Chapter 3: Tale As Old As Time

'' Get up Juliet, breakfast. '' Kat yelps and sits up straight as something hits her in her face, ripping her painfully from her sleep. She looks down at her lap to find one of her boots. With a glare at Holly she tosses the boot back at her but she dodges in time. Still extremely tired and very pissed Kat rubs over her face, muttering under her breathe,

'' Juliet? The hell is wrong with you…''

'' Well I thought about this. And to be honest this whole affair reminds me on Romeo and Juliet. '' Holly shrugs with a grin. Kat rises an eyebrow at her,

'' If you think I'm stupid enough to push a dagger between my ribs just because some bloke kills himself you're wrong and very insulting. ''

'' Ah hush. I would go for Beauty and the Beast... but Belle was actually very pleasant to be around and he did sound far too polite for the beast. On the other hand, it could work if you switch roles. ''

'' Wow. Fuck you too. I take everything back I said. ''

'' Too late. ''

Right after breakfast Madam Giry passes Kat up,

'' Mademoiselle Jones, you lessons will continue like they used to but for this evening you are free to go where you want. You are making quite the progress, I think a little time to yourself will not harm this. Please do be back until 8 o'clock though. '' Kat's face splits into a happy smile. Her eyes soon make contact with Holly and Jessie, It's settled, they're going to town this evening.

'' Meg! Over here! '' Meg stops in her rather aimless walk through the Opera as she hears Kathrine's voice calling out to her. She did not have another chance to talk to the new Diva since she had to leave in such a hurry yesterday so she smiles pleasantly as Kat approaches her,

'' Is there anything I can help you with? '' Kat offers a smile,

'' I was wondering if you'd like to come with us to town, maybe you can show us around. We can go shopping or drink a coffee or something like that. Depends on what we find there. '' Meg feels a small hesitation in her voice, not sure if she should just accept the invitation. Not like there was anything else calling for her attention right now but she did only talk to Kathrine once by now. The offer seems a little sudden to her.

'' Are you sure you really want me to accompany you? Won't that be a problem for your friends? ''

'' Sure if you're up for it, we don't mind. Don't worry, they're both nice and won't bite you. Usually I'm the one that bites. And no, that was not a flirtation this time. '' Kat smirks. Meg laughs.

'' I would really like to go with you. I will just run and ask Mama. ''

'' Sure go ahead. We're waiting at the door. '' Kat turns on her heels to go to her two friends who are waiting at the door for her. Meg quickly runs to her mother's room, only faintly knocking before she enters. A sudden excitement grows in her. This is the first time for a long while that someone invited her for a visit in town. After Christine married Raoul and left the Opera she has no real friend left. Of course, many of the other girls are nice but they are not really the people she would consider a friend. Kat on the other hand has a certain atmosphere around her that brings a smile to her face.

'' Mama, Kathrine asked me if I would like to visit town with them. Would that be alright? '' Her mother's eyes narrow in confuse for a moment,

''… I think there won't be a problem with that. Just be careful and do not let Kathrine get you into any trouble. She certainly is very kind but I also noticed her… interest in dangerous activities. '' Meg smiles warmly at her mother and nods,

'' I promise. ''

'' In that case I wish you a lot of fun. Do not lose them. ''

'' Yes Mama. '' She quickly runs into her own room to fetch her cloak and rushes then back to the entrance where she spots Kathrine talking to her friends, her back leaning against the door relaxed. Meg's excitement grows,

'' Kathrine! '' The 3 graduates look up at Meg's voice. Kathrine pushes herself off the frame and puts her hands on her hips, a smile on her lips,

'' So everything cool? ''

'' Yes. She said I may accompany you. ''

'' Great. So, just to get formalities done right away, Meg that's Holly and Jessie. And yes, if you forget their names you can ask without thinking it might be impolite. Okay let's go, I wanna see this town! '' Not waiting for the other 3 people to join her, Kat starts moving while clapping her hands in command. Meg looks after her, feeling a sudden wave of insecurity at the harshness Kathrine's voice held. She winces as she feels a hand on her shoulder. Holly's smiling at her,

'' She doesn't mean to make it sound this harsh, don't worry. She's always like that. ''

'' You'll get used to that soon, I promise. '' Jessie adds and nods for them both to follow the excited woman leading the way. Not far away from them Kat stops, her eyes round,

'' Meg, where is town? '' Meg laughs.

After leading the way to town and explaining what they could find where, the group decided to take a look around and use the chance of Kat's free evening to explore every detail. They wander through many different locals and shops. They soon find a small cafe hidden around a corner and covered in ivy. It has a beautiful old style so they make out to come here as soon as they've seen everything. Jessie and Holly spend a lot of time apologizing to Meg for Kathrine's direct and shameless behavior as she plainly asks the younger girl rather personal questions. Meg mostly laughs at her boldness, enjoying the way Kat interacts with her. Even though they talked only once before and that for just a brief moment, Kat is bringing her into her small group. Meg feels with each passing minute more comfortable with the 3 young adults. Holly is a very kind woman with a lot of respect and interest in both the Opera's history and the town. Meg finds herself often talking to her while they wander around aimlessly. Jessie is a little more closed up than Kat but he too has a certain boldness that Meg finds rather charming. What Meg notices about him is his well-taught knowledge about the culture they have in Meg's world.

As they come to a shop for Festival clothing Meg stops them,

'' Will you be on the ball too? '' Jessie is the first one to nod,

'' We were invited, yeah. ''

'' In that case you can buy your dresses in this shop. Most people buy in there that do not sew their dresses themselves. It is not even very expensive but the cloths are truly beautiful. I wanted to look for a dress in there too. There are also many Tuxedos. ''

'' Well in that case, let's go take a look around. If you wanted to go there anyway, why not now? I bet 's gonna be fun. '' Kathrine smirks.

