Hey everyone, I'm back for another story. I'm always back. This one actually came to me in a dream….the idea did anyway. So, I liked it and decided to see where it could go in a story form. Here's the first chapter and I hope you like it. Make sure to review so I know to keep it going. Thanks again….and let our story begin.

Erik's POV

I had her! I had Christine in the grasp of my bare hands. My hands were coated in the world's blood, and yet, here I was cursing myself by letting them touch such an angelic creature; God's finest! Seeing her engaged to that boy was the final straw! The crescendo of all operas! Christine was the only female and being on this earth that I had ever loved, and I was damned to let her frolic away from me hand in hand with another boy! That boy, that incompatible fool! He wasn't in love with her, he was in love with the simple idea of it, and Christine, my little angel, was being played like a fiddle. She was young, and knew no more about love than I did. We were both new to the entire thing, and like a little lost puppy, she followed the first boy who threw her a bone. His perfect hair, his muscular body, his vacant expressions! I hated them all! I hated everything about him! I hated how perfect he was, and the fact that Christine sought him out!

I overheard the boy tell the managers of my opera house that he was going to take Christine away after my Don Juan opera. That he was going to elope with my angel and stop at the first alter they found. My mind was racing, my blood was boiling, and my heart slowly breaking. No! Not up in this opera house! I would allow no such thing. What hurt even worse was the fact that Christine didn't seem to mind. She kept this from me-as if she wanted to leave me. Had I done her so much wrong? Was I truly that hideous to be in her company? All I ever wanted was one kind word, just one. Even if she could never tell the truth, hearing a lie from her was better than hearing nothing at all. My own mother couldn't even say one kind thing to me, and I'd be damned to let Christine leave me now.

She was in my hands now! I had her wrist tightly within my grasp, pulling her down below the familiar stairs of the fifth cellar to get to my lair. I had been smarter than them all! I had killed Piange and taken his place on stage as Don Juan. I finally had Christine where I wanted her, and what does she do? Goes and ruins everything by tearing off my mask, showing me off like a sideshow freak to all of Paris. I wore that mask to protect her, I wore that mask to show her that I respected her wishes not to see my face. Well now, she'll look at me! She'll look at me and like it! Look at me and know that it was she who had done this, she who had caused her own fear!

"…..Why you ask was I bound and chained in this cold, dismal place!" I spat this as I leaned over her cowering body in my gondola. My face was so close to hers, but she buried hers in the pillows that lined the inside of my boat. "…Not for any mortal sin, but the wickedness of my horrid face!"

The echo of the mob mocking my saying "Keep the hands at the level of your eyes" pulled me out of my train of thought. I continued rowing my gondola, staring down at Christine's shivering body.

"Hounded out by everyone, met with hatred everywhere, no kind words from anyone, no compassion anywhere…Christine, why! Why!"

But Christine didn't answer me. She was still cowering like a small, helpless animal. When I docked my boat, I pulled her to her feet, not caring that my tug could have possibly dislocated her arm.

"You are ugly, you are cruel, you can't tell me what to do!"

Christine tried to pull away from me, and I reluctantly let her go, already preoccupied with tearing the wedding dress off of the doll it was dressed on. I was so furious that I took the blasted thing apart with a monstrous force, and threw her remains into my throne that was just inches away. With the white dress in hand, I turned back and forced it into her arms.

"You will put this dress on now.." I paused, looking down at the laced veil I had in my grasp. "… and join me for our wedding vows!"

"Never!"

"Get dressed!"

"I'm not impressed!"

"Don't make me ask again!"

"I will never marry you!"

"You will do what I tell you to!"

And with that, Christine slipped behind the curtain. She came out moments later, the white dress flowing at her feet, she looked like an angel, pure and white. I took a step back to have a full look at her, but that moment was cut short when she tried to make a run for it. She didn't get very far, for my hand came down over her wrist, and grabbed her, throwing her down on the floor.

"Have you gorged yourself at last in your lust for blood?"

I spun around to meet her, but still continued fumbling with the laced veil in my clammy hands.

"Am I now to be prey to your lust for flesh!"

