Disclaimer: Meh
A/N: Yay, last chapter! May be a bit sad, but the ending is sweet.
Half of time goes by
Suddenly you're wise
Another blink of an eye
Sixty-seven is gone
The sun is getting high
We're moving on
Raoul realized that he never truly felt like he aged until he learned he was going to be a grandfather. Oh sure, he and Christine were delighted when Gustave and his wife, Cosette, told them that they were expecting their first child. But when he looked in the mirror while washing his face that night, Raoul realized that his hair was almost entirely gray and he had several wrinkles. With a bigger shock, he realized his wife looked about the same as he did. They were only forty seven at the time, but the stress of Philippe's death and re-opening the opera house took its toll on them.
Cosette was a wonderful girl. She had wonderful auburn hair and piercing green eyes. She was very kind and considerate, but when angered could be very stubborn. Traits which, Christine told her, would make her an excellent mother. Gustave was usually very laid back with his wife, but since she became pregnant he had become very protective.
"Gustave, I'm not an invalid," she told him while she tried to reach for a book across her very round abdomen.
"I know, sweetheart, but I just want you to be okay," he replied.
She teased him. "You're turning more into you're father every day, you know."
He smiled. "God willing."
Their first child was a boy, who they named Sebastien Tristan de Chagny. He had his mother's eyes, his father's hair, and his great-uncle Philippe's nose. ("Philippe lives on," Raoul commented dryly.)
Christine had burst into tears when she first laid eyes on her grandson. "I can't believe my baby has a baby!," she sobbed. When she looked at her children, she still saw them as small things with cherub faces who always seemed happy to see her.
"Don't worry Mother," Gustave tried to comfort her. "Soon enough it will be Nicolette's turn." This brought on another round of sobbing from his angel, which caused Raoul to send a hard glare in his son's direction. Nicolette was to be married in four months.
"No fighting in front of the baby," an exhausted Cosette groaned. She had asked Christine to give her singing lessons so she could sing her baby a lullaby and not have him cry louder. She learned enough to be able to soothe Sebastien into a deep sleep many nights. And she continued to do so for her second son a year later. They named him Etienne Maurice, and he looked just like his mother.
The man Nicolette married was not what everyone expected. At nearly twenty, she was beautiful, sweet, and very social. If she tried, she could have married a marquis or duke. But instead, she fell in love with a composer named Antoine Dupont. He was handsome, with black hair and blue eyes. He was born poor but he had made a fortune writing popular songs and operas. Nicolette had a crush on him, but it turned into love when he wrote an entire opera and dedicated it to her. The night of its premier, he took her aside and proposed.
"I know I don't have a title to offer you or a guarantee that I'll always have money, but I can promise you that I can love you more than any other man ever would. You inspire me so much, Nicolette. I've been able to write much more passionate music since I met you. Please, if you marry me, I'll make you the happiest woman in the world."
Nicolette merely kissed him as hard as she could. "I'll take that as a yes, then?" he chuckled.
"Yes, you may. By the way how much did you make from this opera? It was a large crowd in there." she asked.
"I believe the managers said I shall receive twenty thousand francs before the week is out. This opera is sold out for months," he answered. (For some odd reason, this information made her mother's face pale.)
After they were married, they had traveled over Europe for two years in order to promote his music. They had returned to France when they learned that she was with child.(Once again, Christine had burst into sobs.) She gave birth to a little girl who they called Genevieve Christine Dupont(much to her grandmother's delight.) She looked just like her father and showed interest in music before she could even walk. Over the next ten years, they had three more girls who they named Pamina, Julietta, and Ophelia. They all seemed to inherit their father's gift for music, and Julietta and Ophelia inherited their grandmother's singing voice. Antoine couldn't have wished for a better family, and often told people so.
Richard was always their most eccentric child. He looked exactly like his father, but he acted totally different. He would usually be seen climbing something tall, eating some strange food, or terrorizing the girls he knew(especially his sister). He also had a keen sense of adventure. When they went on family outings, he would often run ahead of them to go explore some cavern or forest. This had worried Christine immensely. What if her last little angel got himself hurt? But Richard always laughed at her worried expression and assured her that he could care for himself.
