Sooo...because I'm mean and want to make you wait, I shall be giving you this chapter and then I probably won't be able to upload another chapter until Thursday evening. :) I hope you enjoy this chapter though. Thanks for all your lovely reviews so far. :) Please tell me how you think the story is going so far and how realistic my impersonation is of the characters etc... Thanks! :)

EriksAngel70: I know right! I know this chapter isn't very dramatic but I had to break the chapters up because of how long each one was. I do hope you still enjoy the chapter though. :) And thanks for your lovely review. :)

Erik's Guest: Thanks for the great review! Hope you enjoy this chapter. :) Again, I hope you enjoy this given the lack of dramatic events but I do believe that this was an important scene in the story given that Charlotte has to reluctantly travel with the Vicomte once again and with this massive dilemma still hanging over them too if that makes sense? :) Anyway yes, I definitely agree. Erik has style. ;) I wanted his appearance on stage to be more like the one from the musical though as I always thought the movie version where he just wears the mask made his appearance on stage a little too obvious. I liked the idea of the musical version more. If that makes sense? Rambling again. :P Hmm...I think Christine is naturally very curious and she almost sort of did it in a daze if that makes sense, like when she unmasked him for the first time in the movie. But...it wasn't the smartest idea lol as we shall soon see. But yeah, I think I need to address that point sooner or later (The point being that Charlotte was one of the first people to accept him as he was, because even Erik has noticed it) but I think for now...well there's a lot of drama going down right now to focus on that. :)

Down once more!

It was too crowded in the hallway as we tried to move back to the dressing room. We desperately skirted around them in our haste to get to Christine but it seemed impossible. Most people were moaning to each other about how they believed tonight to be a waste of money and how indecent the shoe was too. Some were even complaining about how horrific the Phantom's face was. I struggled not to roll my eyes as we passed. It was just a face after all. People could be so overdramatic at times.

I suddenly stopped, seeing that Marcel Bonneville was stood on the opposite side of the hallway. He appeared to be asking after me as he indicated someone's height with his hands as he stopped to talk to people. I frowned. I felt awful because he looked really panicked but Christine's safety was more important.

The Vicomte stopped from beside me, glancing to where I was looking. He began to walk towards him but I grabbed hold of his arm, pulling him back round to face me.

"Don't you dare even think about it or I shall just run off and leave you here to find your own way there."

"Fine, perhaps you should lead the way then, given that you appear to be such an expert."

I faked a smile, leading him away quickly. I put my head down in the hope that Marcel wouldn't see us if he glanced over.

It appeared that he was too busy though, with people crowding around us. Everyone seemed lost in their ridiculous panic, pushing us further and further apart until I had finally lost sight of the Vicomte. I swung around in a panic, desperately trying to find his presence but there were just too many people gathered all around. I had never seen anything like this before.

I cursed, deciding to move to the dressing room in the hope that he had managed to make it there before me. It took me ages to find the dressing room though, but I finally managed to get there. I frowned as I noticed the room was empty still. I couldn't help but feel panicked by his lack of presence but I knew that I didn't have time to wait and worry. I was certain he would find his way here and Christine might be in danger. I didn't want to believe that but I also knew it was a possibility. I paused for a moment longer in front of the mirror before I felt around the sides of the frame to try and find the switch I had found the first time I was here. Once I had, the mirror opened a fraction. I slid open the door fully so that I could enter.

The candles on each side of the wall had been lit again, guiding the way as I took a small step into the corridor, shivering at the sudden chill that welcomed me back. I should have probably changed before I had decided to venture here but there hasn't been enough time to worry. I took a few more steps forwards, fighting against the shivers that wanted to take hold, not wanting to seem weak or vulnerable. It was only a bit of cold after all.

Luckily, it seemed easier to remember the way there and I wondered if I would have to swim across the lake again though I hoped not. The first time was awful enough. There must have been another way to the lake as I found myself above the lake, staring down at it through a small pit in the floor. I climbed down the ladder pulled up against it before turning to glance at the lake. There was no sign of a boat or anything. The Phantom must have used it to take back Christine.

