A/N: I am still working on the first few chapters and wrote this short one. It isn't as good as I would like it to be, but it is how my characters decided to act out.

Please R&R

Enjoy.

"Bella, it is almost time for the Opera House to open! Have you finished your cleaning yet?" The strict tone carried through the house and Bella glanced up from the row of velvet. She cleared her voice, her throat still sore from the nights of screaming and crying in her locked room.

"Yes Madame Giry," she coughed lightly, "I have one more row left and then I will be finished." She glanced up at her Father's box, feeling nothing but emptiness throughout the day to see only darkness.

"Madame Giry! Open the doors and allow the public in please!" The managers raised a hand in attention to the staff and all whispers were silenced.

"We wish for tonight's opera to run as smoothly as possible. All guests, especially the rich ones in boxes will be catered to hand and foot! If anything is uttered about a phantom or ghost the speaker will immediately be fired. Any mishaps are to be ignored and fixed upon occurrence. Off to work now! The doors are open!" Bella looked at the managers as they shuffled off to greet their high paying patrons.

"Bella?" She turned at the sound of her voice only to see a ballet rat. She curtsied hating how she was lower than everyone.

"We are having a game of poker after the show. You are invited to come and play." Bella nodded and turned swiftly leaving the tiny blonde to prepare for the show.

The shadows of the box hallway were long a treacherous and Bella stuck to them. Madame Giry walked past her twice, not once sensing the maid's presence within them. She past a door which read box seven.

"Two more to go and I will be there, hold on papa." She sprinted across the shadows stopping in front of the phantom's box. The golden "5" relieved her mind but her soul shivered when the artic handle met her flesh. The box was nothing but darkness and Bella feared the thought of falling and being discovered. No longer would she be locked in her room by the insistent Madame Giry.

"Papa? Are you here?" She shivered when she heard nothing but the audiences' wave of speech. Then she felt it, the gentle brush of a cloak upon her shoulders and a cold hand in her palm. A smiled appeared as Erik led her to her seat.

"I am sorry for the darkness but light allows others to see us and I cannot allow that." His voice was drone like, it resonated no feelings. Bella turned to see that he wore his full mask.

"I never meant what I said to Madame Giry and I am certainly not lying to you. I needed to get out of that room and the only way was to give in to her. I am so sorry for causing you pain papa!" Hot tears sped down her chilled cheeks as she stared at Erik. He turned ever so gently and reached out placing a hand on her shoulder, tears glistening silently behind his mask.

"I understand that Bella, but I will not lose you, if even for a moment and I am afraid that the Phantom does not believe you. He believes that you lied to us, and he isn't going to give you up either, even if it causes you to hate us." Bella looked at Erik in utter confusion.

"What are you taking about Erik? I thought that you were the phantom of the opera." She heard his sigh and allowed him to pull her body into his lap.

"The Phantom and I are one in the same, although we are in one body, we are still separate minds. What I mean is that I have a split personality. I share this body with the Phantom," his pause and silence made Bella look up at him, complete shock holding her features and so he began again, "Up until I took you into my home the Phantom and I have lived in a peaceful sort of way, we each took turns taking control of this body for a set amount of time. After Christine left us the Phantom became enraged, and I fell into depression. The phantom believes that you are his and he will take you whether you want to or not, whereas I wish for you to come willingly and I will not lose you. Do you understand?" Bella stared deep into his eyes, contemplating the new idea and simply nodded resting her head against his chest. The first act of the opera continued and the two sat in silence. It wasn't until the opera owners announced intermission that Bella found her voice.

"Erik, you said up until now you and the Phantom have been stable. Are you no longer stable?" Her voice begged for an answer while her eyes demanded it. His arms wrapped around her bringing her head to his chest.

"The Phantom has been fighting me for control. I am afraid that he might harm you Bella. I know that he cares for you somewhat but it will not calm his seething rages. I have been fighting to keep control for as long as I can, and with you near he is lashing out more." Bella looked up at Erik and a tear slipped from her eye. The fabric of his cloak slid off of her shoulders as she wrapped her gentile arms around his neck, burying her face into the shoulder of her Father.

"You must keep control Erik, papa, I do not want you to leave me." The second act began as she spoke. An arctic breeze glided over box five and Bella shivered, attempting to pull away from Erik, but his arms were stone cold around her.

"Can I get the cloak?" She looked into the eyes of her Father and froze. Instead of two warm blue eyes gazing into hers there were two glaciers piercing her eyes, freezing her gaze.

The Phantom of the Opera had returned once again.