Chapter one
It was beyond freezing as Christine Daae walked the streets of Paris. The only thing protecting her from the harsh unrelenting winter night air was the thin white dress she had on. It was the same dress she wore for the Don Juan duet the night before. Her mind flashed to the look of anguish in his eyes. "How could I hurt him? How could I hurt us?" She thought as she prayed silently with all her might for numbness, numbness of her body, heart, and mind. It was a prayer that would never be answered she realized as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks." What was I thinking?" she whispered to herself and for the thousandth time that night she was overcome with rage. Within moments she stumbled across a poorly lit almost deserted street, and collapsed in despair. Raul was gone. She would never see her Angel of Music again. He had smashed the mirror and how could she blame him. "It was all her fault and now she had to take whatever punishments might befall her.
She had no concept of how long she sat on the cold street unmoving but when she looked up Christine found herself in front of a small pub. Snow began to fall in an almost trance-like state she forced herself to rise, dusted herself off, walked a few steps and pulled the door open. At that moment Christine was thrust into another world. The music that greeted her screamed and hurt her ears. It did not sound at all like any music she was used to. She surveyed the pub's costumers fighting the urge to run. Obnoxious men sat making crude jokes and drinking. Most of these men had companions beside them with too much rouse, and red lipstick, who wore bright colored dresses that revealed almost everything. Without making eye contact with anyone Christine found and sat at a table directly across from the doorway. At least it was warm here. Thoughts of her Angel of Music hunted her. She would give anything to hear his voice, anything to feel his gloved hand on her fingertips which were now almost numb with cold. She shook her head as if by this simple motion she could rid herself of the thoughts that entered her mind. She wanted them to stop. She didn't want to think. She didn't want to feel. "I have to get him out of my mind" she thought. "He lied to me for years and I let him. I let him control me. How could I be so naive no wonder he called me a child." Her thoughts suddenly flashed to Raul the moment he left her. He was in such pain. "Is that all I know how to do?" She thought degusted "cause men anguish?"
"Mademoiselle" Christine was called back to the here and now by a male voice. She jumped in her seat. "Mademoiselle" the bar keeper repeated. "Those men would like you to have this and this." He placed a drink and crumpled up wad of money on the table Christine's green eyes went wide with horror. She followed his gaze to two huge men, one with blond hair as bright as the sunlight, and the other with fiery red hair. They waved entreating her to come join them. She turned away feeling sick. The bar keeper looked at her with concern. "Are you all right mademoiselle?" She noted that the bar keeper appeared to be the same age as her father was when he died. Christine looked down at the money placed before her, her face was hot with a new wave of shame. Speechless and without making eye contact she got up from her chair, and ran out the door without looking behind her. Seeing her go the bar keeper smiled with satisfaction, reached over and took the money. Those men should be ashamed of themselves. There was no reason they should get their money back.
Christine had only walked a few feet before sensing someone watching her. She kept walking. The feeling of being watched had become part of her. Her angel had watched her for years. It was logical that she would always feel a presence with her, watching her until she got used to living without him. The question was could she ever learn to live without him? "I will not let it control me. I am not being watched it is just my imagination. And I must stop thinking of him as my angel. He is not my angel" She scolded herself. Suddenly she shivered unable to move on another step. At that moment the two large men from the pub approached blocking her path.
"Please let me get by" she pleaded softly. Fear gripping her.
"Cold night tonight isn't it Mademoiselle" said the red head his voice calm and dipping with evil.
"Yes" she answered quickly. She would not let them know how much she feared them. She looked the redhead straight in the eye. She tried to study her knees which were now shaking. "Please let me pass now Monsieur." She tried to walk around the silent one with the sun colored hair but was instantly blocked. "Let me go!"
"You hear that? She wants us to let her go." The red head said to his silent friend laughing. "I don't think you want that. I can keep you warm."
"Let me go Monsieur. She tried to push past him with all the strength she had left but it was not enough.
That was not wise. It is best that you do as we say."
"You are the only one trying to give orders. He just acts as your muscle. If you are trying to intimate me it isn't working! I don't take orders now let me go!" Christine had no idea where from inside her these last words came from, but she quickly spat in his face while she held on to her courage. The red head stepped so close to her now she could feel his disgusting breath. He grabbed her and threw her down to the ground.
. "All we want is to make your acquaintance, to be friends. We paid you well I don't see why you have to be so disagreeable.
