--Alright, here we go! Let's finish this, shall we?

"Christine, you must come down." Madame Giry said. Relief filled her voice in finally finding the missing soprano. "You must get your stage makeup on, your hair fixed again - there are many things to do, and the curtain opens within ten minutes! The whole audience is seated, and everyone is ready - but our lead!"

"But my character does notappear for a while into it; I have time."

"Fine, but be on time, Christine! And remember - you enter the stage from the right curtain - not from the sky." Madame Giry said, then left Christine to her peace.

Christinelistened to the lively, anxious crowds. Every once in while, there would be a yell loud enough to reach her ears. She heard tidbits of sentences, just a few words thrown together, always surrounded by the single word 'phantom', or her own name. Finally, she watched the red curtains depart from eachother, and the opera began. She watched as her tears fell. She waited until she saw Meg dance out, her feet fluttering in pearl steps, until she reached her make. She twirled, kicked, caught the weighted leather pouch, then twirled again until she was in her desired place. With that, Christine stood up and started to the stairs until she was on sturdy ground. Then, her feet flew down the spiral stairs in light steps until she was in the room that, judging by the stern faces, should have been in a while ago. Upon sitting down, two women and a man fixed her hair and applied her makeup, along with unwrinkling her gown. Then they shooed her out, and she ran backstage until she was safely in the right wing of the stage. She watched the new young Don Juan. He was only a few years older than she, yet also older than Raoul. He had long, wavy golden hair, and his build was quite muscular. Handsome, in all rights. Every ballet rat, even Meg herself, stared at him in awe whenever they had the chance. But not Christine. She stared at him now in contempt and anger. To them, he represented a possible, hopeful future. To her, he represented a replacement for the only thing that ever mattered in her life. How was she to sing her heart out to him, the very words Erik wrote for her, to this man that she despised so greatly?

The young blonde threw his head back and laughed in a low bantered voice. This was her cue, yet it was only because a stagehand pushed her out that she made it out on time.

"No thoughts within in her head but thoughts of joy; no dreams within her heart but dreams of love!" She sang passionately.

It was supposed to be a joyful, beautiful sound, yet hers came out beautiful and sad, full of great longing that seemed to only add to the piece. She knelt down on the stage, and, though her head remained bowed, she peeked up at Box Five. Empty, out of the phantom's respect. But the Box beside it was full - full of the Comte and the Comtess, along with the surprised looking Vicomtess. None of them had graced the theater with their presence for years. But what unsettled her was the fact that Raoul was not among them. Had she wounded him so greatly this afternoon?

She listened to the new Don Juan step back out on stage, distracting her attention. His deep voice rang out, singing to her with his own passion, yet his passion fell deaf on her ears. All the times before, if she was playing against a good actor, she'd be able to match or rise above their passion - not this time. His voice sounded more like a child's whining than beauty, even though she knew that was not what everyone else heard. She stood up, and he danced swiftly and smoothly around her, showing off all his masculinity while remaining graceful. He looked powerful as moved, as if he could sweep her up with one swift motion.

Then, as he sang of fire flooding the soul, he bounced upon her, grasping her at her throat, his face beside hers. Then he moved to her side, his fingers running down her arm. She feigned the look of excitement, as hard as it was. She didn't feel the touch of his fingertips, or could hear his voice any longer. There were parts where she was supposed to close her eyes in added effect, yet she couldn't, knowing that she wouldn't be able to know when she should start singing. It was as if her body was rebelling towards her; punishing her for this crime and sin against Erik. And with that, she couldn't blame her own body. She watched him until his lips ceased to move. Then it was her voice that rang out.

"You have brought me to that moment when words run dry. To that moment when speech disappears into silence, silence." She sang, with more emotion flooding out from her soul than she had ever experienced before. Her body may rebel, but her voice did not fail her. Encouraged, she continued. She sang eagerly now. The face she once looked at in contempt was gone. In it's place, she saw only Erik. She was singing now to him; for him, just as he had asked.

