Disclaimer: No, I still don't own either of them. But you know what? I'll combine them and change my name to Dan Lloyd Webber for you. That's good enough. Right?

In an instant my hands were in fists, but I knew better. I'd make him pay later, right now I needed to excercise some rusty self control. So maybe he was after a bit more than harmless pranks. And yes, it's a lot better than the threat of everyone being shot. But Cat getting hurt? That was a trigger, and he's lucky the damage wasn't too bad or she didn't cry. You would've had to carry us both out in stretchers if that happened.

I shook my head at how uncomfortable I made myself and went to focus on how the scene had began. Beck smiled dreamily before slithering off to do... whatever, so I went back to my invisible area near the ceiling. Everyone was dressed in different suits or dresses, all with different custom made masks. It was quite loud, people were pretending to talk over glasses of champagne while others complimented things they liked. Through the bustling crowd came an annoyed looking Beck, hopefully just acting his part. He stomped across the stage until he reached the other side, where Andre was chattering with Robbie and Trina.

"Ah, Vicomte! How are you this fine evening?" Andre tried to greet him casually with a yell so everyone could hear. Robbie nodded hello instead and Trina waved at him.

Beck gave a quick smile to them and snapped in response. "Fine. Where is Mademoiselle Daae this night?" Trina huffed and walked away, an exhasperated looking Robbie trailing behind her.

The crowd quieted down and Andre pointed at the fake stairway we had set up near the back. Everyone's attention was on Cat and Tori, who were ever so slowly descending from the top. Okay, hold up, full stop. Mind's going blank, give me a minute to explain. Only way to describe right now? One word. Wow.

Ahem. Anyway. The girls had gone nuts when we told them about this scene, and so they decided to make their own dresses. We'd laughed at them when they told us, but... Damn, they did a good job. I hate to admit it, but Tori looked good. She was in some sort of vintage-like blue number to match Andre's tie. It was a shade of light blue, just the right kind of color that would compliment her, actually. Both of them had a very similar feminine mask on, though you could easily tell them apart by their blatant differences. You know. Hair color, height, body... features. I meant features. Right.

Cat looked... perfect. A perfect wedding dress for this occasion, kind of seemingly old fashioned but with a modern twist. Hard to describe, use your imagination. It was white or maybe off white, I couldn't quite tell. Either way, it was a bit flowy but just to the right amount so that it looked awesome and she could still walk around in it. It was only because I went looking that I noticed the barely visible bandage she'd put on her injured hand. My blood started to boil at the thought, so I went back to appreciating how inexplicable they looked walking down the stairs.

"If you'll excuse me." Andre nodded politely as he left and walked towards the staircase. When the girls reached the bottom the crowd lessened so that there was only a few couples left dancing on stage. Andre quietly murmured something to Tori that made her blush, and Cat beamed at her to say they should go dance. And so Andre and Tori joined the rest of the waltzing couples while Cat stood alone at the bottom of the stairs.

Beck turned his back to Cat and took out a ring box for everyone to see. Inside was a fancy cubic zirconia ring we'd loaned off of Trina from when she had some sort of wedding phase. He pat it a few times and watched from afar as random stage crew members seemed to be mutely asking Cat to dance. One by one they walked up to her and bowed, and one by one she shook her head no. Beck looked smug, as though he thought it was for him. Even though I knew he was just acting the part, I rolled my eyes.

Slowly the couples dancing on stage started to dance their way off stage and the scene moved with Beck as he walked towards Cat. "Bonjour Mademoiselle."

Cat tried to lean backwards but she was already pressed against the stairwell. In a somewhat small voice she managed to mutter something out. "Good evening, Vicomte."

"Would you be so kind as to give me your first dance?" He tried politely at first.

She shook her head and tried to avoid looking at his eyes. "I cannot, Vicomte. I've made a promise to someone else."

"I suggest you comply, Mademoiselle." Beck took a dangerous step closer and you could tell he was getting dangerously annoyed. "It would be a shame for your first dance to have to be taken."

"Dictum meum pactum." Cat spoke coolly. It was kinda hot when she spoke another language, even awesome..er that she was being cold to Beck with it. "My word is my bond, Vicomte. I refuse to break it for anyone, especially you."

Quickly, Beck pulled out his ring box and held it out with a confident grin. It also had traces of.. danger? in it. If you can picture that. "Not even for your fiancee?"

