April, 1877

"I have no idea what I would have done without you, Meg," Christine said as she stepped foot for the first time on American soil. She was carrying her yearold daughter, Cordelia, in her arms. "You've been wonderful with Gustav."

With a laugh, Meg led the rambunctious four year old by the hand. "You know I love your children," she responded. "And would I have missed the chance to travel away from Paris?"

It was then that Meg caught sight of her mother for the first time in over a year. With an understanding smile, Christine reached over and took her son's hand, freeing Meg to do as she desired. A rare, fond smile on her face, Madame Giry was coming towards them. Lifting the hem of her skirt up, Meg hurried to meet her mother, embracing her tightly.

Though she too was pleased to see the woman who had been as another, Christine stayed back. "What a vile place," Philippe condemned, glancing around the docks with a grimace. "I don't see what the charm is that draws so many people here. Give me Paris any day."

Coming up beside his wife, Raoul responded to Gustav's demands and picked the boy up."Well, once this engagement is done, we won't have to stay long," Christine said with some regret. She sent a smile at her husband. "I hope I will have some free time to explore with you Raoul. What a fantastic place this is!"

"As long as your red scarf doesn't blow into the sea," Raoul teased, tugging at the red fabric around her throat.

With her arm around her mother's waist, Meg returned to them. "Mother, you remember Christine and the viscomte," she said, beaming with happiness. "And this is the Comte de Chagny, Philippe. He's the one who arranged for us all to come."

Surprise widened Madame Giry's eyes. "Monsieur le comte," she greeted, with a respectful nod of her head. Christine frowned at her old friend's strange reaction. "I am here to escort you to the lodgings the managers have secured for you. If you will please follow me."

Philippe caught sight of a familiar tall figure leaning against some cargo that had been brought from the ship. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, I will catch up," he said. He hurried away before anyone could say a word.

"Madame, its so good to see you again," Christine said to her former ballet instructor. " You must tell me how it came about that you crossed an ocean and without Meg!"

Across the dock, Khan straightened up as Philippe approached. "My lord," the Persian man said.

"What news have you?" Philippe asked eagerly.

"I regret to inform you that I have no news," Khan responded. "You were mistaken in your information. There is no monster here."

Scowling, Philippe shook his head, rejecting the information that he didn't want to hear. "Your last message said that you had discovered Katherine Hemway and her husband," he argued. "How can you now be telling me that the man is not here?"

"Erik Ombra is well known in society," Khan answered. "His advice is sought by many men, and hostesses beg for him to accept their invitations. Hardly the thing you'd expected from a deformed monster."

Suspicious, Philippe frowned at him. "You're hiding something from me."

"I regret you had to make such a long, unpleasant journey, my lord," Khan said. "I can search no further for you, and will be returning to Paris as soon as is possible."

The French lord shook his head. "I'm disappointed in you, Khan."

"Did Monsieur Arden not travel with you?"

"What need would there be for him here? He is pursuing some wealthy heiress," the comte said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Well, be gone, man. I believe I owe you nothing more than I have already given you."

Khan's bow was one of mockery and he walked away. Shaking his head again, Philippe returned to his brother.

"Oh, these are adorable," Jane cooed, admiring the baby clothes that were spread out on the table. "And the stitches are so tiny!"

"Katie does amazing work," Katherine agreed with a smile. "I think I will have the best dressed child in all of New York."

Michaela laughed. "No, that will only come if its a girl and Erik begins designing her wardrobe," she pointed out. She took a step back from the table to get a better look at the day dress that her friend was wearing. "Do I detect the work of Erik in that gown, my dear Katherine? My word, that man is a genius!"

Laughing, Katherine nodded. She spun in a small circle, and then put her hand at her back. "I told you most of my clothes are Erik's work, didn't I?" she said, as she sank into a seat. "Oh, my feet hurt."

Down below them, the front door slammed shut. "Katherine!"

The woman flinched at her husband's shout. "I better go see what's happened now," she said, bracing her arms on the sides of her chair.

"Oh, no," Michaela insisted, pressing down on Katherine's shoulders to keep her in place. "If he's angry enough to shout, he has the energy to come up here to yell at you. Why should you waste what little strength you have to meet him someplace and get berated?"

"Maybe with us here, he won't yell quite as bad," Jane suggested, taking up position at Katherine's left side.

A moment later, Erik came through the doorway. "Katherine, what do you know about this?" he demanded, lowering his voice slightly. He threw a newspaper at her, and it landed at her feet. "Were you the one who ordered it kept from me?"

With her foot, Katherine managed to nudge the paper into sight but only frowned down at it. "Do you honestly expect me to bend down and pick that up?" she responded, her tone aggravated. "If so, we're going to be here for quite some time."

Glancing over at Jane, Michaela silently stepped forward and scooped up the offending paper. She handed it over to her friend, leaning over to read it along with her. It didn't take a second to see what had set Erik off. The headline was: PARIS OPERA STAR TO PERFORM AT NEW YORK ACADEMY!

"What's wrong?" Katherine asked, looking up. "I would think you'd be pleased about this."

