It's true; I always cry at the end of Phantom of the Opera because it is so BEAUTIFUL! And sad. Whether I'll make a sad ending I'm not sure yet. I know it'll be dramatic but as of yet I'm unsure how sad it will be. Extra long chapter for you - i hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 4

Ryou peeked out from behind the curtain at the audience. There were so many people. Ryou's insides seemed to tie themselves in knots as he imagined singing in-front of everyone. He felt sick.

A hand came to rest on his shoulder. Ryou turned to see Lady Isis giving him a reassuring smile. "Do not worry Ryou; you will be fine."

Ryou nodded and turned away. He took a deep breath to try to calm his nerves. He became slightly more relaxed but still the butterflies flittered about inside his stomach.

The new managers had been so amazed by his performance that they had given him the part that Mai would normally be playing. This was what really worried Ryou – he had to live up to what everyone expected of the theatre's star. The fact that he had to play the part of a woman didn't bother him so much. The fact that some of the cast members had mistaken him for a woman did.

The music started and Ryou felt Lady Isis nudge him forward. He gracefully stepped out so the audience could see him. Then he headed to centre-stage, taking deep breaths to ready his lungs. Hearing the musical cue he began to sing.

Every head turned to Ryou. Those that had been bored moments ago suddenly perked up. Never before had anyone in the audience heard a voice as pure as this one. Well, there was one who had. He remembered in his childhood hearing such a voice. Back then it was untrained but now it was perfect.

Akefia leaned forward over the edge of his private box. The long, flowing white hair and porcelain skin was the same as ever. The boy on the stage however was not the shy child that Akefia recalled playing with once upon a dream. He thought he had lost his dear Ryou forever that fateful day he heard about the boy's father's death. But here he was, the beautiful shinning star of the opera.

Ryou's song finished and there was a standing ovation. Roses were thrown onto the stage as Ryou took his bow. He then waved meekly before making his exit.

As soon as Ryou had exited Akefia jumped to his feet. He left the private box and headed down towards backstage. He needed to congratulate Ryou on his spectacular performance. There was much need for celebration. Such a success and reunion didn't happen every day of the week.

Akefia wasn't the only one who was pleased by Ryou's success though. That angelic voice had passed over the barrier into hell and the phantom had heard him. His pupil had truly made him proud this night. It was time for a celebration. It was time to show Ryou who the Angel of Music really is.

Meanwhile Ryou was being applauded by the rest of the cast or having flowers shoved in his face by his new admirers. Lady Isis dragged him through the crowds, trying to defend Ryou from the onslaught of praise. She had managed to lead him away to the private rooms but still they were followed. She decided it was better to just get Ryou away from all of this now instead of waiting until they reached Ryou's personal room.

Isis pushed Ryou into the first room she saw that she knew could be locked. Mai's dressing room was packed full of flowers of every kind. Ryou walked over to the dressing table and took a seat on the stool, glad to be out of the madness. He looked up at his reflection and decided to change out of his sparkly dress.

Ryou stood up and reached behind him to unzip the dress. When he reached the part of his back that was difficult to get to he felt a pair of hands pull the zip the whole way down. Ryou blushed hotly; he had forgotten Lady Isis was still in the room.

There was a knock at the door. Lady Isis peeked out before dragging a rather ruffled Yugi inside. "It's madness out there," he told his mother.

Isis nodded. "You stay here with Ryou Yugi. If he requires help with his costume it would be better if he received your help rather than mine."

Yugi laughed cheerfully as Isis left the two boys alone. He then rushed over to Ryou to help him out of his costume and makeup. Then came the difficult task of finding clothes that would fit Ryou in Mai's extensive closet. Eventually they found a pair of cotton pants that were a pale peach colour along with a long-sleeved top of the same colour. A pair of white slip-on pumps completed the ensemble.

By the time they were finished the noise outside the room had all but stopped. Someone must have made the crowd of admirers vacate the premises. Either that or they all got bored of just standing there.

"You were amazing tonight Ryou," Yugi praised.

Ryou blushed modestly. "It was nothing."

