This is what I think should have happened when Erik let Christine and Raoul go at the end of Phantom of the Opera. I own nothing but the plot.

"Masquerade…paper faces on parade. Hide your face so the world will never find you." The Phantom was singing along brokenly to his favorite music box. He saw Christine walk in out of the corner of his eye and turned. Without breaking pace with the music he sang to her, his voice pitching up and down with heartbreak and sorrow, "Christine, I love you."

Christine looked at her Angel of Music, seeing the hope in his eyes and remembered the kiss they had shared moments ago. She had realized as she kissed him that this felt completely different to kissing Raoul. She had only agreed to marry Raoul because she felt obligated to. But she had only been afraid of her love for the Phantom. When she kissed Raoul she had felt no fireworks or passion. Her kiss with the Phantom had set her heart pounding so hard she thought it would burst from her chest. It had been everything Madame Giry had told her love would feel like.

"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Say the word and I will follow you. Share each day with me, each night, each morning. Tell me your name Angel. That's all I ask of you." she sang back. The Phantom was silent for a few seconds as he absorbed the shock of what she had just told him.

"The name the gypsies gave me was Erik. Anywhere you go let me go too. Christine, that's all I ask of you!" he finished singing. Tears were pouring down his face.

"Erik, I love you. I'm sorry I put you through all this pain and heartbreak. I was just so terrified of all the things you make me feel. It overwhelmed me. I'll never leave your side again," Christine vowed.

She sat down next to Erik and gently took his face into her hands, kissing him just as she had in the lake. Only this time Erik's arms came up to pull her closer. His tongue slid along the seam of her lips seeking permission to enter. Her heart beating hard and fast she let him in. He roved around in her mouth tasting and exploring when he thought he never would. Her taste was finer than the best wine and he couldn't bear to end the kiss. His hands had begun to search her body gently, feeling the dip of her waist and rise of her hips. She took one of his hands and guided it to the swell of her breast. He groaned into her mouth and felt her through her dress. Suddenly her realized where they were and pulled away, leaving poor Christine gasping for breath.

"I'm sorry, my love, but I'm not going to take you here on the floor like a common whore. You deserve a wonderful first time and I intend to give it to you. Will you marry me, Christine?" he asked. She hugged him tightly and squealed with pleasure.

"Of course I'll marry you Erik! Nothing would make me happier! I love you, Angel!" she cried. Erik began to cry again.

"I love you too, my dear. Now come, I have house that we can live in so we will not have to spend eternity in the dark." he said. He stood up and walked to his hidden mirror and picked up a candle holder. "I'm sorry, Christine, but I have to break the mirror to get to the passageway."

She nodded in understanding and he smashed the candleholder to the mirror once, twice, and at the third hit the glass fell out of the frame to reveal a tunnel. Taking her hand, Erik led her along the tunnel taking care to go slowly and make sure she didn't trip on the way. After a few moments of walking they reached the end of the tunnel and emerged in town right in front of a quaint little house that Christine instantly fell in love with.

"Is this to be our home, Erik?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, Christine, I hope you like it. I didn't want anything that would raise a lot of attention," Erik replied.

"I don't like it," Christine said. Erik's face fell. "I love it! Oh, Erik, It's beautiful!"

His face lit up at her words and he kissed her. She melted into the kiss and Erik was forced to pull away again for fear of losing his control right out on the street. He opened the door to the house and gently pulled Christine in. This was going to be the place of a new beginning. This was where love truly knew no limits.

And this is where I think I'll leave off. Let me know what you think! Be kind this is my first Phantom fanfic.