A/N: To answer a question, no Claire is not Erik's daughter she is Raoul's real daughter. But your confusion is actually a good thing. I kind of want my reader to think about it but for the sake of not offending anti-incest-people I figured I had to clear it up. And THANK YOU SO MUCH to all my reviewers!

Chapter Ten

"Another Masterstroke of the Opera Ghost?"

Claire felt her cheeks tingle with guilt, longing, more guilt for the longing, and frustration. Why did Erik always disappear at the worst times? She took a deep breath and then began to re-lace up her dress. Once finished she left the room, she should head back to the Ballroom they would all be expecting her back soon.

"You forgot this."

Claire froze and then turned around to see Amelie behind her holding out Claire's mask to her. "Oh, uh, thank you." Stuttered Claire taking the mask and placing it on her face. She made to leave again when she heard Amelie say,

"Stay away from him, Claire."

"What?" Claire spun round again but the hall was now completely empty. "What in the hell…?" She glanced across the hall; it was definitely empty. She tried to shake the eerie feeling creeping over her as she headed back to the Ballroom.

Claire found herself feeling removed from the grand Masquerade party now. The smiles, flirting, and laughter seemed hollow. She could not find Amelie at the Masquerade (it made sense, when Claire had seen her she was not dressed for a party but rather wore a plane frock). Several gentlemen Claire did not know had come up to her and congratulated her on her "brilliant performance." Claire curtsied, thanked them, and said they were being too kind. Throughout the rest of the night she had many encounters of the kind, people seemed to be able to recognize her through her mask all too easily. Claire was all too happy to leave the Masquerade and retire to bed. But before sleep claimed her she noticed that Amelie was not in bed nor was she even in the room.

The next morning the whole of L'Opera Populaire was abuzz with the success of the previous night's performance and Masquerade but also of the strange disappearance of Amelie (who was, obviously, still nowhere to be found). Both Madam Giry and Mademoiselle Giry seemed greatly troubled by Amelie's fantastic disappearance. Many of the Principal Dancers and Singers were in a jealous up roar because "a lowly corps de Ballet brat" was causing more of a sensation then they. Moreover, the scene-shifters were spreading rumors that this was yet another "Masterstroke of the Opera Ghost!" rumors which Madam Giry was trying very hard to squash. As for Claire, she found herself strangely disturbed by the disappearance of her roommate and more importantly what she had said just before she disappeared. Which leads us to Claire's other main train of through; the passion filled moment she and Erik had shared the night before. It was still causing her to blush deeply.

It was during lunch as the whole company crowded into the Dinning Hall that Mademoiselle Giry came in calling everyone to silence. She was clutching a letter and Claire could glimpse its red skull seal.

"I have received de following letter from de Phantom of L'Opera."

Upon the last five words everyone exchanged nervous glances.

Mademoiselle Giry read from the letter:

"You will find that Miss Amelie Pinon has been returned, unharmed, to you. You will also find that Miss Jean Maurier is ill and will be unable to perform tonight. You will put Miss Pinon in the role of Seibel in Miss Maurier's stead.

Signed,

O.G."

Mademoiselle Giry calmly folded the letter. "I thought you should be aware of Miss Pinon's safe return and de cast change. Dat is all." With that she left.

As soon as the door closed behind her the Dinner Hall erupted with chatter and speculations along with protests from Jean Maurier saying that she was perfectly healthy. But Claire set stone still in her chair. Why would Erik want Amelie to perform Seibel? Claire wasn't even aware that Amelie could sing. And what was Erik's connection to Amelie? Just when Claire had thought she had answered a few questions now a thousand new one's sprung forth. She got up from the table and hurried to her dorm. She burst in on Amelie who was sitting on her bed. Amelie looked unhealthily pale, all the color was gone from her skin and long shadows hung beneath her eyes. But Claire did not care for Amelie's health there was something else that she had to know. "How do you know the Opera Ghost?"

"Hah!" Snapped Amelie. "Afraid he's replaced you? I assure you, Miss Daaé, I am in no means your replacement in his eyes!" Amelie turned anger-filled eyes on Claire.

"Then you do know Erik?" Claire clapped a hand over her mouth. She had not meant to say his name.

"You needn't worry. I already know his name. How could I not?" Amelie laughed coldly.

"I do not understand you." Said Claire as if seeing Amelie for the first time.

"Of course! How could you?" Amelie stood and went to the Vanity. "You know nothing of him but what he wants you to believe. I told you once now I'll tell you twice, stay away from him."

Without seeing her face Claire could not clearly read the emotion behind Amelie's words. Frustration began to build in her. "First Vianna Giry now you. What do you know that I should know but don't?" Silence filled the room. Claire watched Amelie impatiently waiting for an answer.

"Everything." Said Amelie softly.

It took Claire a moment to realize that Amelie was answering her question. "Then tell me!"

"No."

"What?"

"I said, no."

