I do not own any of the characters or plotlines from The Phantom of the Opera.

A/N Sorry for the delay, I was entranced by the final Harry Potter book, finished now so here is the next chapter.

Author – ToryD

Lost and found

Chapter 4

Christine adjusted the pink satin bow at Bella's waist with a gentle tug. It was amazing what money could do, she thought to herself as she took in the myriad of dresses that Nadir had summonsed to Erik's office with one simple phone call. "I think that this is the one," she said with an approving nod as she turned Bella around to face her.

"Me too," Bella said with a soft smile as she looked down at the lacy dress.

"Why don't you go and see if your daddy is ready while I change?" Christine advised with a gentle tone.

"Okay," Bella agreed turning to exit the large bedroom that was conveniently housed in the private apartment adjacent to Erik's large downtown office.

Once she was alone, Christine reached for her cell phone to alert her parents of the addition of Erik and Bella to the wedding guests.

"Christine Renee Daae!" her mother's stern greeting laced down the line as the call connected. "Why on earth are you not here yet?"

"I'm sorry Mom. I'm still in the city with Bella and Erik," she said as she reached for the garment bag that held her bridesmaid dress.

"In the city!" her mother all but screamed down the line. "You'll never be here in time! You can be so thoughtless sometimes Christine!"

Christine counted mentally to 10, a calming technique she learned early in life from her father in their dealings with her high-strung mother.

"You're a bridesmaid Christine! How is it going to look when the bride's sister is not at the altar at her side?" her mother asked with a telling anger in her tone.

"I'll be there mom," Christine said into her phone.

"I just don't know what's come over you the last few days! You barely even have any time for poor Raoul. Not that he would complain, he worships the ground you walk on even though you treat him so badly. He told me Christine! He told me that you have moved into that strange man's house," Rebecca Daae whispered into the phone with an unmistakable disapproving edge.

"Mom! Listen to me; I will be there on time. I just called to tell you that I am bringing Bella and her father with me," Christine broke in with a bit of a yell to interrupt her mother's tirade.

"Christine! Unless you spout wings and learn to fly there is no way that you will make it to the Hamptons in less than an hour!" Rebecca said with sarcasm dripping from every word. "Really Christine! I think that you could think of someone other than yourself for just one day! Do you know how hard I have worked to make this a special day for your sister?"

Knowing that her mother was going to do nothing but berate her, Christine asked for her father. "Mom, may I speak with Dad?"

"Your father is busy greeting the guests like you should be!" her mother snapped sharply.

"Is that Christine?" her father's muffled voice came over the line.

"Mom, let me speak to Dad," Christine instructed relieved to have her levelheaded father at last.

After a very un-lady-like grunt, she could here her mother talking with her father. "See if you can deal with your daughter!"

"Hi honey, are you all right?" he asked with a parental concern in his tone.

"I'm fine Dad. I just wanted to let you know that I'm bringing Bella and Erik along with me," she informed him softly.

"Yes, all right. Is there anything that you need me to do on this end?" he asked helpfully.

"Could you please let Meg know to move me to a table that can include both Bella and Erik?" she asked as she pulled her hair free from its ponytail.

"Sure, no problem. I assume that you will want Raoul moved there as well?" he father asked offhandedly.

Feeling a rush of guilt at her unconscious oversight Christine quickly agreed. "Yes, please do," she said almost wishing she didn't have to worry about her relationship with Raoul at the moment.

Hearing an unfamiliar stressed tone in his daughter's voice Charles frowned. "Christine, are you sure you're all right?"

Closing her eyes against the tears that threatened at her father's genuine concern, Christine adopted a reassuring tone. "Yes Dad, I'm fine. Just a little tired of all the attention from the press."

Not at all reassured, Charles promised himself to find some time for his youngest later in the day. "All right," he said gently. "When can we expect you?"

"Erik has his helicopter waiting so we should be there in about forty minutes," Christine said as she glanced down at her watch knowing that would only leave her ten minutes to get ready.

"Good. I'll see you soon sweetheart," Charles said warmly down the line.

"Bye Dad," Christine said as she ended the call with a deep sigh. Glancing at her reflection within the mirror, she wondered just how she was going to get through the next few hours with her mother and Raoul. Raoul, even his name brought a flush of guilt to her cheeks. With a shake of her head, she purposely pushed her troublesome thoughts away and concentrated on getting ready.

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"There's no way to get to her or the girl at the moment. Desard and the feds have them both under constant guard. To try the hit now would just lead them back to you boss," Vincent informed the older distinguished looking man seated to his left.

