Disclaimer: I own no Phantom-y things.

"Oh, no. No way."

"Good afternoon, Ms. Daae. I am Erik Destler, and I will be your private voice instructor for the time being."

Erik rose from the piano bench at which he had been sitting, and extended a hand for Christine to shake. Christine, however, was not in a frame of mind to meet Erik's level of cordiality. She was backed against the doorframe, and her knees were bent; she poised to attack, or to spring out into the hallway. Only her eyes betrayed her inner turmoil, wide with confusion and fear.

"What have you done with Mrs. Valerius?" Christine asked, trying to sound as menacing as possible. Erik dropped his hand and took a step back.

"Why, she's resigned. Didn't anyone tell you?" Erik's relaxed stance and speech suggested that butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. Erik's voice, dark and honey sweet, scrambled Christine's thoughts for a second time. Almost instantly, she regrouped and asked desperately, "What do you want? Why won't you leave me alone?"

Erik blinked. "I'm sorry?"

The mask of rage that Christine had been struggling to maintain slipped at this utterance. This masked man, undoubtedly the one Christine remembered, seemed genuinely confused. Trying to find the right words to say and coming up short, Christine gave a sigh and leaned against the wall. "I just want some answers." Something in her voice suggested tiredness, and a bit of melancholy.

Erik was silent for a moment. Then, he spoke. "Perhaps you would like to take a seat?"

Christine eyed the cluster of desks near them, then Erik. Finally, without ever taking her eyes off of him, she moved to the nearest desk and sunk into its seat. Erik moved to shut the door, but Christine's hand shot out.

"The door stays open!" she shouted, then winced. Her efforts at maintaining composure were proving less and less fruitful. Erik hesitated, then moved to his original post at the piano bench and sat. He leaned forward to rest his forearms on his knees, and looked at her, his masked face unreadable.

"Ms. Daae, you seem to be agitated by my presence. Would you care to explain?"

Christine stared at the bridge of his masked nose, at the floor, at the wall behind him. Anything to avoid eye contact.

"I… well."

Erik was staring at her, and her mind was like a machine gone haywire. Until a few minutes ago, Christine had been certain in her conviction that she had been tormented and drugged by a masked man, but now she doubted herself. The man before her was so calm and polite, not at all the arrogant, malicious entity with the slow drawl she remembered. And yet, so many details were the same…

Erik spoke, and Christine looked up, hearing the concerned note in his voice. "Ms. Daae, you do remember our first meeting, don't you?"

Christine gaped at him. "Wha-at?"

"Several months ago, I believe we were introduced at Rebecca Graham's recital. I played for her."

Christine knew Rebecca only in passing. She was mezzo and a senior at the Conservatory. She even remembered attending Rebecca's junior recital, but hadn't known the collaborative pianist.

There was a decision to be made, and quickly, so Christine made it.

"Oh… oh, of course! I am so sorry. Of course I remember meeting you. You did a lovely job of playing, by the way. You'll have to excuse me, I thought you were somebody else."

Christine watched Erik cock his head slightly at this. Her heart was beating so that she was almost sure he could hear it.

"No harm done, my dear, although it is interesting that I should remind you of anyone else. This may be the first time I've experienced anything like it. "

Laughing weakly, Christine diverted her gaze away from Erik's face and to the wall just beyond his head. Erik frowned slightly.

"Well, then. With all that cleared up, shall we sing?" He swiveled around and motioned toward the crook of the baby grand piano. Christine allowed herself one last glance at the door, then stood and made her way over to him.

A/N: Not my favorite chapter that I've put out so far, but it does the job, and it's quite important, if difficult to execute. I like reviews. I'd also like say that begging is beneath me, but it is obviously not. Gravity01 has been fabulous by way of reviewing, so live up to those standards! I DARE you.