Down here there was no night and day; down here all time was infinite. Christine had no way of telling how long she had been asleep when she eventually awoke; her eyes red and swollen from the tears she had cried. As she shifted slightly, her body numb from lying so long she noticed for the first time the weight against her side.

On turning around Christine saw her angel, curled upon his side, his back towards her. A sudden wave of disappointment hit her as she realised that he hadn't been holding her like she so longed that he do. He had turned away from her; out of respect or of fear she could not make out. He looked so at peace as he slept. Propping herself up onto her side, Christine watched him; watched over him as he slept on. She closed her eyes and thought to herself, "I could lie like this forever. I could be like this forever…with him."

As if she had spoken aloud, the Phantom awoke, and he started at the sight of her. As he had slept so deeply he had forgotten that she was here, lying next to him and it startled him to see her; her face bent towards him, her curls tumbling about her face.

Neither spoke…for what was there to say? It seemed that they had no need for words when each was so consumed in silent thought. It pained him to see her, so beautiful in the watery light, and to know that they could not be like this forever. That she would not choose him. She had been frightened of a loss that she couldn't bare; he had been so long a part of her. And it was that which had made her come to him, and that which kept her here. She didn't love him; the words reverberating through his body and piercing his heart. She couldn't love him.

Angry at the indulgent fantasy he had partaken in he sat up, the pain in his side noticeably diminished. It was he who broke the eerie silence, staggering to his feet and sweeping back his hair.

"I think you should go Christine. It's not good that you are here." He glanced at her; her eyes weary and confused. She pushed the black lace curtain aside and approached him; her face drawn with sorrow.

"I can't leave you now. Not now…" She reached out to take his hand but her fell back out of her reach. She smiled wistfully before continuing, "Don't make me go."

He sighed, still light headed from the loss of so much blood, and his voice became bitter as he asked, "You seem to have forgotten about Raoul…your fiancé?"

As always her angel spoke the truth, she had forgotten about Raoul and the terrible thing that he had done. How long had she lain with the Phantom? Where was Raoul now? As so often happened, Christine's mind became confused, and she shook her head to rid herself of it. As if sensing her trouble he took her hand and petted it gently, his slightest touch making her whole body hum.

"Twisted every way what answer can I give?" she sung; her throat aching and stiff with the tune. "Am I to risk my soul to win the chance to live?"

"Enough!" the Phantom bellowed, his voice echoing off of the walls. This would not continue he told himself…he could not endure this torture. He saw the love and fear in her gaze and it him wretched. She had saved him and he was thankful but he would not become a poppet for his love for her. He refused to let himself be governed by his heart, when his soul was eternally bound.

"You must leave now and never return! No more games Christine, for I have tired of them. I cannot be so torn in two, and neither, I think, can you. You will go to Raoul and forgive him…god knows he was provoked. You will return to him and be his bride. You were right; you can no longer live in my shadow. You are not like me Christine, a creature of the dark. You need the sunlight and that is something I can never give. I will no longer torment you and I refuse to torment myself. It's over now. It's done."

Christine had started to shake, a little more each moment as his speech progressed. She saw the sense in his words and convinced herself that he was right. As she gathered her things to her, afraid to look back at the man she was leaving, she told herself that it was for the best. As she walked down the grand staircase and out into the blinding light of day she told herself that she was to forgive Raoul; she was to forgive him and marry him and make him as happy as he deserved to be. But something behind the reason was screaming; was beating and thrashing to be heard in the back of her mind. As her feet took her further away from the Phantom and ever closer to the life that lay before her, the voice grew louder until it was ringing in her ears. But this time reason would win. This time her mind would triumph over her heart.

All night Raoul had waited for his Christine to return. As he sat now, watching his servants bustle around him, making sure that they didn't see the blood stained clothes that were piled on his bed; his mind was full of the pictures of the night before. He had seen in her eyes an unimaginable pain and that nothing he could have said would have prevented her from going to him…to that beast.

But even now, as Raoul's hatred for that man him ran so deep, he found his heart full of despair. If he was alive still, as he prayed that he was, he had surely driven her into his arms for good. For how could she now choose between two men whose flaws were so similar? If he was alive still, then the Phantom would have won.

Raoul held his breathe as Christine entered, dismissing the servants swiftly as he rose to his feet. He saw that she had been crying, he presumed that she hadn't got much sleep; he saw the way her gown too was stained with blood and, dizzy with anticipation, he approached her.

Christine said nothing at first, holding Raoul tightly to her as he shivered with the fear of loosing her. I have to be strong for him she told herself, caressing his hair gently to soothe him. Eventually he was calm enough to splutter, "Oh Christine, I don't know what I've done. You can't understand what this has been like for me. I've watched him take possession of my Little Lottie and I couldn't loose you. I never meant to do anything…I just meant to confront him. But when I saw him…when I saw him at that organ…He turned around and smiled, and I knew then that he was mocking me. He was laughing at me because he had won…and he always would as long as he was there, behind everything."

Slowly she drew away, watching Raoul as his face contorted with the guilt at what he had done. He looked so tired; exhausted by all that he had seen and struggled to fight against. For the first time Christine saw just how much he had aged over the past months; no longer were there any familiar traces of the boy that she had known. She went to speak but he interrupted her, holding her firm, forcing her to listen.

"Oh Lottie you must believe when I say that no matter how much I despised him; no matter how much I wanted him dead I would have never killed him…I'm not a murderer." It was now that Raoul broke down, the tears streaming down his cheeks as he fell, sobbing, to the floor.

"If you leave me I shall understand…I can't make you stay." He looked up at her, and cried, "Oh Lottie, you must love me…I can't bear to be without you after all that has happened. Forgive me Lottie…please forgive me!"

Christine swallowed hard before stooping to pull Raoul to his feet. How could she do what she had to? How could she ignore the protests within? Forever he would be with her; forever he would haunt her dreams. She would see his face in every mirror she looked in, in every dancing flame. In every floating tune she would hear his voice calling her to come back to him. But he had to be dead to her now…and her love must die with him.

Gently, she cupped Raoul's face, kissing his damp mouth softly before whispering, "He's dead Raoul. He's dead." She kissed him again, only longer, suppressing the urge to choke on the lie she had just told. He couldn't be alive to them; they would never forget if he was. For their love to survive she would have to condemn her angel to hell.

"He's dead Raoul…its over. I want to marry you. Say you'll marry me Raoul? Say you'll make me your wife?"