From My Corner of the Room

The unhappy duty of informing le Vicomte de Chagny of Christine's exodus from Paris had fallen on the shoulders of Meg Giry. Lissette, the young daughter of Monsieur Marseille who owned the boarding house, had breathlessly run up the stairs, swooning over the handsome Vicomte's presence in the foyer. Madame Giry had chastised the young girl for her unladylike behavior, and collected herself with the intention of speaking with Raoul. But Meg had insisted on going in her mother's place, feeling entirely responsible for his renewed hopes.

Raoul had been away from Paris for several weeks, having left on business shortly before Christine and Erik had eloped. Now watching him pace the foyer, Meg suddenly found herself at a loss. Especially when he caught sight of her and offered a warm smile that made her forget to breath for a moment.

"Ah, Meg, hello my friend. You look lovely this evening." He reached for her hand and placed a kiss on her fingers.

"I…thank you."

"You are most welcome. Tell me...is Christine in? The Theatre Mystere is dark tonight and I was hoping to escort her dinner."

"N-no, Raoul. Christine is…she is gone."

Raoul's brows furrowed in confusion. "Gone where?"

"I...am sorry, Raoul. She has...gone from Paris. Early last week."

Raoul turned his back to Meg, shaking his head in denial. "No. No, she cannot have gone without…" He turned back quickly to face Meg again. "Why? Why would she have gone now without word."

Meg shook her head sadly. "She...felt her only chance at true happiness would be to begin again in a place where her name did not bring such unwelcome recognition."

It was not strictly a lie. Christine's reputation had been damaged by the tragedy at the Opera Populaire and her broken engagement with Raoul. Finding another position on the stage had been nearly impossible for her. Only the Theater Mystere had been willing to take a chance on Christine.

Anger and resentment colored Raoul's words. "Yet she has managed to profit well enough from that recognition in these past months at the theater!"

Meg gasped slightly. "Only because she could find no other placement! You must know it was never Christine's intention to stay at the Theatre Mystere indefinitely."

"Of course I knew! But it was her own choice to remain in Paris! Why would she leave now when things were just beginning to right themselves? The Opera is soon to be rebuilt. And…" Raoul shook his head helplessly. "My feelings for her remain unchanged."

"I…wish I could give you a reason why Christine could not find her happiness with you, Raoul...but I cannot. I only know that she does care for you, and that she never meant to cause you pain."

"Yet that is all she seems to inflict upon me." He dragged his hands over his face in despair. "Or perhaps I invited it on myself, for failing to accept Christine's true feelings."

Meg could say nothing to that, and found she could not meet Raoul's sorrowful eyes.

Raoul noticed this and sighed. "Do you think I did not realize, Meg? That I, along with all of Paris, could not see Christine's feelings for him displayed openly on the stage of the opera house that night? And then below…even as I took her from him…she could not help but look back with such sadness in her eyes. A sadness which remained in the few weeks she lived under my roof. I knew that he was the true reason she returned to Paris. And that she could not marry me because of him." Raoul reached for Meg's hands and held them tightly in his own, a pitiful desperation in his eyes and voice. "Now I must know, Meg. You must tell me…did she leave Paris for the same reason?"

Meg glanced away again. "She left to find happiness, le Vicomte." She unconsciously returned to the formality of his title. "That is all I can tell you."

Raoul would not accept Meg's answer. "But did she seek her happiness alone, Meg?"

Meg met his eyes reluctantly. "I…I cannot give you the answer you wish to hear."

Raoul released her hands slowly. "And yet, you have answered me, have you not? Forgive me, Mademoiselle, I am afraid I have overstayed my welcome. Good evening."

He bowed to her stiffly and moved quickly towards the door.

Meg felt certain that her own heart was breaking along with Raoul's. For as much as she wished Christine and Erik happiness, Meg could not help but feel as though the price was far too high.

xXx

Drowning ones pities in a sea of alcohol was not without its advantages. If nothing else, it was a temporary means which seemed, for a brief time at least, to suddenly make all things appear possible. In these misleading moments of drunken clarity, Raoul de Chagny was convinced that he held no lingering affection at all for Christine Daae. That her leaving Paris was the best thing to happen to him. That he certainly did deserve a love far truer and more passionate that she could ever have given him.

