Disclaimer: I own neither the Phantom of the Opera nor the song (it's from the Beatles by the way)
I must have heard that song I don't know how often and suddenly I realised how well the words seemed to fit Erik and Christine.
We Can Work It Out
-Erik-
"You must love me, Christine!" Erik pleaded.
Christine stared at him, frightened. She didn't say anything; she just hugged herself and stared into the cold fireplace.
Erik sighed and turned away from her. She looked so sad… she never said anything… she didn't even cry anymore. Not after that night… when she had turned the scorpion… when she had promised to become his wife… to love him.
Why couldn't she love him?
Try to see it my way
Do I have to keep on talking till I can't go on
While you see it your way
Run the risk of knowing that or love may soon be gone
We can work it out
We can work it out
-Christine-
Christine stared unseeing into the flames. Love him? How could she love him? After all that had happened? After all that he did? How could she ever forgive him for what he had done? How could he tell her that she had to love him?
Didn't he understand what he had done? Every night, when she closed her eyes, she could still see him… so lifeless… Raoul…
The scorpion or the grasshopper… would it have mattered if she had made a different choice?
Why couldn't Erik understand that she need time, time to grieve, time to forget… but how could she ever forget that sight?
Think of what you're saying
You can get it wrong and still you think that it's all right
Think of what I'm saying
We can work it out and get it straight or say good night
We can work it out
We can work it out
-Erik-
He had to do something. He could not just watch her wither… he loved her. He wanted her to be happy. But how could he get her to smile again? How could he get her to forgive him?
He had never intended to kill the Vicomte… the torture chamber had filled so quickly with water…
Now he had to find a way to make his angel forget her grieve… to make his angel love him.
Erik sighed and sat down in front of the organ. There was no way she would ever be happy down here… with him.
"Christine?" he asked her again. She did not react.
"Christine, you are free to go, I will not hold you back…" he took a deep breath. "Do you want me to take you back to the world outside?"
Life is very short and there's no time
For fussing and fighting, my friend
I have always thought that it's a crime
So I will ask you once again
-Christine-
Take her back? Did he really mean that?
Surprised she looked up and into his eyes. All the sadness of the world… he really meant it. He would let her go…
Christine nodded. She didn't trust her voice at the moment.
Erik just sighed and looked down heart-broken, then he got up and offered her his hand.
"Come."
For the first time since that day, Christine felt something other than hate and sadness… she felt pity for him.
"Erik…" Her throat felt dry from disuse. "I need to get away from here… I need time. Only time can tell if I'll ever be able to forgive you…"
Try to see it my way
Only time will tell of I am right or I am wrong
While you see it your way
There's a chance we might fall apart before too long
-Erik-
Forgive him? For the first time since he had heard her proclaim her love for Raoul on the roof, Erik felt hope. Hope, that some day his angel would return to him.
He led her to the surface and stopped just behind the gate in the Rue Scribe.
"Christine… will you promise me something? Will you return in a year? Will you come back to me then to see if there is a chance…"
He could not finish.
Then he felt a soft hand on his cheek.
"Yes", Christine whispered. "I will return. But I can promise you nothing."
"That is all I need", he said bowed to her before vanishing into the shadows.
We can work it out
We can work it out
We can work it out
We can work it out