The Aftermath(Phantom Of The Opera)

Chapter 1- Safe.

     "Raoul!" Christine let out a blood curdling scream, sitting upright in her bed. Raoul, hearing Christine's cry from his bedroom, quickly stood and ran to her side.

     "I'm here, Christine. Do not fret. Hush." Raoul pushed the hair away from Christine's face. Her eyes were full of uncertainty. She was having another panic attack. The hallucinations had gotten more vivid lately.

      "W-what happened? Did I free us? Where are we?" Christine was sure she had just been in Erik's home. She was sure that Raoul was in the torture chamber, and Erik was laughing. Erik would not let them go.

     "We are home, Christine. We left that place, remember? You are safe." Raoul had been calming her down every night for two weeks. It was practically apart of his routine. Sometimes they would be laughing and sitting together in the garden when she would start to cry. There was no trigger. It was just some sort of switch that went off in her mind.

"I remember now. I.." I must be losing my mind, she wanted to say. The words wouldn't come together. They rarely did. However, Raoul still understood what she said because he slipped into her bed, pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair, and whispered:

"You will be okay, Christine. You are confused. I'm here. I will always be here, just as I promised. I love you more than you shall ever know." Christine loved this. She loved when Raoul comforted her. He was the only one that seemed to understand. For he was there with her that night. He saw everything. He knew what it had done to her.

She felt herself drifting away towards a somber sleep, where everything was quiet. Suddenly, a voice could be heard. Go away, she ordered, yet, still, it beckoned her.

Christine.

Christine put her hands over her ears. She was trying to drown out the voice. She was convinced it was coming from somewhere in the room. She looked over to Raoul, who was sound asleep. The voice continued to call for her. Each time, it became more angry, more commanding. She slipped out of bed, now determined to find where this ghostly voice was hidden. She checked her wardrobe. Nothing but her dresses were in there. She looked under her bed, but there was still nothing.

Suddenly, she turned to the mirror. Yes. That's where it called from. She walked towards the mirror. She looked closely into it. She was sure she could see Erik's brooding eyes staring back at her. She gasped.

"Go away, Erik," she whispered. She wasn't commanding. She was begging. "Erik, go away!"

Her pleads got louder. Raoul started to awaken. Christine slammed her hands against the mirror. Each time, she became more violent. Why must he haunt her now?

"Christine?" Raoul rubbed his eyes. She was practically throwing her entire body towards the mirror now. She was trying to break it.

"Go away, Erik! Go! Go!" She was sobbing now, absolutely terrified. Still, the voice called.

Christine.

Raoul ran to her side, pulling her away from the mirror. She thrashed in his arms, trying desperately to break the mirror. He sat her on the floor, cradling her in his arms.

"Christine, Christine! Calm down! I'm here!" His pleas did nothing. She threw her hands to her ears again. She was truly in pain. Not physical pain, no, but mental pain. She wanted the voice to go away.

"Make it stop, Raoul! Make it stop!" She was begging Raoul to free her from the living hell she was in.

"Make what stop?"

"The voice! The voice! Oh, he won't go away! Christine! Christine! That's all he ever says! Stop it, Raoul! Stop him!" Raoul understood now. She was hearing Erik's voice again. He did the only thing he could do: he sang to her. She calmed down almost instantly, nuzzling herself into his arms.

"Is the voice gone now, Christine?"

"I think it is, yes."

"That's good, Christine. Would you like me to keep singing?"

"Oh, just until I fall asleep, if you could."

"Of course, love. I'll sing all night if I must." So Raoul continued to sing, rocking Christine in his arms. Truly, Raoul was worried for Christine. He wondered if every night would end up exactly like this night, but he remained hopeful. If it was the last thing he would ever do, he would surely make sure Christine spent a day without Erik on her mind. A day where she didn't cry, or panic. A day where she would be very happy.

Raoul loved Christine more than life itself. He knew that now. He wouldn't ever want to love any other girl. He would run into the sea to fetch her scarf as many times as she pleased, and he would sing all night if it meant that she felt safe.

Slowly, her eyelids closed, and her breathing slowed. He gently laid her in bed, and pulled the blankets over her frail body. He leaned over, kissed her forehead, and snuck back to his room.

That night, Christine had a dream. She had a dream that she was at the beach. She was very young, and she noticed a boy who looked oddly familiar. Her scarf blew off in the wind, falling into the ocean. She cried for it, being very fond of this scarf. The boy grinned at her. This grin was one she knew very well. The young boy was Raoul. He retrieved her scarf, and he was soaked to the skin. He didn't mind though. The smile on Christine's face was enough. She thanked him for the scarf, and he nodded.

Christine was woken up by the sunlight. She stretched her arms, yawning and blinking a few times to adjust herself to daylight. She got out of bed and put on her slippers, starting to get ready for the day. She smiled a very content sort of smile when she realized something-

That was the first night in a very long time where Christine had not dreamt of the opera ghost.

I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter of The Aftermath! More chapters coming soon! Love you guys- Bella