This is my first attempt at POTO fiction. Be gentle. :)

Rated M for a reason! Adult themes to come along. ;)

Enjoy!

Anywhere You Go

"Take her...forget me...forget all of this...leave me alone; forget all you've seen..."

Those final words rang loudly in Christine's mind, and she knew that look of sadness and defeat which had been on his face as he said it would forever be burned into her memory.

What was she doing? Did she really want to leave? Numbly, she continued to let Raoul drag her through the damp corridors back to the world above, but with each step the feeling of making a huge mistake increasingly filled her.

"All you need to do is climb up, and we are free from this nightmare, Christine," Raoul suddenly commented, pulling her from her thoughts, and placed his hands firmly on her waist. "Here, let me help you-"

"No, wait," she stated, and moved from his hold. "I don't think I can do this."

"You don't think you can do what?" he asked in disbelief. "Leave this dungeon? Escape the clutches of that...that monster back there? What, Christine? Please, do tell, because I do not understand, and we are running out of time."

"I...I do not have a way to explain any of this, Raoul..." she started, and placed a hand on his cheek. "You will forever have a place in my heart, but this is something I must do."

Raoul opened his mouth to say something, when she suddenly turned around and began to run back down into the darkness which had been behind them. "Christine!" he yelled, running after her. "Christine, come back!"

"I love you! Now go to safety!" she yelled over her shoulder, and disappeared around a corner.

Unable to just let her go, he continued after her, and thankfully was able to catch up to her. "What on Earth has gotten into you?" he demanded, grabbing her arm to stop her.

"Raoul, I think I made a mistake...I need to go back to him..."

"Why, Christine? Why?"

She looked up at him with those big, innocent eyes. "Raoul...I cannot even begin to put into words the things which I am feeling right now, but...something is telling me he is where I need to be..." she admitted, and placed the engagement ring he had given her in his hands, guilt both on her face and in her voice.

Raoul's heart dropped into his stomach as he looked down at the small piece of jewelry. "But...I...I thought...Christine, I love you, and I thought that love was mutual."

"Oh, Raoul, I do love you...but I don't think it is the same love you feel for me, and I am so sorry. I have been confused, but I think I am finally figuring this all out, and...I just need to go back to him. I am sorry for hurting you like this, especially after all you have been put through, but...please understand."

Anger began to rise within Raoul. "Christine, you are still blinded. You do not know what you are saying. That man...that thing...he could never bring you the happiness I can bring you. I cannot and will not understand, because right now you speak of nonsense. Now come with me, and we can discuss this once we are out of this hell."

"I said no, Raoul-" she firmly protested, when he suddenly slapped her.

"How can you do this to me? To us?" he shouted, and glanced back when the sound of the angry group of people could be heard.

Suddenly afraid of what more Raoul may do out of his obvious anger, Christine once more ran off as quickly as she could. Hearing his own footsteps quickly beginning to follow her, she rounded a corner, and quickly ducked behind a small nook in the cavernous walls, praying to the gods above he could not find her. She heard him slow down to a walk, and could see the light from his torch be shone in her direction. Closing her eyes, and holding her breath, she anticipated the worst, but instead the light grew dim and his footsteps grew distant as he walked back towards the sounds of the mob.

"This will not be the last of us!" she heard Raoul yell, and waited a bit longer until she could no longer hear him. Taking a deep breath, she slowly left her hiding spot, and when she saw she was truly alone, she once more began to run...back towards the darkness, where her Angel would hopefully still be...

Sitting on the ground, he stared at the small music box sitting before him, watching the monkey on it dance as the melody which had once given him joy played. "Masquerade...paper faces on parade...masquerade, hide your face so the world will never find you..." he quietly sang to himself, and looked down at the veil he was holding; the veil which had been intended for his bride. "Christine, I love you..." he whispered, more tears coming to his eyes as he brought it to his nose and inhaled deeply. Even though she only wore it briefly, he could still faintly smell her on it.

Suddenly, he could hear the distant noise of an undistinguished voice. "It appears as though my time is up" he thought to himself, assuming it was the mob he was hearing, and stood up, prepared to give himself to them willingly. Whatever they had planned, he deserved it.

"Angel!" the distant voice called, this time closer, and his heart skipped a beat.

Christine? Could it be so? Surely not...

A mixture of emotions washed over him when he suddenly saw her come around the corner, wading through the knee-high water. This was no dream...she was truly here. "C-Christine?" he choked out, having momentarily lost his voice.

"Angel!" she once again exclaimed breathlessly, running over to him once she was out of the water, and simply looked up at him once they were finally face to face, wanting to embrace him but decided it might be best to keep her distance as of now.

"W...What are you doing here? I told you to go. This is a dangerous place for you to be. Let me help you get out of here safely," he stated, and started to lead her away, when she stopped him.

"No...I...I don't want to," she protested, taking him by surprise.

"What do you mean, you don't want to? Christine, being down here puts you in harms way. There are people who want to kill me. People who could be here any minute now, who just might hurt you as well for being here with me. You need to-"

She covered his mouth with her hand, the contact of her skin against his lips sending a wave of shock through him and stopping him in his tracks. "Angel...I'm not fully sure why I am here...but all I know is that...I have this feeling this is where I need to be." Before he had the chance to respond, she suddenly hugged him tightly around the waist, sending his sense into overdrive. "Anywhere you go, let me go too," she added with a whisper, and he was unable to hold back the tears which silently slid down his face.

"You don't know what you are saying," he said in a strangled whisper, trying desperately to keep his composure. Gently pulling her away, he added, "Look at me, Christine. In more ways than one, I could never give you the life you deserve. I let you leave, because deep down I knew I could never see that lively spark leave your eyes, which is exactly what will happen if you stay here. I'm not a good person. I don't interact well with other people, and I guarantee you, I will make you nothing but miserable."

Touching his face, she responded, "Oh, Angel...you don't see what I see, do you?" He simply looked away. "Maybe you are correct in what you say; maybe I will decide one day I want to leave...but if I had any inclination to that being a possibility, I would not be standing before you. I know what my soul, and my heart is telling me. I came back for a reason. Please don't send me away a second time..."

Hesitantly, he took her face in his hands, left in awe by both her words and the look in her eyes. He leaned in slightly, desperately needing to kiss her, and her eyes slipped shut as his face grew closer to hers. Just when he was about to taste those sweet lips a second time, they heard a distant sound, and there was no denying this time it truly was the people looking for them. He looked up toward the direction which the sounds came from, and then back down into her panic-filled eyes. "Do you trust me?" he asked, and when she gave no response, he repeated, "Christine, do you trust me?"

"Yes...yes I do," she softly replied with a nod.

"I have a plan for us, but I need you to put your full trust in me. I would give my life willingly for you to keep yours. Please never doubt that. All I am asking is you do as I say, and believe me when I promise to keep you safe."

"Yes, angel," she whispered, and with that he led her over to one of the mirrors. Pushing away the heavy curtain which covered it, he reached up to unlatch a hidden lock, and the mirror swung open to reveal a secret corridor. Reaching inside the darkness, he retrieved two heavy cloaks, and a small travel bag.

"You will not be able to see, but I can. Whatever you do, do not let go of my hand. Alright? As long as I have you, you will not be in harms way," he explained to her as he deftly bundled her up snugly before putting the second cloak on, and when she nodded, he firmly grasped her hand before slinging the travel bag over his shoulder and taking them both into the vast blackness...