Disclaimer: I absolutely do not own PotO or the songs used in this fic. The song "Shine" used in later chapters is from the movie Barbie and the Twelve dancing princesses.

A/N: Dear readers, it will mean the world to me if you review this story and the other WotO stories. I appreciate your opinion, flames and all and it's really so easy to review. Make my day, will you? Pleeeeeease :)

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Perceptions of Goodness and Beauty

First installment in the Women of the Opera Challenge

Prologue

Luck was on Marguerite Giry's side when a handsome young gentleman appeared at her door. But the reason she felt fortunate when that happened was not the one you might have imagined.

She and her mother had been about to leave Paris. With the Opera Populaire in ruins, the only job proposal they had recived for now was in Lion. That fact had kept Meg in a bad mood for over a week now. She had grown up in the opera and she loved it. More than that - she lived and breathed it. It was her world. To say she was reluctant to leave it would be an understatement.

And just when it had seemed she would just have to live with her mother's decision, Albert Chevalier had appeared. He was a young man of considerable wealth (and looks but Meg hardly noticed that) who had just bought the Opera Populaire and requested their assistance in reopening it.

After much consideration, Mme Giry had decided they should stay after all.

"Back to the Phantom's theatre we go." Meg sang to herself triumphantly when that decision was made.

Like many, she was fascinated with the mysterious Phantom. Paris was still gossiping after his grand entrance and even grander escape. Unlike most, she knew people who knew him. She had been trying for years to get her mother to tell her all she knew of him and had finally gotten her wish after the New Year Masquerade. Mme Giry had already just told the Viscount the whole story. Maybe that was why she had finally relented and retold the tale for her daughter too. Thus, Meg now knew the secret of how the Phantom (or Erik as his real name was), had come to live in the opera house.

She had always felt sorry for him ever since she was old enough to understand what he really was - a genius born in a world that lacked the wisdom to understand him.

As far as the Phantom was concerned, Meg had a little secret she had only shared with her mother. On the night of the premiere of Don Juan Triumphant, after the chandelier fell, she had managed to arrive in the Phantom's lair before the angry mob. Just in time to hear Christine and Raoul's song fading in the distance and the last of the mirrors that had stood along the wall fall to pieces. She had seen him go and he had seen her. Their eyes had locked for a moment, maybe just long enough for him to understand she would not lead the mob in his direction. Then he was gone, leaving in her hands a mask and a mystery.

She had not let anyone touch his lair. She had convinced them that it was better not to touch anything in 'this devilish place'. The mob had been on the verge of setting it on fire but Meg had convinced them that would be dangerous. They were in an underground tunnel after all. Who was to say if they would be able to get out in time?

Later, she had asked for the key to Christine's room. Her mother had given it to her, not without worry. Mme Giry had guessed what her daughter needed the room for and didn't like the idea of her going to the cellars. But Meg knew her mother would prefer to grant her entrance trough the mirror than have her going down more dangerous routes. A blonde angel she may be, but she was also really stubborn.

So Meg would go down there whenever she was feeling restless to check if everything was in order, sometimes play a piece on the harmonium and wait.

She believed he would return. He belonged to this place as she felt she did. What would he do without his beloved opera house? And what would the opera do without him?