Chapter Nine

Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom of the Opera. I also don't know if there really is a New York City Theatre, if there is one I most definitely don't own it. I don't own any of the lyrics that appear in this chapter. On My Own is from Les Miz, which I don't own either. And I don't own Haunted Heart and that is from Inside U.S.A.

A/N I'm sorry this has taken so long to get up. I was in a play and practices were four nights a week, for two hours! And, then of course I had the shows. Now, I have a week off and then another play starts!

Maska- Glad you like Alice.

Madame Opera Ghost- Here's more for you.

A/N This chapter takes place two years after the last chapter. Chelsea is in New York City acting in The Phantom of the Opera as Christine. Erik is still in Paris, as is Matthew in the beginning of the story. Also I'm not turning this into a musical phic; I just added some lyrics from different Broadway plays because they seemed to fit. Let me know if you like them or if they seem out of place.

Two Years later

Twenty-one year old Chelsea ran up the sidewalk to the New York City Theatre hoping she wasn't late.

"Where were you?" Alice asked.

"I overslept" Chelsea whispered back.

"Okay, Meg and Christine get up on stage. Start at the first mirror scene." The director yelled. Alice and Chelsea sprinted up and jumped onto the stage. Chelsea sighed. After Alice's line she started to sing but without her usual enthusiasm.

"Father once spoke of and Angel

I used to dream he'd appear

Now as I sing I can sense him

And I know he's here

Here in this room he calls me softly

Somewhere inside, hiding

Somehow I know he's always with me

He: the unseen genius" Chelsea's mind wandered until she stepped through the mirror with Aaron, the man who played the Phantom. When she did her eyed filled with tears remembering when she stepped through the mirror with Erik, and when she reached the lair Chelsea's tears spilled over. Tom, the director ran onstage.

"Are you alright?" Asked the older man gently. Chelsea nodded, wiping away her tears.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me."

"You sure? Are you sick? I don't want you on tonight if you're sick."

"I'm not sick. I'll be here tonight" Tom nodded.

"Alright, people back to practice." He called. Alice snuck up to Chelsea backstage.

"It was about Erik wasn't it?" She asked. Chelsea nodded.

"If you miss him why don't you go back to Paris?" Alice asked gently. Chelsea sighed.

"When the men dragged me onto the plane they told me if I went back they'd kill him. I love him more than life and if they had threatened to kill me I would have gone back, but I will not put Erik in danger."

For Chelsea the rest of the practice went well. There were no more tears, but she still felt the devastating pain of losing Erik. In fact, that's why Chelsea was in this play. When she was singing Chelsea felt Erik was there with her and she wasn't alone anymore. When the short, early morning rehearsal was over and Chelsea was about to go home, Josh the stage manager ran up to her.

"Hey, you okay? You looked pretty upset earlier." Josh asked. Chelsea looked at the tall man who had acted like an older brother.

"I'm really alright, just some memories coming back, that's all" Chelsea assured him.

"Must be pretty awful memories if they're making you cry onstage"

"Yeah-" Chelsea's eyes filled with painful tears again.

"Come on. Looks like you need to tell me what's going on. The lair scene is supposed to be mysterious, not sad." Josh said in an attempt to lift Chelsea's spirits. He led her over to a seat in the theatre. "Alright tell old Josh what's bothering you." Chelsea sighed.

"Basically when I was in Paris two years ago and I met this guy at the Paris Opera House. Anyway, we fell in love but when I left this other guy took Erik away right before I got on the plane and I haven't seen him since." Chelsea choked back a sob.

"Wow" Josh said. "You met the guy at the Opera House? And his name is Erik?" Chelsea nodded. "He sounds like the Phantom." Josh teased. Chelsea looked up at Josh.

"Josh, can I tell you something?"

"Of course you can."

"Erik, he was the Phantom." Josh stared at her is disbelief. "No, really he was. He has the mask, and can sing better than anyone. I stayed in this old dressing room and the mirror led down to his home. I know it sound crazy, but please believe me."

Josh nodded.

"I believe you." Chelsea smiled.

"Thank you. I have to get home. I'll be back in a couple of hours for the performance."

