(A/N: I'm so sorry for faking you out if you thought this was a proper update. After a long stint of trying to get my head on straight and trying to recenter my inspiration and drive for writing, I have, through the assistance of a fellow author and the rereading of all of your frankly wonderful reviews, returned… in a way. I'm not continuing this particular fic, but I am going to continue this story.

I don't know if I ever said this, but initially I had the fic written from one perspective and it was too difficult to show all the character dynamics and developments without making the narrator a bit more omniscient. So I wrote a few chapters from a second perspective with the intention of publishing both in tandem. But I realized it was horribly repetitive and unfair to any readers interested in a more fleshed out story. So THEN I came to the conclusion that I should work the first few chapters I had written into one story and then continue from that point with the selectively-omniscient narrator.

And my first chunk of chapters suffered because of it.

I want this work, which is one of my three absolute favorite stories I've written, to reflect such love and care. Therefore I've come to the decision to rewrite the story from the beginning with any new writing skills I've developed since I'd last updated.

Because all of you have influenced me so much as an individual and an aspiring author, I wanted to take this chance to let you have some extra agency in this rewrite. Feel free to throw any suggestions or desires you want to see happen (whether it's something that is a part of one of the many POTO canons or just something fluffy or angsty or otherwise you want to see). But first and foremost: I NEED A BETTER NAME THAN RAOULA! I've always hated it and now that I can, I want to change it. However, as previously stated, I'm absolute shit at names. So yeah. Talk to me. I'll listen.

(another thing a long time coming)
REVIEW RESPONSES:

~ Quick note – because I don't remember who I have responded to, I'm going to respond to all reviews from Firedragon20's from chapter 16 ~

Haquikah: Thank you so much! :D That's one thing I'm always trying to do, stay in character. Part of his unwillingness to investigate and, possibly, comfort Erika is because he is afraid of her and, yes, he is trying to punish her for making him feel that way. The cold shoulder, if you will. It's easier to be actively angry with someone you're not looking at.

The newbie phan: Thank you so very much! I always love hearing from you. You always say such kind things. :) Things to which I don't know how to respond. Thank you. Thank you.

Hugabouv: I hope you haven't given up entirely yet. I am back. I will post more, in a way. But I'm so sorry it's taken so long.

Firedragon20: Part of the reason I like to respond to every review (as long as I remember to), is because they all do influence me in one way or another and I want that to be known. I know I would want the same as a reader. It was tears of joy, I promise you. :) I normally don't update in any semblance of regularity (*cough*), but your review had really struck a chord with me. And I totally understand the reading to help write thing. Assuming you read the huge amount of bolded text above, you know I'm working on the whole Raoula issue. If I don't receive a suggestion that fits properly, I might fall back on the Google for assistance. I certainly have done so before. And thank you again for reviewing. :) Good tears. I promise.

Shapeshifter89: Thank you :) I'm sorry it hasn't progressed any since you left this review. But I am very thankful for your reading and support of this story.

Umbraphage: Thank you so much! :D Rachelle is definitely better than Raoula XD Thank you again for reading and reviewing!

Red Jaguar: I missed it too. I'm so sorry it's been so standstill for three goddamn years! But I love it enough, and I want you all to be happy, so I've returned to it. Thank you so much :)

chaseisdunwithyou: Thank you so much! Here is kinda-not-really an update. Sorry it's not a proper story one…

Hanonymous: It honestly shouldn't have ended in such a way. I wish I'd been more diligent and had been there for all of you. Hopefully I can be more present now.

Tie-Dyed Broadway: Thank you so much. :D Honestly, thank you. That's the dream and to hear you say it was so with this means so much to me.

GingerEvans23: Hi! :D Thank you so much! Whovian to whovian!

Pola: Let me say, before anything, it was finding your review that really pushed me to do this little author's note of a chapter. I didn't want to leave everyone hanging for that much longer (not that it would have made too much of a difference after three fucking years), and I hope you see this so you can know how much your review means to me.
I toyed with the idea of lesbians (as a weirdo, lonely bi myself) but felt that the phandom deserves a full genderbend. I wanted to show the full capabilities of an individual no matter the gender. I'm glad you appreciate it.
There was a period in which I was (HA! "was") absolutely obsessed with everything POTO, to the point where I watched multiple iterations of the story including a horror genre reimagining where Robert Englund, God rest his soul, was Erik and he made a mask of the flesh of his victims' faces. Anyways, it was in that period that I reread the original literature and found Kay's work and began to really understand the whole of these characters.
Part of why I don't care for the ALW plays, beyond the amazing music, is because it makes light of his murderous rages. Christine seemingly completely dismisses the fact that Erik murdered numerous people. (lol, wall stalker)
Your kind words have helped rejuvenate my desire to write and have reminded me of why I want to be an author. I want to be able to touch people in such a way with just combinations of twenty-six letters on a screen or a page. I hope the reimagining of this fic doesn't take away any of your adoration.

A-Mind-Full-of-Music: Thank you so much :') I'm glad you like my work enough to read more than one of them. And I swear on my ability as an author that their story is not finished!

Eliza: Thank you so much :D And Rose is a lovely name! I'll certainly take it into consideration.

HellsEmbassy: Howdy! :D I'm reading you loud and clear! I am warmed to hear that one chapter freaking three, you've felt moved enough to leave such a review :D No, the story isn't complete. And those repetitive moments were probably because of the half-worked melding of repetitive stories. Those are the parts I want to make nonexistent through this rewrite. As for the characterization of Erika, Christian, and Raoula, I have always preferred three-dimensional characters and that means characters with faults as well as strengths. Honestly I like Erika better than Erik too. :3 Thank you so much for your review and support!

So holy crap that was more of a word count than I'd anticipated. Hopefully you won't come in expecting a proper chapter because of it. I will post another faux-chapter when I've posted the first chapter of the rewrite, that way if you're not subscribed to me specifically, you can still get an indication that there is story to read.

Thank you all again for your unending support. I will never forget how all of you have touched my heart.

Much love,

Raxi)