Lysette sat in her dressing room, adjusting her wig in the mirror. But there was a difference this time. She was not putting on her Christine wig. No, this time she was putting on her normal Slave Girl wig. Some understudies would have been angry at not being able to perform their role again but Lysette wasn't like that. She had received her night to shine and gotten the recognition she always wanted. And she was set to audition for an opera company. What more could an understudy ask for? She did feel sorry for poor Melinda though. The media had been hounding the theatre trying to get her to talk about what had happened the night that she couldn't perform. Even though Melinda was performing again, Lysette knew the last thing she wanted to talk about was what had happened to her. As she was doing last minute make-up touches she heard a voice from down the hall. She instantly recognized it as Melinda's.

Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye.

Remember me once in a while please promise me you'll try.

When you find that once again you long to take your heart back and be free.

Lysette smiled. Melinda had such a beautiful voice and she could tell from what she heard that she had not been affected by what had happened the night before one bit. She closed her eyes and listened as she performed the obbligato at the end of Think of Me. Her voice ascended and descended to each note with such grace and clarity. And the high note was held out never losing its pitch or tone. She sighed. "I only hope I can have the same vocal discipline that Melinda has."

Have faith, my angel.

Lysette turned away from her dressing room mirror upon hearing the voice. "Who…who is that?" She glanced around the room and found it empty. "Rose? Is…is that you?"

You must not doubt yourself my angel. I have come to help you realize your dream.

"My…my dream?"

I will help you achieve that but you must not tell anyone of me. Not even the man who has captured your heart. For he would not understand.

"Fox? But he is a good man, Rose. He…understands things that most people wouldn't. I don't think he would…"

You must tell no one. If you do then you will send me away. Is that what you want?

Lysette rose from her chair. "No! No, please don't leave me, Rose. I…I can't do this without you."

If there is one thing you must learn it is that you must devote your entire self to music should you wish to succeed. You cannot give your heart to one who does not share your same passion for music. If you do, it will weaken and take away your spirit.

"I…I felt you were with me last night." Lysette whispered. "Your presence…it gave me comfort. It allowed me to perform to the best of my ability."

And I shall continue to be with you as long as you keep your promise to me. Keep that promise to me and I will teach you to sing with a voice that will put all opera singers to shame. A voice that will never allow you to sing in a chorus again. But if you break that promise, I shall never come to you again.

Lysette nodded. "I promise not to tell anyone of you. Not…not even Fox. I don't want to lose what I have gained." She then noticed the voice didn't respond back to her. "Rose? Are you there?"

"Please, I have nothing to say to you!" Replied a voice from the hallway.

Lysette opened the dressing room and found Melinda conversing with a man. And from what she could tell it was not a friendly exchange. She walked up to them. "Melinda, is everything all right?"

The man then centered on Lysette. "You're Miss Willoughby aren't you? The young lady who performed the role of Christine last evening?"

"Yes, I am."

The man pulled out a tape recorder and placed it in front of her. "Do you believe there was foul play involved in Miss Cuthbert's unfortunate incident last night?"

"Foul play? Well…I.."

"Do you believe a ghost killed the stagehand and that this theatre is haunted?"

"That's enough!" Melinda snapped. "Look, I don't know who you are or how you got in here but I advise you to get out of here before I call security!"

"I'll let my paper know about how I was treated!"

"You go right ahead." Melinda answered. "And I'll tell the police how you were trespassing!" She watched as the reporter stormed off and then turned to Lysette. "I really do hate the media. Thanks for coming out and saving me from killing him. It looks like we are going to have to have security at all the doors and searching people as they come in now." She smiled at Lysette. "Thanks for coming to my aide though, I really appreciate it."

"Anything to help a fellow performer. You sounded wonderful by the way."

"Awww…thank you Lyssa. But from what I heard your performance last evening could give me a run for my money. I really wish I could have seen it. Perhaps you will become our Christine alternate for the weekend matinees?"

"I..may not be here for that Melinda."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…I have an audition with the Metropolitan Opera this week."

"You do? Oh, Lyssa!" Melinda reached forward and hugged her tightly. "Girl, I am so happy and proud of you!"

"Do you really think I have a chance?"

"Of course you do! I've heard you sing and I know you have talent. Why…you could be the next great opera singer should you play your cards right."

"But…I don't have the same vocal discipline as you."

"It all takes practice." Melinda replied. "You really don't think I was able to sing like this over night, do you? It took YEARS of practicing and getting chorus roles to land this. And the same is happening to you."

