Christine watched Roxana through the window the whole way down the road until they she couldn't see her anymore. She looked around, first at Raoul who was pretending to be fascinated by the buttons on his coat sleeve, then at the man who told her to call him Erik. He was speaking softly to Roxana's son when he noticed her looking at him and looked up. Quickly, she looked back out the window embarrassed. This was a disaster. All she wanted to do was throw the carriage door open and jump out into the street to escape the tension in that car. She watched the people of town walking by, happily oblivious to all of the chaos around them when she noticed three familiar girls. One with honey colored hair, a dark haired girl and a blonde.
"Meg!" She cried elbowing Raoul in the ribs, who yelped.
"What?" He asked, coming out of his daze and looked over her where, sure enough little Meg Giry sat between Jacqueline Marquet and Sissy Avenant in the small café near some of the shops.

"I wonder what she's doing with them…" He said, but before he had a chance to say anything else, he realized that Christine had climbed over him.
"Stop!" She cried to the driver as the carriage came to an abrupt halt. She fell on Erik a moment, before throwing the door to the carriage open and getting out.
"Meg." She said, walking up to her friend.
"Hello Christine." Jacqueline said. "You never told us how sweet your friend Meg is." She said in her phony sweet voice. Christine gritted her teeth.
"Well I didn't think someone such as yourself would appreciate her." She said and Sissy raised a perfect eyebrow.
"What are you saying Christine? That she isn't good enough for us?" She asked looking at Meg whose face was flushed in confusion.

She wasn't sure what she should do, although she felt the anger rise in her stomach at Christine. What made Christine better than her besides that she was Raoul's wife? She stood, looking up into her friend's face.
"Maybe you should stop underestimating me Christine. Jackie and Sissy have been nothing but nice to me and you are jealous!" She said building confidence. "That's right, you are finally jealous of me! All my life I had to stand behind you and watch as you blossomed. Well, it's my turn Christine…and you aren't my mother. So I suggest you leave." She said dismissing Christine with a wave of her hand. As Christine left, Meg sighed. Christine was better than her because she had married into a respected family. Well, she could too! She would! As the Chagny carriage rolled away, a strong male voice came behind them.

"Morning ladies…" Meg turned her head to see the handsomest man she's ever seen. Jacqueline and Sissy immediately started giggling. He stood over six feet, with broad shoulders and a muscular chest. His golden hair was curly and short and he had dark blue eyes that were gleaming in the morning sunlight.
"Hello Andrew…" Jacqueline said coyly, patting the seat between she and Meg. He sat and Meg found herself right up against his muscular arm and stiffened. He smiled down at her.
"And who is this lovely young friend of yours Jackie?" He asked and Sissy giggled.
"This is Meg Giry…our new friend…" She said and Meg blushed fiercely. Her mother had encouraged her to make new friends, but she wasn't sure if she would condone silly crushes. Andrew kissed her small hand charmingly before looking straight into her eyes.
"Tell me dear…do you have a beau?"

"Look, I don't want to trouble you, the servants quarters are fine." Erik said as Raoul showed him the room that he would be staying in with Jamie. Raoul cleared his throat.
"No, please…I-I invited you here…" He said nervous still. "Um…lunch is waiting downstairs. I told them we have guests." Raoul said before leaving the room. Erik set a sleeping Jamie on the bed and brushed his black hair out of his face. He removed his suit coat and draped it over the bed, yawning. He was emotionally drained from earlier. He hadn't realized he was so fond of Roxana, although he was positive he wasn't in love with her, which relieved him. He knew what love felt like and it hurt like hell. Nothing good came of love, at least not for him, and there was still Christine.

Sitting across from her the entire ride here had been a living nightmare. She'd made it a point not to look at him and he'd done the same, but could not help it. She was as lovely as the day he realized he was in love with her, maybe a bit thinner. Come to think of it, she look considerably thinner than she had the last he'd seen her, which worried him since she was unnaturally thin to begin with. Her cheekbones were even prominent. Roxana had told him about the stress she'd been feeling before her wedding with all of the pressure to conform into a trophy wife, although he suspected Raoul would have none of that and as much as Erik hated to admit it, Raoul seemed like a good man. There was a small knock on the door.

