[Audio]

[notalkodarkness]

[Christine jerks awake with a start, sitting up in her bed with a gasp of breath. The first thing she notices upon waking is that she is back in her room, not the room she shared with Raoul, nor the room of her Angel. Her room

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[only_one_raoul]

[Christine hadn't come back to their room, or her own, and there was nothing else to suggest she was just wandering around the ship on the comms. The Phantom had been waiting for her too, so he obviously didn't have her. The only conclusion Raoul could make was a distressing one, but 24 hours later, he was there for her when she awoke

[notalkodarkness]

[Alarmed? She just might be a little alarmed, darling. You know, after the whole being brutally murdered thing, she's the tiniest bit out of sorts.

Although the matter of doors locking and unlocking was up for debate, she wasn't particularly expecting someone to open her door just after she's called out over the communicator. She lets out a startled cry, the sound cracking before its even fully out and she stumbles back.

At seeing who it is walking through, however, she makes an altogether different sound, sitting back on the bed before her knees spill her unceremoniously to the floor.

The smile she offers him is weak, but it's a smile nonetheless and she looks genuinely very happy to see him.]

This place ... I do no- not like this place.. Are any w- what they appear to be?

[only_one_raoul]

[The cry doesn't alarm Raoul as much as his appearance startles Christine, though he does jump a little at the sudden noise. He quickly deposits everything he's carrying on the nearest surface and rushes over to her, pulling his fiancee against him. Take comfort in his masculine arms!]

I know. It's alright, now.

[notalkodarkness]

[Christine takes all kinds of comfort in those arms, Raoul. Can't you feel her pressing in against you as you hold her? If she could, she'd be skin to skin right now; desperate for familiar contact.

Her voice is soft and cracks as she speaks, throat tight around the words.]

I died, Raoul .. died!! Those women ..

[She begins to shiver in his arms, fingers clutching at the back of his shirt.]

[only_one_raoul]

[Well, skin to skin could be arranged There, there, Chrissie, the boyfriend's got you, and he's stroking her shoulder.]

You're safe now. No one will hurt you.

[Those women... he's going to have to dig into that. But after Christine is taken care of. For now, Raoul just holds her a little tighter.]

Oh, you sly icon matching thing! ;D Also .. lyric use (mostly) ftw!

[notalkodarkness]

[Promises, promises! She stills at his touch, arms wrapping around him and holding him close.]

I w- want to go home, Raoul ..

[It's a silly complaint and she knows this, but damnit, she just died and she'd only gone for a walk! She turns her head from his chest, her words no longer muffled.]

I only w- went for a walk .. that was all .. I h- hadn't even gone far..

|3c

[only_one_raoul]

[There's nothing he can say about going home, so he just keeps up the (hopefully) soothing words and touching. It just takes time to recover from the shock of dying, especially when it's unexpected and completely unfair. It's okay, babe, just let it all out.]

:3 <3 <3 <3

[notalkodarkness]

[Chrissie clings to him, taking solace and comfort in his arms. It's still several minutes of silence that stretch between them, but not at all uncomfortable. She begins to speak, softly, then.]

I only w- went for a walk .. Just down the h- hall from our room, Raoul. There was a woman I'd never seen before just .. wandering the halls. She said her name was Diva and that I was very pretty..

[She falls silent, arms tightening around him again. She swallows thickly, stomach tightening and lurching as the memories pop right up.]

Another woman came up behind me .. and they .. they were .. [She's grown pale by this point, having to take a deep breath to continue.] They were vampires, Raoul .. I know how foolish that sounds, but it .. they were. Diva told me not to struggle .. They .. Oh, God ..

[One hand rises to clutch at her throat and it should be pretty easy to guess what they did.]

[only_one_raoul]

[Being a good, understanding boyfriend, he holds her and listens quietly to her story--]

Diva--?

[Oh, God damn it, they'd only spoken once and Raoul knew she was trouble. Crazy psycho bitch trouble. Anyway, what was she saying? Oh, vampires. Fffffuuuuu why couldn't Christine have met a nice vampire, like the one he spoke to?]

It's not foolish at all.

[Looks like it might be time to bring out the big guns. Slowly, gently, one hand caressing her face oh ho ho, did you see what I did there, Raoul presses small kisses from to her forehead and continues down. Amnesia-inducing superman kiss y/n/for God's sake, she's wearing a sheet, what are you waiting for?]

[notalkodarkness]

[Such a good boyfriend! Pay no attention to the thread up above, mmkay? :D

Chrissie doesn't miss that he seems to recognize Diva's name, but she'll get into that later. Right now, she was going to just be glad that he didn't think she was crazy or anything. Thanks for that, baby!

She leans into his gentle caress I C what you did thar!!, relaxing in his arms as his lips move over her forehead and face. Amnesia-inducing superman kiss is GO! She tilts her head up, forgetting everything else for a moment but his touch, his lips. Her eyes meet his and one hand moves to cup the back of his neck, lifting on her tiptoes to meet him halfway.

Amnesia-inducing superman kiss is SUPER EFFECTIVE!]

[only_one_raoul]

[Oh, he'll have words about that soon enough B|

For now, there isn't much talking to be done. There are distraction tactics to pull on distraught girlfriends, and Raoul is only too willing to comply. His other hand moves from her lower back to higher ground, just below Christine's shoulders. It serves to keep her close and to make sure her sheet isn't falling off or anything. It would be tragic if it fell off. Seriously.

After a moment of intense brainscrambling, the intensity gradually lessens, and he eventually pulls back. Are you okay now, babe? Quick, how many fingers is he holding up?]

[notalkodarkness]

[Oh, I've no doubt. :D :D It's a party and the more the merrier, I say!

She melts into his chest, kissing him deeply and forgetting about everything while she is in his arms. Raoul just has this ability to make her forget all the bad when she is with him like this.

By the way, it's nice of you to hold up that sheet for her like that. So considerate!

When the pair of you finally break away, she looks a bit dazed, but then there's that brilliant smile she's shining up at you. Her hand moves to cup his cheek, thumbs caressing gently.]

I love you, Raoul ..

[only_one_raoul]

[There, distress at being killed all gone. Perks of having a "special" girlfriend, or is he just that good?

Though they've probably had plenty of moments like this over the months, ones that didn't come after someone died, Raoul doesn't think he could ever tire of them. He may not have been there when Christine needed him most, and probably wouldn't have been able to help even if he was, but being able to make it better after the fact is enough for now.]

I love you, too.

[This is murmured while turning and kissing the palm of that hand on his cheek. This is followed by a sigh and a soft squeeze from the hand on her shoulder. He hates to say this, or the second half of the statement anyway, but:]

We should probably get you out of that sheet and into some real clothes.

[notalkodarkness]

[Raoul, you are certainly quite good at easing the worries of your fiance's heart. Thanks for that. You should kinda sorta ease her worries more often, okay? Cause, that was pretty fucking amazing. Yeah. Your lips. Her lips. They should definitely meet more often than they have been.

His lips graze her palm and she exhales slowly, meeting his gaze as he speaks again. She turns her gaze to the door and then, seeming to remember something, looks down at herself.]/font>

Would you .. Raoul, I've nothing else and .. [She begins blushing and looks at the ground.]/font> Could you bring me something from our room. I'm a bit wary of going anywhere in just a sheet ..

[Her eyes dart to his face, her expression embarrassed, but hopeful. He'd do this for her, right??]/font>