Disclaimer: I don't own any Sly Cooper characters; they belong to Sucker Punch. The idea of Phantom of the Opera belongs to its rightful owner(s).

Claimer: I own all of my original characters.

Sorry for the slight delay in updating, we had the funeral for my uncle yesterday and I didn't have time to update, but here's chapter 11! And this is the next to last chapter so after I upload the last chapter I'll upload the oneshot request I received a while ago and get that started. Anyway, please read and review and let me know what you think!

Chapter 11: A Shape in the Shadows

The rain finally started to let up as I climbed the drain pipe to Ramona's apartment building. I'd decided to climb in through the sliding glass door while Ramona came in the front in order to keep the attention from me in the main lobby. Ever since Ramona had been released from prison after the stabbing, or escaped if one wanted to be technical, attention was on high alert for criminals. Thankfully Ramona was on good terms with the owners of the building and most of the residents inside. I shook the water from my fur after I had finally reached her balcony and waited for Ramona to open the door so I could get inside and out of the gloomy weather. I did have sympathy for her however; she was in a slump when it came to thieving, depressed, confused, alone, is being stalked by a deranged man, and the last adult figure in her life had just passed away a few days ago. I watched as she slowly made her way inside and to the door to let me in. I watched as she unlocked the various locks on the door before it finally slid open silently. It was obvious she had been crying on her way up to her apartment and it was obvious she was trying to hide it.

I shut the door behind me and made sure it was locked before returning my attention to the depressed raccoon standing next to me. I felt her quickly wrap her arms around my chest and sigh deeply. The fabric of her dress rustled against my shirt and her bare shoulders were freezing, even on my gloved paws. I placed my chin on her head when it registered in my mind that this was the worst I had ever seen her. Even after meeting her for the first time when we were kids and her mother dropped her off at the orphanage, she was happier than she was now. She was in desperate need of consoling, someone to talk to, and a shoulder to cry on and I planned to be there for her until she was out of her slump. Bentley never approved of me spending time with her unless it was necessary because he believed it messed with the 'internal balance of thieving rivalries' but I never listened and didn't plan on it. I was snapped out of my thoughts when I felt her slink away and head for her bedroom, probably to change out of her dress, and I flopped on her couch while looking around her small home. Everything was clean and well kept and always had the smell of cherry blossoms inside. Ramona eventually emerged, clad in her pajamas, and rolled over the edge of the couch and landed with a flop and a sigh.

"I'm depressed." She muttered after eventually making eye contact. I nodded while gently squeezing her forearm.

"I know," I mumbled my reply and smiled to myself when she curled up into a ball and rested her head on my chest. I managed to snake my arm behind her and pulled her closer without raising suspicions from the raccoon. Ramona always had a childlike aspect about her personality and this only confirmed it in my mind. She reminded me of a small child cuddling against a parent for comfort and support.

"Tell me the truth, Sly," she eventually mumbled out, "what did the Phantom want this time?" I sighed and figure that if I was ever going to tell her what happened, doing it now would be the best time.

"Uhh," I shifted on the couch and tried to figure out how to say it, "he uhh, he-he wanted you to-to get married to him. And he didn't want you refuse so he basically altered your memory." I had no other idea on how to break it to so I just said it but I had no idea how she'd take it. I heard her sigh and felt her bury her face into my chest before groaning loudly. I heard her say something but it was muffled in my shirt. I knitted my eyebrows together in an attempt to figure out what she said but I was still stumped. She shifted her face on my chest and repeated her statement.

"Define 'altered your memory'." She stated simply.

"He didn't want you to run away like last time." He mouth formed the shape of an 'o' and nodded.

Things were silent between us as I listened to the sounds of rain impacting the balcony outside. Even if it was only mid-afternoon, the overcast clouds gave the sky a hazy and sleepy look. I sighed and tried to start another conversation with Ramona, but was greeted by a snoring raccoon. She was still curled onto my chest, but I wasn't going to move her. With the bags under her eyes, it was obvious she hadn't gotten much sleep in a while and she was in desperate need of a few solid hours. I yawned myself after a while and shifted on the couch. Ramona moved with me but stayed asleep in her quiet slumber. I kissed her on the forehead before letting my heavy eyelids take control and I let myself drift off to sleep.

Ice cold wind alerted me from my nap and I waited for my eyes to adjust to the somewhat dark room. It was early morning and Ramona's apartment was freezing. I soon figured out the source of the cold wind was coming from the open sliding glass door. The moonlight painted the room in a soft blue and I could see the curtain flowing in the wind. I got ready to get up and close it when I remembered I had locked the door when I had come in. This caused my ears to perk and my senses to heighten at this. I felt her shift positions in her sleep and turn on her back while keeping her head on my chest. I scanned her empty living room and panned to the right towards the kitchen. I felt my heart rate increase when I could make out the shape of a person standing in her kitchen by the table. I tightly grabbed my cane off of the couch and sat up while keeping my eyes on the figure. It was turned away from the two of us and hunched over as if the person was writing something on the table. I watched as the person finally stood up straight and turned on their heels. They were cloaked and with the moonlight shining in through the kitchen window behind them, their face was hidden.

The figure started to step sideways towards the open door, keeping their attention on both me and the unaware female beside me. Their footsteps were muffled by the carpet, but with my heightened hearing I could still hear them. I had heard them too many times recently and I feared that I knew the identity of the unknown man. I stayed on the defensive, keeping an arm over Ramona protectively, and kept my cane ready to strike. The figure simply walked towards the door and quietly stepped out into the sprinkling rain. I caught a glimpse of the intruders face when they stepped into the moonlight and I could feel my heard sink. The moonlight reflected off the pure white mask of the Phantom until he took a leap over the edge of the balcony and was gone. After gently shifting Ramona off of my chest, I quietly walked to the sliding glass door, shut it, and made sure it was locked. Everything was quiet as I silently made my way to her kitchen table to see what the Phantom had left for the raccoon. My eyes locked onto a handwritten note that was attached to a single red rose with a black, satin ribbon. Curiosity got to the best of me and I opened the note to see what he was telling her.

Sing once again with me, our strange duet. My power over you grows stronger yet…

-O.G

I sighed and closed the note before rubbing my eyes. I glanced back to the sleeping woman a few feet away and decided that I could leave her with the Phantom on the prowl. I'd stay here tonight then go home in the morning. I sleepily walked back to the couch and sat down softly, to avoid waking up Ramona. I left her there to once again avoid waking her up, knowing she needed the sleep. I rested my head on the back of the couch and closed me eyes in an attempt to get some sleep myself. My eyes opened and I smirked to myself when I felt her nuzzle her way up under my arm once again and quickly fell back to sleep. She was curled up in a ball, her paws kept close to her chest yet completely comfortable. Her breathing was steady as her soft snores started up again. I kept my arm wrapped around her and eventually drifted off to sleep again. I'd decided to let her sleep tonight and figure out how to deal with the note in the morning.