daae had told Christine as she grew up ever since from a little child, to gain her trust. He had to put a stop to this and if it was ever going to be done, it needed to be done now. So as he ran up to Christine he grabbed her by the arm and yelled at her.

"No, Christine, wait!"

"Raoul?!" Christine was genuinely shocked to see the identity of the person. She had not expected Raoul to be up this early, or even come to a cemetery that held no family members of his. All of the DeChagny were buried with their own family in a private cemetery on some land that they own outside of Paris. She was always surprised by the way that he had forcefully grabbed her arm—no one had ever tried to put themselves on her and Christine did not care being treated in such a way.

"Whatever you believe, this man—this thing—is not your father!" Raoul exclaimed the news to Christine as he pulled her away from her father's grave. Raoul didn't care about paying his respects to the man that had taken Christine away from him, they could've grown up together and been married by now it it wasn't for the man now laying cold in his grave before him. If Christine were not here presently Raoul knew that he would have yelled and screamed at the man for ruining his life. But for now he must get his Christine away from this place, out of this city.

Christine herself wanted to ever so badly roll her eyes at Raoul. She began to open her mouth to explain to him that she knew that her father's spirit was not guiding her and that she knew who it was—and that she loved him more than she could and would ever love Raoul—but before she could say anything a gasp escaped her lips as she saw Erik jump out of hiding with a sword in his hand as he began to fight Raoul.

They were both very were taught in the art of fencing, from what Christine could tell, but what she couldn't stand was how Raoul was fighting—not to "save" her—but for the right to own her. Christine hated the idea of being a trophy wife. She didn't want to be towed around to different parties and gatherings to be showed off as some sort of reward for Raoul's "valiant" behavior and deeds he did for the Opera Populaire. She knew that if she had ever decided to marry him that her career would be gone and the only things that she would be useful for were to birth children, gossip, and plan gatherings. The aristocratic lifestyle just was not made for her.

The two men were still fighting and to Christine's relief she saw that Erik held the upper hand at this point. But all too soon things changed in the blink of an eye as Raoul pushed him onto the floor and had the intent of impaling the man before him. Raoul saw the chance to end the life of the man that was stealing his Christine away from him and he would be damned in his would be stopped now.

"No, Raoul! No," Christine yelled as she rushed over to the men. Raoul looked up as he saw Christine running towards them. He began to put away his sword as he knew that she had finally come to her senses and will decide to marry him and leave this past behind the both of them. He knew that it would have only taken a little persuasion before she saw the light once more. But to his surprise the Phantom had regained his sword in the absence of Raoul's defense and had cut his arm and lip. Raoul hissed in pain and by the time that he had pulled his sword out he was not facing the Phantom as he expected but was now facing Christine.

"Not like this," Christine said to Raoul. She watched several emotions play across his face as she pulled her hand back behind her to retrieve Erik's hand. Without leaving Raoul's stare Erik held onto Christine's hand tightly and squeezed it gently as the only act of reassurance he could give her right now. It seemed to Christine and Erik that Raoul was in shock for he was not moving nor blinking. Christine squeezed Erik's hand in return and walked up to Raoul and whispered, "Please. It's not worth it anymore, things have changed Raoul," and left with Erik.

Erik rushed Christine back to the carriage that had brought them here and immediately drove them back to the opera house to discuss what had just happened and how they were going to get through this little excursion now. Neither of them believed that they were being followed, it seemed that their plan was fool proof. But nonetheless Erik knew that he would do whatever it took to make sure that he and Christine were safe from the clutches of Raoul…_his brother_. Erik began to wonder if Raoul even knew about their common motherly lineage—if he didn't, Erik knew that he could use that information to his advantage.

Back at the cemetery Raoul had just gotten out of the shock of Christine's plea. He didn't expect his Christine to say such things to him, now this only proved more and more that the Phantom of the opera had some kind of hold on Christine and forced her to say such awful things to him. Yes, that was it. Raoul knew that he needed to go back to the opera house know, search out Madame Giry and tell her to bring in all the managers and to find Christine. He had to talk to Christine now because he knew exactly what he needed to do to end the charade with the Phantom once and for all—and the plan would only work if Christine participated, preferably willingly.

As he stood in the chilling winter cold Raoul watched as the Phantom took off with his Christine once again. The blood inside him began to boil once more and for once he let his anger out, there was no one out here to stop him for doing so. He cursed Gustave Daae, God, the Phantom of the Opera and even Christine aloud. It wasn't until he had finally regained a sense of pride and anger that he gave his ultimatum, "Now let it be war upon you both," before leaving to set his scheme into motion.

It was only when Raoul jumped back on the opera house's horse that he noticed his sword was missing.

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><p><strong>Okay guys! Wow what a sword fight, and wow all those character's thoughts during this little journey to the cemetery. I know that if I was Christine I would have done the same thing too haha! Hmm, I wonder who took Raoul's sword, does anyone think they know? <strong>

**What is this devious plan that Raoul has thought up? Will Christine willingly accept the terms and conditions that follow with it? I wonder what Erik is planning on doing now! **

**Please review, I would like to hear your thoughts/opinions/what you would like to see be said in the next chapter or done!**


	17. Preparing For Battle

**Hey guys! I know that it has been a couple of days since I have last updated and I am terribly sorry for keeping you waiting, it seems that I have been having a bad case of writer's block :( **

**Well anyway, I have recently watched the Phantom of the Opera again which made it easier for me to want to write another chapter for this story again and all these lovely reviews push me to update often! I love all the people that review/favorite/follow/read this story! **

**Your obedient servant, **

**PhantomsAngel1870**

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><p>Chapter 17: Preparing For Battle<p>

Christine sat in the back of the carriage holding Raoul's sword that she had taken from him. She knew that she had to disarm him so as she told him to stop chasing after her she took it and hid it in the folds of her cloak while she spoke to him. Christine hated to do it, but she knew that she held some amount of power over Raoul is she spoke a certain way, but in the end it was worth it—she and Erik were able to escape without fear of him attacking them.

The journey back to the opera house seemed shorter than it did to come to the cemetery and so it surprised Christine to see that they had already arrived while she was still in mid thoughts about the surprise visit from Raoul at her father's grave site. She was confused about how he knew where they were going. The only person they told their whereabouts to was the older stable manager and she had grown up going to the stables and talking to the man, so she couldn't believe that he would have told Raoul willingly. Then there was the problem about Raoul's vow she heard as Erik was rushing them out of the cemetery: Now let it be war upon you both. If Raoul was ready for war she needed to tell Erik and they would have to figure out how to go about doing this discreetly.

Christine found her mind wandering off to thoughts of the morning's events and then drifted to thoughts of her Erik. _What is he thinking right now? I hope to God he can be reasonable about today and we can sit down and have a long thoughtful conversation without doing anything too rash. I never wanted any of this to happen to us, but it seems that Raoul is unwilling to let me go—what did I ever do to make him think that I loved him and wanted to be part of his aristocratic lifestyle? I have never stated so, so why would he all of a sudden want me? Wait, is this a competition between the two brothers subconsciously? I don't see why Raoul would not know about Erik, or at least some mysterious older brother that he had stopped seeing anymore, and have a feeling of being the underdog. Compared to Erik, Raoul will never be as good as him. I love Erik so much, I just want to live a calm and unnerving life. But I know with Erik it will always be exciting and I will never grow bored like I would if I were to marry Raoul. Erik cares about my feelings while Raoul cares about having something to flaunt in other men's faces to show them that they are not as superior as him. That's it! If he had the prima donna of the Opera Populaire he would be the envy of all of Paris. I would have never thought that Raoul was worried about his looks just as, if not more than, Erik. _

It took her a while to notice that Erik had been trying to get her attention for he had been calling her name constantly for five minutes to no prevail. The next thing he tried to do was shake his hand in front of her eyes to get them to refocus on reality, but when that didn't work he slightly grabbed her shoulders and gently shook her until she blinked a couple of times and paid attention to Erik once more. This brought a smile to his face as he watched her cheeks turn a little pink at the embarrassment of allowing her thoughts to trail once again. Erik let himself look over at Christine once more before proceeding with his thoughts.

"Now Christine, we know that the Vicomte DeChagny will not be happy at all about seeing us together at your father's grave this morning. In fact if I had heard him correctly he called war upon the both of us," Erik looked over at Christine to make sure that she understood what he was saying and if she too knew about _his brother's _declaration. With a slight nod of Christine's head Erik continued on.

"I have a feeling that Raoul will want to see you today, it is just a bad feeling, but a feeling nonetheless. Therefore, that means if and when he calls on you I want you to be as distant as possible. Use all the proper titles that are meant to be given to a Vicomte and patron of the Opera Populaire, but do not give him any leeway to think that you are trying to reforge any romantic attachment you two once possessed when you were younger," Erik saw Christine eyes grow wide in astonishment.

He had no doubt that she was surprised that he knew a little more of her past than she had told him about and he got frustrated with himself instantly for allowing the words to slip out of his mouth before he could filter his thoughts.

"That is a story for another time my dear," Erik quickly resolved the issue before it became unbearable. Today, right now, they had to talk about the upcoming battle between the entireties of Paris versus Erik. He had no clue as to how he will able to fight this war but he knew that he would never go down without a fight.

It was up to him and him alone to make sure that Christine was safe and out of danger from Raoul. Erik knew he would rather die than to think or watch Christine marry herself away to the real monster in the DeChagny family—sometimes it was the soul that determined the monster and not just outward appearances, this was something that Erik was just now beginning to understand with the help of his Christine he was finally able to find the light and trust in humanity once more.

Christine sat there nervously considering what Erik was telling her. In all honesty she hated Raoul now, she had always seen him as slightly annoying and on the verge of obsessed with herself but now she couldn't bear to think about him, let alone look at him and hold a civil conversation like nothing had happened to them at the Opera Populaire—it was almost impossible to ask of her! She clamped her head into her hands and tried to hold back the tears, she needed to stay strong in this situation. She can cry later. But when she felt Erik's arms wrap around her she let her walls break down and she allowed herself to cry as he held her warmly against his chest with his cloak wrapped around her. Never once did he stop her, but instead he spoke words of love and comfort trying to help her release all the built up tension. To Christine it felt like hours until she had stopped crying but when she glanced over to the cloak in Erik's kitchen she saw that it had only been twenty minutes.

Erik had seen Christine cry many times as she grew up in the opera house, and tonight made no exception. He did what any loving man would do and he knew that he needed to hold her and speak gently to her because that is all one could in this case. So he held her and gently rubbed her back as he heard her sobs turn into whimpers and finally small hiccups until she released all the emotions that she had kept away for the past month. Even Erik knew that it was not healthy to hold back such humane emotions—if they weren't released the person could swell up like a balloon (metaphorically) and just pop, and that was something that he never wanted Christine to ever do.

So as he heard her hiccups finally go away he tilted her head up and looked at her lovingly in her eyes before kissing her forehead. He looked around as he saw they had seated themselves on top of his chaise lounge and looked behind him as saw his small library he owned. As he peered closer at the small printed titles along the spines of each of his books he picked up "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll. He knew that it was only six years old but he had been able to snag a first edition copy and he kept it well taken care of. In normal circumstances he would never allow anyone else to touch such a great piece of literature, however, he fully trusted Christine and he believed that she was in need of something as silly yet mystical to pull her out of reality if not but a few minutes. After he pulled it back to himself he looked it over and then finally placed it in Christine's hands while he watched her inspect the novel.

"Alice is a wonderful story to read. It's quite amusing and I am sure that you would enjoy such a novel since you are one of the silliest girls I know," Erik said with a grand amount of humor dripping from his lips. To his great pleasure Christine rewarded him with a small smile gracing her mouth and her doe like brown eyes looked up to him as she blushed slightly.

"Monsieur, I do not know whether to be offended by your statement or not. Many girls would not like to be called silly but as you well know I am not like many girls, so therefore I shall have to take your cloak and not give it back because of your _silly _behavior towards me." Christine said as she placed the book down that Erik had just given her and took his cloak before he had the chance. In the blink of an eye Christine was running out of the room while she attached the clothing around her neck as she laughed.

Erik was confounded for a few minutes. He never believed that his Christine's old spirit bound back into her after having such an emotional breakdown not five minutes beforehand. But he was not complaining, oh no. He much preferred a silly, flirtatious Christine to the Christine that seems always depressed with no color to her cheeks and no confidence about herself. So without any further ado Erik chased after the little vixen that had taken his cloak—nobody steals from the Phantom of the Opera and gets away with it!

He ran into the main room to try to capture her and when he reached the area that connected to the lake he was surprised to not find her anywhere. He stood there and stopped and what he was doing to listen for her. He closed his eyes and when he lost the use of sight his hearing was increased. There was a dripping in his lake, his heartbeat was louder, he heard his own breathing, a little mouse scampered across the floor twenty feet away from him and the ballet was practicing their jumps above him with the managers ranting about the "absurdity of Don Juan". Erik become frustrated with not being able to hear Christine when he heard something shuffle in his room.

He darted immediately into the darkness of his room, although the blackness of it did not deter him—many years of being in the darkness made him unsusceptible to the handicap of being blind in the dark—and he searched everywhere for Christine. He looked through the dark red sheets of his four poster bed but her body was not to be found there. He then searched into his closet and pushed away all his clothes to find his little vixen, but yet she was not there. Finally he was just about to give up—for the first time in his entire existence—to appease Christine and so he could see her smile once again. But just as he opened his mouth he saw his cape on the floor in front of his bathroom and he smiled as he realized that she was in his bathroom.

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Christine ran out of the library room almost immediately as she had taken his cloak. She wanted to laugh so hard as she looked at Erik's face as she was leaving and for once she allowed herself this little indulgence, she laughed until it hurt too much to continue on. As she reached the main area she needed to decide on a place to hide because she knew that Erik would be there soon trying to regain ownership of his cloak once again. She might just be the only one brave, or stupid, enough to steal from the Phantom of the Opera.

At first she looked through the kitchen to see if she would fit in any of the cabinets that were offered to her but to her disappointment she was simply too big to fit into any of the storage cabinets, even if she was to remove all of the contents in time for Erik to reach the room. With a small giggle she ran from the kitchen into the hallway. As she peeked into each room she decided upon Erik's personal room because she figured it would be the last place that he would consider her running into as refuge from their chase. But as she ran towards his closet she accidentally tripped upon dress and tore it significantly from the weight of her body pulling on the dress with her foot caught on top of the hem.

Without thinking she threw down the cape and cursed softly as she saw the tear that reached up to her thigh. She looked towards the bathroom and closed the door as she walked in. _Erik always keeps spare clothing in here, maybe there is a small dress for me to change into—Erik is full of surprises maybe he will keep a dress in here for me. I hope so. _Christine preceded to remove the ruined dress with a small sadness. It was one of her favorites that Erik had designed and built just for her and it was awful that she had been the one to destroy it. She just hoped that Erik would be able to make the dark blue dress beautiful once again.

Now only clad in her corset, stockings, and heels Christine walked towards the linen closet that always held some clothes for Erik and opened it to find no dress for her. With a blush that would put the color red to shame Christine did not know what she was going to do now. But what she did know was that she had better find something to cover her quickly before Erik managed to find her once again and see her in her indecent state before they were even married. Courting did not give each other a right to see things that were only meant to be seen on one's wedding night. That was a right only held for husbands and wives.

Christine looked back into the closet once more and heard Erik's bedroom door open. She felt her heartbeat race uncontrollably and blindly reach for an article of clothing from the linen closet. Without thinking she pulled it over her body and tried to put herself into a nonchalant position as she sat on the side of the bathtub that encompassed most of the room in the bathroom just in time for Erik to come bursting through the door to find his prey.

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As Erik looked upon Christine wearing only his shirt and her under garments Erik could not help but thoroughly look at her body. He growled with a smile upon his face as he strode up to his prey and picked her up in his arms to take her back into her bedroom. There was only one thought on his mind right now and that was to take her completely—to hell with not being married.

As he carried her to her bedroom and laid her down on her bed he was about to attack her when he heard someone walking into the main room by the lake through one of his trap doors. He shot his head up and looked towards the door when he heard Christine begin to talk to him.

"Erik is there something wrong?" He heard her whisper the question filled with concern and longing. Without looking at her he felt one of her hands snake its way up his arm and he shivered involuntarily. He wanted nothing more than to finish what they had started but he looked down at her and kissed her forehead before explaining to her.

"I'm sorry my love, someone just walked in. But whoever it is is a safe person because they used one of my secret entrances. I must go see which one of the couple people it could be, for now there are several dresses that are in your closet that you could change into. I'm sure you would like to be included on the conversation if I am correct?" Erik watched as Christine fervently nodded her head and saw her jump out of bed to immediately look for an appropriate gown to wear in front of the visitor. Erik in the meanwhile went back into the main room to welcome whoever entered.

As he walked into the sitting area that he held off to the side Erik saw the familiar dark green dressed woman sitting on the small couch. Erik took the armchair and looked amusingly at his sister across from him. She in turn scowled back at her younger brother before beginning the talk that would most likely ensue an argument with Christine being the only one able to control Erik's temper after the chips fall.

"Erik I don't know where, how, or why, but the Vicomte is beyond furious and demands that we need the police attending your opera as well. He is constantly talking about using them to finally end the charade of the Phantom of the Opera and now the girls are not listening to my warnings as much anymore. I fear that the Vicomte DeChagny is undermining your authority over the opera hose and with you not having shown yourself in a while now it seems that people are not concerned about your wrath anymore. You need to do something quickly, including bringing Christine up to the surface once more. I am sure that she has studied her part and knows it better than any of the actors but she still needs to practice with the other people involved in the opera. People are beginning to talk and the Vicomte is eager to speak to Christine about a personal matter," Antoinette struggled to get everything out in one breath, but was relieved when she managed to muster it all in under three breaths. She carefully judged each words weight as she spoke them to Erik and watched his reaction to each one she had said. She knew that he loathed the Vicomte and the fact that he wants a private audience does not help anyone, including Christine and her reputation.

As Erik listened to Antoinette talk about what was happening above him his smile slowly turned into an angered glare towards the woman in front of him. He was not exactly angry with her per say but he was angered with the ignorance of the actors that were playing the roles of his opera. They should know that just because they don't hear him doesn't mean that he can't hear them. Since when does he need to make his presence known to place hear into people? But if he must do this, he will make sure that the people do not forget where their place is once more and cause him to do another drastic thing like he did at the masquerade or "Il Muto".

"Very well Antoinette, if it will appease your troubled mind I will make another appearance during a practice to help you with those ballet rats. But for now we have more urgent matters to discuss about the Vicomte." Erik heard Christine walking in and saw that there was no more seating available and stood up to offer his seat for her. Christine bowed her head slightly in a silent gesture of appreciation and took the proffered seating before Erik continued on with his rant.

"Two days ago Christine and I found it to be a very appropriate time to pay a visit to Gustave's grave," Erik saw a small amount of shock plaster across Antoinette's face before he continued on with his thoughts. "Yes, Christine knows about my past now and my extended friendship with you and Gustave. Now, as we were paying our respects to Gustave Daae it seemed apparent that the fop had followed us in one of his oh so _valiant _attempts to sway Christine's decision and get her to leave me for him. However, she refused the offer and so the boy and I fought. I am sure that without Christine there to be the stubborn little girl she is I would probably be harmed. However, we both left unharmed and now DeChagny has declared war on the two of us. I have a feeling that he will bring all the police forces possible to the showcase of my opera in order to get them to try and capture me. However, I have a plan for the police and I know that it would be vital to tell the both of you all about it now…"

The two sitting women watched as their brother and lover spoke to them about his plan, both of them knowing that this could be completely successful or go entirely wrong with one little slip.

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><p><strong>I wonder what the plan is! Who all likes the extra fluff that i threw in there just to appease my ErikChristine lovers out there (and myself!) Is there anything that you want to see happen that wasn't shown in the movie? If so, review it under this chapter and i will try my best to throw it into this story so I can make all y'all's dreams come true like mine are with this story!**


	18. We Have All Been Blind

**OK**** so i know that i have kept you in suspense for two days now and i myself have found myself in suspense as well! Unfortunately i will be unable to write tomorrow, and Saturday (helping my boyfriend move into his dorm for college) *crying*, but I promise to upload a chapter on Monday after we all get back from our first day of school if I am unable to do it sooner! **

**Your obedient servant,**

**PhantomsAngel1870**

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><p>Chapter 18: We Have All Been Blind<p>

"…and at the end of our duet with the trap door underneath us I will grab Christine and trigger it to open and allow us to escape to the tunnels underneath the stage. From there we will take the already loaded suitcases with our valuables and rush to the carriage that will waiting for us at the back of the opera house that I will need you to get prepared Antoinette. Then we will be able to live our lives and settle down in a small mansion I own outside the city of Paris without worrying about DeChagny finding us. The mansion is secluded in a forest that I am sure that he will never be able to find us there."

