I am so sorry I took so long to update! I was visiting relatives ... I apologise! But enjoy my chapter!

Disclaimer ... nope ... still nothing ...


Investigating the Murder

The morning after the hanging inside the Opera Populaire, it was all over the front pages of the newspapers. The Époque was just one of many.

Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor awoke next to Rose and smiled. She looked beautiful lying next to him. He kissed her shoulder and he felt her stir against him. She turned over so that she was facing him, but her eyes were still closed. He leaned down and kissed her lips. He smiled when she responded.

"Good morning Doctor," she said to him, still not opening her eyes. He smiled and put his head back down on the pillow. He brushed her blonde hair out of her face. She opened her eyes and stared right into the Doctor's chocolate brown eyes.

"Sleep well?" he asked.

"With you by my side, obviously," she said. He grinned that cheeky grin of his and kissed her passionately.

"Last night was amazing," he said. "I love you Rose." She smiled. She had never been told that before, except by Mickey, but she knew that Mickey hadn't really meant it.

"I love you too Doctor," she replied. She snuggled up close to his body and kissed his neck sweetly.

"Hmm, that's nice," he sighed. "But we have to go and check out the Opera House. We have to investigate. After all, they don't call me the Doctor for nothing." Rose smiled and yawned.

"Did I tire you out?" the Doctor joked. But Rose nodded.

"Come on, we better get up," she said and climbed out of bed, picking up new clothes to wear and wrapping the sheet around her body to go to the bathroom to change. The Doctor smiled and stretched. He got up and put on his clothes. He pulled on his pinstripe trousers, but on a new white shirt and his brown tie. Then his converses and, last of all, his jacket. Rose came out of the bathroom wearing normal everyday attire, after deciding to keep her dresses good for the Opera's and Masquerade. She smiled at him.

"Aaw, I like you better when you are undressed," she joked and winked at him. He grinned. He offered her his hand and she took it, curling her fingers around the Doctors. They smiled at each other and they left the TARDIS.

xxxxxx

The Opera House was pretty much silent when the Doctor and Rose entered. The managers were standing talking to a couple of policemen. They made their way to the auditorium without being seen. The Doctor got up onto the stage and began looking up at the rafters.

"Come on Rose," he said, holding out his hand. "We're going up there." he said, pointing up to the rafters. They made their way offstage and up to the rafters. Little did they know that that Phantom was watching them from Box 5?

"That meddling Doctor," he said to himself. Then he left Box 5 to keep a closer watch on the Doctor and his love.

The Doctor and Rose found their way up to the rafters where the Doctor took out the sonic screwdriver and began to scan over everything. Erik watched from higher up. Suddenly Rose spoke.

"Doctor, you know that man was hung and I remember now from the musical. His name was Joseph Buquet and the Phantom hung him," she told the Doctor. Erik sneered. How dare she? He decided to say something. He was very good at throwing his voice around.

"Well, well, well, Doctor … we meet again," Erik voice said. The Doctor looked around. So Erik was a magician also.

"Yes, I'm back again," he said. "Don't you have anything better to do than spy on people?" Erik was filled with rage. No one spoke to the Opera Ghost like that.

"You think you are smart Doctor … but I can read you like a book. You are investigating a murder you think I committed? Yes, I did commit it, I don't deny that, but you have no right to accuse me straight away," Erik said. He suddenly came out from his hiding place and joined the Doctor and Rose on the rafters. The Doctor suddenly felt Rose grab his hand. He squeezed it reassuringly.

"We do not want any trouble but why did you kill him," the Doctor asked. Erik smirked.

"He was getting in the way of my little … obsession," he said, an evil grin playing on his face. Rose was frightened.

"Leave Christine alone. She is happy enough with the Vicomte without you getting in the way," the Doctor said. Erik pulled out his sword

"You forget your place in my Opera House monsieur … don't you speak to me like that … respect who you are dealing with," Erik said, taking two steps towards the Doctor. Rose was frightened and she gripped the Doctor's hand tighter.

"Do you have nothing better to do than hang about in my Opera House?" Erik asked. Now it was the Doctor's turn to confront Erik.

"Don't speak to me like that … you forget who you are dealing with," the Doctor said, mimicking Erik's words. Erik grimaced at the Doctor. He replaced the sword in its sheath.

"No doubt we will meet again Doctor. Be careful who you deal with or …" he stopped suddenly and smirked as he looked at Rose. "Or we wouldn't want anything happening to your little lover here, would we?" he asked, walking past the Doctor and running his finger along Rose's chin. Rose was terrified of this masked man, but only because he had threatened to kill her lover three times now. She backed away from his touch.

