A/N: I wrote the story "Charles" a short while ago and I was thinking about all the scenes I wished I had put in that story. That story establishes a lot of dynamic and setting, so I recommend reading it for information, but you can very well read this one without checking it out. This is a collection of one-shots from Charles' childhood that can focus on either Charles, Christine, or Raoul. Erik is involved but very much dead, so he is present only in allusions and memories. In both stories I draw from Susan Kay's novel as well as ALW's musical. Thank you for reading!

Family had been flocking in from all over to congratulate the Vicomte and his wife on their son. Christine would joke that Charles was not even a year old and already had plenty of adoring fans. Even Raoul's parents, who were hardly the affectionate type, were dazzled by him. They extended their weekend visit to an entire week to stay around him. By the end Charles' cheeks were pinched until they were bright red. When they finally left they both stuck their heads out of the window to wave goodbye to them. When Christine moved Charles' arm in a mock wave they practically swooned. Raoul was in a fit of laughter as they reentered the home.

"Amazing," He clutched his stomach, "I have never seen them like that in my entire life! Did you know when I was a child, the best reaction I got from them was a light chuckle. That was the most pleasant visit from my parents I have ever had."

"I'm glad you had fun," Christine sank into the arm chair by Charles' crib, "I have never been more exhausted. I was worried they were going to eat him. I'm more tired than when Charles was first born."

Raoul bent down to kiss her cheek, "You were wonderful." He rose to tuck Charles in. The boy was tuckered out, more exhausted than his mother. Raoul placed his plush cat beside him and in less than two seconds, he was asleep. Raoul was about to leave when he noticed Christine was starting to fall asleep herself. He grinned a little bit, "Don't relax too much yet, the Girys have just written to us. They are stopping by tomorrow."

"Oh god," Christine rubbed her brow, "I love them more than anything, but I need some time. A recovery period? Anything?"

"I did not even know that Madame Giry left the opera house."

"Only so she can torment me."

Christine was awoken with a sudden jolt. Her vision was blurring into focus and she saw Raoul struggling to put his tie on correctly.

"Christine, they are here!"

She buried her face in the pillow, "Not possible... it can only be seven... maybe eight in the morning."

"It's half past noon, I thought you needed to sleep in."

Christine shot up out of bed, frantically getting dressed. She even left a hair brush stuck in her curls, "Half past noon! Charles, is he-"

"Changed, fed, and taking a nap. I am quite capable." Raoul pulled the brush out of her hair smiling. "These are your friends Christine, for once we do not have to be perfectly done up."

A cane boomed from down the stairs, "Madame and Monsieur Vicomte, where is this little Charles?"

Christine ran down into her Mme Giry's arms. She missed her so much. It had been over a year since she saw her last. Mme Giry smiled, "I missed you too Christine. You look stunning. Being a Vicomtesse is treating you well."

"Oh please, I still have the sleep in my eyes. Meg?" Her best friend came through the door looking disheveled.

As Meg hugged her friend she had to take a step back, "Excuse me, the ride here did not agree with me."

"As long as you're here. Would you like me to get you some tea?"

"Oh no no I am perfectly fine. I just want to see your son."

Raoul went up to shake Meg's hand, "It's great to see you both, but we just put him down for a nap. Please, let us get you some refreshments."

The party moved to the sitting room. As much as Meg tried to disguise it she was very happy to be sitting somewhere stationary.

"...I'm still dancing, there is a company here for a little while that we have joined up with. We just did a production of that new ballet, Swan Lake."

"I heard that's remarkable! Raoul, we must go see them as soon as we can." Christine still missed performing. She and Raoul both knew it. However, Christine was afraid that even if she got up on a stage again, she did not know if she would able to sing another note.

"We are here until the end of the month." Meg smiled proudly.

Raoul's eyebrows furrowed, "Are you leaving?"

Meg looked around nervously, "Well, the company was only touring in Paris. They are actually based in London, and I think we are going to go with them. Everything else has been changing here, we thought we should too."

"Oh," Christine did not want her best friend to leave but it was understandable. Raoul and she lived out in the outskirts of Paris, more isolated, but still close. Sometimes she was tempted to pick up and move away too, "That's exciting Meg. I will miss you."

Meg put her hand on Christine, "And I will miss you so much too. You are my best friend! I'm just happy we will have this time together before I go."

A maid burst through the door with Charles on her hip, "Um, excuse me Madame, but Charles has just woken up. I think he wants some attention." The maid laughed nervously.

