Everything was so perfect.

by LiltingBanshee

Author´s note: Ok, so I get the POTO DVD (thanks Granny;)) but I can´t find the deleted scene "No one would listen" that everyone talks about. Could anyone please tell me where it is?
The cassette is imported from England and says "look out for hidden extras..." yeah I´m not exactly good at looking for hidden things, so please help;)

Shdwcat27: Thanks, yeah Sarah´s really having a hard time.

phantomfan1911: Thanks, as for the Christine/Erik thing...well you´ll have to wait and see;)

Leben ist Magie: Yep Sarah has a rough time ahead. Maybe Christine and Erik still love each other...;)

Anyway, here´s chapter 3...

Christine had met Raoul de Chagny during a school stay in Paris when she was 18. She had studied art at the Sorbonne University and Raoul was a friend of one of her classmates.

Raoul had lost his heart to the darkhaired beauty from England instantly.

They had been good friends and to Raoul´s great satisfaction they had become romantically involved.

After a year in Paris Christine had returned to London and in fact forgotten all about Raoul.

He had never forgotten about her though and as he was sitting opposite her now in the little café he felt his old feelings for her swell back in his heart.

"So tell me Christine, how have you been all these years?", Raoul asked enthusiastically.

"Very good", Christine answered. "I´ve worked a lot in theatres with musicals and operas, Many of them written by my husband", Christine said hardly noticing her choice of words.

"You´re married?", Raoul asked surprised.

"Well", Christine looked at her hands. "We´re actually getting divorced".

"Oh, I´m sorry to hear that", Raoul said. "Is it a tough divorce?".

"It is emotionally hard on all of us. Sarah is not doing well at all", Christine said sadly.

"Sarah?", Raoul was puzzled.

"My daughter", Christine explained.

"She is the loveliest girl Raoul. She is 12 years old, beautiful and good in school. She loves music and has great talent in Irish dancing. Oh Raoul you must meet her", Christine was obviously very fond of her daughter.

"I would love to meet Sarah", Raoul smiled sweetly. "And what does your husband or soon ex-husband do?" Raoul asked emphazising the word ex.

"He´s a music composer. He´s brilliant. I met him at a theatre when I was a chorus girl in one of his productions. I fell in love with him instantly and we have had a great marriage...until now", Christine trailed off looking down on her coffee cup and Raoul caught the sight of a tear rolling down her cheek.

He grasped her hand firmly. "Christine, I´m really sorry. If there is anything I can do please let me know. If you want to talk I´ll be there for you", he said sincerely.

"Thank you Raoul", Christine said and dapped her eyes with her napkin. "I´ll remember that".

Sarah jumped happily into the the car when Christine picked her up after her danceclass. Christine leaned over and kissed her daughter´s cheek.

"Did you do well today?", she asked her.

"Oh, it was great Mum, I´m finally getting a hold of that step I had so much trouble with last month", Sarah said with joy.

"That´s good sweety", Christine said as she oulled away from the kerb.

"Sarah, would like to stay at your Dad´s on Friday? I´m going out for dinner", Christine asked.

"I would love that!", Sarah exclaimed. "Who are you going out with?".

"Just an old friend from Paris. He´s in London and I haven´t seen him in years", Christine said.

"Him?", Sarah frowned. " You´re going out with a man?".

"Oh, stop sounding so judgemental Sarah, he´s just an old friend", Christine said defendingly.

"Whatever", Sarah was disappointed in her mother and neither said anything for the rest of the ride.

Sarah crammed another handful of popcorn into her mouth. She was really enjoying her evening slumped on her father´s sofa infront of the telly. Erik placed another can of Coke on the table.

"Is there anything else the lady of the house would wish for?", he said jokingly and bowed like a servant.

Sarah smiled sweetly at him.

"No thanks, that´ll do for now Dad", she grinned.

Erik ruffled her hair affectionally. He was enjoying this as much as Sarah. He sat down on the sofa next to her and looked at the screen.

He threw a glance at her face – she was very absorbed in the program.

"There was a time when you just watched cartoons, now it´s all about tatooed guys and girl singing their heart out in musicvideos", Erik chuckled.

"Dad, something like the Telly Tubbies are way more bizarre than this", Sarah said and gestured the screen. "Besides, I still like cartoons, there´s just no one who has time to watch them with me". Sarah looked slightly sad.

"I´m sorry babygirl", Erik said and stroked her curls. "I know all this is very confusing, but it´ll get better. We can watch a cartoon now if you like?".

Sarah cheered up instantly. "You have any?".

"Sure, I have some of the tapes we bought when you were little", Erik said.

"Oh Daddy, can we watch The Sword in the Stone? I love that one!", Sarah excalimed.

Erik laughed. "Are you sure you´re up for that? Remember you used to crawl all the way into my hair when Merlin and Arthur were chased by the big fish?".

Sarah blushed. "I´m a big girl now Dad".

"I know. Go make some more popcorn and I´ll go get the tape", Erik said and got up.

Though Sarah was nearly 13 now she was still a little girl inside and Erik couldn´t help but laugh to himself as he felt her inch closer to him during the movie. He put a protective arm around her and she leaned her head on his shoulder. He felt a little sting in his heart. If the cartoon world was scary enough for his child why did she have to watch her parents splitting up? He had recieved more papers from Christine´s lawyer this morning. He couldn´t go on ignoring it. Everyhting was happening so fast. He needed a good long talk with Christine-soon.

Sarah was nearly asleep when the movie ended and Erik nudged her gently.

"Come on sweetheart. It´s time for bed".

Sarah sat up and rubbed her eyes. "I´ll just have to call Mum and say goodnight", she yawned.

"Ok, but make it quick, it´s close to midnight", Erik said.

The phone rang for the 17th time and still no one answered. Sarah had an unpleasent feeling in her stomach. It was midnight and her Mum still wasn´t back from her dinnerdate-with a man.

She put the ohone down and blinked a few times to hold back her tears. When she came back to the bedroom Erik smiled at her.

"Was she still up?", he asked.

"Yeah", Sarah, said, seeing no reason to make her father sad. "She says hello".

"Well thanks. I´m quite surprised she was in. It usually gets late when she´s out with Meg" Erik said.

"But...", Sarah trailed off.

"But what?", Erik was qurious.

"Nothing. I was just going to say they have rehearsals tomorrow, but you know that", Sarah said and attempted a smile.

"That´s probably why they made it an early night", Erik said. He bent down and kissed Sarah´s forehead and smoothed her curls away from her face.

"Goodnight princess, sleep tight. I love you my darling", he said affectionally.

Sarah felt the tears coming again.

"I love you too Dad. Thanks for tonight".

As Erik turned the lights off and pulled the door closed he couldn´t help but wonder if Sarah hadn´t seemed quite sad after the phonecall to her mother. He was going to have to talk to Christine. They couldn´t let their disagreement harm Sarah.

Sarah´s dreams were filled with images of her mother leaving with a man whose face Sarah couldn´t see. She screamed ar her Mum to come back, but she still left.

When Erik dropped her off at her danceschool the next morning she felt like she hadn´t slept in days. She found it hard to concentrate as the dream plagued her mind and when she came home she threw herself on her bed and cried till she fell a sleep.

Oh, I even feel bad for Sarah writing her life like this... please review and have anice weekend:)