Oh, how dare she! Did she think I would actually do such a thing? Is that all she thought about? There was more to this marriage than wanting the joys of the flesh. I didn't care if I ever felt such a thing, as long as Christine was here with me, I would be happy with just that.

"That fate, which condemns me to wallow in blood, has also denied me, the joys of the flesh."

I pointed to my face, only to have her turn away in disgust. Just the mere sight of it churned my stomach.

"This face, the infection which poisons our love…..This face, which earned, a mother's fear and loathing, a mask, my first, unfeeling scrap of clothing."

I placed the veil on her head with a violent force, and began fluffing it into place. Her dress was a wrinkled mess as well, and I stood there angry, and taking the liberty in making her look absolutely perfect, smoothing out each wrinkle to my satisfaction.

"Pity comes too late, turn around and face your fate! An eternity of this, before your eyes…"

Christine tore the veil off her head, letting it hit the dirty floor of my lair.

"It's in your soul that the true distortion lies."

The lair fell painfully silent, and I picked up the veil, twisting in within my fingers.

"No, Christine." I growled. "The only thing distorted here, is your vision."

Footsteps! Why were there footsteps coming towards my lair? The boy! It was him! It had to be him! I spun around towards the bars of my lair, the same bars that kept me locked away in this cold prison.

"Wait, I think my dear, we have a guest…."

It was him! He was peeking through the bars, already searching for a way in-Oh, monsieur, I am the only way in.

"Raoul!"

It broke my heart the moment Christine ran over to Raoul and embraced him through the bars. Damn her! My anger was never something I could hold back and I was not going to stand for this! Not even for Christine's sake.

"Sir, this is indeed an unparalleled delight. I had rather hoped that you would come, and now my wish comes true, you have truly made my night."

"Free her! Do what you like only free her, have you no pity?"

I pulled Christine away from his weak grasp.

"Oh, Christine, your lover makes a passionate plea."

"Please, Raoul, it's useless."

"I love her! Does that mean nothing!" the boy screamed out. "I love her, have some compassion!"

"The world showed no compassion to me!"

"Christine -Christine, let me see her!"

I raised my hands and let the bars slowly rise.

"Be my guest, sir."

That boy ran into Christine's arms. They were embracing one another! She never embraced me! Why should I let her continue doing this? No, I couldn't, I wouldn't!

"Monsieur, I bid you welcome, did you think that I would harm her? Why should I make her pay for the sins which are yours!"

I had the noose in my grasp, but before I could wrap it around the boy's fragile neck, Christine was on her knees, her fists raised, pleading me to let them both go.

"Angel, please, I beg of you…."

Beg? She never begged me for anything before.

"You try my patience!" I snapped. "That's all you ever do! No kind words, no compassion for me; the one who gave you every moment he had in teaching you how to sing! If not for me, you wouldn't even be engaged to that boy! He would have never noticed you if you weren't the rising star that you are!"

"That's not true!" Raoul spat.

"Angel, I-"

"It's true! I loved you when you were nothing! I loved you when you were still learning how to make your way in life as a ballerina!"

I threw the lasso aside, and dropped to my knees, cradling myself with my own arms.

"You would rape me." Christine shuddered. "That's what this forced marriage is all about."

My eyes were hot and red with tears. How could she think that?

"The only thing I would rape you with, my dear," I shuddered. "Is my music."

Christine gasped, and slowly stood to her feet-an attempt in running away again, no doubt.

"Am I really that horrible to be with?" I cried. "Kind words, and kindness is all I ever wished for. To embrace someone, perhaps even kiss them on the forehead…..There is no pain greater in this world than losing you-"

My body grew hot with anger once again. I was growing soft! No, the Phantom does not grow soft, he takes control! And by God, I would do just that! I took the lasso in hand once again, and wrapped it around the fop's neck!

"Order your fine horses now, raise up the hand at the level of your eyes! Nothing can save you now, except perhaps, Christine!"

I was at Christine's horrified body now, pulling her to her feet, throwing her around like a rag doll.

"Start a new life with me! Buy his freedom with your love! Refuse me and you send your lover to his death, this is the choice! This is the point of no return!"

