A/N: So here we continue the tedious long journey of the... climax! :) This long dark never ending tunnel... :P

SO yay, It's the May long weekend! Pro D Day last Friday, and Victoria's Day tomorrow... :D Which is all one fancy way of saying, no school! The weather here is gorgeous; hot and sunny. Perfect beach weather. And what have I done all weekend? That's right, slept! I slept every single day, except one, where I went to a movie with a guy friend. lol. Nice. And it's supposed to downpour tomorrow :P I live in the city of rain... (Quite literally. I think our longest period of rain constantly, was 29 days straight.)

Ok, so anyways, 2 more weeks of school and then freedom! HAZZAH! :D And the song lyrics in here are called 'Lost and Damned' by Kamelot. (The best band ever :D)

So please read and review, that's all I ask of you!

-EFH

xoxo

Chapter 38: Just About…

Coreena galloped down the long winding path that led into the murky forests away from her mother's home, and many acres of land.

The moon hung high and bright in the black skies, despite the early hour of 8:05 'clock. She gave a discontented sigh though, as the rain began to slowly make its way through her cloak and hood, seeping down into and through her clothes, chilling her to the bone like a disease.

She shivered and silently wept, feeling torn; wasn't her mother correct for telling her to stay put and safe for her children? Or was she right for willing to risk everything?

It was too late.

She turned her head to look back, but all she saw were luminous trees and wet leaves, and nothing but darkness and forest. A shiver ran down her spine and she felt for the first time that eve, fearful of not finding her way out.

With a click of her tongue, she encouraged the horse to carry on. It hesitantly galloped on, its eyes rolling about as a bit of thunder resonated in the distance; its echo reaching their ears.

"Only a bit longer." She soothed, running her fingers through its wet mane while the other hand clutched the reigns with ice cold fingers; a deathlike grip.

She was beginning to evidently realize with every step on the crunchy leaves and gravel they made, that she had no idea where to go or where to even begin searching.

What was she going to say when she reached him? How would she beg forgiveness from both of her husband and children?

I'm only human. She thought despairingly. But she knew deep down that wasn't enough to fix the aching broken soul.

The horse pulled to a halt and bucked slightly, the whites of his eyes flashing as lightning lit up the whole forest, making it glow for a brief moment.

"It's ok… It's ok." She whispered, letting the horse pause. She squeezed its sides gently. "Come on." She whispered. "We have to keep going."

Slowly the horse picked up its previous pace and kept going.

I love you and our family; isn't that what matters? She thought, figuring out what she'd say to Gabriel. I don't want to lose you because of this. Nearly fourteen years of marriage reduced to this? She would beg him if she had to.

A strange sense of calm came over her as the forest fell behind her and the path glided its way out of the murky damp forest, a few lights faintly lit in the distant city. "Everything will be fine." she whispered, wondering why she was drawn to the city and not her old house. But where else would two children go but the city? They knew no one but their father; she could only think they'd go searching for him, especially when Derik was so passionate about returning. The only way there was through the main town; that much she knew.

Her eyes widened as the sound of cobblestone finally hit her ears. She half dozed off as sleep and coldness were gently encasing her.

She looked about, seeing the silent, resting city. Only a few souls wandered about; mostly homeless people. They gave her blank less stares as she cantered past. She kept looking forward though, determined not to look at them, or in fear, she may start to openly bawl. She knew she was a ticking bomb waiting to go.

She wanted to ask anyone if they had seen two children wandering about, but she was too fearful to ask.

The horse clattered past the burnt Opera House and Cathedral. She recalled her wedding; it had been something special.

"Raoul's wedding!" she gasped. Wondering when it was, she thought rapidly back. She knew he was marrying soon, but he hadn't said when… or had he? "Oh I think I missed it!" she spoke in a rush, knowing he said something about it being in a few weeks. "I wanted to meet her…" she knew he would soon be sending her a letter, wondering why she hadn't shown for one of his most important events in his whole life.

The horse by now was walking about, not knowing where to bring its owner who had no idea herself. "Maybe Raoul knows." She whispered, knowing the two were close. "I have to find him." She felt a new surge of encouragement run through her as she turned the horse in the direction of his grand home.

As she did, she passed the Cathedral once more. She felt a strange feeling pass and quickly dismounting, she ran up the steps and pounded on the doors. "Father! Father!"

But it was a deathly and eerie silence, only the rain sounding as it pounded the streets.

She gave a cry, stomping her foot, feeling like a drowned rat and knowing she looked like one too.

She sat there for God knows how long, just sobbing. She was a mess, lost, stupid, and a horrible wife and mother! "I hate myself!" she muttered furiously over and over again. She didn't want to go home or even move. She wanted to lie there outside and just die. Die outside the Church ironically; after all her sins committed.

"Miss?" came a strange unknown voice.

