CHAPTER 3

Darkness surrounded Christine. She was frightened. She hadn't thought about bringing anything to light her way. So caught up in her mission to find him, there was no time to think of anything else. She let her hands glide along the walls of the passage. It seemed endless. She could barely make out the fading sounds of the mob in the distance behind her. She stumbled, her hand flying up to her mouth, as she heard two shots ring out. "Dear God, please let Meg be safe. I won't be able to forgive myself for leaving her if she falls into danger." She crossed herself and stepped forward once again, praying her journey into this darkness would come to an end soon.

There were several turns, as the floor seemed to slope and rise, as she moved throughout the passageway. Christine had lost track of time and the coldness all around her was making its way into her very core. She wanted to close her arms around herself to keep warm, but she couldn't lose contact with the wall. It was the only thing guiding her. At that last thought, she came to a stop. Feeling her hands along the sides of the passageway and the wall in front of her, all she could feel was cool, hard stone. "This can't be!" She fought a battle within her mind. "Did I miss a turn? How could this be it? I couldn't have walked all this way, only to come to this!" She fingered the surface all about her, checking every little crack and crevice for any sign of a secret it may hold.

Nothing.

She slowly slumped to the ground, defeated and in hysterics. "Dear God, my father promised to send the Angel of Music to me…and he had! Yet, I denied him, betrayed him, feared him…" her voice trailed but not before adding, "I loved him!" She pulled up her legs and rested her head against her knees, as she sobbed.

"There is no Angel of Music. Only a man… No, a DEMON!" A slight hysteria of a whisper mocked into her ear.

"Angel? Angel, where are you? Please! I must see you!" Christine felt a small spark of hope reach her heart.

"Why have you come here, Christine? Is it not enough to see your precious 'Angel' defeated? Do you wish to tear my heart from my chest to see once and for all that a repulsive carcass truly is capable of loving someone… of loving you!" The Phantom had hissed his last statement to make it undeniably clear to her.

"Please, Angel, listen to me! I love you! Please show yourself. I need you!" Christine's pleas seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

A cynical laughter could be heard echoing across the cavern walls. "What of your precious Vicomte? What of that BOY you so obviously love and cannot live without? Am I mad, Christine? Or did I not hear you profess your love to one another on the rooftop? You said I hardly had a face! I saw you kiss that BOY! All you do is break my heart, over and over again, Christine. I cannot take any more of your childish games. Leave me! You didn't have a problem leaving me to be with him tonight. I watched you sail away, as you sang to each other as lovers do!" He spat the words out. "You won't have a problem leaving me yet again, Christine. Go… GO NOW!" The Phantom roared. He closed his eyes trying to calm his rage and whispered, "Please just go, Christine…" Her name faded upon his lips, as silence filled the air once more.

A soft, broken sobbing could be heard all around Christine. She couldn't think. Her mind was filled with all the things he had said to her. Words bathed in anguish, pain, and despair. And now he was crying. She couldn't bear to have her Angel in such pain. It was killing her. She stood up, willing herself to find her voice. "I will NOT leave! I LOVE you!" She retorted, her face twisting in anger, "You ignorant fool!" She stopped suddenly, held against the wall, the words stuck in her throat, as she felt his hands gripping around her neck. She feared him no more. She was willing to accept her fate, even if it was to end at this moment. At least she would die at the hands of her Angel, for she would surely not want to live without him otherwise.

"Why do you do this to me, Christine? Why do you torture me so?" The Phantom shouted, as he looked at her, dead in the eyes. He sneered and gave her an icy glare, the tears in his eyes subsiding. He couldn't believe her indifference in his grip. Her words were so bold, coming from such a child. "Was she still a child?" He pondered. She seemed so much a woman and strong at this moment. She would have never dared to raise her voice to him in this manner before. He loosened his grip, as he faded into the darkness, cursing himself for putting a harmful hand on her.

Without missing a beat, Christine continued, trying to adjust her eyes to where he had gone, but alas, the darkness was all too consuming. "I wanted to stay with you! I looked to you to hold me and keep me by your side after I had kissed you that second time. I was promising you, wanting to lead you from your solitude forever! Are you blind? I know now that it was you I truly loved, not Raoul! I do love him…"

The Phantom winced at that sentiment, but then Christine continued.

"But only as a dear friend."

With that said, The Phantom relaxed.

Christine's tears swelled, as she continued, praying for her Angel to hear her. "I curse myself for not finding out sooner where my true heart really belonged… with you, my Angel! Please forgive my foolish heart! I'm truly sorry for all the pain I've caused you. I know you have had such trials and hardships in life. I hate myself for adding to your misery. I'm sorry, Angel… I'm sorry…" She shuddered and shook, as her sobs wracked her body and rendered her to her knees. She fell forward, pounding her fists onto the jagged stone surface, not caring that she was tearing into her flesh. She laid her head against the unforgiving floor and wept.

There was just too much for The Phantom to absorb, in such little time. The night was proving to be very trying on the once calm and collected Opera Ghost. He could hear her sobs, those tears he couldn't bear. Even when she was a child, he could never stand to see nor hear his Angel in such agony. It had become his undoing.

"Do I dare take my chances yet again? What would become of us this time?"

"Go to her!" His mind screamed.

"NO, I can't!"

"She loves you. You heard it." The voice of reason hammered at him.

"Who could love a monster?"

"Stop this self pity. Take her in your arms and love her! " His rational side demanded.

"I couldn't. She doesn't want this, this gargoyle of a man!" He grabbed at his face with disgust.

"There's no fear for her any longer. Only love."

He mocked himself at this thought and continued to battle his inner demons.

"I can't bear to lose her, not again." He lowered his head and sighed.

"Then go to her or face your fears, for she WILL be gone if you don't."

His mind ceased to calm.

The Phantom stood in silence. The war of words subsided. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and straightened himself into a collected manner.

Author's Note
To darklady5289, PrinceDiamondLuver, and sweetxseduction, thanks so much for the words of encouragement. It means a lot to me to have you all interested in my first time venture. I hope not to let anyone down. -hugs-