After everybody was finished with eating, it was almost time to return to school. Melody decided that she would go, now that she felt a little better (at least that's what she had said her friends, but in reality she was just relieved that her father didn't find the whole situation a reason to worry about)

Katerina suggested that she should help Melody clean up before they would return to school. The boys again, had to stay in the living room, talking being the only thing they could do to entertain themselves.

Whilst walking to school the group was talking about the story of the Opera Ghost, excited about the little fragment of information they already have. If only one student's parents know this, they were wondering what the other parents knew. Jean-Jacques was the most excited of the group, really interested in his story. Melody felt almost sorry that she couldn't tell him more, even that she knew that he wouldn't tell everybody. But she couldn't risk it.

The group parted, each of them going to a different direction. But before they went off, Melody was curious what instrument her friends played. "Jean-Jacques and I are playing the piano," Katerina said. "No kidding, you two are in the same class?" Melody asked bewildered, whilst glancing to Katerina's direction. "Sure why would that be such a surprise," Jean-Jacques answered and Katerina turned a lovely shade of pink under Melody's intense glance. It remembered her of the effect her father had in her mother. She smiled lightly to herself. "No, of course it isn't a surprise," Melody said.

"And what do you play," Katerina asked her. "Oh, I play the violin. It's something very special to me." "And why's that?" Phillipe asked. Jean-Jacques knew exactly what his cousin was up to. So before she could answer, he said "If it's special to her it's not really something of our concern, don't you think?" Phillipe knew the exact reason Jean-Jacques did that, still he was determined to discover why it was special to her. "And you?" Melody asked Phillipe. "I play something that isn't to common these days." The group glanced at him, knowing his ego surfacing. "The organ," Phillipe clarified.

Katerina thought that it was about time they would head to their classrooms. So the group bid their goodbye's to each other. Melody went to her classroom. She was booking progress in playing the violin. Soon she would surprise her parents with it. She was looking forward to her father's face when she would play the violin.

Erik was walking home. This time he didn't seem to notice the stares he received from people on the street, he was to lost in thoughts. Who were those people he had met a mere seconds ago. Surely he had recognized Phillipe, as sure as Phillipe had recognized him. But who were those other people. He hadn't heard Melody mention any other people she had met. It probably were friends, otherwise she wouldn't have invited them to stay over for lunch.

When he entered the underground home he use to share with nobody except his music, Christine's voice could be heard from the kitchen. "Has your music arrived its location without problems?" she asked him. Erik sighed and entered the little kitchen. "I just wanted to make sure Melody got home safe," he explained. Christine gave him a look. "If you were so concerned about her safety, you wouldn't have allowed her to live on her own. I know you better then you think after 20 years my dear, and I know how much your music means to you" Erik said nothing and just took a seat, his face expressionless. "What's wrong?" Christine immeadialty asked, knowing if her husband puts on that face, he pondered over something.

"Now that they are trying to reconstruct what had happened 20 years ago, I was thinking about how I forced you to stay." Christine remembered herself clearly how he had done that. Erik had made her choose between life and death: should she had left him, he would have killed her childhood friend and her love, if she stayed with him the boy would live. She also remembered the first few months she had stayed down with him.

Erik had arranged for them to wed soon after the incident, so that Christine would be with him for all eternity. Even Raoul De Chagny wouldn't be able to break a legally binding marriage. Erik didn't expect Christine to share bed with him, not event on their wedding night. He knew she still loved Raoul and he didn't want to force anything. He was sure that Christine would learn to love him like he loved her, he would give her time.

At first, the only thing that made Erik sure she was still alive was her breathing. Most of the time Christine sat there, starring into infinity. Erik would talk to her, but to no avail. He sometimes lost his temper, but she didn't even blinked when that happened. He even sang to her, remembering what effect his voice had on her in the past. But even that didn't helped. Erik started to get worried. At some point, he had retreated to his room, leaving her be. After a few hours, Christine finally did something, she went to search Erik. When she was just sitting there, Erik somehow always made his presence known: he talked to her, sang to her, played music for her, sometimes he composed. With all these things, Christine could hear him, but now, she truly was alone. She first had searched all the rooms in the house, all but one. His bedroom. She dreaded that room, the coffin , the score of Dies Irea, it all gave the room a cold atmosphere.

Since he was nowhere to be found and he hadn't told her he was out to purchase something, she was sure he had to be in there. She had mentally prepared herself for this conversation before she had knocked on the door. Erik had heard a knock on his door, knowing for sure it was Christine. He was glad she somehow had found the energy to find him. He had opened the door, only to find a fearful looking Christine. He knew just how much he hated the room, so he had stepped into the hallway and closing the door. "You where nowhere to be found and I didn't want to be alone," she explained why she knocked on his door. "And I shouldn't have left you alone, I'm truly sorry for that," he answered her looking at her lovingly. How he loved her and knew how sad and broken she felt, it almost killed him to see her like that. He had hoped that he she would start to open up to him soon, he couldn't take much of this any longer.