She didn't even look, her mind was saying goodbye. She didn't want to bother with life anymore.

"Miss?" asked the voice.

Irritably, she opened her eyes. She was about to demand 'what', and scream that she wanted to be left alone to die already. But she was met with the face of the priest.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "I thought I heard pounding." He kneeled down by her.

She scowled slightly. How interesting the Church doors should be locked. She thought. How very religious.

"Miss?" he spoke when she did not reply.

She coughed slightly, starting to come to. "Where," her throat hurt, "Where is Raoul? Where is the Vicomte DeChagny?" she demanded. "Has he married yet?"

The priest stared at her resolutely for a moment. This wedding had been quite the affair. It hadn't even gone though and yet so many asked about it. "He hasn't. He disappeared right before. Have you not heard?"

Coreena shook her head, puzzled.

"He left when the bride disappeared. He has yet to return, so the wedding did not continue forth."

"Do… do you know where he went?" she coughed.

"No Miss." He shook his head.

At that moment, she felt her hopes hopes crash.

"But one of his servants spoke of an inn just down the beaten path…"

xoxo

"Elizabeth!" Meg screamed.

She watched as the woman fell to the ground with one great choke. She lay on the floor as her own blood began to flow freely beneath her cold body. Her eyes flickered in shock as the pain engulfed her, her face going white as her skin went rock hard and icy.

"Oh my God she's dead!" Meg screamed, rushing forwards to Elizabeth's cold body. "How can everyone just stand here when this monster is killing everyone?!" she cried out in outrage.

Christine's eye flickered open softly and watched as the woman's dead body lay still besides her. She wanted to cry out in horror as she saw the eyes moving slowly and softly, as life slowly dragged forth from her.

Raoul stared in anger and hurled the pistol at the wall, watching it break, falling to floor.

He wanted to scream in outrage. Hurl a million things. He wanted to just throw himself to the ground and actually sob. Why this torment? He felt exasperated and at his wits end. Why wouldn't this man die? Why did God continuously torment him so?

"Megan, come here!" Marguerite whispered in a hushed manner, hating her daughter for being in the midst of the room, near that lunatic.

Meg ignored her mother, refusing to not help. She didn't want to be a help to the reason that innocent lives died that night. Maybe she was risking her own life, but she'd rather do that then live in knowledge that people suffered because of her.

"No Mama." She retorted, tearing a strip of fabric from the bottom of her dress for the second time that night.

Turning back to Elizabeth she asked softly, "Where did he hit you?"

Elizabeth shook her head against the intense pain that was sweeping through her. She had never felt this way before. Every second felt like an eternity in her mind right now. She had never wanted to die as much as she did now.

"Christine," Elizabeth murmured, choking slightly on the taste of blood that was filling her mouth. "I want to talk to Christine." Her words came out in barely a whisper. "Please let me talk to her…"

Christine looked at Elizabeth's still slightly convulsing body, and then up at Meg, who was silently asking her for a decision. Christine nodded and moved her tired body that felt like lead, over to where Elizabeth could see her face.

Elizabeth looked at Christine for a few seconds, tears (that were not the case of pain), sprang forth. They were tears of remorse, sorrow and guilt.

"You must let me undress you!" Meg spoke frustrated as she attempted to remove all of Elizabeth's garments in search of the Mecca of said wound. "We need to help you!"

"No," Elizabeth protested slightly. "It's too late… just let me speak with Christine."

"I'm here Elizabeth." Christine responded quietly, waiting for her to continue.

Meg looked between the two women frustrated. Why wouldn't they let her bandage her up? Couldn't they see there was only a certain amount of time they had? She needed to get to the source quickly and pull the bullet… and apply pressure to the wound as fast as humanly possible.

"Meg, let them talk." Marguerite said softly, as if reading her daughter's mind.

Meg couldn't believe it, but said nothing.

"I'm dieing Christine... you can't save me, no one can." She coughed slightly, looking from Meg to Christine. "I'm sorry it ended this way. I let envy get in the way of what could have been the starting of a new friendship." Elizabeth coughed out blood and gazed intently at Christine. She wanted Christine to know everything before she died.

Christine watched her with a pleading expression.

Meanwhile, Erik lay to the side, his chest rapidly rising and falling as he stared in shock. This woman had taken a bullet for him. But why? Why would she sacrifice herself for him? Just a few moments ago…

"Don't talk like that Elizabeth!" Christine protested. "We can fix you! I promise you that all is forgiven!" she immediately promised.

Elizabeth smiled softly despite the pain, and looked at Christine through tiny slits, gasping in her last few breaths of life. She didn't regret her choice.

