A/N: Okay, first of all, I'm super sorry for not updating faster, and I hope dearly you can forgive me. I haven't been able to make it to my computer for the past weekend, because I've been volunteering. Forgive me!

Can YOU wait to see what happens next? Well you're going to have to read on and find out!

TheAngel'sMaggie (Ann)

Trallgorda

Madame Opera Ghost (Meg)

To all three of you, who have given me very good support and urged me to keep writing, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. An author is only good as her reviewers and I believe you three are VERY good. Thanks again, and I hope you continue to read and enjoy my stories. –hands them all flowers and chocolate- Enjoy!

Chapter 13

Erik's hands shook as he held the letter firmly in his grasp. He couldn't believe that he was holding a note from the infamous Opera Ghostess. The black spindly child-like writing seemed to leer with distaste at him and he wondered briefly weather he should open it up. As before his curiosity won out and he opened it slowly trying to remain calm. It was meant for him after all, it had his name on it, which he reread just in case.

Erik.

It was for him, but how on earth did she know that he would be here? More importantly why would she waste her time writing to him, a lowly chorus boy, when she should be writing to Mme. Giry and the managers? He pondered this only for a second until he actually read what the Ghost had written to him.

Fondest Greetings Erik,

It is a pleasure to speak to you again, if only through the written word. As I write this to you, I can see you in my head puzzling over many questions, questions, which shall have to remain unanswered until a later time. For now however, I shall give you only a few words of advice. When the opportunity presents itself, be ready to take it.

Your Obedient Friend,

An Angel

Erik sank to the floor in shock and relief; it wasn't the Ghostess that had written to him, it was his Angel. His Angel wanted to speak to him again, wanted to communicate with him. In Erik's heart something stirred, a deep resounding curiosity, fear, and the childlike innocence of one who has been sheltered for most of one's life. Erik glanced almost lovingly and longingly at the letter in his hands and smiled up to his father in Heaven. Erik prayed silently, thanking his father for sending him the Angel of Music to him. This was indeed a moment when Erik needed a guardian Angel watching over him, for today was dress rehearsal day and Erik knew having an Angel by his side wouldn't hurt. He stood up and put the note deep within the folds of his pant pocket and followed Steve out the washroom door.

Erik managed to reach the stage in the auditorium, heaving and panting just as he saw Mme. Giry begin her instructions for warm up for the day. Erik's heart sank, Mme. Giry would kill him for being late, or worse, kick him out of the Opera House. He could no longer think that Mme. Giry would be nice to him, after how he'd seen her react to other people. A sudden realisation dawned on Erik as he tried to make his was silently and unseen up towards the stage. This is what Richard wanted. He made Erik a chorus boy to get him into trouble and then get himself kicked out for good. Erik fumed in anger. How could anyone be that mean spirited. It's alright, your Angel is guarding over you. Erik reminded himself. With this in mind he finally made his way up to the stage and had just crept in behind Greg, so far so good. Suddenly a loud tapping met his ear and he glanced past the dancers and saw Mme. Giry pounding the floor with her sleek, black cane. Everyone around him stopped their movements and stood quietly facing the front like a group of soldiers would. He forced himself to swallow and breathe as Mme. Giry's commanding stare met his own.

"Erik Destler" (A/N: Okay I've heard many last names for Erik, but I thought I'd use this one, as it's the one I've been most familiar with.) She said sharply, moving towards his with her cloak swishing behind her like some huge bird of prey. Erik trembled slightly in his place, but made sure that he was concealing it from her. He'd been at the wrong end of her wrath before and not so long ago, he really didn't want to be facing her again so soon. Erik could tell however, that Mme. Giry knew that he was frightened. Erik bowed low, to avoid those piercing, black, hawk, eyes and to be respectful, and to look a little innocent on the slight off chance that she hadn't noticed that Erik had been late. "This is a dress rehearsal. Why might I ask are you dressed like that and why do you stroll in at 15 minutes past our start time?" Erik looked down at his regular clothing, he didn't have a costume to wear and so was wearing none. He had also lost track of time in the washroom and knew he had been late. He shook his head, Mme. Giry never missed a thing.

