Disclaimer: OK….can this go for the whole fanfic so I don't hafta keep righting it? Well this one will……I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTORS for the WHOLE fanfic

Days after the Opera house scandal Christine sat in what was now her room. It was painted a baby blue and had two windows with a white frames on the left wall. On the front wall she had a light wooden vanity and mirror, and a chest of drawers. On the right wall was the door. Near the second window in the she had a night stand of light wood and a matching light wood bed with high posts next to it. The bed had light blue sheets, a white blanket and three pillows. That was where she was sitting now.

At six o'clock sharp she heard a knock on her door and walked down the stairs into a relatively small foyer with a kitchen behind her and to the left, a sitting room off to her right, a dining room to her left, and an unused room to her diagonally right. Christine opened the door, and as expected saw Raoul.

Raoul looked at her for a long moment. She was very pretty. She was wearing a full-skirted pink dress with a large scoop neck and some slight ruffles on her sleeves that stopped near her elbows. She was adorned with a pearl necklace and matching tear-drop pearl earrings. Her curls were piled on top of her head, with a few choice strands hanging down around her face. She looked very delicate and feminine

"I trust you like your accommodations, my dear?" Raoul said as he walked through the door and flashed a smile at Christine.

"Yes, they are quite nice, thank you ever so much again." Christine replied.

After saving Raoul from the Phantom, and fleeing herself, Raoul and her knew she couldn't go back to the Opera house. However Christine had nowhere to go as the Opera house was where she had been living for a long time and her parents had both passed away. Being that Raoul was a rich aristocrat he had gallantly rented a quaint little house for her in London. Raoul was concerned because it was so near the Opera house but Christine promised she would be fine.

"I suppose you haven't relented and will let me hire you any maids?" Raoul asked breaking into her thoughts.

"No" said Christine firmly while smiling at how he was trying to make sure she was completely taken care of. The truth was she wanted to be alone right now and collect her thoughts. She had just been through what was considered a trauma and need time. She knew having a maid hanging around would just be a nuisance. "After all," Christine thought, "I'm not an idiot. I know how to answer doors, cook and clean."

"Are you ready to go my lady?" asked Raoul as he took her arm and led her down to the waiting carriage.

Christine sat and wondered where she was going. She had received a formal letter from Raoul asking if she could come to dinner tonight with him.

"Where are we going?" asked Christine for the letter had not indicated where they were going.

"We are going to Claridge" Answered Raoul with a smile on his face.

"Oh my!" exclaimed Christine. She had heard of Claridge. It was an extremely expensive restaurant that had just opened up in Paris. "Is there a special occasion tonight?" asked a bit perplexed Christine. First a formal invitation mailed to her house instead of just Raoul dropping by and now the most expensive restaurant there was to be found in riding distance.

"We shall see," replied Raoul. He put his arm around Christine's shoulders and rode the rest of the way, while he excitedly awaited what was coming up, and while she wondered what it could be.

When they arrived at Claridge, Raoul held the doors for her and led her to the Host who took them to a table set for two in the corner with a candle in the center.

Christine sat down and looked down at the menu under the pretence of ordering. However she was lost in thought. "Why aren't I enjoying being out? This is the first time I have been out since the tragedy at the Opera house and yet here I am sitting here wishing I was sitting alone in my room again." For that was where Christine had been for the four days after the Opera house tragedy, excluding today, being the forth day. She sat in her room reliving the tragedy again and again. Replaying all of her thoughts. Her thoughts and feelings that she felt then and now. And lastly contemplating what she had actually done. What her actions told others.

Meanwhile Raoul was gazing at Christine. Her face, so perfect and unblemished shone in the candle light and her chestnut hair glistened. He knew this was who he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. His eyes moved down from her china blue eyes with their long black lashes, to her perfectly curved nose down to her berry red lips, slightly parted in thought….

"ahem" Both Christine and Raoul jumped, and looked up to see their waiter standing there, ready to take their orders. They ordered their food and proceeded to carry on some minor chitchat for the rest of dinner. Though it was more Raoul talking and Christine listening and nodding. Unfortunately anything she had to say was related to the Opera house, since that's where she had been for her life, and she didn't dare mention that place, as it would be sure to upset Raoul.

At the end of dinner the waiter carried away the plates and left the two of them sitting there. Raoul grabbed her hands and looked in her eyes. "Christine," he said, "There's something I've been meaning to ask you about for a long time."

Christine looked at him, and while she didn't really know what was coming she felt an unknown sense of dread in the bottom of her stomach. She found herself thinking, "I must have eaten too much," and then thought what a silly thought that had been, when Raoul was about to ask her something serious. Lastly she thought "Why am I not more intent on what the man I should love is about to say then these stupid thoughts. And shaking her head slightly just stopped thinking.

As this was going though her head Raoul had been fumbling with his pocket. He pulled out a black velvet case. He opened it and inside there was a gold band with a diamond in it. Christine gasped. Raoul took this as a good sign to continue.

"Christine" he said while gazing in her eyes, "will you marry me."

There was a short pause.

"I've loved you since we were lovers in our childhood, and after I saw you at the opera house I knew I always had and always would" he rushed, "and after you saved my life from the Phantom I knew you loved me too. Please make me the happiest man alive and marry me Christine, marry me."

Christine who had lost her voice during his little speech finally got it back enough to say something.

"Raoul" she started. "I am entirely flattered that you hold me in such high esteem, however I don't know if I can handle this at the moment."

As his face fell she felt truly bad, she did care for him. She just had many other thoughts that had been shaken up in the past week.

"Raoul" she said again "I'm not saying no, I just need time, after the tragedy to sort my thoughts." She caught herself thinking how good it was that he didn't know her thoughts

Raoul took it very nicely and led her back to the carriage soon after. It was a silent ride home. Not a hostile silence, but an unsure and timid one.

As Christine got out of the carriage she touched Raouls forearm and said "I hope to see you soon." With a bit of a smile, hoping to reassure him that she still did want to see him and would give him an answer soon. She decided to add, "I promise I will give you my answer as soon as I've had my time and thoughts sorted out"

He gave her a weak smile to let her know it was ok and he was not mad.

A/N please review…I know this was mostly uneventful and it will get better…its only the first chapter of my first fan fic lol…I will have the second chapter coming up shortly