Disclaimer: I do not own POTO or Elisabeth.

A/N: Okay, there is minor Raoul bashing in this chapter. If I didn't do a little bit of bashing the story couldn't develop the way I want it too.

Chapter Nine

Family Affairs

"Raoul!" Christine called happily as she made her way into Raoul's study. Even though he had left Paris, Raoul remained the Comte de Chagny and he still had his duties. He would've loved to set the title aside, but for some reason his sisters refused to cut the family ties. So, Raoul remained with his title and duties.

As his wife entered the room, Raoul looked up from his paperwork and replied, "What is it, Christine?"

"I'm pregnant!" She clapped her hands gleefully, as she had when she first came up with the idea of a secret engagement back at the opera.

"Christine, really?"

"Yes!"

"I'm so happy!"

XXX

"What shall we name the baby?" Christine asked.

Raoul leaned back in his chair. "I'll leave that decision to you, my dear. I'm no good at choosing names."

"I was thinking that if we had a girl, we'd name her Sibylle, and if we had a boy we would name him after you."

"No, I'd rather not have our child named after me."

"Why?"

"I really don't know. I just didn't want a child named after me…"

"All right.

"What about Sibylle and… and… and Vladen?"

"Vladen? Where did you derive that name from?"

"There was a ballet boy at the opera named Vladen. I always liked the sound of that name."

"Wouldn't you rather forget about the opera…"

"The name has nothing to do with the opera. I just like the sound. Besides, it sounds more Swedish than any of the other names I was thinking of."

XXX

Raoul returned home to the sound of screaming coming from the bedroom. He immediately dashed up the stairs. He met a neighbor-woman who had become Christine's good friend, a Mrs. Ek.

"Madam, by god, please tell me what is happening!"

"Your wife is having a baby, sir!"

"God!" Raoul tried to barge into the bedroom, but Mrs. Ek held him back with a strength he never would've expected.

"You can't go in there. The doctor won't allow it. Go into the parlor and wait there. I'll let you know when the baby has been born." Raoul shrank under Mrs. Ek's amazing authority and scurried off to the parlor like a schoolboy.

Soon, Raoul's timidity dissolved into worry. He paced up and down the parlor's pine floor. From time to time Christine's screeches of pain reached echoed through the whole townhouse. At each scream, Raoul jumped. He'd caused her this pain. Sometimes he wondered if it was all worth it. Suddenly, there was a silence, followed by a long wail. Mrs. Ek, no longer infuriated, glided into the parlor.

With a broad smile on her face, the she declared, "Sir, your son is born!" Raoul dashed past Mrs. Ek and up the stairs to the bedroom. He threw open the door and looked at the sight before him. Christine lay crumbled on the bed, flushed and looking like a horrible mess, but in her arms lay a smiling, happy baby boy. He took the baby from Christine's arms and cradled it gingerly. He kissed Christine all over her face.

The doctor came up behind Raoul and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Your wife is a very strong woman," he began. "You don't know how long we came to losing both her and this little fellow during the birth." Raoul hardly heard a word the doctor said- his attention was focused entirely on the baby that he cradled in his arms. He was a beautiful baby.

Raoul kissed Christine again and said, "You are a wonder!"

XXX

"Mamma!" The golden-haired boy hobbled towards his parents.

"That's right, Vladen, come to Mommy," Christine cooed, stretching her arms out towards her son.

"Mamma!" Vladen lunged into Christine's arms.

Mrs. Ek smiled at the boy. "He's such a handsome boy! He'll grow up to be a fine young man some day."

"He's very smart, too, for a two-year-old," Mrs. Svanbäck commented.

"I agree," rejoined another lady in the circle.

XXX

Christine stared at Raoul angrily. "Boarding school in Paris! Vladen doesn't even know French!"

"My sister, Dacio, suggested it, Christine. I think it's a good idea."

"A good idea! I can't believe you're saying that, Raoul! I thought you loved our son!"

"I do love Vladen very much, you know that."

"And yet you're will to send him in to that upper class prison!" Christine went into the bedroom and slammed the door. Next came the sound of the lock clicking.

"Christine, open up!"

"No!"

The next morning, a knock came on Christine's door. "Go away, Raoul."

"Mamma?"

"Vladen! Here I come." She unlocked the door and admitted her son. He clung to her tightly.

"Mamma, Daddy says that tomorrow I have to go to this place called boarding school. He has me packing my bags already. I don't want to go! Tell Daddy not to make me go."

"I won't let you go, Vladen. Don't worry." She looked out the window. "Look, Nels is coming down the street. Why don't you go play with him?"

"All right, Mamma." He went to the door, but turned around when he was on the threshold. "Just promise that you won't let Daddy send me to boarding school."

"I promise."

When Vladen had left, Christine sat down at her secretary and began to write:

My dearest sister-in-law,

Please refrain from manipulating my husband…

A/N: Please R&R!