Disclaimer: Although I truly love the Phantom of the Opera, I do not own it in any way.

I can't believe I have 18 reviews total now! I want to give a special thanks to all the people who take the time to read and even review my story, especially considering it's my first phanfic ever.

I hope you all enjoy reading this chapter, and pretty please review!

"Brava, Brava, Bravisima…"

Christine heard her Angel's voice all around her as she lit a candle in remembrance of her dearest father. It was amazing in a way how she heard her Angel's voice in so many different places, anywhere and anytime. The Angel seemed to be everywhere and nowhere, which completely placed her in awe.

Upstairs, an exquisite gala was going on. Both opera viewers and performers were enthusiastically chatting away about the great success of Hannibal. Christine decided not to take part though in the festivities, because the chatting almost always turned into drinking and smoking, neither of which she thought was good in the least way.

Slowly, Christine went onto her knees and said another prayer to her father, "I hope I made you proud!" A small tear ran down the young girl's cheek. She was about to begin to cry more, but she stopped as she heard a comforting and familiar voice, the voice of her Angel of Music. "Child, do not shed tears, for you have triumphed for the world today! Not one member of tonight's audience had a dry face, for all were streaked with tears, of joy and inspiration", Erik said, as he heard light footsteps trotting to the chapel door, which was nonetheless than Little Giry. "I must bid farewell, my angel. I shall see you tomorrow evening?" Erik asked. Christine nodded immediately, and he began to depart from the tunnel behind the chapel wall. After walking a few footsteps though, Erik could not resist the urge to go and listen to Christine chat with Little Giry. It seemed that he wanted, no, needed to hear his angel's voice again. He leaned his weight against the chapel wall, and listened…

"Christine, where in the world have you been hiding? You were perfect! Who's your new tutor?" Meg questioned her warmly, as Christine smiled. "Meg? Remember when your mother brought me here to live when I was seven?"

"Yes!"

"When I used to come down here to light a candle for my father, I always heard this voice, and when I slept at night he was always there…"

As Erik continued to eavesdrop on the interesting conversation, he remembered a time when Christine was eight….

Erik wandered up through the dark corridors of the Opera Populaire. It was almost a year ago since he met little Christine (in his dog form) in her room. He felt very sorry for her, she was devastated about her father's death, and as her dearest friend, he wanted to truly comfort and help her. Ever since he had met her, he seemed to hear her voice everywhere. Now though, he was coming upstairs from his underground labyrinth to see why she was stirring in her sleep.

Silently, he opened the door of the young chorus girls' dormitory and approached Christine's bedside. "Father! Father! Please don't go! Come back!" she frantically said out loud as she tossed and turned beneath her sheets, sweating with panic. "The poor, sweet innocent girl" he thought to himself, as he witnessed her having an obviously disturbing nightmare. Gently, he whispered to her, "Do not cry, dear girl, for you must know your father loves you very much…" Slowly, he soothed the girl, and she slept calmly again for the rest of night. She was so beautiful as she slept! Knowing he must go though, he softly left the room and slipped back through the damp tunnels to return underground to his dark, cold lair.

Erik recalled the many nightmares she had over the past 10 years. The poor girl was very traumatized; he just hoped he helped her at least a tiny bit.

"You see, as my father laid dying, he promised me I would be protected by an angel, an Angel of Music" Christine continued, as Meg listened intently. Finally, Christine broke into song, as she began to tell her confused friend the tale of the Angel of Music.

Father once spoke of an angel

I'd used to dream he'd appear,

Now as I sing I can sense him

And I Know He's Here

Now, Christine stood up abruptly, looking around the chapel in awe. Meg was very puzzled.

Here in this room he calls me softly

Somewhere inside hiding

Somehow I know he's always with me

He- the unseen genius!

Meg took her best friend's hand, and began to lead her out of the chapel. Was Christine hallucinating, perhaps imaging things? "Christine must be tired, she probably needs rest," Meg thought as the two girls strolled in the opera corridors.

Christine you must have been dreaming,

Stories like this can't come true!

Christine, you're talking in riddles,

And it's not like you!

In her strange trance-like state, Christine suddenly sang her thoughts aloud, deeply perplexing Meg more and more by the minute.

Angel of Music, guide and guardian

Grant to me your glory!

"Who was this person Christine was talking about?" Meg thought to herself.

Angel of Music, hide no longer!

Secret and strange angel!

"He's with me in the night." Christine whispered. As Meg held Christine's hands, she realized they were freezing! Could Christine have a fever? "Your hands are cold!"

"All around me…"

"Christine your face, it's white!"

"It frightens me."

Meg didn't want her friend to be scared. "Don't be frightened" Meg reassured her, as Meg picked up their walking pace. After some moments, Meg left Christine by her dressing room, and pleaded her to sit down for a bit. With a farewell, Meg trotted away through the corridors.

Meanwhile, Madame Giry unlocked Christine's dressing room door so the maids could place the many flowers she had received from the ecstatic audience members. Suddenly, Madame Giry gasped, as she saw a single red rose tied with a thick, black ribbon placed on Christine's desk. "It's from him… it must be from Erik," she thought to herself, a bit startled. Beginning to lose herself in distant memories, she recalled a deep, unknown story that occurred a mere nineteen years ago…

Running as fast as she could in her small, satin ballet slippers, she sprinted down to the chapel under the Opera, where she told this poor, unfortunate boy to wait for her. Catching her breath, she slowed down, and finally found him in the corridors. She knew she couldn't waste time, for gypsies were cruel, unfeeling people who probably wanted him dead now. Without saying a word, she took the confused boy's hand and continued to run lower and lower into the Opera's labyrinths. Finally, after about twenty minutes, she found a place for him where she assured herself he would be safe. It was definitely not the most comfortable, for the spot was very dark and wet because it was near the underground lake. Actually, this area was almost like a cave. She would have to bring him some blankets and candles to make his small home more comfortable.

