a/n: well, here's an update, and next chapter I think I'll have a little thing personally thanking all my reviewers (if not the next then the one after that) but for now I shall say "thank you all who have reviewed!" Here's the chapter... and please review!

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I turn back to my angel, and he has replaced the mask on his face.

I quickly stride over to him and embrace him. I find myself crying now, tears streaming down my face, wetting his shoulder.

"My angel, I never knew," I whisper into his shoulder.

He starts to rock a little, side to side, hushing me; "There's no reason to cry."

I can tell that he's only trying to comfort me, I can hear the tears in his own voice. I pull out of the embrace and look him in the eyes. He stares back and I find myself longing for his touch, to feel his lips on mine.

I put one hand around the back of his neck and pull his lips to mine. He automatically responds and kisses me back. This is what I have wanted for so long now, to be with him and to feel him in my arms. His arms wrap around my waist and he pulls me into his lap. I gladly take the offer and as I do so the kiss gets deeper. I can feel his tongue run over my lips and I yearn for him more. I open my lips and I can feel the warmth of his tongue in my mouth.

When the kiss finally breaks I'm surprised by how out of breath I am.

I nuzzle into his neck and whisper; "I love you, Erik."

He buries his face in my hair, "I love you too, Christine."

I rest a hand on his chest and I can feel his heart is racing, as I suspect mine is as well. I know that this should be forbidden. I'm engaged to another man, but I can't help it, my heart points me to my angel, and I can finally see that now.

"Erik?" I rest my head on his shoulder.

"Yes, Christine?" he leans back and looks at me as best he can.

"I love you," I look at him back.

"I know," he puts a hand in my hair.

"No, I mean I really love you. I want it to be you by my side, forever and for always," I lean back.

"Christine—" his voice dies.

"Look, I know that I'm engaged to Raoul, I know that this isn't going to be easy, but I also know where my heart is pointing me, and it's pointing me to you," I look at him and run a hand through his hair.

He turns away and I make him look at me. He finds his voice again, "Christine, you deserve better than me." He looks away again.

"Erik," I get a little annoyed, "Look at me and tell me that you don't love me."

He stays silent.

I force him to look at me, "Look at me and admit that I'm not what you've always wanted."

"Christine, you're all I could ever ask for and more. You're more than a monster like me deserves, and you are the only one who has ever been able to look at me with love. Yes, I love you. But you are a creature of the light, you deserve something more than the darkness, which is all that I can offer you," he stares at me, waiting for me to respond.

"Well, maybe all the darkness needs is a little light to find its way," with that I kiss him, long and hard.

We sit there, me in his lap for a while, and finally he speaks, "How will you tell him?"

"Raoul?" I sigh, "I have no idea."

He laughs slightly and I smile. His laugh was a real one.

"Erik?" I look at him.

"What, my love?" he places a hand on my cheek.

"Lead me into the darkness," he looks at me in confusion.

"But, Christine," he drops his hand.

I pick it up and stand up, "Take me into the darkness, show me what I love, and then maybe we can be together."

"Christine, you're still recovering," I shake my head.

"I don't care," he sits me down.

"But I do," he looks at me sternly.

"Please, Erik?" I give him my best innocent look.

He sighs, "Promise me that you'll tell me first thing you start to get tired?"

"Promise," I smile and kiss him.

He stands up and quickly scoops me off of my feet. I scream, startled by his actions, and then I start to laugh, "Erik?"

"I'm not going to let you tire yourself out on a long walk down to my home," he places a kiss on my forehead.

I smile and he starts to walk, making sure that he is holding me well.

I feel like a kitten, curled up in his arms. I can feel his muscles flexing as he carries me down to his domain. To tell the truth, I like the feeling.

Half way down he shifts me in his arms.

"Do you want me to walk," I look at him worried.

"I'll be alright," he answers, smiling at me, and I can tell that he will be.

I start to feel a little tired, but I don't tell him, I figure it's from the slight sway of his body as he carries me, and the warm mist that surround us. I love this feeling, and I never want it to end, though I know it will. When we arrive at the boat I feel that the feeling has ended all too soon.

He moves to the boat and gently places me in the center of a circle of cushions, and then he lies down next to me, curling his arms around me and pushes us from the side of the lake.

I realize that this is a different boat then last time. This one looks almost the same, but seems to barely need to be steered, only the occasional push from a nearby wall.

I love this feeling. I want to always lie by my angel's side, curled into his body, taking in the warmth.

"Erik?" I turn my head to his.

"Yes, my angel," he answers me, his voice even more angelic then ever before.

"I love you," he smiles.

"And I you, Christine," he brushes some hair out of my face and then wraps his hand tighter around my waist.

We wait only a few more moments and I feel the boat jerk to a stop. I look up and see the wondrous labyrinth that my angel calls home. I feel as if I have finally come home as well.

He slowly sits up and I do so as well. I feel him breath onto my neck, whispering, "Welcome to my home, again."

I laugh and turn to him, "No," he frowns, "our home."

"Christine," he seems almost to be scolding me of the thought.

"Erik, I have never truly been home since my father died. First thing he did I was forced out of my own house, only memories of three people, my mother, my father, and a dear boy who saved my scarf. When I first saw Raoul I instantly knew whom he was, the one person left from my memories. After that I instantly fell in love, but my heart knew that it would never last. Only when you brought me here did I feel complete. And that day, in the graveyard, I finally realized something. When you took me into your arms I knew then that I wanted to leave the past behind me. Maybe it will always haunt me, Raoul is proof of this, but I know that I must find a way to escape my past, escape him, because I love you. I saw it then, and I know it now. Erik, I want to be with you, no matter what else happens!"

I look up at him and see there are tears in his eyes, but a smile on his face.

Then I start to feel dizzy, like I can't place where I am.

I try to move, but feel as if I'm pinned down.

The last thing I hear is Erik's voice calling for me, but it seems so far and distance.

"Christine."

My angel.

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a/n: I know that this chapter had a lot of fluff... but frankly I really like writing fluff. Please review.