'' Will you not come to the ball or do you have a dress already? ''

'' I probably come and take a look around but I'm not planning to stay. I'm not the type of person for that. ''

'' Oh but it will be a lot of fun. The choir and dancers practiced for months and many people from outside the Opera will be there. ''

'' I'm sure you guys are going to have a lot of fun. C'mon, let's go hit that shop. '' Meg looks after Kat as she once more sets moving without checking if anybody follows her.

'' Don't bother. She hates these kind of events. Never came to the ones our school made either. She barely goes to parties either. A couple of Festivals here and now but that's it. ''

'' Yeah. I doubt she'll even step a foot near that dance. ''

'' But it will be a lot of fun. ''

'' She's got a few personal problems with that. You can ask her, maybe she'll tell you. ''

'' I do not wish to be noisy. ''

'' Don't worry. She won't hold it against you- ''

'' Yo guys, what the hell are you waiting for? An invitation? '' They look up to find Kat in the door of the shop.

'' Do we get one? '' Jessie asks, obviously not really bothered by the way other people are staring at him. Kat puts her hands in her hips, her teeth pulling slightly on her piercing,

'' No! Let's go! '' They enter the store. It's full with dresses and tuxedos, like Meg said. The most common colors are brown, gold, white and black.

'' So… We need two dresses and a tuxedo, right? ''

'' At least try a couple of dresses, maybe you find something you like. See it as a souvenir. '' Holly says and Kat smirks,

'' Was planning on it. But your stuff is more important. '' She claps into her hands.

For the next 2 hours they try themselves through almost each dress that the shop has to offer. Jessie soon found a Tuxedo he likes. It has a dark gray color that almost fades into black. The waistcoat is black and has an elegant pattern that reminds on ivy. The shirt underneath is in the same gray as the jacket and pants while the bow tie also is black. He buys a pair of black business shoes to the tuxedo and a monocle for a good laugh. Meg was right, it wasn't that expensive. Holly finds a dress after around 2 hours looking through the shelves and trying several dresses. Jessie found it in a small corner between a dozen of other rather ugly dresses. The dress itself has a dull golden color but it is covered in a green patterns that almost completely covers the cover underneath. The pattern looks like the designer couldn't decide between stars and roses so he did a mix of both. The dress presents the neck and most of the collar, the arms are not puffy but sit still comfortably on the shoulders. In front of the chest is a large ribbon that is completely golden. Another, smaller, ribbon is wrapped around the waist where the skirt begins. The endings of the ribbon almost reach the end of the dress. Holly picks a pair of simple boots with a slim 6 centimeter heel to the dress even though she was not sure at first if she should buy those items or look around again. Kat and Meg talked Holly into buying it. Even though it was more that Meg convinced her while Kat threatened to not let her out of this store again until she bought these exact items. It's not like she had a chance than to buy them. A corsage is not attached to the dress though, so Holly buys a simple one in black separately, earning a snicker from Kat who promises her the breathing-problems of her life. Holly only retorts that she, opposite to Kat, has smaller boobs and through that won't have as many problems. At least she hopes that. Kat almost fainted as Madam Giry first put her into the corsage. On the other hand, Kat is a drama queen that likes to either react too less or too much.

'' So what do you think, can I go like that? '' The group starts to laugh as Kat steps out in a bright yellow dress that has peacock feathers attached to it in no real meaning. The skirt is fluffy enough to offer the threat to make many people trip and fall should she actually wear this thing outside. Kat's breast are pressed into a strange angle, her arms look like matchsticks under the far too puffy arms. Kathrine sticks out her hips what is barely visible in the skirt and only gives her body a strange form, her face bearing an expression of fake-arrogance. Meg and Holly have to hold onto each other, too wrapped up in their laughter than to be able to stand on their own. Jessie isn't even trying to stabilize himself as he carelessly drops to the floor, his head in his neck. Kat fakes a frustrated sigh and looks down at herself,

'' I knew it… It's too dull isn't it? ''

'' Kat in that dress you pass as the inspiration for Walking on Sunshine! ''

'' Oh my god yes! '' She grabs a pink feather boa that clashes in every way with the dress and throws it over her shoulders,

'' Hah! I'm walking on sunshine oh oh! I'm walking on sunshine oh oh! I'm walking on sunshine oh oh! '' Holly buries her face in her hands as Kat starts to sing loudly while dancing in the most ridiculous way they have ever seen. Holly knows her for years now, she has had her fair share of Kat-dances in public. This though, this is the top. She swings her hips and makes wild movements with her arms what reminds slightly on a very very drunken wannabe-stripper,
'' And don't it feel good! Hey, alright now! And don't it feel good! Hey! Yeah! '' She bows as soon as she sang through the chorus. The size of the skirt almost makes her fall over while that so that she quickly has to stabilize herself. The 4 laugh some more before Kat finally takes off the dress after receiving rather nasty looks of the shop-owner. They then focus on finding Meg a dress which turns out to be quite the challenge.

