A/N: My that was a long wait, I got very busy with...stuff, and... oh who am I kidding I got lazy and played video games. But I'll try my very best to make this fanfic as fun as possible. Please R and R(some constructive criticism would be great. It'll help me and your fellow fan fic writers to become the best) and I'll continue writing.

Disclaimer, (sung in a BarberShop Quartet): I don't, I don't, I don't own POTO and everything like that.

Yayyyy Chapter 3 is up!

Chapter 3 Doctor! Doctor!

The nighttime scene between Madame Giry and Firmin was never brought up into discussion and morning quickly flew by as usual. The rest of the day, on the other hand, told a far different story, as if time slowed downed, dragging everything and everyone into its lagging vortex. And during that time many things have happened, some funny, and some just plain odd.

The ballet girls were quite thrilled that morning when Madame Giry told them that today's rehearsal would be nice and quick since she couldn't keep her eyes open for more than ten seconds. In fact she tripped over several times on the stage and almost fell right into the orchestra pit. Everyone seemed to be worried seeing the often vigilant ballet teacher staggering,and clumsily sleep-walking across the stage.

Deep in the interior of the grand opera Populaire, Madame Giry could be found sitting on her favorite chair in her room with a little help from Meg and Christine, cathching some z's after the morning rehearsals.

All was peaceful inside Madame Giry's room, a safe haven where all your troubles may just seem to be lifted off of you and fly away, when all of a sudden the great carved oak door swung open letting in more than just a draft.

Though she was still showing signs of sleepiness from all that happened last night, it didn't stop her from catching a quick glimpse of the mysterious dark figure that rushed right into her room and tripped over the footstool that was in the way.

" Erik! What the hell are you doing? I'm trying to catch some sleep here!" Madame Giry reached out for abook and lightly whacked her uninvited guest on the forehead. Though it wasn't supposed to hurt at all, Erik still flinched from her gesture of displeasure.

"Your doctor is a very bad man! Not to mention crazy." Erik yelled. "How could send him here when I clearly said 'NO' yesterday."

Madame Giry sighed, knowing that having a chance to get some sleep for just a little while is not an option was indeed bothersome. "I'm sorry, just thought that I had to do it, you know. You are too stubborn for your own good. That kind of attitude won't get you anywhere if you don't give things a try." She got up from her chair and started making some tea to perk her up.

Looking perplexed, Erik couldn't help but talk back with indignation. "What are talking about? I'm an excellent musical genius, I've composed operas and I am far more successful thanthe averageman and fop. Plus, I never had a doctor and it'll stay that way because I like it."

Madame Giry slowly looked up from her brewing pot, it appears that she just snapped out of Dreamland. All the warm steam coming from the pot must be making it really difficult for her to focus. "Ohhhh, right... damn I forgot that it's you I'm talking to. You were saying?"

All the warm steam coming from the pot ismaking her drift away to sleep faster than any narcoleptic person. Erik thought after obeserving her frequent nap attacks. "Ugh... this is going so slow, if this keeps up HE might find me here.

"Say what?"

Erik quickly got up from where he tripped on the floor and came up to Madame Giry with his right arm stretched out to grab the brewing pot and the cup. "Just give me that pot and I'll make the tea myself, or you'll never stay awake long enough to hear out what kind of predicament I'm in right now."

"Story? I didn't know there was a story behind all this."

"Why do you think I came here?" Erik grimaced, do I have to spell everything out for you, oh wait... maybe I do. I'm not talking to the regular Madame Giry here, I'm talking more so to one of the Three Blind Mice. Hope she snaps back to her old self fast. I want you to get rid of him before HE drives me crazy."

Like a child listening to a bedtime story, Madame Giry became so intrigued that out of the blue, she somehow found the strength and willpower inside to keep her eyes and her mind wide awake, while comfortably sitting in her favorite chair with a blanket on her lap. '"What happened?"

"Well..."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Begin Flashback

Several hours ago...

Deep down under the opera house, sleeping under the warmth of my cotton blanket, all was perfect, like a dream. The familiar sound of my favorite music box woke me up from my slumber, signalling a new day and a new opportunity to finish composing my opera Don Juan. I walked towards the bathroom to wash my face, and as I passed by my humongous organ a thick notebook in shades of red and black neatly placed on the organ bench caught my eye. I stared in disbelief, it was my opera. My greatest opera was finally 100 percent finished.

