A/N: In honor of the release of Phantom of the Opera DVD, I thought I would post a chapter a little earlier then planned. Read, review, and enjoy.

Chapter 23 – The Key to One's Heart

The pipes vibrated with every note that came through them. Every key cracked once they were hit with intensity. The organ was the willing object of abuse by its owner. If it could speak, it would scream from the pain it was going through.

Erik sat at his organ and continued to drown in his sorrows through his music. Every note carried a part of him away.

Damn her! Damn him!

He slammed his fists on the organ. Every pipe screamed in protest but the protests fell on deaf ears. The pain consumed him and took over him: mind, body, and soul. All he could see in front of him was Angelina and Jonathan kissing. His lips on her lips. His hands on her body.

He stood, the bench slamming to the ground. Raking his hands through his hair, the wig began to slide off of his head. Not caring any more, he ripped it off of his head and threw it across the room. His bare skull was open for the entire world to see. I do not care!

"Why!" He fell to his knees as he heard his question echo throughout the room. "Why?"

The robe fell around him as if it was security blanket for his soul. The pain that he thought had gone away had come back tenfold. Christine, Raoul, Angelina, Jonathan…they were all the same. Childhood sweethearts reunited in an opera house. And a teacher who suffers because of it all.

There was no passion in his eyes any longer. There was only anger and regret. If he had only told her sooner this might have never happened. You let it slip by you, Erik. You let her go.

He had done the same with Christine. Afraid of hurting her and her hurting him, he had let the one thing in his life that he loved go. Christine returned to Raoul without any thought or care.

Slowly looking up, he looked out at the lake and recalled the day, seventeen years ago, where his life and heart would change forever…

He stood in the water, holding the rope which was a noose around Raoul's neck. His eyes never left hers. Tears streamed down her face and ran onto the wedding gown he had made for her. Raoul was tied to the iron gate that blocked the entrance to his lair. He was wet and cold from the trap Erik had set hours before Don Juan had played.

"Past the point of no return…" He looked at her, tears coming to his own eyes.

"Angel of Music…"

"For pity's sake, Christine, say no!"

"…Who deserved this?"

"…the final threshold…"

"Don't throw your life away for my sake…"

"His life is now the prize which you must earn!"

"Why do you curse mercy?"

"I fought so hard to free you…"

"Angel of Music…"

"You've passed the point of no return…"

"…you deceived me – I gave you my mind blindly…"

Rage consumed him. She still denied him! He held the life of her one true love in his hands and she still denied him what he wanted!

"You try my patience." It rolled off his tongue – hot and angry. "Make your choice!"

He pulled on the rope and he heard Raoul choke. Erik watched as Christine mouthed the words 'I love you' to Raoul and looked at him. Her eyes were blank and he could not tell what she was thinking.

"Pitiful creature of darkness…"

She began toward him, slowly, parting the water as Moses did when he was bringing his people to salvation. Would she bring him salvation?

"…what kind of life have you known…? God give me courage to show you…" She slowly put the ring that Raoul had given her, onto her hand. It was his now. He had given it to her, promising himself to her. "…you are not alone!"

It was fast and swift yet gentle and sweet. Her lips were upon his. She gently touched his chest bringing the passion to a higher climax. Unsure of what was going on and what to do; he kept his hands at his sides, still holding the rope that held Raoul's neck.

She broke the kiss and they both looked at each other. Shock passed over his face and kindness filled her eyes. For a brief moment he thought he saw love but before he could look further, her lips were upon his once again.

This time the kiss was deeper and more sensual. Her hand gently touched the marred side of his face. His eyes closed at the touch and this time he truly felt it. Is this what love is? Please, God do not ever let this end.

It was not Christine that broke the kiss but Erik that did. His heart could take no more. In that moment, he knew he had to let her go. No force or bond could keep her there with him. The love he felt for her was too strong to force her to stay with him. The hot tears that ran down his cheeks scorched him. He wept. He could not contain it any longer.

He began up to his room – to be rid of the sight of her. Wanting to forget her, he hardly looked back at her.

"Take her – forget me – forget all of this…Leave me alone – forget all you've seen…"

He watched, out of the corner of his eye, Christine frantically beginning to untie Raoul. They hugged and his heart broken even more.

"Take the boat – swear to me never to tell the secret you know of the angel in hell – go…go now…go now and leave me!"

He glanced at them one last time before moving in the darkness…

Erik's eyes slowly closed as he began to block the rest of the memory. It was all history from there. She had given back the ring she placed on her finger just seconds before she kissed him.

The ring…

He slowly rose and began toward the organ once again. Opening a panel in the organ, he brought out a small box that was locked with a key. Bringing the small key out of his pocket, Erik opened the box and looked inside.

The ring.

His large fingers grasped the ring and brought it out of the box. The diamonds still continued to shine as if it was just out of the jeweler's case. The gold ring went nicely with each of the settings. A large diamond was in the middle and surrounded by several smaller ones in a circle.

The masquerade was the night he had taken the ring from Christine. The jealousy that flowed through him that night was unmatched until tonight. His thoughts drifted back to Angelina and Jonathan. The ring cut into his hand and drops of blood fell on his robe. He opened his hand and saw that it had cut his palm.

He sought out his wig and put it back onto his head. Feeling more like a man, he looked at the ring once again. He still did not understand why Christine left the ring with him. It was a small torture device. It was not a means to an end.

He had not heard the gentle footsteps or the sound of the ballet slippers slowly walking up the steps to the organ.

Angelina had seen Erik pull the box from the organ and the ring out of it. The darkness hid the rest of his features. She could see nothing but the ring and his large hands. The blood dipped as did his tears. Whatever the ring meant to him had angered him and made him cut his hand. He shifted in the darkness and retrieved something. She had to make her presence known before any more damage was done.

"Whose ring is that?"

Erik's eyes slowly widened as he heard Angelina's voice behind him. His head slowly turned and he saw his angel standing there.

"Erik, whose ring is that?"

He could not speak. This shock was still registering with him.

"Will you not answer?"

There were no words to be said as she knelt before him and just stared.