'' Man, your boobs are bigger than mine. '' Kat says loudly after the 3rd dress she tries on doesn't fit too. Meg's cheeks redden in slight embarrassment. Holly looks at her with a sigh,

'' Isn't your back killing you? ''

'' No, why would it? ''

'' Nah don't worry. I never have problems with my back either but some girls with big boobs do. -'s the dancing Holly. Too trained for complaints. '' Kat faintly says over her shoulder while checking out the farthest away corner of the room. The others watch how she suddenly stops and turns to them with a big grin on her face. Before the others can ask her what's gotten into her she pulls another dress out. It's completely white and looks almost like a typical angel-dress. Around the collar, which is cut like the one on Holly's dress, is a fluffy rim. The skirt is ruffled but not as big as the one on Holly's dress. Kat abruptly pushes Meg into the small cabin to change. As soon as she comes out, Kat's, Jessie's and Holly's mouths drop,

'' Wow…''

'' Does it look good? ''

'' Wow…'' Kat and Jessie repeat while Holly walks around her. Suddenly she squeals,

'' Oh my god, it got wings! Meg your dress got wings! You have to buy it! '' Holly says with every amount of excitement in her voice that Meg has seen so far. Kat's mouth snaps close,

'' I'm reconsidering my past attempt to flirt with you… -No seriously, you are gorgeous! ''

'' Agreed. ''

'' Something's missing though…'' Holly suddenly says and looks around. After a few seconds she gives a loud 'ha' and returns with a pair of white gloves that reach Meg's elbows.

'' Yeah, perfect. '' Meg smiles. She buys the dress and the gloves with a pair of white satin shoes.

They leave the store after they bought Meg's dress and went back to the cafe they spotted before. Jessie and Holly order a coffee while Meg picks water and Kat goes for orange juice with a shot rum in it.

'' Kathrine… why do you not want to attend to the ball? '' Holly and Jessie abruptly look at Kat. The glass in her hand stops faintly on her lips before she takes a sip of her drink, shrugging,

'' I've got social anxiety. Not in the way where I cannot stand people at all. I just find events like parties or balls… very uncomfortable. I've got pills for that but that's not taking the feeling entirely so I rather stay away completely. ''

'' Oh... I am sorry. I did not know that… But don't you find it sad that you cannot come? ''

'' Not really. As I said, maybe I take a quick look but that's enough for me. After all I have to perform too in a few days. That's more than enough party for me to be honest. I take every bit of rest I can get. The shit's… draining my battery…''

'' I understand…'' Jessie looks at Kat now,

'' The others take a video though. ''

'' What is a video? '' He smiles at Meg,

'' I can show you when we're back at the Opera. ''

'' You're gonna love that. '' Holly adds.

'' So who do you usually spend your time with there? Do you live at the Opera? '' Kat asks. Meg nods, her eyes moving to the cup in her hands,

'' Yes Mama and I live there, many of the dancers do. Only the high-class performers have flats. And… most of the time I am alone. ''

'' What, you don't have any friends there? '' Holly questions further.

'' I had a good friend but she married her childhood friend and moved to Italy a few months ago. We are sending letters to each other, but it is hard to keep up contact. ''

'' I'm sorry to hear that. ''

'' Well, we're around for some more time. You can go out with us if you want. ''

'' W-would that be alright? ''

'' Of course. You're part of the group now. '' Holly offers with a sweet smile which Meg returns. Jessie grins,

'' As soon as Kat helps you into a dress without trying to hit on you, you can be sure she likes you. '' Kat smirks,

'' True. '' That brings up something in Meg's memory. Something she was wondering about.

'' Kathr- Kat… m-may I ask you a personal question? ''

'' Sure go ahead. ''

'' You… like women too? ''

'' Yep. ''

'' Why? I mean… I don't think I understand where this attraction comes from…'' Kat glances down at her drink silently, a small smirk playing on her lips. After a while she shrugs,

'' Well, God said Adam and Eve… So I decided to do both. And since there's more than those two, why just focus on them instead of everything? '' Holly and Jessie snort into their drinks and spread half of the liquid over the table, coughing in between loud laughter. Meg's cheeks gain a faint shadow of red. As soon as Jessie and Holly stopped their laughter and Jessie and Kat exchanged a high five, Meg clears her throat,

'' Is it not… strange? ''

'' What exactly do you mean, the shagging or the plain flirting? ''

'' Shagging? ''

'' Eh, the sex. ''

'' Oh. Both, I think. ''

'' It's not strange, not for me at least. I once met a girl who was really shy about this because society is very focused on being straight. In school people use faggot and the word gay as an insult so many think being gay is different or odd in some way. But it isn't. The only thing that really is different, is the way other people treat you. In public people pay much more attention to you when you openly kiss someone of the same sex. But I barely ever had any trouble because of that. ''

'' Did you… were you intimate with a woman? ''

'' Yeah, couple of times. I was with more women than men, actually. Men are extremely attractive but I sometimes prefer a woman's touch in certain situations. ''

'' You were sleeping with both already? B-but… you are not married? Or in a relationship? ''

'' I have a… a certain panic of relationships. Too restricting, too complicated. It demands too much trust and too much talking about emotions. I'm not good at that. But I do like sex. In our world it's a little easier. Women are still printed off as cheap sluts if they sleep around and some guys even think it's disgusting but you can't expect something that's so deeply rooted in society to change over night. Those problems are getting better with each year. Most people are working hard on that. But in the end I can't say that I care much about what others think about me. I might be a whore… but that doesn't mean I am any less worth than a virgin. '' Meg nods, taking a sip of her water. She cannot deny that she was curious about that. It is not as if the term is completely unknown to her, but she never felt like it would be appropriate to ask for details. What surprises her is that Kat is obviously not at all bothered by the fact that people could think of her as a easy woman. She bathes in those hateful comments others throw at her. The women in the ballet are nothing like that.

'' The other girls in the ballet often talk about their love lives but… most of the time there is not much love involved either. Giselle liked women too, she was very nice. She taught me how to make flower crowns as I was little. She left after she married another girl of the ballet. '' Kat leans back with a smile, stretching her hands over her head,

'' I love France, honestly. They're amazing coming to homosexuality. There's barely any homophobia here. Not even in this time-line. I could actually consider moving here. But I would miss London too much. ''

'' Speaking of which, how come you speak fluent English? '' Holly asks curiously.

