Author: Sparkling-Diva
Rating: PG-13 (possibly more later)
Genre: Romance/Drama
Pairing: Christine/Erik
Feedback: Yes, please! Also being nice would make me happy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gaston Leroux's Phantom or anything I might refer to based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical adaptation of it.
Summary: Christine makes an important decision that could forever change the lives of many…
Author's Note: Wow! I can't believe that I'm still not done writing this. Oh well, onward with the show!
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Silently, Meg whispered, "Christine? I know you're awake. Please let me in."
Meg soon heard someone approaching and backed away from the door. The door gently creaked forward and Meg could see Christine peering through with hurt eyes.
"Christine, let me in. We must talk."
Christine nodded and opened the doorway more and looked out towards the hallway to make sure that no one was eavesdropping on them.
She then closed the door and went to sit on her bed. All this time she remained silent.
"Christine? I know something is wrong. Just tell me what it is and I will do my best to understand and help you."
"Promise me," Christine stated, "You will not tell anyone."
"I promise to not tell a single soul," her friend assured.
"Raoul and I…he-" Christine couldn't finish and broke down in tears.
"He-he hurt you!" Meg exclaimed.
"Yes. I never thought he could do such a thing but yet he did."
"Christine? Why would he?"
"I-I ran away."
"What? Where? When?"
"Right after the incident, we came back here We argued and I realized that I no longer shared how he felt about certain things. We are too different. He's changed so much compared to before when everything happened. I no longer felt safe or loved in this place so I ran away."
"Where to?"
"To my father's grave at the graveyard. While I was there, Erik came…"
"Erik?"
"The Phantom to most but Meg I swear to you that he is no longer a threat nor a monster! He is pure good!"
"But what about before?"
"That was then. He loves me and helped me escape."
"Where?"
"To his lair."
"Wasn't it destroyed?"
"A good part of it."
"I don't understand."
"He's a genius Meg. Within his lair are passage ways and rooms that people don't and never will know of. Some were not affected by the fire nor anything or anyone for that matter.
"What happened?"
"Erik took me there, to where he lived."
"Christine, did-."
"Meg, he was so sweet and gentle. Not like what others may think of him at all. He loved me and during the 3 months I was with him, I learned to love him as deep down inside my heart always did."
"Christine…"
"We got married."
"How?"
"In a private ceremony. Just the two of us. We love each other Meg. You must believe me. You must."
Meg took a moment and said, "I do. What happened to bring you back here?"
"Erik saw I was ill. Ill from…," Christine thought for a moment before saying, "Well he saw I was sick and wanted me to see a doctor. The following day, we said our farewells and he promised that he'd be waiting. As I left, I nearly got robbed, Raoul was there and saved me despite how we had broken our engagement."
"You did?"
"We were engaged. No on knew. But before, we were in love."
"So then you came back here?"
"Yes. Two nights ago and he…"
"Christine," Meg said holding her friend.
"It wasn't suppose to be like this,' Christine said,
"Nothing ever is. I just can't believe that. We must tell someone, The authorities…"
"No! There will be a scandal and I don't want that to happen."
"But, Christine…
"No! I've tried to escape and I can't. I'll be caught."
"You can't stay here!"
"I want to be with Erik. Dear God, I can't imagine what he's thinking about now."
"Perhaps. He is trying to find you."
"You believe that I and him are in love, do you Meg?"
"I do. But Christine…"
"Please Meg, don't tell anyone this. Not even your own mother. If this is the consequence for my actions, then let it be…"
"Christine…" Meg said as she held her friend in an embrace.
"I'll be okay in the end Meg. Just let me be. You should go now before anyone knows you are gone," Christine assured.
"Very well," she said. Before she turned to leave she looked back at her broken-hearted friend and said, "You really do love him? Erik?"
"Yes, I do?"
Without another word, Meg silently closed the door leaving Christine to have the night's darkness and the flames consume all around her and her tears of mourning.