Look! Another chapter! This is a record for me! Two chapters in a week! That's what I get for not having any work to do. Well, I hope that you guys are enjoying this chapter as much as I am enjoying writing it. The ideas just spring to my head and I form them into words on the keyboard. As always, I hope that you guys are enjoying my writing and please remember to drop a review!

Chapter Six – Questions

Christine could feel someone holding her hand. Just by the warm touch she knew that it couldn't be the person that she missed the most. Slowly, she opened her eyes and allowed her vision to focus in on the person sitting next to her.

"Oh Christine, you're awake! Thank god!"

She knew that voice anywhere. The person sitting next to her was her fiancé, Vicomte Raoul de Chagny. She looked at him with quizzical eyes. Opening her mouth, she spoke one word, "Why?"

"Why? Why what darling?" he replied.

"Why did you hit me?"

Raoul looked away for a moment, thinking what he was going to tell her. A moment later, he turned back to her and spoke. "I'm so terribly sorry sweetheart. I thought that you were one of the maids."

"So you would hit one of our maids?"

He shook his head. "Of course not Christine. Why would you think such a thing?"

"Because you hit me thinking that I was one of the maids. But answer me one question Raoul."

"Anything my love."

"Why were you drinking?"

Raoul opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He didn't have an answer.

"I'm waiting Raoul."

Thinking quickly, he finally answered. "We've just been through so much in the past couple of weeks darling. I just wanted to take the edge off my stress."

"Well from the way you were talking earlier, it sounded like you had too much to drink. I don't like you when you've been drinking Raoul. You scare me," she replied, looking into his eyes.

He smiled and took her hand. "I'm so sorry sweetheart. It will never happen again. I promise," he said, brushing a stray curl away from her eyes. "Now, you just lie here and rest. I have some business to attend to."

Standing up, he kissed her forehead softly and made his way to the door. As his hand came to rest on the door handle, he looked back at he beautiful young woman lying in the bed. "I love you Christine."

"I love you too Raoul."

With that, he turned the door handle, opened the door, and left the room.

Sighing, Christine rolled over in her bed, trying to make some sense of the night's events. She couldn't understand why Raoul, kind, gentle Raoul, would ever strike someone. The thoughts were still racing through her mind as she fell asleep.

Anne was sweeping off the front steps to the manor when she heard hoof beats pounding up the drive. Turning, she saw a black horse come closer and closer to the house. Its rider was dressed in all black and had a fedora upon his head. She could not make out the man's face as he pulled his horse to a halt in front of her.

"Can I help you sir?" she asked cautiously.

The man nodded. "Is your mistress Christine Daae?" he asked quietly.

"Yes monsieur. Would you like to speak with her?"

"No, that's alright. Just give her this please."

He held out a small white envelope to her and Anne took it from him and marveled at the beautiful writing on the front of the envelope. "Do not let your master see it. Go inside and take it directly to her and don't let anyone stop you from your task. Understand?"

She nodded. "Is there a reason why this letter is so important monsieur?"

"Let's just say that I'm an old friend of hers," he replied. A coin flew into the air and Anne managed to catch it before it hit the ground. "For your silence."

With that, the rider turned his horse and rode away.

Anne just stood there and looked at the envelope for a moment, then turned and went inside the manor and straight up to Christine's room and knocked softly upon the door.

"Come in."

Slowly, she opened the door and crossed over to the bed where Christine lay. "I'm sorry to disturb you Miss Daae but this letter just arrived for you," she said, holding out the letter.

Christine sat up and looked at Anne. "A letter for me? But who knows that I am here?"

"I'm not sure Miss but the man who gave it to me was insistent that I give it directly to you."

"Alright," Christine replied, taking the letter from Anne and examining the envelope. Immediately, she recognized the writing and gasped.

"Is something wrong Miss?"

Christine shook her head. "No, nothing's wrong." Leaning over, she opened a drawer a pulled out a five-franc note and handed it to Anne. "Please don't say anything to Raoul."

Anne nodded. "Of course not Miss."

She curtsied and left the room.

Slowly, Christine turned over the letter and came upon the familiar wax seal. She carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the paper inside.

