I woke up to the sound of birds tweeting overhead. Dawn had broken, but the sky had darkened under the heavy clouds that softly released dots of white. Snow. I'd never seen snow before, it never came where I lived in California; the closest we'd ever come to snow is hale. I remembered being a little girl and completely enchanted by the cold, hard balls of ice that bounced off the red bricks of our deck. It was winter then and everything was green, the trees, the stems on the flowers, the moss peaking through the cracks in between the mortar of the bricks. It was beautiful then, I can't describe how perfect everything looked even though it was showing the cracks in the mortar and, in the summer, it would be dry and dead.

But for that one moment, as little crystals of ice fell from the heavens, it took my breath away. It almost hurt to look at. But now I was looking up at the sky as the snow came down outside a cemetery. I sat up and looked around, sleep clogged my mind and I rubbed my eyes. I was still tired, but I needed to function. I looked around; the driver was nowhere to be seen. I guess he'd gone for a walk or to pee or something. I didn't really care as long as he came back in time for me to get home before I was frozen.

Christine was missing too. I figured she'd gone ahead and let me sleep, thinking I'd catch up to her when I woke. Wherever, it'd be better for us to walk separately and suffer alone. I mean, Christine was fragile enough and I knew that Raoul and I were her support system; if I went down she might as well. I needed to be strong for her. I climbed out of the carriage and walked through the main gates of the cemetery.

In there the world seemed cold and dead, but peaceful. Like the cemetery at home; I could sit there under a tree on a hill beside Joshua Miller's grave all day long, just reading or writing. Sometimes I would talk to him and the others in the small cemetery. I told him he was a smart man to pick such a beautiful place to rest and how I was jealous. Weird, I know, but when you get used to the idea that you'll soon be one of the dead it loses its weirdness. But I couldn't relax here like I could at home. I could feel something in the air that made me uneasy. So I decided to sing.

"You were once my best companion

You were all that mattered

You were once a friend and husband," I switched a few words around so it would fit for Blaise and made a joke, everyone at the hospital thought we were married; I knew Blaise would have gotten a kick out of that. I don't know why, but I felt like I had to sing this song.

"Then my world was shattered." I felt tears slipping down my cheeks and almost freezing into droplets where they fell.

"Wishing you were somehow here again

Wishing you were somehow near

Sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed

Somehow you would be here." Everything made more sense when he was around; he made jokes to make me feel better and have me a person to listen to my troubles.

"Wishing I could hear your voice again

Knowing that I never would

Dreaming of you won't help me to do

All that you knew I could." He had often remarked that he was sure I'd be called away to some great country to perform for royalty. And he'd come too, to sit with the queen and gossip about the upper class. I let out a tearful laugh.

"Passing bells and sculpted angels

Cold and monumental seem, for you the wrong companions

You were warm and gentle." I could still feel him hugging me. But his arms turned to my mothers, then my grandmothers, the my grandfathers. Finally a little pair of arms circled my left leg and a warm cheek laid on my hip. I let out a sob; tears increased tenfold, nearly blinding me as I stumbled through the snow to Blaises' grave.

"Too many years fighting back tears

Why can't the past just die?" The grave came into view and I belted out the crescendo of the song.

"Wishing you were somehow here again

Knowing we must say, Goodbye," I resolutely marched over to the grave, trying to keep the power in my voice for the second crescendo.

"Try to forgive, teach me to live

Give me the strength to try." Furiously I wiped the tears out of my eyes.

"No more memories, no more silent tears

No more gazing across the wasted years." I collapsed in front of the statue of Blaise; his leg jauntily tossed across the other, hand on chin and smiling that smile that he used when he was trying to keep from laughing, one that said 'I know something you don't know'. God I missed it.

"Help me say, Goodbye

Help me say, Goodbye."

I realized I didn't have any flowers or anything for his grave so I brushed the snow off his grave as tenderly as I could. I looked up at the mischievous, smiling eyes of my friend's stone likeness. God, I'd give anything to hear his voice just one more time, just one last smart remark, just one last chance to see that glint in his eye.