Christine listened to Erik's entire plan for the performance of Don Juan and she had to admit that it seemed pretty much foolproof, how could anything go wrong? But as she looked over to Madame Giry to see how the older woman reacted, Christine was surprised that her foster mother's face was ghostly white as she listened to Erik's plot. Along with her drastic drain of color in her skin, Christine also saw how she failed to meet Erik's eyes as they talked. Christine knew from the few lessons that Erik taught her that if someone refused to meet your eyes that it meant that they were hiding something, and Christine knew that she needed to find out what the older woman was keeping from them.

So with as much comfort that she could muster Christine placed her hand on top of Madame Giry's shaking hands and saw the older woman look up to her adopted daughter with tears at the corner of her eyes. Never before had Christine seen Madame Giry show such grievous emotion, everyone knew Madame Giry to be the rock at the Opera Populaire—she was one of the most sternest people in the world to the corps de ballet and the ballerinas all thought that she held only one emotion and that was anger—but how they were all so wrong.

"Madame Giry, please tell us what it is that you are keeping hidden. Please Madame Giry, I don't think it will do any of us good if you keep the information away from us. Please, for all of our sakes." Christine spoke softly and gently towards the motherly figure before her. This extraordinary woman had done so much for Christine and Erik both throughout their lives at this opera house and now it was their turn to help the older woman soothe the worries that were harbored in her mind.

Antoinette flinched slightly at the last sentence that Christine had spoken to her. It was just what _he _told her last night. No matter how much she hated thinking about him—let alone talking about the damned boy—she knew that Christine was right in the end. She needed to tell them all about what had happened that morning before she raced down her. As she collected and calmed her nerves she looked up at Erik, "Please sit down dear brother. I am afraid that this is going to be a long story to tell, and Christine, you will need to keep your hand on him just in case his temper acts up again". Christine nodded and watched as Erik reluctantly sat down beside the young soprano.

"I do not have a temper Antoinette so I do not see why you insist—" Erik began speaking as he sat down but was momentarily interrupted when Christine pressed one of her fingers to his lips to silence him. He looked towards the dark haired beauty that dared to make him stop talking questioningly and waited for her to explain herself.

"Yes you do, do not lie. Now Madame Giry please continue," Christine first spoke to Erik in a mock serious tone as she felt Erik kiss the finger of hers that was pressed against his mouth. In order to reduce her blush drastically and quickly she turned back to her foster mother and begged her to continue on in her story.

Madame Giry made herself a little more comfortable on the small chair that she was seated in and looked at the two people in front of her and thought of her daughter Meg. She knew that she will do everything in her power to keep these three people safe because they were her world and if she lost any of them she would not know what to do with herself. She briefly looked at Erik to make sure that he was ready for what she was about to tell them, for what she is going to say will change everything they have known at the opera house for so long. With a reassuring nod from both people in front of her Madame Giry began recounting the morning's trivial matters that have set chaos into motion and all too soon she was drawn back into time to when it happened…

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…Madame Giry was walking quicker to keep with the Vicomte's pace. As a prominent figure to the Opera Populaire she was always accounted for when the matter that was being discussed what about the wellbeing of the Opera Populaire. But when she saw Carlotta and Piangi Guidicelli join the group she knew that whatever the matter was it could not be good. Anything they were involved in had to be complete and utter nonsense.

As she tried to make her way to the front she saw a particular blonde head that she would have recognized from anywhere—her daughter Meg was at the arm of the Vicomte DeChagny! At any other time she would have been a very proud mother to have her daughter catch the eye of such a prominent figure in society but in the given circumstances right now all she could think about is why she was called to this adjourned "meeting". What did this young boy have in mind that he thinks everything would agree upon for the opera house? After thinking about these things for a while Madame Giry found that the Vicomte had been talking the entire time and she was disappointed in herself that she will only have the ending to catch ahold of.

"…and that's what Meg has informed me of. I believe that she is correct in the fact that this is a complete and utter danger to the lives and wellbeing of each and every person and animal that works at this opera house, and it is in my best interests as a Parisian and Patron that I put an end to this nonsense immediately. I would hate to see my future fiancée worried about such trivial matters gentlemen, and so I wish to have your blessing in order to free all of us from this accursed man that prevails to wreck havoc on all of our lives. None of us want this Phantom of the Opera here anymore so I believe we should take him in and let the government see fit to do with him as they please. I am sure that he would be mercifully given a quick death if he pleaded guilty, the French are known for their kindness in such matters," the Vicomte had been discussing this with the managers as he held Meg at his arm. Madame Giry was not aware who the Vicomte had taken as a fiancée until she saw the white ring glimmering on her daughter's finger.

The first thing Antoinette felt was fury—how dare that insolent boy take her daughter away from her without even asking for her blessing! Not that she would have given it to him anyway, no matter how much her daughter thought she loved him. No, this man is anything but good and she would rather die than to see her only daughter become this boy's prisoner in an aristocratic life. Madame Giry knew that once Meg was married off to the Vicomte DeChagny that she would have very rare opportunities to see her daughter after that. The upper class never mingled with the commoners for very long even if they were relatives.

Just as she was about to speak up about how this was all nonsense, there was no absolute way to capture a ghost—Madame Giry remembered that she had told the Vicomte about Erik's past—and she kept her mouth closed. If she gave him any reason to release that information she was sure that the managers would even stoop low enough to search out the same gypsy caravan to return Erik to just so that they would not have to deal with him. Oh how she wished that they would all just accept him into their world, he has so much to offer them and so little he wants in return—all he wants is to be accepted and belong and be needed. He has enough money to last him and Christine a lifetime, he doesn't care about material things, and he wants the things that other humans take advantage of. So with a heavy sigh Madame Giry continued to listen to the Vicomte's plans knowing very well that she would need to report this all back to Erik and Christine as soon as she heard everything that the Vicomte needed to say.

Raoul looked up to everyone that was following him throughout the hallways of the opera house and after a moment of serious thought and planning he scrunched up his eyebrows and looked everyone dead in their eyes and began, "Gentlemen…

_We have all been blind_

_And yet the answer is staring us in the face_

_This could be the chance _

_To ensnare our clever friend…" _

This brought everyone to attention as they listening to the beginning of the Vicomte's plan to capture the Phantom of the Opera. Firmin and Andre stepped forward towards the Vicomte and shouted to him, "We're listening! Go on!" To Raoul's delight at having everyone wrapped around his finger he continued on listing out his plot to exact revenge on the man that had taken what he desired most from him.

"_We shall play his game_

_Perform his work, but remember we hold the ace_

_For if Miss Daae sings_

_He is certain to attend"_

The two managers nodded as they walked with the Vicomte towards their office. They looked at each other before shouting out more commands that will be handled on the premiere of Don Juan.

"We are certain the doors are barred! We are certain the police are there!..." The two managers were shouting out many things that will happen when Raoul cut them off with a demand of his own, "We are certain they're armed," and in unison they all cried out together, "The curtain falls, his reign will end!"

The entire group had finally made it to the manager's office and they all quickly scrambled into the large room. They all moved out of the way as they allowed the Vicomte to sit down at the main desk and intertwine his hands and fingers together. Madame Giry in particular felt very uncomfortable being in a room that was filled with such hate for a man, and phantom, that had brought nothing but success to their beloved Opera Populaire, and now that a spoiled Vicomte did not get what he wanted everyone turned against the man that brought out their true potential just because he was not like everyone else. It truly sickened Antoinette and she wanted to do nothing more but leave as soon as she could before she heard any more of his plot to kill her dear brother. But all at the same time she knew that she had to stay and listen to all the details so that she was able to tell Erik more.

"I am sure that each and every one of you has felt angered by the Phantom of the Opera's constant attempts at having full control of the Opera Populaire?" Raoul opened their conversation with something that he felt that everyone would relate to. When he got many nods and glares from everyone that was directed to the opera ghost he continued on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have a solution to our little friend. As I had said earlier, the police will be there to block each and every entrance from our little convict from entering and/or escaping. We will most definitely have this madman trapped like a mouse—just as he has had us trapped for so long here." Raoul flipped open the script for 'Don Juan' and tried to understand the music, he had never been one for learning music and it frustrated him. Ever since he was little he remembered someone around his age, maybe a little older, trying to teach him but Raoul never had fully grasped the concept of music. He just wished that the boy was still around so that he could help him make sense of all these black and white notes with slashes and little b's and sharps. Thankfully though, Raoul was able to understand the words and managed to understand the plot line to the opera by reading the lyrics.

"I feel that the best way of going about doing this would be to have the guards ready themselves during the love duet between Don Juan and Aminta. Piangi I am sure that you have your part completely prepared and ready, yes?" Raoul looked up towards the heavier Italian man that was standing beside Carlotta.

"Yes sir, I have had this part ready for many weeks. I assure you that I will not let you do on this role, your Vicomteness." Piangi bowed slightly towards Raoul as Raoul raised an eyebrow to the title that Piangi had bestowed to him. With a shake of his head he looked up to the script once more and continued on with his plan.

"Yes we will have the guards ready during the two main characters love song and then when the Phantom makes himself known as Piangi wraps his arms around Christine—for we all know that the Phantom of the Opera hates for anyone else to touch something that he claims as his—we will have the police place him under arrest and then when he is taken to court we will all be able to attest against him, leaving him without any chance of escape from the law this time. He has murdered Joseph Buquet and who knows how many other lives he has taken from this world! Now we all know that Christine is in danger as well and does any of us want to risk her destiny to be lived out just as Joseph Buquets' was?"

Raoul watched and judged each of the people in the room, he saw how everyone reacted, especially Meg and was secretly pleased by how easy they complied with his plan of action. Even though he was engaged to Meg now—something that he did not really care much for—he knew that she was a leverage to hold against Antoinette Giry and Christine. With her by his side he knew that it was impossible for him to lose this war that he had waged against the Phantom of the opera.

Madame Giry had just about heard enough and began moving to the door to leave this room filled with such hatred, she needed to warn Erik and Christine and quickly if they were to do anything about this! Oh god how she wished that she could take Meg and leave this place behind but now with Christine and Erik to help, along with her daughters recent engagement towards the villain himself, Madame Giry had nothing else to do but to stay here with her family and do her best to make everything right in the end. As soon as her hand touched the brass doorknob she heard something clear their throat.

"Oh Madame Giry, I do have a personal favor I need to ask of you as well," she heard the icy voice of the Vicomte that dripped with venomous honey call out to her. With all her strength she had to keep her face and voice stoic she turned around and faced the one man that she hated more than ever.

"Yes Monsieur Le Vicomte, what service may I be for you?" Madame Giry's voice sounded flat as she spoke to the boy sitting in front of her. She watched as a smile crept upon the boy's face as he walked around the desk to stand in front of her. His tall slim figure stood at about six inches taller than her own height and she tilted her head up a little so that she could look him into the eyes.

"I would appreciate it if you could go tell Christine Daae that I am in need of having a private audience with her tonight. There are plans that need to be fulfilled that means that I need her upmost willingness to be part of this plan. She needs to be told of the type of danger that she is in and I am the only way that she will be able to get out of this place and leave it behind entirely," Raoul glared down at the older woman as he watched her process the words that he spoke to her. Madame Giry was frightened about what Christine would think to such a plan, but she knew every well how Christine would react and so as she straightened her posture against her cane Madame Giry's body straightened another couple of inches as she challenged the Vicomte.

"And if she refuses to come to see you?" Madame Giry spat as she raised one of her eyebrows towards the young man in front of her. She watched as his demeanor changed from uncomfortably friendly to uncomfortably deadly in seconds as he glared down towards her.

"If she refuses to come to see me then I will be forced to send police in every room looking for her and I will have to arrest her on charges of plotting against the welfare of a prominent figure in the Parisian society. I am sure however, this is an offer that she will not refuse and so I am asking you as a friend to kindly bring her to me." Without another word Madame Giry opened the door and quickly made the journey back to Erik's home to warn him and Christine.

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Erik sat completely still as he heard Antoinette recount the tale of the Vicomte's plans to capture him and his threats to Christine's life. That is where the boy drew the line, Erik was not just going to sit down and wait for DeChagny to take the one thing that he loved more than music itself. But he also knew that if Christine did not go to the manager's office tonight then she would be arrested and Erik knew that there was a slim to zero chance that he would be able to rescue her if she was taken to the Paris prison.

He knew that his plan could still work but it was only a matter of changing the first move he played. This situation could go of two ways and he hoped that it was the one that worked in his favor. With the Vicomte's new plan he knew that he would have to make use of the chandelier now more than ever and so he knew that he would have to fix that trap as a distraction if he needed to. He looked over to see Christine eyes near the brink of tears and he held her closely.

"Oh god Erik what happens now? How can we get out of this situation? There has to be some way, please if you know of any way to stop him from hurting us please just tell me!" Christine began sobbing as she pushed herself against Erik and wrapped her arms around him. Of course Erik knew of a way to put this all behind them and he feared that it would eventually have to come to it.

"The Vicomte must die."

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><p><strong>OH MY GOSH! I expanded on the Vicomte's plan more in this story than it did in the 2004 movie, mostly because i felt that it added to the plot. I wonder how the conversation with Christine is going to go, hmm? Do you have any ideas for what should be saiddone? Is there anything that you want any of the characters to do that i have not done so already? If you have any ideas/comments please review this chapter and let me know! If i feel i can incorporate it into the story i will put it in when appropriate!**


	19. Cut The Fun Short

**Ok so I know that I left you on a fairly violent note last chapter, haha, but I will be explaining those drastic measures that Erik state—please don't argue, you will understand in time! Anyway, recently I have memorized "The Music of the Night" on the piano (ALW version ugh haha) and will be performing it for my band director on Monday, if I get good feedback I shall post it on our favorite internet channel youtube!**

**This is a two parter because i feel it would be better to split this chapter up. This is the first part and i will be posting the second part sometime soon (hopefully if school doesn't get in the way).**

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><p>Chapter 19: Cut the fun short<p>

Christine sat petrified, yet still holding Erik's hand, on the chair with him. Madame Giry had just finished telling them that the Vicomte has called upon her for a private audience, _what does that mean? What does he want from me now? I do NOT want to see that man ever again but yet he is always there trying to take me away from the life I have always known and push me into the darkness where there is no music—and where there is no music there is no happiness. _

She stared vacantly at the lake wondering if this would be the last time that she set her eyes upon the glories and wonders of Erik's domain. If it was their last night together she wanted to make it memorable for the both of them. Yet she also found that if she wanted to make it unforgettable then Madame Giry would not be here for much longer or else Christine felt that she would go crazy if she could not have Erik to herself for at last one more night.

But then she remembered Erik's plan about killing the Vicomte, it was horrible and utterly wrong but it made a point about ending their worries…unless his parents sought revenge. If the DeChagny's wanted to, they could kill anyone in all of France just because the person looked at them wrong—they had absolutely too much power and it frightened Christine to no end. How could someone live with so much power? Christine felt that it would eat her alive if she were ever in such a situation.

Erik looked over at Christine worriedly, he had no idea how she felt about this entire situation. He knew that Raoul was her childhood friend, thankfully nothing more, and the fact that they were discussing how to kill him must be traumatizing the young girl. Erik began to gently rub Christine's back in the only way of reassurance he could muster right now and held her hand a little bit tighter to make her know that she is safe. When he saw Christine's eye look up at him he made sure she knew how much he loved her just through his eyes. Instead of the reaction he thought would happen, he was surprised to see Christine jump out of the chair and start crying.

"Why does he keep coming after me? Why does he have to see me tonight, alone? I do not want to see him but I will have to in order to make sure that everyone is safe. Ever since he came along nothing has been going right, he keeps getting in the way of my, our, happiness and now look at the extent that his obsession has gone to! He is ordering and threatening people I love to get what he wants in the end—me. He won't ever stop until he gets what he wants in the end and that is me. How can I just give myself over to him? It's impossible, I would never be able to willingly give myself up to him. Therefore, I know that people I love will get hurt before this is all over," with all that said Christine fell into a pile on the floor and cried all of the tears she had been holding back lately.

Madame Giry and Erik were both slightly shocked at the spectacle that Christine had made of herself. Normally, Christine would never allow her walls to break down in front of other people but they also knew just have much pressure has been on her shoulders lately so they were not entirely shocked that Christine had finally released all the built up tension from the events that have taken place—Buquets death, the cemetery, her rising stardom and now this.

Erik walked over to her and gently picked her up before placing her into his lap on the couch. He knew how improper it must be considered in Parisian society to do such a thing before marriage, AND in front of other people but he felt that he had every right to do so at such a moment—besides, Madame Giry wasn't refusing him so what was holding him back?

"Christine, darling, I really do need you to go see the Vicomte. He obviously needs to discuss something of great importance with you and I feel that if you do go and see him then that would give us the upper hand in this situation," Erik spoke softly as he held the crying form in his lap. At the end of his explanation he could tell that her crying that significantly decreased, and he was pleased with himself so he continued on in his speech.

"In fact you will not be alone, not even for a second. Things are never what they seem my darling girl, because in the manager's office there is a small opening to watch you through along with a secret passageway behind a curtain that no one has ever known about. I will be behind the small window watching you. If you ever feel like you are in danger cross your fingers behind your back and then I shall turn off all the lights and we shall escape through the passageway. Please do this Christine, for me? For our future?" Erik pulled out their courtship ring and attached chain from his jacket pocket as he spoke about their future and watched as Christine became excited by the small trinket.

Christine immediately took it from Erik and began to replace it around her neck once again before looking at him once again. She knew that whatever Raoul needed to tell her was dire to know in order to secure safety for her and Erik's future. _Maybe this meeting will not be as bad as you think it is, _Christine chided herself, _in fact maybe the things that Raoul wishes to discuss are something. _With a deep breath Christine looked up at Erik and nodded in consent to this meeting. She knew that Erik would be watching over her and that he would never allow any harm to come to her.

"Very well Erik, I will go and see the Vicomte DeChagny but I will not enjoy a second of his attention. In fact I will almost hate it, and so, therefore I will try to make this little meeting done as quickly as possible without letting him to stray off topic" Christine vowed to the man standing in front of her. Christine did not know what it was, but there was something about Erik that made her want to impress him and make him happy every chance she could get. She refused to let him down, and would do anything to keep him safe.

As Erik watched Christine make her promise to him, he could not help but start to laugh a little near the end. Of course this promise was done in such a serious manner, but it was because of the manner and facial gestures Christine made that made the whole thing quite funny! After he began to chuckle slightly he began to regret it almost instantly because of the seriousness of the situation at hand. So before Christine could understand what he was doing he covered the laugh with a hard coughing fit and excused himself to the kitchen to relieve his itchy throat, insisting that he was okay and that a glass of cold water would be sufficient to sooth his throat.

Christine sat in silence for a moment with Madame Giry as she concerned herself with Erik's health despite Erik's attempts that persuading her that he was alright. She was nervous, she knew that much, but she couldn't let if it was from Erik's health right before the meeting, the meeting itself, or the fact that Madame Giry was still there silently watching everything Christine did. Christine looked down and saw her hands playing with themselves, her nervous habit that she had picked up from her father, and was disappointed in the lack of authority over herself that she had. Maybe all her nervous habits would stop after this has finally been finished.

Madame Giry watched as Christine sat nervously waiting for Erik's return to the sitting room. It was self-evident to Antoinette that Christine has grown to have a large attachment to Erik and it both pleased and scared her a little how much Christine depended on Erik's presence. Was it normal for such a young girl to hold such strong feelings for a man that has seen so much cruelties of the world? Madame Giry soon began questioning how much Christine truly knew of Erik's past, for if she knew nothing of Erik's pat life it would make their relationship harder.

As Madame Giry continued to question Christine and Erik's relationship she suddenly stopped herself from thinking any more negative thoughts of their pairing. She almost forgot that she too had married at a young age and had fallen deeply in love with her dead husband Gabriel, God rest his soul. They had flirted for many years. Gabriel had begged her father to court her when they both turned eighteen and with his permission they courted as often as was possible with them both having careers at the opera house—him being the leading tenor and her as the prima ballerina. It was only a year before they announced their engagement and within the first year of their marriage Antoinette had found herself pregnant with Margaret. On the night that she went into labor with Meg she had sent her maid to go to Gabriel to inform him at work that was just down the road. According to the maid Gabriel had run across the street when a rogue carriage had come out of nowhere and the driver couldn't stop the horses from running—Gabriel had been run over by the horses and carriage. Antoinette had given birth to Meg while listening to the maid tell her that her husband was dead and from then on she was a widow with just a babe to keep her alive.

