Chapter 4 – Entwined in Love's Duet
Written By: Stephanie Destler
Author's Note: Here comes the FOP bashing, both by Erik and Christine. Also, this is taking place as the final scene of the 2004 ALW movie. But, since Erik and Christine are in love, things will happen differently. I don't know if I will kill Raoul yet, but review this chapter and give me your thoughts because it makes me feel good and I will be concluding 'Down Once More' in the next chapter…meaning Christine and Erik's escape. Oh…and excuse Christine's completely un-lady like language. May I present to you ladies and gentlemen…CHAPTER 4! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I have re-written some words for some of the songs. But they all still belong to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Oh and The Lyrics from "No, It Isn't" By +44 included in there are property of +44 Awesome song and I had to make use of it Excellent.
Erik's head snapped up as the sound of footsteps tracking through the lake approached the lair where he and Christine were in the midst of a passionate exchange of words. DAMN THAT FOP! Erik's mind roared as he helped Christine to her feet and wrapped an arm around her waist protectively.
"My Love, I think we have a guest…Sir this is indeed…an unparallel delight. I had rather hoped that you would come. Now my wish comes true. You have truly made my night."
Christine looked and saw none other than Raoul. Him. Her eyes grew wide in fear as he looked to her with a menacing glare. She moved closer to Erik and felt his arms securely hold her to him. Raoul finally approached the bars of the cage and began to yell at them through the barrier that separated them.
"You Ghost! Release my fiancée at once you monster! She is mine and I will do with her as I please. Christine, come back to me!" he snarled at the pair before continuing on his diatribe.
"Let me see her face to face! Do not impede me with these bars! One on one monsieur! Christine I will have you! Can you not see, I will give you everything your heart desires! He can not offer you the same! What can he offer you? A life of solitude and darkness...Christine! Do not disobey me!"
Christine shuddered as she felt Erik tense beside her. She knew his temper was flaring and it scared her. Before she knew what she was doing, she looked into Erik's eyes.
"Erik please let him in. I need to speak with him. You may stay with me. But I pray you grant me this one request. I need him to understand that you are the one I wish to spend my life with. You are the one I wish to marry, not him…please Erik…"
Erik looked at her with genuine emotion; he knew from the look in her eyes that she meant it. He proceeded to open the barrier that stopped Raoul from harming them. He then pulled Christine to him once more as they began their descent towards him in unison. Raoul's eyed traveled to the strange couple as his insides burned with mixed emotions of hatred, fear, and jealousy. Erik maintained an expressionless visage, Christine on the other hand was shaking with fear, but Erik's hand guided her by pressing lightly on the small of her back. This gesture made her smile, but then as she looked to Raoul she flinched once again. I hope this doesn't go badly. I don't want to see Raoul hurt, but I can never love him like I love Erik. She knew this was true. Her head never spun when Raoul simply touched her cheek, her body never burned with desire as it did for Erik when Raoul kissed her. Erik held her heart in a different way, to Christine, Raoul was a childhood sweetheart and nothing more. She knew she could never love him the way she thought a wife should. Just then Erik's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Monsieur I bid you welcome, did you think that I would harm her? Why would I make her pay for the sins which are yours?!"
Raoul looked around in fright as Erik released his hold on Christine's waist and they stood there starring at him. Suddenly, Raoul came lunging at Erik with his rapier raised. Erik saw him coming and quickly lunged to the side, pulling Christine behind him as he did so. Christine shrieked and fell, crawling to avoid sidesteps and lunges of the men who were now fighting over her. Their swords clashed as the sound of metal on metal echoed through the chamber, with the occasional grunt from either side. It was anyone's fight and Christine looked around in total helplessness, and watched the two men duke it out. A sudden scream made Christine realize that Raoul had been injured. Erik knew this too, as he withdrew his sword and proceeded to run to Christine's side. The startled Vicomte sprang to his feet, wincing at the searing pain on across his thigh. He reached his hand down and felt a trickle of blood steadily creeping down his leg. He growled as he looked into the eyes of the man whom had inflicted this injury. He bowed mockingly in his direction and smirked.
"Alright then...I see you have honed your skills since our last encounter…Please allow me to extend my congratulations to you…" he sneered before approaching Christine.
