(A/N: Just letting you guys know, this is NOT the end of the story. There will be an Epilogue. Just wanted to clarify that, so people can read the whole story, and not erase it from their memories before it's finished. Ok, on with the next chapter. Please R&R!)

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Erik POV

I stared at the music box I had made soon after Antoinette brought me here.

Christine was gone and the only one to blame for that was myself. I had let her go. She had kissed me, kissed me! For one fleeting moment, I had been loved.

But I had let her go. I knew she could never belong to me. I loved her, and she had shown love back, but I knew keeping her against her will would bring Hell upon both of us. She chose me, but I could not force her into this horrible life. She would be much happier with Raoul.

I felt a twinge of jealousy as I thought of the name. I couldn't be satisfied to know an utter fop would be the one caressing my Christine. My Christine.

It had been my hard work, my devotion that caused him to notice her. I almost wished I hadn't been so quick to push her into the spotlight.

What was done was done. Everything I had worked for my whole life, every dream I ever had the audacity to dream had been shattered until there was nothing left. Nothing but the darkness.

I gazed at the contented look on the lead monkey's face as it tapped cymbals together in perfect rhythm. I created it to remind me of a toy I once owned, which brought me my only joy as a child. I lost that too, swept away with the frightening gypsy childhood I had once known.

And now, after all these years since I had fled here, it would end the same way it began. With a mob, keen on revenge. But this time, I would not run, and I would not hide.

Masquerade, paper faces on parade. Masquerade, hide your face so the world will never find you.

I noticed a figure in a white dress standing near the doorway. I looked into Christine's beautiful face that gazed at me with pity. It amazed me she could continue to be compassionate to such a pathetic creature like me, after all I had put her through.

"Christine, I love you," I breathed, knowing that it was an utterly hopeless statement. She would never…

She walked towards me, her fingers around the ring. I felt my heart lift with hope. Was she really choosing me? A smile spread across my face, but didn't linger.

She stopped, and I watched as she removed the ring that looked so perfect around her delicate finger.

She reached for my hand and I automatically moved it to hers. The touch of her skin against mine sent shivers through me and I let out a shaky breath.

She placed the ring in my palm, curling my hand around it like I had less than a half an hour ago. I looked at her, tears falling down my cheek.

It was over.

Her hazel eyes were full of empathy, as she let go of my hand.

"I'm so sorry for what I've done to you," she whispered, and I looked away from her with more regret than ever.

There was nothing to forgive, nothing she had done wrong. I put my head in my hands, sobs racking my body.

This is how it had always been and would always be. I would remain in my prison of solitude, until sweet death took me, which would be as soon as the mob arrived.

I looked at the music box. Even its music did not comfort me, but something else in this room could.

Christine remained, rivers of tears flowing down her cheeks. Why would she want to stay here, when her precious Vicomte waited for her?

"G-go…" I ordered, trying to muster a steady tone. She shook her head, her expression overflowing with sympathy. She reached towards me, but I drew back from her.

"No… please, Christine. Don't touch me. You've given me more than I could ask for already. Leave before the mob comes," I murmured, no force behind the command.

She continued forward, until she reached my side. She sat down beside me, and I shifted away. Softly, she began to sing.

"You gave me your music, made my song take wing. And now, how I've repaid you, denied you and betrayed you."

Her voice was heavenly, so pure, that I had to sing back to her.

"I was bound to love you, when I heard you sing." I turned away from her. I knew she didn't want to hear my pitiful confessions, no one did.

I remembered vowing to never cry again when I first took on the persona of the Phantom of the Opera. I was sure the mob would have a good long laugh when they discovered the Phantom to be a sobbing waste of human flesh.

"They'll kill you if you stay, Erik," she told me shakily, "They'll kill you."

"So be it. Hell is nothing to what life has been," I muttered, looking away from her. She let out a soft sound of pity, and made to touch my shoulder.

"Don't, Christine. Staying for my sake is not necessary. Go and live your fairy tale life, be happy with what you've chosen," I told her, pushing her gently away, but she resisted.

"I want to stay, Erik."

I faltered, looking up at her.

"What did you say?"

"I don't want to leave. I've been terrible to you. You have every right to punish me and scorn me for the things I've done to you. You only wanted love, and I hurt you every time you asked." She reached for my hand, but this time I didn't pull away.

Taking my hand, she came closer. She was almost right up against me, and I couldn't help the shiver that ran up my spine.

"You've always been there when I was alone and frightened. When the other ballerinas laughed at me, I knew you'd be there to comfort me and that you wouldn't judge me for being strange~"

"You're not strange, Christine," I murmured automatically, and she smiled slightly.

"And you're not either. Erik, I've been deceived by what everyone tells me I should want, when all I've ever truly wanted was right before me."

She slipped her hand out of mine, and cupped my face gently. I looked into her gorgeous eyes that for once didn't hold any fear.

"This is my choice," she told me, and her lips caught mine. Realization flooded me. I was her choice.

I kissed her back fervently, wanting to draw in as much affection as she would give me.

"Christine!" Raoul's voice barked from the door, and we broke apart. I glared at Raoul, that fop, standing in my room. He seemed equally as livid as I was.

"What are you doing?" he yelled at her, and she flinched slightly.

"Raoul… I…" She pulled away from me, her gaze not leaving Raoul's. As she did, her dress slipped a little, and I could see a long bruise running up her shoulder blade. I didn't have to wonder where that came from, for Raoul grabbed my Christine roughly and pulled her to her feet.