"I miss you, Bee." I let my hand rest on the perfectly replicated cheek. How long had it taken Erik to finish this? I'm sure it would have taken a normal man more than a month to perfect such craftsmanship, but Erik had done it in only three days. I felt guilt well in my had been a complete asshole, worse than I could have ever thought possible for him, but he had worked so hard with me, teaching me to sing I know I was, and still am, pissed at him for what he did, but he had done so many other good things for me. Maybe I could demand some insane favor in exchange for my forgiveness. I'd make him invent chocolate ice cream. I laughed, I'd like to see him suffer. Of course, Erik's a genius; he might actually have a chance in succeeding. Oh, I'd like to see that.

"Wandering child,

So lost, so helpless

Yearning for my guidance." A soft, angelic voice called to me from everywhere at once. I looked around, but I couldn't see anyone. Everything seemed so familiar, but my brain was so foggy, I couldn't remember anything.

"Angel or mentor,

Friend or phantom;

Who is it there, staring?" I sang back. I felt so secure, like nothing was wrong.

"Have you forgotten your Angel?"

"Angel, oh, speak

What endless longings

Echo in this whisper." Our voices overlapped beautifully, I felt my heart swell; I'd always loved it when he sang. Slowly I got to my feet and looked around, trying to find him. Where was he?

"Too long you've wandered in winter

Far from my far reaching gaze." I shook my head; how silly I had been, not speaking to him over such a trivial matter...

"Wildly my mind beats against you..."

"You resist..." Anger bled into his voice, then our voices melded into one.

"Yet your/the soul obeys..." I finally located his voice. It was coming from the top of the Daae mausoleum.

"Angel of Music,

You/I denied me/you!

Turning from true beauty!

Angel of Music!

Do not shun me/My protector!

Come to your/me strange Angel." I held my arms up, willing him to come into view. Some part of me knew something was wrong, but I didn't pay it any attention; I was singing with Erik, at last, and that was all that mattered.

"I am your Angel of Music...

Come to me; Angel of Music..." He called me to him, I couldn't resist walking toward the tomb; the torches lit on the inside, it looked warm and I felt cold; cold and hollow inside. I needed Erik.

"No! Danielle! Get away quickly!" I didn't want to; I ignored the voices and kept walking. Erik; I had to get to Erik. The sound of someone jumping off a neighing horse made me lose focus. Suddenly strong arms wrapped around me and picked me up. I was so shocked I screamed.

"Erik!" I screamed in terror. Suddenly a black form jumped from the top of the tomb. With a roar of anger and fury, Erik fell into view, sword aimed for Raoul. In the last second Raoul pushed me out of the way and into Christine, who had descended from the white horse Raoul had ridden in the movie. I watched in shock at what was going on before my eyes; Erik was fighting Raoul tooth and nail, lunging at each other with real swords and the very real intent to kill.

I made a weak attempt to pull away from Christine, to try to get them to stop fighting, but she held me tight. They lunged and weaved their way around the graveyard. I'd never thought Raoul was a lazy lord, but I had no idea how well he could handle a sword; it looked as though he had been having day long practices his entire life, never once letting up until he had perfected the technique of handling a sword.

Erik had backed Raoul up against one of the grave statues on the far side of the Daae Mausoleum, he jabbed his sword right into the space Raoul's stomach would have been, if Raoul had not moved only a split second before. I almost covered my eyes, so I wouldn't have to watch one of them get turned into a shish kabob.

This was terrible, why did this have to happen? And why the hell wasn't Christine already there when I got here? I mean, really, what's going on? It's like the story has completely derailed, like a runaway train. I need answers, even in the middle of this fight. I turned to Christine.

"Why weren't you in the carriage with me? Weren't we going together?" Christine gave me a look that said 'Do you really need to talk about this now?' "All I remember is waiting in the carriage for you, then suddenly I'm alone in the carriage in the middle of a snow fall outside the cemetery. Alone. I thought you'd already gone in. The driver wasn't even there anymore! I just made my way through, expecting to see you, then this happened. What gives?" Christine was looking between me and the battle that was still going on.

