CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
Christine POV

Though I was staying at the opera house, that did not stop Raoul from visiting me. He would guard my room every night, but not really do the smartest job of it. He usually fell asleep halfway through the night, which would have made it much easier for Erik to swoop in and steal me, had he not been so displeased.

I didn't blame him. I had betrayed Erik more than once now, professed my love to another man, and attended a ball wearing an engagement ring. That was more than enough to make him angry. And yet, he had still offered to take me back each time we met. He certainly was persistent in his efforts.

I didn't know why he hadn't captured me at night. It was a walk in the park for someone like him. Raoul was a such a heavy sleeper that someone could've driven sixty carriages past him and he would've slept like a baby.

I often would stay awake in case Erik came, as I was sure Raoul wouldn't be able to defend me. I wasn't so much scared that he would come one night, but more afraid that he would hurt someone else, forcing me into whatever torture he was surely planning. I didn't want a guilt like that on my plate, and the very thought of Meg, Madame Giry, maybe even Raoul getting hurt was enough to keep me up shivering at night.

I kept myself busy each evening by playing with the monkey toy Madame Giry had given me. It was really quite cuddly and lovable once you looked past its patched and frayed exterior. I was growing fonder of it as the nights went by.

I remembered when my father had given me a toy monkey when I was very little. I would run around with it all day, climbing up trees and pretending I was the Queen of the forest. Father would always play along, acting the part of a great bear for me to wrestle. I missed those days so much.

A sharp pang of reality hit me. Today was the anniversary of the day my father had died, and I had not gone to pay my respects to him. Raoul kept me indoors the whole day, and I had completely forgotten. It was very late, but that didn't matter to me. I had stayed up later this week worrying, and Raoul was most likely asleep anyway. He tried so hard, but to no avail. His pitiful attempts actually were stirring some sympathy in me, but I didn't think of that right now.

Slipping out of bed, I grabbed a purse that held a couple of coins, and wrapped a shawl around my shoulders. Opening the door cautiously, I was relieved to see that Raoul was fast asleep, but I tread softly to be on the safe side.

Heading down the stairs, I followed the path I knew led to the outdoor stables.

I saw it was overcast, and looked as though it was going to snow, but I was only going out for a half an hour maybe at most, so I didn't reconsider. The old stable master waddled over to me.

"Monsieur." I pressed the purse into his palm as I said it.

"Where to, mademoiselle?" he asked, pocketing it. I moved away quickly as I replied.

"The cemetery."

I headed to the hook where I kept my mother's funeral gown, and pulled it down over my arm. I spotted a glass of roses, some withering purple, others still a fresh red, and decided to take them along to place at his gravesite. It was the least I could do.

Changing into the black dress, I attached a cape, for it had turned cold. Already snowflakes were gently falling, so I tied my hair back with a wispy black scarf so I could keep snowflakes out of my hair.

Taking the roses in my hand, I walked down the cobblestone path leading to the road. A carriage led by a black horse stood at the end of the path waiting for me.

The driver was not the same as before. A man in a black cloak covering all but the left side of his face held the reins firmly, keeping the horse calm. I climbed in and he looked at me expectantly. I realized he must need instructions of where to go.

"To my father's grave, please," I directed him. This was vague, for there were many graveyards in Paris, but he seemed to know exactly where I meant. The carriage lurched forward.

We soon entered the forest beyond which the cemetery lay, and I began thinking about Erik once again. Why could I never get that man out of my mind?

I started to sing softly to myself, for no real reason at all.

In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came. That voice which calls to me and speaks my name.

I stepped out of the carriage, brushing tears from my eyes. I felt something like a hand touch my shoulder and I turned around to look back at the driver, but he wasn't looking at me. With a flick of his wrist, the carriage drove away and I walked into the cemetery.

"Little Lot~ Chrissy," I caught myself, "Thought of everything and nothing. Her father promised her the Angel of Music. Her father promised her…" Did he come through on that promise? I began to sing, to my father and to Erik. Somehow, I knew both listened, though far away.

"You were once my one companion, you were all that mattered. You were once a friend and father. Then my world was shattered." Could I truly say it? Did I really want him back, even if he hated me?

"Wishing you were somehow here again, wishing you were somehow near. Sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed, somehow you would be here. Wishing I could hear your voice again, knowing that I never would. Dreaming of you helped me to do all that you dreamed I could."

I looked at the angels around me, although pretty, were not comforting at all. They were sculpted from solid stone and would not feel for me now or ever.

"Passing bells and sculpted angels, cold and monumental, seem for you the wrong companions. You were warm and gentle."

This was true for both Erik and my father. Both had been increasingly kind, and had not asked anything in return. And they both had disappeared from my life, just when I needed their guidance the most.

"Too many years, fighting back tears. Why can't the past just die?" I had often wished this to be so, my past was a time where I didn't want to dwell, but found myself forced to remember.

"Wishing you were somehow here again, knowing we must say goodbye. Try to forgive, teach me to live~" Without you, I thought, "Give me the strength to try!"

Inevitable tears began to form as I approached my father's grave.

