A/N: I'm not sure if any of you heard (it only just caught my attention) that Andrew Lloyd Webber said (February time) that he was working on a sequel to 'The Phantom of the Opera' based on 'Phantom of Manhattan'. I will not give any judgement here, as this isn't the place. I'm not sure that it has been mentioned since. If anyone does wish to discuss this- in either camp- I would be happy to exchange pm's/ emails.

Thank you all for the reviews, sorry to those I haven't replied to yet. Hopefully any confusion over plot will be cleared up, keep asking questions though, it keeps me thinking- whether or not I answer them is another thing.

Sorry this is overdue, I'm starting to catch up with myself.

RR

Oh, by the way. I know we haven't seen much from Erik's perspective up to yet but I promise, it will come.

Chapter 24- A Star is Born

Rehearsals were going well... very well, in fact. Erik was so far very impressed with the way the chorus behaved... there were some small problems, ones that he was sure Antoinette Giry would iron out by opening night. She had never given him a reason not to have confidence in her ability to do her
job.

He was sitting in box five, hidden by the shadows, watching all of the dress rehearsals. The chorus were coming back off stage now and he caught a glimpse of Christine. His heart thudded and he held his chest for what seemed like an eternity. He waited for her to come back onto the stage and when she did, she was accompanied by Meg Giry. She said something, young Meg laughed, and Christine smiled.

Dazzling, radiant smile.

Concentrate, Erik.

They were waiting now, no doubt, for the new managers of the opera house. He had heard Antoinette speculate that he would not be happy that Lefevre was leaving, the truth was, Erik could not be happier. Monsieur Lefevre had, he had to admit, been good to the theatre for many years. Now, his time he had run it's course and his usefulness was all but diminished.

Erik was not without mercy, he had already allowed Lefevre to leave without a word spoken between them. It was a good and welcome challenge for Erik to see new managers, there was no point putting his skills to waste.

He saw the two men walk on, one was tall with dark hair and a miserable looking face and the other was shorter, fairer and altogether happier. The grumpy looking one might be hard work but the cheerful man, well, no problem at all. He was sure that it would not take him a very long time to dispel any optimism between the two.

He listened.

'Good evening, good evening,' Cheerful said. Erik found himself smiling.

All of the people of the stage looked at them in silence. His eyes drifted to Antoinette who was standing at the back, back straight, staring directly at the two men. She was as important to his successful operation of the theatre as Erik was. Antoinette always made sure they knew how dangerous the Phantom of the Opera was.

'I am Gilles Andre,' So, that was cheerful, Erik thought, welcome Monsieur Andre. 'And this is Richard Firmin,'

Erik almost laughed, it was as though he was expecting something far more imaginative of Grumpy, than Richard.

'We are the new managers of the Opera Populaire and are both very proud to be her, isn't that right, Richard?' he glanced at his partner.

'Indeed,' Firmin said, his voice was deep and monotone.

Erik shook his head. These men knew as much about music as Erik knew about kindness.

Namely, not very much at all.

He had always been in the belief that the manager of any musical establishment should at least have some musical understanding.

'Carlotta, Carlotta,' Andre said as she approached him. To Erik's surprise and utter disgust, Andre almost bowed. Firmin, however, managed some pretence of dignity, choosing simply to kiss her hand.

And then, as if to affirm Erik's original musical judgement of the two men, Andre said, 'I'm a big fan… we both are,'

Well, that settles that then. At least Lefevre understood music, could play the piano. Not as well as he probably would have liked but he wasn't a bad hand at it.

'Who is in charge of the stage then?' Andre said, still grinning like a fool as he kept hold of Carlotta's hand.

No one said anything, they remained silent, still staring at the two new managers. Erik briefly wondered what they were all thinking to keep them so quiet.

'No one?' Andre said, with a small laugh.

There were uncomfortable shifts around the stage but still, everyone stayed silent, no one answered his question.

Finally, Meg Giry visibly sighed and said, 'Monsieur Reyer is our director,' she said.

'Then he is in charge,'

'I am the director,' Reyer said, looking around him. 'This does not mean that I am in charge,'

'Don't be silly man,' Andre said, grinning once again. 'Stand up and be counted,'

'I don't think you understand,' Reyer said, almost growled. This caused Andre's eyes to open wider, a movement Erik found most amusing.

'What is it that I do not understand, monsieur?' he asked. All eyes were on Reyer.

'Soon,' he said simply. 'Soon you will understand...'

Andre and Firmin both looked at each other in confusion. Their gazes shifted around the quiet room, at each individual. When Erik looked for Antoinette he realised that she had gone.

'Why soon?' Andre said, finally twisting his attention back to Reyer. 'Why can't you make me understand?'

Reyer actually laughed. 'Because you have to witness it to believe it,' he said. 'Soon, I'm sure,'

Spot on Reyer, much sooner than you probably think.

Antoinette had seen Erik in box five again while she was standing at the back of the stage waiting for Monsieur Andre and Monsieur Firmin. When she spotted that his attention was on the managers she had slipped out the back, out of his view. Something about the way he looked around him made her shiver, made her uncomfortable and so she had snuck behind the curtains to break his gaze.

