Raoul cleared his throat, glancing down at his feet. He wanted so badly to say how much he loved her right now, but that would only make it worse. He wanted to think that he could do something- anything- to make it better right now, to comfort her. He put his hands on her shoulders, pulling her closer. Pressing a kiss into her hair, he closed his eyes. "I'm so sorry." He whispered, barely loud enough for her to hear.
Christine couldn't help it as another sob escaped her throat, she closed her eyes. Turning her body, she buried her face in Raoul's shoulder, trying to escape it, she wanted to think it was all a nightmare- that she could just wake up and it would be gone.
She glanced back over her shoulder to look at him. There he stood, the noose around his neck, his face exposed for everyone to see, his eyes refusing to make contact with anyone else's. They had caught him, The Phantom of the Opera, the man whom nobody could find had been found. The man whom nobody could catch had been caught. And he was being killed in the same way that he had killed.
Turning back to Raoul, she closed her eyes again, and let out another sob.
"Do you have any last words?"
Erik's eyes searched the crowd for a moment before settling on Christine, whose back was turned to him, her small frame wrapped in the arms of Raoul.
Erik's lips turned up into a ghost of a smile. "Christine, I love you."
Raoul closed his eyes, resting his chin on top of Christine's head. He couldn't bear to watch.
The lever was pulled, and Christine heard the sound of the trap door beneath his feet being dropped. She completely lost control and began thrashing in Raoul's arms. She struggled against him as he tried to pull her close to him, shoving away with her arms.
"Shh, hush, I'm here. I'm here." He lifted her off her feet and hurriedly carried her away from the crowd.