"Is this really the time for questions?" She asked, a little breathlessly.

"Maybe not, but I want and need them now. Where were you?" I demanded. My head was still a little foggy from the trance Erik put me in. Bastard, I can't believe I was going to forgive him! He's obviously proved himself a faithless friend again and again. Still I can't believe how hurt I am again.

A loud clang turned my attention from myself back to the fight. Raoul had managed to get Erik's sword caught in a bit of iron fence that had stayed up while the rest had broken off and decayed. With both of their swords caught it turned into a shoving match, which, since Erik was bigger, caused Raoul to lose his footing and pull away, narrowly escaping Erik's sword once again. No matter how good Raoul was, Erik was better; Erik was older and had been practicing for longer; the only way Raoul was going to win was through sheer dumb luck. God, I hope dumb luck was on his side. But at the same time I didn't want Erik to be hurt. I just wanted this all to stop.

The swords clashed and clanged, making more noise than the god of smith and fire, Hephaestus, himself. But what came out of this clashing was hardly as beautiful as what came from Hephystus' fires. All they were creating was destruction. They ran on opposite sides of a tomb, looking through the gaps created by the legs of the raised platform. They weaved from side to side, like snakes waiting to strike. Erik disappeared from Raoul's sight, causing him to pause, looking around and giving Erik the perfect opportunity to strike.

"Raoul, look out!" Christine screamed as Erik pulled into view around the corner and slashed at him with the sword. Raoul tried to dodge the blow, but it was in vain. Erik landed a bloody blow to his arm, causing Raoul to scream in pain. Erik let out a demonic laugh. What? I was just as taken aback as Christine and Raoul seemed to be. I don't think Raoul had ever heard him speak.

"You are just a weak boy. Barely more than a child holding on to his mother's' skirts; the thought of you marrying any woman, even that mindless viper Christine," he spat the name, "is laughable at its best." With this new onslaught of verbal abuse Raoul staggered, hardly able to block Erik's next blow. Erik went on, attacking both verbally and physically. "Do you really think you can beat me? Much less run a business? Who, now, does all of the financial work? The one who takes the complaints when something doesn't get delivered in time due to someone's mistakes?" Erik landed another blow on Raoul's side this time. How did Erik even know this? "Face the truth, you are useless." With that Raoul's eyes blazed with anger. His blowes seemed to double and with more accuracy.

I didn't think I could stand watching them try to kill each other anymore. "Stop it!" I screamed at the top of my voice. Distracted by my voice, Erik turned around. In that split second of lost focus Raoul was able to gain the upper hand. With a cry to rival Tarzan's victory yell, Raoul knocked Erik to the ground and lifted his sword into the air, ready to strike the killing blow. "No!" Before I knew what I was doing, I had sprinted over to where Erik was laying and threw myself over the top of him, wrapping my arms around his neck and placing my body directly in the path of Raoul's sword.

"Danielle, get out of the way!" Raoul yelled.

"If you kill him, you'll have to kill me too!" Wow, I'm pulling a Pocahontas. Even I didn't see that coming, and I'm the one from the future. I could feel Erik's hot breath on my cheek and he braced his hands on each of my hips. God I felt uncomfortable. And awkward. But I didn't care; this story had to play out like it should and this was definitely not the ending to Phantom of the Opera.

"Move!"

"Make me, fuck face!" Raoul reeled back, that was the first time I'd sworn at him; he knew I meant business. I could feel the cold air and snow blowing up my dress, on the back of my legs, through my long underwear. Seems Christine noticed that too.

"Good heavens Danielle, your, ah, underthings are showing!"

