"Raoul." I looked over at the man standing next to me as we emerged from the depths of the circus-like tent. "I'd really like to try that!" I pointed over to the big wheel looming in the sky "I heard that there are food vendors on the carts and—"

Raoul held his hand up, a signal for me to stop talking, a signal that I had learned quickly over the remaining of winter and the early spring. A hand I did not want to come across my face again, nor did I ever want to see again. "Christine." He looked down at me and smiled slightly, the corners of his eyes crinkling just a bit "That's too dangerous. Look at it." He drew my attention up towards the sky at the very top of the wheel "It's not made to hold such pretty structures such as you." He smiled down at me.

I clicked my tongue against my teeth and looked around, trying to find something to do. I suggested the women's building, something I had longed to see since my grandmother had donated something to decorate it with, but that idea was shot down just as quickly as it left my lips. I mentioned the lagoons and waterways that were constructed throughout the grounds, something that Raoul and I could possibly do together, but that was shot down too. After a while and a few failed attempts later, Raoul and I moseyed our way through the grounds and finally to The outskirts of the fair where we watched Buffalo Bill's Wild West show (Raoul's suggestion, of course) while idly munching on a new treat the creators called 'cracker jack'.

Raoul and I took a leisurely stroll down the midway in silence. While the Wild West show was entertaining, it wasn't what I had wanted to do. I wanted to do so much while I was inside the fair, but Raoul had shot everything down, and of course, it wasn't appropriate of a lady to go out on her own. After a while we visited 'the streets of Cairo' which was lavishly done up. Exotic gifts were bought for me by Raoul, my favorite being a tiny gold elephant statue that I could keep in my pocket. I was happy for the first time after leaving the magic show that I had put Raoul in a good mood as well. We rode the camel and took a couple rides on the elephant before Raoul decided that dusk was dark and he promptly walked me back to the front gate of the fair, to where my father was playing his violin.

"I had fun with you tonight, Christine." He stood with his hands behind his back, his stature tall, like a tree. "I can come pick you up tomorrow for dinner and supper with my grandmother? She's dying to talk to you now that she's heard of our Engagement."

I laughed slightly "Engagement? Raoul, I have not agreed to marry you yet. You asked for a courtship and that's what you received." I looked at him sadly and shook my head "You have not proposed marriage, it's only been a couple months…" I swallowed hard and looked back at my father who was still playing, but keeping a watchful eye on the both of us.

He grabbed my hands which enveloped mine. His hands were much rougher than the Magician's hands and I was curious as to why. Raoul had never worked a day before in his life unlike the Magician. "So what does this mean?"

I blinked slowly at him before taking my hands out of his and looking to the ground "I believe this means that I'm not accepting marriage from you." I kept my head down but looked up at him with my eyes "not now." I looked at him and backed away slightly "I think, I think it might be that we should take some time apart. Go on Holiday with your grandmother to London, she'll love it." I walked back up to him and placed my hands on both of his upper arms "We can talk about it more when you get back." I rubbed up and down his arms in a friendly manner and placed a kiss upon his cheek, a move forbidden.

He cupped my cheeks in his hands and placed a kiss on my forehead. I heard ladies walking by about how rude we were being and that someone should have taught us better manners. "Are you sure about it? We'll be gone for months."

I nodded and straightened his jacket "Yes, I'm sure." I blinked up at him and dropped my hands "by the time you get back it will be cold enough for tea in your parlor where we can talk this out, like adults." I backed away slowly and lifted my hand, wriggling my fingers towards Raoul in a goodbye sense. When I reached my father, he was gone.

"What was all that about?" He looked at me as he packed the coins and paper into his pocket and the violin back into its case.

I looked at my papa and shrugged slightly "Raoul was telling everyone we were engaged." I laughed slightly and shook my head "No, we aren't engaged." I chuckled and started walking, my arm looped within my fathers "he's taking things too fast. He wanted a courtship first, I was giving him a courtship." I shook my head and explained everything to my father except the most crucial parts of it all. I was free from Raoul for the forseeable future, free to explore, free from his silencing hand and his oppression. I was completely free.

_

I sat up all night thinking about what I had told Raoul, and although enjoying my new found freedom, I was starting to regret the decision. My father had pointed out that Raoul had come from a long line of wealth—old money— and that he'd be able to provide for me and whatever children we might have within the confines of our marriage. But more than once my thoughts turned to the masked magician I had saw previously. How his hands were soft and how his eyes gleamed into mine. He was a completely different person. He was someone I'd like to have court me.

As sun broke through the window pane I got ready for the day. I slipped into a pale yellow dress that had a yellow overlay on the backside that came half way around my waist but drooped down to form a semi-circle. Blue bows decorated the bottom of the second layer of pale yellow fabric along with lace. The sleeves stopped at my elbow, but two inches of lace drooped down and was decorated with a matching blue bow on the seams of the two pieces coming together, on both sides. I pulled my hair into a low coiffure style and grabbed the matching hat before proceeding out of my room to greet my father with breakfast.

