Epilogue

"Christine Aminta-Marie Daaé where have you been?"

"Maman?" Christine asked weakly.

Unintelligible exclamations of French curses flew quickly out of Madame Giry's mouth, surprising both Christine and Meg, who had followed her mother's predatory hunt through the halls.

"We have been worried into a grave over you! It is not safe to be meandering about when the opera house is in an uproar! Is my head not grey enough?"

The Madame's blunt words were considerably softened by the fierce embrace she enclosed upon Christine. Meg couldn't help but smile, exhausted from the night's excitement, but amused by her mother's actions.

"I am sorry Maman." Christine said sincerely.

"Where were you? We thought something had happened when we didn't find you in the room." Meg asked, wrapping a supportive arm around the younger girl's waist. Christine had begun to limp again, the laudanum had wearing off long before.

"I needed...some fresh air."

"And where did you seek this air?" Antoinette asked suspiciously.

Christine exchanged a nervous glance with Meg.

"On the rooftop?" she replied, knowing lying would be useless.

"With your ankle?" Meg asked uncertainly.

"I had some…help."

"Who's?"

Christine shrugged. "The Vicomte's."

Antoinette raised a surprised eyebrow and Meg frowned in confusion.

"But why would Raoul-"

But before Meg could finish, she was stopped as some odd recognition hit her. It was then the Giry women truly noticed the nature of the long black cloak Christine had wrapped around her slim body. No woman within all of Paris' borders owned a cloak of that frightening cloth. Antoinette grew pale. Meg was speechless.

After a moment, Meg dared to ask, her voice close to a squeak.

"Erik?"

Christine nodded. "Yes. I saw him briefly."

The women neeeded to hear no more. Immediately, spluttering in French and other languages assailed her ears. Reprimand after curse screeched from the women's mouth as they dragged her back towards Antoinette's room. Christine knew she wouldn't be leaving their watch for a long time.

'Ai…this is going to be a long night…'

Over the din of the Girys, Christine could've sworn she heard a suppressed moan of exasperation from behind the walls.

~La Fin~