Diamond Rings and a dead rose
A Phantom of the Opera one-shot
By Don Juan's Red Death
Christine's POV
I woke up from whet seemed to me the most unpleasant dreams I had ever had in my entire life. Looking around the room I found myself in my living room with my lover's arm around me and a soft smile on his face. "My dear." He acknowledged and I smiled as Raoul slipped his hand down my shirt. To find the necklace that rested there. Kneeling down he took my hand and held a box to me that I opened slowly and could not hold back a soft gasp at the sight of a ring.
"Marry me?" he asked smiling that kind, kind and sweet smile of his. I felt my eyes water and I very slowly shook my head in a negative gesture. "Why do you refuse me my love, do you not love me?" he asked his voice breaking as I placed a kiss on his hand and smiled apologetically to my childhood sweetheart and more recently ardent suitor and knight in shining armor. Raoul looked me in the eyes, and then he looked down not willing to let me see the bitter, ice-cold moisture that had begun to collect there.
I rose to my feet and then knelt down beside him touching his shoulder cautiously. He yanked himself away from me and gave a shuddering sob as he dropped down on his all fours. His brown-blonde hair slid into his face, and he made no move to brush it away. "Raoul…" I whispered touching him again and moving away as he shrunk back against the sofa and drew his knees up to his chin, to bury his face in them. I sighed and with a heavyhearted movement I stood and moved away from him and to the door and slid the door open.
I turned back to him, one last time and saw that he had cried himself hard enough to nock himself into a sleep-like stupor and I turned off the light. "I am sorry." And turned round to leave and go back to the man and the people that I loved. Taking only one thing with me, the first rose that my angel had given me and that I always kept close to my heart. Right underneath my corset, dead as it may have been. I felt warm tears flowing down my cheeks as I thought of he who loved me, and he who I love.
I climbed into a coach and said to the driver, "Go to the opera." And watched the Parisian night flow by me like a beautiful painting. It was a gorgeous December evening on the streets of the city of love. But for some reason my heart was heavy. I had now not only broken the heart of one, but two good men who had loved me very dearly. Raoul, poor, sweet, sweet, dear Raoul I had hurt him so badly, and my angel, my darling angel with his tragic heart.
I had broken him so badly and I prayed that he would forgive me….
Raoul's POV
I sat there perfectly still and let the tears fall from my eyes, I did not remember the last time I had cried like this. Not for some length of years I believe and I did so I felt empty. She had rejected me; even after everything we had been through she had refused to be with me. She broke her vow and with it she shattered my heart and broke my heart and in all other senses of the expression completely destroyed me.
I looked at the ring that was still so firmly clutched in my hand, it was a beautiful piece with my family crest embroidered into the band and then the name of my beloved ingénue carved across it. I closed my fist around it and pressed it to my chest. As I clenched my eyes to prevent more tears from pouring from my eyes and pressed it to my heart. I shook from head to toe, and as I sobbed I choked out these words, "Say you'll share with me, on love, one lifetime. You have left me in dark solitude. I am all alone, no one beside me. It's over, the love I thought was true. Christine, what ever shall I do?"
I then broke down again and I looked at the crest around my neck. It read, Le Vicomte Raoul Jacob De Chagny. "Vicomte!" I scoffed as I looked at the piece. I had nothing at all without my lover, she was gone and therefore my life was gone along with her. I am alone and my life means nothing to me now, and with no meaning there can be no purpose and with no purpose there is no reason to remain living.
Rising bitterly to my feet I stood up and went to the bedside table and placed the framed picture of myself and my sweet dearly departed to my side and then went to my closet where I took out my navy uniform that was folded so very neatly and laid the garment out on the bed. I quickly and undressed from my every day cloths and then quickly dressed in my uniform of that Admiral position that I had held for three years now and drew my silver plated pistol and loaded it as I lay on the bed beside the picture of my beloved.
"I love you." I said and kissed her picture as I pressed the picture to my chest and the gun to my temples. With one last sigh and a final tear I ended my life.
Christine's POV
I arrived at the opera and after greeting all the old friends and neighbors that I had left behind I ran from them all straight to the mirror and down to the room where I saw the remains of his beautiful home, tears fell from my eyes and in my piteous state I took a wrong step and fell face first into the remains of a nearby mirror that had been shattered. I screamed in pain as I fell forward and the largest piece of glass pierced my cloths and penetrated my heart. I gave a shuddering gasp and sank down as I heard footsteps coming toward me.
"Who goes there!" A voice roared and then softly, "Christine…" he ran to my side and took me in his arms. I sank down and as I let out my final gasp I wheezed out his name.
He took me in his arms and I took the ring from his fingers and slipped it on my finger as he began to sing to me. And then I let out my last breath. The last thing I felt was his hand on my face and his lips on my forehead.
Erik's POV
She had returned to me! Me! But her god is cruel and punished her… now she is dead and my music is over… when she had come I had planned to kill myself and now there was nothing to stop me… it was over. Reaching down I took her face in my hands kissed her as I tore the unfeeling shard of glass from her breast and laid the rose she had brought by her heart. I took the jagged cut and sliced my wrists, sighing contentedly as I bled for her… died with her in my arms.
And that is how the Persian found and left them. Two lovers bound by a diamond ring and a dead rose.
Fin
For Jason