Conversation between Raoul and Christine. Sweet, and yet for some people may be sad.
It's Over Now
Christine got back into the carriage and slouched down into her seat. She told the driver to head back home. She turned around as the carriage began to move and she looked back at the Opera House fading in the distance.
Christine felt lost with her emotions. She hated the feeling of not knowing what to do. Months before, this was constantly happening. Everything just seemed to go by so fast she hardly had any time to think.
They past the cemetery and she looked out to her father's grave. She saw a man standing there looking around.
She ordered the driver to stop and let her off at the cemetery once more. She got out and walked over to the figure. As she got closer she recognized who it was.
"Raoul…What are you doing here?"
Raoul looked in her direction and began to talk, "I came here to talk to you."
"About what?"
"About you. About us." He replied.
"Oh." She said looking down.
She walked over closer to him and sat down on the steps of her father's grave. He joined right next to her.
Christine smiled and looked over to him. "I miss those days when we were little. How we would go to my attic and just play or do whatever we wanted."
Raoul smiled and laughed, "Yeah, we had a lot of fun times together."
"And how we used to play hide and go seek."
"Eating chocolates for dinner." He laughed.
"We stayed up late at night to tell ghost stories." Christine laughed with him and then added in a scary type voice, "The dark stories of the north."
"…But you always wanted to hear about the Angel of Music." Raoul said and then the mood changed and neither one of them said anything.
After a long awkward silence Raoul spoke up, "I guess some things just don't change."
"I guess not." She replied looking back at him.
"Things were just simpler back then. Weren't they?"
"Yeah. That's what I miss about it."
"Do you love me?" Raoul asked after another period of silence.
Christine looked at him, "Of course I do."
"Do you love him?"
Christine paused. She looked down to the ground and nodded her head. Afterwards she began to cry and started saying she was sorry.
Raoul hugged her as she cried burying her head into his chest. Raoul rested his chin on her head and rocked her back and forth. He kissed the top of her head and told her it was ok.
"I didn't mean to hurt either one of you." She said.
Raoul still held onto her and listened to what she had to say.
"I understand." He said to her. "I just want to know something though. Do you still want to marry me?"
Christine thought about it. She hated the life of Vicomtesse, her future mother in law hated her, and she was not entirely sure about her feelings.
If she continued masquerading as a happy fiancé then eventually she would continue to hurt Raoul which was something she did not want to do.
"I'm sorry but I don't know if I can."
Raoul shook his head like he may have known it was coming. He gave a simple "ok" in response and held her for a while longer.
"I do love you though." She said. "You were there for me when I was afraid, and you comforted me just like you promised. You were my shelter, and I'll always love you for all of that."
"I love you too, and just know that I will always be there for you no matter what decision you make. And if you go to...Erik, then I will give you my blessings." Raoul stopped himself from saying something like 'that thing' or 'that monster'.
Christine looked up at him and smiled. "I'm so lucky to have a friend like you. I just hope you find someone who will make you happy and could give you all of herself. I'm afraid that's something I couldn't provide and I want you to be happy."
"I would be happy with you…"
"But not like you could be with someone else. You deserve the best. If I were to marry you the thoughts of Erik would never end. I see the pain it puts you through now and I couldn't live with myself if we continued like this." She said.
Christine paused. "I love you like my older brother, one of my best friends, the one I share so many memories with."
Raoul sighed and confessed, "Maybe those are the same feelings I feel towards you. But I don't know. I feel so confused about everything."
"You're not the only one." Christine laughed.
"You're still welcomed to stay at my house along with Madame Giry and Meg."
"Thank you. They got their jobs back at the Opera House. Maybe I can get mine back too."
"As a singer?"
"No, probably ballet." She replied.
"You should continue to sing. It's what you love."
"I know. But I don't know if I want to."
"Well, it's up to you. But I suggest you should continue to sing because you're good at it."
"And I'm not in ballet?" Christine laughed.
"I didn't say that!" Raoul laughed with her. "When are they moving back into the Opera House?"
"I think it's about a month from now."
"Maybe I'll continue to be a patron there. They probably need as much financial help as they can get."
"You're probably right."
Christine got up from her seat.
"Christine…"
"Yes?" Christine replied and looked back at Raoul who was still sitting on the steps of her father's mausoleum.
"Your father would be proud of you." He said.
Christine smiled and began to cry a little. "Thank you Raoul."
"You're Welcome."
After a moment of silence Christine spoke up, "I think I want to go back to the manor."
"Ok." Raoul said getting up. "I came in my own carriage so I guess I'll meet you back at the house."
"Ok." Christine replied. They both headed towards their own carriage.
Christine looked over to the side of the cemetery to see a row of flowers opening up for the first time. 'A time of renewal and rebirth.' She thought to herself.
Christine got into her carriage and it followed behind Raoul's back to the De Chagny manor.
That's it for R/C. Sorry R/Cers. The tide will begin to turn to E/C (but not just yet). Erik and Christine have a lot of obstacles and problems ahead of them.
