A/N: After the last chapter, which I strived to make brilliant, this week's update is a let-down. I just feel that I put far too much dialogue in and nowhere near enough action or -more importantly- descriptions! I think I slipped back to Chapter 6 rate! D: I beg you to bear with me for a while. I thought the school stuff would be over by now, but there are still more. An English test that doesn't count towards anything, a Drama performance that does count (we're performing to the entire year), a Science presentation that doesn't count for much either... Relatively unimportant stuff, but it's still there. Also, school library-deprivation for the end of year stocktake!

ANYWAY! On with it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Phantom of the Opera.

Down Once More...Somehow

I felt very, very sick all of a sudden.

A clumsy rush towards the stage was made. People were elbowed aside. Feet were trodden on. I didn't care. I needed to get to the stage, see it for myself.

The crush of bodies tensed, and as one, looked to the chandelier. It was the largest one the school possessed, rarely put up. Gaudy and extravagant, it clashed with the disco balls that were placed around it to reflect the light. Modern and traditional. The chandelier tinkled slightly.

That minute jingling of glass was all the masqueraders needed.

Another girl screamed. It wasn't the sort of scream you hear in horror movies, the endless trill. This was a roar of fear bursting from her chest.

"It's an accident waiting to happen!"

"Oh God..."

People simultaneously surged towards the doors. If something bad happened, you just didn't stay in a room where there was a chandelier. Skirts were torn, all courtesy and politeness abandoned.

Someone bowled me over in their panic to escape the school hall. With a grunt, I was slammed painfully to the wooden floor. The sound of fleeing footsteps boomed around my ears; the floorboards were vibrating.

A hand gripped my shoulder and pulled me up. Edwin's sweating face was white. His mask was on the floor, getting trampled by everyone from kinder to senior year.

"Where did she go?" he shouted above the curses and screams.

"I don't know!" I yelled back. A girl in hysterics pushed in between us. The crowd was like a beast. Anyone who tried to remain still would be swept along regardless, or crushed.

"Get to the stage!" I told Edwin. I darted away and flattened myself against the wall, watching the stream of students flow towards the hall doors.

The chandelier caught my eye again.

More than a thousand people are in here, I thought with horror. How many can get out before that thing is cut down?

I turned my head to the stage, and began to shake with nausea again. It was like witnessing a gruesome murder, or a death warrant being signed. My best friend was missing, perhaps already dead...

With my mouth set in a grim line, I barged my way to the stage.

I climbed the stairs up to the stage, and was almost immediately apprehended by a portly man in a grey suit and a blue cape with skeletons on it.

He appeared to be just as surprised as I was when he saw me. He blinked a few times, opening and closing his mouth in an attempt to find something to say.

I gathered my wits before him and bobbed a meek curtsy. "Monsieur Firmin, sir!"

The principal stuttered for a moment, then came to the conclusion that I was not meant to be climbing on the stage. His eyebrows knitted together and he raised a finger to admonish me, but barely was sound was made before someone behind him cleared their throat.

My gaze fell onto the figure of Mr Gerik.

"The students have to be evacuated from the hall." Mr Gerik said smoothly over the shoulder of the school principal.

Mr Firmin seemed to shake his head, then nod. "Indeed, that seems to be the case." he said, forgetting me. The portly man considered the problem for a moment, his dark moustache bristling.

Mr Gerik leaned forward again and prompted, "They should get marked off, to make sure all are accounted for."

Mr Firmin snapped out of his daze. "Yes, yes, of course. The class rolls should be collected. The children must be safe! Can't have the parents worrying."

The man in the blue cape walked briskly off the stage, joining the throng around the door.

I wasted no time, stepping forward to Mr Gerik. Out of the school principal and the deputy principal, I could clearly see who was in charge.

"Mr Gerik, I-"

He looked down at me and said brusquely, "You ought to get out of the hall with everybody else, Dana. I believe the celebrations are over for the time being." He glanced over my shoulder briefly. "You too, Edwin."