Johnny "the snake" Attola leaned back in his chair as he took in the news from his second lieutenant while silently cursing his only nephew Joseph. Joseph was proving to be an embarrassment to the Attola name, for this was not the first time that Johnny had to take measures to ensure Joe's stupid actions did not shed any unwanted attention on one of the city's most notorious crime families. "Where's Joseph and Shawn?" he asked with a deep sigh.

"Carrello has them stashed away at the docks for now. The feds and cops are canvassing the streets with sketches of both Joe and Shawn. It's just a matter of time before someone slips that Joe is a member of the Attola family," Vincent said with a resigned truth in his words.

"I will not have the unapproved actions of Joseph jeopardizing the family! My sister's only son or not, he will have to atone for his actions," Johnny raged in a rare show of emotion. After a long pause where he collected his thoughts he continued. "I don't want this touching the family in any way," Johnny said with a gruff firmness that even had Vincent repressing an urge to flee the darkened office. "I want you to go to my worthless nephew and let him know that he has one week to make this right."

Vincent nodded, knowing exactly what Johnny's message entailed. Joe had seven days to eliminate both the Desard girl and the witness before Johnny took matters in his own hands. Hands that wouldn't hesitate to kill one of their own.

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Christine's heart turned over as she watched Erik balancing Bella's tiny feet on his own as he swayed with her on the dance floor. Their presence at the wedding had caused quite a stir amongst the guests, some of whom wanted to meet the dynamic man who owned one of the country's most successful brokerage houses, others curious to see the little girl who had been featured so prominently in the news of late.

"Hi baby," Raoul's familiar voice purred in her ear as he settled his frame into the empty chair at her side. "I've missed you over the last few days."

Christine turned and offered him a smile. "I'm sorry. I need to be with Bella, she is having a difficult time of it still."

"You look tired Christine," he observed with concern reflected in his warm brown eyes.

"I'm alright," she responded with a dismissive wave of one hand. "How is your case going?"

Smiling at her characteristic change of subject when she didn't want to discuss something, Raoul relented and informed her of the latest details of his tort case before the state supreme court while he began to gently caress her bare shoulders.

Erik stiffened at the violence that filled him at the sight of Cage's hands on Christine. Drawing in a calming breath, he cursed himself silently at his possessive feelings for a woman whom he had no right to claim. Damn but she was beautiful, he thought to himself as he continued to stare at her under his hooded gaze. The lilac strapless dress accented her figure flawlessly, calling an immediate attention to her perfect breasts. It was all he could do to remain where he was instead of striding over and forcefully removing Cage's hands from her.

"Daddy?" Bella's small voice brought his wayward attention instantly down to her troubled eyes.

"Yes sweetheart?" Erik asked gently.

"Who is that man with Christine?"

"That is Christine's friend Mr. Cage," Erik informed his daughter softly.

"Oh," Bella said with a frown on her little face as if she didn't like the way Raoul was touching Christine either. "Can I have something to drink now?"

"Sure. Let me take you back to the table first and then I will get you some punch," Erik said as he took her small hand in his to lead her back to their assigned table.

"Hi Bella," Christine greeted her with a welcoming smile as she patted the empty seat next to her own. "I saw you dancing with your daddy and I have to say that you were the prettiest girl on the dance floor."

Blushing shyly, Bella smiled. "When are you going to dance with your daddy Christine?"

"That's a good question," Charles said as he approached his daughter's table. Leaning down he kissed the cheek of his youngest. "Hi honey." Turning to Raoul, he took the younger man's hand in his. "Raoul," he greeted with a familiarity that grated on Erik's nerves unreasonably. "And this must be our very special guest Bella," he said with a grandfatherly tone that instantly put Bella at ease.

"Bella, this is my daddy Mr. Daae," Christine said proudly as she preformed the introductions.

"Hello," Bella greeted in a small voice.

Charles bent down to Bella's level and held out his hand. "It's my great pleasure to make your acquaintance Bella," he said with an exaggerated elegance that caused a giggle to escape from Bella's lips.

Christine's eyes filled with tears as she witnessed for the first time Bella's laughter. Lifting her gaze she sought Erik's, sharing in that one perfect moment a feeling of overwhelming relief that the little girl who they both loved was showing signs of healing at last.

Erik's breath caught in his throat at the sheer beauty before him, for Christine's eyes mirrored the beauty she held deep within her heart.

"And I suppose this young man is Erik Desard," Charles said as he rose up to meet Erik's eyes.

Tearing his gaze away from Christine's, Erik looked into the kind, accepting eyes of the older man. "Mr. Daae, I guess I don't need to tell you what an amazing daughter you have," Erik said as he held out his hand.

