Chapter 7: The Midnight Garden

I really hate writing sappy romance stories and novel, and this chapter emphasizes one of them. But then, I love POTO, and I'd do anything for it. Next chapter coming out pretty soon, though. I have nothing else to say...Well, also, I posted this in another computer because I have no internet, as you may recall. Expect the next few chapters to be late...but if the internet's back, then I'll post again at regular timing! :)

Disclaimer: I. Do. Not. Own. Anything.

Chapter 7: The Midnight Garden (Erik's P.O.V.)

I was at my organ, composing a song late at night, when I heard the sound of feet coming at my chamber.

"Erik!" a voice called out. Its echoes that rang through the catacombs attracted my attention.

I spun around to see my good friend Nadir. I stepped down from the organ and towards my friend. "Ah, Nadir," I said. "How may I help you?"

"I need you to talk to Christine." The Persian replied to me. "We need her to be informed about the danger she's in."

I blushed at the sound of her name. "Christine?"

Nadir raised an eyebrow. "What about her?"

"Nothing; I already sent her a note so she would be informed."

"Well, that Christine needs everything to be clarified for her. She needs to understand absolutely everything."

We walked to a corner of my lair. There, hung a large velvet red curtain that wasn't drawn. Nadir brushed the curtains aside to reveal a large mirror. I pushed it as if it was a doorway and it emptied out into a dark hallway—another catacomb.

"I remember this," I said, my voice echoing though the darkness. "This is a passageway to a garden outside a hotel."

Nadir strode to my desk and grabbed my black cape, tossed it at me, and I grabbed it in midair. I clasped it around my neck.

The Persian gestured for me to enter the tunnel. "Christine is at the garden, so I've heard. I need you to clarify everything for her."

I nodded and walked into the darkness as the mirror closed behind me.

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The passageway led to a ladder and I climbed it. There was a wooden lid on the top of the ladder, pushed it, and stepped out into the garden.

I found myself in a large garden full of lush green grass and a large oak tree in the middle. Rosebushes lined the garden like a border. Marble benches lined the magnificent oak tree and to my amazement, I found Christine and her son Hugo sitting on one of them.

"Christine, Christine…" I sang, hoping I would attract her attention. To my surprise, I did catch her attention. She noticed me, and, in haste, told her son to rush back to the hotel. The son, obedient, ran to the building.

I walked towards the bench Christine was sitting on and I sat beside her. "Did you receive my note?" I asked her.

"Yes," Christine replied. "Although, I don't understand."

I sighed in exasperation. Nadir was correct; this girl needed many things to be clarified for her. "What is not to understand?"

Christine shrugged. "I don't know; everything?"

I rolled my eyes at Christine. This girl was quite clueless. "So, I'm a wanted criminal over France and Europe. I'm now known as a fugitive because I evade police attempts to catch me. Their current strategy is to find a lure, bring it to the prison, and expect me to come and rescue it. But it's a trap, and they will execute me there. They tried Mme. Giry as a lure, but were unsuccessful for I was able to rescue her. But now, they found a lure that I couldn't refuse to rescue, that's you, Christine."

Judging by the look on her face, Christine was resisting the urge to laugh. "But, Angel, Raoul is watchful over me. Police cannot simply kidnap the wife of a viscount."

Christine's smile crumpled. I sighed in depression. "Christine, dear, Raoul hates me and I hate him that it burns like the fires of hell. He would do anything to kill me, even if he has to give you up. So it is important that the viscount doesn't know of this."

"Yes, but…" Christine mumbled.

I stood up for I had to pace to lessen my nervousness. "Christine, you don't understand. You're in danger; moreover, my heart is in danger.

Christine blushed at my statement. "But why?"

My heart grew heavy with every word I said. "Christine, police were able to trick me with a choice. Either you die or I live with the fact that you're gone forever, or I die and you will be set free from any of these nightmares. They will all be nothing but a blur in the past."

Christine stood up. "Angel, I don't understand. Where are you going with this?"

I grew more frustrated and depressed. "One of us has been destined to die, Christine! Also, both of us have chosen who suffer the damnable punishment: me!"

My shouts made Christine step back and her eyes started to swell with tears. "Angel, I didn't condemn you do death. When did I?"

Christine really didn't understand the pain I was going through. I smiled sadly. "Ten years ago, Christine. Ten years since you left me to rot. It drove me to despair, to pain, to total desolation. To add to the fact, I won't stand it when you're captured and then killed right in front of me. It would drive me mad for love and vengeance, for blood lust. I would kill hundreds of innocents for my love for you. Whereas, if I die, since…" here, I felt tears fall from my eyes, "since you don't love me as much as I do to you, it won't pain you as much."

Christine started to sob – something that I didn't expect from her. "I can't let you go, Angel."

I ignored her plea and bowed like a gentleman as if I wasn't going to die. "Goodbye, Christine de Chagny." I said as I started to walk to the ladder.

Suddenly, Christine grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled me so close to her face that I could feel her warm breath on my cheeks.

"Angel," Christine said sadly. "Don't think that I don't love you."

I forced a smile. "And you only choose to say that tonight before I die. Why is that?"

It seemed that Christine came to a realization. She sighed happily and locked her eyes in mine. It was hard to escape her gaze. She held the back of my neck with her right hand.

"Because…" Christine said smiling behind tears. "Because I love you, Angel."

I didn't know what happened next. All I could remember was Christine's lips on mine. For a moment, nothing seemed to matter to both of us except for the fact that we were in each others arms.

When I pulled back, I smiled at Christine, but it slowly faded. "But Christine, even if that is the truth, I still need to meet my fate."

Christine blinked in confusion. "What? Why?"

"You have children and a husband, Christine, and they'd be devastated without you."

"True, but you're my Angel. I'd be devastated without you."

"Yes, but I have to face the consequences of my actions. I have to receive my punishment for everything I've done. I can't let someone else die for my sake."

I let go of Christine's hand and stepped back. "Christine, I love you, but that's the last time I'll ever say it to you."

Christine started to sob. I smiled sadly and then kissed her forehead. "Goodbye, Christine."

I walked to the secret passage and disappeared into the darkness.