Christine stood in the misty morning air. She knew she was early, but it would be rude of her to keep Erik waiting. She glanced at the bag at her side once again. Did she pack enough she wondered? Did she pack the right sort of clothing? Knowing to where they were going to journey might have helped. She sighed to herself. No matter; Erik wouldn't mind.

Christine heard the clatter of hoofs on the cobblestone street and she spied a swinging lantern through the fog. The carriage slowed just before her and rocked to a stop. The butterflies in her stomach started up again when she thought of being alone with Erik for an entire week, away from the opera. The door to the carriage swung open and Erik stepped out. The driver was about to step down to take Christine's bag from her, but he spied Erik's mask and stayed where he sat. He had not seen Erik when he entered the carriage due to the fog. He just suddenly felt someone step aboard and order him to drive to the given address where they had just arrived.

Christine smiled at the nervous driver as Erik swung her bag onto the back of the buggy. He gestured for her to enter, smiling to himself. Not even the petrified man waiting with the horses could spoil this day for him. He got back in himself and ordered the driver on. With a crack of the whip, the carriage started swinging it's way down the empty street.

Inside the carriage, Erik took notice of the modest dress that Christine was wearing and how she smoothed out the wrinkles in her skirt. She looked up and smiled at him prettily.

"So, where are we going Erik?"

Erik grinned behind his mask. "Ahh, but you see, that is a surprise, I told you that yesterday."

"You tease me good sir," Christine said playfully.

"If that is what it takes to see you smile so beautifully," he replied, spreading his hands in an open gesture.

She tossed her head and looked out the window, trying to hide her smile. "If you get to tease me, then I suppose it only fair for me to do the same," she replied, winking at him.

He laughed a little, "I suppose if it is to be fair."

"I mean after all, you did leave me waiting all of ten minutes on the street corner! And then to pick me up in such an anonymous fashion! The whole block will be speaking of what a horribly trashy little chorus girl I am." She smiled at him, but his expression had changed.

Erik started to apologize, "Christine I am so sorry. For a moment I did not think of what such a strange rendezvous might do to your reputation, and I didn't mean to keep you waiting for so long..."

Christine stared at him incredulously. "Erik, I was just teasing you. Don't you know sarcasm when you hear it?"

Erik looked back at her, his expression not changing much.

"You mean you haven't ever had someone joke playfully with you before?"

Erik hung his head slightly, "Christine, I have not had many people I could trust, much less call a friend."

Christine looked at her folded hands in her lap, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You have given me that opportunity. Yes I have been your teacher, but more than that, I feel you are my friend. My only friend."

Christine felt that he meant to say more than friends, but he left it at that. True, she did trust him more than anyone she had known, aside from her Papa. On an impulse, she carefully left her seat to sit beside him.

"Christine, what are you doing?"

"Sitting by my friend. I didn't think there was anything wrong with that."

"No, nothing at all," Erik sighed into the misty air.

The carriage pulled into the train station and Erik helped Christine down from the steps. He had pulled a dark hood over hid head, concealing most of the mask that showed under his hat. Christine marveled at the steam coming from the engine and the bustle of the early morning passengers loading and unloading bags from the trains. Erik left her with the bags for just a moment to secure their travel tickets.

Erik avoided the usual stares as he stood in line and even managed to keep the ticket master from looking too closely by keeping his hood down. As he walked back to where he left Christine waiting, a gust of wind blew his hood halfway back and caused a few people to turn their heads as he frantically started to grasp the material back over hid head. They curiously followed him with their eyes after having caught a glance of the mask, but as soon as he reached Christine, they went back to what they were doing before as though nothing had happened.

Erik hurried Christine onto the train and they bumped their way past the other people in the narrow walkways to their passenger compartment. They finally reached the door that matched their number and filed inside. Once the door was closed behind them, Erik plopped down on the bench seat and threw the hood back, breathing deeply.

"Erik, are you all right?"

Erik smiled at Christine, "Yes my dear, I'm fine. I just don't like crowded places like that. They make me rather nervous."

Christine nodded in agreement. She had never really been one for large crowds and confined spaces.

"So where are we going Erik? Won't you tell me or am I to be your unknowing prisoner until we reach our destination?" Christine pleaded.

Erik laughed and muttered under his breath, "Curiosity killed the cat,"

"What was that?" Christine asked.

"Never mind," Erik said.

"Come one Erik, please tell me," she begged. "If you don't tell me soon, I'll burst!"

"All right, if you put it that way! We can't have any bursting going on around here or the superintendent might wonder about the mess," Erik toyed playfully.

Christine leaned forward and waited for him to tell her, but he said nothing and just sat there with this odd smirk about his lips. "Well, aren't you going to tell me where we are headed?"

"I was rather hoping to see if you would in fact 'burst' if I waited long enough."

Christine giggled exasperated. This was worse than waiting to open a Christmas present!

"All right, I'll tell you!" Erik laughed, "We are going to Perros-Guerec."

Christine's eyes went wide, "Really? I have not been there in so long, except to visit my father's grave."

"Yes, I thought you might enjoy the sea and to visit some of your favorite places you grew up playing in."

Christine lost in thoughts of the past and where they would soon be, grasped his hands together in hers and pulled them near to her. "Thank you Erik, thank you so much!"