Disclaimer: Don't own POTO. Death was mostly derived from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. And the first two of the three lines of dialogue at the end of the story were derived from Le Rufus by Pierre Jean de Béranger (slightly altered).
A/N: This starts from when Erik tells Christine to leave with Raoul. But it doesn't end that way… It's E/C… (Forgive me for making Raoul rather a lot of a coward). And it's written in Death's POV.
When Death Lends A Helping Scythe
Death
Erik rather bravely (but stupidly, in my opinion) placed the hand of his beloved into that of his mortal enemy. "Take her far away from here and marry quickly. Don't ever let her think of her tortured friend again," he told the Vicomte. And he turned his back on them as Raoul tried to pull Christine away.
Perhaps it's just that my vision is far more clear-cut than most of the human race (probably because I was around before the human race) but I knew that Christine and Erik could only be happy together and that Raoul only thought he loved Christine. In truth, he could live without her – but Erik couldn't. And I, of all 'people', knew that it would kill him to let her go; it was killing him. And Christine was dying too. They, of course, didn't realise but that was why I hovered near them – they were to die soon, before the mob even arrived – and I was there ready to swing my scythe, though they couldn't see me yet… not until it was time…
Erik turned back to Christine because she was refusing to leave; physically holding onto the doorframe. He was crying. "Please, Christine. Let me die knowing that you're safe. Go now. Do it for me."
"No, Erik, no. I am staying for you. Please." Christine suddenly burst into tears and they cried together as Erik comforted her in his own gentle way. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and rocked her back and forth soothingly; all the while, Raoul was still pulling on her arm, and looking quite put out by the whole display of emotion between them. Erik nuzzled her cheek, desperately clenching his eyelids shut and enfolding her securely in his powerful arms. He started humming to her…
I have to say that, in all the time I have existed and will exist, this was the only demonstration of true love that I would ever witness. (Trust me, I know). Nothing could compare…
Ah. It was time…
But, as I recall (and do tend to recall everything), there are certain rules or guidelines which abide to Death and true love. I.e. I cannot separate the two people – whether in life or death. And I have to make them choose one…
In the darkness of his underground lair, I froze time for the rest of the world. Only the four of us were free to move, but, as of yet, they were unaware of my presence.
My 'eyes' are specially 'designed' to see souls departed from bodies – they tend to be a dazzling blue shade. I could see Christine's… I caught it in my left hand and watched as her body became limp in Erik's arms. Perhaps, technically, she had died… but I wasn't quite ready to grant her passage.
Totally astounded that she had become lifeless in his arms, Erik fell to the ground with her. "Christine?!" He shook her gently to try to rouse her.
"What have you done to her, Monster?!" screeched Raoul as he tirelessly managed to get in Erik's way.
Erik stealthily grabbed him by the collar and glared right at him. (I think the only reason he hadn't already knocked the Vicomte out cold with one swift blow is that he thought it would upset Christine in the long run). "Monsieur, if you do not back away; I cannot help her. And if you won't let me help her; I will be forced to take my rage out on a very tender part of your anatomy!" He thrust his hand forward, throwing Raoul to the floor and ridding him of any further interruption. Erik checked for her pulse when he found that she wasn't breathing. Safe to say, he didn't find one. "No, no. No! Christine. Come back to me. I love you!"
Time to make my presence known…
Swirling into their vision with scythe raised, I hovered near Christine's head as Erik was desperately nuzzling her neck and whispering through tears to her.
As predicted, the Vicomte staggered clumsily to his feet and threw himself out the door as he ran for freedom. Can't say that it did him a lot of good… Erik glared back at the retreating Vicomte, then locked eyes with me and covered Christine's body protectively with his own. "You can't take her. I won't let her die. Please. End my life instead. Leave her to live."
I handed him a long-stemmed white rose, in which I had secured Christine's soul and I also gave him a manuscript of all the music he had ever written (needless to say, it was heavy). Unlike most humans, he actually knew what I was asking him to do – he knew that he could keep only one and had to give the other to me – his music or his love.
He threw the manuscript at me in disgust, "I choose her! I don't want anything else. I need her! She is my music!"
I nodded shortly, restored her soul to her body and I gave him his manuscript back – after all, he had made the right choice; they would both live; and what would Death need with music?! I do believe that he discarded the manuscript anyway when he saw his angel's eyelids flutter open. "I don't want to leave, Erik," she implored.
"It's okay, sweetheart," he assured, "I need you here. I won't make you leave. I love you so much!" And he threw his arms around her, picking her up and cuddling her close to his heart. "I'll never part from you."
As long as I exist, I will remember the kiss they shared that night and the words he spoke to her,
"Mon coeur est un luth suspendu;
Sitôt qu'on le touche il résonne;
Tu l'as touché, Christine."
Ah… Love… (Who ever said Death was morbid?!)
Fin
* * * * *
Epilogue
Perhaps I forgot to mention that the 'choice' of life or death is given to all the people involved… Now, I couldn't forget about the little Vicomte, could I?! Shall we say that he chose death when he fled leaving Erik and Christine to witness my presence…? Yes, I believe we shall…
And I collected his cowardly soul from the recesses of the subterranean lake where he had fallen and drowned in his careless flight. Humans…
* * * * *
A/N:
The verse:
"Mon coeur est un luth suspendu;
Sitôt qu'on le touche il résonne;
Tu l'as touché, Christine."
…means:
"My heart is a suspended lute;
Whenever one touches it, it resounds;
You have touched it, Christine."