Hello to everyone reading my story. I am so excited, and I thank you for checking this out. Please note that I don't have the rights to either stories; this is just a small piece of fanfiction. Don't be too harsh on me please; I'm new to writing. However, I would gladly accept constructive criticism. Thank you and I hope you enjoy my story.

Based off of: The Phantom of the Opera (musical by Lord Lloyd Andrew Lloyd Weber) & A Scandal in Bohemia (from the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It had been thirteen months since she stepped out of the public eye. She was still in mourning, but she was never as sad as she should of been. Her husband had been a good man. She didn't love him, but that had never mattered. It was her chance to put her past behind her and start again. Was this too much to ask for? Was she greedy for wanting a life of peace? She was exhausted. Death was chasing her. First, he took her family and then her husband. It seemed unfair that they should fall with disease.

There was person Miss Adler was more fond of than anyone else. She hoped he didn't fall to the pattern of death that followed her. Her time with Sherlock Holmes was very limited, but she enjoyed it. Irene desperately wanted to go against him again; he kept her on her toes. He was clever, but that didn't scare Irene. She could be just as clever. Part of her was tempted to travel to London to see him again. It was a stupid idea. She did enjoy solitary life in the countryside.

However, funds were running short. Irene knew she needed to find work, but she refused to join the labor force. It wasn't her cup of tea. She much preferred her life as an opera singer to her limited experience in factories. That was it! She could join the company of an opera. Irene burst up from the bench in her backyard. She knew she would miss this view of the ocean, but she would be happy at the opera. She slipped into her small house.

She entered into the dining room, one of the five rooms in her house. It was a luxurious home, but it was still small. Irene much preferred it that way. She didn't need much space, she just needed to make good use of her space. The dining room was not only where she ate, but it was also where she took care of her correspondence. It was where she would write a letter to the Paris Opera House. She had heard they were in need of a new contralto, especially for their upcoming production of Hannibal. The previous one had angrily quit. Irene had no idea why she left, but hoped the reason wasn't bad.

Sherlock stared down at the letter. Mr. John Watson sat across from him in their flat. He was very curious about the contents of the letter, but his friend hadn't shared yet. All he heard was a quiet mutter. "She's back."

Watson rolled his eyes. It seemed Holmes had gone back to obsessing over Irene Adler. He always insisted that she was the cleverest person he knew. Holmes didn't just admire her; he was obsessed with her. "God Holmes, not this again."

Holmes had kept track of Irene Adler ever since their brief meeting. It was a blessing when she decided to live a private life. She had disappeared, and Watson she would disappear from Holmes's mind. "She's going to perform at the Paris Opera House." Watson noted how his best friend had ignored his statement. "Remember the letter we got yesterday, Watson?"

"The one about the Opera Ghost?"

Thank you for finishing my first chapter. I appreciate it! I know it was short, but this is just the Prologue. All it does is set up the plot.