Hey all! One quick thing, I am not a horrible Raoul hater, but for this story I needed someone that knew Christine personally. I always thought Raoul would go a little crazy if Christine had left him…. So yeah! Thank you guys for the reviews and thanks a lot for reading! Happy New Year!

Two weeks….

Christine lay in her bed, tears streaming down her face. It had been two weeks since the tragedy. It had been two weeks since her beloved, her angel of music…. Erik… had died. She had kept hoping that something would have happened, that he would show up, but nothing ever happened. She wasn't sure for fact he was dead, but Nadir had told her to let him go. She had responded to him "I will never love again" and she never would. She rose from the bed when a knock on the door alerted her. Maryanne walked in looking timid.

"Madam, there is a gentleman at the door" Maryanne informed her in a low tone.

Christine's heart quickened "News of Erik?"

Maryanne shook her head as Christine bolted past her, wanting to see the gentleman at the door.

As she made her way down the stairs, she could see Nadir conversing with the man who had his back to Christine. Nadir seemed uneasy as he noticed Christine.

"Christine Daae" Nadir said monotonously for the man.

The man turned around, his green waist coat adding a sharp contrast to his fire red hair. He had a wide smile that showed pearly white teeth. Christine suddenly felt the unease her Persian friend felt as well.

"A pleasure to meet you mademoiselle"

Christine extended her hand and kissed it lightly, his lips lingering on the skin longer than was necessary.

The red haired man spoke again before Christine had a chance to inquire who he was

"I am Dominic Bonaire; I have come here in regards of a dear friend of mine"

Christine nodded "Who sir is that?" she asked, sarcasm cutting into her voice slightly.

Dominic grinned "Raoul DeChangy, I am sure you have heard of him"

Christine's voice fell at the mention of her former lover, "Yes I have heard of him".

Dominic nodded "Yes I know for fact you have, he has requested a lunch for both, at your leisure of course"

Christine looked to Nadir, his face was hard as granite, and she knew he didn't approve of Raoul… but she felt horrible for what she had done to him. She looked down at the ground; he surely didn't know what had happened to Erik. She felt tears prick her eyes at the thought of Erik.

"I don't know" she informed Dominic, "I fear I am not myself"

He smiled, making Christine feel incredibly uncomfortable "Yes of course, he shall call again".

With that the man bowed and made his way out the door, the servant quickly opening the door for him.

Nadir was first to speak "I do not like that man"

Christine nodded; "I agree, but perhaps it is just his demeanor" she stopped and thought for a moment "He was calling for Raoul".

Nadir snorted "I take it you don't know how I feel about him as well?"

Christine sighed, feeling fresh tears fall. Instantly Nadir's face left its granite demeanor and changed to the soft man Christine knew him to be.

"Christine, please don't cry" he said while bringing her into a hug.

Maryanne ran down the stairs accompanied by Meg, both had been listening to the exchange between Christine and the red haired man. Both girls made their way into the embrace between Nadir and Christine. They had seen their friend change drastically, and feared her health.

"I just want Erik" Christine told all of them between her sobs

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"She does not seem willing to go to lunch with you"

Dominic was sitting in Raoul DeChangy's study, starring into the flames. He glanced over at his now friend, he was clenching his hands together.

"It has been two weeks" Raoul informed the man

Dominic nodded "She wears a ring"

Raoul looked up at the man "A ring?" he sighed and looked down "This will take some work"

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Over the next couple of weeks Christine received flowers and other such delights from Raoul, every time asking her if she would see him. After she received a fine necklace she gave into lunch with him.

Today she was getting ready for her lunch arrangement with Raoul. A carriage would be arriving for her in the next ten minutes or so. She straightened her dress, wondering why she felt nervous. Maryanne called for her a moment later and she descended the stairs. Standing in the foyer was Raoul; he was holding a bouquet of roses. Red roses…. Christine began to tear up, and tried desperately to hold back her tears. She only wanted to do this once and it get it over with.

"Christine, you look lovely!" Raoul smiled as he took her hand and kissed it lightly.

She smiled "Thank you Raoul, it is good to see you again"

Nadir saw them off and they made idle chat on their way to lunch.

Raoul finally asked the question Christine was dreading

"Where is your phantom, Christine?"

Christine looked down, wondering how to answer this question.

"He is away on business" she lied, hoping that Raoul wouldn't be able to notice.

Raoul smiled "Business? Is that what he does?"

Christine looked down "Yes" and looked around the carriage as a thought suddenly came to her "How did you know where we lived?"

She noticed Raoul's face pale for a moment. He shook it off and smiled "I have my ways dearest; a name like mine helps me find what I'm looking for".

"I am what you were looking for then?" Christine asked, her tone turning bitter.

"Christine, after all that happened I just wanted to see you" he paused as he looked out the window "I wanted to wish you the best of luck between you and the phantom"

"Erik" Christine corrected him "My Fiancée's name is Erik".

Raoul looked down at the ring "Yes… of course"

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"Papa!"

A little boy came running from the river; he was stricken withfear at the sight he had just seen.

A older looking man emerged from her house, he had blonde fading hair and a warm heart. His son, at only eight years old was always down by the river, looking for something to bring home to his father.

"What is it Christopher?" he asked, as his son came barreling into his arms.

"The river, there's something down there" he told her, pointing in the direction that he had just come from.

"My boy, it's nothing, let's go back inside" he looked to the sky "It's going to rain soon".

The boy tugged frantically at his arm "Please! You have to come see".

He sighed, He never hear the end of it if he didn't "Alright, let me see".

He smiled as he pulled her toward the river, his legs going as fast as they possibly could. Once down at the river his smile faded as he pointed at a lump on the riverbed. The man's face dropped… was that a man? He ran over to the lump and realized it was a man, a badly hurt man with a severely scared face. He leaned down, the man was breathing.

"Christopher! Run and get the shaman! This man is hurt!"