Chapter Eight: The Show Must Go On:

A few days later, Meg found herself in line with the other chorus girls, while Catherin now took center stage. The younger Giry could care less about the production. She let her eyes gaze to box five. She sighed. The Phantom was not here.

Meg had not seen her beloved for some time, she not only missed him, but she worried about him as well. She so concerned with Erik that she loss her step with the other girls, and tummbled, causing the rehershal to come at stand still.

"This is the third time this week Madame Giry!" cried out Catherin. "I can not work like this! How are we suppose to work with her!"

"Ms. Beaucater, that is enough!" Madame Giry demanded. "Excuse me, while I have a word with my daughter."

Giry stormed across the stage, and grabbed Meg by the arm and then stepped into the changing room. "Please, let me go."

The Madame let go of her and replied: "This has to stop. You have to concentrate harder then you have been."

"I am sorry." Meg said, lowing her head. "I have had my mind on other things."

"The Phantom, am I right?"

Meg looked back up at her mother. She cursed to herself. Catherin lied. She knew she could not trust her.

"Did you not learn anything?" questioned Giry. "Do you not remember the tourment he caused Christine."

"He's not like that any more momma!" Meg cried. "He has changed."

"Men like that can never change Meg." said the Madame. "He is a monster and he must be destroyed!"

"NO!" Meg continued. "You can not!"

"Why?"

"Because I LOVE HIM!" blurted out the younger Giry.

Madame Giry was clearly taken aback by her daughter's statement. She withdrew her hand and let land hard upon Meg's cheek. "You know not what you speak of!"

"Yes, I do!"

"You do not love him child. He has you brainwashed!"

"You do not understand! None of you have ever understood!" Meg spat at her mother. She started to leave the room when Madame Giry stopped her.

"You can no longer see him." Madame told her. "I forbid it. If you do, hell will consume you both."

Meg ignored her mother's threat and left the room in tears. Madame Giry sighed. "Then so be it."

The younger Giry ignored the girls eyes as they watched her. She did not care about them. All she cared about was getting back to Erik...

"Erik! Erik!" Meg cried out once she reached the Phantom's lair. She stopped suddenly when she noticed that his home was bear. She prayed that Erik was still here. Her prayer was answered when Erik came out of the shadows. Meg flew into his arms.

"Meg, what happened?" asked Erik as he embraced the crying girl.

"They know, they know..." Meg cried uncontrolably in his arms. "Catherin found us together! She used that against me and made me give the lead role to her. She promised she would never tell but went straight to my mother!" the yougner Giry had to take a breath before she could continue: "What are we going to do? We have to run! We have to hide!"

The Phantom drew her closer. "No, we will not."

Meg was shocked by his reply. She slowly pulled away from him. "What? Why?"

"We are going to stay and you are going to be in the production."

"Erik, I do not care about the production any longer! I only care about you!"

The Phantom smiled down upon her. "And you know I care for you. That is why you must stay and finish. You have worked so hard, you deserve to be in it, no matter what part you have been given."

"They will find you!" Meg went on.

"No, they will not." assured Erik. "Listen to me my love. The must go on. When it is done, then we will take flight and go to where no one can find us."

"The hunters will never stop looking."

"We will lose them Meg. Then we can live a life that we want. A life filled with so much love and music we would not be able to bear it."

Erik's words were tempting. Meg could picture herself, along with the Phantom in a large house upon a hill, living happily together... Forever. The younger Giry embraced her love once again. "How will do this?" she asked.

"After opening night, go to box five, I will be waiting. From there, we will make our escape on horse back." Erik kissed her lightly upon her temple. "Until that night, you can not come back here. It is not safe, and I must find another place to hide."

"I can not go that long without seeing you."

The Phantom pulled away from her so he could look straight into her eyes. "Even though you might not always see me, remember this: I am always with you." Erik let his hand rest above her heart.

Meg smiled up at him and placed her hand over his. The younger Giry let her lips brush against his. When the couple parted, Erik told her: "You must return to the stage. We will reunit soon."

Meg had to force herself away from the one she loved. She slowly made her way out of the dark labyrinth. She stopped before she made her leave and took one last look upon the Phantom. He smiled then he bowed his head. Meg could not help but smile. The younger Giry then disappeared into the darkness.

TBC...

Author's Notes: I've learned by listening to POTO as I wrote this, it helped. Not to mention the plot bunnies have been very good. Raoul and Christine will appeare in the next chapter, and Catherin will continue her evilness! evil phantom laugh

Reviewer Shout-Outs: Jet'ndAlbert- Sorry about the Phantom thing. As you can see I use Erik now, but I through in the Phantom to change it up a bit.

Darth Phantom- You know, I've never thought of Catherin as Carlotta wannabe, but I guess you're right! LOL! Erik won't kill Catherin, sorry. Please do unleash the Phantom that way I can have him to myself!