I give you the next installment of this story but don't worry, there is still loads to come! :) I am very thankful to those who have reviewed/favorited so far. :)

Erik's guest: Thanks for another lovely review! :) Yes, there are a few more sweet chapters to come before a little bit of drama comes around again. Yes, I think there will be a little bit of happiness to look forward to for the moment..., ;) Hahaha. I'm such a tease. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I wanted the events after the opera showing to be realistic given the outrage about the performance. :) Hope you like it! :D

Mystery of Soprano's Flight

"So what you're saying is that the managers have vanished!"

The angry jeer sounded from the crowd. Madame Girt stood on the staircase, appearing unusually flustered by the continued demands. She had gathered everyone to attempt to settle the situation. It seemed that nobody had heard from the managers since the previous night. I frowned at the thought of them. They had obviously left everyone in the lurch due to the outrage they were facing. The majority of the audience had already asked for a refund. I thought it was all ridiculous.

"I assure you that the managers will get in contact soon." She insisted.

I could tell by the worry creasing her features though that she didn't really believe that. I agreed when she suggested that we wait to see if there was any news though. It wasn't as though we could do much else. I felt awful for her. She was the one having to deal with this, when it wasn't even her job to do so.

I wouldn't have minded about the news but it meant that we were likely to be out of work until someone took over as the new managers and I couldn't see that happening anytime soon.

Meg frowned as Carlotta and Piangi stormed out, claiming that they shouldn't have to deal with this shambles. I rolled my eyes. I didn't understand what they were both complaining about. Piangi had gotten off lightly. The Phantom only locked him in his dressing room for the duration of the show. At least, he was still alive.

"They are so unnecessarily dramatic!" Meg complained.

I nodded in agreement, watching as many of the chorus and the ballet decided to leave whilst Madame Giry practically begged them to stay, promising that she would try her best to get hold of the managers to sort the situation.

"I wonder where Christine is anyway. I do hope she is alright." Meg frowned.

"Well given everything that happened last night, she seemed okay when we left." I murmured.

I could understand Meg's worries though. A lot had happened and I wondered if they were still underground or if they had left. There was mystery surrounding the identity of the Phantom due to his stage presence.

"I hope that she gets in contact soon! Even if it was just a letter to let us know of her plans, it would be something."

"Yeah, you're right." I sighed. "Well if they are still underground, I'm presuming they will have things to discuss."

She nodded at that. "Anyway, did anything interesting happen on your journey back with the Vicomte given the certainty of his engagement being completely over?"

"No," I said too quickly.

The one thing I hadn't told Meg about yet was what had happened between me and Raoul. The truth was that I felt a little guilty about it given her earlier reservations.

Meg rolled her eyes as we watched the majority of the cast begin to leave. I couldn't blame them. Nobody had any answers to give anyone. It was all the managers' fault!

"You have always been a terrible liar Charlotte. You may as well just be honest."

I noticed Marcel Bonneville heading in through the main doorway, watching the commotion with keen interest and I instantly groaned. This was one conversation I was hoping not to have yet.

Meg turned to look for a moment, an eyebrow raised. "Well perhaps we should continue this later. Given how displeased you seem about Marcel's presence, I have a feeling that this is one conversation I should not be present for."

Marcel spotted me quickly, given that there was hardly any of the cast remaining. Meg quickly excused herself as he began to march over.

"Where were you last night? I was looking all over this place for you!" He exclaimed the moment he reached my side.

"Yes sorry about that. It was a bit chaotic actually."

He nodded. "Oh…I see. Well I hope you are feeling alright this morning? Nothing too traumatizing happened, I hope?"

I shook my head, forcing a smile as I turned to him. "Well I wanted to speak to you about that-"

I stopped abruptly, my eyes drawing back towards the front entrance to see that the Vicomte had finally arrived. I blinked, glancing over his appearance. The truth was that I was a little surprised that he had returned. I still thought that despite all he had said last night, he might not have come back. I was relieved to see him, especially given how frustrated everyone was becoming. But then, he noticed my presence in the foyer and a displeased frown appeared as he spotted Marcel talking to me. It would appear that that would be another conversation I needed to have.

"Charlotte?"

I glanced back at Marcel to see he was watching me curiously, one eyebrow raised.

"Sorry, yes?"

"Are you sure you are alright?"

"Yes, I think I'm just a bit tired. I didn't sleep too well last night."

He nodded, smiling apologetically. "Of course, I understand. I was going to ask you whether you had any spare time to get some lunch today. I realize that you shouldn't be too busy now, thanks to the fiasco that the managers have caused. I must apologize for their behavior on that. We are only really distant friends at the most."

"Oh well I, I would it's just that…" I trailed off, before deciding that I should just be honest with him. He deserved that at least. "I do enjoy your company but there is something you should know."

"Have you met someone else?"

My eyes instantly widened at his accusation, feeling my skin flush at his bluntness.

"Err, well…" I stuttered before taking a deep breath and trying again. "Yes, I have."

He sighed, taking a slight step back and glancing away. I followed his train of eyesight to the grand staircase where Madame Giry and the Vicomte were now talking.

"It is that Vicomte fellow isn't it?"

I stared back in surprise, wondering how he could have guessed it so easily. Blinking, I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but he beat me to it.