"No more memories, no more silent tears. No more looking across the wasted years… Help me say good bye."

I sank down on my knees at the bottom of the steps to my father's mausoleum. I looked up at the cold building that held someone once so warm.

"Help me say goodbye." I hung my head, feeling icy tears stain my cheeks as the snowflakes fluttered to the ground and the icy wind swirled misty snow around me. All was very quiet, almost too quiet. There wasn't a sound to be heard other than my shaky sobs. Through the mist around me, a voice reached my ears.

"Wandering Child so lost, so helpless. Yearning for my guidance," sang a sweet voice that I knew so well. Erik was here, and yet again he was there to comfort me when no one else was. But I still had to make sure it was truly him.

"Angel or Father, friend or Phantom. Who is it there, staring?"

"Have you forgot your Angel?" It was him, I knew it was. No other voice could sound so pure.

"Angel, oh speak! What endless longings echo in this whisper!" I stood up, ready to walk to him as I had on New Year's Eve. A pleasant glow was radiating from the mausoleum, and the cold wind didn't affect me anymore. I was warm inside.

"Too long you've wandered in winter, far from my fathering gaze," he sang, his timbre resonating in my chest. That statement was very true. He had always been like a father to me, a protector and a friend.

"Wildly my mind beats against you, yet my soul obeys!" Slowly I began to walk up the stairs towards him as we sang a beautiful duet to each other.

"Angel of Music, I denied you turning from true beauty! Angel of Music, my protector. Come to me, strange angel!" I sang, glad that I could walk into his arms safely and hide from my uncertainty. I was always sure of my feelings with Erik.

Just like on our first meeting, he hissed, "I am your Angel of Music. Come to me, Angel of Music!"

I was just about to enter the open doors, when the sound of hoof beats startled me.

"Wait!" Raoul cried, vaulting off of his horse. The light in the mausoleum was gone and I suddenly felt dazed.

"Raoul," I murmured, not quite sure why he had come. He ran up to me, drawing his sword.

"Whatever you believe, this man, this thing is not your father," he told me urgently. I knew that. I had known from the beginning and was just about to tell him when a loud swoosh above me took me by surprise.

I looked up to see Erik jump off the roof to where I had been standing a moment before. I gasped as I saw him lunge for Raoul with his cutlass that he paraded at the Masquerade Ball. I was about to join their fight, but they jumped down a ledge and into another part of the graveyard.

As I hurried after them, I noticed that Raoul yelled a lot when he struck, whereas Erik was deadly silent, allowing his blade to do the talking. He had many more strategic moves than Raoul, using his cape to distract as he swung. He pushed Raoul to the ground, but his blade hit a fallen log instead of Raoul's face. I was glad he missed. I didn't think I could bear any carnage against either man, both of whom I had come to care for.

Their swords stuck in a metal grate, and I was about to run forward to end this nonsense, when Erik did my job for me, shunting into Raoul so that he fell on his rear. He quickly got onto his feet, however, and the duel continued, now more violently than ever. Apparently Erik wanted to win this quickly.

They ducked behind either side of a gravestone and Erik hid so Raoul couldn't see. He looked around wildly for Erik, but didn't spot him running behind him, which I did.

Erik lunged out for Raoul, and the sound of clashing steel was heard once more. Using his cape, Erik caught Raoul by surprise, putting a large gash in his right arm. Raoul fell into the snow, rolling in agony.

Erik seemed to think he had won, for he turned his back on Raoul and approached me with a triumphant smirk on his face.

I felt myself step forward involuntarily, until I stood just before him. Tentatively, I raised my right hand and touched his shoulder, wondering if he would allow it. He did, putting his arm around my waist and leaning towards me, his lips parting.

I spotted Raoul over Erik's shoulder, his sword raised high. My eyes widened as he swung towards Erik, who was currently busy with me.

Just as Erik's lips were about to meet mine, I pushed him to the ground, so the blade swung through air not flesh. This act was not understood, for Raoul kicked the sword out of Erik's hands and raised his blade up, about to impale his opponent.

"No Raoul!" I cried. I looked at Erik, who gaze rested on me for a moment before flicking back to Raoul's sword. His eyes screamed with outrage at my betrayal. Another betrayal.

"Not like this," I murmured without thinking. Not like this? It was like I wanted him dead!

I glanced to see Erik's reaction, but quickly looked away, scorched by his burning eyes. Raoul followed my instructions (for once) and put his sword away. Taking my arm, he led me to his ivory horse without a moment's pause.

"You cheated," I muttered to him, as he led me away.

"I did what was necessary," he replied, jumping onto his horse first. I looked back at Erik, who was seething at me. Forgive me, I mouthed, but his eyes only burnt deeper.

Raoul pulled me onto his horse, and I was carried away with him. It was war now, I could tell from Erik's glare. This war was not simply against Raoul, now it was against me as well.

I hung my head as we rode off. Nothing good would come out of this, and I knew my days with two suitors would soon end. But which one would go? Of that I was not certain. Only time would tell, but I was sure of one thing. Erik would not be so forgiving when we next met.