A/N: AHHHHHHHH TIS THE LAST CHAPPY! (Sniffle) Thank you, all my FANTABULOUS reviewers! (Passes cookies out to everyone for the last time!) And when I said the last chappy is "happy and sad", I was talking about writing the last chappy would be happy and sad for me, haha! Once again, my Elphie helped me with Erik's sarcastic comment! (Hehe, Meg! ;-)) As she is much more sarcastic than I am! :D
Oh, and I know Erik's POV is rather short, but… sorry! (Innocent smile)
Christine's POV
Over the next few weeks, the police surrounded my house during the day and night, each officer taking specific shifts. Although they weren't positive Erik would attempt to kidnap me again (I knew he was much too smart for that), they still, of course, were extremely cautious.
When my eyes had initially befallen those haunting words printed in black and white, numerous feelings consumed me. He had escaped! He wouldn't be harmed! For that, utter joy swept through me. However, the fact that security was continuously surrounding everywhere I went troubled me. Because of this, I would never see Erik again… and that made my heart wrench. Most nights I cried myself to sleep, the tears being the only consoling thing there at that moment.
After it had been nearly a month, the security lessened, but a single police officer would remain outside my home while I slept. One night, I had an exceptionally difficult time falling asleep; I continued to wake up every hour or so. The third time I awoke, I could faintly see something standing near my bed. Blinking, I rubbed my eyes and sat up rapidly in fear. A human form seemed to register in my mind, and I instinctively flung the pillow I had been desperately clutching towards it. The figure caught it and sauntered towards me.
"That really was quite unnecessary, my dear." A calm voice caressed my ear gently, placing the pillow on my bed.
My eyes widened, and I could only gape up at him.
"Erik?" I murmured in disbelief.
"Of course." He replied softly, staring down at me; I couldn't help but shiver. His very presence was so foreboding, so dark… so entrancing.
"I've missed you!" I exclaimed suddenly, my voice remaining a hushed whisper. This seemed to surprise him, but I added, "I was beginning to wonder if you were all right…"
"Christine, of course, I'm all right." He interjected with that unbelievable serenity. He muttered under his breath, "You'd think that by now they'd replace that law enforcement with robots and be done with it." I couldn't repress a small smile at his familiar sarcasm.
"I'm glad you're here." I choked out, as he took a seat on the side of my bed. Not being able to contain myself, I leaned forward and fell into his embrace. "You have no idea how wonderful it is to see you again, Erik…"
He began to soothingly stroke my curls, while my head lay against his chest. Breathing in his recognizable scent, I swallowed back additional tears.
"Neither do you, my dear…" He sighed, and I felt his breath brush against my ringlets tenderly. "You were all I thought about during my short time in prison, Christine. You were all I could think about."
We sat there in silence, simply savoring the moment. I didn't want to let go of him. I didn't want to withdraw from his embrace. I didn't want him to leave… but it had to happen.
"Christine, I can't stay for long." He finally informed me, his voice scarcely above a murmur.
"Please don't go!" I whispered urgently, clutching his jacket.
"My dear," He breathed, his warm breath passing over my face. Cupping my cheek in his hand, he emitted another sigh. "I cannot stay all night… Sooner or later those idiots of police officers will discover that I'm here." Erik paused, his hazel eyes the only thing I could make out at that moment; he added, "We'll be together soon."
"When?"
"Soon," Was all he said.
"When is soon?" I inquired, hopelessness etched in my features.
At this, he merely watched me for a few minutes, sorrow creeping into those haunting eyes of his.
Rising from his seat, Erik ran his slender hands through my hair, grazing my cheek and lips. He leaned down, and I met his lips with mine. This kiss, however, was unlike the others we had shared before. Although the others had been filled with passion, this was also filled with a despairing longing. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, terrified to let go. His graceful hands slipped around my waist and pulled me up towards him. This embrace lasted for quite some time, before we reluctantly pulled apart.
"Soon." He said the word with gentleness, before ambling to the partially open window.
"Soon." I repeated in a broken whisper, as a tear rolled down my cheek.
Erik's POV
It almost killed me to leave her that night. The look in her beautiful blue eyes shattered my heart, as I crept out of the window. I was not capable of stealing a glance at my dear angel, for if I did, I most likely would have never been able to leave. Slinking along the side of her house, I morphed into the darkness, as my cloak trailed my swiftly moving body.
I love you… She had said to me that one night after we had danced. I love you.
I love you! I love you! I love you!
Never did I think that someone, let alone Christine, would say those three words to me. Those words alone, when spoken by her, were filled with such power, such majesty that made my heartbeat slow its pace.
I emitted a quiet sigh, as I continued my walk, finally reaching my car. Leaning my hand against the vehicle, I swallowed, staring at the ground.
"I love you, too, Christine…" I managed to murmur into the vast nothingness, before sliding into my car and driving home to organize everything… We would be together soon…
Christine's POV
Ever since Erik visited me that night, I found myself awaking in the midst of the night, praying that I'd catch a glimpse of his flaming eyes. But every time my body jerked up – every time my eyes snapped open, I would discover nothing but the emptiness glaring back at me, and the silence harshly answering my pleading whispers.
