Welcome to my phanfic! I hope you enjoy yourself while you are here. Comments are much appreciated, but if you prefer not to, I'm just glad you are here.

This is just for fun while I construct and plan my roughly 50 chapter fic for The Phantom of the Opera. It will be much more elaborate and in detail than this one. I just wanted to write something so here this is. I will add any/all of my author notes at the bottom of the chapters from now on so they won't get in the way of your fun. Thanks for stopping by!

Also, I don't own The Phantom of the Opera or any of it's characters and a disclaimer that I have this posted to other platforms.

Much love, MadameDestler

Chapter One-Savior

The rain was loud on the rooftop of the manor, causing Christine to toss and turn while attempting to sleep. Her blanket was too heavy on her so she kicked it off to the side, not caring that it slipped down to the floor in a crumpled heap. The noise from the rain was getting to be too much for her so she quickly sat up and swung her feet over the side of her bed, her bed that was much too large and hard with her blanket that was too heavy. Her stupid bed that frustrated her so much lately. She sighed and stood, slipping her feet into her white slippers and lit the candle on her nightstand.

The candle illuminated a small span of area surrounding it, giving just enough light to move around without bumping into anything in the unfamiliar layout of the room. She didn't like her room. It was too large for one person, had way too many gold and silver lined walls and furniture. Everything in the room was unusable, the chairs stiff, the bed stiff. Nothing brought her joy. She missed her room at the opera house. It was just large enough for one person and had everything she needed. No luxuries, no chairs and tables she never even thought of using. Her desire to be back in her old room had been growing for some time now.

It had been two long, unbearable weeks since she left the opera house with Raoul. It hurt her to even think about his name. Oh, how much she wished things were different, how much she wished he actually loved her the way she loved him. Though, she wasn't even sure she loved him anymore.

Once she thought she was safe in his manor, Raoul decided it best to teach her a lesson in obedience and loyalty. He wasn't kind about it either. She could still feel his whip lashing against her back, leaving scars on her delicate flesh. He said it was because he loved her and needed to be sure she was worthy of being his wife. Christine's eyes welled up with tears at the thoughts. She wiped them from her face with the sleeve of her sleeping gown and opened the door to the room which she had finally reached with the help of the candle in her hand. She decided tonight was the perfect night to enact her plan.

She had been planning an attempt to escape, but she needed to be quick. Raoul slept heavily, his room directly across from her own. Using the candlelight, she guided her way through the hallways of the upstairs which was decorated with the same gaudy gold and silver decorations as her room.

Christine had her mind set on making it to Raoul's study, where she would write a quick letter to Madame Giry. Meg had visited the first day of her arrival at Raoul's manor and had told her where she and Madame Giry were relocated to after the opera house became a ruin. Christine would write a letter begging for help. Hopefully that would be enough.

She had finally made it to the study, slunk inside and moved quickly to Raoul's desk. There she found pen and parchment and hurriedly wrote:

Madame Giry,

If this letter is to find you, I ask that you keep my correspondence a secret between yourself, Meg, and my Angel, of whom I know you are well acquainted. I am asking for you to tell him that I am in grave danger with Raoul. I have been tricked, and hurt and I do not know who else to turn to. I know I hurt him dearly, but he is my only hope. Police will do nothing, I have only him. I am putting myself at danger writing this and if it does not reach you, I fear I am as good as dead. Please, Madame, I will owe you a debt.

Yours,

Christine

She glanced over the note, lingering on "my Angel". Her heart swelled and she thought of the kiss she and her angel shared that night. So brief, but so telling. Her lips burned, imagining how gentle he was with her, how he caressed her cheek after they broke from the kiss. How he–Oh, so foolish she was to go with Raoul, who she had only known during her childhood. How was she to know what type of man he had grown to be?

Christine shoved the note into her pocket after sealing it and addressing it, and moved everything back to their original positions. She picked up the candle which was nearly burned out and made her way swiftly to the door, which once in the hall, she moved to be only as ajar as she had found it. The padding on her slipper allowed for quiet tiptoeing back to her room, where she finally felt she was able to relax. She blew out the candle and laid back in bed, though she was not tired. Too much adrenaline was coursing through her. She would need to take a nap in the afternoon.

