Chapter 2: A Fight Gone Wrong

By: KaitlynRose

Author's Note: These are Raoul's feelings as he sees his plan to catch the Phantom go from bad to worse.

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Don't sue please.

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"Past the point of no return,
The final question,
How long should we two wait
Before we're one…

When will the blood begin to race?
The sleeping bud burst in to bloom?
When will this raging fire consume us?"

Raoul felt the bile rising in his throat. He couldn't believe how the Phantom had managed to manipulate him and Christine in having her sing these words of lust and love to this monster.

"Say you'll stay with me for one love, one life time…"

Raoul felt tears come to his eyes when he heard the Phantom quote the words Raoul had sang to Christine the night he professed his love to her. This monster was tarnishing the memory of the glorious night. Even worse, he had his hands on Christine, caressing, holding, touching. For a moment Raoul actually thought he was going to wretch.

"Anywhere you go let me go too. Christine, that's all I ask of…"

Raoul gasped along with the rest of the audience the minute Christine ripped the mask from the Phantom's face. He only paused for a moment, though. He ran from the box and started down the hall. He had to get to Christine. Screaming and shrieks of terror had him turning around and going back to the box to see what was happening. He arrived in time to see Christine and the Phantom fall from the bridge into the depths of hell.

"No!" he cried. Then he saw the chandelier ripping through the ceiling, and heard the plaster and the glass cracking and breaking. "Oh God!" He flinched when the giant object finally crashed onto the poor victims below. The next instant flames erupted everywhere.

Raoul grabbed the curtain tassels next to his box and began to climb down. With all the patrons racing through the halls the best way to get to Christine was to race through the fire itself and get to the back stage.

How had he failed her so badly? He thought he had the perfect plan. He promised to protect her and he failed. He knew the Phantom would show up, yes, but not actually on the stage itself! Once he realized what was happening he couldn't do anything to stop it. If the police had fired or made any move to catch the Phantom it would have put Christine in mortal danger.

Now Christine's worst fears were coming true and it was his fault. He had put her in this position even after she had asked him not to. She had been so frightened and he still asked her to go through with tonight's performance.

He ran as fast as he could. "Mme Giry!" he called when he saw her. "Please, where has he taken her? You must tell me!"

"Come, follow me monsieur. I will take you there," Mme Giry replied.

"I'll come to," Meg called from behind.

"No, you must stay here," her mother insisted.

Raoul followed the madam down an endless flight of stairs, listening to her instructions to keep his hand at the level of his eyes, till suddenly she stopped.

"I dare go no farther," she said.

"Thank you," he said. He looked over the side and couldn't believe how far down the stairs continued to go. Who on earth had built all of this and for what purpose, he wondered? He continued on down the stairs. He had to find Christine. He wouldn't fail her again.

Suddenly the stair beneath him opened up and he felt himself falling. Before it fully registered what was happening to him he was plunged into deep, cold water. He struggled to the surface and drew in a shocked breath of air.

As he took stock of his predicament he realized the ceiling was coming down and had already blocked off the exit he saw on the side of the wall. Through the water he saw the wheel to control the mechanism. He dived down and grabbed it. It wouldn't move. He placed his feet against the wall to brace himself and pulled with all his might. He felt it start to give but his lungs were already screaming out to him that he needed to breathe. He raced to the surface, very much aware of the fact that the ceiling would soon separate him from the precious air above.

He took several deep gulps before finally diving back down once more. Fear seemed to give him more strength than he ever knew he had. Slowly, oh so slowly, the wheel turned. Finally, he saw the ceiling begin to rise. He didn't hesitate. Frantically he swam to the opening in the wall before the ceiling decided to come down once more. He had to get out of this torture chamber and find his true love.

As he moved down the small tunnel it grew darker and darker until he was finally reduced to groping blindly along the walls trying to find a door or exit of some kind. Alone in the dark guilt crept up on him once more. He had failed his her. Even if he succeeded in rescuing her from this nightmare, would she still love him? Would she still trust him to be her protector, or would she have lost all faith in him?

Once more the floor beneath him disappeared and he was sliding face first down a long tunnel, but at least there was a light at the end of the tunnel. He saw the drop coming and clenched his muscles as he braced for the impact that was sure to come.

Raoul found himself falling through open air. He landed with a splash. Looking around he saw that he was in a long cavern. The walls were lined with candles and stone carvings. He stood up. The water rose up to his thighs. He was cold and exhausted and would have loved nothing more than to simply stop and rest, but that was a luxury he didn't have. Who knew what perils Christine was in right now?

He tromped on through the water and almost cried out with joy when he heard Christine's sweet voice. At long last his search was nearly complete. He had found his beloved. Now he just had to get her away from the Phantom and out of this labyrinth of terror.

There, about twenty feet before him was a large gate, and beyond the gate was a golden room filled with candles, and standing amongst the candles was Christine, and next to her was the monster himself. He prayed for God to give him strength.