Disclaimer: I don't own POTO or any of its characters. (Sorry. I ran out of humorous disclaimers.)

Guardian Angel

Christine was enjoying the trip immensely, mostly because of her unexpected traveling companion. He was such a good listener; he didn't interrupt or give her unwanted advice, as most people were want to do.

"So Michelle suggested that I take a time away. Maybe then I can decide if I want to marry Raoul or not." Christine finished her story and waited for Nadir to respond.

He thought a moment, then said, "It seems to me...Do you mind if I offer some elderly wisdom?"

Elderly perhaps, but he was still quite handsome and rather charming to Christine's way of thinking. "Not at all."

"Well," he continued. "It seems to me that if you really wanted to wed him, you wouldn't need to go away to find your answer. But, as I said, that is only my opinion."

Christine was a little surprised by this advice. Most people would have said "Marry him. He's rich. He's nobility. What more could you want?" But that was just it. She did want more. She felt that there was something more to be had, something more than what she had with Raoul.

Nadir noticed her silence. "I apologize. I didn't mean to offend you."

"Oh, but you didn't," she quickly replied. "You just...well...I need to think about this."

Not offended, Nadir nodded congenially and opened the book he had brought, giving her the mental privacy she required.

Christine stared out the window, not really seeing the passing scenery. *Did Raoul ever give me the space I needed to think?* she wondered. *Not that I recall.* Actually, he, along with several others, seemed to believe that she couldn't think, that she hadn't a brain in her pretty little head.

Her thoughts were interrupted once again by Nadir. "I beg your pardon, Miss Daae, but is something troubling you?"

Christine wondered how he had noticed when he had been reading. "No, nothing. I was just thinking."

Nadir set aside his book, thankful she hadn't noticed that he had been staring. "It must be something serious."

She looked sharply at him to see if he was making fun of her. But his expression showed nothing of the condescension she usually saw when trying to share her thoughts. Instead, she saw interest and perhaps a little concern. Why he should be concerned, she had no idea. "You actually want to know what I'm thinking, don't you?" she said, surprised.

He nodded. "Yes. Quite a bit."

Christine lowered her eyes to the floor and let out a sigh. "I was thinking... Some people don't think I have a brain," she said. "To them, I'm just a pretty face. A pretty box with nothing inside except a little mechanism to make pretty music." She took a breath and blinked back some unexpected and rather unwelcome tears. "I know I'm a bit slow, but I am not stupid." Her voice broke a little and the tears she tried to hold back were falling freely, but her voice was gaining strength and conviction. "I hate it when someone tries to make me feel less than I am. When someone tries to make feel stupid, I hate that. And I refuse to be nothing but a bauble to my husband." Unable to say more, Christine put her face in her hands and cried. Now she had completely humiliated herself before the one person she had wanted to impress.

But instead of laughing at her or telling her to stop being such a baby, as most people would, Nadir put his arms around her and gently urged her head to his shoulder, where she proceeded to weep until his jacket was soaked. Gently holding her, Nadir asked fiercely, "Does the Vicomte ever do that to you?"

Christine sniffled, her face still buried in his coat. "Do what?"

"Try to make you feel stupid." Lord help him, but if that stuck up cub did, Nadir would go straight back to Paris and bury his fist in the man's face, prisoner be damned.

Christine had regained most of her control, but didn't want to leave the comforting circle of this man's arms. "No. Raoul would never do that. He just... He'd rather that I didn't have to think, is all." She felt a small smile come to her lips. "Sort of what a brother wants for his sister." Christine felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She disengaged herself from Nadir and looked at the spot she had been crying on. "Oh, dear," she said, though without much real regret for what had happened. "I've blubbered all over you."

Nadir looked at the wet spot on his formally immaculate attire. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I can change into a different one." He rose just to do that. He took the small valise he had brought on the train and excused himself to another empty car to change. And while he was there, he told himself that he didn't enjoy discovering just how good she felt in his arms. He even tried to believe it. He tried really hard.

The remainder of the journey was spent in silence, with Christine thinking about her love life and sneaking glances at Nadir whenever he wasn't looking, and Nadir pretending to read his book and stealing glances at Christine when she wasn't looking. If someone else had been in the car and was watching them, he'd have compared it to a tennis match, with one person looking at the other then looking away, and then vice versa, all in a rapid succession.

When they finally reached their destination, Nadir assisted Christine with her luggage, loading it onto the hack he called for her. "Good afternoon, Miss Daae. I hope you find the answer you are looking for."

"Thank you. Perhaps we shall be traveling back to Paris together."

Nadir smiled politely. "As much as I would enjoy that, I shall be leaving either tomorrow or the next day." Even though he would rather spend another long ride basking in the warmth of her presence.

Christine was able to mask her disappointment behind a smile. "Well, then. Pleasant journey."

She began to step up to the seat, but Nadir couldn't let her leave without assuring her of at least one thing. He captured her elbow and turned her to face him. "I just want you to know, you are neither slow nor stupid."

He released her and stepped back. She climbed into the carriage after a stunned second when her chest had felt so tight that she couldn't move. As the carriage drove away, Christine waved to Nadir. He waved back. Once the hack was out of sight, he dropped his arm. He turned and started walking to the office where the prisoner was being held. A treacherous voice in his head taunted him. *You could always send him to Paris with someone else. No one would blame you for spending a few extra days in the county. You haven't had a day off for five years.* He shoved the thought away. He enjoyed his work. And enjoyed having it done properly. Besides, he had no idea where she was staying.

*There are ways of finding out.*

Nadir shoved that thought away, too. He wouldn't misuse the tracking skills of the French police just so he could carry on some trivial flirtation. Although, some of the newer, younger members got assignments finding the whereabouts of civilians as part of their training.

*Besides, this "flirtation" isn't quite "trivial" to you.*

Nadir shoved this thought away as well. Then he sighed, knowing that he wasn't returning to Paris any time soon.