"I wish I could sing like you," Yugi said wistfully. "Where ever did you learn to sing like that?"

An almost dreamy smile came onto Ryou's face. "The Angel of Music taught me."

"Angel of Music?" Yugi questioned dubiously, the name sounding somewhat familiar.

"Yes. He comes to me at night and teaches me. He plays his violin and I sing the tunes he teaches me. Those nights are always so magical," Ryou said in a voice a schoolgirl would normally use when talking about her crush.

"What does the angel look like?" Yugi asked, wondering what else might happen on these 'magical' nights.

Ryou frowned slightly. "I don't know. He's never physically present in the room. His voice just seems to drift in along with his music. But he says one day he will reveal himself to me."

At this point Yugi was starting to fear for his friend's sanity. "Are you sure you didn't just dream this Ryou?"

"I'm sure," Ryou said sounding offended.

"Ryou it must have been a dream. Things like that can't come true. I know you miss your family but they're gone and these fantasies can't bring them back," Yugi said as gently as he could.

"The Angel isn't a fantasy!" Ryou said angrily. "He's real! He's my guardian!"

Yugi took a step back, his friend's outburst surprising him. "Ryou…" he started to say but was cut off by a knock at the door.

Both boys turned to stare at the door. Yugi hesitantly approached it. He opened it the slightest bit to see who was at the door; it could have been Isis and not a reporter after all.

To Yugi's amazement it was neither. He recognized the Viscount from earlier and stared open mouthed at him. The Viscount smiled down at him. "Ryou wouldn't happen to be in there would he?" he asked in a cheerful way.

Yugi quickly regained himself and let the Viscount enter. He was the theatre's patron after all – he deserved to be able to see their star.

When Akefia walked through the door a smile spread across Ryou's face. Akefia grinned back cheekily. "I saw you on stage little Ryou. Still dressing up in girl's clothes? Shame on you."

Ryou's cheeks turned red in embarrassment but the smile still shone through. Yugi took this as his cue to leave and give the old friends some privacy.

The door closed and Ryou flung himself into Akefia's arms. Akefia lifted him up and twirled him round in a circle before placing his feet back on the ground. "It's so good to see you Akefia!" Ryou cried happily.

"It's good to see you too little one," Akefia said affectionately. He then held Ryou at arms length to view him. "You've grown a lot but you're still as girly looking as ever."

Ryou playfully pushed his arms away. "Be quiet you," he said in mock huffiness.

Akefia chuckled at the light-hearted games. He then locked his arms around Ryou's waist, capturing the boy. "Seriously though, you have bloomed into a true beauty."

Ryou's face was painted by a deep blush. "You're very handsome too," he said, feeling the toned muscles beneath Akefia's jacket.

Akefia smirked, kissed Ryou's nose, then released the boy. "I think a celebration is in order! Your performance tonight was spectacular and we must celebrate it!"

Ryou's smile dropped from his face. "I can't," he said quietly.

Akefia frowned. "Why not? It isn't a sin to party once in awhile."

"It isn't that," Ryou said sadly. "The Angel doesn't like it when I go out to these things. I wouldn't want to anger him."

If had been anyone else Akefia would have laughed at their foolish beliefs in angels. But this was Ryou and Ryou was a special case. Reassuringly, Akefia said, "I'm sure the angel will understand. It wouldn't want you to be unhappy would it? It wouldn't want to deny you spending some quality time with old friends would it?"

"No, but-"

"Then there's no problem!" Akefia gave Ryou's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'll give you a few minutes to get ready if you like. You can speak to your angel in private that way."

With that Akefia walked out the door. Ryou was left alone, wondering what he should do. He didn't have the heart to tell Akefia that he really couldn't go with him. He so desperately wanted to recount old times with his friend but he knew the Angel wouldn't approve.

Also, he wanted to once again hear the Angel's deep voice, wanted to hear the praise flow from those invisible lips. He couldn't do that if he was out with Akefia since the Angel only came to him when he was alone at night in his room.

Ryou sighed, unsure about what to do. He was almost about to head back to his room when he felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end. Ryou knew he was being watched.