"I've been wondering it for a while. I suppose it was why I was so surprised you agreed to dine with me in the first place."

"Oh…well I assure you that when we first began to speak that nothing had actually happened between us, not really anyway. And I did genuinely think fondly of you, just…not in that way." I offered a weak smile of apology.

He smiled sadly. "Yes but I noticed the way you looked at one another and knew there was something there. I suppose I wanted to pretend that perhaps I still had a chance."

"I'm sorry." I offered weakly.

God, I felt so awful. After all of that time trying to do the right thing, I felt as if I had only caused more hurt than anything else.

"There is no need to apologize when you are simply being honest. I appreciate that more than anything."

He stepped forwards again, taking hold of one of my hands and kissing the back of it before he stepped back, a smile on his face. "I do hope that he shall make you very happy."

"Well I haven't actually spoken to him this morning. There's always a chance that he could have changed in his mind about me, in just a few hours."

"He would be mad to let you slip through his fingers."

I smiled at that, watching him turn to leave. He genuinely was a lovely guy and I just wished that I could have been able to return his feelings the way I had wanted to when he had invited me out. I was certain that it wouldn't have been long for him to find someone who was worthy of him.

I headed back over to where Meg was stood, watching the Vicomte attempting to gain everyone's attention once again.

She glanced at me. "How did things go with Marcel?"

I shrugged. "I broke things off with him."

Her forehead creased in confusion. "Wait, you did what?"

"I realize that the managers' disappearance has occurred at an inconvenient time," the Vicomte's voice interrupted, saving me from replying. "But I can assure you that if there is no word from them in the next few days then I shall be assisting Madame Giry in an immediate search for more suitable managers. In the meantime, your patience will be greatly appreciated given how we are all in the same situation due to the managers' incompetence."

That seemed to settle everyone a little more as they began to disappear once he had finished what he had to say. At least, it was better than nothing. I watched as everyone began to leave, about to wonder over to where Madame Giry and the Vicomte were still stood, only to see that he had already disappeared. I frowned, instantly feeling disappointed by his sudden departure. I began to wonder if perhaps I had been right about my worries this morning. Maybe he really had only come back out of politeness.

"Now I'm almost certain that something has developed between the two of you." Meg confessed, watching me closely and catching my sour expression before I could hide it from her. "Come on, we're no use here."

Meg suggested heading over to the café across the road and knowing that she wasn't going to take no for an answer, I reluctantly agreed. Though eating was the last thing on my mind now. I felt ridiculously nauseous. I followed her outside into the brilliant sunshine. It really was a lovely day. We trailed inside the restaurant, choosing a table outside which was in the view of the sun and away from the majority of other people. As soon as we sat down, Meg instantly began to interrogate me.

"So what actually did happen last night? I am more observant than you think, you know."

"Yes you are, unfortunately."

"And I could also see from how troubled you looked about the Vicomte's sudden disappearance that something has happened."

I sighed, knowing there was no way that she was going to give in about this.

"Fine, I will tell you. Last night…the Vicomte sort of confessed his feelings-"

"I knew it," she interrupted with a disapproving shake of his head. "I already guessed you both had feelings for each other the night of the Masquerade. No matter how much you denied it, it was obvious."

"Yes well, I did try to ignore it. And I know you will probably advise me to stay away from him because he was engaged to Christine but the truth is…well, I don't think that I want to anymore. That was why I ended things with Marcel Bonneville."

"Well I might have advised that when they had been engaged and I shan't lie. I was frustrated by the Vicomte suddenly ending the engagement given how upset Christine was. But it seems that they were not truly content with one another. I know Christine would want you both to be happy and if that means being with each other then I'm certain she would approve too."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes of course," she smiled. "It was different when I advised you to stay away. Christine was still with him and at that point, I genuinely believed that whatever feelings he may have had, they might have married anyway."

"There is something else," I admitted, flushing nervously as I dropped my gaze. "Just before we travelled back to the dormitories we…well we kind of kissed."

Meg's eyebrows rose at that. "Well that was quite an eventful evening you had."

I sighed. "Do you think I should have perhaps not allowed him to kiss me? It's just…well he seemed distant this morning and now I'm wondering again if last night was all just another game."

She shook her head. "No, I think he does love you. The truth is I've seen the way you were with each other for a while and I had been thinking it. Perhaps he saw you talking to Marcel and presumed that you were still with him. That would be enough to cause him to act in such a way, surely?"

I frowned. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"Well I am certain that he will be back soon enough. Perhaps you should be the one to invite him to supper. It would give you more of a chance to be alone with him to talk with no interruptions."

"But isn't it…a little inappropriate for me to be the one to invite him?"

She shrugged. "Maybe a little, but I don't see when your relationship has been quite the conventional type. It would also be proof that any relationship you had with Marcel is now over."

I chewed on my bottom lips. "But what if I see him at the opera house and he rejects me? I think I'd be too mortified to move!"

She rolled her eyes. "He won't and before you ask me how I can be so certain, it's because it's obvious he returns your feelings. Now why would he reject you if he feels the same?"

I nodded, knowing she was right. I didn't have any more reasons not to ask him and no matter how nervous I was at the idea, I knew that I had to do it. The thought of finally being able to be alone with him, without any interruptions as Meg said, was too tempting an offer to refuse.