Chapter 19: Return to the Light.

It was difficult to judge how long things went on when Meg was with the Phantom. He played to, his music that moved her and empowered her. She never felt tired, nor did she wish to stop when he told her to, but she listened well, as a student should. She danced long into the night before Erik told her to stop, and though she protested, she did as she was told and followed where he led her. Out of his house through another passage that brought her back to the public areas of the Opera Populair. He never removed himself from the shadows but Meg stepped out as if waking from a dream. Everything seemed so different and cold to her now. It was hard to believe that she had spent most of her life in this place.

Once she found herself back in the immense openness of the theatre she began to feel the fatigue set in. Her body began to ache in ways she had never felt before. Her feet were warn and bleeding in her shoes. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for a ballerina but it was a bit alarming to see. She hadn't felt like she had worked herself that hard but it was clear she had. She silently slipped off to her small room and slept a restful and deep sleep.

Morning came before long and the opera began to feel busy again. Light filled the foyer, noise from the street outside resonated inside the theatre. The ballerinas were up and busy again. Back to the practice hall they had hurried and Madame Giry worked them harder and harder every day. Christine found herself with them and falling into the ranks once more. She had forgotten the feeling of fatigue that almost immediately hit a person after they had been working muscles that hadn't been working in a long time. But, quickly, she remembered the steps and began to move more gracefully than she had in years. She began to feel like she was beautiful again and the feeling radiated through her body and her physical appearance almost seemed to change. Her cheeks were flushed, but her eyes shown brightly. Her body was still small and fragile but not as toned as it once was but it felt like her youth was coming back to her. She breathed in deeply as she danced and felt the movements she hadn't felt in a long time. A great joy came over her, she couldn't help but smile to herself. It was wonderful to see the ballerinas and to be a part of it once again. But the practice dragged on and she could feel her muscles burning. She could tell that it would take a lot of work.

By about mid morning, looking tired and groggy, Meg finally joined the ballerinas in the dance hall. Many of them scowled at her and talked behind her back but she ignored them. They had no idea what she was going through and how difficult their chatter was making thing for her mentally. She tried her hardest to look like the presence of their gossip didn't bother her but really she was starting to notice it more and more. The more she heard the angrier and the more doubtful she became. In her mind terrible things had begun to pop up, like nightmare but she saw them when she was awake and away from Erik. She sighed heavily to herself and moved off to practice in her own way and at her own pace.

"Why should she get special treatment?" one ballerina asked and Meg heard her.

"Because she's the mistresses daughter," another giggled.

"Because she's the star of the Phantom's Opera," yet another had mockingly stated.

"Because she's better than you and wiser than you and more experienced than you!" Madame Giry shouted at the younger girls as she pointed each one of them out, "if you ever wish to be as good and as graceful as Meg then you must work hard, till your feet bleed and you can hardly stand. Then you must work harder and harder till you can hardly face the pain and when you reach that point you'll work some more till it becomes easy. That is how Meg has gotten as far as she has. Not by day dreaming and talking about others behind their backs. You'll be lucky to make it into the chorus by the time you are thirty!" she shouted and pounded her cane on the ground, "just remember you haven't yet gained the parts, and the Opera Populair will be holding open auditions for anyone in Paris, which means you can all be replaced by outsiders. You are not safe yet. So I suggest you stop this pettiness and practice"

With this outburst from their teacher the girls fell into new concentration and Meg was left alone. She didn't enjoy hearing the scolding from her mother to the other girls, she remembered what it was like when she was at that stage and this would only heighten their anger and resentment towards her but it would make them grow as artist.

It is sad to say that the ballerinas that had once befriended Meg had begun to despise her. She had been missing so much time with them and she had become so closed off to everyone that they couldn't help but gossip. They were jealous of the way she was being treated and believed it was only because she had been chosen as the Phantom's favourite. Also they were so very angry to see how much she improved when she hadn't even been to practice with them. She was more graceful and beautiful with every move she made. Her eyes were dreamy but her face was always fills with a great sorrow. They were sure that the fame and the admiration of the Phantom was getting to her. It was this that angered them the most and it caused the rumours and the gossip to start. They painted terribly ugly pictures of Meg to one another. Christine listening in on all of the gossip, it was just what she wanted to hear. They were unhappy with her new admirer and how everything was being handed to her and yet they wanted so much to have the talent that she had so that they too could someday have the fame.

"You know, they are saying the Phantom wrote the musical for her don't you," Misha, an older ballerina whispered to Christine as they practice, "rumour has it that after you left Meg went looking for the Phantom and seduced him. He now writes only for her."

"no, that can't be true," Christine said as she continued to practice.

"Oh yes," Another ballerina, Belinda, whispered, "why do you think Meg has never left the theatre. Because she doesn't need to look for a suitor outside of the theatre she wants the composer himself."

"Just you wait, the more time she spends down in the depth of the earth with him the uglier she's going to look," Misha giggled, "she's already stating to look as white as a corpse."

"Before you know it there she will be a Phantomess herself," Belinda giggled, "the great opera witch!"

"Or she'll have to hide what he's done to her," Misha laughed as she made a motion to look like she was growing fat with pregnancy.

Christine was hurt for her old friend, at hearing how some of the younger ballerinas were speaking about her. She knew very well that it was normally the way a ballerina fell out of the dance was because of the accidents of her actions. But never had she ever known Meg to be like that.

"Look at how she moves," Belinda said as she pointed across the room to where Meg was practising, "I know why she has become so flexible," she whispered and the two girls began to giggle again.

"You two," Madame Giry yelled as she heard the giggling persist, "what is so funny. Do you wish to be in this drama or not?"

"We do," the girls answered.

"They shut up and practice, you'll end up no where but the kitchen cleaning if you do not begin to work."

"Yes Madame," they said and slumped back.

"As for you, Christine," Madame Giry whispered into her ear, "it would be wise for you to not judge what the Phantom has in store here. It could be a very dangerous time once again. Don't fall into the wrong circles, you know what can happen."

"Yes, Madame," Christine whispered, fear rising in her voice.

"Don't be blinded by the light, my dear, there is much to much corruption to be found in it," Madame Giry said and walked off to scold some other gossiping ballerinas.

Christine's eyes fell on Meg as Madame Giry walked away. Meg had been watching them and listening. Christine noticed the hurt in Meg's face before she turned away and went back to her practising. She could still however make out a tear that rolled off the young woman's pail cheek. Christine didn't listen to another word from any of the jealous ballerinas.