A/N: Philippe is alive… because I want him to be.

Amber- You keep promising me a second instalment! Thank you for the review! I finish Uni for good in a week! Have you noticed how I always write fiction when I have assignments to finish..?

AngelOfMusic387: Thank you for your review… hopefully you will understand how in the coming chapters!

Colbie: The same idea? Perhaps we will be going in different directions, I'd like to read some of your work.

Chapter 3- Honesty.

Meg cooed and smiled, giggled and hugged Christine for nearly twenty minutes before Christine could get more than a sentence out. She realised that she had left it far too long without seeing her friend, after that night at the opera Raoul had whisked her away to a small town outside of Paris for some rest. They had gone without the consent of Philippe but over the course of the month he had begun to warm to her. Oddly it was her innocence that had won her favour with him, he had been sceptical and annoyed at her presence but slowly he had come around, treated her like a person. However, she was not foolish enough to believe that this mean that he liked her, or that he fully approved.

'Christine?' Meg said softly and it was then that Christine realised that Meg's hand was resting delicately on her shoulder. She glanced up at her friend whose pretty features were contorted with confusion. 'You don't look at all happy this evening.'

Christine swallowed and forced herself to smile as Meg sat next to her, slipping her arm over Christine's shoulders.

'I am happy…' she began with a long sigh. 'It's just that… well…'

'It's okay…' Meg whispered, urging Christine with a squeeze to continue.

'They caught him tonight.' She said, so quietly that Meg had to strain to hear her.

'The ghost?' she asked, staring into Christine's deep eyes. Christine could not speak, she could barely nod and as she closed her eyes she fought the vomit back from her throat. 'Where?'

'I don't know…' Christine managed to say, eyes still firmly shut.

'Isn't this good news?' Meg asked watching Christine rock backwards and forwards slowly.

'No…' Christine said and opened her eyes to look at Meg, whose concern was obvious.

'I don't understand.' She said simply, confused.

'Oh Meg…' said Christine, as a tear rolled freely down her face, hot and salty it touched her lips and clung there. 'They'll hang him.'

'He's a murderer…'

'It's not like that,' Christine said, lifting her hand to wipe away another tear. Her face was becoming streaked and red and her heart seemed to be beating slower than ever. It seemed to be stopping. 'He loved me.'

'He lied to you, Christine.' Meg said, for once the voice of reason and logic. It made no difference.

'Yes but only because he didn't want to lose me.' Christine answered, too quickly.

'No,' Meg said, firmly. 'Because he's a killer.'

'No he isn't.'

'Then he didn't kill Joseph?' she asked, eyebrows raised, staring, waiting for Christine to answer.

'I don't know.' She answered, half honestly.

'Of course he did. Who else would do such a thing?' Meg asked and Christine smiled at her naivety.

'Anyone can kill, Meg.' She said and Meg looked at her before standing and walking to her dresser, no doubt trying to take in what Christine was saying, or at least, what she was trying to say. 'He may have done it… he may have killed them both. But he might not have.'

'Christine, have you gone mad?' Meg asked, it wasn't a joke, it was a genuine question.

'I'm not mad. I just…' She began and the sight of Meg's horror stopped her for a moment. 'Don't look like that, it makes you ugly.' Meg shrugged. 'I don't want him to die, Meg.'

'Why on earth not?' she asked.

'Because he was good, really, inside… he let Raoul go… he could have killed him… both of us… but he didn't,' she said, and then with astounding logic, the tone of her voice calming. 'So it is quite possible, as he spared his rivals life, that he did not kill Joseph or Piangi either.'

'It is possible,' Meg replied quickly adding. 'But unlikely.' She smiled. 'And besides, Christine, he will get his trial, he will have his chance to prove himself'

'Do you believe that, Meg?' Christine asked. 'If you do… you are more naïve than I ever gave you credit for.'

'Oh Christine, there is no need for that!' Cried Meg, stung by Christine's comment.

'He is already guilty, you have condemned him yourself, they all have.' Her chest ached. 'He has no chance.'

Meg stopped for a moment, lifting her hand up to the ribbon in her hair and pulling it out, allowing her long blonde hair to fall over her shoulders. She ran her fingers slowly through her hair, a habit she had when she was thinking, she straightened it and tucked one side back behind her ear. Her eyes met with Christine's deep brown iris' and she let out a sigh before stepping over and kneeling in front of her friend.

Christine's hands were resting in her lap, hot and sticky on her dress and Meg reached out to hold them, still focused on Christine's eyes.

'Listen,' she said softly and Christine nodded. 'You are to marry Raoul next week.' Christine swallowed hard but listened. 'He has worked hard for this, he has rushed and begged to get this date, so early.' She waited for Christine to respond and when she didn't Meg continued. 'You're confused is all, Chrissy, you have cold feet.'

'No…' she answered but Meg carried on regardless.

'Yes, that's it, you are worried.' She said. 'It has happened rather fast…'

'It isn't Meg.' Christine said, firmly, causing Meg to finally stop in her tracks. 'I will marry Raoul, I love Raoul, but it does not mean that I will see Er… the phantom, persecuted.'

Meg stared.

'Don't you understand?' She asked and Meg shook her head from side to side. No, she truly did not. 'Oh Meg, how can they kill him? How can I let him die?'

'I don't see how you can change things.' Meg said, quietly. Christine tore her hands away from Meg's and buried her face in them. She felt the tears slip through her fingers and slide down her wrists. She felt Meg's eyes on her, watching her. She felt Meg's discomfort. She felt like her world was ending.

'I can't…' she began but stopped.

'Perhaps you could tell them that it is not him.' Meg suggested with a shrug and Christine looked up from her hands.

'They would never believe me.' She said.

'I don't really understand,' Said Meg, with a frown.

'Would you see someone you love hang, Meg?' Was Christine's honest and only reply.