Christine genuinely didn't have the time to fully react because split seconds later, Erik had his arm around her and they were falling through thin air, through a trapdoor, and plunging into ice-cold water. "I'm sorry you have to be all wet, but I have the dress over there for you." Erik apologized. Christine shivered. It had been so warm and alluring the last time she'd been down here. She remembered it very differently.

In the theater, Raoul forced his way backstage.

"Where is he taking her?" Raoul demanded when he spotted Madame Giry.

"I will take you to them—but remember; keep your hand at the level of your eyes!"

"I'll come with you!" Meg declared.

"No, Meg, no! You must stay here! Come with me, monsieur!" Madame Giry directed.

Raoul followed her down a long winding staircase. "This is as far as I dare go." she told him.

Meanwhile, Christine had changed into the wedding gown.

"Down once more to the dungeon of my black despair! Down we plunge to the prison of my mind! Down that path into darkness deep as hell!" Erik was upset. He actually had thought for a moment that Christine could love him without him having to isolate her from Raoul for her to see that he loved her, and he needed her.

"Why, you ask, was I bound and chained in this cold and dismal place? Not for any mortal sin, but the wickedness of my abhorrent face!" Erik turned to Christine. Did she know that in his entire life, he had never received a single kiss? Did she know that she had been the only one beside Madame Giry to ever set foot in his home? Erik looked into her eyes, and he saw the most beautiful innocence. She didn't know what she was doing to him! His heart shattered into millions of pieces. She didn't know he loved her!

Faintly Christine and Erik could hear the mob some of the stagehands had assembled almost chanting, "Track down this murderer, he must be found!
Track down this murderer, he must be found!"

"Hounded out by everyone, met with hatred everywhere
No kind words from anyone, no compassion anywhere…" Christine was innocent from the pain he had suffered as a child. She had never seen another person in pain.

"Christine…why? Why?" he asked her. She couldn't reply. She finally realized that Erik didn't really love her—he only wanted her to be with him because of her innocence! Her naiveté.
"Your hand at the level of your eyes…." Madame Giry warned him, and then returned up the stairs.

"Have you gorged yourself at last in your lust for blood? Am I now to be prey to your lust for flesh?" Christine knew by the light in his eyes that he didn't love her. He thought he loved her, but he didn't. He loved her purity.

"That fate which condemns me to wallow in blood, has also denied me the joys of the flesh. This face the infection which poisons our love." Erik saw that Christine was not as naïve as he first thought. He knew that she had put two and two together. He knew that deep down, he wasn't passionately in love with Christine—he was in love with her innocence. He cursed himself for trying to fool Christine.

"This face which earned a mothers fear and loathing. A mask, my first unfeeling scrap of clothing. Pity comes to late, turn around and face your fate! An eternity of this before your eyes!" Erik knew that in order for her to even be able to forgive him, he had to keep up the charade of a madman, hopelessly stricken by unrequited love. He knew that inside, he was part of that charade—a madman.

"This haunted face holds no horror for me now.
It's in your soul that the true distortion lies." Christine was no longer afraid of Erik's horrific deformity—but she felt incredibly sad, because he was such a warped man, and he needed help.

Erik's mood brightened suddenly. He knew that Raoul would pursue Christine. "Wait! I think, my dear, we have a guest! Sir!" he addressed Raoul with sarcasm.

"Raoul!" Christine cried. She took a step forward to run to him, but Erik's grip tightened around her wrist and she gasped with pain.

"This is indeed, an unparalelled delight. I had rather hoped that you would come. And now my wish comes true, you have truly made my night." Erik was pleased. If Christine couldn't find it in her heart to love him, then he would just have to take pleasure out of Raoul's demise."Free her! Do what you like only free her! Have you no pity?" Raoul couldn't believe this man—this monster—could want to do anything to hurt Christine.

"Your lover makes a passionate plea." Erik enjoyed taunting Christine.