"Would you be so kind to follow me to the living room?" she had asked him. He gladly complied with her wish. When they had arrived in the living room, Erik, once more, started a conversation. How surprised he was when Christine had joined the conversation. Surprised, but glad. Not too long after that, Christine slowly began to live again. And eventually, she developed feelings for her husband. She knew he was a murderer and very dangerous when cornered, but still she developed feelings for the men behind the mask , a very passionate, loving man. A year after their marriage, Christine had found out that she loved him.

Christine woke up from her thoughts and gave Erik a loving kiss on the cheek. "You know I love you, and I'm glad I choose to stay. Nobody could love another person like you can. Your passion for me, our daughter, is greater than humanly possible."

"They were right then when they said I wasn't human," Erik said and then he kissed Christine.

The afternoon lessons were soon over and the group went their separate way to home. When Phillipe returned home he immediately went to his father's library, knowing for sure that was the place to find him. "Father, are you here?" he asked entering the library. "Yes I am, why? Something happened at school?" his father asked. "Yes, our class has been honoured to perform at the reopening of the Opera Populaire."

"Well, that's nice. What are you going to perform?"

"Someone suggested that we should retell the tale of the infamous Opera Ghost. So we have to ask our parents what they remember from that period" As Phillipe said this, his father paled.

"What's wrong father?"

"Not too good memories"

"You know something about him then," Phillip stated.

"Yes I do. I was the patron of the Opera Populaire in that time. Perhaps I can inform your class with my knowledge of this Phantom."

"You're coming to my school to tell them about the Ghost?" Phillipe questioned his father.

"If you don't mind that, I'd be glad to help you all out"

"You can come at 10 o'clock, if that suits your planning."

"I'll be there" and after that Phillipe left. Raoul sat back in his chair. How he wished he could forget everything about that damned madman, but he couldn't. Raoul remembered Christine that moment and wondered what had happened after she sacrificed herself in order to keep him alive. How he had pleaded that she shouldn't, but to no avail. She doomed herself to a life living with a madman. Raoul's mood grew somber.

Melody went straight to her parents, wanting to tell them that Erik's plan had worked. But halfway the way, she reconsidered: only her friends had believed it, she still had to find out what the rest of the class would say. She then decided to just go home.

The next day, all the kids in her class were talking about the information they had gathered. They all were talking and Jean-Jacques was busy writing everything down. When everybody was ready, Jean-Jacques realized that everything they had was mostly based on gossip. He read out loud what he had written down and everybody saw it was gossip talk. It was then that Phillipe would come to talk about what he knew, since he was involved in the Opera Populaire's business. Everybody thought it was a good idea.

Madame Gallure found that they had spent enough time on the Opera Ghost and now it was time that they should focus on their singing. Now, more than ever did the group did their best. Lessons soon were over and everybody went off to acting lessons. They all knew Phillipe's father would come and he probably held some important information. Phillipe went to the entrance of the school, so that he could guide his father to the classroom. As always, Raoul De Chagny was right on time.

"Hello father," Raoul greeted his father.

"There you are. I'm glad you are here, I don't think I would never had find the precious room I have to be"

Phillipe grinned. "Well, follow me then," he said and motioned his father to follow him. Only a few moments later, Raoul was met with a group of students dying to know what had happened with the Opera Ghost.

"Hello everybody. I heard that you want to know some information about the Phantom of the opera. I'll tell you what I know."

He started his story with the rehearsal of 'Hannibal' where he was introduced as the new patron of the opera house. He still remembered the new managers and how they were introduced to the diva, Carlotta Guidicelli. Raoul stopped his story to ask if they would use the real names of the persons. The group decided that they best would change the names.

Raoul continued his story. That night, he attended the gala where the new managers were introduced. For some reason, Carlotta (who was named Charlotte in the school play) didn't preformed that night but was replaced by Christine. Raoul decided that he wouldn't bring up her last name, so that the kids could use the name Christine.

He then told them about their friendship, the scene in the dressing room and everything that had happened from there on. He hesitated when he should tell what happened after Don Juan Triumphant. He decided to tell them, seeing he was the only one who could. Nobody knew where Christine was.

During the story, Melody had retreated herself in the corners of the room, hoping she could avoid showing her mask to Phillipe's father. If he knew this much about her father, it could be possible that he recognized her mask, as it looked a lot like her father's. If he would, that most likely would complicate things and she even could lose her 'normal' life and friends. She wouldn't risk that. For now, she would stay in the shadows.