Authors Note - Thanks for all the reviews. This chapter is very early but I know alot of people were disappointed when Erik didn't find Joshua. Although that will set up events in the story and I also thought Erik finding Joshua was very predictable. Hope everyone enjoys. Personal replies will be at the end as usual.

Chapter Eight

It was later that evening and Charlotte had returned from their evening performance. She poked her head into Joshuas room and found he was still sound asleep, exactly where she had left him before going to dance.

He had cried for alot of the afternoon but he had eventually calmed down. Both Meg and her mother had come by to make sure they were both alright and she appreciated it.

She stroked Joshuas cheek gently, giving him a kiss on the forehead before she left the room quietly and returned to her own.

She sat on the bed, untying the ribbons of her shoes and slipped them off, hanging them on a hook at the door before she returned to her position on the side of the bed.

She wasn't sure what she was going to do after this afternoon. She felt guilty the way she had disrupted the opera house all afternoon. Madame Giry had been very understand but Charlotte couldn't simply fall back on the older womans kindness.

With a soft sigh, she changed into a black night dress before she took her hair from the bun it was in, her long hair falling far past her shoulders. She brushed and plaited her hair and slid into bed.

She had left a lamp on, not feeling ready for sleep yet. She wasn't sure what she could do about her brothers tendency to wander. She would never lock him in the room, he had spent too many long years locked up.

Perhaps she should leave the opera? Leave and try and find another job, perhaps as a seamstress or another job. But all would require she leave her brother for periods of time alone and...

She started to sob softly and burried her face into her pillow. She was just so confussed. She tried to do the best she could for her brother and yet sometime she felt that wasn't good enough. Could she continue dancing, her passion and still be the best older sister to him as well?What was she going to do?

Erik stood on the other side of the mirror and watched silently as she brushed her hair in front of her dressing table. He wasn't sure what had called him here tonight. He wanted to think it was to make sure the young boy was alright, he had heard of him getting lost within the opera house when he had come up to watch the opera again, from some passing gossiping opera rats who hadn't even seen him standing near them in the shadows.

However he was now staring at this beautiful woman before him, cursing himself for not simply returning to his lair. He had no reason to be here, the boy was alright and in the long run, did he even care?

He watched silently as she climbed into her bed. He was about to turn to leave when he heard her sobbing softly into her pillow.

He stepped closer to the mirror, unsure of what exactly he should do. He wanted to make sure she was alright but what could he do? He couldn't just open the mirror and say 'Hi, I'm the man who lives on the other side of the mirror, are you alright?' or perhaps 'I'm the Opera Ghost, would you like to talk?'

He shook his head as he listened to her sobs. It had been a long time since he had ever wanted to comfort someone, it was almost foreign to him and he didn't know how to help her or how to help himself with this emotion he thought long buried.

Charlotte cried softly into the pillow. She was so confused, how could she continue to work here and keep her brother safe?

Just then she heard a voice sing to her. It was a deep yet soothing voice and she sat up, unsure of where it was coming from, or even if it was real.

Sleep my child and peace attend thee,
All through the night
A guardian angel God will send thee,
All through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping
My Angel, I'am keeping watch,
All through the night

Charlotte looked around, thinking she was going crazy. 'Who is there?' she whispered into the room.

'Hush,' the melodious voice told her gently. 'Wipe at your tears. Lay down and try to get some sleep,'

Charlotte looked around again but the voice seemed to put her at instant ease. Perhaps her mind was playing tricks on her. With a soft sigh, she lay down again, pulling the covers around her before the voice sung on her again.

Angels watching, over around thee,
All through the night
Midnight slumber close surround thee,
All through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hale and dale in slumber sleeping
My Angel, I'am keeping watch
All through the night

Charlotte closed her eyes as the voice sung softly. It was a comforting voice and soon she was sound asleep.

Erik sung to her until he was sure she was asleep. He stood there, watching her for a few more moments before he turned to go back down to his lair, unsure of what exactly had just happened. He in no way wanted to be some else's Angel of Music.

Hopefully she would simply think her mind had been playing tricks on her and wouldn't question it further.

With that thought in mind he climbed into the boat and headed for his home.


Masemoiselle Justicia - More action will be coming into the story, just rying to set up the scene for me tale. I know it's a little slow now, but more action happens, I promise.

Maya BeeBop - I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know the last chapter was short and seemed pointless but it was setting the stage for other events, some of which are above. Thanks for reading

Surf with music - Thanks for the review. I know, alot of people were expecting Erik to find him but I thought that was sort of obvious and it was setting up other things for m story. I'm from Australia but it sounds like an interesting book

Nota Lone - I've updated sooner then usual. I wanted to surprise people when Erik didn't find Joshua. Thanks for reading

Fluffy-Bubbles - Everyone expected Erik to find him, hope it wasn't too disappointing and I hope this chapter makes up for any disappointment. Thanks for reading

Emma-J-Riddle - Yes, it's awful when they are there one moment and the next they're gone. Can only imagine losing someone at the Opera House! Thanks for reviewing