Authors Notes - Sorry this has taken so long, I've been having problems logging into and posting here. Seems it's finally sorted out and I promise I'll update more often!

Chapter Nine

'Now please be a good boy and stay here,' Charlotte told Joshua as she pulled on her ballet shoes while he played with his toys.

She had awoken that morning, remembering the evenings strange events. However she simply put them down to tiredness, perhaps the voice had simply been a dream? Or the Opera Ghost,' she thought with a smile. The other girls had told the new dancers of the ghost who roamed the hall and had burned down the opera house all those years ago and she had laughed. They were all silly stories, to frighten the younger girls. She had heard too many, both while at borading school and dancing at other establishments.

Joshua simply nodded. The previous day had upset him and he had no real wish to get lost within the opera house again.

"Thank you,' she kissed the top of his head before she left for rehersal.

Joshua had been in the room for an hour or so by himself but the door opened a tiny way. He looked up, thinking Charlotte had returned. He saw no one and frowned slightly before a black and white cat raced into the room.

Joshua eyes light up when he saw the animal and he grinned as it walked over to him and sat down.

'Ca...' he said softly, giving the cat a pat on the head. The cat simply sat there, happy to get the attention and rolled over on it's back for a belly rub.

Joshua giggled as he rubbed the cats belly softly.

Erik watched from the other side of the mirror and smiled when he heard the boy laugh. He had thought that perhaps a playmate could keep the boy out of trouble while the red... Charlotte was at rehersals or performing. The boy had many toys but this would help the boy from getting bored and therefore wandering.

The cat was just one of the many cats that roamed the opera house to keep away rodants. The cat had lived in the opera house all it's life and it would be treated much better if it were to become the boys pet then simply stay an opera cat.

With a soft sigh, he turned to go back to his home. He had music to write.

When Charlotte returned from rehersals, she was relieved to find Joshua still in his room where she had left him. She was then surprised to find the black and white cat that was playing with Joshuas toy carriages and making him laugh.

'Who is this?' she smiled.

'Ca..' Joshua said softly.

'Yes, it's a cat,' she smiled, wondering where it had come from. She had seen several cats around the opera house and she simply assumed this was one of them. It was a cute little thing, it was mostly black but it's paws were white, along with a white patch on the right side of it's face.

The smile became wider when she realised that perhaps the cat would help keep Joshua amused and entertained and therefore less likely to wander.

Perhaps a guardian angel really was looking out for them? With a small smile, she gave the cat a scratch behind the ears. 'We shall call him Angel,' she smiled and the cat purred softly.

'Come on Joshua, lunch is nearly ready,' she told him gently.