((AN: Sorry guys it took me so long, but I really had no time to write:( I still have one more story waiting to be updated. Well, it's almost over. Hang on.. ))

Chapter nine

Christine tried to tear herself away from Raoul's grip as he tried to push her in to to the small boat.

''Let me go! Let me go!'' Raoul only laughed as he finally managed to push her in to the boat and get himself in. He pointed the gun at her as he took the black paddle with his free hand.

''Tisk, tisk Christine. Don't you want to join your Angel of Hell in death?''

''You are from hell!'' Raoul laughed, his horrid laughter filling the emptiness of the cave. He pushed the boat away from the shore and started to row.

''You should be greatful my dear that I am ending your suffering so you don't have to spend your days in that asylum.''

''You are a monster...A monster with a graceful face!''

''And your dead 'Angel' is a beauty with a disgusting face?'' Raoul laughed again.

''Truly Christine...You couldn't appreciate when I offered you everything: wealth and a good life. You ran off to that disgusting freak!''

''Call him what you will, but he has a heart unlike you!'' Raoul suddenly hit her across the face. As she looked up at him with wide eyes, her lip bled.

''Be quiet...You are nothing but a mad whore.'' Christine then grinned evily which made the hairs on Raoul's neck stand up. He had never seen such a look on her face.

''Yes...A mad whore, that is what I am...'' she suddenly lunged herself at him trying to get his gun or atleast push him out of the boat. As they struggled, it proved that Raoul was obviously stronger, but Christine was more persistant. Still, Raoul managed to push Christine out of the boat in to the murky water. Christine quickly dived in hearing Raoul fire a shot from his gun. She quickly swam, trying to find a way to the lair. The shots continued, but none of them managed to hit her. She knew that if she could hardly see her way trough the water, it would be the same with Raoul. When the shooting stopped, Christine knew that she had swam far enough. Finally, she reached the shore and brought herself up. She gasped for breath, coughing up some of the water that she had swallowed. She lay down there on the ground, shaking, curled up like a small child.

''Doctor Limaur...?'' she whispered, hoping that the doctor might have done what she had asked of him and found Erik's lair. When she realised no one answered to her silent calls, she started to cry. She knew Raoul would soon find her and kill her and she would always be known as Christine Daae, the mad woman who imagined the Phantom and killed her fiancee.

''Erik...'' she whispered, trying to comfort herself with thoughts of him, her angel. Yes, that was her comfort, that in death she would be joined with her Angel of music. She started to sing softly, still shivering uncontrolably:

'' Angel of music, guide and guardian

Grant to me your glory...

Angel of muisc hide no longer

Secret and strange angel...'' and as she closed her eyes, hearing nothing but silence, a voice spoke up:

''I am here, my Angel of music.'' Christine suddenly opened her eyes and saw erik, standing over her, without the white mask on his face, tears in his eyes.

''Erik..! Erik!'' she shouted, clumsily getting up and throwing her arms around Erik. She started to sob in to his shoulder, making his clothes wet because of hers.

''Erik...! Erik, you're not dead...Prove to me that you are not in my mind! I am not mad...I am not...!'' she whispered, her sobs increasing. Erik cupped her face.

''Shh...'' he whispered, managing to put on a sad smile.

''I am real, my angel, it is me...'' hesitantely, he approached her and brushed his lips against hers. He kissed her then, not sparing any passion he had for her, feeling her respon in equal meassure. They both had no inetion on stopping with their tender and passionate kisses, but a voice behind them brought them back in to reality:

''Christine!'' Christine broke away from the kiss and saw Meg, her eyes filled with tears aswell and beside her, doctor Limaur.

''Meg!'' Christine quickly ran over to her friend and hugged her tightly. She looked then to doctor Limaur and smiled slightly.

''How did you get here, miss Daae?''

''It is a long story, doctor...'' Christine's face then suddenly was covered in fear and Erik noticed this. He walked over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

''What is it?''

''Raoul...He is alive...He brought me here to kill me.'' Erik's eyes were filled with rage in an instant. He quickly walked back to his room and Christine and the others quickly followed him.

''But...The Vicomte is dead!'' Limaur shouted.

''He had arranged everything to look as if he were dead.'' Christine said and stood yb Erik.

''What are you going to do?''

''Make him pay for what he has done to us.''

''Erik...'' Christine went to protest, but Erik showed her to be quiet.

''This time, my angel, he will die and stay dead.'' He took a gun from his closet and the Punjab lasso.

''Take this, cherie.'' He gave Christine the gun, kissed her passionately and quickly hurried to the shore of his lair.