Christine smiled into the dark once she was fully relaxed. No one had caught her. No one stirred. She was safe for now.

xXx

The next morning, tea was being served in the front garden. It was just her at the table, as Raoul had wandered upstairs to entertain a business associate who had made a surprise visit. Christine had her note tucked now next to her breast in her dress. She had grown nervous waiting for the clumsy post delivery man, the one who always seemed to drop a few letters and would have to slowly bend down to grab them. This time she would help and slip her letter into his bag. She had been planning this for a handful of days and was hoping he would be as clumsy today as he is every other day. She slowly sipped her tea, giving him enough time to make his appearance.

After what felt like hours, she spotted a man walking up the driveway carrying a satchel full of letters and packages. Her time had come.

She looked around, making sure Raoul wasn't headed her way and poured herself a fourth cup of tea and added her preferred amount of cream and sugar. Something she wasn't allowed to do when Raoul was sitting with her. He didn't like her having too many sweets.

The postman neared the house and as he was about to get to the front door, he reached into his satchel, pulling out too many letters and dropping several on the ground. Christine darted up and grabbed the letters, quickly adding her letter to Madame Giry to the stack, and reached up to hand them to the postman.

"Oh my, thank you, Madame," the postman said, "I tend to be awfully clumsy. Guess I ought to hang up the hat soon."

Christine smiled widely, and said in a pleasant tone, "Dear me, don't say such things, you have many years left until then," then she had a thought and anxiously asked, "have you delivered to the west side of town yet, monsieur?"

The postman shook his head, "No, madam, I am heading that way soon though. Do you have something you would like me to deliver?"

Christine shook her head, "Heavens no, just asking out of curiosity." She handed him the stack of letters and took the ones he was delivering to them and bid him a good day. She sighed, happy that her plan was at least in motion. She had done her part.

She sat back down and drank the rest of her tea, unaware of Raoul watching her from the second story in his study.

xXx

Raoul was glaring at Christine during their dinner, only relaxing his stare when being served by the maids. One of the maids set Christine's dinner in front of her and quickly walked out of the room to retrieve Raoul's meal. Soup again, but for Raoul, a full dinner of chicken, bread, and potatoes. She had been made to eat soup for just about every meal, apart from breakfast where she was allowed toast and eggs. They sat in silence, Christine sipping her soup and Raoul greedily shoveling chicken into his mouth, all the while he did not take his eyes off Christine.

Christine was heavily aware of the tension in the room and began, "Have you had a lovely day today, monsieur?" She lifted the spoon to her mouth, sipping slowly. Her hand was visibly shaking and she quickly lowered it to the table, setting the spoon down and resting her hands in her lap.

Raoul's eyes narrowed further, and his mouth turned up in a smirk, "Why yes, I hope you became rather acquainted with the postman this morning," he stated, taking a bite of his bread and chewing with his mouth open, something Christine found very distasteful, "I saw what you did."

Christine bowed her head, trying to hide the redness in her face. Raoul had seen her. "Well, he had stumbled and some letters fell from his satchel so I helped him. Surely a simple act of kindness is okay." Her voice was trembling, and she choked back a sob. She silently prayed that he wouldn't take her to his bedroom for the night, and prayed that he would just let her off with a warning.

"Liar!" Raoul yelled, pounding his fists on the table and standing. "Tell me, who did you write to? Was it your precious little opera ghost? The one who you kissed that night right in front of me, the one you would run away with in the middle of the night and do god knows what with?"

Christine jumped at the sudden noise of his fists hitting the table and began, keeping her head faced down in her lap, "No, I would never, I just wanted to write Meg. I miss her dearly. I'm sorry, monsieur. I should have asked, I will never do it again, I promise y–"

Raoul suddenly started booming with laughter, "Oh Christine, how could you ever betray me? You proved your loyalty so well the first night I had you here. Oh! And that night I caught you sneaking pastries from the pantry. Surely you remember, right?" he stalked to Christine's side of the table where she sat tense, not looking up. Tears were falling out of her eyes and plopping onto her hands that sat folded on her lap. "Of course, you remember, right?" He reached her and slowly ran his hand up her neck, causing her to shiver and slightly recoil. He spun his hand into her hair, "Right?" he whispered into her ear. The word seemed to linger and sent Christine into an internal panic.

