A/N: Since there are soo many scenarios like these out there, I thought I'd try one. A warning, however: I do not write sappy 'he's-really-a-good-person-' Erik. He is too twistedly brilliant to be mutated in such a manner as many on write, and so this is (I hope) more in character for Erik..

And I might actaully continue it, if someone coughYOUcough leaves me a review..Flame me, idolize me, I don't care, just respond.

Just...forget about the mob. They 'aint coming. It is my FIRM belief that if, in the some-odd years there was believed to be an Opera Ghost that if no one could find it then, they can't JUST because Daae was kidnapped..grumbles stupid Daae...

Oh, and it may or may not end up an E/C (although I do love the pairing). It depends on what sort of mood I'm in when I write the last chapter.

Disclaimer: If I -really- owned anything from Phantom, do you really think I'd be here?

"You try my patience, make your choice!" The words, raw and hard, cut into Christine as effectively as any physical blow could have.

A choice.

Erik or Raoul.

Heaven or hell.

But it wouldn't be a pure heaven, Christine reminded herself. It would be tainted - tainted with her love's blood. Her freedom for Raoul's death.

The choice was simple.

There was no choice.

Christine couldn't breathe.

She didn't even spare a glance as the beautiful silk of the accursed gown was ruined by the water. She just kept walking, focusing on the man in front of her, trying to block out her fiancee's horrified face.

"Pitiful creature of darkness," she sang as she'd been taught, ignoring the shaking of her hands. "What kind of life have you known?" She was moving forward almost automatically.

The dominant part of her, the passionate part, was screaming at her to run, to turn back, but it was the small image of Raoul's mangled body that kept her going. Towards his would be killer.

"What kind of life have you known?" Time seemed suspended. There was no Raoul, there was no choice; there was only her and Erik.

"God give me courage to show you, you are not alone!"

With that desperate cry, Christine threw herself forward into Erik's stunned embrace. Into the kiss that was everything a kiss should not be. On Christine's part, there was loathing, disgust, and..something else Christine did not have the nerve to name; for Erik there was only shock.

The silence of the room was broken only by Erik's own broken voice.

"Go now, wait here, the boy can go free." Her heart sank, but Christine was allowed to breathe again, as was Raoul. As she sank to the floor in silence, Raoul, too terrified for her safety, was led away with no resistence. He didn't speak; Christine already knew what he was saying.

What have you done?

Her eyes swam over with tears, and Christine was only conscious long enough to hear Erik's melodious voice as he placed her on the bed.

"Christine, I love you…"