Scorpion
A Phantom of the Opera Fan Fic
By DonJuanTriumphs
Copyright 2006
Summary: Christine accepts her fate the night of Down Once more. The Phantom and his Angel must learn to live together in a world of light and dark. Can Christine show Erik that there is still beauty in the world? Can Erik show Christine that he is just a man, not a monster? Can some sort of compromise be made or will they be just to different from one another?
XxX
God give me courage to show you
you are not alone..."
XxX
Christine pressed trembling lips to Erik's. His tears mingled with hers and she could taste the salt of them against her tongue. She pulled away to look into his eyes. Their gray green depths held so much sorrow and loneliness that she gently grasped his head and kissed him once more. There was desperation in the way in which he kissed her. As if he knew that she could never be his...he knew she was going to leave him.
Christine gasped and pulled away. His quiet sobs filled the suddenly quiet lair and Christine tried to smile to no avail. She realized in that moment that she could not leave him. Her lips found his for a third time as she pressed her small body against his. This was her angel, this was her phantom. No one elses. No matter what he had done she would find a way to love him. No matter how long it took to do so. Her life was insignificant besides his genius. He deserved more then she could ever give him but she was willing to try. If she did not who would? No one would be able to help this man if she was not willing to do so.
He frightened her. He aroused her. All of the things she should not feel for him she did. She knew his past and she knew the horrors he had committed but she wanted to show him that life could be found in his world of dark. Perhaps he would find redemption into God's gates...
Then there was Raoul...her childhood sweetheart. The boy who had promised her everything she could ever want; love, security, wealth, a title...and yet she did not know if he would ever be able to love her as much as Erik could. He was handsome and charming, the complete opposite of Erik. Women all around Paris and beyond would give anything to be the center of his affection.
He had protected her throughout the whole ordeal with Erik. She had needed him and his strong arms had always been there. Erik's obsession frightened her as did his temper. Raoul always had a kind word for her. Two very different men and only one possible choice. Her angel had given her music and song and she would always be thankful to him for that. Raoul had been her steady rock in a turbulant storm and he would always have a place in her heart. But she had to stay with Erik; he needed her more then he would ever admit.
"Christine!" Raoul's voice was desperate as he watched the love of his life give herself to a monster. Christine pulled back only slightly in Erik's arms to look at him, hoping he would see the acceptance in her eyes.
"I choose you," she whispered, tears coming to her eyes when she saw the disbelief flash through his eyes.
"Christine, no!" Raoul pleaded. She could not look at him or her resolve would shatter.
"You do not mean what you say," he whispered brokenly. How many people had turned from him in his lifetime? It was so horrible to think about that more tears coursed their way down her cheeks.
"I swear to you, Erik, please believe me," she whispered. Erik's head turned to look at Raoul who was struggling against his bonds. Christine's hand reached out to gently turn his face back to her.
"If you truly want me like you say then take me away from here, before the mob finds you," she pleaded. The idea of those men and women finding Erik and doing who knows what made her sick.
"Angel..." he whispered. Her phantom was crumpling under the weight of her acceptance. A part of him was unable to believe the fact that she would choose him over the handsome Vicomte.
"Erik," she said simply and in that one word promised him heaven. No matter what was wrong or right he could not let her go. He had to make this work somehow, had to.
The noises from above were growing steadily louder and Christine took Erik's hands. They needed to get as far away from here as possible. But Erik seemed rooted to the spot, unable to believe what was going on around him.
"Erik, please! They cannot find you!" she said urgently. Erik blinked several times before swallowing his doubts.
"This way, there are many tunnels leading out of the opera," he said. As he led her out of the water Christine glanced back at Raoul. His face was grief stricken and she pushed down her guilt. Raoul did not need her. There would be other women, she was sure of it. He would not live his life alone, that she knew. She wished him only the best and prayed that he forgave her for walking away from him.
Christine forced her thoughts back to the present situation as Erik led her by the hand through a suddenly dark passage. Her feet faltered and Erik turned to look at her.
"What is it?" he asked. Christine tried to push her fears away but had trouble doing so.
"It is so dark," she whispered. Erik said nothing for a moment.
"If...if you would trust me, I can easily lead us out from here...give me your other hand," he said hesitantly. He was already holding one of her slim hands but the idea of her allowing him to do so to the other seemed almost forbidden to him.
They had devolped a relationship where touching seemed unheard of. Christine seemed unfazed by the whole thing and slipped her other hand into his. He was shaking and fought to keep it under control.
"We will be out of here soon," he reassured her.
"Alright," she whispered softly.
This time Erik was the one who stopped. He turned to her and his gray green eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. Christine stared at him, pushing away her fears. She could do this, there was no reason why she could not.
"This is your last choice, Christine, me or the Vicomte," he said. Christine could not believe that he was giving her another choice. Did he really care that much about her that he wanted to be sure she was happy with her decision? It meant more to her in that moment then she would ever admit and she gently squeezed his hands.
"I choose you, my phantom," she said softly. He nodded his head curtly.
"Very well. Hurry, we must leave the opera before we are found," he said. Christine followed after him like a docile puppy.
xXx
Erik stared through the porcelain of his white mask at the little woman asleep on the carriage seat in front of him. Her hand was tucked under her chin and her curls tumbled around her chaotically. The gentle rise and fall of her breasts was reasurring when he knew he could very well be dreaming. He had taken them out of the opera through one of his many tunnels and she had hailed a carriage and they had both climbed in. That had been three hours ago and she had yet to scream for help or try to run away.
Was it possible? Could she really have meant what she said? Could she really want him, this broken soul with the face of a gargoyle? She had not said she loved him, he was very much aware of that, in fact she had done quite the opposite. He had prayed and prepared for this day but now that it was really in front of him Erik was actually nervous for the first time in a long time.
He had even gone so far as to purchase a house on the outskirts of Paris. It was large and actually requiered servants and he had hired ten in total to be at Christine's beck and call if she so requiered them. Anything she wished for he would give her without a moment's hesitation. He knew that taking her was the final straw. He was the monster everyone called him.
Erik could not let her go. As he gazed at her he finally knew what it felt like to love a person so much that you would gladly die for them. This little woman had made him yearn for a life he had previously thought out of his grasp. She had allowed him to take her away from her handsome suitor but would she find only horror in her life with him? He would do anything to make sure that was not so.
When they reached the manor house a light rain had begun to fall over the darkened city. Picking her up gently in his arms he placed her beneath his cloak so as not to wake her from the rain. Lights were on inside as he walked through the doors and Anita, one of the maids, saw him and immediately backed away.
"Did you have a room prepared?" he demanded. She nodded and shakily told him which room. With even footsteps Erik walked to Christine's new bedroom and was glad to see that the servants had prepared a fire in the fireplace to keep her warm. He set her down gently on the large four poster bed and could not look away from her for a moment, captivated by her immense beauty. Never in his life had he ever seen anything as beautiful as she and he did not think he ever would.
He would make it work between them. He would show her the beauty that lied in the night and how much he loved her. Hopefully she would accept him for who he was, he could ask no more of her.