Dear Christine,

I hope that this letter finds you well. I feel terrible about everything that I have put you through. Just so you know, I never meant you any harm. I only wanted to be with the woman that I loved. Enclosed with this letter, you will find an item that I rescued from your dressing room. I have rescued many things from your dressing room Christine. All of your dresses, your costumes, they were all untouched by the fire. Please, take care of yourself Christine, and if you ever need anything, I will always be here for you.

Your angel,
Erik

Tears started to fall from her eyes as she read the letter. Oh how she missed her Angel of Music! Taking the envelope, she turned it upside down and a small object dropped out. Picking it up, Christine recognized it immediately as one of her jeweled hairpins from her debut in Hannibal. Tears continued to fall from her eyes as the memories came rushing back. That night had been the first night her angel had appeared to her. That was the night that she had gone down into the depths of the opera house.

"Christine?"

She could hear Raoul's voice on the other side of the door. "Just a minute!" she called out. Quickly, she put the letter, envelope and hairpin in a drawer next to her bed and took out a tissue to wipe her eyes. Once she was sure that everything was safely out of view she called softly, "Come in."

The door opened and Raoul entered the room carrying a dozen red roses. "Here you go sweetheart. I thought that these would make you feel better after my…um…mistake earlier," he said, handing her the roses.

She buried her nose in one bloom and inhaled deeply. "They're beautiful Raoul. Thank you," she said with a smile.

He sat down next to her upon the bed and moved the flowers out of the way, taking her hands in his. "Christine, I cannot even begin to tell you how sorry I am for what I did earlier. I feel terrible. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Yes, I can forgive you. Just as long as you promise that it will never happen again. You really hurt me Raoul."

"Then I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I never want to hurt you again Christine. I love you too much to do that to you."

She smiled and then hugged him gently. "It's alright Raoul. I understand."

"Good, now, onto other things. I have a couple things to tell you Christine. First of all, I have decided to rebuild the Opera Populaire," he said with a smile.

"You have? That's wonderful! I can't wait to sing there again!"

Raoul shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not going to happen Christine. I don't want you singing anymore."

"Why? You of all people should know how much singing means to me."

He looked into her eyes a moment before he finally spoke. "I almost lost you once Christine. I don't want to lose you again. It would kill me if I ever lost you to him."

"I…I understand," she replied. "So, what else did you have to tell me?"

"I've set our wedding date! It's one month from today," Raoul said excitedly.

"A month? Are you sure that's enough time to get everything ready?"

He nodded. "The preparations have been in progress ever since I proposed to you Christine. All that we had to do was set a date."

"I see. Well then, is it alright if I invite Madame and Meg?"

"Of course! After all, Madame Giry was like a mother to you and Meg was like a sister. I don't see any reason why they couldn't come."

Christine nodded and looked off outside the window.

"Sweetheart, is something wrong?" Raoul asked with a concerned look on his face.

"Nothing is wrong sweetheart. I've just been thinking."

"About what?"

"All the stuff that's happened in the past couple of weeks. I'm just remembering everything that has happened."

He nodded. "I understand sweetheart. It's a lot to take in. But you'll never have to worry about it again. Everything is going to be alright."

He sat there and watched the whole scene between the two lovers. He watched him hold her hands and he watched him hug her gently and it made his blood boil. That dumb fop shouldn't be touching his angel!

Earlier, he had watched her read his letter and watched the tears come to her eyes and she read his heartfelt words. He loved her dearly and would do anything in his power to protect her. Continuing to watch them, he saw the Vicomte rise and leave the room, while Christine continued to look out the window in his direction.

"Stay safe my angel," he whispered quietly.

With those words, he climbed carefully down the tree and walked back to his horse. The moonlight shined off of his white mask as he realized his scarf had slid down his face. Quickly, he flung it back over his face and pulled his fedora down over the right side of his face. Climbing on his horse, he glanced back once more to her window, where she was now standing right in front of the window looking out upon the horizon.

"Stay safe Angel."

With that, he rode off into the night.

Okay, there is the sixth chapter! I hope that you guys enjoyed it! If you found an error, please let me know and you can help me decide what to do in the next chapter!

Don't forget to review!

I remain your obedient authoress,
Phantomfan1911