Take the boats and swear to me never to tell, of what you know of the angel in hell!
Christine freed Raoul, and hand in hand they ran for the boats. Raoul began to untie one and she hesitated. She was fiddling with the wedding ring he had given her to seal their engagement. Engagement! Ha! No wonder she felt the need to hide their attachment to one another. Christine would have a reputation for having slept her way to talent either way… and neither of us were very good about accepting the idea of another suitor. He paused for a moment considering. He was aware of the sounds of the mob growing closer, and of Christine fretting with her ring, but he couldn't help but feel they'd left things unfinished. The look on this Phantom's face when she kissed him was full of love, of passion, of despair. The same feelings that I experienced when she kissed me… Her heart was in it, but not wholly. Now we both know why, she had given both of us half her heart, both equal, both lacking, and she left nothing for herself.
"Raoul, before we leave I-"
"I'll do it." He cut her off, understanding why she was asking, knowing what he had to do for true love. Never let it be said that he didn't understand that love was about sacrifice. If he could let her go, and Christine could love two spoiled men, than surely Raoul could bring some measure of hope to all three of them. He gently took the ring from her and started back the way they came. Christine's voice stopped him. "You won't hurt him?" Raoul turned a thoughtful gaze to her. "I think we have all suffered enough."
He found a darkened room and would have passed it by for the next if it hadn't been for the softly sung tune. It sounded almost like a lullaby, but the half choked words of "Christine I love you" Told Raoul it was a dirge; for the phantom or his love he didn't know, but moved quickly to end it. He entered the room, the little light from outside only illuminated the man, and held out the engagement ring. Too heart sick to look angry at the invasion by his rival, the man hesitantly took the ring and held it. Not sure what to say, or how even to express the turmoil of strong emotions that had kept him going through the night, Raoul leaned forward slowly. With careful deliberation he placed his lips gently, innocently, on the phantom's lips.
It was nothing, he knew, compared to the deep kiss he had shared with Christine. But that kiss had both been acknowledging of passion and a life line of love when all seemed lost. His was a peace offering, and a sharing of hope. The man before him was stunned. Despite his facial deformity, two people had been willing to touch him in an intimate manner. Raoul rather expected it, if not this reaction than something similar, and taking advantage of the dangerous man's shock, he grabbed a hand and gently pulled him into a standing position. "Come with us."
Abruptly the man seemed to come to his senses. His face hardened, perhaps with murderous rage, but Raoul was beginning to believe it was shattered pride. "She made her choice," he said removing his hand. "I shall respect her wishes." The crowed was growing ever closer, they had no time. "Yes she did choose," Throwing a worried glance out the door he continued "Both of us. Now come away Monsieur Phantom, her heart would be half empty without you." The man, Erik, looked at him closely, his face was a study of horror this close, but its fearful quality had no more power over Raoul. It would be more disturbing if it weren't for the fact that if they lingered here much longer, they would both actually be corpses, never mind looking like one. "And you? Is this a grand gesture for her or simply out of pity?"
Agitated and impatient Raoul snapped, forgetting for a moment that this was the same man who had been trying to strangle him barely minutes before. "Out of admiration, you fool! You are the better man, letting go of her while I never could. You shall be good for the both of us I should think." The mob's noise almost drowned out his next words. "Shall you take us? For good or ill we will be less without you!" Erick looked down at the ring he still held and somehow made it vanish. Taking this as acceptance, Raoul grabbed his hand again and led him into a headlong flight back to where Christine and the boat waited.