Erik's POV

My body was lying there on the grass…But how? How could that be? I ran to it and knelt down, reaching out to touch my unconscious form.

"Not today…" I cried. "Of all days, please, not today…"

When I felt Christine's hand upon my shoulder, I stood up and grabbed the woman by her hands.

"Christine, no…not today, not on my son's wedding day. I don't want him to remember this day as one filled with sorrow. He deserves better, mon ange…"

"And for the past few years, all you've wanted was me. I gave you me, Erik…We will be together forever now. Don't you see that?"

"And what of the boy? What will he think when he comes out here and finds my body?"

"I have no control over that, Erik…God told me that your heart was growing weaker and that you could go at any time. That's why I came today…I not only came to see our son wed, but I also came for you. You should watch this wedding, for when it is over, we must go..."

The ceremony was beautiful, one that I watched from the back doors. With Christine standing beside me, I didn't feel alone. She was my wife now, one that I would never let go. When their kiss was over, everyone stood up to congratulate the new bride and groom. Though, I could already see Gustave's eyes scanning the room for me.

"Melody," he said, turning to his new wife. "Have you seen my papa?"

"Not since before the ceremony…" she replied.

"I'm going to look for him…"

When the boy disappeared towards the back, I hurried back outside to meet him. Though, I was already too late, for when I turned the corner, Gustave was kneeling beside my body.

"No…" he cried. "No…Not today, not like this…papa…"

I couldn't do it…I couldn't let my child remember his wedding day as the day his papa died. It would destroy him forever…

"Christine, don't do this," I cried. "Don't make me choose between a life with you and a life with Gustave. He deserves better, mon ange…"

"Erik, we have no choice in the day that we die. I told you this before…"

"I can't be dead! I just can't be…He needs me, Christine! He is still a boy! A boy for god's sake…"

I was on my knees now…I took her dress into my hands and sobbed into its fabric.

"Christine, surely there must be something you could do for me…Don't let me die today. I love you, but this can't be…"

"Erik, it is what it is. I know that you love me, but you can't change what has already happened."

"But today? Why not tomorrow? Why not any other day? Please, Christine, don't let God do this to me…Don't let him do this to Gustave."

When Christine didn't say anything, I stood to my feet and attempted to approach Gustave, only, when I began waving my hands in his face, he didn't acknowledge me.

"Christine, allow him to see me…Please…I need him to know that I loved him and that I didn't mean to die on his wedding day. At least give me that."

"That is not in my power, Erik…I am but an angel of God…You are the same now."

"I don't believe in God! I loath the man! I hate him for hating me…He doesn't believe in second chances, but if he did, I would change everything, Christine…"

"What are you saying?"

"It was my fault! Everything was my fault…If I wouldn't have left you that night many years ago, you wouldn't have married Raoul…Gustave would have known me his entire life…Meg wouldn't have shot and killed you! Everything has been a domino effect, Christine…It has been leading up to this exact moment. If you hadn't died, we could have raised Gustave together! He wouldn't have impregnated a girl at such a young age…This is all my fault! Look at our son sobbing over my body…Look at him! It's going to destroy his hopes and dreams…He'll be a drunk by thirty! Don't let him take the blame for this, Christine! Don't let today be the day that I die! I need this second chance! I need to make things right!"

All of a sudden, everything turned white and my ears began to hurt as an unbearable scream occurred. I covered my ears to block out the noise, but it was no use, for I could still hear and feel its agony. When everything became clear again, I was not standing in front of the church, but in front of Meg…She had a small pistol pointed at me in one hand, and in the other, she was holding onto my son…But something was strange about this situation…It was as if this had all happened before. And that was because it had! Gustave was my small little boy once again and he was crying for his mother who was standing behind me. She wasn't dead! She hadn't been shot…It was as if I had been given this second chance to make things right again. Seconds later, Gustave was released and went running into Christine's arms.

"Christine…" Meg cried. "Christine? ALWAYS Christine!"

