Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom, goshdarnit!

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone, I'm glad you liked the last two chapters!

And I'm very sorry about not posting, but I've had the worst block after that party sequence, and been busy with the other fics as well. (If you want to see what I've been up to, there's a new fic called Showstopper, one called The Book of Benjamin which has zero reviews so far (hint hint), and the rest are finished. Go read them while you wait around on this one). :)

Chapter 25 – RENTing Space and Meeting People

Josie

We drove back to Kendall's house and thundered down the steps (except for Erik, of course) to the basement and the mirror.

I was happily leading the way down the tunnel when the heel of my shoe suddenly broke and I fell with a shriek, expecting to hit stone.

Instead, Erik swept me up in his arms and carried me the rest of the way to the organ bench.

"I never understood why women wear such high shoes that can break," he said conversationally.

"We don't understand why you wear a mask instead of getting plastic surgery," I shot back.

"Why would I want to suffocate while being operated on?"

"Never mind." I rolled my eyes. "You haven't been in the future long enough to understand."

He smirked while examining my shoe. "I am sure, mademoiselle, that if we were to go out tomorrow that we would be able to find a suitable replacement for your footwear."

I brightened. "Really?"

"Are you sure they even make the same kind this long ago?" Sam jumped in.

I shoved her away. "Probably not, but I'd guess pretty darn close."

Kayla sat down next to me as Kendall booted up the internet again. "So Erik, you never told us what you liked best about the evening."

He looked thoughtful. "I found your tastes in music quite interesting."

"Almost as interesting as Ralena?" Sam earned herself a burning glare.

"Give it a rest, already." I took the heel from Erik and chucked it at her head, barely missing.

Erik continued as though nothing had happened. "Although I do wish to see that film you mentioned…"

Kendall looked up from the computer. "Kayla, what did you tell him about now?"

She gave us a look that was so innocent it was purely guilty.

"Nothing."

"Kaaay-la," Sam sang, edging toward her sister's bag. "I'll dig them all out if you don't tell us."

Kayla fixed Sam with the dirtiest glare she could muster (she hates it when Sam messes with her stuff) and said crossly, "Okay, I just told him about Rent. That's all."

I squealed. "Why didn't you tell us earlier? Let's do it!"

"This'll be fun," Kendall chortled. "AIDS, heroin, gays… only in America, I guess."

We laughed and Erik sent Kayla a wary glance.

She shrugged in response. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

X-X-X-X-X

Kayla and I both had tears running down our cheeks by the time the movie was over; it always happens with us. We start tearing up at Angel's funeral, and then it really comes on when Mimi dies. It's so sad, and Roger's song only makes it worse… or better, depending on your view on life.

Anyway, we all looked at Erik when it was over. He hadn't said a word through the entire thing, so I was anxious to hear his thoughts.

"Did… did you understand it?" I asked tentatively.

He looked at me with sorrow in his eyes. "Is this the way you content yourselves now – by watching others die of disease?"

I hadn't expected him to sound so passionate.

"No! We don't like that part – or did you miss us bawling when both of them died?" I retorted. "Anyway, the real thing is the message."

"Mimi was… shaking horribly, and she looked so sick," he said quietly. "Is… is she alright?"

Kayla smiled through her tears. "Yes, Erik, she's fine. That's the thing about films: they can make people look so terrible, but that's because they're actors and it's makeup."

He nodded, and a smirk crossed his face. "She was… very exotic."

Kendall's eyebrows shot up. "Oookay, this coming from a guy who spends his time normally stalking through a dark opera house—"

"And not even stopping to watch the ballet rats like Joseph did," Kayla added, chortling.

"Good Lord," I muttered, "do we have to go there?"

Kayla gave me another innocent look. "He started it."

X-X-X-X-X

Around eleven the next day, we (the four, sans Erik) were sprawled around the Louis-Philippe room, discussing what we should do.

"I think we should go see how big the opera really is," Kendall said. "I wonder if they put up the chandelier again or not."

"Nah, we should check out the city," Sam argued.

"Guys, are you crazy? There's a stage. We've all wanted to be on the stage before and never really had a chance," I went on, then looked at Kayla. "Well, except for you."

She nodded. "The musical was the most fun I've ever had. We should check it out."

I leapt off the bed. "Let's go, then!"

"Dressed like that?" Erik's revolted tone issued from the doorway.

"Contrary to your opinion, monsieur," I pressed a finger in his chest, "we don't own seventeenth-century wardrobes."

"Yeah," said Sam. "So four centuries ago."

He smirked. "If that's the case, you won't go anywhere."

"What!" I had to tackle Sam to the floor to keep her from jumping on him in rage.

"I will not have the reputation of my opera destroyed just because some foolish girls arrive from the future and wish to explore the city without first donning acceptable clothing."

She scowled at him from where I was pinning her to the ground.

"Fine."

Kayla leapt up from the bed. "We should pretend to be ballerinas!"

Sam rolled her eyes. "Are you crazy?"

"And… well, I don't think any of the ballerinas were as big as me," said Kendall.

Kayla considered her. "You're right. Let's go look for stuff. There's gotta be skirts or something informal around here somewhere."

We found the old dressing rooms adjoining a long-abandoned costume department a few floors above Erik's sanctuary. Kayla practically squealed with joy.

"Skirts!"

Sam looked at her sister as if she were insane. "You never wear skirts. What's gotten into you?"

Kayla snatched a floor-length teal skirt from a basket. "Nothing. I'm wearing pants underneath it, of course."

I snorted. "It figures."

Thirty minutes later, we headed out the opera house door to see Paris for the first time in our lives.

I squinted, unaccustomed to bright sunlight. "Erik, you really should get out more. It's amazing you're so tall; the darkness stunts growth."

He raised an eyebrow in response. "I'm not a plant, mademoiselle Josephine."

We laughed as a few younger girls walked by, chattering a mile a minute.

Kayla gestured after them. "I'm thinking that was Meg."

I watched the girls turn a corner, then saw a very good-looking man driving a coach toward us. My eyes must have gotten quite large, because Kayla looked at me strangely.

"Josie, what's wrong now?"

All I could do was stare at him.

The others turned, and Erik disappeared down an alley so he wouldn't have to deal with the man. It was Raoul.

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A/N: Sorry I haven't written in forever, but I've had major block. I'm glad y'all liked the party chapters, they were fun. I've been writing so many other things recently, and I finally got around to another chapter of this one. R&R!

Phantomfreak07