So, I promised you a sequel, and here it is: The First Chapter. Not much to say here except I hope you enjoy the upcoming story..? Oh, and for those of you who are starting to red this, but haven't read my other story "What Really Happened: Christine's Story" I would suggest you do that first. You may get slightly lost.

"Thank you, Antoinette, but really, I'll be fine staying at my flat," I assured her, wiping the tears from my eyes. She eyed me for a second.

"And what about your fiancé, Anton? Where will he stay? He lived at the Opera House as well, no?" I nodded. "Then he should stay in your flat, and you can come live with us. It's not proper for an unmarried couple to be living together, and I won't stand for it." I sighed resignedly.

"I don't think Anton will go for that, Antoinette. I'm sure he can afford a place of his own."

"On what? He's barely been at the Opera two months, and that will give him barely enough for one month of rent, plus all of the necessities he'll need, having all of them been destroyed with the fire. No, dear, it would be better for everyone if Anton stayed at your flat." I nodded and agreed to speak with him about it.

I went looking for my fiancé, and found him kicking a pebble aimlessly through the street. "Erik, dear," I murmured touching his shoulder lightly. He turned to face me, a desolate look in his hazel eyes. "Why don't you come and stay in my flat for a while; I'll be staying with Antoinette and Meg."

"No," he said hoarsely. "Not until I find out about my home, Christine. If it's still there, I have some things I must get from it. And also, I wouldn't need to stay at your flat, although I'm flattered, I do have my salary, Christine."

"What? How would you know that you still have it if you don't know if your house survived?" I asked.

"I do use a bank, Christine, I'm not that disconnected from the world." He smiled grimly and continued kicking the pebble. I followed him.

"Erik, I'm sorry," I murmured, and he turned to face me suddenly.

"For what?" he laughed harshly, "It's not like it's anything you could have prevented, Christine."

"I could have helped you take what you needed from your house," I said timidly.

"Oh, no, I couldn't ask that of you, Christine. You're far too delicate to do something like that. How could I ever expect you to do anything?" he said sarcastically. I felt tears sting my eyes, and my lower lip trembled. These were the harshest words Erik had ever said to me. They hurt my soul; stung me to my very core.

"Erik, how could you?" I whispered before fleeing down the street. So much had happened so quickly that my emotions were unstable and I could easily sway from ecstatic to depressed.

"Christine, wait!" Erik called after me, and I was vaguely aware of his words; I had suddenly slipped into some sort of haze and kept walking numbly. I felt his hand on my shoulder, and I turned to face him, and I suppose that I had a glassy look in my eyes, because Erik gasped, a thing he rarely did. I just blinked at him.

"What?" I snapped, suddenly angry. "What do you want from me, Erik? I can't always me little miss under-control-always-knows-what-to-do! How can you seriously expect that of me? Because I'm not perfect, and I certainly don't always know what to do or how to react!" I could feel my face turning bright red, and I crossed my arms in frustration.

"I'm not asking perfection of you, Christine. I was just… snappy. I did just lose my home," he murmured, brushing his knuckles across my cheek affectionately.

"I know," I said, sighing. "But you're not the only one who lost something." I could feel the tears stinging my eyes again, and I fought them back desperately. I took a shaky breath.

"I know, love. I know." Erik pulled me into his chest again, and I took in the comforting, familiar scent that was his. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely and I nodded my head, murmuring my apology as well.

"We should come back in a few days and see if anything survived," I said, looking up at him and resting my chin on his chest.

"It's highly unlikely that anything did, Christine. Are you sure you want to do that?" he asked, stroking my hair.

"You'd come back anyway, even if I didn't. So I might as well," I said. He shrugged.

"Very well, then. In the meantime, I'll find myself an apartment to stay in, and you can stay at your flat." I wrinkled my nose.

"And apartment? Erik, I don't want to live in an apartment. If you're going to buy something, buy a house," I said, twining my hand with his.

"What, so we're to go house hunting now? Christine, we've barely been engaged a month!" he laughed, and I smiled lightly.

"Well, we might as well. You don't think I'm going to wait a whole year, do you?" I saw Erik's ears flush red, and I smiled. "I think I'd like something a little outside town," I said dreamily. "With a quaint garden and vines climbing up the walls of the house. It'd be so… romantic." Erik gave me an amused look.

"Yes, well, I'll see what I can find, Christine."

