Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom, but I'm gonna see how many more chapters I can give this story before calling it to an end. Thanks to all my reviewers! Love ya!

Chapter XVI: Le Retour

The three of them sat and talked for almost the entire afternoon. It wasn't until Samuel finally interrupted, saying it was getting close to dinner, that Adrien realized he'd all but forgotten about Erik. Isabella took his arm and they walked into the dusky evening.

Adrien hailed a cab. "The Rue de Rivoli, s'il vous plait," he said, helping Isabella in.

Isabella gave him a quizzical look. "Why don't you just say—

She broke off, remembering that his home was no château.

He smiled ruefully.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the corner of the Rue de Rivoli and the Rue Scribe. Adrien tipped the driver, nodded his thanks, and took Isabella's hand as they walked off down the street.

"Why do you live… underground?" Isabella asked, voicing a question that had sat in her brain for a few days.

Adrien pondered for a moment. "Erik told me that… well, you know he lived in the Opera House for nigh on twenty years or so. That lasted until 1870. In 1871, the Commune terrorized Paris and overthrew the government. They used the Opera as a main setup building. It's said that there were millions of executions down in the lower catacombs, leaving the tortured bodies down there to…"

"Rot?" she supplied, slightly pale.

He nodded. "When they first took over and set up their government, no one knew Erik was down there. He'd retreated from the world after Don Juan. So they started bombing the hell out of the Opera House, because the red Commune flag was such a perfect target. Erik saved what he could carry and found the place we live in now. He said sometimes others would come down and stay for awhile, just to escape the bombing. Eventually, they had to leave to get food and such. Erik himself didn't really have that problem: he could survive on very little and stay awake for weeks on end."

"If that's not a ghost, I don't know what is," Isabella smiled.

Adrien helped her descend the stone steps. "So he bought a new piano after the move, and then one night I assume he heard about Christine and went to the hospital to see her. And ended up getting more than he bargained for," he added, a grin flitting across his handsome features.

Isabella laughed. "You're not that bad," she teased.

As they made their way further into the tunneling house, they picked up the discordant sounds of Erik's grand piano.

Adrien stopped for a moment, listening. "I don't recognize that one," he said, walking faster.

Isabella hurried to keep up, surprised by Adrien's attitude. "Doesn't he ever work on new compositions?"

"Not usually. Let's find out."

A/N: 'Le Retour' means 'the return'. I hope some of you have watched the French version of PotO in that respect. If not, GO DO IT. It's wonderful, although it may take some getting used to. 