'' Mama taught me. English and french are the two main languages here. ''

'' Yeah I noticed that it's pretty much 50/50 between English and french. I did hear some Spanish and of course Italian. '' Jessie notes. Meg nods before turning back to Kathrine,

'' How are your lessons going? Mama said you improved your singing a lot. '' She smirks,

'' You'll see soon enough. ''

They talk a few more hours until finally realizing that they're running really late by now so they quickly make their way back to the Opera. Before they reach the door, Meg turns back to them,

'' Thank you for that lovely evening. I cannot remember the last time I had so much fun. ''

'' Stop it you're making me blush…''

'' You don't have to thank us, we enjoyed your company too! '' Holly adds while Kat still smirks. Jessie winks at her from behind but isn't commenting further on this.

Holly and Jessie part from them at the entrance already to go back to Kat's and Holly's room. Meg and Kat walk together to the stage before turning in different directions. Kat stops as she sees Madam Giry. Biting her lip in a nervous manner she approaches the elder woman,

'' She's fine and not drunk. I didn't get her into trouble, either. ''

'' So Meg did tell you that I wanted her to be careful? ''

'' Nope. I'm just used to this already. Holly's parents didn't like me that much at first. I didn't exactly fit into the picture of a perfect friend. They like me now though, see me as part of the family. I wouldn't get Meg into trouble. I just… wanted to say that. '' Madam nods with a soft smile, her eyes moving to Meg.

'' She does seem happy. I haven't seen her like that since Christine left. ''

'' That's her best friend who married the childhood friend, right? ''

'' I took her in after her father died. She was a ballet dancer like Meg. One day Raoul visited the Opera with his parents for they were our new Patrons and they fell in love all over again. The engagement and wedding soon followed. ''

'' Sounds like the type of perfect love story you find in the books I never read. ''

'' Reading will not harm you. ''

'' I didn't say I don't read at all. I read a lot. I went through every Harry Potter, Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes. I read Hunger Games, I read Shakespeare and Charles Dickens. Stephen King and Cody McFadyen. Frankenstein, Dracula… I read Fan fictions too but I'm not sure if that counts. I do read a lot. Just not those perfect romance stories. ''

'' Are you holding a grudge against love? ''

'' Not at all. Jessie's absolutely in love with his girlfriend and wants to marry her as soon as he's in a steady job. Josh and Fiona are crazy for one another and want to move together, start a family. I just don't like to imagine that for myself. ''

'' I see. -Are you having lessons right now? ''

'' Yeah. Tomorrow we have a date again, right? ''

'' After breakfast, as always. ''

'' Great. See you tomorrow then, good night. '' She offers a friendly smile and quickly makes her way to the Chapel. Madam Giry looks after her. She did make Meg very happy. She and her friends. But it's not only her daughter that is in a better mood. The Phantom is more than pleased with her. Antoinette even could have sworn that she heard a little fondness in his voice the last time they talked. But of course that proud, stubborn man would never admit that. Not yet at least. Still, it has never happened before that he tried to teach someone else. He has told her about this being something he would love to do but in the end it never happened, for obvious reasons. Nobody would accept him as a teacher. Not if he is not willing to show himself to others. 'What kind of person would accept a teacher he cannot see?' he asked once.

A small smile comes to Antoinette's lips. What kind of person indeed.

'' Good evening Kathrine. I trust you had a pleasant evening? '' She smiles as he greets her the moment she enters the chapel. With an enthusiastic nod she allows her body to drop down on the window sill.

'' I did, thanks. I mean, Paris 21st century is pretty awesome but Paris 19th century is absolutely beautiful. Not as cool as London, but very close. ''

'' Yes, it has a magnetizing elegance that cannot easily be beaten. ''

'' So you've been there? ''

'' Not long ago, yes. At night, of course. But that did not rob it any of its charm. ''

'' How about a deal? If I do a good job at the performance, we go to town together. If you promise to make sure I don't run into something I wear a blindfold or keep my eyes closed the whole time. '' He hesitates a moment before answering her but she can hear the small smile in his voice,

'' It would be my greatest pleasure to accompany you. '' A comfortable silence covers her. They did grow a little closer than she meant to over the days. He's still strict but he spends more time talking to her and even praises her when she managed a note that was extremely hard for her before. He didn't tell her his name yet but she can't say that she minds much. She wants to see him, though. Even though she wouldn't press this because she also learned to know his temper. He really had her jumping yesterday. She pushed his limits and he got mad. Like, dangerous-killer-psychopath mad. But that doesn't change the fact that the curiosity is killing her slowly. Maybe he will show himself at some point. She sure hopes so.

'' Oh fuck, sorry! '' Kat abruptly drops to her knees to help gather everything that was scattered over the floor. On her way to the small practice room in which she always has her lessons with Madam Giry she didn't watch where she's going in her hurry and run over a bucket with all kinds of cleaning utensils. While breakfast she, Holly, Jessie and Meg got into another conversation and she kind of forgot that she actually had a date so she just jumped up at some point without saying goodbye. She was late almost every time by now, was it with the Phantom or with Madam. She was so sure she would be on time this time.