"Five minutes! Positions please!"

"Well, it looks like that is our cue." Melinda sighed. "Good luck out there tonight."

"You too." Lysette answered. "Oh, Melinda you need some…" She motioned to her lips.

"Lip stick? Oh god! You..you go ahead and get in your position! I'll be right behind you!" She watched as Lysette went bounding off to join the other Slave Girls. "What is wrong with you, tonight Melinda? It's like your scatter brained or something." Melinda muttered as she looked into the mirror and applied her lipstick.

Do not sing tonight.

Melinda turned around. "What? Who…who said that?"

Be ill tonight or face the consequences of your actions.

Melinda rose from her chair and walked around the room. "Who is it? Who is that? Answer me!" She then heard the announcement being given in regards to rules for not taking photos during the show. She had no time to dwell on the voice she had just heard. It was time for her to put the show ahead of everything else. She checked her lipstick and then ran out of the dressing room and toward the stage.

Lysette turned as she saw Melinda coming toward her. She could see that her face appeared pale. "Melinda, what is it? Is something wrong?"

"I…I thought I heard a voice speaking to me in the dressing room."

Lysette swallowed. "A voice? What…what did it say?"

"It said for me not to sing tonight or something would happen." Melinda shook her head. "Never mind, Lyssa. It was probably just some kind of prank. It did scare me for a minute though but the show must go on."

Lysette wondered if she should tell Melinda about the voice she had head. But she had promised that she wouldn't. She took a breath. "Melinda…"

"Sold!" Came the sound from the stage indicating The Auctioneer had just spoken.

Lysette sighed for that was the signal for all the Slave Girls to take their positions. And when that happened, no talking was allowed. She regretfully moved away from Melinda and took her assigned position. The voice that Melinda had heard in the dressing room…was it the same voice that she had heard earlier? But if it was…why would Rose threaten to hurt Melinda if she sang?

The opening sequence of Hannibal went off without a hitch. All of the choreography was perfect and every singer was in tune. And if Melinda was concerned about the voice she had heard in the dressing room, she did not show any indication of that in her performance. She performed Think of Me even better than what Lysette had heard back stage. And her final note on the piece brought the audience to its feet with applause. It was indeed the role come back of all time.

Lysette remained backstage through Angel of Music and The Phantom of the Opera as she always did. No matter how many times she had heard it performed she never tired of it. And in her mind, she could still see herself performing the pieces as well. But Melinda was indeed proving beyond the doubt just why she was Christine in this performance and that Lysette was the understudy. Or at least…that was how Lysette took it. Even though she had performed well last evening, she still had low self-esteem about herself. She watched The Music of the Night scene and was enthralled as she watched Steve and Melinda interact with one another. It truly did look as if he were really seducing her with his voice. Was it possible to have someone have that affect on you? That you would just fall into a trance and do their every bidding? Her eyes then closed as a vision came to her.

"You shall sing Christine. But you shall sing only for me."

She looked around at what appeared to be some kind of underground dwelling. She stood next to an organ and a masked figure. "But…I want to share my voice with others."

"Others can not appreciate the beauty in your voice that I do, Christine. They only hear your voice but I hear more than that. I hear your very soul when you sing. And it is I that has allowed your soul to be bared to the world. So, when you sing, you sing only for me. Not even your love knows your true power. You must choose, Christine. Love or music? You cannot serve two masters."

"I…"

The masked figure wrapped its arm around her waist, pulling her to him. "I can teach you the secrets of the darkest regions of the soul, Christine." He took a hand and ran it down her face slowly. "And it is there that you shall find the true source of music." His hand moved down her side. "Passion and desire are what feed your performance and make it stand out from all others. But in order to do that.." He paused as he heard her take in quick breaths as he ran his hand over her bare skin. "You must surrender to it."He whispered as he leaned toward her lips.

Lysette blinked her eyes as The Phantom was playing the loud organ onstage. Oh god it was the end of Music of the Night! She needed to get back to change quickly for Il Muto! And to change from a Slave Girl to a French Baroque dress was no easy task! Not to mention the white face make-up as well! She ran backstage to her dressing room where the costumers were waiting. The entire time that she was being dressed, she couldn't stop thinking about the image she had just had about a masked figure and her. Was this show making her start to lose her mind? Or did this vision mean something else?

