"It's locked from the other side!" Erik yelled in frustration. I rolled my eyes and jerked the gun from his hand and aimed it at the lock. "Christine what on earth are you doing?" Raoul said. It amused me how much he didn't really know me, but at this point was just flat out annoying. I aimed right at the key hole and fired. "Here!" I said throwing the gun at Erik and they both just stared at me. As I went through the door I turned to them "Need I remind you that there are people after us." Erik smiled and shook his head.
"God I love you." I winked at him and then we all ran into the tunnel. Raoul stayed close to us not wanting to get lost. We turned the corner then Erik stopped put to a finger to his lips and we waited. We started to hear shouting and it was coming closer. "They're in the tunnel." Erik motioned for Raoul to go in front of us and then he quickly grabbed my hand. Erik stopped us again at one of the more confusing passages, but we knew the way.
He glanced behind us with a puzzling look. "Erik what is it?" He looked to me with tail tell eyes. "No. No! No, I'm not leaving you!" I shook my head and tears that showed the fear slipped over the edge. "Christine stop this." He said grabbing my arms to make me look at him. "I'm sorry but I can't allow you to face this madness anymore. Go. I love you and that's why I'm doing this. Get to the boat and if I'm not there in ten minutes I want you to go. Get as far away from here as you can." I shook my head again and again refusing to leave his side. My tears flowing at a steady rate now. He pulled one arm around me and pulled me to him using the other to give the gun to Raoul. After Raoul took it he secured his other arm around me "Please." I begged him "Please I can't do this without you. I love you so much Erik, I can't. I just can't live without you." He pulled me away putting his forehead to mine cradling my face between his hands "I know. I know. I owe my life to you Christine. You've saved me from not only those retched gypsies, but Jessica and Gerard on many occasions." We both laughed recalling simpler times. "I love you." He said
"I know."
I pulled him to me in an intense kiss ignoring Raoul completely. This was who I was and I would proudly scream it from the roof top of the highest point in all of France. I was, I am, and always will be Erik's lover to those who knew him, the Phantom's lover to the world, and Erik Mcgalla's wife to my heart. The kiss was as if it would be our last and I prayed to God that it wouldn't. I knew he did this to protect me, to make sure he didn't lose me in this battle to come. But he was going up against an unfair number of people. I wanted to stay by his side and help him fight, I wanted to die with him, beside him. I loved him, he knew that and that's why he wanted to fight alone. As soon as our lips parted I clung to him tightly knowing that if this was our last moment it needed to last as long as possible. I kissed him one more time gently, then finally parted from him, turning into the tunnel to the other side of the lake. Erik drew out his sword. I turned to him one last time wanting to remember my Erik just like this. Strong and beautiful. He looked back to us "I love you." I said to him. He smiled at me "I know." He called back, and with that Raoul and I turned being swallowed by the darkness.
Erik turned back to the shouts of the mob. "This way!"
"Down this path!"
"They're this way!" Erik closed his eyes savoring the feel of Christine's warmth still on his lips and in is arms. "Erik." The sweet voice of the young woman he once called mother echoed. "Erik," she said clearly as the memory came into play. A small Italian gypsy camp where they had been staying four years trying to keep away from Erik's father. "I'm right here mother." The young deformed unmasked boy said taking her hand. She had been sick for weeks and none of them expected her to make it through that night. His mother Elaina smiled as he came nearer. She reached her other had up cupping the right side of his face "My boy. My Erik. My sweet, sweet Erik." Elaina sighed deeply "You know I love you. That is something you must never forget." He nodded trying to be strong for his mother's sake holding back tears. "Yes Mama." He replied sniffling "You are such a strong boy. I promise you that one day you will find a beautiful young girl who will see you just as I do. And she will love you even more than I ever could have done on this earth." Erik shook his head not wanting to accept the fact that Elaina was dying."No! No, mother you're going to make it. Please you have to make it. I don't want to be alone Mama."
"My sweet little Erik, you will not be alone. I will watch over you, and our family here in the camp will take care of you Will, Lily, and Adam they are going to do their best to protect you." All three of those friends stood in the room. Adam Erik's loving step-father was next to them one hand on Erik's shoulder and the other in Elaina's dark black hair. Her best friend Lily stood at her feet with her husband Will behind her comforting her. "She will be beautiful Erik and will see you as a strong, proud, amazing, talented, and beautiful young man. She will love you so much too Erik, I promise." He nodded again to his mother "Yes Mama. I love you so much Mama." She smiled.
"Adam, my love, the violin." He reached into a small bag at her head and pulled out Erik's violin. "Will you play our lullaby for me Erik?" He nodded and began to play as Elaina took her final breaths.
Erik opened his eyes. "I found her mother just as you said I would. I love her and by the end of this night I will be reunited with my Christine or you." The screams came closer. Erik stood strong and tall ready for the attack.
