Chapter Eight: Not a Happy Ending...

I don't own POTO or its characters

She retraced her steps from over 4 months ago, singing that beautiful mourning song she knew all too well.

You were once my one companion,

You were all that mattered,

You were once a friend and father,

Then my world was shattered,

Wishing you were somehow here again,

Wishing you were somehow near,

Sometimes it seemed,

If I just dreamed,

Somehow you would be here,

Wishing I could hear your voice again,

Knowing that I never would,

Dreaming of you,

Won't help me to do,

All that you dreamed I could,

"Oh, I don't even know who I'm singing to anymore." She cried. "Who is it? Angel or Father? Friend or Phantom?" No comforting light came from the grave of her father this time. "Have you all left me?" she sobbed. I was wrong. I must go back to him. She hurried out of the graveyard, hoping-no, praying-that he would understand.

……………………………………………………………………….

"Raoul! Are you here? Please understand! I was wrong to leave you! I love you!" she pleaded. She felt a cold hand on her shoulder.

"What do you want?" He asked coldly.

"Raoul I-"

"SHUT UP!" He slapped her across the face, stinging Christine partially with the hurt of her now red cheek, combined with that of Raoul's evil manner. "How dare you leave me? Ah, well, I suppose I should forgive you now." He said sarcastically, "It's not like you did any harm to me!"

"I think I should go now…" Christine squeaked, trembling in fear of being hurt again by this man who she had once thought to be so loving and gentle.

Raoul seemed to automatically change his tone when he heard that Christine wanted to leave; but something still didn't seem right.

"Now Christine, baby, you don't want to leave…you'll end up in the arms of that monster again!"

"Raoul I assure you tha-"

"Come, now, Christine, we haven't any time to waste!"

He's lost his mind. She thought to herself as Raoul grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into their carriage. Why in the world are we going to the opera house? She thought as the horse continued on the path she knew all too well. No, no…he wouldn't….would he? She finally gained the courage to speak up.

"Raoul, why are we here? Shouldn't we be back at the estate…?" Raoul smiled a strange, almost psychotic smile.

"I've got some unfinished business with this monster. Now, be a good girl and wait here Christine." He stepped out of the carriage and Christine noticed something silver in his coat pocket: a pistol.

"NO! NO! PLEASE NO! RAOUL! DON'T-" she stopped screaming to hear what Raoul was telling the driver.

He did not want her to be allowed in to the opera house until he returned. No, God…please…no…..I never wanted this to happen! As time past while she was locked in the carriage she did nothing but cry and pray. Then the man guarding her carriage turned to pick up his bottle of whiskey, and when he went to look back up, the door was open and the girl was gone.

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Erik fumed as he ran about his lair, breaking random objects in his path. When at last his rage calmed to despair he fell to the floor, this time, not even his mask could hide his own emotions. Tears cascaded from both of his eyes as he looked over to one of his few remaining drawings of Christine. Her eyes looked upon him with pity, but he knew if he was looking at the real her, her face would be distorted with rage. "Why? Why must this always happen? I get what I want and I lose it…over and over!" Why must God punish me for every sin?

Then, he heard footsteps. The shadow collected himself the best he could and hid behind his throne, waiting for the fly that was unknowingly falling into the spider's web. He clutched the Punjab in his hand, ready. In stepped a man, looking rather shook up and rather drunk Erik thought as he moved closer to his prey. Suddenly he threw a noose over the poor unsuspecting fool's neck.

"You filthy demon! Let us go!" He screamed; whoever he was.

"Misseur, I assure you that you are the only one who is trapped, therefore the only one who could be let go of. Now," He spoke calmly "Who is it that consists of this 'we' that you are speaking of?" He purposely tightened the rope, making it harder for his victim to spit out the words.

"Miss…Daa-nnnnnngh" That was all he could manage

"Ah, I see! You are here for a Mademoiselle Daae? Is that what you are trying to say you imbecile?" He continued on with his mocking, while tightening his grip on the rope, "Well, I am sorry to say that she is not here-well sorry for you that is- I personally wouldn't want the little rat anywhere near me." It hurt Erik to have to say such hurtful words about the one he loved, but he must keep his dignity in front of this ignorant fool.

"No….you…must…stop…haunting…us-ngggggggghhh….leave her…..alone! She's with…me!" Erik nearly felt like crying again in front of this man, this man who he didn't even know. Who was it that Christine had left him for?

"Now, let's see who it is that has so foolishly fallen into the hands of a- a demon. Is that what you say I am?" He walked nonchalantly towards the man, who was obviously trying to hide the fact that he was trembling from fear. He jerked the man around, as to get a good look into his eyes. What Erik saw shocked him.

"What are you doing here, Vicomte? Should you not be so happily married to your beloved Christine?" Raoul glared at him with such fierceness that it almost made Erik take a step back. "Be careful, Changy-Boy, You are in my home, and in my lasso. You wouldn't want my hand to accidentally slip; causing your air flow to be completely cut off, now would you?"

"You….wouldn't…….. Dare!" Now he had finally managed to say something.

"And why is that, my little foppish friend?"

"You wouldn't….be….a-a-able……to take….the guilt."

"I assure you I have killed before, and sins don't bother me to much"

"The guilt….of hurting….C-c-c-Christine."

Erik thought of this for a while. No doubt, he wanted to kill the fop, but this man meant too much to her (why? He had no idea). No matter how much Erik wanted to despise Christine, she always had a place in his heart.

"Go." Erik began to loosen the rope when he heard more footsteps. Merde, he cursed.

Christine entered the 'room'; looking as shook up as the day she had last seen him.

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