Alright, another chapter up. Hopefully it's a bit longer than the last. I seem to be incapable of writing super-long chapters, sorry! I would also like to apologize for the outburst in the last chapter. I can take constructive criticism, but there was only one constructive comment in that long review (the part about the plot), and it was hardly a polite one. There should be about one more chapter after this. You'll probably hate me at the end of this one, so I'm apologizing in advance! Enjoy and thanks for all the reviews, you guys are awesome!

You Were All That Mattered
Chapter VI

Christine was very warm. She knew this time where she was, safe in Erik's lair. She reached over to move closer to him, only to find a pillow. She opened her eyes. He was gone.

Fear seized her heart as she crept out of bed. She found a robe and put it on over her thin chemise. Creeping around the bed, she exited the room in search of her beloved.

As soon as she entered the main dwelling area she found a bouquet of roses on the floor. She smiled; Erik was so good to her. As she inhaled their scent she noticed a small pool of red liquid where the roses had been. She bent down to examine it closely, deathly afraid of what it meant. And it was exactly as she suspected - blood.

A scream died in her throat as she looked up. There by the organ, sat Erik. His hands and feet were bound. There were some similar red stains on his shirt and face. He looked in her direction then, warning her with his eyes.

She heard a sound behind her and turned, her eyes open wide in surprise.

Raoul stood before her, grinning wickedly, mask in hand.

"So you thought you could leave me, Christine? And for this monster none-the-less!"

He walked to Erik and kicked him in the stomach. Erik groaned and fell over.

"Take a good look at your beloved Phantom, my dear, for he will be gone soon. And after I finish him off, it's your turn. For you have been a naughty girl, and I must punish you! You will learn to obey me and in turn will never leave me again!"

"NO!" she screamed.

Christine lunged forward, falling to her knees beside Erik. His eyes were closed; he had lost a large amount of blood. Her tears fell upon his face as she leaned down to whisper to him.

"Oh mon ange, my beautiful Angel of Music! I love you! Don't leave me! Stay with me, Angel. Listen to my voice, follow my voice. I love you! Don't give up yet!" she stifled her sob with her hand.

"Well look at this... the beauty has fallen under the beast's spell once again. Well, darling, it's time to end this once and for all!"

He raised a dagger high into the air.

"Raoul, NO!"

Christine used all the force she could muster up and shoved into Raoul. He tripped and fell hard on the cold stone floor, unmoving.

Just then Erik made a small noise in his throat. He was trying to speak but was having much difficulty.

"Shh, mon ange. Don't try to speak. Everything's going to be fine now. Raoul is dead, Erik. He fell upon his own dagger. We are free at last," she leaned over him and kissed his forehead.

His eyes moved in recognition of her voice and he tried once again to form a sentence.

"Erik, don't overwork yourself. You are terribly injured; here let me go get some water and cloth to clean you up".

She moved to get up, but was stopped by his hand on her robe. There were tears in his eyes as he tried once again to speak, getting weaker by the moment.

"Christine," his voice was ragged and barely above a whisper. "Christine, I... I love you. Thank you."

His eyes closed briefly and her tears fell upon his face once again as she leaned over him.

"Erik, don't do this. I love you too much to lose you now! Please, bien-aimé, you will get better. Oui, you will. And we shall get married and live happily here for the rest of our lives. Please, don't leave me when I need you most!"

His green-grey eyes burned into her soul as he stared at her, gasping for breath.

"Christine..."

And with that he closed his eyes. The Opera Ghost was dead.