Eric rested his chin on his fist looking at his masquerade costume and the booklet with with his opera "Let my reign begin." he said with a crooked smile.

Standing up Eric grabbed the Red Death costume he quickly slipped it on and placed the full face mask on.

Eric pulled back a curtain to reveal a full sized mirror. The suit was fantastic, it was a deep blood red with gold trim. The mask was in a shape of a skull covering every inch of his head it was perfect.

Persia

Nadir sat waiting nervously for the child to be born. She was so weak the doctors believed that her and the child was possessed by a demon.

Nadir didn't let the shah's witch doctors in for fear someone would recognize her or if the child came malformed like its father they would kill it on spot.

Nadir had thought it better to tell everyone that it was his child, he felt bad lying about it but it was for Rajja and the child's best interests.

Nadir rocked back and forth in his seat waiting for the news on the child.

His mind went back to the young child that he had brought to Persia.

So many times he had spotted the guards hitting the boy with clubs and hot irons till he was nothing but bloody bruises and blisters burns.

Other times the guards had taken him beating him with all different kinds of whips, and cutting him with knives till he passed out from blood loss.

A tear drew to Nadir's eye when he thought that he was for sure the reason for this suffering, if only he had left the boy with the mother maybe he would have had a better chance.

"Nadir" a mans voice sounded disturbing his thoughts.

Nadir jumped up "how is she?" He asked urgently "She has a beautiful baby girl, but she did not make it."

Nadir sighed fighting his emotions.

"she said the childs name is Rosa." the doctor continued.

Nadir smiled the name sounded like Eric, soft and elegant.

"She is not your daughter, is she?" The doctor stated in a low whisper.

Nadir was shocked at the doctors soft approach "No, No she is not."

"Don't worry, take her there is a ship leaving for France." The doctor said kindly. "I am sure he wants to meet her."

Nadir smiled and thanked the man.

Before walking into the room, Nadir avoided Eric's dead wife in the bed and moved straight to the cradle where the baby was laying.

The child was definitely Eric's she had big blue eyes with his long delicate figure with thin strips of black hair and slightly darker skin than Eric's French heritage she was a beautiful child for sure.

Within a week Nadir was boarded a ship heading to France. He was afraid of how Eric would respond but he knew that he couldn't keep the child away from him.

Eric snuck through the Opera House in his new suit,

He looked through vent above the massive ballroom. Colors flew every which way, people were dancing, singing, talking and laughing.

He spotted Christine talking with Little Meg, Raoul was standing behind her grinning from ear to ear.

Eric sneered in disgust at the boy. Although his was no younger than he was, Eric couldn't help but think of him as a child. The young mans smirk gave him a childish look and that peach fuzz mustache, Eric wished he could just knock that thing off his perfect face.

Eric continued to watch for a few moments, everyone seemed so happy they had no need for hiding unlike him.

Slowly she walked down the main entrance. pressing his black gloves door slamming the door open. "You did not invite me my dear managers!" His metallic voice bellowed around the room.

Everyone froze, "Why so silent? When, the party has just begun."

The crowd backed away from him slowly.

"Did you really think I would leave you?" he almost sang.

Eric heard someone whisper "It's the Opera Ghost!"

Eric smiled almost enjoying this all, "Why yes!" he clapped.

Eric glided to the center of the room where a trap door lay. "Have you missed me?" he grinned trying to hide the fun he was having fun with the crowd.

"I have an opera for you!" He announced holding up the leather bound booklet.

"Don Juan Triumphant! Which I trust will be done exactly how I say."

the paper masked crowd whispered to each other.

"Carlotta!" He shouted causing the crowd to grow silent again

"Must be taught to act! Not her sickening trick of strutting along the stage like a proud rooster."

"And my God, Don Juan must lose some weight." he announced looking at the overweight Piangi standing beside Carlotta.

"As for our Christine." Eric hissed everyone parted away from her. Eric noticed that Raoul was gone getting suspicious he continued, "No doubt she has a voice, now that she has returned to me her teacher I will make her into something great."

Christine smiled kindly at him, mouthing his name.

A BANG sounded causing everyone to scream and scatter a stabbing pain hit his shoulder causing him to roar in anguish.

Eric looked up in the direction of the gunfire Raoul stood above him on the balcony holding a still smoking handgun in his hand. "Eric!" Christine screamed in panic trying to make her way to her way to him through the chaos.

Eric released the trap door weakly disappearing suddenly in front of the crowd.

Screaming in pain before he passed out.

The Ballroom

Nadir stood there in shock at what he had just seen and heard. That surely was Eric no doubt about that.

Christine caught his eye, he could have sworn he heard her scream his name.

The Persian followed her closely as she ran out of the ballroom. Nadir tried to put the pieces of the two together it was unlike Eric to have a partner in his tricks.

Nadir snuck into the darkness when she reached a young man.

"Christine! Did you see that? The fearsome ghost bleeds, he is merely a man!"

Christine gasped, "You killed him!" she screamed slapping his face. "You know Christine," He smirked, "if I didn't know better I would say you know the ghost personally."

"You shot him Raoul!" She spit trying to keep the panic held back.

Nadir listened intently, Raoul stormed out leaving Christine alone.

"Madam?" Nadir said emerging from the shadows.

Christine whipped her head around "Who are you?"

"That doesn't matter now, where can I find Eric."

"Eric? I don't know of whom you speak of." she lied.

"I think you do, I have something that I think would interest him, and he's hurt I need to find him and help him."

Ah It's all coming together! I had so much fun writing this chapter I absolutely love this part in all the phantom adaptations.

I hope you like it there is so much more to the story.

Please let me know what you think.

-Misha