Chapter three: The Music of the Night Returns

Christine ran as fast as she could to her old room, and went through the sliding mirror. Oh the mirror... where she hadcaught her firstglimpse of Erik, the Phantom of the Opera, her teacher... the Angel of Music.

She ran on, through the dark tunnels with a torch she handled carefully. Christine ran down the stairs, and met Caesar, Erik's horse, the one he had used to take her down to his place the first time. Christine sighed. Memories.

Christine was a little bit afraid, handling the tall black horse, but Caesar sensed she was a bit uneasy and walked carefully down to the gondola.

Christine rowed slowly down the river, and made her way to Erik's lair. Nothing had seemed to change. The candles were lit, the swan bed where he had lain her after she passed out was still there, and of course, his beloved organ which she had listened to his beautiful music was still standing near the bedroom.

Christine got out of the boat, and started to search for her Angel. He wasn't playing on his organ, or sleeping. Where was he? Suddenly, a voice filled with surprise, but as beautiful as an angel, sounded behind her. "Christine?" it said. Christine spun around.

Standing there, was Erik, the infamous Phantom of the Opera. He hadn't changed much in the past months. He still had dark brown eyes, black hair, a handsome face, and of course, his white mask.

Christine walked toward him. She started to sing. "Angel of Music, guide and guardian, grant to me your glory. Angel my soul was weak... forgive me. Let me enter at last... Erik..." The name sounded foreign, yet so familiar to her tongue. Christine had switched the lyrics around a bit, but she didn't care, she just hoped Erik got the message.

Erik stared at her in disbelief. Why had Christine, his only love, his angel, who had chosen that good-for-nothing rat (Raoul) over him, come back?

"Christine, why have you come back?" he asked. He suddenly got a bit angry. "Just to tell me how it's been going with your little husband? How are the kids? Listen, I don't care," Erik 's anger turned to sadness. He turned away, and started for the shattered mirror which he had broken when Christine left a few months ago.

"No! Wait, Erik!" Christine called after him. "It's not like that! The reason why I came back to you was because of Raoul!"

Erik stopped. Was his ears deceiving him? It she just say she returned to him because of Raoul? He sighed turned around, and came back to Christine.

"Let me tell you what happened," Christine said, softly. She told Erik the story she had told Meg. Erik seemed to have a slight spark of happiness in his eyes, but they quickly disappeared.

"No, Christine," he said, turning away. "No. Don't play this game with me." Christine felt as if a dagger of ice had been plunged into her stomach. Erik thought she was tricking him!

"NO! Erik, I'm not pulling your leg," suddenly, Christine blurted out what she had been keeping in for those three months... "I love you, and I'll prove it!" She, all of a sudden, jumped into his arms, and kissed him.

Erik had never felt a kiss this passionate. It wasn't like the kiss Christine had given him months ago. That kiss was useless, not passionate, and full of reluctance. This kiss was different.

Erik felt hot under his collar. Was this how love was supposed to feel? He wasn't sure. But what he was sure of was that Chrsitine was telling the truth. Her lips felt like rose petals against his, her arms were wrapped around his neck, pulling him close. Erik pulled hr closer.

When the two finally broke apart, Erik's eyes were shining with tears, but these tears were tears of joy. "My Angel of Music..." he whispered. "You have returned!.."

Erik grabbed Christine's hand, and pulled her gently to his organ. He started to play. As he played he sang: "You alone can make my song take flight... It's returned now... the Music of the Night..."