25. Reunion

It was impossible. Perhaps she had already jumped, and he was here to take her away forever to be with him and Madame Giry and her father. Perhaps she had fallen asleep, and was dreaming that he had returned to her. There were a dozen possibilities running through her mind; every possible way he could be standing before her right now, except for the one that couldn't possibly be true. Erik had been executed. She was holding his mask in her hand as proof. He would never have given it up, never have left it behind, unless he had been killed.

Breathless, Christine stepped off the ledge and started towards him. She was faintly aware that Raoul was standing a few feet behind Erik, eyeing him with pure hatred. Other than him being a faint blip on the radar, his presence was hardly noticeable to her. In a daze, Christine stopped in front of Erik, who had stood silently as she tried to work out what was standing in front of her.

He was wearing the same mask Piangi had worn for Don Juan, a black mask that covered both sides of his face. Since it was wider than it was long, it didn't cover all of the horrible scar on the right side of his face. A bit of the marred flesh was still visible. Slowly, Christine reached her free hand up and felt the part of the scar that was visible. It felt like it had the first time he had shown it to her, so long ago. There was no way this could be a pretender. Her eyes didn't leave his face for one moment.

"It can't be you," she said, feeling a fresh wave of tears wash down her face. "It can't be." Erik took her hand from his face and held it in both of his gloved hands. He didn't respond, only looked at her with such love and such worry, it made her heart sing. "I thought you were dead."

Erik smiled at her. "And what made you think that?"

Hearing him speak to her was too much. His white mask slipped from her grasp and she collapsed against him, breaking into wrenching sobs. He wrapped his arms around her as they sank to the ground. She could only repeat one sentence: "I thought you were dead."

She was aware of him whispering to her, but she had no idea what he was saying. Christine couldn't hear anything over her own cries. Erik held her tighter and petted her hair. She clung to the front of his shirt, listening to his heartbeat; a sound she thought she'd never hear again. Christine had no idea how long they stayed that way, but she eventually regained control over herself.

"I'm sorry, Christine. I wanted nothing more than to come get you. But I couldn't…"

"Why not?" she whimpered, drying her eyes.

"I wasn't strong enough. After everything that they did… I didn't have to strength to stage a rescue. But today, when I learned you were coming, I planned to take you back."

"But how…how did you get away? How could you escape?"

"Madame Giry," he said simply.

In spite of everything that had happened in the past few moments, Christine found herself laughing at the irony. Madame Giry had saved Erik once again from the punishment of execution for the crime of murder. She had always been watching out for him, even in her sick state with death fast approaching.

"Little Lottie," Raoul's voice called to her breaking her out of her happiness, "get away from him."

Christine stiffened and reluctantly pushed away from Erik, climbing to her feet and turning on him. "You," she hissed. "You monster! You let me believe he was dead!" She crossed the distance between them and when she had stopped in front of him, she slapped him. "You let me believe he was dead!"

Holding his stinging cheek, Raoul look at her with wide, terrified eyes. "I only did what was best for you."

"No! You only did what was best for you! You've never loved me! You've never cared about me! Never! All you want is another prize to conquer, and I'm your latest attempt!"

"Little Lottie…" he whispered, hurt. "Please…"

"I'm done with you," Christine hissed, shaking her head. "I've given you chance after chance! But this... I can never forgive you for this! I never want to see you again. Ever."

She turned her back on him and nearly collapsed with relief when she saw Erik was still standing behind her. She could still hardly believe that he was here, still alive. Christine smiled when she saw that he had changed back into his white mask while her back had been to him. He was back to the way he had been; he was her Erik. Going as quickly as she could without running, she crossed back to Erik. He held a gloved hand out to her and she gratefully took it. Erik wrapped his arm around her shoulder and started leading her towards the door back into the opera house.

"Christine, you can't seriously go with him! He's dangerous, a murderer!" Raoul hissed behind her. He was making a final, feeble attempt at trying to keep her with him. "Besides," he fumbled for words, "he's a wanted man! And he's easily recognizable to everyone in Paris. What kind of life can he offer you?"

