Christine lay in bed, her head covered by soft, silk blankets, preferring a darkness that she made; dreading the darkness that he made. She fingered the diamond ring that hung around her neck. The only piece of Raoul that she had left, for even her memories had started to fade. It had been a hard decision, giving up Raoul for him, but she couldn't stand seeing Raoul perish. She'd rather know that he was safe instead of her.
It had been ten years since the fire at the opera house. It had been put out quickly enough, that the large theater was the only place damaged. Raoul had left his position as patron, and the new one had spent lavish money on rebuilding it, making it grander, larger. Erik still sent letters for money, and Firmin and Andre complied, but other than that, all signs of the Phantom of the Opera had been buried. The crystal chandelier had been replaced; box 5 was now sold out every performance. Erik had won. He still received his money and he had Christine.
Christine turned abruptly as the black curtain the black curtain that surrounded the bed was slowly raised. The shimmery, dark cloth was pulled up, revealing Erik. He wore his usual wig, the one with shoulder length black hair pulled back with a silk ribbon, over his barren, dry, dessert like skull. His dark eyes shone like embers, one surrounded by the milky white mask.
"Christine," he said, softly, his smooth voice sending chills up her spine. "Come. You mustn't waste around your days like this. The children need tending too."
Christine sighed, pulling herself up from under the covers, slowly, trying to keep the memories of Raoul lingering on her mind. "Why must I always care for the girls?" she asked tiredly. "Why can't you take care of them for once? You are their father; you are my husband."
Erik's face broke into a grin, a broken grin, but still, some sign of kindness. "Well Christine, you are their mother and I am their father. We play different roles in this play. I fend for my family, getting them the necessities they need to live, and you tend for them, making sure that they do live."
"But, couldn't you go one day without, fending for us?" Christine asked, her eyes pleading with her husband. "Just one day will do no harm."
The phantom laughed, his bombastic voice filled the room, echoing off the walls. "My angel, if I stop doing my job, then someone might discover us. One body a day, that's all I do."
"Why must you kill the innocent?" Christine cried, glaring at her grotesque husband. "Why can't you let them be? No one has found us. No one other than Raoul! No one will; they are too scared to come near the opera house, and those that do come here come to see shows! Why can't you just let them live?" She broke into sobs, screaming at him; calling him a monster. She stared in utter shock at the creature standing in front of her. She refused to think of him as a human. The fires of anger raging inside her, Christine lunged forward, slapping Erik.
Erik stood there, shocked. Time froze. The only sound in the dark cavern was the slow dripping of water. Then, ever so slowly, Erik turned red: A dark scarlet, like the blood of hundreds that he had spilled over the past ten years. He struck Christine with a hard hand, all feeling for the women ebbing away; rage filling his heart. "Never contradict me, Little Lottie. I'll do what I need to in order to protect my family, and you should be content with that."
Christine glared at the man that had held her captive all these years; uncaring, he had already turned to leave. Raoul's face flooding her mind, sending the woman into another round of hysterics. "How dare you use that nickname!" she howled, a waterfall of tears running down her pale, bruised face, "How dare you! Only Raoul can call me that! That is the one part of him I have left! You will not take that from me."
Erik spun around, facing his wife. Instead of comforting her, calming her, like loved ones should. He started chuckle: this chuckle grew into a boisterous, malicious cackle. "Oh Christine. You will never have a part of Raoul. If only you knew what I knew. Oh, Christine, you do make me laugh; and you are the reason that I sing. If only you knew how much I have fallen in love with you. But, no, I will always be a monster to you. A devil, straight out of hell, always here to torture you. But I am not the real villain, he is."
Christine gawked at her hideous husband. "Raoul is not the villain. He loved me. That is more I can say of you." she spat.
A small timid face appeared in front of them. Tears streaked the child's face. Her inky eyes brimming with unshed tears, wild curls framing her face. She looked exactly like her mother and instantly Erik softened. "Mama," she murmured, "Papa. Please don't fight. You're scaring Adele. You're scaring me."
Erik bent down beside the child, who promptly buried her head into his shoulder. He rubbed her back, the way one would expect a father to do. "Not to worry, Ivelisse, you're mother and I are fine. No need for you girls to worry. Run along, we'll follow shortly." Ivelisse rubbed her eyes on the corner of her dark red dress and ran off out of sight.
"Come Christine," Erik said, reaching out a hand to help her from the floor. "We mustn't keep the girls waiting, must we?"
Christine shook her head, and followed her husband out to the main room of the labyrinth.
XXXX
Hours ticked past, slowly, drawing on; Darkness, pierced by flickering candlelight. Christine taught Ivelisse and Adele music while their father worked. He implored her to, telling her he wanted his angels to sing as beautifully as their mother. So, she complied, teaching the girls songs that she remembered from her days in the Opera, and songs that she made up. Their happy laughter filling the cavernous labyrinth. How Christine wanted them to know that this was not a good life, but to do that was to shatter the world that they loved. The only world they knew. A world of darkness.
Late into the day, Christine played with the girls. She was brushing Adele's sable hair as a sinister, rejected man limped into the room. Young Adele leapt up and hugged her father. "Papa! How did you get injured?" she asked, in a way only a five year old could.
He embraced his daughter, holding her tight; stroking her hair. "I got injured doing my job, my angel." he murmured, kissing her gently on the forehead. "Run along now, get ready for bed. I need to speak to your mother."
Adele ran off into the small alcove that served as her and Ivelisse's room, the two of them washing up for the night. Erik limped over to Christine. She gasped, seeing a streak of crimson blood running down his pronounced jaw. Jumping up, she grabbed a rag and wet it with water. She started cleaning his wound, and when he brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes, she did not flinch.
"What happened?" she inquired, gently wiping the blood off his face as she did so.
"You'd never believe me if I told you." he mumbled, a tear sliding down his cheek.
"I'll…" Christine hesitated, trying to think of what to say, "I'll try to understand; that is, if you tell me."
Erik sighed, unsure of what to do. He wanted his wife to believe him, but her love for Raoul was strong. Could he break the spell that Raoul had weaved into her mind all those years ago? He probably couldn't, but he could try. After all, his wife already didn't trust him, so this would be another strike against him.
"For the past three years, every person I have killed has been against us. Raoul organized the police forces, he trained them. He wanted me dead, and since I had you, he wanted you dead too. Christine, for the past three years I have killed in order to save this family. I want our girls to live in peace, knowing that they will not be harmed. If it were safe enough for them, I would have let them venture into the sunlight. But Raoul and his followers would have had them taken from us. I couldn't let our angels see us die, and then be separated from each other. Raoul is no longer patron of the opera house, this is true, but his hatred to me ran too deep in his veins. Poisoning his thoughts.
Today, I killed him. Today the battle between light and dark has stopped. Our children are safe, and if you wish, you may go outside. Do what you wish. I do not care. I only care that you know the truth." He started weeping; warm, salty tears, running in a steady stream down his twisted face.
Christine closed her eyes, taking in all she had just learned. Instead of crying, like her husband, she kissed him. A long, passionate kiss. Her tongue wrapping around his. A warm, tingling sensation. The first real sign of love she had ever showed him.
Erik was no longer the monster, Raoul was. What type of despicable creature would want to separate a family? What type of beast would kill the women he once loved? A vile one, the lowest of the low.
The family of darkness lived together, happily for a long time. Christine bore a son, Lewis. The five of them had a proud and happy life, filled with many laughs and much love. Their voices filling the opera house, even after it closed. They were the angels of darkness, and their songs live on forever.