howdy, uh, may i tell you a secret? i'm giving you three chapters at once! aren't you uber happy? i am, i wrote one, and then i realized that it was really long (i mean really long!) so i broke it into three. and then i decided that since they all would have been one chapter anyhoo, that it would be the honest and decent thing to post them all at once. you guys sooo better review my butt off for this!

Rebecca

Chapter 13: Later…Oh My!

Later that night, Alistair's parents showed up to Madame Giry's little room to see their son. Unfortunately, Erik was unable to hide in time and things grew very awkward, very quickly. Alistair's mother, Marie, came in first and upon seeing the masked Phantom standing quite near to her son, she shrieked and fainted.

"What have you done to my son!" exclaimed Louis, holding on to his wife who had collapsed into his arms.

"I have done nothing," replied Erik coolly. Nothing on purpose, at any rate, he thought to himself. It wasn't his fault that the boy was allergic to peanuts. That was the moment he realized that in his mind he always referred to Alistair as 'the boy'; that was what he called Raoul. A small corner of his mind began nagging that perhaps this is because you think of both girls as your daughter, but he shook the thought out. He loved Rebecca, but he was IN love with Christine.

"I don't believe you," said Louis, setting his wife down on a nearby chair.

"It's true papa," said Alistair from his spot on the bed. He was now sitting up and regaining much of his colour. "In fact, this man saved my life."

Louis looked Erik up and down as though he were finding this very hard to believe. This was the Phantom of the Opera, not a hero. He's a madman, not a healer. He took another look at his son, and then to Erik, and then, for the first time, he took a look at Rebecca and gasped. "Oh my," he said.

"What's the matter?" asked Alistair when he saw the look his father was giving Rebecca.

"She looks the spitting image of your mother's maid, Michelle," he said. By then Marie had awakened and began to nod in agreement, though, was careful not to look at Erik.

The colour drained from Erik and Rebecca's faces and they truly looked as though they had seen a ghost. "Wh-what was that name again?" asked Rebecca, sitting down.

"Michelle, Michelle Du Pont," replied Marie who had now fully regained her composure. "Why? Do you know her?"

"Oh my goodness," whispered Erik. His mind was frantic with questions, and he was becoming horribly disoriented. "I have to go…" he said, and then disappeared through a secret passage.

"I have to go too," said Rebecca, heading for the door. "I'll talk to you later Ally, thank you Madame Giry." She gave a small curtsy and rushed away down to the lair. She arrived shortly after Erik, and found him sitting in his favourite chair with his head in his hands, deep in thought.

"What's the matter?" asked Rebecca, taking a seat. "She didn't say 'Penelope'."

"I know, but your mother had a sister and I think her name was Michelle; they were twins."

Rebecca nodded in understanding, and pondered her own thoughts on the matter. My mother's sister, she thought to herself, the plot thickens. Do I want to meet her? It could possible give me some insight as to why my mother gave me up, and if she still lives or not.

"Father," she said.

"Yes Becca?"

"I want to meet her."

"Then go and meet her. I have decided that I would rather not. She never really liked me, nor I her, so it could probably turn into a fight that I would rather not have."

"Alright," she said, and went to her room to sleep.

The next morning, Rebecca awoke bright and early and made ready to go and visit her aunt. She put on a crisp, clean black gown and tied her hair back in a neat plait. Then, she bid her father farewell and headed out to the Picard's waiting carriage which they had sent to pick her up. (The night before she had asked if she could visit Michelle, and they had happily obliged.) She climbed in and they were quickly off to the massive Picard estate.

"Hello Rebecca," greeted Marie cheerfully, "come right in, Michelle is waiting for you in the parlour. Please follow me," she said, leading Rebecca from the lavish foyer down a small hall and into an elegant parlour.

(Sorry for the interruption, but do Americans spell parlour with a u in it? Just wondering if it was the same rule as all those other words like favourite, labour, etc…I'm Canadian so I use the u, so just wondering)

Rebecca stepped into the parlour and Michelle closed the door behind her, leaving the two women alone to talk. Across the room next to the fireplace stood a tall woman with straight hair and fair skin, much like Rebecca's. She turned when she heard the door shut, and walked across the room to Rebecca. "Hello," she said, extending her right hand. As Rebecca clasped it in her own, she noticed that their hands were very similar.

"Hello, pleased to meet you Michelle," said Rebecca, taking a seat on the plush, horsehair sofa.

"Likewise," replied Michelle, sitting also. "You look just like him," she said quietly.

"I know," said Rebecca. "So, you are my aunt then, right?"

"I suppose I am. I never thought that I would ever see you again. Marie said your name was Rebecca, am I correct?" she asked.

"Yes."

"That is not the name my sister gave you when you were born," Michelle said curiously.

"Really?" Rebecca was shocked. She had been assuming all this time that Rebecca was the name she came with. "Well then, what is my name then?"

"Your real name is Faith."

"Why did she choose Faith?" Rebecca thought this an odd choice of naming. She couldn't picture herself as being a 'Faith'.

"She chose Faith because all the time she was pregnant with you, she had faith that perhaps he would come back to you. He never did, but she wanted to keep that memory alive," Michelle said.

Rebecca thought about this new name of hers, or rather, this old name. Had her father any idea of this name? Would she take on this name in memory of her long lost mother? This brought her to her next question, "Is my mother still alive?"

Michelle looked pained for a second, like some horrible memory that had been suppressed was attempting to make its way out again.

"What's the matter Michelle?" asked the niece, sitting closer to Michelle.

"Well…"

Sorry for the cliffie folks…wait, no I'm not. Moo ha ha ha. So, what did you think of my little plot twist? I rather enjoyed it. I hope you did too! Ps: thank you uber a lot for all the reviews. Now, my wish comes true, you have truly made my night. Sigh. I love the Phantom. I watched it on a big screen last nigh. drool. Have you guys ever watched it in French? Christine's voice is amazing in French! And la Carlotta is even WORSE in French. It totally cracks me up. Anyhoo, read and review mon petites, bon soire….