Hey people! I'm sorry I didn't update all that fast, I've been in and out of town and hadn't found the energy to write until now. I hope yall like it :)

~Still not owning anything you recognize~

Madam Giry POV

I just laid on my bed. I was exhausted from thinking about how to handle what I saw Erik do. I didn't want him mad at me, nor Christine. He shouldn't try to bring terror to the opera house as a ghost then seek the presence of another human being…what is she to think of his face; has she even seen it?

I was planning on going to go see Erik tonight in a little bit, right now I was just preparing the words I was going to use to speak to him. If I didn't show up with a plan I would probably say something I didn't mean, he provokes that in me sometimes. I also wanted to try to be as clear as I could. He was different to talk to than other people and sometimes I would get lost in his unique facial expressions, not knowing what to say.

As I was thinking. my eyes wondered to my door when I heard voices from the hallway of the opera house outside. I sat up and saw shadows of people through the small crack between my door and the wooden floor. Then I heard a frantic knock on the door. I got up quickly to answer it, not knowing who it would be.

"Madam Giry!" Monsieur Firmin said as I opened the door to the two managers and they handed me a note that was written in all red ink and very elegant handwriting. I knew who it was from before I even read the first sentence. I looked up at them with a creased brow and they motioned me with their hands to read it.

Managers,

As I have said in the past; La Carlotta is not fit for any role in my Opera House. I have been generous with my time and have let you pass this problem by too many times now. Since you have failed to replace her, I have come up with an ideal Prima Donna that will be well qualified.

Miss Christine Daae, the new dancer, is to sing this next performance and many others after it. If you do not comply with my orders, you will be faced with a dilemma that will not be desired.

Your obedient servant,

OG

"And what is it you want me to do?" I asked after reading the letter.

"You are in charge of box five, the Opera Ghosts box. We figured you would be able to persuade this ghost otherwise." Andre said.

"I am in charge of the ballerinas, monsieur, which is my priority over box five and the Opera Ghost." I didn't know why I said that. I guess I didn't want to let them fully believe I knew Erik. But it made my blood begin to boil at the thought of Erik promoting this girl who would probably turn from him once she saw his face.

I didn't want Christine or Erik to be hurt. I knew deep inside that Christine was not strong enough to look upon Erik and not be mentally fazed. She was most likely turning to him for support after her father's death. She has already had too much trauma in her life to face the fact that a person she was turning to was really a man in the form of a monster who had commit sins that would damn him to hell for ever. I also felt that Erik has had enough torture in his life and didn't need rejection again, but from a person he has openly invited into his life.

I went to push my door closed on them but Andre caught my wrist and prevented me.

"Madam please. Anything you do at all can be help and we have no one else to turn to. All we want is to keep peace in this opera house, but somehow that now seems impossible. If we listen to this phantom Carlotta will throw a huge fit and many patrons expecting Carlotta to sing will break away from funding us. But if we don't do as he ordered us, a dilemma will occur and it will be the ghost throwing the fit. If you recall in the past, his fits are not all that desirable." He said still holding my wrist, looking desperately into my eyes.

The flustered managers just stared at me no longer breathing while they waited for an answer to escape my lips. I didn't know what to say and my mouth just opened and closed as I tried to form words.

I scanned through the letter once again in an attempt to search for an answer and the right things to tell the managers. Then I realized something that should have hit me sooner. Christine didn't sing…did she? I suppose she might know how but it seemed odd to think of her as a music type. She was so talented at dancing and I could only ever see her competing with my daughter and other great dancers for the lime-light; not Carlotta.

"I will see what I can do to appease the ghost. Now if you please, leave me to my thoughts, I must think of something to help get you both out of this mess." I folded up the letter and put it into my dress pocket as I closed the doors on the managers and made last eye contact with them both. Once my door was fully shut I cursed Erik for his foolishness under my breath. Why couldn't he just leave some things well enough alone?

I decided that now was the time to go pay him a visit. Surely Christine and the other ballerinas were sound asleep and it would be just Erik and I to talk this over, and I would be able to get my point across to him.

