A/N: Hi everyone! I'm sure you can guess what's going to happen in here and the next one. For suspenseful purposes I added another room to Erik's lair. The idea of it I got from a movie, which I won't say until the next chapter, otherwise it would give it away. One more chapter left plus Epilogue. I can't believe this is finally over! Thank you all for the kind words and Halley for doing a fabulous job. Please don't forget to review!

Chapter 17- Down Once More

The reverberated cry from Christine shook Raoul to his very core. The hard pounding of his heart drummed in his eardrums and a foreign swelling of doom and despair increased tenfold even before the lights returned, revealing the disappearance of the young soprano.

It all had happened in slow motion.

The hundred thousand masks were floating to the ground; the resounding ring of applauding hands in the theatre—the stun silence by a bewitching scream of horror and darkness sweeping over. The tiding gaiety ended in sudden death as Christine Dawson was no longer present among the invitees. Fear; a vague meaning of emotion that hardly can be considered, except by those entangled in an impending hopelessness that life would be over had possessed Raoul de Chagny, choking the air out of him. She was gone. By a thousand spectators, she was gone without a trace.

"No…" he gasped his voice thick and heavy. "No…"

His feet were moving, he was no longer in control, and before he realized it, Raoul had engulfed himself with the frenzy crowd, searching desperately for the one maybe woman he had ever cared for. She has to be here! She has to be here! His mind repeated. But every face surrounding him was not her. Not her. Not her.

Then in a flash, Raoul had seen a man near her-- a man in the deepest red seen, deep and dark as blood, a maddening skull face and the chain of gold around his neck. He had returned. The Red Death had returned.

He saw him before, he knew him from somewhere, but where? And why did the quick recollection of such a man lunge him into fury and loathing? And why in his heart of hearts did he feel that Christine was in terrible danger?

The calm of the storm had come by the sight of Adele Garrison and her daughter. Raoul rushed over to them, anxiety riding high as ever, as he cried out for Christine.

"He has her!" Adele hissed, her gray eyes growing large. "He has taken her again! You must save her, M. de Chagny!"

"Who?" Raoul barked, grabbing the older woman's shoulders. "Who has Christine!"

"The Phantom. A man once known as Erik," Adele said, her usual controlled voice trembled. "He has her. Lord help us all."

"What?" Raoul exclaimed in disbelief, looking to Meg for confirmation. Tears glazed over her blue eyes as she nodded.

"It's true, Raoul. You have to believe us when we tell you that the Phantom has Christine. He's real. Real as you and me. And we got to rescue her!"

"This isn't possible," he stumbled. "The Phantom—"

"Is real," Adele finished for him. "And if you would have listened to Christine in the first place none of this would have happened."

"Are you implying--?"

"Of course I am! Have you known me long enough that I don't joke around? Christine is the reincarnation of your great-great grandmother, the Phantom's lover. He wants her to be with him and we're wasting time!" Adele shouted.

Raoul took a staggering step back, his jaw dropping. "Holy shit…"

Detective Kanye came running over, a firm authority set in his rigid countenance. "Monsieur, we need to get everyone to calm down. I called my superiors—"

"It won't be necessary," Adele coldly interrupted. "No mortal weapon or law can stop the supernatural being. Only a good brave soul can help Christine Dawson now."

"Madame, what do you mean?" Kanye asked.

"The Phantom!" Raoul erupted. "He has Christine! She was telling the truth. She was telling the truth and I didn't believe her."

Kanye stared hard at the young man, his brow rising high to the ceiling. "You're sure?"

"From what Adele has told me, yes," Raoul stated simply, anger edging his tone. "I am a fool."

"You are if you keep standing here," Adele chastised him. "Monsieur, if you love her, you will go after them and bring her back. I'm afraid his power might be too much for her to handle and if she has fainted… God only knows what could be happening."

The look on Meg's face was enough for him to make up his mind. The explanation could wait for the time being once Christine was back with him, where she belonged. And until then Raoul would have to accept Adele's words. He loved Christine more than life itself and he would do anything to assure her safety, no matter the consequence. Not even the powers of Hell could stop him.

"I think I might know where to go," Raoul told them. "If you say she's the reincarnation of my great-great grandmother, then there's only one path he could have taken."

"You cannot be serious!" Kanye rebuked. "You're chasing a ghost!"

"Whatever it is, it has Christine and I'm going after her," Raoul affirmed in a no argumentative tone. I can't lose her.

Kanye huffed. "Well, I can't have you wandering off by yourself without back-up. I'm going to."

