Chapter Twenty-Two: Everlasting salvation.

Pitiful creature
of darkness . . .
What kind of life
have you known . . .?

"Mademoiselle de Chagny, will you stop that infernal racket!" Erik moaned loudly and quickly shuffled into the room that had been once Christine's only years earlier.

The piercing screams ensued as Erik wrapped his cloak tighter around himself. It was cold down here; maybe that was why she was awake.

"There, there little angel," He said picking her up and holding her close. Slowly her cries were replaced by whimpers and ragged breath.

"I suppose I should stop calling you that, shouldn't I Dani." He said thoughtfully.

"Your really not a de Chagny any longer. Yes... yes that's my girl, breath." He said rocking her back and forth and remembering in his haste he had once more forgotten his mask. He had been doing that a lot lately, however he knew that it was fatigue that was tearing away at his memory. He would of never before of made such a careless mistake, not before Dani arrived.

Quickly he made a mental note to not do it again.

"Child, how can you look at me with such innocent eyes and not be horrified by my grotesquely disturbing visage?" He asked her as though she could respond.

The small girl sighed and closed her eyes in response. He pulled her little body close and held her head against his shoulder. It had been a week since the accident and he felt as though he had had no time to mourn the loss of his one true love. For a man who had never felt the need to sleep for half a century he was in dire need of it in the last week. No wonder Christine slept so sound beside him that one night she had probably needed it.

Tears stung in his eyes, Christine. His dear darling love, how he would have died valiantly beside her if he had not granted her last request. He continued to rock Danielle, her warmth making his heart brim over with love for her. She was such a treasure to have been given to him willingly. He chuckled at the thought of how his life had been turned upside down.

He knew nothing of children, never mind babies. He remembered there was a time when he was one however his childhood was not one he would ever put another through. Yes, things were quite different in his routine these days, and he had never been more tired. All the infant did was cry, eat, soil herself, and throw up. Smiling at the thought he knew though that that was not all she did. She brought new meaning to his life; his efforts were always rewarded with wonderful blue eyes, toothless smiles, and soft sighs. She had a wonderful baby scent that he had never smelt. She was soft, and warm, everything he was not.

And she was all his, she was not taken, or hurt, or forced on him, she had been a gift. A token of a love unspoken, she was symbolic for him in a way for Christine to prove in the end she did love and trust him. Enough to take care of her daughter, to raise her properly.

But he was not her father.

He would never be.

( ' ) '
-

Things have changed, Raoul.

"QUAESUMUS, Domine, pro tua pietate miserere animae famulae tuae N., et a contagiis mortalitatis exutam, in aeternae salvationis partem restitue. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen."

"Amen," Raoul said and placed a single rose on her coffin then made the sign of the cross. He then walked over to Danielle's and did the same heart wrenching action.

He went back to stand before Christine's coffin and slowly he began to feel tears fall, he backed away but he felt his knees begin to give as the casket of his beloved was lowered into the dismal hole awaiting her, he allowed himself to collapse down next to the fresh gravestone. Taking a piece of dirt he dropped it down, and forced himself up. He still had to respect Danielle's grave.

When he completed these actions that numbed him, he went back to watching the casket fall, and for a brief moment he let thoughts of falling in with her, every part of his body ached with grief and agony that he could not describe, let alone wonder when it would leave. He almost felt physically ill at the sight of her drifting father and farther away.

He knew she was gone, but this felt like the final blow, To have her underground, where she couldn't be seen, where she would be forgotten like all the lost souls around her.

He had fondly though of her as his princess and now he wished she had been, like a fairy tale snow white so he could build her a glass casket and watch her sleep for eternity.

In a perfect world he would have been able to do such an absurd thing.

In a perfect world she would not have died.

God he wanted to fall down that dark and dismal hole in the ground that his angel didn't belong in.

She had never been his angel though, not truly. She had always been Erik's. He suddenly felt jealous of the man once more, being dead with her. He thought of how they were reunited, and would spend eternity together, happily forever with HIS child by their side. He thought of how beautiful Erik might be in heaven, his voice truly given to him by God. Then he realized Erik would have never been granted the glories of heaven, so he knew that she would not be with him.

Unfortunately, it did not hinder his distress at all. All he could think about is how much she must have wanted him, how much in her last days she was truly Erik's not his lovely darling Christine. The only angel he could claim as his was Danielle. The only one who would of ever loved him unconditionally and him in return followed in her angelic mother's lead, as the divine angel's were ironically lowered to the ground.

He let his tears continue to fall as he watched the coffin lower deeper and deeper.

"Raoul?" He heard a soft caring voice ask.

Who did that voice belong to again? He couldn't remember for he was trying to preserve Christine's in the safely locked in his memory, knowing eventually he would loose it, and forget the exact tones that her lovely mouth could produce.

"Raoul, it's time to leave, the service is over." He heard again, and looked over to the woman standing beside him. Why it was Meg, Megan Giry dressed fully in black like her mother. Such an innocent, Christine and she had so much in common.

He watched as she looked at him with sad eyes, he could see she had been crying as well.

"It's raining." She said trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

Was it? He thought, was it really? That would explain why she had been holding and umbrella. He looked up to the heavens that cried for Danielle and his love. Were the angels really weeping like the mortals on earth? Or were they weeping in happiness that their most precious treasure had finally returned to them after twenty-two years, and that she had brought a gem of her own. Envy tore through him at the thought they didn't let her stay longer. Could divine creatures really be that selfish?

He looked back at the fresh tombstones made of marble, only the best for his daughter and wife. He wanted the names to be preserved forever.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, "Come now Raoul, Philippe is waiting for you." The young Giry said underneath her umbrella.

Raoul looked towards the carriage that was still left. He could see his brother's legs inside since the door had been left open for him. He did not want to leave yet, like he would be leaving Christine behind.

"Do you have a means to find your way home Mlle?" He asked.

She looked at him with such sad and caring eyes, he looked like a mess. His blonde hair plastered to his forehead, his clothes sopping wet, his eyes red with recent tears.

"I don't monsieur however, I am sure that walking will suffice." She said.

"Don't be absurd Meg, We will give you a ride home." He said taking her arm and directing her to his carriage. The truth was he didn't want to be alone with his brother; he just didn't want to be alone.

TRANSLATION OF PRAYER WE beseech Thee, O Lord, according to Thy loving-kindness, have mercy upon the soul of Thy handmaiden N., and now that she is set free from the defilements of this mortal flesh, restore her to her heritage of everlasting salvation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.