Oh. My. God! I finally watched Sherlock Holmes and the case of the Silk Stocking last night, even though I taped it a week ago, I am a huge fan of Master Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and RUPERT EVERRET IS SO SEXY! They got a heap of details wrong (the man smoked a pipe, not cigarettes, and he never touched opium, he was addicted to heroin and cocain) But his voice! Oh my! (faints) it was 11 at night and I still had to go back and read my favourite stories and Sherlock fics from last year) Anyway rant done, rather pointless chapter to come.
Blaze: Noooo! After all I went through to get you all out? You can just wait, cos I don't feel like writing you all again…ok, I'll think about it.
Asingledarkcrimsonrose: Tuh, rock climbing, my aunt used to live in Colorado…I think…was 6 years ago…I forget…oh well
Naomiepoe: Thanks again for PoeErik, was much appreciated, here's your update
BiP: I can crack my hip joints and my wrists constantly, it freaks people out
Cap'n Meg: At least you wont be cliff hanged
Mrs malfoy: Tell him the price for pancakes is 10 kisses and 1 song per pancake, it works believe me
Pertie: thankyou, this story swings between angst weirdness and fluff like a pendulum.
The Mega Doomer: No I didn't (frown) enjoy your vacation
Phantomsecretlove: I love to cliff people, haven't been doing it often enough lately
ChristinelovesPhantom: Hi, now you can find out!
Reltistic: He did? Hmm…shall have to rectify that, spontaneous work isn't often my best, especially when they have nothing to talk about, the next chapter should be better (the one after it is great!)
Angel of mystery: Fine, you go do that
Toby the stagehand, stuck his head in the door without warning, looking around in bewilderment. "Hello?" he ventured cautiously, he knew there were often pleasant young maids in these rooms, as well as ballet dancers being fitted for costumes, but he had never ventured into this room before, some said it was from here the Theatre Wraith called forth her minions, Toby scoffed at these fears, having arrived after the DBCA attack, he knew nothing first hand of what the Opera House spirits were capable of. A curious sight greeted him, a heavy wooden mannequin, standing on a table, dressed in a red gown that appeared to be missing most of the skirts, which usually covered a diva's legs. Toby's dark eyes bulged at the thought of a diva appearing on stage dressed in that! He entered and shut the door, then he saw the girl pinning the dress, "Oh, hello," he leant against the door comfortably, eyeing the blonde, "I thought I heard voices in here."
The girl clutched the skirts of the gown tightly, "You startled me," she replied, seemingly unable to look at him. "Did I?" Toby asked, looking around for the other voice as he shook the stray black curl in front of his eyes, he prided himself on his abilities with the ladies, and the stray curl trick seemed to get them every time. "Where's your friend?"
"Sorry?" the girl was resisting his trick, she seemed terrified and refused to look up from her skirts, "There's no one here but me m'sieur"
"Really?" probably her lover, hiding somewhere instead of down at practise, "I thought I heard another voice, must have been a ghost." He turned with a smirk to look at the girl, she gave him a weak smile, "It must have been m'sieur"
Toby frowned at the girl, trying to place her, "I don't believe I've seen you here before, are you new?"
"Uh, yes m'sieur" Adriana replied, casting desperate glances around her for something to distract the idiot with, Erik was pressed against the wardrobe by the door, all it would take for him to be seen was for Toby to turn around, "I'm hand maid to Antoinette…I mean Angelique!" she shook her head furiously at Erik, reaching into his jacket for his lasso, a murder was the last thing they needed.
"Is that so?" Toby leered, "And I suppose this is her dress for tonight?" Adriana bobbed her head, finally meeting his eyes, "Yes, m'sieur, now if you'll excuse me, I must finish this dress before the gala."
"Well perhaps I can help?" Toby offered, moving forwards, "You seem awfully lonely up here on your own."
"Please m'sieur!" she burst out desperately, "Call me Toby," he smiled,
"Please m'sieur Toby, I would ask you to leave, I must finish my lady's dress!"
"Why? Miss?" he leered, "Who are you hiding?" he turned around, as if to look for a hidden suitor…
And found Erik looming over him, a murderous look in his golden eyes, Toby gasped and stumbled backwards, "The Opera Ghost!" he gasped, Adriana looked up in puzzlement, staring straight through Erik, "Where?"
