Disclaimer: I still don't own anything.

Guardian Angel

That evening, Erik stood on the bank opposite to his house and wondered how he would get all these packages across. He had left, intending to buy a tree, and he had. But then he passed a dress shop and saw an array of beautiful gowns. Michelle didn't have any gowns, and Erik did have a small fortune from investing his considerable "salary". So, he purchased a few gowns. Of course, then he had to buy some slippers to go with them. And then he saw a delicate lace fan that would be the perfect accent. By this time, the sun was almost up and people were beginning to stir. Erik had to rent a room at a hotel so he wouldn't be forced to wander around Paris in the daylight.

At the end of the day, when the sun was just setting, Erik left the hotel meaning to head straight to the Opera house. But he made the mistake of looking in a store window and seeing a carved wooden jewelry case and music box. He went in, just to look at it, but ended up purchasing that, too. And then he thought, *Michelle has no jewelry to put in the box.* So he made a detour and went to a jewelry store. There, he saw a simple strand of elegant white pearls. They would look glorious around her neck. And when Erik thought he was finally finished, he saw a burgundy velvet cloak with black fur lining. He bought that, too.

So here he was, standing around with a tree and a dozen brightly wrapped boxes (the stores wrapped them for the customers) trying to figure out a way to get them to the other side without Michelle seeing.

Finally, Erik put the gifts in the boat, then carefully laid the tree, a few inches taller than his own six-feet, on top of those. After carefully maneuvering across the lake, fortunately without anything dropping into the lake, he checked to see where Michelle was. The smells coming from the kitchen indicated that she was making dinner, and wouldn't be out until it was finished. Erik slid the tree out of the boat and left it on the ground while he moved the packages to his room. When that was finished, he moved the tree next to the fireplace in the front room. Not too close, though; he wouldn't want it to catch on fire. Finally finished, he went to the kitchen.

Michelle was happy to see him. "I was getting worried," she said looking him over. "You aren't hurt or anything, are you?"

"No, of course not." Secretly, though, he was touched that she had worried.

Michelle looked over him another moment or two, then shrugged and said, "Dinner won't be ready for another ten or fifteen minutes."

Erik nodded. "In that case, I think I'll see if I can set up the tree."

Michelle froze. "What tree?" she asked cautiously.

Erik suddenly felt a little nervous. "I got a tree for Christmas."

Michelle rushed into the parlor, Erik close on her heels. When she saw the tree, she had to blink back tears; she really hadn't thought they would get a tree.

"I wasn't sure which one to pick out," Erik said. "I hope this one is all right."

Alright? "It's perfect," Michelle sighed.

She blinked back the unexpected tears in her eyes before Erik could see. Back home, a tree was expected, taken for granted. The fact that Erik had gone out and gotten one just for her was humbling and heartwarming. Then Michelle knew that she had fallen in love with him.

They were eating supper when Erik asked what she had done while he was gone. "Meg came here," Michelle replied. "Apparently Christine is leaving tomorrow, too, so I gave Meg Christine's gift, as well as her own and her mother's." She glanced at Erik. "She also invited us to a party the managers are throwing the dancers on Christmas."

Erik looked at her. "The dancers have to work on Christmas?" He didn't know much about the holiday, but he was sure people didn't have to work then.

Michelle shrugged and smiled. " Well, they do get a large Christmas bonus."

Erik nodded, then smiled back. "Why don't we go?"

Michelle looked almost as surprised as Erik felt. Why had he said that? He hated crowds. Then, unbidden, a vision of Michelle swirling across a dance floor in the deep, sea-green dress he had purchased entered his mind. The thought of dancing with her, like a normal person, like a courting couple, was too sweet to ignore. So, they would go.

Michelle finally replied to his unexpected answer. "Okay. Meg is coming back tomorrow for my answer. I'll tell her then." Michelle had told her maybe, but had doubted that Erik would want to go.

"How is she?" Erik asked, trying to make conversation.

Now Michelle really grinned. "Apparently, she's at the end of her rope where Raoul is concerned."

Erik blinked in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"

"I advised Christine to take a sabbatical from her fiancé, so she has been avoiding him. Meg has been assuring him that she is alright. Unfortunately, he has been, and I quote, 'an over-bearing, arrogant man who thinks he can make her cower just by raising one of his annoyingly attractive eyebrows'. Unquote."

Erik raised one of his eyebrows. "Annoyingly attractive?"

Michelle chuckled. "Seriously, I never thought that Raoul and Christine would suit. They're too much like siblings to be happy as man-and-wife. Besides, if Christine really wanted to marry him, she wouldn't be having doubts."

Erik pondered this a moment. "I suppose you are right." Then he grinned. "Do you think the Vicomte and Meg would be a better match?"

Michelle nodded. "Actually, I do." She put her chin in her hands. "Now if only we could find someone for Christine."

Erik chuckled. "Perhaps she will meet someone on her train and live happily ever after. The end."

* * * * *

The next day, Christine sat in her car staring out the window as the train left the station. She was alone in the car and wouldn't have minded some company, if she knew the person, but solitude was alright, too.

The door to the car opened and someone came in. "Why, Mademoiselle Daae. I didn't know you were on this train as well."

Christine turned to the person and saw the Daroga standing there. She smiled. "Bonjour, Monsieur. Are you going on holiday?"

"No. Business. Of course, if you don't mind the company, passing a trip with a lovely lady would be most pleasant."

Christine blushed at the compliment, then moved over on the seat to make more room. Smiling, Nadir sat beside her. "So, why are you traveling so near Christmas?"