A/N This is my most recent story. I like it and I hope all of you like it. Please read and review it for me. Its basically my take on Christine choosing to love Erik. Its good, really it is.
Erik is about 30 and Christine is 16 and Raoul 20.
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Ch. 1 – Happiness might have to wait.
"Christine I love you."
Raoul's words a few months back rang in my ears. But here I was, having to choose who I would spend the rest of my life with. Oh Raoul I do love you, I believe that even in the time that we were apart I loved you. You life means more to me than you'll ever know.
And then there is the Phantom, goodness I did not even know his name.
You have deceived me more than I ever thought possible and yet I love you more than I believe is possible. You have been the reason my heart beats beneath my bosom for the last eight years. Though you deceived me, you did it in an attempt to make the passing of my father easier. For that I will forever be thankful.
"Christine don't do this." Raoul yelled at me, his voice was filled with so much despair.
But now his words meant nothing for I already knew my choice.
"Pitiful creature of darkness what kind of life have you known? God give me the courage to show you, you are not alone." When I kissed him it was in that instant I felt as if some unknown piece of the puzzle had come together.
I kissed him the way I would kiss him the rest of my life. I gave him my soul and all the passion that lied within it. I kissed him like a wife would, like a lover would. I told my self that I would be this man's salvation. If I was not destined to be Raoul's, then I would be my Angel of Music's. When I pulled away I saw such happiness.
His happiness is what had made some of my pain for hurting Raoul so badly vanish.
This man standing in front of me loved me more than life itself. He would keep me safe and warm. This I knew more than anything. But happiness? I suppose I would have to wait and see. I knew I loved this man, but I did not truly know if I would be happy with him.
"Christine, go and untie him." The Phantom told me softly but commanding at the same time.
"Okay."
I could hardly look Raoul in the eyes as I walked over to untie him. When I did look, I saw more emotions than I would have thought Raoul incapable from feeling. Anger, confusion, hurt, pain and my least favorite, sorrow. Raoul was such a happy person. That was why it was difficult for me to believe he could feel such things. But he was human after all, humans feel everything. Even the things they wish not to feel.
"How can you stay?" He asked me as the tears began to fill his glowing blue eyes. "Why are you condemning yourself to a lifetime of torture?"
"He will take care of me Raoul." I spoke as my lip began to quiver. "That much I know."
"But will he make you happy?" Raoul argued. "All that waits you down here is death." His anger now obvious in his voice.
"I am so very sorry Raoul, but this is what fate has dealt me. No backward glances." I responded coldly as I finished untying him from the gate.
I looked back and saw that the Phantom had pulled the lever that opened the gate. When I turned back to face Raoul, I saw more tears.
"Goodbye Raoul."
"Christine I love you." He cried and I knew his words were not a statement of a goodbye, they were a plea.
The last tear I would shead over him fell as I replied. "I know Raoul, I know."
He turned his back and walked away. The water seemed to only slow him down. My mind seemed then to mock me.
'I love you to Raoul.'
"Come Christine, we must leave." His voice cried with urgency, "I will not have them find us."
I ran as fast as I could through the water to take his hand on shore. Even through his fear of being captured, I could still sense his happiness at my being with him.
"Where will we go?" I asked suddenly frightened by the shouts and the cried that seemed to be closing in on the Phantom's lair.
They were getting closer.
"To a house outside the city." He responded back hastily. "Christine go and grab anything that you cannot dare leave behind. We need to leave as soon as possible."
"Okay. " I replied. "But what are you taking?"
He looked at me and smiled the first smile I had ever seem him give me. "You."
His words cause me to smile. Maybe fate had dealt me the better card with him and maybe, just maybe I would be happy with him. I let go of his hand and ran to the bedroom in search of what I knew I could not live without.
My music box.
The Phantom had made it for me long ago when I was a little girl. It brought back memories when my life was not revolved around being a Prima Donna or choosing who I would marry. It brought back times that I had spent with my father. The Phantom had helped bring back those memories. For that I would always love him.
I gently pick up the monkey and took once last glace around my room and walked back out to the music room. When I looked at his face I saw that he had placed his mask back on his face. I thought that in time he would learn to live without it. I saw no need for him to wear it, for I was never afraid of his face.
When he noticed me in the room I smiled at him. Then he looked at what I carried him my hands and smiled once more.
"That was what you couldn't live without?" He asked me.
"It reminds me of you." I answered softly. "And my father."
"We need to go now." He cried as the booming voices of the mob grew closer and closer.
"Okay." I replied as he grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards the emergency exit.
Then I saw it. It was the wedding veil that the Phantom had made for me. I don't know why but part of me felt like I could not leave that behind either.
"Wait." I cried as I pulled my hand out of his to turn back and retrieve the veil. Once I had it in my hands I turned back to him and took his hand once more. "We will be needing this wont we."
"I love you Christine."
"I love you too." I told him smiling. I knew that I meant every word.
"Lets go Christine." He told me as he turned toward the exit.
It was then that I realized I did not know his name. After all these years I suddenly realized that I did not know my Angel of Music's name.
"My name is Erik, Christine." He told me as he stared at my face which I suppose looked to be deep in thought. "I could tell what you were thinking."
"Erik." I said, trying his name out on my lips. "Erik I love you."
I sang the words softly to him, hoping he would know that I was being truthful. It was then that I could have sworn I saw a tear slide down his cheek.
