Disclaimer: I do not own the Erik, Christine, or any other characters mentioned. All I own is the plot. Song owned by Michelle Branch.

A/N: Thank you to those who have reviewed! Hands out red roses tied with black ribbons.

Enjoy!

Chapter 6

Christine sighed as she pushed open the door to her old room. Everything was exactly as she'd left it except for the layer of dust covering everything.

"Once I get this place cleaned up it will be home sweet home once again. At least I hope it will…" she thought as her gaze swept the room and lingered on the mirror. "Time to get to work."

She cleaned until the room was once again pristine just as it was when she left. As a finishing touch, she took out a vase she "borrowed" from Raoul, filled it with water, placed some roses in it, and then set it on her bureau.

"Finished. Now, I wonder where Meg is. She should be banging down my door; she probably doesn't realize I've come back to the Opera, though, I should surprise her." With that thought, Christine grabbed a cloak and swept off in search of Meg. If she hadn't been so focused on finding Meg, maybe she would have seen the man that slipped in her room, deposited a package on her bed, then left.

"What happened to Mlle. Daae, Monsieur Raoul? I went to wake her, but she wasn't in her bed. Did something happen? Or did she just get an early start?" Marie asked.

"She got an early start, we had a fight, but don't worry, she'll come back before long. Once she realizes that no one wants a former Prima Donna, especially now that she no longer has her tutor." Raoul replied. "Would you get me my usual breakfast now?"

"As you wish." Replied Marie, on her way out she muttered, "I pray to god she proves you wrong; I believe she will."

"What was that, Marie?"

"Nothing, Monsieur, nothing."

"That's what I thought."

Raoul sat down and started to plan how he would win Christine back from whatever she chose for herself.

Opera House

"Monsieurs! Surely you didn't! Mlle. Daae returns to the Opera and you put her in the very room that her trouble started in?"

"She didn't raise any complaint or we would have found her an—" Firmin answered.

"Of course she didn't complain! She wanted a job; she knows her reputation based on the Phantom-she would have done anything in order to gain a place here so that she could sing again."

"Madame, do you have a complaint to lodge against Mlle. Daae? Is that what this is about?"

"No, Mssrs, I have a complaint to lodge about your blindness! Did you not see the bruises around her eyes? Obviously, things are not well between her and Raoul. And you go and place her in a room where she experienced dishonesty and betrayal! Are you two that callous?" Madame Giry responded.

"How do you know anything about her? You weren—"

"Actually, I was. As ballet mistress, I've learned the fine art of remaining unseen yet my presence is felt by my girls."

"Where do you suggest she room? Especially if she doesn't want to change rooms? What then?" Madame Giry, fed up with the stupidity of the managers, stormed out.

Outside the Opera

Olivier sauntered down the street. It was a beautiful day in Paris. Nippy but he didn't mind in the slightest. He was secretly hoping, though he would be loathe to admit it, that he was hoping to bump into a certain former Prima Donna. The woman was as beautiful as he remembered when he went to see her in the disastrous Don Juan Triumphant. He only hoped that she would see him for who he was, human.

"Well, here I am. The infamous Opera Populaire. I only hope they are in need of someone with my talents."

Olivier entered and inquired of the first person he saw where the managers' office was. Once he found it he immediately sat down with the managers to apply for M. Reyer's position, since it seemed as though M. Reyer flat out refused to enter the building, even with a bribe of a high amount.

A ballet rat was eavesdropping outside the door since there was nothing for her to do and word spread faster than wildfire that M. Reyer wouldn't be returning and that a M. Gabriel would be taking over his position. And that was far from all that spread.

"I heard that he is such a catch. Tall, muscular, polite, gentlemanly—"

"I hear that he can make any girl weak in the knees by just a mere glance."

"Did you hear if he is pursuing anyone in particular yet? I wouldn't mind if he threw a glance my way."

"Girls! The Opera season hasn't even officially started yet and already I'm getting the feeling that I will be chasing you girls away from your new seductees." Madame Giry said as she stomped her cane into the ground. "This room is not for your gossip sessions if you're in here you'd better be on the bar working. Now out!"

The ballet girls fled.

Madame Giry saw M. Gabriel in the hallway on the way to her room. "Are you lost, Monsieur? You shouldn't go in the direction of my girls; they've all decided to try for your affections."

"Too bad they're too late. Someone's already stolen my heart; she's the only one I have an interest in."

"May I inquire as to which of my girls has stolen your heart?" Madame Giry asked as she led him away from the eavesdroppers she knew were lurking, for good measure she shouted, "If I catch anyone out of bed, they'll be out of a job here."

She smirked as she heard the scurrying.

She then turned back to M. Gabriel and continued, "I'm sorry you were saying?"

M. Gabriel responded, "What do you know of Mlle. Daae?"

"Monsieur, out of all the girls in the Opera, you choose the one with the worst luck in love. How did you meet Mlle Daae?"

"Serendipity, we kind of bumped into each other about a week ago, ever since I couldn't get her out of my mind."

"Is that the explanation for your presence at the Opera?"

"Actually, no, M. Reyer happens to be a good friend of mine. It was his suggestion that I replace him."

"Quite a few coincidences surround you, don't they?"

"If you say so." M. Gabriel answered as he abruptly ended the conversation by returning to his quarters.

Christine returned to her room after having a long conversation with Meg, just like old times to find a package on her bed.

"I forgot to return that stupid wedding dress; well I can do it tomorrow." She thought as she tried to find a place to shove the package so it would be out of her sight. "One more peek at the dress shouldn't hurt. I'll never return to Raoul in it."

She was about to open it when Meg burst into the room, "Christine, you've got a new admirer. He says he knows you. His name is Olivier Gabriel. He's just been hired as a replacement for M. Reyer He wants you to come to the auditions they are holding for Prima Donna. Hurry!"

Forgetting all about the package, Christine ran with Meg to the audition for Prima Donna and to see M. Gabriel.

A/N: you all know the drill. Review!

TNC,

Writer Muse