(A/N: For enquiring minds, this is set after the last chapter of The Phantom of the Opera and shows the part where Christine returns Erik's ring.)
Christine entered Erik's room hesitantly. She had always found its oppressive, morbid atmosphere to be terrifying, but she had a promise to keep, and she knew she would never be able to forgive herself if she gave in to her fear at the last minute.
Erik was laid out in his coffin just as the Persian had described, his face no more hideous in death than it had been in life. Strangely enough, Christine still couldn't quite process that her old teacher was dead. Despite his death's-head, he had always seemed so terrifyingly alive that it was difficult to imagine him otherwise. Perhaps this was why she began to speak to him.
"Hello, Erik," she whispered. "I've come back to return your ring like I promised." Gently she worked it off her own finger and slid it onto Erik's. She expected to be revolted at touching his dead flesh but instead found herself moved with pity and compassion.
"It was a beautiful wedding," she continued, speaking to him simply as she had back when he was nothing more than the Voice. She had placed a childlike trust in him then and had spoken to him about whatever happened to be on her mind at the time. It was a habit she was finding difficult to break. "It was quiet and simple but beautiful, nonetheless. Thank you for letting me leave with Raoul."
The night she left with Raoul always haunted her; it was the one thing that marred her happiness with her husband. Wherever Erik was now, Christine hoped he could hear her, for she had a question she never thought she would have the chance to ask.
"Did you ever forgive me for leaving? Oh, Erik, I never wanted to hurt you. I wanted to love you; I really did. I just wasn't strong enough. That's why you let me go, isn't it? You knew—you knew it could never be…what you wanted…" Sobs began to choke her voice, but she quickly composed herself lest Raoul or the Persian should hear her and come to see what was wrong. It had been tricky enough persuading them to let her see Erik one last time before they buried him.
Christine moved closer and bent her head down to his ear, speaking in a low voice. She didn't like to think of how the two men in the other room would react if they heard what she was about to say. "I did love you, Erik, as a mentor and a friend. Maybe in time I could have learned to love you as a husband, but now we'll never know. But what I do know is that I will never regret knowing you or loving you. I'm just sorry I couldn't love you the way you wanted me to." Her lips brushed against his drawn, sallow cheek. "Sleep well, my angel."