Disclaimer: Leroux's, not mine.

Chapter Two

It had been one week since Meg Giry's encounter with the Opera Ghost and the kidnaping of her precious stuffed animal, Willy. A week of sleepless nights and worrying about her elephant friend. Meg wasn't only worried for Willy though, she had also become obsessively paranoid that she might accidentally let something slip about her meeting with Erik. She became so scared of this possibility that soon whenever the Phantom was mentioned, which was often, Meg would simply leave the room. Now, at the end of the week Meg thought that she had done a good job of not telling anyone about Erik's passage way and she thought she deserved her toy back.

At midweek Meg had been desperate and had taken matters into her own hands by writing a letter to Erik and placing it inside the entrance to the tunnel she had discovered. However, she had received neither Willy nor a reply. At last, Meg decided that she would go back into the tunnel to rescue her friend. With Erik out of sight, her fear had chilled and she had once again grown brave. On Sunday night, after the lights of the opera house had been extinguished and everyone was in bed, Meg left her room to return to the passageway. She crept down the hallways slowly and silently, already with growing fear. As she came upon the room her heard began to pound against her chest. She slowly opened the door and stepped inside. At night, the room was far more foreboding, and Meg felt almost relieved to leave it as she entered the tunnel. That is until she saw the inky blackness before her. With great care, she made her way down into the catacombs, feeling her way along the walls of the passage. As she walked deeper she came upon an area lit by torches affixed to the walls, she was grateful for the light, yet her fear increased as she realized she must be getting closer to Erik's lair. At length she came to an open area and stomped her foot at what she found.

An underground lake? After all that it came to this? How was she to get across? For a while Meg sat and pondered this. At last she realized that if the Opera Ghost could hear everything that goes on in his opera house, couldn't he hear little Meg Giry calling from him?

"Erik! ERIK! ERIK," Meg called over and over from the edge of the lake. After her lungs had been exhausted, she sat down again and waited for him to come. Somehow she knew he would.

She heard the swishing of water before she actually saw him. Slowly his figure began to compile itself from the shadows and Meg saw him pushing himself along on a boat. The old fear started to swell up again, but Meg tried hard to suppress it. As he came to the shore she realized that she didn't know quite what to say.

After a moment she simply blurted,"I want Willy back."

Erik stared down at her for a long time,"You know little girl I believe you've grown too comfortable with me. There are reasons why I am feared."

"I just want my Willy back. I didn't tell anybody about your passageway! I really didn't."

"I know you haven't, you've done well," he seemed to think about it for a moment,"if you come with me I will give you your elephant back."

Meg was doubtful at first, but it didn't seem to her like she had a choice. She took his hand and stepped nervously into the boat, she immediately sat down and gripped the sides with white knuckles.

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall out," Erik said.

After a while they arrived on the other side of the lake and Erik helped her out of the boat gently. Meg looked around expectantly.

"Where is he?"

Erik walked slowly to his organ where Willy sat. He picked him up and gave him back to Meg.

"Thank you,"she said quietly as she hugged her favorite toy.

"You know...it's quite late. I'm not sure I approve of you wandering about this late at night. I may have to inform Mme Giry."

"WHAT? No! You musn't do that!"

"And why not?"

"Because I will be in so much trouble! Oh don't! You can't!"

"Come, Giry, I think it's time for you to go back to bed."

The next morning Mme Giry received a letter from the Opera Ghost.

Mme Giry-

Of late your little daughter has been wandering much too far into dangerous places. I would

ask that you please restrict her from doing so as it is trying for me and unsafe for her.

-O.G.

That night little Meg's bottom was still sore. Her mother was quite disturbed that her daughter had come so close to the Phantom of the Opera. Meg decided as she sat up in bed holding Willy close to her, that she was mad at Erik. She decided to write her own letter.

Dear Erik:

You are not nise. I do not like you becus you made my mom hit me. You are

stoopid. I am gona tell evryone that you stink!

Meg Giry

The next morning Meg slipped the letter into the tunnel and walked away determined never to go in again. As she walked back to breakfast her mother spotted her and rushed forward.

"Meg Giry, where have you been?"

"I was washing my face..."

"If you step one foot out of sight from now on you'll wish you hadn't. I'm still very disappointed in you."

Meg cast her eyes downward,"I'm sorry."

"Go eat your breakfast."

That morning's ballet class was particularly hard for Meg with her sore bottom.

Meanwhile Erik stood at the entrance to his passage way reading Meg's note by the light of a torch he carried with him. He couldn't help but smile at fact that she addressed him as "Dear Erik" even though she was supposedly angry with him. However as he read her words he felt anger swirl up in his stomach at the thought that Mme Giry had used force against her daughter. His respect for the woman kept him from issuing any further complaint to her, but he did decide that he would make it up to Meg.