Hello PhanFan's! I haven't been on here in a while and I recently watched the Phantom of the Opera again (singing every Christine line of course!) and as I was watching the final lair scene I wanted to know how things could have turned out differently. Christine is a big girl now and I feel that if she really thought about it all that this is the decision that she would have come to. Please and read and enjoy the first of many chapters to come.

Your humble servant,

PhantomsAngel1870

"You try my patience, make your choice!" The Phantom made very clear to Christine as he tugged on the rope that tightened even more around Raoul's neck. Raoul groaned at the strain that caused him to gag as the oxygen became harder to obtain. Christine watched as all of this happened before her eyes – she realized that she had to grow up now and make a decision because "all games of make believe are at an end…". The song that she sang with the Phantom earlier made so much more sense now. She couldn't be a child for the rest of her life and depend on everyone else to make choices for her, which is what exactly these two men did.

She looked over at Raoul first and began to think about their past. They had played so much when they were little, he was always chasing her outside and vowing to her when they climbed the large oak trees on his family's estate that he would marry her one day. They would play as husband and wife sometimes but no matter what at the end of the day Christine knew that she was ranked lower than Raoul and that meant that it would be much harder for society to accept them as a couple. Once her father died all ties to Raoul were cut immediately after the funeral when she went away with Madame Giry who told Christine that she and her father were very close friends. Once at the Opera House Christine had to forget about everything not related to opera because dancing alone took up so much of her time, making it slightly easier to bear the death of her father. Then years later Raoul shows up again in her life and she immediately recognized him – but he walked right past her into the waiting hand of Carlotta. He didn't truly recognize her until she was in the spotlight, and only then did he want her back and refused to let anyone else near her. Then as he learned about the Phantom's affections for her he became overtly protective such as sleeping outside the dormitories which was outside of the propriety for a couple who were courting. Furthermore, he even forced herself to be used as a trick to get the Phantom to show himself so that they could capture him even when she was scared to death to do such a thing to the man!

Then Christine looked towards the Phantom and smiled gently. That man has also been making choices for her, but for the benefit of herself and not him. All he ever did was be there for her when she was mourning her father, and helping her by teaching her how to sing and soar above Carlotta. He was kept away from the world and all he did was give back to the Opera Populaire by writing criticisms to help all the departments become better and writing new music for the troupe to perform to gain more money. He protected her and taught her to love the things that people were afraid of. But nonetheless, he also lied to her by claiming he was the Angel of Music which also angered her. The Phantom was also a violent man but she understood that Buquet would have harmed him if the stagehand hand's had gotten onto the Phantom. But why wouldn't he just subdue Buquet instead of killing him, especially letting the entire audience see the aftermath? Why would the Phantom use fear to gain the needs that he wanted instead of trying to use peace and kindness? Then Christine glanced over him and knew that it was because of the fear that people held over the Phantom's face. It angered Christine more than anything else that people would judge someone based on their looks instead of trying to see what the person is truly like. A magician, a musician, an architect, a genius, and all it seems that people remember is that he killed someone – but he killed that person in self-defense.

She looked down at her hands, something she did when she was nervous, and fiddled with the engagement ring that she held now. As she looked at it she knew that Raoul would be able to give her anything she wanted and she would live in the grandest house, filled with servants around every corner, but the one thing she wanted more than anything else is something that would not be allowed in his societal circle – she wanted to perform. But to their standards Christine would be asked to bear children and plan parties. The Phantom on the other hand would let her do anything her heart wishes but they would live down here for the rest of their lives, a place that isn't safe for children. But she did remember all that money that he received from the Monsieur Lefevre over the years, so maybe they could afford to get a nice house outside of the city.

Christine took a deep breath; she had made her decision.

"Beautiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known? God give us courage to show you, you are not alone!" Christine swiftly put the ring on her finger and kissed the Phantom, pouring all her love into the kiss. Unconsciously she ran her hand across the marred side of the Phantom's face feeling all the contours and ridges, admiring them because she knew that it must be painful to endure and the man before her as only ever known pain – she knew because of the constant sadness in his eyes.

It took a while for the two to pull away from each other and when they finally did they both looked at each other with mystified compassion. The Phantom had tears running down his face and Christine made sure to wipe each other them away. Their gaze was broken from a heart wrenching scream that filled the silent void. They both looked towards the closed gate as they watched the Vicomte cry and scream.

Christine pulled away slightly from the Phantom, and turned towards her old friend. As she began to walk towards him she felt a gentle weight being placed on her shoulder. She turned her head back and saw that the Phantom's deep saddened eyes staring back at her. Giving him another kiss to reassure him that she had chosen him, Christine walked towards Raoul and removed the ropes from around him.

"Christine! Why him?! What can he possibly give you that I cannot?" Raoul begged Christine as she was removing the ropes that held him against the gate.

"He can give me pure, undying, love," Christine replied stoically as she continued to remove the hard bonds that restricted her friend.

"I love you! I've always loved you!" Raoul shouted loud, making the Phantom walk closer to his Christine, making sure he was close enough to keep her safe if the need arose

Christine smiled sadly towards her old friend and made a deep careful sigh. She knew that Raoul thought he loved her, but that was never the case. If he had truly loved her then they would've been married long before now. He would have made sure he found a way to her despite all the odds that were and still are against the two of them becoming a couple. Christine has acknowledged and accepted this situation and, even though the circumstances aren't in Raoul's favor currently, Christine knows that he will find a suitable wife that is also in his station one day soon.

"You don't love me Raoul, you think you do but we were never meant to be together and I have accepted that long before now, it is time that you accept the circumstances as well." Christine said as she finished untying all the ropes.

