Christine's POV

The gunshot I heard had been the gunshot that killed Raoul. The police had come around the corner, shooting my husband before he could harm me. Yes, seeing my husband lying there on the ground gurgling blood was not a pretty site, for it hurt my heart, which was why I looked away. I couldn't bear to sit there and watch Raoul perish…What made matters worse, was that my own angel was perishing before my eyes. No, he couldn't die…He just couldn't! The police arrested the three thugs that had harmed me, before an ambulance took away my injured angel. I was in tears as I was escorted to the hospital with my son…Oh, he was sobbing uncontrollably as we sat there in the waiting room. I wouldn't be able to live if my angel died…We were finally together at last, finally together!

"Mama," I looked down at my boy to find him wiping his eyes with his hands. "Is Mister Y going to be all right? Oh, mama, there was so much blood…Raoul stabbed him in the chest, I seen it…"

"Gustave, I'm sure papa is going to be just fine." I could only hope so, but I didn't want to upset my child. Therefore, I spoke words of hope, in hopes of my angel pulling through. Hours passed…Oh, how they dragged as Gustave and I sat there holding our heads up high. It was as if I were waiting for the doctor to come walking out of the operating room to tell me that Erik didn't make it. Only then, would I drop to my knees and scream. It was nearly midnight, when a doctor emerged from those very doors, covered in blood and seeming utterly exhausted. Gustave and I were the only ones sitting there, which was probably the reason how he knew I was a relative of Erik's.

"Are you Miss Christine?" he asked, approaching me.

I nodded, on edge about what was to come. The doctor took a seat beside me and pulled off his medical cap. Oh, he didn't seem too promising by the serious look upon his face. Tears welled into my eyes as I sat there silently praying to my father in hopes that he would have looked after my angel of music.

"Mister Y has lost a substantial amount of blood." He began. "His head cradles an exposed part of his skull that is surrounded by veins and arteries. When he was hit over the head, two of his veins were torn open. I tried to stop most of the bleeding, but it was quite difficult. I lost him twice during the procedure…I'm still not sure how I was able to revive him. He must have had an angel watching over his shoulder."

I cradled my child close to me, sighing as I thought about my father watching over Erik.

"He will most likely suffer from excruciating headaches until his wound heals."

"And what about his chest?" I questioned. "He was stabbed."

The doctor nodded. "The knife punctured his right lung. Think of it as a flattened ballon…He's going to have a rough time breathing for a while, but as everything does, it will heal."

"How is he now?"

"Exhausted from the anesthetic. I'm sure he's also exhausted from nearly dying twice on my table."

"Could I please see him?"

The doctor nodded, and led Gustave and I through the doors of the operating room. When we were at the closed door of a room, he left us alone. Only then, did Gustave and I enter…Oh, my angel was lying there lifelessly on the table, bandaged and wrapped like a mummy beneath the blankets.

"Erik," I approached his side and squeezed his hand. I wasn't expecting much, but he weakly squeezed back. When his eyes opened, I smiled and pressed my lips against his own.

"Christine…"

Gustave wrapped his arms around Erik and cried into his shoulder. Oh, it was beautiful…

Erik's POV

I couldn't sleep… I couldn't breathe, my head was killing me, throbbing with a dull ache! My angel stayed beside me for most of the night, brushing my hand and staying at my bedside. I couldn't sleep, therefore, I lied there with my eyes closed.

"Erik, do you need something?"

I opened my eyes, opening my mouth to speak.

"N…No, Christine."

"Medicine, perhaps?" she whispered, pressing another kiss to my cheek.

"N…No…"

Oh, how I wanted to go home, but I couldn't…I wound up staying in the hospital for nearly a week. Christine tried to stay by my side as long as possible, but she had to care for Gustave. Some nights, I was left alone, other nights she would stay with me. I didn't speak most of the time, due to my condition, but just having her here was comforting. When I was able to go back to the hotel, I lied in bed, staring out the window most of the time, waiting to heal in order to move in to our new home.

One night, my angel sat at the side of my bed and massaged my foot. My artificial leg had been destroyed when Raoul tore it away from me. Dr. Gangle had fixed it for me, repairing its every broken piece, not that I would be using it anytime soon…

"Is the pain too much for you, Erik?" my angel asked. "I could give you something for your pain."

"No, Christine." I wheezed. "I'm all right."

When I rejected her offer for medicine, she walked over to the laundry basket and began to fold clothes. When I was in the hospital, I heard what happened to Raoul…Yes, the man had problems, but I didn't think death had to be the way out for him. I knew Christine was hurting inside, for it was her husband.

"I'm sorry about Raoul, Christine."

Christine nodded, and continued folding clothes.

"Thank you, Erik. It's very kind of you to say."

"I know he meant something to you, Christine."

She nodded. "He was my husband."

"And I'll say it again, Christine, I'm sorry for your loss."

Christine approached me again and smiled. "It might have been my loss, Erik, but it was also my gain."