The two parted, and Christine soon felt the coldness of iron on her feet as she slowly went up the spiral stairs, staring at the Don Juan that encouraged her to continue her great passion that kept pouring out like liquid fire from her mouth, her eyes blazing. But then she wasn't so sure of herself. Her feet fell upon a new feeling - the feeling of hard wood for the makeshift bridge. Her mind was now screaming at her, screaming that she couldn't go on, that she couldn't do this. Erik's face disappeared, and her heart flooded with guilt, with the horrid feeling that she was betraying him. Breathing heavy, she continued to sing, at first more hesitant, but then the masked Don Juan's voice joined in, and she found her ears swelling as their voices rose high above them and filtered through the audience. But as their voices died out with the last note, she started to tremble, her mind taking her back in time, telling her that this is where so many things started and ended for her. This was when Erik had proposed. She grabbed the new Don Juan's forearms to steady herself as she heard Erik's rich voice in her mind, singing out the proposal words. Her ripping off his mask...

It was her line, she was supposed to sing. The man in front of her begged with his eyes to continue, reminding her that this was his career too, and that this just had to go smoothly. Reminding her that she just couldn't disappoint him. Didn't the silly boy know that she disappointed everyone around her at some point or another?

Her mouth opened to force out the shaky next words, but instead of her voice ringing out, the faint sound of bells did instead. Her face turned to stone as her body trembled violently. She now clung to this pleading man, as if he was her lifeline. The world around her began to swirl, her head feeling like it was filled with an angry ocean. The sound of the bells rang in her head, making her feel sick to her stomach. The sturdy ground in which her feet once stood now felt like it was slipping from under her. The bells stopped, and she felt herself falling in slow motion to the ground. Before she hit the hard wooden bridge, she heard someone scream in anguish, then realized it was her. Another scream came after that; one she heard too many times during her years - Meg.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Christine came through, she slowly became aware of her senses. She saw through her blurred vision Madame Giry, clinging to her left arm and repeating her name. Her head and shoulders were being cushioned, held by someone. She looked up slowly and saw it was the new Don Juan. And Meg stood behind her kneeling mother, looking frantic with worry.

"Guess I should have ate." Christine whispered hoarsely.

"Everyone knows that this has nothing to do with food." Madame Giry replied sorrowfully, tears in her eyes.

"It's Friday." Christine said in a soft moan.

"It is, my child."

"The bells rang."

"They did."

"My life has ended."

Madame Giry had no words to accompany that statement. Christine turned her head away as hot tears slipped from beneath her eyelids. A slam of the theater doors was heard, but Christine didn't flinch.

"I have a message! A message from Mademoiselle Daae!" The young boy of twelve or thirteen yelled, waving his hat as he ran down the middle aisle. When Christine heard his cry, she bounded up, which only caused her to be dizzier.

"Yes, Monsieur?" She yelled out.

The boy's gaze went up to her. "Mademoiselle Daae?"

"Speak!"

"You're to come to the town square immediately." He yelled up to her.

"I'm sorry, but I do not wish to go there." How could she face seeing the body of someone that made her heart cry swinging from the gallows?

"But something happened! I was told by a man to bring you there immediately!"

"What man is this?" She asked him.

"A...a dark man with a funny accent. He wears strange clothes, and a queer hat upon his head."

"A Persian? Nadir?"

"I believe a Persian, Mademoiselle."

With that, Christine pushed past her fellow actor and ran down his side of the steps, running down the stage and past the boy, down the aisle. No longer was she aware that anyone watched her, or that anyone was there at all. Her thoughts were only of Erik.

Her bare feet chilled as they touched the cold marble of the lobby floor, but she did not slow. She ran down the hard street, ignoring the jagged rocks that slit and cut into the soft flesh of her feet. Blood trickled out, making them throb, but she paid no mind. Finally, she saw the crowds, and Nadir awaiting for her. He yelled for everyone to make way, and they created a thin aisle for her to run down. She did so, and up the steps of the hanging gallows. Raoul stood half way up, waiting for her with a strange smile.

"Raoul?" She asked, puzzled in what he would be doing here.

"I am sorry to disrupt your opera, but I thought this was a tad bit more important in your eyes." He said with a teasing manner.

"Raoul! What is it?" She asked impatiently, not daring to look over at the stiff form on the small death stage.

"Since the moment you fled from my house, I have been unable to rest. Your voice and your pleas haunted me, and I realized how cruel my actions were towards you. I promised to always protect you, to do anything for you. And I realized then that all I accomplished for you was...was failing you. So, I have been busy ever since. Tracking down the real murderer, making sure this man did not lie to you, basically trying to accomplish the impossible. And I'm proud to tell you that I have. Monsieur Destler has not lied to you, as you knew already. I was able to track down the murderer - the real murderer. He once worked as a stagehand. My incident was his revenge in the name of the Phantom. We have caught him, and he is behind bars at this moment."

