Welcome to Gaia! ::

((aarg now I feel bad for making Christine leave! But it just seems like something she would do, you know, be gone for a day realize she misses someone and then want to go back to make sure their ok and make sure they arent worried))

Chistine smiled at Erik, kissed his cheek and hugged him, glad that she was able to go and make sure everyone was ok. She didn't want anyone worried about her if they was no reason to worry. After all, why would someone need to worry about her being with Erik? Well sure there was that incident with Raoul, but she tryed not to remember that.

"Thank you. I promise I will come back." She said as she kissed his cheek again. She then stood up after hugging him one more time and walked over to the chair where she had laid her dress down the night before. She fingered the black cloth before slipping it over her head. It seemed rather strange to wear a black dress when she was happy, but she would just change it when she got back to her room. After slipping the dress over her head and adjusting it, she realized she had a problem. The corset on her dress wasnt laced properly. She was able to lace some of it herself, but not as tight as she could if someone would help her. She turned hesitantly twards Erik, not sure whether she should ask him or not. Did men know how to lace a corset? Surely he would know.

"Erik," she said hesitantly, her cheeks turning a shade of pink. "I need a little bit of help with the corset. I can't reach it properly, would you be so kind as to help me?"

She was still a bright shade of pink. If only her arms were a little longer, she could reach it properly then...

((I didnt know that! Its ok, thats an understandable mistake biggrin ))

Erik's cheeks became instantly warm when Christine kissed his cheeks. So of course when she asked for some help with her corset, he immediately jumped at the offer, "Of course, mon cherri." He said smoothly before getting up at assist her. His black silk pants were the only refuge for his skin; the rest had to endure the slight breeze throughout the lair. Erik was a well equipped man, perfectly capable of taking care of himself when danger called for it. He could handle just about anything, except for public humiliation and resisting the urge to sweep Christine off of her feet again.

Erik's hands were gentle; carefully tying and tightening the corset without causing pain. He felt that she didn't need such a thing, since she was slender enough already. If he wasn't careful, he believed he was capable of breaking her in two like a little porcelain doll.

(I'm sorry, I haven't been feeling it lately. Kind of in a writters block, or more like slump.)

((SORRY I finally got some time to post, Ive been up to my eyeballs in homework! Sorry this is so short, Im being forced off the computer again ><))

Christine closed her eyes and braced herself for that sudden pull of the strings that usually came when someone helped her with her corset...but the pain never came, she could feel Erik lacing it up, but nothing hurt...when he finished she felt her back and stomach, it was perfectly tightened, but nothing hurt in the process, she was amazed...

She turned back to Erik, and gave him a hug. She really didnt want to leave, but she was afraid if she didnt go back soon, people would come after her.

((Just double-checking: I am Raoul. I am le Fop. *ahem* okay, here we go.))

Raoul sighed. He was on his way to the Opera house to see Christine. He knew he should be feeling jealousy towards Erik, and probably harboring feelings of betrayal and disbelief, frantically trying to figure out what had happened that could excuse what he had heard. But he wasn't and he didn't. He felt...hollow, as if all of the emotions he had been carrying around for so long had just left without waiting for replacements. Yet, he WAS on his way to the Opera house. And he DID love Christine.

He took a deep breath and stepped out of the carriage, placing a smile on his face. He didn't want anyone to worry about their relationship. After all, a Vicomte must be presentable no matter what his personal state of affairs was like.

Meg stopped, feeling a bit like an idiot for almost pounding Christine's face. "Christine!" She hugged her friend. Then she hit her on the shoulder. "Where have you BEEN? The Vicomte was here looking for you, he was all scared, and then you didn't come back last night, did you? You've been with the Phantom, haven't you?" She looked at her friend not unlike her mother did when she'd done something bad, though Meg didn't even realize it in her impatience. "Why didn't you say anything to me before you left?? I didn't even know if you were all right or not, Christine! And if you think I'm upset, you should see your Raoul. He was practically in tears." Meg left out that he WAS, in fact, in tears, as not to embaress him.

Christine's eyes were wide after Meg finally talked, or more threw a fit, at Christine. She had no idea that Meg (or Raoul for that matter) even thought Erik was more than a ghost and was shocked to find her friend upset with her, but as she opened her mouth to say something, she turned and saw Raoul and her heart sank as he said he had cried. He had cried for her! He was worried about her! and now....now he was yelling at her. Her eyes filled with tears, she was ashamed of herself because Raoul and Meg were both angry at her. Why hadn't she talked to them before she left? Because she had fainted and awoke in her room to an almost murderer staring at her from behind her mirror. She should have told them, she knew that would have been the best thing to do, and yet she hadnt. She loved Raoul so...but she also loved Erik.....she was so confused and ashamed and scared of not knowing what to do, which was the situation right now. She simply bowed her head, tears on her cheek, still in her doorway and said in a whisper,

"I'm sorry. I ment no harm. I just needed a little bit of....time....I didn't mean to make you angry with me. I understand why your angry with me and I truely am sorry. I should have said something before I left."

Christine looked up indignantly

"When has he murdered someone? Tell me when he murdered someone! Not once while I have lived here since my father died Raoul! And when has he lied Raoul?"

She snapped back at him. She then realized that she was argueing and lowered her eyes agian. She was starting to become frustrated with him, of course she cared for him, and she cared for Erik and did not want to fight with either for her innocent eagerness to try and make and keep her loved ones happy. Her eyes filled with tears again as she was ashamed for arguing.

"And..." she added after a moments pause, her head still dipped in a bow, "You don't have to compete with him you know. If you don't love me then you can go away, never come back, and not have to worry about me or the ghost ever again. You could pretend this was all just another awful nightmare and live on with your life and find someone else. After all, there are about a hundred ballet girls here I know would love to be with the Victome."