Christine

Madame led me to the room where a frantic Airhead, Filthy, Piangi, Carlotta, and Raoul were grouped. I caught snippets of the conversation, as I neared them.

"Have you seen the score?"

"Utter lunacy!"

"Outrage!" Carlotta screeched! "This Outrage!" Piangi parroted.

"Have you seen the size of my part?!" "Just see this outrage!" Piangi repeated.

I rolled my eyes, silently eavesdropping.

"The things I 'af to do for my art!" Carlotta wailed. "If you can call this gibberish art!" Piangi added.

My cheeks reddened. How dare they! Erik was a master, a genius! How dare they?!

Carlotta turned, and saw me, her shrewish eyes sparkling, "Ah! There's the little flowrer!" She yelled, rolling her r's too much. The whole group turned to me. "Ah, Miss Daaé!" "Quite the lady of the hour!" the Managers said. Raoul grabbed my arm and pulled me further into the room, shutting the door behind me.

"She must be behind this!" Carlotta screamed. I rounded on her, "You Evil Woman! How Dare you?! How Dare you!"

Carlotta just looked smugly at me, "How is it the Opera Ghost always puts you in the lead? Why? You are nothing!" She grinned, "Unless you are...bribing him, somehow..."

I pulled myself up to my full height, "How DARE YOU?" I reached across and slapped her. She cried out and ran out of the room crying. Piangi foliowed after her, crying "Cara mia! Come back!"

I turned to the other three in the room, smirking happily. "Why did you do that?" Airhead asked. Raoul rushed to my defence, "Carlotta had it coming." Well, at least he was nice...sometimes.

Raoul got a strange look in his eyes, "We have all been blind! And yet the answer has been staring us all in the face! This is our chance to ensnare y=our clever friend!" "We're listening! Go on!" the Managers cried. "We shall play his game, preform his work! But know that we hold the ace! For if miss Daaé sings, he is certain to attend!" "We make certain the doors are barred!" "We make certain our men are armed!"

They grinned and then sang "The curtain falls! His reign will end!" "That's madness!" I cried. "No!" Raoul cried, "And you must sing!" The managers cried. "And you agree to this?" I asked. "We have no choice! we must!" They replied.

"I don't want any part in this plot!"

They looked shocked.

"Miss Daaé, surely!"

"Why not?"

"It's your decision, but why not?"

"You have a duty!"

"I cannot sing it duty or not!" I cried.

"if you can't, then no one can!" The ex-managers cried.

Raoul gave me what he most likely thought was a comforting glance.

"Christine...Christine..

You don't have to...

They can't make you...

But you must think,

You said yourself,

he is nothing but a man....

But while he lives,

he shall haunt us till we're dead..."

Haunt us? What a moron Raoul was.

"This is the chance! The chance to ensnare our clever friend!"

"The tide will turn!"

"This is madness!" I cried again.

"Not if it works!"

"There is no way of turning the tide!"

"Instead of warning us, help us! You are our ace!

Or could it be you're on his side?"

"I hold no ill, but I'm scared!"

"Angel of music fear my fury!

Here is where yo fall!

Say your prayers,

Black Angel of Death!"

Raoul cried.

They all resumed singing and crying, a cacophony of noise that swirled around me like a messy forest of animals.

"If you don't stop I'll go mad!" I cried. The noise died away. I appealed to Raoul, hoping he'd help me.

"Raoul, I'm frightened!

Don't make me do this!

Don't make me go through this

Ordeal by fire!"

They ignored me, and kept plotting 'the Monster's' demise.

I ran, sobbing, out of the room; running as fast as I could, to who knows where, before I collided with a soft, warm chest that I knew instantly.

"What is the matter, Christine?" Erik asked, his arms around me instantly. I choked a few times before I finally got out an answer, "They're t-trying t-to k-k-kill you!" I sobbed, clutching at his shirt.

"What?" He asked softly, stroking my hair. "Them, the three, they were p-plotting t-to k-kill you!" I sobbed again, launching into the tale. When it was finished, Erik just held me.

"Erik, it scares me...

Don't make me go through this

Ordeal by fire!

He'll take me, I know it!

We'll be parted forever!

He won't let me go!

What I once used to dream,

I now dread!

If he takes me, it won't ever end!"

I sobbed into his shirt. Erik's hold on me tightened.

Erik whispered, kissing my temples,

"Christine,

Christine,

Christine..."

"Twisted every way,

What answer can I give?

Am I to risk my life,

To win a chance to live?

Do I become Raoul's prey?

Do I have any choice?

I know I can't refuse,

And yet I wish I could!

Oh, God if I agree...

What horrors wait for me...

In this, The Phantom's Opera....."

"Christine...

Christine,

Don't think that I don't care...

But every hope

And every prayer

Rests on you now..."

I clutched his shirt tighter, "Oh, Erik, what if they succeed in killing you?"

He stroked my hair again, "They'll not succeed, I promise. I am the Phantom of the Opera, remember?" He was trying to be comforting, but it didn't help, "You're still human, Erik! They can kill you!" I found my eyes watering even more, as I clutched at him. He made nonverbal cooing noises, holding me tightly, "Christine, worry not. I'll keep out of their way, and you must sing...Don Juan will be hollow without you." He turned me to face the other way, pressing my back tightly against his chest. "Please, Christine, sing in Don Juan...Sing for me..." He murmured, still stroking my head. "But..." I protested, still worried, for I could hear the three in the other room, full of demise plans, out for the blood of my Angel. I turned again to face him, "They could hurt you.." I persisted, taking in his beauteous face, filled with pleading and concern for me—though he needn't have been. "I will stay safe, Christine, I vow that to you. Is that enough?" He asked, holding my face in his hands. I let my tears fall again, "I cannot sing...It frightens me, Erik!" I cried, clutching at his arms, trying to will him to understand and keep away from the three in the other room with their talk of war and killing Erik.

