Disclaimer: still don't own POTO but I'll let you know when I do.

A/N: All right, finally brought this back with a slightly shorter name, but unfortunately I won't have the time to update for about 2 weeks when exams finish.

Basic story is that Christine has raised her and Erik's daughter as Raoul's but not everyone is so accepting when such information comes out. I'm going pretty much by Kay's ending since I don't want to have to write all the back story required for something different, and for age reasons I'm going to say Erik was in his mid to late thirties at the time.

The first chapter is really slow I admit but it really is just an introduction since I'm working with so many non-canon characters. It does pick up after this chapter.

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The world is turned

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It was a Sunday just like any other one would think. The Changy children were walking home together from church at a slow leisurely pace enjoying the warm spring air. Their father, as has been with the previous few weeks, was not with them. A growing illness had left him bedridden with him too weak to even make it down the stairs. The doctors said it would not be long now, yet Raoul still managed to hold a cheerful countenance in the presence of his children.

The two eldest walked side by side with a false look of contentment on their faces while the other two followed a few steps back, attempting, or rather pretending to not overhear their siblings' conversation. The silent contempt the two eldest held for each other was not lost to their siblings nor did their parents particularly know about it. Though Josephine at seven was still too young to really grasp much of their conflicts, she could still feel the underlying discord enough to stay away when the two of them were together. Etienne on the other hand was sixteen, and could not just pass their behavior off, as they simply did not like each other. Their sickly sweet persona to each other along with false smiles and tightly controlled language in companies presence was enough to make him suspect they were both planning on poisoning the other. He too, had the good sense to remain silent once their simple remarks began, knowing full well that they were only going to escalate, but then he was never much for talking to begin with.

Etienne had a quiet disposition, not really because he himself was a loner, but more because he simply did not wish to be caught in the crossfire of his brother and sisters rivalry. Instead he decided he wanted to be as little trouble to his parents as possible, their hands were full enough keeping Nicolas and Danielle from killing each other without having to deal with him as well.

At first his parents were concerned about his seemingly shy persona, as he would spent all his time at his studies or sketching landscapes, but as soon as he was first introduced to society, all the worries his parents held were put to rest. Etienne had evidently inherited all his fathers' boyish charms along with his good looks. Though reserved, he could be an excellent conversationalist when he needed, was easy going, and always willing to have a good time; this along with his dirty blond hair and sparkling blue eyes was not at all lost on the ladies.

Raoul could not help but laugh as he watch mothers already pushing their daughters in his direction, sadden only by the fact that Christine was no longer with them so see her favorite son grow to be a true gentleman. Etienne personally thought the way they acted was ridicules. Like any sixteen year old boy, he fully enjoyed the young ladies attentions, but he new he was far too young to be thinking about marriage and besides that, he fully intended to attend university and study a profession, in which case women would simply be a distraction.

Josephine, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. She was lively, energetic, and constantly dirtying her new expensive dresses. Despite her hyper activeness being trying to ones patience at times, everyone couldn't help but fall in love with the young girl. Her free spirited soul was overshadowed only by the purity of her heart. She was sweet innocence it self, wishing only that everybody else were as happy as she was. Some who knew Christine the best even ventured to say that when her mother died, her spirit past into the newborn girl. Danielle personally thought the idea was ridicules but couldn't help agreeing that her mother indeed died giving birth to an angel.

Danielle was there when it happened. She had sat at her mother's bedside, holding her hand through the screams and watching on in fear. The whole room was dully lit with only the midwife and a few other ladies in the room with her. Only sixteen at the time, Danielle was though old enough to sit with her mother through the ordeal, this was something they though would be a good experience for her and besides, she was always such a brave child, but in truth she was terrified the entire time. As her mother clasped her hand with crushing pressure and she listened to her pained cries, Danielle wanted nothing more but to run from the room.

Eventually after many tense hours Danielle heard the cries of Josephine's entry to the world. Looking over to her mother, she was nearly brought to tears as she saw the look of sublime pride glowing from Christine's face as her newborn daughter was presented to her.

Like her mother Danielle instantly fell in love with the tiny babe, all it took was one wrinkled look in her direction and tears of joy started to trail down her face. Moments later Raoul was permitted into the room and took her place at Christine's side. He almost looked more disheveled than Christine as he came in, in a cold sweat and shaking nervously. Quickly he came to his wife's side and kissed her tenderly before turning his attention to his new daughter.

It was only now that Danielle noticed the midwives and nursemaids agitation. They were whispering quickly and giving pained expression to each other. Now becoming concerned Danielle moved closer to where they were standing but as she did she couldn't help but stare at the amount of blood that was lost and now stained the sheets. Fully admitting to her self that she did not know much about childbirth, something in the back of her head continued to tell her that this was not right.