"Maeve informed me that everyone at the theater was aware of this, and have been for months," Erik spat out, his eyes flashing with an anger Jane and Michaela had not seen before. "And that they were warned not to speak a word of this to me. Why is that?"

"You knew the de Chagnys were coming!"

"I knew the fop was coming, not Christine!"

It was at that moment that he seemed to realize that Jane and Michaela had moved into protective stances on either side of Katherine. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "How long have you known?" he asked in a much more controlled, calmer tone of voice.

"Why do you assume I've known?" Katherine asked, her tone offended.

Jane opened her mouth, but Michaela discreetly kicked her. "The managers said it was suggested to them," Erik responded. "Who but one who has heard Christine sing would know of her talent and skill. This is why you said it was your fault, isn't it?"

"Yes!" Katherine snapped, pushing herself to her feet. "It is my fault! I arranged the whole thing with the opera house managers. For you, Erik! Do you think it pleased me to see you struggle so without inspiration, to see you tear up your work every evening? I had Christine invited here because I knew what she means to you!"

Exchanging looks, the cousins discretely backed away. "And why didn't you say something earlier?" Erik demanded. "You complain about keeping secrets from each other, but then go and do just that!"

"I'm sorry, all right?" Katherine exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Forgive me for trying to surprise my husband a gift! I'll be sure not to do so again in the future!"

When Erik reached out and grabbed his wife's arms, Michaela made a choked sound in her throat and took a step forward, her hands balling into fists. Jane caught her arm and shook her head when her cousin scowled at her.

Annoyed, Katherine tried to jerk free, but was unable to break free of her husband's tight grasp. Erik bent down and pressed his lips against Katherine's. Anything she was about to say was muffled and then faded away.

After a long moment, Michaela cleared her throat as loudly as humanly possible. The couple didn't react, locked in their embrace. Jane began to cough, and turned her back. "Michaela, give them some privacy!" she hissed.

Rolling her eyes, Michaela did so. "This is ridiculous," she told her cousin. "Its not as if I haven't seen my own parents kiss before."

"I'm sorry," they heard Katherine whisper, her voice ragged. "I should have told you. I wanted to give you something that would mean something."

"You are more than I deserve, Katherine," Erik responded.

Michaela glanced over her shoulder in time to see the man leave the room. As if she was drained of energy, Katherine sank back into her chair. The newspaper was still clenched in her hand, and she slowly unfolded her fingers. She looked down at the paper as if she'd forgotten it was there, and she began to smooth the wrinkles out.

"Well, that was interesting," Jane remarked, turning around. "I'm beginning to think that a life as a spinster is better than marriage."

"Will you be joining us at the opera tomorrow evening?" Katherine asked, her tone remarkably calm. "It looks as though its going to be a very good performance."

Walking over, Michaela snatched the paper and began to read the article in full for herself. "Katherine, I might be stepping outside my bounds here," Jane said slowly. "But, it doesn't seem right that you are sending your husband to another woman."

"Do you think that Erik would be unfaithful to me or that Christine would suddenly admit to a love for him?"

Jane found herself lost for words to answer Katherine's cold question. "You know that isn't it at all," Michaela spoke up, her eyes still scanning the article. "What she means is that, you are encouraging Erik's love for another woman. Might his love for you dim when he sees the object of his inspiration and love for so many years once again?"

Katherine hesitated. "His love for Christine has never altered his...fondness for me," she replied. "Why should that change now?"

"What do you think you will gain from this?" Jane asked softly.

"Perhaps, if Erik can compose, he will not have such a short temper," Katherine answered. "To have some measure of peace is all I ask for. And...it was because of me that he missed hearing her sing his music in Paris that last musical soiree. A couple months of her performing here should make up for that."

"I hope Erik appreciates you and comes to love you as he ought to because, in my opinion, he does not," Michaela said, folding the much abused newspaper. "But, on a different note, there was a distinct lack of a shadow these past few days. What do you think that Khan is up to?"

Reaching for her now cold tea, Katherine chuckled. "Pip swears that he's convinced Khan to leave us be," she said.

"Do you really think so?"

"Honestly, Michaela, why do you sound disappointed?" Jane asked in exasperation. "That man has been a nuisance. I'd wish him back to Paris, but we live there, so I'm not exactly thrilled about sharing the city with him when we return."

Looking up at the annoyed expression on Michaela's face, Katherine frowned. "Michaela, do you by any chance find Ahmir Khan interesting?" she asked.

Jane's jaw dropped. "Katherine, don't be ridiculous," Michaela said. "All I did was comment on the fact that he hasn't been seen lately and was just wondering how we would know he wasn't planning something now that his employer is in the city."

"We can't know," Katherine answered. She picked up one of the baby nighties, and fingered the white, clean fabric. "My father assures me he will handle Arden. I can only hope that Christine will keep her husband from acting irrationally, and that I can do the same."

"Jane and I aren't going to let anything that could be construed as harm come to you. You would do that same for either one of us, I know."

Smiling faintly, Katherine shook her head. "Its what no one imagines that worries me."