May 25th 1882

Christine looked at herself in the mirror one final time, twisting to the side and cradling her ever growing bump. She had to have tried seven separate dresses before this one and still she was uncomfortable with her appearance – despite Raoul faithfully commenting on how beautiful she had looked in each. She'd finally settled on this pale blue cotton number, with tight elbow-length sleeves that had white lace trim matching the hem, however no matter how hard she tried Christine couldn't find herself beautiful in pregnancy.

Women from Raoul's family had chattered on to Christine about how this was the greatest time of her life, that a lady blossoms in pregnancy but she couldn't see it. As soon as her abdomen had started to round, Christine had refused to go out or accompany her husband anywhere – she simply locked herself away from the world. The truth was, in her head she knew that it wasn't just because of the baby bump that she kept away from company; the ever recurring fact that the child Christine was carrying wasn't that of her husband was the true problem. Guilt was constantly overwhelming her, particularly the night time as she lay next to Raoul – the man she'd married, the man who had brought upon her such a wonderful (if not too extravagant) lifestyle – whilst Christine dreamt of what her beloved Angel would think if he knew the truth. Why couldn't she get him out of her head?

Christine tugged at the material of her dress one last time before heaving a sigh and slipping out the bedroom to the top of the staircase, being certain to keep out of the view of anyone below. She waited as she watched Raoul greet various people whom Christine was sure she'd never met before, fingers crossed that her 'secret' letter would have done the trick. She tapped her foot impatiently and watched her husband spin around and crane his neck to see if she'd managed to change yet – not that any of the guests would've noticed. Christine had been stood here at least fifteen minutes, having taken a good half an hour of the party to try on dresses, yet not a single visitor had questioned the Vicomte of her absence.

Christine was near to leaving her perch, perhaps to hide away in the library, when she finally spotted a girl with blonde waves in a faded red dress come through the door and give a slight curtsey to Raoul, soon followed by an older woman in deep indigo garb (a tone so close to black that one would've found it difficult to see the difference). Before her husband could tell them she was not about, Christine swiftly padded down the stairs with a wide grin as she saw Meg's delightfully shocked expression.

"Oh Christine, look at you!" her old friend exclaimed with a laugh as the two embraced like sister's once more. "You're glowing!"

Christine rolled her eyes before tapping Meg's hand in a scolding manner: "That's what every person says to a pregnant woman to make her feel better!"

"But it's true, or at least in this case it is," Meg shrugged as though at a loss of what more to add. "I'm sure mother would agree," She turned to Madame Giry who gave a nod of approval before turning back to continue chatting with the Vicomte in what seemed to be an engaging conversation. Meg sighed: "Typical, she always was too busy to get involved." Christine frowned and tried to interrupt but Meg cut in: "Is there anywhere less… crowded we could go? I'm dying to catch up!"

"Follow me," Christine took her friend by the hand and led her through a door round the back of the stairs, cutting through the dining room to reach a further corridor. She dragged Meg to the heavy door at the end and was pleased find Raoul had failed to lock his office. Closing the door firmly behind them, the two women settled on the sofa nearest the door.

Meg gazed at the lavish red carpet before turning her attention back to her friend. "So what wonders can be found in the great life of Christine Daae… Oh I mean De Chagny, I keep forgetting your name has changed," She blushed slightly at her mistke.

Christine just kept a small smile on her face before answering: "Other than the obvious you mean?" She rested a hand on her front before continuing. "Well not much if I'm completely honest, Meg- I haven't been in a mood to leave the house since the news. Raoul's been on at me to get some air, for the baby's sake, or to accompany him to a party and "live a little" but I just don't see the appeal of it all…" Christine trailed off as she stared into space, causing Meg to shift uncomfortably.

"I was going to ask why it was you'd left such an event till this late," Meg murmured, gaining a confused look from her friend. "Well, from what I know about these sorts of things –which I'll admit is probably limited – women have these kinds of parties before their third month is over. You can't be less than six months along, Christine…"

"Seven, actually," She chipped in. "But that's beside the point. I didn't particularly want a party in the first place, it was Raoul's idea. That's why near to every guest in the house right now has no idea I'm not at my own celebration." Christine shrugged: "But it made Raoul happy, which makes me happy."

Meg twirled a piece of hair round her finger. "You're so lucky to have found Raoul, you know, to have found your soulmate…"

Christine tried to look glad at the words – indeed she had found her soulmate, but Raoul wasn't him. She shook her head at the man she'd forbid herself from thinking of and turned back to Meg, quickly changing the subject. "So what about you, Meg? Moving to London!"

Meg nodded enthusiastically. "It's wonderful there, Christine, you'd love it! The people there have the most extraordinary accent and the ballet is just as magnificent as it was here, although the food isn't up to the French standard! But I can live with it, as long as I have my job at the theatre there – not quite as substantial as being a member of the Corps de Ballet over here- but just as fun. Mother got a job with me, though she's only assisting the choreography and has to do the cleaning on the side to get enough money to support all three of us…"

"All three?" Christine interrupted, suddenly more interested in the story than she had been. "Who's the third?"

Meg bit her lip, obviously angry for letting her tongue slip (at least that's how it seemed to Christine) and tried to back track: "Two of us, I meant the two of us!"

