Sweet Intoxication

Chapter 12: Cemetery Clashes

Author's Note: Hello people! SOOO sorry for the slow update.Hope you like this chap. So happy to hear you all liked the funny- E/C- falling- out-of-chair -part in my last chap. Wasn't sure if everyone would like something that funny in a dramatic, romantic story, but I guess you guys liked it. I'll see if I can work in a few more funny stunts in the upcoming chaps. And Exciting news: I only need12 more reviews, and I WILL HAVE 100 REVIEWS! Yayyy! PLEASE, I am begging you guys harder than ever, review, review, review! I LOVE reading them!

And as Saloma-Kiwi pointed out, there is a line from Disney's Pochahontas in this chap. See if you can find it and let me know in the reviews!

Christine awoke early the next morning. She hadn't gotten very much sleep, and she always seemed to wake up early, especially today. Today was the anniversary of her father's death. She would always sadly remembered his last final hours on earth, his last dying promises to her, promising he'd send her an Angel of Music when he went to heaven. She had been young and naive enough back then to actually believe he would recover from his illness, and it had been a horrid shock when she discovered that he really had died and left her. She always commemorated the anniversary of his death by awaking early and going down to the chapel to pray and remember him.

But this year, she knew all the answers to her problems about her angel, and Raoul, her broken engagements and her career at the Opera Populaire wouldn't lie in the chapel. She knew she had to go to the cemetery and visit her father's grave. She had woken early, checking to reassure herself Erik wasn't awake yet. He wasn't, and Christine breathed a sigh of relief. She knew he had become more and more lenient in his discipline as the years went by, but she wasn't sure if he would approve of her journeying to the outskirts of the city with no escort, so that was why she hoped she could go and return before he awoke. She quietly slipped out of bed and tripped over a badly placed nightstand, causing her to fall onto the ground face first and rip her nightgown. "Damn it!" she loudly cursed. She was suddenly aware all the noise she had made might have woken Erik. She sat up, turned around and checked. Nope, he was still sound asleep, he had only rolled over so that now his back was to Christine. Christine began giggling. Goodness, he could sleep through anything! She stood up, brushed herself off and made a mental note to patch the hole in her nightgown.

Christine quickly washed her face and hands, grabbed a robe to throw over her thin nightgown, took one of her pouches she made sure was supplied with some money, and felt along the walls of the lair until she found the crack she was searching for. She knew that this one led right up to a door behind the stable, and that's where she was going. She felt a little peculiar going through a dark, creepy tunnel all alone when Erik was usually there to guide her. She pushed the thought out of her head and thought smugly to herself Erik's not the only one that can sneak around this place in the dark. She finally found the door, and opened it up. She walked over to the nearest carriage driver "Monsieur" she greeted him

"Where to miss?" he asked

"The cemetery please" she replied. she handed him the money and quickly walked back through the tunnel to the lair. She got her undergarments and dress off a chair that she had laid them on the previous night She quickly pulled off her nightgown and threw it over the chair.She pulled on her chemise and slip, the quickly hooked up her corset herself, pulled on a few extra petticoats and slipped her dark navydress on over her head. She pulled on some stockings, fastened up her boots, pulled her hair back with a ribbon that matched her dress and covered her hair with a wrap and her neck with a scarf. She grabbed some fresh roses from a vase on Erik's desk and headed back into the tunnel. Her instincts told her she should check on Erik and make sure he wasn't awake yet, but she ignored her instincts and told her the more time she wasted here, the less time she spent at the graveyard. She headed outside, preparing once again to journey to the cemetery.

Erik had also awoken earlier that day, even earlier than Christine. He knew she was going to that cemetery to honor her father's death, and he also knew when she was this stubborn and determined, there was so way he could stop her. And, the fact that he had also shown her all the secret passageways and tunnels that went from his lair to different places last night after Raoul left didn't help matters much.. But, this time, he was going to be there to comfort her and take her in his arms, not the Vicomte.He gently got out of bed, put on a suit, and crawled back into bed, pretending to be asleep when she woke up.

She did, about a half an hour later. He heard her fall and resisted the urge to get out of bed and help her up. He heard her loud, unladylike curse, and desperately tried not to laugh. Obviously, Christine Daae wasn't as much as a graceful, perfect lady as everyone thought. He waited until he heard the tunnel door slide open and he was sure that she left the lair before he got out of bed. He raced into the main room, took a diffrent passageway that led him to the side of the stables, and waited until Christine left. He desperatly hoped she wouldn't check the bedroom and discover he was missing. He stalked up behind the old carriage driver. He vowed to himself he wasn't going to just kill people in vain, so he wouldn't frighten Christine, and, he reminded himself, if Christine came back out here and saw a strangled dead body, she would instantly know that it was Erik's work and know he was around. So, he waited for the right moment, hit the old man on the head, knocking him out cold, and Erik dragged his body over behind some barrels, hidden from view. Erik wrapped his cloak around his face and head, covering it from view.