Even though Raoul was now free he seemed as if he was petrified at Christine's revelation between the two of them. In a desperate attempt to try to change her mind Raoul pulled Christine against him and kissed her hard. The Phantom stopped in his tracks, as he watched the two people before him kiss. He began to see red more than ever and the anger filled him over the brim – something that he had not experienced since he saw the same two people on the rooftop not long ago. But before he could take action towards this sudden event he watched as Christine pulled her hand back and slap the Vicomte across his face hard.

"You dare try and act like you have permission to kiss an engaged woman who is not your betrothed?!" Christine yelled at Raoul. The Phantom couldn't help but smile at the sudden action of Christine, especially how she called herself engaged – and to himself!

Raoul began backing away from Christine as he watched her turn her anger onto him, something that he has never had happen before.

"Christine please, you don't love him you love me! You've always loved me!" Raoul begged her as he continued backing away.

"No, I don't love you as a lover Raoul, I love you as a friend. I've always loved you as a friend and if you value that love I have for you, as a friend, I suggest you leave now before my fiancé becomes angered more by your inappropriate behavior." Christine unlocked the gate and watched as Raoul began moving to the other side of the entrance to the Phantom's domain.

"Christine please…" Raoul begged the woman that he wanted in his life. The only woman that he will ever desire.

"Go now – don't let them find you! Swear to me, never to tell, the secret you know, where the angel and I dwell!" Christine begged Raoul as she lower to gate between the two of them, making her choice even more clear to the two men present.

The young Vicomte had tears running down his face at Christine's last request, he would give her anything except for that. He would never sleep well knowing that he willingly left her to the likes of the murderer before him, she would never be safe in his presence as long as he lived. Nodding towards the brunette beauty he grabbed the boat and began rowing down the underground river singing their song to himself for one last time as he slowly pushed himself away from Christine.

Once Christine saw that he was not in sight anymore she turned around to face the Phantom but saw that he was not behind her anymore. Growing worried she ran out of the water to begin searching for him through each and every room. It wasn't until she made it back to the room that she had woken up in at one night so long ago that she found him with a barrel monkey playing the symbols to the tune of the masquerade song that was sung during the New Year's party last month. The Phantom was sitting there softly singing along to the song as he wept over everything that had happened just now, and for a moment Christine saw the raw human side of the mysterious man before her.

The Phantom turned around to look at Christine and smiled as he softly sang,

"Christine I love you"

Christine slowly walked up towards the man before her gently placed herself in the man's lap and hugged him tightly against her. The Phantom returned the hug and in no time the pair of them were crying together for humanity's intolerance of the unattractive, the loss of both of their childhood's and the torment that both of them have faced up to this point. After they both calmed down from the events that have unfolded from the past year Christine smiled and kissed her fiancé once more before giving him instructions of the next course of action

"Order your fine horses, be with them at the opera house's back door!"

The Phantom smiled down upon his lovely Christine and was thankful to whatever God there was above him for gracing him with such a beautiful woman. He agreed with her as he responded to her loving request

"And soon you'll be beside me," He whispered as he ran his thumb across Christine's cheek.

"You'll guard me and you'll guide me," Christine replied as the Phantom quickly kissed her again.

Christine knew that the two of them couldn't stay here any longer because they both knew that the mob would be looking for them any time now. The Phantom nodded towards her and put her on the bed as he pulled out several large trunks that held clothes for both him and her and placed them by a mirror in the other room. Christine followed him as she watched him grab last minute things. Once everything was gathered by the mirror the Phantom placed a deep red cloak around Christine for the cold weather outside and grabbed a candelabra. Gently moving Christine behind him he made sure that she was safe before he began smashing the hidden passageway's glass cover before picking the woman up before him and carrying her over all the glass on the floor now.

The Phantom led the two of them through the dark passageways once more and continued their trek for half an hour before Christine spoke

"Where are we going Angel?" Christine wondered as she kept ahold of part of the Phantom's cloak as they walked to make sure that she did not stray off from him by accident.

The Phantom smiled warmly as he continued looking ahead but spoke directly to Christine.

"Please, call me Erik, and we are going to our new home mon ange," the Phantom replied as they continued walking for a few more minutes.

"Erik," Christine whispered. She liked to way it sat in her mouth and smiled largely because her angel had such a beautiful human name.

"Nonetheless, I will still call you my angel," Christine vowed to the man in front of her which gained her a deep laugh from her fiancé at her declaration.

The two continued in a peaceful silence as they reached a door that had moonlight forcing its way through the edges and a small crack near the bottom. The Phantom sat down the trunks that he was carrying and opened the door carefully at first. Making sure that no one was lurking around this late at night he watched the street for a minute before signaling to Christine that it was safe to go outside, and secretly Christine was grateful that she was going to be out of those passageways despite their surprisingly spacious walking room.

Christine watched as Erik walked towards a black carriage a block away from the back of the Opera Populaire and was surprised to see Erik talking to a man that Christine had never met before. She carefully waited until Erik waved her over to begin walking towards the two men. She looked towards Erik and saw him smiling proudly upon her then look towards the other man. Christine followed his gaze and looked into the brown eyes of the man before the two of them.

"I am so glad that I finally get to meet the young lady that has stolen my friend's heart and sanity!" The man picked up Christine's hand and placed his other on top.

"Christine this is my acquaintance that I have known for many years," Erik said with a slight hint of sarcasm to his voice. It made Christine wonder if Erik was perhaps understating his relationship with the man before her.

"Acquaintance! Why Erik I have never been more insulted in my life!" The man feigned heartbreak in the most dramatic way possible by clutching his heart and reaching out towards Erik at the same time producing a small fit of giggling come out of Christine.

"I'm Christine Daae," Christine formally introduced to the man that seemed to be very close to Erik. She reached out her hand once more and shook the man's rough hand as well.

"And you may call me Nadir, Miss Daae."