'' Please Miss, you do not have to- '' The lady that always cleans the stairs tries to stop her and take the brush from Kat's hands but the younger woman shakes her off,

'' A poppycock! I pushed it over, I clean it up. ''

'' You are a Diva, Mademoiselle, you should not be doing this. It is fine, really. This is my job after all. '' Kat smiles but continues to put the gathered items back into the bucket,

'' I'm a graduate from England who jumps in as an understudy. I've cleaned other stuff already, it won't kill me. Honestly, the worst that can happen to me is that I might chip a nail. '' The woman looks at her in silence. Kat wonders if there is actually assholes here that push shit over and let others clean it then. That's one reason why she couldn't do such a job, she would toss whatever they push over at their heads.

'' Thank you. ''

'' Don't mention it. See, my nails are fine. ''

'' It was still very kind of you. ''

'' Hey that medallion is really pretty. '' Her eyes moved to the woman's throat where she spotted a small golden medallion in the shape of a heart. The woman looks down at it with a soft smile,

'' It was a present of my daughter, her name is Chloé. She's turning 14 soon. It is… her dream to travel to your world actually. Maybe I will be able to make it a gift for her 18th birthday. '' Kat's eyes get an undefinable expression as she looks at the woman.

'' Why don't you come with us on the ship? I know a couple of rather cheap but good motels. You wouldn't have to pay for your way over there cause we already did, so it's the way back and the motel. And I think I know a motel that might give you a nice price because I was… working there. It might be a short visit but it will be a visit, right? ''

'' Oh I cannot accept that Miss. ''

'' Sure you can. We head out in a couple of weeks. Tell your daughter it's an early birthday present and get packed up. ''

'' Miss Jones! '' Before the woman has time to consider this, a voice upstairs calls out for her.

'' Gotta go. We talk later yeah? '' Kat flashes a smile and turns. She quickly climbs up the stairs to meet Monsieur Firmin and André who are looking at both of them rather bewildered. The maid jumps to her feet to call after Kat,

'' Y-yes. Thank you Miss! '' Kat stops a few steps before André and Firmin,

'' Call me Kat, everyone does. '' As soon as she's in front of both managers she notices Madam Giry walking up behind them. Her smile drops instantly,

'' Oh god I'm late again. I'm so sorry I was running to get to you but I accidentally ran over a bucket so I helped picking up everything I tossed around. '' Madam Giry nods in acceptance but the managers don't look that thrilled,

'' Miss Jones, with all due respect but you cannot just have a talk with everyone. '' Monsieur Firmin says in all policy. Kat titles her head in confuse,

'' What's wrong with talking? ''

'' Nothing but…'' André starts but trails off so that Firmin can pick up again,

'' It is not your standard. '' Kat's eyes narrow,

'' What. ''

'' You are a Diva and talking to the cleaning personal is below you. Your lack of experience has not yet done any harm to your reputation but we need to keep it that way. '' She looks over her shoulder briefly. The woman heard them. Kat can see it on the way she fumbles with something in the bucket in her attempt to not give any reaction. But there's hurt in her eyes. Kat's teeth grit,

'' Who do you think you are huh? You think being the fucking managers of this place makes you any better than her? You started off with junk, in case you forget that while bathing in your beloved money. If I was you, I'd be really quiet now. '' Firmin looks at André before clearing his throat,

'' Miss Jones, the servants are, despite how important they are to us, not the kind of association you should- ''

'' Oh yeah I get it. I could actually start cleaning my own bullshit. Know what? Your rich asses would be lost without people that willingly clean up your dirt. Talking to the 'servants' is not the problem, ignorant assholes that made up this shitty hierarchy in the first place are. So if you excuse me now, I got lessons. I am allowed to talk to Madam Giry, right? Or are teachers not worthy too! '' She pushes past them to walk up to Madam Giry. The older woman only faintly glances at them before placing a hand on Kat's back to lead her to their room,

'' That is not the kind of behavior you should show towards them. ''

'' They totally deserved it. ''

'' I am not saying they did not. But I do know you are capable of other retorts. You can be insulting but if you are, hide it under policy. '' Kat looks at her and laughs,

'' You're a number, Madam. ''

2 hours later they end their lesson. Before Kathrine can leave the room, the two managers pass her up and ask her for a word. She first want to tell them to go to hell but then she remembers Madam Giry's words and follows them…

As soon as the Phantom enters his small hiding spot he sees Kathrine walking around in the chapel, obviously worried. She has to be worried, she would not be here before him otherwise. This woman has the terrible habit to always be late.

'' Kathrine, you are early. Did something happen? ''

'' Yeah. We've got a problem. Well, I do. Which is.. kind of yours too I guess. ''

'' What is it? ''

'' You know about the dance in the play? That Erissa's supposed to do with her husband? ''

'' Yes, I am aware of that dance. ''

'' Well Monsieur André and Monsieur Firmin asked me if I had to take any lessons for Waltz and I said I don't. ''

'' I do not see the problem? ''

'' I need them. '' A moment of silence goes through the room. Is she fooling around with him? Another attempt of hers to tease him?

'' Why would you decline the offer for lessons then? ''

'' Well one: I spend most of my time here to train the singing and let's be honest, I really need the singing lessons more than the dancing. -On the other hand I do manage the singing while I manage zero dancing. ''

'' I still fail to understand your problem. Why will you not go and say you need them? That it was a mistake to decline the offer? ''

'' Cause I… kind of… said I'm good at that. ''

'' So you fear embarrassment. ''

'' No! ...yeah. Not really... The thing is, I'm a little strange. ''

'' So I noticed. '' She stops in her circling to look at the ceiling with a small glare,

'' Thanks. -My point is, I don't accept everyone as a teacher and if I don't like someone as my teacher my brain shuts off and I don't learn shit. Trust me, I got into trouble for that all the time back in school. '' He thinks about what she said another moment, trying to set everything together so that it makes sense to him.