"There!" Toby shrieked, jumping away from the dark Phantom, who was reaching out one long ghostly white hand for his throat. Adriana made some show of looking around, "Is this some kind of trick?" she asked dangerously, "Because I can assure you I see no one."
"There! He's right there!" Toby pointed with a trembling finger towards the ghost, Adriana stared blankly, "All I see is boxes of costumes and props," she replied, then her eyes widened in false shock, "I see what your playing at m'sieur," she dropped the red skirts and advanced on the unfortunate stagehand, "I will not be your plaything m'sieur, and if you think this foolish trick will work you have another thing coming." She grabbed his shirt and pushed him around "Out!" she pushed him through the door, obligingly opened by Erik. "But…"
"Out, now!" she thundered, slamming the door shut in his face, Toby got one last look at the Phantom, lifting his lasso and tightening it lovingly before he came to his senses and bolted, successfully knocking himself out on a low beam.
"Well, that was awkward," Adriana brushed her hands against her skirts, Erik raised an eyebrow, "You handled that well," he complimented her, she shrugged, "Didn't like the looks of him anyway," she crossed the room and back to the dummy, taking up long strips and streaks of yellow and orange gauze to begin tacking then to the fine red sheath in a fiery train. "Well that counts out Angelique," Erik sighed, taking his seat again.
"Mm…" Adriana replied around a mouthful of pins, "I haven't heard Giselle yet, but Marian struck me as nice enough."
"Giselle is very hesitant," Erik sighed, "but she does have the talent required for at least two seasons. Marian on the other hand is very much a poser."
"Is she? Oh, well I still think Odile is the best of the group so far."
"I'm inclined to agree, but we shall see, you dropped part of the train"
Adriana frowned idly at her work, taking up a pair of golden streams to tie them back against the back of the skirt, "What do you think of this?"
Erik stood and walked around her dress, "Not bad," he approved, he took out his pocket watch and checked the time, "Its past six now, you had better hurry."
"Ok," Adriana relied, reaching up to untie the gold lacing flowing down the back, she tugged the dress off the dummy. She lay it on the table fondly, then crossed to a chest overflowing with shoes and started digging around, "Ballet shoes, ballet shoes, ballet shoes," she dug deeper and pulled out a pair of red slippers, stitched with gold sequins, "Knew I'd seen these somewhere!" she proclaimed triumphantly, Erik laughed at her cheeky smile and took up the dress, "Have you got everything?" he asked, she nodded, "Then let us away."
xXx
Adriana pulled on the slippers in her room and stood to admire herself in the reflection of the water in the basin, she straightened the clip holding her hair up and smirked at herself, "Mum always said I looked good in red," she murmured to herself, "Looks like she knew what she was on about" she shrugged her bare shoulders and glided out of her room to meet Erik.
The Phantom of the Opera was dressed in his evening finery and was tying a red ribbon to an orange tiger lily as Adriana glided out, trailing an orange and gold stream of fire behind her, she looked every inch a fire vixen as she spun slowly and curtseyed to him, train sweeping over the cold floors. "Not bad for a rush job, wouldn't you say?" she asked his opinion. He nodded, eyes travelling over her form, "Well done," he approved, handing her the tiger lily, she took it with a smile, "How did you know I love these?" she demanded.
"You told me," Erik replied, swirling his cloak around his shoulders, looking as sexy as death in full Phantom mode (okay, that's just my personal opinion), Adriana blushed, "I did? Oh well, thanks anyway"
Erik rolled his magnificent eyes, "We must go, my dear," he said, offering her his arm as she stepped into the gondola, tucking her skirts around her, "Before they give my Box away again."
xXx
Erik entered Box 5 from the hollow column and led Adriana out by the hand after him, he settled her in a chair before reaching up to pocket the envelope left on the ledge and marked "O.G." in reluctant black letters, "Ah, the joys of extortion," Adriana grinned,
"You would say that," Erik replied, seating himself on his chair in the shadows, Adriana leaned over the balustrade, looking down eagerly at the audience below. "Get back from there before someone sees you," Erik commanded easily, stretching his legs before him, it had been quite a while since he had enjoyed a night up here, he was looking forward to the performance, Adriana obeyed, scooting back in her chair, fussing unnecessarily with her hair as they waited for the lights to dim.
Authoress: Definitely not my best work, but basically its just filler and necessary evil until the fun part (wink)