Disclaimer: I own nothing
Summary: an alternate graveyard scene. What if things went differently in the graveyard scene? The truth will be realized far too late and emotions would be revealed. E/C as always.
The graveyard was cover in a thick blanket of snow, however, a young woman dressed in black made her way through its ice cold path towards the grave of her beloved father. She needed time to be alone, to think. She didn't want to be all alone anymore yet unbeknown to her; she had a silent companion guarding her. She fell to her knees when she reached the bottom of the mausoleum.
Suddenly, a powerful yet gentle voice was heard.
"Wandering child, so lost, so helpless,
Yearning for my guidance"
It was her angel! She didn't know how to feel. She was glad her angel was here yet he was also the phantom. She unsurely replied with confusion dripping from her tone.
"Angel or father,
Friend or phantom,
Who is it there staring?"
"Have you forgotten your angel?"
"Angel oh speak! What endless longing
Echo in this whisper"
"Too long you've wandered on winter,
Far from my fathering gaze"
"Wildly my mind beats against you…"
"You resist…"
"Yet the/your soul obeys!''
Angel of Music, You/I denied me/you!
Turning from true beauty!
Angel of Music! Do not shun me/my protector!
Come to your/me strange angel"
"I am your angel of music,
Come to me angel of music…"
The phantom sung in his mesmerizing voice. Suddenly hoof beats were heard and Raoul appeared, like in the fairy tales, in his white horse and gleaming sword, ready to save the damsel in distress!
"No! Wait Christine! Whatever you believe, this man-this thing- is not your father!"
Christine snapped out as she heard the young Vicomte's words. Before they can react, the phantom swooped down, a sword in his hand.
They began to fight. Neither man faltered in the snowy graveyard. Christine then noticed that the phantom was trying to move the fight away from her, to keep her safe.
The Vicomte was starting to get tired of this. The man was skilled and powerful. 'I know what to do' he smirked.
"Did you actually think she would love you?" he taunted.
Erik remained silent. Rage was flooding his mind but he couldn't let it take over him.
"On the rooftop, on the night you killed Buquet…" he smirked as he saw his opponents eyes start to cloud over.
"She's frightened of you and that horrid face of yours!"
How dare that boy? Erik knew that this was part of the boy's plan but still… he saw her on the roof. His rage was starting to get the better of him. His attacks became more powerful until he managed to shove Raoul to the ground and kick his sword away; he was about to attack and knock the boy out cold when the Vicomte thought about a last resort.
"You haunt her dreams and she hates you for it!"
That did the trick. The phantom gasped and froze. His eyes sought hers questioningly. 'Is it true?' They stared into each other's eyes for like an eternity. He was so caught up from the moment; he didn't saw Raoul reach for a knife in his boot until he felt an agonizing pain in his stomach.
"No!" Christine screamed. She ran as the phantom fell on his knees. She managed to catch him before he fell completely to the snowy ground. She tore off her scarf and placed it over his wound.
"Christine, let us go. The monster can't harm you now." He touched her shoulder when she looked over, hatred flashing in her eye. "Don't you dare touch me!"
"Christine, I know you're upset. You should calm down and come with me to my home."
"NO! I never want to see you ever again Raoul. LEAVE!"
The Vicomte looked appalled; no one dared to talk to him like that before.
"Fine! Stay with your dying monster but don't go crying to me when his dead!"
With that he left them alone in the graveyard, and headed back to his estate. Christine focused her attention to the phantom once more and winced as she noticed that her scarf was soaked with his blood.
"Christine…" he croaked out.
"Hush… save your energy angel, I'll go get you some help but please hold on." She prepared to leave but a hand on her wrist stopped her.
"Christine…please, stay with me." He pleaded.
Christine looked into his eyes. They were filled with pain and despair but as she looked closer, she saw…acceptance. She gasped. She realized that he would die here in this frozen graveyard happily so long as she was beside him. Why had she never seen the man in him that could do anything for her? Why had she ever let herself be blinded by his appearance and run to the arms of the spoiled aristocrat?
Tears fell from her eyes when she realized her friend and guardian was being taken away from her.
The phantom weakly lifted his hand to brush off the tears from her cheek and said:
"Don't cry, ma chéri"
This only made her cry even more. How could she be so naïve and betray her angel? He made her song take wing. Without him, she would probably be stick in the chorus, never to be acknowledged.
"Angel…"
"It's Erik."
