A/N: Still having formating problems. Thanks to Janier (aka my favorite Phantom) I now know how to single space on this awfu,l new, system - now does anyone know how to make indenting stick?

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Christine headed back through the passage. Once she was in her room, she took a deep breath. Like she was free from some spell. She looked down at the opera in wonder. Then remembering her instructions she left her room in search of the managers. She found them in the office. "Messieurs. I bring an opera written by the Phantom." She holds the opera out to them. "He says he sent you a note with his instructions. I trust that you got it. There also appears to be one at your feet." She indicated a note on the floor.The managers trying to regain their composure after the rather sudden entrance of the chorus girl looked confused as she held out the opera. Andre took the package while Firmin picked up the note.
"Now who did you say wrote this, Miss Daae?" Andre asked as he glanced through it.
"Andre, you wont believe this" Firmin sputtered "'My salary is due gentlemen. O.G.' Unbelievable! Who does this O.G. fellow think he is!" Raoul wandered into the managers office looking worried and miserable.
"Andre? Firmin? Have you any maps lying about that might show any hidden passageways..." He trailed off as he noticed the occupants of the room. "Christine!" he ran to her and pulled her into a tight embrace "You escaped? Did he harm you? Where did he take you? I'm so sorry. Don't worry my darling, I'll keep you safe, that madman won't attack you again. Oh Christine I was worried sick! I love you so much! Are you sure you are alright?" Andre and Firmin looked at Raoul, startled.
"It was the Phantom. It would be wise to abide by the rules that he has set." Christine answered both managers' questions at once, she looked at Raoul. "I am perfectly fine. I came to bring an opera that is to be shown that he has written. Now, I need to rest. I have had a long night."
Raoul caressed her face trying to convince himself that she was, in fact, unharmed, "Yes I'm sure this has been a very trying night. May I escort you to your room?"
"Very well. Since I know that you will do so anyway."
Raoul was confused at her chilly response "Sweeting? I'm just worried, it isn't safe for you to go wandering around by yourself as long as that maniac is around. What if he takes you again?"
"I'm fine. He won't hurt me Raoul. He cares for me as well." Christine began walking back towards her room.
The managers had watched the exchange with growing confusion, "Viscomte?" Firmin asked.
Raoul, more intent on taking care of his love was oblivious to his partners' confusion. "Christine? He kidnapped you - that is hardly a sign of affection. Come, you need to rest and clear your mind. I do apologize Firmin, Andre, I hope you will forgive my breach of manners, I am merely concerned for Miss Daae's well being, good day" With that he gently but firmly took Christine's arm to escort her to her room.
"Raoul, he didn't kidnapped me." She tried to protest as they approached her room. Before she walked in, she turned around to face Raoul. "I will be fine now."
Raoul looked at her incredulously - he was fighting back the urge to be annoyed with her. He had been in a panic, spent all night in the chapel pleading for her safety and now that his darling had been returned to him she seemed to think it was nothing - she had enjoyed her evening. "Christine!" he said more sharply then he had intended "Do you mean to tell me that you disappeared into thin air of your own free will?" but then he thought "He has you under some sort of spell doesn't he? Christine? Snap out of it! He is a madman - he is not your angel or anything else!"
"Raoul. I am under no spell. He is the Angel of Music that my father promised he would send when he got to heaven. Now that he is dead, Raoul, I have no doubt." Tears were starting to well up as she opened her door and walked into her room. She shut the door before he could enter and went to her bed. She picked up the rose and sat on the sill of her window. Staring outside. Tears falling.
Raoul gapped at the suddenly closed door. He fought back tears - Phillipe was always teasing him about his womanish crying. But his world was collapsing, he was afraid the woman he loved and wanted to marry was going mad. That would sure prove everyone right. Only a crazy man would marry a woman so "obviously beneath him". He clenched his fists How dare he! How dare that Phantom use her grief and loneliness for her father against her.
He remembered Gustav Daae, the thick Swedish accent commanding him "Practice foolish boy!" moments later suggesting an attic picnic. He was nothing but a big kid really, he loved to join in the children's fun and he loved to read them stories. Raoul had always loved the ones about a handsome gentleman saving the damsel in distress from the horrible villain. He remembered one evening one night when his 11 year old self had seriously promised Christine that he would come and save her if she was ever a damsel in distress. Gustav had just laughed that great infectious booming laugh of his "I'll hold you to that dear boy"
Raoul knelt down at her door gently calling "Christine? Please, I know you miss your father but you can't replace him with a fantasy"
Christine looked at the door without moving from her spot. "Who said I was trying to replace him. No one could replace my father." You could tell she had been crying. "The Phantom is the Angel of Music, Raoul. Why can't you understand that?"
