Christine

I'm sitting in a carriage with Raoul. Erik is on his knees on the pavement, sobbing. "Please, please no! Christine, please! Please don't leave me. I'll do anything. Anything!"

Tears are streaming down my face as well. I want to reach for the handle and go out to him, but Raoul has a pistol pressed into my ribs! "Tell him you don't love him, Christine. Say it!"

I shake my head. "I can't! I won't!" Even with the cold metal of the pistol digging into my side, I refuse to say it.

"Very well then. It's probably better this way. I shall simply put him down like the animal he is."

Raoul gets out and moves around the carriage. I try to get out as well, try to cry out to Erik, but I can't move an inch. I cannot move!

As the gunshot rings out, I jerk awake so violently that it wakes Erik, too. "Christine, my love, what is it? Did you have a bad dream?" He wraps his arms more tightly around me. "I'm here, my darling. Do you want to tell me about it?"

The tenderness and concern in his voice nearly bring me to tears. I know I cannot betray my distress in the slightest or Erik will not rest till he has the whole story out of me. "Just a silly nightmare," I answer then feign falling asleep again immediately. Within a few moments Erik's breathing becomes deep and steady again. I lay there awake until it is time to get ready for the day.

I barely slept at all last night. Raoul's threats kept ringing in my ears. Even lying in Erik's arms listening to his steady breathing could not soothe me. When I finally fell asleep in the early hours of the morning, it was only to have that terrible nightmare.

Erik has left now to allow me time to prepare for the performance. I sit for many minutes at my vanity going through my breathing exercises. I have to put this from my mind or I'll never get through tonight. I cannot disappoint the new managers because I'm focused on Raoul. More than that, I cannot disappoint Erik.

The performance of Faust is an absolute triumph, just as Monsieur Reyer said it would be. Louis and I stand, hands clasped bowing again and again to tumultuous applause. We're nearly buried in flowers. I smile at him and squeeze his hand. He was stunning and I just know Erik will instruct the managers to give him the permanent position. The adrenaline of performing allowed me to put Raoul from my mind, but now I can't think of anything else. How much longer will this applause go on? I must get off this stage and tell him what I have to say.

Of course I would never leave Erik. It would destroy us both. Having finally managed to calm my mind prior to the performance, I realized I must tell Erik about Raoul's threats. He's so clever, he'll know what to do.

We finally exit the stage and I square my shoulders, determined to face Raoul. He's standing at my dressing room door, just as he said he would be. His hands are clasped behind his back and he's wearing a look of great smugness.

I draw myself up to my full height and try to inject some authority into my voice. "I'm sorry, Raoul, you can threaten all you like, but I won't leave my husband. I love him."

"I advise you to think very carefully, Christine. Surely you don't really love that deformed beast!"

"He's not a beast! Just because he's different doesn't mean he's any less of a man than you are, and it most certainly does not mean I cannot love him." My chest is heaving with fury and it's all I can do not to slap him again.

"Are you afraid of him, is that it? Has he threatened you?" He's fidgeting with his hands behind his back and I can see sweat starting to bead on his brow.

"The only person that has threatened me lately is you, Raoul," I answer flatly. "As I said, it will not work. I love him and I will not leave him." I turn my back on him to unlock my dressing room door. That's when I feel the cloth being pressed over my nose and mouth. There's a sweet, chemical smell, then I know no more.

Erik

I'm pacing behind the mirror. Where can Christine have got to? The performance ended nearly an hour ago! My annoyance is turning to worry. I finally decide I must take the risk of being seen. I step into the dressing room and try the door to find it unlocked. She made it to the door then, but what happened to her? My worry sharpens into sickening dread.

I see a handkerchief on the ground; as I bend down to retrieve it, an unmistakable scent hits me. Chloroform evaporates quickly, so this can't have been here long. I examine the embroidered name, Raoul de Chagny. The preening fool has not had his initials, but his entire name embroidered! Well, so much the better for me. The question now is, did he drop it by mistake or did he leave it on purpose to lure me into a trap? It doesn't matter. The first thing is to speak with Madame Giry. Then, trap or no trap, I will find Raoul de Chagny, and woe be unto him when I do!