Erik,' Eternal ruler' . A name so simple for a very complex man. 'It fitted him perfectly.
"Erik, please don't leave me."
Erik's heart skipped a beat. Hearing her voice say his name was like hearing the greatest music ever composed to his ears. He wished that things were different, he wished that he introduced himself as a man to Christine earlier, maybe he would have had a better chance than the boy.
"I'm sorry, Christine."
"Why?"
"I should have known…that you would be…happier with…with the boy." He seemed like he wanted to say more yet couldn't find the right words to say.
" There's nothing to be sor-"
"NO! I ruined your future with the boy! You could have had a life with full of happiness and light yet because of me, he probably won't want to see you again!"
His outburst seemed to have weakened him some more for he lay there in her arms gasping for air as the wound in his stomach continue to bleed excessively.
"Erik, please calm down, there's nothing to be sorry for."Then she once again saw his wound. "Angel, we have to get you to a physician!"
He smiled at me sadly and shook his head. "You and I know…it would be… useless now"
"Please fight angel." His breathing was labored and I knew what I had to do. I grabbed his shoulders and lifted him up gently so that his head was resting gently in my lap.
Erik POV
Hearing her say my name lifted my spirit. I didn't know what possessed me to tell her my name but maybe it was just right to let her know in my final minutes of life.
"Is it true?" I asked, my voice sounding a little hoarse.
"Is what true?" she asked "all that he said"
I could feel her smoothing my jet black hair along with the feeling of warm liquid in my forehead that I know to be her tears. "No angel. You might have frightened me, but I could never hate you."
I was relieved to hear that, but I need to finish some things.
"Christine…" I called her, but before I could continue, a violent coughing fit attacked me and I could feel blood trailing down my lips onto my chin. Her tears dropped in my face but I no longer cared. "I'm sorry… I frightened you…" I was running out of time and my angel is not yet at peace.
"I also apologize for… deceiving you… using the memory of your father… "I was about to continue when I felt her finger cover my blood stained lips.
"You don't have to apologize… I know that you only did it for me"
Her tears seemed to never end I reached out my hand again to wipe them away but they seem to only make her cry more.
My strength was failing me and my hand began to shake. Her hand held mine close to her cheek, never letting go.
Christine POV
His breathing was becoming more labored and I knew what I had to do. I reached for his mask and took it off gently. I didn't feel fear or disgust as I looked at his face. That's when I knew that I was in love with him. I was just blinded by Raoul's "love" for me. I then saw tears falling from my angel's face. I wiped it away softly and he smiled at me.
"Would you promise me… something?
I nodded feeling the tears flow faster.
"Promise me… that you would…never abandon music. Promise me you would… pursue your dreams…"
His eyes began to flutter shut and I grabbed his other hand tightly. "Erik"
"Promise me that you would be happy…" "Promise me Christine…"
"I- yes Erik"
He seems so peaceful now; he actually looks ten years younger. I needed to let him know that he would not die unloved. That someone cared for him!
"I love you, Erik. Please don't leave me." He smiled at me as more tears flowed down his cheek.
"You'll never be alone again Christine… I'm always with you."
He took his hand away from my cheek and slowly took the ring in his finger. He pressed the ring into my hand and softly closed it around the ring. "I'll always be with you…"
Then as if he hesitated I heard his musical voice sing the most beautiful words "Christine…I love you"
Then without thinking, I pressed my lips to his. I felt him gasp but then weakly responded to the kiss. I could taste his blood but I did not care, I would not ruin this moment. The kiss wasn't full of lust and passion. No, it was filled with pure love and adoration. When the kiss ended he smiled at me and whispered "thank you… I love you"
Then I heard him take a deep breath and released it softly knowing it would be his last. When he fell limp in my arms, felt so lost, so alone. I began to cry again. After a few moments, I heard something so soft, I could barely hear it.
I am in your eyes
Just that close to you
And now I see your innocence against a troubled sky
Everything you once believed is now a question why
It's OKDon't lose your faith
Don't turn away
Everything that makes you who you are will not lead you astray
When it gets cold
Too dark to see
Reach in your soul and find me there, I'll always be
Your constant angel
Your constant angel
No, I'm not alone. I always have my angel guarding and guiding him. I would wait until I could be with him for eternity,
A/N : he he… that was fun to write! I just have to get this out of my system! Hope you enjoyed the story: D
BTW the quote: the ending was Constant Angel by Ramin Karimloo. Till next time!
Your obedient servant,
E.M