She watched as Erik came back and sat down next to Christine as he smiled at her. Antoinette wished deeply that they could live in happiness when she could not. Of course they were her family and she loved them dearly, but nothing was the same after her husband had died. She prayed to God that all their troubles and woes will go away by the end of the week so that they could live out the lives that they both deserved. With a quick glance to the clock it showed that she and Christine had only twenty minutes to go to Raoul before he would become angry. So as she quickly stood up and cleared her throat to catch the attention of the two young love birds in front of her.

"Christine, if we are to make it in time for the meeting with the Vicomte DeChagny we must leave now. Erik will also need ample time to make it through the secret passageway so that he can witness everything the two of you say to each other—it would be best for all of us to hear what plans this boy as in store for the 'Don Juan' performance tomorrow. Come dear, let's go," Antoinette ushered Christine towards the door but allowed the young girl to hug Erik goodbye for now. She watched as Erik kissed Christine's forehead and Antoinette almost began to cry at how sweet their sentiments were to one another. To keep the tears from falling she slightly scoffed playfully to get Christine on her way to the manager's office.

Christine picked up the bottoms of her skirts and rushed to catch up with Madame Giry. It surprised Christine that the older woman still had so much energy left in her that she would be able to outwalk Christine herself, and Christine had prided herself with the ability to walk quickly. _I guess that is what I get for having pride in myself, for pride is a deadly sin. _Once she caught up with her foster mother, the two woman walked in silence towards the large dark oak doors that separated the interior of the spacious manager's office from Christine and Antoinette. The young soprano looked towards Madame Giry with worry painted across her eyes not knowing what to do now.

"Don't worry child, I will be near in the room across the hallway. You will be protected, do not be afraid—no harm will come towards you if I have any say in the matter. Now the sooner you step foot into that room the sooner you can step out of it." Antoinette opened the door and pushed Christine gently towards the entrance, with a small rub to her back Antoinette shut the door and prayed to God that Christine would be ok.

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Christine walked into the darkened room to find the silhouette of Raoul standing in front of the blazing fireplace. She did not want to get to close to the man that she didn't trust so she walked until there was fifteen feet of space in between and spoke softly to acknowledge her presence.

"Madame Giry told me that you had wished to see me for a private audience?" Christine spoke softly without any emotion to make it seem that she wanted to be here, because that was far from the true feelings that she had felt. But she remembered what Erik had told her and she knew that she could not give away any emotions or of a deeper relationship with Raoul to make him think that they were meant to be together.

"Ah yes, I am glad that she brought you tonight. It would have been a shame if she hadn't because I have something very important to talk to you about." Raoul told Christine as he began walking to the large chair behind the desk. He pulled it out and sat down in it, gesturing for Christine to sit in one of the smaller seats in front of him. As soon as Christine had made herself comfortable in the smaller chair, Raoul pulled out the red leather cased copy of 'Don Juan'. He flipped open the score absentmindedly and began reading through some of the lyrics before continuing.

"It seems my dear that the Phantom of the Opera has grown to hold some kind of attachment towards you. I would even go far enough to infer that he is infatuated with you," Raoul sneered near the end with sarcastic mockery. He fully intended to end this nonsense that the "Phantom of the Opera" had started with _his _Christine.

"I was unaware that the Phantom held such strong feelings for me Vicomte," Christine replied as innocently as possible to the accusation. Inside Christine could feel her blood boiling with hatred towards Raoul for the petty way that he was acting towards another man solely because Erik had something that he could not have—Christine's heart.

"Do not play games with me Christine it is quite obvious how he feels for you! Why else would he send notes to all the important people at the Opera Populaire to give us strict instructions about how your career should progress? Why else would he singly point you out in the crowd during the Masquerade to make you the star of his opera that he wrote? Why would Meg warn me about everything that she knew about the Phantom to make sure that you were safe?" Raoul's voice grew progressively louder every time he brought something up, he felt such hatred for the man that ruined his chances of happiness with Christine. He wanted the Phantom of the Opera gone. Permanently.

Christine audibly gasped as she heard for the first time that Meg had been speaking about her and Erik behind their backs to Raoul. She instantly grew worried and curious as to what exactly she had told Raoul, for if she told him too much then everything was going to be ruined. Meg would be the reason that Christine would not be able to find happiness with the one man that she loved now. However, there were more important things to discuss than Meg for now and Christine silently counted to ten to calm herself once again.

"Monsieur DeChagny, why exactly was I called here for?" Christine implored Raoul and she watched as a terribly big grin shaped itself upon Raoul's mouth. She knew that whatever it was that she was going to hear was something that she didn't want to. She did know that he wanted her to sing at the opening performance tomorrow night—that she knew from Madame Giry, but now Christine felt there was more to this than anyone else knew.

"I want you to perform as Aminta at tomorrow night's opening performance. It is quite obvious that the Phantom of the Opera will watch you perform in his box if we should leave it open for him and, then, we will take care of him," Raoul stated proudly as he stood up and held his hands behind his back as he looked once more into the fire. Raoul silently wished that the Phantom would burn in the deepest pits of fire in hell.

"What do you mean by 'take care of him' Monsieur le Vicomte?" Christine knew that she was treading on a thin wire at this point. Things were beginning to turn scary and she was afraid that she knew what Raoul was soon going to tell her would happen to her Erik. Raoul was going to…

"Kill him," Raoul finished Christine's thoughts unknowingly and turned around from the fire to face Christine once more. His cheeks were slightly reddened from the flame's heat, thankfully covering the slight blush as he thought of him and Christine finally together. He touched the light bulge he felt in his pocket and looked at Christine.

"Don't you believe that is a very rash action monsieur?" Christine questioning Raoul as she watched him walk closer to her with every stride that he took.

"Of course not my dear Christine! He is a madman that belongs in prison behind bars, once he is locked away we will finally be together again." He finally made it to Christine and he stood there as he smiled down upon her and brushed her cheek with his finger. When she moved her face away he grinned knowing that she was too shy for now—later on he knew that she will show her true feelings for him once this entire mess was over.

"Together again? Please monsieur, I do not mean to be disrespectful but we were never together in the past. We were childhood friends, and then once my father passed away we had to go our separate ways. Yours led to the navy for many years and mine led me to the Opera Populaire where I grew to have a career with money in my pocket and a roof over my head," Christine spoke passionately about her life in the opera house because it was the only other place that held dear memories to her heart besides the small house by the sea that she and her father used to live in.

"Oh but my darling Christine you would not have to worry about this dirty place any longer. You won't have to busy yourself around these commoners and sing for money, once we are together you will not have to worry about anything. I promise I would be your most devoted husband till death do us part," Raoul got down on one knee and protruded the engagement ring. Christine felt her mouth drop as she stared at the ring for a second. There was no denying its grandeur beauty—it obviously cost the man quite some money. But after a few seconds Christine closed her mouth and shook her head as she closed the box.

"I'm sorry monsieur but I cannot accept this offer. I will take the role as Aminta because—" Christine watched Raoul's face turn from hurt to betrayal to anger in a matter of seconds. She saw his gaze fall upon Erik's courtship chain and ring around her neck and she cursed herself silently for replacing the ring back on before she had come to the meeting with Raoul. She had a bad feeling that Raoul's temper would get to the best of him now and she was worried for her safety and the safety of others tomorrow night as well.

"You cannot accept my offer because you are in league with the Phantom!" Raoul bellowed as he made an attempt to rip the chain off from around Christine's neck. He was furious with how she had played all of them: the managers, the conductor, the cast and crew, and mostly himself for these past few months. Now he definitely knew that the Phantom of the Opera was going to pay.

"Of course I am not! How dare you accuse me of such a thing monsieur?" Christine had to think of a plan quickly before Raoul busted from the anger she saw that was self-evident on his face. She had to make him think that she was with someone other than the Phantom, even though she was. When the idea struck her she continued on in her tale.

"Erik DeNuit, the man who escorted me to the Masquerade Ball, was and still is courting me. We have been seeing each other for many months now. He had accidentally discovered the hidden room that you and the Phantom had both plummeted into and found the ring abandoned on the floor in front of one of the mirrors. It took him a while to escape, but he knew that he had to very quickly if he wanted to make it out of there before the Phantom caught him and took him as ransom. I am not surprised that the Phantom is intrigued with me, but I know that he would take my beloved Erik in a heartbeat if it meant to get me to sing for him at the performance," Christine finished her little performance with a few tears building around the corners of her eyes. Oh god how she hoped that Raoul fell for the act that she had put on.

Raoul was still angry, even more so, that there was yet another man with his eyes set upon Christine. He found it funny how he has never seen the man that Christine had claimed she was courting and he decided to bring that up to see if she was faking everything.

"Where is your Erik now?" Raoul asked menacingly.

"He is at his home, sick. He caught pneumonia from the snow outside. Now if you please monsieur, I have agreed to be in the performance of 'Don Juan' may I please leave to get some rest?" Christine felt Raoul's hand wrap itself around her arm and she felt extremely uncomfortable in such a possessive manner. How dare this insolent little boy, this stranger to her lifehold her in such a manner to make it seem like he had a possession over her. By God she was glad that she had chosen Erik over this man, but Raoul was not a man. He was a spoiled little _fop_.

"Yes you have agreed to star as Aminta, but you have yet to agree to be my wife. Sadly, I cannot let such an opportunity leave so suddenly without a fight," Christine was shocked to hear Raoul telling her these protective and slightly scary thoughts of his. She began to walk towards the door to shield her frightened face from his view and as she pushed down on the doorknob she heard him call out to her once more.

"Oh and Christine? I even know that the Phantom is in love with you—here is my ultimatum: Choose me and live in a life of luxury, or choose him and watch me blast a hole through his cold heart".

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><p><strong>Oh my! I cannot believe Raoul would say such a thing about such a cute Phantom! I wonder what Christine will say to that hmm? Next chapter is all about Erik and his side to all of this! <strong>

**PhantomFan01 I loved your idea, and so i included it near the end? Did you see it? :D did ya like it? **

**If there is anything you want to see happen/said or have questions about please review and i will do everything in my ability! **


	20. Change of Plan

**Because I love all my readers/reviwers so much, i have decided to give you all a gift-the second part to "Cut the Fun Short". I woke up at 3 in the morning and spent two hours nonstop writing this chapter because i love each and every one of my fans. I hope everyone has a great first day back and i hope that this little extra Phantom can help.**

**Your obedient servant,**

**PhantomsAngel1870**

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><p>Chapter 20: Change of Plan<p>

As Christine turned for the door she heard Raoul's threat. She was astounded by the two options—well actually it was only one option with two outcomes that depended on her answer—and took a deep breath before turning back to face Raoul once more.

"You shall have your answer by the end of tomorrow night monsieur. I hope you enjoy the performance," Christine gave Raoul her answer and opened the door before slamming it shut on Raoul's shocked face. She knew that he would not be chasing after her for the rest of tonight so she allowed her body to fall against a nearby wall as she began crying.

Madame Giry, having heard the fuss, came out of the room that was across the room and rushed to the small crying figure that was huddled by the door. She pushed the long dark brown curls out of Christine's face as she helped the young girl back to her dressing room. Along the way Madame Giry stopped by a servant's quarters and found a small stash of chocolate and tea and brought it along with her as she and Christine continued their journey back to Christine's dressing room.

Once the two women arrived Christine sunk onto her chaise lounge and cried deeply for her and Erik's life that seemed would never come. Raoul has ruined every hope of happiness for her and Christine was not sure what she was going to do now. How can she escape this dark world of aristocracy that was in store for her? Of course it seemed glamorous but underneath the riches and wonder was a prison for Christine—a prison that she would not be able to get out of—and she never wanted to pushed into that lifestyle again. He remembered how Raoul's mother had tried to make her into a proper lady in society but Christine was never interested in the rule's that governed future Duchess's and Ladies. She would always rather go out to the sea and get dirty playing in the yard. She wanted to sing her heart out and be an actress, but no one would listen, no one but Erik.

She knew that she wanted a life where Erik would always be there by her side. She knew of the traumatizing childhood he had to live and she felt sorry—not pity—that he would never have the type of memories that Christine had of her and father. She knew that she was the first woman to ever show him love—Madame Giry had always been a sister to Erik, that Christine knew—and Christine vowed to love Erik enough to fill a hundred people every day. She began to think about a little babe with Erik's eyes and musical abilities crawling around their future home. A blush formed at her cheeks as she realized what she was thinking about and looked towards the mirror waiting for Erik to come and retrieve her.

Christine looked at the mirror and saw Madame Giry in the reflection reading "Les Miserables". Christine sat back down on the chaise and cleared her throat to gain Madame Giry's attention once more. With a soft sigh Christine sat down across from Madame Giry and recounted what had occurred in the room with Raoul, she did not stop until she got to the very end and only then did she allow herself to cry once more and let Madame Giry hold her. _Oh god I need Erik…_

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Erik had kept his end of the promise and followed Christine to the manager's office with her through the use of his secret passageways. He had to hurry, however, because they twisted farther away from the source near the beginning and he found himself sprinting through the maze of hallways to reach the room before he missed anything that would be exchanged between the damned Vicomte and Christine.

He had made it in the nick of time to to the portrait that he could pull back a peephole through the eyes of the man who had orginally built the Opera Populaire, Charles Garnier. Through the "eyes" of Garnier Erik saw Christine seating herself into a smaller chair that was across from DeChagny and the desk. Upon the desk was his copy of 'Don Juan' that he had given to the managers, and now the blasted Vicomte was touching the pages of the exquisite music and staining them with his fopness.

He was pleased with how Christine acted around the boy, she was almost emotionless except with her small uses of shock and surprise to learn something "new" about the Phantom of the Opera from Raoul. Erik intensely watched the boy try to cleverly move himself closer and closer to Christine and was obvious by the grimace upon Christine's face that she was very uncomfortable with the Vicomte that close to her. The whole ploy infuriated Erik, however, he didn't realize how mad he could actually get until he saw DeChagny kneel and propose to Christine.

He watched Christine's face become shocked and was proud that she turned his offer away. But as he saw Raoul's eyes glance down to the necklace that laid against Christine's chest Erik knew that he had made a convicting mistake by giving the necklace back to Christine before her meeting with the Vicomte. Erik became infuriated with the boy and himself as he had to silently watch DeChagny yell at Christine and acuse her. But all the weight was lifted off his shoulders as he listened to the creative lie that Christine made up to keep them both safe.

As he finally watched Christine leave the manager's office Erik made his way back to his place behind the mirror just in time to see Christine and Madame Giry arriving. Erik didn't know much about women but he felt that it would be best to give Christine a few minutes alone with Madame Giry before he made his presence known, so he stayed silently behind the mirror as he watched Christine.

However, after he saw Christine crying he knew that she needed him more than anything. _It's almost like I can feel what she is feeling. It must be true—I do not own my heart anymore because I gave it to Christine. If I can feel what she is feeling I wonder if she can do the same with me? _Erik didn't leave her crying against Madame Giry for long because a protective (but not DeChagny protective) feeling came over him and he opened the mirror to see Christine's eyes shoot up and burst with happiness. It overwhelmed Erik still that anyone would be so happy to see him in the same room as them but Christine was just not like any of the other women in this world and for that Erik was very greatful.

Before he knew it Christine had run to him and crushed her body against his as he felt the tears overwhelm her again. Erik looked over at Madame Giry and gave her the "_don't you dare say a word about this_" look before picking up Christine and carrying her towards the chaise. He sat himself down and then placed his petite brunette into his lap allowing her to cry on his shoulder. Erik gently rubbed Christine's back as he hummed their song to her. When Christine had finally stopped crying Erik knew that it was time to discuss what had happened in the manager's office and what they needed to do now in regards to the conversation between DeChagny and Christine.

"I know that it would be considered very early to start discussing the matters of the conversation between Christine and the Vicomte, but I feel that now that we know what he has planned that we need to talk more about the plan," Erik began his speech towards the two women before him and watched as they both nodded in consent in return. Erik began processing all that the Vicomte had told Christine and finally decided on a course of action.

"Like I have stated earlier, I will take on the role of Don Juan right before his duet with Aminta. During the song I will stay very close to Christine at all times, and when we reach our destination the trap door will be there awaiting us in the middle of the leviated platform. But I know that it will not take the Vicomte too long to understand that I will not be in my Box Five as per usual so I am sure to believe that he will know that it is me on stage with Christine. Therefore, in the stage production Don Juan tells Aminta that he loves her and she responds back with the same love but the Devil takes Don Juan away because he never had the right to such beauty, while Aminta cries for the lost love that she had just found. However, I believe that we will be changing it slightly where Don Juan and Aminta both fall. I know that it not the way I intended the story to take place but given the danger that we are in I believe that this is the best course of action." Erik took a long breath after his monologue and waited as the women processed everythin that he had told them. After a while of complete and utter silence Erik began to become nervous until he heard Madame Giry clear her throat before talking.

"Erik, you are almost making it sound like you are using Christine as a way to keep the Vicomte from shooting," Antoinette pleaded with Erik silently as she watched him think his answer through. She didn't want any harm to fall upon either of them and it pained Antoinette greatly to think that should the Vicomte win she will be losing everyone that she cared for. She sighed as she remembered that her daughter was engaged to the Vicomte and it was a pairing that Antoinette disagreed completely on. But Antoinette knew that she had no say in the matter anymore because of the vast amount of power and wealth that befell upon anyone who held the DeChagny name, and so she had to accept that her daughter was going to live a Vicomtess's lifestyle in six months.

"I understand how you may believe that I would be using Christine in such a way. But relax dear sister, Christine is not going to be in any danger at all. I hardly believe that the Vicomte would want any harm to befall upon the one person that he wants. It is me that he wants dead and it will only be me that will be in any harm's way. I promise," Erik watched Antoinette nervously nod and dab her eyes softly with a hankerchief she hid in the folds of her dress.

"What happens are we fall through the flames?" Christine's soft voice spoke in the silence. Erik looked down at his angel and held her tighter to his body, almost as if to shield her against anymore of the world's cruelties. He would gladly take any blow and hit to keep Christine away from the evil people in this world.

"After we fall through the flames we will land on a large pile of pillows and blankets that I have already laid out for tomorrow's performance. Once we get up I will locate the hidden luggage that I have packed for the both of us and there will be a carriage waiting for us at the back of the opera house. It will be entirely conspicuous because with the number of people who will attending this event, it would not be unheard of to picked up in the back of the Opera Populaire because it will be less crowded and much easier to leave without worrying about getting blocked by another carriage near the front."

When Erik felt Christine's head nodding against his chest he knew that she agreed with the plan, mostly because there was no deaths involved in this master plan at happiness for the two of them. But Erik was also one of the most cautious men in the world as well and so he opened his coat pocket after shifting Christine over onto his right leg. When he protruded the small silver object he heard the women gasp.

"I know that you could never harm anyone Christine, but in desperate measures and events cause people to go back on such a vow. Should anything go wrong I want you to have this blade with you in case you are ever in need of it. Erik gently placed the small blade, built for speed and light weight, into Christine's awaiting hands. He watched her hold it and admire the handle that was decorated with small jewels—yes, it was most definitely made for a woman.

"How will I be able to hide such a thing Erik? I will have to be holding it the entire time during the opera, I can't keep such a thing a secret," Christine worriedly asked as she held up the knife to Erik. She wanted to keep it on her just in case, but she also knew that it would be very hard to even scratch someone with it without feeling sorry for her actions. Then again she understood that she could have a change of heart if Erik was ever in trouble but knew she couldn't help him if she didn't have the element of surprise.

Erik then pulled out a small thigh sheath made to hold a weapon around a woman's thigh. He held it up to Christine who looked a little confused to the bundle of leather that Erik was holding out to her. She didn't know how, exactly, this small roll of leather could help her hide the gun so she awaited for Erik to explain such a thing to her.

"This is a thigh sheath. This roll of leather will to used to strap around your mid thigh and on it is a small pocket to hold your blade in. The thigh sheath will be underneath your skirt during the opera so that nobody will see it on you. Should anything happen you quickly grab it out and you are armed. Nobody will suspect a thing." Erik placed the sheath in Christine's other hand and was pleased with himself that he was able to give Christine some solace about her safety. He knew that she probably never handled a knife for anything except eating, but he knew that if she were to be put in a circumstance where their lives were at stake she would be able to use it just as well as he could. Well, _maybe_ just as he could.

