A/N: Bear with me, folks. I haven't watched Pirates of the Caribbean in ages.

Note: Gustave, in my story, is NOT Erik's! I am highly against LND!

It was late, nearly midnight. The date was April 2nd, 1873. Christine Daae sat at her desk in her music room, writing a letter to her friend, Meg.

Meg,

I'm happy for you and Thomas! Ever since you laid eyes on him, they've never left, and it's good to know you've found a lover.

Raoul and I are well. Our son, Gustave, is well also. Still, he's only three, but his musical skills are becoming evident. Just the other day, he was plunking out "Mary Had A Little Lamb" on my piano! He is such a sweetheart, and guess what his first word was, just last week? "Mama", and soon after, "Papa". He's very fond of Raoul and I, and especially his nurse, Marie.

Take care, ma amie,

Christine

Christine set her pen down, reading over the letter, then slipping it into an envelope and sealing it. She set the letter next to her pen, planning to mail it the next day.

Christine stood up from the desk, walking out the door and across the hall to her bedroom. Inside, she selected a nightgown, changed into it, and lay down in bed. On business nights like tonight, Raoul was up a bit late, so she fell asleep without his comforting embrace. Luckily, these nights weren't often.

Christine sighed, gazing out the window at the full moon in the sky. Immediately, a tapping noise was heard on the window.

Christine sat up. There it was again!

With a sigh, Christine walked over to the window, opened it, and peered into the lawn below.

Nothing.

A knock came to the door.

"Poppet… where are you, poppet?"

Christine's hand flew to her mouth.

"Raoul?" she managed?"

"No, poppet…"

Christine's eyes went wide. Her hand flew to a small chain she'd worn around her neck since she was thirteen.

A pirate medallion.

"Come on, Christine!" Meg shouted. "I found a door in the wall!"

Little Christine walked up to her friend, peering inside. "We shouldn't go in there."

"Why not?" Meg asked.

"Do you want to provoke the Opera Ghost?"

Meg sighed. "Fine." Her friend skipped away. "Come on! Maman will have our heads if we're late again!"

As Meg left, curiosity got the best of Christine, and soon she was in a pitch black hallway. She walked a few steps before a gloved hand reached out and touched her shoulder.

Gasping, she turned around. It was dark, so she couldn't see whoever was behind her.

A cold gust of wind blew around her. Before she could say a word, a lit torch appeared by the entrance, and whoever had been there was gone.

"Christine?" Meg's voice asked.

Christine sighed. "I'm coming."

As she made her way toward the door, Christine stepped on something; not the ground, for it clinked beneath her foot.

Stepping aside, she gasped.

Where her foot had been was a gold pirate medallion.

Christine shuddered at the memory. Without hesitation, Christine ran to the closet, stepping inside. Her leg brushed against something cold, something metal.

Raoul's sword!

Silently, Christine unsheathed the sword, keeping it ready, if the pirates came to the closet.

Christine heard the door open with a squeak. Through a crack in the closet, she could see two men enter the room, one tall and dangerously thin, the other short and pudgy.

"Poppet…" the short one, whose name was Pintel, said. "We know you're in here, poppet…"

The tall one, a pirate named Ragetti, pointed at the closet. Christine gulped silently in fear as the two pirates walked toward the door of the closet.

Pintel threw the door open.

"Ello, poppet," he said with a sly smile.

Christine raised the sword with weak bravado.

"No need to be threatening, poppet," Pintel chuckled, grabbing the sword and tossing it aside with ease.

"Parlay," Christine said suddenly.

"Eh?"

"Parlay. You must take me to your captain at once."

Pintel grinned knowingly. "Alright, then. Come on, Ragetti, the lady wants to see the captain."

Ragetti grinned as well, even though he hardly had a clue what was going on. As far as he was concerned, he thought the plan was to take her to the captain, yet he played along nonetheless.

"Wait," she said. "Where's my husband?"

"You mean the Vicomte?" Pintel said. "We took care of him."

Christine's eyes welled with tears as she bit her lip, trying not to scream.

"What did you do to him?" she demanded.

"Nothing too drastic," Ragetti assured her, earning himself a slap on the arm from Pintel. "We didn't kill him. He's just unconscious."

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Pintel muttered, grabbing Christine by the arm. He threw a piece of parchment to her bed, grinning wickedly.

The two pirates dragged her out of her room, down the stairs, and toward the entryway, when she turned and screamed her husband's name.

Marie, Gustave's nurse, ran down the stairs after Christine.

"Unhand the Vicomtess!" she demanded.

"Tell Raoul that I love him," Christine pleaded. "And take care of Gustave!"

With that, the Vicomtess de Chagny was dragged into the night.

Hours later, the Vicomte, Raoul de Chagny, woke up, still fully dressed, and in his study. His head hurt something fierce, and as he felt across the back of his head, he felt a small bump.

What the…?

"Monsieur!" Marie screamed. "Monsieur, quick!"

Raoul ran out of his study. "What is it?"

"It's the Vicomtess!" Marie said, panting. "Two men- I swear to the good lord, two pirates- just left with her!"

"NO!" Raoul ran to the bedroom, hoping that Marie was lying, that it was just a trick, but he was only proved wrong by the empty bed and the sword- his sword; apparently Christine had put up a fight- on the floor.

A piece of paper on the bed caught his eye. Raoul strode over to the bed, reading the note once, twice, three times.

Vicomte,

Forgive me for keeping your wife hostage, but it was entirely necessary. If you ever want to see her again, show this note to a Mr. Destler, whom you may recall as the, er, what do ye call him? Opera Ghost?

Raoul's fist clenched. The Phantom.

No, he ain't behind this, if that's what ye'r thinking. If Destler's reading this, we have a score to settle, my boy. It'd be a shame for Miss Daae to have to pay the price.

My regards to ye both,

Captain Hector Barbossa

Barbossa… Raoul had heard the name before. Notorious pirate, fabled to be the captain of the Black Pearl.

Raoul attached his sword to his belt, ran out of the house, and jumped onto his horse, riding into the night.

He needed to find the Phantom. And fast.