a/n: It is sad to say that there is only an epilogue left after this chapter... I have really enjoyed writing this story, and I hope that you all have enjoyed reading it.

And great big thank you to:

Lize Radcliffe
and

NightmareFX
for your reviews for last chapter!

now, on to the story!

A week! It has been a week since Philippe's "break" and the plan is almost complete. I walk down stairs, down into the unused cellars of our house, but now they buzz with activity. Erik has been getting restless, and averting his gaze from both the windows and the cellar has become quite the task. But now that the plan is in full action he has returned to the Opera House, to Madame Giry's call. She is simply warning him that his stuff has been noticed and that he must pack and leave at once. I told him that it would not be a bother for his stuff to be moved here and he sighed, complaining about his organ. I assured him we could find another. Not that we had to, we already had ordered and set one up downstairs. You see, I knew what he would pack, what he would take, and everything that he couldn't I have replicated. He shall have his entire home under the Opera House, minus the lake, all under the Chagny mansion.

He left about two hours ago and should be returning shortly. I get the workers to leave the back cellar door just as his carriage starts to pull up. I see his worried gaze through my window upstairs and disappear before I am spotted. He comes out of the carriage carrying a bag and Philippe now must take care of the rest.

ERIK POV

Carrying the remnants of my home, I walk up to the front door of the Chagny mansion to be greeted by Philippe.

He smiles and takes one of the sacks from me, "Erik, I know this must be hard for you, but if you would please help me take these down to the cellar, where you can keep them if you like."

I nod solemnly and he leads me down without another word. The poor boy has no idea how hard this truly is for me.

When we get down there a huge curtain blocks the way. I set down my bag as he does and motion to the curtain, "What's this?"

He smiles, "Take it down and see for yourself."

And so I do… and the sight is breathtaking. It's my house… my home by the lake, perfectly rendered and only missing what I have carried here myself. I walk through the house and I feel tears start to sting at my eyes.

Behind me his voice is speaking, but it barely reaches my ears, "It's all yours. This whole place is solely set aside for you and anyone you wish to allow down here."

I walk up and gently caress the perfect keys of the piano, a single tear falling onto one and then onto another, before a flood begins to flow.

Sitting on the bench I allow my tears to flow freely behind my mask as I throw my heart to the mercy of the music. Playingoutmyfeelings, I throw my heart and soul into my song.

PHILIPPE POV

I have never heard music like this before. It penetrates my every fiber and destroys every thing I know. It's as if the music were my emotion. When it swells with joy so do I and when it pounds with anger I feel like killing the man who plays this wonderful piece. Never before has music like this touched the ears of man and never again should it. This is meant for the ears of this man's angel and for his own pleasure.

I walk up behind him and place a hand on his shoulder. He stops abruptly.

"Sorry," his voice is an almostinaudible whisper.

"Don't be," I answer, "but I have one last thing."

He turns and the sadness of his eyes must match the sadness of his soul, "Yes?"

"Raoul asked me to give you these," I hand him two roses, one black and one red, "and request that you give him the red rose if you choose to stay, and the black rose if you choose to leave."

He stares in shock.

"This is not my decision Erik, but I will not resent you no matter how you choose," I turn and leave him alone to decide.

RAOUL POV

My heart flutters as I hear the door begin to open; only to see Philippe come out and walk by me, not saying a word.

It's as I feared, he is not going to accept.

Ages seem to pass before my true angel emerges, his cloak his great black wings, his wings that only I truly recognize.

He looks at me in silence and approaches, his uncovered face as unreadable as the mask itself. I nearly whimper as his hand goes below the cloak…

… only to emerge with the black rose.

My heart seems to shatter into a million pieces as he holds it out toward me. My world seems to stop moving as he just holds his hand out toward me and I stare at the black rose. I look at the velvety black petals and I watch as his hand slowly starts to engulf the flower. The action takes me by surprise, but not as much as what he does next. He closes his hand and crushes the petals; rubbing his fingers roughly against the flower and letting the dead petals fall silently, almost mournfully, to the floor.

I stare back at his face as he kneels down, dropping the stem of the black rose and pulls out the red rose, bowing his head and offering it to me.

A single tear escapes my eye, falling onto the rose and winding its way down to his hand. When it first makes contact with his skin his head shoots up and stares at me in surprise. I drop painfully to my knees and find us at eye level with each other.

Slowly, almost not moving at all, my hand reaches out to accept the rose, and just as I take it, his hand causes me to drop it and takes it himself. It's my turn to be shocked as he slowly entwines his fingers with my own and takes my other hand. Even slower than my hand moved before, his lips close the distance to mine and he catches me in the most meaningful kiss of my life.

This kiss not only means that he is not leaving me, but he is staying here with me. He loves me, and that's all I have wanted to know since day one, that he loved me and that I would be cherished as his forever. I never knew that it would lead me to take such extreme measures, or feel such pain, both physical and emotional, but I do not regret a single moment of it.

The kiss ends reluctantly, but I know this is only the beginning.

I lower my head as my tears fall in a stream.

"Raoul?" he squeezes my hands.

I sniff, and speak in a choked voice, "I thought that I had lost you for a moment there."

He shakes his head violently, "Never, Raoul, you will never lose me!"

I start to sob harder and I feel his strong arms circle around me. I fall into his embrace like a lost child and long for him never to let go. His arms tighten with every sob until I fear that they might choke the life out of me and still I long for this embrace, this comforting feeling of love.

Eventually, though, I know he must let go. So he does. He picks up the rose, but then swoops me up in his arms.

I grab onto his neck, wrapping my arms around it as though it were a lifeline and he lets me nuzzle against him as he carries me down to his lair.

"This place would not be the same," he starts, "without you here by my side."

I smile into his neck as he sets me down on the bench and sits beside me, ready to play for me. I smile as his fingers find their homes on the keys and wait expectantly for him to play.

When he does the music is the happiest I have ever heard him play, and something tells me this is not the last time I'll be hearing it.

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a/n: please review!