"Chrissy, he's gone," Cara said loudly, after Raoul had left, "You can come out now. I trust you're dressed?" The door opened, and out came a beautiful but solemn looking Christine. She was dressed in a simple blue and silver dress, with a navy blue cloak in her hand. If Cara hadn't known she was there already, she certainly would have had a hard time recognizing her. In fact, she looked like a younger, more distraught Madame Giry, the woman they were about to go see.

"Well, Chrissy, the carriage is ready."

"Okay, let's go then." Christine said in a hurry. Obviously wondering why they were still here, she began to walk out to the carriage. Cara looked on sadly. She didn't know who she felt more sorry for, Christine, or Raoul. It hurt Christine so badly to think of the past right now. And it hurt Cara to think of how things should've turned out.

Cara led Christine out to the stables, and helped her into the carriage, which was hitched to two horses. One was Cara's own, a black Hackney, Sophie. The other was Christine's horse. Christine sat in the back, near tears the entire time. Cara drove. Off to Madame Giry's.

Eventually, they reached their destination. Madame Giry's home. After the fire at the Opera Populaire, she moved to an actual house, not just the Opera House dormitories. She lived with her daughter Meg. The house was not a mansion, but she could comfortably live in it. As she saw Cara's carriage pull up, she knew something was wrong.

Cara knocked. Madame Giry answered instantly, with a concerned look on her face. It almost seemed as if she had been waiting for the. Which in fact, she had.

"Come in, come in. What's wrong?" Madame Giry asked.

"Um, excuse me, may I go make a cup of tea and leave you two to yourselves?" Cara asked, feeling like she was intruding a bit too much today.

"Yes dear, the kitchen's that way," Madame Giry said absently, clearly her mind being on the troubles of Christine. Cara left to make tea, and suddenly she had a thought. "This doesn't have anything to do with…him, does it?"

"Y-yes." Christine replied, stuttering. "Do you remember the choice I made…that night?" Madame Giry nodded, clearly recalling the 'episode' at the Opera House, in the middle of the Don Juan performance. "Well, I believe I made the wrong choice. I think I should have accepted his proposal."

"Oh dear God!" Madame Giry exclaimed, with a mix of pity, confusion, and horror on her face. "Anyone would've guessed you weren't happy, but to be miserable over that beast! How horrible! You must stop crying over him, Christine. Understand he wouldn't want that!"

"He's still alive?" Christine asked, looking encouraged.

"Yes dear, in the same place as ever before." It was then that she knew she had said too much. ((The Humor Parentheses (now known as THP.) TIME FOR THE COMIC "I wasn't s'posed to say that…" THP END))

Christine had a leap of hope, and a rise of spirits, however small they may've been.

"You love him, don't you?"

Holding her head a bit higher, she replied clearly. "Yes. I do." And with that, she got up.

And so, Cara and Christine left, leaving Madame Giry in a whirlwind of emotions.

There wasn't much left to do for the rest of the day. Cara ended up sleeping, from her tiring night, while Christine slipped out. She knew where she was going, she knew how to get there, and she intended on going alone. So she did. She was going of her own accord. No one was beckoning her down this time.

So she hopped onto Red, and galloped off. ((I know she's wearing a dress, SHUT UP!)) As she reached her destination, she dismounted. Remembering a story passed down to her about Erik's escape from the freak show, she scouted along the edge of the building. Why hadn't anyone fixed this place up? She thought. But it was no time for such thoughts. She was on a mission.

Soon enough, she found was she was looking for. She quickly swung the rusty metal gate open, and took off her shoes. She thanked God that at least this time she wasn't in some frilly stage show dress. Christine stepped gingerly down into the tunnel. She sighed, and began her descent into the catacombs.

((DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNN))

Thanks for reading. (BTW, this is posted on Lady Pendragons page too, but this story seems to have more following.)

-MCD