She could still here what the two new managers were saying, she heard her daughter point Monsieur Reyer out to the two men, she heard Monsieur Reyer uncomfortably, half answer their questions. She wondered just how quickly Erik would make himself known to the two managers.

When she heard Reyer instruct people to get into their positions to lead up to 'Think of me' she slid back on to the stage and looked up.

Box five was empty.

'Is everyone ready to show our new managers what they have come in to?' Monsieur Reyer said. There were nods as everyone finished getting into position. The music began, Reyers arms moved and the elephant was drawn onto the stage. Ubaldo Piangi sat on top, his voice pouring out over the stage.

She watched as it all continued, but a sense of foreboding interrupted her, she looked around her. There seemed nothing out of sorts but her stomach churned. Erik rarely watched rehearsals.

Carlotta made her way to the centre of the stage, bursting into a rendition of 'Think of Me', the managers stared at her in awe, but she was oblivious as she sang out to the empty room. If nothing else, her voice was powerful and her presence popular. Her being there had not only encouraged ticket sales, it had brought new managers and even new patrons.

Things were looking up for the theatre but there was something wrong here.

It was too late by the time she noticed what it was.

Half way through a line, Carlotta was interrupted by the creaking above her head as a beam came clattering down towards her. She leapt away just in time and lay, mouth ajar the floor, staring at the chunk of wood.

One of the girls from the chorus screamed Phantom and many of the other girls scattered to the sides of the stage. Andre and Firmin looked up and around them but, of course, there was no one there.

Antoinette had seen him though, just before he released the rope holding the wood. It was too late by this point to warn anyone and she had been forced to watch, in horror, as the beam fell towards Carlotta.

There was no doubt in her mind that Erik had intended to kill Carlotta and would probably be most disappointed in failing to do so. Antoinette knew that this was no La Diva's first encounter with the phantom. He had been leaving things in her dressing room for weeks now.

This was, apparently, the final straw.

After a moments lull, where everyone, too astonished to speak, stood there dumbstruck, Carlotta began to scream. Andre, the more energetic of the two managers, ran to her and helped her to her feet, closely followed by Ubaldo. Her screaming subsided after several ear shattering minutes and she stared around her in silence.

'I have had it,' she said, firmly.

The two managers looked at one another. 'Had what?' Firmin asked.

'Had it,' she said. 'This has gone on long enough... I will not perform,'

'Carlotta,' Andre said, gently. 'These things do happen,'

'Si...' she said, her eyes ablaze. 'They do happen, don't they? They do happen a lot in this place... strange things do happen... but until you stop these things from... happening... then me... this... does not happen,'

With that she snatched at Ubaldo arm and dragged him off the stage and finally out of view. The two managers stared at each other, despair plastered on their faces.

'I think she meant it,' Firmin said, stating the obvious.

Andre nodded, for the first time, looking solemn. 'What do we do?'

The statement was greeted with a shrug from Firmin.

'We have no singer, Richard,' Andre snapped. 'What do we do?'

'How should I know?' he snapped back. 'I've been here only as long as you have,'

'Understudy...' he said. 'Carlotta must have an understudy,'

They both looked around them and finally their gazes rested on Antoinette. She shook her head, informing them by that simple gesture that no, there were no understudy's.

'There are no understudy's...' Firmin said, shaking his head as he looked around him.

Everyone sat in stunned silence, staring at their new managers.

It was, to Antoinette's surprise, Meg who broke through the quiet. 'Christine Daae can do it,'

There were gasps and titters around the room, people talking but not actually saying much. Antoinette saw Christine glare at her friend.

'She can do it,' Meg repeated. 'She's been learning,'

Antoinette smiled, so Erik has been teaching her to sing.

'Who is Christine Daae?' Andre asked.

Meg pushed her forward.

'You can sing?' Firmin asked her, frowning.

Before Christine could answer, Antoinette stepped forward, thinking of Erik. 'She has been taught well, Monsieur,'

Andre glanced at her before looking back at Christine.

'You don't look like much of an opera star,' he said.

And what does an opera singer look like, Antoinette thought.

'Well,' he said. 'Give us a demonstration,'

All eyes were on Christine as she stepped gingerly to the centre of the stage. She stood behind the beam, looking up to the ceiling.

Reyer was frowning when he asked her if she was ready. Her nod was enough and the music from the orchestra began.

Christine's singing started quietly, timidly. She looked frightened and out of her depth but then she closed her eyes and really sang. Her voice was beautiful, it stood tall and carried itself around the room. Antoinette stared, as stunned as everyone else, as she let her soul into the words.

Antoinette watched as Andre clapped his hands together, back to his grinning self. 'Brilliant,' he said.

Firmin nodded.

'Do you know all of the songs?' he asked.

Christine simply nodded.

'Have you ever done this before?'

'No,' she said softly.

'Do you think that you can do this?'

She nodded and Antoinette felt a wave of relief wash over her. She only hoped that the audience who had so obviously paid to see Carlotta did not mind. It was true, though she had not heard it before, Christine had the most beautiful voice.

Sweet yet strong, an odd and powerful combination.

Antoinette, for the first time in many years, felt excited about a show.