He knew his way by heart, even in the pitch blackness, his feet finding their way - he had been here so many times, perched high above in the trees, keeping watch over his beloved. It was like a knife in his soul to see her so happy without him but he was still hers completely. Skulking in the shadows he made his way slowly but purposely, tonight was the night, tonight Raoul would not stop him, he would not stop them. Tonight she would plead for his love, tonight she would plead for him. He shivered at the thought, allowed himself to get momentarily lost in the sensations and continued walking, a small grin fixed firmly onto his face as he got closer and closer to the de Chagny residence.
Climbing his usual silver birch which was just outside the room where Christine and Raoul slept he made his perch and looked inside. Immediatly he was aware that somethig was amiss inside the room, the tension almost unbareable even from where he sat outside. Nausea rose at the pit of his stomach and slight fear gripped at his heart as he tried to contemplate what was going on, the dark shadows the only clue to the activities.
Inside the room the air was electric, an argument in full swing - neither giving in, neither backing down. She had tried so hard not to scream it, she had bit her lip so much she had tasted blood but it was all too much - she had shouted his name and was now expecting to pay the price for such blatent betrayal. Raoul stood with his back to her, his fists clenching as he tried to reign his anger under control. Taking a deep breath Christine walked forward, placing a shakey hand upon the shoulder of her husband. Immediatly she jumped back as if he had burned her as he swung dangerously round. "DON'T touch me..." he hissed, the inner battle behind his eyes still raging.
"I'm sorry" Christine managed to choak out, and she was, she was sorry. She was sorry of all the hurt that she had caused him, she was sorry of all the torment she had given him when he had shown her only love and affection. But deep inside even he could see that she did not belong to him, could not belong to him. Christine started to speak again, "But...Erik...he's", that was as far as she got before a hand shot forward and caught her on the cheek, leaving ugly red marks in its wake.
Erik caught the sound of what could be one thing, he had hit her, the sound ringing through the night as clear as day. Without thinking he jumped down from where he stood at his vantage point and sought to gain entry to the property, he would end this madness tonight.
A loud scream pierced the air and Raoul fell to his knees, his hands shaking, the tears falling freely down his face. What had he done? He had hurt the only person whom he loved more than life itself and for what? OVer a man? OVer a name? His name but a name none the less. Taking large, deep breaths he growled deep in the back of his throat and forced himself to open his eyes. When he did he came face to face with Christine who looked at him with a look of pure shock, her mouth slightly open, her eyes wide with terror, her hand to her face which was now turning into an ugly purple bruise. Rising to his feet, he took a couple of shaky steps towards Christine and stopped, remorse clear in his eyes, tears running down his cheeks "Christine... I'm sorry..."
"No Raoul... no!" she shouted and she turned and walked out the door.
Erik was irate, anger coursed through his veins and he was shaking. Sweat ran in rivers down his back as he tried desperatly to find a way in which wasn't crawling with servants ready to detect his every movement. He had hit her, he had hit his Christine, his Angel.