"I didn't take it!" she cried before he forced his month to hers. "Oh G-d this can't happen" she thought paralyzed with fear. Tears filled her eyes, she shut them tightly. She could feel his weight crushing her. Once again she prayed for numbness. She heard the top of her dress being ripped and a rush of fidget air meet her flesh.
"I strongly suggest that you remove yourself from her before I remove you. I assure you that if I am forced to remove you it will be a most excruciating experience. Do not think sirs that I will not kill for her safety."
"Angel?" Christine thought. "No it couldn't be I must be dreaming." She heard some noise and than she felt the redhead or his silent friend being lifted off her. She wasn't sure anymore. She heard some more noise she could not make out and then her name. "Christine" his voice was gentle and filled with deep concern. She opened her eyes. He knelt down beside her getting in position to lift her off the ground and carry her in the safety of his arms. She would give anything to feel his warmth.
"I can not let him do that" she thought quickly managing with great difficult to rise. He followed her. "Thank-you so much." She paused looking down at her tiny shaking hands. She could not bear to look at him when she said the last words she needed to say. "Goodbye I have to go. Please be well."
"Please be well?" he boomed back. "Christine what are you doing walking these streets, and in nothing but that flimsy dress on the coldest night of winter?" He moved behind her, taking off his cloak and draping it tightly around her small body.
"Please you can go I'm all right."
"You're coming with me."
"No". she answered softly shaking her head."I won't." The phantom let out a heavy sigh. He could see she was serious about not going with him. To her he was nothing but a monster to be feared, and hated. He loved her, he would always love her and he was certainly not going to leave her here to fend for herself. It was getting colder by the minute. Snow was falling again in blankets and he could see his angel's beautiful features beginning to turn blue. He knew exactly what he needed to do.
He began to sing "I am your angel of music, come to me angel of music" A warm serge went through Christine's entire body. She felt herself entering a trance-like state. She took two steps forward and then stopped. She had to fight this. She had to fight him. He lied to her. She shook her head slowly. "No don't do that" She whispered she wanted to run from him but she couldn't. Her legs felt like blocks of ice.
"Christine you are coming with me." He said commandingly.
"No please, angel leave me here." Go I deserve it! Let me go you did once before!" She was shaking uncontrollable now. Without speaking a word he lifted her into his arms. She gazed at him for a moment before burying her face in his chest, but did not protest.
The man known as the Phantom ran into his lair fear gripping him like a vise around his neck. A few moments earlier Christine's exquisite body had gone limp and she had fainted. He had to warm her now or his angel on earth would become an angel in haven. "Christine wake up do you hear me?" You can not sleep now I won't let you leave me Christine". His voice was firm, but gentle. He patted her face and within moments she began to stir and moan, her head nodding from side to side. He placed her on her bed. "Christine you must wake up!" He said with conviction never removing his hand from her face. His heart leapt with joy when he saw her luminous green eyes open wide, but his happiness was short lived when he saw her perfect features creased with fear. Her words caused him gut- retching pain.
"No, No please I didn't take your money."
"Christine look at me, look at me. I'm here. I will always be here. No one will hurt you. Those barbarians are gone." She blinked 4 times before her eyes came to focus on him. When they did her fear seemed to instantly disappear as if it had never been. A faint smile made its way to her lips. He was alive! He was safe. She was in his lair in the bed he constructed for her with his strong masterful hands. That meant her plan had worked hadn't it? Her mind was spinning. She was so cold. She saw her angel leaving her again. "No he couldn't please angel" her mind screamed. She couldn't speak.
"I'm right here angel" he said feeling her fear well up inside him. For years he had loved her, for years he had nurtured her, their love grow more powerful by the instant. He knew her so well he thought there was nothing left for him to discover about her soul. He had been wrong. He realized now that he could feel every emotion Christine felt at the moment she felt it for himself.
Christine was so tired. His voice was so far away. The sound of it washed over her like a calm ocean wave but she could not make out what he was saying. She wanted him to stay why was he leaving why? "Wait she thought remembering what had happened. "I deserve to be left after what I did. How could I have violated his privacy, unmasking his face in front of a packed Opera house"? It did not matter to her what her actions were after that. Suddenly her skin tingled at the warmth of his hands as they made contact with her tiny bare feet. He had removed her socks and shoes and was now massaging them up and down trying to warm her just when she was beginning to feel completely numb.