She caressed me cheek and pressed her lips against my own. "We're together now…"

And that we were… When I was feeling better and able to move around, I began our move to our new house. It was such a beautiful place and I already loved it. I never believed being in a home surrounded by sunlight and color could change me, for I loved the darkness, but when Christine took over our home and made it her own, oh, what a beautiful sanctuary it turned out to be. My child begged me time and time again for a swing and a tree house, but since I was still ill, I hadn't the strength to build it for him. It took months for me to be able to get back to being my old self again. But when winter broke, I surprised my little boy with a tire swing and the tree house he dearly wished for. Oh, how his little eyes lit up with excitement when he woke one sunny June morning and saw the backyard. Not only did he now have his very own swing and tree house, but he also had a friend; Tony Jr.

Our new home made my angel smile again, for she struggled with her self-esteem on a daily basis. Oh, how I begged her time and time again to return to my stage, but she refused.

"You wish for me to sing again as if I'm beautiful." She would say.

"But you are," I assured, kneeling at her side and pressing kisses to her hand. "You're the most beautiful girl in the entire world. We're in Coney Island, Christine. No one will think badly of you. And the first person that does, I will see to it that he is never allowed in Phantasma ever again."

But no matter how much I begged, my angel refused. Oh, what could I do to get her to feel appreciated in my park? I knew singing made her happy, but I also knew she would feel nervous standing in front of millions of people with her scarred appearance. During the summer while I worked, Christine stayed cooped up in our home, never leaving the house. If she did come outside, it was only to sit on our porch swing and gaze upon the beauty of our backyard. I knew Raoul's death and her appearance had taken a toll on her happiness. So much, that I began to work endlessly at trying to find a solution to it. And then, one evening, I drew up that solution, one that was sure to work! By the following morning, I turned in my idea to a local sculptor, explaining everything to him. If he couldn't make my angel happy, no one could. But, my idea backfired on me when the sculptor told me that it would take two months to make. I agreed, knowing that I would have to be patient.

Christine had wanted to marry me, but I couldn't possibly expect her to do so while she was so unhappy. Some days, I would find her in bed, staring endlessly out the window. It broke my heart, so much, that I wished that there was something I could do to make her happy. Like the loving husband I was trying to be, I brought her red roses once a week and persuaded her to come out for walks, but, she would only fake a smile at the roses and give up some excuse as to why she couldn't walk with me.

"It's going to be getting dark," she would say, or "It's too hot, Erik."

Sometimes, she would even tell me that she had chores to finish up. I knew they were all lies, I knew the real reason she didn't want to leave the house was because she didn't want to be stared at. Phantasma already knew that Christine was going to be my wife, and were just waiting for it to officially happen. At the end of July, my surprise for Christine was complete…I had lived nearly two months of hell waiting for it, but everything was finally going to start paying off. The night before I wanted my plan to take place, I got together with Gustave and told him to run into the kitchen screaming something about how I was hurt at Phantasma and needed help. Yes, it was a horrible trick, but it was the only way to get her to come out of the house. From there, I instructed him to lead Christine to my opera house…Oh, it had to work, it just had to!

Christine's POV

I had thought that staying here on Coney Island with Erik would have been the happiest days of my life, though it had turned out to be anything but. It wasn't that I didn't love Erik, for I did, I just didn't feel beautiful any longer. For months, I stayed indoors, never stepping foot out of the house unless it was to sit on the porch swing after dark. I was afraid of what others would think of me, afraid to see their faces cringe at my hideous appearance. My blisters from my burns had faded, leaving some red patches and marred flesh on my cheek. I felt terrible, for I couldn't smile at Erik, even when he brought me beautiful flowers. At night, I would quickly dress myself, so he wouldn't catch a single glance of my distorted chest…Oh, it was so horrible, so grotesque that it churned my own stomach. I knew he wanted me to make love to him most nights, for he begged it of me, but I simply couldn't. I felt ugly and there was no changing that. He begged me for company, he begged me for walks, but I refused him in every way. It even hurt me when I couldn't bear to kiss him in fear of him gagging.

"Mother!"

I was standing in the kitchen washing up dishes from breakfast, when I heard my son frantically calling for me.

"Mother! Mother, come quickly!"

I spun around to find my son running in through the front door. What was going on?

"Mother, it's papa, he's hurt!"

My heart stopped within my chest. Hurt? How could he have gotten hurt?

"What?" I gasped.

"One of the bumper cars slammed into him. He's really hurt, mother…"

I didn't hesitate a single second in grabbing my son's hand and flying out the door with him. Tears were streaming down my cheeks as I rushed towards the trainstation and hopped the first train to Coney Island. Oh, my poor, poor Erik! This was all my fault. If not for me being so hard on him lately, he probably could have concentrated more when he was at work, instead of worrying about making me happy. When our train arrived, Gustave pulled me along through the gates of Coney Island, and then, through the gates of Phantasma. But wait…We were passing the bumper cars, and Gustave wasn't stopping. In fact, the bumper cars were running as usual, with children riding them, screaming in delight and slamming into one another. What was going on?

