Basically, this is a story that was born from the question:

What if Erik didn't leave Christine that moonless night? Note that this is NOT a oneshot. Raoul is plotting revenge, thinking that Erik must have stolen Christine away—not to mention Erik is still a wanted murderer, and more than one pretty-boy is out for his blood. Erik (Phantom) X Christine.

Enjoy, rate and review! This is my first fanfic but not my first story, so don't be afraid to give me somewhat harsh constructive criticism.

Chapter One

Erik gazed at Christine while she slept, though her form was indistinct in the dark, struggling with the two most powerful instincts he had—his love for Christine, so powerful that he was willing to kill and destroy to be with her, and his desire to keep his face hidden. He kept trying to convince himself, to dislodge the single word from his throat—goodbye. He was a monster, he didn't deserve Christine, and it was better to keep this single perfect memory than to make Christine suffer, and have the pain of her leaving him again as she certainly would…

Something made him stop.

A single thought.

What if she wants to stay?

Before he could even begin to comprehend that profound thought, Christine's form shifted slightly in the dark.

"Erik…?" she whispered. His heart filled up with love at the sound of her voice. Even without singing, her voice was melodious, beautiful. Not hesitating, Erik went to her side and grasped her hand, pressing his lips to it but not kissing it.

"I'm here, my angel." Christine's teeth shone slightly in the dark as he saw her smile. Erik's heart fluttered in his chest—she was glad he was there. The next second, he reprimanded himself—there was no way she could be glad to be around him, not really.

"Thank goodness. I was so frightened you would leave. You have a tendency to run away or…get rid of…your problems." Christine sat up and pressed her head underneath Erik's chin, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. "Besides, I need my angel here to protect me."

"Christine…" Erik whispered, stroking her curls. He felt her shudder excitedly when his hands touched her neck, lightly as butterfly wings. "Christine, my angel, why did you come here tonight?" He felt Christine tense, then relax. He could picture her expression exactly—eyes closed, a small smile on her lips. Trusting him. Remarkable, and, he had believed, impossible.

"I couldn't live with my choice. Raoul is rich and handsome, and he has the whole world to choose from. For you, there's only me. And I've come to realize…for me, there's only you, my angel." The brightening starlight illuminated Christine's face just enough for Erik to see her glowing face as she pulled back from him and laughed just a little. "You see, Erik, you've killed in my name, you've frightened me half to death, but I believe in you. I know you can change. And that's why I'm not going to leave." She reached her hand out and touched the deformed side of Erik's face, and tears slipped from his eyes.

"But…I'm a monster, Christine. How could you live with a monster? The police are bound to come after me soon, and as for your viscount, he's bound to think I stole you away." Christine just kept smiling, though this time a little ruefully.

"That's another thing about Raoul, he never really thought I had a truly independent bone in my body. We have each other, my love. That's all that matters."

We have each other, my love.

Erik couldn't believe those words, they were too good to be real. Tears kept slipping down his face, faster and faster until he couldn't control them, curling his head onto Christine's shoulder. She held him, whispering, "Cry, Erik. You've needed to for a long, long time." The man sobbed, remembering so many horrible things—things he had done, things other people had done to him, and mourning every single wickedness bound up inside his soul. I'll change for you, my Christine. I'll change for you.

Something inside Erik, some hardened concentration of evil, was finally starting to break apart. Christine was saving him.

And unbeknownst to either of them, a life was even then starting to take shape in Christine—a life so precious, all the more precious because it was born out of both love and music. But for now, that moonless night simply was a night to say what was never dared said, for no one was there to pronounce judgment on their words or love.

Raoul paced up and down the foyer of the villa. Christine was nowhere to be found, and that demon from the opera hadn't been picked up by the police yet. The entire Chagny household was in a panic over the viscount's fiancée, and wondering where in the world she could be.

Not Raoul. He knew what had happened. The demon still hadn't taken no for an answer, and had stolen Christine even now.

And he was going to get revenge for it.

I know it's not written very well, I basically wrote this in thirty minutes, maybe a little more, but I'd still like constructive criticism for editing and revising so I can continue it. Thanks! Rate and review!