Author's Note: I haven't dabbled in Het for a while, but I watched The Phantom of the Opera the other day. I always felt terrible for the Phantom in the end, and this plot bunny emerged from its hole. Honestly, I don't believe Christine would have returned the the Phantom that night. She was too terrified of him to do so, so I created an alternative ending to the story (which I think is pretty realistic and keeps the characters in character for the most part). The prologue is shorter in length, but I do hope you enjoy the roller coaster about to start.

Their lips parted, their warm breath mingling. For Christine, nothing else existed in the world for but a moment. All she saw was the Angel of Music – the Phantom – before her. Without thinking, she leaned forward again and pressed her lips against his as a tear fell down her cheek. She had made her choice. Despite his deformity, his lips were soft and warm to the touch. He kissed her gently, almost making her forget how roughly he had treated her just a moment before. Very slowly, she shifted her hand from his neck to his face. The skin felt rough underneath her lithe fingers, and she registered that she was touching the very deformity he hated.

As soon as their lips parted the second time, though, reality came crashing down on her. Raoul still stood behind them, tied to the gate. She didn't dare look at him at first. She couldn't face the tears he was bound to have, knowing that they were to be separated. However, she was startled when she realized that the Phantom himself had begun to cry. At first, she was confused. Had she done something wrong? Was he upset? Or relieved? Maybe he had thought that she would have never chosen him. Possibly he was having a change of heart? Or maybe he realized that she would never truly love him? Not with the same passion as she did for Raoul. He managed to collect himself, though, as the distant echoes were heard.

"Track down this murderer! He must be found!"

He turned to face Raoul. "She's made her choice," he stated, much to Christine's horror. The Phantom had not changed his mind; he was still determined to have her.

"Christine, why?" Raoul cried out. "I would gladly have died for your freedom."

Smiling softly, Christine responded, "Just as gladly as I am to give up my freedom for your life."

As they had this exchange, the Phantom approached Raoul. Although his figure blocked exactly what he did, Christine was horrified to see Raoul slump a second later. Her heart wrenched in her chest, and she shook in despair. Turning around, the Phantom looked down at her, and his eyes softened. "He's only unconscious. When they come down, they will find him. He will be safe. Now come along," he ordered, taking her wrist and pulling her around. Christine staggered after him, glancing back at Raoul for one last time. If everything went as the Phantom planned then this would be the last time she ever saw him. Quickly, the Phantom picked up a candlestick, ignoring as the candle fell off and to the ground. He quickly led her over to a mirror covered by a tapestry. After removing the tapestry from in front of the mirror, the Phantom looked back at Christine and said, "Look away." She obeyed his command but jumped when she heard a crash against the glass. A second crash sounded out before she heard the mirror shatter.

A moment later, the Phantom pulled on her hand. Instinctively, Christine looked in front of her to find a pitch black pathway. As she entered, the curtains fell behind her, swallowing both of them in darkness. Fear set in as Christine realized she couldn't see anything in front of her, and she began to breathe heavily. If she hadn't had the Phantom's hand in her own, she would have retreated to the light. He led her some distance into the pathway, never faltering despite Christine's uneven and staggering footsteps behind him. Suddenly, he stopped, causing Christine to collide into him. She whispered her apology as his hand slipped away from hers. Sounds of scuffling echoed in the otherwise silent hall. Then Christine heard something that distinctively sounded like the hinges on an old door. She flinched when a hand suddenly grabbed her own, and she was led in a new direction.

They stopped once more, and the Phantom murmured, "Stay here. I will be right back." Christine sensed his hesitance to go, but they both knew she wasn't going anywhere. After all, Raoul was still out there and could be killed on a moment's notice. Besides that, she still couldn't see anything and would probably lose herself in the basement of the Opera Populaire. Although blinded by darkness, Christine could hear his footsteps getting further away. She stood in silence for a while, unsure if she should sit and wait or just keep standing.

By now, the shock of everything that had happened that night was beginning to fade, and she felt sick as reality settled as a cold block in her stomach. She was his now – not Raoul's as she had hoped. Grief stabbed her heart, and she felt her knees buckle underneath her. Sobs wracked her body and tears poured down her cheeks. Holding herself, Christine released all her anger and sadness in a violent scream that echoed down the hallway. She barely noticed the sound of heavy footsteps rushing down the hallway, getting louder with every step.

"Christine!" came a breathless voice.

Letting out a shuddering breath, Christine wiped away her tears and looked up to see the Phantom before her, this time with his mask on. He held a candelabra in his left hand with all five candles flickering and glowing. His wig was disheveled, and his breathing was labored as he looked down at her. Shivering, Christine forced herself to sit up. The cold was beginning to seep into her skin, and she felt goose bumps crawl across her flesh. The Phantom took three steps towards her before setting the candelabra down on the ground. In a second, he whipped off his cape and gently set it on her shivery body. It was that moment she realized her teeth had begun to chatter. Christine murmured her thanks, and the Phantom briefly nodded before turning and closing the door behind them, which blended into the walls perfectly.

"We will have to stay here until morning," he informed her, picking up the candelabra. He slowly approached her before sitting down next to her. Almost subconsciously, Christine leaned slightly closer to him. He gently set the candelabra on the ground next to him and shifted back a bit in order to rest his back against the wall behind them. "Try to get some sleep. You've been through much tonight, and we will have plenty to do tomorrow once these pests leave. For now, though, you must sleep, my angel."

Despite herself, Christine felt her lids become heavy. She pulled the cloak tighter around her body and curled up on the floor. At first, her pride had gotten the better of her. She didn't touch the Phantom in any way in order to assert her independence and hatred for what he had done to her. However, the Phantom said nothing. Instead, he hummed a song quietly – a melody that reflected only suffering, desperation, and loneliness. She felt herself connect to the song he was humming, and she felt herself relax.

Just as she had begun to drift, though, she heard someone shout out, "He must have gone through here!"

Gasping, Christine sat up straight as she realized that the guards were so close. If they were down there then that meant Raoul was safe. And if Raoul was safe then the Phantom had just lost his leverage over her. She might be able to have her happy ending with Raoul after all, even though that goes against her promise to the Phantom. However, she was too proud to go back on her word. She was an honorable woman, after all, and her father would scorn her if she did so. So all they had to do was notice something wasn't quite right with the wall next to them. Suddenly, a gloved hand covered her mouth, and a strong arm pulled her back into a broad chest. "Stay silent!" the Phantom hissed angrily, telling her he as not to be trifled with. Christine felt surprised as she realized that the Phantom didn't trust her.

Footsteps grew louder until the officers were just outside their hidden alcove. Suddenly they stopped, and Christine felt as though her heart had stopped as well. She silently prayed for them to find her. "He could have taken either path. We'll split up and start the manhunt," one of the officers declared. With that, Christine felt her hope diminish. She fell limp against the Phantom, whom kept his hand on her mouth until the officers' footsteps could no longer be heard. He then released her, softly petted her hair, and resumed humming his song as if nothing had transpired. Instead of moving back to where she was before, Christine rested her head on his lap, finding it a great deal more comfortable than the cold floor had been before. Completely exhausted emotionally, Christine let herself go and seeped into the comfort of sleep.