Sorry ya'll...I was out of town on business!
(Ducks murderous glares and daggers...)
I'm back though...THIS IS NOT THE END!
I'm hoping this chapter makes the wait worth it. It was a little sad for me to write, actually.
Enjoy!
-Nico
"No!" Christine shrieked in unison with the loud blast from Madame Giry's pistol.
For a moment, no one moved.
Raoul's hands had instantly gone to his chest.
Bright crimson blood spilled over his hands. He looked up at Madame Giry his eyes dark and angry.
"You've killed your own daughter," Raoul rasped, falling to his knees. "You've killed their daughter as well."
Madame Giry merely watched as the man lay dying before her.
Christine ran from Erik and knelt beside Raoul, who was now flat on his back, his breath coming in heavy panting gasps.
"Raoul," Christine said frantically. "Tell me where Madeline is," she demanded.
Raoul lifted his eyes to her, feebly grasping her chin with his bloodied hands. "I imagine, as soon as word of my death spreads, that you will find her in heaven."
"You evil man!" Christine screamed. She rose quickly, pulling Erik's sword from his limp hand.
So much death, so much destruction.
It would haunt Erik forever.
Christine ran with her husband's sword in hand, placing the tip roughly at Raoul's throat. "Tell me where she is!" Christine cried.
Raoul responded with a gurgling laugh. "I am dead anyway," he told her, his voice low and gravelly. "Why should I tell you?"
Christine closed her eyes briefly, tears falling onto Raoul's face.
Madame Giry suddenly appeared at Christine's side, pulling the sword from her hands. "It is unfortunate, Monsieur, that even as your breath leaves your body…even as you prepare to leave this earth…you are unable to become the decent man you once were."
"Unfortunate for whom, Madame?" Raoul countered. "For myself or your daughters?"
"Shut up!" Shrieked Christine. "You vile creature! Tell me where Madeline is!"
Erik came to her side, placing a strong hand on her elbow. "You would do best to answer," Erik said, his melodic voice tight in his chest. "If you choose to remain silent, I will spend the rest of my life seeing to it that everything you have is destroyed…every family member that bears the De Changy name will fall to ruin…"
"You have already destroyed me!" Raoul yelled with surprising force.
Christine winced at the declaration, but forced her mind to eradicate any pangs of guilt.
"Erik, Christine," Madame Giry said softly. "Torment Raoul no more; this is finished."
Christine rounded on the woman she loved so dearly. "Finished?" She cried. "Finished! You have killed Madeline!"
Madame Giry blinked. "Heaven forbid!" She said. "You underestimate me, my child. You underestimate the power of true love…and the victory of the always silent Madame of the dance."
Erik and Christine regarded her carefully.
The door to the roof suddenly flung open.
"Mother!" Meg Giry bounded towards her mother. "I know you said to remain hidden…but I heard a gun shot…I couldn't…"
She stopped before she got to Madame Giry, her eyes growing wide at the sight of a completely stunned…and dying…Raoul on the rooftop.
"Meg!" Christine exclaimed. "Where is Madeline?"
"She is in mother's room…what has happened?" Meg stammered.
Christine collapsed into Erik's arms.
Madeline was safe.
Erik soothed her as Madame Giry pulled her only child into her embrace.
"How…how is it possible…how…" Raoul was repeating.
Christine broke from Erik's embrace and walked over to where he lay. "I want you to know that I will not think of you after this moment," she said quietly. "But I do not have any doubts that your thoughts will be filled with myself, my husband, and my beautiful daughter for the rest of your life."
"Which appears to be quite short," Erik added, unable to resist the morbid comment.
"You don't deserve such happiness," Raoul whispered up at Christine.
She looked down at him. "And you will forever be deprived of its equal," she said coldly.
Raoul closed his eyes.
He would never open them again.