Christine's brown eyes grew large. "What are you saying?" She asked, almost not daring to hope.

"Are you telling me..."

"Yes. Erik Destler is free to go. He has been sworn under oath and the law has mildly forgiven his sins, under my influence, of course. He is free. As free as you are. Christine...today, this moment, I release you completely from our love. Go."

Christine gasped loudly, as if all the air in her lungs exploded out. It came out in joyful, dry sobs as she flung her arms around Raoul's neck. "Thank you, so much! For...everything!" She exclaimed before passing him by and running to the man in all black, a sack of the same color hiding his face. She ran into him, throwing her arms around his middle with such force, Erik had to lean back a bit from impact. After getting over the initial thankfulness just to see him alive, Christine took the tight noose from around his neck, then ripped off the sack. His eyes blinked adjusting to the light as he covered his face from the crowds. Then he looked down upon the overly joyed Christine, and his arms engulfed her in a tight embrace.

"Thank God!" She whispered passionately into his ear as her tears wet his shoulder.

Then suddenly, something else caught his attention...her finger. He released her from his hold, then took her hand and looked at it.

"What meaning would this be?" He asked in wonder, a smile already tugging at his lips. Her smile exploded from her bright face as she explained.

"You asked me before if I'd marry you; but never did I reply. Well...if you'll still have me after everything that has happened since back then, I want to answer you."

"You'll marry me? You're serious, now?"

"Why do you seem to not be able to believe it?" She asked, then held him tight again.

"Say it." He said in her ear. "Say the words."

Christine could only imagine how long he had waited to hear the words he thought he'd leave here never hearing. "If you'll still have me...I want to marry you, Erik."

The moment the words were out of her mouth, she felt her feet leave the floor as he whirled her in his arms and kissed her.

"Perhaps...perhaps fairytales and dreams do come true." She glowed.

"All I know is that the only dream that has ever really mattered to me in this life has come true in this moment."

Erik said, then looked over at the swinging noose that kept hitting him slightly in the back on his head. "Guess there wont be any dying today."

Christine shook her head. "Yes, there is. Erik...do you remember when you once said your face is what poisons our love? You were so wrong. Many, many things poisoned it, but none of them had to do with you. Rather, it was the darkness that you retreated in; what people thought of us. My naive innocence. And a certain young man's love. All, contributed to more confusion. But today, all that is gone. I have grown; you no longer live in bleakness. And Raoul became an honorable, amazing man. So much so, that I see now why Amelia is so protective of him." Christine added, looking over at the man in which she spoke of. "All those things which poisoned our love once, have now died in your place. Raoul's right...we are completely free."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Past the point of no return - the final threshold! The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn. We've passed the point of no return." Christine sang out joyously, her voice mingled in with the sweetest sound she had ever heard - Erik's captivating voice. The stood on the bridge, her back against him, doing everything as before. The audience that never left the theater when she did watched in stunned awe. Never had more passion been put so beautifully in an opera.

Christine, her eyes closed as a peaceful smile played on her lips, suddenly was snapped out of her perfect daydream by a voice in her ear.

"Say you'll share with me this love, this lifetime. Lead me, save me from my solitude. Say you want me with you here, beside you. Anywhere you go, let me go to! Christine, that's all I ask of you!" Christine spun around in his arms as he proclaimed this. The poor audience; after the last time, they must think this part was officially written in the opera!

Erik held her hands to his lips as she looked at him in shock. She saw her finger without his ring. Erik reached in his pocket and took it out. Christine tried to think of when he could have taken it off her, but her mind was blank with answers.

Slowly she reached up and stripped him of his mask and wig. His hand immediately tried to cover his face, but she held it down. Then, with a laugh, she wrapped her arms around his neck and bounced upon her toes, reaching up and kissing him in response. Upon pulling away, Erik slipped the ring back on it's rightful place - her wedding ring finger. As she smiled into his now gloriously happy eyes, she heard a clapping. Meg. Then Madame Giry's hands joined in. Much to Christine's surprise, Raoul stood up in his box and clapped loudly. Could he possibly ever know how much that simple gesture meant to her?

Soon, everyone was on their feet and applauding in confusion but with passion. Shrugging, Christine took one of Erik's hands and bowed, him following suit. Then she released his hand and walked down the spiral stairs, keeping in rhythm of Erik. As they neared center stage, she couldn't help but think that this was how it should have been last time. Christine went to Erik to join hands again. Instead, he engulfed her in his arms and kissed her once more.

