Christine was back.
The knowledge burned through Erik like acid; hot and painful and impossible to ignore. He had felt her presence the moment she had entered his Opera House, and for the first time in two weeks, his heart had begun to beat again. It was a fractured rhythm full of torment and anguish, but the power of it had reawakened him from the numb nothingness that had swirled around him since she had left.
He heard the wretched child call out to her angel again. Heard and ignored…waiting for her to go, to leave him once again.
Where is the blasted boy?
Her lover…her love…her…husband?
Damn her!
Did she not understand that he was weak…to tempt him this way once again?
Pitiful creature of darkness.
Letting Christine go had destroyed him, ripped away his very soul. So easily, he could have kept her here…held her to the impossible choice he had forced her to make, but there would have been no happiness in keeping her. Christine was a delicate creature, beautiful and pure, and he had nearly ruined her in his madness.
Oh, but her kiss...
It had all been her ploy to save her lover, of course, and Erik had known it. But in that one action, Christine had awoken the humanity buried deep within him. She had touched him with compassion, with tenderness…touched him as a man. He could not have damned her to the darkness in which he existed after such a thing. So he had given her the only thing he ever could…her freedom, certain in the knowledge that she would be safe and happy.
And she left you to die at the hands of the mob.
He very nearly had done just that. Oh, it had been easy enough to evade them, as he had secret chambers that would never be found by simple minded men. Yet Erik had been tempted to simply allow himself be found…allow the mob to burn away his pain, his love for the woman who would not have him. Indeed, it had only been the presence of Little Giry running blindly though his labyrinth that kept him from his suicidal decision. He'd nearly left her to whatever fate she would find, knowing very well that her mother had been the one to lead Christine's boy down, but something he could not fully explain had urged him to help the girl. Some little tickle of conscious that Christine's kiss had awakened. A small act really, hardly a kindness, but enough to alter his course that night. It had afforded him time to rediscover his survival instinct, though death might have been a kinder fate for him in the end.
Death would release me from her.
Erik felt a trace of madness creeping over him once again, as his love for Christine warred against his anger towards her. He would have left her be, but she had come back here to continue tormenting him. Even now, he could remember the feel of her in his arms, the passionate response of her body to his touch. His innocent Christine had craved his flesh just as he had craved hers, though she had not wished it to be so.
And now she has returned to me.
The darkness within him compelled him to seek her out…to shadow his angel once again.
xXx
Christine descended to the cellars beneath the Opera in slow measured steps, ever careful of the dangers that could be lurking. She felt his presence here so strongly, but not a shadow moved save her own. She found the boat on the shore of the lake, just where she and Raoul had left it. Although she realized that it was foolish to think that the police had not disturbed it many times in their search. Indeed, looking around on the ground she noticed several lanterns and torches that had not been there before.
She carefully stepped onto the boat, raising the pole to push herself away. The journey was awkward, as she was not accustomed to such work and struggled to keep the boat headed in the direction she desired, but she soon touched down on the opposite shore. Wading though the water at the edge of the lake, Christine tugged at the boat in an attempt to secure it. Turning from her task, she stepped further into the chamber and gasped in horror; her tears falling freely once again.
Christine had not been entirely prepared to see the destruction wrought by the mob. The once magnificent organ now stood smashed and splintering, the pipes fallen to the ground. The bed where Erik had once laid her so gently was stripped of its silk and singed by flame. Christine could not contain the helpless little cry of despair that passed her lips. She sank to her knees and began sobbing.
I have been the cause of this all.
"Where are you, dark angel?" Christine's voice trembled as she spoke. "You cannot be dead. I would feel it if you were. My angel..."
Long moments passed with only the sound of Christine's shuddering breaths. "Oh, angel..."
"I am no one's angel, Christine."
Christine jumped at the soft echo and scrambled to her feet, her heart hammering in her chest. She turned towards the voice only to see empty darkness.
He is alive! He is here!
Her voice trembled with unveiled longing when she called to him again. "Where are you? Do not hide from me now."
"Why have you come here?" His angry voice echoed in the darkness. Christine turned again, trying to find him.
"I have come for you...Erik."
Silence lingered, and then she heard his hoarse whisper. "How do you know of that name?"
Christine's reply was quiet. "Madame Giry."
His bitter words echoed through the cavern. "She should learn to better keep my secrets!"
Christine flinched at his tone, drawing a shaky breath. "I…I must see you, Erik."
Again the voice from the shadows was pained, hoarse and broken. "Please...do not say that name. There is no Erik, only this wretched demon."
Her hands fisted at her sides, her voice rising in anger. "You are not a demon! Do not speak of yourself in such a way."
Rich laughter suddenly bellowed through the chamber, his mood shifting like lightning. "Come now, Christine! Don't tell me you've come to lavish me with your pity. Or do you wish to save me? Am I to be the new Vicomtess's first charity case?"
Christine hung her head, quietly replying. "I do not pity you. And I am not yet a Vicomtess."
"Why, Christine, it's been two whole weeks? I would have thought you and your lover would have rushed straight to a priest." His hard words suddenly took on a softer tone. "You need not worry. The Phantom is dead. Now go, Christine."
Christine grew frustrated. "I will not leave you again. Not until I tell you what I must. Please...let me see you."
For a moment Christine thought that he had left her, but then she caught sight of a shadow in the far corner, and a cloaked form came into view. "You see me, Christine. Now say what you must and go."
Christine drank in the sight of him, though she could not clearly see his face. There was only a hint of his strong jaw showing beneath the hood of his cloak. He remained immobile, waiting for her to have her say, and suddenly Christine felt her voice falter. Tears spilled over her pale cheeks as she searched for where to begin. "I…I am so sorry, Erik. I…I wish I could…undo this all."
Throwing his arms out, he bellowed, "Sorry! You are sorry! This is why you have crawled back into Hell? To torment me with more of your meaningless tears."
"No, Erik! I came because I could not stay away. You said you would let me go, but you have not!"
"I...?" He tossed his hood back suddenly, his face contorted in anger. "I did not tempt you back here, Christine! It is you who will not let me rest in peace." Erik angrily turned his back to her. "Now go! I do not want you back again!"
Christine shivered at his words, her very soul rejecting them.
It cannot it be true. Have I burned away all his love for me?
But the sight of him, alive and so very close to her, had her taking a hesitant step towards him. "You…told me that you loved me."
His powerful form seemed to crumble before her, his shoulders sagging in defeat and his head bowing. "Oh Christine, why? Why are you here?"
She reached out one trembling hand to touch his back, and the words she had so viciously denied for so long came bubbling up.
"Because I…I love you."
A/N: Bad Author…leaving it there! There will be more Erik-ness to come. I'm not sure how well I do with his character…getting in his head is rather difficult. I'm much more comfortable writing Christine for some strange reason.
Reviews are always most appreciated. Thanks.