Madame Giry watched as Erik gave Christine a weapon. She knew that he must believe this situation to be so serious if he felt that he could entrust Christine with a knife. She knew that there was very little she could do now to stop the events from taking place, the Vicomte should have heeded her warning when she told him how powerful the Phantom of the Opera could be. But the damned boy wouldn't listen to her, and now he has called war upon the most dangerous man in all of Paris. Madame Giry knew that all she could really do now was to help Erik and Christine to make sure that their plan ran smoothly by ordering the carriage that Erik told her was driven by the man with the name Gabriel—the same name as her late husband. The pain still stung in her heart but she knew that it would be best to not bring up the past but instead focus on the present and work towards the greater future.

Erik looked back to Christine and saw her mouth opened up in a small yawn. He rubbed her back again as he smiled down upon her and knew that it was time to get some sleep, tomorrow will forever change their lives in some way or another.

"Antoinette I am afraid that I must call it a night, we all need as much rest as possible before tomorrow's opera. I cannot have my star falling asleep on stage now can I?" Erik teased Christine gently and was pleased when he was awarded with a smile and a small shake of her head. Antoinette nodded in consent as well because she now felt the drain of tonight's events and she knew that in roder to help her family succeed she, too, could not be seen falling asleep at the wings of the stage.

Madame Giry stood up and walked towards the door but before leaving the room she whispered in a voice that she knew that only Erik's ears would be able to pick up. "Please keep both of yourselves safe, for my sake Erik," Antoinette waited for Erik to nod his head slightly and only then did she leave to return to her bedroom.

Erik held Christine as he opened the mirror and never once set her down as he walked them to the boat. Once he laid her down on the pillows he gently pushed the small boat back to his home again and then carried her into his room to lay her down. He knew that it went against all the rules that society has governed about propriety but he knew that Christine would not be thrilled to awake to find herself alone in a dark room. Also, Erik needed her closeby as well in case he had the nightmares again. With her by his side he would know immediately that the nightmares were not real. But most importantly this was their last night together—this was the deep breath before the plunge.

Erik took off all the different parts of his suit before replacing the clothes with a loose fitted shirt that deeply plunged with a low v-neck and pants before returning to his bed. Once he laid down beside the brunette beauty he kissed her forehead which caused Christine to stir in her sleep and make herself subconsciously shift her body against Erik's with her head against his bare chest. Erik fell asleep that night feeling as if he were in heaven.

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><p><strong>What do you think about the plan, is it foolproof? How about Christine getting her own weapon, it seems that Erik has quite a bit of those huh? <strong>

**If you have any questions/concerns or you want to see something happen/said please review/PM me and i will include it in the story**


	21. Before the Performance Pt 1

**I had to recently change the rating of my story from T to M all because of this chapter! This chapter is rated M for heavy sexual content. If you are uncomfortable reading such things I will place brackets to let you know when it is safe to read again. **

**I could not find a single day to upload this chapter this week (lots of homework and tests and region tryout studying) anyway...i hope you like this chapter and I thank everyone for constantly reviewing and reading!**

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><p>Chapter 21: Before the Performance—Part 1<p>

The next morning arrived too quickly for Christine's pleasure and she laid in Erik's bed praying that it was all just a dream and that she didn't really need to perform this play to try to have the man lying beside her killed. She closed her eyes as she felt tears stinging with the threat to fall free, but with the help of looking up at the ceiling she kept them at bay for now.

She quietly got out of the bed and went to the bedroom that was designed for exactly her in mind. Christine smiled as she saw all the little touches that Erik had added in the intent to please her fully. She smiled as she caressed the paintings of the angels that held various instruments on the wall and only then did she realize that her father must have informed Erik about the angel of music. For a minute Christine felt like the most stupid girl in the world for never seeing that Erik did everything—lie, kill, frighten people and protect herself—because he loved her with more passion than anyone thought imaginable. Christine could see how some people might have wondered why she wasn't scared of the man but the way she saw it was that he did all of this to find happiness with the only person that could help him reach that goal. Everyone else in the Opera Populaire would have found his face too horrible to even comprehend living their life stuck with him, but Christine looked past that and knew that there was more of a man in Erik than there was in all of France!

With a hard nod to herself she walked towards the wardrobe that contained all the dresses that Erik had created for her and decided upon a dress that held a white top with a dark green skirt that flowed out heavily—the cold seemed much heavier under the opera house—and she began to strip. She had reached down to her chemise when she heard something move from behind her. Hoping to find Erik she turned around and saw the largest rat she had ever seen in her life scamper near her. Using her vocal powers, Christine let loose the highest noted scream she could manage hoping that it would attract Erik's attention.

Within seconds she saw the man that she wanted to see bound into her room with only black pants on. His wig and mask were perfect so Christine knew that she had probably interrupted him as he was getting ready for the day. Without too much thinking she pointed to the vermin that managed to get into her room and with tear streaked eyes she looked back at Erik silently pleading him to rid of the beast.

Erik lifted an eyebrow and looked at where Christine's finger was pointed to and rolled his eyes as he realized that it was just a rat. Erik didn't say too much about it as he quietly picked up the rat and took it through a passageway that would lead the poor creature to the outside world. Erik sighed as he watched the rat scamper towards the strokes of daylight that touched the marble stone walls of his haven and shook his head. He knew that Christine had always feared rats ever since she came to the opera house. She had used to tell him that they had plagued her house by the sea, when she had still lived with her father, and that after one week of not brushing her hair (because she was a stubborn child) she had awoken one night to find that a rat had laid itself in her hair. Her five year old screams had woken up her father which only caused him to laugh and say that her hair really _was _a rat's nest. After that incident Christine had always been adamant about brushing her hair every morning and every night.

He made his way to back to his home and saw Christine busying herself in the kitchen and smiled as he thought of how much he wanted to make her his wife. He knew that he had the ring in his room, it was hidden in the wall behind a removable stone. Every second she did something kind for me, like she was now, all he wanted to do was to propose to her right then and there. But Erik knew that he had to stay to the plan, which included not speaking about it to anyone—let alone even thinking about it.

He sat down at his piano wondering how so many other men did this without fail. His real plan was to propose to her at the end of the duet, "Past the Point of No Return", because in the song Don Juan begs Aminta to stay with him for the rest of their days. To many people it may seem just part of the opera but he knew that Christine will know that his question will be completely real. He wrote the opera for the two of them in mind; Aminta was everything that Christine was: innocent, beautiful, young and slightly naïve. Christine wove herself into Erik's every thought every day and it was almost entirely impossible for him to not think of her. But for now all he knew that he could do was to play his music for her, hoping that she knew how much he desperately loved her.

He had been engrossed in composing some new wedding music when he felt the familiar hand place itself upon his shoulder. He let out a long deep breathe of relief when he saw that he had yet to title the piece of music that he was writing. He set his pen down as he heard Christine speak.

"That was beautiful Erik it was like the dawn after darkness, I hope I will be able to hear more of it once you finish writing it," Christine smiled as she caressed his exposed cheek. She didn't like how he continued to wear his leather mask even in the confines of his own home and she needed him to know that she loved him despite it. Most importantly though, Christine hated it. She hated everything about the mask—not his deformity—because it made him _want _to hide himself and Erik is one of the people that deserved the most love in the world. Yes, he had frightened some people who worked at the opera house but more importantly he was the one that caused its rapid success.

She placed her hand against the hard, cold, exterior as a silent act of asking to remove the piece of clothing that his mother forced upon him at such a young age. She felt him nod slightly and she gently removed it allowing the other side of his skin to breathe. When she saw Erik look up to her she couldn't help but compare him to a little child in moments like these, a little child who deserved so much love and compassion. With a warm smile she bent down and kissed the lumpy skin on the right side of his face after she told him she loved him with all her heart.

"Why do you love me Christine? I have lied to you so much; I lied about my identity because I have always been the phantom, I was never the angel that I had made you think I was for so many years and—" Erik was about to continue when he felt one of Christine's fingers place itself upon his mouth temporarily keeping him from talking.

"Erik if I had ever—even for a tiny second—hated you I would have left. But yet I am still here and I still love you. That night you had brought me to your home for the first time I had remembered the stories of the Phantom of the Opera and knew that it must have been you, your mask gave it away. But as I learned more about you and as you taught me the listen to the music of the night I had begun to understand just how talented you were. I never did quite understand how you knew about the Angel of Music until I read that journal—then I realized that my papa had had a large role in your life as well." Christine stated as she sat down in front of the man before her. She knew that this would end up being a long discussion and she preferred to sit than stand while she was talking to someone.

"But why did you not say anything if you had known my identity before I had told you? Why didn't you expose the lie that I had built upon for nine years?" Erik pleaded with Christine, he needed to know why she was different from everyone else. By god, if he done the same thing to another woman he knew that she would've ran off and the police would have already killed him by now.

"I didn't say anything because I knew that you would be ready to explain it yourself whenever you were ready. I believe you were ready when you had given me the journal, I knew that you had read it before I did because I saw some fresh teardrops on the pages as I had read them. Everyone needs some time to themselves before they express something new—so I gave you all the time that you needed my dear Erik." Christine grasped his hand and held it tightly around hers, she needed to make Erik understand that there was nothing that will stand in the way of their love. She grabbed a pillow that laid on the settee that she was sitting on and placed it on the floor before sitting upon it. When she was comfortable on the pillow she placed her head against Erik's thigh as a form of comfort for the both of them. When she felt his fingers running through her curls she sighed in contentment and allowed his ministrations to continue on as he talked.

"But I kidnapped you Christine." Erik choked out, he never said it aloud but it always was there in the back of his mind. He was afraid of how Christine would react to this revolution—that he had indeed kidnapped her in the dead of night—and he feared of how he would react to her reaction. He closed his eyes as he awaited the punishment that he knew he rightly deserved.

"And thank God that you did! I swear, if you had not taken me down to your house that night I would have found a way down there myself eventually. And, honey?" Christine waited for Erik to look up at her again. When she saw those familiar deep blue eyes look into hers she saw a deep yearning for acceptance swim madly in them and knew that she needed to make him understand. With a smile she leaned down and whispered into his ear, "It's not kidnapping if the girl wants to go with her 'captor'". She heard Erik's seductive chuckle emerge from his throat and knew that the dashing, Casanova Erik was back. She felt his arms wrap around her and found herself suddenly in his lap.

"No matter what happens tonight we will always be together Christine, I promise you that." Erik vowed to Christine as he held her closely to him. He never wanted to lose her, ever, and knew that if it had to come down to it with that boy then he would have to kill one more time. He hated the thought of killing now—probably due to Christine's influence on him—and did not want to shed any more blood. Any time he thought of DeChagny Erik remembered just how closely he was related to him. It didn't seem important to him because the aristocratic lifestyle never appealed to him and therefore he never liked to talk, or think, about his relations to the DeChagny. They had just about forced him to leave, his mother never loved him, because of his face.

Christine looked up to the clock that stood before them and saw that she had five hours before the production of 'Don Juan' started and looked up to Erik to see if he knew the same thing. But as she slowly looked up to him her eyes caught the open part of his shirt and saw the exposed flesh of his chest. From what she saw, his chest was very broad and muscular with a light film of light brown hair covering the top part of his chest. She placed her hand against it, surprised as to how warm it was, and felt Erik shudder from the contact. The sound that emitted from Erik made Christine feel a little bit bolder and she began to place kisses along the contours of his chest and neck.

As she continued to lick and gently bite at Erik's neck she heard him moan her name. Christine began to feel a warm sensation began to build inside of her below her stomach, but even though she was unsure as to what it was all she knew was that she never wanted to stop what they were doing.

She stopped kissing Erik for a minute to remove his shirt to touch all the muscles that she saw strained against his skin. His biceps bulged and his chest was flat except for the hard shaped ridges that were his ab muscles. Christine smiled as she began to trace each one, ultimately receiving a groan from Erik, and felt his desire for her grow and press against her thigh.

Erik was surprised at the wanton actions that his innocent little Christine was doing just now. He was sure that she would have never wanted to do something like this until their wedding night, but if she was willing who was he to deny her anything she wanted? As he felt her mouth go back up to his neck he lifted her face up so he could devour her mouth. He felt her moan as their lips touched and he began to feel her mouth open slightly. He grinned and let his tongue explore the interior of Christine's mouth moaning as he felt her tongue began to seductively dance with his.

**[SEXUAL CONTENT BEGINS]**

As they continued kissing Christine felt Erik's hands begin to remove the dress she was wearing. His deft fingers quickly removed the ribbons that held together the back of the gown and soon all Christine could feel against her skin was the thin chemise that she wore underneath the dress. Something in her mind told her to keep going and she listened to the voice and placed her hand against the strained bulge in Erik's pants. She grasped it which caused Erik to groan louder than she had ever heard him before.

Unexpectedly, Christine felt herself being lifted up in the air and she quickly wrapped her arms around Erik's neck causing her to push her breasts against his chest. She shivered at the bare skin against skin touching and began to kiss his chest again as Erik _quickly_ rushed them to his bed once again. Once Erik had laid her down against the red satin sheets he marveled at her beauty. He could clearly see what laid beneath the chemise but he also wanted to take it off now.

He leaned down and began kissing her again, loving how her body reacted to his kissing, he knew that she loved him. He placed his hands on her breasts and began to gently caress them. He felt Christine press them against his hands and he began to rub and kneed them harder causing her to moan louder. He leaned down and kissed them through the fabric.

"Oh God Erik, please!" Christine cried out loud. She didn't know exactly what she was begging him for but whatever it was she knew that it would be amazing. Before she knew it she felt the cool breeze hit her naked body and a wave of nervousness surrounded her. As she looked up to Erik she saw that he too was naked and for the first time she saw what made a man…well a man. As she looked at Erik's private section she couldn't help but wonder how something so large could fit inside of her!

Erik saw how nervous Christine was about the act of making love and knew that he had to subdue those thoughts from her mind. He needed to show her just how beautiful it can be, even though he has never done this before either he has read many books that discuss the matter—and unfortunately, he has accidently walked in upon some ballerinas and stage hands performing the act as well. He leaned back down to Christine and began kissing her again and allowed his hands to softly travel against her pale satin smooth skin. His hands traveled from her arms, across her breasts down her hips and thighs back up to her inner thighs. As his fingers reached her heavenly womanhood he could tell that she was ready for him by how wet she was.

"Oh God, Christine you are ready." He moaned as he felt around the pink flesh. He saw how she beagn to look confused and he kissed her forehead, "trust me my dear. I promise you will fully enjoy this." Erik waited for her to nod before continuing. Once she nodded in consent he took one of his fingers and pushed it gently inside of her.

Christine never felt a pain like she did know. She felt him inside of her and the pain of the muscle never being used pained her. But after a while the pain faded away and she subconsciously pushed her hips up causing Erik's finger to push deeper inside of her. As she felt it move within her she began moaning and a feeling began to swell inside of her.

Erik watched as Christine adjusted to the feeling of his finger within her and after a while he saw the difference become apparent on her face—it began changing from one of pain to one of passion, and when she pushed his finger deeper inside of her and she moaned he knew that he needed to hurry this process up before he exploded in his pants. He saw how her body began to grow flushed and her nipples were hardening and he knew that it was almost time for her as well. So he added two more fingers to adjust Christine to his size and watched her get comfortable again.

As Christine rocked herself against Erik's finger she felt it tighten again. It still felt amazing so she waited a couple of minutes before the pain subsided before lifting her hips again. She felt his fingers begin moving again but this time she felt his mouth on her breast—she could have died and gone to heaven. The same feeling in the pit of her body swelled even more and she cried for Erik.

"Please Erik, dear god please!" As Erik heard Christine beg for him again he knew that it was time for them to become one. Erik spread Christine's legs apart and watched her grow scared of the unknown. He caressed her face before calming her down.

"Christine my dear, you are going to have to trust me on this. It will hurt a little at the beginning but afterwards it will never hurt again." Christine nodded and laid herself back down on Erik's pillow and awaited for the pain to come. She told herself mentally not to show any pain because she knew that it would hurt Erik to know that he was causing her intentional pain.

Erik positioned above Christine and leaned down to kiss her. As he distracted her with kissing he began to press himself inside of her. His instincts told him to push all of him inside of her but his conscious told him to place Christine's happiness before his satisfactions. He pulled his mouth away from her for a second and placed his weight on his elbow. He looked down at her and saw a few tears escape her eyes and kissed them away immediately. Christine laid still for a few more minutes before looking back up at Erik.

"I am ready darling, please make love to me?" Christine begged Erik after she had grown accustomed to his large size. She had heard many tales from the ballerinas from the corps de ballet of how making love was the most amazing feeling in the world, how the men would make them feel like the queen of France in their beds at night but how it was necessary for them to take baths afterwards before ballet practice the next morning to help the pain.

Erik kissed her mouth and pressed deeper and then let out, repeating the process as the two of them became one over and over again. He felt Christine wrap her legs around his waist to bring him closer and when he pressed their chests together he could feel her nails scratching against his back. He moaned and savored each sensation. Christine felt a small layer of sweat cover her body as they continued to join together as one. She could feel the swell at their joining becoming almost unbearable.

"Erik please! It's unbearable!" Erik knew exactly what she meant and quickened his pace to help them both find their release. As he sped up he felt Christine's inner walls of her womanhood tighten harder and harder as they came closer to her climax. Erik had to control himself to keep his from coming too quickly, he didn't want to finish before Christine was.

Christine felt something in her begin to pulse uncontrollably and it soon began to give in to the sensations. As she succumbed to the feelings that she felt, it felt as if her entire being exploded and she screamed in ecstasy. She held Erik tighter against her as she felt waves of heat surround her and left her sweating on the bed.

Erik felt Christine reach her climax and he finally let himself release inside of her. Afterwards he laid next to Christine and let out a sigh. He placed his arms behind his head and looked up to the ceiling with a huge grin plastered on his face. He never thought that he would be given such a gift from Christine. He looked over at a clock he had in his room and saw that it was now only two hours away from five o clock! They had been making love for three hours!

Christine looked over at Erik and kissed his cheek. "Thank you Erik, that was simply amazing," Erik nodded in return and grabbed his robe from beside his bed.

**[SEXUAL CONTENT ENDS]**

"I think I will prepare a bath for you Christine, the performance is in two hours' time and I would hate to have the leading lady miss the show for feeling nervous. Baths have always helped the nerves unwind." For now Christine was not concerned about the show and absently nodded and murmured in agreement before following him to the bathroom. When she had finally made her, very slow, journey to the bathroom she saw that Erik had already prepared the bath for her and was in it himself. Christine raised an eyebrow in curiosity and Erik acted like his was insulted.

"I had thought that you would enjoy a bath with me after our little adventure in the bedroom my dear. I promise I will be the upmost gentleman and I shall even help you cleanse your body of the evidence of our love making." Erik watched as a blush came across Christine's face and watched as she stepped gingerly into the very warm bath. He heard a sigh of contentment escape her lips and he was pleased with himself that he knew that the warm water would relax her tight muscles and nerves.

He began to wash her hair and body, loving how her body felt. Christine loved the way that his hands felt on her body and she spoiled herself into the attentions that Erik was giving to her. After he was done cleaning her Christine turned around to look at Erik.

"Now it's your turn," Christine said deviously as she forced him to move in front of her. She stood up on her knees and began rubbing his shampoo into his raven black hair. After she had rinsed out all the shampoo she found his soap and began rubbing it into his skin. She loved the husky, forest smell that emitted from it and covered his entire body with it before washing it off. Once she allowed him to know that she was done she watched Erik get out of and dry himself off with a black towel before wrapping it around his hips.

She watched as he grabbed another towel and picked Christine up out of the bath and placed her on the bathmat before drying her off himself. After her body was dry he began drying her hair and gave her a black ribbon to tie back her hair.

"In your closet you will find Aminta's outfit for the performance along with the accessories necessary for the character. Once you are done getting dressed I will escort you up to your dressing room so you can be ready for the show. I know that you will be amazing Christine, you are the most amazing woman I have ever known." Erik kissed her forehead before leaving her to go get dressed in his Don Juan outfit. He smoothed back his hair and placed on all the articles of clothing for the character quickly. He looked at the small set of his 'Don Juan' and smiled at it before vowing to Raoul,

"_Seal my fate tonight_

_I hate to have to cut the fun short _

_But the joke's wearing thin_

_Let the audience in_

_Let my opera begin!" _

When he returned to the main room he saw Christine clad in her gypsy like dress that he had designed specifically for her in the role of Aminta and was pleased to see her in such a dress. He knew that she would succeed in her role of Aminta not only because she could sing like an angel but now she knew what raw passion was. He knew that he had not made love with her to prepare her for the show tonight but to show her how much he loved her. God did he love her.