The day after he turned eighteen, he decided that he wanted to see America. He heard that the cities there were amazing, there was a diverse tundra, and most of all, an old friend of his, Claude, lived in New York City. His family didn't want him to go. They were all worried that he would get himself into some sticky situation, but they knew that his heart was set on this. So kissing his family goodbye and prying his sobbing nieces and nephews off his legs, he went off.
When he reached New York, the first thing he did was seek out Claude. He worked with his twin sister in a shop that sold exotic pets, spices, and clothing. When Richard first entered the shop, he was not blown away by the merchandise, but by Helen, his friend's sister. She used to scare him with her white- blond hair and icy blue eyes(he called her the "Ice Queen"), but now those features seemed very appealing. He walked up to her and hugged her from behind.
"What do you think you're doing?," she cried and tried to punch him.
"Just trying to warm my Ice Queen up," he replied pleasantly.
"What did you just-wait, Ice Qu- Richard?," she asked in a disbelieving voice.
"Yours truly," he replied.
It took awhile, but he eventually convinced her to give him a chance. After five dates, a necklace, two love poems, and a diamond engagement ring, she decided that she liked him. Richard had thought that Claude would be angry for getting with his sister, but he was actually relieved.
"It about time someone came and took her off my hands. Just remember, if you make her mad, she will hurt you." Helen, who overheard this, later punched him in the nose. They went back to France to get married. At first, the family was apprehensive, even afraid in some cases, of this beautiful yet cold looking woman. But they soon saw that all that ice seemed to melt around Richard. Richard also looked very happy to be with her, so they gladly welcomed her into the family. (Though there was an incident at the wedding where Gustave may have said the wrong thing about dress and she gave him a black eye.) After their honeymoon in Vienna, they returned to New York. Three years later, they had a baby girl who they named Mary Josephine. She looked like her mother, except her hair and eyes were slightly darker. She also had her father's personality. He was grateful for his daughter since Helen didn't want anymore children.
Since his family was always so busy and far apart, it was hard to get them together. But the Christmas of his sixty-seventh year, Raoul managed to bring them all to his house. With a family of seventeen people, it was the only place that they would all fit. He looked around happily as his angel shared stories with their children. His grandchildren were busy gawking at their American cousin. He closed his eyes and suddenly he saw an image of his angel when she was still just a girl in Sweden.
"Grandpa?," a voice asked. He looked up to see Julietta, who was now an aspiring opera star.
"Yes, darling? What is it?," he asked her.
"I was just wondering how you and grandma met," she answered. "Won't you tell us the story?" Suddenly it became quiet as everyone else started listening in.
"Oh yes, tell us grandpa!," Genevieve said as she bounced her son, Gaston, on her lap. So Raoul-with the help of his wife- recounted the story of how they met, to how the Phantom caused them trouble, to their wedding, to the births of their children. A lot of them were shocked to learn that the Phantom of the Opera was real, and what's more, that he had almost killed their father and made their mother marry him!
"You could write a book about it!," Genevieve had exclaimed.
"No, that wouldn't be a good thing," Raoul said with a frown. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but we should let the poor phantom rest in peace. He went through enough while he was alive. He doesn't need people prying into his life ever again."
Christine was astounded. "Raoul, since when do you care so much about the poor man?"
"I don't really care about him, but after all these years I can understand him better. He loved you Christine, and for a time he was an angel to you. I know that losing you can drive a man to extremes," he answered.
"Oh, Raoul, you never change!," she cried and went to give him a kiss(much to the displeasure of some of their younger grandchildren).
"I love you," he told her.
I'm ninety nine for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
Since the day they were married, Raoul had never thought that he would have to live without his angel beside him. Surely, he thought, I would die without her. But that wasn't how it worked out. They were both eighty five when it happened, long past their life expectancy. He found her looking through old newspaper articles that had reviews of operas she had taken part in.
"Can you believe this was over sixty years ago?," she asked him. "When did we get so old?"
"Christine, my angel, you will never be old in my eyes," he told her.
She had smiled her still girlish and radiant smile, then stood to walk over to him. Then halfway there, she suddenly cried out and collapsed on the floor. Raoul had panicked, calling for help as loud as he could and sobbing over his wife, begging her to get up. The servants had eventually come in, put their mistress in bed, and called the doctor.
