Priorities

A/N: Entering...Erik's POV!

I'm not so sure about this chapter..Well, at least the beginning of it. Apparently, my muse has a skewed sleep schedual, and only works in the dead of night. But I still don't know about this chapter...Please r/r.

Disclaimer: If I had a nickel, I'll tell you what I'd do, I'd go and buy the Phantom, and show him off to you! But I don't have a nickle, and the Phantom I don't own, so I shall sit here crying, very much alone!

Erik

I watched in silence as Christine was dragged off with her friends. I was slightly glad that she was happy, but that feeling could not fight the overwhelming feeling of jealousy I felt towards the new girl in the corps de ballet. Christine spent nearly all of her time with the girl, except for her lessons with me that she still attended regularly. Though she still sang with the voice of an angel, her emotion in the music was fading. I called her out on it one night.

"You are not putting enough emotion and thought into your music! I will not stand for this, after your standards have already been set! Where is your mind, Christine, if it is not in the lesson?" I asked her, sternly. She glanced around the room fearfully.

"I...I'm sorry, Master. I'll try harder, I swear. Please, Master, don't ask anymore. I promise that I will do as you ask." I watched as she lowered her eyes, and I knew that she was crying. My heart softened at having made her cry. I knew why she had been preoccupied.

It was that damn girl, Sebille. Ever since she came, she had been asking questions of Christine, about where she went each week. She had dared to call my lessons a love tryst! I didn't like the idea of killing a young woman, but this girl was getting dangerous.

"Christine, my dear, we are done for now. Go now and rest." She looked up and smiled slightly. "But," I continued, "I do not want you to speak with that girl, Sebille, anymore. She is ruining your lessons, my dear. Surely, your Angel is more important to you than some ignorant ballet brat? Good night, my dear Christine." And, before I could see the hurt look of indecision upon her flawless face, I turned and left her.

Christine

I knew that Erik knew why I was so distracted that night. I had walked in on Sebille earlier in the dormitory and she had looked like she was crying, but her eyes were slightly glazed over. I had been worried sick about her. When she had noticed me in the room, she shoved something in her pocket, and wiped her face clear of tears. She had smiled sadly, and assured me that everything was fine.

Now, in addition to being worried about my friend's strange behavior, I was also worried for her well being. Erik was now angry, and God knows what he will do in his anger! I didn't want anything to come between my angel and me, but I did not want to shun Sebille, or to cause her harm. I got up from the sofa in my dressing room and to the dormitory to prepare for sleep

As per usual, I got a few strange looks from the other girls, but I ignored them. I sighed, relieved, when I saw that Sebille was already asleep. I did not wish to answer any of her curious questions again. I did not know what would happen to her if I did.

Sebille

I couldn't begin to fathom why my questioning had made Christine so uncomfortable. I was just curious, and more than a little jesting. I soon realized that I would probably never know where Christine went, and how she had learned to sing so beautifully. So, then I supposed, if she kept such secrets from me, I could have a few of my own

After Meg had given us our presents that day, and shown us the material our new costumes were to be made out of, Christine went to her mysterious meeting, and I was left alone for the time being. I made my way to the dormitory, and, making sure that there were no other girls in the halls or inside, I went silently to my bed. I took out my traveling case that I had brought with me, and took out a small packet from the very bottom. Setting the packet aside momentarily, I pushed my case back beneath my bed. I took the pack in my hands again and unwrapped it, revealing a small amount of morphine

I had found out that my mother had been taking this drug for many years, and I myself had begun a little over a year ago. She did not know, of course. I doubt that she would have cared that I was doing something so dangerous, but she would not like the idea of having to share anything more with me. I had taken this little bit from her before I had come to live at the Opera Populaire, and had not used any of it yet. This time, I took a very small amount, so that the affect would not last long, for fear of being caught, but long enough to escape for the time being.

