A/N: I couldn't wait to update so I am going to keep writing. Thanks to Christine, Saille, xAdenX and Mel for being the first reviewers on this fic. I greatly appreciate your reviews, thank you. I thank all the other ones too.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plotline of this fanfic, I already told you that…
Chapter III-The Inquiry
The morning came early and Christine found herself in her own bed. She had trouble remembering what had happened the night before. She sat up in her bed and everything came flooding back to her. The Don Juan Triumphant, the intense duet with the Phantom, the journey to the lair, the choice between The Phantom and Raoul and the kiss. It all came back, and she let out a loud sob.
"Oh, Christine don't cry…he will be back…" The voice from the corner startled her. She lifted her head and saw in the corner, Raoul sitting in an armchair watching her. She was surprised and yet relieved.
Raoul still had on the same clothes as the day before. His hair was messed up and he looked like he had slept in that armchair all night. He probably had. His eyes were droopy and he seemed worn out.
Christine was worried for him. She knew it must have been hard for him to accept that her heart belonged to the Phantom and not to him. She said a quick little prayer to God for Raoul to find another lover who loves him like she never did.
Her mind and her heart yearned for the Phantom. 'Where was he hidden?' she wondered. Was he safe? How long would he have to stay away? How do I go on like nothing ever happened? What will I have to say to protect my one true love? Her mind began to pose a million such questions all at once.
The time for the "Hannibal" rehearsal quickly approached and Christine fulfilled her regular place as one of the dancers. The stage and the surrounding area were being cleared of all the debris from the previous night including the remains of the great chandelier. The stage was the first to be cleared so that, that night's show must go on as if nothing had happened. The sole purpose of the performance was to regain business for the theatre. Of course everyone knew of the previous night's incidents because of the great work of art missing from the ceiling and the headlines of the local newspapers. The managers, Firmin and André were doing their rounds of inspection seeing to everything being in order. La Carlotta was making a scene, as usual, telling the conductor what to do.
"Ah, Mademoiselle Daae, glad you have come back to us. I wonder would it be possible to have a word with you in our office. Monsieur Richard and I would like to question you about last night's occurrences."
Christine simply nodded. She spent the rest of the rehearsal playing out answers she would give to the managers' questions. The rest of the rehearsal went by uneventfully.
Christine retired to her dressing room afterwards. At promptly, two o'clock, a light tap sounded at the door. Madame Giry was waiting to escort her to the managers' offices. During their walk, Christine tried to press Madame Giry for details on the Phantom's well being. She knew better than to ask of his whereabouts. Madame Giry silenced the girl by putting a Phantom note in her pocket of her leisure clothes.
They arrived at the door of their destination, and Madame Giry departed, when the men told her that she would be summoned when needed. Christine was invited into the room and asked to take a seat.
The managers' offices consisted of a grand room with desk on each side of the room. The room itself was of an old setting. It had a musty smell and the walls were yellow from the age. On these walls hung old opera posters. The walls behind the desks consisted of shelves all the way up. It was the storage place for all the sheet music, ancient literature, and old articles on the Parisian Opera House, and of course the accounting information of the theatre's expenses. There were burgundy leather seats around both desks. There was a fireplace on the wall opposite to the door, which was burning low.
Firmin and André took a seat at the desk on the left. Christine followed their actions and sat opposite to them. She had a blank look on her face. Firmin started, "For the last several weeks, strange occurrences have taken place. At the time of the former manager of this Opera House, there were still strange happenings. But recently they have become more frequent." He threw the letters from the Opera Ghost that had been once sent to Raoul, La Carlotta, André and him. "These letters all reference to you in someway. Can you provide an explanation?"
At this, André interrupted him, "You were also involved in last night's tragic production of the Don Juan Triumphant, were you not? You were also among those who were missing afterwards. The person who played Don Juan, knocked out Ubaldo Piangi backstage, and took you with him down the fire pit, if I remember correctly. Witnesses have identified him as the O.G. of these letters and of this Opera House. Since you, mademoiselle were closer to him than anyone else, maybe you could tell us more about this mysterious man and his whereabouts."
They were examining Christine's face very carefully. Her eyes seemed to look past them. She slowly found her voice, and shakily answered, "I do not know who he was. I have never seen him in my life before. I don't remember what he looks like, he just ordered me to run and he held me, so I could not run away."
Firmin interrupted her speech, "You must have had some idea who he was. He called you by name before you two disappeared." Christine shook her head slightly. Firmin continued, "Where did he take you? What happened there? Where did he go and where is he now?"
Christine stared absentmindedly past the two managers, who have got up and leaned over her. "I don't know where he took me, it was a mysterious place, and then he just left me there. I don't really remember anything after that."
André spoke up, "Then how is it that you have come to be with us here today?"
"The Vicomte de Chagny brought me back but I don't know more than that."
"He is your fiancé if I am not mistaken." Firmin cut in. Christine nodded as she became more focused on the men before her.
"Yes he is but what does that have anything to do with this?"
"Mlle. Daae, do you know of anyone who might be considered an enemy to you or the Vicomte?"
Christine shook her head, but the two managers turned to each other and did not see her answer. Firmin spoke to André, "You know now that I think about it, La Carlotta has always been jealous of Mlle. Daae here. Do you think it's possible that she paid off someone to kidnap her?"
"It is true that she was quite jealous when she was not picked for the lead of the Don Juan Triumphant production."
"Well jealousy always does bring out the evil in people. I shall ask her for a hearing at once."
They turned back to Christine who was sitting stiffly on the chair. "You may go now, but we may need to question you further, so don't leave town."
Madame Giry was waiting outside the door and she escorted her back to her quarters. Before she left from there, uncovered a single blood red rose tied with a black ribbon. This gesture brightened Christine's mood. Even in hiding, he is thinking of her.
A/N: I was not sure how to write this one. So I just went with it. I have a couple notes that I have to state. Firstly, I know some of my sentences may come out weird, but I am really trying to improve with that. I am trying to write so it all makes sense.
Secondly, I have to comment on the names of the two managers of the Paris Opera House. I am aware that in the movie and the stage version they are referred to as Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur André, but in the book by Gaston Leroux, they are referred to as M. Armand Moncharmin and M. Firmin Richard. If I heard correctly in the theatre, they might have said this when they were introduced. I just thought I'd make it clear that I will use M. André Moncharmin and M. Firmin Richard as the names of these two characters.
And lastly, I want to thank everyone that has been reading this Phan-fic so far. I greatly appreciate the feedback and I hope you liked this chapter. More is to come shortly. Please Review.