The gun was now pointed towards Christine and I knew what was going to happen next. Quickly, I grabbed hold of the pistol, only to hear it go off and felt the most unbearable agony one could ever imagine. I fell to the platform, grabbing onto the railing as I lay there gasping for air…Suddenly, everything went white again, only this time, I could hear my heart pounding against my eardrums. When I opened my eyes, I was now lying in a strange bed that I didn't recognize…Where was I? Dead? That was the last thing I remembered being…

The room was dark, so dark that I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. I took a breath, only to hear Christine's voice.

"Erik?"

"Christine?"

Suddenly, a light flickered on, and I gazed at my surroundings… The room was white with a few windows, nothing elaborate, but it was comforting… I guess this is what heaven was like. But if this were heaven, then why did I feel pain? My entire body racked with a dull ache, one that left me feeling helpless.

"Erik, oh, I'm so happy to see you…"

Christine must have been sitting at my side, for she leaned over and pressed her lips against my own.

"Christine, why…why am I in so much pain? Heaven isn't what it's cut out to be is it?"

"Heaven?" she questioned, pressing her hand against my forehead. "Erik, you're burning up…"

"Perhaps I am in my own hell for saying what I did back at the church…"

"Church? Erik, are you feeling all right?"

"Gustave…He got married and he found me lying outside the church."

"Erik, I don't know what you're talking about. You've been unconscious for nearly a week. The doctor wasn't even sure if you would wake."

"What are you talking about?" I crooned. "A week? I died a few moments ago…"

"Erik, Meg shot you on the pier. You took a bullet that was meant for me. You saved my life, mon ange…"

"No, you're dead…she shot you. You became an angel and helped me raise our son…He had a baby and got married."

"Erik, shhhh…..It's all right. I'm so glad that you're awake…"

Christine wrapped her arms around my body and embraced me. The more and more I thought about everything that had taken place, the more I realized that perhaps I had gotten my second chance…But maybe Christine hadn't really died after all…Perhaps I had dreamt everything while I was out. The most important thing now was that Christine was alive, and so was I…But Gustave! What of my son? What about the boy I had spent raising…or at least I thought I had raised.

"Raoul went back to Paris," Christine continued. "I…I hope that we can move on from this and continue what we started after my performance."

"Gustave…" I groaned. "My son…"

Christine smiled and left the room for a moment, returning with the child at her side.

"Gustave, I have someone that I would like you to meet…"

"Christine…no, you promised me."

"He deserves to know, Erik…."

"Deserve to know what?" he curiously questioned.

"Gustave, your father…Your real father is here."

The child slowly shook his head at first, but soon, Christine was humming a small tune.

"Look with your heart," she cooed. "And not with your eyes, the heart understands, the heart never lies…"

I had been wearing my mask, for I could feel it pressed against my cheek, but a few seconds later, the boy was reaching out to touch it.

"Mister Y, you're my papa?"

"I am…"

"Mister Y is going to be in our lives now, pumpkin…And he and I will continue to raise you...We're going to do it together…"

And then, the child gently pulled off my mask. I was afraid of this, for the last time he had seen my face, he had screamed. But he did not scream this time…No, he simply looked me in the eyes and reached out to brush my scars with his fingers. This was my second chance at life…My child wouldn't make the same mistakes I had, for now, Christine would be there beside me for real to guide me along…We would raise this child together and for the remainder of my life, I would dedicate my time to the both of them…I wouldn't work long hours any longer, I wouldn't yell or scream for no reason… Christine was here, and at the end of the day, I would have a living and breathing wife to sleep beside…Though, it makes me wonder if she really was an angel of God…If Meg had really killed her…If I had raised my son alone, only to be sent back to this exact moment to be given a second chance at life. Even if I had only dreamt it, Christine would always be an angel to me…She was my angel of music.


And that is my whirlwind of an ending! Hope you all liked it...Everyone gets a happy ending! Sorry for those of you that hated it...I tried, really I did. I try to please everyone. Thanks again to my reviewers and please keep reading my other stories! My newest one is "Love is not always beautiful." Hope to see you all there!