I grabbed a few things from the cupboard and produced him a meal of bread and bacon, which he seemed to enjoy when he came downstairs finally.

"So." He looked at me as he took a bite of his bacon "did you think things over about you and Raoul?"

I nodded and looked into my tea cup "I did, I still think we need time apart, papa." I glanced up at him as he was taking a bite of his bread "Raoul, he's a nice guy but…" I shrugged slightly "He's just not for me." I took a sip of the tea and looked up at my papa "I'll find someone who's kind, and gentle, and someone who can take care of me, I promise." I rested a hand on top of his "I'd much rather have love than money…"

He sighed and looked at me before nodding "You sound just like your mother." He patted my cheek gently and I leaned into his hand "we must hurry along. The world's fair needs music."

I laughed and looked at him before taking a bite of bread "I thought that you didn't want me to sing with you anymore after yesterday. You said it was a onetime deal."

He took a drink and looked up at me "Oh, I said that?"

I nodded and laughed slightly "Yes, you made it clear that I only had to sing with you once and that you'd never ask for another favor." I looked to him over my cup.

He scratched his chin and shook his head "Nope, don't remember that."

I laughed and took a sip "well, we best be going then, shant we?"

_

Exploring the world's fair by myself was unreal. There was no Raoul to hold me down and there were endless possibilities. My thoughts went back onto the song that I had sung, again, for the fair. I would have done anything for my father, and in return he graciously let me wander along the fair in my pale yellow dress.

I passed the few buildings that Raoul and I had been in and explored the woman's building, the palace of fine arts, which made me long for a lot of the paintings and statues that were erected in the building. If the fortune my mother had was still bestowed upon my father and I, I'd have bought the whole place. Art was my thing, it made me feel safe, as did singing. After the Palace of Fine arts I found myself wandering the streets of the white city again.

"oy!"

I looked down and gasped slightly "oh! I'm… I'm so sorry!"

The man looked up to me, his green eyes blazing in the sun "Mind to take yer boot off my hand?"

My stomach shrunk and I quickly removed my foot "I'm so.. I'm so sorry!" I kneeled down and grabbed the man's hands, which felt oddly familiar, and examined them "they seem to be fine, to me." I bent the fingers and looked up at him again, a small smile on my face "I am really—truly sorry!"

He looked up at me and then looked down at his fingers "they're alright. I just need 'em for my show."

I looked at him "You're a worker here?"

He nodded and pointed over toward the tent that I had exited the previous day "Magic show."

I smiled and sat down on the blanket next to him, inviting myself, but he didn't seem to mind "oh! You're the masked magician?!" I smiled and looked at the looming tent "oh! That's fantastic!" I turned over to him and blushed slightly "I hope you don't mind me being so…" I paused searching for a word "Up front but…" I exhaled "Your show yesterday… it was fantastic."

He looked up at me and gave me a side smile "You liked it?"

I looked at him "Loved it! I was so impressed when you put me into the disappearing box thing-a-majig! I never knew how they worked!"

He laughed "I remember you." He drew out in his odd accent "You were the one with the man on your arm when you came in. I bet your…" he looked at me for a title.

"Friend. Only a friend."

"Friend didn't like it much?" he finished.

I shook my head "no, not at all. He hated that I didn't tell him how the trick worked" I laughed and then held out my hand "I'm Christine Daae."

He put the toothpick in the grass and then shook my head "Erik Callaghan, or as other people know me, the phantom" he chuckled and looked back up at the sky " 'ave you ever seen a more beautiful sky?"

I looked up and shook my head, "no." I stated, although since my mother died the skies had always seemed a bit dimmer. "Well, I mustn't stay my welcome." I got up off the blanket and dusted off my skirts "it was lovely to meet you Mr. Callaghan I look forward to seeing your shows much more in the future."

He nodded his head "it was lovely to meet you too, miss."

I held my hands together in front of my body "I promise not to step on your fingers anymore." I gave him a wink and we shared a chuckle before I walked away, back towards the way I had came. I walked past a few buildings, not daring to look back, not daring to look at the man who's mask was missing and it indeed held a gorgeous face.

"lass!" I felt a large hand touch my shoulder and I turned around quickly "would you care to be in my show? One day more?"

I looked at him and blushed slightly "you're not going to murder me by sawing me in half or something, are you?"

He busted out laughing and shook his head "No, just another disappearing trick. I promise, no harm will come to you."

I looked at him and then at the Ferris wheel "If only you do something for me."

Authors Note: I'm not quite sure how I feel about this story still. I've been debating back and forth about not continuing it and then I remember that I should and it's this whole fiasco. I feel like it's not getting the success as my previous ones have received, but this could be just me speaking. It doesn't help that I'm not much of a world's fair expert and I got the idea after reading "devil in the white city" by Erik Larson. I had a problem introducing Erik completely into the story. I had a problem to if I should keep his mask on, if I should make him normal (which ultimately ruled out) and if I should make him smoke or not, which would have fit perfectly in the meeting of those two. I just don't know…