"I'm sorry Mme. I don't have a costume." He decided not to tell her that he had just become a chorus member and therefore obviously didn't have one. "And I'm late because I got lost coming here." He knew at once his lie didn't fool Mme. Giry and he scolded himself that he was so stupid.

"I see, and you found your way perfectly when you were in the orchestra last time, is your memory really that bad?"

"No Mme. I was downstairs, underground that time. This time I was upstairs, I completely forgot where I was and got lost."

"You could have followed the performers that were sharing a room with you."

"Yes Mme. I could have." Erik had no idea why he was pushing this matter so much, he knew much better then to argue with her, but for some reason, he kept on going. "You see, I got up earlier then the other two men and I wanted to get to breakfast first so that I wouldn't be in a large line." Mme. Giry nodded slowly, looking thoroughly unconvinced at his pitiful lie. However, she stepped away from him and took her place again at the front of the stage just as the men in the orchestra began to file in. Their voices floated up and around the stage, it really did have very good acoustics, and Mme. Giry wheeled around as the sounds and shuffles met her ears.

"Maestro I am rehearsing!" She called out in exasperation to the small man who was now approaching the conductor's box with a huge manuscript in hand and glanced up at her as she said this.

"My apologies dear Mme." He waved his hand behind him for silence and in an instant all the orchestra members fell silent as they took their places in the many chairs in the pit below the stage. Mme. Griy rolled her eyes and looked at the performers who stood before her.

"Places!" She commanded, "there will be no more warm up." The performers struggled to get off in time, so they could avoid her anger. Erik was about to leave with the others when Mme. Giry put a heavy hand on his shoulders, holding him back. "Get backstage to find a costume, it should be easy enough even for you. I trust you have memorised your lines and have not forgotten them like the time." Erik nodded and fled the stage and as he went off in search for the dressing rooms Erik could hear the faint noises of the orchestra tuning up.

Erik wandered backstage amongst the many performers who were adding touch ups of makeup, sneaking a small swig of some brown liquid, of chatting quietly in the shadows. He was completely lost and he looked around for some help but instantly some very tall and hard smashed into him and he was sent sprawling across the floor.

"Excuse me…" he muttered as he head exploded in pain and his fingers throbbed again.

"WHAT do you think you're doing?" shouted a large man dressed up in frills and a tight fitting brown costume. "Get out of my way, RIGHT NOW!" he shouted again and many dancers jumped up in fright at the loud noise and parted to let the man through. A tearful sob was heard behind the large man, and as he passed a woman in a ridiculous hat and a low cut, Roman looking costume followed in his wake. He put his hand around her protectively as she sobbed into a white handkerchief and led her though the many angry stares. "Carlotta, do not worry, they are jealous, they don't even deserve to be in your presence, let alone stand in our way." He cooed soothingly to her without any effect. "Come my dear, don't cry, your make up will run." This did the trick and she stopped crying quickly, but simpered and clung to his shoulder.

"Ubaldo…" she whined as they both disappeared onto the stage. Erik had no idea what had just happened, stars were making their way through his head making it hard to see and the pain from his fall and his hand was beginning to become unbearable. A pair of strong hands lifted Erik up and placed him up on his feet.

"Stupid Pianji, he saw you were there, it wouldn't have killed him just to ask you to move aside." Someone muttered to Erik. He nodded, although didn't really understand who Pianji was.

"Could you tell me where the costume room is? I need one before rehearsal starts." Erik could see the man nod.

"Of course, quickly this way, now that our stars…"he spat out the last word as if it were poison, "..are here, it shouldn't be too long before it starts." Erik nodded numbly and followed the man towards the costume room.

With bright blue eye shadow applied to his eyelids, black lip liner and a bit of blush along with some Roman armour and a sword strapped to his side with brown pants to finish off the look, Erik made his way back to the stage just as he heard shouting.

"I SHALL NOT SING!" It was a man's voice and Erik saw, as he looked out on stage, that it was the man who had knocked him over. "Carlotta and I have been treated quite unfairly and I shall not sing!" he shouted huffily at Mme. Giry and the managers. Mme. Giry seemed to take no notice, but the managers were beginning to look very upset and about to cry.

