A/N: Awww.. I'm so sad, what's happened to all my reviewers? Is no one reading my story any more? ..cries...cries... I'll keep writing it, but I miss your feedback :(, I know i've been a bad author... but my teachers give me so much homework, ...cries... Please read and PLEAAAAAASE Review, I'm begging you guys, heh...heh...sniff.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Phantom of the Opera or it's characters, but Damn it I love the Phantom!

Meg was nearly shaking when she made her way to Christine's temporary room. Her mother had warned her to go straight to bed, but how could she listen to her at a time like this? What if Erik was watching her right now? What if Erik was watching her walking to Christine's door? The very speculation of being watched by the legendary Phantom sent ice water up her spine. She figured though, only good could come of telling Christine that Erik lived, because perhaps Christine would become so frightened that she would leave... would that not be a good thing for Kristen?

She didn't have time to think of the matter any further, for almost instantly the door was opened for her, and Meg was instantly confronted by Christine, who was in her beautiful white night dress, her hair braided, and allowed to fall gently against her back.

"Meg!" Christine whispered, closing the door behind her as she stepped out from her bedroom. "Meg, what are you doing here?" She asked.

Meg barely heard her question, for her mind was already flooded with inquiries of her own. "Where were you going?" She asked, with a certain amount of interest.

"Um..." Christine could not find the proper words to tell Meg that she was going out to wander around the theatre, to remember as much as she could of her previous life as a child there, and about the Phantom.

"Christine, maybe you should come with me. Come to my room Christine! It will be like old times!" Meg tried to sound excited, but the words which were hanging off the edge of her tongue concerning the Phantom simply killed her joy.

Christine, though seeing Meg's melancholy, agreed to this notion... Wasn't she on a mission to recapture old times any way? "All right Meg" She said, gently laughing in her softest voice, "Let's go."

Meg took Christine by the hand in a friendly gesture, and guided her down the hallway to her bedroom in the dormitories. When the two entered the young ballerina's quarters, the door was closed, and some white, half melted candles were lit. Christine smiled. Meg's room had never changed, it still consisted of those wild flowers in that lovely china vase, which she always picked from the outdoors on a weekly bases. Everything was where Christine remembered it, her vanity, her wardrobe, with all her dresses, costumes and ballet slippers, her lovely antique bed which must have been older than the two of them put together. Meg had been very very glad that her room was not destroyed in the fire. Although she sometimes shared space with her mother, Meg had her own room away from Antoinette's, her mother thought it best to allow her SOME freedom.

"Meg, you look worried, what is going on? You have not been yourself all night, not even at dinner. Please tell me what is ailing you" Christine implored. Meg sighed, this would not be easy.

"Christine, a lot has happened since you left with Raoul." She noticed the slight strain on Christine's delicate features as she spoke, knowing that this innocent little sentence had already brought back some painful memories. Christine was silent.

"You remember Kristen, right? The woman you met earlier."

Christine nodded, "The one with the scars, right?" she asked. Meg frowned,

"Her name is Kristen! and she is one of the nicest ladies I know. Even when she was blind she possessed such an amazing personality."

Christine put a hand to her brow and sat on the chair at Meg's vanity. Instantly the young ballerina was at Christine's side,

"Are you going to be ok?" She asked, when she saw Christine's obvious distress.

"It's so hard for me to be back here, as much as I wanted to help you... this place is so full of sadness."

"I know Christine, I remember what you went through. I admit that I have never been through something so frightening, but... oh God Christine, I don't know how to tell you this" she explained.

"What were you saying about... Kristen?" she asked. Meg frowned again. Why did Christine seem to sound annoyed at the sound of Kristen's name? Her best guess, was that seeing another person with marred flesh could only bring back memories of the Phantom... even so, she couldn't believe that Christine, one of the nicest women she knew also, would describe a person as, the one with the scars "It is a miracle she came." Meg stated gently. Christine became confused,

"A miracle?" She asked, tears rimmed the edge of her lids, "Is she a singer? a dancer? a musician? a composer?"

Meg shook her head, "She is none of those." She replied.

"Then I'm puzzled, tell me why Kristen is a miracle." Meg could see that Christine was in some sort of horrible emotional state. Wherever she was going... Meg thought, it probably had something to do with Erik.

"Because she's become very special to someone who lives here."

Christine lowered her head, "I don't understand what you are trying to tell me" She said honestly. "All I know is that a blind girl can see again and someone is fond of her."

"Christine, you must promise me that you will not yell or scream when I say these words to you, because I am not supposed to be telling you this."

Christine's eyes widened, and Meg could tell that she pretty much knew the words which were about to be said.

"Erik didn't die, Christine. I know it said that he did, in the news paper, but they were wrong." And then, you could have heard a pin drop. Christine gave Meg a stare which could have turned her to ice, as if she just found out that she had three minutes left to live.

Christine opened her mouth to speak, but words did not come out. Meg realized that she had just terrified the poor woman. A shaking hand was brought to her lips, as she stared at Meg with wide, tearing eyes.

"Please don't be afraid Christine" Meg said with rising worry, "He won't try to hurt you again."

