A/N: This is going to be the last chapter I'm able to post until I have free time. I'm moving into my dorm room this weekend and attending a leadership convention that's going to be several days. After that I'll have classes starting and this is my first year so I'm not sure what to expect, but I know updates will be slow. Don't worry, this story will not be abandoned and will be finished. I'll try to shoot for Labor Day for another chapter. At least there isn't a cliffhanger. Lol. Thank you to all my loyal reviewers and to my beta Halley for an awesome job. Please don't forget to review!

Chapter 17: Bonding

"Not bad my ass," Stephanie grumbled, dragging her feet into the music room. A week passed…one whole torturing week of drills, commands, and fights. Etienne refused to start any song until she could sing scales perfectly. That alone proved to be a challenge for the inexperience singer. Stephanie knew she had to be the only singer in the world…Worlds to not grasp scales. Where's Scales forDummies when you need it? She wondered as she took her spot by the piano.

As always, Etienne was there but this time he was busy writing something. Must be his Majesty's opera, she thought. It appeared he hadn't noticed her yet, so Stephanie remained quiet and savored the break before Hitler was unleashed. She didn't realize how murderous singing can be until the first day. After going through warm-ups a couple times, Stephanie assumed they would jump into a song right away.

"I was thinking for a little payback I could do something jaw-dropping. What do you think if I was doing this:

'A few times I've been around that track

So it's not just gonna happen like that

Cause I ain't no hollaback girl

I ain't no hollaback girl.'"

"Stop! Stop mademoiselle," Etienne cut in, shaking his head. "I do not know what you're implying as to a 'holly-back' girl—"

"Holla," she corrected. "It's hollaback girl but go on."

"Hollaback girl," he amended with disapproval. "But you will do no such thing. We will not start any piece until you can prove on the basics. If you cannot sing scales properly then you can not sing a song properly. And that is how it's going to happen."

Etienne being Erik's blood, Stephanie knew the lessons will be demanding. How demanding she didn't know until now. Christine should be made a saint if Erik was anything like Etienne. The Phantom's son was a dictator there was no question about it. If she was flat, she got yelled at. If she slouched, she got reprimanded. If she were to argue, not only was her time extended but she was given a lecture about how he was the teacher and she a humble novice singer and she should never ever question his expertise.

Even out of the room he acted like the lessons were still continuing. If Stephanie were to eat or drink something bad, Etienne would snatch it from her and tell her the importance why certain foods shouldn't be consumed. Then there was her posture. Stephanie understood to maintain good posture while singing, but when you're not? That really irritated her but he didn't seem to notice.

Erik and Christine weren't being as sympathetic as she would have thought, but she seriously doubted a half hour of sagging around would cause any damage.

"Good morning Mlle Larson," Etienne said, breaking her from her thoughts.

Putting on a small smile, she nodded in response.

"Ready?"

"Yeah. Still working on the opera?"

He blinked. "Um, yes. Why do you enquire?"

"Curious. Erik said that you were close to finishing."

I was… "No, no. He must have misunderstood me. I'm not close, not even by half."

"Oh." Stephanie frowned but decided not to go further. Etienne seemed to be in a good mood and best to keep it like that; she was in no mood to stay longer than she had to.

"When we are through with scales we shall begin a song—"

She stared at him. "Really? You mean that after scales there won't be more scales?"

"Yes," he sighed, squeezing the patch of skin between his eyebrows. "I fear that as far as I gone with you on scales will be it. We can't have you learn no songs."

"Right, right. Okay, maestro, bring it on!"

Etienne smirked and did so.

xxXXxx

The lesson was painless. Both teacher and student were able to behave civilly with little fights breaking out.

Etienne was glad to have the peace between them this once, but he rather found her disagreeing mind stimulating. It indeed made his ire rise, but she wasn't afraid to back down. How many times was that proved with the constant repetition of extended minutes?

Yet, despite his earlier promise to show how good of a man he was, Etienne found the calling to be a stern instructor stronger. Her voice needed work and he could sense the potential already. She was passionate, there was no question, and she could use her emotions to influence her voice. All she needed was a push in the right direction, one he intended to shove her towards.

The first song he selected was Claude Debussy's "Beau Soir". Stephanie managed somewhat, though her pronunciation was atrocious. She was a quick learner, refusing to back down. Her drive to succeed was admirable and he couldn't help but wonder why all of a sudden she wanted to do this. Before, she tried to wheedle out of it, but then it was like she was almost possessed; stepping down wasn't an option.

Etienne knew little of her past. All he knew from his father was that she was from the future and was quite an expert to the way to the heart. Erik did confess she had harsh dealings in life about her mismatched eyes, but that was it. Never once did he elaborate what those "dealings" were, but Etienne had his suspicions in regards towards his father's own past. Though, he was certain that people didn't throw Stephanie into a cage and tortured her. From Erik's experience of the time to come, people weren't as inhumane as they were when he was younger.

Etienne was a firm believer that the past is what defines a person. His father had been shaped into a dangerous man as people believed, though he was lucky enough to have been given a second chance. But Stephanie… What sort of troubles had she went through?

Stephanie was sitting in the settee (back straight), looking at her nails when she felt Etienne's stare. Lessons were over but for some reason she decided to stay. Erik was probably working on a new score while Christine was off visiting Meg.

