Chapter 3: Raoul's Fears Become Realities
Christine had gone back to her angel. Oh, great joy to the Opera Ghost! Raoul, pleading for his love to return, found himself alone in their house, his house.
The Vicomte awoke in a cold sweat after a horrible nightmare. He recalled Christine leaving him for her "Angel", as she had called him. But it was nothing but a dream. Just to be sure, he checked and saw that Christine was sleeping soundly next to him. Relieved, he drifted back to sleep…
Christine couldn't stop thinking about her Angel all throughout breakfast. Raoul noticed her queer behavior, "What is wrong, my sweet Christine?" He knew very well what was wrong. Only three weeks after their escape from the opera's catacombs, he expected her to still be a bit shook up, but he really wished she would stop crying. Every once in a while she would randomly burst into tears. Raoul tried his best to pretend he did not notice (for he knew Christine tried to conceal her emotions from him), but it pained his heart to see her upset. Often he offered to take her out for a walk in the park, but she almost always replied simply
"I am sorry my dear, but I am not feeling well today." Soon Christine stopped eating, and Raoul grew worried.
He could no longer fight it, without thinking he blurted out, "You still love him, don't you?" Christine looked shocked at his question, her eyes began to water.
Between sobs, Raoul managed to hear her say, "Its….like….he's….still….right….here…." He couldn't believe what he was hearing, yet he had expected it all along.
"My dearest Christine", he said as calmly as he could manage, "You know you have escaped from his torture. Do not worry; I am here. I will protect you from ever being hurt again!"
Christine's face now cascaded with tears. "Oh Raoul! You cannot save me from what already lies inside my soul." Her face swollen, her eyes red, she looked up at him. The Vicomte's heart was torn in half when he saw her in such a state.
"You still love him…" he felt a lump in his throat as he forced out the words he could no longer keep inside him, "but then what are your feelings for me?"
"Raoul you know I love you, I have never stopped loving you, I never will stop." Liar… replied a voice in her head…but I do love him, don't I? replied another voice. You love your Angel, you never stopped loving Him, you never will stop. Oh, how her mind had turned on her! She wanted to love Raoul, she wanted to forget the Phantom, but the thought just seemed to be rearranged, no matter how hard she tried. Then a voice, but this time not from inside her mind, not from Raoul's lips, called out to her,
"Christine…Christine my Angel…I can no longer stand to watch you pain…stay with who your true feelings are…whoever it is."
Her angel, though not the one she had expected. That was not the Phantom's voice…That voice belonged to her father. Christine thought she was going to faint, but instead she just collapsed to the floor.
"CHRISTINE!" Raoul ran to fetch a cool cloth, and returned within seconds to place it on her head…she was gone.