I KNOW IT'S DRAGGING A BIT, PLEASE BEAR WITH ME! OTL if you're hitting this marker, thanks SO much for having the time and interest to read the nutty drabble of a little pikachu 3 there's not long to go until the end... X3

COOL TRANSITION WITH NOT SO COOL MUSIC

Louise sat morosely in the carriage as she and Raoul rode to the church. The skies were grey as they prepared for Christine's funeral, and silence followed between the supposed father and daughter.

"Louise," Raoul spoke up for once. "Will you perform today?"

"No." she shook her head. "What will happen now?"

"To what?"

"Well you're free to marry Meg, I'll end up in an orphanage somewhere and-"

"Louise, please listen." Raoul grabbed her hand. "I knew."

"How?" she frowned. "The eyes?"

"Well that," he nodded. "And also, your mannerisms, you were quite cunning as a child, you know. Always demanding to be picked up, always putting on puppy eyes when you wanted something." He mused. "Also then there was the music. I knew it couldn't have come from me,"

"Alright," Louise nodded. "But what now?"

"It's your choice where you go to live. Either with me, or with him." He shrugged. "But just so you know, even though you weren't mine, I'm proud of you." He sighed. "But I never could love you as my own. Maybe it was the eyes, or maybe it was God, but I just knew you were different." He half smiled. "I'm sorry for never being a proper father; I could never be the father you wanted, no, the father you deserved."

Louise pondered this as the carriage pulled up to the church. As they opened the door, Raoul got out first and offered a hand to her. She took the hand, and once she got out, she gave him a hug.

"I forgive you."

They walked in silence into the cathedral doors, and as they entered Louise recognized plenty of people. Meg had the decency not to show up, but old Madame Giry sat nearer the front with a tear-stained face. She saw Lena and Carlotta together along with the prima donna's newest suitor Monseiur Escobar, and while Lena sat silent and still, while Carlotta was sniffing dramatically and dabbing a tissue at her tear ducts. Plenty of Christine's fans filled up one side of the hall, most of them imitating Carlotta, while family of Raoul's filled the other side. A monk appeared to be sleeping with his hood on as the commotion happened; he must have been lulled to sleep by the strings playing 'Canon in D major' sweetly next to the altar where the coffin was.

"Mama," Louise whispered as they neared the coffin. She couldn't cry right now as she saw the sad sight of the coffin; but she didn't care. Even if it didn't look like she had been grieving for her mother at all, both she and her father knew the hours they spent crying in the privacy of their home. She sat next to the Giudicellis and Lena quickly gave her a hug.

"Good day, my children." The reverend intoned. "We are gathered to mourn the loss of one of our dearly beloved, Christine the Viscountess of Chagny. She was a beautiful daughter of our good Lord, obedient and mild…" the speech went on, but Louise didn't listen. She smoothed the hem of her black chiffon dress. The monk had woken up, but he still kept his hood on and stayed in his spot, appearing to be deep in thought.

"Excuse me," she got up and approached the monk, sitting next to him. "I didn't think you'd be here,"

"I'm impressed you knew who I was," the Phantom replied.

"Call it paternal instinct," she whispered. "Isn't it dangerous? Raoul told me all about you. You're a killer," she didn't have any accusation in her voice, just tiredness.

"I want to say goodbye," he shrugged in his robe. "What will you do now?"

"I still need to figure that out," she admitted. "I just don't know right now." She got back up. "I've got to go; people will be suspicious if I hang around back here. You will be there at the burial right?"

He did not answer, so she shrugged it off and left the man to his thoughts.

"Were you trying to wake up that priest?" Lena asked quietly. "That was very nice of you."

"Well, we're all here for Mama," she replied.

After several hymns, Raoul got up to say his eulogy. Louise briefly thought back to when Raoul had asked her what she was going to do. It was a good question now; she was unsure who to trust, and so far, nobody had questioned Christine's death, meaning Meg would probably get away with murdering her mother. She imagined the dance instructor casually teaching Lena and the other dancers at the bar, and then snuggling into bed with Raoul.

"I have to leave," she murmured to herself. "They are not my parents."

Then she got up for the final hymn as Raoul helped the pall-bearers lift the coffin out of the cathedral. When he gestured for Louise to follow, she did so obediently.

"Stay behind for the service," he whispered in her ear. She watched him leave and then walked into the fellowship hall, where cakes and pasties were being served along with wines and spirits. As the guests followed, they all put a loving hand on her head or shoulders and murmured their apologies. She shrugged it off, though, none of their apologies would bring Christine back, nor would they give her a solution to her problems.

"Miss Louise," one man approached her, remorse in his eyes. "I'm so sorry that this tragedy has fallen on your family."

"Thank you," she whispered

"My name is Frank de Renaldo." He introduced himself. "Though this may be the wrong time, but I was very impressed with your playing the other night."

"Thank you,"

"No, really" he shook her hand. "I think you should follow the career your mother took – not singing, but performing."

"I've been considering it,"

"Good," he smiled. "I would be very happy to take you on. See, I am an agent, and I could make as big a name for you like your poor mother had."

"Oh," she frowned. "Thank you, but you must understand that I have to discuss this with my father first,"

"I understand completely," he handed her a card. "If you're interested, please give me a call."

"Thank you again," she nodded. "Please enjoy the refreshments,"

With that she walked off and sat in the corner, staring at the card. Raising her eyes heavenwards, she looked for the monk in the room, but he was nowhere to be found.

"What should I do?" she muttered to herself.