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Paris 1880

Christine walked slowly down the steps that led to what used to be Erik's lair. It had been ten years since the fire that destroyed the opera house. She had married Raoul, but he died a year ago in a freak riding accident. Now she had returned, as she descended the steps she could almost hear Erik's voice. He had been her first love, but they both knew that it could never be. So he told her to leave with Raoul and he disappeared forever. She finally came to the moat, but the boat that had taken her and Erik to his lair was long gone. Christine started to turn back, when she thought she heard her name. Turning back she looked around her, "hello, "she called "is anyone there?" No one answered, Christine shrugged and started back up the stairs. She didn't see the shadow that moved and formed into the shape of a man.

Christine stepped out of the carriage, in front of the huge mansion. Smiling at the butler, she walked through the front door. She turned as a voice yelled "mama! Mama!" and knelt down to hug the little boy and girl running toward her."Hello my babies" she said as she hugged them to her. "Mama" the little girl said "did you go to where the opera house used to be?" The little boy looked at her with excitement "did You see the ghost mama?" Christine looked at him "Thomas where did you hear about the ghost?" Thomas looked at her with tears at her sharp tone. "I heard nurse talking about it, to one of the women at the park." He said his voice quivering. Christine realized that she had scared him and hugged him tighter "I'm sorry my love" she whispered "the ghost is not real." Than she stood, "take Helen up to the nursery" she said. "I'll be up there soon to tuck you in and read you a story." As the children ran up the stairs Christine watched them troubled, as her thoughts took her back to the past.

Paris 1870

"You sang very well my child" Madame Giry said to Christine as she arranged the flowers around the dressing room. "You father would have been very proud of you." She smiled at Christine and stroked her hair, than left the dressing room. Christine looked at herself in the mirror, than turned as she heard the door open. She smiled and stood"Raoul!" she said warmly, Raoul smiled at her"hello Christine" he said handing her a dozen roses. "You look very beautiful tonight." "Thank you Raoul"Christine said smiling, "I've missed you." Raoul took Christine's hands, "I've missed you too. Hurry and get dressed, I'll take you to dinner." He turned towards the door. "I'll come back to get you as soon as I get the carriage." Than he left and closed the door behind him. Christine heard a slight noise and turned as the mirror moved, revealing a secret passageway."Erik" she said as a he came into the room, "I missed you."

Raoul came back to Christine's dressing room and opened the door, the room was empty. Turning, Raoul hurried down the hallway. He stopped when he saw Madame Giry, "Madame," he called, "where is Christine?" Without looking at him Madame Giry said "she came down with a headache, she asked me to tell you she is very sorry." Madame Giry pushed past Raoul, "excuse me"she said as she walked quickly down the hallway. "I must go check on my daughter." Raoul stared questioningly at Madame Giry's retreating back, than turned and walked away.
Raoul came back to Christine's dressing room and opened the door, the room was empty. Turning, Raoul hurried down the hallway. He stopped when he saw Madame Giry, "Madame," he called, "where is Christine?" Without looking at him Madame Giry said "she came down with a headache, she asked me to tell you she is very sorry." Madame Giry pushed past Raoul, "excuse me"she said as she walked quickly down the hallway. "I must go check on my daughter." Raoul stared questioningly at Madame Giry's retreating back, than turned and walked away.

Christine and Erik laid together in the boat as it floated on the moat. Christine looked up and stroked Eric's face "I love you Erik"she whispered as he kissed her. "I'd be happy never to go back to the opera house." Erik smiled and said "you must go back my love, it is your dream." Christine sat up and said"it was my dream, before I met you. Now you are my dream. I want us to be together. I want to have your children." Erik looked at her with tears in his eyes, he took her hand and held it to his heart. "This is all we'll ever have and we both know that." Christine cried as she hugged Erik and stroked the face around the mask."It's not fair. It's just not fair." She sobbed.

Christine came back to the present abruptly. She looked around and realized she had wandered into the library. She turned and walked up the stairs to her children's nursery. She smiled as she found them both is bed waiting for her. "Tell us the story about you and papa, mama" Thomas begged and Christine smiled as she sat in the chair between the two beds. "Your father and I met when I was singing at the opera house," she began and felt her mind going back to the past.

Christine hurried up the steps, she was late for rehearsal and Madame Giry would be angry. She heard someone call her name and turned "Raoul," she said and smiled. Raoul came up the steps to stand next to her. "I'm sorry you suddenly became ill last night" he said stopping and taking her hand "please go to dinner with me tonight." "Raoul" Christine started to say than stopped when she saw Madame Giry at the top of the steps waiting for her. "I'll talk to you later" she said quickly and ran to join Madame Giry. "You play a dangerous game my child," Madame Giry said as they walked down the hall. "Make sure you don't get hurt," Than calling the other girls together. She began the rehearsal.

Christine found Raoul waiting for her after the rehearsal was over, "Raoul" she said surprised "what are you doing here?" "Waiting for you of course," he said as he took her arm 'how about that dinner." "Raoul, I can't" Christine said "the show starts in four hours." "Relax," Raoul said as he led her to his waiting carriage, "I'll have you back in plenty of time."As Christine and Raoul got into the carriage and drove away, Erik stepped out of the shadows trembling in anger.

Erik ran up to the roof in a blind rage, he crushed the rose he was going to give Christine under his foot and turned to go back to his lair. When a shadow of movement caught his eye. He ran toward the movement and found Buquet crouched down in the shadows. Angered at being spied on he grabbed Buquet by the neck and squeezed, Buquet's eyes bugged out of their sockets and he clawed at Erik's hands. But soon he flopped like a rag doll, lifeless and Erik let him fall to the ground. Erik looked in horror at what he had done, turned quickly and ran. He had killed only once before and that was to escape a hellish existence, he had never killed in anger until now.

