Sorry I haven't updated it so long! Please have mercy on me! I don't want to open my eyes to find a Punjab lasso tied around my neck. I've actually was trying to think of a plot! I like my fluff and all, but I miss Erik's mysterious, sometimes angry, personality!

INTERESTING NOTE: Penny just told me something I thought was rather funny. When she was first reading 'Rose Rouge', she was reading Erik's letters to the managers, not understanding what 'O.G.' meant:

Penny: Why is he signing all his letters with, 'Oh God?' I don't get it! 'Fondly yours, Oh God!' It doesn't make any sense! Who signs their letters like that!

It was only until chapter 8 that she figured out it meant Opera Ghost. I still can't believe she missed that. But I was cracking up when she confessed. I thought it was worth mentioning

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

And I don't want the world to see me

Cuz I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am

Iris, Goo Goo Dolls

Rose Rouge

Chapter XV: Dinner Arrangements

"It seems so dreadfully hot today, doesn't it Christine?" Meg groaned, tucking a strand of golden hair behind her left ear.

"I'm glad Mama cancelled lessons. The heat in here would be unbearable!" She replied, slipping off her ballet shoes, and placing them to the side.

"What are you going to do to pass the time, then?" Christine asked.

Meg shook her head, "I don't know. Check up on the others, maybe. Mother's never been one to miss out on a lesson." She cupped her heated cheeks in both hands.

"I'd love to stay with you, but I must admit, Erik's cool catacombs seem like heaven, at the moment." Christine smiled teasingly. Meg laughed back, before noticing a wheel chair coming their way. The two girls went silent.

"Please, don't stop talking on my account." Raoul replied, more so looking at Meg than Christine.

Christine was inwardly pleading for something unexpected to happen. She wouldn't mind another chandelier crashing, but then again, that might be a little bit too dramatic. Little Jammes noticed such a dilemma, and offered Christine a hand back to her dressing room. Kindly, Christine accepted, without as much as a word good-bye.

Meg hesitated before saying a polite hello. She promised herself that Meg would not socialize with Raoul de Chagny, not after his outburst with his former wife.

His eyes were twinkling merrily, and there was a smile on Raoul's face. "Hello, Ms Giry. Hot this afternoon, isn't it?"

"Ye-yes, it is?" She responded shakily, as Raoul offered her a handkerchief from his coat pocket.

Meg took it reluctantly, her hand trembling. Noting that Raoul was watching her intently, she quickly blotted her damp face.

"Meg, may I ask you something?" The viscount said, shyly.

Eyelashes batted. A nobleman? Actually noticing her? "Of-of course, Monsieur, anything."

"Would you," he gulped, "care to go to dinner with me tonight?"

Meg felt terrible. Denying a crippled man just felt wrong, but the ballerina had to focus on Christine. No doubt her friend feel odd if Meg agreed to going out with Raoul. Turning her back toward him, she replied, "I'm sorry Monsieur…I can't"

His face fell. "But why not?"

"I'm not feeling well in this heat. It is quite unbearable. I was hoping I would start to feel better during the day, maybe it would get cooler, but it's only gotten worse. I'm sorry."

Raoul looked heartbroken. She could sense he had been really looking forward to her delighted acceptance. No one ever seemed to deny a Chagny. Meg realized Philippe scrunch up his nose in annoyance. He tightened his grip on the wheel chair's handle bars to hold in such rage.

Raoul looked so upset that Meg betrayed her better judgment and spatted out, "I'm free tomorrow night, if you wish." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. Christine would be angry, she'd have a right to be angry, but Meg was only doing this out of pity, wasn't she?

"Really? Oh, I look forward to it, Meg!"

Philippe relaxed his hold.

"Yes, I do too…" She bent down to pick up her slippers, and nodded to the Chagny's. "'Till tomorrow." And she fled off to the dressing rooms.

"Christine!" She knocked loudly on the door. She then realized Christine wasn't able to walk on her own yet, and muttered words of shame to herself. Jammes creaked open the entrance and glared at her, rudely. Meg bowed her head before brushing across the body and locking the door.

"Christine!"

Christine caught an exhausted yawn with her hand. "What is it Meg?"

"Oh Christine, please don't be angry with me!" Meg rushed to her feet. "I couldn't help it, I feel horrible."

Christine looked down at her friend, a feeling of concern washing over her. "Meg, have I ever been mad at you?"

She averted the soprano's gaze, "If not, you will be."

Christine made a soft giggle, "For what?"

"Christine! I've made dinner arrangements with Raoul!" Meg cried, close to tears.

Ms Daae blinked, not comprehending this at first. "What?"

"I'm so sorry!"

"Meg…you can't…I won't let you…" She replied, breathlessly.

Meg understood her reaction. Oh, why did she say yes?

"I'd-I'd have to see him almost every day! You can't do that to me!" Christine shrieked. She watched Meg embrace the bottom of her dress. "Meg!"

"I know, I know! To be honest, why would he want me? I'm nothing special; I have no relation with him."

Christine didn't say anything.

"Christine, I know what you're feeling-"

"No," she spoke softly, "you don't know. You might understand, but you don't know…" Christine looked out the glass of the small window above her bed, gazing into the blazing red sun. "Please Meg, just go. I'm tired. I need to rest."

The Giry child obeyed, slowly exiting, and turning back to look at her. "I'm sorry…"

……….

Erik's eyes flashed behind the mirror. What did Christine care if Meg went out with the viscount? She had him, didn't she? His leather covered fingers turned the latch on the mirror door and stepped in.

………

Sorry it's so short. I just thought the next part should be an entirely different chapter, one where Erik's a tiny bit angry!