'' So if I understand you right you fear you might not accept whoever they offer to teach you and learn nothing then? ''

'' Yep. ''

'' Would you accept me to teach you? '' She sighs, her arms cross over her chest, her hips pushing out to the left. She's growing frustrated. Every time she does she takes this stance.

'' What, you want to tell me in detail what to do? As nice as that offer is, I really doubt that would help. If I would have Wi-Fi here I could watch a tutorial on YouTube but… well, I don't. '' He re-thinks this again, tries to think about every possible consequence this could cause. In the end though, he stops at the same thought. If he wants this performance to be perfect, he has to take that step.

'' Kathrine, if I offer you proper dancing lessons, will you close your eyes and listen to what I say without complaining? '' He watches her eyes widen in both shock and confuse at the question. Slowly she nods,

''...Y-yeah. ''

'' Put out every candle except one and close your eyes. '' The Phantom watches with tension how Kathrine does what he asked of her. His eyes are so used to the darkness that the one candle is enough for him to properly see everything that's in the room. Kathrine, however, will probably see no further than a step away from the candle. In case she disobeys him and opens her eyes in an attempt to look at him he can quickly move into the shadows. Her eyes flutter close, her shoulders are slightly tensed. He silently moves from his hiding spot to the window of the chapel through which he can enter the room. The faintest screeching of the heavy gates of the window makes Kathrine wince,

'' That's you right? ''

'' Yes. Do not worry. '' He watches her nod, the tense slowly leaving her body but returning at once as he stops close behind her. Yet, the tense in her body is not an act of fear. She seems almost excited. He can see her hands trembling faintly, her teeth pulling on that ring in her lip. The closeness between them allows him to take in the sweet scent coming from her. A scent he cannot quite name but it fills his senses in the most pleasant ways. His hand slowly moves to one of his pockets. Swiftly he pulls out a piece of clothing and raises his arms to be able to place it over her eyes. She winces at the sudden contact, taking a step back what drives her right against his chest. His breathe halts in his lungs, the feeling of another body, her body, touching his almost too wonderful to be real.

'' You're taller than I thought…'' He breaks out of his trance at the soft whisper of her voice before him. The sudden question of how she imagined him burns on his tongue. And yet, the fear of how she might answer stops him from voicing his curiosity. He could not bear it if she told him she imagined him like a normal human being with simple displeasing contours. Someone who does not understand that there can be beauty in everything as long as ones face is just like the one of everybody else. Not like his own. Not like this curse that was put upon him. He shakes out of the thoughts and attaches the blindfold.

'' Can you see? ''

'' No. ''

'' Are you telling the truth? ''

'' Do you expect a liar to tell if she lies? '' He nods, a small smile tugging at his lips.

'' You would be right. It seems all I have is your word. '' As much as he hates to do so, he takes a step away from her. The warmth that was radiating from her body directly onto him now gone, leaving him cold. But the scent, that wonderful scent is still in his mind. Carefully he brushes his fingers along her shoulder to gesture her to turn around, afraid he might hurt her if he tightens his grip just the tiniest bit. Luckily she cooperates and turns to face him. Her lips are parted slightly, her nose twitching softly with every new breathe she inhales. For a few moments he just stands in front of her, his hands in height of where he has to put them, but too scared to actually touch her. Suddenly one of her hands rises and touches his chest only millimeters above his heart. Suddenly he feels frozen, his eyes wide and his mouth open, ready to scold her for allowing her hands to wander, to touch the monster before her that only yearns to stand in her beauty for a little while longer. And yet his lips don't speak a word, unable to do anything else than just watch how her other hand moves to his arm which is still raised in front of her shoulder. Her fingers softly make contact with his gloved hands, brushing over each finger as if she tries to paint him in her mind. Almost too tender for him to notice, her fingers move along his hand up along his arm before halting on his shoulder.

His breathe quickens, his body gaining a both excited and frightened tremor. If her hands move to his face, he has to stop her. Right now though, while her hands just move below his throat in such softness, he wishes for this moment to never end. If ever before someone touched him with such tenderness he cannot remember. All his memory can bring up is the abuse he knew before Madam Giry saved him from his torturers and hid him from the world and its cruelties. How often has he dreamed to be touched like this, if only for a few moments. How often has he thought about begging god to grant him just one day where he can walk among others without having to fear for rejection. But god was never one of his allies and he doubted that begging would do him any good. Still, at this moment where he is here and Kathrine is right in front of him, touching him, smiling softly in the dimmed light, he begins to believe that there might be a god after all. That the anger he held for him might be fading slowly. Every day he wondered about the reason of his birth. If there was any purpose for him on this world or if his fate only was to suffer all by his own. But now he knows. He was born so that she could come and save him. Save him from the hatred, the loneliness and the pain. Maybe, save him from himself. Maybe it was his destiny to meet her. And if it truly is, if she truly is his destiny, he might be thanking god on his knees later.

The hand on his chest moves to the other shoulder, never breaking contact to his body while that. The only sound in the room coming from his erratic breathing and the sound of her fingers sliding over the fabric of his clothing. Against his own will, his eyes close as her hands wrap tenderly around his neck, skin brushing over skin. Her hands are so soft, softer than anything he ever felt. And yet, at some parts he feels small bits of rougher skin. Completely captured by the rush he completely misses to stop her as her hand gently touches his exposed cheek. It almost feels like his skin would be tingling, begging for her to never let go of him. Only as her other hand moves to cup his masked cheek, his hands catch her wrists. Her teeth abruptly sink into her bottom lip and her head titles down,

'' Sorry…'' Her voice so silent that he can barely hear it over the sound of his beating heart.