"Please, Raoul it's useless." Christine said softly.

"I love her, does that mean nothing? I love her, show some compassion!"

"The world showed no compassion to me!" Erik couldn't believe it—Raoul invaded his privacy and expected to be welcomed in to whisk Christine away.

"Christine, Christine, let me see her!" Raoul leaned against the portcullis. Managing to survive through all of Erik's tricks and traps was exhausting.

"Be my guest sir!" Erik's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Monsieur I bid you welcome. Did you think that I would harm her? Why would I make her pay for the sins which are yours?" Erik recalled the moment on the roof and decided to recall that betrayal to Christine.

"Order your fine horses now! Raise up your hand to the level of your eyes! Nothing can save you now—except perhaps Christine..." He addressed Christine now. "Start a new life with me! Buy his freedom with your love!
Refuse me and you send your lover to his death! This is the choice; this is the point of no return!"

"The tears I might have shed for your dark fate grow cold—and turn to tears of hate!" Christine couldn't imagine how on earth she had ever thought this man loved her!

"Christine, forgive me, please forgive me! I did it all for you and all for nothing." Raoul begged forgiveness. Tears were streaming down Christine's cheeks."Farewell, my fallen idol and false friend. We had such hopes and now those hopes are shattered!" Christine knew that Erik's intent was to kill Raoul, but what was his intent toward her?

"Too late for turning back. Too late for prayers and useless pity!" Erik knew that with Raoul strapped to the portcullis and Christine in tears, he could kill Raoul and keep Christine for himself easily.

"Say you love me and my life is over." Raoul told Christine. "And I'm ready to meet my Maker." Raoul added a thought, but couldn't get the words out.

"Among all cries for help, no point in fighting. For either way you choose you cannot win!"

"For either way you choose, he has to win!"

"So do you end your days with me or do you send him to his grave?" Erik knew that she would love to emerge into the sunlight above his home, but she loved Raoul too much.

"Why make her lie to you to save me?" Raoul demanded.

"Angel of music, who deserves this? Why do you curse mercy?" Christine genuinely wanted to know why he was showing wrath to people who had not done him wrong.

"Past the point of no return. The final threshold. His life is the prize which you must earn.

"And the prize you will never receive!" he vowed to himself.

"For Pity's sake Christine, say no! Don't throw your life away for my sake. I fought so hard to free you." Raoul had fought for Christine's freedom, and she wept fresh tears, knowing that Raoul would no longer light up her world.

"You've passed the point of no return." Erik vowed. He would never let her return!

"Angel of music, You deceived me, I gave you my mind blindly!"

"You try my patience. Make your choice."

"Pitiful creature of darkness. What kind of life have you known? God, give me courage to show you, you are not alone!" Christine made the decision. She could survive Erik's passion and obsession only if Raoul was set free. If Raoul died, she would take her own life that night.

Erik couldn't take it anymore. They loved each other, and Christine was young and passionate enough to do something stupid like to commit suicide if Erik killed Raoul. He released Raoul. "Take her—forget me—forget all of this. Leave me alone—forget all you've seen. Go now—don't let them find you! Take the boat—swear to me—never to tell—the secret you know, of the angel in hell!"

They could hear the mob growing closer and closer. "The Phantom of the Opera
is there! He's down below!"

"Go now—go now and leave me!" he shouted.

Christine and Raoul left. Raoul was weakened, so they walked slowly.

"Masquerade…Paper faces on parade…Masquerade...Hide your face so the world will
never find you..." the music box played on and Christine stopped. She turned and deposited the ring he had given her into his palm and closed his hand around it.

"Christine, I love you…." Erik told her retreating form.

"Say you'll share with me, one love, one lifetime..." Christine was completely gone now.

"Say the word and I will follow you..." Raoul responded.

"Share each day with me, each night, each morning…" Christine told Raoul, and they were gone.

"You alone can make my song take flight—It's over now, The Music of the Night!"

Fin