Nadirs POV

I had seen Erik with this girl before. Not a normal person would have been able to spot them together, only someone who was looking hard enough and knew right where he would be could see him. Even though Erik and I had drifted apart due to my family issues I needed to take care of; I did spy on him every once in a while to make sure he was ok and not on the verge of suicide. I left him a few years ago because of me and my life; not him and his face. I needed space between us so I could focus on the problems in my life, but I knew leaving him alone would cause him heart ache. I had showed him what it was like to have a person in his life…maybe not the greatest of friend but someone who cared even a little. I knew that it would probably be hard for him to fall back into loneliness after that but his reaction to it wasn't as bad as I had predicted. He had music to comfort him.

But this girl…just looking into Erik's eyes would tell you he would do anything for her. Perhaps even kill. It pained my chest to think about her most likely not feeling the same for him. I had reason to believe that maybe she was using him in some way. I had seen her with the Vicomte as well. I had watched as she filled his eyes with a spark that could only be brought on by love. It was clear who her choice truly was; the flawless wealthy man that did not live under an opera house but in a mansion.

But now, as I sat on Erik's sofa and listened to him confess his love for the girl…and how he played the role of an angel in her presence struck me cold. It was just like Erik to slip in and out of anger like he had just did; one moment practically yelling at me, and the next turning to me with helpless eyes. But what disturbed me was how much manipulating people was true to his character as well. I should have known. She wouldn't willingly walk down disconcerting dark hallways with a masked stranger without a reason to let her believe she was safe.

I was trying to find words to say to Erik after he had just finished confiding his lies and love for the girl to me but was stopped in my tracks when a knock sounded causing us both to lift our heads and look towards the front door.

Erik POV

I had no idea who was knocking on my door at such an hour. I felt drained now after telling Nadir I loved Christine and was pretending to be her angel of music. I was weak to mention such things and wished nothing more than to take it back and send him on his way. I just wanted to be alone and indulge myself in music. I wanted to get lost in its power and become its slave, I longed to just poor my every emotion into it and forget my love sick heart for a moment. Just a moment with my music and I would be able to redeem my confident role as the opera ghost and get exactly what I wanted…what did I want? My fingers itched to be placed across any instrument and figure that question out. Until then my brain would be a jumbled mess.

I stood up and answered my door. I opened it to a flustered Madam Giry whose face was practically red. In her hand she held a note. One of my notes, with my seal and I could see the red ink glancing up at me from her hand.

I felt anger build up in me. I didn't want company and it was tearing at me that I wasn't able to lose myself in music's grace with both her and Nadir here.

"Erik please let me in, I have important business with you."

"Why not, join the fun. Have a seat anywhere you'd like. Make yourself comfortable." I sarcastically told her in a bitter tone and moved aside so she could walk through the thresh hold of my house. When I said that she gave me a puzzled look and suspiciously walked into my living room. When she saw Nadir she stopped in her place and just stared at him. Never taking her eyes off of him she spoke "You already have company…Hello Nadir. It's been a long time."

Nadir gestured for her to take a seat beside him and replied to her.

"It seems you have come to visit the phantom of the opera as well." He said this with a small smile trying to be humorous but it did nothing but edge me on further.

"I am growing tired of putting up with company and would like nothing more than for you both to exit my house. I had almost gotten somewhere with Nadir and was close to being able to at last send him away until you showed up." I glared at Madam Giry "What is it you need?!" I felt my voice become louder and louder as I spoke and my shoulders tensed with rage.

Madam Giry looked at up me standing over her then at Nadir and gave a sigh.

"Erik, its Christine. I saw you take her with you in the chapel and I'm not sure you know what you're getting into."

I felt my breathing quicken with an anger I tried to keep caged. When she mentioned Christine's name it reminded me she was asleep in her room. How disastrous it would be if she awoke to find Madam Giry and Nadir in the living room. I made an awful attempt at keeping my voice down low and calm.

"You think I don't know what I'm doing?!" my voice came out a little louder and harsher than I had intended but I didn't care. I was now helplessly lost in defending myself.