'' It is not your fault. '' He releases her hands and takes another step away from her, turning his back to her. He should have stopped her sooner, should have softly rejected her instead of being this harsh. How was she supposed to know where he is most vulnerable? What if she cannot forgive him? What if his refusal is now enough reason for her to realize what kind of a man, what monster he really is?

'' Did Madam Giry teach you how to dance or did you learn that as a kid? ''

''...No. I taught myself. '' She grins suddenly,

'' A few candles burning in the dark, a half-full glass of wine standing on an old organ while you sway around all by yourself for hours on with only your own humming as music? '' The Phantom stops dead in his tracks again, looking at her surprised and with a small tad of nervousness in the back of his mind,

'' How do you…'' He trails off. Kathrine's grin turns into a devilish smirk as she titles her head a little,

'' Shot in the dark. 's kind of how I imagine you spending your time. You don't even want me to see you, I doubt you really interact with other people. And if I think about the way others describe you I would even go so far to say that… you've never really spoken to anyone except Madam Giry. ''

'' You are correct. ''

'' I can consider myself honored then, can I? '' His heart pulls together in his chest painfully,

'Cursed' would be more like it.

'' You okay? I… didn't hurt you by touching your face right? ''

'' No, no of course not. Forgive me, it is just…''

'' You don't have to explain, it's okay. Really. '' Her hands reach out for him again until they brush his arms. They move downwards to his hands to gently tug on the gloves. Confused about why she is pulling them off, he watches how she stands with both objects in her hands for a while before putting them blindly into the pockets of her pants. Before he can ask her what exactly she is doing, her hands reach for his again and her fingers brush over his skin gently, her voice soft,

'' There, much better right? '' He looks at her with wide eyes. Why would she so willingly touch him if he is not even willing to explain himself to her? How can she not be afraid of the man who is so determined to never let her see him? Can this beautiful angel in front of him really exist or did he go so mad in his loneliness that he made her up? Will he wake up if he is not careful enough and find everything to be a dream? No. Her hands are holding his, her scent is filling his nose, her body is right there with him. That is no illusion. The faintest smile comes to his lips as he leads one of her hands to his shoulder while taking her other in his. He hesitates a moment before stepping so close to her that he can place each tip of his foot directly in front of hers,

'' We will start slowly. Try to follow my feet with yours. '' He feels her nod against his chest. Loud enough for both of them to hear properly he starts to hum softly, a calm melody with a hint melancholia in it. The Phantom glances down at Kathrine to find her smiling,

'' That's beautiful. Did you think that up? ''

'' Yes. '' Her smile becomes a tad wider, her hand giving his a gentle squeeze. Even thought he tries his best to stay calm and untouched by her closeness, the Phantom cannot help the flutter of his heart. She appreciates his music, she accepts him as a teacher, likes him, as she said before. Slowly he starts to move, setting one foot after the other. They keep at the basic steps for what feels to him like an eternity and yet he doesn't find the time that passes unpleasant. He enjoys every second of the closeness between them, every smallest apology of Kathrine if she accidentally steps on his foot or misses a beat. Rolling out of his arms and back into them so that her back touches his chest is most difficult for her. She stumbled rather clumsily into his arms many times before finally making the first tender and correct move. He loves the happy remarks when she moves especially swiftly or thanks him when he appreciates her.

After almost 3 hours Kathrine manages a perfect Waltz with everything that is on it. Her cheeks have a sweet shade of red on them as she laughs, her hand still on his shoulder and her forehead resting comfortably on his chest. He did not let go of her hand yet and she does not seem to mind. He can feel her warm skin on his chest.

'' That was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. ''

'' I am glad you appreciate my way of teaching. ''

'' I really do. Can we do this again tomorrow or do you want me to focus on the singing? '' She titles her head back to reveal her face to him. His eyes lid a little as he smiles warmly at her, his voice soft and praising,

'' Your skills improved immensely in both areas. If you wish, I will gladly hold another lesson to improve your steps even more. ''

'' That would be awesome. Do you know anymore dances than Waltz? '' He hesitates a moment at that,

'' I do... but none of them will be needed for the performance. ''

'' That doesn't mean you can't try to teach me those too, right? I bet dancing with a partner is much more fun than doing so alone. ''

'' It is indeed. I enjoyed this evening more than any in the past that I can remember. ''

'' See. Come on, it'll be fun! '' Her fingers on his shoulder softly curl into his jacket, her other hand back over his heart to look at him urging. He sighs and takes the hand on his chest in both of his own gently,

'' How could I ever refuse you anything? '' He guides her hand up to his face to press a tender kiss to her knuckles and lingers a moment longer on them as he feels the faint scars under his lips. He looks from her hand back to her face to find her smile still present, the red on her cheeks a tad deeper. The Phantom can feel his his heart swell in his chest. Dancing has always been one of his favorite activities even though he was forced to do it on his own. To have someone with him who presses him to share his, granted, limited knowledge is more than he could ever hope for. And oh, how he enjoys this time with her. The closeness between them, the faint intimacy they converse in, the pleasant atmosphere around them that allows him to forget what he is, even if it is only for a short time. For Kathrine does not want to press him into showing himself to her, she accepts what little he offers her without complaining. Her presence is so much more than a simple gift. To him, she is a miracle. But how can a Phantom ever deserve an angel?

Suddenly dark thoughts begin to circle his current happiness and threaten to pull him back into the miseries of his mind. He releases her hand from his grasp and takes a step away from her, his hands curling to fists.

'' I really didn't hurt you as I touched your face, right? '' The warm feeling that consumed him only moments ago drowns more and more in despair. Why does she want to know that? Is it only worry or a plan to attempt to touch him further? To find out what monster the man in front of her truly is? To humiliate him like the world did? He shakes his head internally, she would not trick him like this.

