Chapter 6

Ok I KnowI'm updateing a little late but my friend came over Friday and then I was sent to my dad's house until Sunday. But here it is and I rather like this one! I think it's my favorite so far. So plz continue to review! I'm still a review whore which I have recently learned is not a bad thing lol!This Chapter is all Christine and Erik. So I hope you all like it!

Christine lay quietly in her room. 'What should I do?' she kept silently asking her self.

'What am I prepared to do?' It was true, she did love Erik. 'But how can I just hurt Raoul like that? Were arranged to be married!'

'He can find another. Erik only has you'

'Yes, that's true. I should go to him, just for a bit. I haven't seen him in so long. I should at least make sure he's okay. But how?' Christine knew Erik got to her threw the mirror but how did he open it? She never could remember. Every time he brought her down to his home he'd sung to her until that's all she could hear and think about. 'He controlled my mind with his voice. There must be away to open it' She hurried out of bed and began to feel along the frame of the mirror. 'A switch perhaps?'

There she felt her finger hit something. She pressed it and heard a faint click. 'A lock'

She pulled on the frame and this time it slid out of place revealing a path. She looked around again to be sure that Raoul hadn't been woken. Then hurried threw closing the mirror back into place. 'It'll do no good if Raoul awakens to find me gone and this path open'. Christine was momentarily shocked when she discovered she could still see her room even with the mirror back in place. 'Does he watch me from here?' she wondered the thought sent a chill down her spine. Though it wasn't all together unwelcome. 'I've surely lost my sense'

Christine continued off down the dark, damp pathway. She had taken it so many times but always with her Angel as her guide. Now she was alone. Still there were lights to guide her way as she went lower and lower into the depths of the Opera Populaire.

She arrived at the small lake of water of which on the other side lied Erik's home. She looked across and could make out his form in the shadowy light. 'Has he not noticed that I am here? That seems rather odd' But then she made out another form. Most assuredly female in it's build. Long straight blonde hair a small slime frame. Shorter than she her self was but even from this view point Christine could see she was very beautiful, despite her strange attire. The woman was talking to Erik though Christine could not make out the words. 'Who is this strange woman' she had not known Erik to ever bring another down to his lair. Surely he hadn't fooled her into believing she was the only one with whom he met or spoke with.

'Has it all been a lie. Were there always others? Is this woman the reason why he has been so long in visiting me? Surely I have not so easily been replaced?'

The questions echoed hauntingly in her mind. She knew now how Erik must have felt watching her and Raoul becoming more close. How he must have felt as he watched them confessing their love on the roof top that fateful night. She had known he was there, he had whispered her name. A silent plea to understand what he had done. But she continued on as if she had heard nothing. So much did she want to hurt him, punish him for the evil he had just committed in killing that stagehand. She wanted to cause him pain and had succeeded well. Christine now felt his pain as she watched the two speak to each other. Words she would never be able to hear. Tears welled in her eyes.

'I've lost him' that knowledge brought more pain then she could have ever thought.

She knew now that she had loved him to the point of dying, loved him with every breath she took and every song she sang. Yes she loved him, but now it was to late.

'He doesn't want me anymore, he has found someone knew. I am to late'

She watched with teary eyes as Erik conversed with this woman who must have him so enthralled as to distract him from the fact that Christine was just on the other side of the lake watching from the shadows. Surely he would have known she was there even before she had arrived had he been alone. Christine watched as Erik moved away from the woman and towards the lake. Had he noticed her? No he hadn't looked at her yet as he got into the boat and began to row across.

'I have to get back' she thought 'I can not face him like this.'

Christine hurried back threw the passage much quicker then when she had first come. For a few moments she had feared she was lost but soon she saw the familiar vision of her room. She slipped through the passageway and closed the mirror behind her. Christine moved back into bed and closed her eyes in a vain attempt to stop the tears that were now flowing from them. She listened, there was no noise. Raoul must still be asleep outside my door and Erik? Was he coming to see her after all this time of silence? Or was he off to visit some other woman that she had not known about as well?'

The question was soon answered when Christine heard the mirror slide out of place once again. She kept her eyes tightly closed and fought to keep her breathing even.

