A Few Quick Notes From The Author: First of all, I'd like to thank my new "beta" (I love learning new words). I appreciate your opinions. Again, thanks to those who have read and reviewed. I write for others, so I like to hear what they think of my work. If you hate it, don't be afraid to tell me! (lol) Enjoy.

Chapter Four: Happily Ever After?

Meg stood at her mirror, brushing her long blonde hair. She was very tired, but she felt much better than she had in a long time. She felt as though a burden had been lifted from her heart. Christine is okay... The thought brought a smile to her face.

"Where were you last night?" Meg whirled around at the sound of her mother's voice. She felt herself begin to shake. Just act normal...

"Where did you go?" Mme. Giry questioned when her daughter didn't respond. She tried to hide how worried she was, but was unsuccessful.

"I was in bed, here, in the dormitory," Meg lied. She knew she needed to tell her mother where she had gone, but now was not the time.

"No! No, you weren't. Don't lie to me!" Mme. Giry snapped. "I woke up and something did not feel right. I didn't know what it was, but I knew something was wrong. I came in here to check on you and you were gone. You cannot lie to me, Meg, I saw your empty bed. You left. You went somewhere. Where did you go?" Mme. Giry was generally a calm person. She was gentle, yet strict. She was always poised and confident. Today, she was none of these traits. Meg had never seen her mother like this before.

Meg took a deep breath and began, "I went down to..." She paused. She knew her mother would not be happy with her. However, she also knew she couldn't hide the truth forever. "I went to the lair."

Mme. Giry stared at her daughter without saying a word. Meg felt timid but continued to pretend otherwise. She found herself able to outwardly assume all of the confidence her mother generally possessed, no matter how she really felt on the inside. The two women, mother and daughter, stared at each other and stood in silence. A few minutes passed, but they lingered for what felt like hours. Finally, Mme. Giry turned and walked out of the room.

"Mother!" Meg called, as time returned to its normal pace. Meg hurried after Mme. Giry. "Mother, please!"

"Why did you do it?" Mme. Giry whispered as she rushed on through the hall of the Opera Populaire. "What were you thinking? I told you never to go there. Meg, you could've been killed."

"Mother, you know that's not true. You know Erik and you know he wouldn't kill me just for - "

"Meg, you don't know that. You don't know anything. You don't know who you're dealing with," Mme. Giry sighed, shaking her head. She didn't want to believe Erik would kill her daughter, but she knew anything was possible. He had killed Buquet and he had killed Piangi. She knew that, if he was still alive and in the lair, which seemed to be the case, it was even more important that he protect himself from the rest of the world. They want him dead... Mme. Giry thought as a tear fell down her cheek.

"Mother, please, don't be upset," Meg pleaded as she caught up to her mother outside the elder Giry's bedroom. Meg took her mother's hands in her own. "I'm fine! He didn't hurt me. He didn't hurt Christine, either. Mother, that's why I went. I had to know what happened to her!" Mme. Giry pulled away from her daughter, cleared her throat, and pulled herself together.

"I know Christine is okay. Had you been patient, you would also have known, without having to risk your life," Mme. Giry told her daughter as she entered her bedroom.

"How?" Meg inquired, confused. "Have you seen her, mother? Did she come back? Please say 'yes'!" Meg exclaimed, excitedly.

"No," Mme. Giry sighed, "She did not return. But, I did receive a letter from her and the Vicomte." Mme. Giry walked over to a small table, leaned over, and picked up the letter. "Here." She handed the piece of paper to her daughter. Meg sat down and read the note.

"To my dear Mme. Giry and Meg,

I want you to know that I am all right. I'm with Raoul and we are alive, unharmed, and safe. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you much more. We have been asked to keep the secrets we have learned to ourselves. Besides, we would rather not talk about it, anyway.

We are still engaged and plan to marry soon. However, it will be a very small ceremony and few will know about it. We will be leaving town for awhile. I don't know when we will return or when I will see either of you again. I want you to know I love you both. Mme. Giry, you have been and always will be a second mother to me. I can't thank you enough for all that you did for me. Meg, you are my sister and I will never forget you.

I apologize that this letter is so short, but I will try to write again.

Sincerely yours,

Christine Daaé"

Meg's cheeks were wet with tears of joy.

"She'll have her happy ending after all," Meg whispered.

"Perhaps," the woman said. Meg looked at Mme. Giry curiously, not understanding her mother's uncertainty. Mme. Giry sighed and explained, "Meg, you will never fully understand what Christine has gone through lately. She will be safe, yes, and she will be with her beloved Raoul. But, she'll never forget these past months. She'll never forget the opera and the music," Mme. Giry paused, then finished with what she really meant to say. "She'll never forget him." She knew her meaning was clear and that she would not have to explain who "he" was.

Meg thought for a moment, "She will forget, with time," Meg insisted. Then she reconsidered. Even I will never forget him...how could she? "Or, maybe she won't..." Mme. Giry looked at her.

"Okay, she never will," Meg gave in, knowing it was true. "But, she will be happy," Meg added, confidently. "I know she will."

Mme. Giry shook her head and sighed. "I hope so, Meg. I hope so." Meg smiled and nodded, wanting to encourage her mother to believe that Christine would find happiness and peace.

"Anyway, mother, I have something else to tell you. I want to go back down to the lair, some day," Meg told her, rushing through the sentence. She hoped that if she got the words out fast enough, she could explain before her mother panicked.

"What?" Mme. Giry cried, interrupting before Meg could even attempt to continue. "What do you mean, 'go back'? Why? Why would you do that?"

"Mother, he isn't like everyone says, and you know that. There's no reason to be afraid of him, he's just a man. A troubled man, yes, but he's human, all the same. He's deeply hurt by whatever happened in the lair that night. I don't know exactly what went on, but I know he let them go. And, I know he loved her," Meg explained her reasons. "They want him dead, we both know that. I just want to make sure he's okay."

"Meg, don't you think he can take care of himself?" Mme. Giry asked. She was frightened for her daughter. I can't let her go back there... No one can go back there.

"Yes, but -"

"No, no objections. No exceptions. You cannot go back, I forbid it!" Mme. Giry demanded, then softened. "Meg, if you really want to help him, then leave him alone."

"That's just it. How miserably lonely he must be..." Meg sighed.

"He'll never stop being lonely, Meg, no matter how many times either of us would visit. We can't fill the void in his heart," Mme. Giry explained, "Only Christine could." Meg sighed.

"He will learn to be lonely, Meg. He must. It's his only chance."