He held out his arm and was pleased when she wrapped her arm around his. They walked the journey back up to Christine's dressing room in silence—basking in the last moments they had together alone before the seriousness of the situation above flooded their minds once more. When they reached her mirror Erik stopped her from walking in her dressing room.

"When you go through into your dressing room go straight to the chapel. Wait for me there so I can see you one last time before the performance. I must check a few things before the performance begins should any part of our plan go astray. I love you Christine," Erik told her as she listening diligently before nodding at his requests.

"I love you too Erik," Christine said as she kissed him as passionately as possible. They kissed for a couple of minutes before having to leave each other for a while. It was only when Christine felt Erik's presence leave her that she allowed herself to open her door to run straight to the chapel.

Before she made it to the holy room she felt a hand place itself on her shoulder before the person began to speak to her.

"Well, it seems my dear that you need to tell me where you have been all day."

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><p>WOW! Finally Erik and Christine have done their dues! Although I am very curious to see who it is that stopped Christine from going to the chapel afterwards hmm? Do you know who it is? Please review and let me know who you think it is!<p>

Got any questions/concerns? Want to see something else happen in the story? Review/PM me with the idea and I will make it happen!


	22. Before the Performance Pt 2

**I had planned to keep my fans waiting a couple of days before finishing this chapter, and second part to the last chapter but I just couldn't find it in me to keep all of you in such suspense, think of this as an early Christmas present! I hope to keep hearing such wonderful reviews and I thank each and every one of you who has continued to make this story such as success!**

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><p>Chapter 22: Before The Performance Part 2<p>

Christine stopped running to the chapel to meet Erik when she felt someone place their hand on her shoulder. She instantly froze, not knowing what she should do at this point; scream or stay? She was about to shake the person's hand off her shoulder and make a run for the chapel when the person began to speak to her, only then did the voice register the stranger's identity.

"Well, it seems my dear that you need to tell me where you have been all day," Madame Giry chided the oldest of her two daughters. She had not seen Christine all day yesterday and she soon began to grow worried when she was not in her dressing room last night. Something in her had an idea that she would be with Erik but she could never be sure with Christine.

Madame Giry always knew that Christine was a very inquisitive girl; she had always gone searching for some sort of adventure when she wasn't mourning the premature death of her father in the chapel. With the adventurous gene that Christine possessed Madame Giry knew that she would have gotten injured or in much more trouble had it not been for Erik watching over her—she had so much to thank Erik for in regards to Christine.

"I was with Erik last night, he wanted to make sure that I was fully prepared for the role I have to play today. It's all up to me Madame Giry and he needed to make sure that I was mentally ready for the part I was assigned," Christine turned her face away to hide the blush that crept upon her face as she remembered what had transpired between Erik and herself last night as he was "preparing" her for the role of Aminta. Christine knew that Madame Giry would interpret her body language as one of anguish and despair at what she was being forced to do. Now Christine did indeed hate that she was being forced into this scheme against Erik—but she felt better knowing that Erik was aware of the plan and had his own plan.

Madame Giry watched as Christine shielded her face from her vision and she began to feel bad for the young girl in front of her. So much was expected of her tonight, Madame Giry would only imagine the amount of stress that must be built up inside of her. Madame Giry gently pulled Christine into a hug before pulling her back to inspect her adopted daughter.

"Now, even though I should not condone you being with a gentleman without a proper escort I cannot help but feel better knowing that you were staying with Erik last night. I can only assume that he kept you very safe and well fed, yes? Good, now I also assume that you were going somewhere to see him again?" Christine nodded at the appropriate times all the while wondering how and when Madame Giry learned about all of this. Christine only hoped that she wouldn't guess as to what exactly they had done last night, she knew that Madame Giry would most definitely have a heart attack if she ever guessed that they had done such an act that was supposed to be saved for marriage. Yes they were only courting but even to her it seemed that they were married—even if they hadn't consummated their love for one another last night. Finally Christine found the courage to speak again and began talking once more.

"Yes, he requested me to meet him in the chapel as soon as I got back into my dressing room. Heaven knows that he is probably already there waiting for me, he's probably wondering where I am." Christine's voice grew more worrisome as she continued to talk. Her chocolate brown eyes shifted quickly everywhere to make sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation, it could be fatal if anyone was to overhear what she and her adopted mother were talking about.

Madame Giry noticed how easily spooked Christine was right now about keeping Erik safe from any prying ears. She couldn't help but smile, roll her eyes, and shake her head at the silly way that Christine was acting when she needed to be secretive. Madame Giry grabbed Christine's hand and started walking her towards the chapel. "Come along my dear, even I know it would be unwise to keep this meeting waiting too long. Some people are very impatient."

When the two women reached the backstage area (closer to the right wing), the more popular place to find people standing around before any show started, the two woman slowed their pace to a leisure walk and looked as inconspicuous as possible. The two woman almost reached the hallway that would lead them down to the chapel when they heard Carlotta screeching in the background.

"Why did he choose that cow over me as the leading singer? You two are the managers of this opera house, why can't you tell her that she is not the prima donna of this opera, IT SHOULD BE ME NOT THAT TOAD!" Madame Giry and Christine stopped momentarily to watch Carlotta bully the two managers, Andre and Firmin, into trying to get her way to the top once again.

Andre and Firmin looked at each other and rolled their eyes as they listened to Carlotta's incessant screaming and crying. They have had to deal with Carlotta for one season and it felt to them that even that was too much for them. She was constantly yelling at them and demanding a raise in her salary after every show insisting that she was the only one that deserved such money compared to the common filth that worked alongside her and her husband. Andre and Firmin had agreed to the first three pay raises but after the fourth it seemed completely unfair, especially after her mishap on stage during 'Il Muto'. Firmin felt that enough was enough tonight and so he decided to inform Carlotta of his final decision.

"If I do remember my dear Carlotta, it was you that sounded like the toad and Christine like an angel," Firmin spoke to Carlotta in such a friendly manner that it caused her to squeal and run back into her smaller dressing room to cry and prepare for her small chorus part.

Christine and Madame Giry looked at each other and laughed for a minute before returning to their journey to go to Erik. Their pacing grew much quicker as they got closer to their destination and when they finally rushed into the small stoned interior room Christine looked around and what she found astonished her.

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Raoul was standing at the entrance to the Opera Populaire in his finest tuxedo that he could find at such a late notice. The five piece suit and tie was so masculine he was sure that Christine would beg him to take her back as soon as she laid eyes on him. But he knew that if she were to deny him once more he had a secret plan up his sleeve in case the bad choice was chosen on Christine's part—and if she did choose the wrong choice, many people will suffer because of her ignorance and stubbornness. He hated to make the woman he desperately loved to make a choice such as this but he knew that he needed to get her to see the light and show her that he would be the best option for her. By God he was the most eligible bachelor in all of France! She should feel honored that he would lay _his _eyes upon _her_.

He looked down at his pocket watch to see the time and as he watched the second hand reach the twelve and the church bells in the distance rang seven times he knew that the police should be arriving any second now. They had informed him that they would arrive promptly at seven in the evening—sharp. He began tapping his foot impatiently as he awaited the arrival of the police force when he heard the stamping of horse hooves in the background. Soon enough a few seconds later many black carriages arrived and as each door opened at least ten officers pooled out of each carriage. Doing the mental math Raoul figured that there had to be at least fifty officers ready to be of service here tonight.

Raoul waited as he watched each of the officers' line up along the side of the opera house, he didn't care how many people were watching this spectacle and he continued to wait until the chief of police introduced himself to the Vicomte.

"Good evening Monsieur Le Vicomte, my name is Raimond Beaumanoir. I am the chief of police and tonight we will readily accept any and all orders that you request of us. We are in your service for the evening to keep peace and watch over the welfare of all the attendants tonight." Raoul was very pleased to see how willing the police were tonight, usually they were not as open and willing to stand at the ready to shoot a man. Raoul walked the perimeter and area of the opera house the previous night to find the best places to put each officer and he was sure there was more than enough officers to stand guard at each entrance in case the Phantom of the Opera planned to make an entrance at tonight's opera.

"I will need the men to go to each entrance that connects to the stage in the opera house on every level. We cannot leave any opening for the Phantom of the Opera to be allowed near Christine or he will be bring the opera house down into ruins." Raoul informed every one of the dangers that the Phantom would terrorize the Opera Populaire with if he continued to roam around freely in Paris' opera house. Raoul wanted the madman gone as soon as possible so he could propose to Christine so that they could start living their lives.

"Very good Vicomte, my men shall go their posts immediately with no delay. The show will begin in forty five minutes monsieur, allow me to walk you in to your box safely should we encounter the Phantom of the Opera." The Chief of Police walked with Raoul while the other officers went to all the open entrances that led to the stage and to all the private boxes and rows in the audience. So far everything was going according to Raoul's plan and it seemed to him that winning this fight was so much more easier than he had originally thought. The Phantom did give a good fight and Raoul always loved an opponent that never went down without a fight, defeating them was always so much more fun that way.

As they made their way into the opera house it was obvious how many people stopped what they were doing in order to see what was happening to cause the chief of police to be standing so close to the patron of the opera house. Andre and Firmin came rushing up to the two men wanting to know immediately all about what was happening.

"My God man! Did you bring the entire police force tonight as your plus one for the performance DeChagny?" Firmin shook Raoul's shoulders as he ran up to the men before him. Andre continued to watch the incoming officers find places for themselves to stand guard for tonight, but never once did he question the rash actions of the Vicomte, his finally continued to donate generous amounts of money to the Opera Populaire every month to continue to keep the opera house running smoothly.

"Come now Firmin don't you remember when we discussed this with the Vicomte? We wanted there to be armed guards at the performance to finally capture _the _Phantom of the Opera! Think of the publicity!" The fame that was promised if this was successful caught Firmin's ears and he looked at all the police officers once more before grunting in forced agreement before leaving for his box. Andre quickly apologized to the two prominent men before him before scurrying off to find the other manager already sitting in their box. Andre sat down and poured them both a glass of brandy.

"Really Andre, this isn't helping my nerves," Firmin confided in to his life-long friend as he looked back at the two police officers standing with their loaded guns behind them. The police were not the only thing that was stressing him out, this past month preparing for this damned opera was hell and Firmin was nervous as to how the Phantom of the Opera will react; will he be pleased or terrifyingly angered? No one knows.

"Well at least the hard part for us is over, all we have to do now is wait for the performance to begin."

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Christine stood there and saw Erik kneeling in front of the picture of her father, praying. The candle was lit and she was barely able to catch the words that he spoke to Gustave Daae alone. It tore at her heart how much raw emotion was seeping through Erik's lips—she felt the pain and anxiety reach the deepest part of his soul.

"Dear God Gustave, please make sure everything goes to plan. Please dear God, she means everything to me—if anything were to happen to her I would die, I can't live a life without her. I swear that I will protect her from now on until death do us part but please just keep her safe tonight. I do not know how tonight performance will work out but all I want is for her to be safe. Do with me as you must but please keep Christine away from any harm. I would die for her, I would do whatever it takes to keep her safe," Erik moaned near the end and Christine watched how his head fell into his lap. She guessed that he was so engrossed in praying that he did not hear them enter.

She looked at Madame Giry and begged her with her eyes to allow the two of them to have a moment alone. She saw some doubt in the older woman's eyes but in the end she saw the fight relented in her adopted mother's eyes and with a curt nod the ballet instructor left the two of them alone to have the last minutes of freedom together.

Erik jumped up when he heard the door open and close and when he saw Christine standing there in front of him he immediately ran to her and engulfed her into a crushing hug. He needed to feel her against him, have her next to him and hear that she loves him before he went insane. His nerves were shot because of performance and he was more nervous than he ever had been before. Everything will change after tonight and he didn't know whether it will end in his favor or the Vicomte's. Damn the Vicomte to hell for having everything that he couldn't give to Christine! He had the perfect face, the titles that were not even meant for him and he had their parents love. A love he was never given until Christine came into his life.

Christine pressed herself against Erik as hard as she could without crushing him in the process. She was so frightened about what was going to happen, she didn't know if she was going to be ready or able to perform because of her nerves wracking her mind. She knew the songs and stage blocking but could she ever put the man that she loved in harm's way? Was there anything she could do to make sure he wasn't hurt? For now she couldn't even think about that, she just allowed herself to selfishly bask in the moment of being with Erik.

Erik pulled Christine arm's length away from him and placed his hands on her shoulders. He watched as she lifted her eyes to meet his and softly smiled at his brave little Christine. She was doing something so important for the both of them, and not just them but everyone working and attending at the Opera Populaire tonight.

"Are you ready Christine?" Erik asked Christine gently as he watched her eyes dart everywhere due to her being frightened. He was nervous for the both of them but he never wanted her to feel the way he was right now. Christine finally looked at him and began speaking the words that she desperately needed to release before they consumed her.

"Erik, I'm frightened…don't make me do this. Erik, it scares me, don't put me through this ordeal by fire. He'll take me, I know. We'll be parted forever…he won't let me go. The man that I once knew as a friend, I now dread. If he finds me, it won't ever end. And he'll always be there, threatening me in my head…he'll always be there, threatening me in my head…" Christine clutched to Erik as she released her inner demons and fears. She didn't stop the tears from pouring down her face and she was thankful that Erik allowed her to rid her body of the emotions that she had to pent up for the past month.

After a while though when her tears turned into slight hiccups he tilted her face up to his and wiped away her tears while singing softly to her, "You said yourself, he was nothing but a man…yet while he is here, he will haunt us 'till we're dead." He hated to press this on her but it was the truth. If his damned _brother _was still around he will not allow them to be together. Erik had to put an end to this, it was up to him to end this tirade!

Christine listened intently to Erik's small speech and tried to comprehend what he was telling her. Finally when her mind was able to make sense what he was expressing her she was slightly shocked.

"_Twisted every way_

_What answer can I give?_

_Am I to risk our lives _

_To win the chance to live?_

_Can I betray this man_

_That I once knew as a friend?_

_Do we become his prey?_

_Do we have any choice?_

_He'll kill without a thought_

_He will murder all that's good_

_I know we can't refuse_

_And still I wish we could_

_Oh God, if we agree_

_What horrors wait for me? _

_In this, our trapped opera"_

Erik hated knowing how frightened Christine really was about tonight. Yes, he knew that the Vicomte was really forcing them, well actually Christine because the Vicomte didn't know that Erik himself was actually going to sneak into the opera, to participate in this opera. Erik also knew that the Vicomte had many guards all throughout the opera house but he was not worried because he knew of so many different paths that the guards didn't know about. But for now he needed to calm Christine down once more before it was time for her to go onstage. He took Christine's face in his hands once more before he began to sing to her once more as Erik, and not Don Juan.

"_Christine, Christine_

_Don't think that I don't care_

_But every hope and every prayer_

_Rests on us now!" _

He leaned his face down and kissed Christine one last time. As his lips met her soft ones he reveled in the taste and texture, memorizing each feeling and sensation that coursed throughout his body and after a minute he pulled back. When he looked down at her and saw that her body had followed his it pleased him knowing that she enjoyed their kisses just as much, if not more than, he did. He smiled down at Christine before making a vow for them both.

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Raoul had finally seated himself in Box Three, his own private box, and started filling his whisky glass full of the strongest brandy that the opera house had in stock. Normally he wouldn't drink but tonight would be the night that his life changed. He would get Christine away from that freak that she so desperately loved and defend that it made Raoul sick. What did that monster have that he didn't? What did she see in him that Raoul himself did not possess? Was it the music? Is that what was keeping his Christine away from him—if that was the case then damn the Phantom to hell for all of eternity.

He reclined himself in his chair and watched his brandy swirl in his glass as he sang his ultimatum to his now two foes,

"_Seal my fate tonight_

_I hate to have to cut the fun short_

_But the joke's wearing thin_

_Let the audience in _

_Let the opera begin!"_

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><p><strong>Oh my gosh! Wow, so I changed a few lyrics to fit the situation and yes at the end I made Raoul say that ultimatum, but you have to admit it really does set the mood for the performance! Please review and let me know what you want to see happen during 'Don Juan' <strong>

**Your obedient servant, **

**PhantomsAngel1870**


	23. Past the Point of No Return

**I just want to thank everyone who has been constantly reading and reviewing my story! I'm sorry I did not finish writing this chapter sooner (school work has been getting in the way and yes this story is MUCH more important than school work but my parents don't think the same way that I do, plus I have to memorize a LONG scene for my drama class so that is a lot of fun...) **

**Anyway, thank you for all your support and now here is the performance, hopefully, everyone has been waiting for!**

**Your obedient servant,**

**PhantomsAngel1870**

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><p>Chapter 23: Don Juan<p>

Christine knew that it was all up to her and Erik to make tonight's performance as smooth as possible. She would have suggested that he stay in his home the entire time during the performance but even she knew that trying to persuade him to do so would be useless. She could hear him now telling her that he would rather kill himself than to leave her alone in such a dangerous situation—he was truly a gentleman.

As she untangled herself out of his embrace she smiled up at him, she felt tears forming at the corners of her eyes as she wished there was absolutely some way out of performing this opera but she knew that it was hopeless. Raoul had them all trapped into playing their parts through tonight so he could try and hurt her Erik. Why couldn't he just leave them alone? She sighed and felt Erik's lips press against her forehead before he began talking to her again.

"Christine, my dear, it's time to go to the wings to be ready for our performance," Erik crooned to Christine as he felt her relax against his body. He needed to get them to their places before they were late. If the DeChagny boy saw Christine was late Erik knew that the Vicomte would think something was up. He couldn't stand having that fop near his Christine, he didn't deserve to be near such a creature of perfection such as the woman standing before him! Why was he born with all the perfect features? Why did he have everything that rightfully belonged to Erik? His _brother_, the one person that he used to love because he never feared his face— but even he betrayed Erik.

Erik never liked talking about it but the one thing that caused him to leave his home that one night so long ago was because of Raoul; Raoul and his reaction to Erik's face. It had been so long ago yet the memory never faded, Erik always knew that he would never forget the night that changed his life for the worst. He remembered how it was raining that night and how Raoul had begun to grow more and more curious about the white mask that laid on his brother's face. Erik always knew better than to get really close to Raoul because he knew that the wrath of his mother was horrible and he refused to try to make her angry by playing with his brother no matter how much the little babe pleaded and begged. It was after five years that Raoul had started asking about the mask and Erik knew that telling him about it would only end in heartbreak for Erik and traumatization for Raoul so he refused to answer his younger brother about it opting to read a book about military tactics instead.

Raoul had started scooting closer towards his older and much more mysterious brother continuing to prod Erik about his mask. Erik looked at the little boy once and continued reading his book. Using his sensitive hearing he could tell that a thunderstorm was about to happen very soon and went to close the curtains to shelter his little brother from the frightening sight of lightening. As Erik reached the window he felt a breeze hit his deformed side of his cheek and turned around to see Raoul holding it in his chubby little hands.

As Erik watched Raoul look up to him, and Erik was hoping that he would be the first one to see the beauty that lies beneath the horribleness of his face, a bolt of lightning stroke right outside their window. Erik watched as Raoul's grew wide in horror and Erik stepped closer to comfort his little brother when the worst thing Erik had imagined occurred.

"Stay away from me you monster!" Little Raoul shouted at the monster that stood before him. He was disgusted by the horrible misshaped face that stood before him. He didn't know what the monster did with his older brother but all he knew was that he didn't want that monster, that _thing_, anywhere near him.

Erik watched in horror as his younger brother, the only person in the household that truly wanted to be near him, backed away from his as if he were the black plague personified in a human body. Erik didn't want his brother to be scared of him so he began walking towards Raoul to try to comfort him.

"Raoul it's me, Erik, your brother." Erik said soothingly to Raoul as he began to walk towards the five year old. For a second Raoul stopped what he was doing and Erik really thought that he wasn't scared anymore because of the way he was looking back at him. Erik held out his hand towards his brother when another flash of lightning struck outside the mansion. The lightning scared Raoul once again and when he saw the monster in front of him he screamed bloody murder.