Christine went looking for Erik after her performance was over, she found him in his lair playing his organ. "Erik what's wrong?" She asked him, Erik turned away from her. "You will hate me, my angel," he said. "What's wrong?" Christine asked him again, with alarm in her voice. Erik looked at her with pain and anguish. "I killed a man today" he said, "and I fear I will do it again."

Christine looked at him in horror, "who did you kill?" She whispered backing away from him. "Buquet," Erik said in anguish "he was on the roof and I killed him, because I was angry that you went with Raoul." Christine turned and ran away from Erik, she heard Erik calling her name but she didn't stop. She heard him began to chase after her and she ran in terror until she came to the moat and had to stop. Before she could get to the boat, Erik grabbed her arm. "Christine please, don't be afraid," he begged in anguish. "I love you," Christine said " Erik please, I have to go." She gently pulled her arm away from him and stepped into the boat. She quickly rowed away, never looking back.

Christine abruptly came back to the present, she looked down and realized that Thomas and Helen had fallen asleep. She smoothed the covers over them and turned down the light. She walked out into the hallway and went into her bedroom. Sitting in the chair by the fireplace, she stared into the flames. She remembered after leaving Erik. She began to spend more and more time with Raoul. She still loved Erik but now she feared him as well. Erik sent her flowers and notes, but Christine ignored them and found herself falling in love with Raoul. She loved them both, and didn't know how to choose. Than something happened to change everything.

"Why have you brought me here?" Raoul asked as they stood on the rooftop of the opera house. "What's the matter Christine?" Christine turned to him with tears in her eyes, "I have to tell you something." She said "I'm afraid that you will hate me." Raoul came up behind Christine and put his hands on her shoulders. "Nothing you could say would make me hate you," he said, kissing the back of her head. "I love you and that will never change." Christine turned and looked up into Raoul's eyes. "Raoul," she whispered, "I'm pregnant with Erik's child." Raoul looked at her in surprise, than said determinedly. "I don't care. I want to marry you." He grasped her hands and raised them to his mouth. "Please marry me, my love." He begged, "I'll raise the baby as my own." Christine smiled at him, than frowned "what about Erik?" She asked, "he has a right to know about his child." Raoul shook his head, " he must never know, I'm afraid that if he knows about the child he'll never let you go." He pulled Christine into his embrace and said "please marry me tonight after the performance." Christine laughed and said "yes Raoul I'll marry you." She pulled him toward the door, " now I must go get ready, they'll wonder where I am, wait for me Raoul." Raoul kissed Christine and whispered "Christine I love you." Than they walked through the door. The roof seemed empty for a second than a shadow moved away from one of the statues. Erik looked at the door in anger, now he knew he could never let Christine go. He quickly slipped through the door. He had plans to make and not much time.

Christine walked onto stage and began to sing, this was the last act than she would be free to go with Raoul. She heard Piangi singing and turned as he came onto stage. She looked toward him, but realized something was wrong. That wasn't Piangi, it was Erik. She looked towards the box where Raoul was sitting and tried to signal him but Erik came up and grabbed her waist. She turned toward him and began to sing. Than ripped his mask off reveling his scarred face. The audience screamed in horror, than Erik looked at her and whispered "why?" Christine said as tears streamed down her face, "it's the only way my love, I can't let you kill again." Erik looked frantically around for escape, than grabbed hold of a rope hanging overhead and grabbing Christine swung down into the pit. Raoul yelled Christine's name than looked up in horror and the chandelier began to shudder. He realized that Erik had grabbed the rope holding the chandelier and now it was starting to fall. He jumped out of the box as the chandelier fell into the audience. He ran back stage, as people began to run from the opera house in panic. He found Madame Giry, "where has he took her?" He demanded, grabbing her arm. Madame Giry turned and looked at him, "I will show you, hurry before it is too late." They ran down the stairs until Madame Giry stopped, "this is as far as I dare go" she grabbed Raoul's arm, "be careful" she said "and remember keep your hand at the level of your eyes." Than she turned and left, Raoul continued down the stairs until he came to a gate. He saw Erik and Christine inside, Erik turned and saw him and said " Raoul I am so glad you could make it to the wedding." Than he raised the gate, "let her go for God's sake, let her go." Raoul begged as he entered the lair. Erik looked at him in surprise, "why Raoul I am surprised. Why would I make her pay for the sins that are yours?" Than as Raoul turned to look as the gate went down. Erik grabbed a rope and wrapped it around Raoul's neck choking him. Christine screamed "NO!" and ran toward them, Erik looked at her with madness in his eyes. " Now you must choose," he screamed, "either you marry me or he dies. Make your choice." Christine raised her hand and stroked Erik's cheek,"Erik I still love you," she whispered as he let go of the rope. "But we both know that it can't be. I have to marry Raoul. It's the only way. Than she kissed him. Erik began to cry, he stepped away as Christine ran to take the rope from around Raoul's neck. "Go, forget everything that has happened," Erik whispered. He turned to Raoul, "take her please, make sure she is safe." Raoul nodded and took Christine's hand. Christine stopped and stepped away from Raoul, she turned back to Erik and whispered. "I'll always love you." Than she left with Raoul, Erik watched them go. Than he turned, picked up a candlestick. He smashed the mirror that covered the secret passageway and disappeared forever.