Christine rose from the lovely wooden chair, and was about to run for the door when Meg blocked her exit, "Christine, you can't do this!" she said, "You cannot go ballistic right now."

"He's here? he's right here right now? Then he will know that I have returned!... and I've left Raoul all alone! MEG! HE WILL KILL HIM!" She screamed in frightened fury, and pushed past Meg to run down the darkened hallway. Meg sighed as she watched this petrified young lady charge her way through the obscurities'. The only thing she could think to do was follow her, because right now, she was the only one who could stop tragedy.

No doubt Christine would tell Raoul what Meg just told her, and then they would have a problem! Raoul had probably fantasized about getting his hands on the Phantom ever since they left Paris, and now that he was alive, she realized, Raoul would probably want revenge.

At this thought, Meg raced after the running woman and when she was close enough, she seized Christine's arm, and pulled her back, nearly slamming her against the wall. Meg was no doubt way stronger than Christine.

"You listen to me!" Meg hissed in whisper, "Don't you dare do something stupid like tell Raoul what I've just told you. Do you understand? Erik is a different man now! He and Kristen are in love, do you really want to ruin that"
Christine broke down crying, right there in the hallway. She slid down the wall which she was slammed against and buried her face in her hands.

"You cannot tell anyone." Meg repeated, and just as she was about to pull Christine's crying form from the floor, a door was opened, and Meg's state of worry was boosted another fifty percent.

"Cannot tell anyone what?" It was Raoul, standing in the doorway fully clothed, and a look of pure anger and concern on his face towards young Meg.

...(scene shift)...

There was no way to tell if it was morning, no way to tell if she had slept for an hour, or for many hours. When Kristen awoke, beside Erik, time didn't even matter. She wanted to wake him up, she wanted to wake him up and hold him so tightly. She wanted to replay the previous night over and over until all her strength was gone. She realized, as she traced the tarnished flesh of his right cheek, that he was deep in sleep, perhaps even dreaming. She now loomed over him, the very sight of his whole face brought forth a smile from her, and tears nearly formed in her eyes.

He awoke to find her staring down at him, both of them unclothed, lying together. Her palm was warm against his face, and he moved his hand to gently hold her wrist. As soon as she realized his stirs, she allowed herself to fully rest herself on top of him. She didn't feel the slightest bit guilty, even though she knew she pretty much intended to wake him with her touch.

He embraced her warmly, her cheek resting against his rugged features, she kissed the side of his face. The morning was theirs, and the constant darkness, and dimming candles provided all the light they would ever need. She could have stayed this way forever, and he was thinking the exact same thing. In darkness, or in light, as long as it was this way, never would there ever be a need to change things.

"Good morning Erik," Kristen said, though her voice came out slightly groggier than she expected it to be. How wellhad she slept? She felt so full of energy, but so tired at the same time. She was well aware of the cold temperature of their subterranean home, but under the covers, and in his arms, she could barely feel cold at all.

"I love you Kristen," He replied. She was about to laugh, but the sound would not move passed her lips. He was so formal, so very perfect, a simple good morning would have been enough, but she could not argue with herself that she also welcomed those words.

She slightly arose to face him, and she planted a very long, gentle kiss upon his lips, "I love you too," she said, her full weight still leaning against him. "I don't care if I never see the sunshine again,"

"I need you Kristen," He said to her. She felt herself pleasantly imprisoned within his hold.

"You have me, Erik, you have me forever, I'll never leave you." She whispered, and kissed him again. The two of them fell into this kiss completely, a kiss which was meant to last for three or four seconds, turned out to last entire minutes, deepening in passion. Her heart was racing, even though they'd gone so much further, just this simple act was enough to send her mind through the clouds.

Breathing annoyed her now, every so often breaking their passion. She cursed the man who said "All good things must come to an end," as their fervour concluded, and he moved from her, to get out of bed. She watched him stand, completely without clothes on, and couldn't withdraw her eyes. He was beautiful, every part of him made her want to pull him back into bed with her, but obviously he had other ideas. He began to dress himself,

"I'm sorry that I couldn't find the words to tell you what I was up to last night." he said.

She frowned. She had forgotten the whole ordeal until he brought it up. "What were you trying to do?" she asked.

He walked to her side of the bed, wearing only his black pants and white blouse, and he sat. "Kristen, my love, you cannot live here while this place is as it is." he said.

She sat up, the white sheet cloaking her nude form, though she wondered why she even hid herself at all, since he'd seen her naked, what... three or four times now? "What do you mean as it is? Erik I love this place as it is." She said, "Everything you have here is so beautiful, and it makes me think of you. Why do you want to change it?"

"I know that you like it, but I don't. There are too many things here which remind me of a past I so long to forget entirely. I have you now, I don't need to remember all my years of solitude."

Kristen nodded, "I guess I understand." She said, "But really, you aren't going to make our home look like a normal Parisian residence, are you?" She asked.

"No" he replied with a chuckle, "But no child of mine will live in a dirty cellar like this."