"I understand that you are thankful for his teaching. But Christine, he is not an angel - he is a violent and dangerous man - have you forgotten about the chandelier and a dozen other 'incidents'... He's blinded you somehow Christine." His voice broke, "Please, I promised I'd protect you, please let me. I love you Christine" He brushed at the tears escaping unbidden down his face, trying to will them away.
Christine walked over to the door and opened it, still holding the rose. "He hasn't blinded me, Raoul. Of course I remember those incidents. Andre and Firmin simply wouldn't abide by his rules. Had they, those incidents wouldn't have happened. As I suggested to them, I will tell you what I told them. I told them it would be wise to abide by the instructions that he has set for this new opera. So no more incidents like that will occur." There were tear stains on her face. Tears were starting to fall again. All of a sudden she went to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Raoul, I'm scared. I don't know what the opera is about, but please,. Make sure they follow his instructions. Do what you have to. After all, you are their Patron. You could easily pull away their funding, they'll listen to you. Raoul, I don't know what to do." Tears were falling again.
Raoul sighed and retuned the embrace tightly, He couldn't say no to her. "Alright, I'll make them use the opera. Just please be careful, I don't trust him. Let me protect you. Please."
"Thank you. I just don't know what to do. I am torn between two people. Both which care for me enough to do anything for me." She looked at him.
Raoul sighed and caressed her face, gazing into her beautiful teary eyes, he didn't know what to say to that. He was loathe to admit that the Phantom might love his dearest Christine, and it was certainly a dysfunctional way of showing that love, but he couldn't honestly deny it. "Christine, he has killed for you, sacrificed anyone that gets in his way, he has shown he will stop at nothing to posses you; but I would die for you, I just want you to be happy, I will stop at nothing to keep you safe and give you the life you deserve"
"I believe he feels the same way. Raoul, if he is not the Angel, then who could it be?" She knew that he was, of course, the Angel. She just had to get Raoul to see that.Christine sighed as she pulled back and wiped her face. She looked at the rose in her hand. She had a vase of them.
"I don't know sweeting, I just don't know. But if he is your angel of music, your voice is the only thing of light he has a hand in, he may be an angel of music, but he bears more resemblance to a demon in any other way."
"He is just misunderstood. That is all. I know he is the Angel of Music. He came to me right after my father died. Is that not a sign?" Christine stared at the mirror. She saw herself and Raoul. No one else.
"He came to you when you were lost in a new place, you were vulnerable, he used your grief to convince you he was what you were waiting for. Christine, you have seen him, you know he is not an angel, you told me yourself he is just a man. "
"He did not use my grief. Yes, he is a man. My father did not mean a real angel. Raoul, angels come in different ways. Mine happened to come like this. Why do you hate him so?" She thought about it for a minute. "You're afraid to lose me, aren't you?"
He walked up to the mirror and pulled her close, kissing her hair, "Of course I'm afraid to loose you, I love you, and I want to marry you, polite society and marrying within ones station be damned. I hate him because we have enough obstacles to deal with without a violent madman involved." The Phantom appeared for instant in the mirror, just long enough for Raoul to see.
Raoul turned Christine around so that she wouldn't see and looked into her eyes seriously, "I hate him because I don't trust him, he has hurt so many others trying to get you - what if he becomes so desperate not to let anyone else have you that he hurts you to?" He broke her gaze to glare at another brief vision of the Phantom in the mirror - so now he was a peeping tom as well, his blood boiled at the thought.
"Raoul...Raoul...Silly boy, there is no damsel in distress." The shadowy voice echoed from behind the mirror. "Well Raoul? Still want that...meeting?
Protectively, Raoul moved between Christine and the mirror "I know you're in there, come out and face me"
"Come in Raoul. Will such thin glass stop you?"
"No you don't - I won't be lured into your world where you have the upper hand, come out and face me on fair ground" Raoul demanded
"Fine. Meet me at the stage in ten minutes." the voice faded away
"I'll be there" he told the empty mirror darkly
Christine, who had been frozen at the sudden voice looked from where the Phantom had appeared to Raoul. "No. Please. Don't do this." Tears were beginning to fall again
"I am sorry my darling" he was truly apologetic knowing how much this would bother her "But there are times when these things become necessary - I hardly expect this phantom to vanish forever leaving us to live our life peacefully. I will do what I must to protect you. I love you" He kissed her passionately and moved toward the door, he gazed lovingly at her for a moment, then left.