Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom, goshdarnit!

A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews! Yes, there's finally a plot! On with it!

Sam

Chapter 26 – Rivalries Rekindled

He was as good as the film version.

That was my first impression of Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny.

Not that he, a nobleman, would care what I, a commoner from a different time, thought of him. Anyway…

Erik had slid into the shadows of a nearby alley, the better to not cause a scene in public; Raoul had pulled the carriage to a halt in front of us.

He smiled charmingly. "What are you mademoiselles doing out alone?"

I nearly scoffed, but then I remembered: in this age, girls were expected to be chaperoned by either an older woman or a man.

Instead, I giggled. "Monsieur, you expect us to stay indoors on a day like this?"

He laughed. "Of course not. Excuse me, I don't believe I've seen you in Paris before. I am the Vicomte de Chagny."

We each curtsied in turn, following Josie's lead. He was, after all, a nobleman.

He kissed each of our hands, smiling at me last. Then his expression darkened.

"As I rounded the corner, I could have sworn there was a man near you. Did you see him?"

"No, monsieur," said Kendall. "I don't know what you're talking about. As you said, we're alone."

"And this is because…?"

"Oh monsieur," I replied, "we are hardly children. And we are also foreign, you can't really expect us to know your customs on arrival."

He smiled comprehendingly. "Of course. Perhaps you need someplace to stay? Come with me."

He held open the door of his carriage and I climbed eagerly inside. (I'm one of the few phangirls who likes both Raoul and Erik, and seeing as how I had lived with Erik already, I was enthusiastic to see Raoul's château.) Josie followed me; she adores chateaus and was as excited as I was.

Raoul extended a hand to assist Kendall, but a dark, commanding voice cut the air.

"Monsieur, arrêtez-vous!"

The Vicomte looked up in surprise, then his eyes clouded over to reveal a deep-set loathing. He glared at Erik, who had disengaged himself from the shadows of the buildings.

"What are you doing out in the light, fantôme?" he hissed.

"I am chaperoning the mademoiselles," Erik replied. "And it is for this reason that I request you return them to the ground."

My momentary fascination with Raoul seemed to snap.

"Please monsieur," Josie said quietly, "do as he says."

Raoul eyed Erik darkly. "I dare not, mademoiselle. I do not trust this man with any woman's life, most especially women as fine as you."

"Are you not married, monsieur?" I asked. The question was so absurd and abrupt that he stared at me.

"What?"

"Où est Christine?"

"How do you know of her?"

"She is gone," Josie answered in his place. "I can tell. She left him shortly afterward… after the fire."

His eyes widened and he exhaled slowly. "Diseuse How could you possibly know this?"

"We have to tell him the entire story too?" I asked incredulously.

"No," Kayla chimed from where she stood with Erik. "We don't have enough time, we have to go. Come on!"

Raoul grudgingly helped us down as Erik stood glowering at him, his cloak furling in the breeze.

"Someday, fantôme," he growled. "Not today, but soon."

He cracked the reins and the horses trotted off down the street.

Josie turned on Erik. "Why can't we go with him for awhile?"

He stared at her, disbelief and hatred colliding on his features.

"Why can't you… mademoiselle Josephine, he is the dangerous one. Mademoiselle Samantha's question answered that for me. Had Christine been content with her life at his château, she would have had no reason to leave him. And yet that is exactly what she did."

"Jos, there are other chateaus," Kayla urged. "You've always wanted to see the ones in the Loire Valley, we can go there instead. Right, Erik?"

"Of course, cherie."

X-X-X-X-X

After a rather eventful day in Paris (we saw the Eiffel Tower and did LOADS of shopping), our small clan returned to the underbelly of the opera.

Josie and I were still miffed over not accompanying Raoul to his chateau, and so dinner was a rather icy affair at our end of the table.

"Sam, where's your sudden affection for him coming from?" Kayla asked as we dug into cheese and warm French bread.

"I just think it'd be cool to see how he lives," I replied, cramming the crust in my mouth.

"Uh-huh. Sure."

I glared at her. "And yet you have a secret desire to climb Notre Dame church and find Quasimodo. That's a laugh in my book."

Unfortunately, I pronounced it "note-er dayme", the way we say it at home.

"Never say that again," Erik growled. "If you are going to butcher names, then excuse me for butchering you."

I eyed him warily. "Oookay then, how do you say it?"

"Notre Dame." (Not-rah Dom.)

I scoffed. "Okay, slight mispronunciation. Sue me."

"Gladly."

"Anyway, she does! She thinks he actually lives up there, ringing the bells and all!"

"What is so wrong with that?" he inquired, surveying me over his wineglass.

"Everyone knows it was just a movie!"

Erik sat bolt upright. "What in the world has occurred in time, that people are actually questioning the lives of others! He is a real person, Samantha, I assure you. In fact," he smiled sardonically, "that is what we can do tomorrow – I need to request some carvings from him."

With that, he rose and left the table. A few minutes later, we heard the strains of his violin.

Kayla followed shortly; she's a sucker for anything he plays.

I faked a yawn. "Well, I think I'll turn in early."

I gave Josie a pointed look as I passed. We would go to Raoul's chateau tonight, one way or the other.

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A/N: The plot continues. This is gonna get fun, I can tell. :) R&R!

Phantomfreak07