Chapter Sixteen

The big workers finally pushed open the door, sliding the heavy vanity out of the way. Madame Giry was the first one in the room, the priest right behind her. The coldness of the room hit them like a slap and Madame Giry stumbled once. She looked around the room quickly, but Jim was nowhere to be found and Leah was not in her bed. She heard movement in the bathing chamber and started towards it, keeping the priest behind her. Jim might be violent in his grief, but he knew her and would not harm her.

Madame Giry quietly stepped into the bathing room, taking in the wet floor and cold air, all at once. She saw Jim leaning into the tub with his back to her. He had his arms around Leah, she assumed, and his shoulders were shaking.

The ballet mistress put a hand to her heart and fought back the tears that wanted to break free again. The priest behind her continued to pray, though he did not push past her. She leaned against the doorframe, watching, not sure of what else to do.

Jim kept his arms around Leah, hiding her from the rest of the room. All she could see of the poor girl, her almost-daughter, was one of her pale arms, under the cold water. Her tears were released again when she thought of Leah down in that dungeon, under cold water for hours. She wanted to rush over, to tell Jim to take Leah out of the tub, she should not be in the water anymore, she had stayed in it far too long as it is.

As she was watching, Leah's arm twitched, causing ripples to dance across the surface of the water. It twitched again, and slowly rose, joining its pair to rest around Jim's back. The stagehand stiffened and raised his head to look down at the girl.

Jim passed a hand across her forehead. Her skin was still very warm, but not nearly as hot as it had been earlier. Her lips were still an unnatural colour, but her breathing had slowed down. Leah's eyes fluttered open, though they were glazed over with pain and fatigue.

"Leah?" Jim asked, disbelieving. She spoke and he had to bend his head closer to her mouth to hear her.

"Will you please stop yelling at me?" Her weak, whispery voice asked him.

Jim gave a watery chuckle and nodded. Leah began to shiver and closed her eyes, keeping them open took too much effort. Jim lifted her from the water and turned to Madame Giry, who was standing there, open-mouthed in shock. "Madame," he said to her. "Will you please fetch some dry linens for Leah's bed? I do not think the wet cloths will be necessary anymore." Jim managed to grab a thick robe and wrapped it around Leah, still holding her in his arms. "Oh," he added before she could leave. "And tell that doctor," he sneered at the word. "That Mademoiselle Bourdeaux is very much alive and a priest will not be needed."

"Of course," Madame Giry said, her voice shaky. She left the room quickly, taking the priest, who was crossing himself.

Madame Giry closed the door behind her, giving the two of them some privacy. Jim sat down on the small chair next to the bed, cradling Leah on his lap. She felt so small in his arms, so fragile. She was still shivering, and Jim took that as a good sign. He leaned over and placed his lips on the top of her head.

"I thought I lost you," he whispered into her hair.

Leah's only response was silence, she had fallen asleep again.


The doctor examined Leah once she was dry and back in bed. Jim watched him carefully, not sure whether to trust him or not. The doctor looked at her eyes and measured her breathing, along with her pulse. He poked and prodded once more, this time wanting to find out how she was still alive. After a while, he sat back and shook his head.

"I do not understand," he said quietly, as if to himself. "She should not be alive. The lack of air combined with her temperature should have killed her."

"Well she is alive," Jim said. "Now what?"

The medic leaned over and listened to her breathing with his odd metal instrument. He turned back to Jim. "The fever is past, but she is still sick. The pneumonia has set in her lungs. She will be sick for quite some time, though any danger has passed." He covered her up once more and stood, packing his supplies in his black bag. "Keep her drinking liquids, and invalid food once her appetite returns. Compresses for her forehead and chest to soothe pain, and I want her drinking this tea every few hours." He handed Jim a cloth packet and headed for the door. "That should be everything. I will come and check on her once a day, inform me immediately if there are any changes."

He left quickly to avoid Jim's angry eyes, and closed the door behind him. Jim took the chair the doctor had vacated and put a kettle of water on the brazier. He opened the packet of tea and put a handful of leaves into Leah's small white teapot and waited for the water to boil.

Leah rolled over in her sleep to face Jim, her back to the drafty window. He watched her for a very long time, etching her face into his memory.


The days grew shorter and shorter, the ballet, and the New Year drew closer and closer. Leah had been told that she will not be performing in this ballet, as she was still sick and would not be able to practice. Leah protested, saying that she would be well in time for the ballet and she could learn her part quickly, but the managers and Madame Giry stood firm to her.

