Christine stood, watching me. My last words hung in the air between us. "Make your choice!"

It was silent. Raoul had stopped struggling and was watching Christine intently.

Christine was clearly struggling with an internal battle. Her eyes were wet with unshed tears as she watched me. My heart thudded loudly in my ears as the silence went on. She took a step towards me and her tears fell, spilling onto her cheeks. She stopped in front of me and looked up at me. She reached out her hand and touched my cheek, gently stroking her fingers along the scars. Her eyes bored into mine, such a deep emerald green, filled with such emotion.

I did not move, just waited, suspicious. "Oh, Erik," she said softly. "How can tell you? God, give me the courage to show you that you are not alone…"

I wondered at her words and before I knew what was happening she leaned towards me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and our lips met in a kiss that was so electrically charged that I half expected both of us to burst into flames.

I stood stiffly in her arms, confused. It was the first time in my entire life that I had been kissed. Before the performance of Don Juan Triumphant no woman had ever willingly touched me.

My heart raced and I pulled back from her slightly. She looked up at me and met my gaze and I stared at her in amazement. She took my face in her hands and drew me to her, kissing me again. I cautiously put my arms around her, and as she deepened the kiss I shuddered, my determination to stay detached crumbling as I pulled her close to me, loving the feeling of her in my arms. She was so soft, so delicate, and yet she clung to me with amazing strength.

When she finally drew back I could barely breathe, and I was in total disbelief. I looked questioningly into her eyes, but she did not look repulsed or disgusted. She did not hurry to back out of my embrace. Instead she just met my gaze, unwavering. She kept her hands on my face, lightly caressing my disfigured cheek. I felt every wall I had ever built crash to the ground as I stared at her as she smiled at me, her eyes shining. I loved her so much in that moment that it was a physical ache.

I hardly dared to believe, to hope, that she loved me….

And then, the connection between us was broken as Raoul, who had until then just been staring, dumbfounded, at Christine, began struggling anew against the Punjab lasso. He was pale and looked absolutely horrified. "No, Christine. Do not do this!" he said desperately.

Christine looked over at him then and I could see her fear and concern for him and I realised the truth. Christine had such a sense of honour and loyalty that there was no way she would have saved herself and let Raoul be killed. I had been a fool to think that she would have actually saved herself and been responsible for his death. So she was willing to sacrifice herself to save him She was willing to be my prisoner, to lie and fake her love for me so I would not kill her lover.

In that moment I felt myself die. I was still alive, but she had just as good as killed me. For I knew that I could never force her to stay with me, pretending to care about me when she would always be longing for Raoul.

I felt cold, empty, like a shell. I loved her so much. I would have given her so much. But none of that mattered. I could not force her to stay.

The sound of voices shouting startled me out of my reverie. It was the mob, drawing closer. They were out for blood. My blood, and I just did not care.

But I could not let them find Christine and Raoul here. I turned from Christine and walked to the Vicomte. Christine hurried after me and I could practically feel her fear and concern. She truly thought I was nothing more than a monster. That I would go back on my word and murder Raoul in front of her.

I took a deep breath and untied the rope. Raoul tore the noose from around his neck and scooped Christine into his arms. He stroked her hair gently and I heard him whisper, "Oh, Christine, Christine. Why did you do it? Why did you throw your life away? I cannot bear the thought of you staying with this monster so I can go free."

I watched them in silence. They truly were a beautiful couple. I could at least be happy knowing that Christine would be loved.

"Take her," I said suddenly. "Forget me and forget all of this."

"What?" Christine gasped.

I stared straight ahead, refusing to look at them any longer. "Leave me alone, forget all you have seen."

"No," whispered Christine, while Raoul watched me warily.

He pulled at her arm. "Christine, come with me. Now."

"Go now. Do not let them find you here," I said, forcing myself to stay calm, forcing the emotion out of my voice.

"Erik, no!" Christine cried. "What are you doing?"

"Take the boat, leave me here. Go now, do not wait," he said, refusing to look at me.

"Please, Erik!" I said.

