AN: chapter one of this story is also chapter nine of Pieces of a Dream. It was requested that I write a sequel, but I figured that if I posted just that one shot people might get confused. So I've combined them both so people don't get confused.

I'd like to dedicate this fic to Sara.

"Make your choice, Christine." The deformed man's voice was cold and flat in stark contrast with the grand, booming thunder it usually was. His amber eyes, which almost seemed to glow in the dim light, never left the singer's face as she looked back and forth between the two men.

"Erik, please—" The hesitation in her voice only served to further anger the deformed man, who yanked on the rope that held the vicomte up. The vicomte wheezed and struggled against the rope as he was lifted temporarily from the ground. "Stop it!"

"You try my patience." Christine had never seen him this way. Even when she'd pulled away his mask that first time and revealed the horrible beast hidden by that smooth porcelain he'd still managed to control his anger. Now she was afraid he might even lash out at her.

Her hands, heavy and shaking with fear, rubbed her throat protectively. She could still feel his icy fingers against her flesh. If Raoul hadn't thrown that rock…

She didn't want to think of what could've happened. The gasping, choking sounds escaping her fiancé's lips brought her back to reality. I can't stall any longer, she thought in dismay as she looked around the room for something to conceal in her hand. She didn't want to approach her former mentor unarmed, not with that terrible crazed look in his eyes.

Near Raoul's feet, something shimmery caught her eye. It was a piece of the mirror that Erik had broken. I'm only going to have one chance at this.

Although she wasn't quite sure how, she managed to will herself forward, slowly walking across the wet stone floor to where Erik stood. His scowl turned hostile as she approached and she hesitated, turning and looking away from him.

For just a moment, her eyes met with Raoul's. The pain she saw made her heart hurt more than she could bear.

Just a few steps from Erik, she threw herself to the ground as though she had tripped. She landed sprawled at Raoul's feet, her outstretched hand near the shard of broken glass that had caught her eye.

For a few delicious seconds, Raoul could breathe and his feet were flat on the floor as Erik jerked forward to help Christine. She pulled herself to her knees quickly, concealing the glass in her skirt as she brushed herself off.

As she pushed herself to her feet, she realized how hard her hands were shaking. I only have one chance at this, she thought, swallowing hard.

"I can't imagine," she said, fighting to keep her voice even as she forced herself to look at Erik. "I can't imagine the life that you've lived. To be alone, to feel so unloved…" They were toe to toe now, Christine looking up into Erik's disbelieving face as she wrapped her arms around him.

She clenched her hand around the broken piece of mirror so tightly that it cut into her palm. Wincing, she reached up and brushed her fingers against the twisted scar tissue of his cheek. He flinched and looked away, a pained expression twisting his features.

With trembling fingers, she reached for him once more. This time he allowed her hand to rest against his gnarled, rubbery skin. Slowly, he turned to look down at her once more.

Raoul hit the floor hard, gasping and coughing as he caught his breath. Christine silently begged him to look away as she shifted onto her toes, craning upward as far as she could.

Erik's shock made him go rigid before melting into putty in her hands. She moved her hand to the base of his neck and pulled him down as far as she could, bridging the gap between their lips.

He stiffened, his arms flailing out at his sides as he tried to pull himself away from her. Instead of letting him go, she held him tighter. As he finally gave in and slowly draped his arms around her, she took the piece of the broken mirror and stabbed him in the back as hard as she could.

Erik's eyes widened and he let out a strange sputtering sound as Christine pulled away from him, shoving him backward.

"Christine," he whimpered, "why?" He staggered back a few more steps before tripping over his own feet and crumpling into a heap on the floor. "Why?!" His voice was the shrill, pained cry of an animal.

The soprano didn't answer him, but turned and worked to untie her fiancé.

"Raoul? Raoul, speak to me," she begged.

"Oh, Christine!" he breathed as he threw his arms around her, barely giving her time to finish freeing him. The weight of his body against hers was what finally triggered the tears that had been threatening her eyes through the entire ordeal.

"Come, let's get out of here before he rights himself," Raoul said as he glared over her shoulder at the noseless man. His voice was hoarse and still a bit breathless, but Christine was relieved to see him already moving and speaking.

She helped him to his feet, and both of them were grateful to have the other to lean against.

As Raoul pushed the boat away from the shore, Christine looked back one last time to see Erik reaching out for her.