Christine broke away from me, slapping me so hard in my deformity that it drew a little blood.

"The tears I might have shed for your dark fate, grow cold and turn to tears of hate!"

"So do you end your days with me, or do you send him to his grave!"

"Why make her lie to you to save me!" Raoul shouted.

"You've passed the point of no return."

"You've deceived me, I gave my mind blindly."

"Make your choice Christine! I grow weary of this game!"

I turned my back like a selfish child, my heart continuing to break as this game continued.

"Pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known? God give me courage to show you, you are not alone-"

Suddenly, I felt myself being forced to turn, only to come face to face with Christine's embrace. She was hugging me! Her arms wrapped themselves around my body, lightly squeezing my own, giving me a pleasurable high I had never felt before. My heart was pounding against my chest as this feeling continued. I closed my eyes, letting the deformity of my face brush against the soft curls of her hair. When we broke away, hot tears were pouring down my cheeks. Christine smiled at me-God! She smiled at me, she never smiled in my presence, in front of this disgusting face. I stumbled over to Raoul who was still caught in my noose. I could no longer do this, I knew what needed to be done. I needed to let my caged bird free to live her life the way she wanted. I reached both arms up above Raoul's body, my hands trembling as they untied the noose.

"Do you know what's going to hurt worse than losing Christine?" I heard Raoul ask.

Finally, I dared to look down at him just as the last knot was coming lose. He was being cruel, and I had the power to take away his life, but I could no longer do it. Instead, I ignored his statement and continued letting him loose, but this was a quarrel he wasn't going to let slip away.

"This!" was all I heard him shout, before pulling a large blade out of his back pocket and plunging it deep into my left side, the section right below my ribcage. The pain was shocking, and it started out dull in my chest, before roaming throughout my body and coming back to my chest with an agonizing jolt. Raoul pulled me close, so close that I could feel his breath on my face.

"How does it feel?"

But I couldn't speak. I tried to speak, but I couldn't, and at this point, Raoul pushed me to the ground, the blade still deep within my chest. What hurt even ten times worse was when I landed on my chest, causing the blade to sink even deeper within me.

"Angel!" I heard my Christine scream for me, but everything was going black. I lay there on the ice cold floor, in a puddle of my own blood. I couldn't breathe, I could hardly find the strength to do so.

Christine was at my side, rolling me over onto my back, her hand closing around the handle that was sticking out of my chest.

"Ch-Chris…."

"Shh….Relax. Take some deep breaths, angel, and relax."

But I couldn't, the mob was getting closer and closer. I could hear them coming through the pass now, it would only be a matter of minutes before they arrived.

"Christine, come, we must go!"

Raoul pulled Christine away from my side, causing my body to fall limp to the ground. She had been holding on to me, if only for a few seconds, my Christine had held onto my body.

"Raoul-stop! Stop, please! He needs help!"

"Let him die!"

I heard no more of Christine, only the echoing of the mob getting closer and closer. As I laid there, I tasted the rusty flavor of blood in the back of my throat. It was as if I were drowning in my own blood. I heard the footsteps splashing into the water, making it obvious that the mob was here. I knew if I continued laying here, I would only die. I gathered up all the strength I had within my body, and began crawling across the floor like an infant, using my hands to pull on my furniture to keep my body moving. The pain was terrible, more terrible than any pain I had ever felt, a trail of blood staining the floor as I continued crawling along.

"I think I see him!" came a strange voice.

"Yes, he's on the floor!" came another.

Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind, and rolled over onto my back, blunt objects already making contact with my fragile body with violent force. I heard bones crack, saw my blood splattering everywhere. Someone even tore out the knife that was lodged in my chest.

"This is for Piange!" one screamed out before hitting me over the head with a heavy stick.

"This is for every soul your hideous self threatened!"

Now fire had been brought into the situation, lit torches were being forced against my thighs, my arms, my face! Scorching hot fire, melting my flesh, causing more pain than I had ever felt before. And then, the lit torch was dropped, and so was my body. I don't know how it happened, but my face landed up against the flames, the heat scorching my eyes….and then everything went black.