"Come in." He called softly. Christine stepped in.
"Um…if you're hungry…there's food…and w-whatever you need. J-just ask and I'll get it for you or Raoul will." She said, looking at the floor. He bit the inside of his cheek.
"Jesus…what have I done?" He asked aloud and she looked at him finally.
"What?" She asked, thoroughly lost as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Look at you…you're afraid of me…not that I blame you…" He muttered and she sighed.
"Angel," She began and he looked at her as she remembered. "Uh…I mean Erik, I am not afraid of you I am ashamed of me. I didn't want hurt you…it wasn't…" He held his hand up to hush her.
"I know." He said. "You had every right to make your own decisions. People do crazy things…when they're in love." He said the last part in nearly a whisper.

She looked around for a moment, smiling at the little boy on the bed. He was gorgeous with his black hair and blue eyes. He had Roxana's lips and obviously his father's nose since it greatly resembled Andrew Westcliff's, who was his uncle.
"How did you meet Roxana?" She asked, sitting in one of the chairs near the bed. He smiled.
"She saved my life." He said, "She found me around two days after…and I woke up in her house." Christine nodded.
"Oh…" she said, feeling like an idiot. "This is awkward." She finally admitted and he nodded.
"You aren't kidding." He said, shaking the little boy gently awake.

"James, are you hungry?" He asked as the little boy sat up and nodded.
"Hungry." He said, looking at Christine and pointing. Erik nodded.
"That's Christine. She's friends with your mother." He said and Christine winced. She's friends with your mother…what about you? Still, she managed to keep the small smile as she got up and left the room with Erik close behind. Suddenly, she stopped dead and he nearly fell over her.
"Christine! What the…" Before he could finish, he saw her. The Countess was striding toward them. A beautiful woman she was with silken dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Her complexion was a sort of rosy peaches and cream with warm pink lips. She didn't look any older than thirty and yet, Erik knew she had to be since Raoul was twenty-one.

The Countess looked at him for a long moment before forgetting him completely and taking Christine's arm.
"My dear girl…tea is waiting in the sitting room for you and your guest as well. I trust you are feeling better today?" She asked and Christine nodded, looking at Erik helplessly. "Good, we will have tea with the Duchess Thériault tomorrow morning. She said pulling her into the room where Raoul sat with all three of his sisters and his father. Christine and Raoul hadn't told anyone what had gone on below the opera house that night, so none of Raoul's family knew the difference anyway. Erik nearly gagged at the sight of gossiping and giggly girls. Two of them bore a striking resemblance to their father and brother while the youngest was almost an exact replica of their mother.

Erik set Jamie down before sitting in an armchair while the toddler played with his toys at his feet.
"Oh what a sweet little boy!" The youngest Chagny cried, sitting beside him. Soon the two youngest girls were at Erik's feet as he looked around horrified. He thought he'd escaped the mindless chatter and incessant giggles when Roxana had found him. They were just as bad as the chorus girls and the ballerinas as they talked about how stupid this person was, how dumb that girl was…and then they began talking about their beaus.
"So why did you decide not to allow Andrew to court you anymore Rosie?" The middle one asked and the oldest one sighed.
"He didn't ever pay attention to me." She said, "Besides…didn't you say Brett Reynolds was back from London?" She asked and the middle girl nodded.

"You aren't thinking of seeing Garrett's brother, are you?" She asked her sister incredulously.
"Maybe…" The older one replied and the middle one giggled.
"Well he is rather dashing." The girl admitted, "But awkward as Garrett is, I love him…" She said and the youngest one sighed loudly.
"Don't you two ever talk about anything other than love and boys?" She cried and began making gagging noises. "I'm never getting married!" She said and the middle on messed up her hair.
"Sure you will…and you'll be talking about boys soon enough Izzy!" The youngest stuck her tongue out. She held her hand out for Erik to shake.

"My name is Elisabeth, but I go by Izzy…" She said and he shook her hand.
"Pleasure…I am Erik. I go by Erik." He said dryly and she giggled.
"You're funny…these are my sisters. That is Rosaline, who we call Rosie." She said pointing to the oldest. He nodded politely as she pointed to the middle sister. "And this bumbling moron is my middle sister Alana…" The middle girl rolled her eyes.
"Nice to meet you sir." She said pushing her sister to sit back down.
"Charmed…I'm sure…" He muttered, irritated. If he ever had children, and he was sure he wouldn't, he prayed to God he wouldn't have girls. Pretty girls. No brains. Although, he suspected all of them were quite bright, they just didn't show it. Girls these days…He looked at Christine who was trying to hide the fact that she was quite amused by this display.
"Don't even say a word." He said moodily and she held her hands up and allowed herself to smile.
"I didn't! It looks like you have everything under control…"