So I was sitting here typing this chapter out while watching the movie for inspiration. Hope you like.

Sorry, LadyCavalier, no can do. Mostly because I haven't yet decided myself.

I was onstage, singing my heart out, eyes never wavering from box 5, where I saw Erik's silhouette occasionally peeping from the shadows. You wouldn't be able to see him if you didn't know he was there, of course, Erik was too skilled for that. After I spun off stage, waiting for my cue, I almost burst out laughing when Carlotta barely hit the high note of the aria. Nothing else terribly exciting happened that night, except for one or two incidents later that evening.

Raoul congratulated me thoroughly, to which I blushed profusely. He offered to take me out to dinner, but I refused, saying that I had plans, which was a lie. I was too tired to go out. All I wanted to do was sleep, and possibly get something to eat before that. I bid Raoul goodnight and headed to my dressing room.

Erik was already there. "Erik! Oh, you startled me," I said, pressing my hand against my chest. "I wasn't expecting you," I said, giving him a meaningful glance.

"I'm surprised that you're not out with the Vicomte." He raised his visible eyebrow at me, a curious expression on his face.

"I'm too tired. Singing took a lot out of me tonight, Erik." I rubbed my temples. "And I'm getting a headache." I sat down on my bed.

"I have tea for that, you know. If you would kindly follow me, mademoiselle." He held out his arm, and, as usual, I took it. The mirror slid away from the wall, and then shut behind us. I took only one step before I realized my dress was caught.

"Erik, my dress is caught. Would you be so kind as to open the mirror back up for me?" I gave him my prettiest smile, not that I doubted he would open the mirror back up again. He put a slight pressure in the upper left hand corner of the mirror, and it clicked open. I pulled my dress out, and I realized someone was in my room. Raoul. He slid the mirror open before I could shut it and slip away with Erik.

"Christine! What are you—who is this man?" Raoul demanded. I could see Erik stiffen.

"Raoul, this is my teacher." I explained, stammering slightly. I never thought Raoul would invite himself into my privacy, but he had. It made me so angry. "What are you even doing here, Raoul? I told you not to come in without knocking again, and now I shall not see you!"

"But I did knock, Christine! And I heard voices, and I grew worried so I came in."

"It's very obvious to me that the lady does not want you in her room, and as such, sir, I suggest you leave," Erik said quietly, and I knew that if Raoul didn't leave, Erik would make him.

"Oh? And what about you, monsieur? I certainly do not think you knocked!" Raoul raged. I covered my face in my hands.

"Raoul, just go," I muttered.

"Christine, please… Let go of me, brute!" and I knew Erik had ushered Raoul out of the room.

"You really should start locking your door, Christine," Erik said mildly, but that was enough to send me over the edge. I started crying, and I hated myself for it. I looked up, and Erik seemed shocked by my tears, if not a little scared. I knew that, for the most part, the reason I was crying was because I was so tired, and my head hurt. I knew I was also crying because I cared for both men, but neither of them cared for each other. I knew that they would make me choose between one and the other.

"Erik, I'm sorry. Perhaps tomorrow night… I'm really very tired," I murmured. I could tell Erik was hurt by my rejection, but I needed to sleep. I didn't want to have to make all the hard, difficult choices at once. And not being able to confide in Meg made it even worse. I was beginning to loathe my situation. I needed to go see my Father.

After Erik left, I got undressed and laid my head against the pillow, attempting to lull myself to sleep. I barely acknowledged the quiet sing-song whispering that filled my chamber, weaving me a lullaby into sleep.

Daddy and I were walking along a long, misty beach, and I was holding his hand. There weren't very many people out on the sand today, due to the colder weather. Daddy and I were laughing about something, and he was about to tell me another story, when my bright red scarf blew from my neck and out along the coastline. I chased after it; always a whisper away from catching it. I gave up as it went out over the ocean.

"Don't worry, I'll get it!" a voice called from down the beach a little ways. I looked and saw a boy perhaps a year older than I tearing off his overcoat as he ran, pushing himself to catch the scarf before it went too far out. I watched, hand over my mouth. The water was so cold!

The scarf settled a few feet on the water. It came up to about the boy's waist, and he snatched the scarf from the water, waving it about as if it were a hard-won trophy. In a way, I suppose it was. He waded back, and handed me the scarf, a happy look on his face.

"Thank you…?" I paused, realizing I didn't know the boy's name.

"Raoul," he said. "I'm Raoul."

I smiled at him. "I'm Christine," I said, and promptly placed a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for saving my scarf," I giggled.

"Happy to be of service."

A ways away, I could hear Daddy laughing, and I turned to him. "Let's get the young man in some dry clothes, Christine!" he called.

My dreams shifted.

I looked around, and realized I was on the shore of the underground lake. Erik stood next to me, his gaze intense. I was saying something, but I couldn't hear what. I felt his fingers brush the hair out of my face, and he laid a soft kiss on my lips, leaving me feeling very warm inside. I smiled up at him, and a soft smile touched his lips, as well. It was the most handsome I'd ever seen him. I touched his porcelain mask with the back of my knuckles lightly, and a small flicker of sadness was seen across his features.

"You needn't worry about that, love," Did I just call him that? "If not for it, we may never have met."

I woke to a knock on my door. "Who is it?" I asked groggily.

"It's Raoul," the muffled reply came. I groaned.

"Not now. I don't want to see you."

"But I need to see you," he said, letting himself in.

"Stop doing that," I said grumpily, flinging my pillow at him. It missed by a far margin.

"Christine, seriously, I need to talk with you…." I looked at him expectantly. He could talk to me all he wanted, but whether I said anything to him was a whole different matter. "I'm sorry about last night." I kept waiting. "It was wrong of me to barge in like that, but I feared for you, especially when I recognized that other voice as male."

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Raoul," I said testily. "And besides, Erik would never hurt me." In my sleep muddled mind I had let his name slip.

"You're on a first name basis, are you?" Raoul snorted. "It seems to me that he's more than a teacher, Christine."

"Raoul, it's none of your business! Now get out! Out, out, OUT! NOW, RAOUL!" I screamed at him. I shook my head and groaned into my mattress. I felt a light hand on my back.

"Raoul, I thought I told you to leave," I growled and sat up. He looked at me like a puppy that had been yelled at. He kneeled by my bed.

"Christine, please, forgive me. I'll take you shopping if you do." I laughed sarcastically.

"I'm not as shallow as that, dear sir," I said bitterly. "It's better just to let me simmer for a while and then come back," I muttered. "Raoul." I looked at him angrily. He showed no signs of moving.

"Just think about it," he said, placing a soft kiss on my lips. That was enough for me to forgive him. Oh, why must I be so pliable? He was almost out the door.

"Oh, fine. But if you ever to that to me again without my explicit permission, I'm going to knee you in a very unpleasant place," I warned him. He seemed to take the hint.

"Tomorrow, then," he said gleefully. He certainly seemed to bounce back easily. I snorted and flung myself back onto my bed, groaning. I would not hear the end of this from Erik, especially with their newfound dislike for each other. I was just happy Raoul hadn't asked why I was inside the wall. That would have been tough to explain. I sit up and resigned myself to a bad day.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and like where I'm going with this. I'm trying to get updates in more frequently, but it might be more difficult with mid-terms this month. Ugh. Sorry to anyone I'm disappointing with this story, but if you require something form the story, PLEASE REVIEW, and I'll see what I can do to put it in.