Disclaimer: Surely you don't think any of these people belongs to me…

A/N: Thank you to my lovely reviewers! You guys are awesome :)

Raoul looked up as the clock in the study began to chime. He decided to check on Christine, it was odd that she had been asleep so long.

He knocked softly on her bedroom door, but received no answer. He opened the door slightly. She wasn't there. Raoul closed the door and frowned. Where could she be? He began to make his way through the house, but couldn't find Christine anywhere.

He went back to Christine's room and this time noticed something on her pillow. It was a note addressed to him. He picked it up and read it quickly. He let the small piece of paper fly out of his hands and he took off at a run for the door.

The note read as follows:

Raoul-

Please do not worry about me. I'll be back soon, I just don't know exactly when. You know of the dreams I have. I have to resolve them. I love you.

Christine

Raoul's heart pounded with fear as he hurried to town so he too could find a way to Paris. There was no time for one to be summoned to the house. He knew where she'd gone and he knew he had to stop her or she may not be coming back.

He, like Christine, found a cab driver who was willing to bring him to Paris. As he rode, he wondered how long ago she had left and how she could have left without him noticing. As he got closer to his destination his fear mounted. What if the ghost…no, the man…what if he'd found her? What if he wouldn't let her go this time? He shuddered. What on earth possessed her to do such a thing?

The carriage stopped in front of the opera house on Raoul's instructions. He paid the driver and raced toward the building.

Erik remained in Christine's dressing room for quite sometime. He felt like tearing his hair out, or breaking everything in the room, or killing someone. But he knew that none of those things would change what he had just done. Christine… Christine had come back and he had chased her away. He remembered the look in her eyes, just before she ran out of the room and he felt like a knife had been stabbed through his chest.

He wanted to run after her, tell her he was sorry for what had happened. But he couldn't. Who knows where she had gone? He had let his raging emotions get the better of him and now he had lost Christine again. But the burning question was still unanswered. Why had she really come here?

Madame Giry watched as the ballerinas parted and a young woman ran past their group in tears. She let a gasp escape her when she realized who that young woman was. The shock didn't fade from her features as she realized where that young woman must have come from.

Madame Giry started towards the Phantom's lair, but stopped. Christine wouldn't have gone done there alone would she? She decided a better place to look would be her old dressing room. She hurried down the corridors and found herself outside the door. She opened it quickly.

Erik was still there, sitting calmly on the small divan. He didn't acknowledge her presence as she entered the room.

"What have you done?" Madame Giry said as she saw him.

Erik still didn't look at her. He stared down at his hands, unmoving.

Madame Giry moved a little closer to him. "Monsieur?" she asked.

Finally he looked up and she could see the pain in his eyes that he was trying hopelessly to hide. She instantly felt bad for speaking to him so harshly.

"What happened?" she asked, much more gently than before.

He stared at her, as if he still didn't comprehend what had happened. "She was here," he finally managed to say.

"What did you do to her Erik?" she asked.

Erik's eyes narrowed. "What would make you think I had anything to do with this?" he asked angrily. "She came here, she was calling me, and…" he trailed off, his anger fading. "She does this to me; I let my anger get carried away. You know I would never harm her, but…" He sighed.

"She was in tears when she left here you know," Madame Giry informed him. "But I don't understand, why was she here?"

"I wish I knew the answer to that myself."

Christine had no idea where she was going. She just let her legs carry her as she ran as fast as she could away from the opera house. She stopped suddenly and found that she was sobbing. She leaned against the wall of a building to catch her breath. She couldn't run anymore, she didn't have the strength. She realized slowly that she really needed to get inside; it was very dark and still raining quite hard. She walked into the building she was leaning against and realized she had walked into a bar.

She had intended to leave at once. She knew that it probably wasn't the best place for an unescorted woman to be late at night. She turned to walk back out the door when she heard a voice behind her.

"Excuse me mademoiselle."

She turned and saw a well-dressed young man standing before her.

"Are you alright miss?" he asked. Christine realized that she must look terrible, she was soaked to the skin and her eyes must be red from crying.

