I woke up at Raoul's estate, in that small room where he had once tried to hold Erik captive. Erik! My heart soared at the possibility he could still love me, that maybe there was room in his heart for something besides evil and sorrow. The euphoria of love quickly faded as I glanced around. The room was dark, but the windows were so well covered there was no way to tell whether it was night or day. The ropes binding my hands together, and the rope around my waist that tied me to the chair were both secure. I was not gagged or blindfolded. Everything was depressingly dark. I heard a key turning in the lock. Without thinking, I quickly closed my eyes. Perhaps it would be better for him to think I was still unconscious. He walked so silently I hardly heard him approach. I almost gave myself away by shying when his fingers caressed my cheek. "Imagine how our lives would've been without Erik, Christine. Imagine what a pretty picture. Both of us at balls, walking around, with you clinging to my arm. We would've made quite a pretty picture. After awhile no one would've cared about your past. Only that you were pretty and well- behaved." He sighed. "If only that idiot wouldn't have hit you quite so hard." He was walking back toward the door when I heard him remark, "Mice. Stay away from Christine." I shrieked and opened my eyes. Only then did I realize it was all a trick. It wasn't the punch that had knocked me out. Raoul must have slipped something in my punch, and knew precisely when the drug was supposed to wear off. I looked over at him. He was smiling maliciously. I shuddered and looked away. "What is it you want from me Raoul?" I asked. "There has only been one thing I've wanted from you all along Christine. Only one little thing. Your love." I turned back to look at him. Papa had always told me the best way to face your fears was head on. "Obviously it is not a little thing if you felt it necessary to keep me prisoner." "No, not prisoner. It was only a precaution. I couldn't risk Erik coming in and trying to rescue you when you were still unconscious." "If you had not learned that knots cannot stop Erik, I must say you have learned nothing at all," I said simply. "Oh the knots wouldn't have stopped him. I'm well aware of that. But certainly this would have." He picked up a large wooden box from the corner and set it down behind the chair I was in. Almost immediately after it touched the ground, I heard a loud tearing and crashing. Without looking, I knew the floor had broken. "What are you, mad?" I cried, as the sound of the crash stopped echoing through the rafters. "No. Only jealous. Now if you would be ever so kind as to sort of make your chair go forward, I will untie you and show you to your room." I carefully moved forward, using my feet and making sure I did not fall backwards onto the floor beneath. True to his word, he began to untie me. Suddenly, there was a huge commotion on the stairs. Alain rushed into the room followed by a housemaid. "Christine!" he cried. "What on earth." "Desruiseau? What in blazes are you doing here." "Sir, allow me to present the Comte de Bergerac!" The maid yelled, trying to be heard. Suddenly, everything was silent. The maid scuttled away and Alain and Raoul were left looking at each other. "So Alain Desruiseau is actually my heroic-minded cousin Sinclair. What a bizarre turn things have taken. I knew you looked familiar." "Raoul, I have no time for such frivolities. I need to know why you forced Miss Daae to come with you." "It's none of your business," Raoul snapped. "If you will not tell me, there is only one course of action. Raoul, I am calling you out." "Pistols or sabers?" Raoul asked, without batting an eye. "Sabers. They are true dueling weapons." While Raoul was fetching the sabers from a large cabinet I had not seen in the corner, Sinclair finished untying me. "Please don't," I whispered frantically. "I could not bear it if you were to die because of me." "Go over and stand there. Don't say or do anything to interfere. It is of great importance. I was swallowing back tears as I nodded, and stood in the designated area. It was a safe distance away from the large hole in the floor, but back in the corner so there was no danger of me getting hurt. I could barely keep silent as they each removed their coats and put on dueling gloves. They began the duel. The clinking and fast paced movement of the swords was almost hypnotizing. They lunged and jabbed at each other, each time without success. Without consciously being aware, I had moved closer to the duel, and found myself next to the gaping hole. I stared down. Below were the remains of the box, along with debris of other varying sorts. My head snapped back to attention as I heard Sinclair cry out in pain. They were not six feet in front of me, and Sinclair was hunched in pain. He was holding his left arm. Raoul lifted the saber to strike again, and I yelled. Sinclair looked up in just enough time to block the attack, and with surprising quickness stabbed Raoul and delivered a swift blow with his hilt to Raoul's side. The blow sent Raoul flying, and to my and Sinclair's horror, flying right into me. I felt myself lose balance, and I knew in that instant both Raoul and I were headed toward the hole. I had accepted I was going to die when I felt a slight sting and something enclose around my wrist. Erik's lasso! My hand quickly reached for the edge of the floor, and I barely grabbed it in time. Raoul had also caught the side. Erik hurried over and pulled me up into his arms. "I thought I had lost you." He started stroking my hair, and I set my head down on his shoulder. "Where did you come from?" I asked. "You didn't think I would have Sinclair come here by himself did you? I was standing outside the door in case he needed assistance. The moment I saw Raoul start sliding towards you, I ran inside and tried to save you. You do not know how scared I was the moment I saw you going over the edge," I had not forgotten about Raoul. I let go of Erik and walked over to where he and Sinclair were staring each other down. There seemed to be a spark missing from Raoul's eyes as Sinclair talked to him. "I shouldn't waste my strength to save you. After all you've done to my poor sister, you deserve to die. But it would be immoral to let family die, even if they are the black sheep." He stretched out his hand, and Erik took mine in his. "No," Raoul said. "The best man has won. Let it remain that way. Erik, Christine, I'm sorry." With that he let go, and fell. I screamed, and rushed out the door. Erik and Sinclair were right behind me, but even before we found the room he fell into, we knew he had died. It had only been about a fifteen foot drop, but he had lost the will to live. I turned away, and Sinclair called a maid to fetch a doctor. It would be only too clear to him how Raoul had met his end. If only it had been an accident. "It cannot be changed," Erik said, as the three of us got into the carriage they had come in. "There was nothing you can do about it. It was his decision." "Of course," I said, taking my hand in his. I gazed out the window. The sun had begun to rise, and it looked as though it was going to be a lovely day. A whole new day, and a whole new chance.

* * * * *

With Sinclair's assistance, Erik and I were married and we quietly relocated to the south of England, living quite near to his sister. She and I became very good friends, and I helped her look after her son until I was blessed with my own children. Erik and I had two girls and three boys, all of which grew to be incredibly talented musicians. Our oldest, a son named Michael, soon grew to be an accomplished concert violinist, while our youngest daughter Sarah became a talented singer. The other three children we encouraged to choose their own calling, though we were pleased that they all enjoyed music as much as anything else. On clear January nights, I often think back to years earlier, a certain night. Erik had asked me a question. "So do you end your days with me, or do you send him to his grave?" I feel I made the right decision.

The End