Author's Note: As promised here is the next chapter in the story. I was going to go out this evening but I decided to have a night in to do some things that I have been meaning to do for awhile.

I am still toying with a few ideas for how I want the story to end. I'm going to figure something out here soon though. Anyways, on with the story!

Chapter Eleven: Christine's Explanation

Christine stared at Raoul, her eyes wide. "Raoul, how…how… how did you get in here?"

Raoul started to walk towards them. "I went searching in your room Christine. I wanted to know where my wife had gone to."

"You went through my belongings? How dare you! You had no right to do that!"

"I didn't? I found out that you've been keeping secrets from me too Christine. How did you get all those dresses from the Opera House? Why were you hiding those letters?"

She looked down, tears falling down her cheeks. Erik took her in his arms and held her, letting the tears fall on his shoulder.

"Get away from her Phantom! That's my wife!" Raoul shouted, finally reaching the shore and advancing towards them.

He grabbed Christine's arm and pulled her out of Erik's arms. "You are my wife! Why do you insist on being with him?"

Christine pulled her arm away from Raoul. "I did it because I had to get away from you! You wouldn't let me sing. I love to sing Raoul, you know that! I was so unhappy at the estate. You would go off and leave me alone for hours at a time and then you'd come back with those marks on your neck, on your body. It didn't take me long to figure out what you were doing."

She backed away from Raoul, moving closer to Erik. "Christine, perhaps it would be better if we did this another time," Erik said, holding his arms out to her.

Christine looked at Erik. "No! It's time I told him what happened! It's time that I told him how much he's been hurting me, how much pain he's been causing me!"

"Then tell me Christine, and start from the beginning because I want to know everything."

Turning around, she faced Raoul and took a deep breath. "It all started that night, the night that we escaped. I thought that everything was going be alright, that we were going to be safe again. Then we got to the estate and you took the first thing that I loved away from me, my music. You told me that I could never sing again because you thought that it would bring him back." Christine gestured towards Erik.

"Then, shortly after we got married, I received the letter from Erik that you probably read. I never expected him to contact me. I was sitting in my room that day when Elizabeth brought it to me. After reading it, I felt compelled to answer him. I didn't want to make him think that I was ignoring him. So yes, I admit it, I replied to his letter. And in that letter I asked him to please send me the gown from Hannibal along with my hair pins and earrings. I thought that I might be able to wear the gown for a ball or something. He let me know that I could have any dress that I wanted. So I asked Elizabeth to send word to Erik that I wished to have the rest of my gowns from all the operas that I had performed in."

"Christine, why? He's a monster!" Raoul shouted.

"Raoul, let me finish!"

Both Raoul and Erik looked taken aback at Christine's tone of voice.

"While all this was going on, you would leave me alone for hours on end! Sometimes, you wouldn't even come back until the next morning. And then, when you and I would make love, there were marks all over your body that I knew that I couldn't have made myself. It took me awhile, but I finally figured it all out. I knew that you were cheating on me, but I couldn't prove it, so I didn't say anything. I just went on every day, letting you think that everything was alright."

"The night that Erik found me, before you came in, I thought that you weren't home and I wanted to sing so badly so I went into the living room and opened the lid on the piano keys. I had been taught a couple of things on playing the piano by M. Reyer. So I started to play and sing. The notes just came up, I couldn't stop them. Then you came in and told me yet again that I was forbidden to sing, because you didn't want to bring him back. Well, Raoul, he has a name, you just never took the time to learn it! His name is Erik and he is the most wonderful person that I have ever met in my entire life!"

Christine paused and took a deep breath.

"You demanded that I didn't sing anymore because you didn't want to bring Erik back to us, because you didn't want him to find out where we were hiding. Well, I'm sorry Raoul because he knew where we were the whole time he just decided not to interfere with our lives because he truly thought that I was happy with you. That there was nothing wrong. Then came the unthinkable! You struck me! You hit your own wife! Then when I tried to stand up for myself, you hit me again! Then you kept on hitting me until I couldn't feel anything anymore."

"When I woke up, I was here, a place where I finally felt safe. Yes, I didn't want to be found. I didn't want you to find me. I can't go back to the estate. I won't go back to the estate and that's my final decision!"

She collapsed down on to a nearby chair, and burst into tears.

The labyrinth was silent for a few minutes, then Raoul finally spoke. "Christine, I know that you want to stay here with him, but I cannot let that happen. You are my wife and you will come home to the estate with me."

"She will do no such thing."

"Pardon me?"

Erik turned to face Raoul and stood toe to toe with him. "I have a proposition for you Vicomte."

"And that is?"

"Let Christine stay here. I will take care of her, and give her everything she ever wanted. She will be allowed to sing if she so chooses, weather it be by just taking lessons from me or singing in an opera, she will be allowed to sing."

"This sounds like it going to be benefiting only her."

"God Raoul! Will you please let him finish!" Christine called out. "You always seem to be interrupting people."

"Once a month, you may come to the opera house and visit her, for one day and one day only. She may choose to do whatever she wants during your visits. If it's ignore you, then so be it. After one year, if she still doesn't want to return to the estate and take her place as the Vicomtesse de Changy, then you will leave her alone and never see her again."

"And if she chooses to return to me?"

Erik took a deep breath. "Then I will release her to you and you will never have to hear from me again. I will make no attempt to contact either of you, I will not observe you from afar. I will simply disappear."

Raoul stood still deep in thought for a moment. Then he turned back towards Erik. "We have a deal, Phantom. I will return in one month's time to see my wife. She is yours until then."

He walked over to Christine and placed a finger under her chin, raising her eyes to meet his. "I will see you soon, my love," he said.

Then, he kissed her. Softly at first and then he deepened the kiss. Christine was surprised at first, then she pushed him away.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"Kissing my wife," he said with a smile. "See you in a month."

With that, he turned and walked back into the water, making his way back to the other side of the lake.

After he left, Erik carefully walked towards Christine. She still sat in the chair, cradling her body, tears streaming down her face. "Christine?"

She slowly looked up at him. "Thank you. Thank you so much!"

He smiled. "Of course my angel, anything for you."

Erik knelt down next to her and cradled her in his arms. "Everything will be alright. I promise."

She leaned into his embrace. After a few seconds, she looked up into his eyes. "Erik, I want to perform in the opera house when it's rebuilt. I want to take Carlotta's place."

"Then that is what we will do. Tomorrow, we will go visit the managers and let them know of your intentions."

Well, there's chapter eleven. I hope that I explained everything to your liking. I really liked writing this chapter too because I made Christine finally get more of a spine. She stood up to Raoul, even though she was emotionally drained at the end of her explanation.

I will try to write another chapter some time this weekend. I can't wait to read everyone's reviews!

-Sarah