Raoul grinned, though there was no trace of amusement. "Thank you."

"Me too," added Meg, only to be hit by her mother. "Ow! Maman!"

"No Megara," Adele scolded. "I will not have you go down to his lair, if it's even there. We'll stay here in case they need us."

"I'm with your mother," Raoul told Meg. "I'll find her. I promise."

"Bring her home," Meg whispered as the men disappeared into the direction of Christine Daae's dressing room. "Maman, do you think she's all right? Do you think he would even let her go?"

Adele sighed. "I don't know Meg. But M. de Chagny is a smart man and he knows the stories. He knows to keep his hand at the level of his eyes."

xxXXxx

The mirror was sealed off by the time Raoul and Kanye arrived. The former ran to it, groping the edges, looking for a weak spot or anything to open it. After struggling for a few minutes, he slammed his forehead against the glass, cursing profoundly.

"The bastard knew," Raoul glowered. "He goddamn knew we would follow!"

"Monsieur, it's not the time to beat yourself up. You said there was a secret passageway behind this mirror?"

"Yes."

"Then…" The dark-skinned man walked around the room, looking for anything they might serve his need and cried, "Aha!" Underneath the dusty settee was a flashlight. "This might help."

Raoul backed away as he came swinging over, smashing the glass. Over and over, Kanye pounded the head of the flashlight until the glass gave in and shattered into pieces around him. He tossed the flashlight to the young man, Kanye demanded, "Check to see if it works."

Raoul flicked the switch as a faint, but steady beam appeared. Pleased, Raoul pointed onward. "Let's go."

Kanye took the first step into the walkway and gagged at the mildew scent. "It's strong but we'll get use to it," Raoul told him as he led down the direction he had found Christine prior. "If she had seen him here, then his home must be in that direction as well."

"Okay then what?" The skeptical detective inquired.

"If the stories are true, which I'm beginning to suspect, then we have to go down to the fifth cellar."

"Down?" he echoed and shrugged as the owner took the lead.

Raoul waved the light as he walked, frowning as an unusual déjà vu swept over him. For some odd reason, he thought about his strange dreams from his boyhood. Could it even be possible that he had experienced some sort of past life as a child?

Without thinking, Raoul dropped to his hands and knees, scraping the dirt and gravel to the side, exposing an iron ring. Taking hold, he grunted as the trap door lifted.

Kanye observed with keen interest. "How did you know to do that?"

"I didn't," Raoul answered truthfully. "But, Detective, will this sound strange to you if I were to say I've done this before?"

"I would have to say this whole thing is fucked up."

Raoul smirked, handing the flashlight to him so he could jump down. Kanye followed suit, landing disgracefully on his rear. "For the love of Allah—" he began.

"Shh!" Raoul looked at him. "We don't want him to know we're on his trail."

The detective glared at him as he dusted off his pants. "My wife's going to kill me."

"She won't if this Phantom or Erik is true to what is told. If that's the case, well, Detective ever heard of the saying, 'keep your hand at the level of your eyes'?"

"No." Raoul made a fist and raised it. "You better."

"Sir, I may have investigated most of the cases surrounding your theatre, but I have not quite acquainted myself with the whole lore."

"Here's a quick lesson: the Punjab lasso is his choice of weapon. One sudden grip around the throat and you're dead. With your hand raised, you have a better chance in surviving. Now, c'mon. We can't afford anymore time."

They moved further in their path and to Raoul's surprise, came to a staircase that had seen better days. "That's our ticket."

Not waiting for his partner to say anything, Raoul proceeded to walk cautiously down, his mind set on his dear, beloved Christine. Guilt panged him as he had pushed her away when she attempted to explain the truth. What sort of man did that make him? He prayed it wasn't too late for her to accept his sincerest apologies.

"Don't worry, Monsieur. We'll get her," Kanye murmured, noticing the tenseness in Raoul's shoulders. "It wasn't your fault."

"It feels like it is," he replied curtly. They climbed two flights down, Raoul mentally numbering their position at the third cellar. The mildew combined with rotten, decaying wood and filth was stinging his nose and eyes, but with all of his might, Raoul forced to keep focus on his mission. He needed to keep a sharp head on his shoulders and quick eyes if they were to make this out. They soon reached a dead-end where a medium-sized hole was built through the wall.

Raoul paused, a rush of apprehension flooding him. "We shouldn't go through there. I don't know where it leads, but someplace I rather not be."