"Gustave, the bumper cars…"

"They moved him to the opera house, mama!"

Gustave opened the back door to the opera house and led me inside. I expected to find medical workers and Erik's employees standing about, but there was no one to be found. What was going on?

"Gustave, where is your father?"

"I'm right here…"

From out of the darkness, my angel appeared, his hands wrapped firmly behind his back. My eyes frantically checked him over, but he didn't seem to be injured at all. What was going on!

"Gustave!"

"Don't be mad at him, Christine," Erik warned. "It was my idea to call you here."

"How could you!" I gently pounded my fists against his chest. "I thought you were really hurt!"

"It's the only way I could have gotten you out of the house, Christine. You refused to come out, no matter how many times I've begged you."

"Erik, you are cruel!"

"Stop crying, ange…I wish to show you something."

He reached out his hand and clasped it around my own, pulling me towards my back dressing room. Why were we going there? Once inside, he shut the door behind him and pointed to a rack of dresses, dresses that one usually wore on stage.

"Ange, I want you to pick out one of those dresses and put it on."

"Why?" I asked, wiping my tears away.

"Why, to perform in…It's your new Phantasma debut tonight. Christine Daae, back until the end of eternity!"

"I told you I couldn't, Erik…." I sobbed. "I told you no…This isn't going to end the way you want it to end! You can't make me."

Erik gently grabbed hold of my shoulders and placed me in front of my mirror, my hideous appearance staring back at me.

"Look at yourself, Christine," he instructed. "Look at what you have become."

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I did so, oh, I was so ugly.

"Now, close your eyes, Christine."

I did as I was told, closing my eyes and ridding myself of the ugliness that was before me.

"Now, imagine yourself as you used to be, imagine your beautiful face, back to the way it was."

As I imagined myself being beautiful again, my body wracked with sobs…Oh, I would give anything to be beautiful again.

"Do you have that image in your head, Christine?" Erik asked.

"Yes…"

And then, I felt something cool being placed over my distorted cheek. I wasn't sure what it was, but Erik told me to keep my eyes closed.

"All right, Christine, hold onto that image and open your eyes."

And when I did, my heart stopped within my chest. There, staring back at me in the mirror, was my old face…It was beautiful! I lifted my hand to be sure this was true, and it was! What was this? Chilled porcelain? A mask!

"I do hope it is to your liking?"

I spun around and buried my face into Erik's chest.

"I drew out a picture of a mask one evening and got an idea into my head. From there, I went to a very well known sculptor and handed him not only my drawing, but a picture of you as well. From there, he reconstructed your cheek for you ange…in the form of a mask. Though, you are beautiful without it.

I pressed my lips to his own, savoring everything…

"You will perform again, will you not?"

I looked back at my beautiful face and smiled. "Of course, angel…"

"Then there isn't a moment to lose, Christine," Erik said, slipping a musical score into my grasp. "You're due on stage at six!"

I could only blush and run my fingers over the score…Erik made me feel wonderful in every way, returning my happiness into my soul. All I had ever wanted!

Gustave's POV

Mister Y had succeeded in making my mother happy. For the next thirty years, she performed nightly during the summer in Mister Y's opera house. The day after mother's first performance on stage, Mister Y asked for her hand in marriage, and they were married a week later in a small chapel on the other end of town. My papa had finally gotten the wife he had always wanted, and my mother got the happiness in a marriage she always dreamed of. My mother no longer insisted on staying indoors, and accompanied Mister Y on walks and outings in Phantasma. Life was finally complete.

As for myself, I was home schooled by Mister Y, being taught everything from music to business. He was the best father a boy could have ever asked for. I looked with my heart and not with my eyes and found happiness within him. When I turned the responsible age of nineteen, my papa turned the family business over to me, in a ceremony attended by thousands. And on that same day, I met the woman who would soon become my wife… Her name was Autumn, and she was indeed the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on... a news reporter, requesting an interview with the new owner of Phantasma…And after that interview, I requested to have dinner with her. Everything changed from that moment on. We soon became friends, and then lovers, and six months later, husband and wife. Life certainly took a turn for the best, especially when she came heavy with our first child, a son, who she and I named Erik. He was our pride and joy, and even after five more children, who turned out to be girls, he still remained my pride and joy, and future owner of Phantasma.

All of my children were taught to look with their hearts, and they did just that, loving their grandparents just as much as I loved them. And even now, as I walk through Phantasma with my father day after day, and nearly thirty years later, I knew I was where I belonged and my life was finally complete…

Happy Ending! I want to thank everyone for reviewing and reading. And, if you are all still interested in more stories, I have two on my page that I'm working on. Check em out! And if you're interested in reading an actual book of mine, head over to facebook and search for "The Escapades of Augie Atwell." Like the page and you'll be updated with the release date and other awesome info. Hope to see you all again soon!