"I don't care, I've walked around in less than this on a cold day more than once." Those days going to the beach, in out bikinis even though there was fog and the water was choppy and cold. "I'm calling the shots now, so listen to what I say!" There was silence so I went on. "We are go back to the opera and finish this god damned story, whether you like it or not!" This will play out like it's supposed to, no question, just differently than I thought. "If you want to kill him fine, just not like this." Raoul sheathed his sword and backed away. "Great. Go unhook Cesar from the cart, I can ride that back. I'll be there in a minute, I just need to talk to the Phantom of the Opera for a moment." They looked at me uncertainly. "I can handle myself." They turned and walked away. I gathered my skirts and hauled myself to my feet.

When they were out of sight I turned to face Erik. "What the hell was that?" Erik's breath was still coming in heavy pants due to all the physical exertion. He said nothing. "What the hell did you think you were doing? 'Oh, let me take my unconscious ex student to the graveyard and hide in my other ex student's father's mausoleum, put her in a trance and make her do weird shit. This'll totally be funny, lol.'" Still he said nothing. "Crap, and to think I was considering forgiving you! I guess my heart's as soft as my head!"

Erik was still silent, but his eyes were disbelieving. "Yeah, that's right. Glad you showed me just how much you care or I might have actually spoken to you again."

"How else were you to come to my side again?" He asked, quietly. Finally he spoke, not in a yell, but in a whisper, like he himself didn't believe was was being said by his own lips.

"I know your social skills are... severely lacking, but who in the hell thinks that the only way to make someone like you is by putting them in a trace and taking them away by force?" Erik stubbornly clenched his jaw and refused to speak. "Right. Have fun getting back to the opera without a horse and bringing the carriage." I turned to walk away. Erik grabbed my wrist and twisted me around to face him.

"That's not... I'm not.." he fell silent, gripped my hand tight and let it go. "Forget it," he said. I walked away, trying to appear more confident than I was. I looked back once, he was watching me go with an expression that I couldn't identify. I waited until I was sure I was out of sight before I started running and tried to forget how his eyes burned. As I turned the corner and became invisible to him I looked back. He hadn't moved.

Through a fog I somehow made my way back to the opera. I knew that I was going to have to talk about what happened in the cemetery with Raoul and Christine eventually, no matter how much I didn't want to. So I went to find Christine. Like always, she was in the chapel. I stood in the doorway trying to make as little sound as possible. I could hear them singing the first half of note through the backstage. Any minute now rally was going to come here and talk to Christine, but he was going to also need to talk to me as well.

"Would you be so kind as to tell me what I just witnessed?" Raoul asked from behind me. Christine looked up from her worrying and back at me. Betrayal smeared all over her face.

"Raoul you're no idiot, why don't you tell me?" This oughta be good for a laugh, Raoul actually trying to devise some way of linking me to the Phantom. I almost couldn't wait for this convoluted story he would undoubtedly come up with.

"You were working with him all this time weren't you? I thought you are our friend, I thought we could trust you, but you're choosing to help that murderous freak instead of us." I turned around and slapped Raoul as hard as I could cross the face. The force knocked him into the wall before he righted himself. He held his wounded side and grimaced.

"Don't you call him that, don't you dare fucking call him a freak. People have been calling him a freak his entire life. Why do you think he is the way he is? Because nobody would ever show him any kindness and treated him like dirt because of his face. You and I both know his story, me better than you. Don't act all high and mighty, you are no better than the people who whipped my ancestors for being black." Raoul's face was almost red with anger.

"Do you presume that what is happening is my fault?" I tossed my hair behind my ear.

"Please. You couldn't start or stop it if you tried, every story needs a hero, and that's you; you're the hero, Christine's the enamorada and Erik is the villain. It doesn't matter what made the villain the villain, all that matters is that we finish what we've started. Just have mercy on him, he's had a worse life than you can imagine." I shook my head and walked up the stairs. I heard footsteps running up after me. I turned and came face to face with Christine.

"I don't want to be a story, I want to live." She looked pale as pale could be.

"I think I've taken the role off your hands, Christine. After this ends, no one else will write your actions; you'll be free." She sighed with relief and her skin went back to her normal pale.

"How will I know when it ends?" She asked in a whisper. Raoul had come up behind her, undoubtedly listening in.