"You're not taking me with you? Humph!" I turned away from him haughtily, if only to hide the smile on my face.

"I never said that. We can't just go around and look at every house that's for sale, now can we?" he asked teasingly.

"I suppose not," I admitted reluctantly, "But you had better take me with you, mister."

"Very well, then," he said, putting an arm around my waist.

oO0Oo

Days passed, and Erik still hadn't found a suitable home, not that I was surprised. It would take a while to find one that fitted both of ours wants—and needs. I insisted on a three bedroom, but wouldn't tell him why. I certainly didn't want to scare him, the poor man. Just in case, I wanted a room for a nursery. And Erik, of course, wanted a music room. I did, too, so it was certainly a must.

In the meantime, Erik was staying in my flat, and I was with the Giry's. Meg was absolutely a joy to be around, and Raoul stopped by often, never venturing outside the holds of propriety, at which Meg was annoyed.

"We're engaged, for Pete's sake! Would it kill him to show the slightest bit of affection?" Meg had complained, sipping her tea grumpily.

"Perhaps it would," I had said, grinning wickedly, and Meg had given me a swat on my upper arm.

"Well, still, at least I have my ring," she said, sighing drastically. She admired it on her hand again, the big diamond in the center, and black onyx accents. It was certainly more expensive than mine, but my ring was mine, and I loved it.

Meg and I spent many hours like this in the course of those few days, and we were doing such a thing when Erik came calling. Antoinette answered the door, saying, "Anton, please come in. How nice to have you," and Meg and I exchanged knowing glances. I stood up from the divan to greet him, but he had a grave look on his face, and the smile died on my lips.

"Erik, what is it?" I asked.

"Erik? Since when is he Erik? His name is Anton Petit! Isn't it?" Mme. Giry had a perplexed look on her face, and Meg drew her aside, presumably to explain.

"It's my mother," Erik said quietly. "I've just received a letter from my father, saying that she is very ill, and possibly dying. He requests that I come at once."

"Of course, Erik, you must go," I said, placing a hand on his upper arm.

"Come with me," he whispered, "I cannot face this alone."

"Whatever you need," I murmured. "When do we leave?"

"In an hour; I already bought two train tickets to Rouen."

"Just give me a moment to pack," I said, brushing my lips across his cheek.

"There isn't time. The traffic is heavy, and it'll take us about fifty minutes to get to the train station." I sighed in frustration.

"All right. Meg!" I called, and she peeked her head around the corner. "Erik and I are leaving. His mother is very ill, and his father wishes us to be there." She nodded once and made a shooing motion, and Erik and I were out the door.

"Erik, It's freezing out here!" I complained before stepping into the carriage.

"You'll warm up on the way there. And since we've already bought our tickets, we can just step on the train. I would offer you my coat, but I haven't one either." I nodded, and Erik told the cab driver where to go, and the carriage rolled on.

Upon reaching the train station, Erik and I hurried into our booth, and Erik ordered us dinner. "It may not be very well prepared, but it will fill our stomachs," he muttered, and I nodded affirmation. I gasped suddenly, and pulled Erik in for a kiss. Erik was giving me a funny look, but I wasn't really paying attention to him. Out in the aisle, looking for their booth, was Jacques and Lynnette. To my horror, they saw that our both only had two people in it, and stepped in. I backed away from Erik hastily, and made my best attempt to hide my face. But it was too late, Lynnette had recognized me, somehow, some way.

Although, I will say that her baby was adorable. Last time we had seen Jacques an Lynnette, she was with child, and it had been long enough that Lynnette now had an adorable, three month old baby. "Christine? What a coincidence! How nice running into you again," she smiled at me warmly, and I smiled back half-heartedly.

"Lynnette, how are you?" I said, and I noticed that Erik was shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"I'm doing fairly well, considering the circumstances," she said, sighing sadly.

"What circumstances?" I asked, although, I had more than a good idea of why they were on the same train as we were.

"Jacques' aunt is very ill, and I'm so very worried for her," she said shaking her head.

"Oh, yes, she had a seizure, didn't she?" and Lynnette nodded. "Is there very much chance that she'll be all right?"

"It doesn't appear that way, I'm afraid. And it's a shame, too, she's a very sweet woman… What are you doing on the train?" she asked. "I just can't get over what a happy coincidence this is; running into you!"