Distraught she glanced back over to her parents and observed the look of love they both possessed as they gazed over their newborn child. Raoul had one had wrapped around Christine and the other gently stroking his daughters head. She smiled as she couldn't help but notice that he seemed to have a strange problem with not being able to go more then a few seconds with out kissing either his wife or the small child. It was then when an uneasy midwife pulled her father to the side to speak with him.

Danielle did not like the expressions she saw pass between the two as quick gestures were frantically made. Turning her attention away from the scene, Danielle saw her mother weakly motion for her to come back. She was surprised that as she moved back to her side, her mother carefully placed the babe into her arms with loving care.

"Take good care of her." Christine whispered when at last Danielle held the child next to her.

"Maman?" Confused she looked at the girl then back to her mother, noticing now how ghastly pale and weak she appeared.

"She'll need you now... you're so like him...." She began with a bit more strength in her voice and then faded. It was then Danielle's hearing focused to the other side of the room where her father was speaking, and with the midwife's next words struck horror into her, and she understood her mothers meaning.

"Monsieur, your wife is dying." Shocked, she nearly lost her balance as Raoul bolted back to Christine's side. The events that followed were not clear in her mind, all she could really remember was sitting on the floor, clutching Josephine tightly to her body as she cried uncontrollably along with the babe. Vaguely she knew her siblings were there as well, at times talking to her, but nothing was really clear.

Christine did not last the night.

Raoul at first had been deeply affected by Christine's death, locking him self in solitude and refusing to see his children, he seemed to lose grasp of reality. After weeks of mourning by himself, Danielle simply would not tolerate his silence anymore, it was not healthy and she worried if nothing was done she'd soon lose her father as well. She had to go as far as actually physically forcing him from the room, in his state it did not take much strength to remove him. Oh he cursed at her and said some utterly wretched things as she dragged him out but eventually he quieted. Then she brought him little Josephine and when he looked down on the tiny babe he could have sworn he saw Christine.

Not since her birth had he looked upon his daughter and by far she resembled their mother the most. Already she had a full head of curly brown hair with shining big blue eyes, even the child's laughs reminded him of Christine. He knew then that he could not abandon his family to grief, he could not be so selfish and from that moment on, Danielle could do no wrong in his eyes.

As the years past Danielle and Josephine became inseparable. Danielle took over the roll of mother and sister as well as governess with ease, indulging the little girl a little too often for her own good. Never would anyone say she was spoiled, she simply liked her freedom and thought nothing of catching frogs in the bog, or jumping in mud puddles after the rain. She could spend all day in the gardens picking flowers only to present then to her father while she trailed mud throughout the house with a smile on her face.

Nicolas of course did not approve of this, but then Nicolas did not approve of much that involved his sisters. He was an odd boy right from the start. He never took an interest to really anything growing up, more actually, it was that he took an interest in everything at one point but simply did not stick with it long enough to actually become particularly good at it. One could look at this and say that he was simply an impatient boy. If he tried his hand at something and did not get immediate results, he would move to the next and repeat the cycle over again.

He was also a very competitive child, which is really what led to most of his peculiarities. Being only a year younger than Danielle, he felt the constant need to compare himself to her, which was not an easy task. Danielle had always been exceptionally bright and seemed to excel at everything she tried, where Nicolas only saw himself fail. When he saw his parents' constant praise of her abilities and accomplishments, he could only see it as attention paid to her and not him, that she was the favorite.

Over the years the frustration grew to bitterness and he was not above doing anything he could to tarnish is sisters reputation in the eyes of his parents. This combined with Danielle's explosive temper did not make things easy on their mother and father, especially in their younger years when they did not have the good sense to hide their resentment from them. Because Nicolas felt like he had to fight for every bit of attention growing up, he ended up becoming quite selfish at times. Nothing around him mattered except how it affected him, which is why when societies rumors concerning his sister reached his ears he was furious and saw it as something that would ruin the proud name of Chagny, his name being the only thing he really had to be proud of. Matters were not helped when the one girl that caught his eye refused his proposal. He couldn't see her reasoning to be anything but because of his sister and not from his less than gentlemanly pursuits of pleasure he'd become increasingly involved with.

