The Phantom of the Opera belongs to Gaston Leroux (even though we know he was real...) and Andrew Lloyd Weber.

First story! Its rated M due to some violence. Please let me know what you think and whether i should continue!

"What? What are you doing, Christine?"

Christine looked up at Raoul after she had jumped out of the boat. The truth was that she didn't know what she was doing. She hadn't thought anything through at all. The events which followed the performance of Don Juan Triumphant were a haze, a whirlwind of chaos which hadn't stopped spinning up until this moment. Jumping out of the boat had been an action more out of impulse and the realization seemed to hit her only as she was speaking the words;

"I.. cant leave him." She said in response. Raoul struggled to slow the boat before bringing it to a stop. He stared at her, knowing what she had said but asking her to repeat it.

"What are you talking about, Christine? Get back in the boat, quickly!" Raoul yelled, The Phantom's words ringing in his ears.

Don't let them find you. He had been talking about the mob that had followed them down there.

He held out his arm. He looked down to her, his eyes pleading. Part of him knew that this was the end. Even after all this. They had been so close to escaping but he still had a power over her that he could never hope to understand.

"I'm sorry." She said decidedly, with tears in her eyes. She had to follow through with this impulse even if she did not yet understand it herself.

Raoul withdrew his hand slightly.

"You have to go; heaven knows what those people will do to anyone thy find down here." She knew of course that The Vicomte would be safe.

"Christine... You can't be saying this."Raoul replied through visible distress; the reality of the situation finally dawning on him. "It is not safe here, you can't expect me to leave you? Leave you to go back to him; that madman? He is a murderer Christine, he almost killed me! I could never forgive myself should something happen to you! How could I..."

"Raoul!" she cut him off, frustrated. "There isn't time to explain this now. I just... I cant leave him like that. Not after everything. You must go!" Christine was getting anxious. How could she be expected to argue this with him when there was so much on her mind that she could not comprehend?

"Do you love him"?

"I... I don't know... Raoul... Just please, time is short. I will find a way to contact you when it is safe but you must go. Trust me when I say that I will be alright."

Their eyes were locked together; filled with tears and words that could not be spoken.

"Christine... I... How can I leave you here?" He asked, finally reaching acceptance but forcing the words out of his mouth. "I could be damning you."

"I will be alright." She repeated, smiling. Not altogether sure that she would be. "This isn't goodbye."

He smiled weakly at her, knowing that when she contacted him again it most likely would be goodbye.

"Be safe, Christine. I don't trust him. Just... be safe."

"Thank you." She said.

He bent down and hugged her. "I love you."

She wanted to say it back. She did love him... but in what way? Only an hour ago she had been sure, but that was before the kiss she had shared with her Angel. She pulled away.

"Go." She said gently. "I will contact you soon."

Christine had already begun to make her way through the murky water in the opposite direction when Raoul shouted to her.

"I love you!" At this she felt a stab of pain In her heart. What was she doing? Where was she going? She loved Raoul and she was hurting him, but what about The Phantom? The look in his eyes when she had given him back the ring would haunt her for the rest of her days if she did not return. What about the kiss? What she felt about that was surely not guilt. Suddenly she began to move with more urgency. Time was too short to be thinking on this now. She had to find The Phantom; her Angel of Music. Had he already left? Had he done something to himself in her wake? She remembered the look in his eyes and thought that a possibility. She had to hope for the best. How had she been so selfish? After all he had done for her she had betrayed him and broken his heart. She cursed herself and hoped that it was not too late to repair the damage and at the very least apologize for everything; leave things on better terms... maybe even form a friendship.

She ran through the knee-high water as quickly as she could, holding the skirts of her wedding dress in hand as she went. She was against the clock. Not only was she concerned that The Phantom had already left; she also held concerns for his and her own safety at the hands of the mob that couldn't be far behind. What if he had already left... what would she do?

Her panic rose as she ran. Thoughts and fears were running through her head; Horrible scenarios playing out in her mind. Finally she reached the portcullis which mere moments ago her fiancé had been tied to. She pushed the thought out of her mind for now.

Later.

"Angel?!" she yelled in a dire state of anxiety.

"Angel! Are you there? It's me! Please... If you are there, answer me!"