Christine looked to Erik and she saw anger in his eyes. She knew he was furious about his invasion of their moment, but it was inevitable. She looked from Raoul to Erik and back again and then slowly stepped towards Raoul, her fear visible on her face. Erik flinched but she looked to him once more and held her hand up to him as a signal to trust her. She took another reproachful step towards her former lover and stopped as he took several steps to her. He crossed the lake swiftly in a few steps and stood before her, his eyes boring into her with intense anger. She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off with a sharp slap across the face. She gasped, but she turned quickly to see Erik running to her side. She whimpered before burying her face into the folds of his shirt.
"YOU INSOLENT FOOL! HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU HURT AN ANGEL! YOU DARE TO INVOKE MY WRATH ONCE MORE DEAR VICOMTE? I HAVE NO REGRETS I WOULD GLADY SNAP YOUR NECK WITH MY BARE HANDS FOR YOUR INSOLENCE!" His voice boomed through the catacombs and his body shook as Christine tried to lower his temper. She moved so she faced Raoul with her back against Erik's front. His arms went protectively around her waist again and he whispered in her ear. "Shhhh my love…it is ok…"
Christine dried the tears that had fallen and straightened as she looked into the face of her former friend. She gathered her strength and her hands balled into fists at her sides as all her anger that had welled up in her heart finally exploded in his face.
"You madman! You think of Erik as a monster but look at yourself! He is an angel in my eyes. Something you will never be! I HATE YOU RAOUL! How could you do this to me? I really though you loved me, but now I know that I could never love you in return. You decide to treat me so brashly and expect my love and sincerity in return. I have news for you dear Vicomte. I do not love you, and I am NO LONGER YOUR FIANCEÉ! I hate you Raoul. I thought I could grow to love you, but my love was left behind on the roof of the opera house. Go away Raoul. I am not marrying you, I am marrying Erik. I love him, not you. Leave us in peace…"
She looked down to the ring on her finger and removed it slowly and took it to show Raoul. Erik looked at her and smiled. He knew she wouldn't keep the ring now…just and excuse for him to get her one that was better. Now I can impress Christine…I'm glad he came. Now she will not keep the ring and I will have to get her a new one. Excellent. He turned to her and nodded his head as she slowly approached him. But no one was prepared for what would come next. With an extension of her arm she threw the ring as far as she could into the lake, only for it to land several meters after traveling through the bars of the gate that separated the lake from the lair. Raoul gasped and Erik tried to conceal the laughter that threatened to overtake his entire body. Suddenly, just as quickly, Christine extended her hand once more and slapped Raoul with all the strength she had, which was quite a feat for her size. Erik could no longer contain his laughter and he began to wheeze with silent giggles and Raoul stood there, shocked. His hand came up to rest upon his face and felt the sting of where she had just hit him. She triumphantly crossed her hands across her chest and smirked, and noticed the clear, bright red handprint she had left on his face. She turned and walked towards Erik, he spun her so her back was to him once more and let his hands fall, coming to rest on her shoulders and she joined in his silent laughter as the Vicomte struggled to form coherent speech. Erik arched his eyebrow as he tried not to burst from laughing.
"I believe the lady asked you to leave dear Vicomte. I assure you; no harm will come to you if you leave now. Should you refuse…I do not think you will enjoy the consequences…"
Christine nodded and stared Raoul down with the most serious face she could muster. Her laughter was soon replaced with a sigh of impatience as she waited for him to acknowledge her request. When he was finally able to babble, he sputtered out:
"Christine…you…I…we…please…do not leave me. I love you more than words can describe oh please Christine. I did everything for you, and please don't tell me it was all for nothing…"
She shook her head as her curls bounced and fell around her shoulders once more. She smiled at him innocently and reached for Erik's hands, as she brought them to rest on her heart.
"Raoul, please understand, this isn't just goodbye, this is I can't stand you. I never want to see you again. You will always hold a small place in my heart but I will never love you like I love Erik…" she trailed off as he sneered at the couple once more.
