My choice

Chapter four - Your choice

October 20th 1871

Christine'S POV

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"Christine?" His voice was hoarse 

I smiled up at him, the man I have longed to see for months who seemed saddened at my presence. Unable to control my movements I wrapped my arms around his body. He stood still not hugging back, not trying to remove me, just content.

"Why did you come back?" He asked softly 

"I - angel - I'm sorry." I looked to the mess of a man standing in front if me

"You need to leave." He says sadness twisted through his words

"I don't want to go."

"You shouldn't have come back," He ignored my reasoning, "I sent you away for a reason. You were happy." He says a look of regret filling his eyes

"And I came back for a reason, I needed to tell you something." I released him and stepped back to look at him directly

He looks at me his eyes full of sorrow, "Angel I needed to see you, I needed reassurance. I made the wrong choice leaving with Raoul. He's changed, everything has changed and it scares me. I want to stay here with you, please. I won't leave again I promise." I beg

"Christine," he whispers

"Please." I say, I wrapped my arms around his chest and hugged him as tightly as I could, "Please hug me back." 

He did as I asked wrapping his arms around me lightly as if he didn't want to hurt me. I leaned back a little so my brown eyes could meet the gaze of his green ones. Unable to hold it back any longer, I placed a light peck on his lips lingering closely for a moment until I kissed him again, this time he managed to kiss back and it felt better then anything else at that moment. Better then words and better then hugs.

The kiss seemed to get heated after a while but neither of us stopped. I simply moved my hands to his chest finding the buttons on his shirt and undoing them one by one. I think he got the message as I felt my dress loosen as the ties came undone and it slipped off my shoulders my corset as well. 

I placed my hand on his mask pulling it off slowly, he closed his eyes not wanting to meet my gaze, "It's okay, I promise you it's okay." I whispered in his ear placing a few stray kisses on the deformed side of his face, which I found absolutely beautiful, until I reached his lips again

"I'm yours." I whispered moving his hand onto my body

"Oh Christine." He sighed before opening his eyes and finishing what we started

Sensations I've never felt before wash over my body as the world that surrounded faded away. We moved to our own music, until we both fell with exhaustion. I fell asleep the happiest I've ever been in a long time.

Through the night I have dreams of what I want my future to be. Erik and I maybe a few children, performing at the opera house together everything was perfect.

I wake up due to a chill over my skin, my mind was clouded at first. I smile when I finally remember what happened. I'm going to tell him I love him. I do I love him with all my heart, nothing would ever change that. I noticed the empty spot on the bed next to me, I figured he must be somewhere else perhaps in the music room, or the kitchen. I grab my slip off the floor and put it on before walking out of the room. I stand outside of the door way and call, "Angel?"

No response, I walk out a little farther while looking in a few rooms.

"Angel?" I call again tears welling in my eyes I wipe them away and walk back into the bedroom where I find a note on the dresser.

'Christine, please forgive me. I love you I always have and I always will, but last night was a mistake. Neither of us were thinking properly. You can go back to the viscount and be with him. I could never give you what you need to be truly happy.

Once again forgive me.

Erik'

I drop the note as my breathing gets heavy, and my heart begins beating at an unusual rate. I lay on the bed, bury my head in the pillows, I couldn't stop myself from crying. Crying until my lungs burned.

What am I to do now?

I can't do anything, I have no way of protecting myself from Raoul if I stay here 

I put my dress back on making sure I looked presentable. Before I get into the boat to leave I say five words that will haunt me forever. 

"I will always love you."

I set off on the boat with tears streaming down my face. I dried them up and left the opera house, it was the middle of the night it seemed since no one was out on the streets. As I walked through the night I realized how unusually dark it was. I look up realizing there was a moonless sky above me.

When I got back to the manor everything seemed normal, like no one knew I was gone. I slipped into the house and quietly went to my room, as I suspected the note laid in the exact same spot I left it before I went to the opera house. I changed into a night dress and slipped into bed. I couldn't sleep, so I cried. I cried using all the tears I was able too, how could this night could go from a dream to a nightmare so fast. I eventually became exhausted and fell asleep with thoughts of my angel.

My Erik.

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October 21st 1881

Erik's POV

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I look down at the perfect angel laying in my arms. It felt so right, so normal to have her here with me, but something about it felt so wrong. Perhaps it was the fact she is engaged to someone else and would be marrying him in only a few short hours.

She slept peacefully, a light smile graced her flawless porcelain skin. She deserved better, she deserved someone who could take her to lunch, someone with a beautiful face to wake up next to. She deserves to live her life in the sun.

I moved myself off the bed and got dressed. I tried not to look at her sleeping form because I knew I would stay. I put my mask on and grabbed the suite case sitting in the coroner of the room. I was able to contact a friend of mine in America who would help me out. Madame Giry and Meg agreed to go with me if I gave them something in return. I'm leaving on a ship, a one way ticket to escape my past, my mistakes.

I wrote note, explaining why I left. Why she had to go back to the boy, to her life. I told her that I loved her, I still love her. More then anything in the or any world, and that's why I left. I left because I wanted her to live a normal, happy life.

I left through another exit leaving her the boat. I shut the door which was hidden behind a bookshelf and tied my cape around my shoulders.

Christine woke up, I heard her call for me, I heard her cry. It took everything I had to not run out and make the tears go away. She walked back into the bedroom. A few seconds later a muffled scream filled bounced off the stone walls. Then sobs, her sobs grabbed at my chest twisting it so I couldn't breathe. She was sobbing for me.

I am no angel.

I left the opera house not turning back even though every ounce of my being told me too.