"You'll know Christine," I turned to go to rehearsal, "you'll know."

Piangi soon got better at his lines, due to the fear that the Phantom was going to Punjab him if he didn't meet his satisfaction. Apparently the fear had made him lose some weight as well, so he didn't look like a sausage with legs anymore. He was more chubby than full on fat, as he had been. But now he was complaining that none of his clothes fit him right and everything decent was being taken in and he had to where the out of date scraps from his youth. I guess he hadn't figured out it was a good thing yet.

"Ho aim ah suppose to werk in dese?" He whined, momentarily forgetting he needed to please the Phantom. I was tired of hearing this over and over; I guess it's up to me to inform him if the good news.

"Piangi, do you know what it means that none of your clothes fit?" He blinked at me, like a giant stupid blinky thing. "It means that you've lost weight. Not only will this help your heart by taking the strain off it, but the Phantom won't kill you for butchering his play by not being able to keep up." He stood for a minute then grinned from ear to ear.

"Ah me! Mah lovely Carlotta will be so pleased!" He went to where she had to rehearse with the chorus and started chatting her up, showing off his new, less fat body. Carlotta giggled and smiled at him, telling him how good he looked. It was at the same time, cute and gross. But Madame Giry smacked her cane to the floor and called the place to order, it was time to rehearse.

The few months we had to perfect the show as best we could flew by faster than a bald eagle on the hunt. Ever the patriot, I laughed mentally. I had little chance to watch the ballet or the chorus, but from what I could tell, they were trying their damnedest and by now, that's all we could ask. It was opening night, the only night this opera would ever see. I felt my stomach tighten. I looked at my reflection in the full-length mirror. The Dress I wore was a cross between the movie and the play. The dress was tight and spanish style with a white blouse under a black corset and ¾ sleeves with frilly ends. The skirt was red with twists of black corrupting it and a black sheet shawl tied around my hips. This dress was the epitome of provocative, but I loved it; I felt sexy in it. The boots I wore were black lace up and tight with a skinny heel. I'd had the hairdresser make my loose waves into loose circles that fell down my back. Remembering that, in the movie, Christine had a rose in her hair, I brought the rose pin that I'd worn to the Masquerade to the Opera and pinned it in my hair. My costume was perfect and I knew all my lines, all my songs and all my cues. All that was left was to get on stage and perform. A light knock at the door made me jump.

"Come in." I called to the invisible person behind the door. Meg and Christine walked in wearing their dance costumes. I tried to fake a good smile, but I'm sure they saw right through it.

"Good luck tonight," Meg said in her soft, sweet voice. God I hope she got out okay. I prayed that she would be okay and find another job that payed and needed her talent. What if I didn't get out okay? God, I missed her voice already.

"Yes. Please be careful." Christine took my hands and looked into my eyes. Hers were large and scared. It hurt to know there was nothing I could do to protect her.

"You too. Both of you." I looked at Christine, the Meg; trying to make sure they got the message.

"We came to tell you that it's ten minutes to curtain." Meg motioned to the door. "We should go get in out places." I nodded and let go of Christine's hands.

"Yes. I'll be out in a second. Really." They looked unsure to leave me alone, but waited in the hall. I turned to the mirror again and pressed my palm to it; it felt as though my hand was feverish and the glass was made of ice. "Just… don't kill Piangi," I said, not sure if Erik was there at all. I'd grown fond of the chubby little man, annoying as he was. Slowly I walked away and closed the door. I took a deep breath and went to the stage. It was time for Don Juan Triumphant.

TENSION! YOU CUT IT WITH KNIFE! This is one of the last chapter of this fic :(, but I want you to read and review them just the same. Look out for Danielle! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and honestly, it would have been up sooner, but I moved and I have crappy wifi (In the most uncomfortable position, just to get a signal at all. My legs are going to sleep.) And I started college :O! Well, I need to finish my college homework for tomorrow now, read and review! Remember, it's your reviews that motivate me to write, this story comes because of you! None of the characters belong to me except my OC's.