Bells were ringing in my head and the sounds of angels singing Hallelujah filled my heart with the joy of success.

But wait... I don't remember writing it last night or the night before that, I was experiencing a massive composer's block. How could this be possible. Ah never mind, what's important is that it's done.

I decided to open it and see the beautiful piece with my own eyes, but everytime I try and reach out for the book, it seems to fly away followed by a faint giggling coming from its insides. It's like it has a mind of its own.

It won't stay still. Why won't this persistent little chatter book act like what a normal book should.

I tried to slowly and stealthfully grab the book from the floor, but it swiftly flew away, impishly giggling.

Someone is pulling the strings on this book, and my leg.

After several unsuccessful attempts, the book had led me up the surface of the opera house and onto the stage. Fumbling and blundering about.

"Curse you infernal contraption! When I get my hands on you I'll strangle you and this prankster with my punjab lasso like hell hath no fury!"

There was a slight rustle behind one of the stage curtains where the book flew underneath in, still giggling. Upon closer insepection down at the bottom of the curtains, the shoes of the sinister mastermind behind all of this was protruding.

"You will regret this!"

I quickly jumped and tried to tackle the mischievous little fiend but all of a sudden I realized that I had fallen right into a trap. The curtain and the shoes was merely just a cover up of what was really hidden inside, a giant rabbit hole. I fell into a bottomless pit, thinking how could I have fallen into such a simple and retarded trap. After thinking about the horrible situation that I had "fallen" into, I decided to yell out my final words before I am loss in oblivion.

"Under my loudest last breath: I LOVE YOU CHRISTINE, AND I CURSE THE FOP!"

Several seconds had passed since I had fallen endlessly in this big bottomless rabbit hole, thoughts of the possibility thatwas going insane when I heard a faint sound gradually growing louder and louder. It was a music so familiar that it was none other than... THE SOUND OF MY MUSIC BOX WAKING ME UP FROM MY DREAM.

Abrupt End of Flashback

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Owww!" Erik exclaimed in pain when Madame Giry suddenly stretched out her arm towards him and gave him a quick but freakishly hard pinch on his right arm. "What was that for?"

"Oh, I just wanted to know if this right now is all a dream just like what you told me", Madame Giry explained,"because if it is then we're just wasting our time here going around in circles."

"No! It is not", Erik exclaimed while rubbing the pain from his arm, "that sure was a surprisingly painful pinch."

"Well you know, after dragging so many people with just their ear you get used to it."

"And your profession let's you do this?" A brief mental image of an indignant Madame Giry yanking the managers and dragging them up the stairs, down the stairs, from the stage and to their office filled Erik's mind. "I wouldn't want my ears to be at the end of her pinching fingers."

"My apoligies Erik, please do continue. I'm quite intrigued about this." Madame Giry said.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The Start of Another Flashback

I broke away from my nightmare slumber abruptly and found myself sitting up on my bed, awake and shocked. I walked out of my room and into the bathroom to take a shower, relieved of the fact that none of those things were ever true.

Oh thank God that was only a horrible horrible dream. But I can't shake the feeling that this day is going to a bad one.

After taking a nice cool shower to wake up the senses I put on my mask and dressed up in my usual tuxedo attire, ready toscare the beejeezus out of everyonein theOpera Populaire once again.

"I wonder if that dream was an omen? But what I'm definitely sure is that after that dream I feel little extra mischievous today. An excellent way to pass the time... now what ghastly haunting should I do today? Maybethe 'red paint on top of a half opened door' trick would be fun."

As Erik leisurely walked up from the cold cellars and into the surface of the opera house, everyone was so busy that they never thought that someone would just waltz right inside the opera Populaire, an unexpected visitor. Even Erik himself didn't see it coming.

Outside the opera house, a tall man in a long flowing white coat with in his hand suitcase was standing at the foot of the stairs, gazing with awe at the magnificence of the structure in front of him.

"Wow... so this is the grand Opera Populaire that Madame Giry had wonderfully told me about in her letter. Well, let's see if the inside holds up to its promise of splendour like its outward appearance. And I sure hope I find this Erik soon, who Giry said is in need of some 'help'."

The door revealed an empty entrance lobby that morning, for all the cast was rehearsing at the stage area and to top it off, Carlotta had made her appearance today trying to get the leading role and more.