"Christine" he whispered in that way that only he could. The way he made it sound as if every sylabole of her name was part of a sacred prayer.

She stayed utterly still. She felt his gloved hand on her warm cheek. And wanted to sigh in pleasure from the contact but still she stayed still.

"Christine" he tried again. "I know you are not sleeping. There are tears on your face."

'Damn it' she thought to herself.

"Have I truly wronged you so much that you can not even dare to look at me? Or is it for another reason that you keep you eyes from mine?" He asked still in the same husky whisper to keep from waking the boy that he too knew slept outside her door.

'What a fool'

"You mistake the betrayal mine eyes accuse you of my angel?" Christine whispered there was little point to continue her façade.

"Do I Christine? Is it not for the evil of my face that you refuse to look upon me with love?"

"Are you so vain to think me so? There is a greater darkness within you then that which can be seen." 'Must I always speak such horrid words to him?'

"You speak in riddles Christine can you not just tell me what you mean. And stop playing games with me? Do you not owe me at least that?"

"I owe you nothing. The betrayal you accuse me of is not only mine."

"Is it not? Surly then my senses have not lied? Are you not promised to the Vicomte my dear? Have you not denied all I have given you? Is my anger not just in this accusation?"

"Yes what you say is true. Raoul is my promised husband" Erik flinched at her words. Oh how they hurt to hear.

"And yes in doing so I must find my own way now. I no longer need you to decide what is best for me. This is my choice Mon ange. But is my betrayal as you call it so wrong in your eyes? Are you so blinded to see why it had come to be?

"Of course. I can see why you have run from me to this boy. He is handsome Christine; while my own face is oh how did you put it again? Oh yes as if I could forget. 'Can I ever escape from that face? So distorted, deformed, it was hardly a face in the darkness.'

Erik sang out in a bitter voice mimicking the words Christine had spoke to Raoul that night on the roof. The pain in his voice from the memory of her words broke some of Christine's anger. Had she truly been as cruel as that? To say such a thing when she knew he could hear?

"But his voice, filled my spirit with a strange sweet sound. In the night there was music in my mind and through music my soul began to soar. And I heard as I never heard before."

Christine sang out the words that had followed those that had hurt Erik so much.

The words Christine meant to be a comfort did little to soothe Erik's wounded pride and heart.

"What you heard was a dream and nothing more" Erik sang the words that had belonged to Raoul. As he moved to go back through the mirror.

Christine watched the sadness in his eyes as he sang those words. Watched as he moved to leave her once more in the darkness alone.

"Yet in his eyes all the sadness of the world. Those pleading eyes that both threaten and adore." Christine sung in a whisper. As Erik prepared to leave.

"Erik do not leave me"

"Must you still attempt to torment me Christine?"

"That's the last thing I want to do"

"And what exactly is it that you want Christine?" Erik asked now angry and no longer quiet.

"Erik please be quiet, Raoul." She pleaded.

"Oh yes your precious Vicomte. Well Christine if he is the one you want then what is it you wish of from me? My blessing perhaps? Or maybe you wish for me to continue to tutor you and watch over you and make you a star so that you can go back to his bed every night? Is that what your asking of me?"

"No, Erik never. Please stay calm. I just, I can't not have you in my life."

"I'm afraid mademoiselle that you can't have everything you want." Erik was about to leave

"Erik please don't go"

"I must. I'm sorry Christine"

"Can I not go with you?"

"No Christine you shall stay here with the Vicomte" he has through the passage way when they heard Raoul.

"Christine, Christine, is everything ok?" she didn't answer him and he tried to open the door that was luckily locked.

"Erik please." He just stared and slowly began to close the mirror behind him.

"Angel of music, guide and guardian! Grant to your glory! Angel of music! Hide no longer! Come to me strange angel". She sang out her last attempt to make him understand.

She waited for a moment there was no sound except that of Raoul pounding on the door and calling her name.

Then finally came the hypnotic reply

"I am your angel of music. Come to me angel of music. I am your angel of music. Come to me angel of music"

Christine felt the same feeling of abandonment come over her as his voice led her mind astray. She moved through the mirror in a trance and was slowly led back down by her angel.