"Please, quickly, tell me what's wrong with her," Raoul pleaded to the doctor when he was done examining his wife.
"Comte, please sit down," the doctor said as he guided Raoul to a chair. "I'm afraid that your wife doesn't have much longer in this world. Her heart is simply worn out. You and your family should have enough time to say their good byes. I wish here was more I could do, but there isn't. I'm very sorry." And he truly was, for all of France knew of the great love between the Comte and Comtess de Chagny.
Raoul couldn't believe his ears. His angel was going to d-d-d- he couldn't even think it! After all these years, how she leave him? What about their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren? What about her books, her charity events, her pet birds, her favorite tea set, her favorite spots-
"Sir, please, you need to compose yourself before you go in to see her," the doctor said while putting a hand on his shoulder. It was only then that he realized that he had been sobbing. After telling the servants to send for his children immediately, Raoul went to his darling angel's bed side. How frail and breakable she looked! Raoul put his face close to hers and tried to imagine how she looked on their wedding day.
"Christine, angel, please, wake up," he sobbed brokenly. To his surprise, she actually did open her eyes and smiled at him sadly.
"Raoul...I think soon...I'm actually..going to be...an angel for you," she panted out.
He only sobbed harder. "Christine, I can't, I won't, live without you!"
She gave him what would have been a glare if she had the energy. "Raoul, please...promise me that...you'll live as...long as you... can. You need...to be there for...our family. That's all...I ...ask of...you."
"I promise, angel," he said while he kissed her knuckles.
"And one...more thing," she said. "Kiss me...one last time."
And so he leaned down and gave her the hardest kiss he could muster. She also put a lot into it until...until...her lips stopped pushing against his and her eyes closed forever. Raoul just sat there for a moment staring at that used to be the love of his life. Surely his angel on earth had not actually departed. But then he realized that she had, and to started to sob once again.
After her funeral, he was never the same. As old as he was, it was hard to be social. But after his angel was gone, he became almost a total recluse. Almost, because his family still insisted on seeing him at least once a week. They were afraid that he, too, would suddenly die. But years passed, fifteen long, painful, lonely years. Years filled with crying every morning and night, going through her belongings, visiting her grave every Sunday, and spending a good amount of time sleeping so he could dream about her.
Now he was a hundred years old, and he could feel death approaching. But he wasn't afraid, oh no. He had lived a long and eventful life. He had ten great-grandchildren scattered around the world. The Chagny name would surely live on. Besides, after his death he would see his beautiful Christine again.
His vision began to get blurry, and he could faintly hear his family telling him their goodbyes. Then everything went white.
Fifteen, there's still time for you
Twenty two, I feel her, too
Thirty three, you're on you're way
Everyday's a new day
"My name is Christine Daae."
"I would love to be your wife."
"I love you."
"Hello again, dearest Raoul."
To his astonishment, his angel stood in front of him. She looked like she did the night he first came to her dressing room door, only more beautiful and very, very, happy.
"Christine!," he cried out in astonishment. She only giggled and kissed him. As he went to touch her face, he realized that his skin was now smooth and young looking instead of wrinkled and spotted.
"It will be that way for the rest of time, darling," his angel told him. "From now on it will just be me and you, together forever and always. And the children, when it comes their time."
"Wait, how do we know that their okay?," he asked her. He'd hate to think that his family was grieving over the loss of a grouchy old man like him.
"We can watch them anytime we like, darling," she informed him. She walked over to what looked like a small pond. In it, they saw their rather large family standing by two identical gravestones.
"We'll miss you Father," Gustave said, who was now elderly himself. "But we know that you're with Mother now, and that you'll be happy together forever."
Raoul looked back at his angel. "Together," he started while holding out his hand and smiling.
"Forever," she finished while taking his outstretched hand,
"I love you," they said in unison.
Fifteen, there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to loose
Fifteen
There's never a wish better than this
when you only got a hundred years to live
-
A/N: Aaaaaaaaand, it's over! Hallejulah! I hope anyone who read this enjoyed it, even if you do like EXC better. And please, if you write an EXC fic, don't make Raoul an ooc douchebag who eats puppies and steals candy from children. And remember, LEAVE A REVIEW!