The poor child. I had either finally driven her to madness or else her sense of honour was amazing. "Christine, I appreciate your devotion to the Vicomte," I said, my gaze flickering up at her. She was standing with her mouth open, staring at me. "I appreciate that you were willing to lie and pretend to love me to spare him. But the Vicomte is right. What kind of love would I have, knowing I only had you because you loved him enough to throw your life away for him? I do not want you to lie to me."

"But…I-I am not lying!" she shrieked.

I smiled faintly. "Christine, you are free. Forget me, forget all that has happened. I will not hold you to my insane demands. Just go."

"Erik!" she said, eyes wide. My chest felt tight and I just wanted them gone. I wanted them to just leave me alone with my pain.

"Come, Christine," Raoul said, taking her by the arms.

"No!" she shouted, struggling. Her eyes were wild as she fought him. "NO!"

"Just take her and go. Before it is too late. Before I change my mind and do something I will regret," I said to Raoul. I just wanted them to leave, I could not bear watching them any longer. I lunged at them. "Just go! Go now and leave me! GO! LEAVE ME!" I shouted, shaking with emotion.

"Christine, you are not thinking. We must go," Raoul said as he picked Christine up and carried her away. He did not look back, just ran as if he feared I would follow and snatch Christine out of his arms. I staggered towards the organ and fell against it, doubled over with the pain of watching Christine leave with Raoul. I was sobbing. I had never felt such pain. "No," I whispered. "Oh, Christine, no."

I looked up but they were gone and the only sound was the voices of the mob, drawing ever closer. "You alone could make my song take flight, Christine, my love. It is over now…the music of the night," I said. Then I collapsed and fell to the floor, sobbing.

I do not know how long I lay there. I heard the voices of the mob as they wound through the labyrinth of corridors. I did not care. Let them come, let them have their revenge. It did not matter any longer. She was gone and she would never come back. I thought that surely the pain would kill me, but it did not. I heard the mob draw ever closer and finally something prompted me to get up. I wished for death. I wished for a release from this pain, but I refused to let them win. I refused to throw myself to them like some kind of sacrificial lamb. Death would come the way I chose it to, and that was not at the hands of an angry mob.

I picked myself off of the cold stone floor, my movements' stiff. I walked to the wall behind my organ and pressed a button hidden in the molding that surrounded the archway that led to the kitchen. I hidden door slid sideways and I walked through it and lit the small gas lantern than hung just inside the doorway. The door slid silently back into place. I stood behind yet another two-way mirror that looked into my chambers.

I saw a movement from the direction of the archway that led to the lake. A moment later little Meg Giry crept in, her eyes wide. She tiptoed around the room, looking at everything, She ran her hand lightly across the organ. I was certain Christine had told her of this place, but she looked around in utter amazement. She walked over to the throne chair and picked up the cloak that had been thrown there. Beneath it was my mask. I had barely even realised that I had not been wearing it. Meg looked at it in fascination, holding it up, her mouth open slightly.

Meg jumped up and whirled around as the mob barged through the archway. Madame Giry was in the lead, followed by the managers, several policemen and various other cast members.

"This is his lair," Monsieur Firmin said, looking around.

"Where is he?" the police chief asked Meg.

"I-I do not know. No one was here," Meg said nervously, looking at her mother who frowned at her.

"He must have escaped," said Monsieur Andre.

"Impossible!" Monsieur Firmin said.

"No doubt he will be back," someone else said.

Then they were all talking at once.

"We must destroy everything. When he comes back and everything is gone he will have to leave," said the police chief.

Meg and Madame Giry stood off to the side. Madame Giry shook her head slightly but did not argue. No doubt she thought I deserved it.

With that the mob began destroying my home. They tore up musical scores, shattered my belongings. I watched them numbly. What did it matter? Christine was gone, I had nothing left to live for.

How long I watched as they destroyed my belongings I do not know. My mind was numb and I was empty.

When they had finally destroyed things to their satisfaction they left and I walked out of my hiding spot and waded through broken furniture, shattered glass and scraps of paper than had been years' worth of composing.

I felt nothing. Losing Christine had drained me of emotion. I had nothing left.

I staggered into Christine's room. The door had been shut and for some reason they had not noticed the room and it was completely intact. I made it to the bed and collapsed onto it, willing the darkness to overtake me.