A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I know many of you want Erik and Christine to meet soon, but sadly it won't happen until later in the story. It works out better for what I have planned. And for our mystery guy…. his story won't come into play until the next chapter. So hang on guys! The good stuff is coming right away.

Chapter 6- The Butterfly

A few days went by since the "Note Incident" had occurred. Christine still refused to sing the role of the Countess, which made Carlotta happy. Rehearsals started and so far there wasn't any accidents. Apparently, the Opera Ghost was bluffing.

Christine stood by the main doors, leading into the stage, and watched the performers. Il Muto was a comedy with plenty of sexual innuendos a feature that Christine didn't think they would do. But it seemed to be popular among the aristocrats so who was she to judge?

Besides that it was humorous and she briefly thought that if she was married to someone like Piangi she would be having an affair as well. But no affair is justified no matter what even if your spouse is a creep.

Much to her shame, Christine began to long to be with the dancers. Watching their dynamic turns and steps, she wanted to partake in that beauty of expressing with your body and feet. Dancing has always been a passion of Christine's next to singing. For any concert or video she did her own choreography. As a young child, she took many classes in the art- tap, ballet, Pointe, jazz, you name it. She was an expert when it came to the latest steps.

Her sudden interest to the stage wasn't just the dancing, but mainly because she was always into Broadway musicals and operas. She found it fascinating to play another person and break out in song when the time calls for it. But that's not part of me anymore, she reminded herself. That died out long ago.

From behind, she heard several voices, one of which she could easily distinguish it as Raoul's. So far she's been trying to stay away from him since he wasn't keeping his end of bargain with the Opera Ghost. You would think if someone threatened your life and told you to stay away from someone you would comply.

But the Vicomte wasn't like anyone else. He continued to "bump" into her and try to initiate pleasantries, but Christine would find some reason not to stay long. She secretly feared that he would do something whenever they were alone. So being the pessimistic she would run and hide when she hears him. And in this case, it was coming up quite rapidly.

Christine scurried away before the visitors could reach her. It reminded her of her similar exit after the managers convinced Carlotta that her fans needed her. She busted out before Raoul could make any future plans for themselves.

The truth was she didn't know who Raoul was. Sure, he looked like Ray but it didn't mean he was Ray.

Christine retreated to her dressing room, a habit she picked up since her stay, and collapsed on the settee. Right away she got the prickling sensation of being watched and sighed.

She was getting that a lot lately much to her annoyance. But she grew to accept it and ignore the fluttering in her stomach. She told herself she would approach Madame Giry about it, but never could bring herself to do so. Christine didn't know what was holding her back, but she figured it had to with the aftermath of the affect. She would get a warm, relaxing feeling. The sort of feeling you would get by being around a loved one. So loved… so protected…

It seemed to ease her nerves after she had an encounter with Raoul.

Leaning back, she noticed that though most of the people here looked like those back home, they all had different personalities just about.

First Andre and Firmin. Now, Andrews and Foster would never let a singer boss them around and if one tried, they were kicked out. Caroline tried plenty of times to get them to bow at her whims, but all she got was a warning and a threat that her contract with Popular Records will be pulled. That usually stops her from ordering them around for a little while.

Carlotta, however, had the managers wrapped around her stubby finger. She knew how to get their goat and thus get her way.

Then there was Meg. This Meg was completely naïve, a trait that Meg Gary never possessed. Sure she had her childish moments, but for the most part Meg Gary was far from being innocent. She had a bit of a dirty mind in a funny sense. Christine cracked a grin at the memory of what they deemed as the "Loofah Incident" back in high school.

She couldn't remember what prompted the conversation, but all the girls at their lunch table were talking about their loofahs. What colors they had and how many, etc until one of the girls, Charlotte, said she thought they were called "puffs".

Hearing the word "puff" Meg started smiling widely. Christine laughed and threw a French fry at her, telling her to her get mind out of the gutter. Meg claimed all she heard was "puff" and that did it.

Meg had the strangest ability to take the most innocent of words and objects and turn them into a sexual meaning. For example, think about ice cream. Now think of ice cream in the dark and it's melting. Or Christine's personal favorites of Meguhisms "He'll do anything if you paint him" and "I'm leaking and sticky".

Christine was positive that if Meg Giry heard any of this she would die from shock. But both girls were sweet, honest, bubbly, and easy to talk to. So Meg Giry wasn't a complete bore. But with Gary, it was never a dull moment in the literal sense.

