"…Then I made her understand that, where she was concerned, I was only a poor dog, ready to die for her...but that she could marry the young man when she pleased, because she had cried with me and mingled her tears with mine!..."

Chapter 1: The Last Lullaby

"Erik is dead."

She couldn't erase these three words out of her memory and wished she hadn't seen them in the paper. They stabbed her heart, each of the words, each letters of each word hammered a nail into her coffin as she rethought them, over and over.

Maybe these past few months made her emotionally worn out as she was a much stronger woman in general, and she learned how to control her emotions during those months she had to spend in the Opera and with her strange companion, by the end of the adventure she was better with handling fate and happenings she had no power to control. Or so she thought before.

Oh Erik… Erik was so mysterious, she could never know him truly, by all her heart. He was an unpredictable moody madman who played her emotions just as fine as he would play an instrument. He was a master of manipulation, and Christine wasn't always sure if she feels the emotion she wanted to feel genuinely, or was it just Erik who made her feel that way. He easily made her feel pity or guilt towards him if he wanted to, but the only emotion he was unable to squeeze out of her with his tricks was love, and he was aware of that fact too. This is why he got so devastated and crazy, literally mad with unrequited love that he was willing to kill everyone, including themselves, if she happened to choose the grasshopper.

She was still frightened about Erik's seemingly out of context, yet in his crazy logic, very much worked out sentences at that night, and her stomach was in cramp, thinking she had to return there one more time. She had mixed feelings: one side she was feeling empty, as after receiving a death report of someone dear to us, as, it was unbelievable, but she started to LIKE Erik. She always liked him in a way, but after he was willing to self- sacrifice and finally see what she wanted, Erik's value as a human being grew magnificently in her eyes. She just started to respect him in a way. Erik needed much willpower to change his mind in the very last second, when, by his standards he WON. Finally someone else's wants and well- being was important to him, and he did the right thing. This act showed Christine that the man wasn't totally wicked, indeed, just as he claimed. She wanted to bury him, just as she promised him, and she was always famous for keeping her promises, anyway.

- You do not have to do this, Christine. It might be dangerous. – Raoul held her hand protectively as she was ready to leave to return to the cellars, once more.

- Raoul, my dear husband. – Christine whispered softly and kissed his cheek, sending a sad look towards him. – I have to. I am not calm until we get done with the past, finally.

- At least allow me to accompany you there. – Raoul sighed. – It might be another trick of Erik's.

- Why would have he released me then if he just wanted to keep me with him? Raoul he could have done so three weeks before- he was about to keep you locked up in that cellar and marry me.

- Maybe he was going to test if you return to him. If you do now, he might think it as an agreement by your side to be with him and he won't ever let you go.

- I doubt he is so thankless after I gave my soul and trust to him. It was all he ever wanted.

- But what if it happens? – Raoul pushed on the subject, not believing in Erik's well- meaning plan.

- If that happens, my dear, it means I will be extremely disappointed. – She took a deep breath which shuddered by the upcoming tears – I am never going to forgive his mean betrayal.

- And I shall kill him. – Raoul squeezed his lips together and snorted through his nose, to cool his head off.

- Oh Raoul, for Heaven's sake, he is dead now.

- Or so he says.

- Raoul… Either way I go and see him. One last time then I come back to you. Will you wait here and not come after me? I would like to say goodbye to him in peace and you two together will sure not be peaceful.

- Promise me Christine that you will be back.

- I will. – The girl smiled at him and kissed him on the lips for one last time before leaving.

At the Opera she knew the directions painfully well. She did not wish to make noise, but under the third cellar there was hardly anyone anymore, so she was braver a bit. Well, braver wasn't the actual truth. Happenings of the past and her thoughts about them were haunting her mind and even though she carried a lantern, she saw nothing but darkness around her. The kingdom of night was so powerfully frightening, just as always, but this time she was even more afraid, knowing she had no one to call out to. Erik once told her she has to call him and he will be right there to guide her out of the labyrinths of the cellars. Anywhere he might be, he will still hear her. She had to call him several times in the past, and Erik really appeared after some time to calm her and assure her she was safe. But now as he is dead… but maybe… maybe she could try…?

- Erik…?

She called out a few times, but only her own voice echoed back in her ears from the arches and stone walls. She was waiting for any kind of answer… a word, a melody… anything. But she heard nothing. Silence was never so choking before. She did not understand herself. She should have felt relief as the "monster" as Raoul and the Persian man were mentioning him, finally died. Though it did not fill her heart with relief, but sadness and emptiness. She felt, with Erik one piece of her soul had died as well.

Some more times she was trying to communicate with her tutor, but nothing happened again.