The teachers had been gracious when I returned; everyone was, of course, considering what I had "gone through". When it finally came for graduation night, I couldn't help but sigh. I had always believed that when the time came for me to graduate, I would be so excited that I wouldn't able to quit smiling, but in reality… I was scared, and my thoughts still lingered on him.
Standing on the stage in that crimson gown alongside my fellow classmates, I gripped Meg's hand. I could hear my heart beating, and anxiety began to sweep over me. I was graduating… I was going off into the world, facing its content – the good and bad.
My gaze wandered around the area; numerous parents were sitting in their seats, tears pricking at their eyes. My mom was one of them, of course. My lips curled downwards, as I thought of how my father would've wanted to be here for this, but… Swallowing, I pushed those sorrowful thoughts from my mind.
Suddenly, my thoughts were shattered, as something caught my attention. My brows knitted together, as I stared behind the rows of chairs to find a dark shadow moving about. While I was handed my diploma, I faintly smiled at my teacher, but kept my gaze locked on the back of the room. The shadow had halted its smooth steps, as a pair of hazel eyes found mine. Returning to my place beside Meg, I saw her gaze follow mine. The glowing orbs in the back traveled from mine to beside me, and I rapidly turned to look at my best friend. Her jade eyes were as wide as dinner plates, and her mouth was partially open – as if she were trying to emit some words, but it simply wasn't possible.
Grasping her hand, I squeezed it tightly, silently begging her not to say anything. She slowly turned to meet my gaze, and her lips pressed into a thin line. Suddenly, as abruptly as the shadow had arrived, it swiftly vanished in a mere five seconds. After the ceremony, Meg's questioning and somewhat harsh gaze found my guilty one, as she led me away from the crowd.
"Christine, what is going on?" She asked me desperately, gripping my hand. "If your kidnapper is near –" But she paused, when she received the look from me at the word 'kidnapper'. She continued, "If… If Erik is near, you should let the police know! They can catch him, and then you'll be safe and…" Her voice trailed off, as she saw the anxiety engraved in my wide eyes. "Christine…" She quietly pleaded with me.
Biting my lip, I permitted my gaze to travel around me before I returned it to look at her worried face. "Meg, no matter what the police say – no matter what anyone says… Erik would never hurt me. Ever." I paused, drawing in a shaky breath. "I must admit that when he first… took me from my room, I hated him. I loathed him, and his very presence terrified me… But… but as time went on, Meg, I got to know him – the fear and hate dissolved…" Swallowing back tears, I was now chewing on my lip. "And I enjoyed simply being with him… He would play the piano and sing for me every day…" I sighed softly, remembering this. "And his voice was so beautiful… It was an angel's voice…"
"You… You love him." Meg whispered, as my voice grew more soft and tender; my eyes were glazing over. "You love him!" Her eyes were wide.
At this, I said nothing. What could I say? It was clear that this statement was true, and the shock that was cascading through her was also quite apparent. Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around me from behind, and a kiss was pressed to the top of my head.
"We're free!" A familiar voice exclaimed happily. I turned around, glancing at Meg. She lowered her eyes.
I presented Raoul with a weak smile and gently took him by the arm. "Raoul… I need to speak with you…"
His quizzical gaze locked on my nervous face, as I led him away from Meg and the hubbub of the party.
I approached the large campus of New York University, staring up at the bright sky whose sun warmly gazed down at me. With a sigh, I forced myself to smile. Yes, I was excited – there was no doubt about that, but it had been almost another month, and I had yet to hear from Erik. My thoughts lingered back to graduation night. I had broken up with Raoul, saying that I merely wanted to be friends. The pained look on his face would be etched in my mind forever, but that same night, I had gone searching for Erik – looking anywhere I could. Nevertheless, concealing himself in the shadows was only one of his countless specialties.
Now, I stood here, waiting to begin another chapter of my life when I still had yet to let go of the previous chapter.
"Can you believe it? We have to go through another four years of school!" Meg's voice suddenly piped up.
Smiling, I turned around to look at her and shrugged. "It's sad, I know."
Linking arms, we entered a building together, searching for our rooms. Thankfully, we were going to be roommates; Meg was majoring in dance, while I was majoring in voice. Finally, after numerous wrong-turns and escalating up and down stairs, we reached our desired destination. Pushing our way into the room, we unpacked and plopped ourselves down on our newfound beds.
"Well… It looks like my first class starts in, like, ten minutes!" Meg exclaimed, peering at her schedule. "And it will take me at least seven to find the room!" Releasing a huge sigh, she jumped up and grabbed her bag, rushing out the door. "See ya later! Have fun at your class!"
