Disclaimer: I don't own anything Phantom Of the Opera because if I did I would be romping around with the Phantom. But I'm not. I'm sure you adore my sly sarcastic remarks (: Enjoy.

Raoul's form disappeared into the darkness of the lake as he waded forward and up to the world above. "I'll always love you Christine.." I heard him shout. He would love again, he would marry a nice girl more worthy than a former chorus girl and have beautiful children. How my heart ached. It was supposed to be me. But here I stood trapped in the fatal encounter of obsessive love. Was I ever to go free? you shall be caged like a bird as long as the Phantom draw breath to his lungs. I thought. What a turn of events, my angel and teacher was a Phantom, and murderer, and an outcast. Raoul was gone, and so was any strand of hope. The Phantom turn on me.

"I know your intentions. You saved him. Only to spend the rest of your life with the Angel in Hell! " He shouted the last part. A tear escaped his eye.

"We will be married and you will learn to love me eventually." He said. Before I could respond realization hit him. Raoul had no need to fetch the police.. They were already in a hurried mob, along with many ballerinas, stagehands, and others. The promise of eternal love was true but the promise in his eyes not to return was false. We both heard Raoul's hurried shouts advancing with the mob along with Meg Giry's my best friend. The portcullis closed. He grabbed things hurriedly, stuffed them into a bag and grabbed my arm roughly hurting me a bit. He hurried through a broken mirror and once we were through into the darkness draped it back over as if it the passage never existed. We hurried through the passages without harm as he apparently could see in the darkness. I was scared and longed for the velvety arms of Raoul.

A perfect life had loomed on the horizon but I had become part of a dangerous affair and my captors will and jealousy had encircled me. Barring Raoul and anyone else from interfering. I was trapped. What lay ahead I wasn't sure. A life of misery I suspected. But Raoul was coming for me. Even as the Phantom drove on far ahead of the mob hope lightened me a bit as I dreamed of the moment when Raoul would find me.

"Careful, the path is jagged, were almost out." He said. We reached the end and he pushed away a wall. Revealing the outside world and streetlamps lighting the way. He pulled out a different mask, one of flesh color, then demanded me to put the cloak on he brought with us. Outside there were hundreds of people fleeing from the fatal scene of "Don Juan Triumphant" We ran along the streets disguised as if a couple fleeing the fire. Behind buildings we slipped and hid as he demanded me to comply.

When we were far enough from the Opera House we stepped onto the streets and the Phantom hid his face with his own cloak as he hailed a carriage. He paid the driver and asked him to take us south of the Opera House. Far away to my understanding. I still had a glimmer of hope in this tragic situation. What if Raoul did come for me and the Phantom found away around him and killed Raoul? What if we were all to die? Worry cursed my face. But I remained hopeful and the Phantom could read it on my face.

"They will never make it in time my dear, we are too far ahead. You made your choice. I could have easily freed you without your young man. But you chose to remain with me, and let him go free." I realized this was true and with a jolt of despair I responded.

"Free me.. I will be no good to you if you keep me here against my will." I choked.

He looked at my sardonically " Yes I will free you after all the struggle we have both went through to bring you here now. You will learn to love me Christine!" Anger rose in my throat.

"A caged songbird will never sing! And a barred prisoner of your song will never love!" I spat out, with that I ripped the mask off. "This face, I am not afraid! You are beautiful! It's your soul, its dark and bloodstained as your hands. You are human. You can love. Use your humanity and set me free!" I cried.

He struck me then.. "YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND CHRISTINE! YOU'RE A NAÏVE CHILD. I AM NOT HUMAN, I HAVE MURDERED AND TORTURED. WITHOUT THIS HUMANITY I CANNOT SET YOU FREE AND I WONT!" He yelled. I was surprised the driver of the carriage could not hear. But he was so drunken I was surprised we had not wrecked.

His eyes held sadness and regret. I could feel the sob building in my chest and the tears welling in my eyes as I held my throbbing cheek. "How could you..?" I said. His angry face turned from fury to pain and disdain for striking me in the face.

"Forgive me Christine.." He reached out to touch me but knew better. He pulled his hand back and tears rolled down his cheeks. "I meant no harm. I am angry. I…"

"I just want you to love me Christine.. And understand.." I knew he longed for my affections dearly but I could not return them. He was a passionate man and loved with all his heart. To the point of obsession. Would I ever understand? Would I ever love him back? The sob I had been choking back escaped.

"Angel of music who deserves this?" I sang while sobbing at the same time. My voice was choked and he sobbed along. "Share each day with me, each night each morning." I again sang at the same time "Free me lead me from this solitude." With that we were both sobbing.

"I don't mean to cause you pain Christine Physical or Emotional.. Yet I'm causing you both.." My cheek was red from the slap that had been placed upon it minutes earlier, dry blood cursed my feet from the jagged escape from the Opera House. I cried and wished for Raoul who was miles behind probably still in the Phantom's Lair searching and wondering how this dark magician played his latest escape act. Raoul had understood, he knew I was lying. He was coming, but miles and miles behind. Probably to never catch up.

My sobbing ceased. There was nothing I could do. He reached out to me once again as if to comfort me. This time I allowed him, for my mind was racing so quickly and my heart aching so wildly I needed some alleviation of this pain soon. Who knew the Phantom would be the one to give it to me. My teacher embraced me. He sobbed as he held me. It was oddly comfortable and.. Helpful. Some of the pain in my chest ceased. His cried wracked his body and mine also. I did not cry, for what good was it to do? Instead I stated a simple choked question.

