"This trophy from our saviors, from our saviors from the enslaving force of Rome!"

Erik groaned from the catwalk above the stage. Carlotta's voice was even more agonizing listening to it for the second time in his life. He looked down and saw the ballet dancers standing off from the side. He saw the little Giry girl, Auna was behind her. He smiled at the eighteen year old, she had her long black hair in a braid and pinned behind her head, her green and brown eyes were shining like normal. In front of her was his angel, Christine, she was sixteen now, and as beautiful as ever. He thought about it for a moment and realized that he was ten years older than her. So, at this time he was twenty six. But why did he feel so much older?

He glanced down once more at the dancers; his beautiful Christine was standing there giggling with the Giry girl. Oh how he longed to hear her sing!!

He rubbed his forehead as Carlotta screeched, her bat like voice unfortunately echoing throughout the opera house. Erik took notice of the manager coming towards the stage with two other fellows.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen. Rehearsals, as you see, are under way, for a new production of Chalumeau's 'Hannibal'"

"M. Lefevre, I am rehearsing."

"M. Reyer, Mme. Giry, ladies and gentlemen, please, if I can have your attention, thank you. As you know, for some weeks there have been rumors of my imminent retirement. I can now tell you that these were all true, and it is my pleasure to introduce to you
the two gentlemen who now own the Opera Populaire, M. Richard Firmin and M. Gilles Andre."

Erik stared at the two from above. They were two imbeciles, and always would be!!

"And we're deeply honored to introduce our new patron, the Vicomte de Chagny!!"

Erik growled when the fop walked onto the stage, he glanced to Christine.

"It's Raoul" she whispered.

"My parents and I are honored to support all the arts, especially the world-renowned Opera Populaire"

"Christine he's so handsome!"

"Gentlemen, Signora Carlotta Guidicelli, our leading soprano for five seasons now."

Piangi snorted.

"Signor Ubaldo Piangi"

"An honor, Signor. I believe I'm keeping you for your rehearsal; I will be here this evening to share your great triumph. My apologies, monsieur"

"Thank you, M. Le Vicomte, once more, if you please, Signor"

"He looove me! Love a me love a me love a me"

Erik rolled his eyes, the ballet came out on the stage, of course his eyes were focused on Christine, she never ceased to amaze him with her talents.

"We take a particular pride here in the excellence of our ballets, monsieur"

"I see why, especially the little blonde angel"

"My daughter, Meg Giry"

"And that exceptional beauty, no relation I trust?"

"Christine Daae, promising talent, M. Firmin, very promising"

"Daae, you say? No relation to the famous Swedish violinist?"

"His only child, an orphan at seven when she came to live and train in the Ballet Dormitory."

"An orphan, you said?"

"I think of her as a daughter also, gentlemen will you please move this way!!"

Erik continued to watch from the cat walk. He winced as Carlotta's voice pierced his ears, he smiled remembering what was coming up, with the thought he walked gracefully and silently over to the back drops.

"All day!! All they want is dancing!!!"

"The Vicomte is very excited about tonight's gala!"

"Ahh, hello hello, I hope he is excited by dancing girls as your new managers because I WILL NOT BE SINGING!!!! Bye bye dancing girls, bye bye!!!"

"What do we do??"

"Grovel, grovel ,grovel"

"Right right!!"

"Principessa, bella diva!!!"

"Si Si!!

"Goddess of song!!!"

Across the stage where the ballerinas stood, one girl watched the cat walks like a hawk, her piercing green eyes searching every corner and every shadow for one figure.

"Everybody very quiet!!!!!"

"Think of me; think of me fondly when we've said gooooooodbyyye!!"

Madame Giry looked up into the darkness of the cat walks, knowing who was up there, it was just a matter of time before something happened………

CRASH!!!!!!

"I HATE YOU!!!!!!"

The backdrop for tonight's performance was now lying on Carlotta, of course making her screech.

"Madame!! These things do happen"

"These things do happen!!! For the past three years these things happen!! And if you do not stop them from happening, this thing does not happen!!!!"

