I've been forcing myself to handwrite these last several chapters I've been uploading over the last few months and am still not sure if I like it or not. I used to handwrite everything (once upon a time before everyone had a smart device or personal laptop...) and am finding myself writing like crazy, but it's been so difficult for me to go back and actually type up what I wrote. I was originally writing this story by typing on my laptop, but was finding so many typos! I'm hoping that by going back to this "old-fashioned" method there's less mistakes!

Not a very action-driven chapter, but gives some explanation on Christine and the Phantom's relationship as well as the infamous gold ring Christine is caught wearing in the novel!

Paris, February 1881

Erik had insisted Lisette remain in his house for the next few days, knowing that the opera house could spare her as the focus was now on the battle between Carlotta and Christine for the spot of prima donna. Lisette didn't mind, knowing she would be safer under Erik's watchful eye than anywhere else. However, she had made the condition with him that she be allowed to access his secret passageways on her own. She did not want rumors of Christine's underground adventure to turn on herself. She also couldn't deny the fact that she preferred Erik's company to anyone else's.

At first, their conversations had been centered around music. Lisette had shown him her admiration of Schumann, Handel, and Rachmaninoff while Erik preferred Wagner, Brahms, and Gounod. Then one evening, as she tried to recreate one of the pieces she'd heard at Monsieur Debussy's recital, she had composed her first piece with Erik. It was entirely an accident, as she had been sitting at the spinet growing frustrated at how the chords she'd heard Debussy play so eloquently flounder under fingertips. But one of the strange cluster chords she played gained Erik's interest. He asked her to play it again and add the ninth of the chord and it was like the music within her came pouring out. She felt like she could play forever, the harmonies and modal mixtures coming forth effortlessly. Erik had taken up his violin and added a haunting melody. As the piece finished, she beamed at him, unable to hide her satisfaction.

"Your composing style is quite different than what I'd imagined," Erik said.

"And what exactly did you expect?" she asked.

The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. "You're sentimental."

She laughed. "Not everyone writes requiems like you."

He seemed amused at her response. "You'd do well at composing. You should write something and propose a premiere as an associate professor at the Conservatoire!"

Lisette's eyes widened. "How did you know about that?"

He put his violin back in its case, careful not to give away his expression. "You forget, fraülein, that you are with the Opera Ghost who knows and hears everything."

"Speaking of which," Lisette said, standing and collecting her rucksack, "I must go or I'll be late for my students."

Later that evening, after a strenuous rehearsal and lessons, Lisette returned to the Opera House eager to see Erik. After what had occurred with the count, Erik had offered his full protection without outwardly declaring it. When she was wandering around the opera house or on the streets just outside, she could always feel his presence lingering nearby, assuring her he was always there if he was ever near. (Lisette couldn't even bear to mention the demented man's name who'd attacked her.) But this evening, as she made her way to the ballet dormitories, she could feel Erik was occupied elsewhere as the hallways felt strangely empty.

She jumped nearly a foot in the air as one of the doors flew open with a bang, revealing a pack of young ballerinas arm-in-arm. They walked carelessly, giggling at whatever gossip was currently being spread. Jammes, who was at the rear of the pack, noticed Lisette and came to her side.

"Lisette!" Jammes said, wrapping her arms around the pianist's waist. "I feel like I haven't seen you in such a long time!"

Lisette smiled weakly. "I'm afraid things have been terribly busy lately. Say, have you seen Meg around?"

Jammes scrunched up her face, deep in thought. "I think she was with Christine in Carlotta's dressing room. Did you hear that the Opera Ghost has frightened Carlotta to the point that she'll no longer sing? Monsieur Richard gave Christine the title of prima donna until Carlotta returns!"

Lisette ruffled the young girl's hair before turning and walking the other direction. She slipped into one of Erik's passageways, laughing to herself as she now preferred them for shortcuts around the large building. It was so much faster to move from one location to another than bustle about with everyone else.

When she emerged in the dressing room hallway, she tiptoed past Sorelli's room. She hadn't seen the prima ballerina since the night of the Masked Ball. She remembered the vile comments the count had said about ending his relationship with Sorelli and wasn't sure if he had delivered the bad news to her. Lisette wasn't even sure if Sorelli was aware of what had occurred that evening after she had left.

She reached Christine's dressing room and knocked lightly, looking over her shoulder to see if Erik was lurking in the shadows, but he was nowhere to be found. The door clicked open and Christine stood before her, a smile flashing across her face.