The doors flew open as soon as Raoul voiced his scream and immediately a maid, butler and Mr. and Mrs. DeChagny rushed inside to see what had happened to have caused such a scream. As Mrs. DeChagny saw her son, Raoul, crying in a heap on the floor she gasped and immediately dropped next to him begging him to answer her questions.

"What is the matter my darling? What has scared you so?" Mrs. DeChagny was fretting over Raoul as Erik hid himself in the dark corner of the room. He knew that whatever the outcome was going to be tonight, it was not going to pretty for himself. He pressed himself against the wall tightly and as he tried to move his leg out of the treacherous light glow of the candle in the room he accidentally kicked the table beside him causing a noise to procure. Raoul's ears immediately picked up the small disturbance in the quietness of the room and shakily pointed a finger in Erik's direction.

"There's a monster in our home momma, please make the monster go away. I don't want it anywhere near me. Please momma make it go away forever, it's so horrible." Raoul's harsh words sliced Erik's heart open and caused him to grasp his chest in shock. He wasn't aware that he was caught until he felt the sharp sting of his mother's very familiar slap against his perfect cheek.

"Get out, get out now," Erik looked up as he heard his mother's venomous voice growl at him. Her ice blue eyes pierced his soul and Erik knew at that moment what true hatred towards someone felt like. Her stare looked deep into his soul and he was frightened for his life. He ran up to his room and grabbed a premade bag filled with some of his clothes and food and took out the back door. After that Erik remembered how he was captured by the gypsy's and he shook uncontrollably as those horrible memories resurfaced to his mind.

Christine watched as Erik had a moment to himself, she didn't want to interrupt him during his thoughts because she knew all too well how he would forget where he was at during his flashbacks. But as she watched him shake violently she walked up to him and placed one of her hands over his heart causing him to look down at her intensely.

Christine smiled gently and kissed Erik's cheek to soothe his worried mind. She knew that this was not the time to get overly excited and anxious. She couldn't forget how this was the night of all night's—this was the night that would determine everyone's future and it all depended on her and Erik.

Erik seemed to be able to read Christine's thoughts as he held out his arm for her and began to lead her to the backstage area. When they reached the entrance to the wings Erik saw that a police officer was already stationed at the entrance which caused him to curse underneath his breath. Christine looked at him curiously to see what the matter was but with a quick kiss to her forehead Christine knew that whatever Erik had planned would make everything alright.

Erik leaned down to Christine and whispered, "Go ahead my dear, I have some business to finish up. I will meet you here once I am done before it is time for us to go on for the third act," and with a quick flurry of his cape Erik was gone, vanished into the darkness of the hallway behind them.

Erik quickly hurried down the hallway to find the leading tenor's dressing room. When he had finally made it to the entrance he realized that he was extremely short on time and ended up having to knock on Piangi's door. When Piangi opened it expecting to see his wife, Carlotta, he was so surprised to find a man that he suspected to be his understudy in full costume that he didn't make a sound as his mouth dropped open in shock. For a split second Piangi looked around the hallway for help but silently cursed Carlotta as he realized that were not going to be any guards down this hallway because she had specifically told them not to be stationed near her dressing room; which also included Piangi's dressing room as well.

Erik quickly held up his white cloth with chloroform and pressed it against the leading tenor's mouth and nose forcing him to smell the drug that will cause him to pass out. Luckily for Erik, due to Piangi's poor health and diet it did not take long for the larger man to succumb to the drug and with all the power and might that was in Erik's body he dragged the man into his bed making it look like he had passed out to get some sleep before the performance. As Erik walked away he remembered that Piangi would be able to tell the guard's that someone did this to him and so with the blunt end of a candlestick Erik hit Piangi's back of his side hard enough to make him forget the past thirty minutes but not hard enough to kill the man.

Once Erik was done tidying up his mess he looked at the clock beside the doorway and rushed back to the wings of the stage to be ready for the performance of his lifetime. It was ten minutes before show time and he knew that he needed to be ready in five if he and Christine were going to pull this stunt off.

As he came closer to the entrance to the wings Erik began to slow his run down to a leisure walking pace. Just as he was about to step over the threshold into the right wing a guard holding a gun with bayonet stopped him from entering.

"Excuse me sir but I cannot just let you go in there," the police officer told Erik as he looked him down for anything suspicious. His boss had told everyone not to allow anyone with any suspicion onto the stage for fear of it being the phantom of the opera.

"I understand officer, you are only doing your job. But as you can see I am just but the leading tenors, Piangi's, understudy. I am here to play the role because he is not here and it is my job to make sure that the opera runs smoothly so we do not antagonize the phantom of the opera. How could we perform 'Don Juan' without Don Juan onstage?" Erik persuaded the officer into relenting him access to the stage. Erik was sure that Christine was in her place waiting for the que for her to enter on stage to begin singing but Erik knew that she would never be able to if he was not able to get on stage quick enough.

"Well, you are in costume and you do sound like a professional singer. Very well then I hope you, what is the saying, break a leg?" The officer pulled his gun away from the entrance and smiled at Erik as he allowed the man to go into the wings. Erik returned a smile out of politeness and quickly walked into the wing area to begin warming up his voice for his first performance in front of an audience. He wasn't going to allow himself to become nervous—not now when Christine needed him the most. All the while as he ran through his scales he heard the chorus singing their song.

"_Here the sire may serve the damn,_

_Here the master takes his meat! _

_Here the sacrificial lamb_

_Utters one despairing bleat! _

_Poor young maiden! For the thrill_

_On your tongue of stolen sweets_

_You will have to pay the bill—_

_Tangled in the winding sheets!_

_Serve the meal and serve the maid! _

_Serve the meal and serve the maid!_

_Serve the master so that, when_

_Tables, plans and maids are laid_

_Don Juan triumphs once again!" _

Overall Erik was pleased with the chorus' ability to stay in tune with his exceptionally difficult song for them. He knew that they were never challenged with any of the other common operas and it was only up to him to make them work for their living. He also knew that they were already ten times better than when they had played 'Hannibal' months and months ago. As a manager of the opera house, in his own way, Erik was proud of them. Except Carlotta. She could have done much better. But he knew that he was needed on stage now and so he walked out with Hugo who was playing as Passarino. With a grand gesture Erik began singing his lines,

"_Passarino, faithful friend,_

_Once again recite the plan."_

Erik watched as Hugo laughed and pointed towards him as he acted out his role in the opera,

"_Your young guest believes I'm you—_

_I, the master, you, the man_

_When you met you wore my cloak,_

_She cannot see your face._

_She believes she dines with me, _

_In her master's borrowed place! _

_Furtively, we'll scoff and quaff,_

_Stealing what, in truth, is mine. _

_When it's late and modesty_

_Starts to mellow, with the wine…"_

Erik walked around on the stage as he had instructed Piangi to do during rehearsals. Of course the large man believed that he held some power over the phantom and refused to learn any blocking that Erik had strictly instructed upon and believed that his own blocking would make the opera more "believable". However, tonight, Erik was going to do what was written in the script and so he came in and began singing his lines amazed as how they flowed out of his mouth

"_You come home! I use your voice—_

_Slam the door like crack of doom!_

_I shall say: "come—hide with me!_

_Where, oh, where? Of course—my room!"_

Erik laughed near the end and began switching out his cloak, hat and sword with Hugo's onstage as they discussed their plan with Aminta. Erik hated how the men during dress rehearsals treated Christine but he knew that it was all necessary for tonight, and he vowed that he would never make Christine feel threatened ever again. Erik stopped thinking as he realized that he was onstage once again and listened to Hugo's lines,

"_Poor thing hasn't got a chance! _

_Here's my hat, my cloak and sword."_

Erik placed the attire onto his body as he listened to Hugo telling him about Christine. In character, Erik began to laugh out loud as he heard of how easy it will be for him and Christine to be alone together for the play and returned with his lines,

"_Conquest is assured, _

_If I do not forget myself and laugh…" _

Erik went backstage momentarily as Christine made her entrance onto the stage. She looked around at the audience in front of her taking it all in. She had to do this for her and Erik's future together, there had to be no mistakes. She glanced up quickly to the private boxes and located Raoul in his regular box three. For that split second, which was enough to tell, she saw Raoul gazing at her in the most undignified manner possible in a man. She was utterly disgusted by the way his eyes scanned her body, what little of it was clothed by the costume she was wearing. But now was not the time to be thinking about these things—she had an opera to run and with a new determination she walked out in the middle of the stage with her basket of roses and began to sing,

"_No thoughts_

_Within her head,_

_But thoughts of joy! _

_No dreams _

_Within her heart_

_But dreams of love!" _

Taking a few minutes to be ready, Hugo and Erik finally returned to the stage after Christine's solo was completed and they looked at each other and nodded before Hugo processed with his lines,

"_Master?" _Erik smiled a little bit at the appropriate nickname and the excitement of what was going to happen next with him and Christine. He looked back at Hugo and pointed to the offstage direction as he recited,

"_Passarino! _

_Go away for the trap is set and waits for its prey…" _

Erik waited for Hugo to finally leave before he continued with his passionate song for Christine and Christine alone.

"_You have come here _

_In pursuit of you deepest urge,_

_In pursuit of that wish,_

_Which till now has been silent, _

_Silent…" _

Erik watched as how Christine reacted to his every word. He saw her body begin to relax under his singing and she slyly turned around to face him. He glanced up quickly towards the Vicomte in box three and pressed his finger near his mouth on his last 'silence' to remind Christine just how important it was to stay in character and not let anything slip—because if they gave the Vicomte anything to suspect what they were doing and who Erik was, everything would turn in chaos. When he was given a slight nod from Christine he continued on in his song,

"_I have brought you,_

_That our passions may fuse and merge—_

_In your mind _

_You've already succumbed to me_

_Dropped all defenses _

_Completely succumbed to me—_

_Now you are here with me_

_No second thoughts _

_You've decided_

_Decided…" _

Erik walked towards Christine and gazed deeply into her eyes. He wanted her to know how proud he was of her for doing this for the two of them. He would have never asked her to do such a thing if there were any other option available. But with the Vicomte being the patron to the opera house and with all the fantastical friends in higher places he has it was nearly impossible for them to deny him this. But as the Vicomte called the bet he was completely unaware that Erik had an ace up his sleeve. Once Erik reached Christine he began to circle her and sing once more,

"_Past the point of no return—_

_No backwards glances! _

_Our games of make-believe are at an end_

_Past all thought of "if" or "when"_

_No use resisting: _

_Abandon thought, _

_And let the dream descend…" _

Erik quickly spun around behind Christine and pressed her body against his, just as they had done that time so long ago when he had sung to her about the music of the night. He glided his hand down her throat and thoughts of their intimacy were brought the forefront of his mind as he touched her once again in this passionate duet. When he began singing again his voice was huskier with desire,

"_What raging fire shall flood the soul?_

_What rich desire unlocks its door?_

_What sweet seduction lies before us?" _

He quickly unclasped Christine's golden bracelet and hid it in his sleeve as the play instructed him to do. Don Juan was a known thief and womanizer and so Erik knew that he had to portray both sides of the Casanova in this play. As he had hidden the bracelet from Christine he began to release her from his hold he finished up the last part of his solo,

"_Past the point of no return _

_The final threshold! _

_What warm unspoken secrets _

_Will we learn?_

_Beyond the point of no return?" _

Christine felt exhilarated by the way that Erik was beginning to sing to her. She felt all the blood boiling in her blood, she was ready for this man all over again! She was beginning to understand just how important their passionate making was last night, how it affected the play. She understood how Aminta was supposed to be feeling at this point and she knew just how to act it. As she turned to face Erik once again she began singing as Christine and Aminta, about their night last night and the nights to come, as the innocent and wanton woman inside of her,

"_You have brought me_

_To that moment when words run dry_

_To that moment when speech disappears _

_Into silence, silence. _

_I have come here _

_Hardly knowing the reason why_

_In my mind I've already imagined _

_Our bodies entwining_

_Defenseless and silent,_

_Now I am here with you_

_No second thoughts _

_I've decided,_

_Decided." _

Christine was beginning to feel so overpowered by this play, not only did it allow her to speak her wanton thoughts so freely to the man she loved but it also allowed her to be the seductress that Erik deserves. She, too, began to feel voice becoming more passionate as visions of their love last night flashed in her mind only making the song more powerful than she ever sang it before,

"_Past the point of no return _

_No going back now _

_Our passion play has now at last begun," _

Christine and Erik had begun to slowly make their way up the duel staircases that led to a catwalk balcony for them to continue singing on. At the middle of the staircase Christine stopped and sang out to Erik pleadingly,

"_One final question,_

_How long should we two wait before we're one?" _

Christine watched how Erik's eyes swam with love and passion at her question that both she and Aminta yearned to hear the answer to. Christine was surprised at how much she and Aminta were similar and couldn't help but wonder if Erik had planned it this way as she continued to sing her heart out to Erik,

"_When will the blood begin to race?_

_The sleeping bud burst into bloom! _

_When will the flames at last consume us?"_

The two lovers finally reached the top of the stairs and Erik casted his cloak off onto the rail as he and Christine closed the distance between them. Below them, the background dancers, were dancing intimately in a tango-esque dance that followed closely to Erik and Christine's blocking. When the two people finally reached each other and held onto each other for dear life they began to sing in harmony causing the entire opera house audience to gasp at how perfect the two voices were for each other.

"_Past the point of no return_

_The final threshold! _

_The bridge is crossed _

_So stand and watch it burn_

_We've passed the point of no return." _

At the end of their duet Erik had Christine pressed against him once again. Erik waited for the intensity of the moment to die down before he switched the mood and professed his love for her in front of the entire audience, to them it will only seem part of the play but he knew that Christine knew that it was really a question just for her—Christine not Aminta. As the orchestra switched the songs Erik ran his fingers through Christine's hair and began singing softly for her,

"_Say you'll share with me_

_One love, one lifetime_

_Lead me, save me from my solitude _

_Say you'll want me _

_With you here _

_Beside you, _

_Anywhere you go _

_Let me go too! _

_Christine that's all I ask of…" _

Erik had already kneelt down and protruded the ring when he felt the sting hit his arm. He looked up to see what had happened and saw blood spurting out of his new wound. When he lifted his eyes further he saw the Vicomte standing in his private box with a smoking pistol in his hand.

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Raoul had sat watching the play from the beginning and hated every second of it. The first and most horrible thing about the play was the entire theme of it: sex and lust. What kind of sick twisted man would write such an opera to be held in Paris' most prestigious opera house?

The second most disgusting thing was watching how his Christine allowed this man to touch her in ways that only Raoul should be allowed to do. But there was just something so familiar about the man that Raoul couldn't put his finger on—he knew that he had seen him somewhere in his life but he couldn't place exactly where it was that they had met.

But it wasn't until he heard him begin to sing that Raoul knew that he had at least heard the voice before. That man down there with his Christine was the same man that had sung that love song with Christine. Raoul started to become angry as he realized that this was the same man that was courting Christine, really it was more like a secret courtship based by the way that they were rarely in public together.

Raoul couldn't stand knowing that there was someone that was better than he was, by god he was the Vicomte DeChagny, he should be able to get anything and everything he wants! But Christine didn't want him, but some low life opera singer—typical. She could have so much if she would just agree to marry himself, but instead she chooses to be with a poor scum of the streets singing to save his skin. Raoul simply couldn't allow this union to happen! It was up to him to become Christine's knight in shining armor that she desperately needed and so therefore he knew that he had to take it in his own hands before Christine did something stupid. So without thinking twice about what he was doing he pointed his gun at the man kneeling down before Christine with his diamond engagement ring and shot.

The entire audience began to scream and grow frantic but Raoul was not concerned with them, he needed to know how well his aim was from such a long distance. He watched as the bullet hit the intended target and watched him fall to the ground of the catwalk, but to Raoul's disappointment he saw that he had only hit the arm of the man. He also saw how Christine frantically was checking on the man before her, never worrying about anything else. But Raoul knew that she won't have to worry about anything else after tonight.

He leaned over to the chief police officer standing guard at his private box and motioned for him to come over to him. The chief was surprised at the Vicomte's rash actions to the man onstage but he knew that the Vicomte must have had reasonable cause to have shot a man during a strange time such as he did but nonetheless listened and carried out Raoul's orders,

"Please tell your men to take those two to my home and leave them in the charge of my men. The three of us have matters to discuss."

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><p><strong>OHHH what a cliffhanger! Am I mean? Haha so what did you think about the play? In this version Erik didn't kill Piangi! Yay! He's grown up so much :') How do you feel about Raoul? And this mysterious need to talk to Christine and Erik? Hmm...Review and tell me what you think will happen next! <strong>


	24. Down Once More

**I thank all the people who have read this story, helping me get Erik and Christine to the happy ending that they deserved in the movie and I am pleased with how many people have kept this on their follow/favorite lists. It has been immensely enjoyable writing this story and I thank everyone who has helped me get through all the rough spots to make it to this ending.**

**Your obedient servant,**

**PhantomsAngel1870**

* * *

><p>Chapter 24: Down Once More<p>

Raoul watched as his men went up to the stage and grabbed Christine and Erik. Once the two stars of the opera were off the stage and on their way back to his home Raoul went up and greeted everything from the center of downstage.

"Forgive me my dear friends, I have no idea what just occurred but nonetheless I have the two singers being rushed to a hospital immediately. It seemed that the man was shot at, by whom I have no idea but I will ensure that they both get seen by the best medic in France to make sure they get a hurried recovery. In the meantime please enjoy the ballet from Act four tonight that happens right after Aminta and Don Juan decide to live their lives together. I thank you again for your consideration and time." Raoul forced himself to talk about Christine and that monster together only because it was vital to the plot.

The audience had listened to every word the Vicomte DeChagny had spoken to them. Not only was he the sole patron to the Opera Populaire but he also was a leading figure in society and so everyone believed him without giving another thought about it. Raoul was pleased that no one tried to tell him no at this point—he probably would've killed anyone that spoke against him.

With a brisk nod Raoul went back off the stage allowing the corps de ballet to start their dance that will enthrall the simple minded people in the audience before them. He rushed back towards his box and pulled the chief officer out into the empty hallway. Once Raoul made sure that no one would be listening in on their conversation he pulled the officer closer to him so that he wouldn't have to speak loudly to be heard, that blasted orchestra made everything so much more damn harder in this place.

"I need you to make sure that no one speaks about the man and girl's disappearance, do you understand?" Raoul swiftly passed a couple hundred francs to the officer as compensation to the extra work that Raoul needed him to do for himself, Raoul couldn't and won't let himself be distracted from his task at hand because of some stupid little stage hands or the crew talking about Christine's disappearance or her relationship with that freak of nature on the stage.

The chief officer nodded to Raoul as he slipped the money into his inner coat pocket. Raoul was pleased as to how easy this business transaction was and was glad that at least _something _tonight could be easy. As he began to leave he heard the police officer call out to him,

"I hope that everything goes smoothly for you Vicomte, if you are in need of my assistance or the city's assistance please do not hesitate to contact us—we will always be ready to protect such an important person as you," Raoul nodded to the older man and continued down the steps as he put his hat and cloak around his shoulders to shield himself from the winter weather outside.

Raoul walked over to his parked carriage and gently tapped the driver's shoulder to acknowledge presence. With a short but sharp twitch from his driver of fright Raoul was sat down in his carriage and off back to his house in a few minutes. On the way to his mansion Raoul thought of how easy and difficult that the situation ahead could be. Christine could agree that she and he were meant to be together and leave any notion of staying with the hideous monster that she seductively danced and sang with on the stage tonight. She would agree to never speak of him again and promise to marry Raoul within a fortnight of tonight and become his wife and bear children—the future heirs to the DeChagny name—or she could make this entire night very much difficult.

Now if Christine was going to be difficult and refuse to come easily with himself, Raoul knew that he would have to force her to agree to stay and live a life of luxury with him and his family. Raoul didn't want to do it but he knew that he would have to eventually even hurt Christine if she was going to become his obedient little wife—even a horse needed to be broken in before she could be ridden. He would have to hurt her and that monster before it got through to her that Raoul was in the one in power and Christine was there to do whatever he asked of her. If he told her to jump, Christine needed to know that the right answer was 'how high?'

As Raoul peered outside his window he saw how dark tonight really was, there were dark clouds covering the stars and moon making it impossible to see outside if it weren't for the oil lamps that lit the streets of the upper class of Paris. Raoul smiled knowing that this would stop any ideas of them thinking about escaping from his home should anything happen that would allow them such a freedom.

