(I own nothing! Except the song Christine sings to Erik... This is a story I wrote of bordom, so please don't be to cruel. R and R, please))
Christine smiled kindly as she looked up to Raoul. On her face was a smile of happiness, and joy.
"Raoul, I love you." She whispered, kissing him lightly. He smiled kindly and nodded. "Yes, I love you as well, my dear. I hope that it shall always stay that way." The farthest thing from Christine's mind at the time was the Phantom, and really, did the Phantom matter? Not to her, not then. It had been 5 years since the masked man had died.
"Wait, Raoul. I hear something." The door of the old house was easily heard when someone knocked on it, as the wood creaked and squeaked. Running to the door, she opened it quickly. A smile still on her face, she looked to the despite face of Madam Giry. Her smile faded a bit. The old woman was obviously not in her best shape of years, and not in any way looking as if she belonged there. Her kind eyes were full of dread, and sadness.
Christine ushered her inside, afraid that the woman would catch something.
"Madam." She whispered, her eyes downcast. Giry smiled at Christine, but it was far too sad of a smile to reassure the girl. Staring, she met Christine's eyes.
"Christine, my dear. How have you been?" Madam Giry sat down lightly on the chair in which Christine had pulled out for her, and looked up at her with interest. "You've grown well, I see. I hope you and Raoul have been living a happy life." Christine nodded.
"We've been doing well, Madam. I hope that you have as well. How is Meg?" Breathing a deep sigh, Giry met her eyes. Her whole body had thinned, drastically, but it still didn't seem to bother her.
"Meg? She has been doing well, my dear. A true dancer, at heart. I can not help but believe that it was once so long ago it was you and her I scolded to keep in place, to keep in step. Those days are the ones I often miss the most, Daae. Or have you changed it now, my dear girl?" Christine shook her head. Looking down at her hands, she sighed and whispered.
"I felt it my duty to my father and my angel that I keep the last name of those days. Raoul agreed." Girt kept on a slight smile, then looked down at Christines hand. "You are married, then?" She asked, gesturing to the ring on her finger. Christine looked down. The old ring in which she had given back, before the fire. Her angel dying…Fire…Taking it back, even when Raoul did not want her to.
The old voice still played in her head.
"As long as you wear that ring, you will forever remain Erik's friend and Erik will always love you." She nearly cried out, hearing the voice inside her head. Shaking it sadly, she quivered.
"I am, but this ring is not his….I kept it, in memory of Erik…I know it's foolish, dumb, idiotic. But sometimes when I'm alone in my room, I can hear him. I can hear his melodies, his pain. Raoul understands, Madam. He understands that I still need my angel…" She whispered this so softly, that had a bug moved across the floor, it seemed as if the whole world could have heard it.
"Christine…I have come here…As a messenger, as I was in my old days. He has asked me, Christine… Christine…Your angel…He is dying, my dear. He has been dying. And all he asks for is you. I have come to ask you to come with me, to see Erik. He wishes to speak with you." Christine shot a look at the woman.
"Erik's…Erik's dead, you know that. You seen the fire. You seen him die…" Giry sighed and looked at her hands.
"I also saved him, Christine. Erik was in pain, but I saved him. I would not let the poor boy die, not after I myself saved him so many times. I would not…He was nearly dead to begin with, my dear. But he's lived much longer than what he would have. The opera is never done, my dear child. You yourself should know that best. Even in the end, there is more to be told."
Christine was now shaking, her body quivered. Whimpering, she cried out, "Erik…Erik!" Madam Giry rushed to the young girl, and wrapped her arms around her. She had pittied the girl for such a long time, it was not a surprise that she did now. "I told you…Hush, dear one. You do not have to go, if that is what you wish. But, it would give me great joy to know that Erik dies happy. He is like a son to me, and you a daughter. Meg, and Erik, and you. You are my children, and it hurts me to see any of you hurting. But please, dear child, make your choice. Erik has not got long left, and if you wait too long, you will be sorry." Christine had long calmed, but tears still streaked her cheeks.
"Giry…I have long regretted not saying goodbye, but still…What should I do? He is my angel, but I betrayed him. Oh, and since his death, I have had no doubts about Raoul…" The old woman held the girl in her arms, until she stopped sobbing.
"If you have doubts, Little Lotte, then go to him." Christine gasped as she looked up to meet the sad face of Raoul. But a smile still played on his lips as he stared.
"Go to him, Little Lotte. It shall be better if you did, instead of doubting all your life. And if you find that you do not love me…Then so be it. I would rather you be happy then live a life of doubt. That Monst-Erik, needs you. Go, Christine. I do love you, my dear. But if you chose him…"
Christine gulped in and nodded. Looking of at Giry, who was smiling at the both of them, she heaved herself up, which took great effort. Bowing her head in the direction of Raoul, and for a second, she remembered the little boy he used to be. Looking over at Christine, she also saw the little girl that she had used to teach.
"Come, Christine. He is waiting, and time is fading." That was the last thing that Giry said before they stepped into the cold, to see her angle.
Time passed as quickly as it could, and Christine started to become restless. As a brick building started to come into view, Giry stared at the girl. "Are you ready?" Christine smiled and nodded. In her mind, she saw the handsome man with a mask that he had been. The dark cape that held his corpse like body, the half mask. She shivered slightly.
"It'll be okay, my child." As the stepped out of the carriage, she looked around. "Erik…" She whispered. Slipping into the building, Giry slipped open a door in which led into a dark room. It was lit by nothing more but a small lamp. Besides the bed, Meg sat looking sadly down at the figure in the bed. When the door was fully opened, she looked up.