"May I have my mask back now?" He asked with a charming smile. Embarrassed that she had forgotten of it, she reached up and put it back on for him, then turned to the audience and bowed once more as the curtain closed. Then they walked backstage, into the awaiting arms of Meg and Madame Giry.

"Oh, Christine...how amazing!" Meg explained. Erik cocked his head at her.

"Aren't you sick? Incapable of talking?" He questioned her good naturally. Christine's mouth dropped - Meg had screamed when she fainted! Her voice was not failing her!

Meg's face turned a strange crimson from blushing. "I...uh..." Whether Meg was tongue tide from not knowing how to respond, or that she was actually looking at the great phantom that she was always so afraid of, Christine could not be sure. Because it was obvious no sensible words would come from her mouth, her mother spoke for her.

"She feigned sickness. I found out a few days later. She says she only wanted to take your mind off...things. And she hoped that you would get the recognition that you deserve." Madame Giry explained.

"You did that, Meg? For me?"

Meg smiled. "Of course."

Just then, Christine's gaze wandered from her dear friend, to another old friend that was making his way towards them - Raoul.
"You were splendid!" He exclaimed, walking up to Christine and holding out his arms, which she ran into. "I never saw you do so well."
Christine smiled as she pulled away. Raoul looked over at Erik, hesitant. "You did good as well, Monsieur. I indeed enjoyed this performance better than you last." Raoul said, his body stiff.

"Oh, truly, Vicomte? I thought myself a bit selfish. After all, I didn't give you a part this time - the last you had one of the leads."

Raoul let out a nervous laugh. "No really, it really isn't necessary. I had a big enough part on the town square death stage when I was trying to convince the judge you were not guilty. Besides...you and Christine are the fantastic actors. I am poor at the talent myself."

"You proved that quite well." Erik muttered. Christine did her best to hold in her sudden fit of giggles at such a comment, but happened to end up failing. Erik winked at her, then turned back to Raoul.

"Stay here a moment, if you'd be so kind, de Changy." Erik said, slapping him on the back before leaving. Raoul gave her a questioning look, but Christine just shrugged, clueless in what her mysterious man could be doing.

He came back a few minutes later, carrying a sword sheathed in fine black leather; a silver skull handle sticking out. It was a sword that Raoul knew too well. His fear was noticeable in his eyes. But Erik just offered it forth to him. "What you did today...I know you didn't do it for me; which makes your acts even more important in my eyes. I have done many wrong things in my life, I never tried to deny it. But a few of those wrongfully done things were against you as well. Therefore it is to you that I give this sword, on which I vow never to harm others, unless for Christine's protection only." Erik said. Raoul looked at him in shock, as if it was only now that Erik turned from the phantom into a real man. A respectable man. Raoul took the sword. "A real honor, Monsieur, I assure you. But I have something for the both of you as well, that I've been holding off. Well, tonight, I think you proved the fact indefinitely." He said, then handed them each a leather pouch, both heavy. Christine gave him a puzzled gaze.
"While you both were gone, I put out reward money for both of you; to go to the person who found you. This is it; the reward money. No one found you before you found each other." Raoul's voice cracked as he looked at Christine, trying to hold back his pain as he talked about his Little Lotte in love with another man. "Congratulations to the both of you."

Christine shoved her pouch into Erik's hands and flung herself into Raoul's arms. "Thank you, Raoul." She whispered, so only he heard. "I know how hard this is for you."

When she pulled away from him, she saw tears in his eyes as he nodded. "Now that everything is settled, I must get back to my wife and parents; they know not why I'm back here." He said with a nod of goodbye and walked away.

"Father was right." Christine said softly. "Young boys do grow up to be valiant knights. And sometimes whom you think is the dragon, you find out it is really your prince charming in disguise, awaiting the moment you recognize him. I've seen it all now; and fairy tales do come true...and everything which poisons true love will one day wash away to leave it pure and true once again."

Erik laughed as she slipped her arm around his and they started to walk away from the bright lights and loud chatter into their quiet, peaceful abyss.

"I'll drink to that."

Christine looked up at him with glistening, idealistic eyes as he spoke his next words. "I plan to find some means of obtaining money - honorably. Once I get enough, I'll buy a home to live like every other decent being."

She watched him, waiting to hear his next words. "With you."

fin

Alright, it's over! Now let me hear what you thought! I hope you all liked how this long story ended! Thanks to all my great reviewers! Your reviews meant a great deal!