Within the Darkness
By: Mercy-chan
A/N: This is a fantasy twist to our beloved tale. I do not want to spoil the surprises, so please enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own POTO who obviously belong to ALW and Leroux.
The darkness blanketed the room like black velvet. Nothing existed in this dark place; nothing except for a solitary figure in the corner with a glowing candle. Mournful golden eyes stared at the small mirror in front of them as shadows danced across a black mask.
"Christine" the phantom sighed as it traced the mirror with skeletal fingers. The mirror glowed eerily as an image of a small child appeared. The girl in the reflection was pale with curly brown hair and sparkling brown eyes.
"That child will never love you. Have you seen your face?" another voice whispered from the darkness with a cold laugh. Golden eyes instantly closed in anguish as tears fell to the floor. The mirror went black.
-;-
"Christine" the wind sighed as a cold wind swept past the unsuspecting child. Christine bolted upright from picking a flower and looked around her frantically. A shiver ran down her spine and she quickly got to her feet to begin her trek home. These strange occurrences had happened all her life as far as she could remember. Her named sighed by the wind, the feeling of being watched and a constant presence in the darkness. Storm clouds rumbled in the distance signifying an oncoming storm. Christine quickened her pace as she walked along the familiar path back to the small cottage she shared with her father. Upon reaching the entrance of the cottage Christine burst through the door and greeted her father loudly.
"Papa I'm home!" she called excitedly. Gustave Daae was startled out of his stupor by the entrance of his darling child.
"Christine! Do not give your poor papa such a fright! This old heart of mine is fragile" he teased as warmth filled his eyes. He smiled as a blush touched his daughters cheeks but quickly turned away as a wracking cough assaulted his lungs. Christine quckly dropped her flowers on the table and ran to kitchen; quickly returning with a goblet of water.
"Here Papa drink slowly" Christine whispered sadly. She rested her small hand on his back as he drank greedily from the cup. When the cup was empty Gustave handed the cup back to Christine and leaned back in his chair.
"Good girl. You are always taking such good care of me" he whispered as he gazed at his beautiful daughter. It pained him to look at those soft eyes and curly brown hair. It made his heart heavy to remember his late wife as he gazed at his only child. Christine caught his sad glances and captured his hand in hers.
"You will feel better in no time Papa. Then we can return to the sea and share picnics with Raoul. It will be wonderful! You rest here while I gather something for dinner" she said as she released his hand slowly. She bent down to kiss his forehead before pulling away quickly. His skin was burning up and his pale skin served to remind her of his mortality. With a heavy heart she dragged herself away from her father and brushed away a tear.
-;-
Dinner was a sad affair as Christine ate in silence across from her father. Gustave was dozing off in his chair as his soup turned stone cold in front of him. Christine encouraged him to eat to keep up his strength but Gustave simply pushed it away.
"Come Christine do not look so sad. I will eat tomorrow I promise. Please go put away the dishes and once you have returned I will play the violin for you" Gustave promised. Christine suddenly lit up and she immediately gathered the forgotten food into the kitchen. Gustave chuckled lightly before leaning forward as spasms of coughs rose from his chest. Slowly they subsided and he glanced up to see Christine holding out a small vial him.
"Time for you medicine Papa. I know you did not take it today" she said with a reprimanding look. Gustave sighed as he took the small vial from his daughters expectant hands. He simply wished to throw the vial in the trash and tell his daughter that it would not save him from death. As he looked up into her eyes he swallowed his protests and drank a small portion of the bitter liquid. It burned down his throat as he corked it and thrust it back to Christine's hands. She smiled in gratitude and disappeared into the kitchen.
"What would you like me to play my dear?" he called as she walked back into the room. Christine sat on the floor next to his feet trying to get warm next to the fire. It was freezing and the wind outside wailed through the thin walls. Neither daughter nor father noticed this because this was their world of comfort and safety.
"Anything would be wonderful father…I have not heard you play for some time" Christine said as she looked at the violin with longing. As her father tested the string to bring the instrument to tune she allowed her mind to wander. Nights such as this with her father playing softly and an amazing voice mingling with the tunes. Christine remembered little of her mother but music was one thing this family lived and breathed. Gustave always told Christine that she had gained her angelic voice from her mother. The first stirrings of the violin filled the room and Christine's soul was lifted away.
"Sing for me child" Gustave whispered as he let the music envelop him. All the woes of the world melted away as Christine's angelic voice filled the room. The hours flew away as father and daughter reveled in each others company. Music was played and stories were told of distant and magical places.
-;-
Christine opened her eyes slowly as her blurred vision began to focus. Gustave gently pushed Christine's head off of his knee and helped her to her feet. The fire was slowly dying into calm embers and the room had begun to chill. Christine shivered as she rubbed her arms and looked at her father in concern.
"You really should be in bed Papa. It is much to cold in here" she said as she moved to help her father stand. Gustave shook his head as he gazed back at the fire.
"I would like to sit for a while longer my child…give your father a hug and run off to bed" Gustave said as he turned to embrace his daughter. Christine flew into his arms with a giggle and he held her tightly. His eyes blurred with tears as he held his precious child desperately.
"Oh Papa enough already! It is not like I will not see you in the morning!" Christine laughed as she untangled herself from his arms. Gustave felt his heart clench as her words. If only she knew; the poor child. Christine smiled at her father one last time before turning to walk to her room. A sudden chill swept past her and she immediately looked to the right at the mirror hanging on the wall. A pair of yellow eyes flashed before her vision and she immediately jumped back into the wall. She blinked several times as she stared at her reflection in the mirror but she could see nothing except herself and the light from the fireplace.
"Are you alright child?" Gustave asked as he saw her trembling. Christine nodded and walked slowly to her room before shutting the door behind her. Gustave was no fool, he had seen the eyes flash in the mirror. He had been a fool to make a deal with that devil all those years ago. That devil in the black mask. Gustave slowly pulled out an aged paper from his robe and unraveled it slowly. This paper had been signed 8 years ago by his own hand. Gustave crumpled the paper into his hand and thrust it into the fire angrily.
"You can have my soul demon but I will not let you have my daughter" he growled as he watched the paper slowly sizzle and curl. Gustave leaned back heavily in his chair and took rasping breaths as his heart beat began to slow. His vision began to blur and he sent a prayer to God to protect his daughter now that she was free from that retched contract. His breathing grew ragged and he began to smile as the pain left gradually. The thought of seeing his wife again allowed him to finally let go. Knowing he would be at peace and that his Christine would be safe, Gustave Daae took his last breath.