"No, Meg, you were right the first time, I can see it in your eyes! You think I don't know when you lie after all these years?" Her friend dropped her head and began to play with the cloth of her dress. "Tell me who…"

"I can't, Christine!" Meg snapped before looking her friend in the eyes and began with a softer tone: "I wish I could, honestly, it's just mother said it was better for us all if we both kept quiet about it,"

"It's him, isn't it?" Christine whispered, aware that if Raoul was nearby he might hear their conversation. "Your mother took him in, the Phantom…"

Meg closed her eyes and breathed out whilst slowly shook her head: "Erik, that's his name… I've heard mother call him that a few times back home. The Phantom was just a character, at least that's what mother described it as."

Christine nodded. "Erik…" The name rolled off her tongue with ease and she felt a genuine smile cross her face for the first time in months. "I never knew…"

"I don't think he tends to use the name," Meg added. "I find myself trying to avoid calling him anything – I used to try avoiding him altogether. It wasn't till the third month I was comfortable being alone with him…"

"Meg you have to take me to him!" Christine interrupted, grabbing her friend's arms tightly, forcing her to look in her eyes. "I need to see him – Erik – as soon as I can,"

"Christine, I…"

"Please!" She wailed, though still taking care not to become too loud. "He's here, isn't he?" Meg nodded. "Then you have to take me to him!"

"Christine, please listen to me. Do you really think that's a good idea? I know you've had this strange… connection with him. But that's in the past now, everyone knows you left with Raoul – you're married for God's sake! Please see sense, Lotte?" Meg's eyes pleaded with Christine but she remained adamant and stared straight back. "What's the point in re-opening healed wounds? Especially his, I mean how on Earth will he react to you carrying Raoul's baby?"

Christine squeezed her Meg's arm causing her to stop. For a moment the two just looked at one another, before Christine finally swallowed and took a deep breath before breathing something that was inaudible.

"Christine, I can't hear you, you're going to have to…"

"It isn't Raoul's…" It was a mere whisper but Meg still caught her friend's words. Her mouth remained open in complete shock as Christine slowly brought her gaze back up, tears beginning to well in her pale, jade green eyes. Meg shook her head slowly in disbelief but before she could speak again and ask the obvious, Christine held up a hand: "I think we both know the only other possibility."

Meg breathed the name, "Erik…" There was a long pause in which the blonde girl just stared into space while Christine waited anxiously. "But how, I mean… Where? When?"

She had known the time would come and so Christine finally came out with the story she'd been dying to share with someone she could trust. "It was in November, Meg, three months after Don Juan and all that followed. Three months after I'd left…" She paused to wet her lips. "But I didn't stop thinking about the man I'd left down there, Meg, not in all the weeks I spent with Raoul. I tried to get him out of my head, but the Ph- I mean Erik just stayed there, the expression on his face as I left, the pain in his eyes, the heart-wrenching wails as we left his lair… He haunted me. I had to find him, had to make sure he was safe. He had let us escape the mob but at the cost of himself, if anything had happened to him then... Well, after a couple of weeks searching I found him, not that I knew he was there till I got to the warehouse. We talked for a while, Meg, but… Well he was unbelievably sad and for the first time I finally caught a glimpse of a man within the mask. One thing led to another…"

"Oh, Christine," Meg rubbed her hand sympathetically. "But then why marry Raoul? You gave your childhood to Erik…"

"He left me, Meg," Christine finally let tears spill over. "I woke up in the morning in a cold, very empty warehouse without a single trace of the man who'd been there the night before… I had no other choice, I had to marry Raoul."

Meg drew her friend close, resting Christine's head on her shoulder and rubbing her back sympathetically while trying to make sense of the story she'd just heard. After a pause pushed Christine gently up and looked her in the eyes with a serious look. "You're certain there is no possibility that you've made a mistake, that there is a possibility that Raoul is actually…"

"I'm certain Meg," Christine cut in. "There was a whole week between the wedding and the first time Raoul and I… Well, you know." Her cheeks flushed slightly.

Meg head bobbed up and down for what felt like the hundredth time that conversation before standing up decisively and holding out a hand to Christine to pull her up. "Then we have a visit to make," The two embraced once more as Christine tried to put across the abundant gratitude she felt along with the relief – she was finally going to see Erik again.

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It was a typical party that Raoul De Chagny liked to hold, despite the fact that it was supposed to be in honor of his wife and the coming child. Every guest was far too indulged in conversation regarding the latest gossip or future business plans and opportunities that nobody even took note of the sound of the back door closing – except one person.

That one person, upon hearing the sound, swiftly made her way through the hordes of people without disrupting the festivities too much. Sadly, once she reached the kitchen exit all she could make out was the shape of two women, one with wavy blonde hair in a faded red dress and the other… An elegantly dressed lady in pale blue with chestnut hair with a striking resemblance to the Vicomte's spouse, perhaps too striking... Who on Earth was she going to inform of the flight of Madame De Chagny!

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Just in case you were wondering about the confusion of which character the final part focuses on, don't worry it's supposed to be confusing to keep it secret ;)

So lots of secrets finally spilled, Meg got the gossip at last and Christine finally learns the name of the guy she lost her virginity to :L I know you're looking forward to the next chapter, right? Well keep your fingers crossed and they may keep coming!

As always, thanks to TheAustralianZombie (who's to blame for the delay in chapters fyi, though we all have other stuff to do so no worries on her behalf ;D )