The ultimate difference would be between Madame Giry and Mrs. Gary. Mrs. Gary was in every sense of the word "maternal". She always had a shoulder for someone to cry on or just complain about.

Antonia Gary had a way of making the best of a horrible situation and is quite insightful when she needed to be. Christine loved Meg's mother. She was unlike other moms she knew. Her family came from Gypsy descent and when they were younger, she would tell Meg and Christine all sorts of stories that were passed down to her from her grandmother.

The best parts of her childhood were the "rituals" Antonia would do with them. Christine's favorite ritual was the time traveling. Antonia told them that everyone had a past life from which they were reincarnated. It was possible to switch places to get a feel of what life you could possibly have led. But the thing was if one did that then the other's soul would be part of the time that one came from.

"But to prevent it, so not to disturb time, another follower of the arts could help keep the soul in their time. We communicate through dreams and feelings. You just know if you were strongly connected to the spirits," Antonia would say.

Christine found it fascinating. But of course, it was an impossible feat but for a child it was the greatest game ever. Meg and she had a good times pretending to be part of their past lives.

There were times, however, when Antonia would lose her temper and punishments were never fun. And she did have her moments of being firm with Meg if she misbehaved, which was half the time.

Madame Giry, Christine could describe her as brutally honest. And she means "Simon Honesty". She isn't afraid to put any of the girls on the spot. One time she heard her telling one girl to lose some weight because she didn't want an elephant prancing around the stage.

Madame Giry was in the very meaning of "strict" and it didn't matter who suffered her wrath. Christine noticed off the bat that she was particularly hard on Meg and it could have been because of Meg's status as a ballerina training to be prima ballerina. Meg told her she hoped to move up to the title soon as possible.

And for La Carlotta? Well, Caroline was certainly not as plump as she was and that was it.

For the most part Christine wanted to protect Daae from Raoul. She didn't want the girl to go through with what she did. It didn't matter that they were old friends. Wasn't she not an old friend of Ray's? There was no difference for Christine to see.

Of course Meg Giry noticed Christine "Daae"'s lack of interest of wanting to catch up with her past. She knew she had to keep up the act and that Daae would be more than willing to talk to Raoul, but Christine Dallas was not. So she didn't do this one thing? It was none of Meg's business so let her ponder why one moment she was excited and the next she could care less. She didn't have to explain her behavior to anyone.

She got up and stared at her reflection in the large mirror. She looked better that was for sure. No red marks, no evidence of serious crying, and no signs of the abused Christine anywhere. Good. She wanted it to be kept that way.

But there was one thing that kept nagging her. If everyone she knew was here, then wouldn't it stand to reason he would be here as well? She dared not get her hopes up, but if he was…

Don't be silly, she berated herself. It's not like he could do anything to warn you in the future to not even talk to Ray.

But if she could only be held by him, for old time's sake.

It was outlandish but perhaps it was the closure she needed from him. Anything to keep her from dreaming that he would come to her rescue.

Her eyes drifted to the vanity, to the drawer that held the butterfly necklace. Was it even still there? Or was it a crazy mirage she somehow conjure up?

She walked the few inches over and opened the drawer. The sparkling blue crystals shined up at her and for a second she wanted to slam it close, cursing it and him. She refrained herself from the action, and instead dipped her hand in and pulled it out.

It was still in good condition like she just opened it from the box. She looked into the vanity mirror with the necklace lying on her skin.

"I saw it and knew it was for you right away. I couldn't resist," his husky voice tickled the hairs on her neck as he clasped it on.

Christine almost dropped it as her head twisted around. She could have sworn she heard him! He was standing next to her and…

"Oh God Christine!" she giggled uncontrollably. "Now you're just hearing things!"

Shaking her head, she let out a chuckle here and there as she put on the necklace. She forgot how light it was and how the crystals shimmered against her porcelain skin. She traced the chain with her finger and let out a shuddering breath. Seeing her wearing the necklace opened up a floodgate of memories.

Him kissing her, him touching her, him singing to her, him making sweet love to her! He always said she was his muse, his light, his Angel.

Christine took a staggering step back as tears began making their way down her flush cheeks.

He said he would always be there for her! That their souls were connected from the moment they met, that nothing could drive them apart. He said he was the caterpillar and she the beautiful butterfly, and their love was the cocoon that joined them. He said… he said…

"No more!" she moaned, falling to her knees. "No more of this! No more of him!"

"No more of who Christine?" demanded a new voice.

Christine spun around and gasped.

TBC…