Authors Note: This is the first story I have ever written on a computer, for the public. Please read and review. I will accept criticism, if it is expressed nicely. Just kidding!. You may bash me if you like.

Chapter 1

The phantom could no longer run, his legs unable to support him. His emotions were to strong for movement. He fell to his knees and leaned against the stone walls of his dark, hidden tunnel.

Why? He asked himself, why did she have to do this to him? Why did she have hurt him so? He couldn't understand how she could choose that fool of a man over him. Repeatedly he banged his fist into the cold stone wall, until his hands bled.
He tried to call himself down by taking long, deep breathes. Something Christine had said stuck in his mind. She said something about his face no longer holding horror for her, because the deformities were in his soul. What had she meant? He couldn't focus on his thoughts, he couldn't think, the pain was to much, to great.

" Curse you Christine, curse you all"! he shouted into the darkness. " How could I have been such a fool, did I really think it possible for Christine to love me"? he said aloud.

The phantom raised his hands to the right side his face, feeling the scars, the defects, the horrors of his disfigured face. I am but a beast, he thought, a hideous beast that no one could love.
These were his thoughts, his agony, his miseries, as the hours melted into days, the days into weeks. Finally, because of his lack of food, the blessed relief of unconsciousness over took him.

Madame Giry had searched for her O.G day after day. She looked through his lair, his hidden tunnels, every spot she thought he might be. All in vain. He was nowhere to be found.

She now stood in his lair, looking for some place she might have missed. My poor Opera Ghost, so much trouble you have caused, and yet, she thought, I look for you. Why? Why do I look for you? She knew in her heart she searched for him because he meant something to her.
At first, right after the fire, she assumed he was dead. But when she saw Meg with his plain white porcelain mask, hope suddenly filled her heart. Something told her that he wasn't dead, he was alive somewhere.

Looking around the darkly lit space, Madame Giry noticed glass scattered under a velvet tapestry. She new that he disguised hidden passageways with mirrors. Perhaps he had escaped the mob by breaking out the mirror and entering into the tunnel that lay behind. She gathered up her skirts and gingerly walked over the broken glass. She lifted up the rich burgundy tapestry and peered inside. Nothing but darkness greeted her. "O.G"? She called out, " Opera Ghost are you in there"? Silence. Madame Giry held her candle high so she could see, slowly, carefully she walked further into the eerie darkness. A few rats scattered around in front of her, and there were many puddles of water in her path. How can he stand walking through these dark little spaces, she wondered.

After about half an hour of exploring the dark passage way, her efforts where finally rewarded. There he lay, her Opera Ghost. He looked as if her were sleeping; there was something peaceful and serene about his face, even though he didn't have on his mask. For a minute, seeing him like this, made her heart stop. He's dead! Her mind screamed, dead! Then she noticed the slight rise and fall of his chest. Madame Giry let out a huge sigh of relief. Now, how to get him back where he can be cared for.

Gently she pushed his shoulders to awaken him." Come on, please get up". When she got no response, she pushed harder, more persistent. Slowly, his eye lids fluttered open. The fire she was so use to seeing in those fine blue eyes had faded. That sadden her. "See if you can walk, O.G" " I can't" He whispered, "please let me alone" " No" she said stubbornly. " I am not going to leave you to die here like some animal, now get up". He rose slowly with her help.

Some how, after what seemed like an eternity, they made it back to his lair.

She new he would be safe here. "Those superstitious fools wont come back down to a place they thought was possessed" she muttered under her breath.

Madame Giry helped him to his big swan shaped bed. As she turned away she could feel his eyes on her. " I'll be right back, must go up and get you something to eat and drink and some supplies". He nodded slowly. With that, she left.