Raoul look at his love's grave and saw the simple red rose. His heart must have stopped for the moment, as cold tears ran down his tired face. He finally new the loneliness that the Phantom must have felt…still feels. Then the ring. The simple ring from so long ago, glittering in the cold air. His nurse picked up the rose and handed it to him. "Elizabeth, will you do something for me?" Raoul spoke in barely a whisper to his kind nurse.
"Yes what is it?"
"Take me back to the Opera Populaire." Raoul said with a shudder. His nurse though confused obliged and they started back to the opera house.
Once there Raoul took up his cane and began to go in. "Another thing Elizabeth, don't come back for me." Elizabeth looked at him worried as he slowly walked into the foyer. It was hours until he reached the lake. So many pictures flashed through his mind of when he was younger. "Phantom." He called out, his voice to quiet to hear. He slammed his cane on the wall, making a loud echo throughout the cavern. He heard the splashing water and the Gondola came around the corner. The dark cloaked figure pushing it along.
" de Changy, is that you? Why are you here?"
"Please dear Phantom, we are both old men now, may we talk like civilized people?" Raoul answered calmly. The phantom helped into the gondola, all the while muttering about how he was never civilized. They finally entered the Lair and got out of the boat.
"It hasn't changed…over all of these years it hasn't changed…" Raoul said astonished.
"Please sit." The phantom offered a soft red velvet chair. Raoul unfolded the beautiful rose from his coat...
"Phantom this I believe is yours" the ring still attached. Phantom took the rose as a tear fell onto it. "Your name cannot be just Phantom?"
"Erik. The ring belongs to you" Erik said handing it back to Raoul.
"No, she gave it to you." Raoul folded Erik's fingers over the ring.