Auna glared up towards the catwalks, Oh Erik!!! She glanced over at Madame Giry, who was walking towards the managers with Erik's note.

"I have a note from the Opera Ghost"

"Oh good god you're all obsessed"

Madame Giry continued,

"He welcomes you to his opera house"

"HIS opera house?!!?"

"And ask the you continue to leave Box 5 empty for his use" she pointed her cane up and the box closest to the stage.

"And says that his monthly salary is due"

"His salary!!!?"

"Monsieur Lefevre gave him 20,000 franks a month"

"20,000 franks?!?!"

"Perhaps you can afford more? With the Vicomte as your patron"

"We were going to announce that at tonight's gala, but it seems that we will have to cancel since it seems we have lost our star!!!!" Firmin said while ripping up the note.

"What are we going to due?!? We should have to refund a full house Andre!! A full house!!!"

"Christine Daae could sing it sir"

"What a chorus girl?? Don't be silly"

"She has been well taught, let her sing for you"

Auna watched Christine walk up to the front of the stage, this was her chance to leave. As Christine sang the first few lines of the song, she snuck off the stage.

She silently walked backstage and ran towards the back of the theater. She passed Madame Giry's door and turned down one of the smaller narrower halls. She walked to a candle holder and pulled it down, making the wall slide out of place and she stepped in.

Her journey only lasted a few moments; she reached her destination within minutes. She walked in the darkness and pulled back the velvet curtain. As she presumed, Erik was home, sitting at his organ.

"When I gave you a second chance to make things right, I didn't mean dropping a backdrop on Carlotta!!"

Erik turned and looked at her, he merely smiled.

"I do not honestly believe that dropping a backdrop on that toad is what made me lose Christine to that fop Auna"

Auna rubbed her hand over her face and groaned. Erik clearly missed the point when she told him to "make things right". How dense he was being!!

"Erik, you clearly missed my point!! When I said make tings right, I did not just mean getting Christine!! I meant doing good things!! Example, not dropping heavy things on Carlotta!!!"

Erik snorted.

"Erik!! No matter how deserving she is of it or how funny it is not kind to drop things on people!!!!!"

"Stop yelling at me like a child Auna!!! I am doing this over and I will do it my way!!"

"Well your way is not the way you will make things better Erik!!! You're doing the same you did before!! I did not give you this chance just to make a mess again!!"

Erik was fuming! She always back talked him, why couldn't she be afraid of him like everyone else!! She was such an annoyance at times, she was always like that. She was a good person, but good god she had such a temper!! Erik paced back and forth for a few moments, he glanced at Auna out of the corner of his eye, she was standing there, with her arms crossed with her common look of annoyance on her face. Erik was not stupid, he knew he made a mess of things last time, he knew what he had to change to make things right.

Erik walked over to a chair and sat down. He took his mask off and threw it on the small table beside him and ran his hands over his face. He glanced down at the lake, the dark water rippled as it hit the shore. He listened to the sound of Hannibal echo throughout the opera house. Auna sighed; she looked over at Erik and shook her head.

"I'm going back up, I have to practice and get something to eat before the gala" she walked over and picked up her black cloak and draped it over her, covering her costume. She walked over to Erik and put her hand on his shoulder.

"I know you'll figure this out Erik. I will see you after the performance; I will be going straight to bed though"

Erik nodded his head. Auna sighed and pulled back the curtain to the passage and walked through.

Erik was a smart man. He was a genius! It annoyed her to think he was acting so densely! She ran towards the kitchens, her ballet slippers patting the ground lightly. Erik was really angering her, it was only a matter of time until he could change things, or make them worse. She just hoped he would see before it was too late.

What did you think?? Let me know how horrible it really was!! Auna's part in this story will be described in either the next chapter or the one after, if you have any questions please feel free to ask them, I will answer them. Also, I'm basing this completely off of the 2004 movie, with a few of my own things thrown in.