"Christine…" She whispered, her face covered by her long blond hair. Getting up, she walked to her old friend and embraced her. "Oh, Christine…How we've missed you…What happened?" Christine chuckled under her breath.
"Raoul happened. I hear you've become quite the dancer." Though she said all of this at Meg, her eyes never left the form under the covers. When Meg fallowed her gaze, she looked sadly down at Erik.
"He's not the monster everyone portrays him to be, Christine. If you're afraid of him, then listen. He is kind, despite what I thought. He has pure thoughts, just a temper…" Meg sighed sadly, and gulped in a sob. Christine looked at Meg and Giry, and asked softly, "Would you mind….If you would leave me? I wish to talk to him…" Megs eyes were by now red, crystals running down her cheeks. She just nodded, gliding out of the room. Giry looked at the form in the bed and nodded.
"Take care of him, please. And do not hate him…I beg you." Christine nodded sluggishly, and walked deadly over to the form. Falling to her knees, she whispered his name again and again.
"Erik, oh Erik. Why?" Sighed sadly, then looked at his practically dead form. His once Corpse like body was now charred, most likely from the fire that had befallen the Opera Popular. His chest heaved with each breath, and he was hopelessly thin. Chocking a sob, she attempted to lay her head down besides him, when she felt movement.
"Christine?" The gruff voice did not at all sound like the beauty of her angle, and she clenched her teeth to stop herself from crying out in surprise.
"Erik…I am here." Her voice held a deep despair, and the Phantom moved with great difficulty to see the girl. Christine got up quickly and turned him herself, making sure to not hurt him to badly. He clenched his eyes shut when she did this, and it seemed as if it was all he could do not to cry out. But he had been through much harder than that deed, the circus itself had been much harder.
He smiled at her, one of the few smiles that made him seem less evil. One that showed happiness.
"You came, my student." His voice seemed a bit less gruff, as if she herself was the medicine he needed. Though, it was obvious it took him great pains just to do that small deed.
"Oh, Erik…My angel…Why?" His laughter was dark, and his eyes only lit up slightly.
"I was about to ask you the same…But you are happy, no? I am glad to see it. I also see you kept my ring…I am surprised, as I did not believe that it would be found…Do you still wish for the friendship of a demon, Deea? Or would you rather I disappear?" Christine met his gaze. Shaking her head, she sobbed silently.
"You are not a demon, Erik! You are my angel! I…I love you!" Meeting her beautiful eyes, he chuckled under his breath.
"I am what the beholder see's me as, my student. To your Raoul, I was a demon because I put your life in danger. To my mother, a curse, as what my face was. A masked man to my father, for he never knew my true face, to afraid to look upon it. To Madam Giry, a child in need of guidance, for that is what she first saw me as. If only you know, Christine. You saw me as an angel, because that is how you first saw me…" Christine shook her head, closing her eyes.
"You were an angel to me, because it is what you are. You are not demon, Erik! I love you!"
"Do you know what Erik means? It's ironic, really. Erik means ruler. A joke that my fob of a father gave to me. Christine…Do you know how true your name meaning is? God given, is what yours means. Oh, Christine…I do love you…But my time is near, young child. I do not know…Sing to me, please…I need your voice…" Christine looked at her hands, and nodded. Desperately, she searched for her voice. Finding it, she choked out a song that she had heard him sing at one time.
'The world is not fair, my dear. The world does not always hold a happy ending. But if I have you, my dear, by my side…The whole world would be mine…I would give you the world…My child...My father…I would give you everything…If you would just say…I…Love…You…Pass on my angel, for I know that you are here. Pass on for me, my friend…I know well that the world would not belong to me…I made a mistake, my love, forgive me…I know you time has come, my love…And if you must leave, then do leave with me in mind….Please.' She sobbed out the last part, and looked at the peaceful face of her master.
His chest was no longer heaving breaths. Instead, they were not even there. His chest did not move, nor did any other part of him.
"Oh, Christine…" Madam Giry found the young girl staring down at her angel, and stroking his hair, not caring that his face was deformed. She bit her lip, and bent down.
"Oh, Erik…Poor, poor Erik…" Meg whispered as she bent down at the side of the Phantom.
"As long as you wear that ring, you will forever remain Erik's friend and Erik will always love you."
Christine looked up quickly, looking over to Erik. The dead man just lay, as it should be. Giry looked over at her in surprise, seeing the young girl astonishment. "What is it, dear?" Christine just shook her head. Looking at the dead man again, the voices filled her head.
'Sing once again with me our strange duet ...
My power over you grows stronger yet ...
And though you turn from me,
to glance behind,
the Phantom of the Opera is there - inside your mind ...'
Christine gasped, looking around. 'Will always love you…Will always love you…' It repeated along with songs of the past. Christine smiled happily. The Phantom…The Angel…The Opera…The ring…Erik's promise of love…It never dies…
'Wandering child . . .
So lost . . .
So helpless . . .
Yearning for my
Guidance . . .'
Staring up she smiled. Chuckling to herself, she pushed herself up. Meg looked sadly at her friend. Worry had gone over the girls face as she stared.
"Will you be okay, Christine?" She got up and hugged her best friend.
"The Phantom never dies…" Christine whispered, looking at the ring. The only thing that would remind her of her old friend. Her lover. Smiling sadly, she looked at Erik. Giry was smiling as well. "The suffering has ended, my child. For once, the hardships are done. You lived a good life, Erik."
Christine closed her eyes, and imagined her old friend.
'Floating, falling, sweet intoxication
Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation
let the dream begin let your darker side give in
to the power of the music that I write
The power of the music of the night'
"You alone can make my song take flight…." Christine took her angel into her arms, and brought him close. "Help me sing the music of the night…"