Aaannnnnddddd I just realized that I can't count. I had mistakenly labeled Chapter 39 as Chapter 40. I was so confused for a second...but let's be real, it doesn't take much to confuse me these days. Anyways, I think I got that little situation cleared up, so make way for the REAL Chapter 40. It's super long, so I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 40

The shock of this discovery sent Erik into a bit of a catatonic state, to say the least. Instead of celebrating at that moment due to the shock on his part and the performance starting in a bit, I gave him a peck on the cheek, told him I would see him backstage, and headed topside to finish preparing for the show.

I barely made it back into my dressing room from the mirror before Christine and Meg burst in the door, both in their respective outfits: Meg in the Pageboy costume for Il Muto and Christine in the subtle pink dress we had picked out for our performance. It looked sort of like the pink dress in the musical The Little Mermaid, only floor length and long-sleeved.

When they saw that I was nowhere near ready, they both freaked.

"Mandy! What do you think you're doing?!" Christine exclaimed. "Il Muto starts in an two hours!"

Without giving me any time to get a word in edgewise, both she and Meg got straight to work on me, stuffing me in my white 'ballerina' costume for the performance and doing my hair and makeup. Once I could get a look at myself in the mirror, I couldn't believe what I saw staring back. "I look like a porcelain doll..."

Meg rolled her eyes playfully. "Isn't that sort of the point?"

I shrugged. "I guess so. I just didn't plan on looking this...cold."

Christine slowly turned me to face her. "Even though this look is nothing like what we are used to seeing when looking at you, you do look beautiful, and we are going to be amazing tonight."

"That last bit kind of sounds like you're trying to persuade yourself more than me."

She copied my shrug. "Can you blame me for being nervous, though? I mean..."

I could tell that she was uncomfortable talking about this certain subject matter in front of Meg, seeing as how said ballerina didn't know about Erik yet. Luckily, about that time, a stagehand came tearing into the dressing room. "Meg, places in 5!"

Meg nodded and dismissed him. "Well, I guess that's my cue. Literally. I'll be in the wings for your performance. Break a leg!"

"You, too!" I shouted after her as she skipped out of the room. I turned back to Christine. "Okay, now that she's gone, and we both know the situation, you can talk to me if you want."

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It's not that I'm nervous about being on stage with him, but I can't help but feel something is going to go wrong tonight."

Oh, Lord, please not what I'm thinking of... "Christine, everything is going to be fine tonight. Trust me!" Man, I seem to be saying that a lot lately...

"I do trust you, Mandy. Thank you."

We embraced. "Hey, that's what I'm here for."

Il Muto started a few minutes later, Christine and I watching from the wings. It felt kind of weird watching it from this advantage point, seeing as in the musical and the movie the point of view is that of the audience. But, at the same time, it was quite thrilling to see all the bustle backstage. Even though I had worked backstage in my time, I gained a new respect for the art.

The performance went off without a hitch. Carlotta didn't lose her voice, Erik didn't interrupt with his 'powerful and almighty Phantom' voice (mostly due to the fact that he was backstage with me and Christine), and Buquet didn't die. I was certainly thankful for that, because that meant that I got to see the entire opera. Uh-huh...be jealous...actually, don't. It was okay overall, but the dancers with the sheep was the funniest thing to me. That's pretty bad, considering it was supposed to be a comedic opera...

But, alas, the time came for the final bows, then our post-show engagement. We took our places when the curtains were drawn closed. To keep the audience's attention, Firmin and Andre were on the stage, rattling away.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, if we could beg your indulgence for a few moments..." Firmin droned. Now, where on Earth have I heard that before...I thought sarcastically.

Andre continued. "As we mentioned before, we have a very special surprise for you. Mademoiselle Mandy Destler has agreed to grace us with another performance-" Great applause interrupted the managers.

As it died down, Firmin picked it back up. "Also, don't forget, there will be a reception after the performance."

Andre came back in. "Now, without any further ado, we introduce to you, along with a couple special guests..."

They were now in unison. Hikaru and Kaoru much..? was my last thought before they shouted, "Mandy Destler!"

As the applause rang through the opera house, the curtains drew apart, revealing Christine in the downstage left corner with me and Erik center, all three of our heads down and Erik holding his precious violin. When the cue of a 'winding clock' began, Erik acted as if he was winding me up like a doll with his bow. As the music began, my head raised, appearing hypnotized. Christine raised her head when it came time for her to sing.

"I pirouette in the dark,

I see the stars through me..."

Erik played his violin and I danced gracefully, seeming to be controlled by the melody he was playing.

"Tired mechanical heart,

Beats 'til the song disappears..."

Everytime Erik played, I danced, but slowly started to gain an expression of awareness.