"You wanted to play me for a fool didn't you?" he growled at her, his knuckles shining white as he gripped her arms. She shrugged him off.

"Leave, Raoul. I won't be taken by force."

He took a swing at her with the back of his hand, and she attempted to defend herself. It caught her across the cheek and she staggered backwards.

I shot to my feet, rage flooding me. So this is how he kept a hold on his fiancé!

"Please, Raoul, don't do this," she moaned, holding onto her cheek, which was much redder than usual.

Raoul pulled her up by the shoulders and I rushed forward. Throwing Raoul to the ground, I held Christine against me.

"She didn't have to play you for a fool, you already are one!" I hissed at him, as he stood up.

"Oh, Erik, please don't…"

"Oh, yes, she really wants you. I thought it was illegal for people to marry animals?" Raoul retorted, and I felt my anger burn deeper.

I let go of Christine, taking the cord which controlled the curtain, and pulling it long enough to make a Punjab Lasso.

"Would you care to repeat that, Monsieur?" I asked, pulling the cord and holding it taut. His face paled a little, remembering the sensation of strangling I had practiced on him a short while ago.

"No, Erik, don't!" Christine cried, attempting to pull the lasso from me, but I hardly noticed her, blind with wrath. I advanced on Raoul and he copied, his face red with fury.

Christine pushed herself in the middle of us, trying to hold us apart. We struggled against her, like dogs pulling on the end of a leash, desperate to get at the other one.

"Come now, Phantom, you're not strong enough to get past a girl?" Raoul laughed, though he was having quite a bit of trouble himself.

"Please, you can't get past your own ego!" I snarled, breaking through Christine and lunging at Raoul with the lasso. My urge to kill was kicking in, and I was rapidly losing control.

Wrapping my newly fashioned lasso around his neck, I began to throttle him violently as he writhed beneath me.

"Erik, stop! Please, Erik! ERIK!" Christine snapped, her beautiful voice, for once, hostile. Her tone shocked me, and she ripped the lasso out of my hands. For a moment, we simply stared at each other, both startled by her sudden strength.

She dropped the lasso, her breathing shaky as she regained her sweet timbre.

"Please… not again." I understood what she meant, and my desire to slaughter Raoul melted away. She dropped to the floor a little ways away from me, and covered her face with her hand, massaging her temple.

I moved towards her, forgetting Raoul for the time being. She looked up at me as I approached and allowed me to embrace her gently. I stroked her curly head of hair that lay against my chest.

"Forgive me… but I couldn't let him…" She shook her head, waving away my apology.

"I know, but there are better ways of doing things," she murmured. I let go of her slowly, shame creeping up the back of my neck.

She pulled away, facing Raoul, who had just stood up.

"Leave, Raoul. You've hurt me enough," she told him, indicating her body, which I now could see was riddled with bruises that were surely not there when I last saw her. He didn't move, obviously stunned.

"You're going to stay here with him? You love a monster?"

Rage welled up within me, though I knew it was true, but I held back my urge to strangle him again. Christine stared defiantly at him.

"A man who uses my father's memory for his own purposes is the real monster!"

I felt a smirk curl my lips as he stuttered, trying to defend himself against her, to no avail.

"Now go," she ordered, in a way that greatly resembled some of my commands.

She pointed to the door, like a judge giving a final sentence. Raoul was pretending ignorance, and went to take hold of her again.

With reflexes quicker than a snake, she pushed her hands against his chest and sent him crashing into the wall behind him. His head collided against the stone, and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

I stared for a moment, before looking at Christine who looked surprised herself. She glanced back at me, and I shut my open mouth. She smiled bashfully, biting her lip.

"I didn't think that would work," she told me truthfully. I grinned at her, quite impressed by her handiwork.

"Apparently it did," I laughed, still a little overawed.

She smiled, and walked to me. Leaning into me, I embraced her tenderly, burying my face in her silky hair.

She pulled away, looking into my eyes.

"Erik, you're the only one I have left~" I knew what she was going to say, and I stopped her, clasping my hands around hers.

"Christine, I don't want to force you into something you don't want. I love you more than anything, and I always will. But, if I'm not what you want, I understand. I want you to be happy, even without me," I murmured, letting go of her hands.

A smile spread across her face, making her look more beautiful than ever. She threw her arms around my shoulders, and I slid mine around her waist, wishing I could hold her forever.

"Thank you for understanding that I'm not just a prize," she whispered, pulling away from me slightly, "But I'm not leaving you here."

Exhilaration rushed through me.

"You mean…" She nodded, her smile big as my own. She took the hand that was curled around the ring and opened it. The ring gleamed up at us, and she took it from me, putting it on her finger.

For a moment, all I could do was stare. All my life I wished for someone to feel compassion for me that wasn't pity, and now… could it really be coming true?

"I love you, Erik," she whispered and I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I saw her expression change into concern as she noticed the tear. She was about to say something, but I pressed a finger over her lips.

"I love you too," I breathed back, and kissed her.

A soft intake of breath reached my ears and I broke away from her. We looked around to see what had made it.

Standing by the threshold, Meg stood crying, her hand clasped over her mouth.

"Meg? What's wrong?" Christine asked, leaving my side for the moment. Meg shook her head, removing her hand. Though thick pearly tears rained down her cheeks, she smiled so big I could see all of her teeth.

"Oh," she sniffed, wiping tears from her eyes. "I just love a happy ending!"