That was my cue. I walked on over to them in plain sight. My costume was still pretty much the same, though I'd loosened it a little so you couldn't quite tell my gender. Only my facial features and hair really gave me away, but the mask hid half my face while my hair was tied into an elegant tail. It was like a longer version of Beck's, so that wasn't too bad. For the most part it was alright seeing as beforehand half of the crowd was also dressed similarly; back then the Phantom's costume was a top seller.

Before he could slide the ring onto Cat's reluctant finger I grabbed his wrist. "Pardon me, but I believe the girl has said she's spoken for."

"And who are you?" Beck snapped in response.

"That would be my fiancee, Monsieur." Cat smiled at me and I winked over Beck's shoulder. "As I tried to explain earlier, I've promised my first dance to someone else. This would be them."

Releasing Beck's wrist I proudly held Cat's hand in my own, grinning widely at the feel of my ring on her finger. "So, if you'll excuse us." I was curt in response to him before taking the very willing Cat onto the dance floor without waiting for his answer.

The stage moved with us so Beck slid away and the dancing couples returned. There was soft music playing in the background and we joined their waltz, but they made sure to keep clear of us so we would have full attention.

"Thank you." Cat murmured, and either she was being a really good actress, or she was genuinely thankful for something.

I shook my head and answered sincerely. It was hard to tell emotion with me since my mask was on due to the public. "No, thank you."

"But what for?" She questioned.

The waltz started to slow and I very openly tried to avoid looking at her. "Many things. Referring to me as your fiancee, actually saving your first dance..." I trailed off in insecurity before trying to straighten my voice. "As I said, many things. Unless of course, it was merely because you loathe him, which would be reasonable and not argued."

It was her turn to shake her head. "No, I really meant it. I'm for nobody else but you."

There was a few seconds as we just danced while beaming at each other before I broke the comfortable silence. Out of line and into improv, but fuck that. "You're quite stunning tonight, by the way." She looked at me curiously. "Not to say you're not stunning any other night, but particularly so this evening." I paused. "You can tell so from my accidental ramblings."

"Well, I accept your compliment then." Cat tried to step a bit closer towards me but I took a step back. The rules of this dance were to keep distance, because it wasn't proper to be close back then. That much was scheduled in the script. The next part, not so much. "But you too are very... alluring, tonight. And every other, really. I wish we didn't have to dance with such distance."

"Then perhaps, after this is all done with..." I tilted my head for dramatic pause and noticed the song was ending. "We could have a private dance? Without the distance." Cat flushed. "Well, I didn't quite mean like that, but if that's what you have in mind I'm not one to protest." My teasing caused her to turn a shade darker, matching her hair.

Before she could answer we realized the song had ended and our time was up. Beck stormed over towards us with... real anger, it seemed. Fuck. I was supposed to cool things off, not make them worse. Best case scenario it was part of the act, worst case scenario something would happen. I tried to keep my hopes up and go along with things, what else was there to do? It was part of the script and I couldn't be too suspicious about it, he'd flip out.

"Mademoiselle." Beck's voice was harsh as he practically ripped Cat away from me. Again, part of script.

Quickly the stage spun to remove me from view. Directly behind the backdrop was my secondary costume, an easy to slip on number. It was pretty much just a change of the shirt and tie, really. And a different mask, of course. In the meanwhile I tried to keep an ear on what was going on with Cat and Beck. Saying them being alone together was worrying me would be a severe understatement. Who knows what he'd try next? Even with the audience and all.

"How dare he, does that stupid commoner know who I am?" I busied myself with unbuttoning my vest. "Who was he?"

I rolled my eyes and hastily threw off the vest. Captain Obvious, this is your cue. "I've said so twice and I'll remind you thrice. My fiancee, Vicomte."

"Nonsense! Surely you jest." My tie was off, but buttons... unbuttoning fucking fancy shirt buttons. If I didn't have to change back I'd just rip this off, the stupid thing was taking forever. "There was no announcement and I heard no speech of longing."

The shirt was off and I grabbed at the one hanging on the rack next to me. "I am not an object, Vicomte. And my engagement is no joke, I'd rather that you do not refer to it as one." Cat huffed. I chuckled while buttoning up. It was cute when she huffed. "Honestly speaking, I wish you would just leave me alone!"