"You doubt that I am capable of handling myself in such matters?!" I continued and crept toward her until I was looming over her. Madam Giry's eyes frantically searched the room as if trying to find words to form a reply.

"I just want to help you and give you and Christine what is best."

"I do not need your concern, you can mind your own business and stay out of mine!" After I said that she closed her eyes and took a deep breath to compose herself. She opened them and appeared more confident afterwards.

"Erik, it's very hard to stay out of your business when managers are asking me to step in." she handed me the note once she said that and I glanced at it, then folded it up and put it in my coat pcoket. I didn't need to read it to know what I had sent to the managers.

"If you've come to ask me to take the command back you will go to sleep disappointed tonight. I will get what I want as the Opera Ghost and will not hesitate to act on threats. Christine will sing in place of Carlotta."

There was a long silence that was only filled with the sound of my heavy breaths and looks that were exchanged between the three of us.

"Erik, I believe Madam Giry has no clue as what is going on, and from her point of view it worries her. She has no idea what you plans are for this Christine girl and is only looking after you both."

I didn't feel like fighting back anymore. I felt dead without music to revive me and instead just looked at Nadir with piercing eyes.

"Madam Giry, perhaps we should go and leave Erik to take in our concern." Nadir rose from his seat as he said this and headed towards the door. He stopped before exiting and looked back at me then at the still sitting Madam Giry.

"Erik, I will be back to talk to you tomorrow." After saying that last statement he made eye contact with madam Giry and firmly motioned her to come with him.

"Come." Nadir said then they both walked out the door.

As soon as the door shut I turned around to go sit at my piano and find my release but was unsuccessful at walking even two steps before I saw Christine standing by it with a creased brow.

"Christine. I thought you were sleeping."

"I was…but I heard yelling and decided to come check on you." I mentally scolded myself for not trying hard enough to restrain my anger with Madam Giry.

"I'm fine. Now go back to bed." I said bluntly. I wasn't able to think straight without music anymore and just wanted to dismiss any questions I saw forming in her head before she spoke them.

"Angel; who was that man, and why was Madam Giry here?" I had failed at preventing questions to slip past her lips. I took a deep breath.

"You don't need to worry about it, Christine. Now just go back to bed. You have rehearsals tomorrow." Instead of listening to me she went and sat down on the sofa were Nadir was sitting. I had been suppressing my anger with her as best I could, but now, she was tempting it to come out.

"Angel…is everything alright? You seem upset; maybe mad even."

I avoided looking her in the eyes and stared at the floor below me instead. I didn't want to look into pleading blue eyes and let lose answers to questions I would rather remain unknown to her.

"Like I said a minute ago, I'm fine. Now please, just go to bed." I felt my tone become more and more stern with every word I spoke until it sounded like I was giving an order that could be refused by no one.

But she didn't budge. Instead, when I looked up to see why she wasn't moving, she was staring at me with a look full of confusion.

"What did they mean when they called you Erik?" That question hit me like a cold rock and shook the rage in me to a point where I was sure it was visibly spilling out of me.

"Christine go to bed or I will take you there myself!" I yelled at her. I immediately loathed myself for it. She was such an angel and here I was, the devil himself yelling at her. But as I looked at her and saw she still wasn't moving I found myself unable to cease my rage and swiftly walked towards her.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her off the cushions of the sofa and down the hallway to her bedroom. She stumbled several times behind me trying to keep up but that didn't stop my quick pace.

I abruptly pushed her door open and when we were both inside the room I swung her around to face me and moved my hands to grip her upper arms.

"Christine, when I tell you to do something, I expect you do follow through with it instead of ignoring me. Now get in bed!" I released her quickly causing her to stumble backwards a little bit and I saw one tear on her cheek sliding down. I turned around and exited her room without paying her one last look and immediately went to my Piano.

Finally. Music. I played every emotion my soul felt for the rest of the night. The whole house was filled with the ringing of angry and harsh chords I created until they calmed and fell into melancholy melodies.

Wellllll how'd you like it? Good? Bad? Eh? Let me know :D

And thanks for reading all the way to the bottom :)