Disclaimer: I own nothing except my computer. Well, I don't really even own that. It was a present, so I guess I don't. Oh well.

To my reviewers:

Draegonfire: thank you sooooooo much for being my editor. bouncing ideas off someone who actually knows what i'm talking about works much better than running them past my friends.

MouetteHeartsErik: don't you think Carlotta's part was great? i just had to put her in there...

Sardine nightclub: you think my writing is eloquent? well, all i can say is i'm flattered...never been called eloquent before...

And a few notes: 1, new format. i've been told the difference between the characters' thoughts and words is vague, so i changed it. quotes, as always, are speaking parts. italics are thoughts, and italics and quotes together are lines that are sung.

2, i forgot to say at the beginning that i was letting Erik keep his hair. He doesn't wear a wig, that's his natural hair.

And now for the chapter you've all been threatening me for!

The End of…?

As Erik moved toward the grate, Christine stood in shock, shaking her head. "No……no….He can't be doing this," she whispered.

"Christine I love you."

"NO!"

"Erik, don't do this!" She went to him as fast as she could through the water and her skirts. "Stop!" As she reached him she pulled at the lasso in desperation, crying almost hysterically, finally freeing him from its death grip. "Erik……."

Erik was very confused. First she practically asked Raoul to kill him, then she flew into hysterics when he went to kill himself. Perhaps she wants the pleasure of seeing that fop kill me instead? Perhaps she wants me to die a more terrible death than the life I've lived? Or perhaps….no, that couldn't be. She couldn't possibly have planned it to go the other way, for Raoul to kill himself. She's going to marry him, you fool! She wouldn't want him dead, and you alive! As he looked down at the distraught girl in front of him, though, he couldn't help but wonder. "Christine?"

Christine looked up, she had worried that he might have pulled the rope while she was on her way to him. "Erik, I didn't mean for this to happen," she said, tears streaming down her face.

"Angel of Music, I deceived you,

Breaking your heart blindly.

Angel, I'm sorry, please forgive me,

Stay with me, strange angel!"

Erik picked up on the familiar tune, as he expressed himself far better in music than conversation.

"Christine I've only been dreaming;

Fancies like this can't come true.

But Christine you're talking in riddles,

And it's not like you."

Of course her question had confused him! Why couldn't she have just stated what she wanted to know, rather than playing with his heart and mind? Could she ever straighten this out?

"Angel, my Erik, teacher, lover,

Pardon my actions, trust me!

Erik, I love you, now and always,

Don't leave me now, Angel!"

As she sang, Christine moved closer and closer to Erik, until he could feel her breathe while singing.

"Wonderful angel of darkness,

What kind of life have you known?

God give His blessing to show you,

You are not alone!"

Slowly, timidly, Christine placed her hands on his shoulders, rose up, and touched her lips to Erik's, sending a jolt through his body.Then, with less hesitation this time, she kissed him deeply, holding him to her with one hand while caressing his face with the other.

Erik was speechless at Christine's loving touch. Responding to her, he moved his lips against hers, and tangled his long, musical fingers in her hair. Running his tongue along her lips, he slid it between them, and deepened the kiss further.

Christine's mouth opened, welcoming the tongue that parted her lips. Her stomach felt as though it had fallen down to her foot. "Erik….." She moaned his name into his lips, unable to do anything else, and slid her hand up from his back into his hair, running her fingers through the rich ebony locks. "Erik….."

XXXXX

Raoul's jaw gaped in astonishment. Two minutes ago, Christine had been practically begging him to kill the Phantom, or so he thought, but now she was kissing the monster passionately right in front of him. She had gone to him, weeping and begging that the Phantom not hang himself, and tugging desperately at the rope so that he wouldn't. She sang to him in her melodious voice, asking for his forgiveness and professing her love. And now this. Surely he had put her under a spell, for Raoul's Little Lotte would never behave like this!

"Christine, my love, what is this? Has that hellish demon put a spell on you with his voice? Leave him, Christine, he is nothing but a living corpse, you could not possibly love a face like that! Let me deal with him!"

XXXXX

At Raoul's cry the two reluctantly broke their passionate embrace.

Erik's mind ran in circles. Christine had just kissed him, held him, touched him. His heart told Erik she loved him. But his mind reasoned against it, bringing up every betrayal, however unintentional, she had ever made him. There was no logic behind her loving him, it just couldn't be. The Vicomte told her the same, there was no reason for Christine to love Erik, he was a demon, and unworthy of her. Soon Christine would undoubtedly run to Raoul, pleading with him to undo the spell cast upon her by the voice of an angel in hell.

Turning around to face Raoul, Christine stared at him. "A spell? You think he has put a spell on me? Use your mind Raoul! Spells do not exist, we are in a scientific age, there is no such thing as witchcraft!

"But Christine, you cannot possibly love a demon, why, he said so himself! Christine. I only want a life of happiness with you. Stand aside and allow me to end his reign of terror!" Raoul drew his sword once more and waded toward Erik, threatening him with every step. "Your end is near, Opera Ghost, any last words?" Raoul closed in, pointing the weapon straight at Erik's heart.

"Raoul, no, I won't let you do this!" Christine cried, planting herself between the two men. "How many times must I tell you, Raoul, that I want to be with him rather than you?" She glanced at Erik's bitter, hard visage, and smiled sweetly. "That I love him?" Glaring back at Raoul, she said, "It's always about what you want, isn't it? You want to live a happy life with me as your wife. You want to end him. You want to. Have you ever thought about what I want? Ever thought that there might be someone else out there who holds the key to my heart? You were my childhood sweetheart, Raoul. I was your Little Lotte. I was. You were. Anything we might have had is in the past. Leave it there. Now with that said, if you want to kill him, you will have to kill me too. Oh, you may push me out of the way, bind me across the room so that I, in my "spell-bound state of mind," will not interfere, but you will still kill me. A soul whose life spring has been drained cannot survive long without it, and if you kill my angel, my Erik, you will write my death sentence."

I can't wait to see the reviews on this one, since you've all been threatening to kill me if I didn't post it soon!