Chapter 5: One Love, One Lifetime

Academy of the Sacred Heart, Amherst, New York, December 24th 10:45 pm

When they were amidst the sea of people and could no longer see their relatives, Aaron felt like he could breathe again.

"Aaron!" Jane's annoyingly high pitched voice called out. Apparently, Armand was able to see them slip away and followed them, a scowl on his face.

"This just doesn't seem to be our night," Aaron muttered. Charlotte shook her head, but a smile was on her face.

"It's not midnight yet. If I was to introduce Jane to Armand, then we can get away."

Aaron laughed mischievously. "I'm rubbing off on you aren't I?"

"Yes, you are," Charlotte said, just as Jane broke through the crowd. Armand was about to shout at Charlotte when she began.

"Armand, this is one of my dorm mates. I'm sure you'll find much in common."

"That you will, Sir. Jane, why not be a dear and let Monsieur de Chagny have a dance with you."

Both were too astounded to refuse. Once pushed back into the crowd, Aaron and Charlotte ran out of the ballroom and to the roof. According to the clock tower, there was still forty-five minutes until midnight.

Snow fell softly on the roof top, only to be trampled by their feet.

"Are you cold?" Aaron asked. Charlotte nodded, her teeth chattering and her hands rubbed her arms trying to circulate the warmth. Aaron took off his jacket and wrapped it around her, then encircled his own arms around her. "I'll keep you warm." He promised. "My Little Lotte."

They began to sway to music only they could hear. He turned her around to face him and they danced a dance that belonged to them alone. They began to feel warm despite the cold on their skin. Strands of Charlotte's hair began to come loose, but that didn't matter. Their cheeks were flushed from blood and the cold.

Neither knew how long they had danced but when they stopped for a moment, Aaron lowered to Charlotte's height, planting a sweet, soft kiss on her lips, which she answered. The clock began to strike midnight and they broke apart.

"Don't leave," Charlotte begged, as they headed downstairs.

"I'll be back," he assured her.

"No," Charlotte demanded. "Don't leave ever!"

They had reentered the school and the warmth seemed uncomfortable. Aaron gazed at Charlotte's pleading eyes. "Even if we're parted," he stated. "I will always love you. Nothing can change that, no one can change that. I'll always come back to you."

"Promise?" Charlotte asked.

"Of course," Aaron said, kissing her forehead. He led her back downstairs. There, they saw Jane still dancing with Armand, Erik dancing with Ms. Newfield, and the Comte dancing with the Countess. The dancing finished after they arrived and everyone began to bid their farewells. Charlotte after she had said goodbye to her mother and brothers was pulled aside by her father.

"Are you trying to get yourself kidnapped, Lotte?"

"What on earth are you talking about, Papa?"

"Your friend is the Phantom's son! How can you expect me to approve?"

"Did Grandmother and Grandfather approve of Maman?"

The Comte hesitated. "That was…different."

"How so? Because you and Maman were childhood friends? I love Aaron. He's not a bad person and, from what I've seen, neither is his father."

"His father," the Comte growled. "Is a murderer."

"Was a murderer. Twenty years ago," Charlotte countered. "And I'm not in love with someone you still hate; I'm in love with his son. If you can't accept that, then I'm sorry, Papa. You'll have to live with it."

"When did you get such a tongue?" the Comte demanded, grabbing Charlotte's arm in a tight grip.

"Raoul!" the Countess shouted, striding towards her husband and prying him off a now frightened Charlotte. "That is enough! The boy's not that bad. He's quite a gentleman."

"Considering his background!"

"Raoul, you're being a hypocrite."

"Have you forgotten what hell we went through with that man?"

"No, Raoul, I haven't," the Countess said, laying a hand on her husband's shoulder. "But he's certainly changed."

"Considering he's a drunken bastard one minute and sober the next."

"He was obviously acting. Oh come now, Raoul. Is his boy all that bad?"

"Christine, have you gone mad? How can you even suggest that the boy is decent?"

Charlotte stomped away from her parents and once there was room enough to run, did so. She locked her door, pulled off her shoes and collapsed onto her bed, tears wetting her lashes. At the rate it was going towards, her father had a half a mind to pull her out of school and have her schooled in Paris under his supervision instead.

School wouldn't start again for another four days. Charlotte vowed to spend as much time with Aaron as she could just to prove to her father that his idea that she would be kidnapped was utterly ludicrous.

December 26th, Academy of the Sacred Heart, Amherst, New York, 7: 37 am

Charlotte came out later than usual, which Aaron half expected considering how late she was up.

"Is there somewhere else we can go?"

"I have some money," Aaron thought. "Probably enough to get us to New York City and back. Why?"

"I need to get out of this dratted school!" Charlotte stated. Aaron shrugged and Charlotte opened the gate carefully before squeezing through. As she did that, Aaron put away his violin.

"We'll take a stop at my place for a moment. I need to put this away," he said, indicating his violin.

"Why?"

"It'd be a bit of a bother lugging around a violin if you're not going to use it."

"Then why not use it when we get there?"

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "What are you getting at?"

"You know songs that can be sung right?"

"Of course, but I never really play them. Not much anyway. You plan on singing?"

"I don't see why not," Charlotte said.

"It could be wet," he said.

"I brought an umbrella."

Aaron shook his head. He wasn't going to be able to convince her otherwise and he could tell, but they still stopped at his home so he could get a bit more out of his safe.