The next morning Meg woke up feeling stiff and empty headed. She recalled leaving her room and venturing through the mirror in the dressing room, but what had happened after that? Meg looked at her surroundings. Stolen props from the Opera house, a swan shaped bed, and funky masks.

"Oh yeah," she said to herself.

Meg slipped out of the room. She was surprised to find Erik talking with her mother as though they were old friends. Erik gave her a shy smile while Madam Giry gave her a full blown hug.

"How did you sleep, mon Cherie?" she asked her daughter.

"Alright," said Meg. She turned to Erik. "I'm sorry for intruding last night." Erik gave her another smile.

"All is forgiven, Meg," he said. "I'm actually glad of the intrusion. If you hadn't come down here then your mother wouldn't have come looking for you."

"Now that Meg is awake we must leave," said Madam Giry.

Erik helped them into the boat and took them back to the shore. He kissed each of their hands in parting.

"Have a good day, you two," he said. "And good luck with the auditions, Antoinette." Madam Giry waved goodbye with her handkerchief.

"Thank you, Erik!" she called.

Once they were back up in the Opera house things seemed to be taking a new routine. Instead of getting dressed and running off to auditions Meg had to get Carlotta's hair ready.

"Be on your best behavior, ma petite," said Madam Giry. "She may have shown a little kindness yesterday but that doesn't mean she can't be strict."

Meg promised before running off to the Prima Donna's room. No sooner had the door opened than she was pulled inside. Meg found herself staring at a very angry and cranky Carlotta.

"You are late to the first day! What could I have been thinking to allow you to help me" Carlotta yelled.

"I'm sorry" Meg began but was cut off.

"No apologies just get me ready for rehearsals"

"Yes, Madam"

Antoinette hurried about the diva's dressing room getting things together for the opening night of their new opera.

"Annie?" A voice called from the mirror.

Antoinette whipped around towards it. "What?"

"I didn't mean to scare you" the voice began.

Antoinette rolled her eyes as she pulled open the mirror. "You didn't scare me, Erik"

Erik gave her a pleasant smile. "So what are you up too?"

"Getting ready for tonight's opera"

"Then why are you not teaching your little 'ballet rats'? Why are you playing a maid for Carlotta?" Erik spat out Carlotta's name, as though it tasted fowl.

"She has asked her room to be cleaned and I am doing it because Meg is following her around fixing every little thing Carlotta deems unworthy." Antoinette stepped up on a chair to put the flower Carlotta had ordered in the vase that was hanging on the wall. She reached up and slipped. Losing her balance, she fell backwards off the chair.

Erik, with his phantom reflexes, caught her as she fell. He looked down at the women in his arms. "You should be more careful, Antoinette"

"Yes" She whispered, looking up at him. "You always seem to be there to catch me when I'm falling."

Erik set her back on her feet. "Not always."

Flashback

"This way" a 16-year-old Antoinette called. She let him around the long bend that ended in a river. She climbed into boat, but slipped backwards.

19-year-old Erik caught her. "You really should be more careful, Antoinette"

"You always seem to catch me when I'm falling"

"And I always will" Erik smiled at her as he helped her into the boat. As they reached the other side, Erik asked, "What was it you wanted to tell me?"

Antoinette turned her blue eyes glowing. "Pierre has asked me to Marry him! It's it wonderful, Erik?"

Erik felt as though his stomach had been sucked from his body. "What?"

"Pierre Giry asked me to be his wife! Isn't it wonderful?"

"It's...something, Annie" Erik whispered.

"Erik, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Antoinette. You should go back"

"But we just got here"

"You should go, Antoinette"

"But-"

"GO" even at 19 Erik held a presence that terrified everyone. Antoinette turned and fled the lair, not to return.

End Flashback

Erik shook himself as he forced the painful memory out of his mind. He wished he'd been happy for Antoinette. She'd been so happy. That is until Pierre beat her and then left her a little after Meg's birth. 'She's better off with out him,' he thought.

"What Opera will be performed for the opening?" he asked out loud.

"Rigoletto," replied Antoinette while dusting the mantle piece. "Carlotta is playing the role of Rigoletto's daughter." Erik rolled his eyes.

"She's old enough to be Rigoletto's mother," he said. "I like that Opera and all but her screaming ruins it." Antoinette laughed.

"Her screaming pays off if the tickets are sold and we are paid," she said.

"I suppose," said Erik. "The only problem is that Rigoletto is a sad story. I could write a happier Opera than that." Antoinette's eyes lit up.

"Erik," she said. "I just had a thought. Do you still write Opera?" The Phantom nodded. "What if you wrote a new one, different from Don Juan? For starters you could use a fake name so no one would know it was you. And then you could have two lead roles, one that is specifically for Carlotta, and the other could be for Meg." Erik was surprised by her suggestion.

"Why would I want to write something that Meg would share with Carlotta?" he said. "Even if it was as magnificent as Don Juan that Prima Donna's screaming would ruin it!" Antoinette shrugged as she watered some of the flowers.

"You could make her role meant for her screaming," she suggested. At the sour look on Erik's face she sighed. "You don't have to if you don't want too, Erik. Maybe you should forget I even said anything."