"You wouldn't dare!" the Doctor said through clenched teeth.

"Wouldn't I Doctor?" he asked before laughing and wrapping his cloak around himself. He disappeared. The Doctor turned to Rose, who suddenly encased herself in the Doctor's embrace and kissed him.

"Doctor … I thought he was going to kill you," Rose said, talking in between the kisses she was placing on his lips. He pulled back and hugged her.

"I'm fine," he said as he felt her kiss his neck gently. "As much as I want you, we have to wait until we get back to the TARDIS!" Suddenly a voice was heard from the stage below.

""Doctor? Rose? Is that you?" Christine Daae said. Rose looked down and waved at her friend. The Doctor took Rose's hand and they headed down to the stage.

xxxxxx

Christine closed the dressing room door after the three of them had all entered the dressing room.

"That's the third time that man has tried to kill me," the Doctor said, taking off his coat and sitting down upon the divan. Christine poured him a drink of water and handed it to him.

"Thank you," he said and smiled gratefully. He then smiled at Rose and kissed her gently. Christine smiled and sat down.

"Christine, when was the last time you saw the Phantom?" the Doctor asked, taking a sip of water and watching her intently.

"The night I unmasked him," she said, looking at the floor. The Doctor looked at her sad face. He stood up and took her hands. She stood up and faced the Doctor.

"Christine, I am going to look at your memories. Please excuse me," he said. He placed his hands upon her face and she closed her eyes. The Doctor closed his eyes and began to 'walk' through her thoughts.

A young Christine at the bedside of her dying father, Gustave Daae, along with Madam Giry looking on weeping.

"When I am in heaven child, I will send the Angel of Music to you," Gustave told his daughter before taking his last breath of life. Christine sobbed into the sheets of her fathers bed as the doctor's came in to take him away. Madam Giry cradled Christine in her arms and told her everything would be alright.

xx

A young Christine Daae and a young Raoul de Chagny were playing at a small cottage by the sea side. They suddenly got distracted when Christine's scarf blew into the sea. Raoul pulled off his coat and threw it to the ground as he dived into the water to retrieve her beloved scarf … which he himself had bought for her.

xx

Christine arrived at the Opera House only to be accepted into the Corps de Ballet by Madam Giry. She quickly became popular and made a few friends.

xx

A sixteen year old Christine in her dressing room. She was sitting at her dressing table, weeping.

"Father, you promised me an Angel of Music. Where is he then? You promised me! You promised me," she said before letting her head fall into her hands as she wept softly. "Please Father, I need my Angel now more than anything!" She put her hands together as if to pray. Suddenly a male singing voice was heard through the room.

"Angel?" she whispered softly.

xx

Christine was in the Phantom's lair.

"Floating … falling … sweet intoxication," the Phantom sang as he held Christine against his body. Her eyes closed as the Phantom ran his hands down to her hand and he held it up against his unmasked cheek. He closed his eyes at the feel of his skin under her hand.

xx

Christine suddenly opened her eyes as the Doctor took his hands away from her face. She had unshed tears in her eyes.

"How old were you when your father died?" he asked.

"Eight," she replied and the tears began to suddenly spill down her cheeks. "Doctor, I'm frightened." She suddenly collapsed into the Doctor's arms and cried. Rose came over and hugged Christine too.

"Please help me. He wants me … I know he does," she said. The Doctor sat Rose down on the couch.

"Rose please look after her. I'll be right back," the Doctor said. He opened the mirror and headed to the Phantom's lair.

xxxxxx

The Doctor arrived down in the lair. Suddenly organ music came to his ears. Then he heard the Phantom's voice.

"Shamed into solitude,

Shunned by the multitude,

I learned to listen,

In my dark my heart heard music"

"I long to teach the world,

Rise up and reach the world,

No one would listen,

I alone could hear the music"

"Then, at last, a voice in the gloom,

Seemed to cry 'I hear you,'

'I hear your fears,

Your torment and your tears"

"She saw my loneliness,

Shared in my emptiness,

No one would listen,

No one but her,

Heard as the outcast hears!"

"No one would listen,

No one but her,

Heard as the outcast hears!"

The organ music stopped and Erik put his face into his hands and began to cry. The Doctor decided to let him be. He began to leave the lair when suddenly, he heard Erik say "Christine, I love you!"


Hope you enjoyed this. It has been hectic trying to update. But please read and review and the next chapter will be up soon as. Its the Masquerade next! Thanks xxxx