"Take her - forget me - forget all of this..." He says in a dead voice, a void of all feeling. For a second, she worries that he's forgotten all that had happened before Raoul arrived, but as she glances at him one last time, before she flees from the raging men, she sees him looking into his mirror, without his mask, for what is the first time in decades. He sees her in the mirror, and she smiles at him.

And for the first time, he smiles back.

And as she's running through the dark labyrinth, she feels the weight of the ring on her finger. She turns around, not caring about Raoul, and runs back to Erik's layer. As she reaches it, she sees him, glaring with mockery at his mask. She knows what he's thinking. She reaches him, and takes off her ring. Handing it to him, she stares deep into his eyes with such emotion that they're both moved to tears. "Christine, I love you," he whispers. They move towards each other, without touching, as though if they touch, this dream-like world will shatter into a thousand pieces. After a tense moment, they move as one and embrace with a passion that astonishes them both. Then, slowly pulling apart, they both realize the mob is almost there. She runs back to catch up to Raoul, and as she steps onto the boat, she turns back...

"Say you'll share with me, one love, one lifetime... say the word and I will follow you..."

As Raoul misinterprets and responds, she strains to hear his response. When she only hears silence and the sounds of the oncoming men, she fears the worst. But as she turns away to finally leave her new home, she hears,

"You alone can make my song take flight - It's over now the music of the night."