VIII. Nothing can harm you

Before long, they were back at Raoul's home, locked up in his room in the company of the new dog and a lovely platter of cake, all freshly bathed and wearing fresh clothes. And though the men had told their story very vividly, and despite the unstrung bow leaning in a corner, beside the Phantom's leather scrip, all their dark adventures seemed very distant and unreal now.

Having just recounted her adventures of last night, leaving out only her quarrel with the Phantom – she might tell Raoul in private, later on – Christine now rested her head on her fiancé's shoulder, enormously relieved that he had taken no offence at all. Luckily Meg had decided to do the same with the Phantom, sitting at the edge of Raoul's desk, so there was no need to fear trouble coming from him. Meg's displays of affection seemed to have a pleasantly calming effect on him, and it certainly distracted him from turning his hungry gaze on herself. Christine was not quite sure if it was the best for Meg, though.

"Créon must die", Raoul said firmly, one arm around her shoulders. "He's a danger to all of us. No, much more than that. To the entire Opera House. And once he has it, to the whole city. In the end, to the whole world, perhaps."

"So you intend to save the world, kid." Christine noted with satisfaction that the Phantom's sarcasm towards her fiancé now sounded much less biting, more like an elder brother teasing a younger. But she was sure that he restrained himself for her own sake, not for Raoul's.

"Yes", Raoul answered. "Yes, if that is so, I do."

Christine snuggled against him tighter. So brave!

"How about you?" Meg asked, watching with amusement how the dog padded over to the Phantom, placed its front paws against his knees and started to chew his trousers. "You mean to do the same thing, don't you?"

"I mean to destroy Créon", the Phantom replied grimly, yet he picked up the dog very gently. "But I won't save the world. The world can burn to ashes, for all I care. I just want my Opera House back, that's all." The dog started to lick his mask enthusiastically. "And I want my revenge."

Yes, Christine believed every word of what he said. He was so full of bitterness, full of hatred. The world had turned its back on him, so he had turned his back on the world. In the back of her head, she was still constantly aware of him, and she had gotten used to it by now and could tell his and her own feelings apart easily. And all the time she felt it, underlying his every emotion, even his ardent love for her: that consuming fire of hate burning in his heart. It made her afraid.

And yet, at the same time, it made her pity him, for all he had was his own darkness.

But was he truly that cold towards everything around him? However harsh his words, he had held a young animal in his arms at the same time, and he still did, stroking its fluffy fur, scratching its ears. Deep down inside, he did care.

And maybe, if they managed to dissipate his loneliness, he would be ready to show he did.

The only problem about it was that he needed a woman who could love him, and whom he could love in return, or else he would never be able to forget his grief over Christine.

Meg gave the Phantom's chest a slap, right beside the dog's head, and the dog used the occasion to lick her hand. "I do hope your burning to ashes does not include me."

"No. Not you." He sighed softly, as with heavy sorrow, and the dog gave a small whine of sympathy. "I think I'll go back, then."

Christine just stared, while Raoul frowned at him. "What do you mean, you'll go back?" Raoul inquired.

"Quite simple, kid: That I'll go back home now."

Christine exchanged a worried glance with Meg. He could not be serious… or could he?

"Are you meaning to say you'll go back to the Opera House? Mate, you're bloody crazy!"

"No", the Phantom replied calmly. "You stay here, but I'll return. I don't want you all to get hurt because of me. Not even you, kid. And they need me much more there."

"Please, Erik", Christine tried, "you endanger yourself unnecessarily."

"My place is with my people", he insisted. "And with your mother, Meg. You're not in danger here; you're too far away. But Claire is. And all the others are."

"We could ask my mother to come here", Meg suggested, though from the hint of a sulk around her lips it was obvious that she had been looking forward to another night of happy Phantom-snuggling, something her mother would certainly never allow. Meg claimed that she was not in love with him, and Christine tended to believe her, yet still... her friend was more than a bit crazy about the Phantom.

"You know she won't. She'll say just the same as I just have. She feels responsible for all of them. And so do I. If any harm comes to them, it's my fault." There was a harsh, bitter undertone to his voice now. "Two are already dead, and it's my fault. Because I was a fool and thought I'd kill Créon and all the others with my bare hands. Because of my own foolish pride!"

"There was no way you could know how powerful Créon really is", Meg tried to comfort him.

But he turned away from her. "Yes, and two men died for my folly. I can't let that happen again. I must not."

Christine admitted to herself, that she would have expected anything from him, but not this. She had always thought that he valued others' lives for nothing, but now… "Why?" she asked, wanting to hear it repeated from his own lips. There was good in him! She had known there was!

"Because it's my Opera House, that's why", the Phantom replied grimly. "Those are my people. And as long as I'm there, Créon will not harm them – or else suffer the consequences."

The warmth suddenly rising inside her made Christine smile. She had been right about him, after all. "You may pretend to be a villain, Erik", she said fondly, "but you sound like a hero."

He smiled weakly in return. "I'm not trying to be heroic. I'm simply doing what I have to."

"But this is what heroes do", she pointed out, and Raoul even nodded to it, though somewhat reluctantly. Maybe he was an angel, after all.

The Phantom shrugged, but the warmth Christine felt inside her was mirrored in his eyes now.

"If you truly want to do this…" Gently loosing Christine's grip on him, Raoul went to pick up something from among the things lying jumbled on his bed. "I'm not entirely sure about this, I must say, but… Christine, how far would you trust him?"

Christine gave both men a little smile. "Not exactly with my virtue", she answered, "but with my life, any time."

"Very well", Raoul said. "You take it, then." And he held out his revolver for him.

While the Phantom started packing all his things, Raoul wrapped his arms around Christine tightly. "He'll be alright", he comforted her softly, reassuring despite the note of hesitance in his voice. "And so will you. While you're with me, nothing can harm you. Nothing ever."

Christine stretched up to kiss his cheek and whispered in his ear, "You're my own personal hero, Raoul."