"Lisette! Come in," she said, taking her by the arm and leading her inside. "I was just having tea with Meg. There's still some left if you'd like some!"

"Is Meg still here?" Lisette asked, glancing around the dimly lit room.

"You just missed her," Christine said, settling herself in front of the large vanity.

"My apologies," Lisette said, heading for the door. "I didn't mean to bother you."

"Don't leave just yet!" Christine exclaimed, jumping up and pouring a cup of tea. "It's been so long since we've seen one another. Stay for one cup." She held the steaming cup to her, eyes wide in expectation.

Lisette accepted the cup and sat on the nearby ottoman, sipping delicately while trying not to grimace. She preferred her strong cup of German coffee.

"You seem much happier."

Christine smiles at Lisette's comment. "I am." She moved the cup to take a drink and something on Christine's hand glimmered in the candlelight. Without thinking, Lisette grabbed the girl's hand, nearly spilling tea over both of them.

"What are you doing?" Christine exclaimed, trying to wrench her hand away.

Lisette turned her hand over, examining the simple, hold band on her left ring finger.

"Are you…?" Lisette started to say. Christine pulled her hand away from her grasp, carefully covering the ring with her other hand.

"I'm not married," Christine said quickly, finishing Lisette's question. Her cheeks flushed a deep red, making Lisette raise an eyebrow.

"Are you promised to someone, then?"

She saw Christine mindlessly spin the gold band on her finger before answering with a tentative, "Yes."

Lisette's eyes widened, immediately remembering the way the viscount had nearly flung himself from the box the night the chandelier had fallen. His attachment to Christine had been unquestionable.

"Are you to be the future Vicomtesse de Chagny, Christine?"

"Yes," she said, a small smile escaping her lips. "I mean… no! No… it's someone else…" Christine covered her mouth, resting her forehead in her hand.

"Someone else?" Lisette said. "Who? I didn't know you had a beau."

Christine shook her head. "It's not like that. This isn't for love or marriage. It's my promise to music."

"Your chastity in exchange for music?" Lisette said. "Who made you promise that? Certainly not Richard and Moncharmin!"

"No," Christine said, standing and pacing in front of the large mirror hanging on the wall. "I was just telling Meg the same story. I've promised to swear my life to music for my angel."

Lisette instantly remembered the conversation she'd had with Meg about Christine and her Angel of Music. The thought of Erik, entranced by Christine's voice and her beauty, making her promise herself to him, was enough to make her stomach churn. In the last few days spent with him, she had all but forgotten her anger and disappointment that she had felt before the count's attack. Erik had explained that Christine had come to his home by choice, but Lisette could tell Christine held a spell over him. He had mentioned that he had asked Christine to dedicate herself to music while she was with him, but he had clearly left out the bit about requiring her to wear a gold ring! Lisette was aware that after this conversation, she would need to return to her apartment to distance herself from Erik. He clearly had a spell over her as well.

"He is the reason I disappeared, you see," Christine said. "And now he's returned me to the land of the living where I am to perform his music as his dedicated servant. I will allow no man, no distraction to interfere with my duty to him."

"But what about the vicomte?" Lisette asked, not daring to pretend to be naive of Christine's attachment to him. "What have you told him?"

Christine held back a giggle, much to Lisette's surprise. "I'm letting him have at it with a game," she said. "The poor man would do anything to win my affection, but he knows I'm bound to my angel and has grown quite jealous. To appease him, I've let him think that we'll marry after all of this is over."

Lisette gasped, unable to help herself. "Christine! Isn't that rather foolish? You're going to break his heart and damage your reputation."

Christine waved her comment away. "Lisette, do you understand Parisian society at all? I can't marry a vicomte! I'm much too far below his rank. And his brother would never allow it! I already know he has it out for me knowing Raoul and I snuck away at the ball."

Lisette remained silent, watching Christine's in the mirror as she continued to pace back and forth.

"I must go," Lisette said at last. "I came here to practice and I'm afraid the hours are passing away…"

"Lisette," Christine said, stepping forward and lightly touching her arm. "I wanted to let you know, I'm terribly sorry about your friend. The comte told me what happened and Meg, Sorelli, and I are all here for you! We know how terribly lonely it must be working in the orchestra."

