"What are you doing," Meg narrows her eyes, she is just outside Mistah Y's offices and Raoul is leaning against the wall. She does not trust his attempt at nonchalant. This whole thing bode well not does for her.

Raoul makes a show of it, coming off the wall and stepping up to her, like his body is too heavy and he's struggling along. Drama. He is being all melodrama. She does that. Raoul does not get to do Megisims.

"Hm? Waiting for you." He stuffs his hands inside his pockets and stands on the tip of his tippy toes and Meg squints, trying to be tough. He blows air through his lips and hops up and down.

"Waiting for me, what?" They have not made plans for the day. She does not like this at all. She puts her hand on the door handle and turns back to Raoul.

"Do you have a meeting too?" She hesitates to turn the handle. Raoul nods.

"I'm your chaperone. I'm waiting for you. Are you ready? Let's do it." He stretches his arms and then rolls his shoulders.

"My chaperone for dates, maybe." Meg is in disbelief. She did not agree to this. Raoul wags his finger.

"Chaperone for life. Trust you not, anymore, with it." He taps her nose, another Megism, she is too stunned to respond properly.

"Tell me, were you the first in your English class? Shows." Raoul nods and smiles proudly like stupid.

"Well, I don't think he likes being kept waiting," Raoul claps his hands together and rather eagerly opens the door and walks in like he is the most wanted on the island. Meg, mouth agape, follows slowly. This is not her real.

"This is entirely unnecessary." Meg hisses at Raoul as she sits down. He hops backwards into a chair, folds his arms behind his back, crosses a leg over his lap and smiles like he won all the prizes.

"The last seven years of your life made this necessary." Raoul says softly.

"You suck!" Meg sits down with greater force and the chair scoots from it, she winces and covers her ears from the noise and pain.

"Well, I heard you swallow so," Raoul snorts and Meg's face changes beet red rapidly.

"Are you quite finished?" Erik is not enjoying his live theatre. He wanted to see Meg alone, and alas, the fop does not seem to be able to leave her side as of late. He may need to do something about that soon.

Meg raises her hand and turns to glare something fierce at Raoul, "teacher, teacher, I'm afraid I killed Raoul with my pen," Meg raises a pen in hand as if she is going to stab her friend.

"I have better lawyers than you," Raoul leans forward, daring her.

"Marguerite, we talked about this. Do not make promises you do not intend to keep," Erik finds a penknife and he turns in around with his fingers, it catches light and blinds Meg and then he turns it to Raoul, who covers his eyes with his hands, he settles down and leans back.

"This is your contract." Erik slides it towards her and leans forward to watch her. Meg scoffs, laughs, and then sobers up and grows somber and, she turns to Erik before she looks back at the papers, Raoul tries to read over her shoulder, Meg moves it away and covers it with her bag.

"Erik, this is, you can't be serious. This has the same terms from when we wrote it before. Remember? We were drunk, emphasis on drunk. It was a joke!" Raoul tries to grab at it, but Meg blocks him.

"A joke?" Erik sounds confused. Meg is trying to keep from shaking.

"I cannot agree to this, not now. Not if you're with her." Meg looks down at the floor, trying to focus on nothing to keep from dying. Now, Raoul really wants to read it.

"I suppose we could negotiate new terms," Erik sighs, he picks up a pen and he writes something down, seemingly disinterested in what's happening with Meg. Meg nods.

"That will be all, I'll have Irene set up arrangements for further negotiations. See yourself out," Erik ignores Meg and she nods, Meg is shaking, she walks out.

"How angry," Raoul asks," will I be when I read that contract?" Raoul tries to take it. Meg shakes her head.

"You won't." Meg tears it up. Raoul watches her. Meg is shaking.

"I need alcohol, do not follow me, I'll kick your head!" Meg storms off.

Meg finds the small hole in the dive on the fairgrounds bar, she slams her hand on the counter and waits. Harvey, hands her a glass, she drinks, shakes it for more, he gives more, she repeats, he fills her a tall glass of water.

"Pace, girl, we don't want to carry you out," Harvey shakes his head before he turns his attention to other patrons.

A couple fumble into the bar laughing like loons and falling into each other and knocking over chairs. Meg hears voices like a freight train, and she closes her eyes, she bites her lips and grabs her head, her ears and screams.

Seven years ago

Meg squeals with laughter as she falls into the door. She covers her mouth with her hands in a quick panic, her mother is just down the hall. She cannot help herself.

Erik is having trouble walking like a normal person, he stumbles but he catches himself from falling, he has got the reflexes of a young cat, and yet the drugs and alcohol are playing havoc with his systems. Erik finds a safe place on the bed and he needs a few seconds to settle.

"What are you like!" Meg slaps her knees.

Erik is flopping around like a cartwheeling spider cat creature, like he has practiced this mad routine. Meg slaps her mouth again, realizing that she is talking louder than she should, her eyes widen, and she has a wicked grin partly concealed by her hand.

"Do you want your mother to join us?"

Meg shakes her head, still with a mad playful glint in her eyes. Erik lies on his stomach and reaches his hand out, Meg walks forward.

"Then, shut up," he pulls her forward harshly and giggles madly and Erik helps her adjust herself, so she is lying next to him.

She closes her eyes as he kisses her jawline and then moves his lips to her throat, Meg giggles.

"The great and terrible Phantom of the Opera kisses tenderly like butterflies," Meg cannot help herself. Erik bites her flesh in response and Meg yelps in pleasure.

"No one has ever accused me of being tender," he roughly pulls her head back.

"I love you terribly," Meg smiles, her tongue poking out.

"You're awful, I love you," Erik kisses and bites her neck and throat.

"You're hideously sexy, take me, o' Phantom!" Meg raises her hands and shakes her legs.

"Don't ask for what you can't take or give," Erik warns,

"Take, take, take!"

"Can you take her home?" Harvey asks Raoul as he enters the dive. Meg is on the floor in the corner crying, and she's been crying for the last hour. The other patrons have left.

"I can."

Raoul walks over, kneels and gently grabs onto Meg's waist and helps her up.

"Tell me a story, and I'll give you the stars and June," Raoul says as he helps Meg along.

"The maid's daughter falls in love with the dragon and she lets him burn her," Meg is having trouble seeing straight.

"Is there a fireman?" Raoul pulls her closer, Meg shakes her head,

"She dies at the end, I think."

"Heresy. The fireman comes, picks up the maids daughter, and they have pancakes."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Their friendship is god."

"What's her name, the fireman?"

"Rhonda and she has fantastic hair," Raoul touches his hair, smooths it out.

"Why doesn't he love me? What's wrong with me?" Meg stops and Raoul is at a loss. He does not speak for some time.

"He just doesn't. You can't force that, I'm sorry. If he doesn't love you, he doesn't love you." Meg wails and Raoul pulls her into a tight embrace.