By the time she reached the house she already knew the homeowner was dead. He must be. The house was just as silent and dark as the rest of the cellars. The drawing room was completely in the dark, and so was the dining room where she could see the black outlines of the piano and the harp, and for a split second she was hoping Erik was going to show up to play something, but he didn't. The house was in a terrible state. Messy and unorganized, never in such a condition before. The shelves and the furniture were covered in a layer of dust, and Erik never tolerated that, so unless he was bedridden, or dead, he must have cleaned before, and the dust implied the lack of any cleaning for several weeks. Nothing was touched since she left. She could see the tray which was placed on the Louis-Philippe dresser with the medicine bottles for the Daroga and Raoul still there and untouched.

No one will ever touch the furniture here again, and everything here shall remain for the decay and death, things that are unworthy of such thankless fate… Erik's music… it will just fall to pieces here, or in the coffin with Erik. He requested his body to be put into that coffin and Don Juan Triumphant put by his side and buried with him. Don Juan Triumphant was on the organ, just as always, and Christine, though she promised she won't ever look at the contents, could not help but at least caressed the cover of the booklet. She picked it up and went to the coffin to find out where Erik was.

He was in there. Seemingly he wanted to save Christine from the effort of putting him into that coffin, to lift him up. She did not know how much or how little Erik could weigh, but surely a lifeless body was harder to handle than a living person who could possibly help with being carried. She was relieved she did not have to drag him all around the house and lift him up. He was motionlessly laying there, his face was covered with one of the masks he had, and seemingly his eyes were closed. For some moments she was sure he was indeed dead, as he did not move the slightest for minutes, but after some minutes she heard a soft moan and some light choking.

He was still alive!

Her heart started beating faster, she could not say if from fright or relief, but she took a few unsure steps closer to the coffin. Erik still had trouble breathing. The mask hung to his mouth and by breathing in it always got in his mouth and Erik was already too weak to adjust it. She did not want him to end this way, choked by his own mask, so she lifted up the silk veil and folded it upwards to cover the face of the mask, and partly Erik's eyes. He did not react too much, but succeeded in breathing much easier. He was already unconscious and Christine knew he won't last more than a few hours. She took the skeletal hand which was lifelessly laying on top of Erik's chest which unevenly lifted and sank back as he tried to breathe on his own. He did not react to being touched so Christine was sure he could not feel it any longer. Poor Erik… What he'd do for a touch he could feel, and yet she is here, holding his hand, and he wasn't aware of that…

She was sure that Raoul was wrong about it was just a trick by Erik. His condition indicated he wasn't able to lift his hand, let alone jump out of this coffin to kidnap her… She knew Raoul felt negative thoughts about his rival and "enemy", so this is why he was concerned about Erik might have had plans to abduct her yet again, but she had to admit the possibility ran through her mind as well. She was slightly ashamed she thought about this, but Erik was really unpredictable and according to the happenings of the night of the Scorpion – Grasshopper dilemma, she could not easily deny he was capable of such a horrible act.

As Erik wasn't yet dead, she did not know what to do. She should not leave the dying all alone in his miserable solitude, so she might just stay with him in his last hours, giving him some company, whether he was aware of that or not. She softly started speaking.

- Erik, if you can hear me… please do something if you are able to.

No answer came for a few seconds, but after, Erik's eyes opened, and he stared at Christine, seemingly recognizing her. He sent her a weak smile, and as his lips weren't covered, Christine could see his smile, which could be described rather as a monster's sheering, but this time it wasn't frightening to her.

- I can see you recognize me. – She smiled as well. – I am here to fulfill my promise and your wish. – She added kindly. – And I will be here with you until…

She fell silent, and Erik wasn't in good enough health to reply. Christine was trying hard not to cry about Erik's inevitable passing away, and the room which even strengthened her depression. The black walls with the white Dies Irae, the coffin, the organ… she again felt like in a funeral home, and there was a dying man next to her, who looked like a corpse already… but this wasn't important. She had to overcome her own uncomfortable feelings to make someone feel better. No one should die alone and suffering.

- Shall I sing for you? – She asked, looking into his eyes.

Erik attempted a nod, which was partly successful. He felt like he wasn't able to control his own body and movements, he felt like he wasn't even in his body any more. He used to feel very hot a few hours back, but fever induced chills were bothering him from time to time, but not anymore. His eyesight was blurred, so he could not see that kind little face of Christine in its magnificence, but at least his hearing did not leave him. Light headedly and breathlessly, unable to talk, but he at least still could hear her Angel as she started singing.

She started humming "Old French song" from the latest Tchaikovsky album for piano he also owned… that melody was perfect for saying goodbye…

And as he closed his eyes again, he took a deep breath and thought he was just a loyal and miserable dog, dying here for Christine…