The pair stopped, and Christine looked up at Erik. His eyes were closed and his head was bowed. There was a part of him that knew Raoul was right, and there was a part of Christine that knew he was right, too. Erik was wanted for murder, and now for evading his punishment. He couldn't offer her much of a life in Paris. Erik opened his eyes and looked at her with a pained expression.

Raoul knew he had struck a cord, so he kept going. "Yeah, he can't offer you anything. You can't go with him."

Christine looked at Erik sadly before turning back to face Raoul. Erik stepped back to give her room. Gazing at him with a cold stare Christine hissed, "Just try and stop me." With that, she took Erik's arm and they started back towards the door.

When the roof door closed behind them and they were on their way back to Erik's lair, he told her, "Raoul may be twisted and vile, but he has a point. What can I offer you now that I'm wanted for murder?"

"You can offer me the only thing I want," Christine responded sharply. "Love; that's all I've ever wanted since I thought you'd…since thought I'd lost you. Especially after Madame Giry...died and I thought I was alone… All I've wanted is love. And not just anyone's love… I want you."

"You're willing to give up your life to be with me?" he asked, looking down at her.

Without responding, Christine stopped and turned so she and Erik were facing each other. Reaching up, she pulled his head down so she could reach his lips and kissed him. She thought she'd understood how badly she had wanted him, how badly she had missed him, but now that she had him again, now that she could kiss him again, Christine realized that she had no idea how alone she had felt.

They reluctantly pulled apart and Christine whispered, "Yes, I am more than willing."

There was no more conversation as they walked down to his lair. Erik took her back the way he had brought her when he had first took her to his home. When they reached the lake, he tried to have her sit in the boat, but she didn't want to let go of him. She stood beside him, her arms wrapped around him, as he rowed the boat back to his home.

Finally, they had reached his lair and they were alone. At first, there was a moment where neither of them spoke; they only watched each other lovingly. Then, Erik broke the silence and said, "You still have that cape?"

"I take it everywhere I go," Christine told him, wrapping it around her shoulders. "While you were…imprisoned…it was all I had of you."

"But you have this, too," he said, pointing to the mask.

"Not at first…" Christine said, going to sit at Erik's writing desk. He followed her and knelt in front of her, placing his hands on her lap. "When I came home after visiting you, Raoul was furious. He had no idea where I'd gone, but he knew I'd gone alone, against his…orders. He…locked me in my room until I told him where I'd gone, but I never did. I spent a week alone in my room, with no information of the outside world and unable to leave." Seeing Erik's eyes flare with anger, Christine quickly said, "He didn't…starve me or anything, just…didn't let me leave… Anyway, a few days after that, Raoul came with a gift…It was that." She pointed to the mask. "He told me you'd been executed. I guess I'd just assumed that...that made the most sense as to how he had it… That was the only mask you had on you. You wouldn't go anywhere without it… The only way they'd be able to get it from you is if they killed you."

She covered her mouth as more tears filled her eyes. "I really thought you were dead, Erik. I thought I'd lost you forever."

Erik took Christine in his arms and whispered, "I could never die and leave you behind, my angel."

Christine threw her arms around his neck and held him close to her, afraid if she let go he'd disappear. "I love you, Erik."

"I love you, Christine," he whispered.

Sighing, she let herself slump against him; she hadn't realized how exhausted she was until now. Erik shifted position and lifted her into his arms. He carried her towards the bed. As they crossed the room, they kissed again. Erik laid her down and whispered, "Sleep, Christine. Tomorrow, we'll plan our future."

Before he could move away, Christine grabbed Erik's arm and pulled him towards her. "Stay with me Erik."

He looked down at her lovingly and nodded. "I'll be with you for as long as you want me."

Lying down next to her under the covers, he wrapped his arms around her. She rolled into him and buried her face in his chest. "I want you Erik."

He brushed her hair back. "I'm here, Christine."

"No; I want you."

Erik was silent for a moment before saying, "We can't, Christine."

"Why not? I've spent weeks thinking you were dead… I want you, Erik, no one else. I want you…"

She kissed him again, and when she pulled away he whispered, "If that is what you wish."