Kanye gave him a side-angled glance. "You're starting to worry me de Chagny."

"Same here. But I had dreams about this as a kid. I dreamt of darkness where there was no escape and water suffocating me. That way leads to death, monsieur, and we're no use to Christine if we're dead."

"Then what do you propose?"

"He lives in a house on a lake. And the lake starts here in the third cellar, but I think it might be best if we take the stairs to the fifth cellar and then find the house that way."

"And what if we're too late? We already wasted enough time already. We should stay here and before you object, let me remind you, I am an officer of the law and I am well armed. Now, if you remember using that path, then I strongly recommend we do so."

Kanye pushed past Raoul and instructed him to stay close. Getting on his knees, the detective began to crawl down the narrow path with Raoul a few feet behind, the flashlight in his hand, lighting their way until the bulb couldn't hold on much longer and died.

"Ah damnit!"

"Leave it," Kanye ordered. "I think I see a light up ahead. Not far now."

Groaning, Raoul did and squinted his eyes to see he was right. Kanye shuffled a bit further and with a cry disappeared in front of the owner's eyes.

xxXXxx

She had fainted dead away in his arms.

Imprinted in her mind was that twisted face she had feared as a little girl. Even in the recesses of her unconsciousness she saw him, saw Erik. God would be too cruel to let her forget that visage.

He was exactly what he appeared to be in her dream. The stench of rotten eggs and mothballs—the scent of death—was everywhere, suffocating and stinging the air in her lungs. She felt like vomiting and she vaguely wondered if she did on the ghoulish creature. Not that would make a difference.

His very face was a corpse, so hideous and so disgusting. His eyes were severe and sunken in, his lips huge and misshaped, and his breath reeked of the putrid odor about him. How in the world had she found him so desirable? So attractive? He was bones, literally skeletal, with no muscle on his body. She could feel the clammy skin against her chest as he carried her to his home.

My home, she thought with bitter sarcasm.

And like her dream, she had fought him, punched him, cursed him, and he did not relent. He did not speak to her, which had struck her oddly upsetting. The silence was madness. Only then did he begin to hum. It was sorrowful in his deep voice and beautiful at the same time. It was then Christine was returned to the sweet blackness, her memory fading into nothing.

xxXXxx

"Kanye!" Raoul screamed, scrambling over. Looking over, he found the detective sprawled on the ground, moaning, but was fine and signaled for the young man to come down once he stood up.

Scanning the six-cornered room they had found themselves in, Raoul felt a shiver snaked down his spine by the sight of so many mirrors. "Detective Kanye… this isn't right."

"I'll say. Look here." He bent down to pick up a cord. "Can you make out what this is?"

One glance confirmed Raoul's worst fears as he backed away. "The Punjab lasso…"

Startled, Kanye threw it away quickly. "I think I'm starting to believe now."

"We're in the torture chamber," Raoul panted. "I read about this room in my great-great grandmother's diary. This is where my great-great grandfather and a friend almost died when trying to save her. She mentioned a secret in which to escape—"

Raoul headed over to the mirror in front of him and began touching, pulling, and pushing for the secret door that led out. Kanye watched what he was doing and mimicked him over on his side.

"If this is a torture chamber, I take it we're in his home, right?" Kanye asked over his shoulder.

"Yes but we should refrain from speaking. If he should hear us then when the light is exposed in here we would die from the heat or lasso."

"Christ. He is one whacked out ghost."

Raoul made no comment as he continued his work. He was astonished of how much he knew his way around the passages and the path once known as the Communists' Road. Not all of this had to be taken from his great-great grandmother's diary; after all, she wouldn't have experienced the horrors of nearly drowning in darkness. This knowledge had to be derived from another source, but what?

Remembering the past life Christine referred to, Raoul briefly wondered if he too had one at one point. He didn't believe in reincarnation, just like he didn't believe in ghosts, but now he was more than likely to believe in the existence of both and perhaps Santa.

Then again, the whole discussion about reincarnations could be getting into his head making him think he was. He had to retain some sort of rational sense if he wanted to make it out sane. The diary had been very detailed in everything, especially her secrets and those of the unnamed lover, the one called Erik.

What did she ever see in him? He thought as a wry chuckle escaped. Somehow this whole thing seemed hilarious. Here is a ghost thinking his girlfriend was the ghost's lover. There was no resemblance in appearance. Christine Daae was blonde, blue-eyed and this Christine was a curly chocolate and brown eye. Sure both could sing like angels, but that didn't make them alike. If Kanye weren't around, Raoul would have burst out into laughter over this ordeal. This was beyond insane and here he was taking part in it. Ghosts were stories to tell children and the Phantom was a story to bring in the tourism. Yet the story became reality and he was fighting to save the woman he loved. Just like his great-great grandfather did nearly a century ago.