"My, for a very lavishly beautiful place it sure is empty inside." The doctor was caught between the feelings of surprise and amazement. "But if it'll make my search for Mister Erik easier then I have no qualms with this uneasy silence at all."

The doctor immediately commenced in his search for his "patient" starting from the entrance lobby, and eventually down the halls leading to the manager's office where he heard a voice. Curious, he pressed his ears against the door to listen.

Inside the manager's office was Erik, snickering while switching the sugar container in the tea tray with a salt container in the cupboard. "Good job Erik! You've done it again. This is going to be so much fun. I can't believe all of this composer's block and boredom has made me completely forget how wonderful this is. This'll make my lonely Christmas much more interesting."

The door burst open, giving way to the eavesdropping doctor, looking refined and professional as he made his self-confident proclamation.

"Good day Erik. My name is monsieur Sebastian and I am here child to..." Sebastian stopped in the middle of his train of thought. The sound of silence filled the office whilst he starred at Erik, struck with the look of shock. "Oh dear... oh my..."

Erik smirked.Ha! He should have seen the look on his face. That was priceless, and soon he will be fleeing from fear."

Erik surely wasn't prepared for whta was about to happen. Ironically Sebastian didn't run away cowardly like most people, instead he had jumped into a logical yet irrational conclusion.

"It appears you Erik are suffering from Premature Second Childhood Syndrome (A/N: totally made that up, LOL) in an attempt to draw attention, as well as melt away your loneliness. Looks like I've got my work cut out now."

Erik was caught off guard by the doctor's words. Maybe because it's crazy but it held a bit of truth in it. The last he needed is a complete stranger telling him what's his problem.

"WHAT! I do not have... whatever that syndrome you just said. And why the hell are you here anyway?"

"Oh! It looks like you're also in complete denial about what is really going on inside your head. Don't fret, besides being a brilliant doctor and diagnostitian I'm also an awesome pychologist." Sebastian reared his top black top hat. "And what is the deal with that mask of yours? I say take it off. I'm sure you'll feel a lot better. You know the old saying of the wise man: 'People will like you more if like yourself better'. C'mon."

The sounds of fist and teeth clenching can be heard, for erik was beginning to be overwhelmed with murderous rage.

"Are you okay my patient? You are twitching like mad, and your eyes aren't blinking."

The tension was so thick that you can cut it with a knife, perhaps even an axe. It was too much, even for Erik and with no further hesitation he dug into his pockets to bring forth his trusty little friend: the Punjab Lasso.

Seconds later Erik's eyes widened, not with satisfaction but with surprise.

He couldn't find his Punjab Lasso anywhere in his pocket.

"Lost something?" Sebastian asked. "You look pretty flustered."

Where's my Punjab Lasso? I always have it with me, how could this happen? Erik kept digging deeper and deeper in every single one of his pockets. Unless... I must have left it in Box 5 yesterday when I was with Madame Giry. I must go there and retrieve it before he drives me insane. Erik slowly walked towards the door, hoping he could run off and lose him.

Several seconds later, Erik stormed out out of the manager's office and quickly slammed the door, leaving the confused yet fully determined doctor in the dust.

"Where are you going Erik? We have so much to talk about. I haven't even told you how to combat your psychological disorders!"

Erik looked back over his shoulders to see if he actually lost him, but when he saw Sebastian running down the hall, he began to run faster.

Sebastian kept following Erik. Trying to catch with his speedy patient, running as fast as his skinny legs can.

"Wait for me!"

But the gap between the two was beginning to widen.

Afraid of losing his patient in the race, Sebastian was desperate. Left without much choice, he leaped and grabbed Erik's left ankle.

Erik turned his head around over his shoulders the second time to see Sebastian weighing him down like sandbags. "Let go of my ankle you big lout!"

But the persistent doctor still clinged to his ankle, not showing any signs of letting go.

"Don't make me shake you out of my ankle!" Erik glared at the man.

"Looks like someone's about to have a hissy fit."

Erik frantically shoke his leg, hoping that Sebastian would get dizzy and loosen his hold.

"...I...wwwiiillllll...nnnnnnoootttt...llllleeettttt...gggggggooooo..."

"My god you're so annoying." Erik snapped. "You are quite the tenacious one." (A/N: I just learned what 'tenacious' means and I'm having fun using it)

"Why thank you for the compliment." Sebastian's face beamed from hearing Erik's words. Totally ignoring the word 'annoying' in his comment.