Behind the one-way mirror the Phantom growled. How dare that pretty-boy Viscount think he could steal away his Ryou? He thought he could just waltz into the theatre and take his prized student away from him? What was worse was the fact that Ryou might actually be attracted to this 'old friend'. Such a thing was unacceptable! The Phantom needed to remind Ryou exactly who he was indebted to.

"My student," the Phantom boomed into the room, "why do you even contemplate going with that fool? Would you rather waste a fine evening with him than speak to me? Answer me!"

Ryou quickly dropped to his knees. He knew the Angel would be angry. "Angel I am sorry. My heart was weak and unable to refuse his offer; please forgive me. I listen to you now Angel, speak and I will listen. Please do not leave me Master for my one moment of foolishness."

The Phantom considered this answer. A smirk slid easily onto his lips as he regarded the kneeling figure before him. "Very well child – I forgive you. This better not happen again though."

Ryou's head was quickly raised. "Never again Master," he said breathlessly.

"I will forget this then and instead commend you on your performance this night. In fact I am so delighted with your vast improvement that I shall do something for you. Make a request and I shall do whatever it is."

Ryou gasped. Was this…did the Angel mean what he thought he meant? Ryou had constantly asked for one thing from the Angel and never had he received it. Was the Angel going to give it to him now? Was he really going to be able to see what his angel looked like?

The Phantom still held a smirk on his face. There was no fear of being asked for something he could not possibly get. There was only one thing that Ryou could want from him.

The Phantom had refused the request before because the boy was too young. Ryou had now matured and the Phantom felt the boy could deal with the truth but still be blindly faithfully. Plus, the Phantom needed to claim Ryou before the pesky Viscount Akefia did.

Ryou took a shaky breath before voicing his request. "Angel…Please, may I see who you really are?"

The Phantom's smirk widened. "Stand my pupil." Ryou did. "Turn to the mirror and look at your reflection…I am there inside."

Ryou gasped as he turned to see a face that wasn't his own. It was the same pale complexion and long white hair as his but the rest wasn't the same. Sharpened canines could be seen as the Angel smirked. Spiky bangs couldn't hide the blood red eyes that looked hungrily at him. A white mask covered half of his face and made Ryou feel like he was being cheated of the whole view.

A whisper of a memory crept into Ryou's mind. Pegasus, one of the stage hands, often told tales of a man that haunted the theatre, bringing devastation and death in his wake. Everyone in the theatre called him the Phantom of the Opera and he always wore a mask over one side of his face.

Ryou's eyes suddenly met blood red ones and the panic that had seeped into him a moment ago vanished. He couldn't look away from that penetrating gaze. There seemed to be no bottom to those eyes and they were dragging Ryou in, slowly drowning him.

"I am your Angel of Music. Come to me Angel of Music," the Phantom sang hypnotically. Ryou obeyed his command; slowly moving closer to the mirror.

Outside Akefia had returned. He raised his hand to knock on the door but froze before it touched the wood. He could hear a voice too deep to be Ryou's. A frown crinkled his brow as his hand moved for the handle. Locked.

"Who's in there?" he shouted through the wood. No reply.

Inside the secret entrance to the underground passages slid open. The Phantom held out his hand to Ryou, still speaking the hypnotic chant. "I am your Angel of Music. Come to me Angel of Music."

The Phantom took hold of Ryou's hand and led him behind the mirror. Ryou was still under his spell but the Phantom knew he would soon need to release him.

There was a banging on the door. The Phantom could tell it was Ryou's little suitor desperate to save his love.

The mirror door started to slide shut. The door into the room was suddenly opened. The Phantom's gaze disconnected with Ryou's and the spell was broken as he turned to watch Akefia enter. A cruel smirk washed over his face as the mirror door closed fully. The dismay on Akefia's face at finding little Ryou gone amused the Phantom greatly.

Enough of that, the Phantom told himself. There will be time to revel in my triumph later. Right now I have an angel to attend to.

The Phantom looked down and met confused emerald. A smirk tugged at the dark one's lips. Indeed, he did have an angel to attend to.

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