Okay guys! I think this is where it REALLY starts to get good hehehe. ;) When you read this chapter, all I shall say is imagine the surroundings of the movie at the end and you get a sense of what I was trying to describe. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you very much to those who keep reviewing and following my story. I can't tell you enough about how much you amazing people continue to inspire me! :)

Grapejuice101: Thanks so much for the review lol! Well you shall like this chapter! ;)

Erik's Guest: Good, I'm glad I wasn't just rambling lol. :) Thanks for the review again. Yes, I definitely think she is. I think she finds it easier to pretend that he is the same character that she loves to hate because obviously as Christine's friend, the last thing she would want is ever to develop feelings for him. But I think at some point, she is going to have to have to face that. :) But for now, she has some sorting out to do hahaha. :) Hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

Three months of relief, of delight

Three months. I had remained here for three whole months. The time had gone so fast! I loved being here though, I truly felt as though this was my real home, where I was meant to be. For starters, there was no technology to confuse me. That was a comfort in itself.

I was beginning to grow worried about Christine though. She didn't seem as happy as she normally did and the Vicomte had been bothering her more and more now that there had been three whole months free of the Phantom's presence.

I was growing anxious about the Phantom. Where was he? I would have assumed that he would have attempted to speak with Christine sooner, especially when she had finished the engagement with the Vicomte. The more that time went on, the more I began to worry that he may have missed his chance.

She didn't seem very content whenever the Vicomte came to see her though. Her eyes had lost that sparkle and she seemed a little gaunt. Even when she danced, she seemed more fragile.

It didn't exactly help that the Vicomte was stopping by every day too. He was more protective of her now than he had ever been before. It infuriated me, seeing him as often as we did now. He would practically collect her from rehearsals and I couldn't help but feel as though he was playing along with the façade that everything was okay too. It was like he wanted everyone to see the two of them together. Not that it bothered me. I just wished I didn't have to see him as much.

Meg was worried too, and it was her comments on Christine's happiness that finally pushed me into doing something.

But the question was what to do.

I doubted I would be able to somehow get Christine and the Phantom in the same room with one another. Not with the Vicomte being as protective over her as he was.

I imagined that the Phantom probably did live under the opera house but then how would I get to his house safely and on my own too? It was practically signing my own death sentence. Then again, I was becoming desperate.

I wasn't stupid though, I realized that if he really did live underground like the book insisted then he was bound to have kept those devices to keep people as far as possible from his lair and the last thing I wanted to do was discover a painful death, especially when it would mean losing all hope of ever returning home again.

But at this point, I knew I had to at least try. It was crazy but I disliked seeing Christine as different as she had become.

I slipped away from rehearsals towards the end, whilst Meg and Christine were both busy talking with Madame Giry.

I quickly escaped up the grand staircase as I caught sight of the Vicomte heading into the opera house through the main doors, though he didn't seem to be paying too much attention to me. My eyes followed him for a moment, seeing that he was obviously wondering into rehearsals to get Christine.

Luckily, Carlotta wasn't using Christine's old dressing room at the moment because of the opera house being closed so the dressing room was free for me to sneak into.

It seemed rather bare and dark without any candles burning but my eyes slowly grew accustomed to this. I stepped forwards, until the shimmering pane of the mirror came into view. I felt around the sides of it, trying to work out if there was a latch or something to use when my hand caught a small lever hidden besides the wall, the passageway slowly opening before me.

I grinned, hesitating for a brief moment before stepping inside. Shrieking in surprise, I brushed away the cobwebs which I hadn't noticed were hanging in the doorway, wiping myself down quickly before taking another couple of steps forward. I winched as the smell of damp air reached me. I breathed through my mouth as I attempted to get used to it, taking slow steps forwards.

Luckily, the tiny passageway had candles lit on either side which made it a little more bearable in seeing ahead.

The passageway seemed to last forever and I was almost convinced that it must have been some sort of dead end after all when I eventually found that the passage ended suddenly. It lead to either the left or the right and after hesitating, I decided to choose the right one.

I knew this was probably crazy but then what choice did I have? I truly believed that if Christine had the choice, she wouldn't even be with the Vicomte.

This passage seemed just as long as the last one and I began to think that perhaps I'd chosen the wrong one. I was already trying not to think too much about the fact that I was underground. The very thought frightened me half to death and now it seemed I had chosen the wrong passage!

I shivered, the cool surroundings seeming to grow even colder suddenly and I wished that I had changed from my thin ballet dress.

Finally, I was lead to a huge winding staircase. I stepped forwards onto it, moving down the steps carefully. The sudden chill seemed to heighten considerably and I wondered if perhaps this meant that I might have been close.

I braved a look down the middle of the winding staircase to see a massive drop. A cry escaped me as I saw just how far the staircase went and I moved back towards the wall, my hand grazing against the rough edge. I slipped against a step, my hand grazing against the wall and I cursed as blood trickled from a small graze in the middle of my hand, though luckily it wasn't too bad.

I continued down the staircase, keeping my eyes out for any traps that may have lay beneath my feet. I'd watched the movie way too many times to know that and I was far smarter than the Vicomte.

It took forever to climb those stairs and I suddenly wished that I'd have been more athletic in school. It would have made this trek so much easier. Finally though, I managed to get to the bottom of the staircase safely, pressing a hand to the wall whilst I caught my breath back.

My eyes widened as I took in where the staircase had lead me.

There was a large oval canal in front of me, though luckily the water didn't seem too deep. I frowned, but knew I couldn't go back now, not when I'd come this far. I'd doubt I could even remember my way back anyway. Luckily, I was also very good at swimming, though it had been a while.

I moved closer to the edge, sitting on the platform to dip my feet in. Yikes, I almost cursed aloud, it was that cold! But I'd come all this way now, so with that being said…

I dived in, a cry falling from my lips at just how freezing the water was. I must have literally been insane. But then again if it meant that Christine would be happy again, then it would be worth it.

I swam quickly in the hope that it would make my journey faster. I took stops every so often to catch my breath.

Blinking rapidly as I reached the other end of the tunnel, darkness suddenly filtered in front of me. I frowned. Surely, there would be some kind of light coming from the Phantom's lair given that I should have been close by now.

I attempted to swim again, gasping when I was suddenly pulled backwards. I tried again, only for me to get pulled back once more. I glanced into the shadowy water but could see nothing. With a sigh, I dipped my head under and felt for the bottom of my dress.

I was caught on something! I swap deeper to see if I was able to pull it free but as my body fought to swim back upwards, the back of my head fell against something hard and blackness pounced on me before I could swim back up.