"Can you believe the luck she has?"

"And her voice! So shocking."

"Who would have thought it?"

The backstage area was abuzz with excitement at that night's performance.

"Meg, can you believe it? Our very own Christine Daae a prima donna," Janice gushed.

"I know, I wish I knew who she's been training with. Perhaps she could get a word in for me. Speaking of which, where do you think she's gone?"

"Probably down to the chapel to honour her father. On a night like this she would want to feel he was with her."

"I'll go find her and bring her back. I saw so many flowers go into that dressing room; I'll be surprised if there's even room to walk in there. She'll want to see them before they begin to wilt."

"Don't forget to give her my snack that I nearly lost my life over." They laughed and Meg went off to find their new starlet friend.

Janice pulled the handkerchief she'd found earlier out from under the various cream and make-up containers on the vanity before her. She pulled it through her fingers a few times. It was so soft. She became mesmerized by the movement of her hands and began to wonder about the man who had dropped it. She wondered why he wore the mask. And why he seemed to familiar to her. She contemplated the embroidery.

Finally the commotion around her roused her from herself and se went to see if Meg had brought Christine back.

There was a huge crowd outside of Christine's new private dressing room. She then started her way toward the chapel. Having not seen Meg anywhere, she figured they hadn't yet returned. When she found them it was near the stage and they both looked odd. Christine looked exhausted yet somehow entranced. Meg looked frightened and worried and was leading Christine by the hand as though she were afraid she may just disappear if she let go.

Worried, she took Christine's other arm.

"What's the matter? What happened?"

Meg looked worriedly at Christine and shook her head sadly.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Janice insisted.

"Oh, nothing is wrong. The Angel of Music was pleased with my performance," Christine replied.

"That doesn't sound like anything to look so glum about?"

"I'm just a little tired. It was a little nerve wracking to be in front of all those people by myself," Christine told her.

"Well you looked beautiful. We knew all along you were destined for greatness, didn't we, Meg? You never did fit in with us opera rats. Far too beautiful, you are," Janice gushed.

Then they were at her dressing room door and Madame Giri took Christine from the other girls and led her in alone.

They looked at each other and shrugged then headed back up to the dormitories.

Janice changed into her street clothes and gossiped with the other girls until it was emptied out enough downstairs to go and get her personal items from the chorus dressing room that she'd forgotten. After retrieving them she went down to the chapel to light candles for her mother who had died while giving birth to her sister, who died shortly thereafter.

She said a small prayer and started her way on the long trip back to her bed where she would get some much-needed rest. In the darkness she heard footsteps and she thought nothing of it, figuring it was an errant stage-hand going home late. They got closer and she was glad she was no longer wearing the sparse dance uniform. As she got nearer to the more used areas of the opera house, it got brighter, but not by much, however just enough to make out the caped figure walking in the dark. She realized it was the same man from earlier. She simply watched him walk past, wondering why he was here. Be it still here or here again, she wondered what attracted him.

Then she got an idea to follow him. She took the shadows as they came, careful to keep quiet and out of sight. When she realized he was going to Christine's room she became ever more curious. He suddenly stopped and took a shadow, hiding in wait for…what? She didn't know but she waited, watching him closely. She hoped he couldn't see her. She looked around and saw the door to Christine's room. She had been so intent on him, so lost in thought she hadn't realized they were now waiting outside her room.

She heard voices from within and saw Madame Giri near the door. She watched curiously. The door opened and a man came out. What was he doing in there alone with Christine? Wait a minute…That's the new patron that was introduced earlier today. Christine had said something about knowing him when they were children. Raul did she call him?

In the corner of her eye she saw the man move to the door once the new patron had gone. Madame Giri simply stood there and watched as the man turned the key in Christine's door, locking her in then left the way he came. Janice hid deeper in the shadows so he wouldn't see her as he walked passed. The she waited for Madame Giri to leave before she ran to the dormitories and lost herself in the chatter of the younger girls. It was all too much to think about right now.