"Yes, I'm alright, I just…" She suddenly felt dizzy as the events of the night came back to her with full force. "I think I just need to sit down."

"Well please, allow me to accompany you," he said and helped her to a table where she sunk gratefully into the chair he offered.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Claude Myrtil," he said.

Even though he was a complete stranger, Christine couldn't help but trust this man, with his polite attitude and charming smile.

"Christine Daae," she said.

"Christine Daae…I've heard that name before. Are you a singer by any chance Miss Daae?"

"Yes," she answered, "I used to sing at the Opera Garnier."

He smiled at her. "Yes, that's it. I do remember you now. But are you not engaged to the Vicomte de Chagny? Where is he, if you don't mind my asking."

"No, it's alright. But he…he doesn't know I'm here," she admitted.

"Oh well please, will you allow me to escort you home?"

"That is very nice of you to offer Monsieur Myrtil, but I live quite a distance from here and it would quite an inconvenience for you to escort me."

"Well at least allow me to buy you a drink," he offered.

Christine accepted. She wasn't ready to go home just yet. She didn't know how Raoul would react to all of this and she needed to compose herself before returning to the house.

Raoul reached the top of the stairs and attempted to open the door, but to his dismay it was locked. He pounded on the door, hoping that someone would still be inside and let him in. Luckily for him, there was. It just so happened that Madame Giry was still inside and she heard the frantic knocking. She opened the door and was shocked to see Raoul standing outside. But, of course, he must have followed Christine.

"Monsieur de Chagny," she said.

"Madame Giry, please, Christine…" he began.

She cut him off, "She was here monsieur. I am sorry, I do not know where she went."

"But I must find her!" he said urgently. "She isn't…I mean, she hasn't seen…what if she's in danger?"

Madame Giry held up her hand. "She is not in danger here monsieur," she said pointedly noticing the look on his face as she spoke those words.

"How can you say that?" he asked her.

"Because it is the truth monsieur." She knew he would never believe that even as she said it.

He stared at her, disbelief clearly written all over his face. "Thank you Madame," he managed to say. He then turned right around and left. He looked around outside wondering where on earth he could begin to look for Christine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christine spent almost an hour with Claude. She found that she enjoyed talking to him; perhaps it really was best not to be alone when one is upset. He had heard her sing before and had been captivated by her voice. She blushed, but didn't say anything. Speaking of her voice would remind her of Erik. Of course, there wasn't much that didn't remind her of Erik.

Noticing that it was getting rather late, Christine realized she had to get home; she still had quite a journey to make.

"I'm very sorry monsieur, but you'll have to excuse me. I really must be going," she said.

"Oh of course, please, allow me to see you to the door." He helped her out of her chair and walked her outside where he hailed a carriage for her.

However, before she climbed in, who should show up, but Raoul. He had been walking down the streets of Paris, frantically looking for some trace of Christine. He knew that it was possible that she had simply returned home after leaving the opera house, but what if she hadn't? What if she was  in danger?

Imagine his immense relief when he spotted her, safe.

"Christine!"

Christine turned at his voice. She looked at him in shock. He'd followed her all the way to Paris? He ran to her and pulled her into his arms, "Oh Christine thank God you're safe! I was so worried Christine."

She pulled away from him, she was afraid his initial relief would wear off soon and he'd be angry with her for leaving the way she did.

"Oh forgive me Claude, Raoul this is Claude Myrtil. Monsieur, the Vicomte de Chagny."

Raoul shook his hand, "Thank you sir, for taking care of my fiancée."

"My pleasure," Claude said simply. "Now Miss Daae, it seems you are in capable hands, I must be going." He kissed her hand and was gone.

"Christine, we really must get you home," Raoul said and gently guided her into the waiting carriage.

Claude watched, hidden in the shadows as the carriage rounded a corner and disappeared.

A/N: Well? I know you have an opinion on this story! So tell me how much you hate it! Or….if you find yourself enjoying this story, then let me know that too! Thanks so much! :)