Chapter 43- Alone

A/N: Hey all- let me start off by saying that this week was super long for me…. I have barely had time to do anything, so that's my excuse for not updating sooner. But thanks to all who have been waiting patiently! On the other hand, I got a lovely flame for this story last night. Kind of made me laugh a little bit. Though I don't see how you can read just 2 chapters and be able to call a story crap…. But never mind. I am far too tired to rant, so I'm just going to post and shut up, and we can all live happily ever after. K?


One... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight...

The counts instinctively sounded in Meg's head as she moved in time to the sound of the orchestra. Dance auditions were nearly over, and she was confident that she would receive a good part.

In the back of her concentration, she heard the singers warming up, preparing for their audition. As she heard the scales sung repeatedly, she felt a small sense of fear at the thought of defying Erik.

She had made her decision that morning as she had left the labyrinth- she would not sing; not now, not ever again.

Music for her was now full of false promises, just as Erik was.

She was a dancer. She was not Christine Daae.

She could feel her face turning red at the remembrance of Christine's name. The memory of her best friend was now also a reminder that Erik had never really loved her; she was merely his replacement, a way for him to pretend...

No more, she thought. It's over.

She had thought briefly of leaving the Opera, putting as much space between them as she could, but just the thought of what had happened last time was enough to keep her inside the walls of the Opera Populaire.

As the music ended, Meg struck her final pose; hands raised gracefully over her head as she did so.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the ballet instructor give a small nod of approval.

"Bien," she said loudly, walking out onto the center of the stage. "That concludes the audition for the corps de ballet. You will all know by tomorrow if we have chosen to keep you."

The dancers murmured quietly to each other as they exited the stage.

"I think today was the hardest," Juliet commented, coming over to Meg.

Meg gave a small, half-smile. She welcomed Juliet's company; it had been a long time since she had had a female companion her age to talk to- after the months alone with Erik. Months which she now dwelled on with a sense of shame and regret.

"What's wrong, Meg?" Juliet asked. They were sitting on a long wooden bench, taking off their pointe shoes. "You seem preoccupied by something."

"It's nothing," Meg responded unconvincingly.

Juliet looked as though she wanted to inquire further, but decided against it.

Meg sighed. "Why does everything have to be so complicated?" she mused out loud. "Why can't things just be as you imagine them?" She stared wistfully into space.

Juliet's fair face furrowed in a frown. "I suppose that if everything were as you wished it, you'd be rather unhappy."

"Why?" Meg asked. "Then things would be perfect."

"Perfection is not always good, thought," Juliet argued gently. "No one is perfect... it's what makes us human, I think. Like me and my dancing... I am certainly not perfect. But there is always the challenge there, no?"

Meg bit her lip, thinking.

Juliet went on. "My mother used to tell me not to wallow in dreams, when the things around me needed mending. She said that a person can do two things: they can wish away their problems, or they can stand up to them."
"Your mother sounds very wise," Meg commented quietly.

"She was," Juliet whispered. "She died... a few years ago."

"I'm sorry. I know what it's like..."

They sat in silence for a moment, and then Juliet said, "Some of the dancers were going into the city tonight... if you'd like to come with us."

Meg smiled wanly, but shook her head. "I think I'll just watch the singers audition. I need some time to just think. The past few days have been so strange, and-"

She broke off when she heard the sound of singing coming from the stage. It sounded like a woman's voice, and it was absolutely beautiful. Both Meg and Juliet rose simultaneously, moving into the wings to catch a glimpse of the woman on stage. She was young- around Meg's age and she was also, Meg noted, very beautiful. Dark reddish locks of auburn hair framed a thin, fair face with blue eyes and pink lips. The girl's eyebrows were sharp- enough to give her a look of superior class, but not sharp enough to make her look sinister.

"Who on earth is that?" Juliet whispered to Meg.

Meg shook her head, an expression of awe on her face as she watched the singer on the stage. Coming from the young woman's mouth was the most pure, untainted melody that Meg had ever heard. It was perfection itself, there on the stage.

Around her, she could see the other dancers and performers lining the wings, watching as the girl sang.

"She's wonderful," Juliet breathed.

Meg could hardly disagree.

When the girl finished her song, there followed a stunned silence. Then, as though awakening from a trance-like spell, cheers erupted from all around- from the musicians in the orchestra pit, the dancers on stage, even the stagehands on the catwalks chimed in with their whistles and praise.

"Brava! Bravissima!" cried Monsieur Reyer, applauding.

The brunette on stage bobbed her head and floated gracefully into the wings.


In Box 5, Erik stared, shell-shocked at the singer on the stage. Her voice was unearthly- he had never heard the like of it before. Her vocal abilities far surpassed Meg's, and, as he grudgingly admitted, Christine's as well. She had a higher pitch-range; hitting many sharps that Erik would have thought unattainable for any other opera singer. And her voice projected as well- it carried out into the wide, yawning theatre, still strong and full when it reached Erik's ears in Box 5. Oh, the things he could do with her voice, he thought. If she were to sing some of his music, he knew that the results would be sinful... such purity with such darkness... it would be suicide to listen to something so perfect...

He shook himself. In the moment, he had forgotten about Meg. He spied her standing next to a redheaded dancer. No, he thought, he didn't have time to think of the new singer. His first priority was Meg. He had to win her back.

The question was, how?


After the rehearsals culminated and the stage emptied, Meg, Juliet, and a few other girls remained backstage.

"Who was that singing today?" Juliet asked.

"I don't know," said Michelle. "She was wonderful, wasn't she?"

"Yes," another girl put in. "Though I've never heard of her before."

"Her name is Rachelle L'hereux," said a girl named Chloe darkly. "And don't let her voice fool you. Her heart is black. I knew her in the Conservatoire- she'll do anything for a lead. I don't trust her... but I wouldn't make her my enemy."

"Well, no doubt she'll get the lead this time..." Michelle argued.

"Yes- she was the best, by far," Juliet said.

The rest of the girls nodded in agreement.

On her way back to her room, Meg wondered vaguely if Erik had heard the new soprano. A part of her felt empty without him... but a larger part of her reminded her that she had been living a lie.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed her door open; ready to spend the night alone.


A/N: well… did I not promise new twists? New girl at the opera… what will happen next?