This chapter is for Phantom's Angel of Darkness and for Timefiiles who won't be near the internet for five days. As for the rest of you please review!

A week later Adrian and Tessa received an invitation via Meg to lunch with the Chagny family. Knowing about how suspicious Raoul and Philippe were of him Adrian was against going until Tessa pointed out that it would seem even more suspicious if they didn't go.

So that was why Adrian was sitting—although grudgingly—at the Chagny dining table with Tessa baring the stares of Raoul and Philippe the whole time.

Finally, Adrian looked up at Philippe. "Is that reason that you and your father keep staring at me monsieur?" He asked.

"As a matter of fact there is," Philippe said. "You see I found out some very interesting things about you Adrian."

"Is that so?" Adrian said raising his eyebrows. "And how exactly did you find these things out?"

"I had the police look into you," Philippe said.

"Philippe!" Christine said. "How could you do such a thing?!"

"With my permission," Raoul said.

"You gave him permission?!" Christine said looking aghast.

"I know that you trusted Christine," Raoul said, "but I couldn't and neither could Philippe. Soon you'll find that your trust in him was ill placed anyway."

"What are you talking about?" Christine demanded.

"Adrian and Tessa are not engaged at all," Philippe said. He looked over at Adrian. "She brought you from a traveling fair," He said. "Apparently she paid quite a hefty sum for you." Christine looked stunned.

"Tessa is this true?" She said looking over at Tessa.

"Yes it is," She said. "I had to save him Christine. You would have too if you had seen how they were treating him."

"But why did you lie about the engagement?" Christine said.

"Because I didn't want to be forced into marriage," Tessa said, "and be locked up for the rest of my life."

"It would have ensured your safety," Philippe said.

"It would have taken away my freedom," Tessa said.

"A worthy sacrifice," Philippe said.

"A worthy sacrifice for what Philippe?" Adrian said. "Her misery?"

"No," Philippe said, "for her safety, her protection."

"From what?" Adrian said.

"From the Phantom!" Philippe said. "Tessa must be kept from him!" Suddenly Tessa's face filled with an anger that none of them—not even Adrian—had ever seen there before.

"Why?!" She demanded. "Why must I be kept from him?!"

"Because he has made you his new obsession Tessa!" Raoul said. "He will kidnap you and make you marry him!"

"No he won't!" Tessa said.

"How do you know?" Philippe said.

"Because he doesn't love me like that!" Tessa said. "He loves me as a father loves his daughter!"

"And yet he'll interfere in your life Tessa," Raoul said.

"No he won't!" Tessa said.

"You think not?" Raoul said. "You forget that I know it more to be true more then anyone. After what he did to Christine and me. Trying to break us apart."

"Only because he loved Christine and was angry at you for taking her away from him," Tessa said, "and for fair reason!"

"What do you mean?" Philippe said looking at Tessa stunned with his parents.

"I mean that Erik I can understand why Erik was so angry," Tessa said. "He had been there with Christine from the beginning. It was him who had nurtured her voice to perfection. Him who protected her and loved her. But then Raoul came. Raoul who had everything he didn't have and it was like he never existed. Can't you understand why he felt so bitter and broken?"

Christine who was looking down at her food with a guilty look nodded. "I can," She said. "Now I can. Oh Erik what have I done!" She clasped her hand to her mouth as tears rose to her eyes.

"What do you mean what have you done?" Raoul said looking at his wife stunned. "You can't actually be feeling guilty about what you've done." Christine turned and glared at him taking her hand from her mouth.

"And what if I am?" She demanded. "What then Raoul?"

"But why do you feel guilty?" Raoul said.

"Because everything she said Raoul," Christine said, "everything is true! I can't believe how much I have hurt him! How could he ever forgive me?!" Tessa eyes softened in sympathy and she reached out taking Christine's hand in hers.

"Oh Christine he already has," She said.

"But how?" Christine asked turning her tear filled eyes on Tessa. "How could he forgive me for what I've done?" Tessa gave her a soft smile.

"Because you gave him a gift that he will cherish forever," She said.

"What?" Christine said.

"You gave him that which he thought he could never have," Tessa said.

"Which is?" Raoul said.

"A kiss," Tessa said simply. Christine's eyes widened in understanding and then her lips curled into a soft smile.

"I had to do it," She said. "I had to let him know he was not alone."

"You said that you only did it to save me," Raoul said.

"I lied," Christine shrugged. Raoul and Philippe looked at her stunned while Adrian and Tessa grinned at her.

"B—But—" Raoul stammered.

"But nothing Raoul," Christine said sharply. "I can't believe that I was actually agreeing to lock Tessa up forever."

"You mean that you're against it now?" Raoul said.

"Of course I am," Christine said. She turned to Adrian and Tessa with a smile. "I am deeply sorry for all the trouble that I've caused you," She said. "I think that it will perfectly fine for you to remain at the opera house for as long as you like and remain close to Erik. I hope you'll be able to forgive me."

"Of course we'll be able to forgive you!" Tessa smiled. "Thank you so much!"

"But mother you can't do this!" Philippe said.

"Philippe," Adrian said, "shut up." And for once Philippe did as he was told.

I hope you all liked this chapter! I felt kind of happy writing it.

Ja ne!

Redluna