Hi! I haven't written fanfic for a while and I felt like trying my hand at some christine/erik seeing as they're my OTP and I haven't written any phantom fics before. I've read a lot of modern AUs and I've tried not to copy anyone else's work but obviously a lot of the details are the same!
I own nothing, blah blah blah. I don't know where this story is going exactly so the rating may change depending on the content. Hope you enjoy! X

Christine gently lifted the violin out of her father's battered case, her fingers shaking. She placed it under her chin and dragged the bow across the strings, adjusting the pitches until they were just right. Just playing the open strings nearly brought tears to her eyes - the sound was so familiar and comforting. It had been too long since she'd heard it. The sweet sound took her back to the days when it was her father who played the instrument, and she would sing along by his side. Christine smiled as she thought back, but then became solemn again. Those days were gone.

Christine took a deep breath and began to play. It was a slow, lamenting piece that her father had first played in the days after Christine's mother died. As she played, Christine felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. She had missed her music. She hadn't sung since her father died, and this was the first time she had managed to play his violin. The first few times it had just been too hard to hear the sounds she had always associated with him, but today she had stayed strong. No more tears. Christine knew that her father would've wanted the instrument to be played.

Christine's father had been overjoyed by her natural musical talent - she had inherited his love of the violin as well as some of his skill at playing it. She had always been fascinated with the piano too, and delighted to hear a flute or clarinet, but that was not where Christine's true talent lay.

It was Christine's voice that had stopped strangers passing by as she sang in the park; her clear soprano voice that had been her father's greatest joy. He used to say the she must've been blessed by an angel of music, but Christine found it hard to believe in angels now. Being left completely alone at sixteen with next to no money and no relatives to speak of had forced her to reject ideas of divine intervention.

Christine's melody filled the small practise room as she poured all of her emotions into the piece. Pain, longing, regret, and so many more feelings that she could not name came spilling out of her and filled the air around her with a beautiful, wistful melody. For a while she stayed like that, and the burdens and trials that she faced everyday seemed to fade into the background. While she played, Christine thought only of her father.

And then, the piece ended, and the last note rang in the air for a moment. Christine slowly lowered the violin and laid it in the case. She loosened the bow and slid it into place, then shut the lid. Christine glanced at the clock. It was late in the evening, but no one would be worried if she was late back. No one would even notice.

Suddenly, Christine felt an overwhelming desire to sing. She couldn't have explained why, but the need to sing once again, to prove that she still could even after everything was so strong that she moved to the middle of the room and took a deep breath. Opening her mouth, she began to sing.

"Father once spoke of an angel
I used to dream he'd appear
Now I'm alone in the darkness
And there's no one here!

Angel of music
Why deny me?
No one is here with me

Angel, I'm helpless
Lost and grieving
Save me I pray, angel!"

And then Christine felt the tidal wave slam into her once again and she sank down to the floor, sobbing.

He watched as the beautiful girl ended her song, then dropped to the floor and stayed there, crying. He didn't move. The shock of the purity and sweetness of her voice had frozen him. Suddenly, he snapped out of his stupor and tried to think, his pulse racing. But the flawless beauty he had just heard combined with the sight of the girl still shaking on the ground made it very difficult for him to form coherent thoughts, and so he gave in to his instinct. He began to sing softly, to the same tune as the girl.

"Your Angel of music's
Here beside you
Now dry your tears, my dear"

At first the girl's eyes had widened as her head whipped around, startled by the voice that seemingly came from nowhere. But as she registered the angelic quality of the sound, the crying began to subside. He continued, watching her carefully thought the false mirror.

"I am your
Angel of music
Here to guide you
Calm down and rest, heav'n blessed"

There was no doubt in Christine's mind that a voice like that belonged to an angel. It was deep and rich and beautiful, and all she wanted in the world was for it to keep singing. She had stopped crying now, and caught up in the music she replied in song.

"Angel I hear you
Speak, I listen
Stay by my side
Guide me"

There was a pause then, and Christine might have worried that the angelic presence had left her if not for the feeling of being watched. In other circumstances this might have been unnerving but Christine felt relaxed by the sensation. She wasn't alone any more.

Curling up again on the carpet, Christine realised just how tired she was. Her sleep had been disturbed for months, but here in the practise room it was safe and warm, and someone was watching over her at last. Her eyelids began to fall. The last thing she heard before drifting away was one last line in that heavenly voice.

"I am your angel of music"

I found this this quite hard to write, especially the lyrics that I had to change so sorry about them! Any feedback would be really really appreciated so if you have a moment leave a thought for me :) thanks!