With those words, the frustrated phantom stopped shaking his leg and decided to just keep walking, and drag his unwanted guest to box 5 with him.

After some minutes later...

"Finally...", Erik panted, "We're here...box 5...ohhhh for a skinny looking guy you sure are pretty damn heavy."

"Hey I wouldn't be doing this if you didn't try to run off without me in the first place." Sebastian said trying to justify his actions, "Remember the old saying: 'Everything starts with trust'."

"Ah shut it" Erik took out a spare key for box 5 out of his pocket and unlocked the door.

The dubious duo entered the elegant private box, Erik didn't waste a single second as he began searching for his precious Punjab Lasso.

"My...My...My...This is amazing. Such a splendid spendid spot for lunch, don't you agree?" Sebastian suggested, with his hand stroking his clean shaven chin.

"Whatever" Erik answered without much thought, still preoccupied looking for his murder weapon. Where the !#+$ is my punjab lasso!

Meanwhile, Sebastian is happily setting up his tablecloth and plates of sandwicheshumming "Rubba Dub Dub, Three Men In A Tub".

"Lunch is ready Erik." Sebastian said in a sing-song voice. "Do you want some ham and cheese sandwiches?"

"No... I'm not hungry." Erik denied the doctor's offer.

"Suit yourself", the doctor said between bites, "just don't come crying back to me when your stomach starts growling."

"Oh I'll try my very best not to", Erik replied sarcastically. Where could my punjab lasso be? I've already searched every nook and cranny of this tiny box. Wait!... I think I just saw it.

Erik extended his arm up on the highest shelf by the wall, where he saw something at the very back. Fumbling his hand around the shelf, all he could feel was the dust that had accumilated through time. Then he felt something rope-like, his eyes widened accompanied with a devious grin.

Ha Ha Ha... Now that I have the punjab lasso back in my hands...Prepare to die! Erik thought and as he pulled out his arm, Sebastian took his attention away from his sandwich to see what his patient has found.

"Did you find something?" asked Sebastian, "Well would you look at that! I can't believe you brought me a strawberry flavoured liquorice rope, my favorite candy!"

"What!" Erik looked at his hand, surprised to find a bundle of liquorice rope, a little dirty from the dust but still edible.

Damn it! This is not what I had expected. How am I suppose to kill him with this...thing. Does this mean I have to put up with HIM for another...god only knows how long it's going to be!

"Excuse me, are you going to eat that? Cause if you're not, then can I have it? Please...pretty please..." Sebastian eagerly pleaded like a kid asking for candy.

"Sure knock yourself out", Erik sighed and tossed the liquorice rope at Sebastian, but he didn't even bother to brush off the dust. I guess this weirdo's death will just have to wait.

Deeply goaded and confused, Erik is trying to explain to himself: Why is my punjab lasso suddenly missing? And how did it get mysteriously replaced with a useless pile of liquorice rope? To top it off, all of this just had to fall on the very same day that he gets a visit with Doctor La Loser. The circumstances are quite convinient, perhaps too convinient. But the question is who would have the means to do such a thing?"

Erik paced back and forth around box 5 pondering, whilst the satisfied Sebastian is savouring every bite of his liquorice rope.

Well... at least this fool has no idea that I'm trying to kill him. Erik secretly glared daggers at the unsuspecting doctor.

Suddenly, realization had struck Erik; things were begining to make sense as he began to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. Of course... it's none other than Madame Giry. She had the means and the motive. Indeed she sure was prudent about all this. I have got to ditch this idiot so I can get to Madame Giry. She and I are going to have a long...long talk about this.

Sebastian was almost done with his liquorice rope, that was Erik's cue to get ready to dash out without getting caught.

All right... on the count of three... I'll get out of here really really fast before he even has time to react.

One...

Erik slowly paced towards the direction of the exit.

Two...

Hands are carefully positioned at the doorknob, turning...turning...

THREE!

Erik darted out of box 5 faster than before and slammed the door.

Run...Run...Run like hell Erik! Don't look back... don't look back!

Erik had successfully ditched the persistently crazy doctor with his liquorice.

Shocked, Sebastian opened the door and peered out. "Erik...Erik! Oh gosh darn... wonder where did he go this time?"

Sebastian stepped out of the door and began walking towards the direction Erik ran off. " I must say he is my very first patient who has an extremely high flight / fleeing risk."