As usual during Il Muto the audience got its chance to laugh at the bumbling of Carlotta and Piangi. And Lysette had to admit at times it was hard for her not to laugh too. They all looked so ridiculous on stage in their white face, lipstick and HUGE white wigs and dresses. Not to mention the corset she had to wear wasn't very comfortable either. She had to wonder just how women in the corset eras were able to survive. Yet, when she wore one, even though it was uncomfortable it was not unfamiliar to her for some reason. She had to laugh to herself as Carlotta went to sing and emitted a croaking noise due to The Phantom's interference. Kristin always did a good job as Carlotta and that was why she had to laugh. But had that been a real situation, she didn't think it would be very funny at all. Then came the cue for her and the other chorus people to leave the stage to prepare for the ballet scene and All I Ask of You.

At least this was the time when she could rest a little before having to change into her Masquerade costume. She went back to the dressing room area and had the costumers help her out of her Baroque costume. As she was assisted, she could hear the screams from the people on stage indicating that Joseph Bouquet's body had apparently just made its appearance dangling from a rope. The costumer took Lysette's dress and left the room. Soon all of the other girls had finished with their duties as well, leaving Lysette alone. She then heard Melinda's voice soaring through the vents of the theatre indicating that All I Ask of You had started. But then another replaced Melinda's soprano voice.

It won't be long now, my angel.

"Rose? Is…is that you?"

Her voice is good but not as superior as yours. I told her not to sing but she wouldn't listen to me.

Lysette's worst fear had just been realized. "So that was you that threatened her?"

I did it for your sake, my angel.

"Why? Why would you do such a thing, Rose? Melinda is a good person you can't just…"

There can only be one Christine and that is you.

"One…Christine?" Fear suddenly began to grip Lysette and she ran out of the dressing room in just her costume undergarments.

On stage, The Phantom was singing of Christine's betrayal to him from atop an angel. "You will curse the day you did not do! All that The Phantom asked of you!" The music then crescendoed as The Phantom raised his arms above him and gave an evil laugh. As he did this, some cast members from Il Muto took their bows. The audience applauded and their clapping became louder as Christine took her bow as The Countess. And it was at that moment that the chandelier above the auditorium began to shake. Of course everyone on stage knew that was part of the performance. Everyone on stage started to scream as the chandelier descended and The Phantom's evil laughter echoed throughout the auditorium.

Lysette stood from the side and watched as the chandelier swung over the heads of the audience and then headed toward the stage. She kept her eye on Melinda and then watched in horror as she suddenly was pushed forward toward the chandelier. Melinda smashed into the chandelier and then fell to the ground unconscious. "Melinda!" She screamed before running onto the stage.

The entire stage was filled with performers both standing in shock and trying to assist Melinda. The audience echoed with cries of shock and confusion as they observed Christine Daae prone on the floor. Mr. Constance came running from the side. "Curtain! Pull the damn curtain!" The curtain was quickly closed as the performers gathered around the motionless body of Melinda. "Carl! Call 911!" He then looked at the other performers. "All right, everyone! We need to give Miss Cuthbert some breathing room!"

Lysette moved back along with everyone else. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. How was it possible? She watched as one of the performers started CPR on Melinda. It was times like this that she was glad some performers knew procedures such as this. A sigh of relief went through the stage as Melinda started to breathe yet her eyes remained closed.

Mr. Constance looked at Lysette. "Miss Willoughby, I need you to go prepare to perform the role of Christine for the Second Act."

Lysette looked back at Mr. Constance in disbelief. "You can't be serious?"

"I am quite serious, my dear. It is a tragedy what happened to Miss Cuthbert but we have an audience out there who paid to see this show."

"But…Mr. Constance."

"You are a performer are you not, Miss Willoughby?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Then I advise you to act like one. There will be many challenges you will have to face in the world of music my dear. This is just one of them and you must be strong enough to keep yourself together. Now…go change into your Christine costume for Masquerade at once!"

Lysette nodded and lowered her head. "Yes Mr. Constance."

"Good." Mr. Constance turned to the other performers. "All right, everyone! Let's prepare for Masquerade and continue with the show!"

Lysette couldn't believe what Mr. Constance was saying! He expected them to continue after what had happened to poor Melinda? She raised her head and watched as the paramedics arrived and placed Melinda on a gurney and wheeled her off stage. As Lysette stood on the stage still in shock she could hear maniacal laughter echoing in her head.

One Christine….one Christine.

Note: It has been some time since I actually saw the stage production of "Phantom" so I guessed on the last scene of "Il Muto"