"No Christine," she rasped. "It's time to… to go. I w...w…want you to be h…h…happy with Erik. I'm g…g…glad I t…t…took the bullet. Someone n…need…needed that life more than I did." Elizabeth closed her eyes. "I… I," she let her tears slip by as the pain grew more intense. But she was determined to proclaim this to Christine before she passed on. "I…I just only hope that… th…that God will h…h…have mercy on my poor s…s…soul when he judges me..."

"Elizabeth no..." Christine cried. "Forget everything, it does not matter. I forgive you… I forgive you. Just don't leave." She shook Elizabeth's cold body. "Don't let it end this way!"

But Elizabeth had taken her last breath. All that remained was the corpse of a once upon a time, misunderstood and forgotten woman.

"Stop it Elizabeth!" Christine screamed. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Christine broke down and crumpled on top of Elizabeth's body, just pounding it.

Everyone could only stare at the sight, not sure whose it was next in this game of Clue.

Ana sat between her father and Derik, huddle into a tight ball, trying to erase the sight of the dead woman from her mind, just silently crying, begging Derik to wake up from his slumber, along with her daddy who would stop their mad uncle.

Erik was the first to actually move of everyone though; ignoring and not caring about Raoul; he rushed to Christine and tried to pull her from Elizabeth. "Come Christine, she's gone…"

"No!" Christine practically screamed. "I refuse to believe it! She's alive! She can't possibly be dead! That monster over there can't be that vile enough to have committed such… such villainy!" she screamed, kicking against him as he attempted to hoist her from the ground.

"Christine," he used his hypnotic voice, trying to soothe her. "Christine…" and he pulled her tightly against his much bigger body. At first she protested, trying to wriggle and worm her way free as she sobbed, but slowly she gave in and let him hold onto her, as he whispered gently into her ear.

"Don't ask why, don't be sad.

Sometimes we all must,

Alter paths we planned.

Only try, understand,

I try to save you,

From the Lost and Damned…" his voice echoed in her ear, watching as her eyes glazed over as she finally began to succumb to him.

"Although I hold you close…

I feel retention arise,

Just as a hint of fear.

Like subtle clouds,

In summer skies…

Once in the moonlight,

I can't explain,

And I don't know…

Somehow I know we will reunite." his voice slowly dripped with bitter sweetness as his mouth pulled from her ear.

Meg cried, just watching the two, feeling somewhat enamored by them. Was that what she and Samuel would ever be like? Christine and Erik were the perfect couple in every way… despite every demon and horror that went against them; they still somehow made it, even deepening their relationship perhaps more.

Marguerite moved a few spots and pulled Meg into her embrace. Today had been the hardest and stressful day of all. From finding out Erik was alive, to Christine supposedly getting married, to the point now, where Elizabeth had died.

Raoul gazed at the couple in front of him. He felt his blood boil as he noticed Erik take Christine into his arms; especially when she accepted his touch. She belonged with him; they were perfect for each other! So then why did she keep going to the masked freak? He was the epitome of hideous! When he had first come into the room, he felt faint when he had seen the man. His face was so grotesque!

"This is my entire fault…" Christine cried into Erik, needing to spill forth her fears. "God is going to condemn me for everything."

"Oh Christine..." Erik whispered painfully, just stroking her hair. "Do not blame yourself for her death. It was her decision."

"If I had faced my fears back in the Opera House, this never would have happened." Christine spoke miserably, voicing a thought that had taunted her for quite some time. "Everything would have been fine."

Raoul, Marguerite, Meg and even Ana, stared at Christine, waiting for her to continue on.

"Every… everything is my fault." She choked up. "If I hadn't rejected you all those times and led Raoul to believe I love him… this wouldn't have happened." She sobbed. "It's my entire fault… I hate myself and always will for doing this!" she broke down.

Erik squeezed her, not believing it. "No, it's my fault. I should have known I couldn't force your love." He whispered, appalled that he had done that.

Raoul watched in anger as Erik pulled Christine as to him as possible.

"Christine," Erik whispered, his voice resounding like a hymn at the dead of night. "Christine, I love you."

Why did it feel like his world was coming to a crashing halt as Erik said those three words? He watched in horror as Christine beamed and repeating the same words, placing Erik's hand on her left breast.

"Stop it!" Raoul finally cried out. He looked upon the couple with disgust, anger and sorrow? Yes, sorrow. He knew that deep down, he felt sorry for himself. He honestly and truly did love Christine, but she did not return the affections. She instead loved the monster. This piece of knowledge made his insides ignite.

Ana watched as Raoul pulled the Punjab lasso from earlier, up, squeezing it till his knuckles went white. She had a sick twisted feeling she knew what he planned to do.

"Erik!" Ana cried, watching as Raoul drew nearer.

Ana's cries were muffled and went unheard by Erik and Christine, who had, despite the situation, drawn Christine into a deep and untimely kiss, his tongue caressing hers, as it ran along the edges of her sweet and full lips, and then toyed with her tongue.