Lisette glanced at the young girl's hand on her arm, the gold ring seemingly glowing brighter and brighter. She left the room so quickly that Christine didn't even have time to protest. She dashed into the nearby passageway, trying to hold back angry tears. Why was she so easily overtaken by Erik's music and charm? It was as if everything he had done to her had instantly been forgotten and forgiven in saving her from the count. One good deed did not mean that all of Erik's intentions were genuine. She would return to his house, pack her things, and leave as soon as possible.

She was in the middle of packing the last of her things back in the underground home when she heard a gentle voice say, "Leaving?"

She turned to Erik leaning against the doorway to the sitting room, watching her intently. "I'm afraid so," she said, turning back to her rucksack. "I've overstayed my welcome."

"Lisette," Erik said, "Don't be daft! It's freezing outside and dark!"

She clutched the handle of the rucksack, feeling her hands shake. "Erik, I can't stay."

There was something in her voice that made Erik suspicious from the way he knitted his brows together. "What happened?"

She glanced at the rucksack back to Erik, trying to sort through the thoughts that were flying through her head. But she let out a sigh, knowing he at least deserved an explanation after what he had done for her.

"I ran into Christine this evening," Lisette said. Erik's posture stiffened at the mention of her name, folding his hands behind his back. "She was wearing a gold band on her left hand."

Suddenly, Erik lost his composure. He let out a sound that eerily imitated a growl, snarling as he stood in front of the fireplace, watching the flames lick at the logs. His anger was no longer frightening or unexpected to Lisette, knowing full well that he would never harm her. But the way his eyes danced in his face warned her to not make any sudden movements.

"I knew this would happen," Erik said, slamming a fist on the mantle. "All my hard work, ruined by that boy!"

"The ring isn't promising her to the vicomte," Lisette said. "Christine said the ring was her promise to her Angel of Music."

Erik's eyes flew her direction. "She said what?"

"You know what I said," Lisette whispered coolly, tying her rucksack together. "That's why I'm leaving. I can't be a part of these games anymore, Erik."

Erik was immediately by her side, switching to German, taking Lisette by surprise. "Ich habe Christine nicht gebeten, sich mir zu versprechen. I did not ask Christine to promise herself to me."

"Then why would she say such a thing?" Lisette said, growing more confident now that they were speaking in her native language.

Erik sighed. "The more I have gotten to know Christine, the more I'm realizing just how young she truly is. This vicomte has been pursuing her since her first debut, and ever since, her singing has greatly diminished. She is like any young girl who is enthralled and infatuated with a suitor. That's why when she brought herself here the night of the chandelier, I made her promise to dedicate herself to her music while she was with me. But I've already told you that her dedication faltered once she let the vicomte back into her life."

"That still doesn't explain the ring," Lisette said, not letting him escape the main point of the conversation.

"I have my suspicions," he said. "I did not give a ring to her, nor did I ask her to promise herself to me. To be honest, I have not spoken or given Christine lessons for several days. I fear she's beginning to suspect I have given up on her and this is her proof of her dedication."

"Given up?" Lisette asked, taken aback. "Are her practice habits that bad?"

"She cannot focus on her studies," Erik said. "As long as the vicomte is in the picture, her voice will struggle."

He looked at her intently. "I will be honest with you, Lisette, as you have been honest with me. I cared for Christine and desired her to be my own, and I thought her decision to stay with me was her return of my affections. But the night of the Masked Ball, I knew she had made arrangements to meet with him."

"So you dressed in a ridiculous costume to try and scare him away?"

Erik's exposed cheek flushed a deep shade of red. "It was a… desperate attempt on my behalf. But I knew she arranged to meet him on the roof that night and followed them to try and gain a better understanding of what was going on. But that night, she told the vicomte about me and shared her affection for him. It was during this time…" His voice faltered and he gazed at her. "I realized that she is someone I should not be investing my time into."

Lisette could feel relief beginning to wash over her. She could understand Erik's obsession with his music, but she had thought this infatuation with Christine to be truly baffling to his character. She could understand if he continued to work and appreciate her voice, but she was thankful he was no longer under Christine's spell.

"Don't leave," he said. "I don't know why Christine said what she did or why she's wearing a ring promising herself to me, but it's not my doing. I want you to remain under my protection until I find out more about the Comte de Chagny. I assure you he will regret what he did to you."

"Erik," Lisette said, "Don't spend time seeking him out. The opportunity will arise. For now, let's just focus on our music and what we can do for the Opera House."

Erik smiled, clearly pleased by her response.