(A/N: Hullo my faithful followers! I bring good tidings of drama and emotional tension. I hope you enjoy the latest installment of Phantom, Adorable and Charming, because I've enjoyed writing it. :D And a special thanks to my ever helpful beta SesshomaruLover23. She's put so much effort into this story that it's just as much her baby as it is mine. :3 I hope you enjoy and, as always, read and review.)

Christian stood in a slight daze off stage. He had just exited stage left after the curtain call. His entrance was welcomed with a thunderous applause that almost stunned him to the point of freezing. But he pulled through and gave a gentle smile as he bowed deeply to the standing audience. Now that the audience wasn't watching his every move, Chris allowed himself the chance to enjoy the moment.

Feeling giddy beyond belief, Chris spun on the spot and smothered a laugh. A wide grin spread across his face, and he did a small hop of excitement. When Meg came off stage, he swept her up in a hug, to her surprise. Chris gently put his best friend down, and she giggled.

Meg grabbed Chris's hands and said excitedly, "Oh, Chris! You were so great! Everybody loved you. I'm sure your angel was proud." At this, Chris looked down at his feet, cheeks reddening slightly. He started to shake his head in protest, but Meg stopped it with a hand to his chin. She lifted and Chris found himself looking into her dark green eyes once again. "You were very good. She will be pleased."

Those were the last private words they had together because Chris was then swamped with people from the chorus and co-stars congratulating him on his premier success. There was such a clamor that Chris could barely catch snippets of what was being said to him.

"You did great I-"

"I can't believe-"

"Piangi has been-"

"Did you hear the crowd-"

Chris smiled, nodded, and gave a small "Thank you," to every compliment that passed his way. The crowd continued to swarm around Chris and he began to feel a tad bit claustrophobic. I can't breathe. They're too close. I'm suffocating! Chris began to inwardly panic. He frantically tried to work his way through the mass of people, hoping to reach empty air so he could breathe again, but the shifting group of bodies seemed endless. As he passed more and more people, Chris began to feel hysterical. I can't get out! I CAN'T GET OUT!

Chris was about to cry out in desperation when Madame Giry's staff hit the floor with enough force to create a knock that silenced the crowd. After the din died away, Madame Giry said calmly, "I do believe our leading male needs to rest in his room. Tonight has been taxing and ALL OF YOU," she turned a cold glare towards the group, "are not helping. Go. Leave. I'm sure you have something to do." Madame Giry emphasized the end of her small speech with another hit of her staff against the floor.

While the mass of people quickly dispersed, Chris walked up to Madame Giry, who was talking quietly with her daughter. As he neared them, their conversation died away, both of them watching the approaching man with identical dark green eyes. "I..." Chris tried to say. "I just..." Madame Giry gave him an expecting gaze. Chris decided to be direct. "Thank you. I really needed them to leave." He gave Madame Giry a warm smile that was returned with a tight-lipped one.

"It was nothing," Madame Giry said. "I know you have things you wanted to do..." She looked at him knowingly. "I figure you've waited long enough to return to your room." Chris smiled and nodded ecstatically and dashed down the hall to meet his angel.

~*~*~*~

Erika waited behind Christian's mirror anxiously after his performance. Christian had done splendidly; his tone was strong and he hit every note with ease. She could barely contain her own excitement as he received a standing ovation. Now, pacing back and forth, Erika was waiting for him to return.

Chris quickly closed the door behind him and promptly locked it. He didn't want to be disturbed while he was with his angel. He wanted to be able to live every moment without interruption. As soon as he was sure that he had securely closed and locked the door, Chris practically ran over to the mirror, grinning like an idiot the entire time.

"Oh, Christian. The angels wept as you sang tonight." Without any prompting, his angel was there, and that pleased Chris more than the performance had. "You deserved every second of the audience's applause. I am proud of you." The smile was once again evident in his angel's voice. But there was still that other something. It was almost a mixture of longing and loneliness.

"My Angel of Music," Erika's heart still fluttered when he called her that, even if it was because he had no other name for her. "I could not have done it without you. I wish there was some way to show you my full gratitude." Chris's voice grew husky with emotion. "I wish there was some way I could repay you..." He finished in a voice that took Erika's breath away.

"Christian-" Erika took a deep breath, ready to say more, but a resounding knock interrupted her. Enraged, Erika stormed deeper into the tunnel, growling ferally in her throat. Christian also growled angrily deep in his throat as he leapt up and stormed to the door.

Swiftly unlocking it, Chris pulled open the door and said coldly, "What! ... Can I help you with?" Looking at the intruder, Chris was surprised to find it was the well-poised blonde that was in the office that fateful day. "Pardon, Madame." He looked at his feet sheepishly, desperately trying to remember the Opera House's patron's name. Vicomtess de Chagny! Chris recalled. The petite woman simply smiled and looked at Chris expectantly with her swirling hazel eyes. "Forgive me, Vicomtess. Would you like to come in?" He stepped aside, holding the door open for her to enter.

Turning back, Erika saw that Christian had let the intruder into his room. The anger that was burning strong in her stomach turned cold and heavy when Erika saw that it was the Vicomtess de Chagny. Drawing closer to the mirror, Erika watched, eyes burning.

The Vicomtess de Chagny quietly entered, gazing around Chris's room. Figuring she had something important or private to say, Chris closed the door. She turned sharply at the click of the door closing, but made no comment against it. Chris followed her with his eyes as she slowly walked around his small quarters, turning until she was facing him again.

A twinkle shone as she tilted her head and smiled. "Do you really not recognize me?" Her voice was soft and teasing. Chris slowly shook his head, confused but surer than ever that he somehow knew this wealthy Vicomtess. "Oh, Chris," she gave a small smile. "You really don't remember the little girl that you spent a summer with all those years ago?" And then it all came rushing back.

When his mother was alive and well, she worked as a governess for families that were either wealthy enough to afford one or too busy to bother worrying about their own children, though it was usually both. One spring, when Chris was about ten, his mother was looking for work and found a job with a noble family that wanted her, not as a full-time governess, but as a temporary one. She was told upfront that the job would only last the summer, from May to September, but Chris's mother took the job anyways.

The child she ended up watching over was a small thing, even though she was about eight or nine herself, who was full of spunk. She always wore light colored dresses that were cheap enough that she wouldn't get yelled at when they got dirty while she played. Her golden-blonde hair was always down, but pulled out of her face, and her round cheeks had a few freckles splashed across the bridge of her curved nose. When Chris first met this little girl, he took one look at her hazel eyes and stuck his tongue out. She swiftly responded with a raspberry and they became fast friends.

Unfortunately, it did not last. At the end of the summer, Chris promised his new friend that he would do everything he could to see her again. Standing strong, Chris tried not to cry as he left his one friend, for he had always had trouble making any. He held the tears back until she ran up and pecked him on the cheek, tears already running freely down her face. That was the last time he had seen her.

"Raoula?"