I sat on the edge before jumping down into the lake slowly. A sharp gasp slipped from my lips as the water surrounded me. Gosh, I had forgotten just how icy the water was!

A shriek sipped from me as something firm pressed itself to my right shoulder and I instantly spun on the spot to see who had managed to follow me into the lair. I gasped in relief, placing a hand over my heart at the sight of the Vicomte. Though I was pleased it was him.

"Bloody hell, you frightened the life out of me!" I complained, still trying to capture my breath back.

He sat himself on the edge of the stone wall, offering a roll of his eyes.

"How on earth did you manage to find your way here anyway?"

He shrugged. "I am not completely mindless, though Madame Giry did help me along my way also."

He dropped himself into the water carefully. A curse slipping free as the water surrounded him. I giggled as he turned to me, an apologetic look on his face as he began to shiver.

"I apologize for cursing in front of a lady. I did not realize the water would be that cold."

His regret only caused me to laugh even more however, forgetting about how cold the water was. He glared at me as I tried to stop laughing, growing more annoyed with me.

"Sorry, it's just…well I have never overheard you curse before and it sounded so strange coming from you."

"Is that merely because I'm the Vicomte de Chagny?" He smiled, clearly teasing me.

"Yeah, well you're just so…courteous the majority of the time. It just made me laugh that's all." I confessed rather sheepishly.

He laughed too, shrugging it off easily. "Well it is nice to know that you sometimes find me amusing, rather than just infuriating."

I flushed, glancing away quickly. Even the icy water couldn't stop my skin from growing hotter, it seemed. "You don't infuriate me all of the time."

"Don't I?"

I ignored his question, a sudden chill hitting me once again so that my teeth clashed against each other. I tensed again, trying to stop shaking as much as possible whilst trying to picture anything warm in my head.

"Here."

The Vicomte's sudden command made me turn back in confusion, before my eyes widened at the invitation. He was holding out his jacket for me to take, having obviously seen me shivering.

"No, I couldn't."

"Well I insist."

"But it wouldn't be appropriate." I protested.

He rolled his eyes to the ceiling, continuing to hold out his jacket. "Yes because freezing to your death would certainly be more appropriate."

"Oh fine," I grumbled, snatching it with a frown. "I don't know whether I prefer it when you're suddenly being nice or when you're being your usual sarcastic and hostile self."

I reluctantly began to put it on, flushing as I noticed the musky scent that was imprinted into it by the Vicomte. This seemed so inappropriate, especially given our situation. It seemed…intimate somehow to be wearing such a favorable item of clothing of his. Nevertheless, I reluctantly pulled my arms into the sleeves of the jacket flushing more as I noticed just how much it drowned me compared to my well fitted costume. I buttoned up one of the buttons.

"Have you not been taught how to truly tolerate a little teasing?"

I reluctantly turned back to the Vicomte as he asked that, expecting mockery from him because of how ridiculous I looked.

His eyes widened as they fell onto his jacket which was drowning against my small frame, hiding my hands from view. I sighed, shrugging nervously as I flicked a loose hair away from my face, staring down at the murky water as I grew more embarrassed.

"Yes I know I look absolutely ridiculous. Let's just get this over and done with so that we can all go home."

"No, no…it is just that you look…" he trailed off, searching for the right word. "Surprisingly vulnerable."

I peeked at him from underneath my eyelashes, expecting to see him smirking at me but instead seeing that he was actually being serious.

"Oh…do I really?" I complained, pulling a face at that.

He sighed. "Only you appear to be able to make it sound as though I was insulting you. I intended that as a compliment."

I offered a roll of my eyes; some compliment.

"Come on," I sighed, knowing we didn't have time to talk about this, luckily. "We need to get moving."

We began to wade through the water, despite every bone in my body begging to find an escape route. As I grew more accustomed to the coldness though, it didn't feel so bad.

The most important thing now was that we got to Christine quickly.