Smiling, Charles took Erik's hand. "No you certainly don't, she has been the light of my life since the day she was born."

Christine blushed at her father's complement.

"Hello Mr. Desard," Raoul's anxious voice cut in as he held his hand out to the eccentric billionaire he secretly idolized. "I'm Raoul Cage, with Daae and Cage."

Erik took the outstretched hand and nodded absently to Christine's boyfriend. "Mr. Cage," he said offhandedly.

"Do you mind if I steal my daughter away for a quick turn on the dance floor?" Charles asked Raoul, causing a fresh wave of irritation to fill Erik at Raoul's seemingly assigned proprietorship over Christine's time.

"Not at all, as long as you promise to return her to me the instant the last note sounds," Raoul called playfully to his boss and soon to be future father in law.

"If you will excuse us," Erik said as soon as Christine left the table. "I promised this young lady a drink."

"Yes of course," Raoul acquiesced as he watched Erik leave with the fragile little girl who Christine had seemed to adopt as her own over the last few days.

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Charles looked down and saw an almost indecipherable tension in his daughter's features. "Okay honey, let's hear what's bothering you," Charles instructed as he took her into his arms as the music began.

Christine met her father's knowing gaze with a surprised look. "Dad, nothing is bothering me," she began only to be gently admonished by her father.

"Christine Renee, I have known you all of your life and with my experience I can certainly tell when my little girl is troubled about something," he said with a piercing look. "Now are you going to tell me or do I have to sic your mother on you?"

Christine groaned aloud at the thought of her mother's interrogation. "Alright, call off the Gestapo," she said only slightly joking. "I think I have feelings for Erik," she said softly as she looked away from her father's worried gaze.

Charles allowed himself a slight pause as he considered her words. "You know honey; it's only natural that you would feel drawn to Erik and Bella. When people share a horrifying experience such as you, Erik and Bella have, there are often misplaced feelings of attachment and love. That doesn't mean that they will last."

"But it's not just that dad," Christine said as she fought for the words that would better communicate her feelings for Erik. "I really think that I'm falling in love with him. When I'm around him, it's all I can do to function. And when I'm not with him, he's all I can think of."

Charles held Christine at arms length as he frowned down at the earnest look in her eyes. "Honey, what about Raoul?" he asked knowing before he asked that his daughter was not in love with the young man whom he had thought would be joining their family as Christine's husband.

Tears of remorse filled Christine's eyes as she looked up into the shocked face of her father. "I don't love him dad," she said simply.

Seeing the very real pain on his daughter's face, Charles drew her in for a comforting embrace. "I guess I can't say that I thought Raoul was the great love of your life, but he would have made a good husband," Charles said with a slight sadness to his tone. Feeling her stiffen at his words, he quickly changed his attitude, for his first allegiance would always be with his beautiful Christine. "Well I guess I had better spend some more time with this Desard fellow hadn't I," he said with a smile.

Shaking her head in confusion Christine lifted her tear-filled eyes to her fathers. "Dad, I…" she began only to be cut off by her father's light touch to her lips.

"Listen to me Christine," he said without his normal humor, which made his words ring with innate credibility. "I want you to follow your heart, for that is where your true happiness will lie."

"But, mom and Raoul. The family…" she began as her voice began to shake at the pressure she was feeling.

"You need to do what is best for you honey, and in doing so it will be best for Raoul."

"And mom?" Christine asked almost fearfully.

Smiling, Charles took her in his arms and preformed a dramatic spin on the dance floor. "You let me deal with your mother, lord knows I've had years of practice," he said as he glanced towards the heavens.

"Thanks dad," Christine said softly as she rested her head upon her father's strong shoulder.

As the music drew to an end, Charles looked down into her face one more time. "Honey, you do need to have a talk with Raoul," he advised as he reached out to push away a stray curl that had escaped her upswept hair.

"Yes, I know," Christine sighed softly as she leaned into her father's strength.

"Let's get back to your young man," Charles said as he once again adopted his jovial tone. "Well, that's quite a large piece of cake for so little a girl," Charles said as he reached Bella's side.

"Want some?" Bella asked as she held out a messy forkful of the fluffy white confection.

"I don't mind if I do," he said as he took the empty seat next to hers. "Erik, why don't you take my daughter out onto the dance floor and show her how it's done," Charles advised as he gave Christine a conspiratorial wink.

Not believing his luck, Erik pounced on the invitation. "Christine?" he asked as he held his hand out to her.

Christine glanced back at her father and mouth Thank you, as she took Erik's offered hand and joined him on the dance floor.