Jim had been temporarily relieved of his duties and was allowed to spend as much time taking care of Leah as he had to. And he spent most of his time with her. He felt such a deep guilt that this was his fault, and perhaps by nursing Leah back to health, he could partially redeem himself in her eyes.

One afternoon, Madame Giry had just come up to check on them, and give them their lunch. The usual meat, cheese, bread and some fruit for Jim and the usual thin broth and tea for Leah. She was getting mighty sick of broth, and it turned her bad mood into a worse one. She was tired of lying in bed all day, tired of people fussing over her and very tired of feeling sick.

Leah was sitting up, leaning against her headboard, watching Jim as he made her yet another cup of the strong bitter tea. Sugar helped, but not by much.

"I do not want that," she said crossly, wanting to argue with someone. She was also tired of people speaking in hushed tones over her, soothing words as if she was going to die. She wanted somebody to speak to her normally, yell at her even, to prove to her that she was still alive.

"I know you do not," Jim said. "But you are going to drink it anyways."

"Oh no I'm not," Leah said, her plugged nose making her voice odd.

"You are going to drink this if I have to hold you down and pour it down your throat," he threatened.

Leah shifted so that she was sitting on her knees. She looked him in the eye and could not keep the grin off her face. "And that is the only way I will drink that foul slop."

Jim stood up, towering over her. "Dammit Leah," he growled. "If you are well enough to fight with me, then you are well enough to drink this tea without me having to force you!"

"Exactly!" Leah pounced on his words. "I am well enough! I am well enough to get out of bed. I want to leave this room, I want to go outside." Leah stopped before she started sounding like a child plagued with the 'I wants'.

"You are not well enough to risk going outside in the cold, Leah," Jim said wearily. "And you know it."

"I do not," Leah sulked.

Jim sat back down and looked at her appraisingly. "Fine," he said and Leah looked up at him questioningly. "If you think you are well enough to go outside, prove it. If you can walk to the door without any aid, then I will take you outside myself. But," he added, holding up his hand to stop her excited words. "If you cannot make it then you will get back into bed and drink whatever I give you, without arguing my every order. Is that understood?"

"Yes, yes of course," Leah said quickly. She looked at her door, her once tiny room seeming to extend half a mile. She straightened her shoulders. She could walk to the door by herself, she was no invalid. It made no difference that she could barely walk to the bathing room even with help, she wanted to go outside.

Leah pushed back her blankets, no longer embarrassed to be in her nightgown in front of Jim, not after all that had happened. She pushed herself to the side of the bed and sat with her legs dangling over the edge. Jim watched her from his chair, a cynical grin on his face.

Leah ignored him, but was now determined to do it, just to wipe that grin off his face. She slid down the bed until her feet touched the ground, her legs shaking suspiciously. Leah leaned against her bed until she felt her legs could support her. She stood up straight, sent a withering glare Jim's way, took three wobbly steps and fell to the ground.

Jim kindly held back his laughter. Leah sat up and glared at him. "Go ahead and laugh," she said angrily, and he did. "You knew that was going to happen didn't you?" She asked once his laughing died away.

"Aye," he said, walking over to her and picking her up. "That I did. But you would have gone on believing you were well enough had I refused to let you try." He set her down on her bed. "Now, are you going to listen to me?"

Leah turned her head away to look out the window. Despite how she felt for him, she wanted Jim to go away and leave her alone for a while. She was also tired of not having any time to herself. But she nodded to his question anyways.

Jim put a cup of tea in her hand and she looked down at in with distaste. She drank it down without a complaint and made a face at the taste. Jim took the empty cup away from her and sat back down. He felt her forehead but did not think she needed a cold cloth yet.

Leah sat still and silent under his ministrations. Only when he was finished did she look at him. "Thank you," she said softly.

Jim sighed. "If I had not avoided you for the week before you were taken, it might not have happened." He looked down, not able to meet her eyes. "I told you last time that I would protect you, and look what happened. You do not understand how sorry I am."

"Oh Jim," Leah said and put a hand on his cheek. "It is I that do not deserve you," she said gently. "It was I that drove you away."

He shook his head, "No, you did not, I drove myself away." It was as close as he would get to telling her the real reason, and he was reluctant to reveal it to her.

A knock at the door surprised them both and Jim got up to answer it. Leah could not see who it was, nor could she hear what they were saying. She sat back against the headboard and waited for Jim to come back. He would tell her what was going on.