"I see how it is my dear Christine…you have simply been spellbound once again by your dear angel of music. Christine...this monster…Erik…if that is the name he has bestowed upon his wasted flesh, is of no importance to you. Do not be fooled by his melodic voice…he can never give you what I can give you. Come Christine, your life with me awaits you…"
Christine shook her head fiercely and clenched her jaw. Erik felt her tense and gently massaged her shoulders. She smiled inwardly at his gesture and titled her head so she looked at him. She turned and went up on her tiptoes, her skills in ballet preventing her from losing her balance, and she whispered in Erik's ear: "Come my love, let's show him the truth." He shuddered at the feel of her warm breath on his ear, but it made him smile just the same. "As you wish my love" He growled back into her ear, his husky voice sending chills throughout Christine's body. She reached for his hand once more and led him so they stood side by side.
"Raoul, I want you to know, I have come here not under a spell, but of my own free will. Erik has made me feel like the woman I have truly become. You treat as if we were still children standing on the beach all those years ago. His soul has touched me through his music, and the life I could have had with you fails in comparison to the life of love I will have with Erik. Please Raoul; do not delude yourself with visions of what you want…in fact this has always been about you. Why can't you see that I am happy with Erik? Just get over yourself, get your head out of your ass and realize the truth. I do not love you Raoul, I love Erik, and he has given me more than you ever could. He has given me love, and life itself, and you will not take me away from that. Now leave before my fiancée is forced to take appropriate action to forcibly remove you from our home…just go…" She finished with a triumphant jerk of her finger towards the door.
Erik's chest swelled with pride at the recent outburst of his angel. They both knew he wouldn't give up without a fight, but they had one more trick up their sleeve to ensure the Vicomte understood the point that there were indeed, engaged and indeed, in love. In one swift movement, Christine moved so Erik was slightly beyond her reach and he responded with a graceful step to her side. She looked into his eyes and smiled, and with a quick look at Raoul from both of them, Christine felt the strong masculine arms of her angel pick here up so the crooks of his arms supported her neck and knees. She gasped slightly at this romantic gesture but, her face turned the dullest shade of pink and she giggled, anticipating his next movement. As soon as she had thought it, his lips came and met hers in a gentle, but passionate kiss. At first she was unsure of how to react, after all, she knew it was coming, but none the less it surprised her all the same. As instinct took over, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as his tongue flicked along her lips, pleading entrance. She happily granted it to him, her tongue gliding swiftly along hers in a passionate dance. He slowly began to lower her to the ground, although her hold did not loosen on his neck. They stood there, locked in a lover's embrace, the Vicomte watching helplessly as the woman he once loved, stood there kissing his arch nemesis. With a slight grunt of displeasure to catch their attention, they broke apart reluctantly and spun to face him. Her arms satisfied themselves to resting on his chest as he pulled her closer to him if possible, and breathed in the scents of roses and jasmine on her being. Raoul stood there gaping as though his jaw was broken and hanging loosely. His shook his head to clear his thoughts and his eyes went wide with shock.
"Christine, I understand…I still cannot see what you see in this man, but obviously it is love. Please allow me the courtesy of an invitation to your wedding, although, I do believe it will not be near as glorious as the one you could have had…Monsieur…take care of her…or I will have no regrets in hunting you for the rest of my days…Now you better leave, a mob approaches…"
Christine nodded in thanks to Raoul and watched him approach the vessel that would safely get him across the lake and back to the Opera House where he could escape and not alert the mob to their whereabouts. As he climbed in, he turned to Christine as a single tear streaked down his face. With a final bow, he pushed the boat away from the shore and away from Christine.
Erik searched frantically for the mirror which would grant him and Christine freedom from the mob. Christine gathered several key items she felt would need to be taken to spare the mob and placed them in a sack she found laying nearby. As voices approached, Christine heard the sound of shattering glass and turned to see Erik with a candle holder in one hand and shards of the mirror before him at his feet. He rushed to his organ and grabbed the white porcelain mask that laid there before running to Christine and firmly tugging on her wrist signaling for her to follow him. She followed him without hesitation, quickly saying a silent prayer that when she returned his home…their home…in the catacombs would be safe.
A/N: Escape in next chapter. And Fluff. Hope you all enjoyed my FOP bashing. If you are a Raoul lover...No flaming...please. And Reviews are always welcome. Once again sorry this update is slow in coming. Exams and what have you. Enjoy Avid Readers...If I Hvae any...\ Thanks for the reviews so far.