And then there was Danielle, who above all else was proud, proud of her abilities, accomplishments, and especially her name. One could sense an aura of command around her as every step she took she took with purpose and dignity. A true daughter of the aristocracy, she held her head high, waving off all comments concerning her mother and her former 'profession' or other equally disturbing rumors. The only real fault that could be found in her was a subtle streak of arrogance that occasionally came out, mainly when dealing with her brothers' antics. Danielle was intelligent and she knew it and though at first she had intended to go off to school, after her mother's death she opted to remain home to help raise little Josephine instead.

All through her education she excelled at increasing rates, as there didn't seem a subject she could not master, especially in the arts. She was an excellent musician, accomplished on many instruments though she preferred the piano and cello the most. Despite being told she had an astounding voice, she preferred not to display it as it tended to remind everyone of Christine's opera days. It was then that the knowing glances would start to be cast across the room, and triumphant smirks made to friends.

Danielle's introduction to society had not been the easiest, only sixteen she was not prepared for the inevitable prejudice that came along with being the daughter of a chorus girl, nor had she built up the stiff wall of controlled emotion she now possessed. Her mother was still not even fully accepted into the ranks of aristocracy and Danielle's appearance didn't help matters much. At 5'10 with raven black hair she held barely no resemblance to either of her parents. The only thing, which she was greatly thankful for, were her large blue eyes, which all her siblings possessed as well as her parents. Danielle could still remember people commenting on how she had her father's height and that her hair must be from the Daae side but her eyes were definitely her fathers, only to be followed by a short laugh or a questioning expression.

Despite her very rational line of thinking her mind refused to process any of the things being said. She and her father had always been particularly close; in her youth they spent much of their time together. He was the one who first taught her to ride, sail, and even shoot much to her mother's disapproval of course. And despite her always-proper manors she still possessed that free spirited love of life shared by her sister and lacking in Nicolas. With this, she and her father would spend hours riding through the fields joking lightly on every subject. She new he was never one to be kept in doors, stuck behind a desk, and Raoul new that Danielle was not one to be contented simply sitting around acting like a lady all day.

As unfortunate as it was, Christine's death actually made things easier for the girl. No longer would catty women dare to make comments about Raoul's favorite, for now at 36 he was not only very handsome, rich, and held a title, but most importantly he was single. Danielle would watch and try not to laugh as women only a few years older than she would try to catch the Vicomtes eye or flirt shamelessly with him. He was always far too much the gentleman to deny the ladies a dance but beyond that, much to Danielle's relief, he paid them no attention.

It was only months ago that it was discovered he was ill. He had all the best doctors but none of them could find cause or a cure for his malady, life just seemed to be being sucked out of him, growing weaker and weaker with every day. He had been confined to his bedchamber for the past few weeks now, where Danielle and a nurse tended to him as often as possible. The doctors said that it would be any day now, causing growing tension amongst his children. With each of them dealing with their grief in their own way, tempers were quick to flare. Even Etienne would have the occasional out burst, not able to hold his tongue while Nicolas and Danielle spat insult to each other.

And now they were all outside, taking the much-needed air to offer some comfort before they reentered that house. Of course Nicolas could not help but take this opportunity to pick a fight with Danielle.

"I didn't hear you singing today, finally letting them get to you? Father would be so displeased, especially in his present state." He commented offhandedly, with out even a glance to his sister. Danielle merely raised her eyebrows in a bored expression, far too used to his comments to take them to heart.

"Really Nicolas, the least we can do is act civil towards one another when we get home." Danielle calmly replied with no hint of actual interest in what he was saying.

"Yes I suppose we could manage that. You know, despite the fact that it is father dying, I'll be happy to have this whole thing over with." His tone had a hint of amusement to it as he turned his head slightly in her direction. He now had her attention.

"And why do you say that?"

"Because then, dear sister, I can finally be rid of you." At this Danielle couldn't hold back a laugh. As much as she'd love to never see her dear brother again, the idea of him accomplishing anything, let alone finding away to get her out of the house was laughable at best.

"Really? Do tell me, how exactly do you plan to do this? Have you found someone to marry me off to already perhaps?" she could not hide the mirth in her tone, his simple mind was far to uncreative to come up with anything other than marriage.

"If only it were that simple. You see no one wants to marry the daughter of an opera whore... but I'm sure, with the right price of course, I could find someone willing to take you off my hands."

So nonchalantly did he speak this that it made it difficult for Danielle to remain composed while her fury was burning inside of her. Taking a deep breath while not letting her steps falter, she calmed herself before she spoke. "She was your mother too..."

A sly grin played across Nicolas face, as he couldn't wait to see his ever- composed sisters response to his next statement.

"That may be so, but at least I know who my father is, you... do not."

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Please R&R it's greatly appreciated. And thanks to everyone who did before this was deleted. ^_^;