I took another step forward. "Mr Gerik," I said resolutely, "my friend has just disappeared in front of our eyes, and I am not leaving this building without learning how and why. And if I can, finding out how to get her back."

His eyes narrowed, the eagle mask making him look even more stern and fearsome than he usually was. "I can't be held accountable if the two of you are injured by glass shards due to your insistence on staying here." he said quietly.

Edwin sucked in a breath. "You think the chandelier is going to come down?"

"If whoever is responsible for these events is as clever as I am, yes."

I locked eyes with the teacher. "But you're not responsible for this chaos, are you?"

Mr Gerik shook his head slightly. "No. This is not my doing." With a golden sweep of his cape, he turned and walked over to Mr Khan on the other side of the stage. A loud and quick discussion between them arose.

I heard Edwin come up behind me. "You don't trust his word on that, do you?" he whispered.

I watched Mr Gerik for a moment. "I think I do. He is very upset that this happened right under his nose."

"But that thing he said about not being liable for us getting hurt-"

"The thing is, he is liable. The school is liable. He's letting us stay here because he doesn't really think the chandelier is going down." I reasoned.

"Friday the thirteenth." Edwin muttered. He straightened up. "Nevertheless, a man of honour would never let a girl endanger herself in a situation like this. We should get out of the hall."

I spun around. "And leave Estelle to her fate?" I stared straight into his eyes, daring him to argue.

Without another protest, Edwin kneeled down and examined the spot where Estelle had stood to make her speech. I did the same.

It's carpet on this section, I noted. I ran my hand across it, my palm prickling against the fibres. There are no seams, no sign of a trap-door... And if there is one here, I can't see a way to open it from this side.

A shadow fell over my hand, the shadow of a tall man.

"Trust me, there is no trap-door here." Mr Khan said to us. "I know all the trap-doors in this school, and so does your teacher."

I leapt to my feet. "But how did Estelle vanish?"

His dark face creased in thought. "There was the Magician's Flame explosion at the back of the hall. No one was watching her when she disappeared."

Edwin's voice disrupted our exchange. "Dana, wasn't Estelle wearing lilac-coloured satin gloves? Say, going halfway up her forearm?"

"You found a glove?" I asked, anticipation rising within me.

"No."

Mr Khan whirled around. "Meg! Come help these students!"

A young woman dressed in white hitched up her skirt and hurried towards us, dropping to her knees beside the lectern. A few downy white feathers fluttered to the ground as she hastened to us.

She lowered her porcelain swan mask and whispered conspiringly to me, "By rights there shouldbe a trap-door here. It's a convenient spot, don't you think? Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there." Meg Giry patted the carpet. "Don't worry, I'll help you find your friend."

"That is a very nice mask, Miss Giry." I murmured. I gulped, gathering the courage. My mind offered little resistance as my arm discreetly reached forward-

Dana, you sly little vixen, was the only thing the voice in my head said.

Vixen? another voice answered. Why, I'm absolutely flattered.

A moment later, I stood up shakily. "Edwin, I think we should leave."

He looked up at me in puzzlement. "But we haven't found anything yet-"

"I know." I replied easily. "Because of that, we should search somewhere else. I feel it in my gut." I looked pointedly at him.

Edwin, you foolish boy, don't argue with me here...

Edwin's eyes flickered with confusion, then curiosity. "I suppose...we arewasting time here." he said carefully. He got up. "Thank you for assisting us, Ms Giry."

"Not a problem. Oh, I hope your friend is okay."

I nodded grimly, then turned and left.

I tripped over a double bass the Bal Masque band had abandoned and tumbled out through the door. The cool night air rushed into my lungs. My heart hammered in my chest as I looked around at the groups of children in the quadrangle, and I realised that there were a million places to search...

I had my intent set on only one.

Edwin placed a hand on my shoulder and hissed, "What on earth was that all about? We're practically deserting Estelle-"

"No, we are not." I held out my fist and produced a small key ring. It had three keys on it, jingling softly as I held them.

Edwin's eyes suddenly widened. "You pick-pocketed Meg Giry?!"