Christine began shaking violently, feeling a hard knot forming in the pit of her stomach, "Yes, monsieur. I will never forget, you have impacted me greatly. I am loyal to you and only you," she said through half choked sobs.

Raoul's smile widened, "You are quite a prize, Christine. You obey me so well," he loosened his grip on her hair, which had been slowly tightening. Christine began to relax just slightly, then Raoul chuckled and said, "though, you must be punished for your disobedience." He seized her hair then, craning her neck to the side, and lifting her from the chair. She cried out in pain, trying in vain to unwind her hair from his hand.

"Raoul, please you are hurting me, please don't do this again," Christine begged and she continued begging as he dragged her up the stairs in the main hall and to his room. He threw her onto the rug in the center of the room, her skin scraping against it, burning her.

"Take off your dress," he bellowed, "or I'll cut it off you."

Christine complied, keeping her eyes on Raoul. He had fetched his whip and was eyeing her with such hate filled eyes. Once Christine was nude other than her lower undergarments, Raoul once again demanded, "Like before Christine, kneel for me."

"Yes, monsieur," she said, tears quickly rolling down her cheeks and falling onto the floor. She sent out silent prayers to her father, to her mother, and to Madame Giry. Mostly to her angel, who she wished would come save her.

"Stop crying, I'm not a monster, you make me out to be one but I am not," Raoul began pacing, and then he paused, looked at Christine kneeling and drew back his whip and cracked it against her, digging deep into her back.

Christine cried out, the searing pain was too much to bear. She was still not fully healed from the first night. Nor, the second.

"You are the whore who let that monster have his way with you, I will cleanse you before we ever marry, before you bear me children. How am I supposed to make love to a wife who is not pure? I will not have a whore in my house," Raoul cried.

Another lash hit her, and then another, and another and each time she let out a choked scream. She collapsed to the rug, finding her voice, "We never did anything. Please, I promised," she murmured. She couldn't take anymore humiliation, she needed to put a stop to it, "Please, Raoul, please, I love you," she lied.

Raoul pulled back his hand and stopped himself from making another connection with the whip, "What was that, Christine?" He came closer to her, setting his whip on the floor and crouched down next to her sobbing form. She looked up at him with masked hatred in her eyes and said, "I love you, why can't you see that?"

"Oh Christine," Raoul laughed, "I love you, my darling," he bent in to kiss her and as his lips connected with hers, she reached down and grasped the whip tightly, yanking it away from him. Raoul was taken aback, Christine ran to the other side of the room with the whip firmly in her hands.

Raoul slowly backed away, "Christine, be careful. We just came to an agreement."

Christine was filled with rage, her eyes red from crying and now hate filled anger. "We do not have an agreement and never will, let me leave and I won't hurt you." Raoul made no movement for a few seconds, prompting Christine to scream, "Now, let me leave! Fetch me a horse, and let me dress, and I will be gone. You will never see me again."

Raoul, not phased by any of what Christine had said, slowly started advancing on her, "Please Christine, please, I only want what's best for us. Little Lotte, in the house by the sea, remember? We could go back there. You and I, together."

Christine drew back the whip at his advance and cracked it towards his direction, narrowly missing him. Raoul took this moment to run at Christine, knocking her down, but Christine was prepared. She took the whip in both hands and managed to punch Raoul off of her and onto his stomach. She quickly climbed onto his back and with all of her built up fury, wrapped the whip around Raoul's neck. She kept her full weight on him. He was unable to buck her off of him. He was powerless without his whip. Weak.

She tightened the whip harder around Raoul's neck, and sobbed as he fought effortlessly against her. His choking gasps soon turned to silence as Christine held the whip tighter and tighter. She didn't let go for several minutes, not even when she became tired. She had to be sure. No more would he hurt her.

