a/n: the feedback has been wonderful to read, and has been a big help too! thank you all for reading (even if you haven't reviewed, i do not mind).

MADAME GIRY POV

Erik, dead? It can't be! The Vicomte, he could never do that. I know the boy, he would have killed for Christine, but Christine would never let Raoul kill Erik.

I look around my room and my eyes fall on the mirror. I stare for a long time before there is a knock at my door, causing me to jump.

I walk over to the door and open it just a crack to see Raoul standing in the hallway looking quite shaken.

I open the door the rest of the way, "What can I do for you, Monsieur?"

"Madame Giry, you know I didn't do it," he quickly admits.

I place a hand on my chest and sigh, "No, I did not think you would."

He smiles and then winces, grabbing his injured arm.

I move to the side and motion for him to enter, before quickly shutting the door behind him.

He continues to stand near the door, but I watch as his legs shake with fatigue, "Please, Monsieur, take a seat before you fall down."

He laughs lightly and sits slowly in the same chair he sat in last time he was here, "Thank you."

I don't answer him, and instead move to my cabinet, where I remove some disinfectant and some bandages. Quickly moving back to his side, I place the items on the table next to him and roll up his sleeve. He takes a quick and shaky breath as I move over the wound, but shows no other sign of pain. As I take off the ruined bandages, however, he clenches his jaw and stifles a cry.

"I'm sorry, Monsieur," I don't bother looking up from what I am doing.

"It's alright," he responds, making a fist and clenching it until his knuckles turn white.

Finishing the re-bandaging job, I lightly replace his sleeve and move to the chair across from him.

He doesn't stare at me, out of modesty and teachings I'm sure. The silence between us is thick, and begging to be broken.

I feel that if I don't speak, no one will, "Monsieur, why are you here?"

He looks down at his hands, "I'm worried, Madame."

"Worried?" I ask incredulously.

He nods and continues to look down.

"About Christine?" I ask, hopeful that it is, indeed, her.

"About the Phantom," he looks up to see my reaction.

I give him one, "Why?"

"Because," he looks me in the eyes, "I know what it feels like now to have your heart broken. His has been shattered."

I cover my mouth with my hand. She ran away? From them both? That explains why she avoided the crowd. But she could have led them to Erik's home, and caught these two in the act of saving each other, it seems.

I calm my voice and respond, "What happened?"

RAOUL POV

So I explain what she missed. I explain all that I know, from when she left me to when I arrived at her room once more.

"Madame," I beg, "I want to help."

She nods in sympathy, "I know, but there is nothing you can do for him. He needs to heal on his own. He needs some time to himself. He meant no rudeness, or harm, when he told you to leave, he simply meant to have some time to think."

I lower my eyes, "I know. But if there is anything that I can do, anything at all, please, let me know!"

A knock at the door surprises us both. She quietly motions for me to follow her, and I do. She hides me in the back of her room, a place that I won't be noticed, but I should be able to see who this is.

I watch as she slowly approaches the door, opens it, and gasps.

Madame Giry is blocking my way and I can only guess who it could be. Surely the Phantom would not wait in the hallway where everyone would notice him.

When Madame Giry does move aside to let her guest in, though, I wish it were the Phantom, for that would be far less troubling.

Instead I watch as Christine, my childhood love, enters, soaking wet and shaking, but seemingly fine. She doesn't deserve to be fine. She does not even understand the extent of what her actions have done.

I watch as Madame Giry disappears to the other side of the room and returns with a towel. As Christine dries her arms off, the two stare at each other with dodging glances, neither willing to be the first to speak.

Madame Giry finally does the polite thing, once again, and starts, "What has happened to you, child?"

With this Christine bursts into sobs. The action used to bring me close to my own tears, but now I only burn with anger.

She finally calms enough to choke out, "I… I think I made… a terrible… mistake."

Madame Giry rolls her eyes slightly, though Christine does not notice, "My dear, how did you do that?"

Christine slows her tears and replies, "It was him! Erik! He pulled me down to his home, screaming of betrayal and heartbreak, and I deserved it! I know I deserved to be yelled at, but his words, they hurt so deep!"

"What happened next, dear?" Madame Giry urges.

She sobs once and continues, "He dragged me into his home, and spoke of me being his bride. 'An eternity of this before your eyes' were his words exactly, and then he gave me a ring. I couldn't do it, and I told him so. Then Raoul came. Oh, Raoul! He was tied to the fence and I had to choose. Either choose Raoul and Raoul and I go free, but he would kill himself, or never see me again at least! Or I could choose Erik, but to choose Erik would be to murder Raoul! Oh, Madame Giry, I couldn't kill either of them, but I knew that I had to choose. So I did. I chose Erik. Oh, poor Raoul! I kissed Erik too, to prove my love. Oh, poor Raoul, having to watch from the side as I kissed my angel! Twice! And then Erik changed. He started to cry and let Raoul and I do free! But I could not leave, not when I was bonded to two men. So I returned Erik's ring. Oh, poor Erik! I don't know what I was thinking. I know it killed him! So I untied Raoul and we went to the other shore, and when we got there, oh Madame! Raoul, he yelled about my betrayal to them both and he screamed at me! Oh, poor me! I ran away from him and hid in the murky underground tunnels. I nearly found my way back when I slipped. There was quite a large puddle and I was soaked! Oh, poor me! Oh, how we all suffered down there!"

Madame Giry gave her a look of mock concern, but her very eyes screamed at her distaste. My nerves were sent burning. How dare she? That little bitch, the only one she cares about is herself! I'm glad that she ran off, no one deserves to suffer a lifetime of her. Not after all that I have now heard.

But wait. Who's Erik? Is that the Phantom's name? Erik. So plain, so unusual, so him.

Madame Giry breaks the lingering silence, "Christine, I think that it would be best if you went back to your room, got dry, and took a long nap. I assure you, from the sound of things Erik will not bother you again."

The words bring back some tears to Chritine's eyes, but do nothing more, and I watch as Christine leaves.

I then move from where I am crouching, and go back to the chair, my legs now thoroughly exhausted.

Madame Giry looks at me for a moment before speaking, "You should go home and rest as well, I will let you know as soon as I can about how Erik is."

I nod, "Thank you, Madame."

Without another word, we part and I quickly summon my carriage home. A long nap sounds like exactly what I need.

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