"She carries them everywhere." I stated. "Meg takes her job as a sports teacher seriously."

Edwin whistled, his eyes shining with admiration and the shock at my gall. "Very few Phantoms can pick-pocket these days. I can't even get something out of the biscuit jar if Mum's watching me." He exhaled loudly. "So what is it that these keys open?"

"The door to the school gymnasium. The storage room in the gym as well." I answered, hiding the keys again in case a teacher saw. "And that's where we can find Estelle."

"Let me get this clear!" Edwin wheezed as he ran behind me. "We're going to find Estelle by going into the gym?"

As we neared the door I slowed down to a tiptoe, willing my slippers to make no noise as I padded along the concrete. The keys pressed painfully against my foot. "Where do you take someone if you abduct them? Come on, you know this. You did it for your General Phantomy exam."

"To a lair, of course."

I bent down and withdrew the set of keys from the back of my shoe. "Right, a lair. And where do you find lairs?" I fumbled with the silver keys in the darkness, selecting one and shoving it into the lock. The knowledge that the night wore on stayed in the corner of my brain. My erratic fingers turned the key the wrong way and almost broke it. Time kept on flowing away.

"Down underground. Lairs are usually underground."

"Correct-" I dropped the keys in my haste. My shoulders shot up to my ears, and I flinched as if the sound of them clattering against the pavement had been a gunshot.

Edwin strode forward and took the keys. He twisted the key to the left, and the large door clicked open. I grabbed the metal handle before the door could swing and bang against the wall. Edwin slipped inside past my arm, and I followed.

The door clanged shut behind us. We blinked in the pitch black, groping around for the walls.

"Do you remember which direction the store room was in here?" I asked quietly. My voice echoed around the huge gymnasium. Feels like a lair already.

"To the left, I think." Edwin was quiet for a minute, shuffling along with one hand flat against the wall. Then, "Dana, you realise that we could be wandering around inside the gym for the rest of the night? This place is gigantic!"

"Turning on the lights would give us away." I replied. "Just keep going until you feel a door."

"You still haven't explained everything to me, Dana."

I sighed. "I know a way down. Well... Sort of down. Do you remember when Mr Khan taught us about the illusions and stuff?"

In front of me, Edwin stopped walking. His black costume made him just another shadow against the wall. "Dana, you're not talking about Sweet Music's Throne, are you?"

I tried to laugh. "You do your homework, Edwin."

"You are thinking of the throne, aren't you?" he accused. "Dana, are you mad? Only one person from the class has sat on that thing, and that was you. Don't you remember what happened when you did? Dana, you were screaming your lungs out!"

"Shush!" I hissed.

Edwin's voice lowered. "The look on your face when we dragged you off... Like you were about to die. You freaked everyone out. I- I was really scared for you."

I sniffed. "I don't forget something like that. But I swear, it's the only way down we have access to." I made my voice pleading. "We can't just give up here. Anyway, I ended up in Mr Gerik's own lair. That's as good a place to start looking as any. Estelle is underground somewhere. I can just...feel it."

Edwin was silent again for a minute. With a jerk he started walking. Then he laughed. "Out class teacher has a lair?"

"I'll give you a personal tour, if you like." I replied, sagging with relief that he consented to my plan. For the moment.

Edwin jerked to another stop. "I think this is the store room." he whispered to me. I heard the jangle of keys, then a struggle between lock and human. The door opened with a loud click, and then there was silence.

I peered into the store room, the distinct smell of leather wafting towards our noses. It was just another lump of black in a cavern of shadows. I squinted in an endeavour to locate the throne. I took a tentative step into the room with Edwin following, then another. Our shoes made scraping noises against the dirt and dust on the floor. I swung an arm around, trying to my way.

On my third footstep, I fell over a large chair with a dustcover thrown over it.

I rolled off, taking the sheet of fabric with me. I yelped as Edwin stepped on my hand in an attempt to help me up.

