BY THE WAY: This is NOT the last chapter. It totally seems like it, but it certainly isn't. :) Enjoy!
"I'm sorry to cut the Masquerade short for us. But you saw him..." Christine told Erik as they settled back in at Erik's lair.
But the truth was, that Christine was afraid. She was afraid of the life that lay ahead of her. Even with Erik in it, it would be a life of darkness. It would be so hard for her, and she couldn't manage to forget the look on Raoul's pleading face, and she had been hesitate when she had told him that she loved Erik. She just hoped it didn't show.
Erik place his jacket on the piano bench. "I saw the look he gave you Christine. You're lucky I couldn't see the look on your face", he hinted to her.
Christine peeled her gloves off and set her mask down. "How could you think that, Erik? Did last night mean nothing to you?" she asked him.
"It meant the world to me, Christine. You had no idea how long I had waited for that. But did it mean anything to you?" he asked, sitting at the piano.
Christine's slim body was able to fit beside him on the bench. "We made love to each other, Erik. How could I not feel any meaning in that? We got the closest we've ever been, and I'll never forget it, no matter what. You of all people should be able to realize this", Christine said, her voice trembling. Out of fear of losing Erik. Again.
Without another word, and hoping this would be proof enough, Christine leaned to kiss him. At first he hesitated, but then he kissed with as much fierceness as he had last night.
Oddly, they were interrupted by a cry. "Christine?!"
Christine could tell that it was Raoul's voice. But what was he doing here? A thought dawned on her. He had seen their kiss, she was sure of it...
Raoul did indeed stand there, his costume still on but wet. "Go away, boy", Erik grunted, also obviously not okay with anyone else seeing them like this.
"Christine, don't listen to him; come back to me! He's controlling you and brain washing you. You must be able to see this. Please, don't let him do this to you anymore", Raoul said. He sounded so pleading, and Erik still sat silently next to Christine, not touching her in any way.
She thought about this. Erik's music was enthralling... could she had been so lost? She didn't know. Was this blind love she felt for Erik- that she only loved his music and not him?
Christine left Erik's side and walked to Raoul, who was still standing outside the locked gate. She walked through the water, not even caring anymore. As she got close enough, Raoul reached out to touch her face. At first she pulled away, but then she sank into his grip, comforted by his touch. It was light, airy, and loving. Erik's had felt dark, controlling, and fierce now that she thought back on it.
Flashes of last night fled through Christine's brain as Raoul stroked her cheek. which man did she truly love?
As she thought that, a splashing noise came from behind her. It was Erik. Christine turned, surprised. Erik gripped her shoulders tightly and lightly shook her. "Christine, don't listen to him. He's the one that's brain washing you. Please listen to me", he told her in a growling voice. Sincere, but to Christine, it was plain frightening.
"No, Erik. I don't know what to think anymore. Please don't do this to me..." she trailed off as his face lunged for hers, and soon his lips were crashing against her soft red lips. She felt his hands move up and down the length of her back, and finally they cupped her ass.
She was so surprised, but the adrenaline got to her and she pushed him away. "Christine... I... I was just showing him, that you do love me. You know you do. You proved it to me last..." she cut him off.
"I...I'm not too sure of that now. Maybe your music did possess me, I don't know for sure. But please, don't force me to make my choice. I need to think", she said, tears running down her cheeks, the ones that Erik had so lovingly caressed...
"How could you? How dare you? Don't you dare force yourself on her. I'm right here!" Raoul cried angrily.
"Boy, shut up. It's not like you could do anything", Erik said quietly.
But then anger got the best of him as Christine reached over to brush the blond hair out of Raoul's face.
"Alright Christine. Go now! Go now and leave me! Forget me. Forget all you've seen. YOU'RE JUST LIKE THE REST OF THEM!" he yelled at her and pulled the lever to open the gate.
Christine cast a frightened glance at Erik and rushed to hug Raoul, who put a protective arm around her waist. She kissed his cheek, then was surprised by herself. Since when had she decided that she loved Raoul?
Erik turned away from them, the sight of the couple too much for them to bear. He walked next to the piano bench, and picked up Christine's mask.
He ran his finger over the careful stitching of the rose. "Masquerade. Paper faces on parade. Masquerade. Hide your face so the world will never find you", he sang softly to himself. He tore his mask away from his face, his black wig coming with it. He didn't care anymore. She was gone, and that was all that mattered.
He gathered the courage to look up, assuming that they had already left. But there she was, standing right there in front of him, a sad look in her eyes.
His sad soul brightened, hopeful, oh, ever so hopeful, that she was back. To him, her Angel of Music.
She twisted something off of her finger. Oh, God, no. She wasn't... But she was. She twisted the ring off of her finger and handed it to Erik, avoiding his eyes. The fingers met in the transfer, and it was longer than it should have been.
Her hand trembled away, no doubt out of fear of him. She glanced at him, then hitched up her skirts, revealing just a little of her white ankles, and ran back to Raoul, splashing in the water. They held hands, and she leaned her head into his, and he smoothed the back of her hair down.
Never did she glance back. Never did she see her Angel, tears pouring down his deformed face as she faced reality: Christine wouldn't come back. She and Raoul belonged together.
They turned the corner. They were gone. Forever, because surely she wouldn't want to venture anywhere near his lair.
"IT'S OVER NOW THE MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!" he yelled more than sang, smashing a candlestick into the mirrors that usually lay covered with blankets. He had uncovered them, confident about his relationship with Christine and overjoyed that someone finally excepted him.
But that was a lie.