Before the house opened, Raoul made sure that there were policemen stationed everywhere in the theater. "Remember, when the time comes, shoot. Only if you have to, but shoot to kill."

"How will I know when?"

"You'll know."

Meanwhile backstage Christine looked at herself nervously in the mirror. "Christine, relax," Meg said trying to comfort her. "I know the circumstances right now aren't ideal, but you should be excited. It's your big debut in a leading role!"

"I thought that was the gala?"

"I meant in a full opera. This is what you've always wanted."

"But not like this. I just really want to get this over with."

"After this weekend, it'll be over and you'll never have to worry about it ever again."

"I know, but still. I can't help but feel kind of intimidated with all the policemen stationed everywhere."

"You shouldn't feel intimidated. They're here to protect you."

The stage manager entered to tell everyone to get to their places on the sides of the stage. As they made their way out, Erik's words echoed in Christine's head. "If I could I would give you the fame that you so deserve. Hell I'd probably start my own opera company just so I could make you the star that I know you are." Oh Erik, why did it have to be this way? She thought. Why did you have to do this to us?

The curtains opened and the opera started. Everyone walked out onstage and began to sing. "Here the sire may serve the dam, here the master takes his meat! Here the sacrificial lamb utters one despairing bleat! Poor young maiden! For the thrill on your tongue of stolen sweets, you will have to pay the bill tangled in the winding sheets! Serve the meal and serve the maid! Serve the master so that when tables, plans, and maids are laid. Don Juan triumphs once again!"

Everyone scattered offstage except for one cast member. Piangi entered onstage with Meg, who was dressed as a gypsy. He handed her a sac of coins before she exited the stage. "Passarino, faithful friend," he sang, "Once again recite the plan."

"Your young guest believes I'm you. I, the master, you, the man."

"When you met you wore my cloak, with my scarf you hid your face. She believes she dines with me in her master's borrowed place! Furtively we'll scoff and quaff, stealing what in truth is mine, when it's late and modesty starts to mellow with the wine."

"You come home, I use your voice. Slam the door like crack of doom."

"I shall say, 'Come hide with me. Where oh where? Of course my room!'"

"Poor thing hasn't got a chance!"

"Here's my hat, my cloak and sword. Conquest is assured if I do not forget myself and laugh."

He laughed and put on a cloak that covered his face, exiting as Christine made her entrance. "No thoughts within her head but thoughts of joy," she sang. "No dreams within her heart but dreams of love." She took an apple and sat down.

"Don Juan" returned. "Master."

"Passarino, go away for the trap is set and waits for its prey." He left and Christine was alone onstage with "Don Juan."

"You have come here," he sang as he approached her. "In pursuit of your deepest urge. In pursuit of the wish which till now has been silent, silent." He picked up a goblet from the table. "I have brought you that our passions may fuse and merge. In your mind you've already succumbed to me, dropped all defenses, completely succumbed to me. Now you are here with me." He took the apple from her. "No second thoughts." He handed her the goblet. "You've decided, decided."

As he continued to sing the rest of the song, he caressed her body until it was her turn to sing. After she sang her part they sang together. "Past the point of no return, the final threshold. The bridge is crossed so stand and watch it burn. We've passed the point of no return." As they sang the last word, Christine removed the cloak to discover that she'd been singing with Erik the whole time. Both of them looked and stepped away from each other.

"Should we get him now?" the police officer sitting next to Raoul asked, pulling out his walky-talky.

"No," he replied, transfixed by what was happening before him. "Not just yet."

"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime," he sang. "Lead me, save me from my solitude." Christine had to fight back tears to prevent herself from showing any sympathy for him. It was then that she realized that even though the lyrics were prewritten, he meant every word he was singing. "Say you want me with you here beside you." With enough courage they were able to face each other again. "Anywhere you go, let me go too!" He took her hands, taking off his pinky ring and slipping it onto her ring finger. "Christine, that's all I ask of…"

All of a sudden without thinking, she ripped the mask and wig off his face. "No!" he shouted. Everyone in the theater gasped at the sight of his face; it was nothing like anyone could imagine. It was covered in scars with distorted or missing flesh so that one could see parts of his skull and tissue.

He took Christine and ran offstage with her. "No, don't shoot!" Raoul called, but it was too late. The policeman aimed and shot, but missed. Once they were gone Meg ran out onstage screaming. When everyone went to look and see what the commotion was about, they saw the dead body of Piangi with a rope around his neck.

"Piangi, my darling!" Carlotta cried, wrapping herself around him. When the deans entered, she looked up angrily at them. "You idiots!" she shouted, cursing at and pushing and hitting them. "This is all your fault!" One of the stagehands pulled Carlotta off of them, but she pulled herself away from his grip, going back to throwing herself onto and crying over Piangi's body.

Between everyone onstage and backstage and in the audience panicking, Raoul decided that it was up to him and him alone to finish off Erik for good. So while everyone was running around like headless chickens, Raoul snuck away from the chaos to look for Christine.