A/N: So I've got other stuff I could be writing right now, but I'm leaving my Firefly obsession for the moment and in it's place comes The Phantom of the Opera! I just watched the 25th anniversary at Royal Albert Hall on Netflix. It's fantastic, go watch it! Anyway, I feel like I'm a true minority in my Christine/Raoul ship, and my dislike of the Phantom. (It's not that I don't empathize with him, because I do, but his behavior is, in my opinion, inexcusable.) So, I'm writing out my feelings with fanfiction. Let us begin! (P.S. I just found out about this ridiculous thing called Love Never Dies, and it makes me angry. All the more reason to ignore it and write this!)

Madame Giry hurried down the steps after her daughter. She'd seen long blonde hair and trousers disappear around a corner, and whatever loyalty she felt towards Erik, she would never let her daughter near him.

When she reached the bottom of the stone staircase, what she found instead of her daughter was her beautiful protege, Christine, clinging to her poor, brave fiance. Both were soaking wet, gasping, and shivering so hard one could practically hear their bones rattling. Christine had tears cascading down her cheeks.

As the shore came into sight Raoul seemed to lose the will to row any longer. At one point they had probably been leaning on each other in equal measure, but now Christine seemed to be bearing the brunt of his weight as the rod he'd been holding sank silently into the greenish depths. With the boat only feet from the shore, Madame Giry splashed through the water, ignoring the icy muck, as she used her own strength to drag the lovers to shore.

"Oh my dears," she was no longer worried for Meg. If Christine and Raoul were safe, Erik must be gone.

"Madame!" Christine gasped, tears falling earnestly as she and her teacher half dragged her fiance to shore. Madame Giry touched her face, wiping away stray tears.

"Oh Christine, thank god you're alright." Christine shook her head.

"Madame he choked him! Madame he's freezing, he needs new clothes." Raoul lay on his back on the damp stone floor, coughing.

"Me? She's freezing too. Help her." His eyes closed briefly, Christine sobbed. Thankfully, a few soldiers who seemed to have arrived late for the party appeared and carried Raoul up the stairs to a dressing chamber, while Madame and Christine found some dry clothes for themselves. Christine did not stop shaking the entire time, and when she found her voice again, she begged Madame to let her see Raoul. Initially, Madame refused, but the young girl would not stop pleading.

"Please Madame. There are things he needs to know." The poor girl was in shock, and it seemed that she could only be consoled once she knew for certain that Raoul was safe. Madame had to concede and the two robed women made their through the nearly deserted opera house. When they came to Raoul's door, Madame stopped.

"I will wait outside for you Christine. When you are done talking, come get me. I'll have someone call a carriage to get you both home." Christine nodded, and then disappeared through the door.

Raoul lay prone on a couch, eyes closed, damp, but as devastatingly handsome as ever.

"Raoul." He did not respond. Christine made her way to him, and knelt, taking his hand, squeezing it. "Raoul, please." Raoul woke with a start, nearly toppling Christine over.

"Christine!" He caught her arms, and carefully guided her next to him. With one arm around her waist, he pulled her face towards him, and kissed her. It was urgent, from a man in need of reassurance, but it was not frightening. He then drew her into his chest, running his fingers through the curls he thought would never again be his to touch. "Christine, I am so sorry." Christine pulled away from him, confusion shadowing her visage.

"No, I am sorry."

"But Christine. I should never have asked you to perform. You were terrified, and rightly. I thought I could save you, but instead I nearly condemned us both to fates worse than death." Christine nodded.

"I forgive you. I understand. It's alright. It is I who am sorry. I kissed him in front of you! I need you to know why. You must know that it is you I love."

"I kn-"

"No Raoul, listen! I do feel sorry for him, God help me. What he has endured, no one ever should have to. His life has been unimaginable, but he's a murderer, he deceived me and tried to take me from you. But however much I may fear or hate him, I didn't know what else to do. I thought I could distract him and give you time to run, but it's more than that-" here Raoul raised his eyebrows in apprehension, "He needed compassion, and no one had shown him any. Perhaps it is foolish, but I couldn't find it in my heart not to show him some love, even if it was not the kind of love he wanted, even if he didn't deserve it. And when he let us go, I couldn't leave him without something. It's why I gave him your ring. I couldn't leave him without something to remember me by. I just couldn't. However terrible his actions, the fact he let us go proves there was good in him.

Raoul, he gave me my voice. He may not be a good person, but he gave me everything except love-" Here she lost Raoul.

"But he did love you-" Christine smiled wryly and shook her head.

"But he didn't. Not the way one is supposed to love another," she scoffed, "Oh, I was so naive! Angel of Music indeed!" Raoul's eyes widened at Christine's harsh words. Her face softened at his expression. "I care for him, I pity him, I worry for what's to become of him, but Raoul, I do not love him. He enslaved me, but I know now. He did not truly love me the way you have, and I do not love him the way that I love you. Please, you must believe me, and I am so sorry for the pain I must have caused you. I know I was weak, but I couldn't help myself" In answer, Raoul hugged his fiancee, smiling. In spite of himself, tears sprang to his eyes, and he lifted her chin gently with his hand.

"My darling, I do believe you. And I do not understand how, but I love and admire you all the more for your compassion. It is not a weakness. You are so brave." Christine gave a watery smile and chuckled.

"Lord help us both, there will be no more tears for us to dry."

And here was Raoul now. Thinking how untrue it was. As he looked at his beloved wife's grave, he thought there were plenty more tears to be shed. Then he noticed the singular red rose, tied with black satin and the ring she had given the Phantom years ago. Raoul cast about the world around him. It was grey and untouched by his grief. Christine had taken all the light with her when she left him. He his shoulders slumped in bitter resignation as his eyes fell back upon the rose. So fitting that the devil should outlive the angel.

A/N: So, I don't really think the Phantom is a devil, but I feel that that's how Raoul would think of him, especially in his grief. It also isn't true that no one had ever shown the Phantom compassion. Madame Giry did, but Christine doesn't know that. PLEASE REVIEW! I really want to know how this was received.