I need some constructive criticism; this is my first non-sarcastic fanfiction. Like most of the heartiest Raoul/Christine-bashers you'll soon discover I'm a saturated sap at heart. So if I'm overdoing that aspect or anything else, I need to know.
$Disclaimer$
The money signs are not a coincidence: they mean I'm not going to get sued! Yay! Phantom of the Opera and all affiliated trademarks are not mine. Haha there's a "loophole" aka the Punjab loophole. Uh… not really. If you find one let me know. Then I can let Erik out of my closet and give him roaming privileges; he's tired of me hiding him from ALW.
Christine was suspicious of Raoul. For some time now, she had been trying to discern why Raoul had been, in a frustratingly vague way, reminding her of Erik. She thought, she decided, he was up to something. He stalked her endlessly, when he wasn't on mysterious excursions that started and ended with measuring glances at her. When she inquired about them, his reply was as reassuring as he could make it, but never so reassuring as to compromise their elusive, short nature, like an aphorism. She feared one day she would give him something to be concerned about during one of his penetrating gazes, if it was nothing else but ~her~ concern for ~him~ that distorted her face.
One day she had to ask him about it. Making sure she caught his attention, a task that was becoming ever more esoteric, by waiting until they were together at the breakfast table one morning, she asked, "Raoul, should I be worried about your absences?" He smiled blandly. "What do you mean, Christine? I don't understand."
"Raoul…" She wondered if she dared put herself or him through such a question.
"I'm listening, Christine."
Christine inhaled deeply, feeling her lungs and heart fill with all the dreams of marital felicity she felt were exuded through the very air that Raoul breathed. She wondered if when she next exhaled they would all rush out in that one gulp, leaving her heart collapsed and airlessly withered. "Are you seeing another woman?"
Raoul abruptly gaped at her. "Christine! How can you ask that? I never even look at other women than you!"
Christine went limp with relief. "Raoul, I was so frightened- thank God. I wouldn't have been able to bear it." Her downcast eyes caught the muted flurry of Raoul's reflection in the polished mahagony of the breakfast table as he rushed to her side. Kissing the top of her head, he put his arms around her. Christine leaned back gratefully. "How could you ever think that?" Before she could reply, he told her, "You need never worry about that, you know that. And soon, you won't have to worry about anything at all, once I take care of that Phantom fellow."
Suddenly feeling lively, Christine writhed about to face him. "Raoul! Whatever do you mean!?"
Raoul let the truth come out as it was scared out of hiding by his wife's reaction. "Why, Christine, I've been arranging to put him out of his misery and any misery he might have the strength left to cause in still others. If not you again." His arms tightened.
"Raoul, please don't do anything of the kind! I should not think you'd have forgotten the night he proved he's no harm, especially since you still have the marks on your neck to remind you," she snapped. Realizing the irony and harshness of her words, she added softly, "I mean, of course, you also still have me, which is the point."
"Yes, dear Christine," he murmured, "I know that very well."
She stopped his lips by asking, "So you'll let this go?"
Raoul's mouth tightened against hers, and he stood abruptly. "Christine, don't you want to be safe?"
"I am safe," said Christine. Sighing, she added, "I wonder if he is too."
Raoul started incredulously. "I pity him too, but really, if he ~is~ healthy you know he'll only use his strength against others! What a thing to wish!" Seeing her face, he sighed, saying, "Don't worry, Christine. Let's not discuss it anymore. I'll be in the study if you want me."
Christine nodded numbly. She had some investigating of her own to do.