A/N: Thanks very much to PhantomOCD and Ripper de la Blackstaff. Sorry to leave you hanging. I'll be away the rest of the summer, so it may also be a while before I update again. But to make up for it here's the longest chapter yet.

Disclaimer: lyrics borrowed from Les Miserables.

Chapter 4

"I sent in the obituary myself," Erik explained. "So you could forget me and live in peace."

"Then why are you here?" Christine asked numbly.

"It's lovely to see you again, too," he said flatly.

"Oh don't be like," she chided, crossing her arms. "I'm just trying to follow your erratic line of reasoning."

"What can I say, Christine? I simply missed you. A little visit seemed overdue."

I've seen your face before

Show me some way to help you

"Well I'm not available at the moment," she asserted, straightening up. "I'm afraid I must be going."

"And where are you rushing off to?" Erik asked coolly. "Home before the viscount notices you're missing?"

She gave him an odd look. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, I can't imagine he would knowingly allow you to entertain other men in such a way."

How have you come to be

In such a place as this?

Her eyes dropped to the ground. "You don't know anything about my life now, do you?"

"I certainly haven't been lurking behind walls spying on you, if that's what you were thinking," said Erik. "In fact, while we're on the subject, meeting you tonight happens to be a coincidence. I simply came for dinner—"

"Per my request," finished Nadir, stepping out of the alley. "Good evening, Christine."

"Good evening," she returned mechanically.

"Erik, shall I go on without you?" he asked awkwardly.

"Yes, do that," Erik replied, barely glancing at his friend.

"Very well. Bonne nuit." The Persian withdrew.

"As I was saying," Erik continued. "I was unaware you were employed here. So in answer to your question, no, I suppose I don't have any idea of what your life is actually like, only some logical assumptions.

"Well some of them are wrong," she said. "I never married Raoul."

"Really?" he said, keeping the delight in his voice at a moderate level. "Well, I commend your taste. Where are you off to, then?"

She looked uncomfortable. "To work."

"And just how many jobs do you hold?"

"Three. But perhaps only two if I linger much longer," she said pointedly.

"Well then allow to accompany you on your journey," he said. "It's not safe to walk the streets alone at night."

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm sure I'll be fine." She started to walk away. "Good night, Erik."

"What are you afraid of?" he suddenly asked chillingly.

She stopped but didn't turn around.

"Do you think it's that dangerous to be around me for long? I assure you I have no intention of whisking you off to the catacombs or anything of the sort. I only offered to see that aren't accosted by street criminals, Christine, I did not ask you to marry me!"

She spun around indignantly. "I wouldn't expect you to ask such a thing considering that we're already married. Speaking of which, did you ever consider when you feigned your own death that if I had so chosen to marry Raoul we would have lived in sin?"

"Well how fortunate you avoided that deplorable situation," Erik's voice dripped with sarcasm. "We wouldn't want such a thing to taint your otherwise saintly life!"

Monsieur, don't mock me now I pray

It's hard enough I've lost my pride

Without thinking, Christine marched right up to him and raised a hand to slap him across the face. Before it could make contact, Erik caught her wrist. "Who do you think you are?" she hissed angrily, jerking her hand away. "You have no right to judge me!"

"Perhaps if you did a better job of judging for yourself I wouldn't be so inclined," he retorted.

She smirked bitterly. "I was wise not to let you come with me to my next job. If you're so disgusted by this one, it would scandalize you to realize just how tasteful it is by comparison."

"Dare I ask where else you work?" he muttered.

"A cabaret and a tavern. I dance and sing, wearing rather scantier clothing in rather closer proximity to the audience, who are rather bolder and rowdierthan those here."

He sighed dejectedly. "What happened to you, Christine? How could you sink to this?"

"I didn't have much choice!" she snapped. "When an opera closes, there aren't many positions available for those whose only skills are dancing and singing. It was essentially this or prostitution! I would have chosen poverty if it weren't for Adelle. Yes, Adelle," she snarled before he could even ask. "Our child, the reason Raoul refused to marry me, whom I've been disgracing myself to support while you were off pretending to be dead! So don't criticize my lifestyle when you're half to blame for it!"

Erik was thoroughly taken aback, by her supreme fury as well as by the startling news delivered in the outburst. He let her collect herself for a moment before speaking.

"I am so sorry, Christine. I expected you would marry the viscount and be provided for. Believe me, if I had had any idea what your situation was, I would have been the first to come to your aid."

"And if I had had any idea what your situation was, I would have asked for your aid," she said. "You shouldn't have sent in the obituary."

"I thought I was doing the right thing," he said. "I didn't want you to worry that I would come back and make trouble for you. You chose Chagny, it looked like you would live happily ever after. We must not have been meant to be. So I let you go."

"Nothing else turned out the way we thought," she murmured almost to herself. "Maybe we were meant to be." She looked at him anxiously.

Erik grew solemn as he took both her hands in his. "Do you think we can try again?"

For the first time that night, Christine's face revealed a glimpse of a genuine smile. "I do."

Erik's eyes golden eyes glowed brighter as he smiled in return. Enraptured in the thrill of the moment, they hugged each other and laughed giddily. At the same instant they both leaned for an intense kiss. The embrace lasted for some time.

Christine suddenly pulled away and made herself stop grinning. "But things have to be different this time," she said firmly.

"Absolutely," Erik agreed. "We will start anew. And the first thing to be done is for you to resign from your jobs."

"Really?" she asked. "I mean, can I—"

"My assets are in good standing," he assured her. "You will not go hungry."

"What about—"

"And neither will Adelle." he chuckled, savoring the name. "Adelle. I can't believe it."

"She's a wonderful child," Christine said sincerely.

"I think I might like to meet this daughter of ours," Erik mused. "Shall we proceed to your quarters?"

"We shall," Christine agreed. He offered her his arm, which she readily accepted along with another kiss. The two strolled off, both feeling significantly more content than they had in two years.