"Christine, aren't you excited, at least? I mean he is your husband!" the blonde ballerina squealed in delight as she asked the brunette who were busy with trying to get her hair in place.

"Fiancée not husband, Meg" she answered, irritated. "And no I'm not excited, I'm being married of to a person I have never met in my entire life, how would you feel!" She turned her head from the mirror to look at her younger friend who's cheeks were flushed and eyes were dazed. Shaking her head, Christine realised that there was no chance in the world that Meg would change her mind. The door opened and the woman who was Meg's mother and Christine's foster-mother entered.

"What's all the noise in here?" she asked and stood behind her foster-daughter to help her with her hair.

"Christine is not excited at all to be married!" Meg teased.

"Be quiet, you silly thing!" Christine barked back.

"Hush, please both of you! It's only nine o'clock in the morning and you to are already shouting enough for the three of us. Your fiancée will be arriving in less than a fortnight and we'll all expect you to be welcoming him with a smile on your face." Moving away from the brunette she approached the blonde who turned her back on her mother so her laces could tied in her corset.

"But I don't want to marry him, I'll be damned if I do!" she said pleadingly.

"We'll be damned if you don't. Every woman has to have a husband once in her lifetime. You can't sing or dance you entire life, Christine. And you have to stop with that feministic preaching of yours, I have received more complaints from the teachers at the university."

"Oh, please they need to know that women are more then skirts and pretty faces."

"Yes, that maybe, however we all know that a woman showing her face inside a university is highly illegal ."

Sighing she stood up from her chair and helped her mother. "But why can't women have any thought's of their own? Why must we always live up to the men's expectations, mother?"

"We simply have to live that way, that's all" she responded.

"Then why can't Meg have him instead if it's that important?"

"Because you're the oldest, my darling, and that is the way it has to be. Meanwhile why are you so sour? You'll have a rich man and a strong roof above your head and you will be taking place in the society as vicomtess de Chagny."

"Maybe the phantom has already won her heart" Meg laughed.

"Quiet, Meg! Seriously, child. What more do you ask for?"

Christine looked down for a minute and took a deep breath before looking up again.

"Love. I would at least like to know my future husband before I agree to marry him."

"Oh, such nonsense, do you think I knew my husband before I married him?" With that said she went out and left the girls alone.

"Oh, Christine, you've always been the sister I never really had, tell me have you met the phantom, I heard he satisfied at least five girls this night."

"That barbarian! No I haven't and I hope I never will!" The mere thought of that savage made her skin crawl. If the phantom felt that he must seduce women every day then something must be missing in his life, true love perhaps?

"Al right, but you seem so lost in thoughts these days and you sneak out from the theatre every day. I think I know your secret."

Christine's face immediately jerked up and she held her breath.

"What?" she asked, slightly feared.

"Ah, see that tells me everything" Meg said and moved toward the door and turned around to face her stunned foster-sister. "You have a secret lover." Christine exhaled and shook her head, smiling. Meg had always been so naive and childish.

"Well don't tell" she said ironically as Meg left the room. Sitting down, she picked up paper and ink and started writing as she always did when she had her privacy.

----------------------------

At another part of the town, two men made their way toward the operahouse.

"Christine Daáe, you said? Wasn't she a member of the ballet?"

"That and Antoinette Giry's foster-daughter, I've never laid eyes on her before." They made their way through the Ruse Scribe and was soon five cellars floors beneath the stage.

"So, this is your latest?" Nadir asked, nodded toward the paper that was leaning against the organ. Erik nodded.

"Marvellous" he said as he peered through it. Later a voice was heard from above their heads.

"And that's our Mademoiselle Daáe" Erik said and they started to make their way to the boat that was partly pulled up on land.

"Shall we?" he asked and the Persian got in as Erik grabbed the pole and started rowing.

"What if she's ugly?" Nadir asked as they walked up.

"All women on earth are lovely somehow, at least."

They opened the door to box five and silently peeked out from behind the curtain that was hanging at it's side. The young girl was alone on the stage and alone in the entire room, at least she thought so. Christine was practising at the aria from act three of the night's opera, Hannibal. Nadir looked up at his master as he heard him gasp. Christine stopped singing as she heard it too.

"Dive" Erik whispered and ushered the Persian down on the floor of the box and he himself followed. Christine looked around the grand room a few times before she proceeded with her singing. Erik and Nadir took that as a sign that had been undiscovered, they looked over the edge of the balcony that was the box and continued were they had stopped.

Erik heart started to beat faster, there was an angel on the stage, singing like nothing he had ever heard before, she was perfection itself. Long dark curls fell over her shoulders and down to her waist and large brown eyes twinkled with delight as her wide, sensual mouth with it's full lips sang.

Nadir noticed the change in his masters behaviour and frowned, this was something new. Without noticing it coming, Nadir sneezed suddenly and Erik was roused from his observing as Christine was from her singing. Erik pushed the Persian out from the box and did the same. This time when Christine looked up she saw a shadow moving in box five.

"Al right, come out of there!" she called "You saw me playing Prima Donna now reveal yourself!"

Nothing was heard, after a few seconds Christine turned around and started to get back to her room, but a rustling noise made her turn her head to her former position, and there on the stage lay a red rose with a black satin ribbon tied around it. She picked it up and smelled it's fragrance, smiling she walked back to her room.