Disclaimer: Check the first chapter, please.
Christine:
I ate the meal Raoul had given me slowly, my anxiousness growing with every bite. Dressing reluctantly while staring at the mirror indifferently, all I could think about was if he knew, if he could figure out that I loved someone else more. I felt horrible. . . He couldn't know! Raoul trusted me, and I had broken that trust by lying to him. . . The same thing was happening to me all over again, but the roles had been switched. Poor Raoul, I thought. Poor Erik. . .
Finally I left the room and found Raoul in the parlor, the back of his chair to me. Standing in the doorway uneasily, I watched the back of his head and said, "Hello, my dear."
He sat for a moment longer and rose stiffly, as if he were being weighed down by the world on his shoulders. His face was drawn, and his usually bright blue eyes were grim. It seemed as if he had gained ten years while I was dawdling in my room. Tentatively, he approached me and held my hand.
"Christine," he said softly, stroking my hair, "you're not happy with me, are you? No - don't answer me with a lie. I know already you're not content here."
"How could you possibly think that?" I replied, trying to hide my true feelings with my all too real astonishment. "If I weren't happy, I'd -"
"Don't lie to me, Christine!" Raoul looked at me, the desparation etched into every inch of his face; suddenly his eyes were sad, almost mournful. . . "Please, my love, tell me the truth. I know you can't stay here and live the perfect, happy life. . . Not the life we had planned so innocently in days before. I can't stand seeing you so sad. I know you don't love me. . ."
"Raoul, I do love you with all my -"
"No. . . no you don't. Not as much as - as you love Erik."
My eyes widened in horrified surprise. So he did know. "Raoul. . ."
"It's obvious, my dearest. It's written all over you that your heart belongs to him. I understand, Christine, I understand. . ." He bowed his head, and I saw his shoulders begin to tremble slightly. "You know I love you, Christine. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, as long as it made you happy. I love you. It hurts me to see you so miserable. I just can't stand by and pretend this isn't happening. . . That's why I'm. . . I'm letting you go. . ."
"Letting me go?" I repeated, dazedly. He smiled slightly, placing a kiss on my forehead.
"You've been staying with me because you felt you had to. You're not bound her, love. You're not a prisoner. The one thing I want is for you to be happy. I will have the servants pack some of your things. . . No, don't protest. I know you love him, no matter how much you try to deny it. If you'll be happier with him, then so be it."
"Oh, Raoul. . ."
"But please stay with me one more month and you can leave. Just one month - that's all I ask. One month and you'll be back in the Opera House."
I nodded, not bothering to wipe away my tears. The roles really had be switched, I mused. He gathered me into his arms, and I could feel his shoulders rising and falling as he silenced his own crying. "Thank you, Raoul. . ."
"Don't thank me," he said huskily, the sadness in his voice breaking my heart. "I love you too much to make you suffer. . ."
True to his word, Raoul got everything read for me, and still he asked nothing in return other than staying with him for that month. I was happier than I had been in ages, I'm afraid to say, and that seemed enough for Raoul.
But I wondered if Erik would take me back so easily, even after all of this. Jealously, I thought that perhaps he had found someone better than me, someone who could love him without a second thought. I wondered if she would have been prettier than me, if she could sing as well as I could. I suppose I was comforted by the fact that Erik was such a recluse and so unused to human contact. I even found solace in that he hated being seen by most everyone, even when he had his hat pulled low over the mask. But still, I began musing over how everything would work out. . . What if my feelings suddenly changed when I finally returned? What if I had simply missed his friendship and not his love? Did he still even love me? What would I do if he no longer wanted me?. . .
"Monsieur Andre has agreed to audition you as their lead soprano's understudy."
"Thank you, Raoul. You're so kind to me. . ."
"As long as it makes you glad. Please promise me that you will try to visit. I'll try to reserve a box again so I can see you after every show."
I hugged him tightly, then, and said, "I can never thank you enough for this. I'll try to come see you. . . but how do I know he'll even take me back?"
His eyes softened and he frowned sadly. I could see sorrow swimming in the deep blue pools of his eyes and felt a lump in my throat. "He would really have to be insane not to. I only fear that he won't let you go. . . If anything happens, I want you to come back, all right? Anything. I don't want you to get hurt, Christine."
"Yes, Raoul, I promise to try and visit. I hope you can forgive me for leaving. . ."
He caressed my cheek and his lips touched my forehead. "Think nothing of it, my love. Forgive me for keeping you here for so long. . ."
(A/N: Who else is as surprised as even I am that Raoul did this? ~_^ Reviews much appreciated.)