As we exited the narrow tunnel we found the other side of the lake with the small dock and boat tied up ready for us. Raoul ran and jumped in the boat looking up to find me at the front of the dock staring into the tunnel "Christine come on!" he yelled snapping me back to reality. I stopped again right in front of the boat he reached his hand out to me realizing that I truly did love him even if it pained him to admit it to himself. "Christine," I looked to him with distress written all over my face. "I'm sorry, it's time." I sighed deeply glancing between the entrance and Raoul. Then finally took Raoul's hand going into the boat. He untied it and shoved us away. I took my seat at the other end still staring off praying for some sort of miracle. Please. Please. Please. Let him come to me I love him and only him. Please. I prayed silently. Then as I looked to the entrance there he ran out. A smile lit my face "Raoul, he's back stop the boat." I commanded he smiled at me but I could see the lights and hear the screams of the mob coming down the tunnel. But right then a sound rang out that made everything go silent and I wished I would just wake up from the living nightmare. A gunshot that came from one of the upper tunnels. Erik stared at me as he let his body plunge into the water. "No!" I cried out. "Raoul turn around! Turn around now!" but it was too late we were caught in the current. Raoul let go of the paddle and grabbed me before I could jump into the lake. "Christine no! I'm sorry it's too late." He brought himself next to me I shook my head tears exploding forth. "No, no, no!" I cried in Raoul's embrace and repeated my beloved's name "Erik, Erik no! Please God no! Erik!" Raoul held me trying to be my support as the current carried us off. I wanted to die right then, I wanted to be with him in death. It was too soon for him to leave me. We had barley just begun. My life was over. My body may have been there in Raoul's arms on the boat leading out of the opera house, but I was dead.
The night was clear with a bit of a chill in the air I remained silent as Raoul tied up the boat. I sat on the edge of the dock the tips of my shoes briefly touching the water as they swayed. Without Erik with me these back woods brought nothing but sorrow. It was this spot we had our first kiss. I wanted to laugh as I remembered Erik and I as twelve year olds wanting to kiss just to get our first one over with. Who would have ever thought that our first kiss would one day transform into the mess that we were in now, or rather I was in now. I sighed deeply wanting to cry but it seemed I had no more left. Raoul slowly walked to me sitting down next to me. I knew what he was thinking and I wanted to state it out loud not only for him to hear but myself as well "I loved him Raoul." I said staring into the water "I still love him. I know you think this sounds ridiculous but I know that I will never love again. He was the first man I ever truly loved and no one, no one can everreplace him." Raoul nodded slowly and sighed deeply "I know. That look you gave him, and the look that's constantly in your eyes when you talk about him. You have no idea how long I have wanted you to look at me that way. I thought that when we were little one day you would look at me that way but, but I guess not. I know now that you truly did love him and that I could never replace him, and I'm not asking to take his place Christine. But I am asking that you find a place in your heart for me." He put his hand on my back and gently kissed my forehead. He stood up and told me he was going to try and find the path to the small house Erik had mentioned. I wanted to cry at the mention of the small house, it too was filled with memories. Erik's first proposal, our first night together, that was where I had first told him of the pregnancy, I remembered spending hours arguing over names for a boy or girl. I softly laughed as I remembered how he ended the argument "Maybe we'll get lucky and it'll be twins, a boy and a girl."
I was awaken from my thoughts by a small thudding noise coming from the far end of the boat. I stood up and walked to the shore then into the water to find Erik's white mask sitting on waves hitting the boat. I picked it up and thought back. Erik wasn't wearing a mask when he fell into the water. I thought as I turned looking around. For what, I don't know. Then as I reached the shore again I heard a man clear his throat. My eyes widened as I knew it wasn't Raoul. I turned to see Erik standing there only feet in front of me. He was soaking wet with red stained high on the left arm of his shirt. "Erik?" I said confused. For a moment I thought I was seeing ghosts. "You know Joshua is a terrible shot." I said motioning to the place the bullet skimmed his arm. "Erik, it really is you." I said with a smile running and jumping into his arms. When I pulled away I punched his chest with all my strength. "Ow! What was that for?" He said with a laugh.
"For not telling me that part of the plan stupid!" He frowned. But placing one hand on his shoulder and the other on his cheek I said "But this, this is for coming back." I drew him into a kiss overjoyed that this was all real. I was alive again. My Erik was here with me and the Phantom would be gone forever. I would never let him surface again. Erik chose the song he wanted and now he was playing it out. I would happily dance and sing to my Erik's song. We pulled away and he whistled for a horse he kept close there when we needed it. He helped me onto the horse and we were off to the small house in the woods. Just as said Philippe brought our things there. After bandaging Erik we were both quick to fall asleep. Ready to leave the place already. In the morning when we woke the sun was just barely showing over the horizon. Erik tied our bags to the horses, as I took one last look at one of our favorite meeting places I smiled at every foolish time we had. He rode up next to me and placed a hand to my arm. "Are you ready?" He asked I smiled big and nodded. He leaned forward and kissed me. We turned and began down the path to the docks to leave France. "What do you say to making this a little more interesting?" I asked with a smile "How's that?" He replied.
"I'll race you." He slowly turned to me then looked at the path in front of us then back to me "Alright your on Daae." I smiled and said "Ok, but you asked for it." And then I was off.