If he lays one transparent hand on her, I'll force him to cross over, he thought with solemnity. I don't care who he is or what he can do. Christine's my girlfriend and if he touches her with harm then he'll have to answer to me.

But you know he won't harm her, whispered a voice. You know he will never touch his angel like the way you've did.

Frowning and perturbed, Raoul turned to Kanye. "What did you say Detective?"

Kanye glanced at him. "I didn't say anything."

Raoul cocked his head and muttered, "Never mind." You know you never hurt her and everyone knows you're not that type.

That's what he thought…

Becoming mad, Raoul whirled around and glared at the other man. "Don't you dare accuse me of hurting Christine!"

This time Kanye gave him a worried look. "Monsieur, I don't know what you are talking about, but I assure you I never accused you of anything. I know you wouldn't intentionally hurt Mlle Dawson."

The officer's statement soothed him and he felt guilty for accusing him of such things. Kanye smiled and waved him off. "It's nerves, my friend. I did not take it to heart."

Raoul nodded but wanted to add more, but decided against it. Maybe his irrational fears were putting ideas into his head. Doesn't that normally occur in dire situations? Then a despairing notion came to light…

What if Christine loved this Erik? She didn't tell him about the admirer and he never gave her reason to doubt his fidelity.

Yet, you pushed her away when she did try to explain, came the accusation. She probably wanted this. Perhaps this Erik is a better companion then you could ever be. At least he wouldn't be quick to shove her away when she needs comfort. Erik would have listened to her from the beginning.

So could I, he argued. I was tired and tired people don't think clearly. It was a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. She could have told me and I would have listened.

But you didn't. And you wouldn't. Face it. She's better off with Erik. She will be happier with him than with you. You would make her miserable like before. You will only keep her because she damaged your pride and embarrassed you. He's taking what rightfully belongs to him. You shouldn't stop him. She belongs to Erik. This is her true home!

"No!" Raoul half-whispered, half-sobbed. "Shut up! I love her and she loves me!"

You know who you are. That's why you hate yourself so much. Rapist…

"No I'm not!" he moaned, a bit loudly. Clapping his hands over his ears, Raoul violently shook his head. "I didn't rape her!"

He did and he is you. There's no escape from the true destiny. You will hurt her, you will destroy her.

"I'm not him! I'm not like him! I'm—"

A stinging blow shot across his face. Raoul blinked for a few seconds before he could focus clearly. Shaking his head, he gazed up into the upset eyes of Kanye. "Wha-What happened?"

Kanye sighed. "You were going mad on me. And we can't have our covers blown. What made you so riled up anyhow?"

The young man stared at the floor, his face turning red from where he was slapped. "Ghosts from the past that won't rest."

The dark-skinned man nodded sympathetically and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Are you all right now?"

"Yeah I think so."

"Good. And I have some news that would you make feel better—I found the secret door."

Raoul perked up. Kanye grinned broadly. "My sentiments exactly. Now let's save the girl and get the bastard," he said, walking through into the next room.

xxXXxx

"What will you decide on my dear? The scorpion to be my wife or the grasshopper who jumps mighty high!" Erik madly cried.

Scorpion or grasshopper? Bride or death?

"Christine! Christine!"

It was Raoul! Oh sweet, loving Raoul!

"Choose!" Erik practically screamed. "Choose now or I'll choose for you and the whole building will be buried!"

A fast hand selects.

"I have turned the scorpion Erik!"

The love-starved man suddenly morphed into a hysterical man of youth.

"Raoul, please, try to understand! I love him—"

"No!" He jumped up, pounding a fist on a table. "You're mine Christine! Mine! You will not return to some monster!"

"But I promised him Raoul!" she screeched. "He needs me!"

"No I need you!"

"I'm not yours Raoul. I'm breaking our engagement, I'm sorry. But I cannot marry you."

Pulling off the diamond heirloom, she handed it to him. "I do not love you."

Heartbrokenly, he stared at the ring and then at her. "You did once." And a foreboding grin took over his features. "And you will again."

The pain… oh God the pain!

The heavy, swollen belly kicking pierced her soul as she screamed out. He was coming! The baby was coming!

