---
9
---
A weak hand raised to Christine's temple. What was that smell? And that horrid dripping noise? Why did her head feel like it had just been trampled on by a thousand elephants? And why oh why did her entire back feel damp? Her eyes fluttered open slowly to see a handsome figure brooding over her. The vision blurred and danced, multiplied and swayed in front of her eyes as they adjusted.
"Erik?" Christine asked in a pained whisper. She blinked several times and ran her hand along the side of her head.
"Shhh..." Erik hushed, taking the hand that rubbed her head in his own. He massaged it with his fingers.
Christine felt an unpleasant coppery taste in her mouth and swallowed, hoping to rid of it. But it was still there even after she did so. Her eyes had adjusted to their surroundings now and from where she was lying down all she could perceive was that it was quite dark wherever they were. There was a single lit torch mounted on the wall. Its light burned brightly in contrast to the darkness of the room. She turned her gaze back on Erik. "Where... where are we?" She managed to get out.
Erik smiled at her and gave her hand a little squeeze. He brushed her hair back with his free hand affectionately, yet did not try to answer her.
"Erik... please tell me..." She croaked.
"You are truly breathtaking under this light, my beautiful angel."
Christine felt the pain in her head grow stronger and winced. She opened her mouth to ask again, but suddenly she heard an animal-like twitter very nearby. With all of her energy, she turned her head to where the sound had come from and saw the most dreadful beast of a rat she had ever seen in her life only inches from her face. She let out a high pitched scream, which echoed, and bolted upright. Erik sighed.
"Are we in the... the sewers?" Christine asked frantically, now not feeling so weak anymore.
Erik stood and walked over to the mounted torch on the wall. He looked at it burn for a moment then turned away and began pacing through the cesspool's shallow water. The foul liquids splashed under his feet and made the most disgusting squishing noise as he passed through. "Yes." He said reluctantly, continuing to pace.
"But why?"
"Because there is nowhere else to go," He said sternly, halting his pacing and staring at her.
"But... but..." Christine began, then saw a rat (perhaps the same one) skitter by, making its horrible little noises. She cringed and jerked away from it, pulling her legs up to her chest in a childlike position, forgetful of her leg injury. She cried out in pain as her wrapped leg began burning due to her coarse contact.
Erik rushed over to her quickly as the tears began streaming from her eyes. He held her head against his bared chest, caressing her shoulder. "I'm cold and frightened," She wept, her cold tears on his hot chest. "I want out of here. Why can't people just accept you as you are so you can live a normal life?"
He sighed and stroked her hair. "I've asked that question to myself more than enough times to know the answer: Change is infeasible to society."
"Can't we can try?"
"Change is infeasible and trying is futile, my dear. Accept it as I've come to do so and it will be easier to get along with."
"But you're such a wonderful man. Surely there must be a way."
"Christine. Might I ask you... why did you decide to come along with me?"
"You've already asked and I've already told you: you are a beautiful man and an amazing tutor."
"Yes. But really. Tell me really why you'd give up so much... fame, money, a caring man... just to be down in a sewer with rats and a singing monster. Child, do you not realize how much you've wagered?"
"I realize my wager. But the profit of the bet is more valuable than any other reward could ever be." Her tears began to dry as she looked up into his eyes. "You need me. And I need you." She pulled out of his grasp and got to her feet only to topple forward. He got up quickly to catch her before she fell in the waste. "And together we will do..." She sang.
"What lucky few people chance to."
"So magical, so new."
"Together as one, a bond for two."
"You need me."
"And I need you."
They kissed and when it was over, Christine felt much better than she had previously. A sewer was not so bad. She could get used to it... or maybe not. "Erik, do you think there could be any likelihood that we might leave this place?"
"I see that as a possibility."
Christine smiled at him. "So. What do you think Raoul's doing right now?" She asked. The Phantom let out a growl. "Just kidding," She said with a laugh. "But tell me, how was I when we were leaving the woods? I don't quite remember much of anything from then."
"You smothered me erotically, exhibited lewd behavior, then passed out," Erik stated dryly.
Christine stared at him wide-eyed for a moment then let out a wave of laughter. "Very good one. For an instant you almost had me believing that!"
Erik faked a smile and laughed along with her. "Yes. Very good one, indeed." He turned away and rolled his eyes, then returned to Christine and laughed fraudulently once more with her. Their laughs penetrated the walls of the sewer, bouncing off and echoing with a tinny sound. They came together and embraced in the pits of the disposal system all the while unaware of their uninvited spectator.
Raoul breathed in and out heavily as he looked down upon his Christine embracing the horrific Phantom of the opera. His face contorted into a devilish sneer as he observed, his body scrunched in an odd fashion to bend down in front of the sewer opening, his distorted face pressed up against the cold steel of the metal bars of the grate, his body blocking off the light normally allowed into through the grate's bars and casting a shadow over the area instead.
Christine noticed the lack of light and the shadow and turned her head up to the grate to look for the cause, only when she regarded the grate whatever that had been there had disappeared. She decided it was nothing and squeezed Erik closer to her body.