"But Senior Pianji surely you can't mean that, we've seen to it that you are treated with the utmost…"

"No! That is not true! Disrespect is what we get from the chorus line, I suppose that's the price you have to pay for being wonderful at what you do, but you promised that it would stop and it hasn't! Therefore I bid you adieu!" He said and began to lead Carlotta away who was still sobbing into her handkerchief and grasping Pianji's arm.

"Monsieur wait!" shouted Andre and Firmin together. "Please if you wouldn't mind, would you be so kind as to give us a private performance?" said Firmin hopefully. Pianji stopped dead in his tracks and wheeled to face the managers once more.

"I suppose you think this will make me happy?" Andre shifted uncomfortably in his place.

"Well, you'd would be happy Senior, but it would give the others a chance to admire you and respect you. You haven't been to most of our rehearsals and so they might have forgotten." Firmin said in a solemn tone. Erik was quite surprised at Firmin's clever answer, he never really expected the managers to be that bright. Pianji looked down his nose at Firmin and heaved out his chest importantly.

"If my managers wish, I shall perform for you." Pianji finally consented.

"Excellent!" Andre exclaimed as he clapped his hands together and dragged Firmin away from centre stage where Pianji approached with Carlotta staring at him, silent for once. Mme. Giry stood slightly in the shadows with an almost concerned look on her face as if she wanted to warn people, but she said nothing. Pianji smoothed out his costume and fixed his gaze out into the empty audience.

"Maestro." Said Pianji.

"From the beginning of the Opera please Senior." Replied Meastro as he waved his baton and the music began to play. There were no dancing girls before him, and no Carlotta screeching in her part, it was Pianji all alone.

"Sad to return to find the land we love,

threatened once more by Roma's far-reaching grasp"

He belted out right on pitch. The manager's noting the mistake of Pianji's by saying 'Roma" instead of 'Rome' kept silent but Mme. Giry spoke up quietly.

"Senior." She interrupted and he gave her a furious glare, which she endured unflinching. "I believe we've had this trouble before, it's not 'Roma' it's "Rome'" Senior Pianji looked positively livid at Mme. Giry for raising this and his eyes were as hard as ice. The managers threw a terrified glance at Mme. Giry for saying such a thing and they burst into protests.

"Senior, she doesn't know what she's talking about…"

"I think it, in fact sounds better with Roma…" Pianji held up his hand to stop the noise, and both managers fell silent.

"That's enough! I'm out of here! Refund your seats, I will not be singing! I'm leaving, goodbye!" He said as he stormed off with Carlotta at his heels wailing.

"Wait you both can't go!" called out Andre in desperation.

"I shall sing Monsieur, but only to let Pianji hear singing that it worth listening to. And only to let him see what dancers should be like." La Carlotta screeched over her shoulder and led the fuming Pianji away from the stage. As soon as they left, the stage was in complete silence until Firmin rounded on Mme. Giry.

"How dare you? You lost us our star! Almost both of them, what were you thinking woman?"

"Firmin, he's right, we'll have to refund our full house, think a full house!" screamed Andre in a terrible rage. Both managers seemed on the edge of insanity and were screaming at Mme. Giry who held her composure quite well. She waved her hand in the air in dismissal of their comments, one that Andre would have been proud of if he had not been yelling at her that moment.

"You need not bother with scolding me Messieurs. There is an understudy who can sing the part of Hannibal." The managers fell silent and stared at her and Erik was afraid that their eyes would pop out of their skulls if they weren't careful. She lifted her cane and pointed through the crowd and everyone's eyes followed to the end where a man stood in surprise.

"Him? God in Heaven you must be insane!" yelled Andre. Mme. Giry forced a smile it looked odd on her face, as she smiled at the man who she was pointing at.

"No Messieurs. I can assure you that Erik Destler can sing the part."

A/N: A Carlotta type Pianji? Well, they're both still a pain in the butt, I just made Pianji more girly. Yay! This chapter turned out better then I thought it would, even a bit long if I might say so. What will Erik do? You'll just have to wait to see! CLIFFHANGER!