Raoul felt the shift of the rough road turn into a seamlessly smooth one instead and knew that the driver almost had him back to his home. Raoul sat back and relaxed for the rest of the journey home knowing that whatever happened tonight in his mansion would be good either way—for no matter what the outcome was going to be tonight he knew that he would have Christine for himself either way she chooses. Ever since he first laid eyes on her and heard her sing 'Think of Me' during Hannibal he knew that he had to have her. But alas, she chose a monster instead—how wrong of her. Raoul hated the thought of that freak having a beautiful girl that he couldn't have and that's what began this entire problem. If only Christine had been smart in the beginning none of this would have happened.

"Oh Christine, you are quite stupid for someone so beautiful," Raoul spoke in the dark of the night as his house came into view.

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Christine was on stage kneeling in front of Erik trying to stop the bleeding. She looked at his arm not caring if everyone in the audience was watching them at this moment. She looked into Erik's eyes and saw how much pain he was in and cursed herself silently for not being able to do anything to ease his pain. She quickly looked at the audience and was furious that they were just sitting there not trying to do anything to help her—they could be of some use if they would just stop staring at her as if she grew another arm.

When she felt Erik's hand grip hers tightly she knew that she needed to do something quickly to ensure that the blood stopped spilling, he would die if she didn't do something quickly enough to save him. Without giving it a second thought she grabbed ahold of the bottom of her skirt and ripped of a large piece of the golden fabric and quickly wrapped it around Erik's arm. When she gently pulled his arm up she saw the bloody bullet on the floor of the catwalk and was thankful that the bullet was still not lodged in his arm—it would make the healing much more easier.

Beside the bullet Christine caught the sight of something twinkling and looked down closer at it. When she picked up the small trinket she knew that it was an engagement ring—the most beautiful ring that she had ever seen and she felt the urge to cry overcome her, but she knew that she needed to be strong for both her and Erik. So instead of giving in to the overwhelming feelings that were building up inside of her Christine slipped the ring onto her finger in acceptance of the engagement and quickly went back to the task at hand.

Just as Christine finished tying her home made tourniquet around Erik's arm she heard someone walking towards her and Erik briskly but she wasn't given enough time to scream before she was being grabbed by the arm and pulled away. She looked for Erik and saw that another man was dragging him by the back of his collar on the ground. She screamed and shouted but it was to no prevail for no one stopped and helped her and for the first time in her life she cursed the orchestra for being too loud.

After a while of screaming Christine eventually stopped knowing that it was useless now, no one would help them get out of this situation. She glanced up quickly at the men that kidnapping her and Erik and saw the DeChagny crest pinned against their uniforms on their chests and right arms. Christine gasped as she put two and two together and finally came to the conclusion that Raoul had enough and shot Erik and was finally kidnapping them now. But despite all this Christine knew that she needed to be strong for both her and Erik now, it was all up to her to make sure that their future that they've both desired comes true.

She felt the unrelenting dark coldness hit her before she knew that they were outside. Wearing only the small skimpy dress from the play Christine knew that she needed something to cover her if she was needed to fight for her life and Erik's. She felt her body give into the coldness as her arms started shivering and the fog leave her mouth and nose as she breathed in the ice cold air. _How long were they going to be outside? Where were they going? _Christine looked back and saw Erik continued to be dragged through the snow on the ground, it was only then that she saw a DeChagny carriage come into her view that Christine knew that they were going to the lion's den.

When they finally reached the carriage the guards opened the door and roughly shoved Christine and Erik into the small compartment. When Christine sat up properly she watched as the men closed the door hard and locked them inside giving them no chance of escape. Christine waited for the men to be seated at the front of the carriage and start driving before she went to Erik.

Christine gently placed Erik's face into her lap as she caressed his black hair as she had done last night. When he slowly opened his eyes Christine saw so much pain flooding in their depth's that she wanted to do nothing more than to assure Erik that she would find a way for them to escape. She looked outside the window to see that there was no light to help guide them once she found a way for them to run. _Oh God papa what are we to do? _Christine felt tears leak from her eyes and she leaned down to kiss Erik one more time before the real battle began.

Once more she looked at the engagement ring that laid upon her left ring finger and admired its beauty. She knew that the only other thing more beautiful than the ring was Erik himself and she felt her heart pounding regardless of the situation at they were in as she realized what this ring meant—she accepted his proposal of marriage, and with that thought she felt the tears come down harder than before as she realized the new hope and strength that entered her body and mind as her new strong determination to set them free from Raoul's grasp so that they could live their lives together for the rest of time.

With the mansion coming into sight she glared at the luxurious house knowing of the past sins that were transgressed there and the sins that would happen tonight. Christine just wished and hoped that the Lord watching over her and Erik would forgive her for any and all sins that she herself would have to commit tonight to set Erik and herself free from the devil's servant's tight grasp.

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Erik felt himself being dragged throughout the opera house and through the snow outside. He was grateful for the many layers of clothing he had forced himself to wear for his costume tonight because the snow was having trouble penetrating his skin with its unforgiving coldness. His left arm had a sharp pain in it still from the bullet that the DeChagny boy and Erik was furious that his arm would become a handicap because of that damned boy. But he still thanked the Lord that it was his left arm instead of his right one, if that had been the case he knew that there would have been very little that he could do.

Once he felt himself being pushed into the carriage and thrown carelessly onto the bench he knew that he had to think of a plan to keep him and Christine safe from the dangers that were lurking not far from here. He knew that the Vicomte was strong and young—and quite stupid—so the only advantage that the boy had against Erik was the use of a left arm which wasn't much of a disadvantage to Erik, but an advantage that the boy did have was that he knew the layout of the mansion better than Erik did and that was going to prove troublesome when it was time for Christine and himself to leave the grounds and find somewhere safe to hide for the time being.

But for now he knew that he had to feign extreme pain and act weak not only in front of DeChagny and his men but Christine too. If he wanted this plan to succeed he had to make Christine believe that he was on the brink of death, because if she believed it then he knew that the Vicomte would believe it as well.

Erik felt the ground give way to a different texture and knew that the smoother pavement was a sign that they were closer to the DeChagny Mansion, and that was where their fates would all be decided tonight. He had a feeling that the Vicomte DeChagny would put him in a different room far away from Christine and Erik knew that it was up to him to try to memorize as much of the house so that he knew exactly how to get out before being discovered.

When he felt the carriage slowing down he knew that their last fight was about to begin shortly and he relaxed under Christine's touch one last time before he knew that they were going to be separated for a while before they would be united once more to live their lives together without the fear of the Vicomte ruining anything else for them. He could kill the Vicomte for all the pain that he has put Christine through so far and Erik vowed that should the Vicomte lay a finger on Christine tonight Erik knew that there would be very little willpower in him to stop himself from killing the boy on the spot.

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Christine felt the carriage jerk to an erupt stop and heard the men start talking once more. When she heard their voices come closer she straightened her clothes that had become disarranged during the ride to Raoul's home—even if she were defenseless against their strength Christine hated the idea of other men seeing more of herself than was necessary.

The man that had taken her at the opera house was the same one that grabbed her and started forcing her to walk towards the entrance of the DeChagny home. Christine forced herself to go up each step that led her towards her inevitable fate, normally she would have enjoyed looking at such a splendid garden such as the one that DeChagny's owned but all she wanted to do at this point was to spit at it. The hatred she held for Raoul at this point was too great of an emotion that she began to see red at the corners of her vision. After a few minutes of climbing a numerous amount of steps to the entrance Christine finally made it to the two large grandeur oak doors which were opened after the man rapt a series of knocks in a specific rhythm.

Christine saw that another man like the ones that kidnapped her and Erik open the door and allowed the four people outside the large estate inside the confines of the large prison. The man holding Christine's arm led her to a sitting area.

"You better stay in the same spot as where I just left you or I swear to god that I will just have to disobey DeChagny's orders about not touching what is not mine. You are very desirable my sweet little songbird and there are many things I can imagine us doing together, I would love to make you sing songs that you thought were impossible," Christine felt her skin crawl as the man's drunk breath washed over her face as his fingers caressed her exposed cheek and neckline. She had never felt so violated in her life, even Raoul didn't make her feel as horrible as she was feeling right now and it took quite a bit for her to hate someone more than Raoul at this point.

Christine turned to face the man and pursued her lips. The man watched her mouth begin to form into one for a kiss and the man grinned madly as he began to lean down to taste the sweetness of her innocent little lips. Just as he was about to kiss her Christine spat in the man's face and kicked him as hard as he could in his groin. The man fell to the ground in pain and Christine made a run for it out of the room. When she reached the door she threw it open and ran out of the room without looking where she was going and suddenly ran into a solid object.

Before she was able to fall back from the impact Christine felt arms wrap around her and hold her up. When she looked up she saw that it was Raoul holding her with a large smile on his face. She couldn't do anything but glare at him at this point and she knew that even though she wanted to be as far from his as possible at this point Raoul was the only one that knew exactly where Erik was so.

"Eager to find me my darling?" Raoul smirked as he questioned Christine. He held his hands on her waist and immediately found himself eager to take her in that moment. He desperately wanted to make her his for the rest of their lives over and over again each night and morning but he knew that it would be dishonorable to not wait until the wedding night even if he could get away with breaking that silly little rule. He saw Christine's fiery eyes which should've angered him but instead it only caused him to become more aroused.

Raoul leaned down to capture a kiss and when his lips brushed against Christine's he was taken back when he felt her teeth bite down hard on his lower lip. The pain shot through him and forced himself away from Christine for a moment as he felt a lightning bolt of pain shoot throughout his body. As he pulled a few fingers up to inspect the torn lip he withdrew the fingers to find a good amount of blood on them.

"So, you still choose the monster Christine? You still would rather have him over me, the Vicomte DeChagny?" Raoul pulled Christine closer to his face as he challenged her into picking the wrong decision. This was it, whatever she chose right now would decide what he would do for the rest of the night.

"I'd rather die than be with you," Christine spat back at Raoul. It was true, she would rather kill herself on their wedding night before they made love than ever live a life where she did not have Erik, her music and her muse, her life and her love. She and Erik were meant to be together and she would be damned if a spoiled fop like Raoul would get in their way of true happiness.

"You've decided." Christine heard Raoul speak the words not as acceptance but as the start of war. She was suddenly afraid for Erik and his wellbeing, but she knew somehow that she would end up with Erik in the end. Raoul was cruel and she knew that he would want her and Erik to see whatever it was that he would do to the both of them. Christine finally knew the true monster and it was never, and never will be, Erik but Raoul the man with the perfect face but the tainted soul. Christine knew that she had to get as much information out of Raoul before it was too late—she needed to get to Erik.

"Where did you take him?" She nearly growled at the man before her. She needed to know what has come to the man that she loved and when she found out where he was located there was nothing that would stop her from taking him back.

"Come with me, mademoiselle. For I will take you to him, but remember, you have chosen both of your fates tonight and because of your ignorance the both you will be paying for the misery that you have afflicted upon me and my status of Vicomte." Raoul began to drag Christine down a darker hallway. Raoul continued to force Christine to keep up with his pace and before they entered the freak's holding cell a guard stepped up beside Raoul.

"Sir, I'll go with you inside," the guard began to speak to Raoul. He knew that it was his job to help the man with anything that involved physical labor and offered his services earnestly.

"No, you must stay here in case anyone tries to disturb me with my job." The guard nodded once more and returned to his assigned post watching the empty hallway in the event that something should disturb his master.

Raoul opened the door while he continued holding Christine roughly as they descended down a staircase into the large depths of the mansion's old dungeon cells. Something about the atmosphere faintly reminded Christine of the journey to Erik's home but it didn't hold any of the love or musical atmosphere that his held. She was continued to be dragged by Raoul as she heard him begin to sing,

"_Down once more to the dungeons of my black despair_

_Down we plunge to the prison of my pride _

_Down that path into darkness_

_Deep as hell! _

_Why, you ask, _

_Am I taking you _

_Down in this cold and dismal place? _

_Yes for all the monster's sins _

_And to make sure I will leave no trace" _

Raoul continued dragging Christine down through the vast amount of tunnels that would be able to hide all of his crimes that he had committed throughout his life to vanquish the disgusting men of this world that had stolen money or property from him, spoken against him in public places and most of all laid their eyes on his Christine—he made sure that those that talked of his Christine or looked at her in a way that Raoul did not like were taken care of slowly and painfully. Raoul enjoyed each and every minute of that process. He continued to lash out at the woman that he was forcing to follow along because of all the trouble that she had caused for him throughout these past few months at the Opera Populaire with the one man that he had in his prison down below as he continued to sing to her,

"_I hounded out everyone, _

_But met hatred everywhere_

_No kind words given from anyone_

_No compassion strong enough from women anywhere_

_Christine, why? WHY?" _

Christine felt Raoul shake her as they reached another tunnel and she gasped at the sudden harshness of it. She knew that Raoul's tightly pressed fingers on her shoulders would leave unpleasant looking bruises soon. She looked up at the man that she no longer knew anymore, she wanted nothing more than to have her childhood friend back once more but she knew that there was no more chance of that happening ever again—all of Raoul's humanity was lost completely and Christine mourned that she would never be able to have her friend back once more. She needed to tell him something and something soon before he shook her again or took advantage of her. So as she looked up mournfully at her long lost friend she shook her head in disappointment,

"_Have you gorged yourself at last in your lust for his death? _

_Am I now to prey to your lust for flesh?" _

Raoul was stunned by Christine's harsh words, he felt his pride being ripped apart. Then after the shock washed away he felt a renewed anger enter his blood and he sang back to her harshly,

"_That fate, which condemns me to wallow alone_

_Has also denied me the joys of your flesh_

_This monster, the infection which poisons our love…" _

Christine glared at him with all the anger in her body. _How dare her accuse Erik of being a monster! Let alone tainting the ability for us to be together! _Christine thought angrily as she listened to the words that poured out of Raoul's mouth. She knew that he desired her but this—this—obsession was outstanding. Suddenly, Christine was very much so glad that she had chosen Erik from the beginning, otherwise she would have lived a life of regret as the wife to this protective, overly decorated, fop standing before her. Whatever friendship they held together when they were young was now gone. She began to pity Raoul for the life that he created for himself—causing other people pain at the expense that his title would be able to cover up the bloodstains and misery that other family's would feel with the knowledge that they would never see, hug, or kiss their loved one again for an insignificant crime that they had committed against Raoul or the DeChagny's. But Raoul was not done and he pulled Christine's face towards his as he continued to sing,

"_These hands, which caused a lifetime of pain and loathing _

_A title, my first unfeeling scrap of living_

_Pity comes too late_

_Turn around and face your fact _

_An eternity of this before your eyes," _

Raoul pointed to his face to emphasize what he meant by her fate and he felt himself begin to breakdown in tears. He never wanted his Christine to have to live with him by force, no, he wanted her to love him like a proper wife should. But even if she didn't love him right now she would grow to love him and accept that this was the best for her. He knew that was for the best and he relaxed a little with this knowledge now. Christine watched as her old friend broke down in tears before her, and it surprised her because she had never seen Raoul cry before. With the sight before her Christine could not help but pity the man even more knowing now that she opened his eyes to something that he wasn't used to—not getting something that he desperately wanted. She gently touched his shoulder and sang,

"_These killing hands hold no horror for me now_

_It's in your soul that the true distortion lies," _

Christine saw the realization hit Raoul in the confines of his soul and she knew that he was able to see the truth now, but before she was able to bring back her friend she saw a change come over him again and an evil look took over his features as he casually sang to her,

"Wait! I think, my dear, we have a guest." Raoul mockingly sang as he pointed towards Erik who was pinned up against the wall with chains. Christine looked and saw that Erik's clothes were tattered and bloodied. When she looked closer she saw that there were lashes going across his chest and Christine felt her heart break a little as she saw what kind of fate befell upon her Erik. She never wanted any of this to happen to him, he was an innocent man.

"Sir! Erik!" Raoul and Christine shouted in unison to Erik, forcing the broken man to look up shakily at the two people before him. Christine was about to leap towards Erik but Raoul held out an arm restraining her from fleeing towards his rival. Raoul had to set an example of who was in charge and he couldn't allow Christine believe that she held some sort of power of them because of her voice. Raoul continued on talking as he pulled Christine towards his body.

"_This is indeed an unparalleled delight, _

_I had rather hoped to see you still alive_

_And now my wish comes true_

_You have truly made my night!" _

Raoul pulled Christine against his chest showing the monster in front of him that Raoul was indeed more of a man than he was and in turn, deserved Christine more than he ever would. However he didn't expect Christine to push herself away from him with all the strength in her body crying,

"Let me go!"

Erik looked up again and saw that the Vicomte held his darling Christine captive. Blood rushed throughout his body as his vision turned red at the unwanted touches that DeChagny was giving to Christine.

"Free her, do what you like, only free her! Have you no pity?" he begged and growled towards the Vicomte and hated the way that the boy began to laugh at Erik's pleading voice. Erik knew that there were times that one would be able to threaten and the other party would give into the demands, but like this time, Erik knew that he had to give the Vicomte what he desired most—Erik's humiliation.

"Your lover makes a passionate plea," Raoul spoke over to Christine as he watched the monster beg for Christine's freedom. It felt wonderful to have the monster beg Raoul and he wanted nothing more than to continue doing this to the freak that caused him so much pain this past year—it was Raoul's turn to give the masked freak as much as pain as he had received.

"Please Erik, it's useless," Christine begged Erik to stop giving Raoul what he wanted, it wouldn't help if Raoul was given such power. With that kind of power Raoul could do whatever he wished of to her and Erik and Christine vowed to keep them both safe.

"I love her! Does that mean nothing? I love her, show some compassion!" Erik yelled towards Raoul as he watched the man go near his Christine once again. What else did the boy want from him? Did he want to see himself fall to pieces as he continued to beg for Christine's freedom, as long as she was free he could do whatever he wished to him. Erik didn't care anything except Christine's freedom now.

"Yet Christine has shown no compassion to me!" Raoul shouted angrily back at the freak in front of him. How was it that the girl before him was able to show this abomination love and not himself? Wasn't he perfect and flawless? Didn't all the girls in Paris beg for him to kiss them on their cheek? What was it about this freak that was so charming?

"Christine…Let me see her," Erik begged and pleaded. He just wanted to be able to hold Christine once last time before they were parted forever. It was inevitable that the Vicomte would take her away from him forever and Erik wanted nothing more than to hold her once more.

"Be my guest, sir…" Raoul growled as he undid the shackles that held the freak to the cold wet wall of the dungeon cellar beneath the mansion. He moved to the side so that he wouldn't have to touch the freak of nature and was disgusted by the way that Christine threw herself at the hideous creature. After a while Raoul had enough and knew that it was time to finish Christine's punishment for denying him earlier.

"Monsieur, I bid you welcome. Did you think that I would harm her? Why would I make her pay for the sins which are yours?" When he caught the monster off his guard Raoul pulled out his knife and held it over the freak's throat while backing him away from Christine and putting him in his shackles against the wall once more to make sure he does not leave. As he pushed the abhorrent creature into the metal prison he mocked him,

"_Order your fine horse now_

_Raise up your hands to the level of your eyes _

_Nothing can save you now, except perhaps Christine,"_

Once he was finished bolting the man down against the wall he turned around to face Christine. When Christine heard her name being called she looked up with tears in her eyes as she saw what the admiration that her old childhood friend had come down to—a jealousy so strong that he was willing to kill the only chance of happiness she had just so that he could say that he won in the end. Once she finally looked at him into his eyes Raoul gave Christine her ultimatum,

"_Start a new life with me_

_Buy his freedom with your love! _

_Refuse me, and you send your lover to his death! _

_This is the choice, _

_This is your point of no return!" _

Christine could not believe what she was hearing. Either way she chose the love of her life would die by her hands. She never wanted any of this to come down to death, but it seemed wherever she went death always followed closely by. She looked at Raoul once more with so much hatred she felt she would burst as she sang and spat at him,

"_The tears I might have shed for your dark fate, _

_Grow cold and turn to tears of hate," _

Raoul smiled and shook his head as he revealed a long dagger in the confines of his boot and began walking up towards the monster that was pinned against the wall. Raoul knew that it was time to make him and Christine pay for all the misery that they had caused him.

"_Christine, forgive me, please forgive me,"_

Erik sobbed as he knew that death was coming for him very closely. He never wanted to do this to Christine, all he wanted was to live a normal life with a woman that loved him. Yet it seemed that God was denying him every chance of life that came at him.