"Angel. You must have a name?" I said quietly. I was adverting the attention from the tragic situation and turning it onto him. Really who is this angel of music? Instantly I thought of Meg and another wave of pain crashed over me. By this time he was not even embracing me anymore. For that I was thankful yet still I found his embrace oddly comforting.

"My name is.. Erik." he said. I said nothing and neither did he. We rode in silence for a long while and again I let some useless tears escape down my face. It was nearing midnight.

"How did you begin?" I asked awkwardly. My words flowed uselessly just as my tears.

"What do you mean?" he said not looking at me but out the window of the carriage.

"How did you come to the Opera?"

"That is a story my dear, no one wishes to hear." He said sadly almost in a whisper. Still looking out the window.

I was persistent with inquisitiveness. "I want to hear it. You will obviously force me to wed you soon Erik" I said his name for the first time. "I should at least know something about you."

"I will not force you to marry me until you want to." He said quietly. Then why was I staying here? Would he put me to such shame..

"Would you harp such shame onto me?" I said incredulously.

"You will not be forced to do anything you do not wish Christine.." He said akwardly.

I understood now. I would be his imprisoned song bird and obsessive love until I finally agreed to marry him when I seen that Raoul would never come. Or maybe he thought I would really love him someday. His mind was a masterpiece so I could never know. It's inner workings so complex no one could ever understand. How could he expect me to?

"You will only be forced to come along with me." I understood perfectly. But said nothing.

"That promise means less than nothing to me." I said. "I know you are taking me away. Where Raoul will never find us." I continued. "I know that you believe after a while I will give in to your ridiculous plan and wed you when I see there is no escape. You might as well arrange a church now because I have realized there is no way out!" I said.

"You will only marry me of your own free will. I have come to the conclusion" He said.

"Only if you ever love me." He spoke again. "I know that might never be possible, I know you might never sing again, and I know you might not ever be happy." He said. "But in my selfishness I enjoy just your presence and I can only hope you will grow to be happy with me."

I said nothing.

For a few minutes there was silence. I had nothing to say. If only Father were here was all I could think.

Then I spoke. "Tell me of your past." I said slowly not looking at him as he didn't look at me before.

I wasn't angry with him anymore. He was giving me a small chance.

"It all began with my mother.. And the Gypsies.."

He told me of his Mother and her hateful glares, how his first piece of clothing was a mask.. How he retreated to the Gypsies and was trapped there. Named "The Devils Child" The cruelties of the world weighed heavy upon him when Antoinette Giry, only a young girl then. Rescued him from the traveling fair. He resided at the Opera from then on.

Soon I was sleeping slumped up against the carriage window, In the fog of sleep I could distantly hear his voice weaving melodies unearthly lulling me farther into sleep. When I submerged farther into the fog I was plagued by restless haunted dreams. About a child with a face deformed and scarred he pulled a knife from his filthy clothes, and was drawing near…. He pinned me to the ground and stood over me and pointed the knife at my throat. "You must love me Mother" he said in a pitiful tear choked voice. My eyes grew wide not understanding. Then before I could speak a word he plunged the knife into my chest.

I awoke with a screaming start. My breath was rampant and my eyes burned, tears stained my cheeks. Fresh ones. What had happened… it was all a dream.. A terrible haunted dream. This boy was Erik. His dark story of his childhood had awakened a terrible feeling inside me the night before. The dreams were horrific. The tragedies did not end with the boy calling me Mother then bringing me forth to my death. They continued rolling on, almost blending together. As I cried almost breathlessly Erik flinched awake on the other side of the carriage at the sound of my cries.

"Christine? It will be okay. Life with me will not be that terrible dear." he said.

"That's not it.. Tortured.. Terrible dreams.." I cried. They were absolutely horrifying. I was sure I would meet my demise soon enough. These dreams had to convey a meaning or foretell my fate. Erik would surely kill me now. He knew my aversion to this dark fate, he would take what he wanted then kill me. A woman's love. His Mother scarred him and made him desperate for this and he would take it and then be done with me.

He looked at me and I return his gaze with one of tortured fear. As if he read my thoughts he said "Shh, Christine I will not harm you. They were only dreams. I am sorry for farther disturbing you with my stories… at one point I heard you talking. Forgive me. Stories like such should not be shared with women. I won't hurt you. I will never hurt you Christine. I know it is hard to believe after I struck you last night.. But I will not. I won't as much as touch you unless you give me permission to." His eyes conveyed hurt that I had dreamed up such things about him, and that I feared him so. They also looked down as if to say I know you will never wish for me to touch you. What a stupid apparition.

I had calmed and he began to sing once. "Then at last, a voice in the gloom Seemed to cry, "I hear you! I hear your fears, Your torment and your tears!" She saw my loneliness Shed in my emptiness No one would listen No one but her Heard as the outcast hears." he sang quietly and softly.

I managed to stifle a sad smile. Then as I looked out the window we seemed to emerge out of the trees and nothingness of the country and arrive in a city unknown.

A/n: Hope you enjoyed it. I forgot to put a disclaimer on my last chapter. Sorry. But in case no one has checked it out. "No one Would Listen" is a song cut from the 2005 movie Phantom of the Opera. Hope you guys enjoyed. I tried to make it a little longer maybe as I go along the chapters will get even longer. Please Read, Review, Subscribe, Favorite. (((:!