A/N: Okay, this is something i've been working on for a long time. It's definiteyl my best work so far, but really that's not saying much. I want to make it as good as possible, so criticism is welcome, but only about the writing, NOT the pairing I've chosen. It is R/C, but I've tried to make Erik as in character as possible. The only time I directly criticised him is in Christine's thoughts, and I thin it;s pretty obvious why. It's an alternate ending, which should be fairly obvious. Anyway, if you like it, review, if not, don't unless you have something helpful to say.

"Are you going to say something?"

Christine's bitter voice brought Erik back to earth. And just in time! The wild emotions that had run through him when he had felt her lips on his was making him crazy. He had almost let her go. But he couldn't do that. He was the phantom of the opera and he could not show mercy. The simple fact that he was in love could not allow him to lose control of his emotions. He smiled coldly at her.

"Well, I suppose that settles it, doesn't it. I'll go untie your precious fiance and then I think we'd better go hide. I do believe there's a mob after me.

Christine bit back a cry of anguish. For a moment, she'd seen compassion in his eyes. She had almost thought that he was going to let her go. She should have realised that he would never do that.

She stole a quick glance at Raoul. There were tears in his eyes. His expression was one of utter defeat. As he turned his head sightly, she caught sight of his neck. The rope had left painful looking marks all over it. Seeing this, Christine drew in a sharp breath. Erik followed her gaze, and seeing what had made her gasp like that, he rolled his eyes. He finished untying Raoul and then shoved him out of the lair, a little more violently than necessary, Christine thought.

When Raoul was gone, and Erik had told him never to come back, he then turned his attention to Christine. She had sat down on the rocks next to the lake, her dress dragging in the water. Erik sighed as he realised that the dress he had spent so many hours making was completely ruined. But the dress was not what was important ; the girl who was wearing it was. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder but she pushed it off, glaring at him with hatred in her eyes.

"Christine," he begged, "Please, come hide with me! They'll be here any minute…"

"Go by yourself," she snapped, "I staying here."

"But Christine-" he started to say.

"I'm not coming! I won't tell them where you've gone, if that's what you're worried about"

Erik sighed. As difficult as it was for him to accept, he was going to have to leave her here until they were gone. But after all, what would they do to her? It was him they wanted. Reluctantly, he picked up one of his candlesticks and smashed the mirror, opening his secret passage. Then, with one last, long look at Christine, he let the curtain fall, and started to walk down the long hallway to the room where he would be spending the night.

Christine watched him go with a satisfied smirk.

"This only proves he doesn't really love me" she thought. She knew that if a mob had been coming after her and Raoul had been in their way, she wouldn't have left him there alone. She would do anything to save him, hadn't she just proved that? But thinking about Raoul hurt too much, so she just turned her attention to the mob who had just arrived. Christine was surprised to see that it was led by none other than Carlotta. The once beautiful diva looked as though she had seen better days. Her hair was loose and tangled, her face streaked with ashes from the fire. Her dress had been ripped by something on the way down, and there was a wild, hopeless look of crazed despair destroying her once beautiful face. The mob was not as big as it had sounded in the echoing caverns, but it was not small either. There were only three policemen with them, the rest undoubtedly had stayed upstairs trying to manage the confusion and get all the guests out of the bulding before it collapsed. The larger part of the mob was composed of stagehands, chorus singers and dancers. They were uneducated people, who had only come because they were following everyone else. Carlotta was the first one to speak.

"Where is he, Daae?" she sneered. She said Christine's name with such contempt that Christine knew she would never forgive her for ruining her career, "Where is that murderer who killed Piangi?" This was news to Christine. She knew Erik must have done something to Piangi to keep him from coming onstage so he could take his place, but she hadn't thought that he would kill him.

"I-I can't tell you" she stammered.

"You had better tell me, you little-"

"Carlotta! Do you realise how much she has been through tonight? Leave her alone!" Christine looked around to see who had spoken. She saw that it was Meg. Meg had always stuck up for her, and she was grateful to have her here now.

"I can't tell you where he is because I promised that I wouldn't. I won't say anything more about it." Said Christine stubbornly and defiantly.

Ah, you promised," sneered Carlotta, "You would never betray him, would you? You love him, Christine!"

Christine refused to meet her eyes. She simply stared off into the distance, not reacting to anyhting Carlotta said. Carlotta continued to insult her, trying to trick her into revealing Erik's whereabouts until one of the police officers stepped up.

"Mademoiselle Guidicelli, this is going nowhere! Why do you even think she knows where the monster is?" he asked impatiently.

"She knows! She is the ghost's lover!" Carlotta insisted.

"Well, she's not going to tell us where he is!" he said, furstrated.

"Well, then we'll just have to take her away as bait and then he'll come looking for her!" said Carlotta, pleased with her brilliant plan. The policeman brought her back down to earth, though.

"I'm afraid that would be kidnapping, and thus illegal, Mlle".

"I don't care!" she screamed, "I'm taking her!"

As the policemen tried to calm her down, a fight broke out among the mob. Most people sided with Carlotta, because they were afraid of her. A few men and Meg sided with the policemen.

The next morning, Erik came out of his passage, expecting to find Christine. Instead, he found six dead bodies and an unconcious ballerina.