After the shirt was done the tie only took a few seconds. I shrugged a jacket on and checked a nearby mirror. Black pants, vest and long tie, red dress shirt and jacket. Check. Cape? Check. "What a shame, no dance with your real fiancee?" There was a muffled thud as I heard Beck fall down to one knee, no doubt offering up the ring.

"I assure you, I already have a real fiancee," Cat started, voicing her frustration. "And even if I did not, after this stunt you would be the last person I'd consider!"

In a flash I was running to the rafters again, but in a different spot. This time I was aiming to hide at the top of the stairwell. At the top I'd already placed my temporary mask, a porcelain white skull that only showed my teeth. My eyes were blankened out but I would still be able to see, kind of a mesh-ish type thing. I don't know, ask the costume department how they did it. Right, all ready to go.

"You will be my bride, or so help me I-" Beck was cut short as the stage went black and the loud boom of the Phantom's theme rang out. I stepped into the light and the audience gasped along with the crew. There was a dangerous sounding music note being hit on repeat that echoed each step I took. It was some sort of low string instument? Yeah, something like that.

I was supposed to chuckle, but it came out more like a dark laugh. "Why so silent, good messieurs? Did you think that I'd left you for good?"

"The Phantom... is also Red Death?" One of the dancers murmured out before fainting.

My sparkly whites flashed in a grin. "I have written you an Opera!" A second later my smile vanished as I noticed Cat and Beck. He was standing at an odd angle, and with good reason. It was only because I had a different view that I could see what he was doing. Beck had one of the guns to Cat's back. I'm pretty sure it wasn't touching or anything, or else she would've reacted. Or maybe it did and she didn't realize it was a gun. Maybe he didn't tell her it was a gun. Maybe- Fuck this.

THUD

That's right, fucking thud. I threw the thick book that was to contain Don Juan Triumphant at Beck. My aim's a sure shot as always, so it hit him square in the head and knocked him back. "You get away from her." One jump later I was at the bottom of the stairs, ignoring the little fire that lit up temporarily in my ankles. I turned to Cat to at least try to keep on script, but Beck was already standing up and lunging at me.

"She can't be yours! The likes of you don't deserve her! You deserve nothing!" At the last minute I moved out of the way and he fell forward. A glint from the shiny metal caught my eye, but it was carefully tucked back into his costume before anyone else could see. Good.

For comfort I held Cat's injured hand and rubbed soft circles over the bandage out of the audience's view. "Her chains are still mine, she belongs to me. The lovely Mademoiselle has made her choice, and it is not you. If anything, you are the one with nothing. Pitiful Vicomte." There was a short pause as I tested to see if Beck was still sane. Or at least lucid enough to turn my back on. Shit, I'd gone a bit too far? To fill in the gap Cat fiddled with my ring on her finger to show the audience a second meaning. When he nodded his head with that gleam in his eye like before, I turned to Andre and Robbie who held the booklet. "Don Juan Triumphant. It shall be performed as the next play. I advise you to comply. Remember - there are worse things than a shattered chandelier."

Then I- What? There was something off. I knew I shouldn't have believed he wouldn't try something. Beck was already standing on the trap door. I was supposed to flick my cape and have him run at me before having the cape whip around us as we fell into the trap door. You know, stage tricks so we'd disappear. But he was already there. And already near the hidden switch. "I won't let you have anything, I'll shatter her first." What the- Fucking motherfucker!

Beck was turned to aim the Walther PPKs at Cat, though he hadn't drawn them out yet. Whether it was to scare Cat, scare me, or really harm someone, I didn't care. I realized it before the others, and before anyone could react I'd already tackled him to the ground. As we both fell I pulled the switch to make us fall through the trap door, but not before a sharp hiss of air rang out and I felt something cut through my skin.

A/N:
I'm bringin' cliffhanger's back, chhhyeah!
... Okay, done with the lame song moment. 8D
You can just tell I'm doing better now LOL.

I apologize if this one doesn't fit very well, I've forgotten what I have and have not written.
Though, there should still be quite a few chapters left nevertheless.

Again with my apology for the usual early morning unedits, so I'll fix those eventually.

Thank you wonderful people who reviewed, can't stress how much I appreciate it.
Keep up the reviews, they fuel writing!

Extra thanks for Uncle Pasty for everything.