Disclaimer: I don't own the Phantom of the Opera or any of its songs, script, etc.

A/N: Matt's turn now, here goes nothing. Enjoy and review!

Showstopper

Matt

Chapter 13 – Coincidence
I'd watched Elise walk from an old dance academy for a few feet before I turned on Angel of Music, but I realized that the chances of her finding me in the fog that surrounded us, were very small. The chorus seemed to sing even more angelically this time I don't know why. Maybe it was because I was pursuing an angel. I decided the best way to get her attention with out frightening her was to call her. I was only a few feet away from her, I could barely see her startled reaction when she finally found her cell phone in her bag.
"Lise?"
"Who is this?" she asked as if she was scared out of her mind.
Crap, now I've successfully done what I tried my hardest not to do. "It's me, Matt."
"Are you sure?"
"I was the last I checked. Are you okay?"
"I'm just a little flustered."
"Well, I hope I didn't scare you, but I'm only like two feet behind you and I was wondering if you would like a ride home? It is kind of dark."
She turned abruptly, barely giving me enough time to pull off to the side of the road.
"It was you!"
"What? Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine, I just-" Oh my gosh is she crying? "-could you please give me a ride home?"
"It would be my pleasure," I said, ending the call and waving my hand out the driver's side window.
I watched her as she slowly walked over to my car, and opened the passenger side door. Silently, she sat down and put on her seatbelt pulling off her hood, and wiping the tears from her eyes.
"So, did someone stop to see you at the academy or something? Because as much as you would love to blame it on a blown pipe in your waterworks, I'm not buying it," I said hoping to sound sincere.
She sighed, she wouldn't even look at me.
"It's Andrew, isn't it?" I asked; his name was written all over her face.

"Did he hurt you?"
"No!" she said, staring into my eyes, "I -" she couldn't say it for some reason.
"Why don't you start from the beginning?" I said, pushing all worry to the back of my mind.
"I went to the studio to do a little brush up on some of my ballet steps…"
"Yes, then what happened?"
"Well, I started getting into it, letting the music take me away to the point where it wasn't safe for me to be there alone, because I wouldn't have known if anyone had entered the building."
Oh no. No, I can't think like this, I'm listening, that's what I'm doing. "That's not good."
"I was in the middle of All I Ask of You when Andrew showed up."
My blood started to boil like a volatile geyser, but I nodded.
"He stopped the music and he was acting really weird. I knew he was cocky and insensitive, but I was afraid of him, I'm still afraid of him." Her hands began to shake uncontrollably; I took her hand. "Go on."
"I didn't want to even think of what he was capable of doing, so I tried to stay calm, and before I knew it he was two inches away from my face and he was really angry."
I don't know how much more of this I can take. "So what did you do?"
"I-" she started again, "I punched him in the face."
Is that all? "Wow, that would explain the redness of your knuckles," I said, reaching out to touch the hand I wasn't holding, but she pulled it away.
"I'm scared," she said quietly.
"Why? You probably just taught him a lesson he'll never forget."
"Yes, but I didn't handle that situation the way I should have. I could have done so much better, but I didn't. I stooped down to his level-"
"-No you didn't."
"Yes I did."
"Elise, it's impossible for you to go down that low. You're too smart."
She smiled through her tears. "But now as soon as Andrew tells everyone that I gave him a shiner, the whole group of "Broadway-hopefuls" will be knocking at my door looking for a piece of me."
"Well, I'll just have to keep a better eye on you, that's all there is to that."
She smiled again. It was a beautiful sight. "Let me take you home. It's almost eleven-thirty."
Thankfully she smiled again, leaving the air sweet and the tension neutralized. Once again all was right with the world, even though I now had a bit more responsibility. Looking out for Elise, nothing I couldn't handle.

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A/N: Awww he's such a sweet guy… dangit, keep this up and even I'll be rooting for Raoul. NO! Anyways, go review and tell us your thoughts. Thankas!

Phantomfreak07