"Somebody shine a light,

I'm frozen by the fear in me,

Somebody make me feel alive,

And shatter me!"

I started to dance on my own, gaining control of my body, trying to fight the 'hypnotism'.

"So cut me from the line,

Dizzy, spinning endlessly,

Somebody make me feel alive

And shatter me!"

Suddenly, it was like a fight for control of my body. Erik would throw a melody at me and I would try to resist as we danced around each other. But, at the end of the first violin break, I lost all control to him, shutting myself down. Erik 'rewound' me, a look of pride on his face.

"If only the clockwork could speak,

I wouldn't be so alone..."

The game of hypnotism began anew, Erik controlling me with the beautiful melodies.

"We burn every magnet and spring,

And spiral into the unknown..."

At the high peak of the violin, I went en pointe, one foot on the stage and the other in front of me in the air, slowly spinning and following Erik as he walked circles around me.

"Somebody shine a light,

I'm frozen by the fear in me,

Somebody make me feel alive,

And shatter me!

So cut me from the line,

Dizzy, spinning endlessly,

Somebody make me feel alive

And shatter me!"

Another violin break, another fight for control. This time, as he tried to regain control, I gave more of a fight as we danced circles around each other again.

"If I break the glass, then I'll have to fly,

There's no one to catch me if I take a dive,

I'm scared of changing, the days stay the same,

The world is spinning, but only in rain..."

I joined her both on stage and in singing as I harmonized with her in the repeat of the bridge, breifly escaping from the hold that Erik had on me. After we sang, I danced a little more by Christine, going down to the floor and discreetly picking up another violin. I danced my way back to Erik, this time battling him with the harmony of my own violin.

"Somebody shine a light,

I'm frozen by the fear in me,

Somebody make me feel alive,

And shatter me!

So cut me from the line,

Dizzy, spinning endlessly,

Somebody make me feel alive,

And shatter me!"

Erik and I continued to play and dance around each other, battling each other. At the end, we ended up face to face, slowly backing away from each other, Erik relenting and accepting defeat. As the orchestra continued to play a soft melody and Erik backed off the stage and into the wings, I performed a perfect pirouette, an excited expression resting on my face, then gracefully bowed to the stage.

As the curtains closed, applause shook the stage and even rattled the chandelier a bit. I was definitely not expecting that, but nothing could take away the sense of euphoria that flowed through my veins. This is what I was meant to do, I could feel it in my bones...

After the curtains opened again, Erik came back onstage and we took our bows. When we came back up, I motioned to Christine. "Ladies and gentlemen, a familiar face: Christine Daae!"

When the applause died down, I brought Erik forward. "Now, ladies and gentlemen, you have seen him twice before, and here he is again: Monsieur Erik!"

The applause again shook the stage as he spun me to him and swept me down with him in a bow.

As we came back up and all three of us bowed again, we backed up and the curtains closed again. When they were fully closed, Erik picked me up and spun me around.

"Erik!"

He laughed, a smile of pure joy gracing his lips. "Mandy, you were right! That was amazing! You were stunning!"

I blushed as he put me down. Christine came over to us and took my hand. "Mandy, that was incredible! I didn't know you could dance like that! Well, I knew you could dance, but not quite like that-"

"Christine, get over here and let me hug your amazing self." I said. Though I'm pretty sure that she didn't quite understand what I said, she came over and embraced me. "You sang beautifully!"

After a few more moments of hugging Christine, she let me go with a gasp. "I wonder if...excuse me for a moment..."

I watched her as she ran off. "Huh, wonder what got into her-" I was interrupted by a familiar pair of lips crashing onto mine, efficiently erasing any thought of Christine from my mind.

Later on, I entered the reception with Antoinette, who had (good-naturedly) pulled Erik and I apart, claiming that we had fans to greet. Erik, though, decided to enter discreetly, promising to meet me there after I was done.

As soon as we were spotted, a gaggle of fans and reporters flocked to me, asking too many questions at once for me to understand anything.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please! One at a time!" Antoinette demanded, earning my immediate gratitude.

A woman spoke up. "Mademoiselle, in your last performance, you kissed the antagonist. Where you're from, is that customary?"

Oh yeah...did I forget to mention that I kissed Erik in Roundtable Rival? Well, that's a story for another time, I believe...

"Um..."

Another woman asked a question before I could answer. "What is your opinion on La Carlotta's performance tonight?"

"Well, I think she did a wonderful job-"

"Do you and the mysterious dancer tonight have an official courtship?"

"I-I-"

"Are you and Christine Daae truly friends or is there some animosity between you two, knowing you both want the stage?"

"There is no such animosity between-"

"How does it feel to be one of the most controversial women in Paris?" a man with a notepad asked.

Controversial? I thought. Oh no, what dirt do they think they have on me..?

