(A/N: I apologise for taking so long, but I have been busy. I promise. I'll try to write more and add another chapter this week... but I cannot guarantee anything.)

Chapter 6

"Christine, I found something very strange!" Christine had been sitting on her bed in the dorm, silently reading a book. Meg had rushed into the room, excitedly. "Where have you been, Meg?" Christine asked, turning a page, without moving her eyes away from the book. "I was just wandering about, waiting until our next ballet practise."

Christine grunted in acknowledgement, clearly engrossed in her reading. Meg crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "Christine, you do not even want to know what I have found?"

"Go on and tell me, I'm listening."

Meg snatched the book away, "Christine!"
"Meg! Give me my book!"

Meg took Christine's hand and said, "But you must come with me first!" She had grabbed the broken hand and Christine winced in pain but did not want to let Meg know about her hand, so she remained silent. "Okay."

After climbing the many stairs Christine usually did to visit Erik, the two girls finally reached their destination; the roof. Christine yanked her hand out of Meg's and tried to soothe the pain by massaging it with her other hand. "You were on the roof?" Christine questioned Meg.

With a grin, Meg nodded. "Paris always looks much prettier from above."

"I suppose."

"But this is not what I came to show you," Meg said, 'After all, I am sure she has seen it many times before.' Meg bent down and picked something up, showing Christine. "Look! Do you know what this is?" Meg said, bouncing in excitement.

Christine's eyes widened in shock, but answered rather calmly, "A violin." It was Erik's violin. Knowing Meg, she would bring something up about the Opera Ghost and that would cause a conflict; Christine was sure.

"It must be Monsieur O.G.'s. He plays his violin on the roof!"

'Here it comes...' Christine thought. She knew she should not lie, but she could not say that it really was Erik's."That's absurd. You say you heard his music, did you not? If he played his violin all the way up here, how could you have heard it?" Christine attempted not to reveal Erik's secret again.

"Our dorm is not that far from the roof. I also have very good hearing."

Christine shook her head, sighing. "I still do not believe that it could be Erik's."

Meg gasped. "'Erik', you say? So that is his name! I always known you and he were close! You do visit Erik here on this roof!"

"Wha..? I... never! What makes you think that? I would... no... I... why...?" Christine could not find anything to say and began to panic.She was blathering away, speaking nonsense..Meg put her hands on Christine's shoulders, staring into her eyes, intently. "Christine, tell me the truth, do you love Erik?"

Christine's face turned warm and she glanced away, without having to turn her head. "Meg..! What kind of question is that? Of course not!"

Meg smiled, heaving a sigh of relief. "Then you will not be offended if I say that I love Erik?"

Silence. Christine's heart throbbed painfully and she did not believe what she hadjust heard. She spoke quietly,"But... you cannot."

Meg looked confused. "Why?"

"You have not even met him. You do not love him, you don't know who he is!"

Meg frowned and let go of Christine. "Are you upset? ...You sound like it."

Christine shook her head. "I apologise. No, I am not upset, I am not offended." Christine excused herself, walking towards the stairs, "Now, I shall be heading back. I would like to read more before practise."

-

It was about time for Christine and Meg to practise. Meg watched all the other girls leave the dorm for their lesson and Christine offered to wait for Meg, however, Meg refused, "No, it is alright. You needn't be late again, I shall be there soon."

Christine shrugged her shoulders and left Meg in the room by herself. Meg picked up the novel Christine was so into. It was lying on Christine's bed, which was fixed to perfection. The sheets were flawless and without wrinkles. 'Christine would probably like to read this before she goes to bed tonight.'

Meg hated to be plotting against Christine, her best friend. Nonetheless, Meg slid the book underneath a bed, into a dark corner of a room. Just in case Christine would look underneath that bed, Meg also wrapped it in a blanket, so it did not look like it. She did not want Christine to find it; Meg had something planned for that night and she did not want Christine to be in the way.

Later that evening, when all the little ballerinas were in their nightclothes, everything went as Meg had expected. "Meg, did you see it?" Christine was frantically searching through the room for her book. "I haven't. Sorry... but Christine, you have been searching for an hour now. You are keeping everybody up with your nonsense," Meg giggled. Christine sighed, "I am sorry everyone... I am sure I will find it."

"It's a book, Christine. Please, it is getting late." Meg slipped underneath the covers, yawning. "Perhaps in the morning you will find it."

Christine fell on top of her bed, exhausted. "Maybe. I am too tired to read anyway." After a few minutes, Meg heard soft snores come from Christine. Meg smiled and faced the clock. It was midnight. Meg could hear a violin, faintly and she followed it, quietly tiptoeing out of the dorm. 'At last, Monsieur O.G., I can finally have you to myself, without Christine's interruptions.' She reached for the doorknob and pushed the door open, walking outside of the room. She shut it quietly behind her and hurried up to the roof, as quietly as she could.

-

I waited for Christine's arrival, as I usually did, by playing the violin. I usually looked down on Paris and all its glory, however, the music that came from my violin tonight... I played with such concentration, so focused... I was totally consumed by its beauty. I heard steps walking towards me, in near-silence. I grinned, "I am glad you are here, Christine. How is your hand? What do you think of-" I was suddenly silenced when I felt two hands lay themselves gently on my chest. Then a head against my body and a sigh was heard. Could it be Christine's lovely hands upon me? Her head leaning up against me? I felt myself blush.

I opened my eyes and looked at her. I saw the top of her head and it was not covered with the light brown curls. Her hair was blonde, who was she? I shoved her away and quickly went to withdraw back to my lair. She must have realised this, as she shouted, "Please, Erik, do not go just yet!"

I lingered, even though I knew it would cause some sort of problem. "You know my name?"

The blonde girl approached me again, and I stepped back every time she took a step closer. "Yes, I do. And I am sure you know who I am," She said.

I thought a moment, tapping my chin with my thumb. "No... I cannot say that I do."

"But you must! You do know Madame Giry, yes?"

"Yes."

"I am her daughter, Meg Giry! Surely, you do know me!"

"No." I was speaking truthfully... almost. I have heard a bit about Meg and I have seen her, but I could not say that I knew her personally. I was about to be on my way, then Meg began to sniffle. "How could you? I have always been here at the Opera House, and I am the daughter of Madame Giry. You do not know me, and yet you know Christine so well? She has not been here as long as I!"

I smirked, "It does not matter who has been here longer, but who is closer in my heart. Wherever that is."

Meg's sniffles turned to sobs, "So, you love Christine?"