At that moment, Christine came walking out. Erik slyly glanced in her direction. Even attired in a dark, gloomy mourning dress, Christine still looked radiant. She climbed up into the high seat and softly muttered "To my father's grave, please". Erik cracked the reigns on the horses, and began to race towards the cemetery.

On the journey there, Christine reflected over all that had happened during the past month. All the events and memories kept swirling together in her mind like a whirlwind, torturing her. She vividly recalled certain things: Raoul's joyous, loving face when she had accepted his proposal, the feel of his arms around her as they danced together at the Masquerade Ball, Erik's angry, outraged, face when she first unmasked him all those months ago, the passionate, fiery feel of his lips on hers when he kissed her. Christine remembered the first night she had ever gone to Erik's lair with him, the song she sang as she journeyed downward with him

In sleep he sang to me
In dreams he came
That voice which calls to me
And speaks my name

Christine could not wait until the carriage arrived at her father's grave. The sooner that she would be able release all her emotions to her father, the better.

Raoul de Changy was vividly awakened from a dream he was having. It took him a moment to remember why he was sitting in a hard chair outside of Christine's dressing room at the Opera Populaire, but suddenly it all came back to him. He had been sitting out here since last evening, hoping Christine would come to her senses and leave that horrible place she was living in and return to him. He must have fallen asleep, because he noticed it was dawn and small streams of light began pouring in the windows. He snapped back into reality. He ran into Christine's dressing room, praying she was in there, but she wasn't. Suddenly, Raoul remembered today was the day Christine's father had died. Raoul knew she had to have gone somewhere, and probably with that Phantom too. He ran to the window, and looking out, he saw a carriage rattling over the cobblestones, its passengers a man and woman,and recognized the woman as Christine. He ran downstairs, knowing he had no time to waste. He knew that damn phantom was probably going to try to intoxicate her with that ridiculous "Angel of Music" hoax again. But this time, Raoul wasn't going to let him get away with it.

He ran into the stables, and quickly asked a gentlemen "Where have they gone?"

"The cemetery" he replied

Not even bothering to thank him, Raoul jumped onto the nearest horse, bareback, and frantically sped towards the cemetery, jumping over branches and urging the horse on faster every second, hoping that when he rode back, Christine would be safe and content in his arms, right where she belonged.

When they finally arrived, the driver slowed the horses to a gradual stop, and Christine got out and walked through the gate. She looked around at her surroundings. She was surrounded by tombstones and statues, cold and unfeeling, impersonal and monumental. The complete opposite of the man her father had been. Christine just couldn't take it anymore,and began to pour out all of her heartbreak and anguish to whatever sort of angels or demons that could be listening, or even cared:

You were once
My one companion
You were all
That mattered
You were once
A friend and father
Then my world
was shattered

She sighed. Her father wouldn't approve of her mourning so, but she couldn't stop herself. She starting singing in a lighter, more innocent voice:

Wishing you were
Somehow here again
Wishing you were
Somehow near
Sometimes it seemed
If I just dreamed
somehow you would
Be here

Wishing I could
Hear your voice again
Knowing that I
Never would
Dreaming of you
Won't help me to do
All that you dreamed I could

Passing bells
And sculpted angels
Cold and monumental
Seem, for you
The wrong companions
You were warm and gentle

By now, Christine was struggling not to cry.It had begun to snow, but she hardly even noticed as she continued her mournful song, nearly breaking Erik's heart from his listening place in themausoleum ashe heard her sorowfully continue:

Too many years
Fighting back tears
Why can't the past
Just die
Wishing you were
Somehow here again
Knowing we must
Say goodbye
Try to forgive
Teach me to live
Give me the strength
To try

No more memories
no more silent tears
No more gazing across
The wasted years
Help me say goodbye

She sadly finished. By now, she was sitting on the cold ground in front of her father's mausoleum, her skirts strewn around her. She began to softly cry. She slowly looked up when she recognized a familiar voice singing to her from the masoleum:

Wandering child, so lost, so helpless...yearning for my guidance
Angel or Father, Friend or Phantom...who is it there, staring?
Have you forgotten your Angel?
Angel, oh speak! What endless longings, echo in this whisper?
Too long you've wandered in winter...far from my fathering gaze...
Wildly my mind beats against you...
You resist
Yet the/your soul obeys!
Angel of Music, I/ you denied you/me, turning from true beauty...
Angel of Music, my protector/do not shun me,
Come to me/your strange Angel...