He gasped though, as he was yanked from Christine's welcoming body, as the noose tightened around his neck, dragging him across the floor in one quick fluid movement.

"Erik!" Ana screamed now, getting up. She ran up behind her uncle and gave him one great big shove, causing him to drop the end of the rope.

With a snarl, he turned on her. "What in Christ's name?" he demanded, anger boiling through him at her impertinence. "How dare you." He cursed, smacking her across the cheek and turning away once more as she fell to the ground.

She held her face, just sobbing.

Derik's eye flickered open at the sound of his younger sister's cries. He saw her lying there, and looked up at Raoul, who stood there looking undefeated. He felt something in him snap, and moving against the pain the scourged his body, he stood up.

"You cruel heathen!" he yelled. "How dare you lay a single hand on my sister!" he moved forwards, determined he was going to be the one who killed the Vicomte tonight. His conscience and soul be damned; no one hurt his sister.

Raoul snickered. "I thought you were dead." He gave a twisted smile. "You need to learn to just lie down when told, boy." And he shoved Derik till he fell over.

"Now then," he turned to Erik and Christine. "Where were we?" he asked. "Ah, that's right. Your final hour." He laughed as he pulled the end of the noose he had dropped, from underneath his foot and made sure to give it one great yank, causing Erik to fall over.

"Why must you do this Raoul?" Christine asked. "This isn't you…"

He glared at her. "And how do you know who is me Christine? What makes you so wise?" he demanded, angry. "You never truly knew me."

She sniffled. "Yes I did. You were the sweet boy who ran into the sea to fetch my red scarf. The only one who accepted me without question. The one who actually cared about my opinions and feelings. What happened to that boy?"

He stared at her, shocked by her choice of words. "He's dead." Was all, he whispered.

She shook her head. "I refuse to believe it!" she cried out. "I know deep down he's still in there… but you need to let him come out!"

He tightened the noose, causing Erik to gasp. "You killed him Christine. You are the murderer here. I know you still love me though."

"No Raoul…" she whispered, feeling true sorrow and anguish for him. Had she done this to him? "I will never love you…"

"Yes you will!" he screamed in outrage. "You promised me that night on the rooftop that you loved me and we would be together… You begged me to protect you from this monster here!" and he yanked the noose ever harder, laughing when Erik clawed at its edges.

"I… I was confused." She choked. "I thought, that my love for Erik was, fear… you were my protection… I am sorry…"

"No!" he screamed.

Derik sat there holding himself; he was in so much pain. But he saw Erik growing paler and paler every second. So with one great surge of energy he pushed himself to a crawl till he was behind Raoul. Bending forwards he bit the back of his leg as hard as he could.

Raoul cried out in pain and immediately dropped the noose, stumbling about, clutching the back of his leg. He screamed obscenities, but it bought Erik enough time.

With one great blow, Raoul kicked Derik as hard as he could.

Erik moved to his feet quickly, making sure he had the Punjab lasso off of his body and clutched tightly in one of his hands so Raoul could not get a hold of it and use it.

"Erik, over here!" Marguerite yelled, when she saw what he was searching for.

He moved quickly, snatching a pistol up from the floor and holding it at Raoul. Raoul stopped and held his hands up as it aimed directly at him. He gave a slight smile, almost daring him to pull it.

He did pull it too. He pulled it again and again, but nothing happened. "Oh for Christ's sakes." He cursed when he realized there were no bullets in it.

Raoul's corrupt smiled deepened. "It helps to have bullets you know."

"Erik…" Derik whispered. "Use the lasso."

Erik thought quickly and threw the Punjab lasso at him. But Raoul was far too quick for him, and raised his hand up, catching it as it caught around his neck. "Always keep your hands at the level of your eyes." He chuckled, looking over at Marguerite, who was as white as a sheet.

"And always make sure you know who you're playing." Christine said darkly as she threw herself on Raoul's back.

Erik wanted to scream at her for risking herself like that. He wanted her to stay put and make sure she was safe, and let him handle it.

Raoul, though caught off guard, flipped her tiny body off of him immediately, causing her head to hit the ground first, and then her body.

"Christine!" Erik screamed at the sick sound of her body making its connection with the ground. He immediately rushed forwards to aid her, falling to his knees by her weak body that was crumple on the ground in a sick position.

"Another tip Monsieur," Raoul spoke sadistically. "Always have a back up pistol." And he pressed it to the side of Erik's head, looking down on him.

Erik felt the only sound in the room was the sound of his thumping heartbeat. Slowly and nervously he looked up till his eyes met Raoul's.

Raoul smiled. "Don't worry, I don't intend to kill you… yet." He leaned forwards till his face was inches apart from Erik's. "There's something I wish to tell you first. A secret you could say…" he looked over at Christine, who was still half conscious despite everything. "Christine's little secret."

He laughed.