Christine slowly loosened the whip and dropped the ends she was holding on the floor. The reality of what she had done hit her and she lost her dinner on Raoul's body. She slowly stood from his back and backed away to the bed sitting on the edge and pulling her knees to her chest, quietly staring at the lifeless body of the man she once thought she loved. The man who abused her. She began rocking back and forth and violently sobbing, screaming into her knees. She continued for a while, knowing no one was going to interrupt as the house help were all used to her screams and told to ignore them.

Her mind raced with thoughts, she was a monster, a murderer. How could she ever live a normal life? She was going to be locked away and never see the light of day again. She was no better than someone who killed for sport. What was she supposed to do? She had nowhere to go. Nowhere to run to. She was alone.

Just then, Christine felt a shift in the air and a hand slowly stroked the top of her head. She let out an earth shattering scream. One that would shatter a thousand glasses and reeled back on the bed, shoving her face back into her knees once at the pillows. Her lacerations scraped against the rough covers, causing her to wince. She spewed apologies and promises, "Please, Raoul, please. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, I won't do it again. I didn't mean to, please." She continued to shake violently and sobbed uncontrollably. "Don't hurt me again, I can't bear it any longer. Please."

"Christine…" a familiar voice spoke, cracking as it said her name. Christine stopped rocking back and forth, though still shaking, and raised her head slowly. Through her bleary eyes she saw a dark figure, much larger than if it had been Raoul.

Christine righted herself, and slowly stood from the bed, being careful as not to scrape her lacerations any further, and took a pillow to cover her naked upper body, "Angel?" She questioned the figure.

The figure took a step towards her and Christine doubled back towards the wall, causing her back to push up against the surface and the pain was too much. She collapsed to the floor, dropping the pillow and screamed in pain. Arms were around her then, carefully holding her so as to not touch her back, "Do not worry, I am here to help, my Christine." It was her angel, he had come to save her. She breathed in his scent, it was musty with a hint of peppermint. She very much enjoyed it. Just then, a wave of nausea hit her and once again she vomited. Only this time all over her angel.

"I apologize, oh my, I just soiled your coat," Christine said, through tears, letting out a small giggle.

The angel shook his head, his mask glinting in the moonlight from outside, "I have plenty more coats, let's get you cleaned up." Christine could have sworn she saw tears in his eyes.

"A-angel, I killed him, I killed Raoul," Christine said, looking at her angel's face. Fear was bright in her eyes.

He looked towards Raoul's body, "Good riddance, if you didn't do it, I was going to."

He set her down on the stool in the bathroom and lit the sparse candles by the sink, giving him just enough light to work on her wounds. As he worked, Christine watched her angel's face in the mirror. He was angry. Very angry and muttering under his breath. "Angel, I'm so sorry for leaving you. I shouldn't have. It was foolish of me."

He stopped and looked at her face, a slight bit hope in his eyes, "Christine, we will talk later, please just focus. No distractions, we have much to do and so little time." He went back to her wounds and worked faster.

"Why did you come for me? I hurt you so badly, I do not deserve your help," Christine said through sobs.

The angel paused again, as if pondering his words, then continued, "You asked for me, did you not?"

Christine let out a breathy chuckle, "Oh, right, the letter. I had hoped it would get to Madame Giry by the end of today but I didn't expect you to get here so soon." He just grunted and kept working. "I don't feel well, I feel faint," Christine stated.

She did look very weak, and her skin was paler than usual. She looked down at her lap as he worked behind her and sang softly under her breath, trying to soothe herself. Her angel was done in just a few minutes, Christine's back was bandaged with the supplies he found in the bathroom. He stood her up in front of him. "Christine, I'm going to carry you now, I need you to show me where your room is so that I can get you dressed and packed. I am taking you away tonight. I will tend to your wounds in my home, they should not take long to heal with proper care. You are lucky that there is no infection."

"It is the room directly across from this one, he always kept me close so that I couldn't run away," Christine said, tears finally drying on her cheeks. "Angel, thank you for saving me."

He grunted once again and picked her up in his arms, being careful not to brush against any of her bandages, "Okay, let us get you to your room. I'll only leave you there for a moment while I dispose of the body, we must not let it be found."

Christine nodded, taking one last painful glance at Raoul's lifeless body on the floor.