That day they had a "brush up" rehearsal to make sure Amelie knew all her music and blocking. The whole of the company was surprised when Amelie began to sing. They had expected her to have a brilliant voice but instead she had a quite ordinary voice and sometimes she even sung flat.

"What is the Opera Ghost thinking?" Whispered a girl in the corps de Ballet after rehearsal to Claire. "And look at her! She looks ill." And it was true; Amelie looked on the verge of throwing up anything that might be in her stomach.

However Claire wasn't paying much attention. She was caught up in the things Amelie had said to her earlier that day. She needed to talk to Erik but he had not visited her since…Claire flushed. She suddenly realized that she was now in her dressing room. Alone. She should start getting ready for the night's performance. Suddenly the door burst open; a chorus girl came running in.

"Oh, Miss Daae, it's horrible!" Cried the girl.

"What is it? Calm down! What has happened?" Claire felt her own calm ebbing away. Something in her soul was crying out to her.

"He's dead! Hung from the Flies!"

"Who is dead?" Whispered Claire her breath catching.

"The Comte de Gabriel!" The girl finally collapsed.

Claire ran from her room. The halls were in a state of chaos. Girls of the corps de Ballet running about yelling and screaming, chorus girls huddled in corners crying, and the Leads all shouting for everyone to keep quiet and to get out of their way. Claire pushed her way through this sea until she came to the backstage. Mademoiselle Giry and Madam Giry were shooing company members away.

"I have to see!" Cried Claire as Madam Giry told her she must leave too.

"I'm sorry, it is not safe. Especially for you." Madam Giry tried to gently usher Claire away.

"No! I need to see! I must see if it's true!" Begged Claire.

Madam Giry looked at her. "I can tell you that it is quite true. The Comte de Gabriel is dead."

"But why? Why was he here? Erik told him never to return!" Once again Claire realized too late that she had slipped.

Madam Giry looked shocked, and fearful. "How do you know his name?" She whispered pushing Claire into a side room Claire didn't know was there. They were now quite alone.

"I…I have been taking music lessons from him." Confessed Claire.

Madam Giry looked as though this information had stuck her hard across the face. "Claire, you must get away from him. It is too dangerous!"

Claire cried out in frustration. "You all say so but you never say why! Tell me why!" She was past being fed up with the situation she was down right furious.

"Alright," said Madam Giry. "I will tell you what you should have known from the beginning. Your mother, Christine Daae, was also Erik's student many years ago. He lied to her to gain her trust; he told her he was the Angel of Music. He loved her with a passion that drove him insane. He seduced her into coming to his lair and that's where she learned the horrible truth. Her Angel was a man, a deformed insane man. But Erik loved her and let her go back to the surface. Your father also loved her and this caused Erik to become jealous beyond belief. I don't know exactly what happened but during the performance of Don Juan Triumphant, Erik's masterpiece, Christine disappeared. Erik took her to his lair once again and your father followed. Again I do not know what all happened but somehow Erik let you mother go with your father. After that Erik locked himself away. My mother and I would check on him to see if he had died or no. One day he disappeared and when he came back months later your mother was with him. They seemed so happy together but something didn't feel right. Sure enough your father tracked them down and stole your mother away again. Your father locked her up in the East Wing of the Chagny Estate. I was not allowed to see her. The only evidence of her being alive was the screams and the noise of her smashing glass against walls. Madness had taken her. Shortly thereafter the house mysteriously burned to the ground. You were but a baby. Your father escaped with you but your mother…" Madam Giry wiped away the tears forming in her eyes. "Erik swears he had nothing to do with the fire. But even so, after that he began to waste away. I have not seen or spoken with him in years, I can't believe he's still alive. My mother told me it had to do with his deformity that he has lived so long. But Claire, I don't want you to become trapped in his world like your mother. I'm afraid that he sees so much of your mother in you that…" She trailed off.

"I know." Whispered Claire. She had thought the story went something like what Madam Giry had said but now she had the finer details. She did not know what to think. Should she hate, love, or pity Erik? And what of her mother? Or her father? It was still so unclear. After a long pause Claire spoke again, "Why was the Comte here?"

Madam Giry looked away. "He came this morning saying he had received a letter from 'some madman' telling him that if he wanted your heart he'd have to fight for it. It is my fault he is dead. I knew that letter came from Erik and I knew Erik could easily kill the Comte. But the Comte seemed so ready to die for your hand. So like your father really. I am a foolish old woman!"

"Indeed," said Claire softly. "For it was not my hand he desired. But now he is dead…are you sure it was Erik who killed him?" Claire knew the answer to her question but she had to ask all the same.

"I'm afraid I am quite sure." Said Madam Giry. "You have to leave here before his obsession with you grows anymore! He's a murderer! A murderer! Leave!"

A murderer. The words echoed in Claire's mind. "I can't." Said Claire. "I can't bare the thought of him being alone no matter what he is. Anyway, I must get ready for the performance."

"There will be no performance."

"What?" Cried Claire.

"The police are going to be all over this place. For the time being the performances are cancelled."