Hello, faithful readers...

I'm sorry it's taken so long to get the last few chapters up. I've been in and out of hospitals the past week and haven't had a chance to get to a computer. (For those of you who're interested, I'm doing slightly better now).

The good news is, there's only two more chapters to be put up: Chapter 8 - A Wish Fulfilled and Chapter 9 - A New Beginning. (My apologies to Monroe-Mary for telling the titles of the chapters again). They should both be up by the end of next week.

Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for sticking with me and sorry for the delay. And having said that... Away we go!

Chapter 7: Busted

Christine tip-toed back into her room, her heart racing. She closed the mirror-door behind her and fumbled around in the dark for her lamp. She turned it on and let out a yelp of surprised.

"Ah-HA!" exclaimed Meg, pointing an accusatory finger at her friend. "I knew it!"

"Meg!" Christine gasped. "You scared me! What're you doing here?"

"Ohhhhhhh..." Meg fumed, her brow furrowing. "Oh, Christine..." She stomped her foot on the floor. "Darn it, Christine! Do you want to die? Why can't you stay away from that passage! I was so worried about you!"

Christine looked to Meg's face and felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't told Meg of her plans and had ended up worrying her anyway. But how did Meg know she would use the passage? She had been so careful not to make any noise.

"How did you...I mean, what led you to believe I would use the passage again?" Christine questioned, wringing her hands.

"This!" Meg pulled an envelope from her tu-tu and smacked it with the back of her hand. "This is how I knew. God, Christine! What were you thinking? Do you know how dangerous it would be if he was down there?"

Christine reached out and gently took the envelope from Meg's hand. She stared at it. Raoul's handwriting.

Raoul had written to Meg to tell her Christine was coming.

"You...knew?" Christine gulped, her stomach sinking. "You knew why I was coming?"

"I had hoped he was joking!" Meg huffed.

"He wasn't."

"Well, I gathered that from the way you were staring at the mirror earlier today," Meg said indignantly. "I'm not an idiot, Christine. I know what's what."

"I know you do," Christine said, feeling more guilty and awful by the second.

Meg looked at her friend and sighed. She gave her a quick hug and pulled back, taking Christine's arms and leading her to sit down at the vanity.

"I'm sorry," Meg said. "I was just really worried about you... I mean, why would you even want to go back down there after what you'd been through?"

Christine gazed at her own reflection in the vanity mirror. She knew the reason why. She needed to see him again. See Erik. To hear his voice, to feel his warm body close to hers. She needed to find out what "might have been." She needed to know if he ever really loved her. If he loved her still.

She needed to know if she truly loved him back.

Was it just the night playing tricks on her, or had there really been something there? And, more importantly, was it there still?

"It's...personal," Christine said finally, trying not to catch Meg's eyes in case they gave away her true motives.

"Oh?" Meg said, tipping her head curiously to one side. "Is it one of those 'conquering your fears' type things?"

"Um...sort of," Christine answered, nervously chewing on her lower lip. She hoped Meg wouldn't ask too many more questions.

"Well, I guess I'll let you sleep then," said Meg, heading for the door. At the last moment she turned around. "Just one more thing..." she started, "...did you find what you were looking for?"

"No," Christine answered honestly. "I didn't."

Which is why she knew she had to go back.

Chapter 8: A Wish Fulfilled