"Actually this is perfect timing," Raoul stood up, "Here is the little nobleman. With all his visitors he is starting to be a little prince." Raoul took Charles from the maid and starting bouncing him up and down, earning him a giggle. Raoul gently placed him down on the floor between himself and his guests.

Meg immediately was taken with him, sitting down next to him to play, "Oh Christine he is beautiful!"

Even Mme Giry bent down to see him, "Yes. He has your curls. Has he been as tiring to you as you were to me?"

Christine laughed and moved to sit with her friends, "I was older when I came to live with you, I was allowed to be a little mischievous."

Both Meg and Mme Giry did a double take, "Wow, those eyes. They're practically glowing."

Mme Giry gave Christine a curious look, "Such a unique shade. Amber."

Christine ducked her head and feigned distraction. Her gaze never went back to meet her friends, she only gave a half hearted answer, "Hm? Oh yes." She especially did not want to look at Raoul who was tense in his posture. Since Charles' birth they had practiced ignorance enough that they had almost convinced themselves of the edited reality.

"Curious. How did he get such a color? I've rarely seen this color before." Christine just shook her head. Please stop Mme Giry. Please. Stop. Meg, catching on to her mother's comment and shift in attitude stared at Charles and her mouth dropped ever so slightly.

Quickly, sensing her friend's distress, grabbed her mother's wrist, "Mother, how about you tell them about Monsieur Bazin. Raoul, you will love this, Bazin used to be a sailor and then decided he had a passion for ballet!"

Christine and Mme Giry glanced at each other once before Mme Giry gave into her daughter, "Yes, he is surprisingly graceful."

They had stayed up late that night drinking and exchanging tales. The mood had remained altered ever since the Giry's observation. The conservation was always steered away from Charles and onto some neutral memory. Still, the night went better than Christine thought it would. Nearly escaping from disaster, her life motto.

She was just leaving Charles' nursery to return to her room. Raoul had already fallen dead asleep. He rarely ever has an excuse to relax so this company was definitely needed. Granted, his drinking increased with the tension. Christine rounded the corner when she saw Mme Giry leaning against the wall staring out the window.

The moonlight kept the hall illuminated, but there was still no deciphering Mme Giry's face, "How could you not tell me, Christine?"

Christine inhaled, "Tell you what?"

There was a sigh and Mme Giry turned to face Christine, "Please, you are a daughter to me, do not lie. Your son's eyes Christine. We both know whose those belong to."

Christine pressed her forehead against the wall, "Please let this go."

"Keeping this in will not help anyone."

"It has worked up until now. Raoul and I do not need any questions."

"My dear, the questions will not stop when Meg and I are gone. I have a feeling they did not start tonight either. What about when he is older, there are behaviors and things that you will not be able to explain away. How can anyone ignore it. It's too unusual-"

"It's a mutation?" Christine gazed blankly. Mme Giry paused, and for a moment looked apologetic.

In an attempt of comfort Mme Giry lightly placed her hand on Christine's back, "I am so sorry you are dealing with this. I know you love Raoul but I think... Charles' father deserves to know."

Christine had to cover her mouth to keep from breaking out into hysteric laughter, "Oh yes, I will go to him at once. He deserves to know." She just shook her head, "He's dead. Long gone. Before Charles was even born in fact."

For the first time ever, Christine saw Mme Giry become confused, "Dead?"

"I was there when it happened. Cremated him in a one woman funeral."

"I just assumed..."

"Well you assumed wrong." Her eyes were watering, "That's why I went back. He wrote to me, you know. Told me he feared that he was at the end of the line and needed to see me one more time. Can you believe it?"

"But why go back? After everything, you gave him more than you needed to, why go back again?"

Christine just looked at her. She opened her mouth to say something but the words would not come out. The real secret, hidden beneath Christine's own growing collection, would not allow itself to be heard, not yet.

"Oh." There was no response to that silence. Then Mme Giry held Christine, "You have suffered so much, and still so young. Do not worry, I will keep your secret."

"What secret?" Christine sobbed, "You said it yourself, I can not explain Charles away. Even in death, he's still here."

It was a peacefully weekend. Christine had missed being around other artists, and Meg was a huge comfort in this drastically new life. Even Raoul let his hair down, so to speak. When the Girys departed there were plenty of hugs and promises of visits in the future, even if London was across some water.

Mme Giry gave Christine a tight hug and whispered in her ear, "Be happy my dear, you have earned it."

"Any more visitors?" Christine wearily asked Raoul.

"None. Just you and me and-" Charles' cries echoed through the halls, "And a little prince who wants some attention."