"Get out! Get out of me!" Christine sobbed, thrashing her petite body wildly. Her eyes squeezed so tight that tears shimmered on her lashes as she twisted and screamed. No matter what she couldn't seem to leave the hellish nightmare.

From a distance, he watched her. She may have broken his influence before, but now that she was finally here with him, she will not leave. She was his and he was hers.

"Soon mon Ange," he promised. "Soon they'll end and you'll come to Erik."

xxXXxx

The room they entered through had ended into another. One that Raoul did not recognize.

Their eyes were already grown used to the dark and luckily it enabled them to see the new area. Like the mirrored room, it had six corners, but no mirrors and no nooses were lying or hanging around to both men's relief. But it wasn't far from the torture room. This had to be another one of Erik's tricks but what?

Kanye muttered a string of phrases in another language, while Raoul searched for another door of some kind. Coming close to the west wall, he heard something. Something like someone crying… a female crying.

"Christine!" Raoul gasped, running over and pressing his ear into the cool stone. His eyes widened as another painful cry resonated. It was Christine! And she was behind there!

Frantically, he tore his nails into the surface, looking for a switch or something that would lead him to her. She needed him! Visualizing the Phantom in front of him, Raoul ripped and pried the rock, praying he wasn't too late for his love.

He was thrown roughly away, falling to the floor. He gawked at Kanye, his patience growing thinner at the man who came along. "What the Hell! She's there! I heard her!"

"And what? Go tearing through like a crazed fool and get yourself killed? You need to keep a cool head on your shoulders, boy, if you want to outsmart him."

"That… that thing is doing something to her and you're telling me to be cool?"

"Yes and good reason too. We need to find out what is going on before we go running in. Can you do that? Can you do that for her?"

Knowing he had little say in the matter, Raoul reluctantly agreed much to his heavy heart. She was right there, not far from his fingertips, and he was being held back. Standing up, he looked Kanye in the eye and coldly stated, "If anything happens to her, I'm going to report you."

"Spoken like a true goddamn boyfriend," Kanye kidded though all sense of humor fled once they had stepped through the dressing room mirror. Both quietly pressed against the wall to listen in on what was taking place.

Christine's cries were growing fainter, but her heart-broken words were unnoticed by the frantic lover.

"Untie me please! Untie me…"

Kanye gripped his tensed shoulder to help him relax. Helplessly, Raoul had no choice but to continue listening much to the beast inside roaring to break down the wall and kill the Phantom once and for all.

A new, chilling voice was picked up now.

"I'm sorry, my love, you had to go through that but those were only memories. Past memories from who you are but there's no need for them to be painful anymore. We will create new and wonderful memories together. You do not need to cry no more mon coeur."

"Go to Hell!" Her hoarse voice declared weakly.

"Christine, Christine." It sounded like he was shaking his head from the forlorn sound. "My Hell was here alone, waiting for you to return. Years passed as I walked through this theatre in hopes you will come back. And now you're here! We can be together again. Forever."

"Forever my ass," Raoul mumbled, earning an exasperated look from Kanye.

"Erik please…" Christine pleaded. "We can't…"

Raoul and Kanye jumped as something crashed into the wall. Both exchanged uneasy glances as the ghost's sweet temper was curved by her rejection.

"No! No do you hear me?" Erik wailed in dismay. "You still fight me, why Christine? Why! Don't you love your poor Erik?"

"I am not Christine Daae!" was the curt reply.

An inhuman sob echoed. "You must! We are each other's half! I'll show you!" A pause and then, "See! See? See the ring on my finger? I gave it to you and you gave it to me sealed with a kiss that you would return. You made a promise to Erik! I never took it off. Never."

Raoul winced from poor Erik's moan. He wasn't dealing with a lunatic but an obsessive love-deprived figure edging on madness. Though, from the sound of his anguish gasps the slip was made.

"I'm sorry Erik," Christine placated. "Really I am. But I am not the woman you once loved."

He didn't answer and as the seconds stretched, a low chuckle rose filled with loathing and despair.

"You love the boy." It was a downright accusation.

"Raoul—"

"You love the boy!" he interrupted, his voice thundering. "You love him and you tricked Erik. YOU TRICKED ERIK!"

His screeching made the men covered their ears. The situation was getting out of hand… and Raoul feared Erik would snap and harm Christine. But something unexpected happen.

"You will love me, Christine. Maybe not right away, but you would have the rest of eternity to love your poor beloved Erik. Do not fret my dear. The wedding mass was already chosen and now the requiem will have its chance."

TBC…