"_Farewell, my fallen patron and false friend. We had such hopes, and now those hopes are shattered,"_

Christine screamed at the man that was going to hurt her Erik. She couldn't run towards him because she feared that if she did then he would only further Erik's death and now all she could do was try to sway him away from going through with the act—so she stayed where she was.

"_Too late for turning back, too late for prayers and useless pity,"_

Raoul spat at the woman from behind him. He had to follow through with the punishment that Christine set upon herself. He needed to show her just how much of a better husband he would be for her. He could give her anything and everything that her heart desired—unlike the monster she had chosen over himself. Raoul continued going towards the freak with a new determination.

"_Say you love him, and my life is over!"_

Erik cried towards Christine, there was no need to hide his hard exterior. This was real life and he knew that his life was coming near an end so he didn't feel the need to hide his emotions from Christine anymore. But he needed her to know just what was at stake for them right now.

"_All hope of cries for help, no point of fighting_,_"_

Raoul explained to Christine as he continued getting nearer to the monster. He knew that everyone knew that nothing would be done or said if Christine were to cry and scream at the top of her lungs—no one would come to her rescue. He also knew that he was past the point of apologies from Christine, nothing would be stopping him from finishing the monster once and for all.

"_For either way you choose, you cannot win/Either way you choose, he has to win," _

The two men sang in earnest to Christine. They all knew that Raoul would get his way no matter what was said or done. Christine knew that it was all up to her now, but she wished that it had never had to come to such a decision from her. It killed her knowing that there was no way out of this situation.

"_So do you end your days with me _

_Or do you send him to his grave?" _

Raoul pressed the tip of the knife into Erik's neck causing Erik to hiss in pain. The pain was astounding but Erik was still able to hiss back at Raoul.

"_Why make her lie to you to save me?" _

Christine felt the tears falling freely from her face as she saw how grave the situation had become in the matter of seconds. She had to intervene, help subdue Raoul's anger in some way.

"_Raoul remember my music…" _

Christine needed Raoul to remember how important music was to herself. For if he was to kill the man against the wall, that same man that she loved with every fiber of her being, the music would be infinitely gone.

"_Past the point of no return…"_

Raoul reminded Christine that she had to choose. Why was she stalling her decision by reminding him of her music? Yes, he knew just how much music was to her, she loved it just as much as she loved her father—she had even told him so when they were younger—but what does that monster have anything to do with it?

"_Christine say no! Don't throw your life away for my sake!" _

Erik didn't want Christine to live with this damned Vicomte. He would gladly die if it meant giving Christine the freedom from the man that was holding them captive, he would become her angel of music and then he would be able to guide and guard her throughout her days even if he wasn't going to be able to touch her ever again—but if that's what it took to ensure her safety he would choose that destiny openly.

"_Who deserves this?" _

Christine spread her arms out showing Raoul what he was doing. She had to believe that couldn't possibly be okay knowing that he was causing not only Erik harm but he was slowly breaking her heart. She had trusted this same man with secrets of hers when she was younger. She had ran across the beach barefoot with him every summer and they had spent many days listening to her father play the violin and tell them Swedish folklores.

"_The final threshold…" _

Raoul had just had enough of all the games that they were playing and he dug the knife a little deeper into the freak behind him to make him shut up. Christine was making the choice quite clear—she didn't want to be with himself, but with the freak.

"_Why do you curse mercy?" _

Christine shook her head as she watched all the humanity slip out of her long lost friend. She would have never believed that things would have happened this way. But to show them no mercy while they were begging for their lives? What kind of monster had Raoul turned into throughout the years that he had grown up? What happened to that little boy that she loved dearly as a brother?

"_I fought so hard to free you…" _

Erik lamented that he would never have Christine freed from the clutches of the Vicomte. Yes, the Vicomte had won and he had failed Christine. Every promise that he had made to keep her safe from harm's way was broken in that instant and it broke Erik's heart knowing that he had failed her so much.

"_Oh God Raoul…you've deceived me" _

Their entire friendship was a lie now, Christine could see that and it hurt knowing that Raoul had changed into a madman. The nobility life has forced her friend into thinking that he deserved more than anyone else just because of his last name and Christine grieved the humility that he would never have.

"You try my patience, make your choice!" Raoul slashed the knife down Erik's chest causing him to wince in pain. Christine watched the horrible act be done to Erik and waited for Erik's eyes to return to hers. Christine mouth 'I love you' before turning her gaze back to Raoul once more.

"_Pitiful human of darkness, _

_What kind of life have you known? _

_God give me courage to show you, _

_You are not alone.." _

Christine walked up and gently hugged Raoul, placing her head against his chest and leaning up to give her lifelong friend a kiss farewell. She looked up at saw Raoul staring down at her and she watched as tears formed around his eyes. She looked over at Erik quickly and apologized with her eyes, and she saw that he understood with his own. However, Christine saw what her gaze towards Erik did to Raoul and she knew that he saw through her plan.

"So you think you would be able to sway me that easily my dear? Well now it's time to say farewell to your one true love!" He pulled the knife out again and held it up to plunge into the freak's heart. But just as the knife made contact with Erik's chest, Christine pulled the knife out of the thigh strap that Erik had given her a month ago after her meeting with Raoul and without thinking she stabbed Raoul in his right arm using all the force in her body.

Raoul let out a scream and dropped his weapon. Before Christine began to worry about being caught she remembered that Raoul told her that no guard's would come down if a scream was released and she was pleased knowing that she wasn't going to get caught. So she ran up to Erik and began kissing him as she picked the lock's open as he had shown her when she was younger and inquisitive. When she had him released from the iron clamps Christine held him tightly against her body and kissed him more.

Raoul watched as the two people embraced and realized for the first time in his life that Christine really did love someone other than himself, and the realization angered himself immensely. But the anger also brought out the immense sadness that sheltered in his heart because of the discovery—Christine had broken his heart.

"Forget all of this…Forget all you have seen. Go out the back door, don't let them find you! Take the road, swear to me, never to tell. The secrets of you know, of the man who lives in hell! Go now—go now and leave me!"

Raoul chocked out in between his sobbing and pain. He could feel the blood streaming out of his body leaving him weak and afraid. He didn't want to die, he wasn't ready to die! He shouldn't have to die, that monster should! It's all the monster's fault that he was dying! But he knew that in these last moments he had to repent some of his sins and if helping his Christine once more was to do that then he would do as much as he could for her. Soon all the memories of the past year began flooding back to him and he found himself singing along to the song at the Masque Bal.

"_Masquerade_

_Paper faces on parade…_

_Masquerade_

_Hide your face so the world will never find you…" _

It was only then that he saw Christine watching him as she slowly made her way towards the door. Raoul knew that this was his last chance to see Christine and he gathered all the strength left in him and stood up as he spoke to her one last time,

"Christine, I love you…"

Christine watched him for a second longer then ran back up to Erik and held his hand and smiled up at him. She did it, she saved the both of them and no one died this time. She was pleased that Erik was not harmed to horrible and as they left the confines of their personal hell they both began to sing in unison their song of love and hope,

"_Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime_

_Say the word and I will follow you…" _

Raoul stood where he was listening to his Christine sing the same song that she had on the rooftop after 'Il Muto' and in that moment that he knew that he had lost his Christine to that man that was carrying her away from him for the rest of his life. As he watched them escape from his life he sang as he watched Christine disappear forever,

"_She chose this now, _

_Their Music of the Night!"_


	25. Epilogue

**I am so sorry for the long awaited update, and I am feeling bittersweet to inform all my readers that this is the final chapter in "Their Music of the Night". I have loved creating this story and I hope that you have enjoyed reading Erik and Christine's journey to find happiness. **

**Your obedient servant, **

**PhantomsAngel1870**

* * *

><p>Chapter 25: Epilogue<p>

Erik and Christine ran out of the mansion without ever turning back to see if they were being chased. Erik gripped Christine's hand in his tightly—he never wanted to let go of her for the rest of his life after what happened after tonight. Erik looked out to the streets and saw how dark it had become and cursed under his breath. He looked around and saw the stables a little ways off from the mansion and began to pull Christine gently with him to the stables. He led her to a white horse, the closest one to them, and went off in search of the necessary materials to prepare the horse for the journey back to the opera house. They needed to get back to his home and pack everything that they could, then they would go and live in his small home that he had sent off to be built during the first night he had brought Christine to his home, yes, that would be the best plan possible.

Christine watched as Erik hasted to hurry their departure and was thankful that they would finally be able to move on from this hell that they have been going through because of Raoul. But as Christine thought more of it, she knew that Erik had the rights of the nobility, and though he hated to admit it; the money and influence that he could have with his rightful title of Vicomte could help them wherever it was they decided to go. So without thinking twice about her final decision Christine ran back into the mansion.

Erik heard the horse get slightly frightened and looked up to see Christine running back into the house. All the blood escaped from Erik's face and anyone who was there could have sworn that he looked more like the opera ghost than ever from how pale Erik immediately grew. Erik ran towards Christine and yelled at her while shaking her shoulders,

"Christine! Why are you going back? We are finally free!"

Christine smiled at the man before him. Part of her was glad that he would ran after her to make sure that she was safe but she knew that there were documents in that house that she needed to obtain before Raoul made it out of there. Only he would know where such documents were kept hidden and she needed his knowledge—he owed this much to them.

"Trust me my dear, I know exactly what I am doing. I promise to be back soon," Christine kissed Erik's cheek as she rushed inside the mansion to find that all the men were gone. Letting a sigh of relief escape her mouth, Christine ventured deeper into the mansion when she heard someone talking. She went down a couple more of twisting dark hallways until she found Raoul muttering to himself as he sat in a chair drinking some brandy.

Part of Christine hated the man before her with such a hatred that even she didn't know that she possessed. He had put her and Erik, not to mention the entire Opera Populaire cast and crew, through so much hell to try to prove that he could have whatever he wanted—just because he was the alleged Vicomte. But the other half of Christine pitied the man that she had known before he had changed into such a monster. She knew that money and power and fame made people do rash things but this was beyond what she had ever expected Raoul to be capable of. Oh how she wished that the past could have been differently, that Raoul and Erik could have met on better terms and grown to at least tolerate each other.

Christine hesitantly walked up to where Raoul was sitting before the blazing fire and coughed slightly to make her presence known. When she watched Raoul turn to face her, she could have sworn that she saw Raoul's old loving eyes looking at her before they turned back into the hateful ones.

"Why are you here? What else have you come to do to me—finish the job and kill me quicker? Well I am dying Christine, I hope you are happy," Raoul spat towards Christine. He knew that he was dying from Christine's own hands and he just wanted to be left in peace as he spent the last few hours of his life in front of the fire before he had to spend the rest of his immortal soul in the deepest fire known to mankind.

"Make amends Raoul and God will forgive you, this I promise you," Christine knelt in front of Raoul and grabbed his cold hands with hers. She never intended to kill Raoul, she just wanted to keep Erik safe. But she also knew that if she hadn't sliced him with her knife Erik would have been dead by now, Christine was torn.

Raoul laughed aloud at Christine's stupid plea. "Amends? Christine I do not feel sorry for anything I have done, if I 'made amends' it would be just a lie and that would be another sin to put on the list."

Christine grew angrier by the second, how could Raoul not feel anything of all that he has done to her and Erik? She had to quickly get him to help her before it was too late and she had a bad feeling that the end was coming more quicker than she thought for Raoul.

"Please Raoul, I know the old Raoul is somewhere in there still. Please help me?" Christine begged the dying man before her. She needed her old friend back again before she lost him forever. Yes, she never liked his advances when they were younger but he was still her only friend she had growing up before she lost her father and she needed him back now.

Raoul watched Christine as she begged him to come back to her but there wasn't much left in him that can draw that older self of him back to her. Yet as his angel pleaded him something in him tugged forward and he felt as if a dark, heavy, weight was being lifted off his shoulders and he took a deep breath before looking down at the brunette beauty before him. A smile graced his mouth as he caressed the pale beauty's cheek as tears fell from her eyes.

"Do not cry Little Lottie, I am here now." As he spoke these words to his dear life-long friend he watched as she cried harder and hugged him. He winced from the pain and knew that he didn't have much time left until he met her father once again and he knew that there was only so much that he could do before that time came but he knew that he had to at least do one thing.

Raoul struggled to stand up, but when he did he walked to the desk to the right of him and pulled out documents that bore their doctor's signature with Erik's entire name printed on the document. Raoul smiled as he realized that his long lost brother was returned to them once again. He was saddened that he had never realized the parallels between the Phantom and Erik and that he was taken over by his personal demons and was forced take drastic measures to regain Christine. As repentance Raoul took the Vicomte's wax symbol and held it over the candle on the desk for a few minutes before stamping Erik's document with the seal and then removing the identical seal from Raoul's own birth certificate. Then grabbing a large sum of money he handed Erik's birth certificate and the money to Christine.

"Here, take this document and the money. They will help you get started with your new life, I am glad that Erik has finally found a good woman that was able to look past the hard exterior to be able to see just how amazing he truly is." Christine quickly accepted Raoul's gifts before leading him back to the chair and sitting him back down before the fire. Christine watched as Raoul began to struggle to breathe and felt his hand take hers before he whispered his last words,

"Christine I am so sorry, please tell Erik that it was the lightning not his face," before letting out his last breath.

Christine mourned the loss of her friend as she returned to Erik at the stable. She nearly fell into Erik's arms as she cried and Erik knew that it was better to comfort her for now than to ask questions immediately. Once he put her on the saddle he gracefully leapt up on it behind her and began to ride the horse to Madame Giry's home.

It took them a couple of hours to make it to the small home that housed the Giry's. Everyone was in an uproar from the accident that happened to the lead tenor at the Opera Populaire and the mysterious disappearance of the tenor and soprano. Once Erik and Christine made it past through the heavy areas that were flooded with people, Erik rode the horse into a smaller and quieter neighborhood before stopping in front of the house that he had come to before for the masquerade ball.

Erik leapt down and grabbed Christine's waist that he could help soften her fall. After she had slid down the horse into Erik's embrace, Erik led the horse to a tree and tied his ropes around a branch to make sure that he didn't leave just yet.

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Madame Giry was panicking more than she had ever done in her life. She was constantly pacing in her living room ever since Raoul DeChagny shot her beloved adopted brother on stage. Oh how she wanted to go out there immediately to make sure that he was okay but she knew that it would endanger not only Erik but her and Meg as well if Raoul knew of her relationship with the Phantom of the Opera. So Antoinette had to stand by with the rest of the cast and crew off in the wings and watch as the rest of the night occurred.

She watched as two men took Christine and Erik away from the opera house and prayed to God for their safety before grabbing her daughter and taking them both back to their home to await for the arrival of Erik and Christine. She knew that if they both, or at least one, made it out alive then they would immediately come back to them. Something in her told her that they would both come back to her tonight and so she waited in the living room for their arrival.

Around ten o'clock Antoinette heard her clock sing and then a knock at her door. When she rushed to open it to see who it was she broke down in tears of joy to see the two faces that she had been begging for all night. Antoinette rushed the two young lovers inside her home before checking outside to see if anyone had saw them come or was following them. When the coast was clear she closed her door and locked it before pushing Christine and Erik into the kitchen.

She sat the two young people down at her table and began making coffee and tea for Erik and Christine to help calm their nerves. As the drinks were being made she began making something for them to eat as they recounted their tales of their battle at the DeChagny mansion. Antoinette gasped and cried at several of the more horrifying parts, only causing her to make more and more food for the two people that went through so much tonight. Once all the food was cooked and the drinks were served Antoinette sat across from Christine and Erik before looking at them and began to speak.

"It's not safe for us here anymore, we need to move on." Antoinette watched as the two people before her were shocked to learn this.

"Where can we go? What will we do?" Christine begged her foster mother for answers. Paris has been her only home in life and Christine was reluctant to give it up no matter what happened tonight, she couldn't bear to leave her only home that reminded her of her father.

"Erik, I have heard that the new country America has many opportunities, with your genius mind I am sure that we would be able to make a very nice living there. I have seen some of your sketches for Phantasma—" Antoinette began speaking to her brother, trying to make him see reason in this matter. It was vital that they leave soon.

"I understand your worry and concern Antoinette, and that it why I have booked passage for you, Meg, Christine, and me to America on the first passage tomorrow from Calais." Erik was very pleased with himself as he watched the two females before him grow shocked at his news. Erik had had these passages booked for a week now in case the worst of the two endings to tonight happened, which it did, giving them ample opportunity to leave.

"Erik, are you sure? I will miss Paris." Christine asked as she grabbed Erik's arm with tears filling her eyes.

"Don't worry my dear, America is wonderful and I promise that you will love everything about it. I have read a few books about the new country and I am pleased, so far, with what I hear. Trust me my darling, you will enjoy it for I shall be building an opera house just for you." With a long hug from Christine, Erik chuckled at his darling sweet girl and looked around the kitchen.

"Antoinette have you seen Meg?"

Antoinette smiled and nodded her head,

"Yes, she said that she needed sleep so I allowed her to go to her room an hour ago so she could rest." Erik nodded in return and continued holding Christine as the three of them grew excited about the beginning of their adventure tomorrow.

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Meg waited until her mother was busy playing hostess to Erik and Christine. She wanted to go meet them but all she was concerned about was Raoul. She looked down at her ring and admired the beauty and splendor of it as she got everything ready for her trip to his home tonight. She knew of his plan and hated how much he admired Christine but knew that if he was able to scare her enough, Christine would not be a threat anymore and Meg herself would have the limelight.

As Meg climbed down from her window and walked to the front of her home she untied the horse and whispered to it to go back home. She journeyed through the night to her fiancé's home and grew excited as she reached the entrance. All she could imagine on the way to his home is how they would embrace each other with kisses and hugs and laughter. When she opened the door and saw the upheaval that most have happened to have caused all the chairs and tables to have been in the disorder that they were in now she immediately grew concerned and ran through each room calling out to her beloved fiancé.

As Meg finally made it into the DeChagny study she saw a body slumped over in a chair facing the fire and ran towards it to identify the person. When she discovered that it was her Raoul she began crying as she took in his extremely pale appearance and grabbed his ice cold hands.

When she placed her face near his she could hear his ragged breathing and she immediately pulled his face up to make him look at her.

"Oh my darling Raoul, what was happened to you! WHO HAS DONE THIS TO YOU?!" Meg was crying and yelling by the end of her questions with anger and fear that she was going to lose the one man that she had ever grown to love. He couldn't leave her yet, they had talked about their glorious future together and she wanted to have that future with him, not anyone else.

Meg watched as her Raoul struggled to speak, and she knew that he was going to die at any second. But she begged God that he would be able to tell her who had done this to them, who had ruined their chances at happiness, who had killed her beloved Raoul.

Using the last breath that Raoul knew he possessed he looked up at Meg and whispered,

"Christine."

Meg watched as Raoul's body slumped back against the chair one last time and she screamed in agony as she knew that he was gone forever. She stood up and kissed his lips one last time before walking towards the fireplace. On the mantle Meg saw a picture of Christine and immediately took it in her hands and threw it into the fire before her. As Meg watched the picture curl up and burn she vowed,

"Now that you have taken away what I have loved I promise to take away everything you hold dear to you Christine."

* * *

><p>So there is the ending to my first phanfic on this website. How did I do? Any more questions? Who's ready for a Phantom of the OperaBeauty and the Beast crossover! Or pirates of the caribbean crossover? Hunchback of notre dame? Any other suggestions? Please review down below on the story in its entirety and/or my suggestions I have listed above

Your obedient servant,

PhantomsAngel1870


	26. Authors Note

Author's Note!

Dear all readers who have read/currently reading my story, Their Music of the Night. I recently have been placed on a very long hiatus due to many relationship problems and school work. However I am currently in my winter break at school and I have been also writing Their Tale As Old As Time. I promise to upload a chapter for One Love, One Lifetime (the sequel to Their Music of the Night) by the end of this week if everything goes according to plan.

You will have the returning characters of Christine, Erik, Madame Giry and Meg in this story with new characters in addition as well! I promise that any of those that have seen Love Never Dies will not be disappointed because I plan on including most, if not all, of the songs in the musical adaptation!

I continue to thank everyone for spending their time reading my stories and I hope you all continue supporting Erik and Christine in their journey to finding their happiness because I know I loved helping them find it all in the end!

If you have any further questions about the first story, Their Music of the Night, the sequel, One Love, One Lifetime, or my other story, Their Tale As Old As Time, please private message me and I will answer any and all questions! Have a Merry Christmas guys and keep warm while reading our phanfics!

Your obedient servant,

PhantomsAngel1870


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