I sat there, on the floor by my bed, thinking deeply in my drug-induced ecstasy. I though about many things, including my mother. As the effects began to wear off, and I became more lucid, I began to weep. I stood up, still holding my needle in my hand, and continued to weep. Suddenly, I heard a noise behind me. I turned, shoving my needle into a pocket quickly with one hand, clearing my face with the other. I smiled softly by way of greeting, as I did not fully trust my tongue yet to speak

"Sebille, my dear friend, whatever is wrong? Why were you crying?" Christine asked, walking towards me. My mind raced. What if she found out?

"N-nothing, Christine. I was just remembering my old friend, Faye. I do miss her so." There, that wasn't a complete lie, for in my lethargy, I had thought about the girl who had taught me so much. Christine seemed to accept this, as I had often told her about how I had looked up to Faye, and, with a friendly smile, turned back around and left. I sighed heavily and took my needle from my pocket and put it back in my case. I straightened up and went off to look where Christine had gone to or to find Meg. No one need know why I was suddenly so cheerful. But, not to my knowledge at the time, there was someone who did know.

Meg seemed to notice my unusually chipper attitude.

"Sebille, why are you so jolly? Christine said you were weeping earlier. What has come over you all of a sudden?" She asked curiously. I shrugged, smiling widely.

"Meg, aren't we supposed to be in with your mother getting measured for our Hannibal costumes? I was under the impression that we were supposed to do that today," Christine said, pausing along the corridor we had been walking along. I nodded fervently; I had heard the same thing. Meg suddenly grew very red in the face.

"Oh! I forgot to tell everyone! Mother has decided to take the material to a proper seamstress shop and have them done there. All of the dancers are going tomorrow, and then the other cast members the day after to be measured! Oh dear, what I mess I've made! I'm afraid we'll have to cut our adventure short by a few minutes. I shall have to leave you girls early so I can fix this mess." We walked in silence for awhile. Suddenly, a thought came to my mind.

"Meg, did your mother tell you what shop it is that we'll be going to?" I asked, my voice laden with worry. Meg thought for a moment.

"I can't quite remember the name, but I do know that it's in a different area of Paris...Over by one of the large parks, I believe she said..." Meg trailed off, trying to remember correctly. I suddenly felt very weak in the knees. We were going to my mother's shop, and I knew it would not turn out to be a pleasant trip.

Oh no! Not a visit to the wicked witch of the west's shop! I mean...-cheesy grin- I tried the strangest things as inspiration for this chapter...First, watching Sliding Doors while writing. Have any of you seen that? It's such a great film. Then I listened to Learn to be Lonely nonstop for about three hours while reading Leroux's novel and two other fanfics while attempting to write. And all those French Onion Sunchips helped a bit as well.

And, if anyone has a boat, a bunch of candles, a pipe organ, and an Erik they don't want, I'd like them. I have a lake in my basement now. Just missing these key items. -.-; My basement has flooded. And the water is really cold! (I slipped and fell in!)

And now! To my lovely (and not so lovely) reviewers!

Sebbied: ...

Kat097: There are no words to express my gratitude for you. Thank you just doesn't seem enough. But, it'll have to be, since it'd be really hard to bake you brownies!

MooMoo-Sama: Of course I'll continue! And thanks!

Inkpems: Thanks...

Nadiil: Thanks! And my apologies...And of course he heard them...unless I had my music up too loud and I just couldn't hear him tell me to turn it down. xD

Sebbied1: I'm ever so glad that we got this all sorted out. I still wish that we could find out who it was that used your name! -grr- No matter. The Black Knights always triumph! ( oO My sister read all that you and I were talking about on the board and yelled that in my ear o.o)

Sereenie: Yes, I know I said I'd change it, but when my beta, who said that she had taken French for three years didn't catch it, I decided to keep it. Do you think you could gracefully ignore it? xD Thanks for reviewing.

little lotte angel: Weel, naow, oof corse dat speeling doan't boother meh mooch. Because I typed like that for an entire day to prove a point to a friend of mine! Thanks, and you need to update. Now. Right this moment. Well, after you review, of course!

Well, you've gotten this far, so nothing left to do but please review! Haha, that kinda rhymed. xD

-Kitty-