We join Christine and Erik again the next morning. He is sitting in front of a large organ, and she is waking up from a large, pheasant-shaped bed.

"Good morning, sweetheart.", said Erik, taking a break from playing.

Sweetheart? Christine wondered. She had never seen this side of the Phantom of the Opera.

"MMM, good morning Erik. I'm still quite tired. Your music woke me up."

"I'm sorry, Christine. Go back to bed, I have a surprise planned tonight that you should be well-rested for."

"The music was nice, actually", Christine replied, "As for the surprise, I have my suspicions."

They smiled at each other as if there really was no surprise anymore.

"Go back to bed", said Erik.

As for our less intelligent friends, (who would probably have thought Erik's surprise was a tea party), Meg and Raoul, had fallen asleep in the boat outside the Phantom's lair. We find them waking up, confused (who would have thought?).

"HELLOOOOOOOOOO", Raoul hears his voice echo in the catacombs.

"IS ANYONE HERE?" he said again.

"Mmmmm? What? What?" Meg woke from Raoul's screaming.

A/N- Helen, I just HAD to do it.

"I'm sorry Meg, did I wake you up?"

She thought for a moment, "Maybe it was the rocking of the boat. Have we been here all night?"

"Yes, and I still haven't found them. Around 1 in the morning, I suppose it was, the voices stopped. Maybe they went to sleep?" replied Raoul.

"At any rate, we should keep going if we ever want to rescue Christine! I'll grab a paddle. Here you go Raoul." Meg hands him a paddle.

The two start making their way through the rivers in the Phantom's boat. At last, Raoul recognizes the gate which marked the entrance to the Opera Ghost's lair. Completely filled by candles, surprisingly lit for so early in the morning, the caves were bright, yet with casted shadows.

Erik pauses to give his fingers a break from the organ. He was used to playing for long hours, but Don Juan Triumphant was especially difficult. Through the silence, he recognized a voice. Then a second.

Erik thought in his head, "That accursed fop and Giry's girl have come to find me? I shall play their game, when Christine wakes up, she will set her friend and lover straight. I, Erik, the Opera Ghost, Phantom of the Opera, am no monster."

Christine stirred in her bed. "Erik?"

My dear, I think we have a guest! (Or two)

"Sir! Mademoiselle! Do come in!" booms the unmistakable voice of OG.

Christine sees the familiar faces as they come in the candlelight. "Meg! Oh, I'm so glad to see you! I've been missing the ballet, and singing, your mother, everyone! Do come sit with me!" At this she acknowledges Raoul. "YOU."

"Is that all you have to say to your fiancée?" he replied, astonished.

"Come over here Raoul, look at my finger."

He sees the ring on Christine's hand, and at first is overjoyed that she accepted him as her husband. Then Raoul realizes "Not me, it's that Phantom. She's thrown her life away for a deformed man who lives in a cave."

He has lost her. No turning back. Christine has fallen under the angel's spell and there was no breaking it. Though, what's a good word to use, oh fine, STUPID, at times, Raoul had been raised well enough to respect the wishes of a lady.

"Christine, I respect your decision."

That's the last thing he ever said to her. Raoul turned to leave in the boat, though Meg wished to stay, she knew better. There was only one boat, and she did live right above Christine and Erik. She would come back later.

Christine held Erik's hand as she watched Raoul and Meg float away.

"I don't regret it." She said to her husband simply.