He, in all the time he knew her, had never seen her eyes light up so brilliantly. She pulled him to her and hugged him so tightly, "All right! change it, do whatever you want with it!" she vented so happily. "I love you" She added. Would a day pass that she would not say it to him?

He laughed, as she basically squeezed the life out of him, "I know, and I love you too Kristen... I...can't breath... quite well."

She giggled lightly, "Sorry" She said, with humorous innocence. He smiled and kissed her softly, before rising from the bed, and fixing his now slightly wrinkled blouse. She could have torn holes in his shirt and he wouldn't have cared.

She pushed the covers back and stood out of bed, walking to the wardrobe and opening it. Not caring what it was she was going to ware, she grabbed the first thing that her hand came to, which was a lovely black dress, but by no means was it the type of dress one would wear to a funeral. After arranging her undergarments, she slipped the gown over her head and let it fall to her ankles. Only when she turned around to leave the room did she realize that Erik had been watching her the whole time, and she slightly blushed,

"Am I really that entertaining?" She asked, her voice full of jest.

"You're really that gorgeous," he said to her as she walked passed him. She took it now into her liberty to light a few more candles. She figured that if he was going to be doing work, he would need the light. Once the place was properly illuminated, she turned to face him.

"I suppose you will want me out of your way while you... change everything." She couldn't stop smiling, "I'll go and see how Meg is doing."

"You don't have to..."

"Surprise me when I return." She said. She stopped near him on her way to the mirror passage, and kissed him deeply, then smiled darkly, and disappeared through that mirror.

The tunnels of the Populaire were more welcoming to her each time she moved through them. All the while she could not stop thinking about last night, and on occasion she would put a hand to her stomach. A child? When he spoke to her of children, she nearly melted. Was she pregnant now? or would it take more? Well... she greeted both answers quite fondly.

Climbing the stairs to the surface wasn't as hard as it had been before, and no longer was she injured in the least bit. How would she hide from Meg everything she was feeling? She would have to try, but she didn't imagine that a moment would go by that she wouldn't smile.

As she made her way behind the walls of the surface level, she heard the sound of some rather uneasy voices, and hastily made her way to them.

"Meg, I know you're hiding something from me! You have poor Christine in tears! and she won't say a word. Now what did you tell her!"

"Stop it, you're hurting me!" When Kristen heard these words come from young Meg, she burst through the nearest entry way, and stormed down the hall.

"LET GO OF HER!" Kristen yelled with mad fury, as she saw Raoul shaking the poor ballerina. She grabbed him by the arm and yanked him from her, and then she slapped him clean across the face, "How dare you touch a lady in such a way!"

Raoul frowned, "She's upset my wife!"

Kristen rolled her eyes, "For pity's sake, everything upsets your wife! But I swear on all that's good, if you dare touch her the way I saw you touch her again, I'll have your head nailed to the main wall!" she threatened coldly.

He sighed, "I apologize, but this... brat here, is hiding something important, and it concerns Christine."

"Leave." Kristen demanded fiercely. When Raoul's words brought tears to poor Meg's eyes, Kristen could tolerate his presence no longer.

"What?"

"LEAVE!" She hollered, her voice echoing down the corridor. He could do nothing... but simply... leave.

"Did he hurt you Meg?" Kristen asked softly. The young girl began to cry, and She brought her dear friendly closely in a warm embrace, "I'm so sorry I wasn't here sooner" she said.

"It isn't your fault Kristen, It's mine." Meg confessed, "But she had to know."

Kristen frowned, "Had to know what?"

"That Erik is alive."

"You mean you told Christine that the Phantom is still... oh my God Meg, how could you do this to me?" She asked quietly.

"I didn't mean it that way, it was not meant to hurt you, it was meant to warn her. She was quite right in storming out of the room to make sure Raoul wasn't dead yet! If Erik knows that they're back, he'll kill Raoul and he'll kidnap Christine!"

Kristen closed her eyes. The girl knew nothing of what wasreally going on below the surface. "Meg, I don't think Christine has to worry about being kidnapped. And personally I don't think I would hold it against Erik if he did kill Raoul, after what I just saw him doing to you."

"Does he know she's back?" Meg asked quietly.

"No, how could he? he hasn't been to the surface since yesterday, and quite obviously he left for the underground before Christine arrived. He hasn't been up here since."

"Do you keep such close watch on him?" Meg asked.

"Well, no... but I was with him all night. There's no way Raoul could have been in any danger. And he's down there right now, fixing our home."

"Your... home? Kristen, you're going to continue to live with him?"

"Of course I am Meg!" Kristen said smiling, "I love him."

"Does he love you?"

Kristen blushed, and nodded, "I may be eating for two soon." She said. Meg instantaneously grew horrified. She fell against the wall, and she may very well have fainted if the wall had not been there.

"You mean..."

Kristen nodded, "I may be with child at this very moment" she whispered, "But tell no one of this, until it's physically evident. Not even your mother, understand?"

Meg nodded, "Everything around here is being kept secret any way, what's the difference in keeping one more?"

Kristen hugged her friend, "I've never been so happy," she said, "Everything is so perfect."

Meg sighed, "Yes... perfect" though her words could have been more sincere.