"Your public needs you..."

He whispered, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

"I need you too..."

I looked up at him with wide eyes, "Y-you wouldn't rather h-have Carlotta?" I teased.

He looked appalled,

"Christine, no!

That toad can't sing!"

I giggled, pressing my head against his chest, then looked up at him again. "You have to sing, Christine!" he dried dramatically. "But the managers—.." I objected, but he silenced me with a kiss on my cheek. He started to sing again,

"It's time to leave them as you must,

And be who you're meant to be!

It's time to do now as you must

And set the music in you free!

In days, mere days now,

Drums will roar!

There you'll stand,

Just like before!"

He sang, hands resting on my hips, my back resting on his chest. I could feel his heart pounding through his dress shirt end evening jacket.

"The crowd will hush...

And then in one sweet rush...

I will hear you sing...

Once more!

And Music,

Our Music,

Will swirl and then unwind!

Like two strands of melody,

At last intwined!

It'll fill us,

Complete us,

Make us whole!

Seal our bond,

forever more!

Christine,

For me,

Embrace your destiny!

Let me hear you sing...

Once more!"

I looked up at him, and knew what he was saying, I understood. But what if someone hurt him? What if we were parted forever?

"I just don't want to lose you..." I whimpered.

He sighed, "Don't worry, I promise to be safe for you. I do not wish to leave you, so why would I be careless? I promise to guard my life as I would yours. Is that satisfactory?" He teased. I looked up at him, how could he tease me? "Erik, I mean it. I would be shattered if you died on me! Why don't you get it? This is serious! This is your life, Erik, not some silly make-believe game! I want a solemn oath, I want you to stay away from Raoul and his 'war against the Phantom council' I that clear?" I asked, standing on tip-toes so I stood near to his face. His face softened, and he nodded. "For you, I will keep myself safe." I smiled at him, "Thank you Erik."

"Will you sing?" He asked hopefully. "I don't know if I can..." I trailed.

"Prima Donna,

My lady of the stage,

Your devotee's on his knees

To implore you!

Can you bow out

When we're shouting

Your name?"

He looked pleadingly at me,

"Think of how you light up the stage!

Prima Donna,

Enchant us once again!

You took a snub,

But there's a public who needs you!

Prima Donna,

Your song shall never die!

Think of the cries

Of undying support..

Sing Prima Donna,

Once More!

Prima Donna,

The world is at your feet

A nation awaits,

And how it hates to be cheated!"

I tried not to smile as he sang to me,

"Can you deny us

The triumph in store?

Sing,

My Prima Donna,

Once More!

Light up the stage

With your triumph and more,

Sing,

Prima Donna...

Once More!"

I pressed my head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat, as it went from the beat of hummingbird wings, to one of a slow, romantic, soft heartbeat that I could drown in.

"Will you sing?"

I laughed, filled with a strong resolve, "I'll sing, for you." I tapped him on the chest, which seemed soft and warm, something I desperately wanted to sink into. "Then, go back to the war council, and tell them so. Play along with their scheme. I'll be nearby, listening in....I..." he shook his head, and kissed me on the cheek. I hugged him, before turning around and marching into the room.

All three of them looked up as I entered, "Will you sing?" They all asked. I stalled for a moment, waiting for Erik. "Yes, I'll sing."

Raoul's eyes looked worried again, "How can we be certain you won't get hurt?"

I nearly laughed, as if Erik would ever hurt me! "I can keep myself safe, Raoul. The Phantom will not hurt me, threaten though he might. He still looked worried, and I knew what lie I had to tell, though I nearly choked doing so, "Oh, Raoul..." I paused, trying not to wrinkly my nose in disgust, "How could I be worried?" I coughed to cover my choke, "I have you to protect me..."

Raoul smirked at the air, as if Erik could make himself into mist or something.

Raoul grinned at the air, "Say your prayers, Black Angel of Death!" He repeated.

"So, recite to me the plan?" I asked.

"We hold the ace, Christine, you. You will sing in this Don Juan, and he will attend, in Box Five. When he least expects it, we'll shoot him!" Raoul explained. I acted the stupid-little-female, gasping when he said shoot him. If that was their plan, it would flop. Erik was too smart to fall for a ploy like that. Oh, I should have realized their plans would be half-baked and childish! I hid a giggle in my hand. "Oh, but won't it be dangerous?" I asked, making my eyes widen. "Oh, no, we'll be quite safe." Raoul patted my arm condescendingly. Oh, how I wanted to slap him. Erik would never do anything like that!

I heard a low growl, and knew Erik didn't like what Raoul did any more than I did. But I fixed my face to look comforted, "Oh, that is so comforting!" I gushed. He grinned, "Well, Christine, I suppose we should let you go, and prepare and get your beauty sleep." he leaned forward, as if to kiss me, and it took all my self-restraint not to flinch away from him.

I smiled sweetly, as if I thought only of flowers and suppers, and dancing.

Then, I turned, making my hoops sway, as I sashayed out of the room.

I turned the corner and found Erik waiting for me. He held a hand out to me silently. I took it, grinning, "How was I? Did I play the 'I'm a stupid little female' well?"

He smirked, "Quite well, I think they were fooled. You're quite the actress, my darling!"

I kissed his cheek, "Shall we go home?"

He smiled, wrapping his arm around my waist as we headed home.