She began walking up the steps to the mausoleum, growing closer towards the inexplicable red, fiery glow bursting from it. She was in a hypnotic like trance, yearning to go nearer towards the warmth. Erik felt his heart burst with excitement and yearning. He was finally going to do it, he was finally going to be able to propose to his angel, Christine, right here, right now. He couldn't imagine a more perfect time or place to do it at.

Suddenly, there was a sound of thundering hoof beats. At the worst possible moment on earth, the horrid fop Raoul de Changy came running into the graveyard. Drawing his sword,he ran up to where Christine was standing. She turned to look at him

"Raoul!"

"Christine! This man, this thing, is NOT your father!" he said. Erik had had enough of this fool. He drew his sword, jumped down from where he had been standing atop the mausoleum, causing Christine to loudly gasp, flung his cape back, and jabbed his sword at Raoul, challenging him to fight.

Raoul accepted the challenge. He jabbed his sword at Erik. They clashed swords a few times. Erik tried to swish his cape over Raoul and catch him off guard, but Raoul ducked and jabbed his sword at Erik again. Erik persisted at Raoul, forcing him backwards, towards the edge of the wall. Raoul turned and jumped off of the wall, and fell against another wall and a few bushes. Erik jumped down towards Raoul. He tried to jab his sword at Raoul, but unfortunatly he missed, and cut some log. Raoul jumped up, and continued fighting. Christine had a look of complete shock and terror on her face, and she cried to them to stop, but they ignored her. Erik fought quite well, dodging behind statues, and trying to surprise Raoul with strategic moves. Raoul desperately tried to counteract Erik's surprise moves, but he wasn't doing so well. He had a horrible feeling he wasn't going to win this battle, but at least he would lose his life fighting for Christine's honor.

Both the fighter's swords became entrapped in an old cannon wheel's spokes, which forced the enemies against each other as they tried to free their weapons to no avail. Suddenly, Erik slammed his body hard hard against Raoul, knocking Raoul and his sword to the ground. Raoul laid on the ground while Erik stepped over to him, towering far above him.Erik drew his sword high above his head, ready to kill Raoul and end this once and for all. He heard Christine cry to him to stop, but he ignored her. It would be best if he just killed the Vicomte and ended all of his and Christine's heartache.

But all of a sudden, Raoul kicked Erik's leg, causing Erik a sharp pain in his knee. He hesitated for a moment as he knees almost buckled and gave out on him. A second or two was all it took for Raoul to grab his sword and stand up. Erik ignored the sharp pain in his knee, and clashed his sword against Raouls. Finally, both their swords met, and each tried to push the others sword and body down in a sheer battle of strength. Raoul won, and knocked Erik's body to the ground, causing him to lose his sword in the snow. He frantically searched for it, but Raoul kicked it aside, out of Erik's reach, leavingErik helplessly laying on the groundRaoul raised his sword above his head, ready to kill the Phantom. "This is it, Phantom" he breathlessly muttered. He was just ready to plunge his sword into the Phantom's chest, and end all this heartache and grief, when Christine ran over and cried

"Raoul! No!" she screamed

Raoul stopped, the sword held in midair above Erik's chest. He hoped Christine would forgive him for this. "Christine, just stay back! This is all for the best! It'll all be over soon" he cried. He was ready to plunge his sword, when Christine ran over to Erik. She laid her small back over Erik's chest, covering his chest with hers, and spreading her arms over his body. "No Raoul" she muttered softly, but dangerously low. "I won't let you do it. If you kill him, you'll have to kill me too. I won't let blood be shed on my account."

Raoul looked angry and helpless at the same time. He couldn't get to Erik without getting Christine out of his way first, and he knew from the furious look in her eyes that she wasn't moving. He sighed, and replaced his sword back into it's sheath. Christine instantly relaxed. Raoul bent down, grabbed Christine arm and forced her up with him. She started to struggle, but stopped at the look Raoul gave her and went with him. He walked her over to the horse. She stroked the horse's head nervously, and turned to look at Erik. He looked furious. She nervously glanced at him, a look of sadness and fear on her face. His expression softened a bit when she glanced at him, and he nodded ever so slightly. She took the hint and got up onto the horse with Raoul's help. As they were riding away, she saw Erik stand up, and she heard his dangerously low voice mutter "Now, let it be war upon you both!"

Author's Note 2: Hey readers, sorry if the fight scene was kind of weakly written. I stink at writing action scenes, but I couldn't bear to leave the swordfight out. So, please, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! The next chap will be the PONR scene, and I can't wait to finish writing it! Hope you liked this chap, check back soon for more updates.