But always, Raoul would be faced with the painful soberness that would remind him of all that he had lost. Not the least of which was his pride. But a surprising thing began to happen in the weeks after Christine's departure. The pain of his broken heart began to grow somewhat duller, and not by way of the alcohol he attempted to numb himself with. But by a strange compulsion he had developed to return again to the Theater Soliel.

Raoul had been headed in the direction of a tavern which served a very fine Russian Vodka to begin his ritual once again, when he'd stopped without thinking in front of le Soliel. Or perhaps it had been the sight of happy citizens making their way up the front stairs and into the building for the night's performance. And Raoul found himself moving in that direction as well.

Monsieur Francois LeCleur stood just inside the grand archway speaking with several Parisian aristocrats, and Raoul suddenly wondered what his intention in coming here had been. He was not left to his thoughts for very long before LeCleur noticed him and quickly excused himself from his companions.

"Ah, Vicomte de Chagny, welcome back to le Soliel. I was not aware that you had reservations for this evening's performance."

Raoul cringed a little. "I'm afraid I do not, Monsieur. I was…hoping perhaps there might be an available seat."

"I would be honored if you would join me in my box. I am always happy to welcome a man who has shown such support for the arts."

The older gentlemen grinned broadly. "One can never have too many patrons, le Vicomte."

Raoul smiled thinly, but found himself accepting LeCleur's invitation.

Throughout the performance, Raoul found his gaze intently locked on Meg Giry for every moment she was on the stage. His mind kept replaying the last evening he had spoken with her...the sad pity in her eyes as she told him of Christine, and his own embarrassing behavior in her presence.

Even in his drunken ramblings to strangers, he had not revealed the extent of his damaged ego as he had to Meg. And now, he found himself greatly needing to speak to someone who might understand all that he had been through. Someone who would not ask him foolish questions about the damned opera ghost. And Raoul could think of no one better suited to such a conversation than Meg Giry.

xXx

His appearance back stage on that night was decidedly lacking in any trinkets or flowers. He simply waited patiently outside her dressing room with his hands folded behind his back. When the door opened, his eyes came up to meet hers at the same moment she noticed him there and she caught her breath at the slow sad smile that spread over his haggard face.

The weeks had not been kind to him, and his handsome features were pale and drawn. But his smile had the power to make her heart flutter madly. What was happening to her? Drawing a steadying breath, Meg closed the small distance between them. "Raoul?"

His smile grew warmer. "Meg." He took her hand and kissed it, ever the gentleman. "It has been far too long."

Meg felt herself blushing again. "Only a few weeks."

"It feels more like a lifetime." His eyes were sad, and Meg felt herself aching to comfort him.

"I…did not expect to see you at the theater again."

"I felt the need for escape tonight. A need I am still feeling, if only you would aid me in my flight."

"I-I'm afraid I do not understand."

He smiled a little more invitingly. "Will you have dinner with me tonight, Meg?"

"Tonight?" Her blue eyes clearly reflected distress.

Raoul's smile fell away. "Forgive me, of course you are previously engaged." How foolish of him to think that she would not already have other plans.

Meg laughed a little. "It is only that Maman and I usually have supper before returning home. I am afraid she is expecting me."

Raoul attempted a smile, hoping Meg would not see his disappointment. "I should have realized. Perhaps some other time."

Suddenly unwilling to have him leave without some promise from her, Meg boldly spoke. "Perhaps tomorrow."

Both his brows rose, and Meg felt her face flame at her forwardness. Then Raoul smiled genuinely, a sparkle of good humor back in his eyes. "Perhaps lunch?"

Meg smiled in return. "I would like that very much."

"Then you may expect me tomorrow at noon." He once again took her hand and brought it to his lips. "Until then."

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