It's almost the end folks... God,I hate when stories end...

Disclaimer: No characters are mine.. nor the lyrics from " Phantom: the american musical sensation"

Enjoy .

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I woke up the next morning cold. Very cold. It wasn't the usual kind of cold.

Something more.

The bed was lonely. He wasn't there. He was gone. I threw the silk sheets off me, and ran to the doorway. There he was, sitting at the organ; masked, clothed, and playing a song I didn't know.

It was something new. Something sad and hollow. A song with a slow pace and choppy, cut off notes. " Erik..."

He turned to look at me and stopped mid song. This wasn't like him at all. Normally he would bring the song to a end by making some notes flutter or pounding out a few end chords, but never stop shortly like that.

He once told me " It feels incomplete to just stop. It's like cutting someone off in the middle of conversation. Not good manners."

" My dear, you're up so soon?" His tone was pleasant and smooth. I suppose he's better...

I rushed to his side. " Erik..." I lightly scolded. He shouldn't be up. I fear he could get much worse.

He placed his hand on mine. " Thank you, for last night... thank you..." I wrapped my arm's around him from behind.

" I love you..."

" My beloved... words cannot describe the love I feel for you."

He placed a gloved hand on the keys, playing two clear notes. Then taking the other hand , started a bass line. I moved my hands to his shoulders as he played his song. His song for me. It soared, filling my body with a lust and a longing like no other, and yet it had undertones of despair.

It was three minutes of pure sound. Beautiful sound. Enthralling sound. And then the one phrase that held the power to brake my heart, rung out in pitch perfect tenor.

" Though death holds me, I will always be with you. I will always love you"

" You can't mean that, Erik.. You just can't..."

The song ended and he turned to face me. " What can I do? I'm dying...It's nothing but a struggle to breath now. A fight to live. I can't keep going. Not after these last few years of this disease."

Years? Had he been suffering for years, with no one knowing at all? I couldn't hold in my anger any longer.

" How can you? How can you leave me like this?" He looked at me as I buried my face in my hands. I'm still such a child. I thought I could handle this, but it seems more than one beloved persons death in a lifetime is enough to revert anyone to a child like state.

He pulled me down, hugging me tight. " I won't leave you without proper care, I promise."

" You don't know that for sure. You could be gone any second now."

" I have a bit of life left in me. I can make any arrangements for you." He coughed, and I rubbed his back, crying silently into the lapels of his coat. He was so selfless. He wanted to use his last days helping me. Catering to me.

No.

" Erik, you will do no such thing. I will stay with you to the very end. You will not go about wasting you strength on something as trivial as me. Now, back to bed with you." I sound like an old nanny with her bun pulled too tight, but he needed to rest.

" You want me in bed so soon? I'll be condemned to bed in a short while. What I want most... Is one evening with you, out in the world. Just like young lovers"

I chocked back a whimper. I will not deny him of one last wish.

" Are you asking me to an evening in the park, kind sir?"

He smiled. " If you would oblige my request, I would be most honored."

" I accept"

- - - - - - - - - -

I put on spectacular evening wear and he and I set out into the snowy streets of Paris. I made him wear layers so he wouldn't get sicker.

We went to the park, strolling arm and arm. Shameless, but so wonderful it didn't matter in the slightest. His breath was so beautiful, making itself known in the night air. I couldn't help but stare.

" My dear, what is so fascinating about my breath?" He asked me.

" It so beautiful. I'm sure it would make the prettiest fog on a windowpane, especially with this full moon."

He sat down, looking up at it. " Marvelous. Simply marvelous."

I sat down beside him, loving the warmth he admitted from his body. I snuggled under his arm and he wrapped his cloak around us.

" I'm amazed. To think months ago I would never have dreamed of being with someone for the rest of my life, and now...I'm wrapping my cloak around my beloved Christine."

I smiled, as I heard footsteps coming toward us. I turned to find the origin of the steps only to be caught with the sight of him. Raoul.

" Oh goodness. Why now?" I whispered.

" It's Raoul... " Erik stated with a tinge of hatred and irony.

Before I could stop him, he was running toward us and we both shot up.

" Christine!" Raoul stated with sadness. " I should have known. Why do you persist with him. This monster."

" Raoul, stop it" I stated curtly. This would turn into a battle and I knew this would result in death.

" No, My love, let the boy speak. Let him say what needs to be said." Erik's eyes narrowed, and his hands quickly transformed into fists.

" Can he make you happier than I can? What can he do that I cannot?"

" Raoul, don't. Leave us alone, and go on your way."

" I will not leave unless he and I fight. For your love!"

Erik smiled madly. " Is that all your simple, noble blooded mind can think about, boy? Confrontation? Fighting? Do you enjoy having bloody hands? Is it all worth it? Why must these things be pointed out to you. You look confused, I'm sorry. Let me help you. Don't fight where fighting doesn't solve a dammed thing! Use your mouth, boy. It was put there for more than just food consumption!"

Erik began wheezing, and my head snapped in his direction.

" Raoul is your cab nearby?"

" Yes, over there, why?"

" We need it, you shall get it back!"

I slung Erik's arm over my shoulder and hurried off to Raoul's carriage, explaining in great haste that Raoul was letting me borrow this for now and the driver was to take me to the Paris opera at once.

My shouts to quicken pace and Erik's wheezing were fast paced and in sync.

I got out of the cab, easing Erik out before running with him to the cellars.

- - - - - - -

The bed. What a horrid thing it was. I never understood why Erik chose to sleep in it, but I could do nothing to change that it was the only place to lay. He was shaking so badly, I didn't bother to take off anything but his hat. I reached for the masked, but a shaking hand stopped me.

" Let me die with dignity..."

I grabbed his hand and held it up to my face. It was cold. I tried so hard to warm him, but it all seemed useless.

" You're not alone, I'm here..." I cooed, watching those liquid gold eyes dart around, looking for someone to hold him in those last moments.

He sighed, and I knew he was in between attacks. I knew the next one would be his last, and it was something I was trying so hard to accept.

" I leave you everything..." He said quietly. " It's all yours... I just wish I could have sh-sh-shared it with you..."

I shook my head. " Don't say such things now..."

" Christie?"

" Yes Erik?"

"Though death holds me, I will always be with you. I will always love you"

Erik struggled for breath as I sang him his eternal lullaby.

" You are the music, moonbeams of music, and you are life to me"

He smiled, and I kissed his hand as it released it's weak grip on mine.

My Angel was dead.

And it hurt me more than ever knowing I forgot to kiss him goodnight.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

I cried writing this... is that wrong to cry at your own stuff...

One more,

Bella