Erik looked thoughtful as Antoinette continued with her work. He scratched his chin and brain-stormed.

"It will be a fantasy adventure story," he said. "It'll be about a beautiful princess against her wicked step-mother, similar to that Grimm brother story about Ashputtle. The princess will go on a journey to find her father, while trying to escape her step-mother." Antoinette smiled. The creative Erik was coming back.

"That's the Erik I know!" she said happily. "But what will you name the beautiful princess and the wicked step-mother?"

"What does Christine intend to name her child if it is a girl?" he asked. His question caught Antoinette off guard. But when she saw that there was no pain in his eyes she answered.

"Aaralyn," she said, "because it means 'with song.'" Erik smiled.

"Princess Aaralyn against Queen Desdemona, that will do," he said. Antoinette looked puzzled.

"What does Desdemona mean?" she asked. Erik grinned.

"Of the Devil," he replied. Antoinette grinned wickedly in reply.

"The perfect role for Carlotta!" she declared with a laugh.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

During rehearsal Madam Giry kept a close eye on her daughter. The poor thing didn't get a chance to practice with the other chorus girls because Carlotta kept calling her back to do this and that. Madam Giry observed that, for once, the Prima Donna's hair was stunning. She was very proud of her daughter's work.

When at last Carlotta decided to take a break Meg slumped into a seat and caught her breath. She may not have been lifting anything heavy but looking after the Prima Donna was hard work.

"For one who isn't among the Chorus girls you still work hard," said a voice.

Meg turned to see a boy a little older than her speaking. He had black hair that was a little messy, a baggy shirt, brown breeches, and knee high black boots. He smiled at Meg with bright grey eyes. He looked to be a sort of gypsy.

"How do you do?" the boy said with a bow. "I am Gustav. What is your name?"

"Meg Giry," she said. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, Monsieur Gustav." Meg was only being polite. Something about this boy didn't seem quite right. "What brings you to the Opera Populair?"

"I came to see my Uncle, Joseph Buquet," said Gustav. "Do you know him, Meg?" A shiver ran up her spine. No wonder she didn't feel comfortable with this boy.

"Joseph Buquet was murdered before the disaster a year and half ago," she said. "I didn't even know he had a nephew." Gustav didn't look the least bit sad at this news.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said. "It was bound to have happened sooner or later. He was never very polite." Gustav seemed to notice that Meg was getting uncomfortable so he changed the subject. "So you're working for the
Prima Donna are you? That looks like hard work. Carlotta is quite the whiner isn't she?"

"I don't mind it," said Meg. "She lost her last hairdresser along with her husband, so I think in a way she has an excuse to be upset." Gustav looked at his fingernails.

"I still don't think that that's any excuse for being rude to a pretty girl like you, Meg," he said. "She looks all the uglier with that hideous hair." Meg jumped to her feet and glared at the gypsy boy.

"For your information I happened to be the one who made her hair look like that!" she cried. "And if you don't like it I suggest you hang yourself!" Gustav looked amused by her outburst.

"You look even prettier when you're angry," he said as he stood up. Meg backed away. But before anything could get quite of hand Carlotta marched up to them.

"My 'air is ruined!" Carlotta whined. "One of those nasty little ballet girls put a hat on it and ruined it!" She stopped when she saw the boy next to Meg.

Madame Giry came quickly around the corner when she heard Carlotta fussing again. "What is it now?"

Carlotta turned on Antoinette, pointing at her like she was a mere child. "You should keep those little brats in order more, old women. They practically run all over the place and they ruined my hair"

"I don't see much of a difference" Gustav whispered. Lucky for him Carlotta had stormed off to yell at the managers, and hadn't heard him.

"Meg! Go fix her hair so that she will get back to rehearsal. She'll ruin the opera if she doesn't stop whining" Antoinette ignored Gustav.

"Yes, Mama" Meg said, giving Gustav a dirty look.

"She has such a temper, Madame" Gustav said. "How ever do you keep her in line?"

Antoinette turned. "Who are you and what are you doing back here?"

"My name is Gustav" He have a slight bow. Antoinette responded with a curtsy. "I'm looking for my uncle whom, Meg tells me, is dead."

"Who is your uncle?" Antoinette asked.

"Joseph Buquet"

"I'm afraid he is dead. Killed over a year and a half ago"

A young girl came running. "Madame! Madame!"

Antoinette turned. 'What is it, Alana?"

"The Phantom, Madame! I saw him!" The girl was shaking from head to foot.

Antoinette wrapped an arm around the girl. "Go back to your room and lay down" The girl nodded and walked away. 'Erik never would have let them see him. He wouldn't risk it' Antoinette told herself.

"The Phantom? The Phantom of the Opera?" Gustav said, with a laugh. "Don't tell me you all believe in that silly little story"

Antoinette turned. Her eyes were an ice blue. "I'm afraid your uncle is dead and I'm terrible sorry about your loss. But never the less, I do wish you to leave this opera house Immediately."

Gustav gave her a grin. "Or what, Madame?"

Antoinette had never in all her life had anyone treat her as Gustav was treating her. Well Erik had but no other being dared toy with her.

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