When he did come back, his face was tinged red and he looked angry.

"What is the matter?" Leah asked him.

Jim sat down on the side of her bed. "The managers arranged for a search to be done in the basements, looking for the underground lake. With the amount of men they had, no to mention lanterns and even a couple of dogs, they could not find any entrance going past the third level of the basement. And because they could not find anything," now he clenched his jaw and forced the words out. "The managers called off the search and decided that the lake is not there. They are 'sorry for your inconvenience and will be hiring security so it will not happen again.'" Jim stood up again and started to wander, around her room, not quite pacing.

"It does not matter," he said after a while. "Even if they were to find the lake, they would not find him. And security will not help." He looked at her, so achingly defenceless in her cotton nightgown and large bed. "I will simply have to be your security, and you can be mine," he said with a grin.

"And that will work?" Leah asked. "I thought I was ready for him last time he showed up. And besides, once I get well, it will be improper for you to be in my room alone at night."

Jim shrugged it off. "We will deal with that time when it happens. But now, I have to go."

"Go?" Leah asked, not wanting him to leave though that was exactly what she wanted moments before.

"Yes, I have some errands to run, I will not be gone long."

"Oh," Leah said softly.

Jim chuckled and walked over to her. "I will not be gone long," he repeated gently. She sighed and nodded, and he walked over to the closet. He pulled on his jacket and gloves and turned back to her. "I will bring you back a treat if you behave," he grinned as he walked out the door and she made a face at him.

The door shut behind him and Leah sighed. She shifted over to her window. If she could not go outside, the least she could do was look out the window. The sky was a deep blue and clouds drifted lazily across it. There were no signs of snow in the air, it seemed like a perfect day outside.


Jim hurried down the stairs, his mind wrapped around his many thoughts. He was looking forward to being outside, he wanted to feel the cold air on his skin. He was close to the main doors when a repeated noise filtered through his brain.

"Jim?" The voice called again.

Jim sighed and turned around slowly. "Yes Madame?" He asked.

Carlotta was walking towards him, a simpering smile on her face. She slipped her hand between his arm and his side to latch onto his elbow. "Wherever have you been" She asked. "I have not seen you for ages!" Her voice was overly sweet and bright.

"I have been busy Madame," Jim said innocently and she narrowed her eyes.

"Ah yes, busy with your little chorus girl, is that right?" Her eyes flashed dangerously.

"I have been taking care of Leah, yes."

Carlotta began walking towards the doors, pulling Jim along with her. "Why don't you join me in my carriage? I would like to speak with you."

"I have errands to run, Madame, I am sorry." He tried to pull away from her but her grip was tight.

"Very well," she said. "If you continue to refuse, then I will see to it that your little girlfriend's career is ruined and she will do nothing in this Opera but wash the floors!"

Jim sighed and clamped down on his anger. "Very well," he said, echoing her. "I can spare you a few moments I suppose."

Carlotta smiled brightly as if she had not just threatened him a moment ago. "Wonderful! It is just outside."


Leah's mind was drifting along with the clouds outside. She idly watched the smoke drifting in the wind and, lower down, the brightly dressed people walking along the streets. She watched the managers stroll up the walk from the stables and the doors opened to let them in. The doors remained open however, and Carlotta waltzed out, the usual male figure on her arm. Though…This time the male figure looked awfully familiar.

Leah looked closer, leaning her hands against the glass. The man escorting the Prima Donna to her carriage was Jim. Leah frowned and bit the edge of her thumbnail. Jim walked the Soprano to her ride and surprisingly, got in behind her. The carriage drove out of Leah's sight. She leaned back from the window slowly and sighed.

"Oh," she said quietly to herself. Pressure built up behind her eyes as she struggled not to cry.

Somebody knocked on her door and Leah blinked furiously. "Come in," she called out in a relatively steady voice.

The door opened and Leah smiled to see Angie behind it. She was even happier to see her holding a small wicker basket.

"Hi Angie," she said. "Is that real food?"

Angie laughed and walked into the room. "Almost," she replied. "I have real stew instead of soup, and more tea." Leah made a face and Angie laughed again. "Non-medicinal tea," she clarified.

"Oh good," Leah straightened up to make room for her friend to sit on her bed. "Jim has me drinking that awful stuff every time I look at him."

Angie sat down and unpacked lunch for the two of them. "Speaking of Jim, is it true he spends the night in your room?"

