I'm sorry it's been so long. I'm in my last full week of school and all my teachers have been in the "what can I inflict upon these seniors?" or "what can I cram in before the end of the semester?" mindset so let's just say it's been hectic...although that's not much of an excuse since I've been updating the others.
I think I finally have the end figured out.
For this, the last chapter, I'm going to reflect back to the question posed at the begining of my first chapter: I took it and ran with it. It's up to you to see if I made it to the finish line or I strayed off into the lake by accident.
A hundred thank you's to: Christineerikmatchmadeinhell, Saphire Starlet, Dee, Sakura Moon, wendela, AJNemo, MagickAlianne, a.e.migs, twinlady, LostSchizophrenic, Midnight Tango, Clayphan16, and Allison. You guys rock my socks and again, sorry for the uber-late update.
Please enjoy.
"I should have known you'd come here, Christine."
She froze as she recognized Raoul's voice. Christine stepped back hastily as Raoul sauntered a few steps forward and into better light; Erik strained against his shackles with as much force as he could muster. In quiet tones, Raoul broke the silence: "Is there any way I can convince you to change your mind?"
How long had he been standing there? "No, Raoul." Christine walked up to the Vicomte and kissed his cheek lightly. "I'm sorry, Raoul." She took his palm and placed his ring there.
Raoul sighed, grimacing slightly as his hand closed around the ring. "I did it all for you, Christine. I thought if maybe there were no other obstacles… well…" He fought for a better way to explain himself but cut his stammering short. "If this is where your heart truly lays, Christine. With all the conduct of a gentleman, I will respect your decision." He took her hand and kissed it chivalrously. "It will be the hardest thing I'll ever have to do but I want you to be happy. As for you" ―he directed his attention toward Erik― "I expect you to treat her as the jewel she is. Anything less and I will see to you personally."
Erik's eyes widened in shock momentarily before he relaxed against his bonds, "I swear to it."
Both men nodded then Raoul turned and spoke to one of the guards: "Release him."
A large ogre of a man ambled forward and unlocked Erik's manacles. As if still disbelieving his situation, Erik watched the man warily and glanced at Raoul several times as if expecting him to announce it was all a farce and his cruel internal punishment would start all over again as the Vicomte stole Christine and laughed. But it didn't happen.
He numbly nodded to the guard, rubbing his wrists where chains had once held. He started to laugh then, softly at first as reality set in. Chuckling joyously, he opened his arms to accept his fiancée. He held Christine close, almost afraid to let her go. Tears of bliss streamed from his eyes.
"Thank you."
"Just watch over her," he replied stiffly.
"I will. I am a man of my word."
Raoul calmly walked out of the cell, unable to watch the joy he was denied. He was grateful that he had glanced out of the opera house window just in time to see Mme Giry and Christine head toward the prison; he had known then that Christine was lost to him. Something his grandfather had told him once resurfaced in his memory: "If you love someone, let them go: if they don't come back, they were never yours; if they do come back they were always yours."
Then he came to his senses; he would be no better than the man he called monster if he kept with this charade.
If he had any doubts, they were erased when he saw the majority of Erik and Christine's reunion from the jailer's office, just above Erik's cell (so as to watch the more dangerous criminals), while he made arrangements; it had taken longer for Christine and Mme Giry to sneak in than for the Vicomte de Chagny to walk through the front doors.
His heart was wrenched and bruised but he knew she would be properly cared for and happy. That's all that matters. He was a gentleman; no one said chivalry would be easy.
Regardless, Raoul made plans to return home for a short respite; there was still a lot to fully accept.
True to his word, he was walking through hell for Christine.
Epilogue
Happy was the day Christine Daaé and Erik Destler exchanged wedding vows. A lifetime of pain and bitterness erased from Erik's face when Christine looked into his eyes and swore she would stay by his side for as long as they both lived.
Dreams he once tossed aside as impossible for a disfigured creature such as himself now became reality. Erik composed and created. He invented and toyed with several ideas, earning patents. He published his music, winning royalties beyond what he could imagine. He drew and built glamorous and ingenious designs, taking the architectural world by storm.
But nothing could compare to the joy he took in sharing his music and his world with his loving wife. Christine continued to sing and her voice continued to mature; the couple spent countless evenings enjoying the music room of their new house on the Parisian countryside.
He pulled her close to him, relishing in the peace he had once thought unobtainable. Tenderly, he placed his hand on her swelling abdomen and Christine grinned back, brilliant with a maternal glow, before pulling her husband's head down for a kiss.
Blessings take time, he reflected, but these miracles are forever.
The End
(My biggest critique on this part was that I made Raoul too nice; he is a gentleman after all, once he remembers it.) Well, it's been fun everyone!
This fic is nominated in POTO Reader's choice awards in Alternate Reality; if you'd like to (if you feel this piece worthy), cast your vote. The link is on my Bio Page.
There are some awesome fics on there, I'm happy to have been nominated. Though it's always been an aspiration to earn 100 reviews...sorry...end begging... :)
I'll still be around; I've got one more part on "Mending a Broken Soul" (R/C) and "Once Bitten" (E/C) is still going strong.
Again, thank you to everyone who's reviewed and/or read. Hope all's well on your side of the internet.
And please, Love it or hate it,let me know!