"Bye!" I called after her, curling up on my bed. My first class, Voice 1, began actually in an hour… To pass the time and to cure my fatigue, I set the alarm and drifted off into an uneasy nap…
During that first week of college, I found myself enjoying my classes immensely. However, as much as I loved them, and as much as I attempted to distract myself, my mind always loitered on thoughts of Erik.
Soon… He had murmured into my ear. Soon… Did "soon" indicate a time span over a month?
After my last class, I ambled through my doorway and flung my bag on top of my bed, the springs bouncing from the impact. Taking a seat beside it, I crossed my legs and stared blankly at the ground. My eyelids shut, and I would imagine his hazel orbs that glowed passionately in the dark… His voice would seemingly caress my ear, but then his face flashed in my mind, causing me to jump up. Yes, his appearance may have been terrifying, but he was still so entrancing; I wanted to see him again. I wanted to be with him. But I had given up on this a while ago, for it seemed as if he would never come back to me.
The dark atmosphere that seemed to surround him was something that continued to haunt me in my dreams – even during my classes. I sighed. This was becoming a routine. I always sat in the silence of my room, the desolate atmosphere surrounding me and not daring to disturb my thoughtful time. However, today, something did disrupt my thoughts. Something boldly dared to interrupt my quiet, pensive state.
On my nightstand lay a rose. A rose whose petals were so dark that they were almost black… Tied on its stem was a crimson ribbon. My eyes broadened, as my trembling hand slowly took hold of the tender flower. I sighed shakily, running my fingers over its petals tenderly. Swallowing, I held it to my chest and turned to resume my place on my bed, but a letter taped to my door caught my eye. Reluctantly, I rested the rose on my bed and shuffled towards my door. I grasped the letter and began to unfold it, furrowing my brows.
My eyes scanned the letter, drinking in its content. The ink was red, and I tilted my head as I read aloud:
Miss Christine Daae,
I have heard your voice in your classes quite a few times…
I paused and tilted my head. There had been numerous times where people had entered our class simply to listen. Our teacher had said some of them were directors, searching for fresh talent. We had been instructed to merely ignore them. Taking a seat on Meg's bed, I continued:
You are an exceptionally talented young woman, and I hope you would consider attending a try-out for a Broadway musical. I have been dealing with music almost my entire life, and your voice is most likely the best I have yet to hear. I have also discovered that you have no voice teacher would be delighted if you would allow me to fulfill that duty. I pray you will! Please, contact me at the address written below. Thank you for your time.
I read over the address and then searched for a name, but none could be found. Chewing on my lip, I contemplated this for a moment before leaving a note for Meg and seizing my jacket. Why not give it a chance?
Still holding the letter, I caught a cab and directed to the driver to where I had been instructed to go. We ultimately reached a good-sized building that was quite a long way from N.Y.U. After paying the driver, I stuffed the letter in my jeans pocked and bit my lip. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Spinning sharply on my heel, I turned to find that the taxi had already sped away, as if it were terrified that if it waited a moment longer it would lose additional customers.
Drawing in a deep breath, I looked around me and studied my surroundings. The building wasn't tattered or worn down, but it wasn't the Empire State Building either. Swallowing, I knocked on the door and took a timid step inside.
"Hello?" I called out in a broken voice, beginning to shake. I was a small-town type of girl, and it was now blatant. The city, as wondrous as it was, still frightened me often with its bustling people and hurried cabs that refuse to stop for anyone unless they carry money.
But as soon as I took that first step inside, I truly believe that I quit breathing. Candles were everywhere, their light casting a warm glow about the room, which now appeared extremely enchanted, magical… I could faintly hear my breath, and I managed to choke out more words.
"Is anyone there?" I whispered, mesmerized by the sight before me. "I received this letter, and it told me to come here…" However, my sentence was cut short when a voice interrupted.
"Christine Daae." It said, originating from the area behind me. The letter fell from my grasp, and I grew motionless. "I've been expecting you." Unexpectedly, I could feel something caressing my curls and then my neck. Shivering, I slightly leaned back into it, as the hand brushed against my neck.
Gradually, I twirled around. Normally, if a girl was ever re-approached by her former kidnapper, she would have shrieked and attempted to scurry away as quickly as possible in order to find the police. I, however, could only smile, as my tears rested on the rim of my big eyes.
"Erik…" I sputtered out; disbelief crept into my eyes, but quickly disappeared, as he wiped away a tear that didn't even make it to my cheekbone. "The letter…"
"What about it?" He murmured darkly, watching me intensely.
I couldn't say anything, as I simply returned his stare. Leaning down, Erik claimed my lips passionately. I clung to him, feeling as if I didn't, he'd be gone forever. Sliding his arms around my petite body, he pulled me close to him, and I believe I could hear him quietly cry.
The nightingale and the rose, despite the fact that their love was forbidden and their worlds were completely different, overcame all obstacles, using only their deep love for each other.
FINIS.
A/N: OMG! OMG! It's the end! THE END! (Runs around) I am just shocked that I am finally finished! Please, review so I can have some nice reviews to read to console my grief of being finished… ;-)