As Chelsea packed her makeup to take to the theatre she started to sing.

"On my own pretending he's beside me

All alone I walk with him 'til morning

Without him I feel his arms around me

And when I lose my way I close my eyes and he has found me

And I know it's only in my mind, that I'm talking to myself and not to him

And although I know that he is gone

Still I say there's a way for us

I love him, but when the night is over

He is gone and the river's just a river" Chelsea wiped away a tear that had slid down her cheek. Erik was gone. Matthew could have killed him. Chelsea flung herself onto the bed and cried her heart out.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Erik had stayed in Paris after Matthew let him go. He knew he should have moved on, but this was the last place he had seen Chelsea. Erik had done odd jobs for many different people because no one would hire him. He saved all the money only using what he had to, to eat. He slept outside, under trees so he wouldn't have to spend money on a place to stay. After his last job of the day he walked over to a quiet park to count the money he had earned. After working for two years he thought he'd earned enough money to find Chelsea. There was enough. Erik ran to the airport to buy a ticket. Erik decided to book a stand-by ticket. They were cheaper and he had a good chance of getting on the flight. Erik waited out the hour until the flight in the park nearby. As he waited he sang.

In the night though we're apart

There's a ghost of you within my haunted heart

A ghost of you, my lost romance

Lips that laugh, eyes that dance

Haunted heart won't let me be

Dreams repeat a sweet but lonely song to me

Dreams are dust; it's you who must belong to me

And thrill, haunted heart be still my haunted heart

Erik sat down with a sigh of relief and frustration. Relief that he had gotten a ticket, but frustration that the plane landed in New York City and then Erik would have to book another flight to Minnesota, where Chelsea had told him was where she grew up. Back at the airport a well dressed man stood ahead of Erik in line. He looked somewhat familiar. Erik shook his head not placing the man and hurried to his flight. As he sat down the well dressed man came up and sat in the next seat. Erik laughed to himself, funny that this man should sit next to him. Erik leaned over.

"Excuse me sir, but you looked familiar to-" Erik stopped short as the man turned. Erik gasped. The man sputtered. It was Matthew!

"You!" The men cried out.

"What are you doing here?" Erik hissed venomously.

"And what business is that of yours?" Matthew sneered.

"What business was it of yours to take her away?" Erik retorted. Matthew blushed.

"You took away everything that was important to me! Don't you feel any remorse?" Erik was shouting now, his pain turning to anger.

"Well you got all the attention from Maman! It was Erik this and Erik that! And you even got the girl. Chelsea! She loved you even with your face! She never looked at me twice!" Matthew nearly shouted. The people in front of him turned around.

"You think my life was ever easy? I was the one who was taken in out of charity. I'm the one who lived under the Opera House! I had to look to you for everything and you took away what mattered. I thought you were like a brother and you betrayed me." Erik hissed. Matthew laughed.

"We were like brothers. And look at us now, arguing like siblings." Erik sighed. One minute Matthew argued like a ten- year old and then acted like the mature, older brother. It was infuriating.

"Why are you going to New York anyway?" Matthew asked acting like the innocent little brother.

"It's a personal trip. Nothing you'd be interested in. And you?" Erik said. If he told Matthew he was going to see Chelsea he might not ever get there.

"It's business and personal. I might by New York's Opera House. And just like you, I going to find Chelsea." Matthew glanced at Erik, know he'd hit a nerve.

"What do you mean I'm going to see Chelsea?" Erik's voice was dangerously low.

"Who else would you go see?"

"She doesn't live in New York. She told me she was from Minnesota." Matthew laughed at this.

"She is but she lives in New York now."

"And you know this how?" Erik asked.

"I have connections." Matthew said smugly with a smirk.

"Tell me!"

"Okay, Okay! I checked with the FBI! They gave me a little information. I only know she lives in New York City." Erik sighed. Now he was going to have to put up with Matthew. But together they'd find Chelsea.

A/N Whew, that was my longest chapter yet, but I didn't like that much. What'd you think? I'm sorry it's taken so long to post this. Let me know if you have ideas.