(A/N: ((glances nervously around)) soooo… how's everyone been? ((everyone previously reading this story gather closer, all fingering Punjab lassos)) ((Coughs nervously)) Heh… so... um… Did you all have a nice holiday? ((everyone continues to get closer)) ((backs away)) Hey, spare me! I'm sick today! ((No one seems to really care))

((Runs))

((Hiding in a cave somewhere far, far, away with a computer, where no one can find her.)) I'll just write this from all the way out here, shall I?

Okay, this chapter is really short, but I wanted to get something up for you guys. It's also not overly exciting. However, I probably will have the next chapter up tomorrow, and then will try to update once a week after that. I can't apologize enough about the lack of updates between the last chapter and this one, and also for how crappy this chapter is. But I just wanted to put up something quick that sets the stage for the next chapter. Hopefully that's okay. :)


Chapter Twenty-Nine: Il Muto

Christine stood backstage with Meg, fiddling absent-mindedly with her costume. Tonight's performance of Il Muto promised to be a good one. Carlotta's voice was as ear-piercing as ever, of course, but not quite as bad as usual. The ballerinas had worked especially hard on their dancing… it might not be perfect, but it was pretty close… and the chorus had been doing even better than they had been before!

So why was it Christine had such a bad feeling about tonight?

Christine tried to shake it off. Maybe it was just because she wouldn't be singing tonight… or perhaps because she hadn't seen Erik in a week.

Erik… That was the reason, she was sure. He was, in essence if not in reality, her Angel of Music… how would she make it through tonight's performance without him?

'Of course,' she thought bitterly, 'It's not as though I'm actually going to be singing anything…' Christine had been given the part of the page boy—the silent role. She had a sneaking suspicion that Carlotta had something to do with that. Still, Christine reminded herself, at least she was in the performance at all!… She didn't know what would happen to her if she didn't have her job at the Opera House.

Meg nudged her slightly, a worried look on her face. Christine realized that she had been so lost in her own thoughts that she had nearly missed the queue for her entrance. She gave Meg a grateful look, got into character, and then walked onstage.

The first thing she noticed was Raoul. He was seated in one of the boxes, which wasn't odd… but a warning rang at the back of Christine's head and she couldn't figure out why. She brushed it aside… this wasn't the time to dwell on it.

º٭†٭º

Meg peeked out through the curtain, watching what was happening on stage. Tonight was running perfectly—it was probably the best performance of Il Muto they'd ever done. Meg grinned as the audience laughed and clapped at something that was said onstage. The audience loved it…that was a good sign. The grin still plastered on her face, her gaze traveled upwards. Then, abruptly, the smile vanished.

Was that the Vicomte in the ghost's box? Didn't he know that box five was reserved for the Phantom on opening night? Meg had a feeling that it wouldn't end well…

As if on queue, a soft, deadly voice cut through the dialogue on stage. "Did I not instruct that box five was to be kept empty?"

Both the stage and the audience immediately quieted, holding their breath for what was to come next…

º٭†٭º

Christine's head snapped up at the sound of Erik's voice. It was the first time she'd heard it in a week, and at first she was thrilled. Erik! "It's him… I know it, it's him!" she whispered, not even aware she was speaking.

"Your part ees silent, leettle toad!"

"A toad, Madame? Perhaps it is you who is the toad!" Erik's voice was scathing, brimming with barely controlled rage. Christine subconsciously took a step backwards at the anger in his voice. She recognized the tone he was using, and was immediately transported back to the night when she had removed his mask…

Except now…now there was no remorse mixed in with the anger. It was just pure, unmanageable rage. Christine fought with the temptation to run offstage and lock herself in her dressing room. As if that would help…

Her only condolence was that his anger was not at her this time. Christine's worried gaze traveled to Carlotta, who looked almost comical in her anger. No one, Christine was sure, had ever called her a toad before! Carlotta turned on Christine. "You! Back into position!" And then she went back to the beginning of the song that Erik had interrupted.

She was brave, Christine thought, you had to give her that. She threw one last glance in the direction that Erik's voice had come from, and then moved back into place. Please Erik, let it go. Ignore her. For a few moments, Christine thought that he would.

Then Carlotta croaked.

In the literal sense, of course. She had been singing as normally as before when suddenly she let out a horrible rasping sound. There were several gasps from the audience. La Carlotta was well known and renowned, and never—never—had something like this happened to her!

Carlotta, who was pale with shock and fright, took a deep breath and went back to the part where she had messed up. Christine stood frozen, watching her. Everyone was waiting to see if she could regain herself…

"She's singing to bring down the chandelier!" Erik's voice rang from all directions, his normally beautiful tone now mocking and terrifying. Christine looked breathlessly up at the chandelier that hung above the seats. It was swaying dangerously, the crystals chinking slightly as they knocked together.

Carlotta kept singing, as if to defy him with her voice. She got louder as she went up the scale, nailing each of the high notes perfectly—

Then it happened again. The terrible croaking sound emitted from her mouth instead of the note she was supposed to hit. Carlotta cut off what she was singing again. She was crying now, and Christine actually felt bad for her. Several people in the audience were laughing, and she would have thought that the situation was funny too, had she not been a singer. She knew the consequences of messing up onstage before an audience. Carlotta was going to have to work hard to regain the prestige that she'd once had. For now… she was a laughing stock.

Christine's heart went out to the other woman as she ran off the stage, in tears. Dimly, she heard people talking loudly and above all, that terrible, beautiful voice laughing maniacally. One of the managers shouted something, and before she knew what was going on, Andre pulled her center stage.

"We will continue in a moment with Ms. Daae playing the part of countess." He said quickly, "Until then, we are proud to give you the ballet from act three!"

Christine was led dazedly offstage to change into her new costume as the ballet dancers rushed on, all frantically trying to get into position as the music started up.

She was almost to the changing room she was given when there was a terrible scream from onstage...


(A/N: As I said, this chapter is very short, and not that much happens. Still, I wanted to get something up for you guys just to show that I haven't quite abandoned this yet. I'm going to try to get chapter thirty up tomorrow, I just didn't have time tonight to make this chapter as long as I wanted to. I'm sorry again about the shortness… I'm just happy that I finally updated! Whoo-hoo! I think from now on I should be able to update about once a week… unfortunately, that will have to be enough for the moment. Lol, that's still better than once a year, right?

Hilary