"Dana- Sorry! What did I just step on? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

I sat up, pulling the cloth away from my face. "I'm fine. You didn't hurt me at all." I turned my head to the side. I saw the vague convoluted carvings that adorned a wooden leg.

The leg belonged to a black throne.

I reached a hand forward, grabbed the arm of the throne and heaved myself onto my feet. Edwin edged closer, steadying himself by holding the back of the seat.

"So this is it?" he asked, his voice shaky. "You just sit down and down you go to wherever?"

I nodded, then realised that he couldn't see me. "Yes. Down to the lair." My mouth suddenly tasted bitter, and my jaw ached as if I had been keeping my mouth firmly closed for too long. The shape of the throne seemed to dominate the room.

"And if Estelle isn't in this lair?"

My forehead creased. "The lair should be connected to other places underground. The school basements, perhaps. It's just...convention!"

I could sense Edwin staring incredulously at me. Dana, you are an idiot. I now became conscious of the stupidity of my plan. How could I have been so presumptuous? There are a million places Estelle could be. Speeding away in a car, or Leroux knows where!

It had just sounded so...right at the time.

It's always 'at the time,' isn't it? You foolish little ingénue...

Edwin gave my shoulder a squeeze, as if reading my mind. "It's a possibility, at least. Probably our only option, other than simply waiting for the teachers or the police to do everything."

"Thank you." I said quietly. "My brain just screams that she's somewhere underneath the school."

" Right. There can't have been time to take her anywhere else." he reasoned. Edwin squared his shoulders, looking to the throne again. "I'm going first."

"Oh, stop being so manly." I retorted, slapping his arm. But my hand hit nothing but air. My eyes darted to the side. Edwin was already grasping the arms, seated in the centre on the throne. I could see his eyes shine with the anticipation of an incredibly unpleasant experience.

There was no comic sucking noise. There wasn't a swirling vortex, and if Edwin cried out I did not hear. There was only a clean whumph sound, and a gentle movement of air.

And then I was alone.

Growing frantic and feeling the shadows of the store room creep around me, I placed a hand onto the seat. For a single, solitary instant my fingers felt something soft –like a rubber or foam ball- but my brain instantly argued against it. The moment passed, and all I could feel was varnished wood. The seat was a bit warm, but that was all.

Down you go, Dana, my girl, the voice in my head urged.

I heaved in a breath and turned around. I could feel the wood beneath me; it was hard, smooth, secure-

My stomach flew up to throat level. There was a sensation of free-fall, unbelievably prolonged. A rush of air, my gauzy butterfly wings flapping...

The ground welcomed me with open arms.

It was just as I remembered. The floor coming in closer and closer, like the zooming in of a camera lens, and then there was only an awkward but soft landing.

I could see Edwin on his hands and knees a few metres away, groaning. It had no doubt been a frightening fall.

I looked around, my vision quickly adjusting to the dark setting. Surprisingly, even the store room of the school gymnasium had been darker than this-

Uh oh.

It wasn't Mr Gerik's lair.

You didn't remember this part five minutes ago, did you?!

A lone wax candle lit up the chamber. The wick burned with a yellow flame.

"Oh, crap."

Bob bless cliffhangers!!!! Muahahahahaaa! Every chapter shall have one from now on (I was planning to alert you to this last time, but forgot).

I apologise for the terrible quality of this chapter... After last time I was all, "Sweet! This is awesome! I'm going to write like this for the rest of the story, and it's going to be great!" Yeah, big dreams...

I had some trouble with the motives of characters. I knew how they were going to get to that point, but I just forgot what my idea was for WHY. Plus, I got side-tracked by Quizilla Phantom of the Opera quizzes... Severely side-tracked.

At least it is over for another week. Review if you care to. I'll just go and collapse somewhere, as soon as I put in the TAC Les Miserables CD. (Did I mention that I am now terribly addicted to Les Mis?)

"Onwards, Binky! To the Hogfather's Castle of Bones!" Best quote EVER.
DarkFlame

P.S. I constantly neglect to mention in author's notes how awesome all my readers are! Well-meaning glomps for you all, collect as you exit at the door.