I must be really lonely to stay here, she thought. "You know, you can take a picture. It'll last longer."

"Hmm?" Etienne mumbled, waking from his stupor.

A tiny grin played on Stephanie's red lips. "If you have something to say, then say it. Don't sit there, staring, when your face is practically screaming to talk."

"I-What?"

"Etienne, you were in another world a few seconds ago. And your expression was brooding. So whatever is bothering you go ahead and speak. Might make you feel better."

"What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know. We haven't been getting along that well, so might as well take an advantage and get to know each other. That is if you try not to be so sexist."

Etienne smirked. "All right. Who is Stephanie Larson?"

"Twenty-four, Michigan State grad, major Journalism. Works for Michigan Journal, best friend Veronica despite the infinite times I want to kill her, have a Jack Russell Terrier named Harper, big opera and Phantom fan. Love Chinese food, horror and romance movies, hate rap, and now currently residing in the Destler manor in Paris 1898."

He chuckled. "Is that all?"

"Whoops, almost forgot." She pointed to her eyes. "These babies can speak for themselves." Placing her hand back down, Stephanie pointedly looked at Etienne. "Now, who is Etienne Destler?"

"Twenty-seven, composer of the Opera Populaire, oldest of four, and currently residing in the Destler manor in Paris 1898."

She tilted her head. "Cute. Is that it cuz that's little to go by."

"I'm not a very interesting person—"

"To hell you're not. Look at your parents! C'mon, there's something else. Say it."

"Mlle Larson…"

"Say it."

"No I-"

"Say it or I'll sing so badly your eardrums will bleed."

"I, uh, am the most sought after bachelor. Happy?"

Stephanie sat back, smiling from ear-to-ear. "Yup. You know, add to the fact you're rich you could start your own reality show in the future. Who will be the Etienne Destler's next apprentice composer? Or, with your parents wanting you married and all, you can be the next Bachelor on ABC. The ratings will soar."

"Why do you say that?"

"To be frank, you're a good-looking guy. Personality needs some fixing but other than that you're attractive. Millions of women will tune in to watch how twenty-five girls compete to be your wife. Of course, there will always be that one wacko who will believe in love at first sight and claim there was a connection throughout the whole run before she's ditched."

At this time, Etienne stood away from the piano and moved in front of it to be close to Stephanie. Hearing her sarcasm from her last statement, he became intrigued. I thought all women believed in that. Shows how much I know of the fairer sex, he thought.

"What if this 'wacko' was correct? Do you believe in love at first sight?"

Stephanie bit her lower lip and smiled. "Bad of me to say. Yeah I do. That's how I knew Dan was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."

His face fell, her words plunging a knife into his stomach.

Oblivious to his stricken features, Stephanie rambled on, "I can remember that day clearly. It was during the summer, a very nice hot day, and I was taking Harper for a walk. We passed this house a few streets down from me and there was a moving van out in front. And there was this boy carrying a box to the door. He paused, looked in my way and waved. I wasn't close enough for him to actually see me, but at the time I thought if he did he would run inside with fear. But I fell. I fell hard and when the school year started, man I knew he was the one."

Stephanie stopped, her eyes glazing over. "It was strange, the feeling. My insides got all twisty; I couldn't breathe no matter how much air was inhaled and exhaled. I remember my knees trembling and becoming faint, though that could have been because of the weather. But, I think it was love."

In her dreamy haze, she asked, "Have you ever fallen in love?"

The question was unexpected as Etienne was doing all that he could from jumping up, and throwing something to make her stop talking about Dan. He didn't want to know how she became in love. He didn't want to know how she felt when she saw Dan. He, especially, didn't want to see or hear the love coming from her lovely mouth and covering her face.

Clenching his fist so his nails dug into the skin, Etienne forced himself to resign from his jealousy. Losing his temper wasn't going to change how she feels towards Dan Shaw.

"Well, have you?" she repeated again.

He swallowed once and prayed for steadiness. "I had loved another but that was a childhood fancy, nothing more. And to your question, I…" Should or shouldn't he? Already he wanted to scream out his devotion to her. "...yes. But I fear it was a mistake." Damn you! What were you thinking?

"Why is that?" Stephanie questioned her brow furrowing.

"Be-because…" his eloquence was lacking at the moment for his brief stupidity. He had to fix this and quickly. "She's courted by another." Brilliant. Why don't you just tell her it's her! "And I don't believe she has feelings for me."

"Oh, I'm sorry." What was she suppose to say? She never had thought Etienne to be capable… no, to suffer as he was. The pain was clouded in his eyes that Stephanie began to feel sorry for him. "Was it or is it difficult?"

"Is. I daresay I'm lost and there never could be another. No other woman could be like her."

"Oh." Then with a hopeful glint in her sparkling emerald and hazel eyes, Stephanie suggested, "Maybe she'll dump the other guy for you. If not, as Vee always says, 'There's plenty of fish in the sea'."

Etienne forced a laugh and shook his head. "Thank you for the optimism, mademoiselle." I doubt that it could ever be.

Her countenance brightened. "No problem. Looks like we're friends now, huh?"

Etienne lifted his head, the corners of his lips twitching. Friendship is a very good step. At least there's something.

"I believe so."

TBC…