I remember when we finally went back inside; my father was still unconscious when we arrived. Will had him arrested for breaking an entry and for assault. It seems as if it was only yesterday that I watch my father being arrested and giving me cold stare. A stare that made me even shiver now, just thinking of it.

Will and I were both madly in love. Nothing could tear us apart. We would sneak off into the shadows and kiss passionately. Though I was in love with Will, I constantly thought of Angel. I would call out to him after performances, but in response was silence. Sometimes I would run into my room, hide under the covers, and cry myself to sleep. After another performance I was stuck cleaning. Once Alla went off to bed I climbed onto the stage, took a deep breath, and began to sing:

You were once my one companion,

You were all that mattered

You were once a friend and angel,

Then our world was shattered.

Wishing you were somehow here again,

Wishing you would reappear.

Sometimes it seems if I just dream

Somehow you would be here.

Wishing I could hear your voice again,

Hoping that one day I will

Dreaming of you won't help me to do,

All that you knew I could!

Passing bells and sculpted angels,

Cold and monumental,

Seem, for you, the wrong companions

You are warm and gentle.

Too many years fighting back my fears,

Why can't they all just die!

Wishing you were somehow here again,

Knowing we mustn't say goodbye!

Trying to understand

Teach me to fly

Give me the strength to try!

No more hiding, no more silent tears!

No more hoping you would be here!

Come back to me…

Come back to me…

The same answer, as always, silence. I took a deep breath and began to walk back to my room, when a familiar voice filled the room:

Wandering child,

So lost, so helpless

Yearning for my guidance

Me:

Angel or Phantom?
Friend or Foe?

Who is it there, staring?

Angel:

Have you forgotten your Angel?

Me:

Angel, oh, speak,

What endless longing

Echo in this whisper!

Angel:

Too long you've wandered in winter

Far from my fathering gaze

Me:

Wildly my mind beats against you…

Angel:

You resist…

Angel/Me:

Yet your/my heart obeys…

Angel of Music,

I/you denied you/me!

Turning from true beauty!

Angel of Music

My angel/ do not shun me!

Come to your/me strange Angel…

Angel:

I am your Angel of Music…

Come to me; Angel of Music…

I followed the voice into the shadows which somehow turned into one of Angel's secret passages. There he was wearing the same porcelain mask as always, and wearing the same black cloak. In the back of my mind, I had thought he had died from being so depressed about Christine, but in my heart I knew he was still here on earth with me. I began to sing:

In sleep you sang to me,

In dreams you came

You're the voice that calls to me

And speaks my name

And do I dream again?

For now I find,

The Phantom of the Opera has returned

Inside my mind

Angel:

Sing once again with me,

Our strange duet

My power over you

Grows stronger once again

(I put my head down, not wanting him to see me blushing)

And though you turn from me,

Glance behind

(He gently brings up my head)

The Phantom of the Opera has returned

Inside your mind

My heart was fluttering wildly, but my mind was reminding me of Will.

Me:

Those who have seen your face,

(I touched his unmasked side of his face)

Draw back in fear

(I back away)

I am the mask you wear.

(I came up to him and lightly touched his mask)

Angel: (in my ear)

It's me they hear.

(We got into the boat waiting for us)

Angel/Me:

Our spirits and our voices

In one combined.

The Phantom of the Opera has returned

Inside your/my mind

Angel:

In all your dreams

You always knew

That man and mystery

Me:

Were both in you

Angel/Me:

And in this darkness

Where light becomes night

The Phantom of the Opera has returned

Inside your/my mind

I felt as if I was in a dream. Nothing seemed to be reality, but a fantasy. I was so caught up in this dream I thought I heard the gargoyles sing:

He's there, the Phantom of the Opera!

Me:

He's there, The Phantom of the Opera!

I began to vocalize notes that I never knew I could reach, notes that were so complex. As I was vocalizing these notes Angel sang:

Sing my Angel of Music

(I continue to vocalize)

Angel:

Sing my angel.

Me:


(Vocalizing even higher)

Angel:

Sing for me!

As we were coming closer to his lair, the curtains pulled back displaying a gigantic iron gate. I was reaching my final climactic note, when candles magically raised out of the water lighting as it touched the surface. The boat glided through the harbor. I could see all the things that I was so familiar to: the pipe organ, all the huge mirrors covered in dust sheets, the model of the opera house.

Angel jumped out of the boat leaving me there. He began to sing:

I have brought you,

To the seat of sweet music's throne

To this kingdom where all must pay homage to music

Music

You have come here

For one purpose and one alone

Since the moment you and I first began to sing

I have needed you with me to serve me, to help me,

With my music, my music

He began to lead the boat gently by a rope around the lair. He was lighting candles as he did so. He softly began to sing:

Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation

Darkness wakes and stirs imagination

Silently the senses abandon their defenses

He continued to light more candles revealing more of the lair that I had once known. With the rope, he continued to gently guide me and the boat from the shore. I was mesmerized and hypnotized by this stunning man that could make my heart soar. He continued to sing:

Slowly, gently

Night unfurls its splendor

Grasp it, sense it,

Tremulous and tender

Hearing is believing, music is deceiving

Hard as lightening, soft as candlelight

Dare you trust the music of the night?

Close your eyes, for your eyes will only tell the truth and the truth isn't what you want to see

In the darkness it is easy to pretend

That the truth is what it ought to be

(Angel stepped into the water, walking towards the boat and me)

Softly, Deftly,

Music shall caress you

Hear it, feel it

Secretly posses you

Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind

In this darkness that you know you cannot fight,

The darkness of the music of the night

(He then lift me out of the boat, my arms were around his neck. He was carrying me towards the shore. Our faces were very close. I could see in his eyes all the pain, I knew Christine caused)

Let your mind

Start a journey through a strange new world!

Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before!

Close your eyes and let the music set you FREE!

(He gently put me down)

Only then can you belong (he felt my face) to me…

(He turns my body around, the same way he did last time. He gently caressed my body)

Floating, falling

Sweet intoxication,

(He put my hand on his face)

Touch me, trust me

Savor each sensation

(He took my hand and began to lead me up some stairs to the organ)

Let the dream begin,

Let your (He looked back at me) darker side give in

To the power of the music that I write

The power of the music of the night!

We stopped at the organ that I have heard Angel play more times than I could even count. He gestured me to sit, but I just looked stared into his green eyes. I suddenly hugged him, never wanting to let go. My heart screamed, "I love you," but in my mind, I knew that I would never have his love in return. Angel snapped me out of my thoughts, singing:

You alone can make my song take flight

Help me make the music of the night……….