I smiled, glancing at Erik, and he just barely nodded. "Well, we're to see Erik's mother. His father sent us a letter, saying to come at once, and so here we are." I could see Lynnete glancing curiously at Erik, and I knew that he looked very different than when he had his white mask on.

"Is everything well?"

"I'm afraid not," I said, biting my lip demurely.

"Oh? Whatever is the matter?" Lynnette asked, concern etched on her face.

"She is not well," I said. "She recently had a seizure, and she is not well..," I trailed off, not sure how much detail I should go into. I knew that we would inevitably have to meet them at the Girard's house, but whether to tell them now or later I wasn't sure.

"She could be dying," Erik said suddenly. Jacques looked up sharply at Erik.

"Do you mean to imply that your mother is the same woman as my aunt?" he asked rudely.

"Perhaps," was all Erik said, and I felt fear clutch my heart. If Jacques was going after Erik's parents money, Jacques would not be very handsome anymore.

"Are you that monster of a child who abandoned them when he was young?" Jacques spat. "If you are, I'll have nothing to do with you," he said haughtily.

"Jacques, please," Lynnette whispered.

"You think I left them?" Erik roared, and the baby began to cry. I fervently wished we were able to get off the train, but we still had at least another hour. "I was kidnapped! My mother was shot in front of me, and I was dragged away by travelling performers, watching her bleed. I thought she had died."

"And why didn't you look for her then?" Jacques said cockily.

"I thought they had died, or blamed me for her death," Erik whispered, and I touch his back lightly, and he glanced at me.

"And what of your mask? Where is that? Perhaps you are not really he; an imposter after Charles' money."

"You know nothing," Erik whispered. I shot Jacques a look of venom, and he looked away guiltily. Lynnette gave me an apologetic look, and I smiled faintly at her.

"I know enough to know that you are not he, for your face is as normal as my own," Jacques snorted.

"You ignorant bastard!" Erik growled. "Do not speak of that which you do not know." Now it was my turn to offer Lynnette an apologetic smile, and she shrugged slightly. Apparently she knew just what kind of man she married. "Do not think me so normal just because I appear to be."

"Meaning what?" Jacques asked, leaning dangerously close to Erik.

"I wouldn't do that, Jacques," I warned quietly.

"Bah! You're a woman? What do you know? The things you should concern yourself with are home-making and cooking!" That remark pushed Erik over the edge. Lynnette and I both gasped.

"You, sir, will not speak to her that way!" Erik stood up and pointed a finger at Jacques. "She is more intelligent than you could ever hope to be, and I will not have you speak about my fiancé that way."

"Oh, so the monster has a fiancé, does he? Well, well, well. I have to say she must have been very destitute in order to accept someone as you." I gasped in horror at his remark, and my hand clenched into a fist. Erik didn't say anything, but he threw a roundhouse punch at Jacques, landing squarely on his jaw. Jacques slumped in his seat, unconscious, and Erik stepped back, panting.

"I am sorry, Madame, for my behavior. Sometimes my temper gets the best of me. I promise you shall be reimbursed. Is one hundred francs suitable?"

"Please, monsieur, my husband had that coming for a long while. There is no need to apologize, or reimburse us, I assure you." She smiled at him reassuringly.

oO0Oo

Eventually, the train pulled to a stop, and Jacques had moved Lynnette and himself to an empty booth far away from us; I had a feeling I would not being seeing Lynnette on a social visit anytime soon. Erik and I stepped off the train, hailed a cab, and immediately burst into Charles' and Marianna's home. Charles greeted us with a surprised expression.

"How is she?" were the first words out of Erik's mouth, and Charles frowned heavily.

"Not well, I'm afraid," he said. "She is frail, and her skin is white as parchment, she barely eats, sleeps or drinks. I don't know why she stopped to begin with," I could tell he was concerned.

"I'll go make tea," I murmured, heading to the kitchen.

"No," Charles stopped me. "You should see Marianna first… I-I'm not sure how much time she has left."

So, this book is going to be a bit darker than the last one. Which isn't saying too terribly much, but it will be darker, especially these first few chapters. Don't forget to review, and I just want to say thank you to everyone who favorited, reviewed, added to you alerts, my previous story. Shucks, I'm just happy I got over 100 reviews on my last story. So, please review, and the next chapter will be up sooner if you do! :D