"I'm sorry, monsieur, but I don't quite know what you mean..." I told him timidly.

The man looked at me in disbelief. "What do you mean? Surely, you must must have been aware. You are all anyone is talking about!"

I was starting to get annoyed. "Yes, I see that, but why?"

"Why, because of this performance tonight. Quite controversial!"

He raced away, the others following him, before I could get any more information. What on God's green earth did he mean by 'controversial'? I looked over to Antoinette, who was standing beside me. "What did he mean by that?"

She sighed. "The way your performance was put on seems to be quite shocking to Parisian society."

"Antoinette, that is obvious, but WHY?!"

"The way that you were portrayed as the doll and the certain...actions and lyrics performed on stage created quite the stir. It conveyed how fragile and delicate women are viewed within society, yet it also shows a rebellion of sorts against the rules of society."

Suddenly, it was all clear to me. Ah, brain, why hast thou forsaken me..? "I learned about events like this in school. Of course, leave it to me to forget pretty much everything. I wouldn't be surprised if I forgot what 2+2 equals."

Antoinette looked at me with an amused expression on her face. "Mandy, no one can blame you for something like this slipping your mind. Lord knows I wouldn't be able to remember anything if I were in your shoes."

"I know, but still, I feel stupid for something like that just slipping my mind." I commented.

Antoinette smiled. "Well, if I were you, I would quit worrying about such trivial things and start paying attention to a certain man over in the corner..."

I slowly turned to the corner she was motioning to find a familiar body leaning against the wall.

"...excuse me for a moment, Antoinette..." I said, quite distracted.

I barely heard her chuckle and say "Don't worry about me, either."

I slowly made my way over to Erik, who was doing a pretty god job of going unnoticed. Well, Mandy, what do you expect? He's the Phantom of the Opera, after all...

"That was quite a clamor you caused over there." he said off-handed as I approached.

"That I caused? I did no such thing. They did that on their own. Besides, I really don't want to talk about them right now."

All joking aside now, Erik turned serious. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm tired, that's all."

He turned me around and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. "Well, what if we escaped?" he whispered in my ear.

A shiver raced down my spine. "You mean it? Like, right now?"

He chuckled. "Maybe in a little while. Christine is coming with Meg and the fop..."

I looked over to he that he spoke truth: Christine was (literally) dragging Meg and Raoul over to where we were standing.

"Mandy, you were amazing tonight!" Meg exclaimed. "So were you, monsieur."

Erik put himself beside me and took her offered hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Please, Erik is fine, mademoiselle."

She blushed. "Then just Meg."

I knew I had no reason, but the little green monster tried to rear its ugly head. I suppressed it, though, when he let go of her hand and brought his back to mine.

Christine grabbed my hand. "Mandy, this is Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny. Raoul, this is the ever-so-talented Mandy Destler!"

Man, hearing that come from someone else's mouth...and with Erik right here...words cannot describe... I thought as Raoul swept down in a bow. "Mademoiselle, it is an honor. Christine has spoken nothing but the highest praises about you."

It was my turn to blush. "Oh...wow. That's very...thoughtful of her. And I have heard so much about you, Vicomte."

"Raoul, please. I feel like I already know you, given what all Christine has told me about you."

I froze. "All that she has told you..?"

Christine cleared her throat. "Um...Raoul, Meg, I think we should let these two go. Lord knows they must be exhausted, what with all the dancing that they just did. Have a pleasant night, Erik...Mandy..."

As we exchanged pleasantries, I gently grabbed Christine's arm and whispered in her ear," We are going to be talking about this tomorrow..."

As we parted, Erik and I looked at each other. "Well...that was interesting..." Erik claimed.

"If interesting is the right word." I replied. "Can we please go home now?"

"Are you claiming my home as yours, now, darling?" he asked me mischievously, trying to get a reaction out of me.

I rolled my eyes. "Erik, you know what I mean. I'm too tired for this."

He sighed. "Well, in that case, I guess we can take the shortcut from the stage so we can get there faster."

"Sounds great." I said in relief. Then I realized what he said. "There's a shortcut from the stage?"

His only reply was a chuckle as he led me towards the door. We entered the auditorium, fairly sure that there were no stagehands around (they were sure to be drunk at their own celebration). It was when we heard a shout from the catwalks above the stage that we knew we weren't alone.

We rushed to the stage, but we had only made it to the front row when a body came rushing down from above, stopping when the rope around its neck became taut. I gasped in horror. Erik tried to shield me from seeing who it was, but I knew who it was already.

It was Buquet.

I do not own the song Shatter Me by Lindsey Stirling and Lzzy Hale...well, I own a copy of it (thanks, Apple Music!) And, as always, I do not own any aspect of Phantom of the Opera...but I did write a 10-page paper about it, if that counts...