I am amazed that such an intelligent man can go about his life and talk to no one. Meg thought as she fumbled around in her room getting ready to sleep. Although I do wonder where Maman is… Meg shrugged off her worries splashing cold water on her face and climbing between her pink and white sheets.

Erik sighed as he walked back into his stone lair after tying up his horse. He lifted a hand to touch the porcelain mask Meg had brought back to him. She is a sweet girl, but I wish I hadn't told her she could come back. She may unknowingly reveal that I am here.

Erik decided that since the opera house had quit burning he would go and see what remained. He slowly walked the tunnel that lead to what was formerly Christine's dressing room, and tripped the switch that opened the mirror. He stepped out onto the hard floor and went over to the dresser. Erik flung it open and ran his hand over the soft silk dressing gown that Christine had worn the first time she was lead into his lair. His nose stung with her sent, and he felt slightly intoxicated.

"You imbecile," he snarled to himself. "You will never see her again, get over her. She will not come back." His venomous snarl decreased to a soft whimper and tears as hard and cold as diamonds ran down his cheeks. He sunk to his knees, hugged himself and cried till he felt no more.

Meg carefully made her way over the broken shards of the great chandelier that once hung above the stage. "Maman," she said looking behind the curtain where her mother usually stood during performances. "Maman this is not funny, where are you?" She rounded the corner into the orchestra pit. She choked back the bile that rose in her throat. Meg looked on at the poor musicians that were could not get out and had died.

She turned around and ran out into the halls of the charred opera house. Still looking behind her, Meg tripped and sprawled out on the floor. As she turned around, still on her knees to look at what she tripped over, she let loose a bloodcurdling scream. She gazed upon the burnt form of her late mother.

Meg woke herself up screaming. "Maman," Meg swung her feet onto her cool wood floor and padded down the hall into her mother's room. She went over to the bed and looked down in disbelief. It was empty. She gasped sharply and ran back into her room. Meg slipped on her shoes and her dressing gown. She stumbled down the stairs in a panic and ran all the way to the opera house.

Erik wiped at his face brushing away the stray tears. He could not stay up here any longer. As more tears threatened to spill he fled back into his lair with a dry sob.

Meg kicked away rubble as she made her way to the orchestra pit. She gagged as she saw exactly what she saw in her dream. Oh please do not let it be true. She ran into the hall and just as she turned a corner she laid eyes upon the exact thing she didn't want to ever see in her life. Her mother lay dying in a pile of burnt rubbish. "Maman," Meg cried as she knelt by her mother. Her mother gasped growing weaker with each passing moment.

"My darling," Madame Giry gasped out looking up at her daughter with clouded eyes. "I love you."

"Oh Maman, I love you too. Please don't leave me."

"Mon chere, I would have to sometime. Our time has only been shortened."

"I will never be able to forgive him," Meg whispered to her dying mother, tears slipping down her face.

"Darling, you must. He may just be your last chance."

"Don't leave me, please don't leave me."

"I love you darling, I would never leave you. I will always be there. Sitting on your shoulder giving you instruction," Madame Giry coughed. "And always correcting your dancing," Meg gave a sob laugh. That was so like her mother. "I will always be the whisper in your ear. I love you Meg." And with those last few words Madame Giry drew her last few shuddering breaths, closed her eyes, and drew breath no more.

A shuddering howl escaped Meg's lips that was neither human nor beast. It was a cry of great grief and pain. Meg doubled over and sobbed salty tears on her mother's still slightly warm body.

Erik was sullenly walking back to his lair when he heard a noise that wasn't a scream, but at the same time it was. It was more of a howl, a grief stricken moan that was so loud it reverberated through out his whole home. He turned around and started to walk towards the sound, touching his face to make sure that his mask was secure. Erik stopped. What if this is some kind of plot to draw him from his home, something to capture him? Erik tried to turn around and walk away but the sound pulled on his very heartstrings and he couldn't leave something, someone, in as much pain as he had experienced.

He sprinted toward the creature and saw a young woman hunched over a body. A lover? He thought stepping soundlessly toward the young woman and peered over her shoulder to see who she was weeping over. Oh God no. Oh God what have I done?