Author's Notes: This is my first Phanfic and one of the few times I've written in present tense. I saw the movie on opening day and afterwards I could not stop thinking about Christine's ring. Thank you to Alexa, the best beta-reader in the world. Also thank you to everyone who's commented so far, and especially to Blue Eyes At Night, for convincing me to write more. I'm afraid this is all I can pull from my mind at the moment.
"How you've repaid me - denied me and betrayed me."
From my vantage point on the roof of the opera house, I watch the guests enter the opera house for the masque ball. I content myself with fantasizing that we are with them, I an ordinary man, and you the adoring woman on my arm. I watch your fashionably late arrival, no doubt your dear Raoul's idea. As soon as you step out of that blasted Vicomte's carriage, my fantasy turns to dust and I know instantly what has happened. I can see the ring, his ring, on a chain around your neck. I can feel my heart breaking, a million tiny fractures running through it until it shatters. Not only have you given your heart to another, you have not even the courage to proclaim it openly.
Blinded by my own fury, I make my way to the grand staircase by memory alone. All I can think of is you married to that boy, that boy kissing you, touching you, loving you. Once I reach the foyer, my eyes search the crowd for you, and my heart grows cold to see you allowing the Vicomte to kiss you in such a public place. It takes me several moments to recover my courage and at least try to reign in my temper. I make my entrance and while I am much too late to be fashionable, I have everyone's attention nonetheless. I see the fear in your eyes as I approach. I snatch the ring and chain from your neck. How I wish I could steal your heart as easily.
When I am alone, I remove the ring from its chain. It had been my intention to simply dispose of the chain, but it occurs to me that it had been against your skin. So instead, I slip the chain around my own neck and let it rest against my skin. Despite the coldness of my lair, the chain is still warm, but perhaps that is my cruel imagination. How tragic it is that this may be as close as I will ever get to touching you.
"You alone can make my song take flight."
Oh, Christine. I have committed one crime after another to bring us to this point. I have lied, manipulated, and even killed, all to possess you. You have seen only the worst of me. You have even seen your lover almost hanged by your jailer. In the end, you make the only choice you can. You will marry your Vicomte, while I will remain alone. While my heart will never recover the loss of you, I know that you have followed your own heart. I cannot ask for more.
I desire a token, something to remind me of you, but I know I would not rest easily until I give you back your ring. I can only hope it will give you more happiness than it has given me.
"Christine, I love you..."
My grief has overwhelmed me and left me defenseless. I hear a footstep behind me, and I believe it to be a gendarme. I turn to accept my fate, only to see my angel standing before me. Can it be that you have changed your mind?
No, I see that you have not. But you are unwilling to leave me just yet. You give me back the ring, and you know without me saying a word that I will cherish it until my dying day. Then you are gone. Godspeed, my angel.
"It's over now, the music of the night..."
Christine, my angel, please forgive me. I had not heard until just recently of your passing from this world. As I place a rose and your ring upon your tombstone, I wonder if you are smiling down upon me from Heaven. I hope that it is so, as I have been faithful to you these many years. My heart has known no other.
I know that my own time upon this world is coming to an end. After my death, where will my soul dwell? In Hell, as I deserve? Or in Heaven, with the sweetest of all the angels? Only time will tell.