Christine walks through the rest of the party in a daze. A love struck, school girl grin locked on her lips. Raoul seems to notice and pulls her aside.
"What's got you so elated all of a sudden?" He asks, Christine looks up at him her smile fading.
"Am I not allowed to be happy at our own reopening party Raoul?" She asks coolly. "This place is my home and I thought I had lost it… now I have it back. Can I not be happy Raoul?" Raoul looks at her and softens, he holds her shoulders and kisses her head… but it feels nothing like when her Angel touches her.
"I'm sorry Christine, you've just been acting strange lately and I want to make sure you're alright." Raoul says, he smiles at her and tilts her chin to look into her eyes. "I promise, after the Opera is back up and running we will start the plans for our wedding… alright?" Christine tries to smile and nods allowing him to kiss her. He walks away to mingle with other patrons and donators. Christine sighs… yes, like she hasn't heard those words before. Raoul has been promising to start planning their wedding for over a year now. A tear comes to her eye, she does care about Raoul… but she doesn't love him… not like when they were young. He's a different man now… Christine whips the tear away, she will not cry. She smiles again, because she can feel her Angel's eyes watching her. Just like he always did… his ever watching gaze always made her feel safe. Now he's back… and everything will be perfect now… if only it would be that easy.
After the party is over Erik watches as Christine and Raoul bid farewell to all their guests and he leads her to their carriage. Erik follows them through the darkened streets of Paris all the way to the Villa De Changny. He hides in the bushes of the vast gardens as he watches all the lights one by one go out… until only two lights are left on. One must be an office where the boy is working and the other… Erik looks up and the music swells with elated joy when Christine walks out onto an elegant balcony in a flowing white nightgown… she peers over the edge scanning, searching. It takes Erik a long time to realize that she is looking for him.
"Angel?" She whispers into the darkness, Erik smiles. "Angel are you there?" Erik emerges from the shadows.
"Christine, down here!" He says quietly. She beams down at him… she is absolutely radiant, and his music escalates trying to replicate her beauty. She motions for him to climb up.
"Come to me Angel." She whispers. He smiles and obeys. He climbs up to the terrace and meets Christine's waiting and smiling eyes. She slowly reaches out and brushes her fingers along his face. He shires and closes his eyes. She giggles and wraps her arms around him…
"Oh Angel I have missed you. I have been so lonely here, Raoul… he's never around… I wander around these large, empty halls… the walls surround me like a cage… doomed to linger behind these bars until use and old age accept them…" her eyes dampen with tears and look up at Erik with a pleading need. "Angel save me! I don't want to be kept as a trophy in this house for the rest of my life!" She presses herself against his body making him shiver. The music slowly trembles in anticipation… and sorrow at her words. His beautiful angel… locked up like a bird. Left to wither and die of loneliness. He wraps his arms around her and presses his lips to her chocolate curls.
"I won't leave you ever again Christine." He swears. She snuggles deeper into his shirt. "Never again will the coldness of winter freeze you… never will you speak into the darkness, alone, in the bitter watches of the night. I will forever be by your side… forever loving you more than my own life… if you will have me." Christine smiles bigger than Erik had seen in a long time. And suddenly she presses her lips to his. The music explodes in excited shock. Erik's heart explodes out of his chest as he returns her kiss… their arms wrap around one another and two pairs of lips become one. Erik inhales sharply when he feels Christine's small, wet tongue flickers against his lips. He nervously darts his own tongue out to meet hers. She hums happily into his mouth making jolts of electricity shoot through his whole body. Their kiss deepens and becomes more impassioned. Christine breaks away just long enough to attach her lips to Erik's neck, nipping and licking at the sensitive skin beneath his collar. Erik moans causing Christine to suck harder at his pale skin. His music is a jumble of ecstatic emotions. His nervous hands trail down the small of Christine's back making her giggle. She looks up at him with eyes blurred with desire. She takes his hands and leads them to the lace of her corset… Erik gasps. His nervous energy is almost as intense as his want and love for the woman in front of him. Christine guides his fingers to untie her dress, the white fabric pooling at her feet… Erik shyly looks away, but Christine's soft fingers are soon guiding his face to look at her.
"Angel… please do not be afraid of me… I will never hurt you… will you take me to my bed?" Erik nods in a daze. She smiles and kisses him again wrapping her arms around his neck allowing him to lift her angelic body into his arms. He takes her into her room and places her gently onto the bed. She pulls him down with her, their faces only inches apart.
"Christine… I… I don't know-" she presses a finger to his lips. Trailing it down his masked check. She gently removes his mask making him grab her. She hushes him softly.
"Angel… don't be afraid. I want to see you… I love you…" Erik let's out a shaky breath and let's her remove his mask and stroke his deformed face. She kisses the tears forming in his eyes and works on removing his shirt… she drags his nails across his chest. He groans and presses his lips to her neck making her sigh. They leave their marks on each other in ecstasy until Christine pulls away and lowers her hands to his trousers. Erik quickly grabs her hand away.
"No Christine…" he pants, Christine kisses his eyes and neck and chest.
"Angel… please… let me please you." Slowly Erik nods and let's her remove his trousers… the night passes in a blur of undying love between a teacher and his student… a beauty and a beast…a lonely girl and her Angel of Music…
"Angel… I love you…"
"… I love you to… Christine…"