'' No, you did not. '' Kathrine nods and offers another warm smile. She will never know that this smile is what pulls him back out of the depression at once. Without even meaning to his expression changes into one of tenderness. Slowly his hand rises to her face. Even though he barely touches her, he can feel her soft skin against the back of his hand, can feel the warmth of her cheeks. He withdraws his hand as she tries to lean into the touch, not willing to give himself the chance to hurt her in any way. Just as his arm comes to rest at his side though, Kathrine closes the gape between them again. One hand softly places itself on his shoulder while the other other rests upon his heart again as she stands up on her toes. Before he has time to wonder about what she might be planning to do, Kathrine's lips softly kiss the Phantom's exposed cheek. He gasps. His body comes to an entire halt at once and for a moment he fears she might feel how madly his heart starts to beat in his chest.

'' Thank you... for everything... '' Her voice is a whisper, her breathe tickling his cheek. She leans back and offers him a little space by taking a small step back. Still with wide open eyes he looks down at her, his hand coming to his cheek. Internally he tries to curse himself for the heat that he can feel all over his face. He is a grown man in his mid 30s, he should not blush like a young boy over a simple kiss to his cheek. And yet, another part of him reasons that this was the first kiss he ever received. One can say that would be a reason to blush. His skin tingles pleasantly where her lips lay only seconds ago what pushes the embarrassment over his reaction far into the back of his mind.

'' Sorry… Did that go way past your comfort zone? '' Kathrine face is twisted in worry.

'' N-no… no it was…'' He trails off. A sudden panic grabs a tight hold of him and pulls him deep into the dark abyss of his mind. A voice reminding him strictly about what lies hidden behind the mask causes him to take a step back. Now she may thinks he is worthy of this kind of gratitude but latest after she finds out about what he is she will feel repulsed at the thought of what she did. That she touched his horrid face with her angelic lips. He takes another step away from her, only faintly noticing the worry displaying on her face.

'' Goodnight. '' As fast as his legs will carry him, he flees from the room and rushes back down into his layer, only stopping when the gate is completely closed behind him. This should not have happened. He cannot let her believe that he is a man like any other. As much as it hurts him, he cannot allow himself to come any closer to her.

But oh, how he wishes to…

His mind wanders back to the kiss countless times that night. He tries to play his organ in the hope that maybe his beloved music can take his mind off of Kathrine but he soon has to accept the fact that no passable note will come from his fingers so he retreats to bed. After tossing and turning for hours on, unable to find sleep, he decides to drown his worries in wine. Only after emptying a almost 2 bottles he finally passes out and falls into a troubled slumber...

Kat's quiet the next day. Her mind is filled with self-blame and anger about herself as well as him. If she clearly stepped over a line with him there he could just have told her instead of running off in panic. But he didn't. But mostly she's angry at herself. Holly noticed that something bothers her the moment she got up because, while she usually had to punch Kat out of bed, this time she quietly woke up right away. Holly tried to talk to her but Kat ignored her. It's not like she doesn't want to talk about it. It's just that she can't quite accept it that this is her fault, not his. She can't even admit it to herself, how can she tell Holly? As Holly suddenly gets the idea he hurt her, though, she has no other choice but to speak up.

'' We were dancing. '' Holly stops in her ranting and slowly sits down on the bed next to her,

'' What? ''

'' I need to dance in the Opera and well… You know me, I don't like everyone as a teacher. I talked to him about that and suddenly he just offered me lessons. I had to blow out every candle except one and he blindfolded me but…'' She breaks off, a smile comes to her lips at the memories.

'' But? ''

'' I felt my way along and he let me. His hands are large and rough but the way he touches me is.. it's like he's afraid he could break me if he just lays one finger on me. He didn't say anything as I tried to, you know, kind of make myself a picture of him. His clothing is really soft. I think I felt a jacket, a waistcoat and a shirt. I even think there was a cravat. Like, he's never allowing anyone to see him but still dresses really neat. '' Kat doesn't even notice the way Holly grins for a moment.

'' And where is the problem? ''

'' I… might have pressed a little too far… He was fine as I touched the left side of his face but as I tried to cup his right cheek he stopped me. I abruptly apologized and he told me it's alright. He also denied that I hurt him but… there is something with the right side of his face. And whatever it is he does everything to keep me from finding out. ''

'' The condition he mentioned, maybe? ''

'' Probably. ''

'' And that's why you're so depressed? He did say it's fine, didn't he? You knew he doesn't want to show himself because of some condition. ''

'' Yeah I know and it's not that. You're right everything would be great… if I would have stopped there. '' Holly groans,

'' What did you do. ''

'' After we danced we had… kind of a moment… and I kissed his cheek to thank him. He stopped moving and run off. I swear I felt him trembling in panic. I know a panic attack when I see, or feel, it and that was one. ''

'' You just kissed him? Are you sure you weren't trying another go at his face? ''

'' I didn't try to touch him again, I swear. ...I-I think he won't come to our lesson today… I messed up. ''

'' You didn't. '' Kat gives a sarcastic, dry laugh and gets to her feet,

'' I did! I know he's shy and really nervous about this and I go all... me on him! Por qué tengo que ser tan estúpido?! '' (Why do I have to be so stupid) Holly grabs her on her shoulders,

'' Calm down Kat. Just apologize again. You're going to him after the lesson with Madam Giry, right? ''

'' Good, then talk to him. Tell him you're sorry and you won't do it again. Make sure he believes you. And Kat… don't do it again. ''

'' I won't…''

'' I'm sure he'll forgive you. ''