"I think you should be safe here," she told the boy, whom she could tell was very overwhelmed from the sudden events of the night. "Why? Why did you help a hideous monster like me to escape my deserved fate" Erik said to her. "First of all, you are not a monster, but a human just like all of us are, and nobody deserves such a fate of pain and mockery for being innocent, no matter what type of physical flaws", she replied. "Now, please stay put, as I go back up to the Opera for some linens for you" Gently, she stood up and released his trembling hands, tightly grasping hers. "Don't worry, everything will be fine…"

Madame Giry suddenly was brought back to reality as she observed Christine staring at all of the flowers in amazement. Treating the rose as if it were a golden brick, she carefully handed Christine the special gift. "You did very well, my dear… he is pleased with you" Madame Giry said to Christine, as she left her alone in her dressing room, delicately sliding the black ribbon through her fingers.

Meanwhile, Raoul De Chagny practically ran to Christine's dressing room with the bouquet of flowers he had for her in his hands. She had been wonderful! He was just about to knock on her door when suddenly Andre and Firmin pulled him away. "Ah, Vicomte, it appears we've made quite a discovery with Miss Daee. Perhaps we could present her to you?" they asked him, a bit curious to why he had such a large number of flowers in his hand. "Excuse me please, gentlemen, but I would prefer to make this visit unaccompanied" he replied, hasty to see his childhood sweetheart. Next, Raoul left the managers open mouthed, confused by the Vicomte's behavior, but shrugging it off. "Hmm, perhaps they've met before." Firmin said to Andre, who nodded his head.

Raoul knocked on her door. Although he knew deep inside this was not very gentlemanly, he swung her door open, so excited and happy to see her. As he stepped inside of the room, he glanced across the room to see her sitting gracefully in her glittery, white costume by her mirror on a pedestal, gazing at a red rose tied with a black ribbon. "She looks so gorgeous!" he thought to himself, trying to keep himself from appearing like a fool in front of her.

Realizing somebody was present in the room, Christine turned around and smiled. It was Raoul! Swallowing a lump in his throat, he nervously approached her recited the playful nickname he had given her when they were younger, "Little Lotte…." He went down on his knees and took her hands in his, placing a gentle kiss on her knuckles. Christine's smile grew wider. Suddenly not knowing what to say, being amazed by her, he continued to recite the childhood story they had shared together, "Let her mind wander…"

Christine couldn't believe he had remembered her from so many years ago. In her excitement and shock, she whispered, "Raoul" Her smile grew wider as he continued to tell their favorite childhood tale. "Little Lotte thought, am I fonder of dolls or of goblins or shoes, or of riddles or of frocks, or of chocolates…" he narrated, and stopped because he sadly had forgotten the rest. Then, Christine laughed, causing him to join in, as they warmly embraced. It was her turn to continue the story, "No, what I love best Lotte said, Is when I'm asleep in my bed and the Angel of Music sings songs in my head". Christine turned around to face Raoul directly as she remembered the picnics they had together in her attic, as her father played the violin for them. "Little Lotte, I'm so glad to see you again!" he exclaimed, lost for words. "I probably sound such so ridiculous to her" he thought to himself, starting to sweat. Why was he getting so jittery by her? Christine became eager to tell Raoul about the Angel of Music.

"Raoul, before my father died, he promised me I'd be visited by an Angel of Music, and I have been!" she cried out. It didn't matter to him what she said, true or not true, every word she spoke was meaningful to him. "That's amazing!" he replied. There was a moment of silence, and suddenly his knees began to hurt on the hard floor. He stood up, still holding her hands in his. "Little Lotte, it's been so long since I've seen you, and I was wondering, would you like to join me for supper tonight?" he asked her, hoping she would say yes.

Oh how she would love to! Although in a few moments she realized that she couldn't, for her Angel of Music was very strict, and wouldn't like it if she were out so late. She gazed into his pleading eyes, she felt so terrible for saying no. "I would love to, Raoul, but I'm sort of tired from the performance tonight. Actually, I was just about to retire for the night. I'm really, really sorry" she told him.

He was disappointed, but he respected his beautiful angel. She had triumphed so greatly tonight, and perhaps it was better that she rested. "It's okay, Little Lotte. You must rest, for you did greatly tonight!" he replied. He slowly stood up, not wanting to leave the warmth of her hands, or stop inhaling the sweet fragrance that filled her dressing room. Lightly, he pulled his hands away from their entwined fingers, pressing a soft kiss once more to her soft, smooth hand. "I hope you have a wonderful evening, Little Lotte" he greeted to her meaningfully. "Good night, Raoul" she replied and waved, as he turned around and closed the door behind him.

Christine started to change behind her dressing wall into her nightgown. As she hummed "Angel of Music" to herself, Erik thought to himself from behind her dressing room wall. Raoul De Chagny definitely had feelings for her! How dare he try to take her away from him!

After a few moments of very intense thinking, Erik decided it was time. For tonight, he would bring his angel down between the opera to his world, his night, his home. Yes, for he would share with her his passion, the magic of

The Music of the Night.