Raoul kissed Christine lightly on the head. "Good night."
Christine looked up. "Raoul?"
"Yes Christine?" he brushed her hair away from her face.
"I…I think I'm going to leave a candle burning tonight."
Raoul looked down at Christine with concern and pulled her closer. "He wouldn't… not if I'm right outside your door… would he?"
"No Raoul, it's just… just…"
A wiry smile lit the Viscount's countenance. "You're afraid of the dark?"
"Well, only a little…"
Raoul chuckled.
"Oh please don't laugh-"
Raoul, sensing the distress in her voice stopped and kissed her gently. "No harm meant, mon cherie, it's just-"
Christine looked at him quizzically.
"-just that you've changed so little. And now, I can't blame you for being afraid of the dark." Worry flashed across his face, furrowing his brow. "Do you think it's safe enough? You could go-"
Christine reached up and smoothed Raoul's forehead. "To the de Chagny Estate? You know what they would say about us- about me if I stayed there."
Raoul held her protectively to his chest. "I won't let them. I'll-"
Christine let out a tinkling laugh. "You haven't changed much either."
Raoul laughed with her. "That was rather childish of me…" He looked Christine in the eye. "If anything happens, I'm right outside, just call for me."
Christine nodded. "Good night Raoul. Try to get some sleep." She went into her room and closed the door, knelt down by her bed and said her prayers. As she crawled into bed she mused aloud, "It's not so much the darkness that bothers me. It's more the unknown in it. Rather silly of me, believing in the monster under my bed still."
When Christine's breathing slowed to that of a person in a deep slumber, a shadow made its way toward her, careful not to blow out her bedside candle.
"Then I shall protect you," the shadow whispered to the sleeping girl. "Your Viscount must stay outside, but no one would call you a disgrace if your phantom watches over you. After all, who better to defend you from the creatures of the night than me, a night creature myself?
With that, the shadow settled into a large chair looking on to the bed. Two men in unison unknown to them then whispered, "Good night my dear Christine."
Review please, but remember, flames will be used to light the large kegs of gun-powder in your basement! (Another romantic one-shot…demmed hormones!)