During his walk, a vague shiny object on the floor caught Sebastian's eye. "Hmmmm... What's that thing? It seems to be coming closer and closer."

The unknown shiny object kept rolling along down the hall until it got interupted by Sebastian's foot. He knelt down to pick it up and see what it is. "Hmmmm... a clear vial containing a red liquid. Strange it looks exactly like my liquid anesthetic medicine. I wonder if poor Erik dropped this thing?"

Several minutes of silence had passed...

Sebastian rose up and shouted "Eureka! I've got it, the perfect yet clever and cunning plan." He acted as if he was a completely different person from before, a more sneaky and malicious person. "Heh heh heh... let's see if Erik can alone, let alone move after this..."

He chucked away the vial out the window and took out a bottle from his suitcase that looks surprisingly similar to the one he threw. "This should do the trick."

End of Flashback

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And that's what pretty much happened while your were sleeping here." Erik sighed, surely that was a lot of information to absorb in just a few minutes.

"I wonder where could monsieur Sebastian be? He must be overwhelmed by the size of this opera house. I hope he's not lost." Madame Giry was staring up the ceiling, looking uneasy.

"What!" Erik blurted out. "You're worried about him. If you didn't send him here like I said yesterday none of these shenanigans would have happened. Sometimes you intervene too much for your own good, not to mention other people as well."

"He's my doctor, so of course I'm worried about him, even just a little." the ballet instructer replied in her defense.

"Anyway, that aside.", Erik said, "How am I going to get rid of him..."

"Without killing him in the process?" Madame Giry interupted, finishing Erik's sentence.

"I still have no idead why in god's name am I actually agreeing into this. Hmph... not killing him... wait till I get my hand on my punjab lasso that'll teach that fool a thing or two about psychology."

"Do you know how hard it is to find a decent doctor in Paris? No, I thought so... and if you kill him you will never hear the end of it..."

"All right already!" Erik shouted. "I won't kill your stupid doctor. Now if could you just stop your nagging and tell doctor La Loser to get out of my opera house!"

Madame Giry sighed and smiled, she knew that Erik was trying his very best being extra generous and caring than usual despite how miffed he is (and it shows). 'Thank you Erik, I really appreciate that."

"Appreciate what?" Erik naively asked.

"Oh never mind." she said calmly.

Suddenly the noise of running footsteps can be heard from a distance, and judging from all that ruckus, it sounded like someone was maniacally running and busting every door in the hall open. What's worse is that it appears to be coming towards Madame Giry's room, as the sound was getting louder and louder by the second.

"What's that sound?" Madame Giry asked between sips of her hot tea.

"It sounds like someone running, towards this room..." Erik mused.

"Oh My God!" Erik yelled as he realized what that noise could only mean. "It's HIM! He's trying to look for me, still?

"Uh Oh, and it seems he means business this Erik."

"Don't say that", Erik protested, "You'll make it worse... Crap! I've got to hide quick!"

"For the love of god please don't try and hide in my closet. I just cleaned that up yesterday."

Panicked and frenzied, Erik looked around the room back and forth searching for a hiding place.

There was a knock on the door.

"Madame Giry, are here?" The all too familiar voice asked.

Erik jumped from his chair from all the anxiety that he couldn't take it

"Just a minute." Madame Giry answered.

"Why did you answer!" Erik muttered. "Wha wha What's going to happen in a minute?"

"Is someone else there with you?", the voice enquired.

Erik couldn't take the suspense, the anxiety, and the craziness. As a final last resort, he jumped out of the open window.

"No it's just me here" Madame Giry said in a reassuring manner. She opened the door and monsieur Sebastian came in.

"It's been a long time since your last medical checkup", Sebastian said, "I just came by to pay you a visit while I'm around. Say... did you happen to see my patient Erik run off ? I'm still looking for him."

"...No, I haven't seen him today at all. Would you like some tea and liquorice?" Trying to change the subject, Madame Giry poured a hot cup of tea and opened a bag of liquorice that was stored in her cupboard.

"Don't mind if I do." Sebastian was happily delighted to be treated for tea and liquorice on such a busy busy day at the opera house phantom hunting.

While putting some of the liquorice on the plate, Madame Giry can't help but gaze out at the window wondering: I hope Erik is doing fine.

Outside, Erik landed on a big pile of hay next to the stable, lying down on his back unconscious.

My this was pretty long chapter. Hope you liked it. Onto the next Chappie. lol