Hi all I am back again with chapter 3 as promised. There is a little more conversation but it is, hopefully more interesting. Hope you enjoy. And towards the end it gets a little gushy sorry but it is necessary for the plot, and I used an idea from the book. So please do not sue me, just look at my disclaimer.

Before I started I wanted to thank ElementalMageofFire for correcting some of my errors, and thanks to my readers for reviewing.

Disclaimer: Sadly I own nothing, not that brilliant.

Chapter 3

"Erik!" Christine screamed over and over, "Erik, I am so sorry! Forgive me, forgive me! Erik!"

Raoul turned around and was met with a very angry and his trusty Punjab lasso being thrown around his neck. As Erik pulled harder and harder his rage grew until he was almost consumed by it. He was waiting for the sweet sound of Raouls neck to break, but it never came. Christine screamed for Erik to stop but he was too consumed by his rage to hear her. He suddenly felt a small hand on his shoulder and was jolted back to reality. He looked down to see Christine silently pleading with him to spare Raoul's life, and Erik, knowing he could deny her nothing slowly loosened his grip on the Punjab and let Raoul drop from his grasp.

"He is not worth it Erik. Please do not kill again, I couldn't bear it. The police are already after you and I do not want us to run from them forever Erik," Christine was staring at him hoping he had heard what she implied.

"You still love him don't?"

"Yes, but only as a friend. Nothing more, no nothing more…" Christine drowned out the last part a little trying to hold back a sob, then continued "Didn't you hear what I said? You can not kill again if we are going to be running from the police. They will try almost anything to find you."

"We? What do you mean 'we'?"

"Erik I love you! It took me so long but I have finally realized it. I am sorry for the pain I might have caused you."

Erik turned away, not being able to look at her again as many emotions passed across his face. He could not understand what she was saying. She could not understand what she was saying. No, she didn't mean it; she was only trying to save her precious Vicomte. How Erik loathed him.

"Erik, look at me. I was going to go back for you. It broke my heart to think that I left you to die! You can't die; I can not live without you! I just can't! No, Erik I won't!"

Erik turned around to face her again surprised at her words but even more surprised at her tone. She must have meant it. She must have. His heart was over flowing with love but there was a little voice in the back of his head whispering painful things, but try as he might he could not drown them out. She left you. She will leave you again once she realizes what she is saying. She will crush what is left of your heart and rip out your soul. She will not stay!

"Erik? What is wrong?" Christine was getting worried because his face remained unresponsive and his eyes glazed over. "Don't you want me to be with you?"

"Yes, more than anything Christine but I do not believe you understand what you are saying. You ca not love me. You ca not love a monster."

"I understand. Erik I love you. I am not a child, understand more than you know. I also understand that I want to be with you! Please do not shut me out." Christine's vision was blurred by her unshed tears and did not see how Erik was responding to all this. She was confused about his reaction. Isn't this what he wanted? I really do love him, why doesn't he see that? Not an hour ago he was willing to do anything for me and now he is denying what I am saying. He thinks my mind is not my own.

"Stop it! Stop it Christine!" Erik, who was facing the mirror, turned sharply hissing through his teeth. He had felt many emotions in these past few minutes, the most he had ever felt at once. Love, jealousy, pain, hatred, and confusion, all because of Christine. How could she do that to him? How did she have that effect on him? These were all human emotions, things he never felt. He hated it; it made him feel human, just like the unconscious Vicomte.

"Christine, you would not be happy with me." Erik managed to get out before tears started to silently run down his face and burst out crying again. Erik, yes the mighty Phantom of the Opera was reduced to tears, not once but twice in one night. What was she doing to him? "I let you go once Christine. I could not do it again." He said between sobs.

"But you won't have to my love. There will never be a reason."

"When you kissed I was whole. I knew I could be loved, I knew I was loved. If realized that I no longer wished for death, and that scarred me, but if I was to die down there I would have died happy. You kissed me, a monster; you touched my face without revulsion. I would have died happy because I kissed you and you didn't die, you didn't die… Erik died off because he could not continue as sobs started welling up in his throat.

"No, you are not a monster you are-" she was cut off by a sharp rebuttal.

"Must I remind you what I have done? You only know half the story Christine! I have murdered countless people, kidnapped and threatened the only person I EVER cared about and who cared about me. For coumtless years I lived off of others people's fear, drinking it in as my life depended on it! No, I am a monster. Goodbye Christine," and with that he made his way through the mirror and closed it securely, knowing Christine could not open it and started to walk away.

Hope you enjoyed my story. Sorry but I could not kill Raoul, I need a conflict, although I do not plan on killing him off. I have a few more chapters done but any input would be greatly appreciated. Please R&R, thanks!