Leah pointed to the cot on the wall near the end of her bed. "He does not want me to be alone in my 'vulnerable state', he told me. But I agree with him, the Phantom so far has waited until I was alone before striking. Hopefully he is intimidated by Jim's presence."

Angie handed her a soup mug full of thick stew and smiled wryly. "But still, you have a handsome stagehand sleeping a few feet away from you. You two are alone most of the day, not to mention at night. And you are going to tell me that he has not even made a move towards you?"

Leah laughed. "Even if he did, I would not be able to do anything about it. I cannot even walk halfway across my room without falling down." She thought of something and sobered up. "But no, he has not." She turned to Angie, worried. "Does that mean he does not care for me anymore?"

"Leah, he is taking care of you day and night. I think it is safe to say he still cares for you. I was just teasing."

Leah's mind unwillingly re-played what she had seen outside the window. "But what if he found someone that he cares about more?"

Angie peered into her face, looking for something. "Leah, has he said anything to you that would make you think that?"

"No…not that I can think of," Leah admitted.

"Then you should have nothing to worry about," Angie reassured her. "Trust me, I think it is safe to say that he cares for you more than anybody else in this Opera House."

Leah drank her lunch and stayed quiet, and hoped that Angie was right.


As he had promised, Jim came back into Leah's room a few hours after he had left. Leah had been dozing when he entered her room, but she opened her eyes a small bit to watch him. He looked tired and she wondered what it was he had to do all afternoon, other than escorting Carlotta around, that is. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

Angie had left a package of real tea for Leah, who had hidden it under her mattress. Jim did not open his eyes when Leah set the ever-present kettle of water on the ever-lit brazier. She put some leaves into the teapot and waited for the water to boil. Leah sat up once the water was ready, a little dizzy from the movement. She made the tea and swung her legs over the side of the bed to steady herself. She leaned forward and tapped Jim's knee, the only part of him she could reach without standing.

Jim opened one eye and looked at her. She held out a steaming mug to him and his gaze traveled down to it. He sat up slowly and took it from her. He sipped at it carefully. "Where did you get real tea?" He asked. "You should be drinking your medicine instead."

"Nonsense, drinking real tea once in a while is not going to kill me," she replied. "Long day?" She asked, watching him stifle a yawn.

"Yes," he said. "I had a lot of things to do today and none of them were very easy."

"You should go take a nap," she offered, pointing her chin at the cot.

He shook his head and Leah persisted. "I am awake, I can guard us both if that is what you are worried about. You do not sleep enough as it is, now go to sleep," she ordered.

Jim looked amused. He drank down his tea before replying. "My lady, you will not listen to my requests, even when they are for your benefit, yet you proceed to order me about when I am supposed to be taking care of you. Not to mention the fact that you cannot even walk yet. How are you supposed to fend off crazed ghostly men?"

"I am sure I can handle things for a few hours while you sleep," she said, slightly stung by his words. "Nothing happened when it was just Angie and I here and nothing happened in the hour after she left and before you came back. I will be fine."

Jim bit the inside of his cheek, hearing the hurt in her words. "I am sorry Leah. I did not mean to come off like that. I suppose I should sleep for a bit to spare you from my frayed temper."

Leah did not look up, but heard him set down his mug and walk over to the cot. From the corner of her eye she watched him unlace his boots and push them off. He lay down with his back to the wall and closed his eyes. He was asleep within moments.


Leah sipped at her tea slowly, letting the warmth of it soothe her sore throat. She had spoken more today than in the past week put together, and she was feeling it now. Once her drink was gone, she remained sitting on the edge of her bed, her feet dangling, and gathered her strength.

The floor seemed a far way down, Leah felt an echo of her dizziness pass over her. She slid down the side of her bed, her nightdress bunched up underneath her and revealed a great amount of leg. Leah was glad Jim was asleep and pushed the cloth back down to cover her legs. Her feet hit the cold ground and she wobbled a bit.

Leah steadied herself, using her bed as support. She stood for a long time, letting her body get used to being vertical opposed to horizontal. After a while her legs stopped shaking and she took a step forward. She stepped slowly and carefully, and eventually made it all the way to her closet and paper screen without falling.

Sometime during her venture, Jim opened his eyes and watched her doing slow pliés at the mirror, her knees wobbling. He chuckled quietly and went back to sleep, images of Leah's nearly bare leg floating through his mind.